InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ 33 Hours ❯ The Fourth Hour ( Chapter 4 )

A/N: Yes! 4 months later, I think it's a record. Shortest time before returning to write a chapter hahaha. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the update. I miss writing, but school is being a bitch but I'll try. Pinky swear.

 

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33 HOURS

The Fourth Hour

 

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The feel of the water against her skin stung a little bit but she welcomed it more than she disliked the sting of her wounds. The blood she washed away with little grief and the breeze she felt on her dampened skin caused her to sigh. Her legs wobbled as she stepped and the gash on her knee throbbed every time she walked but she knew that the only way she would be able to find her friends would be to suck it up. God knows the lecture she would receive from Inuyasha for being a weakling for being a little scratched up. That made Kagome pause and remember when Inuyasha's chest had been punctured by Sesshoumaru's hand and she cringed at the thought of that wound. Poor Inuyasha, he had been through so much and she couldn't help but feel bad for causing him more grief. If Sesshoumaru was right and the barrier that he sensed was housing Inuyasha and the others than she was sure her well-being mustn't be helping with the situation. She heard a soft bird call off in the distance and it brought back her attention to what she had to do, and that was to follow the river—as Sesshoumaru had told her—and find Inuyasha.

 

“Please be okay,” she said as she stepped out of the water and slipped on her shoes.

 

The sky was blacker than Kagome could remember and the trees were so thick she couldn't even see the stars and every now and again she heard the soft bird call and it made her less tense in that stressful situation. She walked on tip toes, afraid of shadows that would lead to one of Naraku's minions being there to spy on her. She limped as fast as she could and tried to keep her whimpering to a minimum.

 

I have to be brave, she thought, brave for Inuyasha.

 

She gazed at the semi-reflection of the cloud-hidden moon in the water as she walked and she felt herself trip from becoming hypnotised by the ripple-less current. The sound of the water was soothing and it aided her severe case of tension. In front of her lay nothing but dark blackness and she wondered how much longer of a journey she had ahead of her before she could be with Inuyasha.

 

Not be be with Inuyasha, she berated herself, but be with him as in physically near him.

 

She blushed at this thought and realized it was no time to be gah-gah girly over Inuyasha.

 

A faint wolf howling in the background of the wind and water in the night caught Kagome's attention and brought forth a thought she hadn't had in a long time: Kouga. Where was he? What was he up to? Did he still love her?

 

“Not that that matters,” she outwardly told herself.

 

But still, she thought, it is a nice feeling, feeling loved and wanted.

 

Kagome was lost in thought again and couldn't sustain a single thought, her head hurt and falling in and out of consciousness she knew was a possibility because of her concussion. But that couldn't happen. She had to stay aware. But staying aware wasn't possible, not when she kept feeling her loneliness creep up on her. All she wanted was to see Inuyasha and feel comforted by the face she had grown used to and wanted around.

 

“Inuyasha,” Kagome whimpered under her breath, out of breath, “how far away are you?”

 

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MEANWHILE

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“Do you smell something?”

 

“What're you talking about?”

 

“I smell something weird.”

 

“Maybe it's just you.”

 

“Shut up, Shippou!”

 

Inuyasha was up on his feet with his faced pressed against the side of the barrier; the stupid thing was mixing in and overpowering the smells of the outside, and he smelt something. He knew he did.

 

“Well, Inuyasha,” Miroku said leaning against the side of the barrier next to him, “allow me to help you. What does it smell like?”

 

“Blood mostly.”

 

Shippou yelped and jumped into the arms of Sango who held him closely and patted his back in attempt to calm him down.

 

“Inuyasha,” she chastised, “was that really necessary?”

 

“Sango! There is something bleeding out there!”

 

“You don't suppose it's Kagome, do you?”

 

“Miroku!” Inuyasha shouted, punching him in the arm. “How the hell can you say that? You don't think she's bleeding do you? Oh shit! Shit, shit, SHIT! What if she's unconscious, or worse?!”

 

As Inuyasha began to pace and outwardly discuss the `worst-case-scenarios' of what could have happened to Kagome, Sango smacked Miroku for saying such a thing and worsening Inuyasha's mood.

 

“He's worried enough,” she hissed under her breath. “You just had to go and make it worse, didn't you?”

 

“Sango,” Miroku whined, rubbing his aching shoulder, “I only spoke my mind in worry of Kagome's well-being. Inuyasha's not the only one who is worried about her.”

 

“What if she's stuck in the river and she can't get out `cause she's bound to a giant branch and the tide's coming in??”

 

“Inuyasha!” Sango yelled at him, “I'm sure Kagome is fine! Just don't…THINK!”

 

“How can I not!” he raged pounded his fists and his forehead simultaneously against the luminescent violet wall of the barrier, “It's just that—”

 

The three looked at him worrisomely when he suddenly stopped talking and went deathly silent. Miroku could have sworn his face lost all colour also. Almost as if he saw a ghost.

 

Sango recognized it as the face Inuyasha got whenever he had seen Kikyo after a long period of time.

 

But when she turned her attention to what he was looking at, there was nothing there.

 

“Inuyasha?” she asked hesitantly. “Inuyasha, what is it?”

 

“Kagome,” he said, “I just picked up her scent.”

 

“That's great!!” Miroku shouted, “Why on earth must you look so pale, it's like you saw a ghost.”

 

Inuyasha didn't look at him, he just kept his forehead against the barrier, “You don't understand,” he murmured. “I smell blood, lots of blood.”

 

Sango rolled her eyes preparing to explain to Inuyasha what happens to a female in her adult years, but just as she was going to she saw a figure tumble out of the forest in a crumpled heap.

 

The figure had three gigantic slashes down their back and the back of their shirt was drenched in blood and from the way the figure was lying it looked like their left arm was sliced so badly it could have fallen off any moment. The figure twitched slightly and reached the badly wounded arm towards the four of them in the barrier.

 

“Inu—yasha—help…”

 

And that was the last thing they heard before Kagome collapsed back onto the ground and became unconscious.

 

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A/N: Woo-hoo! Cliff hanger. Gotta love me, eh? Mwaha, lemme know what you think. Thanks much