InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Broken Dreams ❯ Blast From the Past ( Chapter 4 )

Broken Dreams

 

Chapter 4

 

Blast From the Past

 

“We should be back there in a few days,” Kouga announced. The group nodded and kept walking. It was mid-day, and Kagome was looking forward to lunch. Shippo was with Sango and Miroku on Kilala behind them, and Kagome wanted to spend time with the kit during lunch. With Kouga clinging to her like a leech most of the time, she didn't get to talk to Shippo as much as she liked. The kitsune and her friends had become her family now, and she tried to keep the distance between them to a minimal.

 

“We can wait here,” Kouga said, stopping. Kagome sat down beside him and took off her pack. She opened the flap and stared. The sheath of the missing Tetsusaiga lay along the side of the pack. Over the years, Kagome had gotten rid of her old worn out yellow pack and gotten a much bigger one. Kouga had started off by insisting to carry it, but Kagome wanted it herself for fear he find the sheath.

 

Kagome pushed aside the old piece of wood and looked at the vegetables inside, frowning.

 

“I don't think we have enough vegetables for stew,” she called softly. Kouga looked over her shoulder at the remaining provisions and nodded.

 

“Yeah. I'll go hunt and get some meat,” he stood up and sniffed the air. “I think there's a river not too far away, we might be able to get some fish.”

 

“I'll go,” Kagome said. It was times like this that she was thankful that Kouga still cared about her safety. If he wanted her safe, then he'd probably say…

 

“You can't go alone, what if you get attacked?” Kouga asked

.

“Shippo can come with me,” Kagome said with a shrug. The kit looked up from Kilala's back and shot a surprised look her way. Kouga walked over to the kit and stared him in the eye,

 

“Make sure she doesn't get hurt, alright?” he said sternly. Shippo nodded, and hopped off Kilala to run to Kagome. He looked up at Kagome smiled. Kagome smiled back, hoping it didn't seem forced. She really was happy that she and Shippo could have time together, but nowadays, happiness didn't really show on her face that much.

 

“The river is that way,” Kouga said, pointing off into the forest. “Be careful, I don't want either of you hurt.” And with that, he dashed into the forest to find lunch. Kagome stood up and walked off in the direction Kouga had indicated, Shippo following. A few minutes later, a river came into view. It would have come up to Kagome's knees, and was most likely teeming with fish. Kagome pulled up the hakama and tightened the cuff to keep them above her knee, and waded into the river. Shippo sat down on the shore and kept watch.

 

Kagome bent over slightly to watch the fish swimming past her, and frantically tried to grab one. She didn't. Shippo chuckled slightly.

 

“If you keep splashing like that, you'll never get one,” he explained. “You've got to wait until you're sure you can get one, then snatch it.” Kagome nodded, grateful. She looked down at the fish, watching the little kitsune out of the corner of her eye.

 

“So you're doing alright?” Kagome asked, swiping and missing a fish. Shippo shrugged.

 

“I guess. But I really have no place to complain, what with you go through every…” Shippo trailed off as he realized what he had started to say. “Sorry Kagome, I didn't mean that.”

 

“Yes you did, Shippo,” Kagome said sadly. “You meant every word. Who are you to complain considering that I'm the one in that bastard's arms every night,” she spat. Kagome, in the past three years, had grown to loath Kouga. Kagome had never hated anyone, except for Naraku. But what Kouga did to her could not be forgiven in a million years. If Kagome had her way, he'd rot in hell, feeling the same pain her caused her for eternity.

 

“Kagome?” Shippo said quietly, snapping her from her thoughts. “Do you ever think about…him?” Kagome bit her lip. `His' name wasn't spoken aloud much anymore, it hurt to say it. But the thoughts didn't do much help either.

 

“No,” she said, trying to keep her voice level.

 

“Liar,” Shippo retorted. Kagome smiled wryly.

 

“Damn youkai nose.”

 

“I don't a nose to know you're lying. If it helps…I think about him too,” Shippi said softly. Kagome sighed.

 

“I just can't help but think…if I had told Kouga to leave us alone sooner. I could have stopped this so many times. Inuyasha wanted to kill him every time he came around, and I stopped him. I could have stopped Kouga…” Kagome's shoulders slumped, and Shippo jumped on her back.

 

“Shut up Kagome.” Shippo hissed. “Don't you dare think like that! Kouga's the only one to blame! None of us could have thought he would act like this once he mated you. You've done nothing…” Shippo was cut off by a loud splash several feet up the river. Kagome and Shippo snapped their heads up and stared at a small spot in the river where air bubbles were rising to the surface.

 

“Did you see what it was?” Kagome asked. Shippo didn't even get a chance to open his mouth as the thing in the river answered for itself. The water splashed again, and to Kagome's surprise, the figure in the water was human.

 

She looked fairly young, maybe 10 or 11 years old. He hair was pulled into a ponytail at the back with two strands framing either side of her face. She laughed with a joy Kagome had forgotten even existed. It made Kagome glad to see that there was still innocence in this world.

 

She wore a loose orange haori that was tied with a white sash, with a white undershirt showing through the V at the top. The whole thing was sopping wet and sticking to her body. She bent over to swipe at a fish, giggling as a spray of water hit her in the face. She stood up and finally saw Kagome. She stopped laughing and stared, taking a step back, but not moving otherwise.

 

Kagome was stunned. What was a young human girl doing in the forest without anyone to protect her? But that wasn't the only thing that shocked Kagome.

 

What really got her was the little voice in her head that insisted she knew this girl. Kagome cleared her throat and took a step forward. The girl quickly took another step back. Deciding against trying again, Kagome stayed put.

 

“Who are you?” she called. The girl shook her head. “Please tell me. I think I know you,” Kagome explained. The girl looked Kagome over, and frowned.

 

“I don't know you,” she declared. “And you can't know me if I don't know you.” She finished the claim by crossing her arms and nodding.

 

“If you tell me your name, I'll tell you mine. Then we'll know for sure.” Kagome offered. The girl thought this over, then slowly nodded.

 

“My…my name is Rin.”