InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Destiny's Bond ❯ Night Moves ( Chapter 5 )

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

 

Miroku was tending the fire when Kagome came back into its light. She glanced at Inu Yasha then began tending to her bed roll. From the look of it Kagome noted Inu Yasha was preparing for another all-nighter. Sango, whom Kagome had been worried about, had seemingly already gone to sleep though it didn't look like it was a peaceful rest.

 

“So what did Wimpy wolf talk to you about?”

 

“He merely wanted me to tell you that you can sleep tonight, Inu Yasha,” Stated Kagome. “He and his pack will be guarding the camp once the rest of them get here.”

 

“Oh that makes me feel so secure,” the currently human Inu Hanyou snorted.

 

“Inu Yasha, you've never been sat in human form. So I'd suggest you let the matter drop. While Kouga's behavior today has been strange he's definitely been trying to be helpful to us.”

 

“Miroku's right,” Kagome agreed. “He helped us gather the firewood and now is offering to keep you safe on the one night you can't defend yourself. Maybe you should trust him this once.”

 

“Feh! You and Kagome might be fooled but I know he's up to something. I intend to find out what,” Huffed Inu Yasha as he folded his arms, tucking his hands into the sleeves of his haori with an indignant look.

 

Kagome merely shrugged and climbed into her sleeping bag, far too tired to deal with Inu Yasha at the moment. She rolled over facing away from him and was asleep within a few moments.

&&&&&&

 

It was midnight when the combined pack joined the group. One of the things Kouga had done when Ginta and Hakakku had finally caught up to him was to instruct Hakkaku to go back to the pack and retrieve them. His intent was to take them to the mountain where Old Shunkakku and the elder wolves lived. From there he would select the finest warriors and assemble a war pack specifically to deal with Naraku.

 

The first two to approach Kouga were a set of twins from Ayame's pack one had red hair and one had White hair both had green eyes however. They also wore the white furs of the Northern war pack. He knew their names too as he'd met them at the burial: Jun and Gin*.

 

“You two: Take three other warriors and stand watch on the far side of the camp. The rest of you, fan out and keep me informed if you encounter anything. I don't expect trouble tonight but we will be watchful anyway.”

 

The pack spoke out their acknowledgements quickly moved to fulfill their lord's command. Once they were gone, the wolf prince walked to the fire. After seeing that even Inu Yasha had finally fallen asleep he once again fished out the red jade and returned to his thoughts.

 

&&&&&&&

 

In her blankets Sango tossed and turned. Even after speaking with Kagome her mind was not put to ease. In truth the fact that Kagome didn't have anything helpful to tell her about the problem, even with the things she learned in her time, made her a little less than sure of anything.

 

Sango found herself once again on the plains she's seen in her dreams so many times. The field was full of wildflowers and in the distance was a mountain surrounded by a lush forest. However the sky was stormy and overcast and she could tell she wasn't alone in the field. After all, she never was.

 

There were times when this field was visited by the Kohaku she remembered. The vibrant young boy he was before he went out on his first and last mission as a Taijya. Sometimes it was Miroku coming to finally swear off his lechery and profess that he liked her. Recently it had been three visitors and a disturbing feeling that something was wrong. Tonight was no different.

 

In front of her stood Miroku. He was smiling his best smile and offered her his hand. “Come with me Sango. I promise I won't be lecherous anymore! We can be together at last!” Just as she was about to take his hand she was interrupted.

 

“Oh come on! You really believe that!” That vicious voice that sounded so much like her own sounded. “He isn't right for you. He's not even worthy of you. It's his fault! His or someone like his that everything went wrong!”

 

“What do you mean!? You never explain to me what is wrong! How can I change anything if I don't know what needs to be made right!” Sango yelled as she turned toward the source of the voice. As always all she saw was a shadow form wrapped in chains. But disturbingly the chains were starting to crack.

 

“He has the answer,” the shadow replied.

 

“He? He who?” Sango said as she felt a presence come from the forest. She slowly turned seeing another shadow walking from the forest. It was roughly her height and very masculine. It stopped just out of the range of her sight and held out a hand.

 

“I have the answer you seek. Come with me and I shall make things right,” The shadow man said.

 

“No! Sango! Don't listen he's dangerous. If you go with him you and I can never be together!” Miroku shouted as Sango took a hesitant step toward the shadow man…

 

Sango's eyes snapped open as the dream ended. She would almost anything to get rid of that nightmare. To know what it was telling her and change it. Without moving she took stock of the campsite. Miroku, Kagome, Shippou and Inu Yasha were all asleep. All around her she sensed ookami and Ookami youkai, Kouga's pack she assumed, but instead of feeling intimidated or threatened she not only felt safe but strangely secure. Then her eyes fell on Kouga.

 

He was sitting by the fire, having just stoked it with more wood. The glow of the flame danced off his tanned skin illuminating his features. Sango's eyes slowly hooded as something about the way that the light danced on Kouga's face struck her. He wasn't looking at her but seemed to be once again looking at something he held his hands but even as she stared at him there came shock to her system.

 

“By the Kami,” The vicious voice in her mind whispered. “He's beautiful.”

&&&&&&

Tokyo, Modern Era 1:35a.m.

 

Orihime panted tiredly as she ran through her training routine again. She had school the next morning but that didn't matter. She knew from experience that she could go two days easily without needing sleep. Three days if she pushed it. She wouldn't push it however, not if her mission was to protect Kagome Higureshi from harm.

 

With that in mind Orihime reached down to her belt and retrieved the length of chain she utilized as a weapon. On one end of the chain was a long blade on the other was a sickle like blade, making it a deadly variation of the kusawari-gama. She twirled the sickle experimentally before the combat simulator activated firing a volley of clay targets at her from every direction. Reflexes trained into her from the time she could walk kicked in and within seconds all the targets were destroyed. She quickly replaced that weapon and unslung a device that looked like a metal triangle. With a press of a button the triangle sprang out into a bow. Oirhime quickly knocked an arrow firing it into the center of the distant target. Three more joined it before she heard clapping.

 

She glanced over her shoulder just in time to see her father walking down the steps into the training area slowly clapping his hands. He was smiling, which was a good thing. “Training hard I see!”

 

“Yes Father,” she said with a bow. “You implied that protecting Kagome was important so I decided to get a little extra combat training in.”

 

“Good, good. Don't over do it though.”

“I won't Father. But I have to know…”

 

“Why I'm having you bodyguard Kagome? I figured you'd ask. Lately there has been rumors and rumblings from the south of certain groups not liking how things are. Specifically the Orochi and Nezumi youkai. They seem to think that they should have control of Tokyo.”

 

“Does the Taikyoukai of the South back them?”

 

“No one knows. No one's heard from her since she is about to birth another child.”

 

“Then they could be acting independently.”

 

“Indeed,” Her father said. “Regardless you will watch over Kagome and also give her one of those collapsible bows. She'd probably like that. It's easier to carry than a long bow.”

 

&&&&&&

Kaede had just finished tending the fire in her hut when she saw him. He was dressed in a faded blue haori with a black gi and faded blue hakama. On his hip was a black bladed katana and his aged head was crowned with a sampan hat.

 

“Pardon me miko,” he said in a tired yet powerful sounding voice. “I have had a tiring journey with many miles left to go. May I rest a bit by your fire?”

 

“Aye you may.”

 

“Arigato miko-sama,” The man replied as he took a seat by the fire.

 

“Ye should know, I know that ye are not an old man. What game do ye play at?”

 

The man sighed. “I should have known better, but I had to try. Kikyo was just as skilled.” With that Konran resumed his usual form.

 

“You! I remember ye now! Ye were the one who tried to take the Shikon no Tama from my sister.”

 

“I didn't try to take it, I asked her nicely for it. She refused and I merely warned her that trouble would find her if she kept it. Was I mistaken?”

 

“No, ye were not.”

 

“So I've come to warn you as well. Though truthfully I was also just passing through as I said.

 

“So what do ye need to warn me of?”

 

“The Shikon no Tama. I know Kagome and her friends think to destroy it by wishing on it. I must try to keep them from doing so. A wish on that item will not go as planned.” Konran stated as he slowly got to his feet.

 

“I will do as ye ask. But if I may ask: who are ye?”

 

“Me? I'm just a cursed soul. One of at least three. Charged having to do things we'd rather not to get what we desire most.” Konran said as he walked out the door back into the darkness.

 

TBC