Blanket Disclaimer: The writer does not own any characters created by Rumiko Takahashi but like everyone else wishes she did. All original characters or concepts are the author's Inuma Asahi De's (with the exception of historical figures).
Chapter Fifty
Come
Kagome held onto Inuyasha's back while sitting side saddle, careful to keep her distance while still being close enough not to fall off the horse as it galloped. Around her the world was passing by at a remarkable rate, little flashes of trees or bushes brushing just the outline of her vision as they blurred flew by her. "I've never moved this fast." She thought to herself with a groan as she closed her eyes for a moment, focusing on not throwing up from sheer dizziness. "Dear lord." She internally whimpered before opening just one eye, looking out at the quickly passing landscape.
Every once and a while, a streak of color and war paint would pass across her line of vision making her blink in order to register what the blur had actually been even though she was well aware of the colored streaks identity. "I can't believe," She thought as another streak passed them by, coming to land in a nearby tree. Just for a moment the streak came into clarity, presenting itself in the shape of a person before disappearing once again. "I can't believe Onaconah's warriors can move that fast."
She gulped turning her head back to the red clad back that rested before her, hands fisted in the mane of an unbelievably fast horse as he leaned forward away from her. She frowned at the sight, her body feeling slightly cold from the gesture but shook her head, pushing the thought away as she turned her eyes to studying the mane of the horse instead, "They said this is a mustang." She recalled as she glanced at the large ears and just managed to see the bright blue crisp eyes. "They're like Jinenji's eyes. I wonder if this thing is a type of demon—maybe a lesser class?" She had heard of demons such as this, lesser demons that don't have a human form or human speech but do have abilities that far exceeded their animal counterparts. "Yeah, this must be a demon horse—not like Jinenji who's a hominoid demon but—a regular demon horse."
The wind turned cold against her skin suddenly and Kagome shivered, "It's not even winter yet!" She grumbled to herself before she sighed letting the thought drift off as she resisted the urge to lean just a little closer to Inuyasha. Now would not be the time for such an intimacy, in fact she was surprised that he was even allowing her to ride behind him. She had thought for sure he would have pawned her off on one of the other men. "I guess the only reason he didn't is because none of them are using horses—I'd have to ride on their backs—." She flushed at the thought and closed her eyes tightly in embarrassment before opening them slowly, sadly, her vision taking in his constantly moving back as they were jarred by the pounding hoof falls of the horse.
"What did you say?" He had asked bluntly, his eyes gleaming as he took her in.
Kagome closed her eyes tightly as the memory of two days before touched her brain.
"Nothing." She had replied.
She frowned deeply, opening her eyes as her response reverberated in her head. "Of course he saw through that." She berated herself as she took a look at his ears that were flattened against his head, pushed down by the wind. "I should have just—I don't even know what I should of done."
"No," Inuyasha had given her a stern look, one that told the young girl that he had heard her, that she couldn't deny it. "You said—," He had then licked his lips and stuttered before inhaling deeply as if trying to control himself. "What did you say?"
"I," Kagome had felt as if her voice had frozen in her throat, this was a subject they had never spoken of—the woman she had come from, the woman who her soul had once belonged to, the woman the Captain had once known and most likely loved, the woman who had rejected that love because of what he was. Her lips had trembled, she didn't want to be responsible for dragging up such horrid memories. "I—well—I—."
Kagome unconsciously tightened her hands on Inuyasha's sides, the memory causing small tears to form in her eyes. "I should of—I should have—good god, what should I have done!" She felt like banging her head against a wall—she probably could use the shock to her brain.
"Kagome." His voice had been stiff, stiffer even than his body that had looked so taunt that his muscles rippled under his clothes. "Just—," He had grunted and turned his eyes up, looking at her, his face filled with pain that he couldn't quiet disguise.
"I—," Kagome had started again feeling horrible for having brought up something so painful after they both had experienced such intense hope. "I'm sorry just forget it, just—it's no big deal. Just a stupid, pointless question."
But it hadn't been pointless to him, something in his eyes had awakened at her words, a pain, a memory—it had been hard to tell but soon his expression had changed, it had grown soft and almost contemplative. Kagome shivered at the memory of those intense golden eyes blurring, losing a spark for a second and then turning to her, dark, brooding, and in pain.
"Why do you wanna know?" His voice had been faint, gloomy and faint.
Kagome had shut her mouth tightly at the words looking at him as he stared at her, the pain in his eyes old and yet—
"It was faded." Kagome looked up at the streaks of light that made up the dusk hours of the afternoon. "Like it hurt but—not as much as before." Kagome shook her head perplexed by the memory of his reaction. "Back at Kaede's," She thought. "He was so angry, violent even—what changed?"
She bit her lip, the expression more of curiosity than sadness. "Inuyasha." She had started to say but he had ducked his head and growled, the sound had made her shudder.
"Just answer the question." He had told her firmly, his voice tight and almost angry but not with her. "Please, just." He had glanced up at her through his bangs, his eyes pleading for her to leave her thoughts alone and focus on the conversation. "Answer, just answer."
Kagome had had no choice but to look into those honey orbs and grimace but gave in none the less. "You remember with Jinenji, I um—I, you thought after I used my power that I—." She had allowed her voice to trail off not wanting to finish the sentence, not wanting him to hear her words.
He didn't say anything right away, he didn't even look at her. "I remember what happened."
"Are you sure?"
The look on his face was one Kagome would never forget. "He looked at me like I had stolen something from him." She mused. "Something valuable a memory that he had kept tucked away as truth and that I—I was saying was false." She glanced at Inuyasha's red clad back watching as his shoulders strained, the muscles tensing as he pulled the horses mane left, directing them after the warriors and Onaconah. He muttered something—it sounded inappropriate.
Inuyasha had glanced upwards at her odd words, his expression taunt, confused and questioning. "I was there." He had said bluntly. "I saw it—I aaa." He had lost his voice and his nerve. Slowly, he had ducked his head away again.
"But," Kagome had taken a deep breath. "You weren't with me."
His head had shot up, his eyes had dilated and his mouth had dropped. "I was right there," He had yelled and she had flinched but his verbal assault had not stopped. "I was beside you when you fucking fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes and—." He had stopped, something like moisture had brimmed his eyelashes and he had snarled—literally snarled before slamming his fist in the ground, unable to speak those words out loud.
"I didn't." Kagome had spoken evenly, not allowing his snarl to frighten her as much as it should have.
"What?" His voice had sounded like a bite, intense and pained and frustrated. "I know you did, I was there, we've already been over this, I was right there! I watched you—" He had swallowed hard, and exhaled with a stutter to his very breath. "Kagome—I—I saw you—
"Die." Kagome's present thought finished the words he had spoken, a pressure forming in her stomach as she imagined that word tumbling from his lips. It had sounded dirtier than any curse word she had ever heard him say. It had sounded forbidden and he had winced and closed his eyes after saying it, his very posture slumping down until he was leaning against the wall, appearing to her resolute to die himself.
Inuyasha and Kagome had gone silent as the word strung in the air like some kind of disease. Kagome thought to speak, to reassure, to give him confidence, but just as fast as her voice had gained the ability to talk, it lost it and she found both herself and him draped in silence, until suddenly he stood his posture perfect and his eyes hidden by bangs.
"I can't do this." He had spoken hastily before turning and starting towards the door.
Kagome had felt frozen, her legs unable to move, the panther pelt caressing her skin drawing her to her spot, holding her. His back had started to walk away, his hand had started to grab for the curtain at the same time an invisible one had grabbed at her voice. She had opened her mouth, had tried to speak but the words had been dead.
"Stop." Kagome whispered, the words easy for her now, not impossible as they had been then. It had taken all her will those two long days ago to say what she had, all of her will. "Was it worth it?"
"Stop!" Kagome had yelled, as she somehow managed to stand. "Please," She had continued as she crossed the room and grabbed at his back, pulling him back into the hut—
"It was so easy to pull him." Kagome thought oddly now as she glanced at the muscles hidden underneath layers of red rippling before her eyes. "So much muscle, so strong and yet I pulled him from the door as if he had nothing more than the strength of a baby." She tightened her hands on the fabric of the jacket, feeling it between her fingers, it felt just as it had when she had grabbed him and pulled him back from the threshold of the door only—only now it was different, it was stiff unmovable. Kagome loosened her grip unconsciously.
"Inuyasha, please, listen to me." She had begged, her small hands fisting in the fabric of his shirt. "Sit and let me explain."
Inuyasha had growled low in his throat, but hadn't resisted instead he had only turned his head to look at her. "I prefer to stand."
Kagome had growled, actually growled in return and Inuyasha had frozen his eyes focused on her. "Fine." She had grounded out, her hands holding onto him tighter in case he choose to try to leave again. "I didn't die." Her words even to her own ears had sounded too blunt.
His faced had shown surprise but he hadn't said a word in response to her admission.
"My powers were too much for my body to bear so my soul left so my body could rest. I went to—to—," She had thought for a second, she hadn't know what the place was called, the white spirit had said it had no name, that it couldn't be defined but how to explain that to someone so disbelieving. "I went to the spirit world." She had finally settled on.
Kagome smirked to herself now with a shake of her head still unable to believe he had so easily believed her.
Inuyasha had blinked trying to understand what he had just heard. "Spirit world?"
"A world of white," She had gone on to explain, her fingers loosening their grip if only slight. "A spirit resting their told me—told me that my body couldn't handle the power of a Miko so it needed rest."
"I see," His voice had trailed off and his body had relaxed ever so slightly as he looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. "A world of white protected you."
"Yes." She bit her lip and opened her mouth again.
The horse jolted her back to reality as it jumped over some unknown object in their path as they entered a wooded area—literally a forest. She felt her body raise upwards the Captain's own body leaning slightly forward at the same time before they both lowered back down. For a moment, she tightened her grip and closed her eyes, fear permeating her whole person as the horse galloped on as if nothing strange had happened. Taking a deep breath she opened her eyes and for a minute blinked startled as she noticed a hint of gold in her vision, as if the Captain had looked back at her but by the time she was able to process the thought, he had turned away once more or perhaps her mind had only been playing tricks on her and he had never actually turned around.
She exhaled slightly, her heartbeat coming back to its normal tempo as she studied his back, her mind easily slipping back into the memory, not willing to question his possible glance in her direction. "Why did I tell him?" Kagome wondered to herself, feeling stupid, feeling as if she should have kept the truth behind the spirit world a secret, the truth behind its purpose and also its limited nature.
"The spirit," She began to tell the truth. "In that world told me that I only get one chance, that I only get one session of rest, next time I use my powers to the extreme—," She had hesitated for only a second. "I'll die."
Inuyasha's eyes had widened.
Kagome had realized that he was about to lose it and so had hastily moved on. "It also told me though, that I um—," She stumbled her mouth trying to move fast enough to cut off his train of thought. "I needed to find something, some kind of weapon and I'd be okay because I can channel my power through it and not tax my body."
He still had said not one word.
"So," She had continued, her body practically twitching with nerves. "As soon as I find that—thing that I'm supposed to channel my power through I'll be fine." She had smiled but he had only continued to look through her. "No death, just power." She had added nervously.
Kagome huffed and resisted the urge to bury her face in her hands, knowing that removing her hands from Inuyasha's clothes would be the equivalent to suicide. "Why did I say that? He didn't need to know I would actually die next time, I could have just told him about the object, that's all he really needed to know anyway, right?" Kagome wondered as she watched the sun start to completely lower on the horizon. "It doesn't matter, he didn't say anything about any of it afterwards, my 'death,' the world of white or even what Kikyo used to channel," She frowned at that for only a moment. "He avoided that all together. Instead, he just looked away and," She glanced at Inuyasha now. "He hasn't said a word since." Kagome once again found herself resisting the urge to lean against him, she wanted comfort but it's hard to gain comfort from the one who is responsible for your frustration.
The horse started to slow down as her memories trailed off and she sighed while glancing at the slowing world around her as the Captain pulled gently on the mane of the horse coaxing it to a full on stop as the warriors came to stand still all around them, stretching out there tired muscles while they chatted amongst themselves.
Kagome grimaced as she watched them set out to collect firewood, her eyes saddening at the prospect of spending another uncomfortable night on the ground with nothing but a deer skin as a blanket. "I miss my bed." She grumbled, thinking of the soft bed the Captain had bought her so long ago. She glanced at the sky, taking in the stars that were already forming and the vast Milky Way that she was so accustomed to. Still low on the horizon, the moon was starting to make its way into the sky as the sun descended, the beautiful white gem nearly full against the black star speckled back drop.
With a grace Kagome would never hope to achieve, Inuyasha jumped off the horse, his body not even brushing hers as he landed on the ground silently and then without looking at her, offered his hand, his eyes studying the Cherokee people as they went about setting up a temporary camp. Kagome winced at the removed gesture, feeling exposed and far away from him—the person she had seemingly (in only a matter of months) become closer to than anyone. She started to reach her hand for his own, her fingers expanding outwards only to hesitate, her fingers flinching back together in a fist as she bit her lower lip.
"Kagome?" He pressed when she didn't take his hand right away, his eyes still forward away from her, but his chosen word vital to her conscious.
"He used my name." There was a subtle gentleness in that gesture, one that seemed to tell her not to worry. "As long as he's still calling me Kagome, then—then everything will be okay." Feeling a little better, Kagome reached her hand forward once more, her fingertips just brushing the palm of his upturned hand. A slight jolt entered her at the contact and she took a deep shaky breath as he slowly turned and looked at her. His eyes were bright, brighter than the moon in the sky, but his face was drawn tight in a tired line that contradicted that brightness. Slowly, with no words or changes in expression, he closed his hand around her fingers and turned more fully towards her.
"Inu—." She whispered breathily, her mind trying to wrap around his expression, around his sadness, around his hand that so gingerly encompassed her own.
"Do you remember." He said suddenly, his words reminding her of her own words two days ago. "Do you remember when we first met?"
She blinked rapidly, her voice stuck in her throat.
Gently he ran his thumb over the back of her hand, her skin burning from his touch. "It seems like only yesterday." He stared at their joined hands, he licked his lips and looked at her his gold orbs seeming to beg her to understand something he just wasn't ready to say. "Everything feels like yesterday to me."
She frowned at his cryptic words but before she could even think to speak, he dropped her hand, leaving her cold for moment until suddenly she felt two hands, one on her left hip and one on her right, encircling her as he picked her up off the horse as if she was nothing more than a feather. He held her for a moment, his eyes still looking into her own, her face growing warm from the intensity of his darkened gaze. Abruptly, he shook his head before he very faintly smiled and tightened his grip, pulling her upwards and off the horse, spinning her around so she was facing the large mustang and then expertly set her on her feet.
"Thank you." She said with a shaky whisper, her hips feeling unnaturally warm as his hands held onto her.
"You're welcome." His whispered back, licking his lips and taking a deep gulp of air before hastily releasing her, the spot where his hands hand been cold as he stepped back a fair and respectable distance, depositing one of his hands into his hair, rubbing the back of his head as his eyes darted trying not to look at her. "Kagome I—," He began, his voice hesitant in a way that only she could induce. "I just—it's still fresh and I just—."
"Common Dog!"
"Yes?" Inuyasha turned quickly away from her, happy for the distraction.
Onaconah ran towards them, the feather head dress crowning his head appearing ruffled from the run, his forehead painted in a bright red with a black streak going across his eyes from his left to his right ear like all of his men, the paint of a warrior he had called it as Inuyasha and Kagome watched the men apply it to each other. Onaconah had offered to paint Inuyasha's face as well but the dog demon had kindly declined under the pretense that his nose was far too sensitive to deal with the smell for long. The bobcat's had taken the information as fact, seeing as dog demons, were known to have the best sense of smell in the world and it was highly possible that Inuyasha wouldn't be able to take the smell of paint for too long without fear of passing out.
"The horse good?" Onaconah questioned as he came to stand beside them, his eyes gleaming in the dark much like Inuyasha's
"Yeah," The younger man said with a smile before turning and giving the horse a soft rub to the nose. "They're extremely fast these mustangs." The horse offered a slight whine in response to the Inuyasha's words, almost like it understood what had been said, and moved closer nuzzling the Captain's hand.
"Yes," Onaconah agreed as he stepped forward and gave the beast a smile and a slight whine himself. "Mustang best horse here, you know?" He nodded his head at the animal that shook its on large one in response, eyeing the Chief with tremendous intelligence. "Not many tame them, my people—we know secret." He winked and Inuyasha grinned, the younger demon giving Onaconah a knowing look.
"You can talk to them can't you?" He questioned as he lowered his hand off the horses soft nose, his voice sounding a lot more like a statement than a question.
"Very well," Onaconah responded as he hugged the horse to himself, wrapping his arms around its brood neck and resting his head against the side of its muzzle. "For cat at least." He pulled back and rubbed the horses mane gently before turning back towards Inuyasha, his eyes searching for only a second to take in the silent Kagome. "Storm Eyes." He mumbled gently, his voice actually sounding as if he understood her silence, as if he knew that something was going on between her and the Captain but had chosen not to interfere. "How compass?"
Kagome gave him a soft smile and moving closer to the horse, reached into the satchel that rested on its side and pulled the compass out. The second the instrument touched her hands it glowed softly, a glow that could only be seen in the world of night. Bringing it to her chest, she watched as the arrow spun around and around before slowing into short half circles that reminded her of the pendulum of an old grandfather clock. Finally, after several seconds it stopped and pointed dead north, the arrow unbelievably straight. "It's still pointing forward." She whispered before looking up at the two men who had moved closer to her in order to see the magically stagnant arrow.
"It's been doing that way since yesterday night." Inuyasha licked his lips as he spoke, worry etching into his features as he stared at the compass, his mind only vaguely registering his and Kagome's closeness before he leaned away.
"How far way compass point from?" Onaconah asked blankly as he too leaned back a deep frown on his face as he looked at the instrument, wondering about its accuracy.
"I don't know." Kagome told the old man with a shrug. "What do you think, Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha blew out a puff of air and frowned. "With Jinenji it started on the ship and I guess if you think about travel time on water and land, it had to be over thirty miles away when the compass first picked up on the shard." He clicked his tongue. "Since it pointed yesterday at around dusk and we didn't get much closer because of nightfall, maybe only a mile or so and today we've done what?" He tilted his head to the side and thought. "At least twenty five, maybe more?"
"So have not much more?" Onaconah inferred.
"If the compass' range is about thirty miles then no," Inuyasha shook his head firmly doing the math in his head. "The range is thirty." He rattled off three fingers on his hand, tilting his head back in thought. "We've been almost twenty five," He swung his chin back down and looked at Onaconah with a deep frown. "We should get there tomorrow afternoon at the most if we set out at sunrise like yesterday and the day before."
Onaconah lowered his head in thought and turned scenting the air. "We're upwind." He mumbled.
"Yeah." Inuyasha agreed turning his head in the direction they had been traveling in sense the compass had pointed.
"That's not good—," The older man shook his head still scenting to no avail. "I see no fires, you?"
Inuyasha raised his head and furrowed his eyebrows as his sharp eyes reflected the moonlight around him. "None, but if they're in a cove or cave or something we wouldn't, would we?"
Onaconah shook his head and crossed his arms over his bare chest that was painted red with war paint. "I will get scout," He said firmly. "He look head, see how close."
"Sounds like a good idea." Inuyasha agreed as he turned away from the distant prospect of the enemy and back to Onaconah. "You want me to go with?"
"No, Common Dog." Onaconah smiled and released a throaty chuckle. "The horse too loud, you give us way."
"You're assuming I'd use the horse." Inuyasha said back smugly, the comment catching the until now silent Kagome's attention.
"Can he run like them?" She wondered looking between the paint covered warrior and the tall handsome dog demon. "Something tells me he can." She mused as the conversation continued.
"I will send our fastest scout, do not worry, you do 'nough." Onaconah told Inuyasha as he turned and started towards the fire that was already magically built and blazing. "He be back before warriors even think of sleep." He finished and jogged off without another word.
Left alone, Inuyasha silently turned away from Kagome, walking back to the horse and pulling the bag that was strung across its back to the ground. Opening it, he pulled out some leftover food that Hyalei had given Kagome and himself for the journey, and setting it aside frowned. "There's not really enough for both of us." He determined as he stood once again and glanced over at Kagome who was still watching the blazing fire with something of envy in her eyes.
"All she wants is to spend a night not sleeping on the ground cold beside a small fire." He thought as he watched her a feeling of guilt building in him as he watched the look that crossed her face. "I know she doesn't mind their hospitality." He thought as he turned away from her. "But I, it's just not in my nature to take 'handouts' for too long." He shook his head and knelt down before their provisions moving Hyalei's food into two piles that showed how limited their rations really were. Still, he remained stubborn as he once again rearranged the piles until Kagome's had more.
He was a self sufficient man, after all, a man who had practically raised himself for the better part of almost four hundred years, he wouldn't falter on that now—he had far too much pride to do that.
"Protect!"
Inuyasha winced at the voice of the demon inside of him, nearly cringing at the violence with which the words had been spoken. "I know, I am protecting her, me. I don't need the Cherokee to do that." He told the small voice knowing that he was in the wrong.
"Mate."
The voice only chose to grumble this time instead, Inuyasha visibly flinched. "She's not my mate." He told the voice but only balked at his own whispered words before he growled and sat back flat on his ass, feeling like one as well. "Come on," He told himself trying to deny it further. "We just feel that way because we marked her." He told the demon inside of him and for a moment he could have sworn it laughed. "She's—she's Kagome and I—I promised to protect her and I have to keep that promise—that's why—I do what I do because I'm keeping a promise." The demon inside of him snickered, this time he was sure. "Shut up!" He told it furiously and growled low in his throat. "Hey, I know I've broken that promise before but I won't do it again.
"Do it now."
Inuyasha's eyes grew huge at the words of the demon within him, "You mean, I'm breaking it now, don't you?"
"Yes, pride harm mate."
The demon replied calmly, so calmly that Inuyasha's lips parted in surprise. "God damn it." Inuyasha cursed as he realized that the demon was speaking the truth. "Just leave me the hell alone, I can't deal with this anymore." He thought as he quickly shook his head and buried his face in his hands. "The hits just keep coming at once." He shook his head with the thought and tilted it back looking at the awakening night sky. "Everything, Miroku, Sango—Myoga, Totosai, Shippo," The names rattled off, along with the names of other crewman who had been with him forever it seemed, since the beginning when the ship was bequeathed to him all those years ago. "And then, yesterday—."
"How did Kikyo channel her power?"
"I didn't die."
"My powers were too much for my body to bear so my soul left so my body could rest. I went to—to—I went to the spirit world."
"It all comes back to that doesn't it?" He slowly dropped his hands to his lap. "It comes back to Kagome, to that moment when I failed, to the moment I let her—die." He shook his head slowly back and forth. "And now—since yesterday to Kikyo—to the one thing that might save Kagome, I wonder if they use the same object—if that's even possible."
He took a deep shaky breath trying to push the building thoughts away but they were persistent and his heart was beginning to ache. He glanced at Kagome again, she had sat down sometime between now and his last glance, her knees to her chest and her eyes staring at that fire as her chin rested on her knees. The grey sparkled in the shadow of the dancing flames and a part of him calmed, the sight undeniably soothing. The corners of his mouth turned up and he relaxed for just a second as he took in those eyes. "They really are a storm." He thought and slowly pursed his lips, the smile diminishing into a frown. "They aren't anything like Kikyo's."
He exhaled, a breath he hadn't realized he took leaving his lungs, as the thought passed. Quitely, he stood, deciding to swallowing his pride and with heavy feet he started towards the man he recognized as Onaconah's oldest son, determined to ask for more food in order to feed both Kagome and himself without him having to go out and hunt. A chore he didn't mind in the least but one he knew would worry Kagome to no end. First off, because she was sensitive to killing what she called 'small innocent creatures' and second because, despite their 'fight' the other day she didn't want him to leave her sight. Even if she never said it, the idea was implied—her scent would change when he left her visual range, becoming timid and almost scared before it would twinge with the smell of abandonment and anxiety.
The sound of his feet shuffling caused Kagome to turn and look at him, her stormy eyes catching him off guard as she focused solely on him.
"Inuyasha?" She whispered softly as she uncrossed her arms and went to place them in the dirt as if she was about to stand.
He froze before her, his feet becoming lead weights in the ground as he looked down at where she sat. "Yeah?" He responded but his voice was hesitant. He hoped beyond hope that she wouldn't ask anything about their previously conversation, he just wasn't ready to deal with it yet, he couldn't take another hit.
"Do you—," She fidgeted under his gaze and looked down at the compass that still rested in her hands, her eyes staring at the unmoving arrow. "Do you think—we're really that close." She looked up at him, her eyes hopeful. "That we're really going to find them?"
Inuyasha licked his lips, a bit of relief filling him at her words, "Good, safe subject—my pups a good subject." He felt the pain in his heart twinge at the thought of Miroku but once again shoved the thoughts down as he nodded his head firmly.
"That's—," She paused and half smiled. "That's good, I miss them."
Inuyasha furrowed his eyebrows and licked his lips nervously once again. He had been expecting a more enthusiastic response to the realization that soon, they could possibly be reunited with their family, however, Kagome almost seemed reserved and paranoid instead of exuberant like she normally would be about anything, especially something as big as this. "Where is she going with this?"
"So tomorrow," She hesitated for only a moment and lowered her hands. "We might be fighting."
Realization dawned on Inuyasha quickly and he felt another wave of relief. "That's what she's worried about, she doesn't want to fight." He smiled slightly to himself, glad to see that Kagome wasn't thinking to herself that she should be getting prepared as well. That would be a killing hit to his current list of mental blows. "Don't worry Kagome, you won't be fighting."
Much to his surprise, his words did nothing to reassure her, instead her head whipped around and her eyes dilated and one hand pushed her upwards until she was standing, the compass clutched tightly in the other. "But—I have to do something!" She exclaimed with a small step forward.
"Kagome you can't do anything," He pressed watching as she winced at his poor choice of words. "Damn it!" He growled and hurried to rephrase what he had just said. "You don't know how to shot a gun, or wield a knife or anything like that, hell you can't even punch!"
Kagome gritted her teeth and seriously contemplated punching him but didn't for the sole reason that she knew it would only serve to prove his point.
"You'd be nothing but trouble in the middle of what's likely to turn into a full out war." He threw his hands up in the air to reiterate his point.
"But—I'm not completely useless like you seem to think." She fired back her eyes blazing, angered by his complete lack of faith in her. "I can use my—," Her voice trailed off as she looked at him at the stern look he was giving her.
"You know," He spoke evenly, his eyes blazing not with anger but with something far deeper. "Kagome, listen." He took a shaky breath and looked away from her at the small fires that now were dotting the area around them surrounding the bigger one in the middle. He swiveled his ears making sure their conversation was not becoming a point of interest to any of the men that happened to speak English. "That's not an option." He finished in a hushed whisper still not looking at her.
"But, I told you—," She scrambled to find a way out her eyes darting around as she tried to come up with a counter to his argument. "I thought you understood, I didn't die back then, I won't die—and I—I can help somehow."
"Kagome, I remember what you told me," His voice was surprisingly calm to her ears but inside he was shaking. "I can't deal with this, come on, just, come on. If there is a god in heaven then give me a fucking break!" He thought over and over again, his mind racing, images of her pale in his arms fueling all judgment. "And I even believe it, I believe you, there was no lying in your scent." He smelled the air forcibly to reiterate his point. "But it just tells me that you can't protect yourself until you find whatever it is your supposed to use for your powers—." Inuyasha closed his eyes and prayed for patience, counting in his head slowly backwards from ten. "And right now, Kagome, you don't even know what it is."
"It will call to me as soon as I get close enough I'll snatch it up and once I have that—," She shook her head as she tried to find the right words. "Thing I'm supposed to channel my power with I'll be fine."
"But you haven't found it yet Kagome," His eyes snapped opened and he glared at her. "And I doubt you're going to in the next five minutes." He threw his hands up above his head and turned around exasperated, all of his self control going into not yelling, not losing it. "Why can't she get it." He thought as he clutched a hand in his hair. "Come on Kagome, just understand."
"But—."
"No," He turned and looked at her darkly, his voice quite for the sake of their current demon company but sounding as if he wished he could be a whole lot lower. "I need you safe, I need to know you're safe." He pressed as he brought a hand up to rub at his face. "Just—please Kagome understand, I can't protect you all the time and you can't protect yourself without dying right now," He spat the words out as if holding them in would kill him. "So until you know what you're supposed to find and find it, you got to hang back."
The air between them went silent, both of them fighting off feelings of anger and rage and understanding. Both of them wanting the other to hear them and both of them knowing that it was impossible, that they were both stubborn and neither one would back down.
Kagome was the first to move, offering a step backwards away from him as if she was backing down but her eyes just turned darker, the grey swirling and taking over the white as she gave him a stern, hard, determined look. "Answer my question, then." She whispered suddenly, breaking the silent air around their stalemate.
Inuyasha blinked and straightened up, his eyes no longer glaring but instead confused. "What?"
Kagome gritted her teeth and looked Inuyasha in the eye, her own grey stormy visage, brimming with fear and strength at the same time. "My question—you never answered it," She spoke, her voice strong and beautiful in his ears. "How did Kikyo channel her power?"
Inuyasha stood perfectly still, his brain attempting to process her words but not wanting to in the least. This was the question he didn't want to answer, the memories he didn't want to remember and before him was the one person he didn't want to associate with memories of her. He had hoped, honestly hoped, that by ignoring the question from two days before that it would go away and he wouldn't have to relive it but Kagome was ever persistent. "Damn it Kagome." He spoke softly, his words causing her face to go from stern to shocked. "Don't you—I just, damn it!" He turned away from her and brought his hands back into his hair, clutching at it.
"Inuyasha?" She spoke gently now, as if knowing it would get her better results. "Why won't you tell me?"
He whipped his head around, his fingers untangled from his hair and he stared at her, taking in her every feature from lips to eyes, to ears to nose to throat and finally to hair. The curls upon her head were no longer like a crown that curled around her head but instead, reached passed her chin, at least two or three inches longer than they had been the first time he had seen her after she had runaway. He felt his resolve start to waver, felt his mind start to give out, to give in. "Why can't I, why won't I tell her?" He wondered as he fought the urge to reach for her, to touch even one lock of soft black hair.
He knew the answer, deep down, he knew why he couldn't tell her, it was because he was afraid. Not afraid of her fighting, he knew she could, he knew he couldn't stop her once she had her object in her hands. No, he was afraid of something else, something entirely irrational. "Kikyo." Inuyasha winced as the name bubbled within him for reasons he couldn't really explain. It was not like he had a true attachment to that name anymore, that attachment had died long ago when Kikyo had decided to bury their shared memories away; leaving him with nothing but a jewel around a dirty chain.
In fact, the only attachment he had left was standing before him and that's what worried him. What if Kagome, what if Kikyo—what if the two women could have a similarity, what if there was something that connected his past to his present, connected Kagome Dresmont, to Kikyo Cummings. He had thrived on the thought that they were different, built a relationship he was just now acknowledging on those differences. For them to have a similarity would shatter that delicate reality, that true difference that made Kagome the more precious girl.
Inuyasha breathed in heavily and closed his eyes once more, only for the very image he had been dreading, the memory he had been suppressing to finally break into his psyche.
"What's that you're holding, Miss Cunnings?"
Kikyo set in front of her bedroom window, running her fingers around an odd string of beads. "A rosary." She said in English responding to him in the language he seemed to prefer. "My grandmother gave it to me."
"Your grandmother?" He repeated as he came to sit on the floor in front of her. A position he often took up when he came to call on her at night. "It's beautiful."
She smiled in the faint glow of the oil lamp on her desk and continued to finger the beads. They were a dark brownish color, perfectly circular, with unknown writing engraved all along their edges. "Yes, I suppose it is." She closed her eyes then and smiled as she breathed deeply, long deep breaths that captivated Inuyasha as he watched.
After a moment, her body began to glow, a pure intense light that made him tingle all over. A slight breeze filled the room, lifting her hair up as that glow ran to her fingers and absorbed into the beads which she held. The glow grew brighter and brighter shooting forward towards Inuyasha, the strange symbols maintaining their shape as they now hung within the air, dancing around the room as if they were alive.
Inuyasha watched the power in her hands flow around the beads, circling and swirling as Kikyo brought it all out before his eyes. It was a power he was, unknown to her, familiar with. "Miko." Inuyasha whispered and she blinked in surprise, all the power fading from her hands as she lowered them to her lap.
"What?"
"Where I'm from, that's called a Miko."
"Really?" She replied as she fingered the beads absently, ignoring his chance slip up that would have allotted her to learn something about him. Coldly, she turned away instead of speaking of the strange new word, the beads running through her fingers as she absently counted them. "You know, if you were in your—," She refused to say the words. "Other form." She whispered eyes black as night staring from her window. "This would purify you, maybe even kill you."
Inuyasha winced at her voice, not sure if that was threat or not.
Inuyasha's breath hitched in his throat as he came back to safe reality, his eyes landing on Kagome who had moved closer looking both worried and perplexed.
"Inuyasha?" She prodded as she looked into his feral golden eyes.
The chirping of a nearby bird made both of them jump and his ears twitch as they turned in the direction of the small, bright red bird with a bright orange peak that was preparing to spend the night on a nearby low hanging branch. It jumped back and forth attempting to get comfortable as another bird joined it, the two of them hoping on small clawed feet, their heads twitching up and down and left and right, turning so their small beady eyes could look at each other more closely.
Inuyasha forced his heart beat to slow, "It's just a fucking bird." He told himself angrily, his eyes actually seeing red from his own stupidity. "Man I'm on edge, shit." He shook his head back and forth before turning to Kagome who was also taking her time to recover from the small distraction. He studied her for a only a moment the memory of Kikyo's gloomy words teasing his brain.
"This would purify you, maybe even kill you."
Even now he didn't know what she had meant by that, if it had been a threat or something different. Kikyo had always spoken of dark things, of death and purifying demons—it was in her nature but, was it in Kagome's?
"Is that what a Miko is?" She asked suddenly, the tears slipping from her cheeks, her hands posed to catch them but not moving to perform the act. "Do they kill demons without caring?"
The memory hit Inuyasha hard enough that he felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him. He had never seen Kikyo look like that, never seen her second guess killing a demon and yet Kagome had, sweet Kagome had cried for a man who tried to rape her. She had asked for forgiveness, had pleaded.
Before Inuyasha could stop himself though, or even contemplate about that very thought any further, his subconscious mind broke away from his consciousness and he found himself speaking. "Did the spirit mention Kikyo to you?"
"No," Kagome replied surprisingly quickly, her shoulders slumping as she wondered about the strange array of emotions that were crossing his face. "All the spirit said was that, the object would call to me." She told him truthfully. "And I thought maybe she—," Kagome felt her heart clench. "Maybe Kikyo, might have said something to you, about her own object that might help me."
Still avoiding the question Inuyasha glanced at her. "Have you felt anything call to you?"
"Just the compass but I don't think that's it." She spoke softly as she fingered the wooden instrument. "If it was the compass I would of figured it out by now. I mean it was with me with Jinenji, right in my pocket practically," She subconsciously turned the compass over and over in her hand. "And I didn't use it, I didn't even think to use it." She shook her head and looked up at him. "No—I think it's something else but I don't know what. That's why I want to know if Kikyo used something, if she ever told you what it was?" She took a step forward, her expression pleading with him. "If I know what she used then I can find mine quicker I think—I mean it might be the same object even or something at least similar."
Inuyasha swallowed bile that was making its way into his throat, his own fear finally truly voiced out loud. "Even if it is the same object," He wondered. "Will that mean she'll turn into the same person."
"I mean, I know—," Her voice came across as hesitant. "You said that we're not alike and all but I am her reincarnation, right?" She glanced at him but didn't wait for affirmation. "So it's possible that I—." She stopped talking suddenly, her eyes watching as Inuyasha looked away from her and at his feet, his expression distant.
"No." He heard himself say out loud, her words not even touching his mind as he focused on his own question. "No." He turned slowly, mechanically and looked at her his eyes soft, clear, and calm, as if he had just come to some great revelation. "They're too different to ever be the same." He thought to himself as he watched the grey eyes stare at him, a vision of black ones just a vague memory in his mind. "Kagome's object, it has to be her own, there's no way she could ever hold something like Kikyo's. Kagome's herself, just herself." Inuyasha smiled, his heart lightening just a little bit, a fraction as he finally let one thing go, let the idea that Kagome could ever be like Kikyo slowly sink away from him. "A rosary." He told her without another thought.
She took a step back in surprise at his quick admission, her hands crossing over her chest, the compass laying her breast as she softly repeated the phrase. "A rosary?"
"Yeah," He stared at the ground for a moment, took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, refusing to make eye contact with her. "She was a Catholic and the," He shrugged and lowered himself to the ground sitting just as the Indians did with his legs crossed. "The rosary, it was her grandmothers." He finished with a slight glance in her direction.
"Oh," Was all Kagome really managed to say at first. "Do you think—that rosary—that I should look for—"
"No," He cut her off quickly as he leaned his elbows on his knees turning his attention to the ground. "No, I," He paused and actually smiled at the dirt before looking up at her again. "I really don't."
Kagome blinked as she watched him her expression baffled. "But—she's me."
"Kagome," His voice sounded exasperated but there was still a slight strange smile on his face. "You know that's not true." He spoke firmly. "You're nothing like her—you're—you're you."
Kagome felt her lip tremble and she would have replied but at that moment Onaconah returned unexpectantly, a firm expression on his lips. "Common Dog, I have much news." He spoke hastily and without greeting as he absently waved a hand at Kagome, not deliberately ignoring her but plainly not aware that he had interrupted something important. "Scout back."
"So soon?" Inuyasha furrowed his brows in true surprise before giving Kagome a distracted glance, licking his lips nervously and apologetically.
Clutching the compass to her chest Kagome only gave him a sad smile and motioned at Onaconah with her head, letting Inuyasha know that it was okay, that they would finish their conversation later.
He nodded in response and turned back to Onaconah just in time to hear his next words, "They much closer than we thought."
"How close?" Inuyasha asked as Kagome looked between the two men questioningly.
"They close enough, that scout there and back in not even—," Onaconah paused his mind trying to wrap around Inuyasha's concept of time. "Fifteen minute." He pointed at a man who they hadn't noticed until now, hanging behind him, his features so dark that all that was really visible of him was the silver of his eyes that reflected in the light. "Scout, say they there, in a," He moved his hands in a large circle searching for the right word. "It—cave but not cave—opened on top but surrounded all sides." He motioned his hands into a half circle. "One side ocean and beach, two ships there."
"Two ships?" Inuyasha and Kagome said together both of them perking up at the prospect of a second ship in the cove.
"Yes," Onaconah nodded his head making eye contact with first Kagome and then Inuyasha before he continued. "Scout say one badly damaged, other their ship—ship we recognize."
"What about people," Inuyasha pressed stepping closer to the man, desperate for information. "People that don't fit in?"
"Aaa—." Onaconah raised an eyebrow confused. "I not—."
"Prisoners!" Kagome jumped in before Onaconah could finish. "You know our family?"
Onaconah frowned darkly at the mention of the word family. "He not see either yours or ours." He spoke, his eyes twinge with sadness and apology. "He just say see badly damaged ship," He rubbed his arm and shrugged. "Maybe ship you look for but he no know—he never seen your ship."
Inuyasha forced himself to calm at Onaconah's words, "No sense getting hopes up." He told himself but his heart only clenched tightly in response. "Man I hope you're okay Miroku, Sango, everyone, I hope they took you prisoner, please let them have taken your prisoner or you escaped, please, please."
"There is more," Onaconah spoke, pushing Inuyasha's thought out of the way. "They are already asleep and scout smelled lots of alcohol."
Inuyasha eyes widened at the prospect before his face became a firm tense line. "When do we leave?"
"What?" Kagome hastily asked from beside him, nearly dropping the compass in her hurriedness. "It's dark you can't leave now, attacking at night when you're blind, are you crazy?"
"Worry not." Onaconah stepped forward, putting a hand up in a reassuring gesture. "We demons see well in dark, fighting in dark preferred and fighting drunks best."
Inuyasha turned towards Onaconah and nodded his agreement before turning back to her his eyes actually apologetic. "Kagome he's right," He told her firmly. "We can see fine at night and they're drunk," He spoke as if the fact should have brought great delight to her, it didn't. "Kagome, this is the perfect time to attack," He continued looking her straight in the eye his hands in front of him, moving as he spoke. "With them incapacitated by the alcohol we have the best chance of getting out with the least amount of causalities."
"But?" She tried to protest knowing it was in vane like all protests she attempted.
Inuyasha shook his head at her sadly. "By tomorrow we'll lose that advantage." He gave her a imploring look. "If we lose it, more people might die."
Kagome bit her lip ready to continue the argument but was stopped by Onaconah giving Inuyasha a pointed look.
"Get things together Common Dog," Onaconah said before he raised his hand above his head, pointing right at the moon that was now pulling above the horizon, he allowed his finger to follow just a little ways away from it to a spot not quite above their heads but very close. "We leave when moon at quarter of sky."
"Understood." Inuyasha replied firmly, "That gives me, what half an hour?" He thought as he watched Onaconah leave, his body taunt and already preparing for the worst.
"Tso-tsi-da-na-wa a-ni-la-s-da-lv—." The old man yelled just loud enough to be heard by the other Cherokee around him, his voice carrying in an odd echo that only allotted the men close enough to him to really hear. "Na-ni-v-qu-u adlecheha." He finished, followed by a stern yet hushed cry of obedience from the men that littered the clearing.
Kagome's eyes darted this way and that taking in the amount of warriors that were scattered around already preparing small packs with weapons and sharpening spears as well as arrows, their war paint was still bright from the previous day against their normally tan flesh, looking every bit the part of blood. Blinking a few times she turned and looked for Inuyasha only to find him already off behind her, hunched over their saddle bag rummaging through it in haste.
"Damn it." He groused as he set back away from the bag, leaving it between his now upturned knees as he leaned on his hands. "Not a single weapon, I don't have anything, not even a knife." He grumbled before looking at his claws absently, a strange expression crossing his face before he smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, there's that." He mumbled and rolled his neck around in a circle, reaching a hand up to rub his shoulders.
"You're really going to go?" Kagome questioned him without waiting for him to turn around. "Just like that?"
He turned away from his task and looked at her, his eyes already pleading. "Kagome."
"You're just going to leave me here," She spoke softly, the rant building in her as she watched him hunched beside the bag, his gold eyes barely able to look at her. "Leave me behind, while you go off and fight in the middle of the night."
"Kagome, please." He tried again but she only shook her head the tears already forming.
"What if you get hurt?" She whispered, her voice shaky and panicked. "What if you need me, like with Jinenji?"
"Kagome, all I need from you is for you to be safe." He spoke without hesitation as if he had rehearsed what he was going to say. "These Indians are hostile, they don't mind killing their own blood," He motioned his hand at the people around them. "Killing their own women—," He closed his eyes thinking of Onaconah's story of his daughter-in-law. "They wouldn't even think twice about killing you." He opened his eyes and held up his hand before she could speak, keeping his opened palm in front of him as if using it to beg. "As of right now you have no weapon that won't kill you. You're not safe and I can't—," He clutched his out reached fist tightly. "I can't fight to my full ability if I have to think about protecting you."
She took a shuddering breath, the sound of it causing his ears to twitch on his head. "I can hide nearby." She argued even though her voice already sounded as if she had given up.
He snarled in exasperation bringing his hands up to cover his face. "They're demons Kagome, damn it don't you understand!" He opened and closed his fist several times before glaring at her. "They'll find you, they'll smell you, hell they'd probably smell you from a fucking mile away."
"But!" She tried one last time only to stop in her tracks when Inuyasha lurched forward on impulse, wanting her to understand, needing her to understand.
He fell to his knees in front of her, one hand coming to the back of her head, the other grabbing her right shoulder pulling her forward to crush her against him, his nose burrowing into the side of her neck, inhaling her very essence that rested their.
Kagome felt all the air leave her body, her words trapped in her throat as he pulled her tight and close, his breath hot on her neck. "Inu—ya—," She tried to say his name but he cut her off, his voice determined and strong.
"I can't lose you." He said into her hair, his lips brushing against her ear. "I can't lose you Kagome." He pulled away and looked into her eyes. "I can't, you mean—," He ran his thumb over her cheek. "You—you're—you," He closed his eyes and growled, the words just wouldn't come, he couldn't make them.
Kagome tried to breathe, but her breath wouldn't reach passed her mouth instead becoming stuck in her throat. Wanting to see him, wanting to look into his eyes, she reached her fingers forward slowly and touched his cheek. His eyes snapped opened, he panted and reached up grabbing her hand into his own, she gasped at the swiftness of the assault. For a second, they stared at each other, fixated on the other, frozen and still. She parted her lips to speak but he stopped her with his sad smile and pained eyes. His grip on her hand loosened and he looked down away from her towards the fingers of her right hand.
He opened his mouth as if to say something but closed it changing his mind. With deep shaky breath, he brought her hand up towards his face, presenting the back of her hand upwards in a gesture reminiscent of months before. With her hand only a few precious centimeters away from his face he looked up at her, her mind flashing to that first time so long ago:
His breath touched her skin as he spoke, upturned eyes making her feel dizzy as he continued to gaze at her, fire in those golden irises.
Blinking, she came back to the present, took in his upturned golden eyes and felt tears rise in her own. His eyes were dazzling just as they had been then but instead of being filled with fire, they were filled with sadness, with tiredness, with pleading and depression.
"Inuyasha." She whispered and he closed his eyes, leaned forward and pressed his lips to the back of her hand. Her breath hitched in her throat, her heart lodged into her neck and tears fell down her cheeks.
"Please understand." He whispered against her skin, his lips still touching her soft flesh. "Please understand, Kagome." He looked up at her clutching her hand tightly. " Ho wa tsu, Unuladitoli."
"What?" Kagome felt her thoughts become a jumble as the striking Cherokee language left the Captain's lips.
"Ho wa tsu, Unuladitoli." He spoke again evenly. "It's their language, it means, please." He took a deep breath and looked her in the eye, his thumb rubbing over the back of her hand in a gentle caress that attempted to convey all the emotions he still couldn't express. "Please, Storm Eyes."
Kagome felt her whole body warm, the name coming off his lips in a gentle caress. "You, you learned—?"
"I am one," He started to pull her closer, his hands unable to stop as he drew her in. "For language."
"Yes," She whispered back as she let herself be maneuvered forward, her eyes starting to grow hazy, her mind unsure of where this was going but her heart completely convinced it was right. "You are—."
"Common Dog, Storm Eyes!" Onaconah yelled as he ran towards them, two young men running by his side, as he interrupted Inuyasha's slight advance.
Both youths jumped apart and to their feet instantly as if by previous agreement, the gesture missed by the distracted Onaconah. "We ready." He spoke as he came to stand only a few feet away from them. "I have two men, they stay with Storm Eyes." He told them. "She safe here with them and if anything go wrong, horse take Storm Eyes back to village."
Kagome thought to protest further, thought to talk to Onaconah, thought that if she talked to the old Indian man he would be able to convince the Captain that it was the right choice but as she stood looking at both men, her hand still warm where Inuyasha had held it, still tingling where he had kissed it and her mind still trying to wrap around the beautiful Cherokee he had spoken, she found that she couldn't, that all protest had died at least for now.
"All of that will change though." A small voice broke into the back of her mind. "When I find the object to channel my powers with." She smiled faintly at the thought and closed her eyes resolutely. "I'll hang back, I know its best this once, but as soon as I find that object." She looked up at Inuyasha, her eyes still bright and grey. "You won't be able to make me stay behind for anything!"
With a new found optimism Kagome turned her attention back to Onaconah and gave him a gentle obedient smile, the kind she had learned through years of walking through the circles of pure decorum and propriety. "Thank you." She spoke evenly to Onaconah, part of her genuinely thanking the old man for his concern and another part of her putting on a once cast-aside mask.
The old man gave her a gentle smile in return and reached out to pat her arm. "Storm Eyes not worry," The lines around his face crinkled as he spoke. "You have give much help," He inclined his head towards the compass. "Now rest, Common Dog and warriors finish."
Kagome glanced at Inuyasha who was staring at her, giving her a confused look, his golden eyes reflecting the morning sunlight as he tilted his head, the only indication that he had been listening to Onaconah, seen in the slight tweaking of his ears in the old man's direction.
"Mayon," Onaconah pointed at a man who was obviously human but still far taller and more muscular than any human Kagome had ever met and with eyes as black and fierce as coal. She had no doubt that he would be able to protect her from all or any harms. "And Ilesh," He pointed at another man who looked to be demon by his sharp feline eyes alone but who's other features didn't match appearing more human, from his skin dark brownish skin to his hair brownish hair dark, his every feature looked like the earth under his feet. "Take care of you while Common Dog gone."
Kagome looked between the two warriors and then at Inuyasha who had redirected his confused look to the two young men, giving both a strange and focused glare that appeared to make the young warriors uncomfortable. She raised an eyebrow at the obvious intimidation he was posing towards them and frowning turned back to Onaconah, offering him a slight smile. "Thank you," She spoke, the mask a thing of beauty. "Thank you Chief Onaconah for everything."
The old man nodded giving her an apologetic look that she didn't miss before turning towards Inuyasha and motioning with his head as he spoke. "It time, Common Dog, warriors move out now before moon over head."
"Okay," Inuyasha replied and took a deep breath looking at the warriors. He eyed the two young men for a long moment and offered a low growl that they both responded to by shifting from foot to foot nervously. Appearing satisfied, he turned back to Onaconah and opened his mouth to speak but paused glancing over at Kagome to give her a critical look as he cleared his throat. "Give me just one second, please?"
"Sure." Onaconah nodded and motioned towards the two warriors who followed him a short distance away, conversing amongst the small group in rapid Cherokee.
Kagome watched them as they stopped a fair distance away, her heart sinking in her chest at the prospect of being left behind but knowing that she had no choice this time. Her lip trembled despite that knowledge and she silently berated herself for giving up so easily. "I just couldn't help it though." She thought feeling the part of a weak damsel in distress. "The second his lips touched my hand, I just—I knew I had no choice."
Her tears fell from her chin as she felt him approach her while maintaining an appropriate distance.
"Kagome—," He started to say but she stopped him by turning and showing him her watery eyes.
She smiled through the dripping tears that fell from her cheeks downwards to hit the tops of her breast and slowly brought a hand up to wipe her face, pushing the droplets onto the back of her hand. "Parting," She spoke, her voice shaky as she lowered her hand to her side. "Is such sweet sorrow." She finished in a whisper, turning to look at him with bright calm eyes that watched as his ears twitched on his head.
He smiled faintly, his eyes looking almost pained, as if he wished he could stay with her, as if he wished none of this was happening. "That," The word dropped off for a second and he shook his head back and forth as if ashamed that he had momentarily lost the ability to speak. And then, much to her surprise, he bowed his body towards her at an odd angle, the top of his head all that was visible for several seconds before he stood back up straight and gazed at her longingly. "That I shall say good night till it be morrow." He finished the line and turned without another word, walking off behind Onaconah, leaving Kagome behind with a sad heart and a reeling mind.
Through it all, she could only smile and laugh but the sound was sad. "No matter what you do," She whispered, knowing he heard her words as his ears turned her direction but his body walked straight. "You still speak the lines of Juliet."
-break-
Inuyasha ran, his legs pumping at the same speed as the warriors surrounding him. He hadn't run like this in years—hadn't needed to in years. While on the sea the need to run at this abnormal speed was virtually unnecessary. Springing and jumping, seemingly unnatural grace were the only talents of his heritage that he absolutely couldn't live without aboard the Shikuro, this—running with the wind pulling his hair behind him and his shoes digging into the dirt was, at this point in his life, a true sinful pleasure.
"You run well, Common Dog." Onaconah shouted as they both came to a brief stop on a tree branch before launching forward to land on the ground and sprint, winding between trees and every once in a while landing in them, only to immediately jump to another.
"It's been years." Inuyasha commented back as they ran side by side, zigzagging in the underbrush, bobbing and weaving, neither man truly leaving any traceable tracts as they moved. In fact, the only trace that Inuyasha actually left was easily avoidable and caused by the presence of the boots on his feet. "These stupid things are such a bother." Inuyasha crinkled his nose at the thought, glaring at the boots slightly as he came to stop in a tree branch, a few natives stopping around him, checking on him before moving on.
Onaconah dropped into the tree next to him a smirk on his face. "Tired already?"
"Naw," Inuyasha grumbled with a shake of his head as he set down on the branch, balancing literally at least forty feet in the air. "These boots are useless when you're running like this, you know?" He motioned to them before yanking one boot off his foot, revealing a makeshift sock. He studied the sock for a moment as he set the boot aside on the large branch and then without a second thought removed it at once, revealing calloused toes and sharpened claw like toenails. He wiggled the appendages, a far off look on his face before he reached for the other boot, removing it and its matched sock as well.
"No more—um—boots?" Onaconah knelt, his balance that of a birds as they hovered above the distant ground.
"They're only holding me back—." Inuyasha glanced behind himself at the trail he had noticeably left. "I mean look at that." He pointed at the boot prints on the ground, distinctive in the soft earth. "Anyone could track us, an idiot could track us." He shrugged. "Besides, this way I can move faster and stealthier."
Onaconah nodded and stood back to his full height stretching his hands above his head before springing forward into the next branch ten feet in front of him. "True it is, but not waste time, we're almost there now!" He motioned with one hand into the distance. For a human the distance was still unreasonable and would take some time to cover, for them, they would reach it in a matter of a few minutes.
Inuyasha nodded his head in response, his eyes turning towards the old pair of boots he had haphazardly laid out on the branch. "I guess—I'll just leave them here then—," He shrugged and stood absently dusting himself off. "No sense in bothering with them."
"Yes," Onaconah agreed as he stretched one last time before hoping from foot to foot antsy. "You buy more right?"
Inuyasha smiled. "Maybe, I don't know how much money I'm gon'na have after this."
"Yes," The older man raised his eyebrows in agreement. "Well, hurry." Onaconah told him before jumping from the tree unexpectantly and rushing into the night to catch up with the warriors.
Inuyasha snorted in response and turned away, jumping and leaving the boots behind, his feet gripping into each branch as if each tree had grown with him in mind. Coming across a batch of trees short on sturdy branches he dropped down, landing on the forest floor almost forty feet bellow with nearly silent feet. Hastily, he quickened his pace running and dodging as he had been before, his heart racing in his chest not because of the exertion but because of his own mind.
"What am I going to find when I get there?" He wondered as his feet beat against the ground, the dirt of the forest floor caking his heels as it once had when he was young. "My crew—will they be there, will the Shikuro be damaged beyond repair?" He growled at the thought as his eyes jumped this way and that looking for a good spot to jump back within the trees. Within seconds a good branch appeared before his eyes and he leapt, reaching heights that no human could hope to achieve before moving swiftly once again, the feeling of his bare feet now caked with dirt exhilarating to the demon locked within him.
"And what about my pup," For the first time in days he really let the thought hit him. With Kagome around he had tried to remain optimistic, had tried to conceal any worry or doubt but now, alone in a darkened wood he couldn't help it, he couldn't stop his own thoughts. "Are you safe Miroku, is your mate safe, is the kit safe, are they really—are all of you?" He bit his lip, his mind racing as he jumped between branches, his arms outstretched behind him to aide in unneeded balance.
"What would I do." He mumbled as he jumped a little higher to avoid a decaying branch. "If they—if they died?" The distraction of his train of thought literally caused him to trip over his own two feet, his body jolting forward, his out of practice legs buckling as they touched the branch he was attempting to land on and before he could regain his balance he lost it completely and went crashing towards the ground.
"Shit!" He yelled as he plummeted through branches, his back breaking them in two as he tumbled downwards a mass of broken wood and autumn leaves.
With years of practice he managed to flip himself over in midair, positioning his hands and feet downwards, hastily reaching for any branch he might be able to grab onto but none of them supported his weight that was accelerated by the rapid decent. In one last ditch effort to control the fall, he spread his arms using the extra surface area to catch himself on the rushing wind of his decent. Amazingly, the old trick worked, he slowed just enough that he knew his landing would be remarkably easy. Sure enough, as the ground came to meet his feet, he found himself in perfect control, his knees bending slightly taking the pressure off the rest of his body and bringing him to a complete stop.
For several seconds he stood, his eyes wide and his pupil dilated as his heart practically thumped out of his chest. "Dam—god—." Taking a deep breath he lowered himself to the ground, his knees shaking not from the fall, the pain in his back, or the branches he had hit but from the realization that he had just admitted it was possible that Miroku could have died. "What the hell am I saying," He spoke into the quite wood as he set there on the ground. "What the hell." He closed his eyes leaning his head backwards, the moon just peaking through the thick canopy above his head. "That's stupid." He told himself and hastily stood, dusting off his clothes with sharp pats that slowed down the more he thought. "Miroku?" He whispered the name into the darkened wood.
"What would you do?"
He blinked at the soft words, where they were coming from he had no idea but he was sure they had generated from somewhere within him.
"What would you do, if you lost Miroku?"
"I don't," Inuyasha heard his voice all around him and stopped gritting his teeth and growling before jumping back within the trees, his mind filling with denial, denial of the voice that had spoken and denial of the consequences of Miroku's death.
Within moments he found himself breaking through the trees into a small clearing. Around the clearing all the warriors stood listening to Onaconah as he stood in the middle of them speaking in quick hasty Cherokee that Inuyasha was still not yet capable of understanding.
The old man was currently pointing towards the slow slopping hill to their left which lead to what looked like more sandy soil and sparser trees. "The alcove he spoke of, it must be right over there."
"Ni-ga-da," Onanconah spoke, his voice hushed and his eyes intense, the red paint that covered his face only obscured by the black that streak across his eyes. "A-da-nv-s-di." He threw his spear over his head aiming it out across the tree littered path.
His warriors instantly sprang to life raising their own spears and bows and makeshift sword-like weapons without uttering a word, all of them knowing that now was the time for stealth, now was the time for battle.
"Common Dog," Onaconah questioned as he turned his nose twitching taking in the smell of Inuyasha's scent. "You here."
"Yes?" Inuyasha stepped forward into the clearing approaching the chief with both ease and anxiety. Ease for his approach and anxiety for his future—for what he might learn in the near future. For what he might learn about Miroku, what he might learn about himself.
"There." Onaconah pointed at a small dip in the landscape some six hundred feet in front of them. "You see that?"
"Yeah." Inuyasha confirmed as he came to a standstill next to the other man. "That's it, isn't it?"
"Are you ready?" Onaconah offered in ways of an answer.
"Let's do this." Was Inuyasha only response before as if by telepathic decision they all moved out.
-break-
A little over two miles away Kagome set on one side of the large blazing fire that had been built earlier. All the other fires had been put out before the warriors left in order to assure that the forest they were in would not be compromised by unattended flames. The horse, which her and the Captain had ridden, neighed to her right, drawing her attention to it for a moment. She watched it as it paced the clearing beside her, its nose in the grass, pulling up the best morsels with its teeth and chewing loudly. She smiled faintly at the creature before turning back to the fire, her eyes landing on her two body guards who spoke no words of English between them. Both men were currently sitting across from her conversing in Cherokee as they ate their dinner.
Kagome's own dinner rested beside her untouched and unwanted as she stared into the dark night, looking out into the deep forest that surrounded them. "I hope he's okay." She thought as her hands rubbed the compass in her lap idly. "They've been gone what—fifteen—twenty minutes?" She grunted and leaned back against a tree, drawing her knees comfortably into her chest. "I hate it, I hate to wait."
"Kagome."
Kagome blinked, "What was that?" She glanced in the direction of the conversing men, they hadn't stopped their conversation. "Did they hear it?" She frowned deeply and shook her head. "Judging by the fact they're not disturbed, I'd say so."
"Kagome."
She jumped startled, that time she was sure she had heard it, a soft faint voice, a voice that she had never heard before. It didn't sound like the compass, it didn't sound like the soul that had been in the world of white. It sounded completely different. "What's going on?"
"Kagome."
As if with no will of her own, Kagome turned and for some reason looked in the direction the Captain had left just a short time before, her grey eyes seeing nothing but black despite the brightness of the moon and the stairs.
"Kagome."
"It's calling me." She whispered as her eyes began to change color, morphing into a soft snow white. "I hear it?" She blinked her body feeling heavy, out of her control as she stood and took a step forward towards the horse, and then another. The horse froze at her motion as did the two conversing demons, their eyes going wide as they watched the glowing girl move towards the demon horse.
"Kagome."
Her body began to move with a will all its own, her feet pulsing with a power she couldn't comprehend.
"Storm Eyes?" The earth looking demon whispered the only two English words he knew as he stepped towards her only to move back quickly as she turned and looked at him, her eyes stark and white no pupil, no irises, just blank. He fell back to his butt, his body shaking with hysterics as he lifted a hand and pointed at her. The other man, the human looked as well but fear didn't cross his face at all as he took a step towards her in awe. The flickering light she generated warm to his skin.
Kagome's body only responded to their reactions by ignoring them both and turning away from them, placing one foot in front of the other as she approach the demon horse that watched her with no fear as well. She offered her hand, reaching it out towards the soft nose. The horse whined in response and shook its great head before stepping forward and without being purified, allowed its nose to rest in the curve of her hand for just a second before it stepped back and bowed with its front legs allowing Kagome to mount its back easily.
Once secure, the horse stood and Kagome intertwined her fingers into its hair, pulling it gently to the right so it would turn. For a moment, she sat there, her pupils a stark stern white that looked off into the distance as if waiting for something. The two guards stood as they watched those blank eyes stare off into the night, her power generating nothing but warmth that seemed to flow over the two, almost cleansing them with its pure energy. It was a phenomenon that seemed impossible and yet was occurring. Suddenly, Kagome's stark white eyes narrowed and her mouth formed into a strange line.
"Come." It called.
Kagome dug her heels into the horse's side.
End of Chapter
Please Review
Editted for Grammar, content and spelling 5/14/12
A/N: Here we are the big 5-0 and in honor of that I wrote a thirty page chapter, I hope you enjoyed it, I actually really liked writing it although for some reason Inuyasha was a pain in the butt to write! Usually doesn't happen to me but I had a lot of trouble getting our favorite half demon to come across the way I wanted him too, I'm still not satisfied so I might tweak this a bit. It was just hard to get the right amount of him worrying about Kagome and his son. Let me know what you think!
P.S. StrikertheWolf drew a Kagome Dresmont fanart that is now my profile picture, check it out its really good!
Bonus Point:
In the Anime/Manga what word does Kagome use to subdue Inuyasha when he's being an ass or when she's torturing him?
Last Chapter's Bonus Point:
Kouga – Demon Tribe Leader Inuyasha – Prince of the Western Lands and Hojo – that guy at her school that is super annoying (Akitoki Hojo's ancestor and Naraku are also acceptable in their own ways)...Congrats to the winners!
Nur Nur, PrincessRini707, Jemzet A Heart Broken Angel, Dark Angel and Silver Savior, Glon Morski, ravenraymoon, heavnelyEclipse, Suyurilrig, Purple Dragon Ranger, saveme57, chronos-girl, L.C., HentaiLemon
Cherokee Translations:
Mayon – Cherokee name meaning "The Black God"
Ilesh – Cherokee name meaning "Lord of Earth"
"Tso-tsi-da-na-wa a-ni-la-s-da-lv tsu-yv-tlv-i, na-ni-v-qu-u adlecheha." - Enemy tribe is north, everybody will take revenge against them.
"Ni-ga-da...A-da-nv-s-di" - All move/head out.
Next Chapter:
The Object
See you then!
UNEDITTED
POSTED 5/13/2012