Thanks for the reviews! They are really something very nice especially when you are half dead in school. -

Glossary:

Miko: priestess

Hanyou: half demon

Youkai: demon

Osuwari: sit

Ramen: Japanese noodles

Haori: the red coat Inuyasha's wearing

Katana: sword

Kaze no Kizu: Wind scar

Senkonketsu: Iron Reaver Soul Stealer

Baka: Idiot

Inu: Dog

Chapter 10

The comfort was alluring, but the human scent was unbearable. He tried to get up, he needed to leave, but his body wouldn't cooperate. In fact, his brain seems to be in a foggy state right now, a condition he utterly disliked. Rousing slightly and prying his amber eyes open, he wondered who's hut he is in.

"A human hut, no doubt." He concluded as he sniffed lightly. The scent in the air was a horrible mix of different odor, so thick and varied that his sensitive nose couldn't stand it.

His sense of hearing was slowly reawakening. Lots of sounds he heard, sound of humans gossiping, laughing, shouting. "What barbaric creatures," he thought. The senses pointed out that he's in a village, a human one in fact, but who would be kind enough to save a being like him? It's a common knowledge that humans feared and even hated youkai, and he, Sesshomaru, in turn hated and despised humans too. Ironically, he was saved by a human... Unless, that person harbored some greedy intentions. If that's the case, that person would soon understand that Sesshomaru wouldn't entertain any requests. After all, he didn't ask to be rescued.

The sound of footsteps approaching pricked his ears, how he hoped that he could leave that instant. He was not interested in whosoever that was nosy enough to save him. And besides, a great Inu Youkai like him being saved by a lowly human being was a disgrace. Though, none of these was shown on his face as his savior entered.

"Hello, Sesshomaru."

A tinge of surprise flitted across his mind (not face). His savior was no stranger at all... "But then again," he thought as the surprise had long evaporated and logic took over, "how could a stranger possibly save me?"

"What do you want?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice as cold as the ice of the North Pole, pricking his savior's tender heart.

"I...I found you outside the village...you looked injured."

"My matters do not concern you." Again, another harsh reply. The savior kept her silence, she knows that the bark of a wounded dog would be much fearsome than normal, so she doesn't hold it against him. But sorrow still showed on her face. Sesshomaru sniffed the air gently again, looking for someone. However, the scent was still too mingled for him, and it hurt his nose.

"Where's Inuyasha?" He asked. This particular savior should know the whereabouts of his worthless half brother, since she's the one who awakens him and also his little brother's distraction from the dead miko, Kikyo.

Kagome was surprised at the question, but misery soon followed. "He..." She started, than choked back a tidal of tears. "He...he's dead."

I liked your smell, Kagome. It's very nice." His last words were replayed in her mind, again, again and again. Each word made her heart bleed again, a little more, yet, she didn't want to stop thinking about them, fearing that if she ever dared to stop, Inuyasha would disappear from her memories forever. Events of that night kept coming back, when Inuyasha had silently drifted to the death realm. So quietly he left that she did not noticed it. So painful her heart felt when she finally realized it. When she eventually felt his heart was no longer beating, when his hands were no longer warm, she broke down. She shrieked, she cried, she wanted him to come back, she wanted him to know that there's a task waiting for him, she wanted him to know...that because of his untimely leaving, she felt she could die of pain anytime too. Yet, he was gone, forever. His body may still lie in the little hut, may look like he's just asleep, but reality said firmly that his soul had left, and Kagome couldn't make it stay.

Burying her face between her knees, she cried again. She knew it was useless to shed tears, it didn't even make her feel better, but she just need to cry, again, again, and again.

Lady Kaede gazed at Kagome's lonely figure from her hut. "The poor child..." She thought, "God knows what could help her now..." Kagome's memories may be forcefully sealed by the accursed Nine Tailed Fox Vixen, but some things could never be forgotten...and because they weren't forgotten, Kagome could feel the pain.

Shippo climbed up Lady Kaede's shoulders, his eyes were swollen. Lady Kaede patted his head gently, the kid had cried too. She sighed, her wisdom told her: Inuyasha should not die.

Sesshomaru was still recuperating. His body may have healed, but his heart had not. He may be well known for his stone heart, but unknown to others, his heart had softened recently. Soften towards fellow youkai, soften towards lowly human beings, soften towards Rin and Jaken, soften towards his half brother- Inuyasha.

"His life should not be taken away by me, not some rubbish lizard youkai." Sesshomaru's youkai heart railed, raw emotions flowing throughout his body. He stood up. He could not stand lying any longer. However, he could not move on either. How dare the lizard youkai rob his brother's life! How dare he challenge the great Sesshomaru's rights to eliminate the filthy half breed of the family! How dare...

A throb. Sesshomaru was startled by it. Another throb. Another. And another. The sword of healing was calling, once again.