Antifreeze

Disclaimer: Alas, even with the (rather delayed) arrival of this new chapter, I do not own these characters. Ah well. I'm still allowed to play.

Chapter Two: Trespasser

Kagome awoke to the cold caress of stone against her skin. She shuddered, her chilled fingers grazing her uniform, not for the first time regretting the thin, flimsy material. The miko felt groggy from sleep, and the dull ache throbbing through her body spoke of her weariness. It took her a few moments to register that she was not in the servants' quarters she had been assigned the night before, and even longer to clear her mind of the fog of sleep so that she could recognise it.

A weak network of sunlight whispered through the room, illuminating her surroundings. The walls were similar to the huts of the villages where she had stayed many times over the last four years, but some unknown hand had tenderly constructed a building which seemed untouched by the ravages of time. The cool stone beneath her was even, arrayed in square slabs which seamlessly meshed together. Whose fingers had ruthlessly plucked intruding weeds from the slender crevices between? Which master of timber had so carefully carved images along the walls?

Kagome's eyes rested on one which seemed to begin a sequence. A young girl? The very expression in the eyes, and the fierce intelligence which blazed from the carving was astounding. Kagome's eyes explored every inch of the maiden's hair, which snarled and tangled in an unseen wind. The tawny depths of the wood revealed an interesting fact: the girl was no human, but a youkai. The limbs were far too graceful, her height too tall, and spearing a smooth lock of hair was a pointed ear. But who was she? She seemed young, even by youkai standards.

The miko's fingers went to touch the youkai maiden's face, whispering over the wood which seemed to have captured the very essence of life. The soft pads of her hands ran lightly over the figure, and guided her gaze to the next image, when suddenly, a crushing force possessed itself of her shoulders and shook her like she was nothing more than a leaf. Kagome's breath left her lungs in a great whoosh of air as a lethal claw swept past her ear, barely missing her head, but leaving an acrid smell in its wake. The miko's eyes widened.

Sesshoumaru! She ducked clumsily, and the very ineptness of her movements caused the next swipe to only rake her cheek, rather than separating her head from her body as its owner had intended. One look at the taiyoukai's face, blazing chalk-white with fury, and his eyes a terrifying blood-red, assured Kagome that this was no dream. Sesshoumaru's only intent was on murdering her, and the realization was chilling. He snarled with a rage that shook the very walls, and she glimpsed a brief flash of amber, of bone-crushing grief in his crimson glare. It was with great clarity that the miko saw the taiyoukai's razor-sharp claws rake towards her stomach, and plunge into the soft flesh.

Her body convulsed. Confused, she could only watch a wisp of silver to her left begin to leak from what she had mistaken for merely a stone slab. But now it was disturbingly evident that this small, reclusive hut was some sort of shrine. There was a torrent of sound rushing through her ears, as now the pain began to assault her senses, rapidly spiralling from a sudden trembling in her abdomen to a colossal wave of agony.

A dribble of blood fell from her lips, staining the floor.

There was a roar of frustration from above her as she collapsed bonelessly to the ground, and she mustered courage to look at what she could only imagine death would look like. Her head lifted, and her gaze fixed hopelessly on Sesshoumaru. And then widened. A small figure, no larger than a child, seemed to be holding the great taiyoukai off with some sort of muttered spell.

It glanced back at her, and she glimpsed a strange face, which seemed both ethereal and completely solid at the same time. She noticed a fanged grimace, and then the thin lips mouthing the word - Run!

Run? It seemed an absurd suggestion, but one blurred glance at the strangely determined face alerted her to the fact that this being had limited power, and had borrowed possibly one grain of sand in her life timer for her, to try and tarry her death. Kagome ignored her gut clenching as she stumbled to her feet, and held her belly as she tried to make her legs move.

Run, she told herself. She willed her heavy legs to obey her, to bend and straighten, and bend again, to pass over the grass which she didn't see, and to awkwardly carry her blindly towards some kind of sanctuary. But they were failing, hesitating, slowing. Kagome stumbled, and gracelessly met the ground with a crunching noise. She could only writhe as her body seemed to choke, to fall in on itself. There was an irritated voice, which gentled to softer tones as arms took her into their small, but strangely wiry hold, and start with her into the forest.

She had always wondered if pain had a colour. The films and books had described it as a blackness which crept over consciousness, a thief who stole reason. It was an obliterator, a blinder. But even as she pleaded for sleep, for dreamless, painless sleep, it was denied to her, and she could only remain in a restless state between waking and dreaming, eyes wild with the poison that racked her body. And again, she saw the brief flash in the taiyoukai's eyes as he tried to rob her of life. Again, she saw his hate - and his grief - reflected in the eyes of another someone, whom she had loved and trusted.

Pain had a colour. It was a deep, chilling amber.

"It was a foolish thing to do!"

The voice was so loud! Kagome tried to groan, but her throat felt as dry and raspy as it had the day before when her tongue had cleaved itself to the roof of her mouth. Struggling to open her eyes, the voice continued its accusations.

"Sesshoumaru-dono would have killed her had not the walls alerted me!" Kagome cracked open her eyelids, and ran her tongue over her dry lips. They tasted oddly bitter. She was glad that the mat was shielded from the worst of the day's glare. A screen separated her from two figures who were clearly in heated dispute. The miko clutched her head as the other, who had not yet spoken, said hotly,

"I had my orders, Tedoni! And besides, you got there in time, didn't you?" There was a slight pause. "How much of the wall did she see?"

"Not much, I believe."

There was a gruff note to the tone which told Kagome that he (for it was male) was not pleased. There was a disappointed noise, and a tall slender figure unbent itself from a seat by a table, and came closer to the screen. There was a slight rasping noise, and it was removed. When she had accustomed herself to the glare, the nineteen-year-old could make out a homely face, with a pair of the most ludicrously green eyes she had ever seen. The face was long and narrow, and the arms that now coaxed her to sit up were evidently strong, but there was an ugly, livid scar which creased the soft skin of her face so that her gentle smile looked more of a reassuring grimace.

It didn't seem to bother her one jot. She continued to move with an assurance which Kagome longed to possess, putting a few more pillows behind her patient, and checking her pulse. She made a satisfied noise.

"I'm Saraki," she said, in a curiously low voice. There was a sharp noise from her companion, but he didn't offer anything else. Kagome recognised it from the conversation a few moments ago. She licked her lips again, and tried to find her voice. It was long in coming, and sounded gravelly and rough.

"Were you the one who put me in that shrine?" she croaked. Kagome shot the woman a baleful look at her hesitant nod, and winced a little as she restlessly moved. The stranger stilled her hand, which was reaching for the wound, and said sternly.

"Rest. Your wounds were shallower than I expected, and the poison is even now being purged from your body with the healing herbs I dosed you with." She regarded her patient severely. "Although I fail to see why you did not simply do so yourself, miko. I understand that you might have been a little traumatised by the experience, but I would have expected you to at least remove the toxins from your blood yourself." The green eyes gazed at her, and Kagome felt she was being exposed - as though this strange, ugly woman could see through her character completely. She seemed to come to a decision.

"Tedoni, could you bring me the paste I made? I need to reapply it."

A wiry, slim figure appeared from the shadows, bearing a wooden bowl stained with use. It held a paste which Saraki briskly applied to the wounds on Kagome's abdomen, her ministrations gentle but firm. Kagome found herself captivated by a gaze which was the same sort of colour as the rosy hue of the castle walls - a sort of grey which glowed deep, smouldering crimson, like stone in the sunset. The same height as a child of eight years, and a seemingly childish frame, disillusioned her into believing that this was a mere youngster, but when he stepped into the light, it was clear by the lines of maturity, and the peppering in the iron-grey hair, that this was an adult, whatever it was.

"I'm a house imp," he said abruptly, squatting by the mat while his companion began to bandage Kagome's stomach. "I'm bound to the taiyoukai of the West by stone and wall, whomever he may be."

"Thank you for defending me against Sesshoumaru in the shrine," the miko said earnestly. "And afterwards for carrying me back to the castle." He shot her a curious look.

"I accept your gratification for the services I rendered you, human. But they were also a duty which I was prompted to perform." He paused. "As for carrying you back to the castle, that wasn't me. I cannot leave the confines of this castle, but I may materialise in another building, as long as it is within the grounds." His slight look of distaste, admirably concealed, but present nevertheless, told her that he would rather not carry her anywhere, whatever the case. His head suddenly snapped up, his eyes growing a little softer. "Rin-chan calls for me. I can hear her through the stones. Excuse me."

He was abruptly gone, and all that was left in his wake was a whiff of toasted almonds, and a wisp of grey smoke which merged rapidly into the wall. Kagome remained silent, pondering, while Saraki redressed her wounds. Then,

"I suppose it wasn't you who carried me, because I distinctly remember them being smaller arms than I am used to." She peeked at the woman, who was intent on her work.

"You're right, child. It wasn't me."

Silence.

"Then who was it?"

At that moment, there was a pattering of small feet on the pebbles outside. A small figure gained the doorway, and hurtled towards Kagome. A surprisingly quick hand plucked him by the scruff of the neck, and spun him to face her. Saraki glared at him.

"She is a little delicate, kitsune. I suggest that you are careful, and that you don't jump on her as you were about to do." Shippou's eyes widened. Green met greener. Saraki's will was greater, so he nodded hesitantly, and when he was set down on his hindpaws again, he approached Kagome at a rather slower pace. He clambered onto the mat, and gazed at her with soulful eyes.

"Is this what Inuyasha did to you, Okaa-san?" Kagome winced.

"No, Shippou. But I am fine." His tiny nose wrinkled.

"You smell of Sesshoumaru."

"I am in his castle, drinking from his cups and eating from his bowls," she said lightly. "It's not surprising." He looked at her suspiciously, inclined to trust his nose more than that, but as Saraki made a sharp noise behind him, he gave a quick nod. He looked back towards the door as Rin entered, albeit at a slower pace than Shippou had been. Her face lit up in a great smile at the presence of Saraki.

"Saraki-tempai," she said with evident glee, making a quaint little bow to her tutor. "Are you looking after Kagome-san?" She fell into the older woman's warm embrace, and turned her young face towards the young woman on the mat, who held Shippou in her arms. "Rin and Saraki-san will have breakfast soon," she chirped. "Will Shippou and Kagome-san join us?" Shippou's eyes lit up at the mention of food, but Kagome had a slight reservation.

"Will Sesshoumaru be there?" she asked awkwardly.

"No," Rin replied cheerfully. Her bright face lost a little of its glow. "Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't eat with Rin, unless we are at camp, with Jaken. Then Rin cooks, because Jaken can't." Her toothy grin displayed itself. "Rin knows it isn't very good," she confessed, "but only Rin and Jaken need to eat it."

"Kagome can teach you how to cook!" Shippou said excitedly. He turned to Kagome, and tugged her hand excitedly. "Come on, Okaa-san! Let's go!" Kagome couldn't help but grin at his enthusiasm. She ran a hand over her bedraggled hair, and knew at once that she looked terrible.

"Go ahead with Rin, Shippou," she said. "I'll follow with Saraki-san, once I'm ready."

Rin possessed herself of the young kistune's paw, and they rushed out of the room, chattering breathlessly. Saraki smiled at her young charge, and assessed her critically.

"We need to find you some clothes, child," she said firmly. "Those are completely unsuitable." Her uniform was bloodstained, torn, and dirty. Kagome agreed completely. When she was provided with a bland but serviceable kimono, she made no objection. The elder woman produced a comb, and allowed Kagome to run it through the tangled mass upon her head, while she searched for a bowl large enough to hold some water. Saraki disappeared for a few moments to fill it, and returned with a cloth to wash her patient's face and skin. She allowed Kagome the dignity of cleaning herself, but reserved the task of redressing the wounds on her stomach, and others on her arms, cheek, and legs.

Saraki looked sharply at them when she rebound them. They were a couple of days old, and had no element of poison in them. They could not have been inflicted by Sesshoumaru. So who had? They were fairly deep, but were closing well, considering that they had not been tended to before now. The elder woman helped the miko into the kimono, and at her nonplussed face, demonstrated how to tie the obi in the simplest of knots. When she finally pronounced her ready, Kagome struggled to stand, looking at the doorway. She made a few unsteady steps by herself, but was thankful for the arm offered to her subtly, which merely held her straight.

They were an odd pair, emerging into the sun-drenched courtyard. Kagome had been lying in the servants' quarters, close to the forest. The elder woman's eyes twinkled, although the sallow skin of her face, puckered by such a hideous scar, rendered her strange at least. Her charge seemed pale, drawn, but there was a vitality in her face which belied such a tired body. Her thoughts were whirling as she walked through the morning, enjoying the fresh air on her face. A tiny frown marred her brow.

Who was the stranger who had carried her?

Who indeed?

Ah well, time will reveal all. I have an apology to make, but I hope you'll excuse my taking a moment to thank my awesome reviewers.

oreoxlove4ever

MiHonoKo-BeautifulHarmonyChild

GlimerOfhope

juusan'ya

Lady Skorpio

KANYONKHAOS

Thanks for your kind words of encouragement! I'm also happy to report that I had just under fifty hits, which was very gratifying for my first chapter, although a little discouraging to find that none of you (except the sensational six, of course) had the time to tell me what you thought.

For this chapter, could you possibly spare some time to put hands to keyboard and write a review? It's much appreciated!

Anyway, apologies that it did take so long to update. Now, though, I have a stretch of twelve weeks ahead of me, so I should mostly get one update once a week at least, maybe twice a week if I get a lot of reviews. I will be going on holiday a few times, so I'll post extras up accordingly.

Buh-bye for now!

Lost In Thyme