Chapter 12
A/N/: I am so damn sorry that it's taken this long to get something together for this chapter.
InuYasha was quiet when we got up the next day. He seemed almost twitchy. I frowned as we continued towards Kaede's village.
"Kagome," he spoke as firmly as he could, "Make sure the barrier is as strong as possible tonight."
"I always do, InuYasha."
He gave me a 'keh' and went back to being silent and brooding. We found a cave to stop in for the night. After setting up camp in the cave, I set our barrier as we settled in by the fire. The sun disappeared over the horizon and InuYasha hit the ground with a yell. I hurried over to him and stared in shock. As his silver white hair turned black, his body expanded. The child size half demon I had been caring for was suddenly an adult sized human. Pained violet brown eyes met mine and I helped him sit up.
"That fucking hurt," he complained.
"InuYasha," I whispered, making him look at me in concern.
"What's with that look?" he asked.
I picked up his hand and held it up against my own. I heard him inhale sharply as he noticed the size of his hand.
"I don't think I've ever been this glad to turn fucking human," he said quietly.
I gave him a quick hug, causing a blush to cross his face, before I quickly put dinner together. We ate in silence before I started to yawn.
"Keh. Go to sleep, wench," he told me.
"But," I yawned as I spoke, "I always stay up with you when you're human."
"Not tonight. You need to sleep."
He pulled me over to where I'd set up our bedding and tucked me into it. He sat near my head and watched the fire quietly.
"What about you?" I asked sleepily.
"I don't sleep when I'm human, you know that."
I blushed as I realized that I was trying to convince him to lay down with me.
"What's with the blushing?" he asked.
"I, um, I've gotten used to, curling up with you," I told him quietly.
He was quiet for several long moments before, with a quiet sigh, I rolled away to face the fire. I nearly froze when I felt the blanket shift and he stretched out behind me. I felt him curl up to me, sliding an arm under my head and one over my waist.
"Fine," he said, "But I'm doing the holding now."
"Okay," I agreed with a soft smile.
I fell asleep quickly, wrapped in his arms.
I woke in the morning to find amused and excited golden eyes staring down at me. A familiar smirk showed off a fang and I smiled.
"Morning," he greeted me as he moved back so that I could sit up, "You know, I could probably have us back to Kaede's tonight."
"Except we'd have to abandon Storm and we are not doing that," I pointed out.
"Keh," he replied as he stood up and grabbed Tessaiga.
The barrier came down as the sword pulsed a greeting to InuYasha. He tucked Tessaiga in at his waist and helped me pack up. After breakfast, I climbed up on Storm's back and smiled as InuYasha took the reins and led the way. Around lunch time, he led us into the forest and we stopped for lunch. We ate from the supplies we had with us before we headed back out. We were nearly back when we stopped in his tracks and hesitantly handed me back the reins. He carefully scrambled up on Storm's back behind me and wrapped his arms around me.
"InuYasha? What's wrong?"
"Gome, why am I so big?"
'Oh crap,' I thought.
"The spell is starting to break down," I told him as I got Storm moving again, "You grew back to your normal size last night."
"Oh. I'm really big, Gome. I'm bigger than you."
"Yes, you are."
"Maybe I can protect you from the mean stinky lady."
Before I could answer him, an arrow slammed into Storm's chest. The horse let out a terrified whiny before another arrow landed beside the first. InuYasha and I jumped off just as Storm crashed to the ground on his side. I was heartbroken to see the brave horse dying in front of me. InuYasha was shaking next to me.
"Gome," he whispered, "I can smell the stinky lady."
"InuYasha," Kikyo called out as she stepped out of the trees, "Come to me, now."
"No. I'm gonna stay with my Gome. She smells pretty. You smell stinky."
"How dare you?!" she snarled, "You will come to me now, or I will kill her where she stands!"
He inhaled sharply and golden eyes filled with terror turned to me. I had my bow in my hands and an arrow drawn back, aimed at Kikyo. I was hesitant to fire because I didn't know for sure how adult-InuYasha would react when he found out, but I was not going to let her hurt him.
"Kikyo, I will not let you have him. Leave, now."
"I don't think so. You will have to kill me."
"Kikyo-"
A shudder rippled through InuYasha's frame and I heard him gasp just before I heard the sound of Tessaiga sliding from it's sheath.
"Kikyo, what did you to do to me?" he demanded.
She looked startled as he addressed her, clearly his mind was adult again, though for how long would remain to be seen.
"I was trying to free you from the things that hold you back from joining me, InuYasha," she tried to tell him.
"By turning me into a helpless pup with no memories?" he sneered, "Try again. You wanted me to be easy to kill. You thought a pup with no memories would be easier to drag to hell. Kagome's barrier protected me. I may not always have my adult mind, but my pup self remembered her face, her scent, and her name. I remembered enough to be able to trust her. You failed, Kikyo. Leave, now. I will not go with you. Not now, not ever."
"InuYasha-"
"No, Kikyo. I will not be going with you, ever. And I will not be answering your summons again. I am done with you. You wanted me helpless and easily controlled and easily killed. You have tried to attack us a few times since the spell, even sent me nightmares. I won't go with you and I won't let you hurt Kagome. Leave. Before I send you to your rest myself."
She glared viciously at both of us before she spun around and stormed off into the trees. Once she was out of sensing range, InuYasha resheathed Tessaiga and I put away my bow and arrow. He set his hand on my shoulder as I felt tears start to fall for my fallen horse.
"We're close to my forest," he told me, "I know a good spot we can give him a proper send off. He deserves better than being left out here."
"Thank you, InuYasha," I said quietly.
He picked up the corpse with little effort and led the way. An hour or two later, he stopped near a small pond and laid Storm's corpse down. He hopped up into a tree and let out a few loud yips and howls before he started collecting wood. Less than twenty minutes later, he had a pyre built and Kirara landed beside me, as did Shippo. Sango and Kaede slid down off of Kirara while Miroku jumped down from Shippo's bird form. Shippo popped back into his normal form and leapt into my arms.
"What has happened?" Kaede asked.
"New moon, he went back to full size," I told her quietly, "A couple hours ago, Kikyo ambushed us. She, she killed Storm. InuYasha said he deserved a proper send off and carried him here."
"Keh. He's been a good horse for you," InuYasha said quietly, "He didn't deserve what happened to him."
He lifted Storm's corpse onto the pyre and turned to me.
"Kagome, you should be the one to light it," he said softly.
He held out a small leafy branch to me and I took it, looking at it in confusion before Sango stepped over to me and used her flint rock to light it. I walked over to the pyre and gently set the burning branch amongst it.
"I'm so sorry this happened to you, Storm. Thank you for being my friend, my brave horse and companion," I said quietly as I stepped back.
I felt InuYasha step up behind me and wrap his arms around me. Sango and Miroku stepped up to our left, with Kirara on Sango's shoulder and Shippo on Miroku's shoulder. Kaede stepped up on our right. We watched the fire catch Storm's body and waited until it the pyre burned itself out. When it was down to nothing but embers, a gentle rain started to fall that put the embers out.
"Kagome, you okay?" InuYasha asked quietly.
"I will be."
"Come, Children," Kaede said quietly, "Let us get out of the rain and return to my home."
We all agreed. Shippo turned back into a bird for Miroku while Kirara took her saber form. InuYasha moved back and crouched down so I could take my place on his back. We followed the others to the village and to Kaede's home. Once we arrived, we all dried off and settled around the fire. I wasn't hungry after everything that happened and quietly drank some tea with InuYasha sitting beside me.
"How's the well?" he asked.
"It is nearly finished being repaired," Kaede assured him, "In a few more days, the two of you will be able to go through it and let Kagome's family know that you are both alright."
"Good. I don't want her Mom too worried that we didn't come right back like we were going to."
I started to yawn and was surprised when I saw InuYasha set out my bedding. He pulled me up from the floor and laid me down on it before he stretched out behind me and wrapped an arm around me. He let out a low growl at the soft laughter before he warned them to shut it. I smiled softly and let the warmth of him lull me to sleep.
