I do not own InuYasha or the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.
I must apologize about the tardiness of this chapter. It started off as writer's block and somehow ended in a sprained wrist. Such is life, but I'm sorry for keeping you waiting.
The Lost Chapters: The Desire Within Part 4
Kagome followed close behind Inuyasha through the dark ant tunnels. They walked in silence as she continued to relentlessly replay the scenario in her head from earlier. She couldn't hold in her feelings any longer and stopped abruptly.
"What's wrong? Do you sense a jewel shard?" he turned and asked.
Kagome balled her hands into fists, "I must've made such a fool of myself," she sobbed and hid her face in her hands again.
"Uh no, you didn't, uh, please don't cry," he stuttered.
He reached out to her, but stopped short as he recalled times where he had eaten dirt for comforting her incorrectly.
"Inuyasha, don't patronize me. It must've been awkward for you, because you only have eyes for Kikyo," she cried.
He remained quiet reflecting how glad he was that she couldn't recall what happened between them. She grew angry from his silence and tried to walk around him, but he moved swiftly to block her path. She looked at him then with tears streaking down the sides of her face. His amber eyes seemed to glow amidst the dark and she couldn't unlock herself from his gaze. Compassion radiated off of him and her temper quickly dissipated: leaving only her desirous feelings for him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his chest. She didn't expect this but soon relaxed into his reassuring arms. He immersed himself in her scent and ran his claws through her hair.
Kagome didn't want to pull away; she wanted to stay in his arms, for him to hold her like this forever. "Inuyasha…."
His eyes opened wide as he recognized the tone of her voice from her dreams.
"Don't let go," she finished.
That was phrase she never finished he realized.
"Hold me for just a little bit longer," she pleaded.
Inuyasha nodded in agreement and couldn't remember the last time he felt like this. All the sweet touches she offered before came rushing back and he closed his eyes to allow the memories to fill him completely.
They were quickly interrupted by an explosion in the tunnel up ahead. Kagome clung to Inuyasha resisting the force of the blast and he moved in front of her instinctively. When the smoke cleared they could see a torch followed by Sango's face. Miroku, Shippo and a transformed Kirara jumped through the hole after her.
"Sango, Miroku how'd you get down here?" Inuyasha asked, squinting until his eyes adjusted.
"Probably a similar way that you found yourself down here," Miroku said. There was a fresh red hand-print across his cheek, causing Inuyasha and Kagome to blush.
"Never mind that, let's get going! We'll find the demon ants' nest burrowed deep under the village," Sango led the way at a run. She was determined to kill the things that made her advance on Miroku.
"Is it just me or is Sango fierce right now?" Inuyasha asked.
"It's not your imagination," Shippo confirmed.
They ran deeper into the demons' territory and soon came upon a divide. Everyone turned and looked at the half demon expectantly.
"What're you all looking at me for?!" he barked.
He froze when Sango narrowed her eyes at him.
"Okay, okay," he caved, "but Shippo's a demon, too." Inuyasha carefully sniffed the air focusing on the demon ant smell. "They're down here," he confirmed leading them to the left.
The tunnel was much smaller than the others so they walked in single file. The torch Sango had made burned out so Kirara lit their way. Shippo walked between Sango and Kagome keeping his fox fire burning and Miroku brought up the rear. The tunnel began to get shorter and narrower and the air was stale. After a few minutes of walking bent over they had to continue through on their hands and knees. Kirara barely fit but stayed transformed.
"I think I see light up ahead," Shippo boasted since he could still walk upright.
They all craned their neck to see better except for Miroku who was reaching out for the demon slayer's rear. He was almost there when her hand sunk into a small hole causing hiraikotsu to shift directly into the side of his hand. He pulled it back while stifling a yell and shook off the injury.
"Monk, don't get any ideas back there," Sango warned.
"Well, not anymore," he mumbled.
They came to the end of the tunnel and were able to stand up, but they couldn't see very far. The darkness almost seemed to swallow them and there was no indication of the light Shippo saw earlier.
"Shippo, can you make it brighter?" Kagome asked.
"I'll try," he said. He jumped into the air and threw a big flare of fox fire. It didn't make the area much brighter, but allowed them to see that they were in an empty dome shaped cave.
"So, where's all this light you talked about?" Inuyasha jeered.
"I know I saw it. If you were a real demon you would've seen it too," he sneered at the half demon.
"Why you," Inuyasha stomped over to Shippo and grabbed him by the neck.
"Aah! Kagome help! Inuyasha's picking on me again!" he yelled desperately.
"Well, you kind of walked into that one," she said calmly.
Inuyasha started pounding the fox demon over the head, but then suddenly jerked his attention to the left. Not only were there small lights hovering close to the floor, but the smell of the demon ants increased.
"I may not be a full demon, but those aren't lights," he growled, dropping Shippo on the ground.
Everywhere they looked small beady eyes appeared and surrounded them like a tall barricade. They placed their backs to each other and readied their weapons. Shippo shook with fright in the center of their defensive circle as Kirara growled on Sango's left side. Miroku held his staff firmly in his right hand with ofudas in the other. Kagome notched an arrow in her bow and Inuyasha drew tetsusaiga.
"Seems like the lights found us," the half demon smirked.