Ayame pulled herself by the arms to her Kouga.
The male wolfs breath was slowing. He looked at Ayame with apologetic eyes.
"I'm..I'm sorry..I couldn't save you."
Ayame coughed. Her health was failing too.
"Don't worry about it. At least..at least we're together."
She laid beside him, and with his last bit of strength, he draped his arm around her.
Kouga reached down to his legs.
The red-head looked at him. "I love you."
Kouga was too weak to respond, but Ayame understood.
And they died.
Together.
Inuyasha stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes widened.
Shippo looked at him strangely, as did the rest of the gang.
"Something wrong, Inuyasha?"
Kagome, who had been quiet until now, whispered.
"I sense two jewel shards.."
Inuyasha sucked in."Thats what I was afraid of."
And he took off.
"Inuyasha! Wait up!"
Inuyasha stopped, mouth ajar.
As did everyone else.
Kagome's hand flew to her mouth."Oh God.."
Where trees had once been, there was now soot and ashes. Smoke rose from the ground.
But what shocked them both was the two bodies lying off to the side.
Kouga and Ayame.
Inuyasha slowly walked towards them. Miroku followed.
Miroku blessed the grave quietly. Inuyasha leaned down to Kouga, examining his hand.
There were two jewel shards in it.
Miroku saw them too.
"Take them." He said in a hushed tone. "I mean, I think he would've wanted us to have them."
Shippo was frightened. "Who..who did this?"
Inuyasha scoffed. "Who do you think? Naraku. That bastards scent is all over the place."
The two walked back to the others. Inuyasha handed Kagome the jewel shards.
Their eyes met, but for only a moment, Inuyasha looked away.
Later, Sango, Kagome, Shippo and Kilala sat at a clearing, waiting.
Miroku and Inuyasha had gone to bury Kouga and Ayame.
Shippo dozed off, using Kirara as a pillow. Sango glanced at him.
"Kagome?"
"Hm?"
Sango paused, remembering the careful situation.
"Do you..do you remember what Kouga did..or tried to do..to you a while back, when he ws posessed?"
Kagome didn't answer right away. She stared off, deep in thought.
"I kind of do. I mean..I remember he was posessed and he tried to rape me..but thats the last thing I remember."
Sango sighed.
"Inuyasha saved you."
Kagome's eyes widened.
"He did?"
Sango nodded.
"...He really cares about you."
Kagome bit her lip.
"It's not fair...why ca't I remember him!"
Sango tried to comfort her.
"You will, Kagome. In time. I promise." She smiled.
A little later, the boys returned. Silently, they continued on. Afterall, it was only about 4:00 in the afternoon.
They eventually stopped at a temple just outside of a village.
An elderly looking monk hurried out to greet them.
"Ah, dear, young, monk! Thank the heavens you have arrived! I'm afraid I have to travel to the village for the night, to stock up. I was reconsidering because I was afraid something might happen to the temple! But I can go on my way cheerfully, knowing a young monk and his friends are guarding this sacred place!"
All six, yes, even Kirara, stared at the monk.
He was, in a word, strange.
"Uh..well." Miroku started, but sighed. "Yes, we shall watch the temple for you."
"Lovely, lovely! Such good folk, you people are! I must hurry on my way now, it will be sunset not before long!"
And he walked off.
Later, they sat in a circle around a roasting fire in the temple, the smell of cooked fish filling the room
But the truth was, no one had much of an appetite, after seeing two friends slain by an enemy.
The conversation was short-winded.
"Something wrong, Miroku?"
The monk glanced at Sango.
"I can't help but feel...that there is something odd about this place."
The others nodded in agreement.
Kagome looked around. It was probaly just her nerves, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something, someone, somewhere, was watching them.
sigh i wish kouga and ayame didn't have to die...but they did :P. i know the death scene was kinda short, but i didn't feel like going into detail XP.
pssssttt...the next chapter, kagome will be one step closer to getting her memories back... :D
once again, REVIEW!