Girl of the Mountains
Kagome slowly opens her eyes and gazes at her one hand, which is extended in front of her. She moves her fingers to see Chikaramaru lying on the floor reaching for her hand. Quickly she pulls her arm in close to her body. Then she moves her other hand which is still firmly plastered to her neck.
Kagome raises her head from the floor and feels the dried blood cracking like face paint after it's been on too long. She removes her hand and stares at the dried blood on it. There is a small spot in the center of her hand where the blood appears to still be fresh. She touches her neck with her other hand to discover it is still bleeding slightly.
Kagome's attention suddenly snaps to Chikaramaru again. His eyes are glazed over and she notices that he is rapidly turning into a skeleton before her very eyes. She watches him decompose before deciding to leave the cavern. Slowly she tries to stand but discovers that her ankle must have been broken when Chikaramaru slammed her to the ground. She shrugs it off and continues to limp out of the cave.
Kagome blinks as the sunlight burns at her sensitive eyes. Her eyes adjust quickly and she continues to limp off in the direction that she thinks Miroku's house is located. Suddenly she feels blood seeping down her neck from her wound and quickly her hand flies to the open wound.
"Why did I do that, and was it worth it just to kill Chikaramaru?" Kagome asks herself, thinking back to the battle when she tore open her neck just to kill him.
"I suppose if it means he won't be bothering me anymore then it was more than worth it." Kagome mumbles to herself.
A pair of lime green eyes follows the movements of a girl limping along slowly below. Bright red hair pours over the shoulders of the figure as they intently watch the black haired girl. Suddenly the girl collapses to the ground and the green eyed being can't help but investigate.
Kagome lies on the ground weak from the recent battle even though she rested right after it. She then recalls she has no idea how long she was out before consciousness returned to her. A sudden thud grabs her thoughts back to her current situation. She tries to glance back over her shoulder but is unsuccessful.
"What happened to you, anyways?" asks the figure in a tone that doesn't give Kagome any hint as to the gender of the thing.
"Battles are tough on those who don't participate in them often." Kagome replies trying to sound confident as she lies on the ground.
"I wouldn't know. I battle for my life every day, but it does seem that you wouldn't be one to fight often, cat demon." The figure says this time sounding very feminine.
"Never been much of a fan of demons. My father was a demon yet I have no physical characteristics of a demon. Only my abilities give away the fact that I'm not entirely human." The girl continues as she moves around into Kagome's vision.
"I've nothing again half-demon just so we're clear on that right now." Kagome explains while staring at the girl.
She was right that she had no resemblance to a demon by any means. Kagome stares at the lime colored eyes that are focused on her and the bright red hair that it covering the female's bare chest.
"Something wrong?" asks the half-demon girl, before she realizes that she is half-naked.
"Sorry I'm not usually in the presence of others so I don't wear a top." She explains pulling an animal pelt from a bag at her side. She wraps it around herself and ties it before removing her hair from underneath it.
Kagome stares at the pelts that are the only clothing the girl has on her body. Both appear to be that of an arctic fox or some other white furred mountain critter. The girl suddenly appears at Kagome's side and begins to lift her off of the ground.
"Come now. I can't just leave you here on the ground like this. I'll take you home. Which way is it?" The female figure asks while supporting Kagome's weight.
"It's in the West that's about all I can tell you. You wouldn't know who Miroku was and you certainly wouldn't know where he lived." Kagome explains trying to shift her weight off of the girl.
"Don't be so sure about that. Met the guy once and he felt the need to show me where he lived. I left straight after he showed me his house. I like his wife, Sango though. Very nice woman, almost too nice for him to have." The girl comments while shifting Kagome's weight back to herself and starting to move them.
"So what's your name anyways?" The girl asks after they are out of the mountains. Kagome stares at her briefly, because all the way through the mountains neither of them had spoken a word.
"I'm Kagome. What about you? What's your name?" Kagome asks realizing finally she never knew the girl's name.
"They call me Arisa. Well that's the name my father gave me anyways." Arisa says almost grudgingly.
"Who was your father, and why do you hate him so?" Kagome asks without even thinking.
"I never bothered to remember his name. All I know is that he was a cat demon and not a very pleasant one for that matter. I was shocked when I found out we were both living here in the mountains." Arisa says shaking her head in disgust.
"Chikaramaru." Kagome whispers under her breath.
"How did you know his name?" Arisa asks staring at Kagome in disbelief.
"He had a weird fascination for me but I'm taken and he didn't get that." Kagome explains not even processing the part about Arisa being Chikaramaru's daughter.
"Wait! Chikaramaru was your father!" Kagome asks in surprise, quickly removing herself from Arisa.
"Was? I thought he was still alive." Arisa says staring at Kagome strangely.
"He was until a little while ago. I killed him because he gave me no choice." Kagome says hesitantly.
"Thank you so much." Arisa says joyfully before leaping onto Kagome and giving her a hug.
"Uh…You're Welcome." Kagome says a little shocked by Arisa's reaction.
"Well we better get you back home, Kagome." Arisa says removing herself from Kagome before taking on the girl's weight once more.
"I hope you're ready for a good run." Arisa says grabbing onto Kagome's side tightly before racing off towards the West.
--
InuYasha was mumbling under his breath again how Kagome wasn't home yet and about the strange man he had seen with her had shown up at the door with no explanation as to the whereabouts of the demon girl.
"Stop mopping InuYasha and go find her already." Miroku yells at the grumbling man.
"Okay but if she comes back while I'm gone I'm blaming you, Miroku." InuYasha snaps rising to his feet to leave.
Miroku smiles happily to himself about finally being able to convince InuYasha to leave the house. Suddenly he hears a knock on the door and races to go get it.
"Who is it?" he asks peaking through the doorway space at the person outside.
"Damn you, Miroku. Why must you ask that question every time someone knocks on your door?" Arisa hisses at him while trying to support Kagome.
"If I didn't ask Arisa then some strange woman may come to my door and I might not be able to refuse her entrance." Miroku says sounding like his old lecherous self again.
"Ha, ha, very funny now let us in. Kagome may look light but after awhile she becomes a bit of a dead weight." Arisa comments lifting Kagome off of her shoulder before repositioning her.
"Hey I heard that." Kagome snaps glaring at the red haired girl.
"Kagome!" InuYasha says excitedly snatching the demon girl away from Arisa.
"I'm fine InuYasha. I just had another run in with a ghost from my past. I won and he won't be coming back anytime soon." Kagome explains not wanting to give out the full story.
"I'm just glad you're safe." InuYasha says pulling her into a hug. Arisa rolls her eyes before forcing her way into the house past the monk at the door.
Kagome forces her way out of InuYasha's grip before dragging herself in as well. InuYasha picks her up and carries her into the house much to Kagome's discomfort.
"I can walk you know. It's nothing more than a broken ankle." Kagome says nonchalantly.
"Then you shouldn't use it to walk on. You don't want to make it worse." InuYasha explains setting her down at the table beside Arisa.
"It's so nice to see you and Arisa again, Kagome. We've all been worried sick about you ever since you left for your training. Of course Kyo didn't help the situation when he arrived here and asked if you were here. When he said you had left without him and then you weren't here either we all panicked." Sango explains while resting her hand on her swollen belly.
Arisa stares at the once demon slayer woman before shifting her attention around the table. Kagome watches her with interest before she decides to tell the girl who everyone is at the table.
"You know Sango, of course, the man on her right is Seimei. Next to him is Sora then Kyo. Shippo is beside him then you and me before we get around to InuYasha then, of course, Miroku." Kagome explains passing her finger around to everyone at the table.
"Thanks. I hope you don't mind if I stay awhile. I would like to make sure Kagome is okay before I return home." Arisa says dipping her head in respect.
"Stay as long as you please, Arisa. You are always welcome here as I'm sure you already know." Sango responses happily.
Arisa dips her head again before turning her attention back to Kagome. Kagome looks at her and soon they begin to talk. The room is filled with conversation as everyone begins their own little discussions.
Author's Note:
How do you like that? Chikaramaru's daughter is now friends with Kagome, but what's going to happen next? I'm not even sure I guess I'll just have to let my mind wander and besides I still need to get back to who Kagome ends up with. Enjoy!