Chapter Twelve

Kagome woke with a start, a sharp pain piercing her side still, causing her to take in a sharp quick breath. Before she let it out slowly and glanced around her, her heart racing. Around her everyone was asleep, Shippo in the bed beside her, Sango on the make shift cot at the end of her bed, the fire had died down in the fire place to nothing but red embers. The whole in the wall was fixed, but the wood had holes and leaked a cold breeze that wafted through the cold room. Rubbing her hands up and down her arms that where covered in goose bumps, she slipped from her bed and over to the fire. Taking a stick, she poked at the embers a little before she placed more wood upon them. Waiting a few minutes, she poked at he embers again till the wood begun to light. When there was enough flame she added another piece of larger wood, and moved back to let the fire warm up her room.

Standing she looked about her. In the past few days they had slowly made their way back to her castle and her awaiting army and family. Her mother and Sota where in near tears when she returned, afraid they had lost another of their family. Her warriors where more then glad to have their leader back. Though she was still injured greatly, the wound on her side taking forever to heal, she had been forced to stay in her room and rest, but that had been more then a week ago, her wound was nothing more then a large scab that only pulled and hurt if she moved wrong, or sat up to quickly like she had when she had awoken.

Moving to the double doors, she opened one and stepped out onto the deck like structure that sat out side it, and over looked the lands below. There where very few fires burning in the night, and a cool breeze moved about the lands, carrying with it the scent of rain, but what woke her was not around, it was as if she could sense something strong and growing near by. AS if an energy pulsed and pulled her in the direction it was in. Moving to the right along the stone wall, she faced the southern land, and looked about. Little forest covered here, and yet she swore she could see a faint pink glow pulsing inside of it. A pink glow that looked oddly familiar.

Moving her hand to her neck, she pulled out the strong that was wrapped around it and tucked into her shirt, upon it, tied to the string was small piece of what was a round stone. The pink almost clear color glimmered in the little moon light above, and spun as she held it in front of her. It only took a moment of focusing on it that it begun to pulse and glow a soft pink, a pink glow that matched that in the forest. She stuffed it back in her shirt and narrowed her eyes on that spot once more. The glow was moving farther to the right, and towards her castle.

Something was coming this way, and with it another part of that shard that had broken from the jewel all those days ago. Quickly running back inside, she slipped on her shoes, grabbeed her bow and snuck quietly from her room, and down the stairs. She moved silently and unnoticed by anyone, as she left the southern doors and ran straight for the forest, feeling the pull she followed it, till she could see the glow before her, Sneaking up behind a tree she awaited for the jewel to appear closer, notching an arrow into the string, she turned and faced the creature holding the jewel. "Hold it!" She called out, about to take aim.

Inuyasha and Yulliana made their way through the forest once more. Some how they had found a way to stick to the forest based land for easy coverage. Even when they passed through Inuyasha's home lands, did they stay hidden. They where not ready to face the demons that served under him and his brother. Given that both him and Yuliana where last as he knew, under watch. To be found and possibly, to be killed. Avoiding their home like a plague they only figured there was one place they could go to. Kagome's castle, and hope the humans took mercy on them, though it was unlucky, but Yuliana suggested it, as she had to know if Shippo would be okay.

So they followed the path Yuliana seemed to memorize so well and towards the castle, a path Inuyasha had problems finding once before when he was stalking her out. Back then they where clear enemies, never getting along, unless under Sesshomaru's orders, and now. Now they practiced fighting every day, and traveled at night. They slept little and where always moving, and now they could be considered on the border line of friends, though Inuyasha would never admit it, that it was to that point. Even if they still did have their spats, or harbored hurt feelings from their not so friendly past. They at least where not at each others necks, trying to kill each other... All the time anyway.

It took days to get to the border line of the human's lands, their scent clear on the air, as the large group seemed to move about a lot, patrolling the forest line quiet often. So they only moved at night and kept in cover during the day to avoid the humans. It was that night when they neared the castle that they knew to move quickly and head right for Kagome's room. Where there would be a lesser chance of them having to fight any humans.

It was nearing the border line of the forest that Inuyasha froze, as if catching a scent on the wind, it was him freezing in spot that had Yuliana to pause and glanced at him. She was about to open her mouth to speak when a rustle in the leaves and loud shout of "Hold it." Made her freeze and snap her jaw back shut. She turned and faced the figure behind her that held a notched arrow at their direction. Her eyes blinked, and if she could smile she would have. "Kagome." Yuliana said half cherry as she stood there, afraid to move or else the human would make an accidental shot and hurt one of them, Inuyasha on the other hand had only narrowed his eyes at the human. "Kagome..." he drew out the name, as if testing it. He still did not fully trust this human. This human he had been fighting for quiet a few years, this human who looked to strangely like his lost lover, and the fact that he had to try and save her only days before hand. It was still unnervingly uncomfortable to him, that he wasn't sure how to react around her yet.

Kagome froze, her bow lowering as she blinked at the darkness, making out the figures before her. The voices where familiar, the form of the canine before her even more so, but what made the images click, was the person covered in red from shirt to feet, and the long silver hair that seemed to stand out strong, even in the darkness around her. She blinked once and gave a small half smile. "Inuyasha... Yuliana." She said each name in turn, as Inuyasha seemed to only nod, and annoyed angered look upon his face. She narrowed her eyes on him before moving to the canine at his side. "Are you feeling better?" Kagome asked, the last image of Yuliana bloodied and hurt flashing through her mind that she frowned and tried to look her over in the dark, but could hardly see a thing. other then the simple nod of the canines head.

"Quite fine actually." Yuliana smiled. "I'm glad to see your doing well your self." She stated, remembering as well that Kagome was hurt more or less more so then her own self, and Yuliana wasn't sure the girl could recover from a wound she had suffered, but here she was, moving about and aiming and arrow at their head with little fear. Yep the girl was fine.

Kagome nodded, her eyes still locked onto the canine, and the spot on her right side that glowed bright pink of the jewel shard that seemed to be in her person, she must had fell to silent, or stared to long as Inuyasha cleared his voice and her eyes snapped back to him. She blinked once. :Oh.. Umm." She stuttered the sighed. "How about you guys come back with me, where we can talk where I can see." She suggested Inuyasha let out an annoyed sigh, about to say something but Yuliana flicked him in the leg with his tail and snapped her teeth at him once. "Sounds like a good idea." She stated quickly and moved to follow after Kagome, with a sulking angered Inuyasha glaring daggers at Kagome's back, that she tried to ignore, though it sent chills down her spine knowing he was doing so.

It was a bit of a task getting the three of them inside and upstairs to Kagome's room unnoticed, but as soon as they rounded into the room, an orange ball of fur bounced past Kagome and straight into the canines side, who toppled over as the orange ball seemed to bounce on her side, as she struggled to stand up. "Yuliana! Your okay!" Shippo cheered out, hugging the canine around her neck as she nuzzled her muzzle into the canines side. "It's good to see you Shippo." Yuliana said in a soft motherly tone as they made their way into Kagome's bed room.

Sango awoke to the noise and eyed Inuyasha as he walked over to the window sill and sat down upon it, his eyes glaring at everyone in turn. As if he couldn't trust them, and Kagome wouldn't blame him. Technically he was in enemy territory after all.

"Kagome.. Should he be here?" Sango asked defensibly, her eyes narrowed on the red clad demon, her hands resting on the hilt of the sword she kept at her side. Kagome place a light hand on her shoulder. "Yuliana says he is safe, then he should be. He did help me back there." Kagome smiled only half lightly, as she refused to look at the demon and turned to Yulilana. :What brought you guys here?" She asked, ignoring the glowing light on the canines side as she moved to sit on the end of her bed, Yuliana and shippo sitting in front of her on the floor.

"I figured it would be safer here." Yuliana stated as she looked to Shippo. "Plus I was wondering if you guys where doing okay, from that last time we met, you where quiet injured." Yuliana stated her eyes moving back to Kagome.

Kagome nodded. "True. I'm fine now. As I see you are as well. But why didn't you go back to your lands." She stated, Inuyasha huffed behind her, she took a quick glance his way, met his amber eyes then quickly looked away, feeling her skin crawl at the odd look her gave her.

"Well... Lets just say I'm not wanted there." Yuliana sighed out. "And neither is Inuyaha." She stared at the half demon who narrowed his eyes at her.

"Only because of you betraying us first." He huffed out, standing to his feet.

"I never di such a thing." Yuliana growled out, as she too stood and they advanced towards each other.

"IF you never lied about finding this place, we would never have been here to be caught in the first place!" He yelled out. Yuliana let out a deep warning growl that vibrated in the small room.

"I did what felt was right." She snapped back as they closed in on each other.

Feeling with panic, Kagome jumped from her bed and stood between the two. "Please stop fighting. I think we have had enough of that for now. Plus I don't want the guards to come in." kagome said in a rush, turning her eyes to the canine who froze in her path, then looked away and sat back down. Kagome then looked to Inuyasha pleadingly. He froze as he looked into her eyes, his mouth falling open as if to say something, before a mask replaced the hurt Kagome saw flash in his eyes, with anger and growled. "Fine!" he huffed out and moved back to the window, this time facing out it and his back to the group.

Kagome let out a relived sigh, and her and Sango shared a knowing look.

"I'll stand outside and keep guard." Sango said standing to move to the door, her eyes falling on the half demon, as she shook her head, then left the room. Kagome watched her leave then looked to the group, it fell awkwardly silent in the room. She cleared her throat then yawned. "How about we get rest for now, and take care of this at day break?" She suggested, her eyes falling on Inuyasha's back who only huffed and quickly sat on the floor still facing away from them. Kagome rolled her eyes and looked to the other two who simply nodded.

Kagome moved to sleep in her bed, watching as Yuliana laid upon the floor near the fire, and Shippo curled into her side, Kagome titled her head in wonder, wondering about their story before she closed her eyes and sleep consumed her.

AN: Sorry guys for taking so long! My laptop broke and i Finally just got a new one, though Im still trying to get used to this one, and its tiny key board. But here is your chapter. Hope you enjoyed it! Please R&R
Also this chapter takes places roughly about two weeks after they escape that place and had split ways.
Next chapter might jump back two weeks again, or a week to give time for the other group to take place.