I can't believe all the reviews! I'm glad so many people are enjoying my story. I hope everyone enjoys the next installment!
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Inuyasha had heard Kagome's cry. He had moved faster than he ever had before, his speed fueled by the terror in her voice. It was the same cry she has loosed not that long ago...
When he had found her, she was in the arms of his older brother. The shock of seeing them in such an embrace had sent waves of shock, then rage through him. He had screamed a demand for an explanation, the ridiculousness of it all nearly overwhelming him. His mind just couldn't wrap around it, so surely there was some logical explanation...
Kagome wriggled in Sesshoumaru's grasp in an attempt to let him know she wanted to get to her feet. She still had not spoken; she wasn't sure if she could trust her voice yet.
"Is there a problem?" Sesshoumaru stared back into the enraged glare of his brother.
"I-I- You!" Inuyasha sputtered, nearly at a loss. "What are you doing with Kagome?!" he finally managed to ask, pointing at them with an accusatory index finger.
"Saving her life, obviously. A skill you seemed to be lacking as of late," Sesshoumaru said coldly.
Kagome gasped. "Let me down, Sesshoumaru," she asked urgently, seeing a dangerous glint in both of the siblings' eyes. He finally set her down, and a wave of dizziness sent her back into his arms.
"Kagome! What did he do to you? Are you alright?" Inuyasha demanded. His voice was shaking; Sesshoumaru's words had had a great impact on him.
"Stop it, Inuyasha! He was just helping me. Because of the poison," she said, glad when her head began to clear.
Inuyasha stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, ignoring his brother for a moment. "Kagome... I thought..." Inuyasha's jaw squared as he seemed to be barely holding his emotions in check. Guilt swam through Kagome's heart, but she was glad to know he hadn't stopped looking for her. He thought I had died, when I fell. And he still kept searching for me. I wonder… How long would he have searched?
"Sesshoumaru found me in the river. He saved me," she said, offering a smile. "I was hurt badly, and Rin and I were captured, and somehow I think I healed myself. We're trying to find Rin, but the pig demon came back, and tried to poison us," she babbled, embarrassed by the tender look on his face. Inuyasha ignored it and simply wrapped his arms about her.
Sesshoumaru's only reaction was the slightest narrowing of his eyes; Jaken, who was quietly standing nearby, was the only witness to it. Such an obvious display of emotion from his master left his jaw slack.
"I'm sorry, Kagome. I didn't get to you soon enough, and if... you hadn't made it, it would have been my fault," Inuyasha said bitterly. Kagome swallowed hard, unable to explain why she felt uncomfortable all of a sudden; maybe it was the hot glare of Sesshoumaru upon her back.
"At least you are smart enough to realize that, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru said, then turned away. His feet crunched atop the gravelly path as he took his leave. I don't want him to go. Kagome was surprised at the sudden thought.
Inuyasha released Kagome to growl at his brother. "Shut up! I..." Inuyasha stopped speaking when Kagome hurried after Sesshoumaru.
"Kagome! Where are you going?" Inuyasha stared at her, confused. Kagome turned to look at him.
"Inuyasha... Why did you spend so much time looking for me?" Kagome asked, softly.
Silence fell, and only the proud call of a hawk, tilted gracefully upon the winds, gave a sound. Its mate answered from far off, a brilliant sound that carried far upon the breeze. Sunlight danced upon Kagome's face, a face which was calm and emotionless as she awaited a response.
Inuyasha replied with a blank stare, and a blush stole across his features as he wondered at the strange question. "Why wouldn't I? I've told you before I would protect you," he stammered, confused by the serious look on Kagome's face.
Kagome nodded slowly, wisps of dark hair slipping forward to brush her cheeks. "But why, Inuyasha? Tell me," she said, and her tone was becoming urgent. Please, Inuyasha, she pleaded silently.
Because I love you more than I could ever say. Inuyasha knew he could never tell her that.
"Well, ah, I, how else would I find the Shikon shards?" he finally managed to say.
Wrong answer, Inuyasha. I should have known. I didn't know it would hurt this much, but he'll never admit to having any other reason for caring, will he? I should have known. Wrong answer… The sorrow came, unbidden and uncontrollable. Kagome stared down at the ground, and her tears fell silently upon the ground. Sunlight struck and danced upon them as they fell, and her they glittered happily.
"What is it!?" Inuyasha reached for her, knowing he had hurt her, but not why.
"Inuyasha... OSUWARIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!" Bottled rage was unleashed from deep within.
The prayer beads around Inuyasha's neck flared with an intense light, and Inuyasha slammed into the ground with the most terrible sit command he could remember Kagome ever having given.
"Inuyasha, you are the stupidest, most insensitive... ASS! I'm going with Sesshoumaru to help him find Rin. Good luck finding another girl who's only good for finding your damned shards!" Kagome had never spoken to anyone in such a harsh fashion, but she could hold back no longer. She was sure that no matter how she cared for Inuyasha, or how many battles she stood through with him, he would never admit to any of his own feelings. She felt as if she was meaningless, and after the ordeal she had recently experienced, she couldn't stand it anymore.
Tears running down her face, she turned and ran.
Inuyasha moaned from his place in the crater the powerful command had created. He rose shakily to his feet and watched as Kagome followed after Sesshoumaru and Jaken. He didn't follow.
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Rin coughed and sputtered as the hot liquid was poured down her throat.
"Stop that. It's good for you," the old woman grumbled.
Rin made a face as the foul taste of the stuff nearly made her gag. She was amazed when she immediately began to feel better. The carefully applied ointment on her wounds had made them close and begin to heal already. She had even been given a hot bath, and was glad to have the grit and grime out of her hair and clothes.
"Are you going to make me stay here?" Rin asked timidly. The old woman had not seemed as if she wanted to cause her any harm, but she wanted to find Sesshoumaru, and Kagome.
"You have somewhere else to be, hmm?" The old woman stood over a small pot, stirring its simmering ingredients with a careful hand.
"My friends will be looking for me," Rin said, staring down into the clay cup she held in her small hands.
"Then they will find you," the old woman said, sounding more than a little bored with the conversation.
"You'll let me go then? But I thought…" her voice trailed off and she gazed at the woman with large eyes.
"That I would cook you? No, it was worth losing the potion for getting what I wanted. I have no need for you." The old woman smiled to herself, as if thinking of a joke only she knew about.
Rin tilted her head slightly, wondering at the oddness of the person she had found herself with.
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Gebi had tried a hasty retreat, but had been slashed deeply across the chest. He was still in the same spot Sesshoumaru had left him in order to catch Kagome, lying in a dark red pool of his own blood. A thin trail of blood trickled from the side of his mouth, where even now a sneer was present. He stared up at Sesshoumaru and Kagome with hatred.
"Where is Rin?" Kagome asked, trying to avert her eyes from the gaping wound Sesshoumaru had given him.
Gebi muttered in a low voice, and a gurgle of blood escaped his lips.
Kagome went to lean in closer, trying to hear.
A hand wrapped about the hilt of a wicked dagger lashed out, and somehow Kagome dodged it. She felt the air brush against her face, and knew that it would have gone through her eye. She grabbed her own dagger and with a rapid movement she would never have thought herself capable of, pierced it through Gebi's hand and into the dirt. He howled with pain.
"The old woman! The potion maker! East of here, a small house!" Gebi squealed.
Kagome rose, yanking the dagger from his hand before extracting her own. He moaned and whimpered.
Kagome turned her back and strode away, ignoring the hard glance she was being given from Sesshoumaru.
She heard one more grunt, and knew Gebi was finally dead; she somehow doubted that he would be missed.
"You realize with the path you are taking, you are becoming a different person," Sesshoumaru said quietly. Kagome turned to face him.
"No. Just growing up a little. I have to learn to defend myself sometime, you know. I want to go with you to find Rin," Kagome said, her determination lighting her face.
Sesshoumaru considered her. "And then?"
Kagome shrugged and even flashed a haphazard grin. "I'll just have to wait and see."