Third Time's A Charm- Chapter 4
"We'll camp here for the night." Akari said, glancing up once as dusk started to paint the sky, reigning in her horse as the trees gave way to an open grove.
Inuyasha glared at him. He was sore and tired. This stupid beast didn't go anywhere near as smooth as it looked it did and the creature was scared at him. It reeked of fear. He scrubbed at his nose then sneezed and stood, jumping down of the horse's back. The woman turned a disapproving eye on him.
"You should show a bit more respect for the horse."
Inuyasha sat stubbornly. "Ha. Like I need to waste my time with some stupid beast. I just wanna get down there and get back."
Akari sighed as she tied both horses to a tree then started collecting fallen sticks from the ground. "Have you always been this pig headed or is it just me?"
"Don't flatter yourself." Smirking arrogantly at his witty comeback.
Her lips tipped up in amusement at the corners. "So you've always been pigheaded then." Grinning when he sputtered a denial. "Be careful what you say. Everything is always open for interpretation."
"Well then stop interpreting what I say!" he snapped.
She blinked at him then laughed, shaking her head as gales of mirth shook her. "Inuyasha." She sat down laying the sticks down then proceeded to light the fire. "You've been sorely lacking in company for a while haven't you?"
He slanted her a suspicious look. "What of it? How would you know?"
She smiled a bit. "You should start getting to know people. No one deserves to look back on the years of their life and wonder where those years went."
"I know exactly where my life went and its getting shorted and shorter sittin here with you." He said irritably, ears twitching with annoyance that her words struck so close to home.
She grinned simply however. "Literally and figuratively. Funny. That fact is, however, that you have no sense of self-preservation Inuyasha. You really do need someone to take care of you because obviously you can't do it yourself."
He growled. "I don't need anyone!"
She glared at him. "What you need is someone to knock some sense into you as well. I don't know why-" She broke of suddenly and her lips moved into a soft frown as she tilted her head to the side slight. "Do you hear that?"
"Wha-" she shushed him and he fumed, ears twitching then stilled when he heard what she was talking about. A slight rustling in the shadows.
Inuyasha didn't know where the knife came from. One moment her hands were empty and the next there was the glitter of a blade in her fingers. The knife rested in her hands for no more then a second as she flung it, straight into the treetops. There was a choked cry and the sound of a blade burying into flesh and then a demon crow dropped out of the trees, Akari's knife sticking up from it's chest.
Inuyasha growled and lifted a sleeve to cover his nose. "That thing stinks of human flesh. Fresh human flesh." Akari nodded and stood moving towards the bird. Inuyasha blinked, something was off. "No don't!" He managed to catch her arm and jerk her backwards at the same time the bird shot from the ground and launched itself at her face. She gasped and Inuyasha thrust her aside, raking out a claw. "Iron reaver!" cleaving the crow into three separate parts that fell to the ground will hallow thumps.
"It was still alive." Akari spoke from where she stood behind Inuyasha. She walked around him slowly and retrieved her knife from among the bird's remains, whipping it of then tucked it away again neatly. She leaned down and nudged the bird's sectioned body into the flames. "I don't fancy the prospect of sleeping with that thing leering at me. Even in death."
"The fire will make it's smell worse." Inuyasha said, indeed already the scent of its burning feathers and flesh was making him nauseous and dizzy.
"Here." He looked up as she handed him a folded square of cloth. "Hold this to your nose. It will keep the scent from overpowering you." He took the cloth and sniffed it a bit. Light dabs of rosemary and pine scented it. He sneezed but held it close to his face. She watched him a moment then smiled. "You saved me."
Inuyasha choked suddenly. "Yea well...." Her eyebrow went up and he growled. "Don't get any ideas. If you die then I die too remember."
"Of course." But the smirk of amusement remained on her lips.
"Stop looking at me like that!"
"Like what?"
"Like you're going to attack me!" He growled again.
"Perhaps not attack in the way you're thinking."
"Gah!" he scrambled backwards blushing. "You're insane!"
She laughed. "Calm down. I don't plan on 'attacking' you right now. My village is still a day away. We'll reach Mishima sometime tomorrow afternoon." Her voice held a blend of joy and longing.
"Great." Inuyasha sighed casting her looks.
He was warring with relief that he'd finally be cured of the poison in his system. He'd recognized it affecting him. Slowing his movements, dulling his senses. He should have heard that crow before her. Hell, he should have smelled it before it even got that close! Once they reached this village he could get rid of it. But there was the prospect of the deal he struck looming in the distant. Not to mention having to deal with the prejudice of her village. The way he always had to, the way he hated. And if she really did want a child? And if he gave her one? That child would be part demon to and her village wouldn't accept it either even if she were a priestess.
"Inuyasha." Her voice knocked him out of his musing and her yelled as he found her studying him, face inches from his own.
"Ah! What's your problem!" turning away and blushed to be caught not paying attention. Even worse the directions her thoughts had been going.
She grinned. "Oh my Inuyasha. I do believe you're allergic to me. Your face is quite red." She laughed when he blushed deeper then glared at her. "I'm only teasing." She straightened. "I'm going to get to bed early. I want to get home soon as possible." She walked away from him, paused then glanced back. "Inuyasha."
"What!?" he snapped, irritable again.
"Don't be afraid to be optimistic. Trusting people isn't as hard as your experience would make it seem. You won't be an object of scorn where we're going."
He scoffed. "And you can guarantee it? People are afraid of anything different."
Her lips turned up a bit in a smile. "Not all people. Different tunes are what make up a harmony. And sooner or late Inuyasha...you will harmonize with me. Whether you like it now or not. Don't shut me out totally." She added when he looked away from her. "Think me crazy. Think me a liar. Think me stupid. But, please, make sure you think of me." And then she turned and walked into the forest.
And as if her words were a curse that was all Inuyasha could do. Think of her. And her. And her.