InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Claiming ❯ Rituals ( Chapter 2 )

Ok, so I got a little carried away with my other fic and neglected this one. Don't worry though, cuz here is the next chappy.

 

I don't own Inuyasha. My subconscious knows this, but my unconscious just won't believe it.

 

Rituals

 

“What is taking Inuyasha and Kagome so long to get back?” Shippo was fidgeting on the ground while he waited impatiently.

 

“I'm not so sure,” Sango answered the questioning kit.

 

“I hope nothing is the matter,” Miroku added while his hand inched towards Sango's behind.

 

Of course Sango noticed his advances and she narrowed her eyes at his hand. Miroku caught her change of mood and stopped his hand in its place; for the moment of course.

 

A rustling in the bushes near their camp caught everyone's attention. Inuyasha and Kagome stepped into the clearing moments later. Kagome was limping slightly and Inuyasha was watching her with a slight tint of concern in his eyes.

 

“Kagome are you alright?” Sango walked over to her friend.

 

“Oh, I'm ok. Just a little scratch here and there,” Kagome winced slightly as she sat on her sleeping bag.

 

“You wince like you are in pain though?” Miroku watched her carefully. He knew that Inuyasha would not have run off so quickly if she had not been hurt seriously.

 

Kagome waved his remark off, “No, no, trust me, I'm just fine,”

 

Shippo hopped over to Kagome, “I was worried about you,” He snuggled into her side.

 

Kagome cringed away from Shippo. She noticed her reaction and scooped Shippo up into her arms to hide her injury, “Don't worry Shippo. Inuyasha will protect me,”

 

“Speaking of Inuyasha, where did he go?” Miroku noticed that Inuyasha was no longer in the clearing with his friends.

 

The companions all searched their surrounding for a glimpse of red, but could not see any other colors but those of the forest.

 

About a quarter of a mile away Inuyasha was hunting for tonight's dinner. A distraction was keeping him from focusing though.

 

He thought back to his and Kagome's intimacy earlier. He didn't know what Kagome would do now that she knew that she made him… well… hot. Inuyasha hoped that she would not realize what he has been doing to her ever since they began their journey together.

 

Inuyasha shook his head. He had to focus on getting them dinner. The scent of possible prey caught his attention and he ran off in the direction of the unsuspecting creature.

 

“It's getting dark,” Sango broke the silence of the camp.

 

“I'll start to collect wood for a fire. Shippo will you help me?” Miroku beckoned for the fox boy to follow him.

 

Hesitantly Shippo slipped out of Kagome's arms and followed Miroku into the forest.

 

“What do you think Inuyasha is doing?” Sango asked Kagome once the boys were out of ear shot.

 

Kagome seemed to be pulled out of the depths of thought and it took a while for her to reply, “I'm not sure,”

 

Sango moved closer to Kagome, “What happened between the two of you?”

 

Kagome glanced at Sango then looked away quickly, “Nothing really. He just helped me clean my cuts,”

 

“It's just that he ran out of here so quickly before, so I thought something might be wrong,” Sango urged Kagome to tell her the truth.

 

Kagome didn't answer her. Sango sighed. What was it going to take to get Kagome to tell her what was the matter?

 

Miroku and Shippo entered the clearing again, each with a bundle of sticks. Soon a fire was raging.

 

“Well, what should we do for food?” Miroku poked a stick at the fire absentmindedly.

 

“How about duck?” Everyone turned to find Inuyasha holding two ducks.

 

“So that's where you went,” Miroku looked up at his best friend.

 

“Yeah, I figured everyone was hungry,” Inuyasha tossed the birds next to the fire.

 

Sango automatically took the animals and began preparing a meal.

 

Inuyasha brushed his hands off and chanced a few glances towards Kagome. He finally took a deep breath and spoke, “Uh, Kagome can I talk to you?”

 

She looked up at him, “Yeah, ok,” Kagome sat waiting for him to speak.

 

“No, I mean in private,” He shifted his weight from foot to foot uneasily.

 

“Oh…um…ok,” Kagome moved Shippo off of her lap and followed Inuyasha away from their friends.

 

Miroku, Sango, and Shippo watched the two of them walk together. Miroku was the one to speak, “What do you think happened between them?”

 

“Inuyasha was probably a jerk and now he is apologizing,” Shippo spoke up while making his way towards Kirara's sleeping form.

 

Sango and Miroku exchanged looks of worry; then they looked towards their love sick friends walking towards the sunset.

 

“What did you want to talk about?” Kagome asked as they walked.

 

“Well, I wanted to know if you had any questions about what happened between the two of us,” Inuyasha answered.

 

“Yeah, I do,” Kagome said strongly. Inuyasha jumped a little at the hardness in her voice.

 

“Um…well…what is it?” He braced himself for her next sentence.

 

“Why do I smell like you?”

 

“Well, we do spend a lot of time together. It is only natural for you to pick up some of my scent,”

 

“No, I smell like you more than anyone else, more than Shippo, and I'm always holding him. Why is that Inuyasha?” They stopped walking and looked each other in the eye.

 

“Kagome, it's to protect you. I'm the strongest in our group so it's best if you smell more like me. It will keep the lower demons away from you,”

 

“Yeah or it will attract the higher level demons that want to kill you!” Kagome's anger was getting the best of her.

 

Inuyasha stepped back from Kagome, “I know, but I hoped they would be preoccupied with killing me than hurting you,”

 

“Yeah well too bad that theory is shot!” Kagome threw her hands up to emphasize her point.

 

“That demon thought I was already dead,” Inuyasha offered a feeble attempt to defend his decision.

 

“Oh, so once you're dead you don't mind if I die! After they kill you they will come after me!” She touched her hand to her chest.

 

“If I can become stronger then you won't have to worry,” Inuyasha's eyes shifted to the hand covering her heart.

 

“That takes too long. Who knows when Naraku will come up with another scheme to get at you? If he kills you and smells your scent on me then he will come after me too,”

 

“Then what do you want me to do?” Inuyasha raised his eyes to meet hers.

 

“I want your scent off of me. I don't want to die. I don't want to be a victim again,”

 

Inuyasha's features softened as sadness overtook his being, “Alright. Within three days my scent will be no stronger than Shippo's on you,” He turned to leave, “Is that all?”

 

Kagome looked away, “Yes, that's it,”

 

Inuyasha turned and made his way back to camp. Instead of joining his pack on the forest floor for dinner, he just jumped into a tree and spent his night alone.

 

 

Ok I know it wasn't long, but at least it is something. R & r and I'll update faster.