Sorry this chapter took so long. I really did loose interest in my story and I was swept away by this other story, 'Possession' by Whezambu!! If you want a dark love story, check it out. The ending almost made me cry, though.
And, for another embarrassing thing I've done: I was with my thirteen year old host brother and I was trying to tell a complete and random stranger that I change families every three months. And well, the verb 'to change' is dangerously close to the verb 'to shake oneself.' Yupp, you guessed right. I told the person, "I masturbate my families every three months." But the worst part was that my host brother, who doesn't speak an ounce of english, bursted out laughing, and through means of pantomiming, he told me what I had said.
Totally embarrassing, right?
Anyways, here's chapter 6!
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
--Chapter Six--
Miroku's eyes were closed, his expression blank, but a bit peeved. He tried not to think as his footsteps echoed in his empty mind. The monk's arms were crossed tensely across his chest, his staff tucked safely under his armpit. He willed peace and calm into his body: calling upon relaxation. He didn't need to think in order to walk, his mind occupied by the empty buzzing of his thoughts, the easy turning of the wheels in his mind.
The young demon slayer who walked beside him had remained quiet and thoughtful up till now. At the monk's irritated sigh, she couldn't help herself. Sango had been holding in her laughter since the moment she had heard the story. Miroku had been around then, and if she had laughed, she was sure to be put on the monk's 'not in the best terms' list. It was now hours later, but Sango could still feel the laughter bubble up in her throat. Helpless to her humor, she let a giggle escape her lips.
Miroku shot a puzzled look at the demon slayer. At his expression, the giggle became louder and more pronounced. Pretty soon her giggling turned into full out laughter. She leaned her head back, her hand constricting a bit of the noise by trying to cover her mouth. Her eyes were closed and her mouth smiling as her laughter broke Miroku's concentration.
He only sighed deeply, staring at the ground in front of him as if it somehow held some sort of comfort for spirit-damaged monks. He didn't ask what she thought was so funny since it was so apparent. Inuyasha himself had found Miroku's situation outrageously funny, and had boiled over, killing himself laughing. Kagome had tried to shove her hand in the way of her mouth as a giggle had escaped it while Shippo had just shaken his head; his laughter had blended in with the hanyou's.
"I'm… sorry… Miroku-" Sango gasped out. She tried to take a deep breath, to calm her laughter, but it was useless. Her laughter only continued; four hours of silence had done enough strain on her abilities to control her emotions.
The monk only shook his head. Kagome and Shippo had been the ones to hear his desperate cries, and had woken up in alarm. They had rushed over to his room and swung open the door, only to find a cowering Miroku at the far corner, his arms reaching out to try and restrict the lord's old wife from touching his half naked form. Sango had unfortunately slept through all of the drama.
Sango's laughter slowly came to an end as she gasped for breath. She took deep breaths in order to calm her buzzing mind. Her vision started to clear as oxygen once again surged through her body and mind.
Kagome covered her clamped-shut mouth with a restraining hand as soon as evidence of a giggle rose in her throat. While walking behind the monk and the demon slayer, she had heard Sango loose control, and it early drove her over the edge too. She did find that last night had been immensely funny, but there was no need to show it again. She had to fight back another giggle as the memory came flashing back through her mind…
"Miroku?" Kagome's voice broke through the night air and the movement in the room ceased.
"Kagome!" Miroku's voice came from the far corner of the room, filled with relief.
"What's going on-" Kagome stopped when her eyes focused in the darkness. Miroku was standing in the darkest corner, his arms outstretched in a defensive position. The lord's wife was standing at the end of his arms, staring with wide eyes at the young girl at the door of the room. Miroku's hands were on the woman's bare arms, holding her at a safe distance. Kagome realized with a blush that the woman was stark naked.
"Kagome, hel-" Miroku's voice was a bit desperate.
The lord's wife cut him off. "This isn't what it seems. Go back to your room, girl. The monk and I were just talking." Her scratchy voice carried out to her, but Kagome couldn't make sense of it in her all too clear mind. The young girl was shocked, and she didn't do anything but stand there and stare at the confusing scene.
As if on cue, Inuyasha came up beside Kagome. He was about to ask her what she was doing, but when he focused on her face, he saw that she wasn't paying attention to him. Following her gaze, his eyes settled on the lord's wife in Miroku's arms.
"Damn it, Miroku. Do you have to do this now?" Inuyasha's voice was filled with disgust.
"Inuyasha, it's not what-"
"No other time would be more appropriate, demon. Now leave us." The lord's wife cut Miroku off, her voice demanding. She turned towards Inuyasha, her eyes blazing. She took a step away from the monk and set her rough hands on her wide hips.
Inuyasha's face turned a little pink. The lady in front of him was staring him down with fire in her eyes, while naked. He had to advert his eyes to the wall in order to avoid her wrinkly and scraggly body. He wanted to gag.
"I thought you just said that you were only talking," Kagome inquired, her voice a tad emotionless.
The older woman stuttered, her eyes flying to the floor. She crossed her sagging arms across her bare chest, as if just noticing that she was naked in front of her guests. Kagome didn't take her eyes off the woman's face.
"Uh, I think you should go," Kagome suggested in a soft voice. She moved out of the way of the door, allowing the woman room to exit.
The lord's wife paused for a moment and opened her mouth, about to speak her mind. But she shut it, thinking better of voicing her thoughts. She hastily grabbed her cloak before defiantly stomping out of the monk's room. Kagome nearly keeled over at the woman's perfume overwhelmed her weak human senses.
As the woman's angry footsteps faded down the hall, Miroku heaved a sigh of relief. "You-"
Miroku stopped when Inuyasha's laughter filled the awkward tension. Kagome turned to him, and was surprised to see shudders rack his strong frame as bursts of laughter poured from his lips. The young girl was about to join in his laughter when she thought better of it.
"I'm going back to bed."
The flashback ended and Kagome felt the giggle dissipate in her chest. She took a deep breath, a smile playing on her lips. Poor Miroku…
"Hey, Kagome? Do you have any ninja food that Kirara and I could eat?" Shippo suddenly appeared on the girl's shoulder, almost jumping up and down.
Kagome wasn't surprised and she smiled at the young kitsune. "Sure, Shippo." It only took a second for Kagome to ruffle through her over-stuffed yellow sack and pull out two lollipops. She handed them to Shippo, who stared with wide green eyes at the sight of them in his tiny hand.
"What are they?" Shippo leaned in closer to inspect the weird sticks, both with ball-like spheres at the end of them. They were colourful and Shippo's ears tweaked curiously when he smelled them.
"Lollipops," Kagome explained, giggling a little at Shippo's expression. She took them from his hand and began to tear off the wrappers. Shippo watched with wide eyes as she gave them back to him. "You have to suck on them."
"Thanks Kagome!" Shippo bounded off her shoulder and landed on the ground next to Kirara. Smiling triumphantly with a purple sucker in his mouth, he held out Kirara's. "I can hold it for you, Kirara, since you don't have any hands."
The small demon meowed in gratitude before hesitantly licking the foreign sweet.
"The weather doesn't look so great right now," Sango commented, frowning slightly at the sky.
Miroku nodded his head. "It seems we'll be getting a thunderstorm tonight."
"Great," Inuyasha hissed. He clenched his fists and hastily folded his arms, his face darkening.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome could feel the hostility rolling off of him in waves. She really didn't have the energy to be fighting right now.
"I don't expect you to understand," Inuyasha mumbled, turning his face from her innocent gaze.
"Then why don't you explain to me what exactly your problem is? You've been in this nasty mood since we've left the village and nobody seems to know why!" Kagome half shouted, her face a mask of pure frustration.
"It's the moonless night tonight," Miroku explain to the agitated priestess.
Kagome's expression changed to a thoughtful one as her lips formed the silent word oh. "That would explain why you've been rotten to everyone ever since we woke up. You want to tell me what's so wrong with being human? I don't think it's that bad!"
"Humans are weak," Inuyasha stated as if that explained everything. He didn't say anything more, just stared at the vast meadow to his left, avoiding Kagome's form entirely.
Kagome harrumphed in annoyance before turning her attention skyward. I wish he would just lighten up… Her thoughts took on another turn as her eyes focused on the dark brooding clouds in the distance. I hope we come across a village today. It sure wouldn't be fun to sleep on the ground while it rained and thundered.
/----------
Sharp pale eyes expertly scanned the shadows within the deathly silent forest. Senses detecting nothing, the young boy allowed himself to lean back against the think trunk of the tree. One leg was bent lazily while the other hung over in attempt to keep the boy's balance on the stable branch. He had a sudden impulse to drum his fingertips against the silky fabric on his knee, but he held back, impassive to such emotions. He would not allow his opponent the pleasure in thinking that they had indeed made the young incarnation bored and frustrated.
His mind wandered over the meager orders his 'father' had given him. Hakudoshi snorted confidently while he tried to picture the feeble woman killing him in her own defense. Such an act would never happen, he was sure. He smirked. It's either kill or be killed.
"Kill her," Naraku's voice had been emotionless, as if he was discussing the killing of a bug, not the assassination of a priestess.
Hakudoshi was no fool; he knew they had to get the woman out of their way. She poised a threat, and that was something Naraku wouldn't allow.
And it wasn't that she was an unusually strong priestess, or even a figure that should be put to rest from all the pain and sorrow in her twisted heart. No, it was the fact that she, even in death, still held a place in Naraku's human heart. Hakudoshi knew that once his 'father' got rid of the priestess, his ties with Onigomu would be broken, and the hanyou would be able to cast the human heart out completely, leaving him almost indestructible.
A small rustling in the bushes and the faint essence of graveyard soil brought the boy back to reality. Barely hearing the only poisonous insect that had come with him buzz in effect, he lithely jumped to the ground, slick as a weightless panther. He had decided to leave his weapon behind and his barrier down; wanting to get the point across to the weak priestess that no matter what she did, she would lose.
When she stepped out into the small clearing, she was only a little surprised to see one of Naraku's minions waiting or her. Her footsteps ceased as she confidently drew her potted body to its full height, accepting whatever challenge the young boy was going to offer.
Her eyes narrowed only a fraction as she regarded the young incarnation's confidence. He had thought she was only a body, weak and pathetic due to its materials. A smug smirk found its way to her cold lips, but her eyes remained dark with hardened sorrow. I may be a body with a lost soul, but I was once a powerful priestess.
The young incarnation hadn't moved from his spot. His pearlescent hair blew in the wind, flowing around his thin shoulders, making him seem almost innocent. His face was impassively emotionless except for the sleek strip of confidence hidden in his cold pale violet eyes. Kikyo's smirk faded as her eyes grazed his pale smooth hands. He has killed so many innocent villagers with just the bored flick of his wrist. Her eyes flickered back to his pale face.
"State your business, demon," Kikyo demanded in a cold voice, her face hard.
He didn't move, but a smirk tugged on the edges of his thin lips. "What took you so long, priestess?" His voice was one belonging to a young boy, barely a child, but the coldness behind it reflected one wise beyond his years.
The dead priestess ignored the boy's words and his demeanor. With bitter resentment, she spat, "Did Naraku finally send orders for my death?"
Hakudoshi let out a small but clearly irritated sigh. With a bored flick of his thin hand, he pushed a few strands of silky pale locks behind his shoulder. Cold hard eyes bored into the priestess' as he stated in an uninterested voice, "I hope this doesn't take long."
Kikyo readied herself, bending her knees slightly as she drew her bow and arrow. She strung the bow tight, aiming the arrow at the young boy in a threat. "You are in my way. I suggest you leave," She warned him, her voice deadly serious and calm.
The smirk returned to his smooth lips. Does she really think a bow and an arrow are going to scare me? "You are going to have to do better than that, priestess," He mocked.
She didn't answer his taunt, concentration flooding her senses. She raised the ancient power that flowed through her body into the arrow, sating the weapon wither her purification spell. The act took much of the dead woman's energy and concentration, but the only evidence that displayed this were the little lines on the sides of her eyes as she slightly squinted.
Hakudoshi's excitement peaked, the smirk widening a fraction more as he sensed the waves of power and anger rolling off the dead priestess. Maybe this will be more than the pathetic slaughter I had previously anticipated.
He bent his knees, cold calculating eyes waiting for the priestess to make the first move. Only a sliver of excitement ran through the depths of his pale eyes as he tried to predict what she would do. She will shoot her arrow... I will easily get by it… and when she's stupidly fumbling with the next one, pow! … Easy slaughter.
Kikyo stood still, waiting for the incarnation's move. She knew that if she fired her arrow now, he would effortlessly by-step it and then just as easily cut her down. But if she waited… she would have a better chance at hitting the over-confident boy.
After a few seconds, Hakudoshi's stance relaxed as he realized that the dead bitch was waiting for his first move. "What? Too weak to fire at me, priestess?" He mocked her, eyes flashing darkly.
A drop of sweat worked its way down her damp forehead. She fumbled with the words in her mouth, determined to keep her concentration. "Leave now, or die," She warned him again, her voice steady and unwavering.
"I guess I'll have to make the first move, since you're obviously too frightened to do anything." A sigh was evident in his childish voice, his wicked grin apparent in his icy purple eyes. He couched a little, bouncing on his toes, his face a mask of excitement for the blood that would spill from her wasted body. With a confident snort, he shot forwards towards her, a blur of white and light purple silk…
/----------
The sun was set high in the middle of the sky, shining brightly as if knowing in a few hours it would be completely obscured by the ominous clouds that were brooding to the east. The furious snarl from Shippo's stomach confirmed their doubts about the time.
"Kagome! Do you have any more food?" Shippo voice broke the empty silence that had befallen all of them. He had to jog to fall instep with Kagome, rubbing his vacant stomach eagerly.
"We should be in a village pretty soon," She answered softly. "We've been passing a lot of farms in the past ten minutes. There's bound to be a village up ahead."
"I think we should stay in this village for a couple of hours at the most; a perfect opportunity to ask more questions," Miroku suggest in the air of innocence, his face thoughtful but his mind running over the possibility that there would be attractive village maidens.
"Miroku's right. We need to find out more information on the jewel's whereabouts before we go any further into this unfamiliar land." Sango shifted her Hirakotsu on her shoulder.
No one argued, deciding it was better to take a break. They had been walking all morning and Inuyasha's silence wore on all of them. Kagome had tried to do her best to distract herself so that she wouldn't let his gloomy mood grate on her nerves.
"I think we should sleep in a village tonight," Shippo stated, closing his eyes in a serious expression.
Inuyasha turned blazing eyes on the kitsune. "Would that be because I will be human tonight?"
Shippo didn't hear the warning tone in Inuyasha's words. "Exactly. We can't expect protection from you when you're only human."
"Why you stupid-" Inuyasha grabbed Shippo roughly by the hair and lifted the little demon to the hanyou's eye level. Inuyasha fixed blazing golden eyes on the kitsune's fearless green orbs, daring him to say more.
"Well it's true!" Shippo defiantly shouted into the hanyou's face. Without a second's delay, Inuyasha dropped the young demon on his face. Shippo landed on his stomach, his face flat on the road. He lifted his face out of the dirt, spitting.
"Hey-" The kistune's surprise outburst was muffled as Inuyasha placed one foot on the little boy's head; forcing his face into the dirt.
"Inuyasha, that's enough." Kagome's voice was tired but non-the-less a command. Inuyasha only snorted, crossing his arms before stepping back from the young kitsune on the ground.
"Shippo, are you okay?" Kagome knelt beside the young boy, her voice caring but it had a scolding tied to it.
Shippo lifted his face to stare at the young priestess. "Yeah." He blushed a little as he stood up and brushed off his clothes.
"You know you shouldn't provoke Inuyasha when he's in this kind of mood," Kagome told him, lightly brushing the dirt off his copper bangs.
"He's too stupid to remember anything," Inuyasha stated, a few feet in front of them. Shippo could only see the hanyou's stiff back.
Shippo reddened in annoyance and fury. Within a second, he was airborne, flying through the air towards the oblivious hanyou. "Fox Fire!" Shippo yelled. With a sudden burst of green fire from his hands, Inuyasha's head was completely consumed by transparent emerald green flames.
Inuyasha swatted the flames with both hands frantically. "Shippo! When this fire is out, I'm going to give you the biggest beating you've ever received!"
Kagome joined in with Shippo's laughter, and shortly afterwards the priestess heard the light chuckles of the monk and the carefree laughter of the demon slayer. "Shippo, I think you should stop now," Kagome said, a smile on her face.
Shippo sighed, his boyish features turning disappointed that the fun was over so soon. With another flick of his tiny hands, the fire disappeared from Inuyasha's head.
The hanyou turned around, fury in his eyes. "Shippo!" He bellowed.
Kagome closed her eyes, a smile still playing on her lips. "Don't you touch him, Inuyasha. He was just having a bit of fun with you."
Inuyasha turned towards her, eyes ablaze. "Having fun?" He was clearly appalled by the very idea, and the higher tone in his voice confirmed it.
Kagome's smile disappeared at his tone. She raised her index finger, pointing at him. "Leave him alone, Inuyasha."
"The hell I will!" Inuyasha ignored the warning signs in Kagome's body language. When his eyes set on the little kitsune, he surged forwards, a clawed hand outstretched.
Before Inuyasha's hand grabbed a handful of copper hair, Kagome's voice cut through the air. "Sit boy."
"Ugh!" The rosary around Inuyasha's neck glowed and with unbelievable force it dragged him face first into the ground. He lay there for a few seconds, and as soon as the shock wore off his body, he lifted himself out of the ground. Springing to his feet, he jumped in front of Kagome, a fist wagging in her face.
"Why did ya do something like that for?!" He demanded.
She harrumphed, turning her face away from his. "Because I felt you deserved it."
Inuyasha stuck a claw finger in Shippo's direction. "He started it!" He shouted in a whiny tone, obviously appalled as he blamed Shippo.
"He's just a kid, Inuyasha. Really!" Kagome sidestepped around the hanyou, a frown apparent on her smooth brow. She continued on her way, catching up to the demon slayer and monk. Shippo and Kirara ran to keep up with the group.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha growled in frustration, turning around to follow close behind the others, his mood even gloomier as he brooded over his one night of weakness.
/----------
The boy was flying through the air at an unbelievable speed. His barrier was erected around him, casting a pinkish glow on the boy's pale face. Hakudoshi held a cold hand over the deep wound the dead bitch had inflicted. Nothing but miasma poured out, but it didn't lessen the pain any.
His face was contorted with anger, his cold eyes narrowed dangerously. He didn't think the priestess had that much power, let alone strength to fight him off. But he had been stupid and naïve; he had rushed into battle, with so much confidence that he would be able to cut her down effortlessly. But she had been expecting that, and while he had charged at her, she didn't fire until he was close, and an easy target.
Hakudoshi noticed with little interest at the pathetic demons that hid in the forest, looking up at him. He could feel their eyes, and the boy knew they thought he was weakened. Let them think they can attack me now that I'm weakened. A gruesome smirk played on his cold lips, but no humor reflecting in his icy bottomless eyes. I'd like to see them try.
As if knowing his thoughts, the demons disappeared swiftly. Hakudoshi almost felt disappointment; he was really looking for an output to take his childish temper out on. But being the superior incarnation from the most terrorized demon in these lands, he ignored the feeling and continued on his way.
His hand involuntarily tightened on his wound, making the boy internally wince. Casting a sharp glance to the deep gash in his right arm that Kikyo had made with her arrow, his face contorted once more, a seemingly wicked twist to it, a sliver of accomplishment evident in his pale orbs. The dead woman may have injured me, but I can't say that the wounds I inflicted on her potted body are anywhere as meager…
/----------
"That sure hit's the spot!" Shippo sighed, shutting his eyes. He leaned over from his sitting position to touch his toes. A small but content smile played on his lips.
Kagome silently ate the rest of her rice ball that one of the village maidens had nicely made for the weary travelers. Her mind was far away, and at Shippo's words, she gently shook her head. I feel so anxious… like something's going to happen. And soon, but I can't pinpoint what…
At the sound of approaching footsteps, Kagome lifted her head. Focusing on Sango and Miroku, she stood up from her sitting position on the bench. "Did you find out anything?"
Sango shook her head. "Not really. Nobody really knows where the jewel's whereabouts are. All they know is where Anaya's village is."
"Well that's a start," Inuyasha stated, his voice reflecting the fact that the hanyou was gathering interest. He had left his sitting position on the ground to stand beside Kagome.
Shippo bounded up behind Kagome, landing smoothly on her shoulder. "Where is it?" His voice was filled with enthusiasm, emerald green eyes wide.
"Some old village man said that if we followed this road, we should come up to a fork in the road. He said go right. We should come across the village in a couple day's time," Miroku answered.
"And that's it?" Inuyasha asked; his attention peaked.
"That's unruly territory, Inuyasha," Sango informed him. "It's going to be dangerous for us. We should stay here for the night."
Inuyasha snorted. "Yeah right. We should get a head start on the bastard. He could have the jewel right now and we wouldn't know anything about it!"
"Only a person with a pure heart can handle the jewel," Kagome softly reminded him.
"But knowing Naraku, he's probably found a way to use the jewel," Miroku mused.
"I still think we should stay here for the night…" Kagome faintly muttered, her eyes far away. Something doesn't feel right.
Inuyasha ignored her. "We should be on our way now."
"Kagome, maybe Inuyasha's right. If Naraku does have some way to use the jewel, we need to get there as fast as we can." Sango placed a warm hand on the girl's shoulder.
"And it's not like we can't protect ourselves while Inuyasha is human," Miroku reminded her, talking the space to her right.
"Cummon! We want to actually make some ground today, people!" Inuyasha's irritated shout came from farther down the road. Kagome noticed with vague interest that the hanyou had already started on his way.
Kagome let out a sigh. "I suppose you guys are right." She started walking ahead, the demon slayer and the monk on each of her sides. Kirara and Shippo followed close behind. Walking absent-mindedly, she let her mind wander.
At first, she didn't understand the picture that appeared in her mind. It was blurry, out of focus, as if the viewpoint was through water. Kagome's mind's eye squinted through the veil, and she froze.
She saw lots of blood.
The scene was in the middle of a quiet forest, one that was so silent it made a graveyard seem like a live soccer game in England. In the middle of the little clearing inside the forest, she saw a figure. She couldn't make out the facial figures, but she could tell the figure was a woman. The woman was bent over, clutching harshly at the deep wound on her side. Kagome internally flinched as she noticed that all the blood belonged to this one person. Dark red stained her attire, and Kagome noticed with another shock that the woman was wearing a priestess' kimono.
Kikyo! She shouted mentally. The dead priestess was in a lot of pain, and how she managed to stay conscious, Kagome didn't know. The blood that was puddle at Kikyo's feet was not something Kagome could miss.
Kagome watched with wide eyes as the priestess slowly stood up. Determination burned in her dark eyes, and pain was evident, sketched into her delicate features.
"Need… to get… to… Inuyasha…" Kikyo's voice was so soft that Kagome almost thought it was her mind playing tricks on her. The dead priestess winced and fell to her knees as she muttered a curse in Hakudoshi's direction…
The scene faded, and Kagome was brought back into reality with a sharp smack to her mental senses.
"Hakudoshi!" Kagome stopped in her tracks, eyes wide with fear. She started shaking, tears burning the sides of her eyes.
"Kagome?" Sango's voice was barely heard over the roar in her ears. Kagome shook her head violently, trying to make sense of what just happened.
Inuyasha was suddenly in front of the trembling girl, strong hands on her shoulders. "Kagome, what's wrong?" His voice was gentle, and yet demanding.
Kagome lifted her eyes to gaze into golden orbs, filled with concern for the young priestess. "Inuyasha…" She choked.
"What is it?" A frown appeared on his brow. He was getting more worried at her tone.
"Kikyo…" Kagome stuttered. "She's hurt… Hakudoshi…"
Inuyasha snarled. "Hakudoshi! I'll kill that son of a bitch!" Eyes returning to her terrified ones, he asked as gently as he could, "Kagome, where is Kikyo?"
"I don't know…" Kagome stuttered, her tears flowing.
Helplessness overwhelmed Inuyasha. He lifted tortured eyes to the heavens, begging them. Let Kikyo live. His nose didn't detect her scent on the wind, or Hakudoshi's for that matter.
At Kagome's weak sob, his eyes returned to the young girl in front of him. He took her in his embrace, one hand on the back of her head, pressing her cheek to his strong chest. "It's okay, Kagome. We'll find her." He didn't know whether he was trying to convince her, or himself.
"Inuyasha, we need… to keep going…" She whispered between tears. "We… have to find her."
"We will," He soothed. "Kagome, I want you to get on my back. It'll be easier if I know you're with me."
Kagome only nodded miserably before Inuyasha offered her the sight of his strong back. Gripping strong shoulder muscles, she hoisted herself onto the plane of his back. As strong hands held her legs in place at his waist, Kagome let her cheek rest against the rough material of his haori. Please God: let Kikyo be okay. Let us get to her in time.
She hardly noticed when the hanyou started walking, but she did notice his irritated command for the others to keep up. She didn't say anything; just let her mind wander again. She wanted desperately to know where the priestess was, but Kagome didn't recognize anything in the picture in her head.
"Inuyasha, are you sure we should do this?" Miroku asked, his voice filled with concern. Before Inuyasha could respond with venom, Miroku quickly add, "We know Kikyo means a lot to you, but if we come across Hakudoshi or Naraku, it may not be much of a fight. It's late afternoon; you'll be human in a few hours."
"You don't think I already know that?" Inuyasha snapped. Kikyo… Kikyo…
"Just leave it, Miroku." Sango's voice was soft and comforting. Miroku let his response die on his tongue.
The long road led them out of the farmed land, out of the sight of civilization. It winded through unknown territory, places humans hadn't inhabited yet. And when they came to the fork in the road, Inuyasha didn't hesitate but took the right, his pace quickening a bit. Determination burned in his eyes, and in his heart, he chanted the dead priestess' name over and over.
The road narrowed, becoming nothing more than a small rutted trail that hadn't been used for years. The wilderness become more evident, wild animals diving for cover at the approach of the group. The land was wild, overgrown.
Kagome lifted her head to look at the fields on her right, overgrown with weeds and trees. Her curiosity made her look over the hair on Inuyasha's shoulder and she spotted what seemed like little houses.
"I see a village," She said, her eyes widening in wonder. "I thought that this land was deserted after the war."
"It is deserted," Inuyasha told her. "Look closer."
Now that Kagome really looked, it became more noticeable that no one had lived there for years. The tiny village was set on the edge of a dark forest, quiet and still. There was no laughter from village children, no sounds from the farm animals. As they neared, Kagome noticed that some of the houses were burned, some others nothing more but little squares on the ground, surrounded by ashes. Some huts were smashed in, but others were intact. Weeds and plants grew unruly everywhere.
"No one has lived here for years," Sango said, voicing Kagome's thoughts.
"It's kind of creepy." Shippo ran up and jumped onto Miroku's shoulder. He didn't want to be alone at the moment.
Kirara trotted up to Sango, her senses on alert. Something wasn't right, and the little demon knew it. She looked warily around before transforming.
Sango took Kirara's transformation as a warning. She trusted Kirara with her life. As the group entered the small village, Sango quickly glanced in between the houses, looking for people or demons.
"I don't like it here." Shippo peeked into the shadows, waiting for a terrifying demon with four eyes to jump out at him.
"Something's not right." Inuyasha smelt the air, his ears straining to hear anything. The wind was non-existent, and he couldn't detect anything nearby.
Kagome suddenly shifted herself on his back. "Inuyasha, let me off." Without questioning, he let her slide down his back to the ground.
Kagome came up beside Inuyasha. "There's something here; I can sense it." Her voice was confident, but she could still hear the underlying fear woven into her voice.
"Do you know what it is?" Miroku's voice came from slightly behind her.
Kagome took a second, expanding her senses. Her eyes slightly narrowed, but her nervousness still showed in her chocolate eyes. Pointing towards the last house, she said, "It's behind that hut!"
Inuyasha drew his sword in warning as a figure with blood red eyes stepped out from the shadows that the forest casted on the small hut. A magnificent fan covered its face, but Kagome didn't need to see to know who it was.
Kagura.
The wind sorceress closed the fan obscuring her face in one wrist flick. "Very good, priestess," She mocked.
I wonder what will happen next?
Read and Review, please?
xx. bumble.