InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ DarkWorld ❯ Traveling DarkWorld ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. However, I have a friend who owns 1/124 of it. As for me - nope, nothing, nada. I only write fanfiction, draw fanart, and lay awake at night imagining what could happen if I controlled the wonderful manga or anime. . . Ah, dreams.

Chapter 8: Traveling DarkWorld

Kagome slept uneasily that night. Inuyasha stayed up and watched her, keeping his eyes on her wound and his nose open for the scent of fresh blood. He would have to wake her and Kiori if the wound opened and to do so he had to be awake.

They had traveled in silence for several more hours before Rin had begun complaining about being tired, and then she had slept in Tsurumaru's lap with him holding her. During her sleep she had kicked and hit his knee, and that had ended her nap. It was then that they decided to stop for the night, and Inuyukio had sent Sandira, Kimi, Hiei and Sesshomaru in seperate directions. Hiei had returned with news that he found an area with a stream not far and it was a clearing, but with tree coverage on each side as well as above.

Upon entering Kiori informed them that it belonged to woodland demons, and that was why the trees stretched the way they did. But when they searched they found nothing and Inuyukio confirmed that they had either abandoned the area, or had been killed, because their scents weren't here any longer. They then settled down for the night and Inuyasha had covered Kagome with his haori.

Her eyes had given him a heartfelt "thank you" and it made his heart skip a beat. She could really look enchanting when she smiled at you. She'd also rather slyly given him an ear rub and he had mentally grinned. Of course then he winked at her - which he regretted much because she had blushed and stopped her motions.

Now most everyone was asleep - well the humans and pups, anyway. Sesshomaru was sitting against a tree, Rin on his left side and Kimi on his right. Both of them were asleep and he had his fur wrapped around both girls. Not five minutes ago Kimi had twitched in her sleep and fell over, into his lap. The motion made Sesshomaru jerk and Kimi woke and straightened herself. It was funny to Inuyasha but he hadn't laughed - aloud.

Inuyukio was sitting against another tree, sandwhiched between his children and not far from Sesshomaru and Inuyasha. Hiei was on one side of him and Tsurumaru on the other, and Sandira was leaning against his chest. She had ahold of a hand from each brother and Inuyukio's left arm was around her waist. Inuyukio, like Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, was awake.

Ah-Un was laying closest to Kimi with Jaken seemingly passed out on his side. Kai'rei was curled in Kimi's lap and looked content. Myouga was buried somewhere in someone's hair. They kind of lost him when Jeanie had appeared.

Sango was laying down beside Ran'gawa, who was sitting up, back-to-back with Shoda. Miroku was sleeping sitting up near Sango. Shippo was cuddled against Kagome's neck and Toshiro had curled up against her back, half covered in her hair with Shippo just above him. Jeanie had stayed up for quite a while, looking bored, before she had climbed a tree and now she sat, inspecting her nails.

In her sleep, Kagome whimpered something about a test and brought Inuyasha back to the present. He reached out to stroke her hair and she settled down with a smile, and muttered a word that was suspiciously close to his name. Only now it was tougher to discern because she might be saying "Inuyukio" instead of "Inuyasha".

Inuyasha almost snorted and looked at Inuyukio. Inuyukio, he thought. Yukio means 'gets what he wants' and 'snow child'. Well he certainly doesn't look cold and he's still alive with three pups. But then he's also lost two mates. . . I couldn't survive losing one.

Considering he ever found a woman to mate, that is. Dogs mated for life, after all, so he had to be careful if he ever had that chance, the chance to pick a mate. But who would ever mate a hanyou, anyway?

One who thinks you're not dirt, but unified, his mind told him.

Unwillingly, Inuyasha looked again at Kagome. Well. . .she was nice to him when they weren't yelling. She smiles at him and asks for his help, she gives him ramen and rubs his ears. . . And she smiles at him. She treats his wounds even though he usually doesn't need it, she doesn't mind him being near or falling asleep on her bed, she doesn't move away when he touches her and she lets him read her books. . . And she smiles at him. She stares down people who try to demean him and argues with people who say he's nothing more than dirt, she believes he'll always be there when she needs him, she knows he'll always come for her. . .And she smiles at him. She sits beside him and leans against him and walks next to him and never says a word about it being improper. . .or that it's supposed to lower you to associate with hanyous. . . Mirodiko said she loves him, and he knew that too. "Love him like you do" Midoriko had said. That implies something, doesn't it?

. . .And she smiles at him, even in her sleep.

Inuyasha smiled and leaned back further into his tree. He didn't see the look Inuyukio gave him of mixed joy and jealousy in his eyes. He was too busy thinking about how nice Kagome was, all the wonderful things she did for him and he took for granted all this time. She was so perfect, she really was, and as he thought about this Inuyasha came to a realization - he loved her, too. After what happened between him and Kikyo he thought he'd never love a woman again, but Kagome. . .she was sneaky.

Using subtle touches and hidden meanings, she worked her way under his walls and into his heart. And what he hadn't realized was that he had latched onto her and now he couldn't ket her go. No wonder he kept coming for her.

His smile widened even as the thought disturbed him. Don't worry, Kagome, he thought and looked down at her. I know you love me, I do. And I love you just the same. Someday I'll have the guts to tell you that. Finsihed with thinking for the night, he shut his eyes. He was tired, having gotten used to sleeping full nights and doing so each night, and Kagome's scent wasn't helping him stay up, either. He let himself drift alseep without looking back.

---

Sesshomaru looked asleep, but he wasn't. He was alert and listening for any sound that shouldn't be, smelling for any scent that shouldn't be. And Kimi still smelled of blood. Her wound was nearly healed but she was still bleeding. He'd have some trouble cleaning her blood off his tail but right now that didn't matter. All he could think of was keeping Kimi safe and keeping Rin happy.

He'd asked Tsurumaru, his brother-soul, about Rin, if he had found a girl just like Rin and taken her in. But Tsurumaru had looked crushed and didn't answer him. It unnerved him to think that Rin's sister-soul might be dead somewhere, but seeing as how Rin was alive and quite well, he couldn't see how her sister-soul could be dead. But sometimes being dead was better than being alive, and he hoped her sister-soul was alright.

Such feelings were new to him but he was not stupid. He knew what he felt for Rin was a need to protect her and see her alive and well. It was much like how a father would feel to a child and he was learning to accept that it was how he saw Rin. Like a daughter. Kami-sama forbid anyone try to harm her or dishonor her when she became fully grown, for he would not stand for such a thing and they would learn very quickly that Rin was well under his protection.

How he felt about Kamikimimaru was different than that, but still the same. She was his sister. A younger sibling. Her scent was true in that she shared his father's scent. He, Kamikimimaru and Inuyasha all had that scent of their father. It couldn't be denied that she was his younger sister.

He tried to deny it, of course. If she were to turn out like Inuyasha, to become infautated with humans and wish to protect them and save them and live among them, then she would be no sister of his in his eyes. But instead she was scared of humans. They frightened her and she didn't like being among them.

After a few protests and a little patience she told him why. When she was young, perhaps four or five, her mother had sent her to fight some demons from which she was victorious but hurt. That same night, before she'd had even an hour to herself to recover, her mother had sent her off again, this time on a village of humans - for practice. Kamikimimaru had barely survived and only because her mother had stepped in and killed the humans for her. By then she'd been beaten horribly and caged. She was mostly unconscious, only able to hear, and heard them speaking about the best way to kill her, when she heard her mother enter and kill them.

Later she'd been punished for being unable to kill a village of humans and had never recovered from the trauma. During all of her attacks on humans she had been scared for her life and always stayed as far back as possible. When she found Inuyasha pinned to the God Tree and learned that a human had put him there, it frightened her all the more.

She learned of the Demon Exterminator village and stayed away from there, as well. They had attacked her at one point, while she was eating in a forest. All she got was that someone from a nearby village had seen her days before and sent word of a demon that was "infesting" their surrounding forest and three of the Exterminators had come to kill her. It had only made her fear worse. She left the Exterminators alive, however, because she was undeniably just and knew they didn't know any better. Sesshomaru would have killed them and left their bodies to rot as an example.

But of course Kamikimimaru wasn't like that. She was reluctant to kill but would do so without mercy, and she would help those that needed it and brush it off as she had nothing better to do. She proved that just earlier this day when she fed the demon that tried to eat her. He would have killed it to feed the demons that weren't stupid enough to attack him.

In her sleep, Kamikimimaru murmured something and her brows drew together in an expression of confusion, then shifted into one of fear. He watched her carefully for signs that she might need to be woken. Instead she settled after a few moments and her expression smoothed over. She sighed and tilted her head and her weight on his arm increased as she leaned further into him. He almost smiled.

The feeling was. . .pleasant. His sister, younger than him by more than two centuries, was leaning on him in her sleep. It started a trickling sensation around his ice heart and he wasn't sure if he wanted it to happen or wanted to freeze it again. He contented himself with the thought that it was just a trickle and that it wouldn't do much to his demeanor.

Across from him he saw Inuyasha move and carefully watched. Inuyasha was leaning back and he smiled and looked at Kagome, then shut his eyes. What was Inuyasha thinking about to make him look so fondly at that human?

Sesshomaru really didn't want to know. Hanyous were strange creatures and having a brother as one didn't sit well with him. He knew Kagome's arguements: You can't judge a book by its cover, a person is more than blood, it's your heart and soul that make up who you are, not your bloodlines. He wondered where such a seemingly uneducated female had heard such things. He surely hadn't heard them before and it left him unsettled. He didn't like humans knowing things he didn't, but he wasn't about to ask her where she recieved her information.

Not that he wanted to know, really, but Rin needed a good sensei and he intended on finding her one. The best he could, in fact. Rin would become the smartest human the world had known, he swore it. He pitied the man who thought himself more clever than Rin would become, and condemned the fool who would try to dishonor her. Rin would be the perfect woman and he intended on keeping her that way, untainted by human lust or demon rage. Neither of these species would lay a finger on her.

Sesshomaru often thought about how he had begun to feel this strongly for the child and decided it was either a spell or some part of the girl's smell. It was the type that imprinted on your mind and couldn't be erased. He always had to know that she was alive and would continue to make that smell.

Above them, a branch broke and fell, and he looked up. Sitting in a tree, halfway between Inuyasha's and Shoda's, was Jeanie. She'd kicked a branch and it had snapped. She stuck the tip of her finger in her mouth, then looked at it and frowned.

Jeanie. A true enigma. She never stopped arguing and insulting, she hadn't eaten when the rest of the humans and pups had, she'd scared Kagome more than once with things she said that only those two seemed to understand. . .Who was this woman? It was hard to discern if she were truly human, as her appearance and scent suggested, but it was also difficult to call her 'human' when she acts as she does. Before they had all gone to sleep something seemed to bother her and after a few moments she had gotten up and punched a tree, then groaned and held her hand, which had become bloody. She did not cry, however.

Kagome had offered to look at the wound and Jeanie had quite literally snarled at her. If Sesshomaru hadn't known better he'd swear that this woman was more animal than human. She acted as though her entire life had been nothing but hell itself and refused to be pitied for it. She hadn't spoken of herself, she hadn't shown much emotion save anger and hatred, and yet she listened to Inuyukio and did everything he said.

Sesshomaru wondered if the woman had fallen in love with Inuyukio. It would not be the first time his father had used the love a woman showed to keep her loyal and trustworthy. He remembered a time, long before Kamikimimaru's time, when he himself was no more than fifty and his mother was still alive. A group of female demons had asked and begged to be Inutaisho's mates, and while Inutaisho had refused, he had also asked them to prove their loyalty and the females had done so flawlessly.

The females persuaded their brothers and fathers to ally themselves with Inutaisho and it had made the West Lands stronger. With more demons to protect it the battles Inutaisho fought became less frequent and less taxing. In return he partitioned off pieces of his Lands to his allies and their families, and the group of females - while they still quite obviously loved Inutaisho - had found mates of their own and continued to be loyal to him. When Inutaisho died the females returned to Sesshomaru and offered him their undying loyalty and that of their childrens'. In fact several of their female pups had asked to be his mate and while Sesshomaru had turned them down, he accepted their wish to remain allies and it had benefitted him greatly over the years.

Sesshomaru's eyes settled on Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga, then shifted to Hiei's. After a few moments he looked down at Tensaiga and found himself wondering. Tetsusaiga was created centuries before Inuyasha had been born. If he remembered correctly then Tetsusaiga had been Inutaisho's sword for his entire life, perhaps before. And yet Inutaisho had given it over to Inuyasha without a second thought.

And the two Tetsusaigas here were different. Hiei didn't know about Bakuryuuha, and his fang-sword didn't reject demons as Inuyasha's did. So then Inutaisho knew something Inuyukio didn't. He knew Inuyasha would have trouble controlling his blood later on in his life. He knew he could fashion Tetsusaiga in such a way that sealed Inuyasha's blood within him. He knew Inuyasha would use it for the benefit of all.

And what would Sesshomaru had done with it? He would have used it in battles. He would have used it to kill those he deemed unworthy. He would have used it. And Inutaisho had known that. How could he have known so much when Inuyukio seemed oblivious to these things? Sesshomaru himself hadn't known Tetsusaiga's true purpose to Inuyasha. He hadn't the slightest clue that Inuyasha would have such difficulties in keeping his demon blood sealed. But Inutaisho had.

Sesshomaru also knew that something was greatly wrong here. Inutaisho was dead, while Inuyukio lived. Naraku was dead, yet here he lived - and possessed the same name. The ties between this world and his own were parallel. To die in one world is to die the other. To be born in one world is to be born in the other.

And Kiori had broken these rules as well. She was a demon. Yet Kagome was human. Why? How? Sesshomaru didn't know and it unsettled him. He didn't like questions to which he didn't know the answers. Everyone else had a counterpart that was the same species. They all had the same families. The same parents and siblings.

Yet Kiori was a demon, Inuyukio lived, and Naraku ruled. Mysteries of which he intended to unravel.

---

The next morning they all woke to the same darkness that always covered the land and sky. Kagome was beginning to miss the sun - or at least the moon and stars. On the plus side, she figured that without the moonlight, Inuyasha would not change into his human form. She'd been counting the days and it seemed his human night was three days from tonight. Unless the moon cycle here was different, in which case she was lost.

She watched everyone do morning routines while Kiori changed her bandages, Inuyasha sitting beside her and watching Kiori like a hawk. A few times Kagome had whimpered and Inuyasha had squeezed her hand, and Kagome understood that he wanted her to clench her hand whenever she felt pain. She was starting to miss her backpack, too; and the medicines within.

Across from her Rin was happily munching on some apples and a piece of dried meat. Shippo and Toshiro were sitting beside one another and chewing on some dried meat as well. It seemed this happened every morning: the youngest ate first, which likely meant that Inuyukio always ate last, if at all. It was odd because the Pack Leader would always eat first and Inuyukio was the undisputed alpha here.

Jeanie was eating an apple, but after a few bites she stopped and looked at the counterpart fox kits. "Toshiro," she said. She tossed her less-than-half-eaten apple to him when he looked up and he ate about half of what was left and gave the rest to Shippo.

Kagome looked at Jeanie, confused. Jeanie noticed her look.

"What?" she asked.

Kagome glanced at the kits before speaking. "You barely took three bites of that apple."

"Yes, and?"

"Aren't you hungry?"

"What does it matter?"

Kiori finished and moved to sit beside Hiei and Tsurumaru, checking his knee.

"Well you shouldn't. . ." She couldn't finish.

"Give away food?" Jeanie asked. "Leave anything unfinished? Those are luxuries."

"Well it's just confusing," Kagome tried.

"And how is that?"

"It's not healthy. You should always eat what you can."

"And it's not right to not finish everything you can grab."

"Right. It's not. . .human."

"Oh, so it's human to gorge yourself?"

"When you can, yes."

"I don't see your scolding your dog-boy there. He hasn't eaten yet."

Kagome sent Inuyasha a guilty glance. "He hasn't had a chance and he's already told me a dozen times that he doesn't need food like we do."

"And yet you're scolding me. He hasn't even had a bite."

"He's not human!"

Everyone was listening now.

Jeanie tilted her head. "You're not getting how things work here. Tell you what, you open those pretty brown eyes and take a good look around. Go ahead."

Kagome did. She saw dead trees, a dark sky, hardly any grass on the ground, and everyone looked a little weary and dirty. Jeanie continued on, but in a softer voice.

"We don't have the luxury to eat every bite. We have to think of everything. The ground needs to grow, so he have to watch where we step and be careful what we pick. We have growing kids with us, so they need the best nutrients. If it means I have to go without food and sleep for days, that's okay because I'm not the one who's going to end this. All I can do help the people who will. These kids included. Things really are that bad. I hope this gets through to you."

It got through, all right. Kagome had tears in her eyes by the end and she dropped her head into her hands, trying desperately to stave off her sobs. She lost the battle and cried into her hands. Next to her Inuyasha jumped and grabbed her shoulders.

"Don't cry, Kagome, come on," he was saying. He had that desperate sounds in his voice, the sound he always got when a woman began crying. He hated it.

Kagome's chin was lifted and her hands pulled away from her face. She thought it was Inuyasha until she heard a voice and opened her eyes.

"Tears do not help us here," Kiori was saying, holding Kagome's hands. "They cannot in such a place."

"I - I can't - help it," Kagome sobbed. She turned her face away from Kiori. "There's - no life here, and - and - no light."

Kiori turned Kagome's face back. "Do not be fooled," she said in a strong, somewhat mystical voice. "As long as there is a single ember glowing within the darkness, it has not yet lost. Even the smallest, weakest of embers can grow into a raging wildfire given the correct care. We have a flame each. Tell me now that we have no light." As she finished, her nails, as bright yellow as her hair and eyes, began to glow.

Kagome stared, fascinated, and gasped when Kiori's hands left hers and her hands were glowing as well. Kagome turned her hands and watched the glow as it slowly faded, her tears stopped, and looked up at Kiori in question.

"Only those with goodness in their hearts react such at this to my touch."

"Then you did this?"

"I did nothing. You did it."

Kagome stared at her hands again.

"She may be help yet," Jeanie said.

Kagome lifted her head sharply and glared at her, but then Jeanie looked up sharply and then stood. Inuyukio did as well, but he was looking at Jeanie.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Something dark," Jeanie said. "It feels like death. We have to move."

"Is everyone prepared to go?" Inuyukio said then, in a strong, powerful voice that had everyone moving. He watched them all move quickly and turned to lead when everything was set up. He cast a glance over his shoulder, eyes meeting with Hiei's. Hiei in turn nodded and turned back.

Kagome watched him leave. She looked back at Inuyukio and was going to ask a question when Inuyasha, who was still carrying her, put a hand over her mouth. He shook his head and then his hand returned to its spot on her shoulder. Kagome bit her lips and then linked her arms around Inuyasha's neck. If he thought she shouldn't speak, then she wouldn't.

Less than twenty seconds had passed and then Hiei was back with them. Once back they began moving even faster.

Kagome looked at Jeanie. How had she known that something was coming? She wasn't a miko; Kagome was sure of it. But whatever she was, Kagome had her doubts that it was human. All you had to do was look at Kimi and see the puzzled look on her face to know that Jeanie just couldn't be human. But that raised the question about what she was.

Inuyukio seemed to trust her enough. Everyone else did, too, so Jeanie must have proved herself somehow. But how would a woman who snarled, snapped, punched trees and hardly ate prove herself to a group of demons and humans in a world where nothing was trustwothy? Kagome wondered about it for a while. At least until they stopped. Well, Jeanie stopped and sighed and Inuyukio had everyone stop.

"What is it now?"

"That dark aura followed us. We haven't shooken it and now it's pissed," Jeanie explained. She looked behind them all. "Six, five, four, three, two. . ." she counted.

Everyone got in their defensive poses by 'four' and suddenly a large black wolf leapt into their midst. It was roughly about half again the size of a normal wolf, and it leapt again without pausing, over Jeanie's head. Then it turned and stopped. Jeanie was staring at it and nobody was moving.

The wolf was staring right back at her. Slowly it drew back its lip in a snarl and growled. Jeanie growled back at it and its ears flew forward, snout relaxing and head tilting. It looked remarkably cute like that and Kagome giggled. Jeanie, however, growled again.

Its eyes, unearthly violet, shifted to something beyond the back of their group and again its ears folded back and it snarled. It barked warningly and looked like it was about to either attack or turn tail and run. It took a step back.

Kagome saw Jeanie flick her eye towards the back of the group and then she barked back at the wolf and it jumped at her. Kagome gasped in shock but Jeanie spun and fell in one, left foot sliding forward on the dirt; landing on her hands. The wolf soared above her and met a white wolf of its own size head-on. Everyone scattered, moving away from the dogfight.

Kagome heard something click and looked over at Jeanie, who had loaded a handheld gun. She aimed and held it pointing at the wolves. Within seconds the white wolf had the black wolf on its back and then Jeanie fired and the white wolf fell. She then returned the gun to its place somewhere hidden in her jacket. "Fresh meat, anyone?" she asked, although it was a tease.

They all turned eyes to her, then back to the black wolf. Inuyukio stepped closer to Jeanie and spoke to her while keeping his eyes on the wolf.

"Does it have a dark aura?"

"Sort of," Jeanie said. She tilted her head as she thought. "Its element is. . .dark. . .perhaps death. . .but it doesn't have a dark feel to it. It feels like it. . .like it was sent here, on orders. It actually feels nice."

Kagome's jaw dropped. How could Jeanie feel this stuff?! What was she, a magician or a mage or something?! Her mind continued to run these questions as Jeanie moved to the black wolf and pet it. It whined and nuzzled her shoulder, then barked, and Jeanie jumped.

"Rule one," Jeanie said, "no loud, sudden noises. Barks are included."

The wolf tilted its head. What was Jeanie thinking? It was a wolf. It couldn't understand what she was saying. Could it?

Inuyukio barked and Kagome jerked in Inuyasha's arms. He was looking at the wolf and the wolf looked back. Kagome swore they were saying something because they continued to make sounds like they were talking, and soon the black wolf shuddered and its form shrunk. Kagome giggled. It was the size of Kirara's kitten form!!

The wolf whined at her and Kagome giggled again. Too cute!!

---

Jeanie named the wolf "Echo". It was a male and seemed to be as intelligent as Kirara was. He stayed with them, often with Jeanie as though she needed a guardian. By the end of the day (which Kagome had to guess considering it was when they stopped for food) Echo had taken up residence on Jeanie's shoulder and seemed reluctant to get down.

Kiori checked and changed Kagome's bandages and informed her that the wound was healing excellently and should be done healing a day early. They were visited by Marise, who had a few scrapes and claw marks, but didn't seem to notice. In exchange for a bit of Inuyukio's blood she told them that Naraku had found their old residence and was looking inside his own castle for any betrayers. They all decided it would be too dangerous for Marise to return but she told them she was going back. Inuyukio didn't stop her.

But before she left she paused and looked at Kagome for a long moment. She smiled and murmured something to herself and then left. Kagome didn't expect to see her again anytime soon and found that it saddened her.

Kai'rei flew in circles around their area a few times during their stop and told them what she saw. To continue north would mean going into the open, because the Dead Forest ended. To go East was to go towards Naraku's castle and they wanted to avoid that unless they had a plan. To go back South was to get back on the trail to the well, which demons were already scouting out for Naraku. But to go West seemed to have painful memories for all present and Inuyukio told them why - in an emotionless voice that reminded Kagome too much of Naraku.

"Fifty years ago it thrived under my rule and that of my pups'. It survived several years into Naraku's reign. In the end, however, his demons took down the outer walls and scaled the inner walls, and laid waste to my castle. With so many we couldn't fight them and so had to run. None of Kiori's protective spells could save it, and neither could Sandira hold off those demons who flew. We went as far North as we could and set up a stronghold there for a few short months before we were found again.

"I had no intention of ever leaving my castle and its destruction took with it a piece of my soul. Before that time I decided that Naraku must be killed, but after I swore it would be with my own hands. For a while he mocked us, sending notes about how he wanted a piece treaty and the following day sent demons to kill us. More than once he sent us tainted food and supplies and those we threw into the ocean.

"It was only a few years ago that we discovered the well and dug a hovel beneath it. It was while we were returning that we found Jeanie, wandering near the well but not leaving it. Kiori saw her potential and skill in spotting auras and she joined with us."

"How did Jeanie get here, anyway?" Kagome asked, looking at Jeanie.

Jeanie snorted. "Like I have a fucking clue. One night I'm dozing on a plane ride over Japan and the next morning we've crashed in Japan. I was chased by guys with pitchforks until I ran into a wall. I woke up here, close to that well and staring up. Back then the sky wasn't covered in clouds." She pet Echo absently and it struck Kagome as odd.

"Mm," Kagome said noncommitedly.

"Something's coming," Jeanie said suddenly. Echo jumped out of her arms and changed forms, growling. Everyone stood up except Jeanie, who had a faraway look in her eyes. Her eyes blurred.

Kagome found herself staring at Jeanie. She didn't look too good. "Jeanie?" she said, not hearing the tremble in her voice.

Jeanie's eyes lifted to Kagome's. Her eyes focused and steeled, becoming cold. "It's after you," she said.

Kagome gasped and Inuyasha grabbed her. He drew Tetsusaiga and they waited.

---

It was a hard battle but no one was seriously hurt. Something had scented Kagome's blood and thought it could eat her, a huge demon in the form of an ogre. It was as tall as a tree but that was nothing to four demons who had huge demon forms. As it turned out Sandira's demon form was exactly like Kimi's in that they both had a thunder attack like Ryuukotsusei's. Echo, it was learned, could fly as well. Although he seemed to be in it because the demon had slashed at Jeanie.

At the end Inuyukio had looked over the demon and used one of his swords to cut off a chuck of its flesh. Kagome almost threw up at the smell that came with it and having Inuyukio walk her way didn't help any. He got to work on it and Kagome wondered what he was trying to do. Soon he had all the blood cleaned off and had stretched the thick skin.

Kagome gaped. He'd created a sack!! Using his claws he punctured holes in it and used his hair as thread to sew it together. How incredibly ingenius! Kagome would never have thought of that! Once done he braided together strands of his hair along with some of Tsurumaru's, Hiei's and Sesshomaru's. Kagome noticed with a smirk that Inuyasha refused to have his hair plucked and braided.

"But you've got such fine hair," she teased.

"Feh!" Inuyasha snapped, turning his back to her. She knew he was blushing.

"Really! Yura was stupid. You don't have any split ends." To prove her point she grabbed a lock and inspected the ends. "You see?" she added, moving her fist beside his face. She knew he glanced even though she couldn't see his face. She dropped the hair, giggling, and patted his head. "Don't worry, Inuyasha. Your hair's probably the only perfect thing about you."

Shippo laughed and Inuyasha snarled.

"That's not funny!!" he snapped and reached for Shippo.

"Sit, boy," Kagome said. "You can't punish Shippo for laughing at a joke that I made, you know," she added, picking up Shippo and cuddling him.

Shippo stuck his tongue out at Inuyasha.

Kimi spoke up. "We haven't really been making any progress, have we?"

They all looked at her.

"I mean, we've been attacked six times now and we've been here one day."

"And we had to abadon our old hole-in-the-ground," Sandira added, using Jeanie's term for the well. "We've had to sleep in the open."

"Where are we heading, then?" Sango asked.

"I want a bath," Kagome sighed, not meaning to say it loud enough to be heard, but several faces turned to her. She blushed. "Well I've never gone so long without one, okay?"

"Are there any onsens around here?" Inuyasha asked, looking at Inuyukio.

"Not that I remember," Inuyukio replied noncommitedly. "Sandira, see you if you can find one nearby."

Sandira got up to do so and left.

Kagome smiled at Inuyasha. "Thank you."

Inuyasha snorted and rolled his eyes, then pinned her with an exasperated look. "You and your baths."

She giggled and leaned against him. "Yeah," she sighed. "Me and my baths."

He looked away but otherwise didn't move. Sandira returned in a few minuted with a shake of her head. Kagome sighed again, disappointed. Inuyasha looked at Inuyukio again.

"Your castle - did it have onsens?" he asked.

Hiei blinked at Inuyasha. "You've never been there?"

Inuyasha glared at him. "I was never invited," he sneered.

Both Hiei and Tsurumaru looked at Sesshomaru, who returned their gazes coolly, not giving any emotion to his face. After a short while the two looked away.

Inuyukio did not look happy. His eyes were narrowed in a way that meant something along the lines of: It's ruined and you're going to see it for the first time that way. He said, "They should still be overground, but if not, I'm sure we could build another without too much trouble. It would be best, however, if we wait a few days for her to heal a bit more," he added, nodding at Kagome.

Kagome touched her side and tested the soreness there. It didn't hurt too much, but she knew it could easily break open again if she wasn't careful. "Why would you wait for me to heal?" she asked, a little surprised.

"I saw your arrows. I have not yet seen a human who can do such damage with a single arrow." Finished with the bag, he tossed it to Ran'gawa, who immediately began stuffing it. "Should something happen while there I would like to know that you could handle yourself."

"And if not, that's what I'm here for," Inuyasha said, quietly. Kagome shivered at his words and leaned against him again. He really was her protector, wasn't he? Like a bodyguard who also gets jealous and takes revenge. She almost giggled. Helpful as a guardian, hindrance as everything else.

"When will we leave, then?" Kiori asked.

"We will move now," Inuyukio replied, not really answering her question. He got up and everyone followed suit without a second thought. The kids were loaded onto Ah-Un, seeing as how they looked tired, and Sesshomaru grabbed his reins and led, Kimi by his side.

They fell into the order they'd be traveling for the past day and said nothing. The only true difference was that now Kagome was carried on Inuyasha's back instead of in his arms. It was a bit of a disappointment, but it must be easier on him. She knew he put her comfort before his when she needed it. Which is why he asked about the onsen.

He could be so sweet and caring when he wasn't a total jerk.

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End chapter eight. To be continued.