Chapter 2
An hour after they had eaten it started to drizzle. After a short conversation they had decided to retire to their rooms. The girls decided to share a room while Miroku and Inuyasha got their own rooms. The rain had actually increased in force and the sound on the rooftop seemed to lull everyone into a deeper sleep. Miroku on the other hand had awakened from the pain on his right hand. The kazaana was growing and the pain was intense. He got up to do what he always did when he felt the kazaana grow, head for a clearing far away from everyone. It was very dark but the little light from some near by candles helped him see where he was going. As he made his way out of the inn he bumped into one of the guest of the inn. It was the young lady he had meet earlier. 'Too bad she has a husband' he thought as he lowered his hands from her shoulder, which he had used to keep her from falling.
"I'm sorry Houshi-sama I didn't see you." The girl said as she looked up.
"That's okay. It was my fault as well. If you'll excuse me." He began to walk.
"Where are you going?" the girl started to follow him
"For a walk is all. I like to occasionally walk in the rain. It helps me relax." He turned to the girl walking by his side.
"Mind if I join you?" She gave him a mischievous smile that he clearly saw even in the poor lighting.
"I rather not risk getting you sick in the rain. Besides your husband might not approve. If you'll excuse me." He opened the main door of the inn and walked out. Ignoring the disappointed look on the girl's face.
Like if the pain in his right hand was not enough now he had to deal with the anger that girl had awaken in him. 'I can't believe that girl came on to me while her husband was probably asleep in a near by room. A woman like that is worst than a whore. At least a whore admits what she is. I guess it's also my fault for flirting with her. But I did stop the second her husband announced himself. Come to think of it she never tried to tell me she was married. She only continued to flirt with me. If I ever marry, I hope it won't be to someone like her. I'm sure that had it been Sango instead of that girl I would have been unconscious the second I began to flirt with her. Sango.' He smiled as he felt his anger begin to melt at the thought of the young taiji-ya. 'My dear Sango.' His anger soon faded and he found himself in a clearance some distance away from town.
He was soaking wet and his hair was plastered against his face. He noticed that the rain had lightened up a bit. He walked over to a big tree and sat underneath its foliage to get some protection from the rain. He planned to stay there until he was sure that the kazaana had stopped growing. The pain was intense and it only grew with each minute as a small piece of his palm was eaten away by the kazaana. He meditated to focus and to avoid thinking that he would never see his friends. Focusing his spiritual powers he attempted to limit the growth of the kazaana and extend his life. Although his attempts to limit the growth caused him more pain he kept hope that it did limit the growth. After a few hours he open his eyes when the pain in his right hand faded to a low throb, a sure sign that the kazaana had stopped growing for now. It was still night and the rain hadn't quit yet. 'I'm soaking wet. It'll be miracle if I don't get sick.' He got up and began to walk back to town.
As he passed some trees near town he stopped after hearing a low cry. 'What was that?' He looked around listening for any sound. 'There it is again. I think it came from that direction.' He walked behind the trees to his left and looked around. 'Someone could be hurt I got to find them.' He continued to walk in the direction he had last heard the cry come from. Soon he found himself facing a small dark cave. 'Could it be a trap?' Suddenly the voice that always seemed to get him in trouble spoke up. 'But it can also be a young woman that'll be VERY thankful for your help.' He stood there awhile longer not sure what to do. Then he heard a soft cry that was definitely feminine. He gave a quick prayer to Buddha and continued towards the cave. 'A monk's duty is never done!'
"Hello is some one there?" He called softly trying not to scare the poor defenseless maiden.
He was about to call out again when lighting brightened the sky and thus the cave. A small distance from the entrance laid a small girl curled up into a ball. He quickly went to her to see if she was ok. She seemed to be asleep so he tried to gently wake her up. The girl seemed deep in sleep and occasionally made low muttering sounds. 'I wonder why she is here by herself. Could she be an orphan?' He looked around the cave and saw no evidence that anyone else was staying with the little girl. 'She seems to be alone. I guess I'll take her back and try to find her a home in the town.' He decides to let the child sleep while he waited for a break in the rain that had started to come down hard again. He moved near the entrance to squeeze as much water from his robes and hair as possible before returning to sit in front of the girl. Sitting with his back against the wall of the cave he stared at the barely visible silhouette of the girl in front of him. 'I wonder how long she has been staying here alone. I can't really tell in this darkness but she must be very young judging from her small frame. Maybe she's just lost. She is to young to be an orphan.' He knew better than to hope that she was lost. During the Sengoku Period (Era of the Warring States) many children even as young as newborns were orphaned. With his thoughts wondering over the reason why life had to be the way it was, he drifted into sleep.
She awoke with a muffled cry. Tears soon flowed from her eyes. Memories from the past and the remembrance of the cruel present had once again haunted her dreams. She sat with her back against the wall crying out all the emotions that had been brought on by the dream. The rain drowned the sound of her sobbing. The sound of the rain outside had a calming effect on her. She wiped her tears away and her sobs turned into soft muffled cries. Lightning struck a good distance away sending a low light into the cave. Her sensitive eyes tried to adjust to the temporary light but failed. Darkness soon took over again. As her eyes began to re-focus in the dark, she saw the form of a sleeping person sitting in front of her. She gave a small scream but it was masked by the sound of thunder. The fear that she felt over the stranger made her forget her fear of thunder. She stood up quickly not taking her eyes of the sleeping form fearing that it would soon move and attack her. She stood there a few more moments not knowing what to do. 'Father's tantō!' Her mind yelled at her. Kneeling slowly she began to search for the small sword with her hands not wanting to take her eyes of the sleeping form. She soon found what she was looking for. She removed the tantō from the protective cloths she kept it in. She moved towards the sleeping form with the tantō held in both hands. When she was in front of the sleeping form she pulled her hands back to strike. She brought down the small sword with all her strength aiming for the chest of the stranger. A scream escaped her when two strong hands wrapped around her wrists stopping her strike. Lighting struck once again and lit the cave, giving her a good view of the man who was no longer asleep and that now held her. Shocked eyes now stared into her terrified eyes. 'He has violet eyes like daddy.' was her last thought before the shock carried her into unconsciousness.