Chapter Five: "Let Us Help You,"
Inuyasha sniffed indignantly. "Let her go!" he snapped and Kagome watched hesitantly, contemplating weather or not to go after her. Her mind was made up as she felt Shippo burry his head in her skirt.
"Why does she have to be so stubborn? She's going to get killed." He was upset and Kagome opted to comfort him now and worry about the little female with suicidal tendencies later.
"Don't worry Shippo, she can take care of herself."
"Not necessarily, Kagome. Hybrids become accustomed to being cared for by the pack at birth. Her whole life she's probably had someone to look out for her." Miroku said. "On the other hand, she's probably always had someone to look out for as well. They don't value independence as much as they value cooperation."
"That's it, she's dead," Sango said and Kagome crossed her arms.
"This is ridiculous!" She snapped snappishly. "Rosaline is an intelligent girl. She'll see reason, won't she Inuyasha?"
"Stubborn bitch! I say we let her challenge Naraku. She certainly won't be in a hurry to try that again," he snapped, but Kagome saw a flicker of concern cross his golden eyes. Kagome decided to press further.
"Come on, she's just lost her family for heaven's sake. We need to find her before she does something stupid."
"Feh!" Inuyasha said and trekked off.
"Hey, where are you going?" Kagome asked crossly.
"To find your damn friend," he growled as he disappeared into the woods.
Rosaline paused as the breeze lifted the fur on her muzzle, carrying with it a disgustingly familiar scent. She growled as she took it in, her lips curling back to reveal milky white fangs. Her bushy tail flicked around her body as she stood stock still, her nose twitching, trying to see how old the scent was. It was fresh, she realized. She loped off to the right. She knew that to challenge Naraku was suicide, as the human pup had said, but she would not allow her conscience to walk away from her families murderer. She knew she would die, but she was going to give him hell first.
The breeze riffled through her hair once more and she caught another familiar scent. She growled as the human pup's half demon companion shuffled out of the bushes. "Hey, I'm on your side!" he hollered as her lips curled back, her milk-white fangs dripping with her saliva. Her lips relaxed, but her snarl still lingered in the air. The half demon sat down on a rock and reached a hand out to her. "Come here, your muzzle is bleeding. How did you manage to acquire another injury in ten minutes?" Rosaline reluctantly placed her muzzle on his leg, allowing him to wipe away the blood. She gritted her teeth as the pain hit her hard. "Kagome's convinced that you're crazy. That girl can be a real pain in the rear sometimes, but she's right, kid. This isn't going to work." She nodded. "You can't, nor do you have to do it alone. We all have reason to hate Naraku, he's made a lot of enemies, but you're foolish to go after him alone, especially while you're injured."
Rosaline shook her head, a canine equivalent to "Mind you own business, half breed!"
"Rosaline, grow up. You sound like a child throwing a temper tantrum. Will you stop being so stubborn? Hold still, I'm getting blood in your eyes." She snarled and pulled away, wiping the blood away with her paw. "Look, I promised Kagome I'd try and talk some sense into your stubborn head, so let me do it."
I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
'Cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
Don't touch me! She said with a growl, her mouth having lost the shape for human speech.
"Rosaline, easy kid," He gently placed a hand on her forehead as Kagome emerged, panting, from the bushes.
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me
"Rosaline, please," she said softly, placing her hands on both sides of her neck, twining her fingers in Rosaline's fur. Rosaline shifted to human form, sitting next to Inuyasha on the rock.
You used to captivate me
By your resonating light
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away
All the sanity in me
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
"Kagome please, you don't understand. I have to kill him. He killed my family. He killed my sister."
"Your sister? How awful. I know that that really hurts."
"We fought constantly, but she always took care me. We're fraternal twins. She was born two minutes before me, but I was born very sick. I almost didn't make it. She helped me through life. She taught me how to walk and talk." Rosaline sobbed into her hands as she felt hands on her shoulders. She turned to see Sango, her comforting warmth and sensible voice providing comfort.
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me
"Rosaline, hon, she may not understand, but I do. Naraku killed my whole family, including my younger brother, Kohaku." Rosaline looked to her and smiled slightly.
"You remind me of Rachel, my twin. She was very sensible. She could always make me see reason." She turned to Inuyasha. "She called me a stubborn fool countless times." She took a deep breath as Shippo leaped in her lap and Miroku placed a hand on her knee, his comforting touch far more welcomed then his lecherous assessment of her earlier. She realized that she had already started to like this mismatched pack, Kagome's affectionate warmth, Sango's level-headed smile, Shippo's sweet innocence, Miroku's gentle wisdom, and even Inuyasha's protective callousness.
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me
I've been alone all along
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
"You're not alone any more," Miroku said gently. "Let us help you." Rosaline nodded.
"I've lost his scent anyway," she said gently and Kagome sighed with relief.
But you still have
All of me