The Sun and the Moon

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or Zelda or any T.V. shows.

Chapter 5: A Meadow and a Jewel Shard

Kagome woke to the last branch of the embers snapping as a breeze blew over it. She pulled tighter into her blanket as the breeze passed over her. After she was warm enough to move, she stretched, and got out all the kinks of sleeping curled up in a ball. She looked around, and saw her bed in front of her, with her blanket. That's not right… if my blankets over there…She looked behind her and saw InuYasha's sleeping face about three inches from where her head just was.

InuYasha woke up slowly, and yawned. He opened his eyes and saw Kagome staring at him over her shoulder, and realized he was lying next to her. He jumped up and skidded across the ground as Kagome did, and they ended up against opposite walls of the clearing. They glanced at each other, and saw that they were both very red.

Five minutes later, when they had everything packed to hit the road, InuYasha went up to Kagome and glanced at her eyes. It made her blush again, and InuYasha became embarrassed. They headed toward the path that led to Kaede's village.

Kagome rode down the road alone, with InuYasha leaping through the trees above her. When she had left the clearing that morning, a couple of horses had been tied outside. InuYasha had gotten them during the night, while she'd been sleeping. He'd traded the last of their food and money, however. It didn't bother her at all; she'd been hungry before, and they could always get some more money. It wasn't like there wasn't any food anywhere.

She was riding along now, marveling at the beautiful scenery of the landscape. There were wildflowers along the side of the forest path, and off to her left there was a huge open field full of flowers and tall grasses. She wondered for a second if anything was in those grasses, waiting to ambush her, but then she knew InuYasha would see if anything was there. The meadows were back-dropped by some distant green mountains. It's hard to believe there could be so many demons out here.

The line of trees ended on her right, and her horse was nearly stumbled as InuYasha landed on its back. Kagome looked back at him, and then continued looking around, for they were now in a wide prairie, filled with fragrances and streams. They crossed a bridge, and InuYasha lost his balance. He held Kagome's shoulders until he could sit again on his own. She didn't mind a bit, and was growing used to his touch.

Her horse was cantering along the path, which was becoming, it seemed, less and less traveled by. Grasses grew over it until there were only the small ruts carts had made, where grasses were never to grow again. A large brown horse was carrying InuYasha and Kagome, and a smaller gray one was trailing along next to it, carrying Kagome's backpack and bow. Kagome was using her blanket as a saddle, because the horses had just come with bridles.

She'd never felt this light! Traveling by horseback was something they should have thought of ages ago. She was going much faster than her bike could carry her, and once you settled into it, horseback became very comfortable. The horse seemed to sense her joy, and gave a slight buck before running all-out across the flat meadow. This little 'buck' unseated InuYasha, who clung to Kagome like his life depended on it. He'd never really appreciated horses; they were hard to stay on top of, and mostly frightened easily. He could run faster, maybe, and wasn't so big and obvious. No wonder they get attacked a lot… they're the biggest piece of meat out here.

After the horse had run itself and its companion out, it slowed to a walk. InuYasha realized he was still holding Kagome. He considered not moving for a second, then let go and stood on the horse's back. This was much better, he could see all around. They were in the middle of the meadow. After running itself out, the horse had only made it halfway. InuYasha sighed, and lay down in a small ball on top of the horse and Kagome's blanket. He was hungry, he realized, but shrugged it off. We don't have food, just a couple horses. No use obsessing over it.

Kagome looked behind her at InuYasha, and smiled even more than she had been because of the dash across the meadow. She was tired from the run, but seemed to be more aware of everything around her. The run had awoken some strange instinct in her, and she felt like… she didn't know. Hugging something? Running again? Instead, she pulled the horse to a stop at another bridge. She dismounted, and walked over to the water. The horses drank some water, and Kagome tied them to an odd rock. InuYasha had sat on the brown one's rump, even when he'd been leaning forward to get to the water because of the slanted bank down to the river. The horses were cool and calm again, and grazing around their boulder.

Kagome walked over to a patch of wild herbs she'd spotted from horseback. After examining them, she determined they were edible, and that she could make some tea. She pulled out her water heater and gathered some water from the river. After a while, she had a meal of plants and tea set up.

"InuYasha! Lunch." She called, and InuYasha appeared by her side, staring intently at 'lunch'. He picked up some of the herbs, and began eating them slowly. They were spice herbs, so he drank a lot of tea and water in between bites. They ate a quiet lunch, surrounded by a peaceful meadow.

"InuYasha…"

"Hmm?"

"I sense a Jewel Shard."

InuYasha immediately finished his lunch.

"Where?"

"It's distant… but it's getting closer… fast."

"Which way?"

"I can't exactly tell. Over toward the forest along this path."

Kagome went over to the horses and pulled her bow off of the small gray horse. She barely had time to string it before the demon was visible.

A giant Dragon demon appeared over the forest in front of the two, about two miles away, but approaching fast. It wasn't long before it was directly over them, but it seemed to pay them no mind.

"Demon! Get back here!" InuYasha shouted, causing the dragon to circle and land in front of them, sending a tremor through the earth and a large gust through the once still air. The horses reared and shied, obtaining the dragon's interest.

"You possess a jewel shard, right?" InuYasha shouted, so his words would reach the dragon's ears.

The dragon slowly lowered its magnificent burgundy head, and looked InuYasha straight in the eye. Kagome felt InuYasha suddenly tremble.

"Yes, I have ownership of such an object."

"Well, hand it over, or we'll have to take it." InuYasha stated. Kagome had moved even closer to InuYasha, and he'd found a new strength, even though the dragon was using magic to take it.

The dragon turned its gaze upon Kagome, this girl who was able to give others strength, who didn't shudder at all. Kagome felt her power being drained, and somehow put up a shield of spirit energy in a panicked attempt. The dragon's eyes widened for a second in surprise.

"Not many are able to stand up against dragon magic. This girl is a priestess. You are her half-demon. I don't believe you have enough power to take the jewel from me. The girl has power to block my spells, but not for long, she won't."

"You won't lay a claw on Kagome!" InuYasha shouted. The dragon lifted its head to its extent, and stared at the pathetic challengers. InuYasha drew the Tetsusaiga, and once again the dragon was surprised, for the sword possessed a demonic aura that seemed threatening. He blew a jet of flame at the two, hoping to finish them off, but also testing them. If they could evade his flame, he might actually have to fight them.

InuYasha quickly picked up Kagome with his free arm, and carried her out of harm's way across the river. He left his cloak with her, to keep her safe from the flames that he was sure there would be more of.

InuYasha turned after making sure Kagome was alright, and wasted no time in sending a Wind Scar towards the giant dragon demon. The Wind Scar hit the dragon full in the stomach, and evaporated. It left a small scorch mark where it had hit, but no other damage was done. The dragon roared in fury, and began sending flame after InuYasha, who ran around the demon, with the flames following. He passed close to the horses, and then he bounded across the river and passed by Kagome. He looked back for a second, and saw the horses rearing in fright of the flames that passed so close to them. He also saw Kagome falling to the ground, under his robe. He had to finish this demon quickly! He couldn't let Kagome suffer, and they needed the horses to make it the rest of the way, to carry their supplies.

He leapt onto the dragon's shoulder, and began to hack at the neck of the beast. His attempts were in vain; nothing seemed able to pierce its hide. His ears twitched as he heard Kagome yelling.

"InuYasha! The Jewel Shard! It's on the dragon's forehead, right between his eyes!"

"Got it!" InuYasha yelled back, and leapt up to the dragon's head. He chopped at the broad forehead, grazing his blade across the surface. Tetsusaiga caught the jewel shard, and split it in half. The dragon lifted its head and caught Tetsusaiga in its mouth, swallowing the fragment it had severed. InuYasha yanked his sword free of the demon's grasp, severing its mouth. The dragon lifted its clawed forearm, and swatted InuYasha away, sending him hurtling to the ground.

"InuYasha!" Kagome yelled, as she ran over to where he was falling. She got directly behind him, and was sent tumbling backwards as InuYasha hit her and rolled away. She got up and shook herself off, already running over to InuYasha, who was sitting up, wiping a smear of blood off his face. Kagome gasped, because InuYasha was covered in blood. She realized it was dragon blood as a large drop fell from its mouth, landing near the couple.

The dragon shook its head, spraying them and the horses in blood. It roared into the sky, making the earth tremble and blood rain. InuYasha stood up, with Kagome lifting him from his arm, and they both faced the dragon with their weapons.

"Ready to finish him, Kagome?" InuYasha said quietly, smirking.

"Ready if you are." Kagome replied.

The demon began forming a huge demonic aura at its mouth, getting ready to fire. The Tetsusaiga began swirling, and pulsing with its own aura, ready to do what it had to. InuYasha lifted Tetsusaiga as the demon shot the ball of demonic energy.

"Backlash Wave!" InuYasha shouted, and Kagome aimed at the dragon's forehead. She fired her arrow, which lined up with InuYasha's backlash wave, and the arrow hit the demon, followed quickly by Tetsusaiga's ultimate attack. InuYasha covered Kagome as a blinding light filled the plain, and the demon blew into shattered remains.

As the smoke cleared, InuYasha stood, holding Kagome in a protective hug. He let go of her shoulders and ran his hands down her arms to her hands and held them.

"It's gone. And we got a jewel shard! I wonder why Naraku didn't have that shard? Maybe he hired it to kill us while we were without our friends." Kagome wondered.

"Well didn't work, did it?" InuYasha said, obviously rather pleased with their latest feat.

Kagome smiled at InuYasha, and then realized he was still holding her hands. InuYasha noticed she was becoming embarrassed, and then also realized that they were holding hands. He didn't let go of one hand, however.

"Where's the jewel shard?" He asked, still holding her hand. Kagome's mind had gone all fuzzy, and it took her about a minute to process the question and find an answer. She started walking towards the glowing light she saw on the ground, and picked up a piece of the shard. InuYasha picked up another, and put it in her hand. Kagome blushed furiously while she began to mend the jewel shard by focusing her attention and praying, as she had done with Kikyo once. InuYasha watched her, as she repaired it, right beneath his hand.

She's so beautiful. Why has it taken me so long to realize this? Her eyes… they're so deep, like… like Kikyo's, but these eyes are so much better. Kagome is so different from Kikyo… she's happier, kind, and doesn't hate. She protects me when I'm a mere human… why can't I think clearly! This makes no sense to me! I care for her more than myself… it has been so for such a long time, yet my feelings toward her have grown nothing but stronger! Is this… love…?

Lovely, is it not? Much better than my first fan fiction, don't those of you who've read Feudal Christmastime agree? Well, they're making their way to Kaede's village, they should be there in… let's see… night one- forest clearing, night two… small abandoned hut in the meadow… night three- cliff side cavern… night four- Kagome's house. Yay! Lotsa time left!