Slammed
The others left Inu-Yasha to rest in Kaede's hut. Kaede seamlessly cared for the injured demon while the others disappeared.
Inu-Yasha hadn't seen Shippo since he left the well. If he knew anything about the motherly relationship Kagome had with the small fax then Shippo would still be at the well waiting for Kagome to return.
Kaede exited the room with the small bowl of water and the rag she had been using to cool his face.
All Inu-Yasha could think about now was Shippo loyally waiting for the traitorous little miko who might never return. He would have to be the one to break Shippo's heart.
Inu-Yasha staggered to his feet. Shippo needed to be told.
Inu-Yasha quickly bound out the hut and into the woods before anyone could stop him.
Nearing the well, Inu-Yasha fought his own urges to run from the truth that was right in front of him.
Inu-Yasha saw Shippo lying next to the well, curled up in a little ball, shivering, waiting patiently for Kagome to return. Inu-Yasha's heart sank. He had a mother for that time in his life. His mother finally died when he was a little older. He had come to terms with that. Shippo on the other hand, had to watch his father's death and had clung to Kagome for security. With Kagome's absence the little fox would surely need someone else to cling to. The thoughts running through Inu-Yasha's head almost brought him to tears. Kagome was just on the other side of the well, but she was five hundred years away. There was nothing the others could do and he was the last person she wanted to see.
Inu-Yasha bent down and very carefully scooped the kitsune up into his warm embrace.
Shippo snuggled against the warmth that radiated off Inu-Yasha's chest.
"Kagome…" The little kitsune called sleepily while trying to open his eyes.
Inu-Yasha just kept walking back to Kaede's hut.
"Uh…Inu-Yasha? …Where's Kagome?"
Inu-Yasha froze for a second to the little kid's request for his caretaker. Inu-Yasha didn't know how to tell the child so he figured he'd do it later.
"Inu-Yasha…?" Shippo tried to ask.
Inu-Yasha dropped his gaze to the ground. To any onlookers, Inu-Yasha's face would have been almost completely concealed, but since Shippo was securely held in Inu-Yasha's grasp Shippo could see the emotional pain play out across his face.
What worried Shippo most was the disturbed look in Inu-Yasha's eyes. Inu-Yasha almost looked like Kagome had chosen another man over him, which was perfectly plausible given Inu-Yasha's rude attitude. However, Kagome would never leave Inu-Yasha. Shippo knew her better than that. What Shippo didn't understand was that Inu-Yasha had come to get him.
By the time Inu-Yasha had arrived back at Kaede's Miroku and Sango were sitting out front. "Where's Kagome?" Miroku asked.
Inu-Yasha diverted his gaze down again with the same hurt look that Shippo had noticed on their way back from the well. Inu-Yasha knew something he wasn't telling them …something terrible.
Inu-Yasha let the little kitsune down before spinning on his heels and starting off alone again.
"Inu-Yasha, Where are you going?" Sango pried. "Kagome's due back. Why don't you go and get her?"
Inu-Yasha huffed through his still bruised nose.
Sango continued, "…well, When Kagome returns…"
Inu-Yasha snapped.
He spun around clutching onto Sango's arm.
Sango's eyes grew wide with surprise.
Inu-Yasha pushed hard off the ground sending the two of them soaring backwards.
Inu-Yasha and Sango locked eyes.
Sango could see the fire she'd ignited.
Inu-Yasha backed Sango into a nearby tree. The impact sent a way of unconsciousness over her.
Inu-Yasha watched as Sango's eyes rolled back in her head.
In response, Inu-Yasha gripped her upper arm tighter and barred his teeth with an unnerving growl; he wanted to be heard.
Sango regained her composer long enough to stare back into Inu-Yasha's hard amber eyes.
Inu-Yasha tugged roughly on her arm to make sure she was paying attention. Closing the distance between them, Sango's heart starting skipping beats. Her arm burned with numbness. She could feel the bruise spreading. She was afraid of just what Inu-Yasha would do. Is this what Kagome feels like? Sango asked herself.
"SHE'S NOT COMING BACK!" He yelled loudly in her face. The yell was followed by an angered growl and display of razor sharp shining teeth.
"Okay Inu-Yasha." Miroku commented trying to distract the disturbed hanyou. "So Kagome's not returning. Why don't we sit down and talk about this?"
Inu-Yasha's eyes narrowed on the manipulative hoshi.
Sango whimpered as Inu-Yasha altered his hold on her arm.
Inu-Yasha looked back to Sango. Her eyes were wide with shock. Her pulse was high almost as if she was afraid. He had hardly ever seen her afraid and surely never on this level. She was stiff and tears were welling up in her eyes.
Inu-Yasha released the crushing hold on the captive feminine arm in his grasp. He diverted his eyes to the ground. Sango hadn't deserved that. His shameful face shaded by his bangs Inu-Yasha walked off.
Miroku slowly made his way up to Sango almost as if she was a spooked animal.
Sango slowly raised her uninjured arm up to caress the injured one.
Miroku stepped in front of Sango just in time to catch her as her legs gave out. Miroku eased her down into a kneeling position.
Sango remained self-contained holding her arm. She closed her eyes and tears began to pour down her face.
Miroku reached his shielding arms up and eased Sango into his loving embrace.
It took a minute for Sango to respond to the embrace.
Inu-Yasha scared her. Miroku thought almost with a vengeance.
When she did respond, she buried her head in his should and continued to cry.
Miroku broke off the hold several minutes later. "Let me see your arm." He requested.
Sango nodded, still not able to speak.
Miroku helped her tie up her sleeves in the working position so that he could inspect her arm. What he saw horrified him.
A large black hand print was left behind. Inu-Yasha's print was surrounded by bruised tissue all the down the rest of her arm and minor swelling. Miroku concluded that her arm would get a lot worse but at least Inu-Yasha hadn't broken it.
"Can you stand?" Miroku asked already helping her up to her feet.
Sango leaned on Miroku as they walked back into Kaede's hut.
Inu-Yasha had disappeared.
"Stay here Sango. I have to go find Inu-Yasha."
"No need!" Shippo bolted in the door. "…Inu-Yasha is in his tree. He looks like he'll be there awhile."
"Okay." Miroku acknowledged. "Shippo…Will you keep an eye on Inu-Yasha? …Just in case." Shippo took a quick glance at Sango's arm, nodded briefly with an elaborate salute that made Sango giggle, and then disappeared back out the door.
Miroku comforted Sango for a bit, then tried to excuse himself.
"No" Sango stated securely. "I'll speak with him."
Miroku bit his tongue. As much as he hated the idea at the moment, she was the one that needed to speak with him, both she and Kagome.