InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Batsu ❯ Reunion ( Chapter 5 )

AoiAme pulled the coverlet up over the shivering and whimpering half-demon then sighed. How the humans had gotten there and managed to get Inuyasha to hit the ground like that remained a mystery to her, but then it wasn't for her to worry about. She wasn't a tribal leader or a council member, just one of the tribe's healers. And she had a frightened half-demon in need of soothing. She couldn't worry about the humans at that moment. As quickly as she could, AoiAme got a fire going and set some water on top to boil. A nice tea would work, she'd decided. Something to soothe his nerves. While it brewed, she could check on her ward. Cautiously, AoiAme approached the hanyou once more.

 

“Inuyasha?” she murmured. “Inuyasha, sweetie, I need to check you . . . make sure you're okay.”

 

“I hurt,” came the whimper. “Leave me alone. Please . . .”

 

“I'm afraid I can't do that,” AoiAme stated gently yet firmly. “If you're hurting, I need to know where . . . so I can make it stop.”

 

It took a little more coaxing but AoiAme finally got the trembling half-demon to lay on his back, checking his abdomen first. If the pup had been harmed in anyway . . . AoiAme shook her head of that thought. She didn't want to think about what Kouga would do to the girl if Inuyasha lost the pup. After a few moments, she let out a sigh of relief, moving on to check the hanyou's wrists and his face. The pup would be all right. Inuyasha's tumble hadn't had any impact on it, but his body trembling worsened with each passing moment. More tears welled in his eyes, staining his cheeks as rivulets of red rolled down them.

 

“You're going to be all right, sweetie,” she soothed, petting his hair back. “I'll take care of you. You know that. Just relax. Try to get some sleep . . .”

 

“I can't,” Inuyasha choked out. “I'm so scared. I'm so scared.”

 

“I know,” AoiAme whispered, drawing him into her arms. “I know. I'll be right here, though. I'll be watching over you. You'll be safe.”

 

Keeping a firm hold on him, she hummed softly, rocking the shaken hanyou. A large and sharp pang sympathy stabbed at her as she did so. She knew that hanyous were not treated well by either ningens or youkai. Most never lived as long as this hanyou had. She knew that he had lived a long time, fighting to survive. His youthful appearance belied his age . . . and the torments he had suffered.

 

“AoiAme?”

 

In her arms, Inuyasha stiffened and whine at the sound of Kouga's voice but the wolf leader remained at the entrance of her cave. She'd made it clear, after Inuyasha had hit the ground, that no one was to enter her cave without announcing themselves first.

 

“What is it, Kouga?” she called out, fighting back a sigh. She wasn't too pleased with Kouga at that moment but he was still her leader. She knew that he was only concerned about the hanyou. She just didn't appreciate the fact that he had practically scared Inuyasha from verbally running himself down. She'd heard the tone he had used last night.

 

“May I come in? Please?”

 

“Do you promise to behave yourself?”

 

“Hai,” Kouga sighed. “I promise.”

 

“Then you may.”

 

“How's he doing?” Kouga inquired, kneeling next to her the moment he reached them.

 

“He's badly shaken up, but otherwise he's okay,” AoiAme replied. “I don't think he was expecting that girl or her harsh tone.”

 

“And the pup?”

 

“The pup's fine, too, Kouga.”

 

“Good,” he nodded, his shoulders sagging from relief. Tentatively, the wolf leader reached out, his fingers brushing against the half-demon's shoulder. Inuyasha flinched but didn't pull away, either. AoiAme couldn't help but notice the subtle sign of submission. It worried her. “I still like Kagome . . . I'm not sure what I would have done if she'd harmed either of them in anyway.”

 

“Where are the humans now?”

 

“In another part of the caves, away from everyone else,” he answered. “But I can't keep them away from him for too long. They're worried about him, and they have every right to be. I don't think they were expecting to find him here . . . as far as they know, we're both rivals. They don't know about the trap that had been set.”

 

“If they come in here, I want that miko to keep her mouth shut,” AoiAme snapped. “In fact, I don't care where she's at. She makes him take another fall like that . . .”

 

AoiAme left her threat unfinished, taking a deep breath. Inuyasha's trembling had increased at her angry tone. The last thing he needed was for her to lose control.

 

“Gomen, child,” she murmured, giving him a gentle hug. “I didn't mean to sound so harsh. You've been through enough. The last thing you need is for someone to treat you like that.” She then glanced at Kouga. “They're his friends, ne?”

 

“Hai . . .”

 

“Then we'll take him to see them . . . as soon as he's calmed enough. But I meant what I said. The miko better not make him take another fall like that. Not in his condition. Do I make myself clear, Kouga?”

 

“Very.”

 

* * *

 

“Kagome, calm down. Please.”

 

The young girl whirled around to glare at the one who had spoken. Her eyes flashed and her hands had clenched tight together.

 

“How can I, Sango?” she hissed. “Inuyasha's here somewhere! Probably has been for some time!”

 

“Yes, I realize that,” the taijiya stated, a frown crossing her features. “But getting angry isn't going to help matters any. If anything, it's going to make it worse.”

 

“I agree,” Miroku chimed in. “We need to remain calm. I'm sure Inuyasha has his reasons for being here.”

 

“Probably here to start a fight with Kouga,” the girl stated obstinately, her eyes trailing to the cave's entrance. “Never mind that we've been worried sick about him! Kami, he's such an insensitive and arrogant jerk! He just makes me so mad . . .”

 

“Somehow, I don't think so,” Sango murmured, interrupting the younger girl's tirade. She'd heard Inuyasha's scream as he hit the ground. Something about it had her unsettled. She'd never heard the hanyou cry out like that, not even when he'd been injured in battle. It had been pained, that much she was sure of, but there was something else. Something very akin to fear. Not for the first time since they'd arrived, Sango thought Kagome had been a little too rash in sitting the hanyou.

 

“That's the only reason why I can think of!” Kagome spat. “Nothing else makes sense!”

 

“Not even if Kouga brought Inuyasha here to heal his wounds?” Miroku inquired softly. “He was injured severely. That battlefield did indicate that and Shippou had said that he smelled Inuyasha's blood. A lot of it.”

 

“I suppose so . . . but it doesn't make any sense,” Kagome murmured. Miroku shrugged.

 

“Maybe Kouga isn't one to leave an injured warrior behind,” he offered. “Inuyasha certainly proved himself to be a more than capable fighter against those Birds of Paradise.”

 

“But they hate each other!” Kagome declared as she faced them once more, though her tone wavered some. Apparently, the houshi had given her something else to think about.

“I don't hate Inuyasha,” came the cool statement. “He may have annoyed me but I never hated him. And I certainly wouldn't leave him to die. You really need to think before you act, Kagome. You could have really hurt him.”

 

“Kouga?!”

 

Startled, their group looked at the entrance to see the youkai wolf leader standing in the entrance. His arms were folded in front of him and his blue eyes were like ice. Sango felt her defenses rising under his gaze. Again, the feeling that something wasn't quite right came to the surface.

 

“Hai,” he nodded, his eyes flicking from one person to another before landing back on Kagome. “You really owe Inuyasha an apology . . .”

 

“Why should I?” Kagome interjected. “He's the one who took off. He deserved it for worrying us like that!”

 

“Because it isn't his fault as to why he's here. It's mine. That's why,” Kouga explained, his tone becoming a little cooler than before. “You . . . punished him for no reason.”

 

* * *

 

Outside the cave, Inuyasha stood, listening to the conversation. Guilt began to eat away at him. Every word Kagome had uttered rang true. He had taken off, leaving them behind. Of course they'd be worried when he hadn't returned.

 

“Don't listen to her,” AoiAme murmured, wrapping an arm around him. She stood next to him, listening as well. “She doesn't know what she's talking about.”

 

“But she's right,” he whispered hoarsely. “I should have returned to them . . . so they wouldn't worry.”

 

“How? You were injured and out of it for a few days. You still are recovering from your wounds. She could have seriously hurt you and the pup with her rash actions. You weren't fighting with anyone, you were talking to me. If anything, she owes you an apology.”

 

“But I still should have . . .”

 

“Not another word, Inuyasha. You can't go anywhere if you're unconscious. If you'd have left after waking up, you'd be in worse shape than what you are now. Not that I'd have let you go in your condition anyway . . .”

 

“I suppose so . . .” he murmured, trailing off.

 

“She isn't always right, Inuyasha,” AoiAme stated. “She may be a miko but even a miko can be wrong. If she would have stopped to talk to you first, she'd know.”

 

“Yeah . . .”

 

His stomach started to knot up at that moment, nausea rising up in him. His knees began to feel shaky. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around his belly, moaning. He just wanted to curl up underneath a blanket and go to sleep.

 

“I don't feel so good . . .”