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I'm kinda fiddling around with points of view and such. I'm sure you noticed to switch from third person to first. Here I'm trying out present-tense instead of past. Tell me which one you like better!

Ok, really, really, really sorry for the loooooong wait! I don't know why, but my brain just completely shut down every time I opened this file. I actually had half of it done, before my really peculiar block hit. I think it was because another idea was clamoring to be put down. I'm currently working on another Inuyasha fic and a Harry Potter fic on my other account, Taiyoukai Lady (-shamelessly advertises- check them out because they're a LOT better than this one), but now I'm taking a break from them and back to this fic which my block finally decided to leave! So here's the 13th chapter of TDFATKP!

Chapter 13 - Taken

Sesshoumaru

Pain.

That's the first thing that comes to mind.

I know I'm bleeding. I can feel the blood. What puzzles me is why there is such much of it. I'm a youkai. A Taiyoukai, in fact. So why is my blood flowing like a weak ningen's?

I feel strange. My youkai powers of healing are trying to heal this wound, but why won't they work?

I think of the rosary. No, that's not it. The rosary merely has a subduing spell. It wasn't made to keep my inherited powers from working.

It's really warm right here.

I mentally smack myself. Baka! What does that have to do with the situation here?

Nothing.

The significance hits me. Nothing. It has almost nothing to do with the situation. So why am I thinking it?

Kami, this wound is really confusing me…

There it is again. That lapse into a personality that is entirely out of character for me. I am very nearly growling in frustration. Only…

That'd be totally out of character too.

Kami, what has that onna done to me?

Kamihana

I'm screaming. Not literally. In my head. For once, my subconscious and my conscious are in agreement.

Save Sesshoumaru.

Two simple words. Yet easier said than done.

I had the climb the wall with my one free hand and my teeth. Vines don't taste all that great. But finally, I am at the top. Thank god.

I'm running now. I know that I must smell terrified to any youkai. But that would also make them think I'd been marked as some other youkai's prey, so they wouldn't attack me.

Except for the fact that I've got the Lord of the Western Lands' blood on me.

Ah, shit. To hell with my safety. Sesshoumaru's really hurt. I saw the wound earlier. It should've at least woken him up by now. Yet he's still unconscious.

What puzzles me was why he was in his adopted form still. Shouldn't he change back? I add that to my mental list of 'Questions to Ask Sesshoumaru When He Wakes Up'. Long name. Don't feel like changing it.

Inuyasha

I sniff the air. Hmph, my bastard of a brother is back, along with that girl, wazzer name… Kama… Kimia… Kamia! Oh, and the blood…

Wait. Rewind. Blood?

"Shit! Kagome!"

She runs up to me. "What is it Inuyasha? Are Kamia and Sesshoumaru back?"

"Yeah. With blood on both of them."

Kagome's face is white. I guess I shouldn't have said it so bluntly. "Can you tell who's blood it is?" Her voice is really anxious too.

I sniff the air again, confusion clouding my mind. "That's the strange thing… the blood is mainly Sesshoumaru's, but I swear I smell some human blood in there too…"

Kagome's even paler, if that's possible. "Kamia…"

Kamihana

I stagger into the clearing, my lungs are burning, I look up quickly. What! No way! I'm at the God Tree! Come on!

"I don't have time for getting lost…" I mutter to myself. My breathing comes in shallow gasps. I'm dead tired. "Can't… faint… get… to… village…" I allow my heart to slow down, but just as it does, I'm off again.

My ribs are starting to hurt, but I'm almost there.

My vision is blurry. The only reason I'm still on track is because my feet know the way. But I don't know how long that will last… no… my sight is clouding even more. And where did the sun go?

The darkness hits.

Inuyasha

"There!" I point at the bundle of cloth in the middle of the road, alone. As I land in front of it, Kagome slides off my back and runs towards the jacket soaked in blood. I look over her shoulder as she unwraps it. My eyes widen.

There lies Sesshoumaru, in his dog form, only much, much smaller. In his side there's a hole. Blood slowly trickles out, resuming its path as the soaked cloth that had stopped its flow is taken away. His breathing a shallow, and he's losing a lot of blood.

Kagome wrapped him up again and hands him to Sango, who had followed with Kirara and Miroku. "Take him back to Kaede." Sango nods and jumps back on Kirara, who leaps away.

I look around. Where was that girl? She and Sesshoumaru should've been together but she was nowhere in sight. I sniff the air.

Kagome

The sun is setting and Inuyasha still hasn't come back. Sesshoumaru woke just long enough to enlarge his form to the size of a wolf, before he was unconscious again. I sit next to the fire, sipping some of Kaede's calming tea, when a clawed hand yanked open the makeshift door.

Inuyasha stands there, scowling. "Damn it, Kagome!"

"Inuyasha? Did you find Kamihana?"

"Oh, I found her alright," Inuyasha says darkly. Sango and Miroku leaned closer to hear. "She's been taken."

Silence. Finally, Sango asks the question we all the answer to, "By who?"

"Naraku."

I know you aren't allowed to reply to reader reviews, but I don't see anything against listing the reviewers to thanks them. So...

My gratitude to Zaleone, Mizuki hikari, Lelyn Black, Lauri-Ann, darthliger, Risika Tziporah, Sesshy-chansbestpal, onna of fire and pain, Shiro Arashi, kagomes pup, Gryffinrose, Music of the Darkness, lala, and Hargreave Angel for your reviews. Seriously, you guys are the only thing that kept me from deleting this story forever.