A figure laid on the ground in a cell as blood pooled around her. Her dark hair was matted with blood and dirt while blood poured slowly from the numerous cuts on her body. Though it wasn't enough to kill her, it was enough to let her slip into darkness. Making her unaware of how long she was lying there for. It must have been hours, maybe even days, that she laid in silence as the bleeding finally stopped and her wounds slowly healed.

A sound cut through the silence and she stained her ears to hear what was happening. Footsteps were headed her way and she waited with baited breath as she gave a silent pray that they would pass by her cell. But as she listened to the hurrying footsteps, she noticed that there was more than one person. There seem to be a whole group approaching her cell and fast. And again she hoped that the footsteps would just pass her by.

But that hope was short lived as they seemed to stop right outside of her door. She was a little confused about the silence that seemed to follow as if the group was preparing to enter. She held her breath as she watched the door slowly swing forward. Bright light instantly flowed into the room and blinded her. She had to turn her head down with her eyes shut so that the light wouldn't blind her. Then the footsteps seem to come in slowly, almost hesitant.

She knew that they were coming close to her, but she could not do a thing. With the light blinding her and her wounds still not fully heal. She was at their mercy. But as the group seemed to stop around her, she had a warm feeling that seemed to embrace her. A warm feeling that seemed to calm her racing heart and let her slipped back into darkness.

XxXxXxXxXx A few moments earlier XxXxXx

Inuyasha and the gang had managed to sneak into the castle without Naraku's knowledge. They had traveled a day to get here and spent half a day trying to find a way in without being notice. They were successful when they found an underground passage that they were sure wasn't guarded. They took the tunnel deep into the castle. The passage led they underground, and they were sure that is where they would find their missing member. So they followed the dark passage while keeping an eye out for the evil hanyou.

A new sense of urgency filled the hanyou as both Sango and Inuyasha lead the way with Miroku, Kirara, and Shippo being up the rear. Sango helped when Inuyasha lost the trail but each time, he was able to quickly pick it back up with a little help from Sango. They followed the trail through a twisted maze till they were about thirty feet under the ground.

After a while they stopped outside of a door that had rust all over it. The scent of blood was the strongest through this old door and Inuyasha knew right away that it was the missing member's blood. He had to take a calming breath before he could open the door. For his demon wanted to take over, but he did not want his mate to be afraid of him.

Everyone else seemed to be waiting for him to make the first move as if hesitant of what they would find or how their friend would react to it. So everyone stay behind the hanyou keeping their guard up just incase that they were attacked. Inuyasha opened the door, just to be pushed back by the overpowering scent of blood. For the scent of blood was so heavy in the air that he turn demon for a moment.

He could his fangs and nails grow longer as his eyes bleed red and a wild look took over his features. With a picture of how his mate looked, he fought for control. Slowly he could feel himself returning to his hanyou form as he made his way slowly over to his mate. Taking small, slow steps, he made it to the side of his mate. He was afraid that if he moved to fast, he would scare her and that the far from what he wanted.

He kneeled down next to her as he took in her sleeping form. He took off his shirt so that he could cover her naked body with it so that none of his friend would see her. She jumped slightly at his touch before settling back down into her sleep.

"You're safe now love. Nothing gonna hurt you anymore." he whispered to her as he picked her up gently from the ground.

She doesn't seem to protest as he carried her out. If anything she seemed to be moving closer to him. He let Sango lead the way out as he followed with the sleeping girl. But he couldn't seem to help the smile that pulled light at the corner of his mouth. He had his mate back and she was in his arms. Though he wasn't sure what she had been though nor how much damage has been done. All he knew was that he was taking this moment to be thankful that he had her back.

They travel for a day, trying to get as far as they could from the castle before the evil hanyou notice the missing girl. She was still out when the stopped and decided to make camp. They were able to make camp by a river where Inuyasha dressed the sleeping girl's wounds. As the rest of his friends made their beds next to the fire to get some sleep so they could be refreshed for their journey the next morning. The hanyou stay up sitting by his sleeping mate.

He was worried that if he slept, Naraku would come and take her away from him again. Not wanting to lose her again, he stayed up all night keeping watch. As the moon slowly traveled over the starry sky, he couldn't help but to wonder when the sleeping girl would wake and what would happen when she did. Would she remember him? Or would she be like the other with no memory of him or their friends? That thought made his heart break.

What would he do if she doesn't remember him? Can he let her go until she does? He wasn't sure, but he knew that if he let her go, she would never be far from him. He would follow her until his dieing day. With that thought, he gave his head a gentle shake as he looked up at the stars and made a silence prayer to any god that would listen that everything would work out.

Hope you all enjoy the update and hopefully I will be updating soon. So please let me know what you think by reviewing. Until next time.

Isabella the White Tiger