InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Soul Within ❯ To Warn ( Chapter 14 )

Quote of the Day (courtesy of Inuyasha-lover): “Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be Evil.”

 

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The Soul Within

Chapter Fourteen

 

There seemed to be an aura of cold and foreboding encircling Kaede's tiny village.

 

The elderly miko shivered a little as she made some tea for her guest.

 

“Shiro, would ye add some wood to the fire?” she asked kindly.

 

Shiro immediately stood up. “Of course, Lady Kaede.” As he picked up an armful of wood, he added worriedly, “Odd weather we're having, don't you think?”

 

“Aye,” Kaede agreed distractedly. The truth was that she didn't think that the chill had anything to do with the weather. There was a strange aura in the area, she was almost sure of it.

 

However, it was different then anything that she had ever sensed before. It was demonic, no doubt about that, but it was…unnatural, and slightly diluted. She had sensed it twice recently but had paid it no heed…she had been too worried about Kagome.

 

Now that she thought about it, it seemed that she had felt the aura on the day that Naraku had requested all the village men to search for Kagome and the day that the men came back. And there was a meeting again today. Could there have possibly been any connection?

 

Kaede shook her head lightly and carried a teacup to Shiro. He thanked her and sipped the hot beverage slowly.

 

“Do ye know what the meeting is going to be about today?” she asked after a moment.

 

The man looked up at Kaede and shook his head. “I know that it will be concerning Lady Kagome in some way. At the end of the last gathering, Lord Naraku informed us that he was sending a reliable ally to search the area that she is suspected to be in.”

 

Kaede nodded in understanding. “So, Naraku most likely has news from this ally?”

 

Shiro nodded. “That is what I have come to believe.”

 

“Ye will tell me what happened when it is over?”

 

Shiro stood up and put down his cup. “Of course I will, Lady Kaede. It should be starting soon, so I better be going.”

 

“Ye certainly better.”

 

With a short bow, the village man left Kaede's hut.

 

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“I have received information from the individual that I have sent to the northeast,” Naraku said coolly.

 

The village men waited impatiently for the hunter's next words.

 

“Lady Kagome is indeed in the northeast.” Naraku paused for a minute to all the collective gasps. “However,” he continued. “She is trapped there against her will. If she even tries to leave, a violent youkai will immediately kill her. She is trapped in a small room.”

 

The men were wide-eyed. Naraku smirked. Such gullible fools. His underling had caught some information and he had twisted it to his liking. Kagome had been talking with a human that had some kind of curse on him during the day, which made him an out-of-control youkai. Apparently, the human was afraid that he would kill Kagome one day.

 

His minion had also said that the three men that had been sent to scour the area were dead. The freshly dug earth and small rocks to mark their tombs had been proof of that.

 

“The youkai is very dangerous and is not to be taken lightly,” Naraku added. “Therefore, it will take the combined efforts of the village to bring it down. You are all to start preparing for battle immediately.”

 

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At long last, Kaede heard the knock that she had been awaiting for the past hour. With the speed of someone much younger, she hurried to the entrance of her hut. Without checking who was there, she flung open her grass-mat door.

 

“Shiro! Come in, come in!”

 

The said man nodded at her, looking unusually grave. He sat across the fire from Kaede. “Lady Kaede…I'm afraid I have some bad news.”

 

The miko put a hand over her heart. “I would like to hear it,” she said nervously.

 

Shiro nodded and proceeded to tell her what had gone on at that day's meeting.

 

“She is being trapped by a violent youkai?” Kaede said doubtfully.

 

“Yes.”

 

Kaede withered her brow. That couldn't be right. She knew Kagome better than anyone…she knew what Kagome was capable of. She could've purified any youkai without breaking a sweat! Well…maybe a little sweat but she could definitely do it. At the very least, she could hold a barrier around herself long enough to get back on her horse and leave.

 

At any rate, Kaede knew that Kagome was not hiding from a youkai like a scared little girl.

 

“Lady Kaede? Lord Naraku said that the men were to leave for battle in exactly three days.”

 

The elderly woman blinked and nodded slowly. “Three days…thank you, Shiro. I appreciate ye coming to see me.”

 

“Of course.”

 

Kaede gave him a small smile. “I don't want to keep you here any longer, I'm sure your wife is wondering where you are.”

 

Shiro nodded and smiled. “I had better be going, then,” he said as he disappeared through the door.

 

Kaede sighed worriedly. What was she going to do? If Naraku had told everyone that Kagome was trapped…that was what everyone would believe. The only people that probably knew differently…were Naraku and his mysterious ally. It would be next to impossible to get any information from either of those people.

 

Kaede was sure that Kagome was not in any danger. However…that would all change if she were forced to come back.

 

The northeast…

 

It couldn't be too hard to find, this village. The region didn't have very many villages and up until now, she hadn't known that the northeastern village had existed at all.

 

There was no question about it. Kaede knew what she had to do.

 

She had to get to Kagome…before Naraku did.

 

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Kaede had packed a few essential items and was ready to leave. She cautiously peeked out of her tiny hut.

 

Nobody was in sight.

 

As quickly as she could, she mounted her horse and sped off into the darkness…

 

…Never suspecting that someone was watching her.

 

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Kaede looked around feeling somewhat desperate. Two hours of traveling and no sign of any life. To make matters worse, the sun didn't seem to be coming up any time soon.

 

Kaede sighed and slowed her horse's speed. If she didn't find Kagome, what was she going to do? Go back to her village and pretend that nothing had happened? Or just keep searching?

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Kaede was so startled that she nearly fell off her horse. She turned her head to see a young woman.

 

“Aye, I am fine,” the miko lied.

 

“I don't mean to pry, but may I ask why you are all by yourself at this time of night?”

 

Kaede looked carefully at the woman. She noticed that she wore the typical clothing of a miko. She could probably be trusted…

 

“I'm looking for a village,” she said at last.

 

The woman raised an eyebrow. “At this hour?”

 

“It was urgent. I'm looking for my apprentice. She disappeared a few days ago and it was recently discovered that she was in a northeastern village…which is around here.”

 

The miko narrowed her eyes. “Why are you looking for her all alone?”

 

Kaede sighed. This woman was annoying. How was it any of her business? Reluctantly, she answered, “I sent her away from my village so that she could escape a personal problem. Now that her location has been discovered, I have come to warn her that she is safe here no longer.”

 

The miko muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, “…can't have her leaving…” After a minute of pondering, she asked another question. “If you find her, do you plan on taking her away?”

 

That wasn't a suspicious question at all, Kaede thought sarcastically. She was getting more and more sure that this miko knew Kagome's whereabouts.

 

“I honestly don't know what I plan on doing if I find her, but I can assure you that she'll never return to my village if I can help it,” Kaede said. “However, a cruel man knows her location and he will drag her back there in three days.”

 

The woman said nothing.

 

“I just need to warn her, if nothing else,” Kaede said pleadingly.

 

The miko looked deeply into her eyes as if needing to confirm something. She seemed to find it a few seconds later when she nodded.

 

“Okay, I will take you to Kagome.”

 

Kaede nearly collapsed in relief. “Thank you so much…?”

 

The woman smiled. “Kikyo.”