Chapter Five: Cursed

A/N: Edited on 8/29/15

Miroku had woke up with his back sore. Stretching his arms, he realized morning had not come. It was dark and everyone was asleep around the fire, except InuYasha. He was gone. Miroku got out of his bed, grabbing his staff, and softly shook Kagome in order to wake her.

"Kagome, where did InuYasha go?"

"No don't! Help me! I'm being attacked by Algebra!" Miroku shook his head. The strange dreams that Kagome had could never be explained to him. Miroku turned to wake Sango, and then decided not to touch her unless he wanted his face to be slapped once more.

"Guess I'm on my own." Miroku followed InuYasha's demonic aura. InuYasha's aura had intensified dramatically, and it worried Miroku that his half-demon friend had transformed in the middle of the night. Suddenly a twig snapped, and Miroku looked up grabbing the sacred beads that sealed his wind tunnel.

"Who's there?" Miroku looked to his side sweat coming off his forehead. "InuYasha if that's you. It's me, Miroku."

"Leave."

The voice made Miroku nearly trip and fall. That was not InuYasha's voice.

"Show yourself!" Miroku yelled. His hand slowly pulling at the sacred beads around his wind tunnel. Miroku looked around him once more. "You're the one who attacked Sango aren't you!?" Miroku hissed, his anger flashed as he pictured his Sango hurt that morning.

"Leave or die."

Miroku shook his head with irritation and fear. Miroku had not been this frightened of a single demon in a long time. This demonic aura surpassed Naraku's aura in extensive ways. Miroku stumbled back and retreated back to camp.

"WAKE UP!" Miroku yelled. "A demon is at the edge of the camp!" Sango and Kagome sat upright. Sango grabbed her boomerang and Kagome went for her arrows. Kirara stood battle ready and Shippo jumped behind Kirara with his tail puffed out in fright.

"Where is InuYasha?" Kagome asked, suddenly frightened.

"I don't know. I went looking for him and ran into a demon that may have been the one that attacked Sango." Miroku stammered.

"Your not hurt are you monk?" Sango looked at him.

"No, but it sure did try to scare me to death."

"You're scared?" Shippo yelped. "I'm the only one who should be scared!"

Suddenly a hiss could be heard from the wood. Miroku stood in front of the group, his wind tunnel hand aimed at the noise.

"Come any closer your fate is your own!" Miroku snapped. His voice was unstable and yet firm. Two red eyes with violet pupils stared at them through the trees.

"InuYasha is that you!?" Kagome yelped. No reply. The eyes stared at them with no emotion. Miroku now had a dilemma. If it was InuYasha transformed he couldn't open his wind tunnel, but if was not InuYasha...

"Leave."

"Damn you! What is your business with us demon!? Show yourself or I'll suck you into my wind tunnel!"

"It's not going to listen monk! Duck!" Sango growled. "HIRAIKOTSU!" The boomerang's aim was true. It went through the trees slamming into the owner of the red eyes with a sickening crack. Flying back into Sango's hands, the boomerang had blood on it meaning the demon had been hit.

"Hurry after that demon!" Kagome yelled as she ran leading them into the woods as morning began to rise. Kagome took an arrow out and placed it on her bow, aiming in front of her. "Show yourself! We know you're weakened!"

Miroku grasped his beads and scanned the terrain. The sun had risen which made it easier to see.

"Um, Sango..." Shippo said. "That's InuYasha's blood on your boomerang."

"What!?" Sango and Kagome said at the same time.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed. Miroku and the others followed Shippo, with the use of his keen sense of smell, took off after InuYasha's demonic aura. Kagome and Sango, with Kirara on her shoulder, followed closely behind.

Miroku moved through the woods following Shippo. "InuYasha!" He called, no reply.

"Yipe! I found him..." Miroku heard Shippo from up ahead, yelp. He ran up behind the young demon and gasped.

InuYasha's body lay before them, a pool of blood forming underneath one of his right arm. His right arm was at a odd angle meaning it was broken and his eyes were closed. His breathing came out in short gasps and he moaned in pain.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed. "Who did this to you!?" InuYasha growled.

"Stay away..." Was all InuYasha managed to say. Miroku wrapped his beads back around his arm and knelt by InuYasha. It had been Sango's boomerang. The bone had slammed into InuYasha's right arm and most likely snapped an artery which would explain the massive blood loss.

"InuYasha please stay with us. I'll go get my first aid kit." Kagome promised and kissed him on the head. She stood up and ran back to the campsite as fast as her legs could carry her. Miroku and Sango were left with a crippled InuYasha. Sango looked at InuYasha's arm, a grim expression on her face.

"Those eyes did belong to InuYasha." Sango choked. Tears started to fall from her eyes. "I hurt him!" Miroku flinched he took Sango's hand and put her head on his shoulder.

"It's okay Sango. Your acts were to defend your companions. None of us knew that was InuYasha." Miroku said calmly. He ran his hand through her hair and leaned over to comfort her.

"InuYasha is not waking up." Shippo squeaked. He sniffed InuYasha and cocked his head to the side, a slight tear falling down his small face. Suddenly InuYasha's eyes snapped open, their red core and violet pupils staring right at Shippo. A hissing sound could be heard coming from InuYasha's throat.

"AH!" Shippo jumped up and ran behind Miroku and Sango. Kirara sat besides InuYasha in her small form. She purred and rubbed under the hanyou's chin trying to sooth him. InuYasha tried to raise his claws to claw Kirara, but he either had no strength left or he was still fighting the transformation. Miroku's eyes widened, InuYasha's claws were enormous. They were longer then he had ever seen on his half-demon friends, even when he was transformed. Sango noticed them too and gasped.

"Monk, what is happening to him?" She pulled herself out of Miroku's arms and moved InuYasha's bangs slowly away from his face. His red eyes stared at them silently and his purple stripes leaked across his cheeks. "InuYasha it is us. Kagome is coming she'll help with the wounds." Sango quivered. Shippo stood on her shoulder peering over. Miroku moved over to InuYasha's broken arm and moved his hand slowly over it to examine the damage.

Kagome came running back with her bag and immediately started to pull out bandages. "What are his injuries, Miroku?" Kagome asked, fear and concern in her eyes.

"A broken arm, possible broken artery and I see a slight twist in his left ankle. Other then that he is transformed." Miroku answered. Kagome's eyes widened as she glanced at InuYasha's face. A growl came from his throat.

"Get away from me." InuYasha choked. They all flinched. InuYasha was still afraid he would hurt them even in this condition.

"InuYasha you're seriously injured. There is no need to worry about our safety." Sango reassured him.

"Curse, I can't..." InuYasha closed his eyes and said no more.

"InuYasha!" Kagome took his head and placed it on her lap. "Please stay with me." Miroku motioned Sango over to his side.

"We need to set the bone..." Miroku started.

"What did he mean by curse?" Kagome quivered. They all looked at one another not knowing what InuYasha's last statement meant.