InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Birth Marks ❯ demon day (night) part III ( Chapter 18 )

Hi y'all! I really like your e-mails. I didn't even notice that the end of the chapter had a Harry Potter influence to it until someone brought it up. And yes, redheads unite! No, this will not be a crossover fic, I like to think of it more as a guest appearance by our beloved Toushin: Yusuke. And if I had any plot in this story so far, I wasn't aware of it. now that I have my responses over and everyone asking themselves what I'm on (sugar btw), I can get my new chapter written!

;;cat language;; ::dog language:: “speaking” #thoughts # (peanut gallery)

 

Disclaimer: I can't think of anything unique and original, so I'll use the standard application… here.

 

Chapter 18: demon day (night) III

 

Last time: Just imagine the scene: Inuyasha and Kagome with several scratches on their bodies, as well as bruises on Inuyasha's part, silhouetted against a roaring orange wall of flame. With Sango, Miroku, and Shippou with chunks of stew on various stages to the mouth while Kagome gets a good kick to the stomach in, sending Inuyasha through the bonfire out of sight. There was a collective `ooh' from the audience as Kagome was tackled by a fire-engulfed monster that turned out to just be Inuyasha. They continued as Miroku saved two large portions in the pot and placed it by the fire to keep warm.

 

This time: as if mirroring the two hanyous, the bonfire let out its last amount of heat as they collapsed on the ground. Kagome may not have had much fighting experience, but her temporary full demon strength more than made up for it. “are you two ready to eat now?” Miroku asked, slightly disappointed that half of their entertainment for the evening was kaput. Kagome leaned up against Inuyasha and remembered her silent promise to hurt Miroku earlier that day.

 

“too tired… make the monk shut up before I find my second wind,” Kagome mumbled into Inuyasha's arm, barely even able to lift her head. Inuyasha laughed at the younger hanyou knowing that she wasn't moving anywhere soon because she didn't know how to reserve her energy in a fight yet.

 

The laughter was unexpected, but after the `accident' of that morning, Inuyasha had been acting lighter than normal. Maybe because of the painkillers in his system, or the fact that Kagome had actually beaten him in a fight without magical influences (prayer beads). The laughter wasn't a full-out rolling laughter, but a little more than a friendly chuckle. Kagome couldn't help but smile and inhale Inuyasha's wild scent, he had a nice laugh and needed to let it out more often. Of course she wouldn't say anything out loud, but still, it was a nice change.

 

Inuyasha looked over at the smoldering coals, knowing that he would have to get to that soon before he ran out of time before the sun set. Yes, sunset, only an hour away and Kagome's body was unconsciously tensing all its muscles in preparation of the transformation. It was a good thing that he had wasted all of Kagome's energy beforehand, or they would all have a hell-inu to deal with all night. “Okay Kags, I need to get up to make the damn ink now. You can lean against the tree.” Inuyasha said, surprising everyone by the unusual term of endearment (usual: wench, bitch, jewel shard detector, Kikyo wannabe, etc.). He leaned Kagome against the tree and set up a bucket of water next to the fire pit.

 

Inuyasha used his hands to crush the blackened logs to ash and added it to the water, making a black soupy mess. He then held up the packet of herbs to Kagome and dropped it straight into the bucket, guaranteeing that the cloth, when retrieved, would be black or at least nasty shade of gray. Taking a long stick, Inuyasha stuck the bucket into the middle of the campfire and stirred it, making sure the ash wouldn't settle. “now we wait for all the water to disappear. Its not the same as ningen black ink, but works just as well without irritating our noses.” Inuyasha explained to Kagome, who was strangely reminded of a class she had taken for art credits several years ago.

 

“evaporation. The water disappearing is called evaporation, Inuyasha,” Kagome said softly, hoping to return the small lesson. She leaned forward and looked into the flames until a bowl of stew with extra meat was shoved under her nose. She took an involuntary whiff and her mouth started watering. How Shippou knew that she was hungry for the meat only tonight, she didn't know. “thanks Shippou. I hope you had enough earlier with the others, right?” Kagome asked, refusing to eat until she knew that her pup was full. He nodded and Kagome took that as a go-ahead and grabbed the biggest piece of beef in her chopsticks and shoving it in her mouth. Table manners were all but forgotten as Kagome realized that she hadn't had any lunch and she was starving!

 

Inuyasha grinned at the reversal of roles concerning eating then as he took a small bite of carrot and chewed. It was good, he must admit, but Inuyasha was distracted a bit by the soon-to-be setting sun. The day was handled easily enough. But if Kagome thought it was hard to control her instincts in a humanoid demonic form, her animal form would be nearly impossible. None of the others really noticed, not seeing a humanoid-to-animal transformation before, but Kagome was already changing slowly. Her hair was becoming shaggier and was spreading beneath her clothes is a fine black fir. The face would be the last to show signs, but had a peach-fuzz layer to it already.

 

Kagome drank down the rest of the broth of her second bowl (with extra meat) and over it spotted the sun just barely touching the horizon. It was sunset… finally, “Inuyasha, I'm going. I don't really feel that good,” she had a headache coming on and her eyes were a pink tinge. And Kagome bolted, using energy reserves that she didn't know she had not ten minutes ago. She ran into the shadows and out of her friends range of sight.

 

She had been in her humanoid-demonic form since daylight and had known what to expect, somewhat. The power of the inu-youkai was not very forgiving for the inexperienced. Inuyasha followed her at a safe distance, for her safety and everyone within a ten-mile radius just in case.

 

Kagome dropped to her knees about 100 yards into the forest and Inuyasha heard a pleading note as his name was called from his future mate. He was about to jump down to hold her when he saw the first signs of the actual transformation. After all of the years of watching his older brother transform, he knew them by heart.

 

First, the normally white part of her eye turned blood-red and widened as if in fear. Which, undoubtedly, she was. Then the transforming magic surrounded her, hiding the actual change as well as her face elongating. Whereas Sesshomaru would step out of the cloud, Kagome let the smoke clear in the light spring wind.

 

Inuyasha's first sight of her was a bit wobbly, to the point of her almost falling down straight onto her face like a pup first learning to walk, which was the best analogy, considering she had been a biped for most of her life. She ended up just thumping down onto her butt in the middle of the clearing, facing away from camp. Inuyasha jumped down out of the tree as the wind changed, causing him to be upwind of the girl-turned-inu.

 

Kagome started panicking when the white, sparkly cloud cleared, # who screwed up the color knob? # she thought as she looked around at the trees that surrounded her in weird, seeming-distorted colors. Of course, she had been in this animal form before, but it had been 10 YEARS since the last time.

 

“Kagome?” Inuyasha whispered, careful of her sensitive ears and catching her attention in a start. She pivoted around to face the hanyou, giving an instinctual warning growl. Inuyasha took a nervous step forward, ready to spring away at any time. “Kagome, you know who I am, right? I can help you, just please relax,” he cooed, his hands up in a non-threatening gesture.

 

Every step that Inuyasha took forward, Kagome took one giant stride backwards. -thump - she had backed into a tree. With the flight option gone, her instincts turned to the fight option. She bared her teeth and growled as Inuyasha took another step and reached towards the Kilala-sized inu.

 

# kami, I hope this works # “Kagome, its me, Inuyasha, I know you're in there. Please calm down Kagome,” Inuyasha tapped Kagome's pointed ears gently. Kagome watched the strange white-haired man walk closer with curiosity, he reached up and touched her pointed ears gently. Seeing that she didn't try to maul him, Inuyasha gathered his courage and pinched the tips of the furry appendages (ha! Didn't think anyone would use that in context of Inuyasha touching Kagome's ears, did ya?). Kagome's eye's drooped, along with her alertness.

 

#Inu...? Inuyasha? # her eyes cleared to their normal blue-brown and she recognized him for the first time. ::mate:: she barked softly, tapping him with her baseball-sized nose. (youkai language is very simple…and mate is the only thing that she could say, aside from alpha-male, but that's too formal for this occasion and their relationship)

 

Inuyasha looked down to her face and slowly removed his hands from her ears. Kagome turned and laid down with a small `oomph' facing the direction of their camp and companions. Inuyasha sat down besides her leaning against the tree that Kagome had backed against earlier, barely not touching. The dog turned her large head to Inuyasha and woofed slightly ::mate, rest:: and exposed her dark gray side. Inuyasha nodded in understanding and put his back against the midnight fir.

 

# poor Kagome, having to be like this the whole day and night. I only had to be human during one night, but she is in an animal-form for the night after being demon all day. # Inuyasha sighed and looked up at the half-moon. “we should get closer to camp. It's still safer in numbers, even for demons,” Inuyasha gave his trademark smirk hoping to win the girl over to protect the rest of the pack.

 

In the distance, Kagome picked up a feminine war-cry and a loud smack from camp, apparently Inuyasha heard it also, “and to make sure that Sango doesn't kill the lecher.” Inuyasha stood up and Kag followed suit. They walked side by side in a comfortable silence, not like Kagome could say anything much anyway. Kagome went as far as the shadows of the camp before stopping where the others couldn't see her very well.

 

At that point, nothing Inuyasha could do would move the inu. “fine. I understand why you want to be in the shadows tonight. Just stay in my range of senses.” Inuyasha whispered, scratching behind her left ear. He jumped across the clearing and into the tree that he had claimed as his since yesterday night.

 

The wind shifted and Shippou recognized the scent that he had come to know as Kagome's youki. “Kagome-okaa-san!” he yelled, jumping from his place between the two humans (keeping them from doing something fatal to the monk, nonetheless) . They followed Shippou's line of vision to a particular shadow with a pair of `mystic-fire'(the stone, really pretty. Looks the opposite of opal) colored eyes staring out. All Kilala did was raise her head a moment and mew to acknowledge the she-demon's presence.

 

“Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” Shippou called like that was the only thing making her real.

 

“Oi, runt! Leave her alone right now,” Inuyasha called, stopping him just inside the ring of light with his voice. The pair of mostly-brown eyes stared at Inuyasha and a small bark followed. Inuyasha stared back for a few moments, contemplating Kagome's okay. “feh, Kagome said that you could see her,” Inuyasha said reluctantly, turning his back to the group on his perch.

 

With a yay, Shippou bounded into the shadows and straight into Kagome's face. #Oww! # Kagome went cross-eyed seeing the kit attached to her muzzle in a death-hug. # I…can't… breathe! # she thought, dipping her head to the ground to let Shippou slide off.

 

Thankfully, Shippou took the hint and fell off into the dirt between Kagome's paws. “are you okay Kagome-okaa-san?” the little kitsune asked, settling in between her paws. Kagome gave a small nod - a very human-like gesture - and settled her head next to Shippou. Kagome closed her eyes as she nuzzled the relatively young kit-pup. Shippou gave a tired yawn as he transformed into his animal form and laid his head over her front leg.

 

Kagome jumped a little at Shippou's animal form; or the fact that he had one at all. He had an auburn head that gradually turned into a light orange-white of his tail and he was about the size of an adult mortal fox. All the others could really see was a splash of red in the shadows after the initial `pop' of transformation.

 

Kagome took a visual survey of the group and caught the corner of Inuyasha's eye. ::protect. Mate sleep:: Kagome woofed at Inuyasha. He shook his head no and looked out at the dark forest, scanning for any sign of trouble. Kagome's ears twitched, listening to the movements of her pack as they settled down for sleep. Sango laid down on one side of the fire, hoping it would deter the monk's hand, and Miroku sat against Inuyasha's tree on the opposite side of the fire. He seemed to silently promise to keep away while they were sleeping, like that would happen.

 

Even with almost no energy, Kagome was on high alert to everything going on and one thing she grinned inside about was to see how long after they fell asleep would Miroku's hand start traveling. She was betting about 15 minutes. Inuyasha caught her eye as she scratched the number fifteen in the dirt with her paw and pointed to the humans. Inuyasha nodded and Shippou sniggered at the bet.

 

Shippou hit the ground, causing five paw prints beside the number and securing his bet. Kagome gave him a disapproving look for a moment before getting up and stretching. She didn't say anything, so Shippou's bet was allowed. Kilala watched the small exchange with interest and padded over to look at the bets, she put down two paw prints and looked up at Kagome.

 

Kagome rolled her eyes and walked over to her pack to get something. Kilala and Shippou followed with interest while the oblivious monk and slayer drifted off to dreamland. Inuyasha took another look around in the dark and jumped down from the tree, stopping by the fire briefly to stir the partially-evaporated ink. Kagome looked up from her bag pathetically and Inuyasha rolled his eyes and stepped forward, he grabbed the stopwatch and checked that it worked. Kagome was glad that she had shown Inuyasha to work the watch and read it a while ago when she wanted her ice-skating timed.

 

Miroku gave a small snore and Sango turned away from the fire inadvertently baring her behind, signaling Inuyasha to start the watch. They didn't know exactly what it was, but as soon as Sango turned Miroku's unconscious hand started traveling and bringing the rest of his body with it.

 

Two minute mark: Miroku's hand found the fire and moved away. Inuyasha showed the cat the watch and she let out the cat equivalent of a `shoot' and laid her head on Kagome's pack. Inuyasha looked on, seeming ignoring the others in watching the possessed hand.

 

Five minute mark: the now slightly-glowing fire-resistant hand went through the fire and hit the ink bucket with a `dong', proving fire was a good barrier so far. Shippou slumped down like Kilala and gave a yawn, snuggling into Kagome's fir so that he was almost invisible. “if Miroku could do that when he was awake, we could have sent him into those fires instead of you going in to save that old woman,” Inuyasha mumbled, scratching Kagome's ear absently. Kilala had disappeared around the 2.5 minute mark to do something else.

 

Fifteen minute mark: the hand had given up going through the fire and now went around. Sango's sleeping hand grabbed his mere inches from his destination and squeezed, digging her nails into the wrist to the point of cutting in slightly in warning. At least her nails would have been cutting in if Miroku didn't have his purple leather arm guards on at the time. Kagome slumped down like the other two animal-form demons and closed her eyes. Inuyasha looked down and grinned smugly, “I win,” he said as his ears picked up the noise of Kilala returning in her big form, “and you have more training to do.”

 

Kilala came in during the little intro and nodded. Kagome groaned and stood up, revealing the ball of red fir named Shippou. Kagome grabbed him by the scruff and deposited him by the fire so he wouldn't get cold. As soon as Kagome left the scent range of the young kit-pup, he started moving in his sleep. Inuyasha rolled his eyes slightly and draped Kagome's open sleeping bag over him so he could sleep. The kit-pup had gotten too attached to Kagome for Inuyasha's taste.

 

Clearing with Kilala and Kagome

 

The cream colored cat walked out to the center of the clearing with the black dog following. Kilala's flames lit up the area enough for them to see each other and Kilala gave the feline equivalent of an approving smile. ;; you look nice like that Kagome;; Kilala commented in her animalistic tongue, ;;I always knew that you were unique, and was more than you let on.;;

 

Kagome jumped slightly at Kilala's smooth voice, or more like the few words meowed and mostly gestures toward Kagome's form. :: I can understand you, why couldn't I earlier?:: she asked, sitting down lightly.

 

;; because you weren't paying attention and your mind was other where. Now, lets get you so you can fight properly in this form. I know that you've been training all day, so I won't push you too hard. Just attack me;; Kilala ordered, crouching down in a defensive position.

 

:: but… ::

 

;; attack!;; Kilala roared, faking an offensive strike onto thin air. Kagome only hesitated for a second before leaping to try to land on Kilala's back, but came about a foot short, not even budging the cat. Kilala looked down at the dog trying to stand back up, ;;no more jumping. It just made you look green, try hitting me instead.;; she instructed, even baring her tender spots slightly for a target.

 

Kagome jumped up onto Kilala's back in attempt to bite her neck, but just ended up being thrown off and landing square on her spine, paralyzing her for a few seconds in pain, :: Oww…!:: she whimpered, her legs sticking straight up in the air.

 

Kilala in the mean while sauntered up and grazed her saber-canines against Kagome's soft belly, ;;dead. Anyone could have killed you now, you need to learn to avoid landing on your back. Even if it means landing on your side, you'd still be able to defend yourself better. Get up and let's try again.;; Kilala nudged Kagome to help her get up.

 

Kagome complied and tried again to bite Kilala's neck, resulting in the same spin-numbing landing. This time, when Kilala got close to winning, Kagome dug her back paw under Kilala's belly and gave a good push. That levered Kagome up and gave her an extra second to get her bearings. This time the canines grazed the back of Kagome's neck.

 

;; better. Now lets last longer than a few seconds. You know that I use flight to get away, lets see if you can do anything. Begin;; Kilala didn't say anything to what Kagome should do before she started to attack. Kilala went for Kagome's neck and she immediately put up a mostly-blue barrier that bounced Kilala off and onto her side.

 

Kilala rolled up to her side and shook her head. When she looked at Kagome, her jaw went slack at the picture that appeared in front of her. The half-moon shone in the sky as Kagome took on the same glow from her barrier. Kagome looked back at Kilala to see if she was okay. Kagome looked like a true goddess like this and Kilala bowed her head in reverence.

 

The barrier disappeared as Kagome walked toward Kilala and out of the moonlight. :: are you okay? I didn't think that I could hurt you with a barrier, did I?:: Kagome asked, secretly pining for Kilala to look in her general direction.

 

;; I…I'm fine. Th…that was good with the barrier, good job;; Kilala shook off the `humble' mode, but still didn't look in Kagome's direction. ;;that's good for tonight. Just keep working on your barrier and you'll be fine;; with that, Kilala left Kagome in the dark and walked back to camp.

 

Kagome waited a few seconds before following the glow of Kilala's flames. # its like she doesn't want to look at me anymore. Did I do anything wrong? I'll have to apologize to her # with that, Kagome put her personal barrier up to give her path a blue moon-like glow so she wouldn't trip.

 

A loud smack permeated the air and Kagome shook her head. She'd have to ask Inuyasha how long it took for him to win his bet with the no-doubt awake couple. With this time of night, they would be awake for a total of five seconds and fall right back to sleep… or at least pretend to go back to sleep.

 

Kagome entered the camp quietly and Inuyasha looked up to tell the time, but stopped immediately to look at Kagome. He saw her glowing with the barrier and, like Kilala, thought it was heavenly. Kagome gave a look that clearly said `what?' and let the barrier's glow drop.

 

“Tw…twenty-nine minutes, thirty-eight seconds” Inuyasha said in a daze, dropping the watch back into her pack. The supposedly sleeping pair had their eyes cracked open, silently watching the large, black dog yawn and crawl under Kagome's sleeping bag and close her eyes.

 

After a few seconds, Kagome lifted her head a second to look over at the tow, Miroku was surely going to be sore in the morning when Sango was awake enough to hit back. He was practically on top of the slayer with one hand on her rear, and the other wrapped around her waste, inching north. Oh, yes, a lot of pain in the morning.

 

Kagome yawned again and looked over to Inuyasha, :: mate sleep:: she insisted and exposed her side, Inuyasha rolled his eyes and walked over to stir the ink one last time before settling against Kagome and pulling some of the sleeping bag over himself and closing his eyes. Kagome nodded and wiggled slightly to get comfortable with Shippou between her front paws and Inuyasha at her side.

 

Morning 15 minutes before dawn

 

- click-FLASH! - the camera went off, waking up both hanyous and Shippou. Inuyasha immediately stood up and grabbed the camera out of Sango's hand, ready to smash the contraption to pieces. Kagome looked up ::no!:: she barked as Inuyasha raised it above his head. He brought it down gently and threw it into Kagome's pack.

 

“feh, like that picture is going to matter anyway,” Inuyasha shrugged it off, putting on an almost-convincing act of indifferent. In fact, he knew that Gin was going to see it when the film was `de-veel-iped' and she wouldn't let it down. # great, that's all I need: a gushing mother #

 

well? That last part was just there to be funny, but the rest of the chapter wasn't much. The next chapter will definitely help with plot (I hope) that is currently almost non-existent. And if anyone has any suggestions, I'm open to them. And when fanfiction is able to let people update stories, I will. Until the next chapter, don't die! dark