In the Beholders Eye
Written By Sarga
May/June 2006
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters, I'm just taking a theme and running with it...
Chapter 9: Bigger
Kilala rested in her kitten-sized form, her body encircled protectively by Sango's arms. She had collapsed shortly after the battle, her paws too badly mangled to continue of her own volition. Sango, feeling guilty for her loyal familiar's injuries, coddled the creature as if it were a child.
The group made their way uneventfully through the forest, the ground still level, an indication that they had not yet reached the mountain. The evening light grew dimmer as they progressed and Miroku knew they would soon have to stop for the night. It was slower going then he had thought, the forest was much larger than it had initially appeared.
"We should rest here," Miroku swept his hand towards a small break in the trees.
In tired agreement, Sango gently laid Kilala's sleeping form at the mossy base of a tree. She quickly set up a small bundle of kindling, and Shippo lit it up using his fox fire ability. Sango carefully stocked the fire, setting it up to keep them warm for the night.
Shrugging Kagome's near-empty pack from her back, Sango laid it down in front of her with a forlorn sigh. Reaching in she took out one of the few remaining packages of ramen and a small pot for water. Miroku laid a hand on her shoulder, gently taking the pot from her hands.
"I'll go get some water," he offered, turning towards a small stream nearby. He brushed past Sango and disappeared into the bushes behind her.
Sango peered into Kagome's bag once more. Reaching in, she pulled out the only other item she hadn't left with Kaede, a small photograph. In the photo stood Kagome, a young boy, a middle aged woman and an old man, all smiling brightly. She knew from the way Kagome had described them, that this was her family. Sango also knew that once she met up with Kagome again, Kagome would probably want to see the picture, especially after not having been home for several weeks.
The harsh memories of her own brother and the torture he had experienced during the last few years tore at Sango. 'I should have been prepared for this,' her woeful heart lay heavy in her chest. 'But I honestly thought I could save him...'
Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt a soft touch brush across her shoulder. Tensing, expecting the monk to follow up with his usual invasion of her intimate of intimates, Sango spun around, her hand raised to attack.
No one was there.
"What are you doing?" Miroku's voice came from beside her, too far away to have been the cause of her anger.
"Miroku, where's Shippo?" She asked, confusion crossing her face, her hand still raised towards the non-existent foe.
Miroku pointed to the tree where Sango had laid Kilala. Surely enough, there lay Shippo entangled with Kilala, breathing at a rhythmic pace, lost in slumber's embrace.
Eyeing the monk suspiciously, Sango lowered her hand and replaced the photo safely in the bag. Miroku squat by the fire and set the pot to boil.
Sango let out a small yelp as she felt something brush over her back. Shooting a startled glance towards the monk by the fire, she knew it wasn't him. 'That's it, I'm going crazy!' she thought. Miroku looked up with the sudden noise then narrowed his eyes.
"Sango," Miroku rose slowly from the fire. "When I say now, flatten yourself to the ground."
Eyes wide, Sango tensed, ready to do as her companion requested.
"NOW!" Sango leaped forward, face-first into the ground as Miroku bounded past her, sutras flying. Wasting no time, Sango sprang up and grabbed for her weapon. Turning to help her friend she dove after him into the fray.
The creatures that they were fighting where remarkably similar to the ones they had previously fought. These ones, however, were noticeably larger, their wings darker and slightly flexed.
Sango felt something brush at her back. She spun around, blade swinging, and made contact with the offending beast. Knocking it to the ground, Sango finished it off, decapitating it in one single sweep. She caught sight of another one jumping from the heights of the trees above. It spiraled towards her at breakneck speed, and she flung it down.
"Sango!" She heard Miroku call out. "This way!"
Miroku motioned for Sango to come back into the campsite. Following him the few steps back, she saw as he grabbed several small twigs and jabbed them in the ground around Shippo, Kilala and the fire. She beat down another gliding demon as it headed towards the monk, who was now wrapping a cord around each of the twigs, making a perimeter about the group. Reaching into his cloak, Miroku pulled out several sutras, mumbled something with his eyes closed, then proceeded to quickly tie them to the surrounding cord.
The demons glided softly overhead, looking directly towards them, but not making any moves to attack.
"I've placed a protective barrier around us. We should be able to eat and sleep in peace tonight," Miroku settled into a meditative position near Shippo and Kilala, both of whom had amazingly slept through the entire ordeal. "I'll have to stay up to keep the barrier erected, but the meditation I use should be enough to keep me going through tomorrow."
"What were those demons? I've never seen them before," Sango asked as she settled next to the fire, the boiling water almost ready for the noodles.
"I'm not sure," Miroku replied, eyes still closed in concentration. "They look like a more hardy version of the Yamazaru-tenma, a monkey demon found mostly on the southern islands of Japan...but they don't have wings and are much smaller, about half the size of the ones we saw here."
"Well, hopefully they've left the old monk intact. Once Kilala is healed we can use her to leave this place, but not if she doesn't have time to heal first." Sango poured water on the noodles and prepared them as Kagome had done.
"I'm sure he has a more permanent protective barrier around his home."
"Maybe these creatures are the reason he hasn't left in so long," Sango's eyes widened at the thought of being trapped on the mountain with the codgery old man.
Sango handed Miroku his food, and started eating silently. 'It's going to be a long night.'
End of Chapter
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