We returned to the clearing a little while afterwards and were greeted with a surprising sight. Miroku was unconscious as usual with Shippo snoring on his chest and Sango was curled up with Kirara asleep. The surprising part was: Kouga was on the ground and glaring at Ayame who stood above him with a clenched fist. In a tree above the fire Inuyasha slept on one of the branches with Kagome in his arms. Ayame hit Kouga again as he opened his mouth. I grabbed Kouga and dragged him from the clearing with Ayame and Mamoru following close behind. "Why are you fighting?"
"He was trying to pick a fight with Inuyasha because Kagome wanted to sleep with him in the tree. He almost woke her up!" Ayame said as she kicked Kouga in the shin.
"Kouga!" I said and kicked him as well. "Kagome can do what she wants! Leave her alone!"
"I don't like mutt face sleeping so close with MY woman." Kouga said crossing his arms over his chest.
Mamoru flicked Kouga in the nose and grinned. "If she was YOUR woman do you really think she would have run to Inuyasha? You lost her before you met her man."
Kouga snarled and punched out but was knocked unconscious and onto the ground before he hit Mamoru. We all stared at Kagome who was standing behind him with Miroku's staff in her hands. She gazed at us sleepily before she went back to the tree and Inuyasha reached down to pull her back up into his arms. We looked at each other momentarily before we busted out laughing. Well I am not sure she'll remember this when they wake up but it definitely made Inuyasha happy. I thought as Inuyasha's face settled into a small smile as he drifted off.
Ayame winked at me. "You guys get to sleep. I'll stay on watch."
Mamoru and I nodded gratefully and curled up together beneath Inuyasha and Kagome so Kouga would have to get through us to reach her.
We traveled the same way as we had before but Kouga had to run on his own strength. After his behavior last night he as banned from hitching a ride. Kagome hadn't said anything about the night before but she did give Kouga a nasty glare and held tighter to Inuyasha. Finally around midday we reached the valley where Ayame had said the demon was. We stared down into the valley in horror. A shape like a giant willow tree sat in the middle and the earth around it was dead. In its branches were dead bodies, some large, some small but each in different stages of decay.
"What is that?" I asked gripping Mamoru's hand.
"It's a tree demon that lives on others powers." Inuyasha said. "Come on. We need to destroy it before it kills the whole valley." He started down the side of the hill with the rest of us close behind. When we reached the edge of the barrier we circled it trying to find a weakness. Inuyasha drew his Tetsusaiga and tried to break the barrier but the barrier only pulsed once before it sucked the power from the sword. "What the hell?" Inuyasha said and started to back away when the tree began to shake. Suddenly vines shot out of the barrier and wrapped us up and dragged us into its branches. I looked to the side as blackness tried to take over my body. Kagome was lying on the ground unconscious but the rest of us were tangled in the branches. Kagome…only you can save us this time. I thought before a pain ripped into my head knocking me unconscious.
Kagome's Point of view…
My head hurt. It hurt a lot. I sat up clutching my scalp and then leapt to my feet as I saw my friends hanging in the tree. I ran to Inuyasha and threw my arms around him but he didn't move. Please…Inuyasha…I thought as my fingers fumbled to find his pulse. It was there but faint. I ripped at the vines around him but they didn't break. "DAMN YOU!" I shouted at the tree and ran to its base kicking it. "Let them go!"
The tree laughed at me and a face appeared in the bark ahead of me. "Now why would I do that? They are excellent fodder. Just because my magic will not work on you doesn't mean you have the ability to save them." The face said.
"I'll try until I succeed!" I shouted up at him.
"Then come inside. If you can find their souls quick enough and bring them back with you, you can rescue them." The tree said and a hole appeared in the depths of his bark. "But remember little priestess: you'll end up dieing if you stay down there too long."
I glared at him before heading down into the darkness of his tree. It was much larger inside the tree than it looked like it was from the outside. This only served to piss me off more: the larger the place was the longer it would take to find everyone. I ran down the long, long spiral staircase as fast as I could and jetted down the corridor. On each wall were doors and each door had a name on the front. I opened the first, Sango, and stepped into a clearing. I could still see the door behind me so I knew I was still in the tree but I was suddenly also somewhere else.
Okay, I get it…it's like a mix of that nightmare tree and that moth demons spell that one time. I thought as I jogged through the clearing. As I neared the woods I found a dead body. It was Kohaku and Sango's boomerang had pierced his chest. Oh no! I thought and ran farther into the forest. I found Sango holding a dead Miroku in her arms. She was crying heavily as she pulled the scythe from his chest.
"Miroku…" She sobbed. "Please don't leave me."
"Sango." I said softly and knelt at her side. "Please…it isn't real. We have to get out of here."
"Not real?" Sango said as she gazed into Miroku's face. She ran her fingertips gently down the side of his face and shuddered. "I wish it wasn't."
I grabbed her hands and yanked her away from Miroku. "It isn't real! It's a nightmare world! If you die in here you die for real!" Sango stared at me her eyes numb with pain but finally she nodded and followed me as I guided her from the room. Her eyes cleared a little when we reached the corridor and I sat her down. "Stay here and do not move!" I said firmly as I closed the door with her name on it. The name faded and the door disappeared. One down…
I turned to the door across from it, Ayame, and entered. I stumbled in the knee high snow and trudged forward until I came across Ayame. She was in a clearing trying to defend herself from attacking wolves. Tears were running down her cheeks as she tried to get away. Kouga stood across the clearing from her with a copy of me hanging on his arm as he guided his wolves in attack. I darted toward Ayame and shoved her to the side just as a wolf leapt for her throat. "Come on!" I shouted and she struggled to her feet as I darted for the door dragging her behind me. I slammed the door as a wolf leapt for it.
Ayame cried hard into my shoulder and I set her down beside Sango. "Kouga hates me!"
I shook my head and Sango pulled the girl into her own arms as she cried. "This place is a nightmare sweetheart." I said soothingly. "I need to get the others." I left them there holding onto each other and entered the next door. This door had said Mamoru. I didn't know much about Dawn's mate so what he would have a nightmare of I wasn't sure. I soon found out when I entered the room and slid in a puddle of blood. I got to my feet and ran as fast as I could without falling towards the howling that I heard from ahead of me and followed the trail of blood to its source.
Mamoru stood beside a river in his dog form and the forms of Dawn, Nozomi, Rinji, and Nagisa lay bloody at his feet. "NARAKU!" Mamoru screamed from his doggy throat. He nuzzled his dead mates body at his feet and let out another soul wrenching howl.
"Mamoru!" I shouted over the howl.
Mamorus' eyes focused on me and he changed into his human form and fell into my arms sobbing. "Naraku…he killed them. I couldn't save them!"
I ran my hands through his hair gently and soothingly. "This isn't real Mamoru. None of this is. Your babies are alive and well and Dawn is close by." I whispered and pulled him back towards the door. He stumbled after me and collapsed on the floor beside the other two still crying. This is so wrong! I don't understand why the tree needs to make them all live their worst fears to drain their lives.
They are most vulnerable when facing their worst fears. A part of me answered. I closed Mamoru's door and headed for the next one before I stopped suddenly. Wait a minute…worst fear? Oh God! INUYASHA! I thought and ran down the hall desperately searching for his door. It was the last one in the hall and I burst into it. "INUYASHA!" I screamed out. Inuyasha stood against a tree and stared sadly at me. But it wasn't me he was looking at. It was a copy of me holding a bow and arrow pointed at his chest.
"Just like Kikyo huh Kagome?" He whispered.
I darted across the clearing just as the arrow let loose and jumped in front of its path. I spun with the impact of the arrow as it tore into my shoulder and slammed to the ground at Inuyasha's feet. He stared down at me with wide eyes and I gazed back up at him and smiled through the pain. "You know I'd never hurt you." I whispered as I staggered to my feet and ripped out the arrow, gritting my teeth against the pain. "Come on." I said and grabbed his hand to leave the room.
Inuyasha pulled me back to him and one of his claws ran gently over my wound. "Why did you jump in front of the arrow?" He whispered.
"Inuyasha you are so very important to me." I said softly. "I am always going to save you if I can." I leaned forward and placed a kiss gently onto his cheek. "We need to hurry." Inuyasha followed me from the room quietly.
I sent him down the hall to the others and entered Kouga's room. Kouga was the easiest to rescue. He was just laying on the grass staring at the sky. Dead bodies of his pack and Ayame and I lay around him but he seemed to be ignoring it. "Kouga?" I said as I wandered to him. He stood silently and followed me from the room. He sat very close to Ayame when he got to her and I just shook my head at him, he would never show anything if he really was upset. Shippo was having hysterics when I found him in his room running from the Thunder Brothers, one of whom was carrying my head. Kirara had been put in the same place as Shippo: apparently the tree didn't think each on their own would be enough to do anything.
I opened the door to Miroku's room and found the wind was blowing hard and Miroku was screaming. I watched as Miroku's wind tunnel sucked in images of us all and Miroku cried. I ran forward and closed his fist forcefully and tied his beads around it. "Miroku it wasn't real." I said and pulled him from the room. He was still weeping when we got to the others and all but fell into Sango's arms. He gripped her as tight as she did him and for once his hands didn't slide.
Dawn…I thought as I turned to the last door. I could feel my strength leaving as my blood dripped from my fingertips. I could remember an old letter I had received from Dawn before we met; she had said she feared death more than anything. If this was her greatest fear would she already be dead? No stupid! If you're dead you can't be afraid! My mind argued. I pushed open the last door and heard singing. What the hell? I walked into the clearing and saw Dawn sitting cross legged in the snowy clearing with her eyes shut tight.
"Dancing bears, painted wings,
Things I almost remember,
And a song someone sings,
Once upon a December.
Someone holds me safe and warm,
Horses prance through a silver storm,
Figures dancing gracefully,
Across my memory…
Someone holds me safe and warm,
Horses prance through a silver storm,
Figures dancing gracefully,
Across my memory…
Far away, long ago,
Glowing dim as an ember,
Things my heart used to know,
Things it yearns to remember…
And a song someone sings…
Once upon a December…"
I stepped up to Dawn and pulled her to her feet but she still didn't open her eyes. "We're leaving here Dawn." I said quietly as I pulled her from the room. She continued to sing the song over and over again under her breath as if to cheer herself up. Mamoru pulled her into his arms but nothing about her changed. She kept her eyes closed and continued to sing. "I don't know what happened. There was nothing in there that I could see." I said when everyone turned to me inquisitively. "We need to get out now." I said, Mamoru picked up Dawn and we all darted up the stairs and out into the night sky. I turned when the wood closed behind us and saw my friends' souls fly back into their bodies. Once the tree had dropped the last one I drew back my bow and purified the tree.
Inuyasha ran over to me and pulled me into his arms. "Kagome…" He murmured against my hair. I hugged him back tightly ignoring the pain in my shoulder. My Inuyasha… Everyone gathered around me and Inuyasha. Mamoru lay Dawn at my side and I stared down into Dawn's pale face. She hadn't woken up. I touched a finger to her throat and gasped no pulse? But…how? I got her soul out! I thought. CPR! I placed my hands on her sternum and began to count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and breathe…breathe…1, 2, 3, 4, 5…I repeated this over and over as the others around me looked on. Inuyasha had a hand on Mamoru's shoulder as he wept beside me. Suddenly Dawn's eyes shot open as she coughed and struggled to sit up.
We helped her to her knees and she met my eyes. "Naraku has a new incarnation."
Inuyasha jerked. "How do you know?"
Dawn frowned angrily. "One of his old ones came to me while I was in limbo and said that I shouldn't get too lonely because Naraku had created a demon so powerful it would be able to kill us all. Some little worm thing with blades for hands and lavender hair."
I shook my head and pushed her into Mamoru's arms. "We are going home for awhile. We need to rest before heading off after it. Today has been trying…for all of us." I said as I met everyone's eyes. Each of them had had to face a very deep fear. Kouga still hadn't smiled nor had he tried to pick a fight with Inuyasha. Miroku held onto Sango's hand and neither seemed to mind or notice. Mamoru stuck close to Dawn when we left the clearing, she still wasn't her old self yet. We traveled all night and camped at sunrise by the foot of the mountain. We wanted to get as far from the dead land as we could. Kouga and Ayame didn't stay with us. They had one of their wolf dens a few hours away and decided to head there instead. I was glad to see Kouga go; I was still pissed at him for waking me up the other night. The thought of the other night brought a light blush to my cheeks. I slept in Inuyasha's arms! I thought gleefully, I started to wander over to Inuyasha but stopped confused. Oh shit…I kissed him today too! Oh…oh…maybe he's mad. Maybe I shouldn't ask to sleep with him again. I bit my lip in thought and looked up surprised when Inuyasha's hand closed over mine.
"You ready to sleep?" He asked gently. A faint blush ran across his nose as he asked but he kept his eyes on mine. I felt my heart flutter and I nodded. He pulled me into his grasp and leapt into a tree. He settled on the branch comfortably and pulled me against his chest. "Kagome…why did you kiss me?"
I stiffened and blushed harder. "I wanted to show you I cared." I muttered against his coat.
His chest rumbled as he laughed gently. "Jumping in front of the arrow showed me you cared Kagome. A part of me knew that it wasn't really you attacking me. It just hurt so to see you point an arrow at me." He said.
I sat up and placed a hand on his cheek. "Inuyasha I want you to always remember that I will never hurt you."
Inuyasha leaned into my palm and gazed at me. "What if you do it on accident?"
"Than I will stay right by your side until you forgive me and you were all better." I whispered.
One of his hands wrapped around my wrist and moved my hand to the back of his neck so that I was leaning closer to his face. "Promise never to leave me?" He asked.
I could hear a sound of desperation in his voice. The image of me in his nightmare world must have said some truly cruel things to him to shake him so badly. "Never." I promised.
"You don't hate me because…I'm a…half demon?" He whispered so softly I almost didn't hear.
My heart wrenched. So that was what the image had told him: I hated him because he was a half demon and I didn't want to be with him. As I gazed into Inuyasha's sad face I thought hard about what to say. Finally I decided words would just be pretty words. So I borrowed what Dawn had told me she did to Mamoru. I simply leaned forward and placed my lips gently against his. I brushed his lips softly then cuddled down into his chest so he couldn't see my red face.
Inuyasha tightened his arms around me and rested his head on mine. "Oh Kagome…" He said quietly.
There was an underlain tone of love and happiness in his voice as he said my name and I snuggled closer into his chest. "My Inuyasha." I breathed back. I knew his ears would hear what I said but I couldn't keep it from slipping out. He held me so close to him and I fit perfectly into his arms. That night I got the best sleep I had ever had.
I thought Kagome needed another big scene and so this is it. How did you like it? I liked having her hit Koga. It was fun. LOL
REVIEW