Dislaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru is suing me for harrassment.
Authors Note: Sorry that this took so long! was having problems or something, it wouldn't let me load my stories. And I am very sad to say that my updates probably will not be as frequent for a few months. There are a few reasons for this: 1) School is starting back so I will have less time 2) I'm looking into finding a second job so that I can pay for next semester so less time. 3) I need to sleep at some point and with 2 jobs and 15 hours of school, it will be harder for me to sit down and write. But don't worry, you should never go too long without an update. It just won't be every few days or anything unless I'm on break. Again very sorry. And I am posting my stories on A Single Spark incase ever has problems, that way you can read the story there if I can't post here. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!
Kagome watched as the shadowed forms drew closer to form a tighter circle around her and the one that held her immobile with an arm around her midsection pinning both arms at her sides. Their faces were mostly cloaked by the shadows, but she caught glimpses of scarred flesh and what she was scared to identify as blood glistening around the horizontal slits that posed as mouths.
She fought the rising panic and tried to analyze the situation rationally. One I'm surrounded by shadow creature things. Two, someone, or one of them, has its very cold hand over my mouth. What the hell is one to do in a situation like this? Screw thinking rationally! Let's think irrationally and get out of here!
"What are you doing out alone so late, Miko?" said a voice in her ear, presumably the one that had his hand around her mouth. "What was that?" he asked mockingly when she tried to answer.
She grimaced when she felt his hot breath on the side of her face and neck. The glare she adopted would have made Inuyasha proud. She bit her captor's hand spitting on the ground to get the taste of him out of her mouth when he jerked his hand away from her mouth quickly. "I said none of your business freak."
"You little- urgh!"
He didn't get to finish because Kagome had suddenly remembered what her self defense teacher had told her to do when you were grabbed from behind and your arms were immobilized. Stomp on there feet. This would not save your life. But it would give you enough time to turn around and kick em' where it hurt. THAT could save your life. If you weren't surrounded and you only had one attacker anyway. But she'd settle for getting out of the guy with the cold hands' hold. That way she had a small chance of being able to fight them off.
Who was she kidding? She just hoped she could stay alive long enough for help to arrive. "That's what you get for sneaking up on me." She said after he fell to the ground. She hoped he could no longer have kids. "And for goodness sakes, where gloves or something! Your hands are cold!"
Some distant, ignored part of her brain pointed out that she was berating someone who most likely wanted her jewel shards or that wanted to kill her. Maybe both. And that it probably wasn't a good idea to antagonize someone with sharp claws. But the dominate part of her brain noted that she was distracting them, and that they were too stunned by the fact that she had just sent their leader to the ground where he had yet to get up as he was still whimpering in pain, to notice that she was slowly edging towards a bow and a quiver of arrows leaning against one of the huts.
She had just managed to pick up the bow and sling the quiver onto her back when one of them noticed what she was doing. "Eep!" She notched an arrow and pointed it at their felled leader. "D-don't come any closer. I can purify him in an instant!" All of the creatures stopped in their tracks, unsure as to whether or not she would follow through on her threat.
She saw one sneaking towards her from the corner of her eye and whipped around pulling the arrow back farther on the bow. "I'll shoot. Leave this village or risk being purified."
She felt her nervousness increase when she realized that none of them were looking at her, but behind her. That is definitely not a good thing.
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Not long after Kagome left, Sesshoumaru realized that he sensed multiple demons within the village, and they were surrounding the Miko. If he had been anyone else he would have rolled his eyes. She managed to get in more trouble than any other living creature he had come across.
Standing in one fluid motion that blatantly showed the grace he possessed, he turned went to go help the troublesome girl. Perhaps he should go slowly and see what the girl could do.
When he arrived the girl had an arrow pointed at one of the attacking demons. He was lying on the ground and seemed to be in a considerable amount of pain. The others surrounding her seemed unsure of what they should do. One began to creep towards her and she turned her arrow to him. "I'll shoot. Leave this village or risk being purified." He was slightly impressed that she kept the fear out of her voice so well.
But he knew it was time to interfere when the forgotten leader picked himself up and came at the girl from behind claws at the ready. She didn't realize what was happening, having turned her back to him to warn the attacking demon of her supposed miko prowress.
Before the demon had managed another step toward the girl, Sesshoumaru had put his claws through his neck, effectively beheading him. Eyeing the blood on his fingers with distaste he raised his hand and let some of his noxious poison flow from his fingertips to rid his hand of the blood. When the now leaderless demons saw that their commander had been killed, they froze in their spots, eyes widening in terror. Everyone knew who the demon with a crescent on his forehead was. The ones whose very name meant killing perfection.
Sesshoumaru smirked and the demons scattered. The message had been clear: do not touch the miko. His expression faded back into its usual stoic facade as the oddly dressed girl he was standing behind slowly turned to face him.
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Kagome turned around slowly fearing what she would see behind her. If it was scary enough to make those other guys run away . . . . she might need to consider running herself. She had gotten a lot better with her bow and arrow, but she didn't feel like gambling with her life either. No one was around to help her. She was on her own.
She tightened her grip on her bow and prepared herself to fire . . . . until the bow was broken in half via a well placed swipe of claws. An almost silent noise of disbelief escaped her before she looked up to face her new attacker.
"You!" She dropped the broken pieces of the bow to the ground and put her hands on her hips. "What are you doing? And why did you break my bow?"
Sesshoumaru looked at her blandly. "I broke your bow so that you would not shoot me unnecessarily."
She raised a brow. "Are you saying you couldn't dodge?"
"I am saying that regardless of whether or not I can dodge, you have miko powers that could potentially be harmful to my person. I was not going to give you opportunity to use them."
When it looked like she would rant some more he continued. "Is this the thanks I get for ridding you of the demons attacking you?"
Kagome felt a blush suffuse her face and neck, the tips of her ears burning. He had a point after all. He had helped her and she had yelled at him. Willing her face to return to its normal color, she said "You don't have to be so smug about it."
Sesshoumaru ignored her statement and walked past her towards the headman's hut. "Do you plan to stay out here all night?" he asked when she didn't follow.
Kagome started surprised that he was willing to walk back to the hut wit her. Or at least walk her to the hut. She doubted he wanted to stay in an enclosed space with his half brother for any real amount of time. They walked in silence, the chirping of the cicadas the only sound.
Kagome turned to face Sesshoumaru, hands clasped nervously in front of her when they reached the hut. She cleared her throat. "Thank you," was all she said before lifting the hanging and entering the hut.
Sesshoumaru inclined his head to acknowledge her thanks even though she had already gone inside. He settled himself on the ground one knee up with his elbow balanced on it with the other stretched out before him. He turned his face up to the moon once more. What an odd girl.