The Dog is in Distress
Awareness was like clouds, shifting slowly somewhere beyond his reach. He was floating on a liquid surface of obliviousness. He had risen to this spot somewhere between the unconsciousness and consciousness, unable to go back or forward, sluggishly taking in fragmented information his senses provided.
The air was somewhat stale, but not in a way closed spaces would smell. There were3 little scents and sounds floating in it. He inhaled deeply, realizing that he was lying on the uneven surface of tiny rocks, pretty cool. He smelled decay and cat, insect of some sort and incense smoke.
"We brought you the bow and the sword. I demand you give me the spell," spoke a male voice, sounding arrogant and full of himself.
"Moth!" gasped a feminine voice, shocked.
"It is well, Toran," another feminine voice spoke. It sounded hollow as if coming from a distance or from underground. "This one shall keep up her end of the deal. Take this and place it on the corpse of your sire. It will let you absorb his energy without reviving him fully. Go and come back as Lord Hyouga."
"I shall do that. You have my thanks and the use of my followers until I return."
"Very well," there was a sound that he recognized as gravel crunching underfoot. He wasn't listening too keenly to the voices, numb and not concerned.
"Empress…" the tone of the outraged voice was now hesitant.
"He is of little concern, Toran. Do you wish to be granted your reward as well?
"No. The revival of the Panther King can wait until after your glorious return.
"Wisdom resides in you," the hollow voice sounded pleased.
"What will happen to the insect?" the one called Toran asked after a moment. "He will grow immensely in power if he absorbs his sire's power.
"Byakiya paid this one a visit. His lord informed that the Lady of the West is back with her mate. This one saw it prudent to use the moth prince to draw the attention of the one who can prevent this one's return."
"Ah, I see. Good that I am smarter and actually provided the artifacts while he just flapped his wings," Toran snickered.
"Males are fools, all of them. Be advised to always keep them thinking they are commanding you, not the other way around."
He was not impressed by the two females. That made him think about 'his own' female. Kagome, the crazy wench, who saw him as no different than any other man, who accepted everyone with an open heart. She never sought to control him and actually tried to set him free from the beads and duty of the shrine guardian.
He reached out for her, ready to touch her sleeping mind. But there was nothing, not a wisp of awareness, just a general sense she was somewhere… somewhere beyond his reach.
It was so strange, so unnatural not to be able to reach her, not to hear her voice in his mind. Almost his entire life he had been connected to someone, even if most of them tried to talk to him as little as possible or had little kindness for him. And now, with Kagome, he was spoiled for the contact, for the easy banter and silly remarks from her, expecting to hear her grumble grumpily in the morning or babble about her newest story or gush over some cute shit. The silence in his mind was deafening, stealing from him all the warmth his keeper had brought him over the time they shared this bond. He was once again only a half-breed, alone and forgotten, observing the lives of others and never taking part, except when someone tried to hurt him.
How could he be so foolish and let himself be parted from his charge? How could he be such an idiot to let Kagome get away from his mind speaking range? How was he to return to her, his body so numb and weak, his mind separated from her? How was he going to find his miko?
He imagined her, alone and confused, trying to figure out where he had gone from the stairs to the stupidplace,. Her brown eyes sweeping the expanse of the land, searching and not finding, her voice calling him with a hint of annoyance that gave way to concern. His heart broke thinking about her crying for him, that foolish, reckless, accepting, wonderful wench of his was prone to tearing up so easily.
It was his duty to keep his keeper safe, to protect his priestess, to make Kagome forget about her stupid tears, even if it meant making her angry. And he was failing at that.
He howled her name in his mind, desperately extending himself in an attempt to reach her, but it was all for naught. She was too far, so far. She should never be so far from him, from the safety of her family shrine. She was so new to this all, so not prepared, how could she be here, in the hidden realm, where youkai stalked the land, not slink in the shadows. He should be at her side, keeping her safe.
What energy he had seemed to fade, ebb away with his frantic attempts to reach Kagome, his mind swimming in numb darkness that crept closer with every second. The sea he was floating on seemed to swallow him back in, away from the sky.
At least she wasn't alone, the monk and slayer were with her and he desperately hoped they were escorting her back to the shrine. He would go back to her as soon as he could, but he had to know that she was where she was protected by the barrier. He had to have somewhere to return to, someone to return to.
'Wait for me, Kagome.' the shrine guardian pleaded.