A/N – HI GUYS! :D It's really been a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry for the long wait, and I hope this doesn't disappoint! Please, leave questions and reviews and favorites! :DDDDD Thank the erhu for this one guys. That and Usher, Linkin Park, and the Avatar: The Last Airbender soundtrack. XD. No joke. Anyways, I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters, otherwise... welll... yeah. XD. Don't own. Here you are! :) Heyy... uh... don't get worried, guys. The first part's just a warm up. XD.
Chapter 8 – Kick You Into Next Week!
Every obnoxious act is a cry for help.
- Zig Ziglar
"Shippou? Shippou, sweetie, you need to wake up for a little bit." Kagome's voice woke the small fox child. She'd packed the things she would need, and strapping the bow to the side of the pack, and made sure it was light enough for long travel. Obviously, she would have to carry Shippou as well; he was far too weak to be walking anywhere.
"Momma?" Shippou's voice croaked from the blankets she had him wrapped in. The freezing air outside blew under the blanket that she'd used to cover the door, causing both to shiver.
She smiled slightly down at him. "It's alright. We're just going to travel with Sesshoumaru for a little while. He offered to help get you better, okay?" Kagome laid a hand on his forehead, worried at the constant dry heat that was radiating from him. "You can go back to sleep for a little bit, I'm going to let Kaede look after you until morning."
Even though she fretted when she left his side for a few moments, Kagome knew that she had to try and speak with the tree before she left. She'd already told her friends, and even though they were worried for her safety, they knew there was nothing that they could do to change her mind. Shippou meant the world to her, and to lose him would only further her solitude and her aloneness. They all had noticed it. She was suffering.
As Kagome walked to the tree, bundled up and still cold, she noticed that the sky was clear, and the stars shone brightly. Almost the same color as Inuyasha's hair... No... More like... An image of Sesshoumaru flew to her mind, stoic and cold and distant. He made gold seem as though it were ice.
Shaking her head, she kept walking to the tree through the forest, keeping her senses alert, and her muscles tense. She only relaxed when she reached the clearing, only to find she wasn't the only one there. "Kouga?" She blinked once, then twice, trying to make sure that he was actually standing there.
"Kagome?" His rough voice spun her back to a time when things weren't so confusing, a time when she knew that when she got home her family would be there. She gasped, then bit her lip as an onslaught of memories assailed her. Her vision blurred, and she leaned heavily on the tree next to her. "Kagome, are you alright?" He looked a little worn, truth be told. He stepped a few paces toward her, his teal eyes bright with concern.
"Uh-I'll be okay." She closed her eyes tightly. He was calmer, it seemed. She felt a light touch on her shoulder.
"Kagome. What's happened to you?" Kouga's voice was close, hovering near her.
She bit her lip harder, trying to hold her tears in. "My family. They're all dead." He brought back that memory. He brought back Inuyasha, her family, her pain, simply because she'd known him then.
Kouga's hand, rough but warm, rubbed her arm lightly. If he was shocked, he didn't show it, but instead tilted her chin up with his finger. "Kagome, look at me." She inhaled deeply, and opened her eyes. And just when she was about to panic that he was going to kiss her, he simply folded her into his arms, holding her close. "I know." He whispered.
Silently, knowing that she wouldn't ever want more than this, Kagome shed silent tears in the shelter of his arms. After a few minutes, Kagome pulled back, wiping the stray tears from her eyes and breathing softly. "Thank you." It was quiet, but the clearing was quieter.
"No problem, Kagome." Kouga smiled gently. "Why are you here?" He asked as he turned to face the tree, his hands behind his head.
Kagome laughed a little. "This is my village, remember?" She turned to the tree, admiring the way that the branches reached to the forest that surrounded the clearing.
"I wanted to see the tree. Legend says its really powerful." Kouga snorted unbelievingly. "But it's just a tree."
Kagome laughed. "Hm. We'll see about that." She knelt before it, placing her hand on the roots. The branches stirred almost imperceptibly. Please, I need to ask you a few questions. She opened aura to the tree, ignoring Kouga's gasp when he sensed her.
Hello, young Kagome. The tree's voice resonated through the clearing, and Kouga growled, dropping into a defensive stance. And hello to you, Kouga. The tree's ambiguous voice sounded somewhat amused. Kagome suddenly remembered the vision of Kouga proposing to her, and flinched.
"It... Talked!" He sputtered.
That I did. Now, either leave, or remain silent. It seemed amused; the branches of the tree swung down to brush his face.
God-Tree, could you please tell me...will Shippou live? Kagome asked.
The branches creaked and groaned. Ah, young one, I cannot tell you. I can only give you visions, and even those are not definitive. I am sorry, but it is not my place.
The tree's consciousness faded away, sweeping a few branches across her hair. Kagome hung her head. That tree was always so... the words escaped her, and she just sighed heavily. The only thing she could do for Shippou now was to make sure he reached Sesshoumaru's healers.
"Shippou's dying?" Kouga's voice broke her out of her thoughts.
She got to her feet and brushed herself off. "He might." Her eyes flashed the hollow pain that engulfed her when he family had died, and she turned from him as she walked out of the clearing.
Kouga seemed to be having trouble taking all of the information in. He caught up to her in three long strides, pensive for a moment. "Do you want me to help?"
"No, Kouga, but thank you. Sesshoumaru is taking Shippou and I to his healers tomorrow, to see if they can do anything." Kagome said, expecting an explosion.
"S-Sesshoumaru? You mean the evil, ice-man, psycho Sesshoumaru?" Kouga stuttered.
Kagome giggled a little. "i wouldn't call him evil or psychotic. He's saved me twice."
"Are you sure we're talking about the same demon here? I mean, there's gotta be a few Sesshoumarus out there." Kouga reasoned.
Kagome nodded, rolling her eyes. "I don't think there's another Sesshoumaru that has silver-white hair." She snorted. In the shadows of the forest, golden eyes peered at Kagome with such intensity that her scalp prickled.
0-0-0-0-0
Kouga left not too much later, saying that he had to get back to his pack, and that he'd visit her soon. As she laid her head on the pillow, she listened to Shippou's rough breathing, and worried. She worried if Shippou would live. She worried about Inuyasha. She worried about spending time with Sesshoumaru. Nothing seemed right anymore. The more she thought about Shippou, the more worried she became. She hoped, with all her heart, that there was a way to make him better again. The last thing she did before she went to sleep was clean the blood from under Shippou's nose, feeling helpless and scared. The woman who had carried the Shikon jewel, who had fought off more demons than she could count, was deathly afraid.
She woke twice in the night screaming, and then when she finally fell into a deep sleep...
"Wake up, Kagome. It's time to get up." Kaede's raspy voice woke her from slumber. The sun had just risen, and Kaede was bright and shining. As usual. Kagome sighed heavily before her anxiety at the coming day found her. She leaned over to check on Shippou, who was sleeping lightly, his ragged breath loud in the small room. She dabbed a cloth on his forehead to wipe the sweat off his brow, her eyebrows furrowed in worry.
"Gah! I need to get going! Bye, Kaede !" She cursed under her breath as she hurried to get dressed. Four minutes and twenty-six seconds later, she was heading out the door with her pack slung over her shoulder, Shippou in her left arm, and trying to tie up her boot with the other. As soon as the boot was tied, she began a brisk walk, making sure that Shippou wasn't cold. He was lucid, often murmuring things in his sleep that sounded like nightmares.
"Good luck, Kagome! And be safe!" Kaede called as Kagome walked out of the village.
0-0-0-0-0
"You are late." Kagome jumped at the deep rumble of his voice, which was colored with his displeasure. He stood at the edge of the clearing, his eyes impassive.
"No, it's still dawn, isn't it?" She asked, genuinely confused.
He turned, his hair following with a light swish. "'Dawn' means precisely when the sun breaches the horizon."
Kagome snorted, then blinked when Sesshoumaru's hard gaze collided with hers. "Hn." He started walking out of the clearing, heading west. Kagome followed, her steps much louder than his. She sighed. This is going to be weird. She thought.
"So.. How far away is your home?" Kagome's asked a few minutes later, desperate to break the silence with something other than the sound of Shippou's breathing.
She was walking beside him, staring at him as she waited for an answer. It seemed he never even blinked, but there was the hint of a shadow under his eyes. "My castle is located about a three day walk away from here."
"What does is look like?" Her question was born simply out of curiosity. She shifted her arms a bit, her black hair sliding behind her shoulders.
"You shall see when we get there." Still no emotion whatsoever. Kagome huffed.
The next twenty minutes were spent in silence. Sesshoumaru not only felt the everlasting confusion at the woman walking next to him, but now he would have to walk with her for the next three days. If the first eight minutes annoyed him, then this day was going to give him a headache. He remembered hearing her last night, with the wolf prince. She'd finally allowed her tears to fall, but his damned curiosity hadn't been sated. Maybe it was knowing she was different, but his conscious brain would not recognize her as such. So he kept pondering, not sleeping, and observing her. His dream of her only exacerbated his annoyance. Could he call it that?
The forest, which had closed over them earlier, opened up to a smaller clearing, where a greenish brown, two headed dragon lay, basking in the morning sun. Rin lay curled against it's stomach, sleeping soundly, and Jaken was hunched over a fire, muttering to himself. "You have a two headed dragon?" Kagome asked as she walked towards him cautiously. Ah-Un blinked, about to hiss at the intruder, relaxed when Sesshoumaru shook his head in the slightest.
"Obviously." Was his only response. He strode over to Rin and gently grasped her shoulder, shaking her a bit.
Her large brown eyes opened. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" She exclaimed before launching herself at his leg, hugging him tightly. Kagome was shocked first, then amused. She stifled a laugh with her hand, trying to look away. Sesshoumaru glared. "Kagome!" The little girl yelled before hugging both of her legs, talking about how great it would be to spend time with her. Kagome only smiled, keeping careful hold of Shippou. Jaken, throughout this time, had been telling Sesshoumaru how well he had been taking care of Rin. Ah-Un stood with a great whoosh of air from his lungs, seemingly exasperated already.
Kagome was surprised at how... energetic this small group was, despite Sesshoumaru's behavior. Rin was like a sun. A bouncing, six year old, silly, sun. To watch Sesshoumaru, who had rent the head of a demon from its shoulders with one sweep, now showed he could be gentle. Kagome smiled softly.
"Jaken. Pack everything. We are leaving." Sesshoumaru ordered. The little toad jumped at his request, bustling to comply. Within ten minutes, the camp was no more, and packed onto Ah-Un's saddle. "Rin, find your warm jacket." She laughed and giggled while she did, still talking to Kagome continuously. Kagome smiled. "You may place your fox demon on Ah-Un's saddle." She glanced down at Shippou, who was still sleeping, his fever had yet to go down at all. He coughed, but the sound was so sick it was hard to listen to.
"How do I.. secure him?" Kagome snorted mentally; Ah-Un was like a present time minivan.
Sesshoumaru appeared behind her, his towering form casting a shadow over her. She squeaked, but didn't move as his clawed hands worked deftly at the straps, securing Shippou gently but with a firmness that Kagome knew was sound. "Hn." He murmured, glancing down at her before he pivoted on his heel and walked the other way. He'd heard her heartbeat increase as he stood behind her, but he smelled no fear, just surprise.
"Thank you." Kagome said softly, a flush on her cheeks from his close proximity. She mentally shook herself, bending to re-tie her knee high boots. Rin climbed up onto Ah-Un and sat just behind Shippou. "Rin, be careful around him, he's sick. You don't need to get sick too, sweetie." Kagome warned.
Sesshoumaru watched them silently. He hadn't realized that while she was not short, she wasn't very tall either. When he stood behind her, she barely reached his shoulder. "It is no worry. I do not believe that humans contract demon sicknesses." Sesshoumaru said, his gold eyes meeting hers for a split second. Then he looked away. "Ah-Un." The two headed dragon started walking, leading them into the forest. Kagome shoved her hands into her pockets and tried to keep them warm, walking a distance away from Sesshoumaru, but keeping a close eye on Shippou. Once or twice she caught herself staring at Sesshoumaru's hair, but she quickly looked the other way, annoyed. How can he not have any split ends whatsoever? That's not even cool. Kagome huffed, walking alongside Ah-Un, who nosed her in the arm once, as if to comfort her. She glanced at it in surprise, but the dragon only nosed her again, as if it wanted her to pet it. She ran her hand along the scales on its neck, which were surprisingly smooth. Kagome gave a small smile. It was somewhat comforting.
"How did you find a two headed dragon?" Kagome asked as she petted Ah-Un.
Sesshoumaru took a glance her way. "He came to my family, many years ago." Ah-Un usually didn't warm up to people that quickly. Sixty years ago, the dragon had wandered onto the property, and never left.
"Oh. He's sweet." Kagome smiled at Ah-Un, who seemed to soak the compliment up. Rin giggled brightly, her laugh echoing. "Have you ever been to Sesshoumaru's home, Rin?"
"Yes! It was really fun. He has a castle! But I get lost in it sometimes. And there are really pretty flowers there!" She seemed downright ecstatic that they were going to his... castle. Once she thought about it, could you expect less from Sesshoumaru? A giant castle in the heart of the Western Lands. Kagome mentally face palmed. This sounded cheesy already.
Sesshoumaru shot her a glare as Rin talked on and on about the castle for the next fifteen minutes. Oh. That's why he's glaring. She really has a hard time not talking. Kagome giggled, pleased to have a response from him. Jaken, however mumbling to himself, stayed quiet. Even though he would glare at Kagome every few minutes; she'd send them right back. It almost reminded her of fighting with Inuyasha.
"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked, her mind wandering. He almost hissed at her informality around him. "Do you know where Inuyasha is?"
"If I knew where that half-breed was," He almost sneered as his lip curled upwards, "he would wish that I didn't." His gold eyes swept over her quickly, and Kagome blinked at his quick anger. "Is he not with the clay priestess?" Kagome blinked again. That was the first time he'd asked her a question that seemed to derive from his curiosity.
"I don't think so. She left a day before he did." Her vision passed through her mind, the one of Kikyo agreeing to that... thing's... demands. She shuddered.
His eyes passed over her again before he looked away. He remembered the visions as well, as much as he'd like not to. The last one disturbed him the most. Not because she was there, but because he seemed to be okay with it.
0-0-0-0-0
The next few hours were spent in silence, until Rin complained about being hungry. The group stopped, ate, then kept moving. Kagome watched Sesshoumaru, but he never once ate anything. She thought he must eat later or something. He stayed silent for the next three hours, when it started to get dark. Rin had fallen asleep about an hour ago, snoozing softly on Ah-Un. "We stop here." The tone of his voice brought no argument. Kagome found herself nose-to-chest with him, having been engrossed in her thoughts. She could have walked into an iron wall for all it mattered.
"Umph!" Kagome lost her balance, but before her butt said hello to the ground, she felt Sesshoumaru's hand splayed against the small of her back. He was bent forward slightly so that their foreheads almost touched, his hair creating a curtain around them. His golden eyes bore straight into hers, never faltering. He could smell her sweet rain and vanilla scent, hear her quickened heartbeat, feel her warmth. Kagome was barely breathing, but her heart was beating fast. He smelled like clouds, like thunder, like unbridled power. He wasn't breathing either. As soon as it had happened, it was over. Kagome found her self standing alone, and Sesshoumaru five feet away with his back turned to her. "Jaken. Start a fire." Then he left.
Kagome blinked. Just to make sure that had actually happened. She didn't even know what you would call... that. Just keeping her from falling? Shaking the thoughts from her head, she began brewing a tea that would reduce any pain Shippou felt. Pulling out a calendar, she marked off the date, and saw that she had about a month and a half until she had to go back again to wait for Souta. She grimaced.
0-0-0-0-0
Sesshoumaru stalked through the forest angrily. The stars were just coming out, shedding fractured light through the heavy pines that surrounded him. Why did I aid her? He knew he should have let her fall, but in the split second that she had bumped into him, it just seemed natural to catch her. But why? Why was it natural? His mind wandered as he did, farther away from the small camp that Jaken had set up. He could smell the tea she was heating, a pain reducer, if he remembered correctly. The darkness of the forest around him intensified with the hour, but he didn't pay it any mind. He leaped into a nearby tree to see the sky. When he returned to the camp, they were all asleep except Ah-Un. Kagome, having situated herself further from the group, was murmuring in her sleep.
As he neared her, he understood her words. "Souta... Please." She whimpered, fear and pain colliding in her voice. She cringed, her fear turning to terror. And then, Sesshoumaru winced; she'd let out a bloodcurdling scream, her eyes flipping wide and sitting straight up, a dagger in one hand. Sesshoumaru knelt next to her, placing a finger over his lips. It took her a moment, but then she recognized him. "Sesshoumaru?" Kagome whispered.
He took the knife from her hands, noticing how cold they were. "Silence. You were screaming." She seemed to calm slightly after that, though her fingers still shook. Jaken and Ah-Un were on full alert, but the children were still sound asleep. "You should sleep near Ah-Un. He is warmer." Sesshoumaru said quietly, straightening. Kagome, seemingly in a haze, did as Sesshoumaru suggested. Ah-Un curled himself around her and the children, his heads resting on Kagome's legs. Sesshoumaru settled himself near a tree, where he could see the whole area well. "You may sleep, Ah-Un." The dragon huffed. Sesshoumaru stayed awake the rest of the night, watching over the group. He knew that he hadn't slept in over a week, but it was no problem as of yet. He would wait until he was at his castle. Besides, he was sure that even if he tried to sleep now, he would have more dreams like the last one he had. Which was never a good thing if he didn't want to be confused. At least, more than he was now.
His eyes wandered to her. Kagome's head rested against Ah-Un's warm belly, her black hair pushed over one shoulder. He knew that she was sleeping soundly, her heartbeat was slow and even. The light of the moon above shone on her face, illuminating her pale skin and dark hair. Why is she such a curiosity to me?
The sun, rising over the horizon, woke Kagome. She stretched, then yawned and sat up. Sesshoumaru's eyes landed on her, and she instantly looked away. "Um. Thank you. For last night."
"Hn." His eyes seemed to graze over her mussed hair, a flash of amusement taking hold before he turned his attention elsewhere.
Kagome instantly put her hands to her hair nervously, and of course, it was in complete disarray. Grumbling to herself, she yanked her brush out and worked all the knots out, then got up to start making some breakfast. "Would you like any?" She asked. Sesshoumaru glanced at her, his eyes blank, and one of his eyebrows raised. "I'll take that as a no then." She rolled her eyes and went back to her cooking. The scents woke Rin and Shippou, but Sesshoumaru had to kick Jaken to wake him up. Rin's child laugh rang in the air. Kagome face palmed.
After breakfast, Kagome talked to Shippou for a little while, made sure he was comfortable, and then they were walking again. It was cold, colder than she thought it would be, and light gray clouds had gathered overnight, bringing the chance of snow with it. "Sesshoumaru, do you think it will snow?"
His eyes were as cold as the air when he glanced at her. "Yes."
"Shoot." Kagome muttered.
"I was under the impression you liked snow?" He said, one brow raised.
Kagome met his eyes, tilting her head slightly. "I do... But not when Shippou is sick the way he is."
Sesshoumaru turned and kept walking. Jaken shot a glare at her. "Alright, you little monster." Kagome growled, grabbing him by his clothes and taking his staff. "I've noticed all those little dirty glares you've been shooting me. Either you stop and be a good boy, or I pulverize you." She shook him, her voice fierce. It really had been annoying her. "Got it?"
Sesshoumaru had stopped to watch her, something akin to amusement in his eyes. "I will never listen to the likes of you, you filthy human! Lord Sesshoumaru, help me!" Sesshoumaru didn't move.
Kagome dropped him, flipped the staff around, and knocked him over the head. "I didn't hear you. Got it?" She asked louder. "And I swear, if you ever refer to me as 'filthy human' again, I'll kick you into next week!"
The little toad relented, and Kagome dropped the staff, hitting him on the head in the process. Sesshoumaru regarded her for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. Kagome felt his eyes on her, and turned to see him, the ghost of a smirk on his face, and something else in his eyes she couldn't recognize. She flashed him a bright smile before checking on Shippou again. Sesshoumaru blinked, erasing the emotion from his face. It had been something he'd trained himself to do since he was a young man. Emotions were a weakness, and if you showed weakness, you were killed. He started walking, and the rest of the group followed, Jaken albeit grudgingly.
Silence that followed in the next fifteen minutes were increasingly awkward for Kagome. She wanted to make conversation, to talk to Sesshoumaru, but he always seemed so dispassionate and uncaring. Like anything anyone said to him didn't really matter unless he was directly involved. She snorted to herself, rolling her eyes. Makes him sound a little selfish, doesn't it, Kagome. She thought to herself. He walked in the front of the group, a few feet ahead of Ah-Un, and Kagome walked behind Jaken, keeping her eyes on him. Really, how does someone have no split ends anywhere? She ran a self conscious hand through her locks, surprised at how long they had become. Ew... I need a bath. She wondered if there would be any hot springs nearby by the time they camped. Her eyes wandered back to Sesshoumaru. He had to be at least six foot four. He absolutely towered over her. She remembered the day before, when he stood behind her, she could practically feel his presence next to her. As far as she knew, he'd never gotten that close to anyone, besides Rin, and people he was trying to kill. Oh. Great. Kagome thought, He's going to kill me. But what about... the vision of her talking to him like they were on good terms flashed through her head. "They are only visions, though..." She murmured to herself, still lost in her thoughts.
Sesshoumaru heard her words, and was, to say the least, interested. Was she talking about the visions they had shared at the tree? He remembered seeing her the other night with the wolf prince. He didn't think that they were courting, but the matter wasn't his to ponder, he reasoned. So why, in the visions, was he so bothered by the wolf prince's proposal? It must be some sort of effect of the tree, or seeing the visions themselves. Satisfied with the logical explanation, he brushed the thought off of his brain, but the image of her in his arms kept flashing back into his brain.
"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked. He tilted his head a fraction of an inch in her direction. "Is it really going to snow?'
"You doubt my senses?" Sesshoumaru responded coolly.
Kagome rolled her eyes. "It just doesn't seem like it's going to snow, that's all."
"Look again." The corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk.
She glanced around them, and saw tiny flakes falling all around them in flurries. She hurried over to Shippou and pulled his head up. "Momma?"
"Yes, baby. It's okay, I'm right here. I'm just gonna pull your hood up, so you don't get snow all over you. I love you." Kagome kissed his forehead before he slipped back into unconsciousness. When she turned back, she saw Sesshoumaru watching her, fixing her with his icy gaze. He didn't seem like he was being apathetic, just curious. "What?" She muttered, unsettled. He turned back.
The snow continued to fall throughout the rest of the day, chilling Kagome to the bone. She couldn't wait to make camp and find herself a hot spring. When darkness fell, and Sesshoumaru said it was time to stop, Kagome immediately started a fire, even though it was Jaken's job. Ah-Un curled up near it, and she moved the sleeping children to lay against his belly. "Do you know if there are any hot springs nearby?"
Sesshoumaru looked almost surprised at her question. "I believe there is one not far from here. Why?"
"I need a bath. Do you think you could take me there please?" Kagome asked, glancing at his eyes once, but then avoiding them.
If he seemed surprised by her request, he didn't show it. "Very well. Ah-Un?" The dragon just nodded one of its heads. Sesshoumaru met her eyes for a moment, then turned and led them into the forest. Everything was so silent, the snow having muffled most of the noise.
"Thank you, again." Kagome said softly. "You know, you're not as mean as people say you are." She murmured quietly. She knew he could hear her.
"Hm." Sesshoumaru kept walking, his footfalls not making any noise at all, while her boots crunched through the snow loudly. She carried her bag of toiletries with her. Once that she thought about it, he really wasn't as mean as people thought. He didn't needlessly insult people, he was sensitive to Rin's needs, and always made sure she was cared for. And he'd saved her twice. Gratitude toward him welled in her.
Sesshoumaru stopped suddenly, and Kagome had trouble stopping in time behind him. "Here. I will be in the forest when you are finished." She peeked around him to see a steaming hot spring, practically calling her name. "Thank you!" She exclaimed. She smiled at him, truly grateful. He nodded slightly, and then he was gone, just vanished. Kagome blinked; she'd never realized how fast he could really be. Turning toward the spring, she stripped, then sunk into the water, sighing heavily. The hot water soothed her tired nerves and allowed her to relax. The sky above her was dark, but the snow had stopped falling for now. Her relaxation lasted only so long. She had to return to Shippou soon, to check on him. Though she doubted that Sesshoumaru or Ah-Un would let anything happen to the little fox, she always got nervous when she wasn't near him. If he wasn't sick, it wouldn't be that bad. Alas... She thought sarcastically as she rose from the water and dried off quickly, rubbing her hair with the towel to dry it, so it didn't freeze.
"Sesshoumaru?" She called softly into the darkness. She felt for his aura, then found something bad. Really bad. She thought. A boar came crashing through the trees, snorting and squealing. It's eyes glowed red. Cursing loudly, she reached for her bow, but only found her quiver. She'd left it at the campsite.. The boar started to charge her, so she reached for the only thing she could; an arrow. Funneling her energy into it quickly, not focusing too well. Just before it reached her, she sidestepped and jabbed the arrow into its flesh. It slowed for a moment, squealing it's pain. But it slowly returned to it's feet, preparing for another charge. "Damn!"
Grabbing another arrow, she charged it, this time with more focus, and started climbing the tree closest to her. Once she was at least fifteen feet off the ground, she looked back down to see the boar ramming the tree. Knowing she only had a few more seconds, she closed her eyes and pushed as much energy into it as she could without breaking it. And then she tossed it. An explosion of light shattered the air when it came into contact with the boar, sending a shock wave hard enough to knock the already loosened tree over. Kagome screamed as it hit the ground, her upper right arm trapped under a branch. She was so going to have bruises. "Sesshoumaru!" She made sure her voice was louder. Not half a second later, she saw a flash of silver and heard a loud crack as the branch holding her arm was ripped away. His gold eyes stared down at her for a moment before he slipped his arms under her and lifted her up. She made a noise when he jostled her right arm; then he put her down on the rocks near the springs.
"Are you alright?" His voice seemed quieter, more reserved that usual.
"Just a little shaken... My right arm hurts, but I think it's just bruised." Kagome said, her voice soft."Where were you?"
He surveyed her for what seemed like a long time, his amber-gold eyes almost glowing in the darkness. Then he reached for her arm. "Further than was necessary." His eyes left hers as he focused on her arm. "Remove your jacket."
She slid the fabric down her arm just to her elbow. His clawed fingers gently squeezed her arm, moving upward until she hissed and jerked in his grip. He grasped her bare shoulder to keep her in place, and they both held their breath for a moment. The shudder that had passed through Kagome traveled into Sesshoumaru, who paused in his movements, closing his eyes for a split second. Then he kept gently squeezing her arm to make sure there weren't any breaks. Kagome whimpered twice, he eyes closed tightly. "It is not broken." His warm, clawed hands left her arm, his eyes returning to stoic.
Kagome caught his sleeve with her hand before he turned away. "Thank you."
Sesshoumaru stayed silent for a while. Just when she thought he wasn't going to answer, he simply said, "You're welcome." Something changed then.
0-0-0-0-0
Kagome woke the next morning wanting to talk to the tree. "Aghh..." She'd slept on her back last night, which she never did. So she was sore. "How much longer until we reach your castle?"
He stood at the edge of the clearing, looking colder than usual. "A few hours."
"Really?" Kagome asked.
Sesshoumaru just turned to kick Jaken awake, so that he could clean up the campsite. As she stared at him, she caught his eyes for a moment. Then he walked out of the clearing. Kagome blinked. He left. Again. Last night had sure done a number on her, and not just physically. She felt a prickling of resentment at his leaving, which she shouldn't, because he was Sesshoumaru,right? Right. She nodded, clearing her brain as she tended to Shippou and let Rin play with her hair. Today, Shippou might start getting better. And that was all she focused on.
End of Chapter 8 – Kick You Into Next Week!
A/N – I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I thought it was alright, but anyway. Read and review pleases! :DDD plus whatever thing you like to do.
