Children's laughter filled the air, lifting her spirit and reminding her of their innocence. Kagome laughed with them, filled with joy as they walked through the forest, heading back to the village. The children followed her, five of them running around her in their childish excitement. It amazed her how much energy they had at this age. Kagome smiled and sighed. One of the girls took her out of her thoughts as she slipped her small hand into Kagome's right hand. She glanced down unexpectedly at the little girl who beamed up at her and she smiled.
"Yuki-chan, what did you learn today, hmm?" she asked, gazing down at the girl's dark eyes. She had such a cute pixie face with her short black hair that bounced with each step she took.
Yuki smiled up at her. "I learned a lot today, Kagome-sama. 'Planting a plant is like believing in tomorrow'," she said, using her finger in the air to emphasize each word. She beamed up at Kagome, her eyes sparkling. "That's what you said, Kagome-sama."
Kagome nodded and smiled approvingly, "Yes, I did. Good job, Yuki-chan." The child had so much laughter and happiness in her that anything Kagome taught her would make her face glow brighter. She held onto Yuki's hand as she walked the children back to the village.
The sun's rays peeked through the leaves of the trees, leaving them feeling cool even though it was midday and the sun was at its peak. Winter had just ended. Kagome looked around, feeling like something was coming. She stopped, causing Yuki to stop with her. She flared out her senses, at once her face becoming stoic as she searched for the source of her uneasiness. The four other children finally realized that Kagome had stopped walking and they stopped too, looking back at her curiously. Kagome was dressed in her red and white miko robe, her hair tied low at her back with a white hair-tie made of rice paper, and her comfortable zori straw sandals. Her bow sat comfortably against her back, the string at her front as she wore it like a sash with her quiver of arrows going across her back in the opposite way.
Her eyes scanned the trees, looking for shadows. At once her aura spread out over the land, going far beyond what she could see with her eyes. She let her senses tell her what it was that made her so uneasy.
"Lady Kagome…" Kyou called out, stepping closer to the priestess, signaling for the others to follow. They were all old enough to understand that something was wrong. It wasn't like their sensei to just stop and stare off into the woods. Kyou looked around, seeing the two other boys and another girl, not including Yuki, all looking around to see if they could help Kagome point out anything suspicious. They ranged from five to eight years old and were capable of helping Kagome, even if a demon attacked them, or so they believed. Kyou gulped, but nodded at his determination. "Lady Kagome… is something wrong?"
Kagome blinked, tilting her head towards him to let him know she heard him. But she waited a heartbeat, her aura not finding anything amiss or sensing another's aura nearby. 'Strange… I could've sworn I felt something.' She sighed, her aura dissipating, and turned towards Kyou. "No, Kyou. I thought I had felt something nearby but it might have been just an animal. Nothing's there now," she reassured.
The children all looked around cautiously, making sure themselves. Kagome squeezed Yuki's hand, catching the girl's attention. "Well… let's head back." She started the pace and the children followed, but she still felt like something was watching them.
Back in the village, the villagers were on their daily business. Kagome walked the children through the village, heading back to the shrine where they came from. She glanced around and smiled at how much the village has changed since they had rebuilt it when she was three years old.
The village has grown over twenty years. Once a demon slayer village was now a normal village filled with people of all sorts of skills. Kaede was sure not to discriminate those who needed shelter or who were looking for a new place to live. Plus, they had lost their scrolls holding all the knowledge of demon slaying techniques and a whole demon library complete with strengths and weaknesses in that demon attack twenty years ago. They lost everything, especially the sensei that bred the children into demon slayers. There was no sense in continuing it as a "demon slayer" village if there were no demon slayers to be had. However, there were two who held true to their blood even to this day.
Sango and Kohaku, two of the children saved that night, were both demon slayers. Sango remembered the teachings from her sensei and practiced them every day. It was her coping mechanism. In the rubble of the destroyed village, they managed to find the village's storehouse of demon bones. When Sango withdrew to herself, Kaede would usually find her in the new storehouse they built for the demon bones. She later created a weapon for herself, the Hiraikotsu. It was shaped almost like an L, with leather straps on each side for her to hold the giant weapon and one strap connecting from one end to the other for when she kept it strapped to her back. Kagome remembered the first time Sango showed the weapon to her, wanting to show it to her first in her enthusiasm and pride. Kagome was surprised at how big it was when Sango was only fourteen, but she felt ready to slay demons. Kagome had full confidence in Sango's abilities, growing up with her they became best friends. Since they were survivors, they often confided in each other, even though Kagome was five years younger than Sango, the age difference didn't matter. Sango felt that Kagome was wiser beyond her years and felt comfortable talking to Kagome about anything, as did Kagome with her. Kohaku, on the other hand, was two years younger than Sango, and so she trained him whenever she could. Kohaku was her responsibility and Sango made sure that he would be able to take care of himself in case he should ever find himself cornered or without any backup. She would not have her brother helpless and defenseless, not like that night when the demons attacked their village.
Kagome sighed, remembering the horrific events as if she was reliving them. She looked up and quickly had a flashback of the fire blazing in the village with dark smoke rising. She blinked and it was gone. She shook her head, gazing around at the village she now called home.
There were walls around the village, about fifteen feet high, made of logs from trees in the surrounding forests. Kaede insisted that they needed to put walls around the perimeter of the village for protection. Of course, their village remained in the same area. There were mountains around them, one being close by, but they lived on flat lands and rolling hills. The forests blocked them on two sides and one side, the entrance of the village, faced the open land. Kaede still insisted on the walls even though Kagome didn't really enjoy them. She felt… suffocated, on top of being suffocated in the shrine. 'Oh Kagome… stop sulking…'
The villagers walked by them and the children said happy 'hellos' to everyone, who also did the same. They greeted her respectably and she greeted them back. Their village wasn't big, even though they had twenty years' worth of people coming and going. Most stayed and made this their home, adding their own little ones that Kagome now taught and enjoy teaching. There were stairs going up and down different levels of the earth. Because of the demon attack, they were able to carve up beautiful paths and level grounds for huts of all sizes, even a village center with an inn for weary travelers. Green trees higher than the walls sprouted up within the village, most of them were originally there before she was born. Their village, however, flourished in more ways than just human population even after the demon attack. Something that Kagome and Kaede never knew thought possible.
"Lady Kagome-sama," a woman's voice said, snapping Kagome out of her thoughts. She blinked and looked to see Sayuri standing in front of her, her hands clasped down in front, holding a small basket, and her head bowed, waiting for her response.
Kagome smiled. "Sayuri-san, it is nice to see you." Sayuri raised her head and smiled kindly at her. "How has your day been?" Sayuri was a beautiful girl, only the age of sixteen, but she was an apprentice of Kaede's. She learned fast and remembered well. Kaede was their village elder and healer in natural remedies. She was wise in the use of plants, not only to heal but for many things from cooking to making clothing. Kaede knew the use of most plants, and Kagome was always learning from her.
Sayuri smiled, her purple eyes catching Kagome's. "Today has been well. Kaede has me fetching some herbs." Sayuri had her dark purple kimono with a dark green obi tied at her waist. She was a very small and petite girl, but Kagome has seen her fiery spirit once or twice before. She was timid, yes, but when she had to, she would fight her heart out.
"Well… don't let me hold you any longer. Will you be taking someone with you?"
It was natural for them, especially a woman, to be escorted by someone if they left the village. There have been many demon attacks on their village, no doubt sensing the presence of something. It stirred them and their desire for power only began to prove daunting for the villagers. But they were used to it, and it gave their warriors and demon slayers a reason to practice and hone their skills.
Sayuri nodded. "Kohaku will accompany me. He should be waiting at the entrance. I… I should hurry." Sayuri bowed, "Sayonara, Kagome-sama." Kagome watched as she hurried along, smiling at the blush that Sayuri was unable to hide from her. She shook her head, watching Sayuri run off to meet Kohaku. He was nine years older than her but she still blushed and sputtered whenever he was around. Of course, Kagome saw how much Sayuri likes him. But Kohaku never returned the gestures with any of his own. Kagome asked Sango why one day and Sango had just said that he didn't want to talk to her about it. She thinks it's because he likes Sayuri. Whatever the case, Kagome knew that those two would be trouble.
"Come on, children," she called, and they all started back up again. Kagome walked along the path taking her past the rice fields in the middle of their village. It wasn't a huge rice field, just five rectangular wetlands separated by walking paths. And because they were close to a mountain, they often received much rainfall and their underground springs were fed from the mountain, allowing them to maintain their rice fields. Their village has been prone to so many attacks that they had resorted to only a few rice fields they could control and protect. But it was enough to feed their village by the seasons.
Kagome waved as some of the rice farmers glanced up and noticed her presence. They stopped their work and placed their hands on their thighs, bowing at the waist for her. She smiled, slightly tilting her head in acknowledgement, even though inwardly she was sighing. She waved and continued on her way with the children.
Finally, passing a few more huts, they made it to the base of the mountain side. The shrine stairs welcomed them as Kagome looked up. It was a good steep climb of forty stairs. She remembered because she helped to place the stones down when they built the shrine. Forty stairs to the top and then the village's shrine was open with a full view of the entire village. The mountainside was nice and accommodating to a certain point, so it was nice to only have forty stairs to climb up before flat land. Above the shrine the mountain got steeper with several cliffs towards the top.
"Race you to the top, Yuki!" Akira exclaimed. He took to the stairs before she could even register what he said.
"Hey! That's not fair, Akira!" But with a yank of her hand back, Yuki bounded up the stairs after the boy. The other three followed, wanting to be included on the race.
Kagome smiled and shook her head. She took her time going up the stairs, knowing that this was their usual routine. Someone would start a race and Kagome would be left at the bottom, teased by the children that she was last, even though she wasn't in the race. She giggled to herself. Kagome enjoyed the quiet serenity around her as she walked up to the shrine. The trees on both sides of her were just turning green from winter, filling the mountainside again, giving her a sense of peace every time she walked up and down these stairs.
How many times she walked these stairs? How many endless nights she spent sitting on the top of these stairs, gazing out over the village and over the walls that caged her? She would look out at the horizon with longing and desire, wanting to leave this place if just for a little. But Kagome knew that her duty was to remain here. This was where she was supposed to be. But no one could stop her from dreaming.
Finally at the top, Kagome saw the children, some lying flat on their backs and some sitting. Akira was the only one standing but with his hands on his knees, huffing loudly. She giggled at the sight.
"Who won this time?" she asked, walking up to the children.
"I did!" Akira exclaimed with his hand high in the air in victory but his body bowed over in pain.
"You cheated, Akira," Shiori pointed out, looking up at the sky while she caught her breath, her arms and legs spread out.
Akira stuck out his tongue at her.
"Akira!" Kagome scolded. Immediately, the boy flinched slightly and backed off, his head to the ground in shame. She sighed and shook her head. "If you can't play nicely, then don't play at all." Kagome knew they were just children, and they were not her children, but she was their sensei and could discipline them so.
"Yes, Kagome-sama," Akira mumbled. Shiori failed to hide her snort, but gasped when she realized she was caught. Kagome glanced at her and she was on her knees quickly, her head down in shame. Kagome shook her head.
"That's enough for today, children. I will see you tomorrow morning."
"Yes, Kagome-sama!" they all said, and stood up, being dismissed. The children walked towards the stairs, giggling and teasing each other as they went. Kagome turned around and watched them go, smiling to herself at their childish amusement. At the top of the stairs, Yuki stopped and turned around. She waved her hand in the air, making Kagome wave back, and then she disappeared beneath the stairs.
Kagome took a deep breath and frowned, her hand falling to her side. She heard behind her the sound of footsteps against the wood of the shrine house.
"My Lady Kagome," a woman called. Kagome turned around and noticed Asami, one of her maidens, waiting with her head bowed at the top of the stairs into the shrine.
Kagome looked back at the stairs, gazing up at the red Tori gate standing in its glory, and turned around to head into the shrine. The shrine grounds weren't huge, but it was big enough to house the entire village when they had a celebration or a ceremony. She walked down the stone walkway, passing a few hanging lanterns that would light the path at night. The shrine grounds were empty, only the surrounding forest giving her a sense of warmth. Kagome made her way up the steps to the first shrine house called the haiden.
"Asami-san," she said with a slight bow. The woman bowed to her waist and waited until Kagome passed her and went into the shrine. The main shrine was big and her two maidens would care for and clean the shrine. They took care of the offerings that the villagers or travelers would leave in the shrine. The entrance to the shrine had three shoji doors that you could enter through, behind wooden pillars that held up the roof of the shrine. Inside, the shrine was grander than the outside. Though smaller than most shrines, it made up for the lack of size by the wood and stone carvings along the walls. Kohaku had proved to be a skillful carver of stone and wood or anything he could get his hands on, even clay. He was the one who artfully created the faces along the wall. There were five faces in the main hall of worship: Izanagi, Izanami, Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo.
Izanagi and Izanami, creators of the heavens, were carved out of white slates of stone and placed at the far end of the shrine, behind the table of offerings and worship. Their children were set on each wall according to their births. It was said that Izanagi had lost Izanami during childbirth and he went to the Underworld to try and save her. But he couldn't. When he came back to the land of the living, he had to purify himself. He washed his face and out of his left eye came Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun, where she remained on the left wall of the shrine, engraved in wood all along the wall. Izanagi washed out his right eye and out came Tsukuyomi, God of the Moon, where he remained on the right wall of the shrine, also engraved in wood all along the wall. Izanagi had Susanoo when he washed out his nose. He was the God of the Seas and Storms and he was engraved along the entire roof of the shrine. Kohaku did a marvelous job, listening to every detail that Kagome told to him of the Gods and Goddesses she had seen in her dreams. He made every intricate detail of what he saw as storms, as the sun and as the moon and the night to try and capture the beauty of each God.
Kagome sighed as she walked through the shrine, heading for the right door. There were two doors on each side. The left lead towards the outside of the shrine where there was a small garden for contemplation and prayer. The right was off limits. Kagome opened the shoji and closed it behind her. She walked down the opened pathway following the building structure. She looked to her right, gazing at the Tori at the entrance. With a last glance, Kagome turned a corner and headed to the next room, smaller than the main shrine, more like a home for her.
Opening the shoji, Kagome stepped in her room and out of her straw zori, leaving them by the door, feeling the comfort of the tatami mats beneath her bare feet. She closed the shoji behind her and walked towards her futon lying in the center of the room. To the right of her, another shoji lead out to the outside of the shrine grounds, another entrance to her room. And to the left of her, the shoji door lead to another shrine, the inner shrine known as the honden. This was the most sacred part of the shrine where no one but she was allowed in, not even her maidens.
Kagome took off her bow and arrows from her back, moving her shoulders around to test her muscles. Suddenly her name was called and she looked to her right. "Enter."
"My lady." The door opened and Harumi stood in the doorway, her head bowed and hands clasped in front of her. "I have a fire going if you would like to eat lunch."
Kagome smiled and walked to the corner of the room to place her weapons down. "I'd love something to eat."
Harumi looked up and smiled. She moved aside so Kagome could walk outside and the two of them walked towards the back of the room where the fire pit was. It was surrounded by huge boulders, smooth and comforting to sit on and enjoy one's food. Kagome sat, shuffling her hakui sleeves up as Harumi grabbed a clay plate and filled it with the fish she just prepared and some rice.
"How was your day today, my lady?" Harumi asked as she sat across the fire from Kagome. Harumi and Asami helped to raise her, along with Kaede. But because of the fact that they both lost their children at such a young age that dreadful day, Kaede had placed them in charge of taking care of Kagome. They would have to raise her, tend to her needs and carry out her wishes. Kagome was grateful to them, not knowing if they wanted to do this or not. They both wore light blue kimonos with a pink obi. Harumi always had a yellow ribbon tying her hair back away from her face, while Asami kept her short hair down. The two of them were only middle age by now, but she considered them close friends.
Kagome thanked her and began to eat, humming at her appreciation for the delicious food. "It went well. The children learned much. At least there wasn't an attack." But now she remembered that strange feeling she had out there in the woods.
Suddenly, she looked up into the trees above Harumi's head. If she had felt something, Sayuri and Kohaku were now out there gathering herbs. She mentally kicked herself. 'Why didn't I say anything to her? At least warn her that I may have felt something…' She inwardly cursed, knowing that if something happened to them, she would feel horrible and guilty for not saying anything. Though she may have thought it nothing after searching, many of the villagers trusted her word. Whatever she said, they believed and trusted in a heartbeat. Kagome wasn't one to lie or to beat around the bush.
"My lady?" Harumi asked, sensing Kagome's change in mood.
"Oh… it's nothing," she said, her body easing of its tension. "Maybe they're okay…" she mumbled to herself while picking up a piece of fish with her chopsticks, trusting that Kohaku was more than capable of taking down a demon by himself.
-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-
Dusk came too fast for her, but at least the day went with no problems. Kagome stood at the top of the shrine stairs, staring down at the village below. The most notable of the village was the rice fields in between the shrine and the huts that dotted the land. Then were the high walls that protected the village. She wasn't that high up on the mountain, but high enough where she could see the people walking around and every hut in their village.
'Okaa-san… Otou-san… I miss you.' She missed them dearly, every day. Kagome sighed and moved to lean against the Tori, hugging herself for warmth. The solidness of the red shrine gate gave her a sense of stability.
Kagome snapped out of her thoughts as she sensed something happening in the village. She moved away from the Tori and craned her neck to look out, not seeing any demon attack or feeling any demon aura in the village. But still, this feeling… Kagome wasted no time. She called Asami to bring her weapon and waited patiently for a few minutes. The whole time, she was focused on the villagers below. She closed her eyes and listened, concentrating on them, but there was one person she was connected with who would know what was going on. 'Kaede…' she called out, concentrating on the older woman now in her sixties. It took a moment, but Kagome finally was able to bond with Kaede and could see through her eyes. She saw the villagers were in a frenzy, all bustling around Kaede and yelling at her and at each other, frantic about something she couldn't make out.
"My lady!" Asami called, snapping her out of her thoughts. Kagome turned to take her weapon with thanks. She slipped the quiver on her back and ran with her bow in hand, her footsteps sounding loudly on the stone steps in the peacefulness until she hit the bottom and ran along the dirt path.
When Kagome made it to Kaede's home, she noticed the small group of villagers gathered around. Once they noticed her presence, they all turned to her with worry and frantic looks in their eyes.
"My lady!" "Lady Kagome-sama!" they exclaimed, bowing quickly. One man spoke up, wanting his words to be heard first. "Please, my Lady! My son, Akira, is out there! He's being attacked by a demon!"
Kagome gasped and stopped, nearly making it to Kaede. 'Akira?' Oh no… one of her students was in danger? "How?"
The man looked down, ashamed. "We were walking in the forest, looking for stones that he wanted. But something came out of nowhere and surprised the both of us. We were somehow separated and I looked everywhere for him. I couldn't find him, no matter where I searched. I don't know how long I searched. But then I heard his scream. He sounded terrified! And I ran back as quick as I could to get help." His worry and sorrow-filled eyes looked at her, pleading with her. "Please, my Lady. It's my fault. But please save my son!"
"Where?" she demanded. The villagers were taken by surprise at his confession but Akira's father turned and pointed towards the west. She nodded. Kaede, however, stopped her as she stepped in front of Kagome.
"Kagome… maybe you should take Sango or Kohaku with you," she offered. The two stepped forward without their weapons, being it was such a surprise, but they looked determined and ready to fight.
Kagome looked at them and smiled, shaking her head. "No." They frowned, and Sango furrowed her eyebrows, wondering why Kagome declined. "It was my fault this happened." Kaede gasped as a horse was brought for Kagome and she quickly mounted it.
"I felt something out there, earlier today, when I was with the children," she informed. "I didn't care to mention it, not even to Sayuri or Kohaku when they went out to gather herbs." She looked apologetically at Kohaku, seeing no blame in his eyes. "It's my fault. Whatever I felt, it's still out there and it got away the first time… I won't let it get away this time." With a yank of the horse's reins, she was off, leaving Sango to worriedly watch Kagome leave on her own.
-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-
The night was cool, the sky was bright and the stars glittered across the sky. But Kagome paid no attention to the beauty of the night. Her only focus was on the child that needed her help. She sent out her aura, concentrating on finding the demon in the forest around her. She searched as the horse continued its demanding run, running to what, he wasn't sure. Kagome saw it. She pulled at its reins and it turned to the right with a shriek but continued running to what she wanted to find.
The trees of the forest got thinner and thinner with each passing gallop. Kagome frowned, worrying for Akira. 'We're heading into the open.' That wasn't good for Akira. He would be out in the open, a defenseless and helpless target for the demon. But she felt its aura and had a lock on it.
"Faster," she whispered, using the stirrups on either side, she hit the belly of the horse. The horse knew the meaning and ran faster, obeying her. Kagome hoped that Akira was alright. 'Hang on, Akira.' Then there was a loud boom, a scream more like, that echoed through the forest, causing Kagome to make the horse go faster.
Finally the forest opened into flat lands, nothing but grass for miles ahead leading into the countryside. Kagome saw it then, the huge demon in front of her. A rock demon. His solid body gleamed in the moonlight, the half-moon illuminating the night with a glow, making it easier for Kagome to see everything along the land. She found Akira. He was unconscious at the foot of the demon, which didn't seem to be paying any attention to the child as its back was faced to Akira. But she took no chance. Kagome drew her arrow, listening to the rushed breath of the horse as her heart and breathing steadied. She concentrated her energy into her arrow and drew back her bowstring, using her thighs to steady herself above the horse to keep as still as she could.
"Die, demon!" she yelled, letting go of her arrow and watching as it sizzled through the air. The arrow erupted into blue light, a blazing arrow of blue fire whizzing its way towards the rock demon. It heard her voice and turned around at the last minute to only be struck in its back by her arrow that busted straight through its body, piercing the hard armor and exploding it into pieces. Kagome grabbed onto the reins and raced towards Akira.
The rocks were still falling as the demon's scream echoed into the night. She pulled the horse to a stop when she got near enough to Akira and jumped down, keeping her eyes on the rocks as well. Kagome ran to Akira and dropped to her knees. "Akira! Akira! Wake up!" She could feel he was still alive, knew his heart beat. He was just unconscious. Without hesitation, Kagome scooped the boy into her arms and walked over to the horse. Once she took a step, one of the rocks shook and shot towards her. At the last minute, Kagome dodged it, lucky that she sensed its aura. She held the boy close to her chest, ready for another dodge, but nothing else came. She turned behind her to see all the rocks shaking now, and one by one they began to converge together. Her eyes widened at what they were doing.
Quickly, Kagome placed Akira's unconscious body onto the horse, draping him on his stomach onto the saddle. The horse moved around restlessly now, wanting to run with its passenger on its back. Kagome feared more for Akira's safety than for her own. Sensing the urgency, she whacked the horse's rear end and it cried out, speeding off to where it came from through the forest. 'Please get him back safely,' she thought, watching as the horse disappeared into the tree line.
The sound of the rocks piling on top of each other brought her out of her thoughts. Kagome turned around and saw that the demon had reformed itself. It stood high above her, twice as high as the walls around her village. She steadily drew out another arrow and notched it, waiting for its move. She calculated its strength, its speed, waiting for another tell-tale sign of its weakness.
The rock demon laughed, its voice rumbling into the earth. It stood on top of a small hill, looking down at the priestess with mild contempt. "Miko… how dare you injure me! Foolish human! I will show you my power!" it boomed.
Kagome only smirked, waiting, pulling back her arrow. The demon's silver eyes glittered and it raised its arms, quickly bringing them down, intending on smashing her. She released her arrow and ran towards it, finding beneath its legs the safest spot for such a huge demon. Its size would be its weakness in speed. Her arrow struck the center of its fists that were clasped together and it cried out. Rocks flew everywhere, big and small, as Kagome ran under it. Some rocks fell around her and luckily missed her as she reached beneath its legs and looked up under its chin, trying to figure out her next move. She had to stay ahead of it. But what of its regeneration? 'How do I stop it from regenerating?' She waited a heartbeat, dancing along the ground as the demon looked around for her and the rocks began to fly back up towards its body, reforming its hands again.
"Where are you, miko?!" the demon yelled, moving around in a circle and not seeing her at all. Then, it realized where she might be. With a chuckle, it lifted its right leg and stomped the ground. Kagome barely dodged the stomp but it was so forceful that she flew off the ground and landed on her butt, tumbling a few feet away from its feet. The demon smirked. "There you are." It swiped its right hand in the air towards her.
Before she knew it, she was suddenly in the arms of someone and moving so fast out of the demon's attack that she was nearly dizzy. Kagome gasped, feeling an arm clasped under her knees and an arm under her shoulder blades. She looked up at the one holding her against a warm chest. The face was darkened by the moonlight shining behind him, but she made out his silver hair and a strong jaw. 'Silver? I wonder if it's from the moon?' she thought. The sound of the rock demon's anger brought her out of her stupor and she turned to look at it glaring at her now.
"Stupid half-demon! Why don't you just die?!" it screamed, the sound causing the earth to quake.
Kagome felt the man's chest rumble with laughter and she was suddenly aware of how close they were. A half-demon. She pushed at him, gaining his attention now, and he placed her down, watching her with wary eyes. Kagome reached for an arrow and notched it, but she waited, taking in the half-demon who saved her. To her amazement, he was a sight to behold under the moonlight. The moonlight definitely complimented his hair which she was sure was silver and tied with a red hair-tie high in a ponytail, some tendrils falling on each side of his face while the rest flowed down to his hip. She noticed his dog ears on top of his head that twitched from the sounds the rock demon made. He wore a red haori over an ivory colored hanjuban, tucked into his matching red hakama, the haori tied at his waist with a gold obi. But what really caught her attention were his golden eyes. She was caught in them, drowning in its depths. And she didn't know why, but she saw something deep within them that she couldn't look away from.
"Die, half-demon!" The rock demon came barreling at them, shaking the ground with each step and Kagome snapped out of her stupor. Even the half-demon blinked, staring at her for a moment, and turned towards the approaching demon. He smirked.
"Hmph. You think you can defeat me? I might have been caught off guard once, but not again." Kagome watched as the half-demon leapt into the air, reaching for the katana at his waist. But when he drew out his blade, it lit up and transformed into a huge fang.
Kagome gasped. '"Well let me remind you then, of what you have taken from me…"' The memory of the inu-taiyoukai who killed her parents flashed before her eyes, his deep voice ringing in her ears, taking her off guard. Kagome dropped her arms and grasped at her chest, feeling a fresh sheen of tears starting. 'What is this? What's happening?' Her chest hurt, remembering the emotions she had as a young child who discovered her parents' torn dead bodies.
"Take this!" the half-demon yelled. "Tessaiga!" he yelled, bringing his blade down and slicing the demon in half. The half-demon fell to the ground and jumped back a little with a flinch. He grabbed at his right side, his hand coming back with blood.
Kagome noticed his blood and wondered why she never noticed it before. 'His haori is red,' she figured. Kagome regained her composure, burying her memories, and decided she would kill this demon before it would again regenerate. It seemed like the half-demon read her thoughts because he gripped his sword with both hands again, crouching to get another strike at it. But she was quicker. Kagome placed her arrow back in her quiver and with her free hand reached inside her hakui sleeve, grabbing an ofuda. The piece of paper came out empty and void of ink. But as she closed her eyes and chanted, bringing the ofuda up in front of her face, the kanji wrote itself onto the piece of paper. She chanted a binding spell and the ofuda glowed, standing up straight, full with power. Kagome opened her eyes and ran closer to the demon, watching the half-demon as he bent down and jumped, just noticing her running towards the rock demon. With the two of them in mid-strike, it was a scene to see a miko and a demon working together. The irony.
"Die, demon!" Kagome said while throwing her ofuda and watching as it grew a life of its own. Her ofuda went straight to the demon's chest and latched on, shocking it with white lightning. The rock demon cried out in pain and she watched as the demon could do nothing but wither and fall away, the rocks crumbling to the ground harmlessly until there was nothing left standing.
Softly, the half-demon touched the ground, facing her and watching her warily. Kagome quickly drew her arrow and notched it, readying her sights and pointed the arrow directly at him.
"Inu-hanyou!" she said, waiting.
The half-demon smirked and bared a fang. He moved one foot back and held his sword out in front of him with both hands, ready to take her on. "Miko… shall we dance?" he asked, his voice laced with desire for a fight.
Kagome heard the sound of her heart beating, felt the wind brush against her face, but she couldn't find herself to release her arrow. Another heartbeat and she blinked, watching the hanyou as he kept his smirk and twisted his hands on the hilt of his sword. It was obvious he was itching for a fight. But there was something in his eyes. Though they stood only a distance from each other, she could see his golden eyes, eyes that seem so familiar to her. But these eyes were different from what she remembered, from the inu-taiyoukai that killed her parents. She saw something in them that she never thought she would see in a demon, let alone a hanyou like this. The wind blew again, sending a chilly breeze against her skin. Kagome watched as the hanyou's hair blew in the wind. He really was a sight to see, and unbeknownst to her, Kagome found herself softening to him before she even realized it. Her eyes softened, making the hanyou blink and frown in confusion as he caught her gaze and was confused as to the look she gave him. His hands no longer twitched and clutched at his sword, but his eyes watched her intently, wondering what changed her mind.
After a few moments, Kagome's even breathing calmed her senses and she slowly loosened her arm, withdrawing her arrow. She placed the thing back in her quiver, not taking her eyes off the inu-hanyou. She couldn't shake this feeling she had from him, but it was something new and not to be trusted.
Kagome smirked and blinked with a small chuckle. "Inu-hanyou… leave these lands before I regret letting you go." She took in his shocked expression, his wide golden eyes, and without another word, Kagome turned her back on him and walked towards the tree line of the forest. She needed to get back to the village before Kaede sent out a search party for her. And she remembered Akira. But what filled her mind now was the half-demon she could feel watching her walk away.
-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-
Inuyasha stood dumb-founded, his body still tense for a fight. If this miko wanted to test him, so be it. He wasn't in the mood to take anyone's shit for today. 'It's been a long day… and I'm tired of all this bullshit!' He inwardly remembered how much his brother hated his dirty mouth and he felt a sense of pride, anything to get under his brother's skin.
Inuyasha twisted his hand on the hilt of his sword, testing the weight of it, ready for a fight. He was itching for it, actually. After that stupid rock demon came out of nowhere and attacked him, he was ready for more. The rock demon had been camouflaged and to him it looked like just a huge boulder. There was no aura coming from it. But once he turned around, the rock moved so quickly he didn't have time to prepare for the assault. It came fast, a huge solid boulder hitting him square on his right side, flying him yards away as his body skipped along the ground like a pebble on water. Inuyasha had the wind hit out of him, literally, and he was immobile on the ground, his body pulsing in pain that shot to his head, forming a headache.
The rock demon ran over to him, causing the ground to shake, Inuyasha's indication that he needed to get up. But his body wouldn't move. Inuyasha could only watch as the demon got closer, but suddenly stopped. It turned its head to the side, gazing out at the tree line of the forest. He followed suit and with his excellent vision he saw a young boy standing next to a tree, his eyes wide with fear as he watched them. 'Idiot! Run!' he thought, unable to find his strength. The rock demon took one last look at him, realized that he wasn't going anywhere, and smirked.
With a crouch to the ground, the demon shot into the sky and landed right in front of the boy. The child screamed in terror and turned to run, but the demon punched his fist into the trees in the child's path, breaking into the earth. The boy screamed and ran the other way, straight through the demon's legs and into the open field. Inuyasha growled, knowing the child just made his last decision he'll ever make. Inuyasha groaned, willing his body to get up, getting angry at himself for his weakness. His bones cracked and he knew he had at least some broken ribs from that hit. Inuyasha got to his feet miraculously and immediately coughed up blood, spitting it out as the rest dripped down his chin.
"Well… isn't this getting better by the minute?" he said, wiping his mouth with his haori and watching as the child ran towards him with terrified eyes. The demon turned, noticing the child's path, and flew out its right hand, letting the rocks break free from its arm and go flying through the air. Inuyasha cursed, seeing a handful of huge rocks go flying towards the kid. 'Damn!' With blinding speed he ran to the boy, taking in the pain as if it wasn't there. His feet barely touched the ground and he was on the boy in seconds, sweeping him into his arms, just as the rocks hit the ground where the boy once was. The others fell all around him and Inuyasha had to dance around them, jumping back and forth as one after the other would come crashing down. Just when Inuyasha thought he was in the clear, the demon came up behind him, taking him off guard. He gripped the child tight and jumped out of the way of the demon. But it had him before he left the ground. Using its left arm, it wrapped its hand around Inuyasha with the child in his arms. The little boy screamed, squeezed so hard he thought his bones would break. Inuyasha's arms were wrapped around him, preventing some of the pressure from breaking the boy's bones.
Inuyasha grunted, feeling a sharp pain where his ribs were broken, and then warmth along his belly. 'Shit! I need to finish this.' If he didn't kill this demon soon, he would lose too much blood and this child will be squashed to death. Inuyasha growled and wiggled so that he could get a test of the room he had to work with. He wiggled his left hand out, feeling the blood from his abdomen ooze onto his fingers. The demon laughed, feeling the hanyou struggle.
"Foolish half-demon. So pathetic. You think you can defeat me?" it asked him, smirking.
Inuyasha smirked, not in the least bit afraid for his life. He watched as the demon looked at him with its silver eyes and he realized that its eyes were its weak spot. Inuyasha bared his fangs, "Yeah, well, this half-demon isn't too keen with getting squeezed to death." Finally getting his hand free, blood dripping from his claws down his wrist, he chuckled.
"Blades of blood," he yelled as his blood glowed bright and he swiped his claw at the demon's face, aiming for its eyes. Inuyasha's blood turned into weapons, sharp as knives, as it sliced at the demon's face. Since it was a rock demon, it wasn't cutting the demon's face, but a few of the blades of blood struck the demon's eyes.
The rock demon screamed out in pain, throwing its head back with its eyes shut close. It reared back its hand and threw Inuyasha and the child to the ground, its right hand flying to his face in pain now that it regenerated. Inuyasha held the child protectively against his chest, waiting for the impact, cocooning the child as they fell and hit the ground hard. It knocked the wind out of him and his vision grew dark, slipping unconscious, as he lost his hold on the little boy. They both went tumbling on the ground, rolling and then coming to a complete stop. Inuyasha grunted, fighting the darkness that threatened him and he pushed himself up, shaking off his daze and looking around for the child. He heard the demon cursing him, trying to regain its eyesight. But Inuyasha found the kid on the opposite side of the demon, unconscious. Before he could get up, the rock demon burst into pieces above him in a huge explosion of blue light. His scream filled the night and Inuyasha rolled along the ground, avoiding the falling boulders as the demon became nothing but rubble. That's when she appeared.
"Inu-hanyou…" the miko called out, catching Inuyasha's attention as he snapped out of his thoughts, "leave these lands before I regret letting you go." With that said, she turned around and walked away from him. 'What the…?' He was shocked and confused. What the hell was this woman's problem? Just leaving like this? He was a demon for crying out loud, and she was a priestess. She wasn't supposed to let someone like him live.
"Oi, miko!" he called out, furious that she would just dismiss him like that. "What the hell is your problem?! Don't walk away from me!" But she did. He watched as her red and white figure just walk away, heading back to the tree line, no doubt to check on the boy. Inuyasha chuckled with a smirk. 'Fool.'
He gripped his Tessaiga and leapt towards her, flying above her and watching as her hair blew in the wind but she still didn't pay any attention to him. He roared and brought down his blade, but the miko was fast. She jumped out of the way of his strike and he hit the ground where she stood just a second ago, the earth coming apart at the impact. His eyes looked to the side where she was, her figure moving in slow motion as her body turned around towards him, her hand moving to retrieve an arrow. As her feet touched the ground, she was already notched and ready.
"I gave you a chance, inu-hanyou." He smirked and chuckled.
"Yeah well… I don't take too well with threats." Inuyasha brought Tessaiga up and rested it on his left shoulder, his right side too numb to hold its weight. "You want me gone? Make me," he threatened. Who the hell did this lady think she was anyways?
Kagome stood her ground, waiting. She wasn't sure what she was waiting for. But for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to release her arrow and kill him where he stood. Her eyes met his and she was drawn to him again. 'What the hell, Kagome? Snap out of it!' She didn't like the way this hanyou made her feel, what he made her do, especially now when all she was doing was staring at him. He was a threat. It was simple. He tried to kill her and she needed to kill him before he actually did kill her.
She blinked. 'Wait a minute. Then why isn't he?' She watched as the hanyou rested his blade easily on his shoulder, that huge fang of his gleaming in the moonlight. The wind blew against them, causing tendrils of her hair to fly in front of her face. The hanyou's eyes widened for a minute, his nostrils flared, and she saw his lips press together. But still, he never moved. Why wasn't he attacking her? Was he really expecting her to strike him first? Did he not value his life?
Kagome licked her lips, feeling the crisp air get to her skin. "I will tell you again, hanyou. Leave these lands. You aren't welcomed here."
Inuyasha smirked and tilted his head, his eyebrow cocked. "Welcomed? Who do you think saved that little boy?" He saw her eyes scrunch as she regarded him tentatively, measuring his words. He shrugged, lifting the Tessaiga with his left hand and sheathing it at his waist. Kagome watched as the blade shone bright, immediately transforming to fit into its sheath. And like that, it was gone. He stood there and waited. They were in a staring battle with her pointing her arrow at him. But Kagome felt her heart begin to beat louder and she needed to get away from him. There was something about him that made her uneasy.
But before she could speak, the hanyou's eyes slowly closed and his body was falling to the ground. She gasped, relieving some of the tension on her bowstring as the half-demon's body fell onto his left side, his silver hair falling on his face. Kagome took a breath, trying to figure out what she should do. He was unconscious, that she knew. She knew he was still alive, could feel his aura, but she also sensed death. Then, she remembered the blood that was on his hand when he touched his side. 'He's wounded…' Kagome made up her mind. She would help him. There was a part of her that told her not to, he was a demon, the total opposite of her. He was made to kill her and she was made to kill him. They were from two different worlds. But there was another part of her that wanted, that needed, to help him.
Kagome placed her arrow back in the quiver against her back and strapped on her bow. She walked over to him and slowly sank to her knees. He was lying on his left side facing her, so still. What was it about this hanyou that reached out to her? 'Why do I want to save him so badly?' She couldn't figure it out, and she didn't have the time to ponder it. Kagome raised her left hand and leaned forward, swiping his silver hair away from his face with her fingers. She tilted her head and her face softened, sitting back on her heels. Half-demons were hated by both humans and demons; they fit into neither world and were stuck in between. Maybe that was why she saw his determination to fight without a care to his own life. 'Obviously he doesn't care about himself… he's lying here defenseless with my arrow pointed at him, and he didn't even stop to think of the loss of blood he received from that demon.'
Kagome watched him in the moonlight. His face was softer now, his pain and his anger now gone. Where once his face was etched with fury, itching for a fight with her, he now looked like a sleeping child with a little strain from his pain. He had a strong jaw and a very manly face. Kagome blinked and shook her head, mentally slapping herself. She had to heal him and leave.
The wind picked up and Kagome closed her eyes, spreading her senses out to check the surrounding area. This was dangerous. She was out in an open field with the light from the moon revealing what she would be doing. If anyone caught her, she would be in danger and her secret would be known. That was the one thing her parents told her to never let anyone discover about her. The people in her village knew if they chose to stay. There were always tests they had to go through before they made permanent residence. Kaede went through the rules with them and tested their loyalty before she revealed to them the secret that their village was to keep forever. But sometimes a human heart can be a fickle thing. There were only a handful of incidences where some of the new villagers couldn't take the secret and wanted to exploit Kagome and her powers for their own benefit. They were… taken care of.
Kagome opened her eyes, scanning the field and the surrounding line of trees with wariness. She didn't feel anything nearby but it was never a certainty. 'I don't know the extent of his wounds. If I take him back to the shrine like this… he might lose too much blood and I won't be able to save him.' She would have to do it here before it was too late. She would have to put her life in danger for his.
Her hands flew up in front of her chest, her index fingers and thumbs pressing against each other while the rest were clasped together. She would save him. She needed to save him. Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated. The wind picked up, sensing the surge of energy.
"Father, Izanagi-sama
Mother, Izanami-sama
Hear your daughter's plea
Tsukuyomi-sama, God of the Moon
Show to me what is unseen
Amaterasu-sama, God of the Sun
Cleanse what is unclean
Hear my command
I am the Shikon no Miko
Heal what no man can heal"
The wind suddenly stopped and it was dead silent. The moon glistened above as Kagome's hands glowed. She opened her eyes, now bright golden-brown from the surge of power that she was using. She looked down at the hanyou and watched as his breathing remained shallow and she sensed his aura fighting with hers, opposing each other. The air suddenly electrified and Kagome felt her body burning. The hanyou groaned, causing her to look at him. His face was scrunched in pain and then he slipped further into his sleep. She knew she would have to dig deeper if she were to save him. His demon blood was fighting her, seeing her help as a threat. But, he was almost gone, slipping away from her before her eyes. She didn't panic. She was determined and knew she could save him. She would save him. Kagome pushed his body back so he lay flat on his back and his hair lay out beneath him. She remembered where his wound was, his hakama a dark red where blood seeped through.
Kagome reached out her glowing hands that were now starting to burn at the power that she was emitting. She grabbed at the hanyou's obi and pulled, watching as his haori opened. She pulled down his hakama to his hips and grabbed at the hanjuban's obi, untying the garment and she opened both to reveal his wound. She was taken aback. His wound was much graver than she thought, definitely more than he let on. It was as if he didn't feel pain until his body finally couldn't take it anymore. Kagome frowned, looking at his abdomen, so defined and muscular. But it was discolored from the right to the left, turning a dark purple where it was obvious that he had internal bleeding, now spreading to his left side. Kagome was shocked at the extent of his wounds. The hanyou's ribs on his right side were broken, which she could clearly see it under his skin. She could see some areas where his bones crisscrossed each other, pushing against his skin. It was an unnatural sight. There were three holes where his ribs pierced his skin and the bones extended just a few inches out of his body.
She furrowed her eyebrows, now understanding why she couldn't heal him and why he was slipping away so fast. He was losing too much blood too fast. Kagome moved closer so that her knees were touching his left side and she reached over so that she could place one hand on top of his ribs and the other on the huge patch of discolored skin. The moment her healing warmth touched his body Kagome felt a jolt pierce through her. Then, it felt like white-scorching heat, like lightning, wrap around her body. She cried out in pain, her eyes closed tightly, wondering what it was that was harming her. The air around her seemed to thicken into something ominous, a dark aura emerging from the hanyou.
Then she realized it. 'He's half-demon,' she thought, opening her right eye in pain to look at his face. He seemed unconscious but she knew that it was his demon that was protecting him, coming to the surface the moment it felt threatened. Kagome groaned, softly panting at the energy that shocked her.
She sent out her aura, hoping that it would somehow pacify the demon blood. 'Please… I'm trying to help… Let me help you. Let me heal you.' She waited, using her mind and her heart to reach out to him. It was her will that made it possible, her will that gave her strength, and she willed the demon to believe her. The demon had to see that she was trying to help him, not hurt him. But all he felt was her strange warmth that was causing a burning sensation inside of him, which was his body healing.
The scorching heat wasn't backing down, the lightning now crackling in the air as their auras fought each other. She cried out, but didn't back down, even though she wanted to retract her hand from his body. The demon blood was strong, attacking her and preventing her from trying to help him. 'Please… I can help. Let me heal you…' She waited, inwardly screaming at the scorching heat now traveling up her arms. If it didn't back down soon, she would have to let go and give up. But suddenly, the electricity stopped. She felt his aura relax, wasn't so suffocated by it anymore. The burning in her arms subdued until it flowed out of her palms and she felt nothing anymore.
Kagome looked down at his face and sighed, taking in gulps of air after that. This hanyou was stronger than she thought. Staying focused on her task now, Kagome pressed her hands a little firmer onto his skin. The hanyou groaned softly, warmth emitting from her glowing hands. Kagome gazed down and watched as the discoloration remained and the bones never moved back to their places. 'No…' She needed more power, more energy to heal him. And fast.
Looking up to the sky, Kagome's eyes turned gold and gravity was forgotten. Her hair floated around behind her, causing her to feel the coolness of the night against the back of her neck, keeping her in the present. She looked at the half moon, shinning bright against the night sky, and pressed into the hanyou's skin softly.
"Tsukuyomi-sama, God of the Moon
May your light shine brighter
Like the numerous stars in the sky
I ask for your uncontainable power
I am your vessel, your humble servant
I am the Shikon no Miko
Heal these wounds that steal life
Give me your father's sight
Take away what threatens
Let my warmth set in
I will be his healing light"
Kagome's golden eyes flashed bright gold and she looked down at the hanyou. She saw them. '"Demons from the Underworld."' Her eyes widened at the booming voice she heard in her mind, a God guiding her. But that's what they looked like. They were small demons standing on top of the hanyou's body, chuckling and speaking among themselves in a tongue that she didn't understand. There were three of them. Their green skin taut where she could see their bones beneath, but they had huge black eyes like an endless pit. The demons stopped talking and sensed her presence, now all three of them looking at her.
Kagome raised her right hand and stared at one of them, concentrating her energy. With a touch of her index finger to its forehead, the demon shrieked and burned to ashes, evaporating away. The other two demons shrieked as they realized she could see them. Kagome worked fast, placing her finger on one demon's forehead and then the other, watching them burn to dust. She turned to look back at the wound. The hanyou's discolored skin began to change beneath her left hand and she felt a sense of relief. But she had to concentrate harder.
She placed her other hand back over his ribs and closed her eyes, lifting her head into the air as she felt power flow through her whole body. The bones beneath her fingers began to slide away and move back into their original spots, mending itself back to his ribcage. Sweat began to form on her temples but her concentration never faltered. His discolored purple skin was no more, all his internal organs healing.
Out in the distance, people emerged from the tree line riding on horses. There were seven of them and one horse with no rider being pulled by one of the villagers. Kaede stopped the group and looked out at the two occupants in the open plain. She squinted her eye, trying to see what was happening. But she could already feel it.
"Kaede?" Sango called, moving her horse up to Kaede. "I've never felt this come from Kagome before."
"Aye," Kaede agreed. She frowned as she noticed how bright Kagome's body glowed and the way her hair floated around her. She was using too much spiritual energy. Whatever or whoever she was healing, she was using a different spell from what Kaede knew her to use. This was something that Kaede had never seen Kagome do before. "We need to hurry!" She kicked the horse forward and everyone else followed. Sango and Kohaku had their eyes open and searching, now realizing they were in the open. Their eyes scanned the field as their horses ran forward, dodging the rocks and boulders that lay scattered all over the land.
Kagome opened her mouth, taking in a deep breath, and opened her eyes as she released it. Her eyes were back to their milky brown and slowly all her energy began to fade away. She looked down at her hands and lifted them, seeing the hanyou's skin back to its usual color and his abdomen now back to normal. The holes torn in his skin were now healed shut. She smiled with relief. 'I did it,' she thought wearily. She was tired, never did she do a spell this powerful before and she felt the drain from it. But at least she was able to save him. She turned to gaze at his face, taking in the way he looked more relaxed and at ease now that he wasn't fighting for his life. Then, she heard it. The sound of running horses.
Kagome turned her head to see Kaede, Sango and Kohaku riding with four other villagers. They were all geared up and ready for a battle. She smiled and was glad they were here. She welcomed the darkness, letting it overcome her, trusting the seven of them to protect her when she was so tired. Kagome collapsed on top of the hanyou, draping her body over his stomach, letting unconsciousness take her. The two of them laid there beneath the moonlight as the wind suddenly picked up again, uninterrupted.
"Kagome-san!" Sango yelled, watching as her friend collapsed forward.
"Kagome!" Kaede yelled as they got closer. Once in reach, they all moved their horses so that they formed a protective circle around the two bodies lying motionless on the ground. Kohaku jumped off his horse first, sheathing his Kusarigama against his back, and went to his knees. He grabbed Kagome off the demon, taking her bow off her back and placing it next to the demon's head. He held her in his arms, letting her head fall back into the crook of his arm.
"Kagome…" Kohaku whispered, looking at her face with worry. He felt like he failed to protect her. Why did he let her go off to find Akira by herself to begin with? Sango had reassured him when Kagome didn't return for what felt like ages that she could handle herself. But he felt responsible for her protection, and now, for her weariness.
Sango jumped off her horse and went to stand next to Kohaku, going to one knee next to Kagome's head. Her eyes softened as she looked at Kagome's face. "Kagome…" The three of them were so close, growing up together after losing everything. They became a tight knit family, the three of them, with Kaede acting like their leader and, in a sense, their parent. But the three of them, just children, shared laughs and silly fights with each other. They were like family and cared for each other as such. She looked at her brother and saw his pain and worry. Kohaku cared for Kagome like a little sister. He was very protective of her. Sango smiled and placed a reassuring hand on Kohaku's shoulder.
"She'll be fine, Kohaku," Sango promised, knowing Kagome will pull through. "She's just tired."
Kaede looked down at the three, taking in Kagome's appearance and the demon's. She felt his aura and realized he was only half-demon. 'A hanyou? Here?' She scanned the field, looking around at all the rocks and boulders that she remembered weren't here before. There must have been a battle here. Akira was still passed out but he was back safe and sound in the village. Because Akira was still unconscious, they didn't know where Kagome was or couldn't ask him why Kagome wasn't with him. So Kaede gathered the demon slayers and some other warriors and they left the village, intending to find out where Kagome was. But Kaede never expected to find this. She looked back down at the hanyou. He looked familiar. His facial features reminded her of someone, but it was the color of his hair that stood out to her. 'Who is this hanyou? And why did Kagome save him? Was he not the one who attacked her and Akira?' Kaede didn't know the answers to her questions. Only Kagome would know. And right now she was unconscious from her using her miko energy.
"Let's go," Kaede announced, drawing Sango's and Kohaku's attentions. Sango got to her feet and nodded. She strapped the Hiraikotsu against her back so she could reach down and help Kohaku with Kagome. With the two of them, Sango took Kagome from him so Kohaku could stand and mount his horse. Two of the villagers got off their horse to help her with Kagome. One of the men took Kagome from her and gave her to Kohaku, lifting her up. Kohaku reached for her and placed her on his lap in the saddle.
Kaede looked down at the sleeping hanyou, his chest left exposed. She frowned and kept her hard gaze on him. "Dress him and get him onto the horse. We will bring him back."
Sango turned around quickly, shocked at Kaede's instructions. "But Kaede… he's a demon."
"A half-demon, Sango, yes." Sango turned and looked at him. Kaede noticed that she never realized he was a half-demon. "We will bring him back and then decide what to do with him. We can't leave him out here. Demons might come and attack him unsuspectedly."
One of the men standing next to Sango snickered. "He's a half-demon. Let them."
Kaede shook her head. "No. Kagome healed him for a reason. Why would I let this man die when she spent all her energy to save him?" Sango looked down at the hanyou and asked herself the same question. She watched as the two men sighed and walk over to the hanyou, dressing him. They worked together to carry him to the horse and got him draped on his stomach over the back of the horse. The whole time, Sango wondered about Kagome's intentions. Why did she save him? Now that Kaede pointed it out, of course Sango wouldn't want Kagome's healing to have been for nothing. But bringing a demon back to their village?
Sango turned to look up at Kohaku, holding Kagome against him with one hand and the horse's reins in the other. He shrugged his shoulders, urging her to get on her horse. Kaede made her decision. They all mounted and turned their horses back towards the village.