Chapter 19 – Protection

Kaede sat in front of Kagome, legs crossed in her ancient priestess robes. Her grey hair was drawn back in a severe bun, and her face held a serious expression as she watched her young charge struggle. A black eye patch covered the eye which she had lost so many years ago she could hardly recall having perfect sight.

"Come on, child," she told Kagome gently. "Push further. Ye know ye can do it; ye have before."

Sweat beaded Kagome's forehead, and her body shook with complete exhaustion as she laboured.

Her task was to cast a shield over the whole of the Takahashi mansion. Inutaisho, Sesshomaru, Kagura, and Rin had been evacuated for safety. Inuyasha had had to be ejected forcefully from the building, refusing in vain to leave her during her training. Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother, hovered in the background, watching as Kagome strained, to put Inuyasha's mind at rest. It hadn't worked.

"Hold it, Kagome," Kaede told her. "Keep holding on; push yourself to your limits."

Easier said than done. Kagome had been holding a full-strength, bloody enormous barrier erect for over ten minutes.

"I… can't…" she gasped. "I… have to… let… go."

"Not just yet, child," Kaede told her. "Hold it up. Come on, ye can do it. According to Inuyasha, ye have had no problem before."

"That… was while… I was… panicking…" she gasped.

"Just one more minute," Kaede insisted.

Kagome grit her teeth and held on.

Holding up a magical barrier is very similar to performing a push up, and then holding your stance in mid air before lowering yourself to the ground. It is also known as the plank. Except this was worse. She felt as though she had the whole building resting on her back, and it was killing her.

With a final grunt, Kagome let go of the barrier, panting heavily. "Ungh…" she moaned, massaging the back of her neck. "That hurt like a bitch!"

"Language, child," Kaede reprimanded, before turning her attention to Izayoi. "How long?"

Izayoi checked the stopwatch. "Seventeen minutes."

Kaede nodded, before turning to Kagome. "Ye have managed to hold a barrier for seventeen minutes over a twenty acre plot. How do ye feel?"

Kagome almost grinned; Kaede sounded so much like a reporter! But she was too worn out to move her muscles that much. "Like I've just been hit by a jet."

A half-smile lifted Kaede's mouth, crinkling the lines around her ancient eyes. "That is understandable; ye have done amazingly well. An achievement, methinks, as yet unmatched by any other."

It took a few moments for Kaede's words to sink in. when they did, Kagome's eyes widened in amazement. "Kaede, does that… what does that mean?"

"It means, child," Kaede told her gravely, "That ye have skills as yet unmatched by any other so far in this history."

"Great," Kagome moaned. "Just great."

"Why is that a problem?" Kaede asked her curiously.

"This means I'm gonna be in training for the rest of my life," Kagome whined.

Kaede nodded. "That is true; at least, until I have nothing left to teach you. For now, though, we must break." She rose to her feet. "Izayoi, please tell me that those pigs of sons have not finished off all of that delicious toffee pie."

…

"Why so grumpy?" Koga asked cheerfully, throwing open the door of Inuyasha's car, before sliding in.

"Bite me," Inuyasha grumbled at him.

"Sorry dude, I don't swing that way," Koga told him matter-of-factly.

Inuyasha growled. What the hell was the stupid wolf doing here with him anyway?!

"Inuyasha," Koga said, his voice turning serious. "I have something I want to talk to you about."

Inuyasha stiffened. Not Naraku and Kikyo? God, please no. Had something happened to Kagome? Something she hadn't told him about? Had they done something? Shit, the bastards were gonna pay!

"It's about Kagome," Koga continued, oblivious to Inuyasha's expression.

Inuyasha let out a low growl.

"Chillax, dude," Koga told him, with that irritating grin.

At this, Inuyasha couldn't hide his amazement. Chillax? Chillax?

"What in the seven hells is going on with you, Koga?"

The grin dropped from Koga's face, to be replaced with a… a threatening look. His lips pulled back from his teeth, his eyes swam with the demon, and his muscles tensed. "On behalf of the pack," he said to Inuyasha, his tone lower and more serious. "I am here to warn you about my little sister. You will treat her with the proper respect and attention she deserves. You will protect her from danger. You and your pack will accept her and the position she has in both your life and in my pack. You will put her safety above your own, if it should come to that. Is it your intention to mate her?"

The question caught Inuyasha off guard. "I… I don't know…" he said, disbelieving. He was surprised to find that Koga… in this form… he was almost… frightening.

"Do you love her?" Koga growled.

"Yes," Inuyasha answered honestly.

"Then she has a potential placed upon her. According to the laws of Feudal times, she would then be in danger from warring packs as being used for leverage. Therefore, I, Alpha-in-training of the wolf demon tribe and previously responsible for Kagome's safety, am entrusting her to you to protect. Do not fail her."

Inuyasha sat, dumbfounded. What the fuck?

"Koga," he spluttered. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"

Koga rolled his eyes, catching Inuyasha off-guard again. What had happened to the formal Koga?

"It's a ritual talk, of a sort," said Koga. "As she is human, but an adopted member of the pack, I was originally responsible of her safety. Your job now." He told Inuyasha matter-of-factly. Then he grinned sheepishly. "Besides, it was kind of fun, intimidating you," he said.

Inuyasha just shook his head.

"So," Koga said, serious again. "Do you accept the responsibility?"

"I… I do," said Inuyasha. "Of course I do; I want to keep her safe!"

"Good," Koga said, nodding. "And, just to warn you, as her pack relation, I officially have the authority to kick your arse should you ever break her heart."

Inuyasha nodded, and held out his hand for Koga to shake. "Agreed."

They shook on it. Wolf and dog.

"And, just so you know," Inuyasha added. "I love her. And if I ever break her heart, you won't have to worry about kicking my arse. I'll have beaten myself up enough for the both of us."

Koga grinned at him, the usual, cocky-Koga grin, while sliding into the passenger seat. "Good to hear it. Now start up this ole tin bucket!" he called, slapping the dashboard. "Let's go see if Mrs H has any fruit cake left."

…

Kaede and Kagome were once again seated, knee-to-knee. Their palms were raised, touching, between them. Kagome's eyes were closed, her brow furrowed.

"Now dig deep into yourself," Kaede told her. "And then I'll be there."

She shut her own eyes, and reached out her mind.

Kagome's magic was strong, but her barriers were next to none. She had nothing protecting herself.

But she still felt the intruder.

Kaede could feel her panic.

-Hush, child, it is just me.

-Kaede? What's going on?

-Aye, it is me. I am teaching you how to hide your consciousness, so that nothing can invade your mind.

There was a flash of something, across Kagome's mind. An image… a memory… no…

-What was that? Kaede asked sharply.

-Nothing said Kagome, but her own guilt was evident, especially from within her mind. It was the one place she couldn't hide.

-Do not lie to me, child. What is it?

Images came then, thick and fast. A door. A barren landscape. A man. A flash of purple light. Sota, cowering against the wall of Kagome's bedroom, having gone to stop her screaming only to be attacked by her in her sleep. Inuyasha, Koga, Ayame, Miroku, Sango, all thrown back against a wall. Another man, but this image was surrounded by the red and purple haze of fear and hate. A woman, surrounded by the blue of uncertainty and mind-numbing terror. A grave. A flower…

-Stop! Cried Kagome. It hurts!

-What has been happening while you sleep?

-Dreams, Kagome's consciousness whispered. I'm afraid of the darkness of night, because I know what comes with it. They find me. They always find me. And then they make me wish I was dead. All without me opening my eyes.

…

"What's that smell?" Inuyasha asked, raising his head and scenting the air delicately.

"Huh? What do you mean?" said Koga, from where he was stuffing his face at the kitchen table.

They were in the home of the Higurashi's. Mrs H had gladly let them in, and was feeding them with all sorts of home-cooked goodies. She had known Koga since he was a boy, and she was eternally grateful to Inuyasha and his family for taking care of Kagome and her 'problem'.

"Smell that," it was like… men's aftershave, and that old towel smell. A man's smell. The trail was old. And… curiously… cold.

"I know that scent," Koga said thoughtfully.

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "It's leading to Kagome's room!"

He ran up the stairs at demon speed, Koga hot on his heels. They burst into the tiny (and very pink) room, through the curtain which had been erected in place of a door (Inuyasha still felt kinda guilty about that…).

"It's over here," Koga motioned towards the small, neat desk in the corner of the room.

A flower balanced on the edge of the table.

Inuyasha leant forward to touch it…

And the flower withered and died the second his fingers landed on the delicate stem.

…

Kagome felt a sharp pain shoot through her chest. She cried out, breaking contact with Kaede, and leant forward, fists over her left breast, willing the agony to break.

Beware! A voice came in her mind. Beware, Kagome! They're coming for you!

Everything went black.

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Ouch. Cliffie. Enjoy it?

myInuYasha15 - I'm glad you liked it! Hopefully this one will be as good...
talkstoangels77 - Yay! I found them through (where else?) Google. Tokenz gift shop specifically.
katara Y.O.U. - Thanks, that's so sweet! Good luck!
King Stephen IV - I agree, it would hurt so much. Thank you, I was really pleased with the idea!
darkangel0212 - In this fanfic she is 16 as are Sango and Ayame. Inu, Koga and Miroku are all 17.
Sassybratt - Thanks! I tried to include another bit of suspense here, so I hope it came off well!
Namike - Thanks! Yeah, I had a bit of light-heartedness, just to make the serious bits a bit more sinister 0.0 She was talking to her father's grave, but I personified it, because she felt she was talking straight to her dad, when really, it was just a grave. *sob*
cherrichan13 - Thanks! Glad you enjoyed, this is hopefully also nice and ominous, lol!
BlackMagicWhiteMagic - Dum dum dum! It could be, it could not be! More hints for it in this chapter!
kouga's older woman - Yep, that's it! Hope this contnued the theme nicely!
Shichinintai's girl - Thanks! I was really pleased with that idea too! *grin*. Hopefully this chapter makes the source of the warning clearer... dum dum dum... Please enjoy!
words unheard - :D thanks so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it!
tamayasha - Nice new name! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I'm playing with ideas for the next few parts at the mo...
mkblackrose - Thanks! Oh God, I'm so sorry about that. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy this!
coolcat103 - I know! I toyed with that for a bit, but I thought this was so much creepier! Hope you enjoy this, Kaede finally makes an appearence!