InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bound by Blood ❯ Chapter2: Fighting for Life ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2: Fighting for Life

Immediately the circling wolves engaged them and began their attack. They found that not only did they have to defend themselves from the front but also from the back. These wolves had no honor when they fought. This type would more than likely stab you in the back than to take the chance to face you. They had seen this first hand and knew better than to turn their backs on any of them.

Instantly, all that could be heard was the clash of metal against Yuriye's staff.

About a mile inside the barrier…

There was a group of youkai, hanyou, monks, mikos, and demon slayers were meandering through the forest while simultaneously listening to their sensei's lecture. This particular lesson was about attuning their senses to pick up on unusual patterns in the air. Most were listening, there were a few who were talking and flirting amongst themselves, while others completely disregarded the lecture and idled about at their leisure.

“Now if you keep your senses open you should be able to detect the subtle difference in the aura each of us carry,” instructed an aged miko. She had a grandmotherly look to her, except for the patch over her left eye.

“Man can you believe we have to walk the perimeter for a week while `detecting' fucking rabbits!?!” exclaimed a white-haired hanyou.

“Be silent, and then maybe you could actually learn something,” said a teenage female demon slayer. She had chestnut colored hair strung up in a high pony tail and perched on her shoulder was a two-tailed neko youkai.

Suddenly, all movements ceased as the demon members of the group began to scent the air and the monks and mikos sensed an overwhelming amount of youki.

“Blood,” came from the mouthy hanyou, “inus and ookamis.”

“The two auras are clashing right outside the barrier. We will investigate this occurrence, but take heed, we are not to interfere,” commanded the aged miko.

“But what if they need help?” questioned a young black haired monk.

“We will assess the situation but these are outsiders and not under our authority,” she replied.

The entire group ambled their way towards the border of their lands and the barrier. Most had their own opinion about this new development, some thought it was a great distraction from the long boring lectures that the elder miko gave. Others wondered what would cause these two groups to fight. Alone at the back of the group stood a tall white haired male, unlike most of the group he walked along in silence with his piercing amber eyes.

The farther they walked the more they could hear, what they could describe as, sounds of battle, coming from the direction they were headed. Soon they reached the limit of the trees and the barrier, but they would not break the line and allow themselves to be seen.

Nothing could have prepared them for the scene before them, three wolf youkai lay dead, and two had their throats slashed open while the last one had his head rotated at an unnatural angle. The three that were standing weren't looking too much better with slash and claw marks covering them. But what surprised the group the most was the two female dog youkai fighting with such vigor. It looked like it was a life and death struggle.

If only they knew the truth.

Kagome and Yuriye were both panting hard, the fight was taking more out of them than they originally surmised, and they had only taken down three of their opponents and still the alpha and beta waited. They noted that Kaito was fidgeting and having a hard time keeping still, he would jump in soon with or without permission and when he did it would be trouble.

Kagome was really having trouble with the pair of persistent youkai, all she wanted was get out of the area and she had this overwhelming urge to sleep. But she knew that sleep was not anywhere on the agenda. Already, losing one of her sai and was forced to fight with her claws. She was wounded all over her anterior and she was pretty sure her back was a bloody mess. After a fleeting look towards Yuriye, she could tell she wasn't looking much better.

Neither had noticed that they had a new audience and kept fighting, a quick dodge here and swipe of the claws there. Both were quickly losing energy and the adrenaline was running out. Neither girl had noticed the wolves had edged them apart. This act was propelling each of them to opposite ends of the field. Yuriye was being herded towards the side where they exited and Kagome towards the end closest to the barrier.

“AHHH!!” Kagome whipped her head around and saw her best friend lying on the ground, her staff was about two meters away from her and a sword through her shoulder had her pinned down.

Kagome felt claws tear through the skin on her stomach but the pain never registered, she saw red. The claws stopped tearing her flesh; she whipped around with a snarl. All that surveyed could see Kagome's eyes were a solid red with blue and silver pupils in their respective eye. She lashed out with her claws piercing him, the unfortunate youkai straight through the chest and out the back. After removing her claws from his chest she released her sai sending it through the other youkai's forehead, killing him instantly. Her beast had been freed. They had hurt the only person that she cared for and for that they would die.

“Get away from her!” she growled. She stalked toward the youkai that stood over her friend.

“No. She will die by my hand and you will fail, once again, to protect the one you love.” Jeered the wolf.

Infuriated. In a flash, she disappeared and reappeared in front of him. She pounced, ripping his throat out with her maw. She allowed him to fall to the ground dead, and then she turned her attention to Koga in a challenge.

“Alpha, help,” Yuriye whimpered from behind her. Kagome back toward her so that her body shielded the injured youkai.

Kagome's body was losing blood fast and she would pass out soon, if she did they would be completely defenseless.

“You will die by my hand but not today,” Koga stated. He knew an Alpha protecting its pack would fight until death and he didn't want to chance it. He and his beta Kaito retreated from the fight. “That is if you make it out alive.”

As soon as they left, Kagome turned and pulled the katana out of Yuriye's shoulder to get a look at the wound.

“Fuck, could you pull that kami forsaken sword any slower!?” growled Yuriye. She was already feeling nauseated, but the feeling of the sword being pulled out of her shoulder was almost too much for her to handle. While she was still lying on the ground, Kagome began to assess all of her injuries. She suddenly froze and growled. Quickly turning around and she shifted into a crouched position above her so no one could get to her.

Yuriye didn't understand why Kagome's growl was focused toward the woods. She couldn't sense anything but with the amount of blood loss she had it was pretty understandable. Kagome had lost a pretty good amount of blood as well, if Kagome sensed a threat they wouldn't make it running out of the field. She could feel Kagome's blood dripping from several wounds, the worse being the flaps from her stomach. That was her limit; she turned to her side and threw up.

Kagome could now feel the muted auras behind the barrier, there was a huge group, and the number she was not sure of. She could feel herself fading fast; they had no option of running. She also had no weapon to defend them. She could see one of her sai still in the forehead of the dead youkai, the other sai was missing, probably laying somewhere in the field. She could feel the panic of the beast within her rattling its cage. She couldn't let it out, she knew if she transformed she would die and leave her beta on her own.

“Beta… sorry…beta…” Kagome whined to Yuriye, she could feel tears building up in her eyes. She was at a total loss.

The group could only watch as the two females were separated and fought for their lives. One half of the group watched the dark haired youkai lose her staff, get knocked down, and then pinned with a katana. Some wanted to go help but it was forbidden.

All heard the blood chilling howl that the white haired girl let out. Most couldn't believe the speed she used and the sudden change in demeanor when the raven haired was hurt.

Amber eyes widened when she ripped the throat out of the wolf youkai and what also confused him was the smaller youkai calling her alpha. All stood still when they heard the declaration of the loud mouth wolf. This was one of the rogue groups of youkai that had been wreaking havoc on local villages. `What did these two dog youkai do to piss off the group?' was the common thought among the group.

“What are we to do sensei?” asked the young black haired monk.

“We will approach and offer to heal these two and help in any way we can.” Said the elderly miko. “But we must approach with caution as most of you know when an alpha is protecting pack their instinct is to eliminate any who pose a threat and will die trying.”

All in the group already knew this, but the old miko wanted to make sure that the humans in the group didn't take this point lightly. The group started forward but stopped immediately when they saw the white haired female turn and growl.

Kagome sensed the group coming forward and growled to bluff her way out of another fight. She knew that neither could move very far, she could feel the blood dripping from her stomach and her other wounds. Black was slowly creeping into her vision. She looked into Yuriye's emerald eyes and could see the fear reflected back. Kagome couldn't keep her tears from betraying her true emotions. Both knew that they would die in this field should this group choose to fight, but Kagome would go down fighting.

Kagome's heart sank when the group came out from the trees. Not only were there youkai and hanyou in the group, but they could feel the holy ki energy. Also with the group, there were a couple of humans and by the outfits that they wore they were demon exterminators. `Could their luck get any worse? There was not a snowballs chance in hell that they would live through this encounter.'

“What do you want? We have not trespassed onto your territory,” Kagome snarled baring her fangs. She could barely see them; she was so close to letting the darkness take her over. If she did Yuriye would be left to defend herself and she couldn't even stand.

Yuriye could hardly open her eyes now; she was slipping into the shadow and didn't want to leave Kagome alone. “Ka… Kagome,” with that she lost consciousness.

The group stepped out of the trees hearing the question and knew the truth of what she spoke. The youkai in the group noticed that the silver haired youkai eyes lost focus. The puddle of blood beneath her was rather large and it was unfathomable that she was still standing. The raven haired dog youkai said one name then passed out. The tears that the one named Kagome shed when she couldn't awake her beta affected the female members of the group.

The elderly miko began her gait toward the pair, but stopped when Kagome's attention converged on her and growled.

“Leave us. We have done nothing wrong,” again baring her teeth, Kagome crouched low on top of Yuriye. She would die before allowing anyone the harm her beta. 'Why are they approaching us? Please leave.'

“Please just leave us… plea…se…,” Kagome felt herself slip farther and farther away. She just needed to close her eyes and sleep, just for a bit… Slowly, the darkness completely over took her and in this she knew their deaths were imminent.