InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Double Vision ❯ Chapter 47 ( Chapter 46 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Kohaku lurched to his feet, swaying dizzily. He stumbled to where Kagome lay sprawled, half in and half out of the cave. “Help me carry her, Shippou!” Shippou rushed over, gathering his foster mother into his arms. There was no way Kohaku could even help to carry Kagome, he could barely stand, himself. The fox demon laid Kagome gently on the fur robe.

“Jakotsu, add more wood to the fire.” Kohaku commanded. He knelt down beside Kagome, taking her hands in his own. “She’s freezing.” Pulling open her kimono, he inspected her for injuries. She bore only a few purpling bruises and the marks of love bites on her body. She had not been savaged, as he had feared. The palms of her hands were abraded and oozing blood, but the injury was not severe. Her feet were badly damaged, though. She must have walked for miles through the snow in her bare feet. “Jakotsu, get some water heated up. Shippou, bring the medical supplies.” He needed to get her warm, quickly. He pulled their only blanket over the shivering girl. He tried to warm her hands by holding them in his own. “Kagome, what happened? Where is Sesshomaru? Is he hurt? Does he need help? “

Kagome tried to speak, but her jaw and tongue were numb with cold and did not want to cooperate. Finally, she managed to slur out, “He’s okay. His beast took over and he left me by the onsen.”

Kohaku stared at the priestess in disbelief. A newly mated demon would never leave his mate in such a way. “That water should be warm enough, Jakotsu.” Though most of the linen cloth had been used to bandage his own wounds, there was more than enough remaining to clean her feet and bind them up. The slayer cut off a small piece of the clean fabric to swab the wounds on Kagome’s feet.

Slowly, as Kohaku bathed her feet in the warm water, Kagome began to relax. “Do you know why he left you, Kagome?” She shook her head. She had been disappointed, but not surprised, by the actions of her mate. After all, Inuyasha had treated her the same way for years. She felt tears prickling at her eyelids, but had long ago stopped allowing herself the indulgence of self-pity. Kohaku was watching her face, as he continued to gently bathe her feet. He saw how hard she was trying to hide her intense sadness, and his heart twisted in his chest. ‘That bastard.’

“Go ahead and cry, Kagome. None of us will hold it against you, will we guys?”

“It’s okay, mama. We’ll take care of you. We don’t need him, anyways, right Kohaku?”

“Right, Shippou. Kagome, you are the alpha female of this pack, and we are all here to protect and support you.”

Jakotsu bit his lip. Kagome was like him, she could never catch a break. “I’ll stand behind you all the way, Kagome. Neither one of those dogs knows how to treat a lady.” He sniffled. When tears started running from his black, shiny eyes, Kagome found she could hold out no longer. She began to cry too. It started with just a few teardrops, but soon Kagome and Jakotsu were both wailing. Shippou and Kohaku looked at each other, disconcerted.

“You’re the one who told her it was all right to cry, Kohaku. Idiot.”

“Brew some tea, Shippou. Hot tea makes everything better.” They were using Kohaku’s metal mug, enlarged by the kitsune’s spell, to heat water, but Shippou and Jakotsu both carried their own drinking cups, and they shared between them. Jakotsu found that he had no trouble drinking the hot tea. He found it very comforting after his crying jag. They decided to settle down and try to get some sleep during the scant hour of darkness remaining.

Kohaku lay down by Kagome, pulling her to his side. He expected the other boys to object, but they both studiously looked the other way. He smiled into the little priestess’ hair, as he drifted off to sleep.

Shippou, the only demon in the group, didn’t need a lot of sleep, so he set out at first light to hunt and gather more wood for the fire. It was late morning by the time the rest of the little band began to get up. Kohaku lay beside Kagome, luxuriating in the feeling of holding her close against his side. He found that he was feeling much better. His wounds itched where Kagome had stitched them up, but the swelling was down and the weak feeling that comes from losing too much blood was beginning to recede. He knew that his quick healing was the result of sharing Sesshomaru’s blood when he had traveled as a member of the demon lord’s pack, but he wasn’t feeling particularly grateful to his father figure after what he had put Kagome through. The slayer stroked the little priestess’ hair, waking her tenderly. He would need to check her feet for signs of infection. As soon as she began to stir, Jakotsu, who had been curled up like a cat, was on his feet in a flash. ‘Gods, that little pansy is fast,’ thought Kohaku. He doubted Jakotsu had actually been asleep. Though he was the youngest of the group, both Jakotsu and Shippou seemed to be accepting him as the pack leader in Sesshomaru’s absence. That was good.

Kagome yawned and stretched, managing to sit up on her own. She and Jakotsu chatted as the mercenary prepared a new pot of tea. Both Kagome and Jakotsu seemed to be in almost festive spirits after all the crying last night. Kohaku carefully unwound the bandages from Kagome’s feet. They were battered and torn, but there was no sign of infection. Kagome winced when Kohaku prodded the deep puncture wound that went all the way through one foot. The slayer quickly re-bandaged her feet.

Shippou returned to the cave, bearing a big armload of firewood and a haunch and back straps from a good-sized deer. Jak spitted the chunks of meat, and sat turning them as they roasted, while continuing to talk with Kagome.

“Should Jakotsu and Shippou go to town today to buy a sword and some more supplies?” Kagome asked Kohaku.

Jak didn’t like the idea of leaving his little Ninja and Kagome alone. They were both injured, and he doubted their ability to defend themselves. Still, what good was a swordsman without a sword? “We could make it quick, and get some more bandages and some salve for wounds, maybe some eggs and rice.” He ventured.

Kagome added, “Take my backpack with you. Buy more tea, and a couple of lightweight pots for cooking. Get me a mug like Kohaku’s, and a few more blankets.” She looked at Kohaku. “Do we have enough money?”

“We should. You know you won’t be able to find another sword like your Jakotsutou, though, right Jak?”

“I know, but I am a master of all swords, Kohaku. I might try for a nodachi or some other big sword, though. It might cost more than an average katana.”

Kohaku tossed one money pouch to Jakotsu. “Bargain hard, Jakotsu, and don’t forget to try the pawnshop as well as the armorer. We had great luck finding Kagome’s sword there.”

After making sure the cave was well stocked with firewood, and that there was a fresh pot of water for tea, the fox demon and the mercenary headed into town.