Kita and Saramaru
The sun was setting and it was getting chilly. The group had a nice warm fire going. "Looks like rain." Kagome commented looking up at the sky.
"It smells like it too." Inuyasha agreed, "And it smells like a bad one."
Saramaru shrugged. "Do you guys wanna get wet?" She asked.
"I don't mind." Miroku said shrugging.
"We sleep in the rain all the time." Kagome said, "Do you want to get wet, Saramaru?"
"Nope." Saramaru got up, and started walking in a circle around the group. She made sure it left out the flowers. "Now, we wont get wet, the temperature will stay the same, even when the fire goes out, and weak demons wont be able to get us. Those demons including most of Naraku's." Saramaru smiled, quite happy with her barrier.
"That's handy." Kagome commented, "But I think Kita and Shippo are still outside of it. Can they get back in?"
"Yes, they can. I meant weak in the mind. Inuyasha, I'm afraid, won't be able to get though it." Saramaru smirked a little. 'That'll get him going.' She thought.
"If you didn't notice I'm already in here." Inuyasha said, "So I don't have any problems with it."
"Weren't you supposed to be watching the kids though?" Kagome questioned.
"Yeah, but it's not like anything's going to attack them." he said carelessly, "I left them on their own."
Saramaru got up. "Inuyasha, when I get back..." Saramaru didn't even finish her threat before she left for the children.
"You're dead." Miroku told Inuyasha.
Saramaru walked around hurriedly. She could not smell Kita. The smell of rain was too overwhelming. "KITA! SHIPPO!" She called out, her voice full of worry.
The two came running to her. "What?" they asked at the same time.
Kita looked around. "Are you going to bring us back to the camp?" she questioned, "Because if you are, Inuyasha-sama's out here too."
"No he's not, he left, being the baka he is." Saramaru said. "I'm just going to bring you close to the camp, and I want you two to stay where I can see you. Ok?" Saramaru asked.
"Why?" Shippo asked, "Is there something going on?"
"It's getting dark, I can't smell anything through the smell of rain, and when the rain does start, I won't be able to hear you, so I want to be able to see you." Saramaru replied.
"Then let's just come back with you!" Kita said happily, "I don't want to get wet."
"Okay!" Shippo agreed, "And Kagome's probably almost got dinner ready anyway!"
"If you get on my back, then we can run all the way there." Saramaru said. "I'll go fast."
"Yeah!" Kita exclaimed, "That would be fun!"
Saramaru kneeled down, and let them climb on. "Alright," She said as she got up, "You guys ready?"
"Yup!" the two replied, holding on tightly.
Saramaru ran through the forest, so fast that her legs became slightly blurred, and the surroundings were barely recognizable. When they reached the camp, Saramaru walked through the barrier, just as it started to rain, and started glaring daggers at Inuyasha.
"What?" he demanded.
Noticing that there would be a very loud argument soon, Kita and Shippo hopped off Saramaru and ran over to Kagome, who handed them a bowl of stew each.
"You. Are. LUCKY." Saramaru said as she walked over and hit him on the head. "If they were hurt, your face would no longer be recognizable." Her voice was calm, too calm.
"What did I do?" Inuyasha repeated his voice rising a little.
"Inuyasha sure is forgetful, isn't he?" Sango asked Kagome. She nodded in response.
"You left them alone. What if Naraku had come, or Sesshoumaru? We wouldn't have been able to smell them! And if they had come while it was raining, we wouldn't be able to hear them!" Saramaru said, accenting every word with a hit to Inuyasha's head.
"Damn it!" Inuyasha exclaimed, jumping up, "Don't hit me! Who's gonna to attack a bratty kitsune and a little human girl? Naraku hates rain! He never appears in bad weather! And you said yourself Sesshoumaru was going the other way! QUIT HITTING ME!"
"You know how fast Sesshoumaru is! And you also know that Naraku likes to set up traps! Making you believe that he doesn't like bad weather could be a part of one of his fiendish plans! And they would use them as bait to get to US!" Saramaru slapped Inuyasha with the back of her hand. "WAKE UP! He knows that you care about Shippo! And he probably knows that I care about Kita! That bastard is always watching us!" Saramaru exclaimed.
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT SHIPPO!" Inuyasha screamed, "QUIT SLAPPING ME!"
"Say that to his face then! It'll be just like this afternoon and you know it!" Saramaru had stopped slapping, and now focused on outsmarting him. For some reason, she felt she was winning that way.
The hanyou turned to Shippo. "I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOU KID!" he yelled.
Shippo looked up from his meal. "I already know that." he replied. Then he went back to his meal.
"Inuyasha, you know you care about him. I can tell. No matter how much you might try to deny it. And you also know that what I said about Sesshoumaru and Naraku was right." Saramaru said.
Just then there was a clap of thunder. Kita shrieked, dropped her dinner, and ran over to Saramaru, clinging to her in terror.
Saramaru picked Kita up. "Don't worry," She soothed, "It just noise. It can't hurt you, and the lightning cant get in here." She turned back to Inuyasha. "Don't leave them alone again. All right? I don't care if you don't give a damn about them, just WATCH them." With that she sat down with her back against Niiro-ichi's side. Kita continued to cling and whimper.
Niiro-ichi reached his neck towards her and rubbed the side of his face against her shoulder. "It will be alright. Your safe her with all of us." He said comfortingly.
The rain began pouring down and she started to cry for real. "It's so scary!" she whispered.
Saramaru hand started making soothing motions on Kita's back. "If you look up, you can see the rain wash down the sides of the barrier." She said quietly. Kita looked up and watched the water, but she still cried. In a few minutes she had cried herself to sleep."
"Poor kid." Sango commented, "I've never seen a child so scared of thunder. She either had an incredibly sheltered life before she was kicked out of her village, or her life was just so terrible everything scared her."
"I'm leaning towards the second choice." Miroku commented.
"Same here." Kagome agreed.
"Saramaru," Miroku said, "Why did you decide to take care of Kita?"
"Yeah." Inuyasha said, still half sulking, "You treat her like your pup or something."
"I... I guess she was all alone, and when I tried to read her mind, before she shut me out, I saw horrible things. I knew there would be no place for her... so I took her in. I felt bad, and she didn't have anyone." Saramaru said, looking out into space.
"You're still treating her like your pup." Inuyasha pointed out, "And you haven't explained that."
"I... I don't know. I guess she's just special, and maybe we haven't realized why. All I know is, I feel like I need someone to protect, and she needs someone to protect her." Saramaru replied, looking at Kita as she answered.
"That's so nice of you!" Kagome said happily, "You didn't get any dinner, would you like some?"
"Sure. That would be nice." Saramaru said, smiling.
Kagome handed her a bowl of stew. "Maybe in a way she is your pup." Shippo said, "Inuyasha's right. You do treat her like it."
Saramaru chuckled a bit. 'I guess I do.' She thought.
A loud clap of thunder woke Kita up from her magically helped sleep. Looking around frantically, she found herself near the fire that had burned out hours ago, under a blanket. Saramaru was sleeping against Niiro-ichi, far away under her own blankets. The girl got up, pulling her blanket close and hurried over to the demoness.
Saramaru sensed movement, then felt something at her side. She opened one eye, to see Kita, huddling close to her. Saramaru put her arm around the girl, and hugged her close.
"It's still scary outside." Kita whispered.
"Yes it is." Saramaru answered in a low voice, so only Kita could hear. "But when you get older, you'll see that it's not as scary as it appears."
"Can I sleep with you?" Kita asked.
"Yes." Saramaru answered simply. Kita pulled herself underneath the blanket, snuggling up to her protector.
"Kita? Remember, that if you even need anything, just ask. Okay?" Saramaru asked.
"Okay." she replied, yawning. In seconds she was sleeping again. Saramaru smiled, and soon she too, was asleep.
The group had just finished eating breakfast, and where packing up to leave. Saramaru was rubbing her wrists. 'I need to stretch...' She thought as she rubbed her sore wrists. 'Hmmm...' Suddenly she got an idea. "Hey Kita?"
"Yeah?" the girl asked, looking up from her game with Shippo.
"I need to stretch," Saramaru started, "I'm going to go transformed on this part of the journey. Would you like to go on my back?"
"Are you going to transform into the big white dog like before?" the girl questioned, curious.
"Yes." Saramaru answered simply.
"I'd like that so much!" Kita exclaimed happily, "It'll be a lot of fun!"
"Alright then. Are we finished packing up?" Saramaru asked.
"I don't have anything to pack up." Kita replied, "Ask Kagome-san."
"Everything's packed up." Kagome said, swinging her backpack onto her back, "And I think everyone's ready to go."
Saramaru walked a distance away at hearing this, and concentrated on being a dog. Before long, She towered over the trees. She waited patiently as Niiro-ichi went over to Kita. "You'll have to get on me first, so I can take you up there." Niiro-ichi said as he kneeled down in front of Kita.
Kita scrambled up onto him, careful to grab a handful of feathers so she wouldn't fall off when he took off. Niiro-ichi got up, and spread his wings, lifting into the air with and effortless flap. He flew over, and landed on Saramaru's back, kneeling down, and let Kita off. "Remember to hold on tight, and if you feel like falling, just tell Saramaru. Okay?" He said to her.
"Okay." she replied, sliding off of him. Kita crawled over to a spot in between Saramaru's shoulder blades. She decided that would be a safe and comfortable place to ride.
Niiro-ichi flew off of Saramaru, and flew by the ground. Saramaru started to walk in the direction that they needed to go. She picked up speed slightly, and went into a jog, being careful to avoid contact with trees.
As Kita got bumped around she giggled. Kilala flew up over Saramaru, holding everyone but Inuyasha and Kagome. "How's the ride down there?" Sango called to the girl.
"Fun!" she replied laughing.
Niiro-ichi appeared beside Saramaru once more. "Oh, and if you get tired, it IS safe to go to sleep, I'll be right here just in case something happens." He called over to Kita.
"It's early in the morning, Niiro-ichi-san!" she replied, "Why would I get tired?"
"I'm just making sure you know." He called over cheerfully. "And if you think your ready to go faster, just ask her to." He flew away from Saramaru, and started weaving through trees and bushes.
Kita grinned. "Could we go faster Saramaru-sama?" she asked.
Saramaru picked up speed, falling into a smooth run. It was quite slow to her standards, but she knew it would be fast for Kita.
Back on the demoness's back, Kita was being bounced almost a foot of Saramaru's back each time she took a step. But of course Kita was enjoying it immensely.
Just then the girl spied a little flea sucking Saramaru's blood in front of her. Using her outstretched palm, she squished it.
Saramaru silently sighed. 'Thank heavens.' She thought as she kept going.
Myoga popped back into his usual shape and looked up at the thing that had squished him. "Hello!" he said, "What's a human like yourself doing on Lady Saramaru's back?" Kita stared at him, not replying.
Saramaru rolled her eyes. 'Oh god... he's calling me lady again...'
"Myoga." Inuyasha said hopping up onto Saramaru's back. Kagome was on his back, "I think you're scaring the kid."
Saramaru whined. 'Inuyasha! your too fat!' She thought. 'When I turn back, I'm gonna tell you that your too fat to be on my back.' She whined in agreement with Inuyasha however, because Kita did seem frightened by the flea.
"How can I scare her?" Myoga asked, "Anyway I bring interesting informati-" Inuyasha strode over and squished him again.
"That's Myoga the flea." Kagome told Kita as she slid off the hanyou's back, "He won't hurt you, but he might try to suck your blood." At that Kita got up, and rushed over, hiding behind her.
Saramaru slowed down a little, she did not want to risk any of her passengers falling off.
Kagome laughed. "I think new people just scare Kita." she told the flea.
"Ah." Myoga replied, "Well the news I bring is that Lord Sesshoumaru seems to be searching for someone! And my information tells me that it is Saramaru! Would you have any ideas why, Lord Inuyasha?"
Saramaru began to listen more to the conversation, and ended up hitting a tree with her paw. She yelped, but kept going.
"I think it's because of Kita." Kagome replied, "But I don't know why Sesshoumaru's after her."
"Who's Kita?" Myoga asked.
"The kid you're scaring." Inuyasha growled.
Saramaru barked a warning, she had to jump over a hill. 'Shit!' She thought. She was going too fast to stop.
The following happened quickly. Saramaru jumped, Kita grabbed onto Kagome. Kagome grabbed onto Inuyasha. Inuyasha fell over and grabbed Saramaru's fur. Myoga went flying off, landing on Kilala. Saramaru's landing was all but smooth. It was rocky where she landed, and she had to swerve to miss hitting a herd of cows. Sighing in relief, Kita let go of Kagome.
Right after Saramaru heard the sigh, she felt her legs slipping out from under her. She yelped, and unable to pull her self upright, fell into a sitting position. Kita slipped off Saramaru, rolling down the pile of cow dung the demoness had landed in.
Saramaru growled as the fowl smell reached her nose. She turned back into her regular size, only to get a stronger whiff of it. "GROSS! DISGUSTING! DAMN COWS! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO SHIT EVERYWHERE!" She yelled, throwing in the curses for her own anger relief.
Kita looked down at herself. She was completely covered with dung. She looked up at Saramaru and the others who were sitting on top of the mini mountain of it. Kita began to laugh uncontrollably. The whole scene was hilarious to her 5-year-old mind.
Saramaru growled. "Now we're going to have to go to the hot springs." She said. "I am NOT staying dirty." The comment only fueled Kita's laughter.
"Come on Kita, I know where there is a hot spring near by." Saramaru said quite moodily, while picking Kita up. "Stop laughing already!" She exclaimed when Kita only laughed harder.
Kita's laughing stopped abruptly. "I don't wanna take a bath!" she insisted, trying to get out of Saramaru's grip.
Saramaru only held on tighter. "You do now." She was slightly amused by the girl antics, but the smell of cow dung was agitating her even more than Sesshoumaru did. Kita tried harder. Finally she used the slipperiness of the dung to slip out of her guardian's grasp. She ran.
Saramaru growled in annoyance. 'I'll just herd her right into it then.' She thought as she sped up and appeared in front of Kita. 'The bath is the other way.' She thought to herself.
Seeing Saramaru suddenly in front of her, Kita swerved and started running the other way. "Now they're more like sisters." Shippo commented to Kagome.
Saramaru kept running behind her. 'Any second now, and she'll run into the springs.' The demoness thought.
And indeed the little girl did. She tripped on a root and went flying strait into the water. Saramaru jumped straight in, and grabbed the girl, making sure she stayed in, and also that she didn't drown. Finding that she liked the water, Kita began to laugh again.
Saramaru let go, but did not let her eyes off the girl. The girl began the doggy paddle around the spring, but mostly only using her arms. It was difficult to use her legs in her kimono.
Saramaru saw a plant that she recognized. She pulled it out, and started towards Kita, while using her hands to make it all sudsy. Kita didn't see her approaching until Saramaru started scrubbing at the dung on her kimono. At that time she started to struggle again.
Saramaru gritted her teeth. "This would go faster if you didn't struggle." She growled out.
"But I don't like baths!" Kita whined.
"They are a part of life. And you don't want to smell bad." Saramaru said. Kita continued to struggle, but this time there was not getting away.
When Saramaru was finished, she began to scrub the dung off of her own yukata. 'Well, if this doesn't work I could always go get some new cloths for us.' Luckily enough for them though, the dung seemed to have come off without a trace.
"All clean now!" Kita declared happily.
"Yes, we're all clean. Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" Saramaru asked.
"Nope." Kita replied diving under the water.
"That's what I thought." Saramaru said in satisfaction.
"Come on Kita. It's time to go." Saramaru said.
Kita surfaced in the water, her big blue eyes full of disappointment. "Already?" she asked, "But I don't want to! Can we stay just a little longer?"
"No, we have to go." Saramaru demanded.
"No!" Kita cried, swimming away.
"Oh God. Fine. We can stay longer." Saramaru got out, and sat a few feet away on a rock.
"Yay!" Kita said, splashing a bit in the water, "Thank you!"
An hour later, and they had set up camp. It was cold out, and Kita was still quite wet. Kagome and Inuyasha were quite clean. Inuyasha had found another hot spring and Kagome had used some of the stuff from her time.
"I had a good time at the hot spring today!" Kita announced to the group happily.
"You won't be having fun soon." Saramaru murmured. She had vowed that Kita would learn from her mistake. The temperature was dropping rapidly.
"Some mother you are if you let your pup get sick." Inuyasha mumbled back so only Saramaru could hear.
"She must learn, and if it starts getting deadly I'll just heal her." Saramaru whispered back to him.
"Whatever." Inuyasha retorted.
"It's getting cold." Kita commented, climbing onto Saramaru's lap.
"No it isn't." Shippo replied.
"Maybe not to you." Kagome said, "But to a human it is."
Saramaru looked down. 'I feel bad... oh well. I must be firm. She has to learn.' She thought to herself.
"ACHOO!" Kita gave a surprisingly loud sneeze for someone her size.
Saramaru winced. 'Must be strong... must be-' her thoughts were punctured by another sneeze. Kita wiped her nose and leaned back against Saramaru, shivering a little.
Saramaru finally gave into temptation. "Do you want to know why you are sick, Kita?"
Kita looked up at her. "Why?" she asked.
"Because you stayed in the water so long, that you had no chance to dry before it became cold. So now it is cold and your body cannot get it's heat back up. What do you think is the lesson in all of this, child?" Saramaru asked.
"Only go swimming when it's warm out?" Kita guessed.
"And get out at least an hour before the time when it gets cold, so that you can dry." Saramaru added, "Now tell me Kita, what are your never going to do again?" She knew that she was winning so far.
"Take a bath?" Kita asked.
'How did I know that was gonna happen.' Saramaru thought to herself, rolling her eyes. "Try again, you got it wrong."
"Swim?" the little girl guessed.
"Try again. Still wrong." Saramaru said, looking down at the shivering girl.
"Stay in after you tell me to get out of the water?" Kita asked.
"That's right. Do you think you've learned your lesson? I'm not quite sure yet." Saramaru answered.
Kita nodded. "I have." She replied.
"Alright." Saramaru gripped the girl's shoulders, and concentrated on killing the cold virus. Soon after, Kita was no longer shivering, and her usual color had returned. Sighing, Kita snuggled closer to Saramaru, falling asleep in her lap.
"I think you should have made her suffer longer if you wanted to get your point across." Inuyasha commented.
"I think Kita learned her lesson." Saramaru said, "I am a good guardian." She leaned back on Niiro-ichi.
"Maybe I should teach Shippo a lesson." Inuyasha thought, eyeing the little kitsune. Shippo hurried over to Kagome who gave him a glare.
"That's not a lesson." she told him, "That's unfair bullying."
"Shippo's a good boy Inuyasha, he just likes to tease." Saramaru said, before drifting off to sleep.