Standard Disclaimer applies...
Inu Yasha, A Feudal Fairytale presents...
"Don't You Dare!"
A Chang Po/Nataku production
Chapter 4
"I suppose it's safe to say that something is definitely wrong with Inu Yasha." Miroku
replied. He and the others sat by the hut's entrance, watching the fire dwindle
slightly as Kaede poked and prodded life back into the flames.
Kagome shot him an impatient glare. "Thank you, Captain Obvious-man." He gave
her a bewildered look. She sighed heavily. "Sorry, Miroku-sama, didn't mean to bite
your head off there."
Miroku waved her words away. "It's all right, Kagome-sama," he replied. "We are
worried about Inu Yasha as well."
Kagome fought back a small blush threatening to taint her cheeks. It was true; after
all, no one had left his side since they had brought him back to Kaede's hut. At the
mentioning of his name, they all glanced down at the hanyou-turned-human in
question. He was curled on his side with his head still pillowed in Kagome's lap.
Though still unconscious, it was obvious by the expression on his face that he
was still in pain.
"What's wrong with him?" Shippo asked
"I don't know," Kagome answered, biting at her lip absently in worry. "He's in a lot of
pain…" 'And I can't do a thing for him… what kind of priestess am I…?'
"How is it that he's human now?" Sango wondered, absently petting Kirara for
reassurance. "It isn't even that time of the month yet."
"And will not be so for another week or so." Kaede added. "This be curious indeed."
"What can we do?" Shippo asked wringing out another damp cloth to place on the
hanyou's feverish forehead. Despite how he teased him, the kitsune was worried
about Inu Yasha as well.
"We can only assume Inu Yasha has contracted some sort of illness." Miroku replied.
"Therefore we must find a cure immediately."
"But we don't know what that illness is, let alone what remedy can cure it." Sango
countered.
"Ay, which is why we must be thankful of Myoga," Kaede replied sagely. Everyone
looked at her with a 'huh?' look. "Though he be a coward, he is gifted with incredible
foresight."
"What are you talking about?" Sango asked.
"Myoga came and spoke to me several days ago," Kaede replied. "He said he had
followed Inu Yasha from the well when he and Kagome had departed. He suspected
something might be ailing his lord and master and decided that precautions be taken."
"Did he say what was ailing him?" Kagome asked.
"Nay," Kaede shook her head. "He was not sure, but after speaking with me, he
declared that he would send for a youkai healer to tend to Inu Yasha." She poked at
the fire a bit more, and when satisfied that it had reached a high enough level, she
turned her attention back to the others. "If he be true to his word, the healer should
be here within a day or two."
"Then it's settled," Sango replied. "Tomorrow morning, Kirara and I will set out to
look for this healer to see if we can get them here any faster."
Kagome glanced over at the taijiya. "Sango-chan…" Sango only smiled back at her
in turn. At this, Kagome couldn't help but feel a little reassured. Sango would find
the healer, the healer would cure Inu Yasha, and everything would be back to normal
faster than she could say 'Osuwari'.
"Come now, we must all get our rest." Kaede replied as she pulled down the mat
covering the hut's entrance. "We will need to be twice as alert come tomorrow."
"But…" Shippo began to pout.
"That's right," Miroku agreed, turning to the protesting kitsune. "With Inu Yasha
down, Kagome will be depending on you and I to help protect the village."
Kagome managed a small smile. "That's right," she replied. "Can I depend on you,
Shippo-chan?"
"Hai!" he exclaimed, nuzzling down into her sleeping bag. Before long he, like the
others, were fast asleep.
Being the only one left awake, Kagome contented herself with watching the others.
She then glanced down at Inu Yasha worriedly, watching him twitch every so often
in his sleep. 'If only you knew how much we all cared about you… you just have to
pull through!' She stroked his hair gently to ease her own troubled mind, forgetting
every so often that his ears were no longer on top of his head. Nonetheless, she
found herself marveling at how soft his hair was, even in his human form.
Kagome sighed heavily. "Even like this you still look handsome." she replied, glad
that no one was awake to hear her. "It seems no matter what I do, I find myself falling
harder and harder for you." She shot him a frustrated glare, but remembering that he
couldn't see it, she let out another distraught sigh. "What am I gonna do…?"
Inu Yasha moaned slightly, clenching at the bedding beneath him as another fit of
pain seized him. Once it passed, his fingers loosened, and he fell silent once again.
Remembering that she too needed her rest, Kagome gently eased his head out of
her lap. Pulling two blankets out of her pack, she draped one over him and one over
herself. Lying down next to him, she settled herself down to sleep, his hand clutched
tightly in her own.
~~~
Eclipsed in darkness, his natural reaction was to be on his guard. Body tensed and
poised for battle, he strained his senses to pick up any signs of danger. Relieved, he
found none; still he did not lower his guard.
He glanced around, treading slowly and carefully. It was pitch black as far as he
could see - which was probably about a few feet in front of him. Though he wasn't
expecting any sort of sharp drop or incline, it didn't hurt to be cautious.
"Where the heck am I?" It didn't make any sense; even if he were standing in a dark
cave would he be able to make out any objects in front of him. Here, it was as if any
and all light were sucked up before it even had a chance to reveal itself. He stretched
his hand out, feeling tentatively for anything that might spring up in his path.
He felt his foot catch underneath something and before he could regain his balance,
he fell forward and hit the ground. He tried to crane his head to see what it was he
had tripped over when he felt a spasm of pain at his side.
Hunched over, he clutched at the wound, cursing inwardly. 'What's with this wound
anyway…? Why won't it heal?'
"Be careful! Inu Yasha!" Quick to react, Inu Yasha sprung up, leaping to the side.
He felt a rush of wind brush past his face, followed by the sound of a blow connecting
with the ground. But he couldn't see it.
"What the hell…?" He stopped, remembering the voice that had warned him of the
danger. "Kagome…?"
Suddenly, everything was swallowed in bright light, revealing a large open field. Just
like the darkness, it seemed as if the field was endless, barren of grass or any other
plant life. There was, however, a gaping hole were Inu Yasha had once stood.
Leading from it was a small trail of blood, ending at Inu Yasha's side.
Inu Yasha stared down at the wound in disdain, disregarding it when he heard his
name called out once again. There was no sign of his attacker, or any other danger
for that matter; he reached for the hilt of the Tetsusaiga nonetheless.
"Kagome," he called out, "You there?" There was no answer. Inu Yasha did a quick
360 turn; still no sign or her. Odd, he had sworn it was her voice he had heard. The
dog demon drew out his father's fang. "Kagome?"
Inu Yasha felt an invisible force hit him head on, sending him sprawling into the
ground. Dazed, on his back and covered in dust, he heard her voice cry out to him
again.
"No, Inu Yasha!"
Sitting up as quickly as his body would allow, Inu Yasha looked around once again.
She was there, right in front of him. She was dressed in her school uniform, armed
with her bow and quiver. Gazing right at him, Inu Yasha could see the unshed tears
shining in her gray eyes.
For a brief moment, Inu Yasha felt something odd flutter in his chest at the sight of
her. 'She's… worried about me…?'
Then, just as quickly as it had come, the feeling was replaced with apprehension as
the hairs on his neck stood on end. Something was coming, and it was heading
towards Kagome. The hanyou quickly rose to his feet, Tetsusaiga blazing with
energy. "Kagome! Kagome, look out!"
Kagome remained where she stood, the same worried expression on her face. Her
eyes were no longer on him. "Inu Yasha! Be careful, Inu Yasha!"
'Be careful…?' She's the one that needed to be careful. Couldn't she see she was
the one in danger? "Kagome! Move out of the way!" There was still no response.
"Oi, wench! Move it!" Inu Yasha's eyes widened in fear… she couldn't hear him or
see him. "KAGOME!!"
Without warning, the wind picked up, blowing dirt and dust everywhere. Common
sense told Inu Yasha to shield his eyes, but instead, he kept trudging forward all
the while screaming and yelling curses to get Kagome's attention. Still, it was all
to no avail. Suddenly, the same invisible attack that had knocked Inu Yasha to the
ground rushed passed him - almost through him, as if he were immune - and hit
Kagome head on, consuming her in a cyclone of energy.
He tried to rush to her, but his body refused to cooperate; it was as if his feet were
rooted to the ground. He could do nothing but watch.
"NO!! INU YASHA!!"
Never had Inu Yasha felt so helpless than when he was powerless to protect
Kagome. Now he felt more vulnerable than he could ever recall being in his entire
lifetime. Her screams were magnified ten times in his sensitive ears. They echoed
in his head, ripping his heart to shreds, to the point where he could take no more.
~~~
Inu Yasha's eyes snapped open. He was on his back, drenched in sweat. Glancing
around his surroundings, he realized he was still in Kaede's hut. The events of the
previous day coming back to him, Inu Yasha tentatively raised a hand to his face.
Still human…
"Shit…" His free hand clenched at the bedding beneath him only to find that it
wasn't the straw matting he was used to. He pulled it up to his face to find that it
was some sort of blanket. Inhaling the scent of it with his now-human nose, he
realized that it belonged to Kagome.
Dropping it almost hesitantly, he became acutely aware of the position he was in.
Craning his head upwards, he was met with a sea of black - hair to be exact, and
Kagome's. Somewhere in the middle of the night, Inu Yasha deduced, Kagome had
dragged him (where she found the strength he didn't know) into one of her spare
sleeping bags without waking him or the others. Afterwards, she positioned him
along the wall where she could rest his head in her lap. Though she had propped
herself up against the wall as well, her head was now tilted forward so that her hair
just barely tickled Inu Yasha's nose.
It was because of this that Inu Yasha sneezed, too late to muffle the sound. At this,
Kagome moaned but did not stir. Realizing the awkward position he would be in
should she awaken, Inu Yasha's first reaction was to back away as quickly as
possible. He did just that, but unfortunately, he backed into the now dead fireplace.
A dried piece of firewood snapped loudly, awaking Kagome from her slumber.
"Huh… I'm up, I'm up!" she slurred. "Hai, kaa-san… I'll feed Buyo, just as soon as
I swat this tree sprite…"
Inu Yasha only stared at her with a 'huh?' look as she rubbed the sleep from her
eyes.
After a few moments, she became more alert, realizing just where and when she was.
Spotting him, she brightened considerably, which only served to deepen his feeling
of discomfort. "Inu Yasha," she called out. "Are you feeling better?"
Inu Yasha only looked away from her. '…5… 4… 3… 2…'
There was a soft gasp followed by a pause. "You're still human…"
His pride hurt and still shaken up by the dream, no, nightmare he had just awoken
from, Inu Yasha huffed indignantly. "Well, thanks for pointing that out for me," he
growled. "As if I hadn't already noticed… I mean, it's not like it isn't freaking obvious!"
Kagome flinched guiltily. "Sorry…" The look on her face would've flattened Inu
Yasha's dog-ears if they were still on top of his head.
He resigned himself to a small 'hmph' as he brushed the soot from his haori.
Silence fell over the room save for a small yawn from Kagome as she stretched.
She glanced around the room only to be met with his gaze. "I take it the others are
up already?"
Kagome nodded. "Sango said she would be heading out early," she answered.
"Miroku might've gone with her or he's out harassing the female population of the
village."
A snort from the hanyou indicated that he believed the latter to be more likely. After
a few more moments of silence, he glanced back at her. "Wait, you said Sango
wasn't here?"
Again Kagome nodded. "Kaede told us last night that Myoga-jiichan had sent for
a youkai healer; Sango went to fetch him or her and bring them back here faster."
Inu Yasha only huffed, though inside his mind was reeling. Myoga was indeed a
craven coward, but he was no fool. 'A youkai healer… could it really be that
serious…?' Kagome was watching him, waiting for some sort of reaction. He may
was well at least try to put her mind at ease. "Keh… like I need it. It's bad enough
having the old hag poking and prodding at me all the time… having two around would
be too much to bear."
It didn't work. "It's already too much to bear…" Inu Yasha stared at her. Fearing
she had said too much, Kagome glanced away, slight blush painting her cheeks.
Silence enveloped the room before she dared to speak again. "Well, I might as well
go get washed up before the others come back…" With that, she jumped to her feet.
However, sitting in a kneeling position for several hours can do a number on your
legs, as Kagome soon found out. The blood rushing back to her limbs, the young
girl stumbled, tripping over her discarded blanket. With a short cry, she fell towards
the floor waiting for the impact that never came.
There was a soft thud and a hiss of pain from beneath her. Kagome opened her
startled eyes to find herself, though on the ground, spread across the length of Inu
Yasha's body. She tried to push herself up only to find herself held in place by a
hand bracing her shoulder, and another held at her waist.
She stared at this in wonder. 'He tried to break my fall…? In his condition…?' She
turned to face him, met with a pair of brown eyes just as startled as she was. "Inu
Yasha…?"
"You okay…?" he asked quietly.
Kagome nodded dumbly, feeling the beginnings of yet another blush. "My legs fell
asleep while I…"
"I pretty much figured that."
Kagome nodded again, the feeling of pins and needles passing with each moment.
When it felt as though her legs would function properly again, she cleared her throat
softly. "I should probably get up now."
"Yeah." Still, Inu Yasha did not release his hold on her. If Kagome hadn't known
any better, it almost felt as if he had tightened it ever so slightly.
She glanced down at him, staring into his eyes. It always astounded her at how
similar and different Inu Yasha was as a human and as a hanyou. Granted, there
were several distinguishing features that set him apart from his youkai half, but aside
from that they weren't all that different. While he was more vulnerable in a human
form, his eyes revealed everything about him that he tried to hide with his gruff words
and actions as a hanyou.
'Cliché… but his eyes really are the windows to his soul…' Kagome thought
bemusedly to herself. She paused, catching something that flickered in his auburn
eyes. There was a wild, almost hungry look in his eyes that Kagome had only seen
before when he was engaged in a fight. She suddenly felt very self-conscious; why
was he looking at her like that?
"Kagome…" "Inu Yasha…"
Just as each other's name escaped their lips, the flap of the hut was yanked open.
Light flooded the room, shrouding the features of the person at the entrance. It
appeared that Inu Yasha had sense enough to know this person was a stranger, for
Kagome suddenly found herself in a sitting position behind him.
"Inu…"
The figure, shrouded in dark, tattered robes let out a derisive snort, looking down at
the two human occupants of the room. "Surely this is some sort of joke…"
"You see anybody laughing?" Inu Yasha said with a snarl.
The figure was quiet a moment before drawing out two gnarled hands from within
the depths of its robes. They reached for the cloak's hood, drawing it back and
revealing a woman - Kagome assumed this - with green, wrinkled skin and wild,
white hair. Her ears were pointed and her eyes, slanted and wrinkled, revealed that
she had seen many things in her lifetime.
Kagome couldn't help but stare at first; she, after all, immediately put her in the
mind of Sesshomaru's faithful servant, Jakken.
The woman obviously did not appreciate being stared at, for she set her face in a
scowl. "Let me make it clear to you," she replied in a raspy voice. "I am the youkai
healer Kaeruishi…I cater only to youkai." She gave them both a condescending
glare. "I have no time to trifle with weak humans."
Inu Yasha rose to his feet with a guttural growl. He reached for the Tetsusaiga,
eyeing the youkai warily. "Keep talkin' like that and I'll be glad to show you just
how weak this human is."
It appeared she recognized the sword for what it was, for Kaeruishi took a step
forward, regarding him and it carefully. Circling him once, she nodded decisively.
"You are a hanyou, correct?"
"No shit, hag…" Inu Yasha snapped, wobbling slightly. Kagome let out a gasp,
resisting the urge to steady him when he let out another curse.
"And an ailing one at that." She raised a gnarled hand, waving it over Inu Yasha's
face. A mist wafted down over him, leaving him sleepy and lethargic. Without a
word of protest, he crumpled to the floor. "It appears I have my work cut out for me."
Kagome stood frozen. What had she done to him? "Inu Yasha!" she exclaimed.
"Relax, onnako no ningen." Kaeruishi replied calmly, as her cry had alerted the
attention of the others. Soon, Kaede, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo were at the door,
uttering protests. "The hanyou is fine. I merely put him to sleep… it seems he
possesses a volatile disposition."
"That he does." Kaede replied. "Can you cure him?"
"First I must determine what it is that ails him," Kaeruishi replied. "You must leave
me alone with him so that I may examine him."
"No way!" Kagome exclaimed, clutching Inu Yasha's prone form. "I'm staying right
here!"
Kaeruishi gave her a patient look. "Despite his poorly veiled threats at dismember-
ment, I bare him no ill will. My sole purpose is to heal - nothing more, nothing less."
Miroku nodded, walking over to Kagome's side. "It's all right, Kagome," he replied
softly, patting her shoulder. "We have to trust in her abilities, for Inu Yasha's sake."
"He's right, Kagome-chan," Sango added, standing opposite the houshi. "Besides,
we won't be too far away."
Kagome nodded slowly, leaving the unconscious hanyou's side reluctantly. She left
out of the room with the others, though not before casting the healer a look that
spoke volumes. The old youkai nodded in understanding.
"I will see to it that the boy is not harmed," she called after Kagome. "If not for his
sake, then for my own."
Pleased that her message had gotten across, Kagome smirked. Inu Yasha would
have been proud.
~ End of Chapter 4
Inu Yasha, A Feudal Fairytale presents...
"Don't You Dare!"
A Chang Po/Nataku production
Chapter 4
"I suppose it's safe to say that something is definitely wrong with Inu Yasha." Miroku
replied. He and the others sat by the hut's entrance, watching the fire dwindle
slightly as Kaede poked and prodded life back into the flames.
Kagome shot him an impatient glare. "Thank you, Captain Obvious-man." He gave
her a bewildered look. She sighed heavily. "Sorry, Miroku-sama, didn't mean to bite
your head off there."
Miroku waved her words away. "It's all right, Kagome-sama," he replied. "We are
worried about Inu Yasha as well."
Kagome fought back a small blush threatening to taint her cheeks. It was true; after
all, no one had left his side since they had brought him back to Kaede's hut. At the
mentioning of his name, they all glanced down at the hanyou-turned-human in
question. He was curled on his side with his head still pillowed in Kagome's lap.
Though still unconscious, it was obvious by the expression on his face that he
was still in pain.
"What's wrong with him?" Shippo asked
"I don't know," Kagome answered, biting at her lip absently in worry. "He's in a lot of
pain…" 'And I can't do a thing for him… what kind of priestess am I…?'
"How is it that he's human now?" Sango wondered, absently petting Kirara for
reassurance. "It isn't even that time of the month yet."
"And will not be so for another week or so." Kaede added. "This be curious indeed."
"What can we do?" Shippo asked wringing out another damp cloth to place on the
hanyou's feverish forehead. Despite how he teased him, the kitsune was worried
about Inu Yasha as well.
"We can only assume Inu Yasha has contracted some sort of illness." Miroku replied.
"Therefore we must find a cure immediately."
"But we don't know what that illness is, let alone what remedy can cure it." Sango
countered.
"Ay, which is why we must be thankful of Myoga," Kaede replied sagely. Everyone
looked at her with a 'huh?' look. "Though he be a coward, he is gifted with incredible
foresight."
"What are you talking about?" Sango asked.
"Myoga came and spoke to me several days ago," Kaede replied. "He said he had
followed Inu Yasha from the well when he and Kagome had departed. He suspected
something might be ailing his lord and master and decided that precautions be taken."
"Did he say what was ailing him?" Kagome asked.
"Nay," Kaede shook her head. "He was not sure, but after speaking with me, he
declared that he would send for a youkai healer to tend to Inu Yasha." She poked at
the fire a bit more, and when satisfied that it had reached a high enough level, she
turned her attention back to the others. "If he be true to his word, the healer should
be here within a day or two."
"Then it's settled," Sango replied. "Tomorrow morning, Kirara and I will set out to
look for this healer to see if we can get them here any faster."
Kagome glanced over at the taijiya. "Sango-chan…" Sango only smiled back at her
in turn. At this, Kagome couldn't help but feel a little reassured. Sango would find
the healer, the healer would cure Inu Yasha, and everything would be back to normal
faster than she could say 'Osuwari'.
"Come now, we must all get our rest." Kaede replied as she pulled down the mat
covering the hut's entrance. "We will need to be twice as alert come tomorrow."
"But…" Shippo began to pout.
"That's right," Miroku agreed, turning to the protesting kitsune. "With Inu Yasha
down, Kagome will be depending on you and I to help protect the village."
Kagome managed a small smile. "That's right," she replied. "Can I depend on you,
Shippo-chan?"
"Hai!" he exclaimed, nuzzling down into her sleeping bag. Before long he, like the
others, were fast asleep.
Being the only one left awake, Kagome contented herself with watching the others.
She then glanced down at Inu Yasha worriedly, watching him twitch every so often
in his sleep. 'If only you knew how much we all cared about you… you just have to
pull through!' She stroked his hair gently to ease her own troubled mind, forgetting
every so often that his ears were no longer on top of his head. Nonetheless, she
found herself marveling at how soft his hair was, even in his human form.
Kagome sighed heavily. "Even like this you still look handsome." she replied, glad
that no one was awake to hear her. "It seems no matter what I do, I find myself falling
harder and harder for you." She shot him a frustrated glare, but remembering that he
couldn't see it, she let out another distraught sigh. "What am I gonna do…?"
Inu Yasha moaned slightly, clenching at the bedding beneath him as another fit of
pain seized him. Once it passed, his fingers loosened, and he fell silent once again.
Remembering that she too needed her rest, Kagome gently eased his head out of
her lap. Pulling two blankets out of her pack, she draped one over him and one over
herself. Lying down next to him, she settled herself down to sleep, his hand clutched
tightly in her own.
~~~
Eclipsed in darkness, his natural reaction was to be on his guard. Body tensed and
poised for battle, he strained his senses to pick up any signs of danger. Relieved, he
found none; still he did not lower his guard.
He glanced around, treading slowly and carefully. It was pitch black as far as he
could see - which was probably about a few feet in front of him. Though he wasn't
expecting any sort of sharp drop or incline, it didn't hurt to be cautious.
"Where the heck am I?" It didn't make any sense; even if he were standing in a dark
cave would he be able to make out any objects in front of him. Here, it was as if any
and all light were sucked up before it even had a chance to reveal itself. He stretched
his hand out, feeling tentatively for anything that might spring up in his path.
He felt his foot catch underneath something and before he could regain his balance,
he fell forward and hit the ground. He tried to crane his head to see what it was he
had tripped over when he felt a spasm of pain at his side.
Hunched over, he clutched at the wound, cursing inwardly. 'What's with this wound
anyway…? Why won't it heal?'
"Be careful! Inu Yasha!" Quick to react, Inu Yasha sprung up, leaping to the side.
He felt a rush of wind brush past his face, followed by the sound of a blow connecting
with the ground. But he couldn't see it.
"What the hell…?" He stopped, remembering the voice that had warned him of the
danger. "Kagome…?"
Suddenly, everything was swallowed in bright light, revealing a large open field. Just
like the darkness, it seemed as if the field was endless, barren of grass or any other
plant life. There was, however, a gaping hole were Inu Yasha had once stood.
Leading from it was a small trail of blood, ending at Inu Yasha's side.
Inu Yasha stared down at the wound in disdain, disregarding it when he heard his
name called out once again. There was no sign of his attacker, or any other danger
for that matter; he reached for the hilt of the Tetsusaiga nonetheless.
"Kagome," he called out, "You there?" There was no answer. Inu Yasha did a quick
360 turn; still no sign or her. Odd, he had sworn it was her voice he had heard. The
dog demon drew out his father's fang. "Kagome?"
Inu Yasha felt an invisible force hit him head on, sending him sprawling into the
ground. Dazed, on his back and covered in dust, he heard her voice cry out to him
again.
"No, Inu Yasha!"
Sitting up as quickly as his body would allow, Inu Yasha looked around once again.
She was there, right in front of him. She was dressed in her school uniform, armed
with her bow and quiver. Gazing right at him, Inu Yasha could see the unshed tears
shining in her gray eyes.
For a brief moment, Inu Yasha felt something odd flutter in his chest at the sight of
her. 'She's… worried about me…?'
Then, just as quickly as it had come, the feeling was replaced with apprehension as
the hairs on his neck stood on end. Something was coming, and it was heading
towards Kagome. The hanyou quickly rose to his feet, Tetsusaiga blazing with
energy. "Kagome! Kagome, look out!"
Kagome remained where she stood, the same worried expression on her face. Her
eyes were no longer on him. "Inu Yasha! Be careful, Inu Yasha!"
'Be careful…?' She's the one that needed to be careful. Couldn't she see she was
the one in danger? "Kagome! Move out of the way!" There was still no response.
"Oi, wench! Move it!" Inu Yasha's eyes widened in fear… she couldn't hear him or
see him. "KAGOME!!"
Without warning, the wind picked up, blowing dirt and dust everywhere. Common
sense told Inu Yasha to shield his eyes, but instead, he kept trudging forward all
the while screaming and yelling curses to get Kagome's attention. Still, it was all
to no avail. Suddenly, the same invisible attack that had knocked Inu Yasha to the
ground rushed passed him - almost through him, as if he were immune - and hit
Kagome head on, consuming her in a cyclone of energy.
He tried to rush to her, but his body refused to cooperate; it was as if his feet were
rooted to the ground. He could do nothing but watch.
"NO!! INU YASHA!!"
Never had Inu Yasha felt so helpless than when he was powerless to protect
Kagome. Now he felt more vulnerable than he could ever recall being in his entire
lifetime. Her screams were magnified ten times in his sensitive ears. They echoed
in his head, ripping his heart to shreds, to the point where he could take no more.
~~~
Inu Yasha's eyes snapped open. He was on his back, drenched in sweat. Glancing
around his surroundings, he realized he was still in Kaede's hut. The events of the
previous day coming back to him, Inu Yasha tentatively raised a hand to his face.
Still human…
"Shit…" His free hand clenched at the bedding beneath him only to find that it
wasn't the straw matting he was used to. He pulled it up to his face to find that it
was some sort of blanket. Inhaling the scent of it with his now-human nose, he
realized that it belonged to Kagome.
Dropping it almost hesitantly, he became acutely aware of the position he was in.
Craning his head upwards, he was met with a sea of black - hair to be exact, and
Kagome's. Somewhere in the middle of the night, Inu Yasha deduced, Kagome had
dragged him (where she found the strength he didn't know) into one of her spare
sleeping bags without waking him or the others. Afterwards, she positioned him
along the wall where she could rest his head in her lap. Though she had propped
herself up against the wall as well, her head was now tilted forward so that her hair
just barely tickled Inu Yasha's nose.
It was because of this that Inu Yasha sneezed, too late to muffle the sound. At this,
Kagome moaned but did not stir. Realizing the awkward position he would be in
should she awaken, Inu Yasha's first reaction was to back away as quickly as
possible. He did just that, but unfortunately, he backed into the now dead fireplace.
A dried piece of firewood snapped loudly, awaking Kagome from her slumber.
"Huh… I'm up, I'm up!" she slurred. "Hai, kaa-san… I'll feed Buyo, just as soon as
I swat this tree sprite…"
Inu Yasha only stared at her with a 'huh?' look as she rubbed the sleep from her
eyes.
After a few moments, she became more alert, realizing just where and when she was.
Spotting him, she brightened considerably, which only served to deepen his feeling
of discomfort. "Inu Yasha," she called out. "Are you feeling better?"
Inu Yasha only looked away from her. '…5… 4… 3… 2…'
There was a soft gasp followed by a pause. "You're still human…"
His pride hurt and still shaken up by the dream, no, nightmare he had just awoken
from, Inu Yasha huffed indignantly. "Well, thanks for pointing that out for me," he
growled. "As if I hadn't already noticed… I mean, it's not like it isn't freaking obvious!"
Kagome flinched guiltily. "Sorry…" The look on her face would've flattened Inu
Yasha's dog-ears if they were still on top of his head.
He resigned himself to a small 'hmph' as he brushed the soot from his haori.
Silence fell over the room save for a small yawn from Kagome as she stretched.
She glanced around the room only to be met with his gaze. "I take it the others are
up already?"
Kagome nodded. "Sango said she would be heading out early," she answered.
"Miroku might've gone with her or he's out harassing the female population of the
village."
A snort from the hanyou indicated that he believed the latter to be more likely. After
a few more moments of silence, he glanced back at her. "Wait, you said Sango
wasn't here?"
Again Kagome nodded. "Kaede told us last night that Myoga-jiichan had sent for
a youkai healer; Sango went to fetch him or her and bring them back here faster."
Inu Yasha only huffed, though inside his mind was reeling. Myoga was indeed a
craven coward, but he was no fool. 'A youkai healer… could it really be that
serious…?' Kagome was watching him, waiting for some sort of reaction. He may
was well at least try to put her mind at ease. "Keh… like I need it. It's bad enough
having the old hag poking and prodding at me all the time… having two around would
be too much to bear."
It didn't work. "It's already too much to bear…" Inu Yasha stared at her. Fearing
she had said too much, Kagome glanced away, slight blush painting her cheeks.
Silence enveloped the room before she dared to speak again. "Well, I might as well
go get washed up before the others come back…" With that, she jumped to her feet.
However, sitting in a kneeling position for several hours can do a number on your
legs, as Kagome soon found out. The blood rushing back to her limbs, the young
girl stumbled, tripping over her discarded blanket. With a short cry, she fell towards
the floor waiting for the impact that never came.
There was a soft thud and a hiss of pain from beneath her. Kagome opened her
startled eyes to find herself, though on the ground, spread across the length of Inu
Yasha's body. She tried to push herself up only to find herself held in place by a
hand bracing her shoulder, and another held at her waist.
She stared at this in wonder. 'He tried to break my fall…? In his condition…?' She
turned to face him, met with a pair of brown eyes just as startled as she was. "Inu
Yasha…?"
"You okay…?" he asked quietly.
Kagome nodded dumbly, feeling the beginnings of yet another blush. "My legs fell
asleep while I…"
"I pretty much figured that."
Kagome nodded again, the feeling of pins and needles passing with each moment.
When it felt as though her legs would function properly again, she cleared her throat
softly. "I should probably get up now."
"Yeah." Still, Inu Yasha did not release his hold on her. If Kagome hadn't known
any better, it almost felt as if he had tightened it ever so slightly.
She glanced down at him, staring into his eyes. It always astounded her at how
similar and different Inu Yasha was as a human and as a hanyou. Granted, there
were several distinguishing features that set him apart from his youkai half, but aside
from that they weren't all that different. While he was more vulnerable in a human
form, his eyes revealed everything about him that he tried to hide with his gruff words
and actions as a hanyou.
'Cliché… but his eyes really are the windows to his soul…' Kagome thought
bemusedly to herself. She paused, catching something that flickered in his auburn
eyes. There was a wild, almost hungry look in his eyes that Kagome had only seen
before when he was engaged in a fight. She suddenly felt very self-conscious; why
was he looking at her like that?
"Kagome…" "Inu Yasha…"
Just as each other's name escaped their lips, the flap of the hut was yanked open.
Light flooded the room, shrouding the features of the person at the entrance. It
appeared that Inu Yasha had sense enough to know this person was a stranger, for
Kagome suddenly found herself in a sitting position behind him.
"Inu…"
The figure, shrouded in dark, tattered robes let out a derisive snort, looking down at
the two human occupants of the room. "Surely this is some sort of joke…"
"You see anybody laughing?" Inu Yasha said with a snarl.
The figure was quiet a moment before drawing out two gnarled hands from within
the depths of its robes. They reached for the cloak's hood, drawing it back and
revealing a woman - Kagome assumed this - with green, wrinkled skin and wild,
white hair. Her ears were pointed and her eyes, slanted and wrinkled, revealed that
she had seen many things in her lifetime.
Kagome couldn't help but stare at first; she, after all, immediately put her in the
mind of Sesshomaru's faithful servant, Jakken.
The woman obviously did not appreciate being stared at, for she set her face in a
scowl. "Let me make it clear to you," she replied in a raspy voice. "I am the youkai
healer Kaeruishi…I cater only to youkai." She gave them both a condescending
glare. "I have no time to trifle with weak humans."
Inu Yasha rose to his feet with a guttural growl. He reached for the Tetsusaiga,
eyeing the youkai warily. "Keep talkin' like that and I'll be glad to show you just
how weak this human is."
It appeared she recognized the sword for what it was, for Kaeruishi took a step
forward, regarding him and it carefully. Circling him once, she nodded decisively.
"You are a hanyou, correct?"
"No shit, hag…" Inu Yasha snapped, wobbling slightly. Kagome let out a gasp,
resisting the urge to steady him when he let out another curse.
"And an ailing one at that." She raised a gnarled hand, waving it over Inu Yasha's
face. A mist wafted down over him, leaving him sleepy and lethargic. Without a
word of protest, he crumpled to the floor. "It appears I have my work cut out for me."
Kagome stood frozen. What had she done to him? "Inu Yasha!" she exclaimed.
"Relax, onnako no ningen." Kaeruishi replied calmly, as her cry had alerted the
attention of the others. Soon, Kaede, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo were at the door,
uttering protests. "The hanyou is fine. I merely put him to sleep… it seems he
possesses a volatile disposition."
"That he does." Kaede replied. "Can you cure him?"
"First I must determine what it is that ails him," Kaeruishi replied. "You must leave
me alone with him so that I may examine him."
"No way!" Kagome exclaimed, clutching Inu Yasha's prone form. "I'm staying right
here!"
Kaeruishi gave her a patient look. "Despite his poorly veiled threats at dismember-
ment, I bare him no ill will. My sole purpose is to heal - nothing more, nothing less."
Miroku nodded, walking over to Kagome's side. "It's all right, Kagome," he replied
softly, patting her shoulder. "We have to trust in her abilities, for Inu Yasha's sake."
"He's right, Kagome-chan," Sango added, standing opposite the houshi. "Besides,
we won't be too far away."
Kagome nodded slowly, leaving the unconscious hanyou's side reluctantly. She left
out of the room with the others, though not before casting the healer a look that
spoke volumes. The old youkai nodded in understanding.
"I will see to it that the boy is not harmed," she called after Kagome. "If not for his
sake, then for my own."
Pleased that her message had gotten across, Kagome smirked. Inu Yasha would
have been proud.
~ End of Chapter 4