I do not own InuYasha or the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.
The Lost Chapters: The Desire Within Part 6
They walked side by side following the trail of blood from the injured demon ant. The walls and ceiling were at least three times the size of the previous tunnel, but it didn't make Kagome feel more comfortable. Shippo repeatedly flinched at every shadow and noise he heard the deeper they went.
"Shippo please try to stay calm," Kagome urged.
"Right, I have to be strong," he told himself.
All of a sudden Kirara's hair stood up on her back and she started to growl. All of them stopped and stared at her while Shippo cowered behind Kagome.
"Kirara, what's wrong?" Sango asked nervously, but without delay the ground beneath them began to rumble.
"Let's go!" Miroku shouted as rock sediments fell on them.
"Kagome," Inuyasha beckoned, kneeling down. She climbed on his back and Shippo hopped up on her shoulder.
Sango and Miroku mounted Kirara and they raced to the end of the tunnel, dodging around rocks. There wasn't much time to think about fear, but when they reached the end of the tunnel they found that feeling return. They gaped upon an enormous creature approximately 30 feet wide. It had six eyes scattered randomly atop of his head and three sets of antennae that whipped at the walls of its giant nest. Its body was a round, hard, black shell covered with sharp bristled hairs and its blood stained beak snapped at the air. The ominous light that had intensified through the tunnel was cast by one green eye directly above where a nose would've been on a normal face.
"What the hell is that?!" Inuyasha blurted out. The giant ant immediately stopped scrambling to locate the source of that voice. It found them quickly and without warning lashed at them with its antennae. Kirara veered to the right to avoid the attack as Inuyasha leapt to the left. Kagome was silently thankful for the small insects they had in the future and clung tighter to the half demon. He landed gently on a small rock cliff alongside the demon.
"Woman, you're choking me!" he barked at her.
"Oops! Sorry about that," she agreed quickly and slid off his back.
He rolled his eyes and unsheathed tetsusaiga. "Just stay out of the way while I take care of this," he boasted.
"Oh right, just like you did back there," Kagome mumbled under her breath.
He turned to look at her sharply, "What did you say?" he threatened.
"Nothing," she lied sweetly.
"Inuyasha! Kagome! Watch out!" Miroku yelled across to them. The half demon acted quick, scooped up Kagome and jumped away from the slashing antennae.
He landed a few feet away, "Are you okay?" he asked, looking into the brown eyes of the girl in his arms. She nodded and stared back into his noticing that the way he looked at her stole her breath away.
"Hey, why'd you leave me?" Shippo panted, jolting them out of the moment.
"I didn't know you needed a separate invitation," Inuyasha teased, lowering Kagome's legs down to the floor. He pushed her behind him. "Shippo, keep an eye on her," he instructed. That seemed to calm down the fox demon and he took a fighting stance next to her side.
"Now back to business," Inuyasha smirked and jumped onto the large demon hacking at the whip-like antennae.
Miroku and Sango were already battling another set of antennae on the opposite side. The monk was fearful of using his wind tunnel due to the demon's large size. The last thing he wanted was to tear his wind tunnel. He also wasn't too keen on accidently sucking in his friends on the other side. Hiraikotsu wasn't strong enough to break the antennae, but effectively caused harm. Inuyasha relied on his quickness and dexterity, but was unable to deliver a fatal blow.
From Kagome's safe haven on the wall she observed the green eye glow brighter every time her companions' advanced. If she could just disable that eye they might have a chance she thought to herself. Shippo saw the young girl's face shift to a determined look as she made up her mind.
"What is it Kagome?" he asked.
"If I can take out that eye, it won't be able to predict all their moves," she explained.
She reached back into her quiver and took a deep breath. She had one arrow left and had to hit the mark. She notched the arrow, and aimed, but didn't release it. If she missed, not only would the demon attack her, but they would lose their one chance to take it down. She carefully edged closer to the end of the cliff.
"Kagome, not too close, if you fall Inuyasha will kill me," he panicked.
"It's okay Shippo, it seems sturdy enough," she assured him.
She drew back her arm and aimed carefully. She didn't want that thing to deflect it so she waited a bit longer for the right moment. Then she saw her opening, Inuyasha had somehow entangled his sword with two of the three sets of the antennae while the other set was battling with Sango. She exhaled as she released the arrow, and hoped the demon ant wouldn't move out her target zone. Shippo held his breath he watched, but soon squeezed his eyes shut. The arrow hit dead on producing a blinding light. It swept over them like the sun and then diminished to a weak light source. The demon screeched and thrashed around its nest, but the arrow stayed lodged in the green eye. The demon continued to thrash angrily and slammed Inuyasha against the cave wall. It untangled its antennae and went straight for Kagome. She turned and ran away from the edge of the cliff, but it struck the wall below her causing the cliff to fall. Sango and Miroku flew to her and she grabbed a hold of Miroku's staff. Shippo transformed and floated over to them as the demon slayer and monk pulled up the girl.
"That's it I've had it with your ugly ass," the half demon growled.
He set his stance and that aggressive look swept over his face.
"Sango, get everyone out of the cave," he ordered.
She nodded and fled towards the way they came in.
Just as his friends disappeared he focused all his attention on the monster who was still distracted by the arrow. Inuyasha could smell the wind scar forming and his excitement mounted.
"Lights out, you ugly bastard!" he jeered and swung tetsusaiga.
The power of his attack sliced apart the demon and plunged Inuyasha into darkness.
A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long, but as an added bonus the next chapter will be added in a day or two. Thanks for sticking with me.