In this chapter my character will be introduced. I hope you guys like the first two chapters! I'm going to start the next chapter right now, but that one will take a bit more time now that my character is back in the picture. Anyway, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I still don't own Inuyasha! Darn...
Chapter 3: Hot-to-Trot on the Foxes Trail
Kagome gasped as Inuyasha leaned closer still. She felt his damp silver hair slip past his shoulders to form a veil around her flushed face. One strand, falling just short of her cheek, was grazing her skin in a most irritating fashion, but she couldn't bring herself to reach up and brush it away.
"Kagome..."
Startled as all heck, Kagome's jaw dropped when she heard her own name in his deep, gruff voice. His gilded eyes studied her face intently, barely inches from her own, and when he spoke, the words brushed her lips.
Hearing the bushes around them rustle, Inuyasha was shaken from his daze, blinking rapidly in confusion. Taking in their current situation, his intense gaze downshifted to baffled.
"Ka...gome?" He sat up slightly, unconsciously putting an arm around her shoulders to guide her up as well.
Curling into an awkward ball, she buried her face in her raised knees; her blue eyes peering nervously back at him. Her cheeks flushed and she edged in the other direction, trying to turn away from him.
Frowning, Inuyasha grasped her shoulder again, stopping her.
"What's wrong?" His eyes trailed from her wary blue eyes down to her bare shoulders, falling past the ends of her sodden ebony hair, to her...
"Gah!" He released her shoulder and clapped one hand over his eyes. With his other hand, he absently patted around his hips, checking to make sure his towel, and what was left of his dignity, was still present. "Uh... sorry."
Kagome felt herself turn even more red. "Umm... yeah. So... what are we going to do?" She gazed nervously around, knowing that Miroku was rapidly approaching.
"I have no-"
"Oh ho ho! What have we here?" Miroku, who had miraculously escaped the clutches of Sango, loomed over one of the bushes to their left. "My my my... Inuyasha! You're a naughty-"
"Back off!" Inuyasha abruptly threw his arms around Kagome and pulled her behind him. Feeling an irrepressible urge to protect, he rose to his feet, keeping one arm firmly wrapped around the middle of Kagome's back. With the other, he pointed threateningly at the monk. "You just keep your hands, eyes, and your thoughts to yourself! Take one step closer and I'll kick your ass!" Leaving a dumbstruck Miroku staring blankly at them, Inuyasha began to make his way back to their clothes, pushing an equally shocked Kagome with him. "Hey, Sango!"
Appearing from behind a tree, the boomerang-toting young woman jabbed a finger at the still stunned Miroku.
"Ah ha! There you are! Don't move you pervert! YOU'RE MINE!"
Miroku let out a terrified shriek as she raised her weapon. Turning, he made a beeline for the nearest clump of trees, but to no avail...
"Kirara!" Sango called, still pointing at the fleeing monk.
The larger form of the little cat-like creature came bounding out of a bush, pouncing angrily on the young man as he scrambled to change directions, which only served in sending him to the ground that much faster.
The last thing the half-naked pair heard was the anguished cry of Miroku as Kirara, following her master's orders, sat on him, silencing any further protest.
Half an hour later, having sent Sango in search of their missing attire, and after a short period of recovery from their recent ordeal, Inuyasha was still trying to coax Kagome out from a bush.
Inuyasha grumbled irritably, sitting back on his heels next to Kagome. Being more or less attached to her meant he was also stuck in the bush. He leaned backwards, growling as he was once again stuck in the back of the head with a branch. He cursed the fact that the girl had picked a bush with thorns.
"Come on, Kagome! You've got your clothes, what else do you need?"
The girl beside him let out an agonized groan, her reply muffled by her arms, in which her face was hidden.
"To crawl into a hole and die?" She suggested miserably.
The half demon sighed, frustrated, and propped his chin in his hand. In the process of leaning over, his ear was pricked by a thorn. Letting out a quiet yelp, he jerked his head away from the pain, effectively tangling his still damp hair around the barb. But by pulling against his hair, he managed to catch himself on a branch in the opposite direction.
"Kagome..."
Her name was spoken in a quiet tone, but she could hear the anger behind the calm facade. Peering over her arms, she had to pause and process just what it was she was looking at.
There sat Inuyasha, pinned in his spot by what had to be at least six clumps of hair; each one stretching in a different direction to the heavily thorned branches of their cover. The hanyou was trembling, trying his best to contain his fury.
Kagome had trouble biting back her laughter as she took in this sight. Though she did wonder how he had managed to get himself stuck like that, she had to pity him at least a little. It was obviously a very painful and uncomfortable position.
Inuyasha's scowl deepened.
"Quit staring and untangle me. Now."
Kagome composed herself, knowing better than to mess with him when he used that tone.
"Alright, hold still." Kagome smiled, inching closer. "After I get you loose let me dry your hair." Working quickly but gently, she smoothed Inuyasha's hair down, grinning at his relieved expression.
Having had quite enough of this obnoxious plant for one lifetime, Inuyasha drew his sword and hacked them a safe, and considerably wide exit, therefore avoiding the possibility of any more incidents.
Kagome had to scramble to keep up with Inuyasha's purposeful steps on the trip back to their camp, the only other option being strangulation.
Upon arriving back at their temporary home away from home, they found Miroku alone by the fire. There was a very dejected expression on his face, and a very large bump on his head. It seemed that after detaining the monk and retrieving their companions clothing, Sango had left with Kaede and Kirara to attempt another search for Shippou.
Inuyasha decided to sit by the fire while Kagome knelt close behind him, draping a towel over his head and scrubbing his hair dry.
"You know Kagome; my hair will dry just fine on its own." Every other word he said was louder than the last as Kagome stroked his hair. When the towel wasn't removed, he sighed, giving up. It wasn't that bad anyway.
Kagome kept drying with an oblivious smile on her face. First she had woken up in Inuyasha's arms, then she had seen him half-naked (which, she had to admit, had been... pleasant... to say the very least), and even had a... fun... time in the hot springs. AND she'd managed to keep most of her dignity... thanks largely to Inuyasha. It was only around noon and her day was already great!
"Just consider this a thank you for saving me."
"I didn't..." Inuyasha sighed. He hadn't really saved her. "Whatever."
Kagome continued to massage his scalp in small circles, paying special attention to his ears, which he seemed to enjoy quite thoroughly.
Inuyasha found himself leaning into her hands as she touched his ears. Her movements were making him very comfortable, and very drowsy. He sighed, looking around through half-lidded eyes at the monk across from him. Jealousy was written plainly across his features as he nursed his wounds from the earlier beating.
'Lucky dog.' He mouthed irritably. (no pun intended)
Inuyasha smirked, causing Miroku's frown to deepen.
Just as Inuyasha was about to make a comment Sango burst out of the underbrush.
"We... found... something." She panted heavily from her run, leaning forward and bracing herself on her knees.
"What is it, Sango?" Kagome dropped the towel on the ground, standing up with Inuyasha. On the way, Kagome grabbed her bow and arrows, and handed Inuyasha his sword.
"Kaede found some of Shippou's warning signs." She straightened, motioning with her hand, "C'mon; I'll show you."
Inuyasha and Kagome soon discovered that being stuck so close together posed problems when one tries to walk quickly. They couldn't walk side beside because the beads wouldn't accommodate the space needed. They couldn't walk one by one, because they were so close that the person behind would be walking up the back of the leaders legs. Finally Inuyasha decided that he could walk right behind her shoulder, their legs wouldn't get tangled, and there was room enough for that. But that position caused another problem. His hand just happened to hang right by her backside. If he accidentally brushed her there, she might pass it off as him trying to pull a 'Miroku' on her, and use it as an excuse to S-I-T him. Unfortunately, Inuyasha saw only one solution to this problem. (At least for this story there is only one suitable way to go).
Kagome was startled as she felt a pressure around her lower back and a weight on her hip. Looking down, she was shocked to find an arm wrapped firmly around her. Turning her questioning gaze to the owner of said arm, she found Inuyasha looking pointedly in the other direction, the faint hints of a blush tinting his cheeks. Kagome allowed herself a gentle smile. Her day just kept getting better!
When they reached Kaede and Kirara, they discovered that there was indeed a trail of little red and white spotted mushrooms.
"That's funny, most of these weren't here a second ago." Sango spoke, noting that there were more than before. "Maybe they really only... turn on... for Kagome."
"That's not the only thing that turns on for Kagome." Miroku spoke quietly, looking steadily at Inuyasha, who let out a warning growl, silencing the monk.
"Yeah, yeah. Great. Let's go."
The group immediately set out to follow the signs, hoping to find their missing member. Everyone, save for Inuyasha, climbed atop Kirara, and they started off after the trail of fungi.
After about five minutes, they reached a large cliff. The sheer drop seemed endless as they peered over the edge. Frighteningly enough, that was where the signals stopped.
Kagome peered cautiously over the ridge. "You don't think..." Worry was clear in her voice.
"I sure hope not." Sango was equally concerned.
"That would be most unfortunate." Kaede echoed.
Their two companions remained silent, but it was obvious that they were worried as well. At least, as worried as the one who chased him off in the first place and a girl-crazed-pervert of a monk could be.
"Looking for this?"
A cold, raspy voice sounded from behind them, followed by a squeal of annoyance.
Turning around, they were met with the image of a strange creature. What they guessed was a 'he', looked like a cross between a man and a tree. With ribbed green skin, long, gnarled hands, and what looked like stretches of branch-like tissue knit through his bare arms, he looked every part a walking shrub. He wore strange, billowing gold robes and a deep red sash around his waist. Dangling from one of his hands was Shippou, struggling madly against his captor. As soon as the little fox laid eyes on Kagome, he doubled his efforts, letting out cries of frustration when his attempts were fruitless.
"Kagome!" The kitsune cried helplessly.
"Shippou!" Kagome called back from her place behind the hanyou.
"Who the hell are you?" Inuyasha demanded fiercely, brandishing Tetsusaiga when the stranger stepped closer.
Eyeing the half-demon as if he was an insect, but ignoring the question, the plant-like individual addressed the whole group.
"Where is this...Kagome?" The creature questioned again. His yellow eyes scanned their small gathering, fixing on the girl behind the silver-haired boy with the sword. "Ah, there is my prize. The girl who can sense the shards of the Shikon no Tama."
"Is that what this was?" Shouted Miroku. "You took Shippou captive in hopes of baiting Kagome?"
Inuyasha snorted.
"To bad you picked such a sorry excuse for a hostage."
The golden-clad man released Shippou, who landed on his head and as soon as he recovered, ran frantically into Kagome's waiting arms. "But it worked, did it not?"
After quickly checking to make sure the kitsune was unharmed, Kagome set Shippou on the ground before stepping around Inuyasha.
"Don't count you're chickens before they're hatched, buddy!" She yelled, drawing her bow.
Their enemy blinked. "Chickens?"
Kagome let the bow drop. "I guess that phrase wasn't as popular in feudal Japan." She thought dismally.
"What are these chickens you speak of? What meaning have they?" The bush-like man was as confused as Inuyasha was getting annoyed.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes in irritation.
"It means too bad for you, because you can't have her!" His sword transformed to its more powerful form. "Now, I'll ask you again. Who the hell are you?"
With a slow, gallant bow, the man smiled, baring fangs much longer than those of Inuyasha. As he stood again, the wooden portions of his body creaked eerily.
"I am Midori, and I suggest you remember the name. That is, if you ever want a chance of seeing your female again."
Nobody had even blinked, but in an instant, he was face to face with the angry hanyou. The creature now known as Midori smirked.
"Because I intend to make her mine."
Hahaha! Now Midori's a plant-man! For anyone who hasn't read the old version, he used to be a lizard-man. Anyway, I hope you like it, please review!
