Previously:
"How long will you stay?" Kagome asked quietly so the hanyou wouldn't hear.
"Until I must leave," he replied.
"So you really came here just to see me?"
The demon glanced at her again. Their eyes connected only a few moments before he looked ahead again. Kagome smiled widely at the answer she saw within his eyes.
Chapter Sixteen
Ominous
Kagome slowed as the village entrance came closer. Two men wearing leather armor and holding spears stood defensively with narrowed eyes. Catching a glimpse of her other two companions, they instantly became hostile and shouted from their posts.
"Demons are not welcome here!"
"It's okay," Kagome yelled back, "they're with me!" Nevertheless, she signaled for Inuyasha and Sesshomaru to wait as she went to talk to them.
"You may pass, but they may not," one growled, thrusting his spear in their direction.
She knew that either Sesshomaru or Inuyasha could easily go right through them but ignored this fact. "Gentleman, these two demons are with me. I'm a priestess and I know neither will try to harm this village."
The two eyed her suspiciously. "Why should we trust your word? Just a while ago, a woman passed through, claiming to be holy, only to slaughter more than ten people in her demon form."
Kagome smiled kindly as her body took on a pink hue. "I assure you, I tell the truth."
The two men marveled at the sight, but quickly recovered. "As we said, you may pass; they may not."
Kagome sighed. The village was larger than most and help would have been nice in finding their friends. But there was no point in getting on the villagers' bad side. She threw a reassuring look at her waiting companions and entered the village alone.
The village was enclosed in a tall make-shift fence where it stopped against the edge of an overhanging cliff. There seemed to be only two entrances. Huts dotted the field while some lay in shambles. A few villagers were at work rebuilding in some areas. Kagome began to see why the guards were so strict with their rules.
The largest building was closer to the middle. It lined the front of a clearing where children played with parents watching closely, paranoia flashing through their eyes. Kagome made her way towards the house as villagers eyed her suspiciously. It was the best place to start looking since Miroku usually got to work trying to win over the village chief as soon as they arrive.
A woman suddenly bumped into her as she ran from behind Kagome headed to the same house. "Sorry," she mumbled without glancing at who she'd hit, clearly in a hurry. She began to pick up speed again as Kagome glanced at her. Her eyes widened as features suddenly became familiar: brown hair trailing, demon slayer uniform…
"Sango!" Kagome shouted as soon as the name came to mind.
The woman stopped in her tracks and slowly turned to the call. Her eyes were already misty. "Kagome?" she gasped as her knees began to weaken.
Kagome sprinted into her friend's arms. "I can't believe it's you!" she said as she squeezed her as hard as she could.
Sango loosened her grip and looked into her face. "What do you mean you can't believe it? Kagome, it's been almost three years! You've changed so much…" she said glancing at her flowing hair, feudal attire, and lean body. "Where did you go without telling me?" Hurt sparkled in her eyes with the joyful tears.
"I'll tell you all about it," Kagome reassured her with a quick hug. "But first, where's Miroku and Shippo?"
"Shippo has been helping around the village with Kirara and…" Sango's eyes suddenly widened in panic. "Miroku! I was going to him right before I saw you. He…" She trailed off biting her lip in stress.
"What is it Sango?" Kagome said calmly, instantly alert.
"This village has been attacked three times in the week we've been here. We've been trying to help out, but Miroku…" She took a deep shaky breath before continuing. "His Wind Tunnel has expanded a lot from all the use. And Naraku's poisonous insects have gotten into his blood stream again. Even if he doesn't die from the poison, the Wind Tunnel will…" Sango stopped, choking on sobs she struggled to keep from erupting.
Kagome collected her friend in her arms of reassurance. "It'll be fine." A moment later, she said, "Take me to him."
Sango nodded and they headed into the large house.
xXxXxXx
XxX
xXxXxXx
Sesshomaru sighed as he eyed his half-brother. Why did she leave him all alone to deal with this mutt? She couldn't just wave a magic wand or something so the guards would shut the hell up?
Inuyasha glared at him from a few yards away, eyes folded over his chest, eyes narrowed. He rolled his eyes and purposefully turned his back to him.
"You should know to never turn your back on someone," Sesshomaru stated matter-of-factly.
"Shut the fuck up," came the cold reply. "You've already done your share of backstabbing anyway."
"Backstabbing?" Sesshomaru questioned as if it was a joke.
"Yes, backstabbing," Inuyasha sneered as he turned to glare at him. "Whether we hate each other or not, you don't steal your brother's girl."
"Half-brother," the demon growled. "And this Sesshomaru can't steal what you didn't have."
Inuyasha's hand clenched in their folds across his chest. "She was mine. She still is mine."
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at him. "That's not how I see it. And it's definitely not how she sees it."
"And how would you know what she sees?" he growled.
Sesshomaru suddenly lost his hostility. "You truly are an idiot," he said as he looked away. "This Sesshomaru can only feel pity for you now. Anyone with eyes could see how she's changed. She belongs to no one." His eyes scanned the village, ignoring the heated glare he received.
"Except you," he snarled. "You're practically forcing her to join your ranks."
Sesshomaru shook his head, refusing to put anymore emotion into the pointless conversation. "It's her choice. She can join or she can find her own path."
Inuyasha turned and jumped into a nearby tree, abruptly ending the conversation. Sesshomaru didn't let it bother him, figuring he was finally realizing the truth: he was an asshole for assuming Kagome couldn't make her own choices now.
He glanced at the hanyou who seemed to be smirking at some inner thought. The demon rolled his eyes in annoyance and ignored the hanyou's presence.
xXxXxXx
XxX
xXxXxXx
Sango looked at her friend with enlightened eyes. "You're really going to do it?"
"Of course," Kagome said with confidence. "I mean, it might be different at first. The only association I've had with the ranks in the past was the relationship I'd had with Sesshomaru. It's all different now though."
Sango eyed her friend's smile suspiciously. "Different, huh…"
Kagome cleared her throat and turned her attention to Miroku. He lay with his eyes closed on a bed the village chief kindly provided. "Are you feeling any better? Those herbs I have you were made by Kaede, so they should be taking effect any minute now."
He nodded with a cough. "I'm just tired." Sango moved an inch closer, watching over him with worried eyes.
Kagome smiled at the couple. "You'll feel better in the morning."
Miroku suddenly launched his arm over Sango's shoulder, forcing her to fall across him with her breasts landing in his face.
As Sango screeched and yelled foul names, Kagome laughed and said, "Or you could be feeling better now." Miroku just grinned at Sango lovingly.
Kagome watched the two argue over the definition of an "accident." Their relationship had obviously blossomed while she was gone. Miroku didn't even have a red hand print on his face. And Sango's blush refused to leave her face.
A prick of sadness touched her heart as she thought of Sango's words before. Miroku's Wind Tunnel was dangerously large now. Kagome felt an extra drive towards ridding the world of Naraku. It'd be a true tragedy for their beautiful relationship to end so horribly.
Kagome cleared her throat to interrupt their "discussion" of where exactly on the female body was considered inappropriate to touch. "Miroku, if you truly are feeling better in the morning, I'd like to head out to find Naraku in the morning." The two nodded seriously. "It's time to end this."
"Agreed," they said in unison.
There was a weighted silence as everyone thought about the future. Sango finally said quietly, "What will happen with us? You know, after it's all over?"
Kagome smiled reassuringly. "You guys will know where to find me. And I'll know where to find you. It's not good-bye forever or anything."
Sango smiled feeling the truth in the words. "Yeah, you're right."
Kagome stood from her position at the end of the bed. "Well, it's getting late. I've gotta go tell Sesshomaru and Inuyasha that I've found you guys."
Sango nodded and stood as well, giving her friend a hug. "Make sure you find Shippo before you leave. He'd be really upset if he missed you."
Kagome agreed and left the house. She stepped into the clearing, feeling new energy despite the setting sun. It didn't take her long to find the young fox demon. He flew at her as soon as she left the clearing.
"Kagome! I knew that was you I smelled! You're back!"
Kagome chuckled and hugged the boy back. "You're so big Shippo! Like a young man now."
He stood taller and grinned with pride. Kirara mewed as she launched herself from Shippo's shoulders onto Kagome's. Kagome snuggled the cat demon affectionately.
"Where did you go?" Shippo blurted, hurt showing in his eyes.
Kagome sighed with a smile. "I didn't leave because I wanted to." Glancing at the sun disappearing behind the horizon, she turned back to the boy and said, "Why don't you ask Sango all about it? I've got to get back to Inuyasha for a moment."
His eyes sparkled. "Inuyasha's back too?" He obviously looked up to the hanyou as an idol instead of an abusive older brother now, another change she'd missed.
Kagome nodded with a smile. She nudged him towards the house. "Don't worry, I won't be gone for long. Maybe I can convince the guards to let Inuyasha in too." She'd already figured that Kirara and Shippo were allowed because of their close association with humans already, not to mention their young age.
Shippo seemed reluctant but finally ran to the house with Kirara closely following. Kagome looked after them for a moment before she headed towards the village entrance.
xXxXxXx
XxX
xXxXxXx
Sesshomaru's eyes brightened as Kagome came into view. He stood from his post against the tree studying her facial expression as she got closer. He knew the news before she said it.
"They're here," she said cheerfully. Inuyasha's ears pricked and he turned his head to look at her. She added with equal enthusiasm, "We can finally get this battle over with. We're gonna leave in the morning. I can try talking to the guards again about—"
Inuyasha jumped from the tree, landing only a yard from her and Sesshomaru. "We need to talk," he said in a low serious voice.
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow in suspicion. He didn't like where this was going already.
"What is it?" Kagome asked with curiosity.
"We need to talk alone," he growled with a pointed look at Sesshomaru. The demon narrowed his eyes, blazing with hostility.
Kagome looked at Sesshomaru and took a step towards him to get his attention. His gaze instantly softened when looking in to her mocha eyes. She smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, we'll be right back." He didn't want to, but he believed and trusted her.
Kagome nodded and turned back to follow Inuyasha who had already begun to walk through the meadows of the hills.
Sesshomaru continued to stare after them even after they disappeared behind the hills and into the forest.
xXxXxXx
XxX
xXxXxXx
Kagome silently followed the hanyou through the trees that seemed to get denser as they continued. Impatience began to bubble inside her as they trekked forward. Why the hell did they have to be so far away? They were well out of Sesshomaru's hearing range by now. Brushing it off as just Inuyasha being Inuyasha, she pressed on without complaint.
She wondered what he could possibly want to talk about. They'd talked about everything. Now it was just a matter of Inuyasha accepting the changes. Was she really going to become an officer under Sesshomaru's command? Yes. Even though they didn't have the best of relationships in the past? Yes. What about her love for Inuyasha in the past? The past is the past, and things have changed now.
A tiny stab of apprehension touched her as she wondered if this was about Sesshomaru. Maybe the hanyou wanted to know how she truly felt about the daiyokai. It was the one question she'd dreaded answering precisely because she knew how Inuyasha would react. All hell would break loose. She'd really only just admitted to herself that she could quite possibly love him. But even then, she had her doubts. They didn't know much about one another aside from minimal background.
She sighed audibly at her inner turmoil. Inuyasha finally stopped at the far end of a broken clearing, silver hair billowing in a sudden gust of wind. She stopped as well, forcing her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the night. The density of the trees didn't help much, making everything seem even more ominous.
"Kagome."
She looked up at the sound of her name. Inuyasha stood facing her with his head down. She tried to read his aura for emotion, but it showed indifference.
"Inuyasha, what's this about?" She folded her arms across her chest.
"Does he love you?"
She faltered for a moment. It wasn't exactly the question she'd expected. "How should I know? Why can't you just ask Sesshomaru yourself?"
He finally looked up at her. His eyes held no emotion. He was suddenly harder to read than Sesshomaru had been. Within moments, he was inches from her, staring her in the face with dark eyes. "Would he come at your call?"
"I-I don't know." Her eyes blinked with confusion. It was so dark.
"How loud can you scream, Kagome?"
Her senses could still pick up on her surroundings, but it really bothered her that it was so dark. There wasn't even the moon's light to help illuminate the scene…
Her eyes widened. It was the night of the new moon. And yet…
Agonizing pain pierced her as sharp claws forced their way through her abdomen. Her cry echoed through the night, but stopped short at the dense trees. She slumped against the body that was suddenly no longer familiar.
"So he won't come looking for you, will he?" the hanyou growled maliciously into her ear as she fell to the ground, clutching her stomach. Blood oozed from a fist sized hole that went straight through to the other side. Kagome coughed and choked on blood that gurgled within her throat.
Her vision began to blur as the imposter stood back to survey his work. His grin sent chills through her as he turned to a shadow in the woods. Darkness overcame her before she could hear the words exchanged.
XxXxXxX
xXx
XxXxXxX
Aren't you proud of me? I didn't take forever to update, Lol.
I'm sorry for ending it where I did, but cliff hangers are just too much fun! Lol, just kidding. Anyway, what'd you think? Is it what you expected? I'm trying to twist the story up a bit so it's not all predicatble, you know. Tell me what you think or if you have any ideas/suggestions.
Till next time,
Hiko