Had some free time today so decided to get this one out! This chapter brings in one of my favorite characters- Jinenji! This is also one of my favorite chapters in the story. I look forward to see your thoughts on it!
Sango and Miroku left the next morning, remarking they would be seeing them in only two weeks for their wedding. With them departed Shippo, and Kagome was sad to see him go. She and Inuyasha bid Kaede and the village goodbye for now as well, heading back to their cave with Kagome's new kimono tucked safely in the box again. When they arrived, Kagome immediately tucked the box inside her trunk for safekeeping, pulling the tetsusaiga out to make room. Warmth washed over her again when she touched the sword but she relaxed this time, carrying the sword with her outside to find Inuyasha up his favorite tree, looking like he was brooding about something.
"Yen for your thoughts?" She held the sword against her chest as she spoke.
"Keh! Nothin' doin'." Was his reply, jumping out of the tree to join her. "What're you doin' with Tetsusaiga?" She shrugged, "it doesn't fit well in the trunk with the box, so I decided you should start carrying it." She held it out to him but he rolled his eyes.
"It's useless Kagome. Ain't no point in carrying it around." But his wife was not to be persuaded, insisting he take the sword. He relented and took it, pulling the battered katana out of the sheath and showing her the beaten blade. "See?" Kagome frowned, inspecting the blade. It was definitely giving off an aura, so why did it look like that?
"I'm not sure why, but I really feel like you should start carrying it, Inuyasha. Besides, I think you'll look dashing carrying that around." She winked at him and then moved on to finish the pile of laundry she had started a couple days ago, before she was interrupted by her friends.
While she was distracted, Inuyasha headed into the cave, taking the narrow passage that led to the hot spring. In the back, where it was completely dark to humans but perfectly visible to Inuyasha, sat a small decorative box in a hidden crack of the rocky cave. Carefully, he slid it out and opened it, revealing a small shell container and a beautiful piece of Jade the size of a small apricot. He ignored the shell, picking up the piece of jade and running his thumb over the smooth surface. His mother had received the Jade piece as a pendant from his father, and it was one of very few things he owned of hers. Kagome had said gifts of jewelry were custom courting gifts of humans, and this was the only piece of jewelry he owned.
Carefully, he slid the box back into the crack on the wall, slipping the Jade pendant into a pocket inside his kosodo. He headed back outside the cave, finding Kagome spreading the second to last kimono she had washed on the grass. Leaving her to it, he leaped into his favorite tree and found a comfy spot to lounge. He slid the stone out of his pocket and held it in his hand, trying to plan how to give it to her. He could just give it to her as a pendant, or maybe carve it into something else? He ran his claw gently over the edge of the stone, and that's when an idea hit him.
-0-
Kagome had been busy that afternoon, busy enough not to notice what Inuyasha was up to. Kaede had asked a favor of the young ex priestess, one that she had pondered over as she finished the laundry, cleaned the dishes and tidied their home. A sick villager needed a special medication, something that would require some legwork. Most of the herbs she needed were common, but one of them was rare, required very precise care and was difficult to find in the wild because of it. She could recall a temple in the Kotauke province that specialized in the herb, but that was very far to the east, there was no way that would work. She was still pondering this when she felt Inuyasha's demonic aura brushing against her spiritual power. She'd grown very used to the warm aura he admitted, so used to it it felt weird when she didn't sense his aura. To her surprise, he came strolling through the trees instead of dropping down from them like usual. He stumbled a step and Kagome glanced his way curiously. It was very uncharacteristic of Inuyasha to stumble. His movements were always graceful and fluid thanks to his demonic half. He gazed at her with heavy eyes and then reached a clawed hand in her direction.
"Don't think you can escape from me my darling. I'm coming for you!" Kagome stared in shock, blinking as he came closer. What in the kami's name was going on with him?
"Inuyasha?"
"You can't escape me you foxy little thing!" He moves his hands towards his haori and kosodo, beginning to pull the robes apart and revealing tan skin on his upper body. "I'm going to do such naughty things to you!"
Kagome's eyes went as wide as saucers, certain she didn't just hear him say that. His hand was inches towards cupping her cheek when a tiny voice next to her ear screeched "flee my lady flee! That is NOT master Inuyasha!" Myoga was bouncing in total panic on her shoulder. Kagome did as he instructed, fleeing towards the cave, not really sure how she could possibly get away from him.
"You can't escape me Myoga!"
Kagome halted in her tracks, one brow raised as she turned back towards her partner. Did he just say Myoga? The flea demon did look incredibly nervous as he continued to urge her to flee to the cave and hide. Not that it would matter with Inuyasha's sharp nose.
Kagome snatched the flea demon in her hands. Squaring herself to face Inuyasha… or whatever was apparently controlling him. His eyes were blank, his body relaxed and at ease in a way she had never seen him before.
"What do you want with Myoga?" She questioned as she held the flea in her grasp. Inuyasha stood straight, but his posture was slacked. Normally, her half demon stood straight and proud, a tribute to the hardships he had survived. It was strange to see him so lax and at ease.
"He's not going to escape me this time!" A tiny flea body emerged from the expanse of silver hair and landed on Kagome's hand, right next to Myoga who was pleading and begging for Kagome to let him go.
"You rascal! This time you won't escape me! I came all this way to finally force you to marry me!"
"Ah, I see now." Kagome said with a smile. "My name is Kagome, Myoga serves my husband, Inuyasha. Are you Myoga's fiancée?" The flea clapped her tiny hands to her cheeks, beginning to blush. "Oh my, how rude of me! I am Shoga, our parents arranged our marriage as young fleas. He's been keeping me waiting all this time!"
"How terribly rude." Kagome replied with a slight smile, trying to keep her amusement from showing.
"A flea wants to settle down, get married and start a family at my age, not chase her fiancé all over Japan!"
"Lady Shoga, I would be happy to release your fiancé to you, but would you be so kind as to release my husband to me?" She nodded her head towards Inuyasha. Shoga bowed to Kagome with a line of "my apologies Lady Kagome!" Before shooting a fierce glare at her fiancé still desperately trying to escape Kagome's grasp. She leaped back over to Inuyasha's body and disappeared into his silver hair. His body shuddered, and suddenly he was blinking in alarm at her.
"Kagome?"
"Inuyasha!" Her grip slipped, and Myoga was gone instantly, hightailing it into the forest with a war cry. His fiancée answered with a war cry of her own, "get back here you womanizing flea!" and disappeared after him, leaving Inuyasha standing in confusion over what the kami's butt was going on.
"What the hell happened?" He glanced down, looking confused as to why his clothes were half pulled apart, giving his wife quite the eyeful of the skin and muscle of his chest and shoulders.
"It's alright Inuyasha, that was Myoga and his fiancée." Her eyes trailed over his skin, cheeks forming a nice rosy blush. "Lady Shoga took over your body to better catch Myoga. Thankfully, I was able to successfully bargain for your release." She smiled and let her eyes roam over his form.
"Exactly what was she trying to do to Myoga?" Inuyasha snipped as he redid the fire rat robe back up. Kagome shrugged, but the rosy blush on her cheeks gave her away. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"What did she make me say, Kagome?" His voice was low and husky, and it only made Kagome's blush deepen.
"Ah, it seems to have slipped my mind." She ducked her head, unable to meet his gaze.
"Slipped your mind eh?" He stepped closer, forcing Kagome to step back until her back met the smooth rock of the cave. He lifted his arms up, pressing his palms against the stone wall and trapping Kagome from escaping.
"Maybe I can help you remember." He whispered huskily as he slid closer, brushing his mouth from her temple to her ear, where he placed a soft kiss. He trailed his nose down to her neck, placing another kiss there and smiling when she shivered from his attention. His fangs grazed her skin and she shivered again, stepping slightly closer to him and sliding her hands up to rest against his chest. He trailed his nose back up her neck, across her cheek and towards her lips to kiss her senseless when…
"Master! Master!" Myoga's voice flooded Inuyasha's ears, really making him regret never squashing that pesky flea.
"What the hell Myoga?!" The pissed off half demon pulled away from his wife, noting how red her cheeks were, eyes hooded and the upturn of her lips in a smile.
"Help me master! She's out to get me!" Inuyasha dipped his head and groaned a sound that was less of a groan and more of a snarl. "So what the hell do you want me to do about it?!"
"So cruel to a poor flea master! Have I not served you well?" Kagome leaned back slightly against the wall and snickered, lifting a hand to cover her mouth and hide the snicker. Inuyasha smirked at her and leaned forward, whispering against her ear. "I'm not finished with you woman, don't think you've won." He pressed his lips against her cheek and pushed away from the wall, snatching Myoga off his shoulder
"Cute you think I'm not gonna just hand you over to her you little pest."
"Let's not be rash Inuyasha," Kagome appeared at his side, sliding an arm in his elbow. "Maybe we can talk this through with Lady Shoga."
"Surely you wouldn't subject a poor flea to such a cruel fate milady!" Kagome rolled her eyes as the flea continued wailing his woes to both of them, leaving them to head back into the cave to gather the ingredients for tea. When she emerged, Lady Shoga had joined the party and was in a full blown scolding to her fiancé.
It took Kagome only a few minutes to prepare the tea, though by then Inuyasha looked ready to banish both the fleas, and their bickering, from his territory for good.
"Lady Shoga? Won't you come have some tea?" She coaxed the female flea to join her, Inuyasha following with Myoga still clutched in his fist.
"My my Lady Kagome, this tea is most excellent!" Shoga relaxed some, sipping her tea while only shooting Myoga the occasional glare.
"I'm very glad you like it, it's Inuyasha's favorite." She beamed towards her mate, which made his ears twitch and his cheeks turn a faint pink.
"Why can't you show such devotion to ME Myoga! It's obvious how much they love each other!" Shoga went on the offensive in a second, abandoning her tea in favor of her quest to marry Myoga. The ex priestess and half demon both tried, and failed, to hide their sighs.
"I suppose there's only one thing left to do." Kagome announced, tapping her index finger against her chin as if in a deep thought. She succeeded in capturing the attention of all three of her companions.
"We simply must hold a wedding! I'm certain we could whip something up to your satisfaction, Lady Shoga!" The female flea blushed, pressing her hands against her cheeks.
"A wedding! Oh my what a dream come true!"
"No milady! Why would you cruelly chain a poor demon to such a fate!"
"Quiet you! It's time you made an honest flea of me Myoga!" The blushing flea abandoned her fiancé in Inuyasha's grip and joined Kagome to plan all the juicy details.
"We'll have to hold the wedding quickly, as I have a task to complete for Lady Kaede."
"I ain't holding this cranky flea long term ya know," Inuyasha grumbled, nodding once towards his fist. Shoga leaped onto Kagome's shoulder and whispered into her ear, low enough that even Inuyasha couldn't quite pick up the exact words, but Kagome nodded her head in response to whatever she said.
"No need to worry Inu, Lady Shoga has a dress on hand, we'll simply prepare ourselves and be back shortly for the ceremony. Would you mind being the officiant, Inu, being a prince and all?" Kagome winked at him, and he sighed in annoyance, but agreed anyway. Anything to get these annoying fleas out of his hair.
"Fine fine. Just hurry up would ya?" Kagome giggled and escorted Shoga to the cave, where he could hear the two women gossiping about as they got ready. Myoga spent much of that time begging and pleading for Inuyasha to let him go, but the half demon was in no mood for a favor towards the flea. He'd resorted to pouting when Kagome and Shoga appeared, the tiny female flea in Kagome's palm dressed in a tiny white dress, carrying a single tiny flower. Kagome had donned her new Kimono from Inuyasha, and had pulled her hair into a nice up do. She looked beautiful, distracting Inuyasha enough that he had to concentrate on not accidentally letting the flea go. Little did he know, Myoga had been strategically planning that very action. As Kagome and Shoga approached, Kagome knelt onto the ground in her kimono, and the flea began his escape before the half demon could utter a word.
"Milord, Lady Kagome's scent smells different than usual, is there a possibility she could be with child?" The tiny flea spared no expense, using his words in the most effective way possible. And it worked. Completely caught off guard, all three of them looked shocked. Kagome's mouth dropped open and she struggled to speak, Inuyasha immediately inhaled sharply through his nose, testing Myoga's words. Such was the effect that his grip loosened ever so slightly, and Myoga was able to wiggle free and take off, thinking it might be better to disappear for a while after such a close call. But the damage had been done. Shoga immediately let out an angry screech and took off into the forest, their voices quickly fading between the trees.
For a moment there was a tense silence between the stunned ex priestess and her husband. Until his nose did its job and revealed the truth.
"Why that bastard." Inuyasha hissed, clenching his fist.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice came out strangled, so quiet that an ordinary human never would have heard it.
"You ain't pregnant Kagome, the damn flea lied to escape. If he's smart he won't show his face around here for a long, long time!" He shouted the last bit into the forest as Kagome let out a quick sigh of relief, holding her hand over her heart.
"Well that's a relief. How do you know I'm not- you know?"
"Pregnant?" He raised an eyebrow in disbelief she was even asking. "I can smell it. Myoga was right about your scent changing. You don't smell any different, so the bastard was lying."
"You can smell that?!" She looked horrified, but he only shrugged. "Not like you can hide it from me. I can't help what I smell." She blushed furiously, burying her face in her hands.
"That doesn't make it any less embarrassing!" She moaned, squeaking in surprise when Inuyasha's hands slid around her wrists and pulled them away from her face, coaxing her to look up at him.
"Like I said, ain't like you can hide it from me or nuthin', don't know why you're so worked up about it."
"I'm from the human world Inuyasha, human men don't have your sense of smell, they don't understand like you do. It's not something that is talked about freely. Human men aren't even allowed in during the birth of their children, it's something only for women."
"That's dumb as hell." Her half demon let her hands go and crossed his arms over his chest. "Like hell I ain't gonna be there for that. I can't protect you if I ain't there!" Kagome bit her lip, certain Inuyasha didn't catch the implication of his words behind the flare of his instincts to protect her. She decided her safest bet was to change the subject, certain this was something they would need to revisit eventually, just maybe when she was a little more prepared- and ready for all the discussion would entail.
"Inuyasha, there's something I need your help with." She began, folding her hands in her lap. His ears perked in her direction, signaling her to continue.
"There's a rare herb Kaede looking for. She's asked me for help finding it. It's for a very specific medicine and I'm not completely sure where to find it. It has very specific needs and so it's hard to find in the wild."
"There's a rumor about an herb farm run by a demon." Inuyasha replied after a moment, racking his brain for any rumors he may have picked up about herbs. Demons were notorious gossips when it came to rumors.
"A farm run by a demon? Where did you hear such a thing?" Inuyasha jerked a thumb in the direction Myoga and his fiancée had disappeared in and Kagome rolled her eyes.
"I knew I should have asked him before. How far is this farm from here?" He shrugged, stuffing his hands in the sleeves of his haori.
"Not sure really, best guess a couple days maybe."
"Then we should make plans to be gone for a while." She tapped her chin again, deep in thought.
"Would you be up to making such a journey with me Inuyasha?" He nodded, hell, it wasn't like he had anything else he needed to do.
-0-
"If you ain't out of that spring soon woman, I'm leaving you behind!"
"And leave me vulnerable and defenseless? You scoundrel!" She was already out of the hot spring, dressed in her old kimono with a teasing smile on her face. His fingers twitched at the thought of actually leaving her unprotected- they both knew there was no way that would happen.
They had already traveled to the village and informed Kaede of their plan, warning her there would be no one to protect the forest while Inuyasha was gone. Kaede had approved of their plan and thanked Kagome again for her assistance in the matter. Kagome then insisted on a hot spring visit before they went, even though Inuyasha pointed out they would only get dirty on the road. She persisted, and what his wife wanted, she got.
"Gonna be late by the time we get going wench." He returned lightly, smirking at her.
"Nothin' doin'." She retorted back, parroting one of his usual phrases back to him. He reached out and gently pulled on a strand of her long, wet hair, before tugging her up in his arms with the basket nestled against her middle.
He was absolutely right, it was late by the time they got to the cave. Kagome disappeared inside with the basket, muttering to herself about what she planned to take. She packed a few basic supplies in her bag and slipped her bow and arrows onto her back before returning to her husband, who was waiting patiently to get this show on the road. Thankfully, with her bag she was able to sling it over her arm instead of awkwardly trying to carry it, so Inuyasha knelt down and offered her his back instead. When she was safely nestled against him, he took off running, carrying her easily as if she weighed nothing more than a feather. Unintentionally, Kagome's mind drifted back to the awkward conversation Myoga had forced upon them. She began to blush furiously as she remembered his words, how easily he had discussed the possibility of her being pregnant!
Still, Kagome could not deny she had always wanted to get married and settle down with a family. She had been raised and thus expected to serve the Kami her entire life. Marriage, children, it had all been nothing more than something she could dream about. She'd watched the village girls around her all settle down and get married, had attended the birth of their children as their priestess. But obviously, she mused, as a piece of silver hair brushed her fingers, the Kami had a different plan in mind for her, for both of them.
-0-
They ran in silence for most of the day, only stopping occasionally for quick meals. Inuyasha was busy focusing on their destination and listening for danger around them; his ears swiveling back and forth as he took on the sounds of the forest. They weren't in any hurry, so the end of the day found them right along the edge of the forest. They found a small cave-like hollow tucked against a large rock, with signs of previous use as a campsite such as pieces of stacked wood and signs of a fire. There was just enough room between the used fire spot and the hollow for a place to sleep. It did not take long for Inuyasha to get the fire going while Kagome skewered the rabbit he'd snagged on the go earlier. They ate in silence- at least, Inuyasha did while Kagome eagerly discussed the herbs she needed and wondered aloud what this demon farm was like. When she finally yawned and dusted her hands off on the simple robe she was wearing, Inuyasha took her hand and settled them both against the rock hollow, pressing his back against the rock and tucking Kagome in his arms facing the fire where it was warm. She sighed and fell asleep in minutes, her head cradled by his forearm. Inuyasha slept lightly, as usual, his senses on alert now they were out of his territory. Thankfully, all was quiet, and he woke far earlier than Kagome, who starting mumbling and yawning just as the sun peeked over the horizon
"What's for breakfast?" She mumbled sleepily as she dragged herself from his arms. She snagged a stick and began poking the fire with one hand while rubbing her eyes with the other. Inuyasha snatched the stick from her hands and shooed her away from the fire, appearing well rested and bright eyed while Kagome glared at him and then yawned.
"There's not really any rabbit left," she finally said as she reached for her bag to rummage through and see what she had.
"I'll go take a look, see what I can find." he left Kagome there, jogging into the forest and disappearing from her sight. She could still sense him faintly, but ignored it and emerged with a triumphant smile and handful of mushrooms she'd stowed away on the journey there. She gathered a few small sticks and stoked the fire while waiting for Inuyasha, who returned as the sun was fully rising with a fish and a few plants in hand.
"I think you've used these plants before." He dropped the plants in her lap and began preparing the fish. Kagome sorted through the plants and found leeks, mint (he sure loved that tea) and a few more of the wild onions. She smiled upon seeing those, remembering she had found those same plants when they first met. Carefully, she started skewering the meat and mushrooms, wrapping the herbs and tying them around the meat as seasoning.
"How far are we?" Kagome asked as they doused the fire and packed up their few belongings.
"Not too far," Inuyasha announced after taking a deep breath through his nose. He offered Kagome his back again and took off into a steady run again. He ran for a few short hours until his ears twitched, flicking forward and indicating sometime was ahead.
He slowed and set Kagome down, waiting for her to adjust her bag so the two of them could walk together. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Kagome could hear the voices Inuyasha had slowed down for.
"-him I tell you!"
"Poor girl-"
"Get rid of-"
Inuyasha's ears perked towards the noise again and he led Kagome over, moving to intercept the men. They were carrying a pallet with a reed covering the shape of a body. Kagome felt her stomach drop when she saw the pale feminine hand drooping from under the reed cover.
"What happened?" She finally gasped out, covering her mouth in horror.
"Jinenji did this!" One of the men, younger with a wisp of hair on his face blurted out, his face turning red with anger.
"Jinenji?" Inuyasha kept his voice calm, but Kagome could tell by the subtle movements in his face he was gathering information through scent and sight as well.
"That wretched demon has gotten a taste for human flesh! I said we should have kicked him out long ago, I said it!"
"Keh, doesn't sound very strong if he has to prey on lone human women to eat. Piece of cake!" The men turn their attention to Inuyasha, a weird expression on their faces as they took in his features.
"What makes you any better, demon!" Kagome placed a soothing hand on Inuyasha's arm, feeling his youki flare quickly at the insult.
"We mean you no harm. We're on our way to a special farm in search of a rare herb for the priestess Kaede." At the mention of the priestess, the men relaxed.
"It's rare, I'm escorting her to the farm and back." Inuyasha randomly tossed in, ignoring the bewildered expression Kagome shot his way.
"The farm is Jinenji's farm. Good luck getting your herb with that beast around!" They carried on towards the village carrying the covered body.
"Guess we can kill two birds with one stone at this rate." Inuyasha mumbled before following them, missing the look Kagome was casting his way before jogging to catch up with him.
-0-
They didn't stay in the village for long, only a while to gather as much info on Jinenji as possible. According to the villagers, he was a massive, and vile half demon who now terrorized the village by murdering their people. They left as the wailing and mourning over the body began, heading in the direction the villagers had pointed them.
"Inuyasha?" One of his ears twitched in her direction, indicating he had heard her.
"Why did you tell those villagers you were escorting me instead of the truth?" His eyes flickered over to her for barely a second before hastily looking away and focusing on the trail before them.
"You shouldn't let people know we're together, Kagome. It's the best way I can protect you if people think I'm just some lowly demon Kaede subdued to escort you."
"You did that to protect me?" She was astonished, eyes wide. His ears flattened against his head for a moment before nodding.
"Oh Inu," his woman moved to his side, forcing him to uncross his arms by sliding one of hers through his and resting her head on his shoulder.
"I appreciate you doing that for me. But it's not necessary. We're a team. I would take a tree with you over a warm futon by myself any night." She closed her eyes and let silence settle over them as they walked, knowing Inuyasha would never let her trip. He let her words sink in, wrapping around him like a warm blanket and easing the former pang of loneliness. How had he gotten so lucky to find a mate like her?
The gentle peace that settled over them stilled for a moment when they came to the edge of a small field of plants surrounding a tiny home. While the area was beautiful and peaceful looking, an air of tension had taken over knowing what the villagers had told them.
Inuyasha crouched down along the edge of the trees, pulling Kagome with him. They waited in silence for several minutes, Inuyasha watching the small hut with laser-like precision. He inhaled deeply more than once, tensing slightly when the door to the hut shook an enormous demon, easily three times as tall as him stepped out of the hut. Huge blue eyes, massive, bulging muscles and his enormous stature barely phased Inuyasha. Kagome gulped, trying not to think of all the horrid things the villagers had told them- yet something felt off about their stories…
"Stay here Kagome. I'll take care of this bastard easily. Piece of cake." He stood up and leaped into the fields, leaving Kagome with her eyes wide and mouth hanging open in shock at his boldness.
"Today's the day you're gonna meet your maker!" Inuyasha landed boldly in front of Jinenji, holding his ground in front of an opponent easily three times bigger than him.
No one ever said Inuyasha wasn't brave.
"M-M-MOMMMM!" Instead of squaring up and returning the challenge, the enormous half demon's blue eyes filled with tears, which he began hastily wiping away with arms bulging with muscle. He turned and ran from Inuyasha, nearly ripping the door cover off in his haste.
"Ready for more are ya?! HYAAA!" The couple each gaped in shock from their respective places as a tiny old woman with long silver hair came charging from the hut, a giant piece of wood in her hands which she promptly brought down on Inuyasha's skull. He didn't even flinch, staring down at her completely unamused as wooden splinters rained around him.
"Inuyasha!"
The old woman looked stunned to see a young woman come rushing to a half demon's side. She watched closely as Kagome forced Inuyasha to duck his head down so she could run her hands through his hair and over his skull to check for injuries, while Inuyasha tried to shake her concern off with "stop fussing over me woman, a piece of wood ain't gonna hurt me." She was even more stunned when Kagome turned and bowed shortly at her with her hands clasped together.
"We apologize greatly for startling you. It seems the villagers misled us. We're here looking for a rare herb." Surprised, the old woman dropped what was left of her weapon and waved her hand towards the small hut.
"I think you two better come inside." She led them into the home, where Jinenji was cowering in the corner trembling with fear. It made Kagome's already gentle heart break even further.
"Jinenji?" She called softly when they were settled by the fire. He peered one watery blue eye in her direction in surprise.
"We're very sorry for scaring you. We were very misled by the villagers. Can you forgive us?" The giant half demon was staring at her in absolute wonder, enough to make her silver hair companion feel a prickle of jealousy.
"My name is Kagome, and this is Inuyasha." She gestured towards her partner as she spoke, who grunted when she said his name.
"So you're the half demon Inuyasha?" The old woman stated aloud, setting a pot on the fire to begin tea. "You don't look half, but for each one born pretty like you, there's one that ain't."
"Only if you're into dogs." Kagome remarked with a giggle, reaching up to tweak one of his puppy dog ears as he rolled his eyes at her.
"You can imagine the kind of life he has then," the woman continued, bitterly poking the fire as she did so. "The villagers treat him like a monster simply for being half." Jinenji, who had started fiddling with some herbs in the back corner, spoke up. "I'm sorry ma, for being like this."
"Don't you dare apologize. Your father was different, and I loved him anyways." she blushed, seemingly lost in thought.
"Wait a minute, if the father was the demon, that means YOU were the human parent?" Inuyasha was genuinely surprised by this revelation. The only woman scoffed. "Of course I am! What did you think I was?!"
Neither of them had the heart to tell her.
"What herb were you looking for?" Jinenji spoke so quietly Kagome barely heard him, but she went on to describe the herb Kaede was looking for, explaining why it was needed.
"It's hard to grow, but we do have that herb here." He responded quietly to her before exiting the hut. Inuyasha offered his hand to Kagome to help her up, and the three of them followed Jinenji out into the field.
"How much do we owe you?" Kagome asked when Jinenji handed her a small bag containing the precious herb.
"Nothing," the old woman replied gruffly. "Least I could do for the clobbering I gave ya earlier. Now you get on out of here before I grind your bones to make our bread." Inuyasha took Kagome by the elbow and began to lead her away, but she hesitated when they reached the end of the field, observing Jinenji and his mom working together for a moment.
"I don't feel right about leaving them like this Inu. Jinenji didn't do anything wrong and the villagers think he's killed people."
"It doesn't matter." He replied gruffly, refusing to meet her eyes. "When you're different, it doesn't matter and it's always your fault." He began to walk away without another word, leaving Kagome to catch up to him. They stopped upon passing the village, where most of the village's men were circled around a pile of weapons.
"-need to end that beast before he kills again! Gather all the weapons in the village!" Kagome gasped, realizing what they were planning.
"No! You can't! Jinenji hasn't killed anyone!"
"No one asked you girl. That beast is a killer and it's kill or be killed!"
"You have no proof he's killed anyone!"
"That witch and her son hate us! It's time we end this!" Inuyasha let out a dramatic sigh and stepped in. "The way I see it, you lot are a bunch of cowards. And we got bigger fish to fry, like the real flesh eating killer."
"Inu, I'm going back to Jinenji's farm." She placed her hand on his arm and squeezed. Inuyasha nodded and she let go, heading back towards the farm with her bow and arrows still tucked against her shoulder. Inuyasha waited until she was gone, then turned and leveled a dark glare on the villagers before him.
"You cowards listen closely. I'm going to go hunt this thing. If anything happens to her, so much as a SCRATCH from one of you, I swear I will level this village and everyone in it. Got it?" At the stunned faces in front of him, Inuyasha leveled another glare and took off into the forest in search of the killer.
It didn't take him long to catch the scent of the real killer, the scent of a demon that had been all over the murdered girl in the woods. Over the next several hours, he followed the trail, sniffing close to the ground and crossing rivers when the trail started to go cold. The scent began to pick up as Inuyasha went deeper into the forest, until finally he was nearly over powered by the strong scent coming directly from below him.
"It's here!" he began to dig, cursing loudly when the ground gave way and he fell a good twenty feet into a deep pit. The scent of demons was even stronger here. Walking into a tunnel, he came across what was clearly a nest full of broken shells encased in fluid against the wall.
"What the-" he knelt closer, examining the shells.
"Freshly hatched, which means the parents took them out for training. Kagome's in danger!"
-0-
Jinenji and his mother were still working in the field when Kagome arrived back, taking their time slowly weeding each individual plant.
"What're you doing back here?" The old woman stood and stretched her back, regarding Kagome suspiciously.
"The villagers… they've decided to take action against Jinenji for the murdered villagers. I told them I'd be here to try and deter them until Inuyasha can prove Jinenji innocent and find the real killer. He's very protective, I'm sure he's threatened them with death if they come near the farm for now." She rolled her eyes as she described Inuyasha's protectiveness.
"Well… have it your way. Go and ask Jinenji what he needs worked on." The old woman watched the young girl head towards her son, standing before him without an ounce of fear in her as Jinenji told her what to do.
"Have you ever thought about leaving? Moving on and going some place else?" Kagome directed the question towards the half demon working next to her.
"This place is best… my pa left me this place you see."
"Ahh, I understand." They worked in silence for a moment before Kagome caught sight of something that made her skin crawl, something that looked too similar to a snake for her comfort…
"AHHH! IT'S A WORM!" The strong ex priestess cowered in fear until Jinenji removed the offending bug, shooting him a grateful smile for the rescue.
They worked their way around most of the field, Kagome chatting openly with Jinenji and his mother about her knowledge of herbs, and even learning new things about herbs she didn't know. They called it a day as the sun began to go down, sharing a meal together before settling down by the fire. Jinenji's mother rolled out her futon while Kagome fell asleep curled up in a blanket, completely unaware of the feelings she had stirred in the quiet half demon.
Suddenly, a rock broke through the wooden window, crashing to the ground and startling Kagome and the old woman awake.
"The villagers!" Kagome cried, dropping the blanket around her.
"Stay here Jinenji!" his mother leaped to her feet and raced out the door with a farming tool to defend herself. She was quickly pelted with rocks and the taunts of the villagers.
"Old witch! We let you live near us!"
"Stop it!" Kagome ran out of the hut after her and placed herself in front of the old woman, halting the villagers in their tracks as they remembered Inuyasha's threatening words.
"Are you ok?" She directed behind her, where Jinenji's mother was bleeding from a rock striking her forehead.
"Girl! Why are you protecting them?!"
"Jinenji is innocent, you have no proof he has harmed anyone!"
"You lot hear that? She's as bad as them!"
"She must be one if she loves them that much!" They began throwing torches, setting the hut on fire with Jinenji still inside.
"You've gone too far this time!" Jinenji's mother shouted, shaking her gardening tool at them. The villagers startled and began to scream, running aside as a demon slithered out of the woods behind them- a serpent-like creature with dozens of tiny, baby demons around it. They instantly surrounded one of the men who had fallen, beginning to devour him.
"There's your real flesh eating monster there!" The baby demons finished devouring the man and began to rush after the other villagers. Kagome quickly ran inside the hut, grabbing her bag and sheath of arrows.
"Jinenji hurry! Your mother needs help outside!" He followed her out as she knocked an arrow, letting her spiritual power glow and sending the arrow flying towards the parent demon.
"Hit the mark!" The arrow grazed by, singing the demon but not killing it. The demon roared, thrashing it's tail and sending Kagome flying. She landed hard on the ground, the back of her head taking most of the blow and knocking her out when she landed. The parent went after her, intending to devour her body. Jinenji roared as the creature approached her, throwing a punch and hitting the demon strongly in the mouth, his fist bursting out the back. The demon wrapped its tail around his neck, beginning to strangle him.
While Jinenji kept the parent busy, the villagers tried unsuccessfully to fight off the baby demons with weapons- nothing seemed to pierce the thick hide of the babies. They began to drag some of the villagers away when Inuyasha came bursting through the forest, slashing through the baby's armor like it was nothing.
"Where's Kagome?!" He hollered at the men, "Kagome! KAGOME!"
Ba-dum
Ba-dum
Ba-dum
The useless sword at his hip was practically vibrating-begging him to draw the sword. He ignored it, searching frantically for his mate.
Exactly
He finally spotted her by Jinenji, still unconscious from the harsh landing. "Kagome!" He leaped to her side, scooping her up in his arms and cupping her face with his palm. "Kagome! Don't do this to me woman!"
"Quickly…" Jinenji wheezed, "Get her to safety. She's the only one who treated me human… if I let her die, what claim do I have to my human half?" Inuyasha nodded and whisked Kagome closer to the old woman, who was watching Jinenji with awe.
"Check on her would ya old hag?" Inuyasha snipped, cracking the knuckles of one hand while cradling Kagome with the other. The old woman nodded, running her fingers around Kagome's scalp and finding a bleeding wound on the back. Inuyasha flinched at the strong scent of his wife's blood on her hands, laying Kagome gently at her feet.
"Don't help Jinenji." She ordered quietly as she worked, examining Kagome further for wounds. "He needs to learn to fight for himself."
"Wasn't gonna." He responded, understanding exactly what she meant. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the villagers preparing to limp back to the village to lick their wounds and abandon them to the demons. With a snarl, Inuyasha leaped over their heads and blocked their path.
"Where do you cowards think you're going?! My wife was fighting a demon while you lowlifes were gonna just let her take it on alone!" The men began to cower and plead for their lives. Inuyasha scoffed, crossing his arms arrogantly.
"Stop sniveling and watch how it's done!" He pointed a clawed finger towards Jinenji, pleased at how the villagers watched in awe as Jinenji's whole body began to glow. He clutched the demon close, encasing his muscled arms around it and squeezing. The demon began to thrash its tail and fight, but to no avail. It exploded in a shower of blood and guts, leaving Jinenji with a heavily wounded arm and various cuts and bruises. He limped over to the villagers, who began begging and pleading thinking he meant to punish them. Instead, he offered a clawed hand filled with medicinal herbs.
"Here, this will help your wounded heal faster." Astounded, the villagers looked in awe upon Jinenji as he made his way towards his mother.
"Are you ok?" He asked her first. She nodded, her hand pressed to the back of Kagome's head where she was holding a cloth to stop the bleeding. Kagome's eyes began to flutter and she let out a groan.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha abandoned the villagers and returned to his wife.
"Yasha? What happened?" She mumbled, reaching her hand back towards the painful wound on her head.
"I don't think so woman." Inuyasha intercepted her hand and kept it clutched in his own. "You've got a nasty bleeding bump back there. Scared the hell out of me wench." She tried to smile but it ended up a grimace.
"What happened?"
"Jinenji kicked demon ass, that's what happened." He gave her a firm glare. "What the hell were you thinking trying to take that thing on alone?! You could have been killed!"
"I was just trying to help." She groaned back, pulling herself upright with Jinenji's mother still pressing the wound on her head. "It was going to kill the villagers. I couldn't just do nothing!"
"What am I, a useless human to you? That's MY job woman. I protect you, remember?" He pushed the old woman's hand away and pressed the wound himself, freeing her to help Jinenji tend to village men and their own wounds.
"I ain't mad Kagome, just scared. What the hell would I do without you?"
"I'm sorry I scared you, but I'm not completely helpless you know." She placed a hand on the wrist of his free hand and squeezed gently.
"You humans are so damn fragile and you have no idea." He shook his head, then pulled his wrist from her hand to reach into his robe.
"I ain't… look I ain't the best at all this mushy stuff, but I mean it when I say it's my job to protect you." He pulled something out of his robe and held it out for her to inspect.
It was a piece of jade, about the size of her thumb in a teardrop shape. Engraved on the front in small but visible letters was the symbol for protection. Inuyasha dropped the pendant, hanging from a small leather cord, into her hand.
"I don't know much about that human marriage stuff, but you gave me this when you bound me to you." He touched the beads around his neck, "and your power protects me with it. So I figured I should return the favor and give you something back." He nodded towards the necklace, "It says protection because that's my job. On my life Kagome, I'll keep you safe for the rest of our lives." It was a bold speech, one she never expected of him. The tears began to well up fast, pouring down her cheeks so the necklace in her hand became blurry.
"Inuyasha I-" she stopped, her voice catching.
"Will you put it on me?" She sniffled as she said it, holding the necklace out. He took it, but tucked it back into his robe much to her surprise.
"Later, let's take care of this first." He kept his hand pressed to the bloody wound, but gently pulled her face closer to press his lips to hers. He ignored the gasps of the villagers who saw them, letting his aura wash over her. She didn't shudder this time, simply let his demonic energy heal her.
"It's gonna take a bit longer than last time." He mumbled when they broke apart, resting his forehead against hers.
"I'll manage." She whispered back. "Why don't you help Jinenji with the villagers?"
He jerked his head back to level her with a glare that was in no way angry. "Hell no wench. I ain't letting you out of my sight for a single second. Besides, we've done enough for those cowards to last a while."
"You threatened them, did you?" He didn't look ashamed in the slightest, but one of his ears did twitch in discomfort.
"Hold onto this bandage for a minute, let's get that wound cleaned up." He took her hand and placed it on the bandage on her head, trying to ignore the way she flinched from the pressure. He squeezed her shoulder gently then went to grab some water, bandage and clean cloth to treat the damage and maybe get the blood out of her hair. The old woman shot him a look when he swiped one of her buckets of clean water.
"Might of said something about you two." she admonished him. He snorted, snagging some clean cloth.
"Nothin' doin' nosy old hag." She rolled her eyes, but her mouth twitched in the faint hint of a smile. Inuyasha left her with the whiny villagers and headed back to his mate. She was still holding the cloth to her head, but her face was pale and slightly green.
"You ok?" Inuyasha questioned as he plopped down in front of her with the supplies. She shook her head. "I don't feel so good."
"Don't fall asleep," Her mate replied. He gently pulled her closer and coaxed her to lay on her side and rest her head in his lap, her cheek pressed against his thigh so he could treat the wound. The bleeding had slowed tremendously, but was caked in dark, dry blood. "Keep talking to me, don't go to sleep for a while yet."
"Ok," Kagome mumbled, letting out a huge yawn. "Did I ever tell you how we first met?" Inuyasha chuckled softly, as if anyone could forget that meeting.
"No, I know what you're thinking, that wasn't our first meeting."
If he was surprised, he didn't show it. With surprising gentleness, Inuyasha probed her wound and used the clean water and rags to sponge the area. He worked slowly, letting Kagome talk as he did so.
"I was only a little girl," Kagome began, struggling to keep her eyes open. "I don't remember how, but somehow I ended up down inside this old well called the bone eater's." Inuyasha froze at her words, memories of the day she was talking about flooding him. He had been young, very young, and had been on his own in the forest for only a few years- barely managing to hold on to the tiny scrap of territory he had claimed for himself.
"I was all alone for hours in that well, and then suddenly, you were there in that bright red robe. You pulled me out of the well, and for the first time in hours, I felt completely safe."
"That little scrap of a girl was you?" He teased gently. The wound on her head was particularly nasty for a human- he was certain she had a concussion. Still, his demonic abilities were already at work. He could just barely see the ends of the wound stitching together.
She smiled against his leg, "that was me. You saved me from the well and took me to a priestess. She could sense my spiritual power, and eventually I ended up under the care of the priest at the river village." She paused for a moment, and Inuyasha thought she might have fallen asleep when she finally spoke again.
"It was you that taught me that not all demons were bad. They hated how much I talked about the demon in red. I knew they were wrong though, if a demon could show compassion to a lost little girl, that meant not all demons were bad."
"I was pretty young then," he told her, rolling out the bandage to wrap around the wound. "I remember wondering what type of idiot parents you had that would leave their kid alone in the woods. Still, turns out it was a good thing I saved you eh?" He ran his thumb over the edge of her cheek gently, then slid his arm under her torso to lift her up a little.
"You definitely have a concussion." he remarked, noticing how pale her face still was. She used her hands to brace herself against his knee while he wound the bandage around her head, securing the wound in place so it could heal properly and quickly thanks to his demon abilities.
"Is everyone else alright?" Kagome scooted close to his side and pressed her cheek against his shoulder, relaxing and letting her eyes close for a minute.
"You definitely have the worst of it. Jinenji's arm is pretty messed up, and one of the villagers didn't make it, but other than that…"
The hut had almost completely burned to the ground at this point, only giving off a little light and making it hard to see. Inuyasha shook Kagome gently to keep her awake after a minute, then stood and slid the fire rat robe off. He draped it over her and let her snuggle into it.
"Little longer and you can sleep 'gome." He let her curl up in his robe and went to find any wood to start a fire for them to stay around for the rest of the night. Jinenji caught on to his plan and joined him, and soon they had a small fire blazing and were watching the villagers trudge back to their homes. Jinenji had snagged an extra blanket for his mother and was soon snoring away next to her, completely exhausted. Inuyasha had scooped Kagome up and had her curled up still in his robe in his lap. He kept guard, noting it had to be well after midnight at this point. He woke Kagome up various times over the next several hours, making sure her head wound and concussion weren't worsening. Finally, the first bits of light started over the horizon. Jinenji woke quickly after that, sneaking away quietly to gather food for them.
By the time Kagome and the old woman woke up, the sun was well over the horizon and food was prepared.
"Are you sure you don't need help with this?" Kagome, still exhausted and unable to help even if she wanted, gestured towards the burnt remains of the small hut.
"We'll be just fine. Git on home and get that medicine back to your priestess. And I suppose stop by anytime for a visit." The woman shooed them away with one hand, a hoe in the other.
"Let's get you home and take a look at that wound." Inuyasha remarked, noticing how tired she still looked. She was up and standing, but still looked exhausted and pale and had her arm clutched around his bicep to make sure she didn't fall. "You think you can hold on ok if I carry you?" She nodded, reaching for her bag with the medicine and her bow and arrows, but Inuyasha swatted her hands away and slung it over one of his shoulders, crouching down and letting her climb onto his back. As they passed by the village, they noticed all the village men heading back towards the farm carrying tools and supplies for building, ready to make up for all the damage they had caused.
-0-
"My love, are you so certain we should be taking these jobs with such a joyous day so soon upon us?"
It took all of Sango's willpower not to roll her eyes at her future husband's protests over taking a slaying job so close to their wedding. Really, did he expect her to just forget her job now they were finally getting married? Certainly she'd made him wait long enough, but she was a warrior, a demon slayer. She had been trained her entire life for this purpose, surely he would-
"Darling, are you even listening to me?" Sango sighed heavily and turned her attention to the monk, feeling Kelala leap from his shoulder to hers and rub her soft fur against Sango's skin. The young man leading the couple coughed awkwardly and gestured to the doors they'd stopped in front of, gesturing towards them as their rooms for the night in thanks for their service. Sango didn't hesitate and bowed in thanks to the young man, then led Miroku into the first room and shut the door firmly behind them.
"Yes, I'm listening. Really, Miroku this job is so simple I could do it in my sleep. A demon of some sort haunting a village at night? Come on! It screams low level demon." she placed her hands on her hips, giving him an incredulous look.
"I can't help it, Sango. You've kept me waiting almost four years, you can't blame a man for wanting to actually make it to the altar… especially with a future wife as beautiful as yourself." He slid closer, thinking himself sleek and charming as he inched closer while Sango raised an eyebrow. She sighed heavily again when she felt his hand on her backside, slapping his hand away lightly and rolling her eyes.
"Can you go five minutes without groping me?!" She stomped away to dig through her bag for her slayer outfit.
"My love, it's impossible to ignore a backside as perfect as yours! It's almost criminal!"
"The only thing criminal is that cursed hand of yours!"
"Now now cursed is a bit of a harsh word-"
"Cursed is exactly the right word. Just because we're getting married doesn't mean you can just grope me whenever you-" She wheeled around to face Miroku, her slayer outfit in her hand, only to find an empty room. Miroku was gone.
"-want. Miroku? Miroku!"
-0-
Initially, Inuyasha was torn on the best way to get Kagome home. Take it easy and let her rest? Or hurry and make it back as quickly as possible? He decided on the latter, considering how dark the moon had been the night before. The last thing they needed was to be caught out of their territory and vulnerable. He didn't even consider stopping for the night, instead continuing at a fast and steady pace.
The sun was just beginning to dip below the tree line when Inuyasha made it to the edge of their territory. He slowed considerably, feeling Kagome beginning to stir a little where she was nestled against his back.
"We there already?" She mumbled.
"Yeah, I came straight here, it's the new moon tonight." He didn't see Kagome's eyes bolt open, but he did feel her squirm a little against his back.
"New moon? Is that when you turn human?"
"Yeah, last thing we want is to be out on the road like that."
"I understand. Did I sleep the whole way here?" She yawned loudly, clutching his shoulder just a little tighter.
"Not enough if you ask me. A concussion ain't somethin' to mess with 'gome." She snuggled back against his back, brushing bits of his silver hair out of her face and nodded, resting quietly until Inuyasha was strolling into the clearing of their home.
Said half demon winced as he entered the cave and felt his senses begin to leave him, his hair fading to black and his demonic senses fading into dull, human senses. How humans managed so blind and weak all the time was beyond him…
"Let's get you to bed," He addressed his mate as he slid her off his back, pulling the covers back from the bed and coaxing her in. She brushed her lips against his cheek, tugging a lock of his dark hair very gently.
"Don't take too long. Come to bed," she ordered in a whisper before snuggling up under the fur blankets. He left her there, knowing he was blushing even though she couldn't see it. He got a fire going in the pit to bring some warmth into the cave, and then joined Kagome towards the back of the cave. Normally, he didn't sleep on his human night, unable to rest knowing he was vulnerable. The instinct was stronger now that Kagome was with him, so instead he stayed awake and alert, listening to her breathing and trying his best not to curse his pitiful human senses.
He jumped when Kagome mumbled his name and snuggled closer, then opened her eyes and smiled at him.
"Good morning. Did you sleep at all?" He shrugged, guessing it was very early in the morning based on the color of the sky outside.
"I don't sleep on my human nights. It's a damn easy way to get myself killed." She stared at him for a moment, her blue eyes somehow bright in the darkness, then whispered "If you want to sleep for a while, I'll stay up. I think I'm done sleeping for now, I feel a lot better." She slid her hand back to touch the wound on her head softly.
"I'm a demon Kagome, I'll be alright. I'm used to going without sleep. I can go a lot longer on a lot less than humans."
"Us humans and our weak bodies." she teased back. She slid a hand to his sleeve and tugged on it, pulling him down. He obeyed, laying on his back and allowing Kagome to snuggle closer, tucking her head under his chin and letting out a sigh. He relaxed, sliding his arm around her back and hugging her closer, his eyelids beginning to close on their own accord…
The flood of his demonic senses returning jolted Inuyasha awake. Light was beginning to stream into the cave, Kagome still curled up against his side with her head underneath his chin, her breathing indicating she was still asleep. He took a deep breath in through his nose, finding no alarming scents and hearing nothing nearby. He relaxed a little, knowing that his territory was still secure for now.
Carefully, he slid out of the bed, making sure not to wake Kagome, and exited the cave, blinking his eyes as the sunbeams shone over his face. He stretched, then took off into the woods to do a quick patrol and find breakfast for the two of them.
"Kagome?" He returned with a rabbit in hand, hearing shuffling in the cave. She came out with a smile, blinking in the sunlight, carrying a basket with her bathing supplies.
"Can we make a trip to the hot spring? My hair is caked in blood and really needs a wash." She touched the back of her head gingerly. He dropped the rabbit and went to her side, gently tipping her head forward in order to inspect the wound on the back. It was almost completely gone, only a thin white line showing wearing the wound had been. However, she was right in that the wound and surrounding area was caked in blood.
"Yeah, I think that might be a good idea." He wished he could cleanse the smell of his wife's blood from his senses. "But first, breakfast."
They breezed through breakfast, then gathered Kagome's supplies and walked through the forest towards the spring. They took their time, Inuyasha walking ahead carrying the basket while Kagome followed, exploring and gathering as she went.
"Inu, sometime soon the medicine will need to be delivered to Kaede's village. Would you mind taking it? I think I've had enough adventure for a little while." She was examining a strange flowered plant when Inuyasha glanced behind.
"Sure, after I patrol the area first. Might be a good idea to get you some clothes while I'm there too."
"New clothes?" Kagome glanced down at the simple robe she'd received from her former village. "What's wrong with what I have?"
"Nothin' doin' Kagome." Was the reply she got. Inuyasha wasn't touching that response with a ten foot pole. Nope.
"Oi," he said suddenly, his ears pricking towards the forest and smelling the air. "Your slayer friend is coming this way."
"Sango?" Kagome looked confused at the news, but true to Inuyasha's word, Kelala came bursting through the bush a minute later with her mistress on her back.
"Oh thank the Kami," Sango heaved, sliding of Kelala's back. "And that's not something I say often."
"Sango? What's wrong?" Both Kagome and Inuyasha took in her disheveled appearance.
"I need Inuyasha's help. Please Inuyasha, it's Miroku. He's disappeared!"
"People don't just vanish woman. What do you mean by disappeared?" He crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for her explanation.
"I mean disappeared Inuyasha. We were on a job, an easy one right before the wedding. It was almost too easy and I didn't think anything of it. One minute we're in our room, I turn around and 'poof!' He's gone!"
"He vanished?" Kagome gasped, Sango nodded. "Like he wasn't even there. I have no way of tracking him without footprints or some physical trace. I was hoping Inuyasha might be able to pick up some of his scent."
Inuyasha shrugged. "Needed to head back to Kaede's village anyway to drop something off. We can hit this village on the way back. Don't sound like a simple job to me." Sango's shoulders slumped with relief.
"Thank you Inuyasha, I'm almost certain the easy job was a ruse, I just don't know why."
"We'll find out when we get there. Kagome-" he cut off when Sango's eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open.
"Kagome!" She shrieked, Inuyasha whipped around, and just like Sango described, she was gone, as if she was never there.
"Kagome?!"
"I saw it. Inuyasha I saw it. It looked like a mist. It wrapped around Kagome and then spirited her away. What is going on?"
"I don't smell anything, no demon, and no demonic aura. Nothing." He dropped Kagome's basket next to the spring and cracked his knuckles.
"Those bastards at the village have some explaining to do."
