Louder Than Words
"You aren't getting away that easily," Inuyasha yelled as he ran after the fleeing demon. As soon as it was in range, he'd pull out his Tetsusaiga and take care of the troublesome youkai.
Miroku was running at full speed, but he knew he wasn't going to catch up with the half demon. He figured it was best to keep going because who knew what kind of trouble Inuyasha could get himself into, besides it might lead them a step closer to finding Naraku. Sango could easily take care of the other demon.
"Yaaaaaaaa." A scream split the air.
Inuyasha faltered. "That sounded like Kagome," he thought to himself. Suddenly a whiff of blood filled his sensitive nose. "Kagome!" The half demon quickly changed direction and headed back to where he had left the others.
Miroku stopped running when Inuyasha suddenly passed him. He wondered about the sudden change of direction. If it was possible the hanyou was running even faster than before, and that could mean only one thing—Kagome was in danger. The monk reversed direction and began chasing after Inuyasha again.
Sango gripped her hiraikotsu tightly as she stood protectively near Kagome. There had been only two demons, one of which had fled with both Inuyasha and Miroku in pursuit, and then suddenly they had become surrounded. She threw the bone boomerang slicing several of the attacking demons, but 10 more took their place.
Kirara was doing her best, but they were severely outnumbered. The cat-like demon stood guard over Kagome and the terrified Shippo, growling and lashing out at any youkai.
"Kagome," Inuyasha growled, as he appeared, Tetsusaiga in hand. Using his wind scar he took care of the attacking demons. He knelt beside Kagome. "Sango what happened?"
"I don't know. Soon after you and Miroku left, these demons showed up out of nowhere, surrounding us," the demon slayer replied.
"It was terrible," Shippo cried. "Kagome had her bow ready and this demon smacked it out of her hand and knocked her to the ground."
"Kagome? How is she?" Miroku panted.
"Nice of you to join us," Inuyasha remarked sarcastically without looking up. His eyes were focused on the unmoving form of the young woman. Her arm was lying at a strange angle and there was a bleeding gash on her torso.
"Uhhhhhhhhhhhh," moaned the girl.
"Kagome, are you okay?" Inuyasha asked.
Kirara started to hiss.
"Oh ho what is this? Looks like I can get rid of all the trash at once," roared the youkai. With one blow he scattered the group. "Darn and I was hoping this would be more of a challenge."
Inuyasha was the first to get back on his feet. His eyes glowed with anger and hatred as well as fear for Kagome. "I think you'll find me all the challenge you can handle." He gripped his Tetsusaiga tightly, studying his enemy.
"Don't forget that I would like some practice as well," another demon added as he appeared from between the trees.
Gonarenku stretched to his full height of ten feet before flexing his muscles. "I dunno, they don't look like a match for either of us."
Nonenku, a slightly shorter version of Gonarenku, shook his head. "And I was hoping to get a chance to break a sweat."
Inuyasha growled as he attacked Gonarenku. The large demon easily evaded the attack. "Pathetic. Is that all you've got?"
"Why you…" Inuyasha rushed his opponent again, but this time found himself landing with a thump 50 feet away from where he had started.
"Is that all you have dog boy? That girl put up more of a fight than you," taunted the youkai.
"Are you the one who hurt Kagome?" His eyes gleamed amber with anger.
"You mean she isn't dead? I'll just have to remedy that situation."
"Want me to take care of that for you Gonarenku? I can take care of the girl and the others while you deal with him."
"Enjoy yourself, Nonenku."
Sango mounted Kirara and moved to intercept the demon. She threw her hiraikotsu. Nonenku easily broke it with one blow.
Miroku watched the battle with unease. With Inuyasha otherwise occupied and Sango's main weapon lying in pieces, he was now the only defense. He unleashed his wind tunnel and aimed it at the approaching Nonenku. Suddenly the air was filled with Naraku's venomous insects. Miroku reluctantly closed his most dangerous weapon. He knew that the venom from the insects would make him deathly ill, if not kill him. "Inuyasha," he called.
The dog demon turned and saw Nonenku rushing towards Kagome's unconscious body. He would not allow that demon to hurt her. Using all of his speed he rushed to protect the schoolgirl abandoning his fight with Gonarenku.
"YOU WILL NOT HARM HER," Inuyasha roared. He extended his claws. "Sankon Tessou." His powerful attack sliced into the demon.
Nonenku turned and faced his opponent. "So you want to play, puppy?" He unleashed a powerful attack at the hanyou.
Inuyasha just barely avoided the onslaught. He pulled the Tetsusaiga from its sheath. Slicing along where the demon auras met, he unleashed the power of his father's fang.
Nonenku never knew what hit him. He fell to the ground dead.
Gonarenku had already been in pursuit of Inuyasha when he saw his partner felled by the hanyou. "For that you must die a slow and painful death," the demon swore. He struck the half demon from behind, using his razor sharp claws to slice him from neck to shoulder.
Inuyasha staggered at the sudden blow. He could feel the poison from the claws starting to enter his system. The pain was unbelievable, he almost couldn't hold onto the Tetsusaiga. One look at Kagome lying there helpless was enough to help him ignore the pain.
"Why don't you just leave now before you end up like your friend?" Inuyasha remarked as he leaned heavily upon the Tetsusaiga, using it for support.
Gonarenku laughed loudly. "You can barely stand and have yet to lay one blow upon me, yet you dare to threaten me. I will kill you and your friends little man."
"Feh, this is nothing, I've been in worse shape and still won the battle."
Shippo turned to Miroku. "This doesn't look good. Inuyasha is bleeding and can hardly stand, yet he still taunts Gonarenku."
"I admit that things look dark, and that this is probably a bad time for Inuyasha to pull an ego trip, but I wouldn't count him out yet."
"Miroku is right. Inuyasha would do anything to protect Kagome, no matter what the cost," Sango added.
"Blades of Blood," the hanyou roared as he used his uninjured arm to turn the blood from his wound into a weapon.
"Is that all you have?" Gonarenku taunted. He wasn't afraid of the battered dog-eared demon; he would soon finish him off. He ignored the incoming projectiles and was surprised when his face and arms were sliced open.
"Take care of Kagome," Inuyasha told the others. "I will take care of him."
"You seem to have quite a high opinion of yourself, especially for one who will be dying soon," the demon remarked.
"Feh, it'll be your corpse lying on the ground."
With surprising speed for a being so tall, Gonarenku attacked Inuyasha. The loss of blood and the poison coursing through his veins made him slow to react. Inuyasha found himself doubled over as the youkai's punch ripped through his gut, breaking several ribs as it sent him tumbling. He was still dazed when Gonarenku picked him up by his neck.
As he dangled the half demon, Gonarenku gloated. "I could just squeeze the life out of you right now." His large fingers increased his pressure on the hanyou's windpipe, slowly cutting off the oxygen supply.
"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," Kagome moaned. She opened her brown eyes and looked into the concerned stares of Shippo, Sango, and Miroku.
"Are you in pain?" Shippo asked.
"I'll be ok," the schoolgirl said as she tried to sit up. "Where's Inuyasha?"
"You mustn't rush things. You're injured," Sango pointed out.
Kagome fought back the tears as a wave of pain overwhelmed her.
A growl from Kirara turned everyone's focus onto the large demon strangling their white haired, dog-eared friend.
"Inuyasha," Kagome cried.
The half-demon seemed to regain energy at Kagome's call. "She's alive."
Kirara leapt upon Gonarenku. Her fangs sank into his arm, causing him to drop Inuyasha from his grasp. The half-demon landed with a thump. Fighting back the pain, he staggered to his feet.
"Is that the best you can do?" Inuyasha wheezed. He spat blood into the dirt. "You can't even finish off an injured half-demon."
"You just sealed your fate, little man," roared the youkai as he lunged towards Inuyasha.
With strength he didn't know he had, the half demon raised his sword. "Don't fail me now, Tetsusaiga," he whispered. "Wind Scar."
The powerful winds surrounding the fang met Gonarenku's demon aura. With a thrust, slicing where the two energies met, the Wind Scar was unleashed. In a flash of power, the demon was defeated.
Inuyasha sheathed his sword and collapsed in a heap, blood seeping from his wounds.
Kagome was the first to reach his side. "Oh Inuyasha," she sobbed as she embraced him with her good arm. She could tell that he was still breathing, just barely.
"Let me take a look at your arm," Sango stated.
"Inuyasha is hurt worse than me," the schoolgirl replied.
"Miroku is taking care of him. Let me take care of your arm and that gash."
Shippo watched as Miroku removed the half demon's blood soaked coat and shirt. "Is he gonna be ok?"
The monk was shocked by the amount of blood and injuries. He was surprised that the half demon had been able to battle for as long as he had. His desire to protect Kagome had had to be the only thing that had kept him standing.
"His demon blood will help him heal, though I fear he's going to be weak for longer than he would like," Miroku answered.
The little fox demon nodded. He had seen Inuyasha in bad shape before, and he had always recovered. "How about Kagome?"
The monk looked over to where Sango had splinted Kagome's arm and dressed the gash on her torso. "It just appears to be a broken arm. It'll take some time to heal, but she'll be fine.
"How's it going?" Sango queried.
Miroku answered, "I've bound his wounds the best I can. I think it would be for the best if we leave this place. Who knows if Naraku will send more demons after us."
"Do you really think he was behind this last attack?"
"There were too many demons for it to be a coincidence, plus his venomous insects were here as well."
Sango and Miroku placed the unconscious Inuyasha upon Kirara's back. The injured half demon never made a sound or woke up. Kagome climbed up behind him and wrapped her uninjured arm around him. Shippo sat as close as he could to Kagome. The battle and its toll on the group had scared him.
Luckily after a fair amount of walking, they found an abandoned hut with a river close by. Miroku and Sango quickly prepared the shelter for their injured comrades. Kagome soon fell into a restless sleep, while Inuyasha remained unresponsive. The monk grabbed a bucket of water from the river and started cleaning the half demon's many wounds.
Sango gasped as she saw the multitude of scars and wounds. The slash from his throat to shoulder was inflamed and bleeding. Blood was still seeping out of his chest. "How did he fight for so long?"
"I have no idea unless it was his desire to protect Kagome."
"Where's Kagome? Is she ok?" Inuyasha asked as he opened his amber eyes. He tried to sit up, but gasped as pain from his broken ribs overwhelmed him.
"Lie down Inuyasha, you've been badly injured," Miroku said.
"Feh, this is nothing. Where is Kagome?" Worry edged its way into the half demon's voice.
"She's fine. She's sleeping right now."
"Is she badly hurt?"
"Just a broken arm and a gash on her rib cage." Miroku saw the distrustful look in Inuyasha's eyes. "Sango is the one who bandaged her up. She'll be fine."
"Inuyasha, you're awake," Shippo stated happily. He had been unsure if the half demon would ever wake up from his wounds. He had never seen him so battered and lifeless before.
"Takes more than that to get rid of me," the hanyou muttered.
Kagome shifted in her sleep and let out a slight moan as her injury was jarred. With surprising speed, especially for one who had been comatose just a short while before, Inuyasha was at the schoolgirl's side. He knelt there watching her sleep; his eyes taking in the splint and bandage marring her usual appearance.
"Inuyasha, you need to rest," Sango said. "Kagome will be fine."
"Not tired," lied the white haired hanyou. His eyes began to droop.
Once the half demon was asleep, Miroku carefully moved him back to his pallet, trying not to jostle his injuries. "I think that once Inuyasha is stable enough to travel, we should head back to Kaede's village."
The young demon slayer agreed. "He's awfully weak, and I fear that the poison from Gonarenku's claws is working its way through his system. Lady Kaede has more extensive knowledge of herbs and healing than we do."
"So it's settled then."
"Well except for the part about getting Inuyasha to agree."
"He doesn't need to agree. He'll probably still be too weak to fight, but we could always tell him it's for Kagome."
"That's pretty devious, especially for a monk."
"We should probably get some rest as well. I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be a long day."
Kagome opened her eyes. Her head was sore and her arm was aching. When she tried to move it, she noticed that it had been bound tightly.
"Kagome, you're awake," Shippo said happily. He adored the young woman and was glad to see her stirring.
"How are you feeling, Kagome?" Sango asked.
The schoolgirl sat up. "Sore," she answered. Her brown eyes searched for the large yellow bag that she was always carrying around. It contained medicines from her time as well as her clothes and schoolbooks. She froze when she noticed Inuyasha lying there lifeless.
"Inuyasha, is he?" Kagome started.
"He'll be fine, in time. Just have to give his demon blood time to heal him."
Miroku walked into the hut with a fresh bucket of water. "Nice to see you awake Kagome. Are you in any pain?"
The brunette managed a weak smile. "I'll be fine." She started to rummage through her bag one handed. "Ahhh here it is," she exclaimed as she pulled out a bottle of aspirin. She tried to open the bottle, but the childproof cap was impossible with only one good arm.
"Let me help you with that," Sango said. She took the bottle from Kagome and tried to twist it open.
"You have to push it down and turn it at the same time," the schoolgirl explained.
It took several minutes and attempts by both Miroku and Sango for the bottle to finally open. Kagome poured out two of the pills and swallowed them with a cup of water. She couldn't wait until the aspirin would kick in and dull the ache in her arm.
Inuyasha moaned weakly.
The girl knelt at the side of the hanyou. She was taken aback by the numerous bandages wrapped around him as well as the numerous cuts and bruises on his flushed face.
"Kagome," he whispered.
"I'm right here." Kagome grasped his hand with her uninjured one.
"Glad you're safe," he breathed before lapsing back into oblivion.
"He's burning up," the schoolgirl gasped.
"Must be the poison from Gonarenku's claws," Sango declared.
Miroku took a cloth and wet it in the bucket of water. He wrung it out. The damp cloth was placed on Inuyasha's forehead. The half demon didn't even stir.
Kagome sat there holding Inuyasha's hand tightly. She didn't want to let go. It was unusual to see him so badly injured and lifeless.
Morning became afternoon. Inuyasha's fever started to recede. Sango left the hut to search for medicinal herbs and plants. Miroku went to the river to get some fresh, cold water. Kirara and Shippo were left to watch over Kagome and Inuyasha.
Kagome got to her feet and walked out the door of the hut. It was hard to sit there and watch Inuyasha be so lifeless. She could feel tears threatening behind her eyes. She didn't want to alarm Shippo. She could tell that the young fox demon was worried about both herself and Inuyasha.
"Where are you going Kagome?" Shippo asked.
"I just need to get some fresh air," the girl replied.
The kitsune was torn. Should he follow Kagome or sit with the injured hanyou? He glanced from the door to Inuyasha. Kirara had curled herself up next to the half demon. It didn't take long for Shippo to make his decision and follow Kagome outside.
Sango ran into Miroku as he was returning from the river. "How is he doing?"
The monk shook his head. "No change. He's been unconscious ever since this morning."
"How much longer should we wait until we head back to Kaede's village?"
"I think we should head back tomorrow no matter what."
Kagome took a deep breath. The sunshine felt wonderful on her face.
The fox demon walked over to his friend. "Kagome?"
"Yes, Shippo?"
"Do you think Inuyasha will be alright? I know he's been hurt before, but…"
"He's going to be just fine, Shippo," Kagome stated with more conviction than she felt.
Suddenly a whirlwind appeared. It stopped right in front of the girl and kitsune. "Yo Kagome," Koga, the leader of the wolf demon tribe, said.
"Hi Koga," the schoolgirl replied.
"I caught your scent and thought I'd stop in and say hi." Koga's sharp eyes spied the sling that Sango had made to support Kagome's injured arm as she turned to face him. "What happened to you? Never should have left you with that mangy mutt. I thought he would do a better job keeping you safe."
"Thought I smelled something rotten out here," a voice said from the entrance of the hut.
"Inuyasha, you shouldn't be up." Kagome rushed to the half demon's side.
Koga turned to face his rival. "I thought you could handle protecting Kagome for me, but I guess I was wrong." The wolf demon's voice trailed off once he got a look at the hanyou.
Inuyasha's white hair was dull and matted. His amber eyes gleamed brightly from fever. There were several bruises and cuts on his face and neck. His torso was swathed in bandages, and he was leaning heavily against his Tetsusaiga for support.
"You should be in bed," Kagome chided.
"Just let me take care of this worthless wolf first."
Koga was speechless. Inuyasha looked half dead, yet he was ready to battle him. It looked as though the half demon had done all he could to protect Kagome after all.
"I had better get going. Nice seeing you again Kagome," Koga said before he disappeared in a cloud of dust.
"Kagome," Inuyasha murmured.
"Yes?"
"If you'd rather… Koga could probably protect you better…"
"That's just the fever talking. I'm right where I want to be. Now let's get you back inside," Kagome answered. She helped support Inuyasha as they slowly made their way back inside.
Sango noticed the dust cloud as her and Miroku walked back to the hut. "Does that look like it might be Koga?"
"Yes it does. He always seems to have perfect timing doesn't he?"
"We'd better hurry back before Inuyasha does anything rash."
"Yeah, one of Kagome's 'Sit!' commands wouldn't be good for his injuries."
By the time Miroku and Sango returned to the hut, Koga was long gone. Inuyasha was reluctantly lying down while Kagome fussed over him. Even though he was acting like his typical irritable self, something seemed to have changed.
"Tomorrow we are going to head to Kaede's village," the monk announced.
"What for?" Inuyasha growled weakly.
"Are you sure it's wise?" Kagome queried with a pointed look at the weakened hanyou.
"Lady Kaede has more knowledge of herbs and healing than both Sango and I. Also it'll be the new moon in three more nights," Miroku replied.
"Great let's just tell my secret to one more person," groused the half demon.
"Kaede isn't going to tell anyone," the schoolgirl declared. "Besides it would probably be better to lie low until you are back to full strength."
Inuyasha was prepared to argue, but the look in Kagome's eyes stopped him. The brown orbs were filled with a mix of emotions. Tears seemed to be threatening, and if there was anything he hated it was Kagome's tears. He never knew how to react when she cried and usually seemed to somehow make things worse. "Fine, we'll go back to Kaede's village tomorrow."
"I'm glad that's settled."
"Lady Kaede, Lady Kaede. Inuyasha, Lady Kagome, and the others are approaching the village," the man stated when he found the old woman.
Kaede went out to greet her young friends. She was surprised to see Miroku riding Kagome's bicycle and Inuyasha and Kagome riding on Kirara behind Sango. That alone told her that something was wrong though the way Inuyasha was slumped settled it.
"What happened?"
Shippo climbed out from under Kagome's hair. "It was terrible. This demon hurt Kagome and then tossed Inuyasha around."
"He did not toss me around, and besides he's dead now. I took care of him," Inuyasha said in a low voice.
A look at both Sango and Miroku confirmed the tale. Kagome's silence concerned the old priestess though not as much as the bruises and bandages covering the half demon's body. "I suppose it would be useless to wish for uneventful visits from ye? Good thing I had just replenished my bandages and stores of medicinal plants."
"I'll be fine you old hag. Don't need no one to fuss over me, in a few days these wounds will just be a memory," Inuyasha stated. "You could take care of Kagome though." His overly bright eyes begged the priestess.
"Inuyasha, I'm fine. It's just a broken arm and a little cut." Kagome slid off of Kirara's back. She smiled at the old woman.
"I'll check both of ye out just to be sure," Kaede decided.
"Whatever," muttered the insolent half demon. He made no move to get off of Kirara's back. He felt quite comfortable right where he was, and he didn't want to admit that he had no energy or strength.
Inuyasha's eyes flashed open as he felt something tightening around him. He lashed out with his claws, ready to strike whatever was attacking him. Luckily he had no strength so his response was lacking its usual quickness and ferocity and Kaede was able to avoid being injured.
"Inuyasha calm down. I am just binding up your injuries. I must say, ye have outdone yourself this time," the priestess said.
"Feh." Awareness washed over the half demon's face. "Is Kagome ok?"
Kaede smiled at the concern that was evident both on the hanyou's face and in his voice. "Sango did a good job setting Kagome's arm. I made a poultice and bandaged the gash she received." The old woman didn't add that she was a bit concerned about the appearance of the gash; hopefully the poultice would do its job.
"So she's ok?"
"She's going to be fine, ye on the other hand are a mess."
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine in a couple of days."
"Only if you take it easy. That demon's poison is a strong one. It's the reason why ye are so weak. Your body is using all it's energy to fight it off."
Inuyasha closed his eyes. No wonder he felt like this. He could never remember feeling so weak and helpless before even when he was in his human form.
"Get some rest Inuyasha," Kaede commanded as she placed a cold compress on his head.
Sango, Miroku, and Shippo crowded around the one eyed priestess when she emerged from her home. "Are they alright?"
"Aye. Inuyasha is battling against the youkai's venom. It'll probably be a few days before he regains his strength."
"And Lady Kagome?" Miroku queried.
"She has a broken arm, but I am more worried about that gash on her ribcage. It looked inflamed when I checked it. How did it occur?"
Sango and Miroku turned to Shippo. "Hey what did I do?"
"You were the one who saw what happened to Kagome."
"Tell us exactly what happened," Kaede demanded.
"Well, Inuyasha and Miroku took off after the demon that ran away. Suddenly we were surrounded by demons. Sango used her weapon against them, but they just kept coming. Kagome used her bow and arrows. Out of nowhere this huge demon appeared. He h..h..hit Kagome and sent her flying," the young fox demon described.
"Try to remember. Was it the demon's claws that cut Kagome?"
"I…I don't know. I suppose it could have been. Is that bad?" Shippo asked fearfully.
Kaede sighed. She had been afraid of this.
"But Kaede if it was Gonarenku that hurt Kagome, wouldn't the signs of the poison have shown up earlier? Inuyasha has been feverish for the past several days," Sango remarked.
"When Gonarenku slashed Inuyasha with his poison claws, the venom was injected directly into Inuyasha. In Kagome's case, I think that it took the poison a while to get into her system."
"Will Kagome be ok?" Shippo asked.
"I don't know. Kagome is a strong young woman, and she didn't receive a full dose like Inuyasha. We will just have to wait and see."
Kaede watched as everyone ate the meal she had prepared. She was glad to see that Kagome had an appetite, even though the girl was pale. Maybe her fear was unfounded. The old woman's eye stopped on the sleeping Inuyasha. While a part of her wanted to let the half demon get some much needed rest, she knew that he needed to eat as well. She shook him lightly, but he didn't respond. She shook him a bit harder, but there was still no response. Finally she waved the bowl of food under his nose.
"What?" Inuyasha muttered as he opened his amber eyes. They were still shiny brightly from the fever ravaging his body.
"Ye need to eat," Kaede commanded. She handed him the bowl she had prepared for him.
"You woke me up for that?"
"Ye need to eat to regain your strength."
While the hanyou ate, the healer brought over a bucket and ladle. Once Inuyasha had finished the meal, Kaede handed him a ladle full of water. "Drink up."
"Don't tell me what to do, hag. I'm not a child."
The old woman smiled. The injuries and fever hadn't changed the dog-eared half demon's attitude in the least. "Ye need to replenish your fluids." She held up her hand to stop his protests. "I know that your demon blood will heal your injuries, but if ye listen to me, it might help ye recover quicker."
Kagome watched as Inuyasha ate and drank like Kaede had demanded. She tried to hide the small smile that was threatening. She knew that the hanyou would think that she was laughing at him though if anyone wanted a good laugh, they could get one from watching her try to eat. With her right arm broken and bound, it was difficult for the young woman to use chopsticks. She unsuccessfully attempted to use them for several minutes before resorting to raising the bowl to her lips.
Sango and Miroku followed Kaede outside once Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo had all fallen asleep. Their expectant eyes searched the face of the old woman for the answers to their unasked questions.
"Do you think that Kagome has been poisoned?" Sango asked.
Kaede sighed. "I do not know for sure. She's been rather quiet and weak, but I'm not sure if it's because of her arm or not. Tomorrow I will recheck the gash on her torso. The poultice may have been able to rid her system of infection before it started."
Miroku nodded. "What about Inuyasha?"
"He's still fighting that fever and poison with everything he's got. I dare say it will probably be a few days before he starts to regain his strength."
Kaede went back inside her home leaving Miroku and Sango to themselves. Sango walked to the side of the house where Kagome's bike and her broken hiraikotsu were parked. She absently stroked her weapon.
"I suppose that you'll be leaving soon," Miroku said quietly.
The young woman looked up with a startled look on her face. She stared at the monk in confusion.
"You'll be returning to your village to repair your hiraikotsu, will you not?"
Sango nodded. "But I plan on waiting until both Inuyasha and Kagome are recovering."
Miroku smiled at her reply. "I see."
Kagome's sleep was restless. She kept having disturbing dreams about the battle with Gonarenku, remembering how he had attacked her. Her arm ached as she repeated saw it get broken. Her dreams then turned darker as the images in her head showed Inuyasha battered and bleeding. She moaned in her sleep.
Inuyasha's amber eyes flew open when he heard Kagome's muffled moan. A wave of dizziness crashed upon him as he struggled to sit up.
"Lie down, Inuyasha," Kaede commanded.
"But Kagome…"
"She's just having a bad dream."
"But…"
"Lie back down," the healer said in a tone that would tolerate no argument. "Get some rest while I take care of Kagome."
The half demon was tempted to challenge the old woman, but his body refused to cooperate. Frustrated he forced himself to lie back down and close his eyes. He managed to scoot himself closer to where Kagome was sleeping without being reprimanded.
Kaede shook her head at the hanyou's antics. It was times like this, when he showed his caring side, that she could see what her sister Kikyo had seen in him 50 years before. She placed damp cloths on both Inuyasha and Kagome's heads before heading to her own sleeping mat.
The old woman shook her head sadly. Her fear had been realized. When she had gone to check on Kagome's wound and had removed the bandage, she found it red and inflamed indicating that infection had taken hold. She gathered her herbs and medicinal plants together to make a poultice. She hoped that her efforts would be enough.
"How is Lady Kagome?" Miroku asked.
Kaede continued with her preparation. "Fever has taken hold of Kagome."
"But she's going to be okay, right?" Shippo queried.
"It's up to her now," the old woman replied.
"Kagome's strong. She'll beat it." The young fox-child looked at the others for support.
Sango asked, "Is there anything we can do?"
Kaede shook her head. "I'm going to pack the wound with this poultice, but the rest is up to Kagome."
"Would some of the medicines from Kagome's time help?" Miroku offered.
They might, but Kagome is the only one of ye who knows which to use."
Miroku's face fell. He had been on the receiving end of some of the wondrous medicines from the schoolgirl's era and knew how well they could work.
"And the only two who can travel to Kagome's era are both too weak," Sango added.
During the night Inuyasha had reached out towards Kagome. His hand had found hers, but the splint made it difficult to keep contact. Even though he hadn't been able to hold her hand, he felt better knowing that she was close by.
Inuyasha blinked. His ears could just make out a conversation mentioning both his and Kagome's names.
"Fever… Kagome… wound… medicines… era."
The half demon struggled to make out what they were saying. Was Kagome sick? Had she been injured worse than the others had let on? Inuyasha cursed the fever that was making him so weak and making it hard to concentrate.
"I'm sorry I failed you," he whispered.
"I see ye are awake," the one-eyed woman stated. She handed the hanyou a cup. "Drink up."
Inuyasha thought about arguing, but realized that he might get the answers to his questions if he cooperated. He drank the liquid greedily. He accepted and drained a second cup as well.
Kaede stared at the half demon. It was not in Inuyasha's nature to do anything without at least a few complaints. She wondered if his condition had worsened.
"How is Kagome?" Overly bright amber eyes begged for an answer.
The old woman debated on how to reply. She could lie and tell him that Kagome was fine, or she could lie out a worst-case scenario. The priestess answered the only way she could. "The gash on her torso is infected. I am doing everything in my knowledge to treat her."
"Will she be ok?"
"Only time will tell. I've done all that I can, now it's up to Kagome."
Kaede swore she saw a look of resignation and something else she couldn't name cross Inuyasha's face. She placed a fresh damp cloth on his forehead. "Get some rest. Ye cannot help Kagome in your current state."
Inuyasha closed his eyes. The damp cloth helped somewhat, but now his thoughts were in turmoil. Kagome was gravely ill, and there was nothing anyone could do. Sitting and waiting was not his strong suit. There had to be something…
Shippo tiptoed into Kaede's home. He knew that both Kagome and Inuyasha were sleeping and he didn't want to disturb them. He crept over to where they were lying and screamed.
Sango and Miroku rushed into the building followed by Kaede.
"Shippo, what's wrong?" Sango asked.
"Kagome and Inuyasha are gone," he replied.
"They can't be gone," Miroku stated as he went to look at where they had last been seen.
"That's impossible," Sango remarked. "Neither of them were in any shape to move, and we would have seen if someone had kidnapped them."
"Hmmmmmmm," the monk mused as he studied some drops on the ground.
"What is it?"
"Blood. Not a lot of it, but still… That idiot, he wouldn't?"
"Miroku, what are you thinking?"
Every step was pure hell. He could barely put one foot in front of the other, but still he continued on. Pain had been his constant companion ever since he had slid his shirt back on over the bandages. He shifted his precious cargo gently. Kagome was wrapped in his fire rat fur jacket. She hadn't made a sound when he had wrapped the cloak around her and picked her up. That reaction alone told him that he had made the right decision.
"Let's go," Miroku stated.
"Where?" Sango asked.
"We are going to follow this trail of blood, though I think I already know where it leads."
The demon exterminator gave the monk a cryptic look. She wasn't exactly sure what he meant by his last comment. Her worry about both Kagome and Inuyasha overrode any doubts she had though. She followed him out the door with both Shippo and Kaede trailing behind.
Miroku carefully studied the bloody trail in front of him. He was certain of the final destination, but knew that he shouldn't jump to any conclusions. He studied the deep red droplets illuminating the path as he led the pursuit.
Shippo looked around. He knew this area; he had been here many times before. "Isn't this the way to the well?"
Sango looked expectantly towards the monk, waiting for his reply.
Miroku nodded his head. "Yes it is. I think that Inuyasha is attempting to take Kagome back to her time."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Queried the kitsune. "Kagome's time probably has plenty of cures for the poison."
The monk nodded. "If he gets her there. Inuyasha has barely had the strength to hold his head up. How does he expect to get Kagome home?"
Sango stared off in the distance. She didn't doubt Inuyasha's strength or resolve. Somehow she knew that he would do everything with his power to take care of Kagome.
Kaede managed to keep a smile off her face. She knew that the half demon cared about Kagome though he'd never come out and say it. His current actions showed more than words how much he cared for the young girl.
Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief when he reached the Bone Eater's Well. He was almost there. Soon Kagome would be back in her own time, and hopefully they had some treatment for the poison coursing through her veins. He brushed her damp bangs off of her forehead.
"Almost home Kagome. Soon you'll be back in your own time…" Inuyasha stopped before completing his thought. He gripped her tightly as he jumped into the well.
Miroku breathed a sigh of relief as he reached the end of the trail at the well that was the gateway to Kagome's time. He wasn't sure if he was grateful or angry with Inuyasha. "The trail ends here."
Shippo smiled. "Inuyasha took Kagome home to her own time. She'll be fine now, right?"
Sango nodded.
Kagome's mother, brother, and grandfather were all sitting down to a meal when Inuyasha stumbled into the room with Kagome cradled in his arms. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.
"What happened?" Mrs. Higurashi asked.
"A demon attacked Kagome. He's dead now. I took care of him," The hanyou replied. "She needs help."
Kagome's mom rushed to her daughter's side. She rested her hand on Kagome's forehead. "She's burning up! She needs to get to the hospital right away."
Inuyasha helped settle Kagome into the car. He was still unsure of these metal creatures of Kagome's time, but if it helped her get better… He watched as Mrs. Higurashi drove off to the hospital. Once the car was out of sight, he headed back towards the well. Kagome was now safe in her time, and his mission was over. Darkness overwhelmed Inuyasha as he sank into oblivion.
His nose twitched. A sweet, familiar aroma surrounded him. Tentatively he opened one eye then the other. He was lying on something soft with several blankets tucked around him. The smell was weak but recognizable. It comforted him somehow.
"I'm in Kagome's room. How did I get here?" Inuyasha asked himself.
"You're awake," Sota exclaimed.
The half demon turned his head to the side and saw Kagome's younger brother sitting there, watching him. "How'd I get here?"
"After you collapsed, Gramps and I brought you back to the house. We washed you up before bandaging your injuries. Did they all come from the demon that hurt Kagome? Did you really kill him?" Sota answered. "I hope you don't mind that we put you in Kagome's room. Since she's in the hospital, she won't need her bed here."
Inuyasha's eyes met Sota's. He ignored the young boy's questions and asked one of his own. "Is Kagome okay?"
"Mom called earlier. She said that Kagome is going to be fine, but that they want to keep her in the hospital for a few days."
The tension filling Inuyasha's body slowly eased away. Kagome was going to be okay, and that was all that mattered to the battered hanyou. He sank into the mattress, finally relaxing for the first time in days.
"Thanks for watching out for Kagome," Sota remarked.
Inuyasha turned his head away from the boy. He couldn't meet the youngster's eyes. For some reason, Kagome's little brother worshiped him, thinking of him as some sort of hero. He wasn't sure what to make of it really. In his time both humans and demons alike feared and reviled him.
Sota seemed unfazed by Inuyasha's lack of response to his comment. He figured that the hanyou had fallen back to sleep. He had never seen someone with so many injuries before. Even a demon as strong as Inuyasha would need lots of rest to recover.
"I suppose we could head back to the village now," Miroku stated. "It looks like Inuyasha made it to Kagome's era ok. By now she's probably been treated with the medicines of her time."
Both Sango and Shippo nodded at the monk's words. There was nothing they could do at the well except sit and wait.
"I should probably leave for my village in the morning," Sango remarked.
"So soon?"
The kitsune looked from Miroku to Sango in confusion. He felt like he had missed something. "Why are you going home Sango?"
"I need to repair my hiraikotsu. All the equipment I require is at my village. It shouldn't take me more than a few days."
Shippo shook his head sadly. "But aren't you going to wait until Inuyasha and Kagome come back?"
The young demon slayer smiled at the young fox demon. "It's best if I go now. This way I'll be ready when they are healthy. You know how grumpy Inuyasha gets if he has to wait."
"Yeah, patience isn't his strong suit," the kitsune agreed.
"Would you like some company?" Miroku offered hopefully.
"I'll be fine, besides it might be better if someone is here to explain to Inuyasha where I've gone." She felt badly that Kagome had been injured in her company and wanted a little bit of time to deal with her feelings away from the others.
The monk sighed sadly. He had hoped for a little bit of quality time with the beautiful demon slayer. His staff rang out as he turned to return to the village.
"I'm going to stay here for a while longer," Kaede announced.
"Is there something wrong, Lady Kaede?"
"Nay, or at least nothing I can put my finger on. Inuyasha was just acting very subdued."
"You're right. He hasn't been himself since Koga's visit," Sango agreed.
"Maybe it was the venom," offered the fox demon.
"Possibly Shippo, but it appeared to be more than just the effects of the demon's poison. It was almost as if he had given up."
"But Inuyasha would never give up."
"Aye, but that's why his behavior concerns me. Outside of his concern for Kagome and her health, he showed little vitality."
"What are you thinking Lady Kaede?" Miroku asked.
"I'm not sure."
"Do you think he feels guilty that Kagome was injured?" Sango queried.
"Koga did accuse him of not protecting her," Shippo added softly.
Both Sango and Miroku turned to stare at the kitsune in surprise. They had been so busy taking care of Inuyasha and Kagome that Koga's visit had never been brought up in conversation, and they had had no idea what had transpired.
Kaede nodded. "Inuyasha probably blames himself for Kagome's injuries."
"That's stupid. He wasn't even there when she got hurt," Shippo said.
"That may be, but his behavior leads me to believe that guilt is the most insidious of his injuries."
Kaede wasn't sure when she had become a champion for the half demon. She had spent 50 years blaming him for her sister's death. Finding out that Naraku had used deception to set Inuyasha and Kikyo upon each other had dispersed the anger she had harbored towards the hanyou. Watching how Kagome had softened Inuyasha's rough edges made him easier to care about even though he could still be trying at times.
"Do you want us to wait with you?" Sango asked.
"Ye needn't wait because of an old woman's suspicions," Kaede replied.
"Are you sure, Lady Kaede?"
"Aye, I will follow along in a short while."
Miroku and Sango headed back the way they had come. The monk was glad that the kitsune had decided to stay behind with the old woman. He planned on taking advantage of this alone time with the demon exterminator since it happened so rarely.
"SLAP!" The sound of a hand striking flesh rang out.
Shippo rolled his eyes. "He never learns."
The one eyed woman nodded in agreement.
"Do you think Kagome and Inuyasha are ok?"
Kaede smiled at the youngster. "I'm sure they will be fine."
"But I thought you were worried about Inuyasha?"
"Aye, I was concerned by his recent behavior."
The fox demon was puzzled. "Does this mean you aren't worried about Inuyasha anymore?"
"As long as they are together," Kaede muttered half to herself. "It's time to head back to the village."
"Inu… yasha," moaned the girl as her eyes flickered open.
Mrs. Higurashi smiled at her daughter. "You're awake." She brushed the damp bangs away from her daughter's forehead.
"Mom? Where? How?" Kagome asked.
"You are in the hospital. Inuyasha brought you home," her mother replied.
The dark haired girl contemplated this information. The last that she could remember was Inuyasha weak and powerless from the youkai venom coursing through his blood. The hanyou had barely been able to sit up, let alone carry her home.
"The doctor said that it was good that we got you here when we did. They've given you some medicine for the infection and fever. It'll be a few days before they'll allow you to go home."
Kagome struggled to keep her eyes open. Her fever may have broken, but she still felt very weak.
Mrs. Higurashi smiled as she watched her daughter struggle to stay awake. "Get some rest Kagome. I'll be here when you wake up, I promise."
The young schoolgirl drifted back to sleep, unable to ask the question that was at the tip of her tongue.
What had started as a ruse to avoid Sota's questioning eyes soon became reality. Within moments of feigning sleep, the hanyou had fallen into a deep slumber. He could tell that several hours had passed judging from the shadows. Inuyasha snuggled under the blankets, inhaling Kagome's scent. Her bed was so soft and her blankets so warm, it made the half demon wonder how she could stand sleeping on the hard ground during his era. His reverie was interrupted when he caught a whiff of another of his favorite scents. It seemed to take forever to gather his sword and energy to follow the aroma.
Sota's face brightened when he saw Inuyasha limp into the dining room. "Inuyasha, you're finally awake. Do you want something to eat?"
Kagome's grandfather warned, "It's just ramen."
"Ramen is fine," Inuyasha replied. "Do you have any of those fried potatoes, too?"
"I think Mom bought some potato chips yesterday," Sota said as he rushed to find the bag.
The old man watched in wonder as Inuyasha gulped down the ramen in an instant. He quickly made the hanyou another cup that he also ate greedily.
"I want to thank you for looking out for my granddaughter during your time."
The half demon averted his eyes. He didn't know what it was with Kagome's family. They kept thanking him even though he had brought her back sick and injured. He totally didn't understand them; they should be mad at him for failing to protect Kagome, not thanking him.
"Well we better get going if we are going to make it to the hospital for visiting hours."
"Are you going to come with us to see Kagome?" Sota asked.
Emotions warred inside of Inuyasha. A part of him didn't want to see how he had failed in his duty, yet another, stronger part, wanted to make sure she was really all right like they kept telling him. "I'll come," he replied softly. He headed towards the door.
"You can't go out like that. Wait right there." Sota ran out of the room. He was back a few minutes later carrying a baseball cap. He sat it on the half demon's head, covering his pointy dog-ears. "Now you're ready."
Inuyasha wasn't sure if he liked hospitals. So many foreign scents, not all of them pleasant, assaulted his nose. There was also lots of people rushing around and speaking what seemed like a foreign language. On top of all that there were various strange machines beeping and making a racket. He stayed close behind Kagome's grandfather and brother. There was just too many smells to pick out hers.
"Here we are room 412," Grandpa announced.
Inuyasha made a beeline for the bed where Kagome was laying. His amber eyes studied her carefully, trying to decide if she looked any better or not. The splint that Sango had made had been replaced by a large solid looking covering. It made noise when he tapped it with his claws. Her face was pale.
"Is she ok?" Inuyasha asked.
"The doctors say she'll be fine in a few days. Her fever is gone and all she really needs now is lots of rest. She woke up a little while ago," Mrs. Higurashi replied.
There was little conversation as everyone gathered around Kagome's bed, watching her sleep. Everyone spoke in hushed tones, not wanting to disturb her from some much needed slumber. Inuyasha didn't join in any of the conversations. He just sat there with his eyes never leaving the schoolgirl.
"Visiting hours are over," a nurse announced as she stepped into the room.
"I'm not going nowhere," declared the hanyou.
The nurse sighed. There was one in every group. Her feet hurt and a headache was beginning to form behind her eyes. Worst of all, she still had several hours of work in front of her.
Inuyasha stayed where he was. A stubborn expression that Kagome and the others knew all too well was on his face. Once his mind was made up, it was next to impossible to change it.
Sota and his grandfather headed towards the door. When the young boy noticed that the half demon hadn't joined them, he turned back. "Come on Inuyasha, it's time to go."
"I'm not leaving," he replied mulishly.
The nurse rubbed her aching temples. She walked towards the strangely dressed boy with the baseball cap. "We have rules that you must follow. You can come back during visiting hours tomorrow."
"No."
"Great," the nurse thought. "Just what I need." She glared at the petulant young man. Her gaze softened when she noticed his bruises and bandages. "Fine, you can stay, but I expect you to follow the rules."
"Feh," Inuyasha snorted. He wrapped his fingers around Kagome's uninjured hand.
Once the room had cleared, Mrs. Higurashi walked over to the chair where she had been sitting. "I believe that this is yours," she remarked to Inuyasha has she handed him his red cloak. "I hope you don't mind that I stitched it up. There were a couple of tears in it."
"Thanks," the hanyou replied. He relinquished his grip on Kagome's hand long enough to slide the jacket back on.
"I haven't had a chance to thank you properly."
Inuyasha looked down at the floor. A cold chill passed through him. When were they going to realize that Kagome had been injured because of him? He cleared his throat.
"It's always hard for a parent to let their child go out into the world," Mrs. Higurashi continued, unaware of the half demon's discomfort. "As a parent we want to protect our children from pain and injury, but we also want them to be independent and to live life to it's fullest. There is nothing a parent fears more than their child being in pain or hurt, but we can't wrap our children up in a protective bubble. If we did that then besides protecting our child from pain, we'd also be shielding them from joy and happiness. As a parent we have to accept that we won't always be there to protect our children.
Inuyasha looked up at Kagome's mother. He still couldn't quite meet her eyes, but he was listening to every word that she said.
"It eases my worries knowing that you are there watching out for Kagome on the other side. Just knowing that my little girl isn't all alone over there is a comfort." Mrs. Higurashi smiled at the hanyou. "Oh listen to me prattle on. You look exhausted. There's a chair behind you where you can sit down."
"I'm fine right here," Inuyasha declared.
"She may be asleep for hours. You could pull the chair up next to the bed."
Inuyasha didn't want to admit it, but his injuries were killing him. He moved the chair as close to the bed as possible and sank into it gratefully. He wrapped his hand around Kagome's.
Kagome's mom smiled at the half demon. "I'm going to head down to the cafeteria for a bite to eat. Can I get you anything?"
"I'm fine." Inuyasha never took his eyes off of Kagome's sleeping form.
Mrs. Higurashi patted Inuyasha's shoulder gently as she left the room. She could tell that he cared about her daughter; it was written all over his face. She was thankful that he had brought Kagome home.
Sango gathered together all the supplies she would need for her trip. She was putting them into her bag when a male voice said, "Getting ready to go, I see."
"I'm going to leave first thing tomorrow morning."
"How long do you think you'll be gone?"
"Probably about three days."
"I see." A contemplative look crossed the monk's face. "Would you like some company?"
Sango started to concentrate on her packing, turning her face away so that Miroku couldn't see the flush of her cheeks. It took her several moments to answer. "It's probably best if you stay here so you can inform Inuyasha where I've gone."
Miroku hid his disappointment well. He hadn't expected the demon slayer to accept his offer anyway. "I suppose you are right. It's probably best not to get Inuyasha riled up."
The monk and demon exterminator sat quietly, watching the sun go down. Sango was the first to break the silence. "Do you think that Kagome is okay?"
"I'm sure she's fine. They have miraculous medicines in her time."
"Ummmmmmmmmmm," Kagome moaned as she opened her brown eyes. "Mom?"
Mrs. Higurashi looked up from where she had been knitting. She really hadn't accomplished anything, but it was just something to keep her hands busy. "You're awake."
Kagome tried to figure out why her mother was sitting in a chair across the room when earlier she had been sitting right beside her bed.
"You missed your grandfather and Sota. They brought Inuyasha with them for visiting hours."
"Inuyasha was here?"
Kagome's mother smiled. "He's sitting in the chair right beside you."
Brown eyes scanned the form of the dark haired youth slouched in the chair next to her bed. "He's human, that means it's the new moon. How could three days have passed already?" Kagome asked herself remembering the conversation with Miroku several days before.
"Inuyasha?"
It took him a moment to realize that she was speaking to him. "You feeling ok?"
"I'm fine. How are you?"
"Feh, you don't have to worry about me. With my demon blood, I'll be healed in no time."
"But not tonight," the schoolgirl whispered.
"Not tonight? What are you talking about Kagome? Is your fever back?" Inuyasha reached to feel her forehead.
"It's the new moon," she pointed out.
"Huh?" Inuyasha looked down and saw that his claws had disappeared. "Damn, of all the times…"
The new moon, his most hated time of the month. It was the one night where he lost his demon powers and became totally human. How could he have forgotten that it was tonight?
Kagome pulled Inuyasha into an embrace. She narrowly avoided smacking him with her cast as she hugged him tightly. "Oh Inuyasha, I was so worried about you."
"Feh, takes more than some old demon to do me in. I have my demon blood to protect me, but you…" Inuyasha's voice went from filled with bravado to barely audible.
"I have you," Kagome whispered.
Tears threatened to fill the hanyou's eyes. He pulled Kagome closer and held her tightly. "But I failed. You got hurt and almost died," he murmured.
Kagome pulled away from Inuyasha enough so that she could look him in the eyes. "It wasn't your fault."
The half demon averted his eyes from the schoolgirl's face. "I didn't protect you."
The brown-eyed girl grabbed a handful of black hair and gave it a tug so that Inuyasha's eyes met hers. "Then you almost died not protecting me."
The hanyou tried to look away, but Kagome's grip was too strong. "You can't be with me every moment. I could have broken my arm by falling off my bike." The girl could see the worry and pain reflected in Inuyasha's eyes and the harshness left her voice. "You kept those demons from hurting me any more with no thoughts to your own safety."
"Gonarenku had to pay for hurting you," he stated simply.
Kagome hugged Inuyasha tightly. "But at what cost?" She asked herself.
The dark haired human stiffened at the embrace, but slowly sunk into the hug. He clung tightly to the young woman. "I thought I had lost you."
Kagome squeezed Inuyasha. "Same here. I had never seen you so battered and lifeless before. I was shocked that you challenged Koga when you could barely stand let alone fight."
"Feh, I can take that worthless wolf anytime."
Kagome smiled. "I know you can."
Koga's voice taunted the hanyou. "I thought you could handle protecting Kagome for me, but I guess I was wrong." Inuyasha growled as he tried to drown out the taunt. "Koga wouldn't have let you get hurt," he muttered under his breath.
Kagome moved to where she could look Inuyasha in the eyes. "You didn't let me get hurt. You weren't even there when Gonarenku attacked me and Sango."
"I shoulda been. I shoulda expected…"
"How could you have known? It all happened so suddenly, without any warning."
"I…. I…"
"Listen to me Inuyasha, it was not your fault I got hurt. You've got to stop beating yourself up over the fact that I got injured. It's just a broken arm, and it will heal."
"But…"
"No buts. You did not fail. You defended me from Gonarenku and Nonenku. You were willing to sacrifice yourself to protect me from them, and that means more than you realize. You're my hero."
Inuyasha bent his head as he tried to absorb what Kagome had said. She considered him a hero? All he had done is what anyone would do when someone threatened his friends.
"Are you sure about this? Don't you want to stay home a little bit longer, or at least until your arm heals?"
"Inuyasha, I'm fine. How many times do I have to tell you that? The doctor released me from the hospital yesterday with a clean bill of health."
"But your arm?"
"It'll be six weeks before the cast comes off. I'm going back and you can't stop me."
"Whatever," grunted the half demon. He knelt down. "Get on."
Shippo sighed. It had been days since Inuyasha had disappeared down the well with Kagome. Sango had left for home soon afterward which made Miroku rather subdued and short-tempered. The young kitsune was worried, but he knew that no one in the village could answer the question he kept asking, no one in their era could. He had been spending the past several days sitting in the clearing near the Bone Eaters Well. He wasn't sure why he kept being drawn back there, but it made him feel better.
The kitsune's steps slowed when he heard voices up ahead. He pulled out the materials he'd need for his fox magic if the voices belonged to hostiles.
"I can carry my backpack, thank you very much. It's my arm that's broken not my back."
"Just give it to me."
"I can handle it."
"Let me have it."
"Let go."
"No you let go."
"It's going to rip if you keep pulling on it."
"Let go then."
"Osuwari"
"Oof. Whadda ya do that for?"
Shippo smiled as he rushed forward. He knew those voices. "Kagome, you're back!"
"Hello Shippo," the schoolgirl said with a smile.
The little fox demon studied both Inuyasha and Kagome. They both looked much better than they had the last time he had seen them. "What's that?" Shippo asked as he pointed at Kagome's arm.
"It's a cast. It's to protect my arm as it heals," she explained.
"I'm so happy that you're back and okay."
"I'm glad to be back." Kagome reached over and grabbed Inuyasha's hand. She threaded her fingers through his.
Amber eyes stared into brown in confusion. The hanyou was tempted to pull away, but it felt so right.
"Let's go back to the village and let the others know that you're back."
Miroku sighed. Life was too quiet in the village. He hadn't even felt like telling fortunes and asking the pretty young women to bear his children. He didn't know what was wrong with him. Ever since Sango had left for home all he seemed to do was laze about. The monk got to his feet; maybe a walk would blow off this feeling of lethargy.
Sango gripped Kirara's fur tightly. The repairs had taken less time than she had thought, and she had been able to head back to Kaede's village a day sooner than she had expected. The demon slayer hoped that when she arrived there would be news about Inuyasha and Kagome.
Kirara grunted and started to descend. Sango looked down and tried to figure out why the cat demon had done that. She spied a lone figure walking aimlessly. "That looks like Miroku. Take us down Kirara."
The monk had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed their approach. He was totally surprised when Sango appeared before him.
"Back already?"
"Yes, the repairs didn't take as long as I thought."
"That's good."
"Has there been any word on Kagome or Inuyasha?"
"Not yet."
Shippo chattered away the entire walk back to the village. He was just so happy that Kagome, and even Inuyasha, were back.
There was quite a commotion in the village when the two groups of friends met in front of Kaede's home. The air was filled with questions and hugs as the group finally reunited. Kagome smiled; it just felt right, everyone together, ready for their next adventure.