I got up the next morning. Inuyasha was still asleep, looking absolutely adorable… ew, wrong word. If he heard me say that, he'd kill me. I walked outside to look out to the sun. My heart told me that I had until sunset to live. I sat on my rock and looked out over the valley. I thought about what I wanted to do, if I was strong enough to do it. I looked out and knew one thing. "I want to return to the Sacred Tree one last time."
"All right," I turned around and Inuyasha approached. "Hop on, I'll take you." I nodded and got on his back. I felt so alive at this point that I had forgotten about my wound. I just savored every moment that I had left. When we got to the tree, I was ready to fall apart. I rushed to it and put my hand against its bark. I turned around and saw him standing there. "I was here, over 50 years ago, so much has changed since then. You're free from the seal. Naraku said that my presence gave you a reason to live, made you want to live. That's why your heart was always beating. Kagome was the one who broke the seal."
"Well, Naraku might have been right about this one thing." I looked at the bark and felt it. With the memories of those nights flashing before my eyes, they started to cloud with tears. I slowly fell to my knees, covering my eyes with my left hand.
A hand fell on my shoulder. I saw as Inuyasha knelt down next to me. He shook his head, "Don't cry…" I wiped my eyes and leaned my head on his chest and started crying like I was little again. I shook like a leaf. "I'm so afraid…" He embraced me with both arms. "I… I don't want to be alone. When I die, I'm going to be all alone." I shuddered, "I know that I can't take you with me, but I know that when I go, I'll have no one on the other side."
"You'll be with your mother again, princess… that I know." He held me tighter and I felt like the tears weren't going to let up.
Finally, about an hour later, I stopped. He let me go and I wiped my eyes. I replaced a hand to my stomach. I hissed, "Ow… my stomach…"
"C'mon, it's time to go back and quick." I hopped on, wrapping one arm around his waist and the other remained on my stomach. When we arrived back at the cave, all of the cubs of the tribe were waiting for me, along with Kagome, Miroku and the others. Inuyasha let me walk on my own, but I stopped straight when the pain got worse. This time it was a stabbing pain that was ripped through my flesh and gut rapidly. I hissed, "Curse you, Sesshomaru."
I grew dizzy and I had to kneel. Kira and Katsu approached me, "Princess… you're hurt really badly. Let someone…"
"I won't be much longer…" I looked outside and it was already past noon. I looked at them and smiled. "The two of you, you will always be the two cubs I'll remember the most about. When I saved you from the fire, it led me to roll down the hill. I wouldn't have met Inuyasha if it hadn't been for you two. That's why I'll entrust the tribe to two of you. Learn to become strong demons and take over for me when you're old enough."
"But, that could take a while…" Kira said. I smiled, "Tiger demons age a little faster than usual demons. You should be able to take over within 10-20 years." Koga arrived at the cave a few moments later. "Until then, Koga will take over command of this tribe. He's a strong warrior and I trust him completely." He approached me and kneeled by me. "How are you holding up?"
"All right for now…" I put a hand on his shoulder, "Promise me that you'll look after these two and teach them to be strong warriors like yourself."
"Humph, don't hold your breath." Inuyasha said, smugly. I narrowed my eyes, "Inuyasha, you're on a huge quest here. You don't have time for this."
"Young demons are very impressionable." He came over and kneeled by us. "They've gotta learn something from you too. They need to learn to fight with their hearts. A full-fledged demon couldn't teach them that. In that time span, I'll have taken care of Naraku."
"But you won't be able to use the jewel to become all demon."
"Maybe not…" I smiled, but the fizzing in my stomach continued to grow. I hissed, holding it with both hands.
"Princess!" The cubs shouted. Inuyasha let me lay down, resting my head on his lap like last night. As I watched the sun slowly make its descent, I felt like I was growing weaker by the minute. Inuyasha grabbed a hold of one hand.
It was time to start saying my good-byes. I opened my eyes, looking up as my vision was starting to get clouded. "Shippo…"
"Yes, princess?" He hopped over, "what is it?"
"You're so spirited Shippo. I hope you grow up to become a strong fox demon like your father before."
"My father?"
"My mother knew him as well… and he was a strong demon. I had a feeling that he was very much like you at your age." I smiled, patting him on the head. He nodded.
I looked up as he left my side. "Miroku, Sango…" I smiled at them, "Sango, keep Miroku under control, why don't you?" She laughed, "Sure."
"Miroku, I'm sorry for being a jerk to you… but you really should learn not to be such a lecherous monk."
"It's not like he can help himself. It's part of his personality." Inuyasha snubbed him. I rolled my eyes.
"But continue to do what you do, heal the wounded…" I hissed as the pain grew worse. "I'll do that, princess, because it's my duty."
I looked out and the sun had begun to set. As it started to disappear behind the horizon, I felt myself slowly slipping away. My soul was losing touch with my body. I groaned in pain. I felt my fever rising beyond its limits and my stomach was on fire. I shut my eyes and groaned as Inuyasha wiped my brow with cold water.
"Koga… will you take everyone back to your den? They don't need to stay here any longer."
"All right, let's go everyone." I leaned up, "Good-bye everyone, I love you all. Be strong and take the tiger demons into the future with the lessons I had taught you. If Inuyasha ever returns, pay heed to him as well in honor of my memory. That is my wish for you all." I smiled and they all left with sad, but happy smiles.
Koga was the last to leave, "Take care, Koga. I hope that you'll stick to your word."
"I will, princess. Farewell." He run out without looking back. Everyone else started to take off. Eyes half-opened, I said, "Wait Kagome…"
She knelt next to me. "What is it, princess?"
"Promise me that you'll help Inuyasha in anyway you can to recover those shards and defeat Naraku. Don't lose sight of…" I groaned, "keep him in check, but…" It was getting harder to breathe. "Take care of him."
"I will." I held her hand to my hear and laughed, "the most decent human I've ever met in my life. You've shown me that not all humans are… are… bad."
"Kaede told me that I'm the reincarnation of Kikyo. I hope that you get reincarnated too. People like you are hard to come by."
"Thanks for the sentiment, Kagome. Goodbye, you may… go… leave the two of us alone."
"Ok." She put a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, but he was looking away. She was about to say something, but she just nodded and took off.
My heart took off like a rocket. I was afraid of what would happen next. Slowly, the sun was disappearing. My anxiety increased, but everything else was slowing down. My breathing was shallow, but it was rapid. My eyes were now clouded, but Inuyasha was the only thing I could see clearly. I looked up at him and he looked away with his eyes half-open.
"Inuyasha…" He blinked. "Hold me… one last time." I was unable to move, so he carefully repositioned me so my head was laying his chest. I felt blood start pouring through the corner of my mouth. My stomach tightened with the pain ripping through it. My chest tightened and so did my throat. I felt myself slowly losing my grip. I put an arm around Inuyasha and my ear laid over his heart. "Your heartbeat, just as strong as it ever was. I never want it to change."
"It won't…" I sighed as it comforted me. "You're right, I won't be alone. I'll have my mother, maybe my father watching over me. I'll always think of you and what you've done for me." He held me tighter. I half-opened my eyes and dispelled my last tears. "Inuyasha…" I had a bracelet on each of my hands. I removed the bracelet on my left wrist and kept the one on my right hand. "I want you to have this." I placed it in his free, clawed hand and closed it around him.
I saw the sun slowly disappear from view and the sky grew dark. "Inuyasha…" I lifted my head and I faced him eye to eye. He looked at me as if saying, 'what's left'. I placed a hand to his cheek. "Take care and live your life to its fullest, Inuyasha. That is my deepest wish. I love you, I've always loved you, and I always will." He blinked as I saw his eyes start to quiver with his emotions on the rise. I smiled at him, preserving the memory of his face in my heart and I returned my head to his heart. I held him as tight as I was able. Everything was silent except for his heart and mine. I slowly shut my eyes. His heart was the last thing I heard before I slipped away into the night…
