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 22: For the Love of a Hanyou

Kagome was shaken awake shortly after dawn by a very disgruntled hanyou.

"Come on," Inuyasha barked. "We don't have all day." Seeing that she was finally awake, Inuyasha stood abruptly and went to the door of the room. "Get dressed," he spat out over his shoulder as he left the room and slid the door shut.

Cringing at his surly behavior, Kagome sat up and gathered her belongings. She had previously been using her purple cloak as a bag of sorts, tying her belongings into a bundle. 'It seems such a waste,' she thought, shaking the cloth loose to admire the shimmering material.

Kagome stood and peered at her belongings. Her school uniform, slightly tattered, but clean, would not last long, especially because she had neglected to get another one from her time. Of course, at the time she thought that she would not need it.

Looking at the room before her, Kagome sighed warily. She thought ruefully of Inuyasha's actions the night before. On the one hand he had expressed his attraction to her through his demon-like action. On the other hand, he had looked furious with her when he had pulled back.

'Maybe he wasn't expressing attraction,' Kagome thought with a frown. 'After all, his human side hates his demon tendencies. Maybe it was his way of spiting his demon side.' Kagome let the thought solidify in her mind. 'What better way to get back at his demon side, than to do the opposite of what the custom means.' She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

Kagome slowly stood up and took off her pajamas. Standing in her underwear and wrapping that still protected her cursed wound, Kagome pulled the purple leggings on rather forcefully.

'The last thing I need is to tear my uniform and have my mother think that I've been careless.' Smoothing out her clothing, Kagome knelt back down to gather her pajamas and uniform. Bundling them together in her sleeping bag, she mentally berated herself for not taking another book bag.

"It's just as well," she sighed, standing with her makeshift pack in her arms. "Mom would have asked why I didn't have my other one..."

Kagome headed towards the door and stopped to affix her bow and quiver to the bedroll. Slinging it to her shoulder, she tested the awkward pack and shifted it around until it was secure. Head high, Kagome left the room to begin a new day.

- - - - - - - - - -

They were making good time. Kagome was a human now, yet she seemed to have more endurance than she had had before her change. They had only stopped twice during that day, both for brief periods to eat.

Inuyasha huffed as he thought of Kagome's new stamina. 'At least she's not complaining any more. Now that she knows how restless I get, she'd better keep up the pace.' His cross attitude had not left him, since the previous night. Not since he had seen the fear that had graced her form when he had allowed himself to show her his affection, in his own way. 'How she knew what it meant was beyond me,' he pondered with a scowl. 'I didn't tell her anything about demon customs, other than that stupid law that keeps me from tearing stupid Kouga's stupid throat out...'

Inuyasha stopped abruptly as he heard Kagome slow behind him. Wheeling around, he glared at her, narrowing his eyes menacingly.

"Hurry up, wench!" he ordered, using the slur that he had left out of his vocabulary for several years.

A look of confusion flashed over Kagome's face before being quickly replaced by anger. Stomping up to him, Kagome set her hands onto her hips.

"I've been keeping up with you all day, you know," Kagome yelled at Inuyasha, despite being a foot away from him. "I'm not a half demon any more, and it's almost night time. I need to rest!"

"I'm not done traveling yet," Inuyasha set his jaw firmly. "I'll carry you if your weak little human legs can't handle the strain." Inuyasha turned around and knelt down for her to climb on. Expecting a retaliatory 'sit', Inuyasha braced himself.

Kagome seethed for a moment, then finally obliged. Allowing her to climb onto his back without a word, Inuyasha stood, momentarily startled by her complacency.

"I thought you were in a hurry?" Kagome snapped, quickly bringing him back to reality.

Taking off as fast as he could, Inuyasha spent a good few hours running towards the goal Kaede had pointed them to, the one Sango and Miroku had set out for several weeks earlier. Inuyasha was aware that they would not still be there, that they would have set out on whatever quest it was that they had freed Kagome with. It was, however, their only indication of where their friends might be.

- - - - - - - - - -

Settling down for the night, Inuyasha had begrudgingly agreed to allow Kagome to sleep in the branches with him. She had said being the only one on the ground made her feel exposed. Inuyasha, now able to push back some of the hurt she had left him with the night before, allowed himself to wrap his arms protectively about her tiny form. She would not be escaping his grasp without his knowledge, and he could keep a better eye on her. Plus, he could sleep while doing it.

Unbeknown to Inuyasha, his arm had been pressed painfully across Kagome's wound. Her fatigue from the day's travels had allowed her to bear it for the majority of the night. Early in the morning, shortly before dawn, Kagome's body had unfortunately gotten enough sleep to permit her to awaken with the pain.

Grimacing with the tight hold that Inuyasha's sleeping form seemed loath to relinquish, Kagome pulled and shifted until she heard a dissatisfied grunt. Pulling him from his slumber, Kagome finally found the release she had been seeking and tenderly held her side, hoping to nurse it back with her touch.

Inuyasha, his eyes still heavy from interrupted sleep, glowered at her.

"It's not like I held you that hard, you know." He motioned to Kagome's coddling arm, which she hastily removed from the offending area.

Matching his expression with one of her own, Kagome mentally thanked Kami that she would only have to endure the wound for another day.

'Now that I'm not a hanyou, at least I can finally let this thing heal!' Kagome allowed her sour expression to turn into one of sly satisfaction. 'Won't that be interesting,' her expression turned into a smirk. 'He'll try to make me stay and I'll be free to wander off...'

Kagome's shift from grumpy to smug made Inuyasha even more annoyed.

"Well, seeing as you're awake, we might as well go!"

Without waiting for Kagome's response, Inuyasha grabbed her harshly and jumped from the tree. Placing a shaken Kagome on her feet, Inuyasha turned stiffly and started to stalk onwards towards their destination.

Rushing up behind Inuyasha, Kagome grabbed his arm and whirled him around.

"What is your problem!" she shouted. "Ever since you turned human, you've been angry at me. What? Am I too impure now? Is that it? I've been too tainted by that hanyou blood you seem to hate so much?"

Inuyasha stared at her blankly, letting her accusations sink in.

"Impure?" he repeated with incredulity. "You're the one who was afraid..."

His defense was cut short as Kagome drew her arms to her stomach and doubled over in pain.

"What...?" she whispered in disbelief. "No, it can't..."

Tears streamed down her face as she fell to the side, a mournful wail escaping her in a fit of denial.

Inuyasha saw what she meant.

Kagome's ears were missing, replaced with slightly higher furry triangles.

Not knowing how, not caring to waste time to think about it, Inuyasha dropped to his knees. Crouched before her, Inuyasha's worry was plastered to him like a second skin.

"Kagome, don't fight it, you'll only hurt more."

Enraged eyes turned to his, bleeding gold overwhelming chocolate. She was trying to listen, but her spirit was too stubborn. She had, after all, spent her entire life as a human.

Clutching her close to his body, Inuyasha whispered soothingly in hopes to ease her anguish. He felt her slip into unconsciousness as once more, her body was wracked with pain. Inuyasha rocked her body softly as the morning glow bathed them in its nurturing light.

Kagome was a hanyou once more.

End of Chapter

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What plot twists will my mind come up with next? You'll just have to find out!

By the way, I'm still looking for more reviews. Come on, you know you want to...

- Sarga