Hello and welcome back to chapter 5 of Cold Heart! I didn't update last week for a very good reason. You see, I was taking that week to work on another story of mine; Unsweet Sixteen. I suggest that you all read it! It's actually relatively good! Now, for the review responses...

:Review Responses:

dontbreakme: Sure are!
inuyashalover: Ah... I know Fluffy's not all bad, you know Fluffy's not all bad, everyone else knows Fluffy's not all bad, but... Does Fluffy know he's not all bad? Besides, he doesn't care about Kagome! Only Rin. Why? Because Rin was kind to him when he was hurt in that one episode and she wasn't afraid of him. And I might use some of your suggestions; might not. Never know!
Amaquieria: Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
La La: Thank you!
princesslequesha: I definitely intend to, so don't you worry!
SubaruWings: Well, I just can't help myself when it comes to some things, lol! Besides, I had to figure out how to describe the season, and what better way than to bring in Mother Nature herself?
SecretTruth: You kind of confused me... Are you saying it is Kag/Sess, or that it's not? I don't know, I get confused easily... But it's definitely Inu/Kag!
KagomePriestess-15: Yay! Once again, I get a great review from my best friend!

:End Review Responses:

Yay! More reviews! This makes me happy inside! Okay, now for the one, the only... DISCLAIMER! ... That was lame.

:Disclaimer:

Akana: Own Inuyasha? No, we definitely don't! I wish we did, though! We'd be all happy and rich and happy and have lots of fans and maybe even more reviewers! 'stars in eyes'
Leiko: ... You are a loon. But no, we don't own Inuyasha, unfortunately. If we did, we'd probably be tagging along with Sesshoumaru currently instead of writing this story that is probably insulting to his pride. Good thing he'll never see it!
Sesshoumaru: ...
Akana and Leiko: Aw, SH--!

:End Disclaimer:

Well... I hope you enjoy watching Akana and Leiko being chased around by Sesshoumaru... 'sweat drop' Hey, what're you doing reading all this for? Read the bloody story!

Chapter 5, Questions

Waking up for a second time, Kagome found herself lying on cold stone. Opening her eyes even more slowly than before, she saw that she was in a small cave. She sat up and saw that there were others in the cave with her; Sesshoumaru's pet dragon, Ah-Un, the little girl who always traveled with him, and Jaken. They were all sleeping soundly. I'd thought it was all just a dream! she thought. She slowly stood, using the back of the cave to help her. She walked towards the circle of light at the entrance and stepped out into the brightness of day. Maybe I can escape!

Hopes of that were shattered, however, when she saw Sesshoumaru sitting on a small ledge that jutted out from the cave. Without so much as turning in her direction, he already knew she was there, yet he said nothing.

Kagome stared at him in surprise. She swallowed, not knowing why Sesshoumaru had kidnapped her. Her head buzzed with questions and possible answers, none of which she liked. Why did he take me? Maybe he's going to kill me! was one that continually came to mind. She tried to gather the courage to speak and to ask, but her voice kept faltering.

"W-Why am I here?" she finally whispered, fearing the answer.

A few more minutes passed by in silence. Eventually, Sesshoumaru stood and turned to her. She took a few steps back in fear, not having a clue of what was about to happen. It's fine, she told herself. N-Nothing's going to happen! H-He's not going to do anything! She still couldn't shake the fear away, but she decided to be brave and stood up straight as he came towards her.

He simply passed her, his silver hair swaying slightly in the chilly breeze. He stopped at the mouth of the cave and turned back. "Leave if you like," he said, "but know that this forest is infested with demons."

She looked at him in shock and met his eyes. They were filled with coldness, a solid layer of ice that Kagome could not see past. A slight shiver ran down her spine. With Inuyasha, she could always see past his seemingly careless expression and to the kindness within. Sesshoumaru, however, was quite different. Is he actually just going to let me walk away? she asked herself. She couldn't quite determine the answer.

"Get down," he suddenly commanded. Not knowing what to do, Kagome simply stood there, blinking and confused. She gasped and closed her eyes as Sesshoumaru suddenly ran at her. She was paralyzed with fear as she waited for the inevitable death that would follow the blow she was sure she would receive.

Nothing came. She slowly opened her eyes, gasping once more when she saw Sesshoumaru clutching something not an inch away from her face with two fingers. It was a small dart, it seemed. She watched as his poisonous nails dissolved the tiny dart before looking to him, expecting an explanation but getting none.

He turned away, his robes swishing behind him and an eye kept on her. "Do as you are told," he commanded coldly before walking into the darkness of the cave.

Kagome nodded after him, still a little confused about what just happened. Did he... Did he save me? she wondered briefly. Spotting some tree tops rustle uncannily below the ledge, she scrambled back inside the cave to the protection of the cold -- yet... kind? -- lord.

I could've let her died, he thought as she entered behind him. It would've gotten rid of a nuisance. However, I can't have my hostage dying before I get the Tetsusaiga.

What an interesting predicament he was in. He, hater of all humans and hanyous, would have to take care of a hanyou's human. Could things get any worse?

In the wild frenzy he was in, Inuyasha's desperate speed could quite possibly have matched even Sesshoumaru's quick pace. He leapt from the trees, pausing for only a moment to check that his brother had indeed come that way. His eyes were narrowed into slits now as he thought with a mad rage about why Sesshoumaru would take Kagome. He could come up with nothing, though. Perhaps this was due to his blinding anger.

Miroku and Sango were having slightly better luck at thinking things through. They were as worried as Inuyasha, true, but they kept their heads enough to be able to think about probabilities. At first they thought separately, each wondering about separate ideas.

"I can't think of anything," Sango admitted finally after a while of searching. She clutched Kirara's fur a bit tighter, but not tight enough to hurt her. "There are so many things that could be true, but due to Sesshoumaru's personality, none seem to be able to work..."

"I'm having the same problem," Miroku responded. "The only thing that could be even remotely close to the truth is that maybe he took her for some kind of plot to gain the Tetsusaiga."

"What? You don't mean that..." she trailed off, thinking of this new possibility. "Do you think that he's going to try a trade?" Sango hesitantly asked at long last.

Miroku just looked straight ahead, peering over her shoulder. "I'm not sure," he said after a few minutes, "but it seems to be the most likely. Unless you have another idea, Sango-sama...?"

She shook her head. "Nothing," she said, sighing with worry for her friend and anger towards Sesshoumaru. "I just hope she's okay! I wish we could hurry and find her! I won't be able to rest easy until she's back with us!"

"Inuyasha's trying his hardest," Miroku said consolingly, trying to comfort her. He tried nothing, for he knew that this wasn't quite the best time for that sort of thing. It would only succeed in getting Sango even more pissed off, something that no one ever wanted for the demon slayer.

"Will we find Kagome?" Shippou eventually piped up, sitting on Miroku's shoulder and hanging onto his robes to keep from being blown away. "We'll find her, right?" The kit's voice was filled with hope, but anyone could tell that the hope was only a cover for the fear that filled him for the one whom he'd come to see as his mother.

Miroku looked at him and smiled reassuringly. "Of course we will," he replied calmly. "You'll see. She'll be just fine when we get to her, too." Shippou caught the waver in the smile before the monk turned back ahead. Even Miroku was worried...

Inuyasha, meanwhile, constantly growled in harsh anger. Sesshoumaru would pay; he would pay dearly. No one got away with taking anything from him! Especially not if the something was the one whom he cared deeply for! Inuyasha would make sure that his brother would feel sorry for ever messing with him.

This time, Inuyasha thought, I'll kill you!

Young Rin-chan opened her eyes slowly, almost not ready to leave the peace and serenity of her dreams, yet realizing at the same time that her lord was probably waiting for her to wake up before continuing on their journey. Her head rested on the comfortable pillow that was Ah-Un, but she knew that she had to awaken and start the day. Her first conscious thought was about not wanting to keep Sesshoumaru waiting, but every one of those such thoughts were pushed aside when she caught side of a teenager sitting against the cave wall with her knees drawn up. Rin sat and rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't hallucinating, but the girl remained sitting there. Rin looked slowly at Sesshoumaru, who was sitting cross-legged near the entrance to the cave. She turned her gaze back to the girl, staring at her curiously with tired eyes.

Kagome saw her awaken from the corner of her eye and turned to her, smiling cheerfully. She hadn't the faintest idea whom Rin was, but she'd seen her on occasion traveling with Sesshoumaru. She decided that she might as well be nice to this young child. "Good morning," she said with a pleasant smile on, hiding her worries and fears behind a bright and cheery face.

"Good morning," Rin responded back, blinking in confusion. She'd seen her before... Hadn't she been with Sesshoumaru's younger brother? Rin will ask Jaken-sama when he wakes up, she decided, referring to herself in third person even in her thoughts. She stood and stretched before peeking over Ah-Un, looking at the still sleeping Jaken. Wake up soon, because Rin's confused...

Kagome hugged her legs close, laying her chin on her knees and staring straight ahead, deeply lost in thought. She had so many things to think about. How had the others taken her disappearance? Had they been sad, angry, or what? Worried, perhaps? Speaking of being gone, the ever present question of why she'd been taken still lingered. Though there were so many questions buzzing in her head, a single one would suffice to sum them all up...

What the hell is going on?

So, you've read it, eh? Now, please tell me what you think! Review please! Onegai! Por Favor! And all the other languages' pleases!