InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Changes of the Soul ❯ The Delima ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: Besides a few DVDs and stories, I am afraid Inuyasha is not mine. Oh, but don't cry…. Because…umm...I dunno…crying makes your eyes all red and puffy!?!? Ewww!!! Well , anyway I don't own it…so don't sue!!! Please

Chapter 5: The dilemma

Sango and Miroku casually made their way through the outer streets of the village toward Kaede's hut. They had investigated a rumor of a shard in an unknown part of the eastern forest, but ended up being a cold trail. In the end when nothing turned up they all decided to head back and see if Kagome was back from her time. It always cheered the group to be together as a whole they each thought to themselves.

They each played their own little part. Kagome was the glue that kept them together Inuyasha was the courage that helped them through difficult situation, Sango was the determination that held the drive, Miroku was the reason and occasional humor that eased tension and made wise decisions. And of course Shippo was the innocence of the group that kept everyone in check unconsciously drawing them closer together.

They were exhausted and their stomachs were roaring from the lack of food in the past day and a half that they had been out. Without Inuyasha's hunting skills and Kagome's future food they were left to gather on there own which was pitiful even for them.

Miroku wasn't even trying to grope Sango anymore, as he was too exhausted to hardly lift his had let alone grope. He wanted Sango to rest however, because she had received a sprained ankle while on their futile mission and had refused and help from the lecherous mink. He sighed and wished Kiara were here. But of course his dutiful Sango had made her stay in the forest to keep an eye out until the next day to look for any strange occurrences.

He knew she was in pain as he watched her occasionally wince as she stiffly but firmly kept a brisk pace that he had a hard time keeping up with don the narrow raid.

He sighed mentally as he gazed at her noticing her determined face and set jaw. " She's so strong", he thought affectionately, "I'm so lucky to be near a girl that's so caring, beautiful, passionate…."

"KAGOME!", small shrill reached his ears cutting off his deep thoughts. Shippo, the small red headed kitsune, who had been dozing on the monks shoulder was now shaking and frantically looking for something.

"Huh? Shippo?", he said under a big yawn, "What's this about lady Kagome? You know she has gone back to her time because of her and Inuyasha's *sigh* big fight". He shook his head tiredly.

"NO!" he continued his panicked searching," She is here…..and she's….HURT!". And with that he leaped of Miroku's shoulder and bounded desperately toward Kaede's hut, which had just know come to sight.

The know confused but worried Miroku set a small frown on his face as he lightly picked up Sango bridal style, unaware of her cries of protest, and swiftly dashed in the direction of the small hut. Fatigue ebbed away, as concern for the young miko became increasing present.

Sango's worry was beginning to increase with every second they came closer to the wooded hut. They bounded up to the hut and Miroku set her gently down as they looked at each other unsure expressions and opened the door flap.

As they stepped they both let out of gasp of horrific surprise. Miroku, himself froze at the sight before him as he examined the young Kagome shattered figure. Sango held back a sob as she and Miroku quietly sat down and took in the scene before them.

Sango looked over her best friend's torn body and couldn't understand what could have happened that could have caused this. Silent worry began to slowly manifest into growing fury. Her beautiful face was adorned with bloody cuts and scrapes and her left eye was black and bruised. She could see her lower torso, which was from her ripped modern clothes, was neatly slit into a huge angular wound that was now bleeding openly. Her green ruffled skirt was now torn and dirty from the mingled blood and dirt that covered her bare upper thighs and knees which had deep scrapes embedded with gravel and splinters. Her pale face and limp form made he look as if she was a doll.

As they examined all this something that equally shocked them was Inuyasha's actions. He was rocking her back and froth slightly, stoking her damp sticky hair gently as he gazed at her with a look they had never witness in his eyes before.

They slowly inched their way forward more and saw Kaede ringing out bloody rags and washing them to be reused. As she gathered more clotting herbs and turned she noticed them. She nodded solemnly at them and returned to her bitter work as she ignored the constant protective growls coming from the worried Hanyou.

They noticed she was chanting incoherent words as she quickly spread the strange herbs upon the many deep wounds.

Miroku just sat silent, straining to catch the chant that she was softly muttering as Kaede wrapped the last major wound with much difficulty due to the half demon's strong grip on the young girl. She sighed tiredly as she leaned back and started to sop up the stray puddles of blood.

They sat silently, beside Shippo's constant sobs and sniffling. They three newly arrived friends didn't know what to say in fear of causing conflict.

As Kaede finished up her futile cleaning she stood up wearily and looked sadly at Kagome's pained, pale face. " It is just as I feared…*sigh*…but of course I could be wrong….I pray to the Great God above I am wrong." She said bowing her head in weariness.

She slowly came back to her former position in front of the pair after discarding her herb and bandages and softly said, " Inuyasha, will you please set her so that I may now examine her more thoroughly and….." . But once again she was cut of sharply by a low growl.

""I will not leave her side! She's hurt, and she needs to be protected so she won't get hurt anymore because of my slack job….she needs…me…to protect her," he said almost softly unsure.

Suddenly Kaede lost her temper partly for fear of the wounded girl's condition. "Ye know her condition is frail and any wrong move could lead to a fatal position….any delay could tip the scale toward her death." She calmly retorted.

Miroku knew the young girl must had lost a lot of blood by the sight of the puddles and the crimson trail on the hut's dusty floor.

"She will not….not…die….she can't….", he said in a small voice and pleading eyes.

Silence blanketed over them once again as they shifted uncomfortably at the Hanyou's small defiance. No one knew how to respond. They had never seen such a helpless side of the "Strong inuyasha".

Suddenly Kagome let out a tortured shriek and started to convulse furiously. Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise and horror as the young girl stood up sharply opened her freshly mended wounds causing red to freckle the bandages sickeningly.

The surprised Inuyasha, who had been violently knocked to the side in the procedure quickly recovered from the sock and bounded over to the pained Kagome who stood shaking uncontrollably and holding her head and chest roughly.

She sobbed as she screamed, "NO!!!…..STOP…please…just stop….it…HURTS!!!" she cried desperately clutching her head and hair trying as if to claw it out.

Inuyasha was immediately at her side and as he stood there trying to figure a way not to her or let her hut herself he noticed her scared, panicked cent over the sickening smell of the blood filling the hut.

He was afraid of grabbing her, in fear of reopening any more of the wounds that hadn't been ripped from her sudden outburst. "Kagome!!! What's….", he yelled desperately but was unable to finish as Kagome let out a cry like a wounded animal and ran blindly outside, sobbing uncontrollably.

They were all up at that point and followed her out of the old hut in the darkening evening. Inuyasha, who was the first to dash after bonded out and searched for scent but quickly, saw her shaking petite form crouched at the edge of the clearing.

He leaped over there to find her crouching on her hands and knees panting as blood steadily began to pool around her. He gently pulled her into his arms in their previous sitting position and began to rock her back and forth once more unsure of what else to do.

He once again felt that unknown source of faint draining. He unconsciously rubbed Kagome's unharmed arm as to keep her warm while shaking the weakness off to put his full attention on Kagome's grave condition.

Kagome…..please….", he pleaded his voice stuck in his throat, "Your hurt…really bad…please come back inside….". He stopped not knowing how to continue or how to coax her inside. He knew he had to get thorough to her before it was too late. He winced at the thought of what "too late" could be.

He was so confused. "What is going on, and why is this happening….I don't understand what even causing this…a spell?…", he thought helplessly. All he knew was that his Kagome was in hurt and in pain and he had to do something.

As she continued to sob and shake under the confusion and pain the blood started to flow freely. He could feel his demon instincts pressing against his human reason and it was getting harder to suppress. It was telling him to protect her and save her from this pain.

His eyes had just started to bleed crimson when he felt her start to wither and grope around as though she couldn't see and was trying to escape from unseen danger. She let out a muffled cry as she pulled her balled fists to her chest whimpering.

She slowly calmed under his strong arms and he could hear a whisper come from her. He could barley make it out but he thought she was calling his name. He pulled her closer and saw hurt and sorrow fill her half-lidded eyes as he watched her form her next words with much difficulty.

" Inu….yahsa….i'm…sorry..".

He just sat there as sudden sadness swept over him looking down at her crumpled form asking for his forgiveness. "Kagome…..", but he couldn't finish as unknown tears threatened to shed.

So he just pulled her closer to his chest to help relieve some of her pain and started standing to take her back inside, but she suddenly collapsed limply in his arms. He froze in sudden dread.

She was lying there pale, limply in his arms with her dull eyes half lidded and face drawn into a pained expression. He was pulled sharply from is attempts to revive her when he heard the other's sharp gasps behind him.

He pulled her gently closer and protectively growled, as a familiar hated scent reached is strong senses.

He let out a low growl as a dark aura surrounded them, enveloped them totally, as a dark chuckle filled their senses.