A Change of Heart

Chapter 10: Face Off

Leaves were torn from their branches as Inuyasha ran through the forest at full speed. His eyes were narrowed in determination as each step brought him closer to his destination. He had to get to Kagome soon, otherwise it could be too late.

It didn't help any that his bastard of a brother had other plans. Sesshomaru refused to cooperate and rush to Kaede's hut. Instead, he decided to take his sweet time and briskly walk to where the young woman lay helpless. Inuyasha growled at the thought, but he knew not to push the issue. He was lucky his brother had chosen to come at all.

But the brash half-demon had to give Sesshomaru some credit. He forced Rin and Jaken to stay behind with Ah-Un. They would only get in the way and drag them behind. Inuyasha smirked. Perhaps the great Lord of the West had a soft side to him after all.

The village finally came into view as the trees parted on the hillside. He wasted no time speeding through the town, receiving shocked and frightened glances from the villagers. Sure, they had come accustomed to the half-demon's presence, but they were still wary of his actions and had yet to trust him. The only reason why they allowed him to stay was because Kaede had deemed him worthy as a protector.

When the old woman's hut was visible, a familiar scent filled the air, immediately alerting Inuyasha to an unwanted visitor. "Damn it all," he cursed under his breath, growling. Of all times for him to show up, it has to be now. Before he could find the source of the stench or say another word, his view was blocked by a brown blur and a fist came in contact with his cheek. He was thrown to the ground and a startled yelp escaped his lips.

"What the hell?" he yelled aloud, ignoring the throbbing sensation in his jaw and the painful jabs of the rocks behind him. He struggled up from his position, but he didn't have any time to contemplate what had happened. His ears flickered atop his head, warning him of the present danger, and he instantly rolled to the left. The ground quivered beneath him as someones fist collided with the dirt where he was laying seconds earlier.

It took a moment for the dust to clear, but when it did, Inuyasha found himself kneeling on the ground, coughing to rid his lungs of the smoke. His eyes swiveled to his opponent, recognizing the wolf prince. His arm was still deep in the ground as his bangs shadowed his eyes. "Damn you," he growled, his voice filled with heartache. "You killed her, you bastard!" Kouga removed his fist from the rubble and turned to the half-demon.

"Stop it, you mangy wolf!" he persuaded, unsheathing Tetsusaiga to defend himself. "Listen to me!"

His pleas went unheard as Kouga was too far gone for reasoning. The wolf demon strode towards his target before pushing off the ground with his foot, aiming his attack at Inuyasha's form. In return, the half-demon struck his sword against the ground, causing Kouga to veer off his initial course and jump to the side. With a battle cry, he immediately took off once more, determined to kill the man who had brought his woman to death.

During their exchange, Sesshomaru had managed to arrive at a swift pace and stopped to watch the battle. It was none of his business why the two were fighting, so he didn't interfere. Rather, he stood stone still, his wound already healed, as his idiot half-brother fought fruitlessly. After a few moments of peering at the two, he realized they were both running short of breath. "Hn," he grunted, annoyed by their weak stamina. "Such fools."

Inuyasha bent over sluggishly, his breaths labored, as he clutched Tetsusaiga tightly in his hands. Kouga, still angry over Kagome's death, charged once more, never feeling an ounce of weariness. He threw another punch in the half-demon's direction, but his efforts were in vain. Although he had the strength to continue fighting, his fury caused his attacks to become sloppy and were off their target range.

Tired of the wolf demon's onslaught, Inuyasha ducked his opponent's fist and kicked him in the stomach, sending Kouga flying across the clearing. He landed with a thud a few feet away. Inuyasha stood, knowing the battle was over, and returned his father's fang to its sheath. "Had enough, wolf?"

He growled in response and managed to hold himself up on his hands and knees, one hand clutching his stomach. He spit out a mouthful of blood while his blue eyes pierced Inuyasha like a knife. This wretched half-breed had ultimately been the cause of Kagome's demise. Why should he allow him to live? With new vigor, he struggled to stand up, preparing for another attack. Suddenly, he was overcome with weariness and collapsed to his knees.

"Why?" he begged. "Why did you let her die, Inuyasha?" He looked up at him with a mournful gaze, unashamed to let the tears roll down his cheeks.

Inuyasha stood motionless, staring back with the same sorrow-filled gaze. His expression twisted into one of regret and pain as he tried to ignore the stinging sensation behind his eyes. Seeing the proud wolf prince break down like that made his stomach hurt. "I ... I didn't mean to ... " he replied. "It took so long to get the medicine, and then Kikyo came ... " His voice softened as he spoke of Kagome's final moments. "It was my fault. She woke up to find me gone and when she saw Kikyo's soul collectors, she thought I was with her. It was because of me she wandered into the forest."

Kouga continued to stare at him, not wanting to believe a word spewing from his lips. His anger slowly diminished as he listened to the guilt plaguing the half-demon's voice. And he knew that Inuyasha had suffered enough, even without him laying on more blame.

"But," he continued with a heavy heart. "I know a way to save her." He glared at Kouga with new determination. "We're running out of time. So move your ass and Sesshomaru might be able to bring her back."

"Keh," the wolf demon scoffed, standing up. "You expect your brother to save her?" He peered at the dog demon out of the corner of his eye. "He'd rather be killing you."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps you desire a quick death," he threatened. His words were ignored.

Inuyasha took Kouga's words as an agreement and slowly turned around, heading towards Kaede's hut as the other two swiftly followed. The wolf crossed his arms in defiance. He didn't want to get his hopes up, in fear that Inuyasha didn't have the power to save Kagome after all.

While the battle had been underway, it had alerted Sango and Miroku to the commotion outside. They peered out the door to see Kouga and Inuyasha fighting, but that didn't surprise them. What did surprise them, however, was that Sesshomaru was standing off to the side, silently watching his brother's battle with disinterest.

They ducked their heads back inside the hut, confusion evident in their expressions. "What is Sesshomaru doing here?" Sango asked the monk. He merely shook his head, having no idea what the dog demon's intentions were. It was obvious he was not here to slay Inuyasha. Otherwise, Kouga would have been brushed aside long ago.

Shippo stirred in his sleep and suddenly sat up, rubbing his eyes blearily. "Morning," he mumbled, not yet realizing it was late in the afternoon. He glanced around the room a moment before his emerald eyes landed on Kagome's still form. Tears slowly slid down his cheeks, but he made no sound, instead taking his place by her bedside in hopes that she would awaken from her eternal slumber.

"Oh, Shippo," Sango cooed softly, coming to sit beside him. There wasn't much she could do to comfort the young kit. He had lost his family to the Thunder Brothers long ago, and it was obvious he had gotten close to Kagome and viewed her as an older sister.

Just then, Inuyasha appeared in the doorway, followed by his two rivaled companions. Miroku stood in a defensive stance, reaching for his staff. But when he peered at Inuyasha's eyes, what he saw was not anger, but something else; something that told them that this was a friendly visit, no matter how unlikely it seemed.

The young fox demon glanced up at the visitors. "What are they doing here?" he demanded, suddenly angry. Kagome was dead. Who were they to intrude and ask for a battle?

"Calm yourself, Shippo," Miroku warned, taking his place across from the demon slayer. "I'm sure they mean well." During the time they had spent traveling together, Shippo had learned to trust the monk's words of wisdom, minus the lecherous behavior, of course.

Although the hut was quite small, everyone managed to squeeze inside. Sango and Kaede made room for Inuyasha as he took his place beside Kagome. Kouga made his way to the far side, not wanting to get in the way of whatever the 'mutt' planned to do. Slowly, Sesshomaru removed Tenseiga from its sheath. This caused Miroku and Sango's eyes to widened. So that had been Inuyasha's plan! They had no idea how he had managed to get the Ice Lord himself to come, but whatever the reason, they were grateful.

He lifted his father's fang and peered at the young priestess, searching for the messengers of the netherworld, who usually accompanied the body once the soul had moved on. However, when he used Tenseiga's ability, he didn't see anything. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. Why am I unable to see death? Six faces peered at him curiously, wondering what the hold-up was. Does this mean I can not save her?

A/N: Another late update, I know. But TBAT is finished now, so it should be much quicker. Please review!