InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Absolution's Pursuit ❯ Revelation ( Chapter 20 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Lady Sianna 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 06.11.2012 | Updated On: 06.27.2012 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 240 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 06.11.2012 | Updated On: 06.27.2012 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 240 | Status: Work In Progress
Absolution’s Pursuit
Revelation
______________________________________ __________________________________
Her knees pillowed on a surprisingly soft futon, the untrained miko kneeled against the northern wall, her arms resting on the smooth, dark wood that bordered a tiny window. Outside, it was dark and cool, the rain pattering heavily upon the thatched roof.
The journey that brought them to this place, to this tiny hut had been exceedingly long and tiresome. A heavy sigh escaping her lips, the miko rested her head on top of her folded arms. Even though she was tired to the bone, Kagome could not tear herself away from the small opening. She couldn’t stop staring out the window, as in the distance, the northern mountains loomed, their ominous presence stirring something deep and fundamental inside of her. It’s not that she was afraid, per se, but something about those mountains…
It was, difficult to describe, the miko decided. If someone had asked, she concluded after several, long moments, she would have said the mountains simultaneously called to her, while at the same time warded her away. In staring at them, she felt both anxious to climb into their peaks, and apprehensive of the fate that awaited her there. The danger was clear. Even from this distance, Kagome could feel the presence of many, many youkai, just waiting for her to get close, waiting for them to come into the mountains so they could sink their claws into her, and tear her apart.
‘You won’t get me though!’ she vowed heatedly, her right hand clenching into a tight fist. She’d be right there at Sesshoumaru’s side and would fight together with him until he found whatever it was he needed to get through this.
Though confident in her strength and abilities, Kagome still wished, not for the first time, that she’d taken the time to train as a proper miko. Regrettably, the time for that had passed. But, her skills as an archer had seen her and her friends through many, many battles, and she was certain they wouldn’t fail her now! When those demons finally attacked, as she knew they eventually would, she and Sesshoumaru would wipe them out! They were going to get through this, and Sesshoumaru was NOT going to die! She had lost so much already, she wasn’t willing to loose him too. She couldn’t!
‘I’m so tired…’ the miko thought suddenly, ‘So why can’t I sleep?’
She would have thought she’d welcome the opportunity to sleep indoors, on a soft futon at that, and drop off like a lead weight. But now that she was presented with the opportunity to rest properly, her mind simply would not stop wandering enough for her to do so.
She had to admit, it had been somewhat surprising when She and Sesshoumaru had deviated from traversing through wooded areas, dirt roads and largely vacant glades, to pass through a small but thriving village near the northern mountains. When they’d arrived, the pair drew quite a bit of attention. People didn’t seem to know whether to express deference or run for their lives, so several did both, quickly bowing in their general direction before making a hasty retreat. Dressed as she was, it would have been clear to the villagers that Kagome was a priestess, so she was sure it must have been highly confusing to see her traveling with a daiyoukai.
Finally, the pair was approached by a young man. Clearly nervous, the slightly overweight male moved slowly and deliberately; closing the distance with evident caution, his tall staff clutched in a white-knuckled grip.
“G-good day,” he’d greeted with a curt but respectful bow. “I am Kenji, son of Makoto-sama, this villages headman.” His voice was surprisingly deep, and Kagome imagined it would have seemed to most, rather commanding. The effect in this case, was only slightly spoiled by the man’s apparent apprehension of the powerful inu youkai to which he spoke.
“My name is Kagome,” the miko had spoke up brightly, trying to put his mind at ease, “and this is Sesshoumaru.”
“Pleased to meet you.” Kenji had returned with an uneasy smile. “What brings you to our humble village?”
Not knowing the answer to that question herself, Kagome had turned her attention to Sesshoumaru, curious to see what he would say.
“We require lodgings for the night.”
Seemingly surprised, the man looked between the pair, his eyes quickly scanning back and forth between them before he finally seemed to assimilate what he had heard. Though his expression spoke clearly of many questions, the man must have thought better of asking them.
“Of course,” he said instead, “Then please follow me. We shall speak with my father.”
Surprised by the declaration herself, Kagome waited until the man had turned and was several paces ahead of them before gently tugging on Sesshoumaru’s oversized sleeve. “Are we really going to stay in this village? I thought you didn’t like hu--”
“A storm is approaching.” he’d said, cutting her off.
“A storm?” she’d wondered aloud, looking up into the clear blue sky. She’d almost questioned him about it, but then decided that his superior, youkai powered weather detecting abilities probably surpassed her own. Even humans could smell rain when it was nearby, so his powerful sense of smell could likely detect it at much greater distances. Besides, why pass up an opportunity to sleep indoors for a change?
The past few weeks had been pretty rough, so maybe, at least for this night, they’d get a much needed retreat.
The village headman, a short, stout figure with a round face and grey hair, had welcomed them into his home, seemingly unconcerned with the imposing inu lord. After his son explained that she and Sesshoumaru were travelers requiring lodgings for the night, Makoto sagely nodded his head. “Very good!” he’d announced, “Please feel free to make use of the guest house near the northwest boarder of our humble village. I am certain it will be most accommodating for you.” he’d assured with a cheerful smile, ignoring the apprehensive look on his wife’s face.
Taking in the man’s oddly cheerful expression, Kagome was left with a vague impression that, though pleasant and apparently the respected leader of this moderately affluent village, Makoto was a little… weird.
“Don’t worry your precious little head my love!” the man told his wife, voicing the woman’s apparent concern. “If this demon meant us any harm, why we’d all be dead by now!” with that, he burst into laughter, unknowingly confirming Kagome’s initial assessment. ‘Yep, weird!’
Kenji, who didn’t seem at all surprised by Makoto’s behavior, simply shrugged before leaving his father’s hut, beaconing them to follow. A short time later, they were seated in a small hut, with fresh linens, a tray of hot tea, and a pitcher of water with a small basin.
The amenities, though much appreciated, were all but ignored by the young priestess. Instead, her attention was drawn to the window, and by proximity, the futon that lay beneath it. Kneeling on its welcoming softness, she’d wanted to look out to watch the approaching storm, but forgot all about it when she saw the range of mountains in the distance. In and of themselves, they were nothing out of the ordinary, and in fact were fairly picturesque, but she knew better. She hadn’t forgotten the warning Bokusenou had given before they’d left him.
There was truth to his words she knew, for the past few weeks had proved it. It had started off so innocuously, the first few days after leaving the sentient tree bringing nothing out of the ordinary. However, as they moved further and further north, it became quite apparent that, even though the demons were collectively dying off, there were many yet living.
It had started off with vague, but persistent stalking. It was about three weeks ago, when she’d suddenly become aware that they were being watched. She could clearly remember the sensation of cool, unpleasant waves of youki brushing over her, lifting the tiny hairs at the base of her neck. She had looked around them, her left hand moving toward her bow.
“Do not concern yourself.” Sesshoumaru had told her, though he seemed to purposely close the distance between them.
The youkai were apparently biding their time, for even though their presence did not abate, they made no move to show themselves either. At least not for those first few days.
It had been deathly quiet, unnaturally quiet when Kagome suddenly started in her sleep. She’d bolted up, grabbing her bow and snatching an arrow from her quiver. One knee pressed to the ground, the other bent before her, poised to propel her from danger at a moment’s notice, the miko was the picture of readiness. The arrow drawn taut against the string of her bow, she aimed high, her eyes scanning the trees for movement.
“I know you’re out there.” she whispered fiercely.
And, as if conjured by the sound of her voice, something released an ear shattering screech, exploding from the treetops at blinding speeds. She never even saw what it was, as Sesshoumaru, whose presence she’d all but forgotten, went flying over her head. The bright green swipe of his claws tore through the night sky, severing the youkai’s enormous head in its pass.
Before he could even land, Kagome pivoted, driven by adrenaline and pure instinct, releasing her arrow. The projectile illuminated the entire area, shooting across the stream and eradicating several demons, both those directly and indirectly in its path.
Behind her, she could hear the sounds of more screeching, dying youkai, and quickly retrieved her quiver, slinging it onto her back and drawing another arrow. Though she would only fire a total of three that night, she was sure she’d destroyed no less than forty demons.
She had no idea how many Sesshoumaru had killed.
In a way, it was like Naraku all over again.
When it became apparent that the attack was over, the priestess and youkai turned to face one another, she breathing heavily, and he as calm and collected as ever. She exhaled loudly, her shoulders relaxing as a single arrow dropped from her limp fingers. “Guess I should’ve seen this coming,” she said with a nervous little smile. “They’ve been following us for days.”
Sesshoumaru didn’t answer, instead looking down on her with an intense gaze. “You are unharmed?” he finally said, and Kagome blushed, running a hand down the back of her neck.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she told him, adrenaline still coursing through her veins. She kneeled to retrieve the arrow, her hand shaking a little as she picked it up. She always was a little jittery after a good battle.
“You fought well.” she heard her companion say as she stood, nearly causing her to drop the arrow again.
“Th-thanks.” she said, again blushing and refusing to meet his eyes. The overt compliment surprised her, and the miko had almost not known how to respond.
“You should go back to sleep.” he said abruptly, distracting her from her embarrassed flush.
“As if I could after that!” she laughed, dropping the arrow back into her quiver.
“You should try.”
This time it was she who paused before speaking. “I guess you’re right,” she admitted softly, pulling the quiver of arrows from her shoulder.
She gasped when the inu took her wrist before guiding them both to where they’d been sleeping. He’d seated himself in the thick grass, bringing her down with him. Staring into his face, flushed and befuddled, the miko kneeled beside him. He released her wrist, entrapping her instead with his intense gaze. “Stay very close.” he said, his voice grave and quiet. She nodded mutely, before slowly laying down. She turned away from him, though she was still close enough to feel the heat of his leg against her back. “I-is this okay?” she asked, blushing furiously at the contact. Instead of answering, he simply placed his hand on her shoulder.
Kagome hardly slept at all that night.
If that wasn’t bad enough, the demons that resumed stalking them had decided to attack again a few days ago! This time it had been around dusk, and she and Sesshoumaru had not yet selected a place to camp for the night. Just like the first time, the attack had been sudden, and she’d barely had time to ready her weapon. Fortunately, Sesshoumaru had leapt right into action, his fluid, constant motions distracting her so completely, she’d almost forgotten that she should be helping him! This time there had been even more youkai, and even though only few managed get very close, it seemed clear that they were attempting to separate her from the daiyoukai.
It didn’t work though. Standing nearly back to back, Kagome fired her arrows, and Sesshoumaru, without unleashing a great deal of power, used his claws and his blade.
The barrage was gone as quickly as it came, though it left a sense of incompleteness, one that she knew was felt by her companion as well as herself.
This was not over… the demons would definitely come after her again.
“I’m sorry, Sesshoumaru,” the miko spoke suddenly, surprising even herself with the impromptu apology.
Her youkai companion, who had been standing in the doorway, his clawed hand holding the straw shutter to one side, turned to look at her over his shoulder. “For what?” he wanted to know.
Kagome sighed, finally turning away from the window to flop heavily onto her butt, back against the wall. She folded her legs, placing her hands in her lap. “I know I’m slowing you down,” she said, throwing her hands up in a helpless gesture. “You could have made it to the mountains weeks ago if you weren’t always taking breaks for me. Not only that, but the demons,” she trailed off, feeling bad, “the demons are only attacking you to get to me.”
She heard him scoff. “There is no need to apologize.” he said, turning back to face the outside world. “I knew this would happen.”
She looked up at him. “You did? How?”
“I have traveled with a human female once before.” She could hear a faint, nostalgic smile in his voice. “And just because I have never held any interest in the Shikon jewel, that does not mean that I cannot detect its power within you.”
“Oh,” the miko said, “I guess I never thought about that.”
A moment later, Sesshoumaru turned fully, taking several steps in her direction. Surprising her, he kneeled on the edge of her futon, lifting her chin with a clawed finger. “I offered you my protection without condition. You will not apologize for accepting it.”
She swallowed thickly, looking into the warm gold of his piercing eyes. “O-okay.”
He held her gaze for a moment before a smile tilted the edge of his lips. “Good.”
He returned to his full height, though not without offering a hand to pull her up. She accepted it and stood, staring at him with curious eyes. Without a word, he guided them both to the other side of the one room hut. In the corner, there was another futon, this one larger than the one she’d chosen beneath the window.
He offered her the side nearest to the far wall. Blushing, she hesitated for a moment before crawling onto the futon. She looked up at him, watching as he removed his heavy pelt before settling down beside her. He sat very close, his back resting against the wall.
Kagome hid a nervous smile behind her hand, tentatively curling up beside him. Did he have any idea how much he was fanning the flames of her perilous little crush?
‘Probably not.’ she sighed, but that was okay.
Tomorrow, they would rise and face the perils of the mountains, but for now, right now, she would simply enjoy his presence, enjoy his continued willingness to protect her, would enjoy… him. She smiled softly and snuggled a little closer.
She felt him stiffen before looking down on her. He soon relaxed, and placed a hand on her back near the base of her neck.
“I’ll need more arrows before we go into the mountains,” she spoke softly, hardly breaking the previous silence in the room.
Sesshoumaru nodded. “We will get some in the morning, before we leave the village.”
“Sesshoumaru, what… what do you think Bokusenou meant when he said you’d need to make a sacrifice?”
She heard the inu youkai sigh. He had thought of this many times and was not at all pleased with the possibilities.
“I do not know. I can only hope the answer will present itself to me when the time comes.”
Kagome nodded her agreement. “I hope so.” she whispered, almost to herself.
“Do not worry yourself.” he said. “You should try to sleep.”
“I’ll try,” she said, answering both statements.
For his part, the daiyoukai would remain awake, prisoner to his own dismal thoughts. When he’d set out on this journey, he thought he’d be willing to sacrifice any and everything to save his immaculately honed demonic powers. Innately powerful already, Sesshoumaru had spent more than two centuries sharpening his powers and refining his skills. To loose all of that, and die as a pitiful, powerless mortal was the ultimate insult upon the very fiber of his being. It was not an acceptable fate for one such as he!
Now, now Sesshoumaru wasn’t so sure he was willing to sacrifice any and everything.
There were truly more important things than mere power. The thought was both shocking and incredibly unnerving, but was undeniably true none the less.
Sliding his hand slowly across her back, the daiyoukai gently caressed the miko’s shoulder.
Never before, in all his long life had he felt so torn.
A sacrifice, in its very nature, would demand something of importance, for something of equal, or even greater importance.
What if… what if the sacrifice, was her?
The thought pained his heart in a way he did not anticipate, nearly stole his breath away.
When it came right down to it, the question was simple, yet the answer was not.
Was he willing to sacrifice Kagome, to save his demonic powers?
_______________________________________________________________ _________
Alright my darlings, another chapter done! I actually meant to finish the story with this one, but, it looks like there’ll be at least one more. I have a short attention span, so cramming the rest of the plot into this one chapter would not have been good. Grammar and spelling would have taken a dive, OOC-ness would have run rampant, people’s eyes would have begun to burn, there would’ve been screaming, and plot-holes and general unhappiness.
So, there you go. The next chapter should be the last, before the epilogue. Hope you all enjoyed!
Revelation
______________________________________ __________________________________
Her knees pillowed on a surprisingly soft futon, the untrained miko kneeled against the northern wall, her arms resting on the smooth, dark wood that bordered a tiny window. Outside, it was dark and cool, the rain pattering heavily upon the thatched roof.
The journey that brought them to this place, to this tiny hut had been exceedingly long and tiresome. A heavy sigh escaping her lips, the miko rested her head on top of her folded arms. Even though she was tired to the bone, Kagome could not tear herself away from the small opening. She couldn’t stop staring out the window, as in the distance, the northern mountains loomed, their ominous presence stirring something deep and fundamental inside of her. It’s not that she was afraid, per se, but something about those mountains…
It was, difficult to describe, the miko decided. If someone had asked, she concluded after several, long moments, she would have said the mountains simultaneously called to her, while at the same time warded her away. In staring at them, she felt both anxious to climb into their peaks, and apprehensive of the fate that awaited her there. The danger was clear. Even from this distance, Kagome could feel the presence of many, many youkai, just waiting for her to get close, waiting for them to come into the mountains so they could sink their claws into her, and tear her apart.
‘You won’t get me though!’ she vowed heatedly, her right hand clenching into a tight fist. She’d be right there at Sesshoumaru’s side and would fight together with him until he found whatever it was he needed to get through this.
Though confident in her strength and abilities, Kagome still wished, not for the first time, that she’d taken the time to train as a proper miko. Regrettably, the time for that had passed. But, her skills as an archer had seen her and her friends through many, many battles, and she was certain they wouldn’t fail her now! When those demons finally attacked, as she knew they eventually would, she and Sesshoumaru would wipe them out! They were going to get through this, and Sesshoumaru was NOT going to die! She had lost so much already, she wasn’t willing to loose him too. She couldn’t!
‘I’m so tired…’ the miko thought suddenly, ‘So why can’t I sleep?’
She would have thought she’d welcome the opportunity to sleep indoors, on a soft futon at that, and drop off like a lead weight. But now that she was presented with the opportunity to rest properly, her mind simply would not stop wandering enough for her to do so.
She had to admit, it had been somewhat surprising when She and Sesshoumaru had deviated from traversing through wooded areas, dirt roads and largely vacant glades, to pass through a small but thriving village near the northern mountains. When they’d arrived, the pair drew quite a bit of attention. People didn’t seem to know whether to express deference or run for their lives, so several did both, quickly bowing in their general direction before making a hasty retreat. Dressed as she was, it would have been clear to the villagers that Kagome was a priestess, so she was sure it must have been highly confusing to see her traveling with a daiyoukai.
Finally, the pair was approached by a young man. Clearly nervous, the slightly overweight male moved slowly and deliberately; closing the distance with evident caution, his tall staff clutched in a white-knuckled grip.
“G-good day,” he’d greeted with a curt but respectful bow. “I am Kenji, son of Makoto-sama, this villages headman.” His voice was surprisingly deep, and Kagome imagined it would have seemed to most, rather commanding. The effect in this case, was only slightly spoiled by the man’s apparent apprehension of the powerful inu youkai to which he spoke.
“My name is Kagome,” the miko had spoke up brightly, trying to put his mind at ease, “and this is Sesshoumaru.”
“Pleased to meet you.” Kenji had returned with an uneasy smile. “What brings you to our humble village?”
Not knowing the answer to that question herself, Kagome had turned her attention to Sesshoumaru, curious to see what he would say.
“We require lodgings for the night.”
Seemingly surprised, the man looked between the pair, his eyes quickly scanning back and forth between them before he finally seemed to assimilate what he had heard. Though his expression spoke clearly of many questions, the man must have thought better of asking them.
“Of course,” he said instead, “Then please follow me. We shall speak with my father.”
Surprised by the declaration herself, Kagome waited until the man had turned and was several paces ahead of them before gently tugging on Sesshoumaru’s oversized sleeve. “Are we really going to stay in this village? I thought you didn’t like hu--”
“A storm is approaching.” he’d said, cutting her off.
“A storm?” she’d wondered aloud, looking up into the clear blue sky. She’d almost questioned him about it, but then decided that his superior, youkai powered weather detecting abilities probably surpassed her own. Even humans could smell rain when it was nearby, so his powerful sense of smell could likely detect it at much greater distances. Besides, why pass up an opportunity to sleep indoors for a change?
The past few weeks had been pretty rough, so maybe, at least for this night, they’d get a much needed retreat.
The village headman, a short, stout figure with a round face and grey hair, had welcomed them into his home, seemingly unconcerned with the imposing inu lord. After his son explained that she and Sesshoumaru were travelers requiring lodgings for the night, Makoto sagely nodded his head. “Very good!” he’d announced, “Please feel free to make use of the guest house near the northwest boarder of our humble village. I am certain it will be most accommodating for you.” he’d assured with a cheerful smile, ignoring the apprehensive look on his wife’s face.
Taking in the man’s oddly cheerful expression, Kagome was left with a vague impression that, though pleasant and apparently the respected leader of this moderately affluent village, Makoto was a little… weird.
“Don’t worry your precious little head my love!” the man told his wife, voicing the woman’s apparent concern. “If this demon meant us any harm, why we’d all be dead by now!” with that, he burst into laughter, unknowingly confirming Kagome’s initial assessment. ‘Yep, weird!’
Kenji, who didn’t seem at all surprised by Makoto’s behavior, simply shrugged before leaving his father’s hut, beaconing them to follow. A short time later, they were seated in a small hut, with fresh linens, a tray of hot tea, and a pitcher of water with a small basin.
The amenities, though much appreciated, were all but ignored by the young priestess. Instead, her attention was drawn to the window, and by proximity, the futon that lay beneath it. Kneeling on its welcoming softness, she’d wanted to look out to watch the approaching storm, but forgot all about it when she saw the range of mountains in the distance. In and of themselves, they were nothing out of the ordinary, and in fact were fairly picturesque, but she knew better. She hadn’t forgotten the warning Bokusenou had given before they’d left him.
There was truth to his words she knew, for the past few weeks had proved it. It had started off so innocuously, the first few days after leaving the sentient tree bringing nothing out of the ordinary. However, as they moved further and further north, it became quite apparent that, even though the demons were collectively dying off, there were many yet living.
It had started off with vague, but persistent stalking. It was about three weeks ago, when she’d suddenly become aware that they were being watched. She could clearly remember the sensation of cool, unpleasant waves of youki brushing over her, lifting the tiny hairs at the base of her neck. She had looked around them, her left hand moving toward her bow.
“Do not concern yourself.” Sesshoumaru had told her, though he seemed to purposely close the distance between them.
The youkai were apparently biding their time, for even though their presence did not abate, they made no move to show themselves either. At least not for those first few days.
~*~*~*~*
It was probably the forth or fifth day when the youkai launched their first, desperate attack. It must have been around midnight, she and Sesshoumaru had been sleeping near a small fire. That night, they had chosen to camp in a small valley at the base of a ravine; bordered on one side by dense trees and brush, and cut through by a shallow stream on the other.It had been deathly quiet, unnaturally quiet when Kagome suddenly started in her sleep. She’d bolted up, grabbing her bow and snatching an arrow from her quiver. One knee pressed to the ground, the other bent before her, poised to propel her from danger at a moment’s notice, the miko was the picture of readiness. The arrow drawn taut against the string of her bow, she aimed high, her eyes scanning the trees for movement.
“I know you’re out there.” she whispered fiercely.
And, as if conjured by the sound of her voice, something released an ear shattering screech, exploding from the treetops at blinding speeds. She never even saw what it was, as Sesshoumaru, whose presence she’d all but forgotten, went flying over her head. The bright green swipe of his claws tore through the night sky, severing the youkai’s enormous head in its pass.
Before he could even land, Kagome pivoted, driven by adrenaline and pure instinct, releasing her arrow. The projectile illuminated the entire area, shooting across the stream and eradicating several demons, both those directly and indirectly in its path.
Behind her, she could hear the sounds of more screeching, dying youkai, and quickly retrieved her quiver, slinging it onto her back and drawing another arrow. Though she would only fire a total of three that night, she was sure she’d destroyed no less than forty demons.
She had no idea how many Sesshoumaru had killed.
In a way, it was like Naraku all over again.
When it became apparent that the attack was over, the priestess and youkai turned to face one another, she breathing heavily, and he as calm and collected as ever. She exhaled loudly, her shoulders relaxing as a single arrow dropped from her limp fingers. “Guess I should’ve seen this coming,” she said with a nervous little smile. “They’ve been following us for days.”
Sesshoumaru didn’t answer, instead looking down on her with an intense gaze. “You are unharmed?” he finally said, and Kagome blushed, running a hand down the back of her neck.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she told him, adrenaline still coursing through her veins. She kneeled to retrieve the arrow, her hand shaking a little as she picked it up. She always was a little jittery after a good battle.
“You fought well.” she heard her companion say as she stood, nearly causing her to drop the arrow again.
“Th-thanks.” she said, again blushing and refusing to meet his eyes. The overt compliment surprised her, and the miko had almost not known how to respond.
“You should go back to sleep.” he said abruptly, distracting her from her embarrassed flush.
“As if I could after that!” she laughed, dropping the arrow back into her quiver.
“You should try.”
This time it was she who paused before speaking. “I guess you’re right,” she admitted softly, pulling the quiver of arrows from her shoulder.
She gasped when the inu took her wrist before guiding them both to where they’d been sleeping. He’d seated himself in the thick grass, bringing her down with him. Staring into his face, flushed and befuddled, the miko kneeled beside him. He released her wrist, entrapping her instead with his intense gaze. “Stay very close.” he said, his voice grave and quiet. She nodded mutely, before slowly laying down. She turned away from him, though she was still close enough to feel the heat of his leg against her back. “I-is this okay?” she asked, blushing furiously at the contact. Instead of answering, he simply placed his hand on her shoulder.
Kagome hardly slept at all that night.
~*~*~*~*
The days that followed were relatively calm, though the trek became increasingly grueling. There were steep hills, thickly mudded valleys, and rocky terrains. Though Sesshoumaru would sometimes carry her through the worst of it, and allow her a break whenever she needed, it was still physically and mentally exhausting!If that wasn’t bad enough, the demons that resumed stalking them had decided to attack again a few days ago! This time it had been around dusk, and she and Sesshoumaru had not yet selected a place to camp for the night. Just like the first time, the attack had been sudden, and she’d barely had time to ready her weapon. Fortunately, Sesshoumaru had leapt right into action, his fluid, constant motions distracting her so completely, she’d almost forgotten that she should be helping him! This time there had been even more youkai, and even though only few managed get very close, it seemed clear that they were attempting to separate her from the daiyoukai.
It didn’t work though. Standing nearly back to back, Kagome fired her arrows, and Sesshoumaru, without unleashing a great deal of power, used his claws and his blade.
The barrage was gone as quickly as it came, though it left a sense of incompleteness, one that she knew was felt by her companion as well as herself.
This was not over… the demons would definitely come after her again.
“I’m sorry, Sesshoumaru,” the miko spoke suddenly, surprising even herself with the impromptu apology.
Her youkai companion, who had been standing in the doorway, his clawed hand holding the straw shutter to one side, turned to look at her over his shoulder. “For what?” he wanted to know.
Kagome sighed, finally turning away from the window to flop heavily onto her butt, back against the wall. She folded her legs, placing her hands in her lap. “I know I’m slowing you down,” she said, throwing her hands up in a helpless gesture. “You could have made it to the mountains weeks ago if you weren’t always taking breaks for me. Not only that, but the demons,” she trailed off, feeling bad, “the demons are only attacking you to get to me.”
She heard him scoff. “There is no need to apologize.” he said, turning back to face the outside world. “I knew this would happen.”
She looked up at him. “You did? How?”
“I have traveled with a human female once before.” She could hear a faint, nostalgic smile in his voice. “And just because I have never held any interest in the Shikon jewel, that does not mean that I cannot detect its power within you.”
“Oh,” the miko said, “I guess I never thought about that.”
A moment later, Sesshoumaru turned fully, taking several steps in her direction. Surprising her, he kneeled on the edge of her futon, lifting her chin with a clawed finger. “I offered you my protection without condition. You will not apologize for accepting it.”
She swallowed thickly, looking into the warm gold of his piercing eyes. “O-okay.”
He held her gaze for a moment before a smile tilted the edge of his lips. “Good.”
He returned to his full height, though not without offering a hand to pull her up. She accepted it and stood, staring at him with curious eyes. Without a word, he guided them both to the other side of the one room hut. In the corner, there was another futon, this one larger than the one she’d chosen beneath the window.
He offered her the side nearest to the far wall. Blushing, she hesitated for a moment before crawling onto the futon. She looked up at him, watching as he removed his heavy pelt before settling down beside her. He sat very close, his back resting against the wall.
Kagome hid a nervous smile behind her hand, tentatively curling up beside him. Did he have any idea how much he was fanning the flames of her perilous little crush?
‘Probably not.’ she sighed, but that was okay.
Tomorrow, they would rise and face the perils of the mountains, but for now, right now, she would simply enjoy his presence, enjoy his continued willingness to protect her, would enjoy… him. She smiled softly and snuggled a little closer.
She felt him stiffen before looking down on her. He soon relaxed, and placed a hand on her back near the base of her neck.
“I’ll need more arrows before we go into the mountains,” she spoke softly, hardly breaking the previous silence in the room.
Sesshoumaru nodded. “We will get some in the morning, before we leave the village.”
“Sesshoumaru, what… what do you think Bokusenou meant when he said you’d need to make a sacrifice?”
She heard the inu youkai sigh. He had thought of this many times and was not at all pleased with the possibilities.
“I do not know. I can only hope the answer will present itself to me when the time comes.”
Kagome nodded her agreement. “I hope so.” she whispered, almost to herself.
“Do not worry yourself.” he said. “You should try to sleep.”
“I’ll try,” she said, answering both statements.
For his part, the daiyoukai would remain awake, prisoner to his own dismal thoughts. When he’d set out on this journey, he thought he’d be willing to sacrifice any and everything to save his immaculately honed demonic powers. Innately powerful already, Sesshoumaru had spent more than two centuries sharpening his powers and refining his skills. To loose all of that, and die as a pitiful, powerless mortal was the ultimate insult upon the very fiber of his being. It was not an acceptable fate for one such as he!
Now, now Sesshoumaru wasn’t so sure he was willing to sacrifice any and everything.
There were truly more important things than mere power. The thought was both shocking and incredibly unnerving, but was undeniably true none the less.
Sliding his hand slowly across her back, the daiyoukai gently caressed the miko’s shoulder.
Never before, in all his long life had he felt so torn.
A sacrifice, in its very nature, would demand something of importance, for something of equal, or even greater importance.
What if… what if the sacrifice, was her?
The thought pained his heart in a way he did not anticipate, nearly stole his breath away.
When it came right down to it, the question was simple, yet the answer was not.
Was he willing to sacrifice Kagome, to save his demonic powers?
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Alright my darlings, another chapter done! I actually meant to finish the story with this one, but, it looks like there’ll be at least one more. I have a short attention span, so cramming the rest of the plot into this one chapter would not have been good. Grammar and spelling would have taken a dive, OOC-ness would have run rampant, people’s eyes would have begun to burn, there would’ve been screaming, and plot-holes and general unhappiness.
So, there you go. The next chapter should be the last, before the epilogue. Hope you all enjoyed!