InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Demon's Heart and Ultimate Sacrifice (Kag/Sess) ❯ The Jewel Shards, Stolen ( Chapter 19 )

InuYasha could smell Kagome near by. Her smell caught on the wind, and he had the desire to go to her. He got up and went towards the scent, when suddenly he smelled Kikyo.

"No, it was Kagome's scent not Kikyo's." He was suddenly confused. He then realized that he could smell both women and ran in the direction from which the scents came, knowing that Kagome was probably in danger. As he came to a clearing he saw Kikyo standing over Kagome with her bow and arrow drawn, ready to strike Kagome down. Kagome was on her knees and a look of anguish washed over her face as she looked up to see InuYasha.

"Kikyo, get away from Kagome!" He started towards the two, but Kikyo simply reached down and ripped the jewel shards from Kagome's neck and was gone in seconds.

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Kagome had been deep in thought as she walked through the forest. She had reached a clearing and knew she was not far from the river. Suddenly she felt a searing pain in her back. She turned to see Kikyo behind her, her bow in hand and a smug smile on her face. Kagome dropped to her knees, the pain in her back immense. Just then she saw InuYasha come into view. He yelled something to Kikyo, and the priestess ripped the jewel shards from her neck. InuYasha was at Kagome's side, with a look of disbelief on his face as he saw the arrow in Kagome's back.

He held Kagome in his arms, with tears in his eyes. "InuYasha, please pull the arrow from my back." He looked at her for a moment, and then grasped the arrow. She lurched in pain, but he pulled it from her. He then picked her up and carried her towards the village, the scent of her blood overpowering him.

"Kagome, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me." She looked at his face and saw the hurt there.

"I forgive you, InuYasha." Before he even had the chance to get her to the village Sesshoumaru appeared, having smelled Kagome's blood. The sight of InuYasha carrying a bleeding Kagome nearly sent him into a fury. He ordered his brother to sit her on the ground, and he drew his Tenseiga. A moment later Kagome was no longer in pain. She looked up at Sesshoumaru and thanked him. He only nodded then turned towards his brother.

Expecting a fight to start Kagome spoke up, "Please don't fight, and there is nothing anyone could have done to prevent this." Sesshoumaru glanced at Kagome, who was getting to her feet and again nodded. He then turned and walked back in the direction from which he came.

Kagome embraced InuYasha and again told him that she forgave him. The two sat in the grass and began to talk. She told him that she still cared for him, and would help them. But she knew that he still loved Kikyo and would not be able to stay with him after they retrieved the jewel. Both had tears in their eyes when suddenly Kagome remembered the jewel shards.

"InuYasha, Kikyo took my jewel shards. Naraku will have almost the entire jewel now." InuYasha had a serious look on his face. Both stood quickly and headed back towards the village. Kagome stopped dead in her tracks.

"Kouga…" InuYasha's head spun at the sound of the name. "Why do you care about him?" "InuYasha, he has two of the shards. Naraku doesn't need many more. We have to get to Kouga before Naraku does."

The two found Sango and Miroku and told them what had happened. Sesshoumaru appeared before them, and Kagome told him what had transpired. An odd look washed over his face, and then he gave his half-brother a disgusted look.

Kagome turned towards Sesshoumaru, "We need to find Kouga, the leader of the wolf demon tribe, he has two shards. Naraku will surely be looking for him soon, if he hasn't already taken them."

Kagome gave a thoughtful look then asked Sesshoumaru "Would you be able to get him? Traveling there would take us too much time, by then Naraku could have him and possibly the rest of the jewel."

Sesshoumaru had a hard look on his face, but he too knew it was best to retrieve the wolf and prevent Naraku from gaining the last of the shards. "Very well, I will retrieve this demon, so that Naraku will not gain possession of the jewel."

Kagome saw the look in his eyes and added, "Could you please try to retrieve him alive?" Instantly InuYasha spoke up, "Why bother, as long as we have the jewel shards?" Sesshoumaru glanced at his brother, if his brother wanted the demon dead; there was more reason for him to be kept alive. He gave Kagome a nod, and she promised to look after Rin. The demon lord headed towards the den where the wolf demon tribe lived.

Kouga could sense someone approaching their den. His instincts told him that there was trouble on the way. He ordered his pack on the defensive. A short time later, he was face to face with Sesshoumaru, great lord of the western lands.

The demon lord approached Kouga, "Are you Kouga, leader of this tribe?" Kouga readied himself for battle, knowing that this would most likely be a battle to the death. Sesshoumaru was one of the most revered and feared demons alive.

"Yeah, this is my pack" The demon lord seemed to study the wolf for a moment, and then informed him that he would be coming with him. Kouga let out a laugh.

"What makes you think I would come with you?" Sesshoumaru continued to stare at the wolf demon.

"Normally I would not lower myself to bother with a mongrel such as yourself; however you have something that I need to retrieve." With that said, he lunged towards Kouga. Sesshoumaru was surprised at how quickly the wolf moved. The jewel shards in his legs, gave Kouga superior speed.

"Wolf, come with me willingly and I will make sure any injuries you sustain are minimal." Time after time Kouga dodged Sesshoumaru's attempts to capture him. Sesshoumaru apparently unamused at the game of cat and mouse told the wolf demon that he had been sent here by Kagome. Kouga turned abruptly towards Sesshoumaru.

"Did you say Kagome?" All went black, as Sesshoumaru brought the hilt of his sword down onto the top of Kouga's head. He then grabbed the wolf demon and headed back to the village.

Kagome heard Sesshoumaru outside and went out to see if he had brought Kouga along. He had Kouga slung over his shoulder. He walked towards Kagome, and then dropped Kouga at her feet. She bent down to check on the wolf demon.

"What happened to him?" She questioned Sesshoumaru.

"I gave my word that he would be alive, I said nothing of conscious." InuYasha snickered at the sight of Kouga. Kagome gave them both stern looks and began talking to Kouga, trying to wake him. Finally his eyes began to focus and he looked towards InuYasha.

"Hey mutt face, you been taking good care of my Kagome?" Kagome felt her face turn red as she looked up to see both InuYasha and Sesshoumaru looking at Kouga with a mixture of jealousy and rage. She stood and Kouga followed suit. She told Kouga about the stolen jewel shards and explained that his safety was in jeopardy.

"Naraku cannot be allowed to get the jewel shards that are in you legs." She finally told him. He stepped towards her and gave her a smile "Where you worried about me, Kagome?" Again she blushed.

"I wouldn't want to see you hurt, Kouga. And Naraku would kill you to get those jewel shards." Feeling somewhat awkward, Kagome excused herself but left orders with them to not kill one another. Sesshoumaru left to find Rin, while Kouga and InuYasha continued to hurl insults at each other.

Kagome asked Sango to go on a walk with her. The two walked a ways from the village and Kagome told her what she and InuYasha had spoken about. Sango looked at Kagome with sympathy. She then told Kagome what Sesshoumaru had told Miroku. Kagome hugged Sango, but Sango told her not to get too excited.

"It would still be very early; too early to know." Kagome gave it a little thought, "Sesshoumaru is a full dog demon. He could probably sense changes like that almost instantly." She hugged Sango and the two walked on in silence.

Kagome could suddenly sense a large part of the Shikon Jewel. It was very distant, but she could sense it nonetheless. "Naraku!" Sango's eyes grew wide. "What did you say Kagome?"

"I can sense a large part of the jewel. It is still distant, but close enough for me to sense it." The two hurried back to the village. Kagome told the others what she knew. She then went to find Sesshoumaru, who had returned to his camp. They brought Rin back to the village, and left her and Shippou with Lady Kaede. The group decided that first thing in the morning they would set out to find Naraku. They would not allow him to make it to the village and harm innocent people.