**********
Prisoners
The Rescue Begins
**********
Inu Yasha watched as the sun set, feeling the influence of his demon blood slowly drain from his body. "Are you ready?" he asked the kitsune beside him.
Shippo nodded, "That pack won't be able to resist chasing after me," he assured them, looking to the apprehensive faces of Tamiko and Master Kenjishi, trying to assuage their fears, despite their lack of battle experience, in this life, at least. "Good luck," he said encouragingly. With that he began to run through the forest, toward Kouga's den.
"'Good luck,'" Inu Yasha repeated, looking at Master Kenjishi and Tamiko, and sighing. "We'll certainly need it..."
Tamiko sniffed haughtily, "Never mind the wise cracks, let's just get into position."
Inu Yasha nodded, and lead the way down the same path Shippo had taken.
*****
"Shippo?" Kagome asked in disbelief.
"Yep."
"As in, kitsune?"
"That's the one."
"Brown hair; fox legs; fluffy tail?!"
Kanta paused in thought, "I think his hair is more of a reddish brown, actually, but yup! That's my fox."
Kagome shook her head in disbelief. "How long has this been going on?"
Kanta chewed on her lower lip, and Kagome could see her moving her fingers, silently calculating. "About two years now, I guess."
"Two YEARS?!" Kagome's mouth hung open, "But how- and why- did you keep it a secret for so long?"
Kanta shrugged, "Who knows how these things start? Inu Yasha and Shippo had gone, at Sessho Maru's request, to a sort of 'war council' with the wolf pack. While we were there, Sessho Maru tried to name Inu Yasha as his second in command to fend off my pack. This was a total surprise to Inu Yasha, and he refused, claiming he'd just come to show his support, not to actually get involved. Anyway, Kouga took this disruption as a show of vulnerability on the part of the Great Demon of the West, and all at once the place exploded with arguments.
"It got pretty ugly before I decided I just couldn't take it any more, so I slipped away into the deeper part of the forest, where there was a hot spring. I disrobed and was just about to slip in, when I heard a footstep crunch down on some leaves," she blushed. "I threw a rock, and it hit Shippo on the head." She blushed, "I threatened to kill him, but I think it was really love at first sight."
Kagome smiled, now Kanta really was beginning to remind her of Sango. "So why didn't you tell me all that before?!"
"Well, I didn't want to-", her face paled suddenly.
"Kanta? What is it?"
Kanta's nostrils flared, and she let out her breath in a hiss. "Shippo is near- and I won't be the only one that can smell him." She was obviously panicked, "Why would he come here in his fox form, with his fox smell?!"
Kagome grabbed Kanta's hand, "He has a very good reason, I'm sure of it! Shippo will be careful." *I hope...* Kanta clutched her hand tighter.
"You're afraid, too. I can tell." She pulled Kagome in for a tight hug, before releasing her. "You're right, it's Shippo, he will be careful." The demon tilted her head to one side, listening intently. "They're following after him..." her eyes widened in comprehension, "He's giving you a chance to escape, I'm sure of it! That must be his reason!" She grabbed Kagome, pulling her toward the mouth of the cave.
*****
Chiyo wrinkled her nose in disgust. The human smell had overwhelmed every corner of this deep forest, but tonight it seemed to be even worse. She supposed it was just her heightened sensitivity because of that damned fox demon, but even so it was a constant annoyance.
She looked longingly after the rest of the pack. All off doing something worthwhile, protecting the sanctity of the den, while she was stuck here guarding the mate to be of the most respected member of the clan. It wouldn't even bother her if the girl were worthy of the position she'd been given, instead of resenting it. Chiyo sighed silently. There was no use in being angry about it, after all. Chiyo knew all too well that fate worked in diverse and mysterious ways.
*****
"Not bad for the little fuzz-ball, there's only one left," Inu Yasha tucked a lock of black hair behind his ear as he observed the wolf woman at the entrance of the den. He really wished he didn't have to do this on his human night, then he would at least be on even footing with the demon. As it was he felt as though he were nearly blind, unable to smell his enemy.
"Inu Yasha," the hanyou jumped at the sound of Tamiko's voice, "Sorry, but shouldn't we be doing something to help Kagome right about now?"
"Our hanyou friend is planning, Tamiko," Master Kenjishi explained. "Shippo's little ruse has bought us some much needed time, but now we must consider carefully how to proceed. Why, we don't even know where they're keeping Kagome. For all we know, she could be-"
"Walking out of the cave right now." Tamiko provided, pointing to Kagome and another wolf demon exiting the cave.
*****
"Kanta," Chiyo was on her feet, body in a fighting stance, "Why did you bring her out of the cave?" Chiyo looked disdainfully at Kagome.
Kanta's face grew hard, "I couldn't just leave her there, she might have tried to escape! I smelled the stench of that fox and I thought I would come out and try to help."
Chiyo scoffed, "Help? Not while we have to babysit Kouga's new toy."
Kanta shrugged, "Well, maybe you could watch her while I join the hunt."
Chiyo sputtered, "You?! But I'm twice the hunter you are!"
*Bingo,* Kagome tried to hide her grin.
Kanta huffed out a sigh, "Fine, then you join Kouga, and I'll stay here."
Chiyo narrowed her eyes at them, "There's something funny going on here. You've been acting strangely for weeks, Kanta..."
*****
"Kanta..." Inu Yasha whispered. This was the one that was supposed to help him, too bad her friend wasn't buying it. In a tree across the clearing, he could see a pink balloon looming. Good, Shippo was back, and he had changed out of his fox form, probably after ditching the pack miles away. Inu Yasha grinned and readied himself to leap out and take down the one trying to stop Kanta and Kagome.
"Sango...." Kenjishi whispered behind him, as though in a deep trance. Inu Yasha turned to look at the human.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he hissed.
"My love..." this was said loudly, causing the three women in the clearing to look at Master Kenjishi, who was now standing.
"A human!" Chiyo yelled, before being knocked over by Kanta. Kagome ran toward Master Kenjishi as the two demons wrestled on the ground.
"No, let go of her!! My love!!!" Master Kenjishi stepped out toward them. Kagome paused, before Inu Yasha reached out an arm to pull her into the bush with him and Tamiko.
"Inu Yasha..." Kagome gasped, but the hanyou was looking out to where Master Kenjishi was running to the wolves.
"Well, there goes our surprise attack," he muttered. "At least they don't know we're here, too." He felt a hand touching his round human ear. As she realized what she was doing, Kagome jerked her hand away.
"Sorry, I just forgot you changed, and your ears...." she blushed, and Inu Yasha looked at her questioningly, "Well, they're still cute."
Inu Yasha and Kagome were completely oblivious to anything but one another until Tamiko yanked on a lock of Inu Yasha's hair. "Damn it, Dog Boy, pay attention!!"
Master Kenjishi had joined the fight between the wolves, and was copping more than a few feels in the process, Inu Yasha noted. Finally he grabbed Kanta and Chiyo each by a shoulder and pried them apart. He stood, panting from the strain it had put on his old body.
"I needed to stop you," he breathed out laboriously, "I couldn't let you harm her, the love of my life...."
Shippo leapt in front of the old man, despite the choking sounds Inu Yasha was making for him to hide again. "What the hell do you mean, you old geezer?!" He looked toward Kanta, "Kanta, what is he saying?" Shippo's eyes were wide with shock and distress.
"Kanta!" Chiyo turned to face the other wolf, "Explain yourself." Chiyo's expression was phlegmatic, but Kagome could feel the waves of suspicion and anger seeping from her.
"I-I've never seen that man before in my life!" Kanta was addressing herself to Shippo as she said this, much to the chagrin of Chiyo.
"He certainly seems to know you." Chiyo moved several steps closer, trying to intimidate Kanta.
"No, not her!" Master Kenjishi tried to explain.
"Shut up, old man, you've done enough damage already!!" Inu Yasha screamed, leaving Kagome with Tamiko and stepping toward the battered group. Nothing was going to plan. This just wasn't his century...
Chiyo straightened her back, snarling, "Inu Yasha...." she spat, before recovering her mask of calm and turning again to the old man, "I recommend you take your friend's advice, Master Kenjishi was it? What you've said here already is more than enough to have your love thrown out of the pack."
Kanta's eyes were watering, "Chiyo, I didn't..."
"STOP!" Master Kenjishi yelled, "I didn't mean her; I meant you." He stepped toward Chiyo. "Sango, have you no memories of me?"
**********
Sorry I took so long in getting this chapter out, I've been devoting a lot of time to learning Japanese, and most of it has come directly out of my writing time. I actually wasn't going to post today, but I saw the reviews (which were really sweet/provoking/or otherwise inspiring) so I pounded this out. Hope you liked.
**********
Prisoners
The Rescue Begins
**********
Inu Yasha watched as the sun set, feeling the influence of his demon blood slowly drain from his body. "Are you ready?" he asked the kitsune beside him.
Shippo nodded, "That pack won't be able to resist chasing after me," he assured them, looking to the apprehensive faces of Tamiko and Master Kenjishi, trying to assuage their fears, despite their lack of battle experience, in this life, at least. "Good luck," he said encouragingly. With that he began to run through the forest, toward Kouga's den.
"'Good luck,'" Inu Yasha repeated, looking at Master Kenjishi and Tamiko, and sighing. "We'll certainly need it..."
Tamiko sniffed haughtily, "Never mind the wise cracks, let's just get into position."
Inu Yasha nodded, and lead the way down the same path Shippo had taken.
*****
"Shippo?" Kagome asked in disbelief.
"Yep."
"As in, kitsune?"
"That's the one."
"Brown hair; fox legs; fluffy tail?!"
Kanta paused in thought, "I think his hair is more of a reddish brown, actually, but yup! That's my fox."
Kagome shook her head in disbelief. "How long has this been going on?"
Kanta chewed on her lower lip, and Kagome could see her moving her fingers, silently calculating. "About two years now, I guess."
"Two YEARS?!" Kagome's mouth hung open, "But how- and why- did you keep it a secret for so long?"
Kanta shrugged, "Who knows how these things start? Inu Yasha and Shippo had gone, at Sessho Maru's request, to a sort of 'war council' with the wolf pack. While we were there, Sessho Maru tried to name Inu Yasha as his second in command to fend off my pack. This was a total surprise to Inu Yasha, and he refused, claiming he'd just come to show his support, not to actually get involved. Anyway, Kouga took this disruption as a show of vulnerability on the part of the Great Demon of the West, and all at once the place exploded with arguments.
"It got pretty ugly before I decided I just couldn't take it any more, so I slipped away into the deeper part of the forest, where there was a hot spring. I disrobed and was just about to slip in, when I heard a footstep crunch down on some leaves," she blushed. "I threw a rock, and it hit Shippo on the head." She blushed, "I threatened to kill him, but I think it was really love at first sight."
Kagome smiled, now Kanta really was beginning to remind her of Sango. "So why didn't you tell me all that before?!"
"Well, I didn't want to-", her face paled suddenly.
"Kanta? What is it?"
Kanta's nostrils flared, and she let out her breath in a hiss. "Shippo is near- and I won't be the only one that can smell him." She was obviously panicked, "Why would he come here in his fox form, with his fox smell?!"
Kagome grabbed Kanta's hand, "He has a very good reason, I'm sure of it! Shippo will be careful." *I hope...* Kanta clutched her hand tighter.
"You're afraid, too. I can tell." She pulled Kagome in for a tight hug, before releasing her. "You're right, it's Shippo, he will be careful." The demon tilted her head to one side, listening intently. "They're following after him..." her eyes widened in comprehension, "He's giving you a chance to escape, I'm sure of it! That must be his reason!" She grabbed Kagome, pulling her toward the mouth of the cave.
*****
Chiyo wrinkled her nose in disgust. The human smell had overwhelmed every corner of this deep forest, but tonight it seemed to be even worse. She supposed it was just her heightened sensitivity because of that damned fox demon, but even so it was a constant annoyance.
She looked longingly after the rest of the pack. All off doing something worthwhile, protecting the sanctity of the den, while she was stuck here guarding the mate to be of the most respected member of the clan. It wouldn't even bother her if the girl were worthy of the position she'd been given, instead of resenting it. Chiyo sighed silently. There was no use in being angry about it, after all. Chiyo knew all too well that fate worked in diverse and mysterious ways.
*****
"Not bad for the little fuzz-ball, there's only one left," Inu Yasha tucked a lock of black hair behind his ear as he observed the wolf woman at the entrance of the den. He really wished he didn't have to do this on his human night, then he would at least be on even footing with the demon. As it was he felt as though he were nearly blind, unable to smell his enemy.
"Inu Yasha," the hanyou jumped at the sound of Tamiko's voice, "Sorry, but shouldn't we be doing something to help Kagome right about now?"
"Our hanyou friend is planning, Tamiko," Master Kenjishi explained. "Shippo's little ruse has bought us some much needed time, but now we must consider carefully how to proceed. Why, we don't even know where they're keeping Kagome. For all we know, she could be-"
"Walking out of the cave right now." Tamiko provided, pointing to Kagome and another wolf demon exiting the cave.
*****
"Kanta," Chiyo was on her feet, body in a fighting stance, "Why did you bring her out of the cave?" Chiyo looked disdainfully at Kagome.
Kanta's face grew hard, "I couldn't just leave her there, she might have tried to escape! I smelled the stench of that fox and I thought I would come out and try to help."
Chiyo scoffed, "Help? Not while we have to babysit Kouga's new toy."
Kanta shrugged, "Well, maybe you could watch her while I join the hunt."
Chiyo sputtered, "You?! But I'm twice the hunter you are!"
*Bingo,* Kagome tried to hide her grin.
Kanta huffed out a sigh, "Fine, then you join Kouga, and I'll stay here."
Chiyo narrowed her eyes at them, "There's something funny going on here. You've been acting strangely for weeks, Kanta..."
*****
"Kanta..." Inu Yasha whispered. This was the one that was supposed to help him, too bad her friend wasn't buying it. In a tree across the clearing, he could see a pink balloon looming. Good, Shippo was back, and he had changed out of his fox form, probably after ditching the pack miles away. Inu Yasha grinned and readied himself to leap out and take down the one trying to stop Kanta and Kagome.
"Sango...." Kenjishi whispered behind him, as though in a deep trance. Inu Yasha turned to look at the human.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he hissed.
"My love..." this was said loudly, causing the three women in the clearing to look at Master Kenjishi, who was now standing.
"A human!" Chiyo yelled, before being knocked over by Kanta. Kagome ran toward Master Kenjishi as the two demons wrestled on the ground.
"No, let go of her!! My love!!!" Master Kenjishi stepped out toward them. Kagome paused, before Inu Yasha reached out an arm to pull her into the bush with him and Tamiko.
"Inu Yasha..." Kagome gasped, but the hanyou was looking out to where Master Kenjishi was running to the wolves.
"Well, there goes our surprise attack," he muttered. "At least they don't know we're here, too." He felt a hand touching his round human ear. As she realized what she was doing, Kagome jerked her hand away.
"Sorry, I just forgot you changed, and your ears...." she blushed, and Inu Yasha looked at her questioningly, "Well, they're still cute."
Inu Yasha and Kagome were completely oblivious to anything but one another until Tamiko yanked on a lock of Inu Yasha's hair. "Damn it, Dog Boy, pay attention!!"
Master Kenjishi had joined the fight between the wolves, and was copping more than a few feels in the process, Inu Yasha noted. Finally he grabbed Kanta and Chiyo each by a shoulder and pried them apart. He stood, panting from the strain it had put on his old body.
"I needed to stop you," he breathed out laboriously, "I couldn't let you harm her, the love of my life...."
Shippo leapt in front of the old man, despite the choking sounds Inu Yasha was making for him to hide again. "What the hell do you mean, you old geezer?!" He looked toward Kanta, "Kanta, what is he saying?" Shippo's eyes were wide with shock and distress.
"Kanta!" Chiyo turned to face the other wolf, "Explain yourself." Chiyo's expression was phlegmatic, but Kagome could feel the waves of suspicion and anger seeping from her.
"I-I've never seen that man before in my life!" Kanta was addressing herself to Shippo as she said this, much to the chagrin of Chiyo.
"He certainly seems to know you." Chiyo moved several steps closer, trying to intimidate Kanta.
"No, not her!" Master Kenjishi tried to explain.
"Shut up, old man, you've done enough damage already!!" Inu Yasha screamed, leaving Kagome with Tamiko and stepping toward the battered group. Nothing was going to plan. This just wasn't his century...
Chiyo straightened her back, snarling, "Inu Yasha...." she spat, before recovering her mask of calm and turning again to the old man, "I recommend you take your friend's advice, Master Kenjishi was it? What you've said here already is more than enough to have your love thrown out of the pack."
Kanta's eyes were watering, "Chiyo, I didn't..."
"STOP!" Master Kenjishi yelled, "I didn't mean her; I meant you." He stepped toward Chiyo. "Sango, have you no memories of me?"
**********
Sorry I took so long in getting this chapter out, I've been devoting a lot of time to learning Japanese, and most of it has come directly out of my writing time. I actually wasn't going to post today, but I saw the reviews (which were really sweet/provoking/or otherwise inspiring) so I pounded this out. Hope you liked.
**********