How Will I Know
Disclaimer: Man I have a headache. There's a thought buzzin' around in there, like a bee that's drunk crashing into the sides of its own hollow hive. It is: "I don't own InuYasha. That stinks."
Chapter 14: HollowKagome and everyone else rose out of their slumber and looked around at each other. Well at least I didn't imagine it. The Wind Scar faded, and the snarl was heard again. Quick as ever, the group was wide awake and sorting their weapons, ready to battle. Kagome didn't think about the wind scar, just that the snarl sounded familiar.
"You guys…. That sounds like the cat demon I faced earlier, when I found Ekonika." Miroku nodded solemnly.
"I thought about the description you gave; did it look like it had streaks from its eyes to its mouth?" By now they were ready and running as swiftly as possible toward the mountain.
"Yes…" Kagome recalled. She pulled out an arrow and matched it up to the string, keeping it relaxed, for now.
"I believe then, that it is a cheetah demon. This is odd; they are supposed to be a rather calm animal, staying away from humans. They don't like to serve anyone but themselves and their families. How strange…"
"Well, now we know what it is, do you know what its weakness is?" Sango questioned.
"Well, not really, but it's said they can only use their power for a short time. They tire before long."
"Good, because here it comes!" Shippou shouted from Kagome's shoulder. Kagome raised and aimed her bow at the blur that was barely visible in the moonlight. She fired, and the blur halted, then leapt. It stood still facing them, and they all got a good look at the predator. Its eyes glinted red in the light, and the rider carried her swords in one hand, the reins in the other. She placed the reins in her mouth as they watched, and placed a sword in her now free hand. Suddenly, a painfully familiar voice tore through the air from behind. As it tore through the air, it tore through Kagome's heart.
"Wind Scar!"
The Wind Scar traveled through the air straight toward the rider. Kagome pulled back on her bow, tears welling in her eyes. She blinked to clear her vision as the demon rider pulled up sharply on the reins to dodge. The cheetah backed, and one of the swords was thrown, useless, to the ground. Kagome aimed at where she thought the demon rider was and fired; immense power followed the arrow. She heard the cheetah snarl and knew she'd come close. She then heard another voice.
"Watch where you aim, wench!" She was suddenly no longer sorrowful; the voice filled her with anger. She suddenly blinked the tears away and saw the red-cloaked Hanyou she'd grown to love. He was standing arrogantly atop a stump that had recently been slashed, staring at her. She realized he was probably suddenly aware of her tears, seeing as they had fallen down her face although she'd tried to hold them. Not this time, I won't. I wonder if I'll EVER forgive him. Kagome turned away from him with a glare, and pulled back on a newly loaded arrow. This arrow was not purifying, it was destructive. She hastily aimed, and in her rage, she possessed the speed and precision she needed. The arrow flew true, and struck the demon rider as she and her ride dodged Hiraikotsu.
Of course, the rider disintegrated. The group stared at Kagome in awe, for her sudden fury was confounding. The cheetah stood as if dazed. The red glint slowly left its eyes, and it seemed to come to its senses. It felt the power of the people around it, and fled, fast as lightning. Kagome lowered her bow and began marching back to camp after shooting a glare that could kill in InuYasha's direction, clearly in a fit. InuYasha looked at the others quizzically. They remembered where InuYasha had gone, and suddenly saw the explanation for Kagome's anger. They also turned from him and made their way back to camp. InuYasha stood with Tetsusaiga still drawn, even more baffled than before.
Shippou approached him reproachfully.
"Don't I deserve an explanation for this behavior?" InuYasha nearly shouted, but Shippou could tell he was emotionally wounded, if only a little.
"You left when Kagome needed you! She was lucky to get back safely! If it wasn't for that demon horse Ekonika, she probably would be out on the road trying to find us! She knows you went after Kikyo." Shippou added as a threat. InuYasha took it as an insult. He glared, mouth agape, at Shippou. He looked after Kagome and saw a large white horse watching him while Kagome stomped away. Miroku and Sango were only a little ways behind her. Shippou leapt away, wanting to console Kagome.
InuYasha sheathed Tetsusaiga and stood still, trying to think of how to confront everyone. When he'd met with Kikyo, he hadn't done anything offensive, right? He scoured his mind and couldn't find a thing. Well, except for actually meeting Kikyo. But Kagome had said she was alright with that… He whined and walked towards camp.
When he arrived, Kagome was in her sleeping bag, turned away from him. Miroku and Sango were sitting on their beds, which were next to each other. InuYasha only became aware that they'd been talking when they stopped and looked at him accusingly. He looked back, annoyed.
"I'm sorry already! Geez, she's fine, isn't she?" InuYasha looked across the fire and saw Kagome's back. She was breathing evenly, and didn't smell of tears. Miroku and Sango just lay down and went to bed, Kirara at Sango's feet. Shippou was sitting up near Miroku's head, carefully studying Kagome for any sign of movement.
"You could have been nicer to her." Miroku suggested, obviously believing that InuYasha and Kagome were just having a little fight again; they were always on edge when Kikyo was involved. Sango agreed, and the two turned away, Shippou included. They began to whisper again, so softly that InuYasha would have a hard time trying to listen if he even cared at the moment. Instead, he walked silently over to Kagome. He bent down onto his knees a few feet from her, and opened his mouth.
"Sit, boy."
Before he had time to realize what happened, he was apprehensive of Kagome's words themselves. She'd sounded like… she had no feelings, not even anger.
I've really messed up this time, but I wish I knew why! What did I do that could make her act like this? InuYasha whined a little as he sat back up. Kagome didn't even move.
"Kagome…"
"What?" Yes, it definitely was unemotional.
"I… I missed you. When I get back to you, you treat me as if I, well, betrayed you."
"Oh, but didn't you?" Still no emotion. InuYasha sat back on his haunches.
"I wish I knew what to say to you. What did I do wrong, and how will you ever forgive me?" The first question was disregarded.
"I won't." There was the slightest bit of sadness and… hesitation in her reply. I'd better be more careful with what I say now. Wait… she won't? Won't forgive me? InuYasha whimpered. Kagome still faced away from him, unfeeling.
"What do I have to do? Name anything!" InuYasha was clearly whining, although his voice was still too quiet for Miroku and Sango to hear.
Oh, you could… well, say you loved me or say 'I'm sorry' or something… no, not 'I'm sorry'. That's not enough to ask for forgiveness. He loves Kikyo, not me. I will stay with my friends, though. InuYasha will have to get along without me as his 'backup'.
InuYasha suddenly smelled the salt of tears. Kagome…
He reached out for her and his fingertips grazed her side.
"Sit." It was a tearful, painful cry, now. But only for a minute.
"Sit…" Kagome was back to her detached behavior; InuYasha hit the ground again.
InuYasha got up, now annoyed. How could he talk to her if she kept sitting him?
"Kagome! I mean it! Anything! Please tell me what I have to do for your forgiveness! I'm sorry already! I'm sorry I went to see Kikyo when you were in danger! I didn't mean to hurt you! When you are hurt… when you're hurt, it hurts me in my chest." He paused. "I'm also curious; how on earth, praise Kami, did you survive?"
Kagome rolled over slightly to face InuYasha, never sitting up.
"Why don't you ask the horse?" Kagome said in a monotone. InuYasha looked at her eyes, which were barely containing her tears. He was taken aback, and sat back on his haunches. He couldn't think of anything to say, anything to feel.
"What did I do?" He finally said, weakly. Kagome's tears spilled over, and she groaned.
"I hate you." She whispered.
No… say sit, or something… anything in the seven hells, but not that… InuYasha's vision blurred; he blinked it away. He'd fallen back upon his back, as if he'd been punched. He watched Kagome, his mind numb. After quite some time, the sky began to lighten, and Kagome's breathing was slow and even. InuYasha finally moved; he stood and looked around. The horse was awake, but everyone else was sleeping.
"Why don't you ask the horse?" Kagome's words drifted to him over the cool morning air. He walked towards the horse, who turned her head in his direction, eyes bright with curiosity and even a hint of dislike. InuYasha glanced around once more, making sure everyone was asleep. Who's ever heard a horse talk, anyway? He stopped about five feet from Ekonika.
"So… how did Kagome come to be here safely?"
"Why do you want to know?" Ekonika asked with the slightest hint, maybe even imagined, of bitterness. InuYasha stared at the horse for a minute, doubting what he'd heard.
"Um, well… no reason."
"Then I won't tell you."
"Hey, wait! Listen… it's because… well, because I… care for her." Ekonika nodded and promptly kneeled in front of him.
"Well, come on then, it's a rather long story. It's easier for me to talk to whoever rides me." InuYasha hesitantly mounted, and Ekonika bolted smoothly. She began to recall her memory of Kagome telling the story. Everything she remembered about Kagome became known by InuYasha, but over the process of several hours.
The sun broke over the horizon, and touched Kagome's eyelids. She squinted and rolled over. She suddenly sat up, her head spinning from the blood rush. She stood as her mind and vision cleared, and saw Miroku and Sango lying on Sango's bed, back to back. Shippou and Kirara were curled up on Miroku's bed together. Aww, that's cute. As Kagome smiled, her eyes felt sore and dry. She rubbed them, and tears from last night crumbled off. She remembered, then. However, she refused to think on it any more.
After clapping her hands together to close that, she picked up her bow and arrow, noticing InuYasha was nowhere in sight, or, for that matter, neither was Ekonika. She shrugged and set out in search of breakfast.
Soon, she came back with a few fish, some berries, and some carrots. She lit a fire in the fire pit, and began cooking the fish, which were rather good sized; they would all get a fitting portion, in any case. When the fish were nearly done, they had an aroma that filled the area, waking her friends. The berries and carrots had been washed and were sitting on a handkerchief, looking appetizing. Kagome had eaten a few, and gestured for her friends to dig in. They did so, happily, and in the middle of the meal, who should turn up but InuYasha on Ekonika. Kagome took no notice that anyone saw. She just continued eating her portions, having set aside one for InuYasha. He came over as Ekonika returned to her ledge by the river.
InuYasha soon gathered his food and went off to a tree nearby to eat it.
"So he's sulking?" Sango questioned.
"Yes."
"What, are you upset too? What happened between you two? You seem… different."
"Nothing."
"Are you sure? You haven't said much since he got back from… wherever he was."
"I'll be fine."
Breakfast passed in silence after that. That is, until InuYasha leaped out of the tree with the empty remnants of his meal. Surprisingly, the first words out of his mouth were for Kagome's ears only; at least, everyone thought they weren't meant to hear them.
"Wonderful breakfast, thank you, Kagome." InuYasha stood in front of her, watching her carefully. He handed her his makeshift plate, and she looked up into his eyes.
He fought to keep himself from falling back; her eyes were so devoid of any emotion that she seemed as hollow as… well, Kikyo's clay body. She took the plate from him and set it into a trash bag, never saying a thing. InuYasha looked away, and saw the rest of the group looking at him quizzically. He quickly thought of something important.
"We have to find Naraku! I know where he is! I tracked down his castle, but then that cheetah demon rode out of it and told me Kagome wasn't there anymore. We have to go back!" The others brightened at this information, forgetting the odd scene that had just occurred in front of them. Everyone finished eating and packed in five minutes. Kirara transformed, and Sango mounted her, followed by Miroku and Shippou. InuYasha turned from Kagome and looked over his shoulder, expecting her to climb on his back. He watched in utter surprise and ache as Kagome didn't spare him a glance and climbed up on Ekonika, who kneeled for her. Miroku and Sango watched as the forlorn puppy looked after Kagome, and then took off when Ekonika started running.
As the group traveled, everyone's thoughts were preoccupied, mostly thinking that this might be the downfall of Naraku at last. Suddenly, Ekonika skidded to a halt. InuYasha, who'd been running behind her, collided very ungracefully with her rear. After falling back, stunned, he stood to the side of the irritated horse.
"What's wrong?" Miroku and Sango had circled back on Kirara.
"I don't know! Ekonika just stopped in the middle of the road." InuYasha said, in a mood much like Kagome's: not all there. Ekonika gave him a glare, and then lowered her shoulder, allowing Kagome to slide off. Her legs collapsed when she hit the ground, and InuYasha was there in a flash. He caught her and held her until she was standing on her own, but she refused to meet his gaze. InuYasha backed a few steps, injured once more. Ekonika quickly explained she needed to go hunt.
"I am a demon, after all. There are some fine plant demons some time north of here, and they multiply like rabbits." With this, Ekonika left. The group all stood still for a minute, and then turned to look at Kagome.
Kagome was thinking. I don't want to overcrowd Kirara… but I don't want to force Miroku to walk, or separate him from Sango. I guess I'll just have to go piggyback.
As the group watched, tense, Kagome walked over to InuYasha. InuYasha looked at her for a moment, determined to be stubborn and demand an explanation. As he stood, he softened. Kagome just looked like she didn't care about anything anymore. He turned and waited for her to climb onto his back. She did, and they were off.
Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck, comforting herself. She sighed, and began to fall asleep.
InuYasha bounded down the road, a little in front of Kirara. He felt Kagome relax against him, and fall asleep. He smiled, proud and relieved.
Maybe Kagome was just tired… she probably didn't mean that last night, it was dark, and she was tired. Well, I guess we'll see. InuYasha smiled, hoping she wouldn't remember that he'd gone to find Kikyo, or, for that matter, any of the recent Naraku incident, from the cave to where they were now. That's probably too much to hope for, though… Well, I'll let her sleep, I need her to help me fight, as do the others, and if she's tired, well, it won't go so well.
After some time, the group approached Naraku's clearing. As they broke through the tree line, InuYasha halted, fuming.
Don't worry! It gets better after the next chapter! I swear! They're happy again! But… well, you'll have to see how that comes about.