Dude! OMFG! I updated! It's a MIRACLE!

Sorry it took so long, but I had major writer's block on this story. I already knew the main plot, but the things in-between…just…weren't there. (dies)

This chapter has like…no dialogue. Only a few lines, though not much. I'm sorry, there'll be more next chapter, I promise! I'm not very fond of this chapter, but...well I had to post SOMETHING, right? XD

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha (though I wouldn't mind owning Juromaru XD)

On with the fic!

Pitiful Creature

0000

He simply sat there, his mind numb, and his body shivering from the cold night air, though sweat was visible on his pale skin. His stomach hurt profusely, and every now and again he would bend over to vomit whatever was making his stomach so upset, expecting it to come up into his bridle. There wasn't any food or water in his stomach, however, only the vast emptiness of gases and fluids his body naturally produced. Because of that, he simply dry heaved, though he could taste the bile that threatened to purge from his throat. This only made him even more miserable, and he began to cry in despair. His cheeks quickly became wet from his tears, and snot ran down his nose like a river. It dribbled all the way down to his chin, and pooled there around the bottom of his bridle.

He huddled into himself and curled up in a ball, trying to kill the pain that wracked his entire body. He coughed violently, and his huddled state only caused it to be worse. His throat hurt from the lack of water, and the coughing made his esophagus feel like it was on fire. Every cough caused a sharp pain to shoot itself around his chest, and he would cough even more at the pain; thus repeating the process. He suddenly fell over on his side, his body too weak to even sit up.

He closed his eyes tightly as his hands wrapped around his stomach in a vain attempt to make it stop hurting. His body shook with his sobs, and he coughed even harder because of the mucus trailing down his throat and inside of his mouth. Tears literally poured out of his eyes and onto the rocks he was laying upon, decorating them with small, dark circles. Caked blood flaked off his cheek as he subconsciously rubbed against the cold, merciless stones.

He cried until his stomach stopped hurting, and his throat had gotten even worse than it had been before. He breathed heavily, finding it difficult to grasp the seemingly thinning air. The bridle around most of his face just made it even harder, as did the mucus pooled inside of it. He tried licking it all up, but after swallowing, it would just make it even harder for him to breathe; not to mention another lump to add to his throat.

He laid there, his body bruised and broken, and his mind a jumbled mess. The darkness of the cave caused a great fear and paranoia to erupt in his confused and overactive imagination. He began seeing things with his tear-stained eyes; monsters with huge tusks, threatening to eat him, a flower that turned into a snake, and demons by the dozens. His eyes began to roll in the back of his head, and he twitched slightly before losing consciousness, and leaving the imagined demons behind.

If someone were to touch his sweaty forehead, they would discover that he had a fever.

0000

He awoke to something dragging him by the chains around his wrists, much like he had the first time he encountered Blue-Eyes. However, unlike last time, he was being dragged over rocks instead of soft grass and plants. He rolled his head over, his eyes glazed as he stared at the end of his feet, watching the bloody trail that he left behind. He moaned slightly, though it only came out as a sort of gurgle.

He was suddenly dropped from the thing that was dragging him, and his hands fell to the ground, the chains following not long after. He heard footsteps, and memories flashed back to events that happened days ago. He saw a naked foot next to his stomach, then move up to his chin. It slightly nudged at his face until he was looking straight forward, up to the sky. He blinked tiredly, trying to find the shadow's face, though unsuccessful due to the sun shining in his eyes. He let out a pitiful cough, and the foot nudged his head off to the side. He saw another foot on the other side of his stomach, but it didn't molest his face, unlike the other one had. Instead, it simply stayed by his side, the toes wiggling slightly.

A shadow suddenly obscured all his view, and he groaned when something picked him up from under his arms. He was dragged up off the ground, his feet no longer touching the cold stone beneath him. His head slumped forward to his chest, and he closed his eyes to try and rid the intense headache that was attacking his forehead.

"Look at me, you piece of filth." A recognized voice snarled.

He looked up, struggling to keep his head above his own neck. His eyes tried to roll to the back of his head, but he desperately tried to keep them focused on the thing that had said those words to him, and also the thing that was effortlessly holding him above the ground.

He was met with narrowed, sapphire blue eyes and a tanned, handsome face. He guessed it to be a man, from the voice and from its features. Dark, raven hair covered part of his forehead, the rest by a fur headband. Small ears protruded from each side of its head, and if you would look closely you would be able to see that they were pointed.

The man had his lips upturned into a scowl, and his nose was slightly wrinkled up. It dawned to the lilac-haired demon that he probably smelled. He flushed at this thought and looked away, causing the man to stare back at him curiously. He blinked his eyes tiredly, wanting to be put down so he could huddle up and die. The icy glare that the man had given him hadn't helping the way he felt, and he desperately wanted to shrink away into nothingness.

He breathed shallowly through his mouth, and swallowed heavily, the sound loud enough to be heard by the man holding him up like a child. He sniffled within his bridle before licking his lips. He found the ground much more interesting than the intense stare of the man holding him.

"Uh…Koga, what're you gonna do with him?"

He heard the voice come from his other side: the only other blind spot besides his back. He'd heard that voice before, too, though he couldn't place a face to go with it. The man holding him suddenly growled before looking behind his shoulder, slightly shifting the captive within his grip.

"He reeks! Can't you smell it? He's stinking up the entire campsite!"

The shackled demon swallowed nervously and flushed even more in embarrassment. He didn't want to displease his holder, but his stench might mean he wouldn't be eaten. Who would want to eat something that smelled bad? Perhaps he would be thrown out into the woods, alive, and he wouldn't have to go through the bowels of some hungry demon and end up a stinking pile along some forgotten trail.

He blinked dazedly, confused at his own thoughts. It was amazing he could even think straight in the state he was in. He was wounded and with a fever, and most of his wounds had become infected, making it even worse.

"Well…yeah, we can smell it, but…you didn't answer our question. Are you just going to throw him out?"

The lilac-haired demon's hopes went up, wanting to be thrown out as the other demon had suggested. This hope, however, died as his holder spoke.

"No. He's going to take a BATH!"

His face had been smacked, and he was suddenly thrown backwards, his limbs flying apart as far as they could possibly go with the shackles on. His bridle had come off, and his face felt rather vulnerable without it.

Sharp little needles suddenly stabbed into him as a bitter frostiness wrapped him in its cold arms. He tried to gasp, but was only met with a mouth full of water. He began coughing, and trying to get air to enter his lungs, but this only made more water enter his mouth and go down his throat. Adrenaline suddenly kicked in, ridding him of any of his previous weakness. He began flailing in an unhealthy manner, trying to desperately get to the surface of the water, where he saw a shadow staring down at him. The shackles and chains only made this task much more difficult, and the burning sensation that erupted all over his body made him even weaker than before. The adrenaline died down as his lungs felt as if they were about to explode. His eyes began to shut, and darkness took him as his body went limp. Koga had stupidly thrown the demon into the water.

For the monstrosity called Juromaru could not swim.

0000

Albino-Yaoi: Zomg, a cliffy! XD Don't worry, I won't kill Juro-chan. He's too cool to kill twice!

Juromaru: Twice?

Albino-Yaoi: You died in the series itself (cries)

Juromaru: Mm…I see.

Albino-Yaoi: Reviews are much loved and praised! Hell, I have a shrine for 'em with candles and everything! (hint, hint)

Juromaru: A shrine? O.O You're a freak.

Albino-Yaoi: XD