NVP
Chapter Fifteen
While Kagome and Inuyasha slept, Tor'mac was creeping through the darkened forest looking for a fight of his own. Restlessness had once again taken root and now he needed a release. He'd left the village soundlessly a few hours ago but hadn't actually gone very far. Shortly after he'd left he had become aware that he was being stalked as well, albeit poorly. He'd entertained the idea of striking it down right away but decided to see what its intentions were first.
Whoever or whatever it was, it was pretty sloppy at staying quiet as it tried to find him. He hadn't seen it yet but could hear it clearly. Tor'mac activated his camouflage and leap up into a tree without a sound as it drew closer. A short time later, his pursuer emerged from the bushes below his perch and he relaxed as he recognized the figure.
'Shippo.'
Tor'mac clicked his mandibles together in amusement, silently giving him points for determination as he wandered around looking for his scent. Upon hearing his "voice" Shippo looked up to see Tor'mac appear in the tree.
"I knew I'd find you sooner or later," He said proudly. "What are you doing out here anyway?"
Tor'mac jumped down from his tree and regarded Shippo a moment before walking back into the brush, resuming the hunt. Shippo scrambled after him, "Hey! Wait for me!"
Still paying no mind to him, Shippo leapt and clung to the plating that covered the back of Tor'mac's plasma caster. After a few more minutes of stalking through the dark undergrowth Tor'mac once again took to the trees, bounding through them as easily as Inuyasha in hopes of finding something worth his skill. Ten minutes later he stopped abruptly and crouched among the branches. Before Shippo had a chance a large taloned hand clapped over his mouth. Shippo resisted at first, trying with no gain to pull it away until he followed Tor'mac's gaze to the cause of his behavior.
A fairly large and all too familiar looking six legged lizard passed directly underneath them, unaware of their presence. Almost identical to the one Shippo had faced off with before, that is until Inuyasha finished it and gave him the credit for. Tor'mac had already hunted a much larger one himself on a previous trip away from the village. It had put up a decent fight but this one would not be worth his time. He already had a better trophy of this kind, but perhaps Shippo…
Tor'mac pulled the split bladed ceremonial dagger from its place on his lower leg and held it out to him. He looked at him curiously but took the offered blade and hopped off his shoulder to the branch, eager to see Tor'mac in action.
Instead of leaping into battle as he had expected however, Tor'mac motioned to the ground and stared at Shippo. Again, Shippo looked confused and looked down at the lizard. His confusion quickly turned to a look of horrified realization and he looked from the lizard to Tor'mac and back again several times rapidly.
ME?! He mouthed silently, not wanting the large reptile to hear.
Tor'mac motioned again and Shippo felt his legs begin to shake. He wanted him to go down there alone? Shippo stared at the dagger he'd been given, which to him was as big as Tetsusaiga was to Inuyasha. The weight though, was much less than it appeared. He still had to hold it with both hands but the weight was nearly perfect for him. He swung it in the air once in front of him, feeling his legs steady somewhat at the feel of it. Maybe he could do it. Tor'mac was right here, what's the worst that could happen? With a renewed sense of security he again looked down at the large beast (which was now past the tree and walking away), and puffed himself up proudly.
"You wait here, I'll handle this." He said, and leapt down to the ground.
The moment he landed the lizard spun around, expecting danger. Its curled lip quickly twisted into a toothy grin when it saw him. When it spoke its tongue darted in and out of its mouth, "What is this, a delivered meal? How nice…"
Now realizing how large his foe truly was, Shippo's first impulse was to scramble back up the tree, but the object in his tiny hands renewed his courage and he steeled himself once again, "Y.. You won't find me an easy meal."
Tor'mac felt a swell of pride rise within him. The unfolding battle reminded him of his first true hunt against the Kainde Amedha. He had passed his trial into manhood, now Shippo would do the same in his own right. Tor'mac had no doubt. The creature may be much larger, but Shippo had speed on his side.
This fact became quite obvious to Shippo the first time it made a lunge at him. He dodged to the side and almost easily avoided the large teeth. A moment later Shippo mentally slapped himself.
'Darn, I should've tried to hit him after I dodged.' He thought, remembering his weapon.
His lapse in concentration left him unaware when the lizard flicked his tail. The blow caught Shippo square in the chest sending him into the trunk of a nearby tree and his blade off to one side. Shippo came up holding his head in time to see the lizard's teeth bearing down on him once again. There was no way he'd avoid it this time so he closed his eyes, relying on the skill he was used to.
Tor'mac had nearly jumped down to help the fox-child when he suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke. Where he had been there was now a small stone statue, which the lizard now bit into…hard.
Several teeth cracked or shattered completely and it immediately dropped its catch and backed up howling in pain and anger. A moment later Shippo reappeared in another cloud of smoke with a grin. Tor'mac cocked his head to the side, trying to make sense of what he'd seen. Shippo ran to the side and scooped up his blade as his prey growled and shook its head.
"You'll pay for that runt!"
Again the lizard rushed him head on and moved as if to stomp on him but he moved at the last second, stepping to one side. The foot slammed harmlessly into the ground and Shippo swung as hard as he could. The blade sliced easily through its leg, severing it at the knee. He reeled in pain again and tried to bite at Shippo once more. Instead though, it fell flat on its face when it tried to turn due to the missing appendage. Shippo scampered up onto its back and when he was about halfway up, sank the knife in halfway up the blade.
It screamed and thrashed wildly, trying to throw him off. Shippo managed to hold his ground, holding onto the weapon for support. Then he got an idea. Shippo gripped tightly with both hands and centered himself with the blade.
"Fox fire!"
The blue flames sparked in his hands and traveled down the blade into the lizard's body. Its eyes flew wide as it began to burn from the inside. It kicked and thrashed but Shippo only renewed his assault, "Fox Fire!" Flames shot from its mouth a moment before its eyes glazed over and it collapsed to the ground in a heap. Shippo relaxed slightly and smirked to himself as he pulled the blade free. He rested it on his shoulder and turned to Tor'mac as he left his perch and approached. At that moment, anyone who knew him would swear he'd been possessed by Inuyasha. Tor'mac nodded his approval and, if possible, Shippo puffed up even bigger.
"You should see what else I can do!"
With that, he shape shifted again.
Tor'mac's eyes bugged behind his mask and he leaned in closer. There on the ground before him was a child size version of…himself, and in full battle armor no less. With the possible exception of the bushy tail. Tor'mac looked him over and pulled the spear from his back and held it high, Shippo followed suit with his own weapon and a cry of victory erupted from them that echoed throughout the forest.
A few moments later Tor'mac got back to business and pointed at the lifeless body a few feet away, when Shippo simply stared back at him he pulled a skull from his belt and pointed again.
Shippo started to sweat. He wanted him to clean it?
Tor'mac grew impatient and held out his hand for the dagger, which Shippo gladly handed over and Tor'mac went to work like an expert. He stabbed and twisted to break the spine at the base of the skull and slid the blade around the thick neck until the entire head came free spilling even more blood. Shippo felt sick, left, and returned in his normal form a few minutes later, he wished he hadn't.
Tor'mac was still cleaning the skull and was nearly done, but hanging upside down in a nearby tree was the body-completely skinless. The scaly hide was draped over a separate branch to dry. He dared to move closer and wrinkled his nose, the stench of blood hung heavily in the air.
"Ewwww…" Shippo said, holding his nose.
Tor'mac finished and held up Shippo's prize. He took it uneasily, now unsure of how wise it had been to follow him here. The skull almost seemed to grin back at him and he nearly decided to get rid of it there. He glanced up to the bag at Tor'mac's waist that contained several other trophies.
Shippo finally smiled and pulled the white skull over his own head and grinned up at Tor'mac. He made an odd sound that Shippo guessed was laughter and knelt down, motioning for him to get back onto his shoulder. Shippo happily obliged and the two moved silently into the night in search of greater
glories. Adopted brothers.
Inuyasha awoke from his fitful sleep to a scent he knew all too well, Kagome's tears. The events of a few hours ago came flooding back and he snapped his eyes open. He found her a moment later. She was hidden from view by a tree but he could hear her sobs clearly enough. He stepped around it.
She was curled up in a ball with her head on her knees and her arms wrapped around them. He sat down next to her and tried to put an arm around her but she pulled away from his touch. She looked up, her face red with tears.
"Inuyasha, what have I done?" She sobbed.
He was silent at first, not sure what he could say that would help.
"You didn't do anything."
Kagome frowned.
"I've been there, remember? You weren't in control, it's like you become someone completely different. You can't blame yourself, Kagome."
His words seemed to get through somewhere and she wiped her eyes. She seemed lost for a moment, then her gaze dropped to the ground.
"I'm sorry."
"…?"
"I know how much she meant to you, Inuyasha."
He wiped away another escaping tear as it rolled down her cheek and lifted her chin so she was looking at him again.
"Hey, you did what I might not have been able to do and saved us. She would have killed us both." He said, looking away and gathering his thoughts. After a moment he added, "Don't you cry for Kikyo. Don't you dare."
They sat in silence for a long time, both trying to calm their minds. Eventually, Inuyasha stood up, "We should get back, the others will worry."
Kagome nodded solemnly and started to follow but stopped, "Wait, Inuyasha. We shouldn't just leave her here."
He followed her back to where Kikyo's body had been and both gasped at what they saw there. Where her body had lain before all that remained was a small pile of ash and bits of broken clay. The arrow lay nearby. "What happened?" Kagome asked
"I guess whatever magic Urasuay used to resurrect her must have dispersed after she died, all that is left are her ashes." Inuyasha answered.
Kagome reached into her bag and pulled out a handkerchief and gathered up as much of the remains as she could and turned back to him, "Kaede will want them."
Inuyasha nodded and gently took her hand as they began their walk back to the village. Kagome knew she'd never be truly rid of the guilt she'd taken on, but if Inuyasha could forgive her, maybe she could forgive herself as well.
They hadn't gone far when Inuyasha suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"Inuyasha what's wrong?"
"That scent, it's Naraku." He said, growling.
Kagome sniffed and made a mental note of the smell she found. A figure stepped from the shadows.
"My condolences." A cold, feminine voice said.
Inuyasha drew his sword, "Kagura, what are you doing here?"
She laughed, "Now is that any way to talk to a friend? I came here to tell you where to find Naraku."
Inuyasha snorted, "Feh, yeah right. Why should we trust you? How do we know this isn't another of his traps?
Kagura took on a serious expression, "Naraku doesn't know I'm here, and I want him dead as much as you do. Besides, your brother is already on his way there."
"What! Where is he then?!"
"I knew you'd see things my way. Better hurry, due west of where you last fought him you will find Naraku's latest castle. See you there!" She yelled as she pulled her feather from her hair and drifted away. 'I'm counting on it.'
Inuyasha spun around, anger clearly evident in his voice, "Come on Kagome, we can pick up the others on the way!"
Inuyasha took off with Kagome close behind. Their feet barely touched the ground as they raced towards their friends who, as yet, didn't know that their greatest battle was before them. It would end today, one way or another.