InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ EQUILIBRIUM: Crescent of Light ❯ Fear Thy Fate, Fear Thy Past ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter Five

FEAR THYFATE, FEAR THY PAST

 

*Warning:

Language, violence, and gore.

 

***

It had been three days since the group had left Charlotte and Gramps at the hut with the old couple and though Kagome missed them deeply, she knew that it was for the best. In their absence, Kagome had thought that the lack of familiarity with these people would make the journey extremely awkward, but to her surprise, Sango had done everything in her power to make her as comfortable as possible.

The more Kagome talked to Sango the more she liked her, and was relieved to find that the feeling was actually mutual. It was a comforting feeling to know that you had a friend to talk to in this strange and unfamiliar world.

Accommodation was not the only thing that had come within the past three days since they had left the clearing. With every minute that went by, every conversation that was sparked during long hours of travelling, she learned more and more about this strange world and where they were headed.

While Kagome didn't so much interrogate Sango like she really wanted to, she found that listening to the conversations between her and Káede as well as asking the occasional question here and there proved to be just as effective.

While she had not been told in so many words, she knew for a fact that Sango and Káede frequently referred to themselves as Sapians. As in her world these `Sapians' were classified by race, but that was where the certainties ended.

Certainties, however, were a luxury that she had to learn to be without for now. As it was, guesswork would have to suffice.

What she could infer was that Pathrans had an uncanny likeness with felines. And Canans had a parallel connection to canines. She would even go so far as to guess that these people had similar genus breakdown, but that was only a theory. What troubled her deeply was that they talked like these Canans and Pathrans were products of evolution — if Káede's talk of Sesshoumaru's “profound sense of smell” was any indication.

Being a vet student, she knew that Humans and apes did have a close likeness in their anatomy and many other things and while she had labeled the theory of evolution as extremely possible, this was getting a bit too extreme for her.

Then again, she had seen more than enough proof of it and couldn't deny the close similarity between Sesshoumaru — who Sango had identified as Canan — and Max.

They both had claws, sharp canine teeth, they never seemed to get tired, and Kagome had even seen him demonstrate a profound sense of smell numerous times.

She even realized that the Carthrid in the alley had showed numerous feline traits, such as the long, sharp claws, the pointed teeth, even the way it moved reeked of feline heritage. But still, she had a hard time believing any of it, logic dictated two separate things.

Her common sense argued; how could canines and felines have possibly evolved into human forms? But then, reason reminded her that she had seen the proof several times and she had no evidence to disprove it.

While common sense clashed violently with reason, it seemed that logic was pulling itself apart by the seams. It was all so confusing, it hurt her head and she tried not it think about it too much, but that never seemed to work.

“The Pathrans and Canans have been at war for as long as most people can remember,” Sango was saying to Kagome as Káede stoked the roaring fire with her walking stick, which seemed oddly resilient to the flames. “If the historians have it right — which I don't think they do — fights between the two used to be just silly family feuds and harmless displays of strength or pride…”

Sango frowned. “But then something happened… something made the Pathrans angry and resentful of us and they just started rampaging. For a hundred years people have been trying to figure out what caused their brash anger, but no one has been able to quite figure it out.”

The three women sat around the fire pit in a small clearing of the woods, reins tied tightly to a lone tree ensured that the horses remained stationary for the night. Everyone's stomach was audibly growling as they waited for Sesshoumaru and Max to return with dinner.

“The question is not what,” said Káede, “but whom.” The sounds of her stick poking the burning logs seemed dull compared to the crackling of the fire.

Sango closed her eyes and rubbed her temples as though she had a bad headache. “You've been saying that for years, Káede,” she said. “But you and I both know that the Pathrans are too solitary of a people to be controlled by a single person. They stick to themselves and are about as close to anarchy as you can get without completely losing control of the middle class.”

Káede didn't even look up from the fire. “They have a Council just as we do,” she said simply. It seemed that she was playing with the logs in a fit of boredom rather than actually tending to the state of the flames.

“So a bunch of people just up and said, hey, let's go and desecrate a couple hundred defenseless villages?” Sango countered sarcastically. “It was in the middle of the Stamen age, Káede. That's when our relationships with the Pathrans were best. They had to have had a reason for doing what they did. Their council wouldn't have just suddenly decided to take up arms against us; we were just as powerful as they were!”

The old woman finally looked up. “You would be rather surprised by what fear can accomplish.”

“You've been saying that too, but I still don't think fear is enough to destroy thousands, maybe millions, of lives.”

The old woman just stared at her calmly, saying nothing.

Kagome watched the pair argue, silently, absorbing every iota of information that she could. Her behavior and tenacity to find the answers to the millions of questions in her head surprised her almost as much as the answers themselves. She couldn't explain it, nor could she identify the feeling that drove her. She just somehow knew that this was what she should be doing, that this was where she was supposed to be.

Sango's head slumped, but the determination still burned in her eyes like the fire mere feet away from her. “No…” she said, shaking her head slowly. “Whatever caused their sudden rage, it wasn't a tyrannical leader. Something else happened that we're just not seeing, something that they don't want us to know.”

A snort from behind the encircled trio broke the tension and made them turn their heads to see Sesshoumaru striding gracefully out of the woods with Max at his side and two recently cleaned hares slung over his shoulder. The wolf playfully snapped at the horse's hooves, trying to get them to play with him. But when they kept backing away warily, he gave up and picked up the small beaver he had caught for himself and joined Kagome by the fire.

Sesshoumaru hurled the skinned hares down onto the forest floor before bending down to prepare the seasoning that Káede had laid out for him. Kagome thought that despite his callous demeanor towards others, he really wasn't such a bad guy.

“Does it really matter?” he said flatly as he crushed the small clippings between his fingers. “They attacked us and we fought back. We will fight them until we either win or we die.” He worked his nimble fingers around the hare and placed it on a large skewer to go over the fire.

He had said it so simply, as though there was no other way around the bloodshed, as though it were something that everyone should get used to. “Surely it won't come down to that?” Kagome said cagily, as though scared of the reaction she might get. “What about peace treaties or negotiations?”

“We tried all of that when they first started attacking us,” said Káede. “But every time we send a messenger to their lands, they never return.”

Kagome widened her eyes and was quite taken aback for a few silent moments. A quiet “Oh.” was all she could say in response.

It all just seemed so barbaric to her. How could people just kill without reason or motive? Surely peace was always held over violence, even in this world?

Káede smiled bitterly, as though reading her mind. “Truth is a very fickle friend, child,” she said sadly. “So many people say that they want the truth, but when they get it they will often wish they never even asked for it in the first place.”

The old woman had a weary look in her eye and as she continued her lecture, as if she had experienced the lesson she was currently trying to teach personally. “The truth is, child… none of us want to fight. None of us ever wanted to see the things we have seen, but we have and the only way to stop it is to fight and, unfortunately, kill.”

The old woman looked at Kagome intently, the slight weariness now replaced with fierce significance. “I tell you this, child, because it is imminent that you will see death, before this journey is over.”

Káede looked away and what she said next made Kagome's skin crawl. “I tell you this… because I cannot even guarantee your survival by this journey's end.”

Now she knew why her expression was so grave. Kagome could practically feel her skin turn white as she stuttered, “But you… you said that I'd be safer here.”

Káede nodded. “So I did, and I did not lie. The people here know what they are up against, and are more adequately prepared to protect you. But that does not mean we can completely guarantee your safety.” The weariness returned to the old woman's eyes. “We cannot guarantee anyone's safety anymore.”

Everyone was silent as the faint crackle of the fire danced over the hares, cooking the raw meat. Kagome didn't even feel Max nudging her chin, trying to get her to look at him. She was too busy replaying the old woman's words inside her head.

Death wasn't unfamiliar to her. She had visited plenty of animal hospitals while in Vet school, took witness to a number of emergency procedures where the animal didn't make it. But this… this was different. This was concerning not only outright slaughter but her very life.

As Sesshoumaru speared the second hare, Kagome reluctantly winced. She really hated when he cleaned and prepared the meat. The first time he had done it — Káede was kind enough to clean the meat that Max had caught inside the forest — she had screamed. It wasn't that she shied away from blood (she had gone to Vet school after all) it was just the utter horror of reality shoved so plainly before her eyes that disturbed her so. It was the grisly proof of what sometimes had to be done to survive. The realization that she wasn't completely at ease with the idea of such necessary killing and hunting brought a very sinister thought to mind.

If she couldn't stand seeing a wild animal gutted and cleaned then how in the world was she supposed to be able to see someone die before her eyes? How was she supposed to survive if the best she could do while camping was gather water and logs?

But you've seen and cheated death, she thought, contradicting herself. You fought that Carthrid in the alley and hurt him enough to at least get him angry. And Káede killed it right in front of you, remember?

She shook her head. That was different. She was on the verge of death so it was pretty much kill or be killed, wasn't it? Besides she hadn't even seen the Carthrid die. As for her defending herself… that was some burst of adrenaline that wasn't likely to ever work again. In fact it hadn't even really worked the last time.

As she thought this, her fingers brushed unconsciously against the almost invisible bruises on her throat.

Kagome argued with herself all through dinner, letting the hare on her personal skewer grow cold.

What had happened to her? She had been on the verge of a great career in animal doctoring and she just threw it all away the moment another opportunity — if you could call it that — had presented itself. How could she do that? Why was she so fixated about what this world had to offer her? And when she found that one of the only things it did have to offer was death or murder, why did she find herself more and more intrigued? It was sick, it was implausible, and it was driving her utterly crazy.

What's happening to me?

Kagome looked at the hare meat in front of her and grimaced. She gave the skewer to Max, who had just polished off the small beaver he had caught himself, and watched him devour the meat. She didn't even really mind if he ate the whole thing.

She wasn't very hungry anymore.

 

~~~

 

He could smell them.

It was a scent he had learned to remember, an aroma that sent his body and mind straight into kill mode. It was remarkably similar to the stench of burning plastic mixed with blood, recognizable anywhere and enough to make him sick on the spot.

InuYasha felt his blood boil; silver eyes seemed to glow with fury in the darkness of his shelter. He ran a hand through his long mane of dark hair, almost invisible in the shadows of the cave, and tried to control his anger.

It was easy to get angry. When you live alone, constantly on the move, it was easier to lash out in rage than smiling and trying to look for the silver lining in things. He used to try to find that elusive line, he tried to smile. But neither the smile nor the silver lining ever graced his presence, and eventually he stopped looking, he stopped trying.

He wasn't proud of it, he hated giving up. It was one of the things he prided himself on and he didn't pride himself on much. What the hell would his father say if he knew he had given up on something?

He turned over on the bed of branches and grass and tried to shut out the infuriating scent. The anger within him was practically screaming at him to kill the scent's source which was at the center of so much pain and suffering.

But he couldn't. He wanted to — dammit he wanted to! — But what if he lost control again? He knew that Human villages weren't far from here, what if he went on a rampage and killed even more people this time? It was too risky to even consider.

The smells grew closer and InuYasha closed his eyes, trying to breathe in through his mouth, but the scent was too tantalizing, too etched into his memory for him to ignore and before he could stop himself, he was breathing completely through his nose.

InuYasha glared as his clawed hand shot to the sapphire robe he had thrown to the ground the previous night. Not even bothering to tie it shut, he raced out of the cave, his silver eyes automatically adjusting to the pink light of dawn.

The anger… so much of it… too much… his heart pounded, he was starting to see red… it was taking hold… he wasn't sure if he even wanted to stop it anymore… he closed his eyes, surrendering to the beast inside of him….

And then he smelled it. It was like nothing he had ever smelled before, a heady scent of apple mixed deliciously with vanilla and just a hint of an herbal spice he couldn't quite identify tickled his nose. This scent grabbed his interest and he felt his anger, while not dissipating, release its iron grip.

That's no Carthrid.

He sniffed the air again. This scent was that of a Human, most likely female. Sifting through the retched stench of Carthrid with great difficulty, he frowned. Their scents were in dangerous proximity with one another…. they were going to kill this Human.

His ears twitched beneath his mane of black hair as the shrieking sound of an eagle reached them. His legs stopped working as the most bizarre scene presented itself from behind a thick brush.

What the hell?

He found himself in a small pathway of what looked like birch trees. A young woman was on the ground staring at a large Golden Eagle that was busy poking the hell out of a Carthrid that had obviously moved in for the kill. The red-eyed beast screamed —and with good reason — bloody murder as the majestic bird raked its deadly talons across its face.

But another one of them had pushed passed its companion under siege and made a beeline for the girl.

InuYasha swore violently and rushed out to try to save the girl, but it was too late. He was too far away… he wasn't going to make it… His ears were filled with only the girl's terrified screech.

 

~~~

 

The next morning Kagome awoke with an extremely sore back and something wet brushing against her face. She grimaced as she sat up stiffly, squinting in the pink light of dawn. Max's brown eyes wished her a good morning before he turned away towards the horses. The mischievous wolf had found a way of getting them to tangle themselves around the trees by scaring them over and over again the previous night.

She winced at the thought of another eight hours on the bumpy road with a sore back. While riding a horse beat walking, this form of travel had its downside as well, especially when you've spent a full night sleeping with rocks and sticks poking into your back.

“Stupid sleeping bags,” she mumbled sleepily.

“Good morning, child. Breakfast is almost ready.”

She turned her head towards the fire circle to see Sango and Káede smiling at her, the left over hare meat on small skewers reheating next to the fire from the previous cold night.

Kagome yawned. Her arms rose high into the air as she returned their good morning as well as she could while yawning.

Glancing around the camp she noticed a vacancy in the group. “Hey,” she said. “Where's Sesshoumaru?”

Sango's face suddenly turned sour, her eyes held tremendous annoyance as she visibly fought a sizeable yawn. “He's bathing,” she said, emphasizing the word `bathing' rather venomously.

Travelling all day in stranger's company made things like bathing and changing clothes a rare luxury that she had not yet had the privilege of experiencing. Kagome frowned. “I didn't know there was a lake nearby.”

“Neither did we,” Sango grumbled, it was obvious that she was suffering in the exact same way.

Feeling thirsty, Kagome dove for her personal backpack and dug through the contents to find her water bottles. She frowned when each one of them was empty. Her annoyance towards Sesshoumaru increased rather dramatically.

Káede chuckled at the discontent on Kagome's face. “Sesshoumaru shall be finished soon, child. Come sit with us while we await his return.”

Kagome nodded sleepily and sat down next to Sango.

“It better be a good bath,” Sango rambled on, “because it's going to come with a heavy price.”

Káede chuckled. “I always knew that your job would twist your once kind nature into violent, unjustifiable rage.”

“No, I've always been this way,” Sango disagreed. “The only thing my job had to do with it was make it easier for me to show.”

“What do you do?” Kagome asked, intrigued.

“I'm an assassin, a silent, deadly, warrior trained to go behind enemy lines and single-handedly eliminate the big targets such as generals and Baruhns.”

“Baruhns?”

“They are ferocious, elephant-like felines that are bred to do nothing but viciously kill the opposition,” said Káede. “They're a rather new species that were introduced just after the first couple hundred villages were destroyed all those years ago.”

“Sort of like the Carthrids?”

Káede nodded. “Exactly like the Carthrids, with the lone exceptions that Baruhns aren't used for fodder and are a bit more intelligent.”

Kagome pictured in her mind a huge tiger the size of an elephant swiping dozens of soldiers several feet in the air with its enormous claws. She looked at Sango.

She was always so nice, and helpful. Sure she was a bit fiery, but what woman wasn't? It was hard to believe that this woman, who had talked to her like her friends had back in Georgia, could take down something as monstrous as the creature they had described. It was even harder to believe that such a beast existed in this seemingly tranquil world.

Suddenly Káede spoke, the grave tone broke the easy-going spell as the old woman's tone put shivers through her spine. “Sango I want you to listen to me very carefully.”

Kagome was snapped out of her thoughts by the grave voice and she looked at the old woman warily. The old woman had her head down; her wrinkled hands gripped her walking stick tightly and she looked extremely worried.

“Why, what's wrong Káede?” asked Sango, who looked just as confused as Kagome did.

“I want you to walk discreetly over to the baggage horse and get the weapons pack.”

“Why?”

“We are surrounded.”

Sango nodded and Kagome gasped.

Sango stood slowly and walked over to the horses, trying not to be suspicious. Beside Kagome, a low growling could be heard and she glanced beside her to see that Max looked just as uneasy as Káede, his eyes were narrow, teeth bared and hair on end.

“Kagome.”

She directed her attention once more to the old woman, her expression, she was sure, terrified. It was only the third time Káede had ever used her name. She had grown to think that she only used her name in potentially dire situations.

“Do not be afraid,” she said. “It will take more than petty Carthrids to kill Sango and myself.”

Kagome tried to nod but it was halfhearted at best. Káede took note of it and smiled.

“Fear is the only weapon they have that could possibly kill us. If you learn to conquer it, it cannot hurt you.”

Sango came back with the heavy bag thrown over her shoulder which she set down roughly. “Of all the times for Sesshoumaru to take a bath it had to be when we're about to be ambushed,” she said in the same hushed tone that Káede had.

The assassin buried her hand into the bag and drew out a small knife. “Here,” she said, sliding it across the ground towards Kagome so as not to be conspicuous. “Drop your bottle and pick that up, we can't let them suspect we know they're here.”

Kagome did as she was told and picked up the knife, setting it in her lap she looked at Sango her visage asking, `now what?'

But Sango was already digging through the bag again, “Just pray that you won't need to use that.” She pulled out a couple short knives and two longer ones and slid them over to Káede, who bent and pretended to scratch her ankles so as to pick up the knives. She slid them into her one of the many folds of her black robe and sat back up, appearing calm and above suspicion.

“Why haven't they attacked us yet?” Kagome asked shakily.

“It is in their nature,” said Káede who was now rubbing her walking stick slowly with a knobby thumb, “and let's face it, Carthrids aren't exactly the smartest creatures in the world.”

Sango looked up at Káede, her face set and determined. “I'm ready.”

Káede nodded. “Kagome, when Sango moves I want you to get directly behind me and grab onto to the back of my hood. Do you understand?”

“But why —?”

But Káede interrupted. “Do you understand?”

Kagome's mind was numb. The conversation from the previous night came back to her and the feeling inside of her wasn't what she expected. For some reason, she didn't want to hide behind Káede; she wanted to fight these people who were trying to ambush them. She didn't just want to fight… but to kill.

The feeling horrified her and in the end that was what probably convinced her to listen to the wise, elderly woman. She nodded silently.

And with that Sango moved.

She moved so quickly that she knew that no one could have had the chance to ever react in time. One of her hands shot out of the bag to reveal two bladed boomerangs and they both left her hands with grace that told Kagome why she was an assassin. Dual cries of pain told her that they had hit their mark and with speed that could only be defined as adrenaline Kagome found herself behind Káede's back and gripping her robe with one hand, the small knife in the other.

Káede, who had stood up a split-second after Sango had moved, shouted into the dense thicket. “You there, vile Carthrids! Show your cowardly faces! Face us and fight with honor!”

A wicked chuckle echoed itself around the clearing and they came out of the shadows. Their red eyes showing themselves first, then their tattered clothing and finally their blood-stained teeth that boasted themselves in an evil smirk. They came out from all around circling the huddled trio as if they were stalking prey. Their mad, high-pitched giggling reverberated around them as they shifted around them. In the low light of the dawn, it was a truly terrifying sight. She counted sixteen of them.

“Give us the girl,” one of them said in the same gravelly tone as the one back at the alley, pointing at Kagome, “and you shall not be killed.”

“Somehow I have difficulty believing you,” replied Káede coolly, her eyes trained on each one of them in turn as they rotated around them. Kagome felt the reassuring warmth of Max's wolf on her side as the huge canine growled, but still, she was wary.

One of the Carthrids decided to take a dive for the old woman, trying to take them by surprise but Káede was too quick and the walking stick bashed the creature's head in, knocking him unconscious.

Many of the Carthrids backed away a bit from the old woman but one stepped closer. “Ohoho, so the old hag knows how to play!”

Kagome duly noted that this one was female. The she-Carthrid danced in a restless manner, hopping from side to side. “C'mon, old hag!” it said crazily. “Come and play with me, come and play with me!”

Káede ignored the she-Carthrid's taunts focusing, instead on each of the revolving madmen, searching for a weakness.

With suddenness that proved instability another one of them screamed so loudly that Kagome jumped in surprise. “I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!”

Without warning a Carthrid near the front leapt at Sango, insane eyes held only the desire to take her life. It stretched its claws out, reaching for the twisted satisfaction of another bloody murder shouting “KILL, KILL, KILL!”

The beast's rant was cut short by a loud squeal as Sango let loose another boomerang. Its bladed edge cut deeply into its side, ripping open its stomach. The Carthrid met the ground face-first, its blood staining the mixture of soil and leaves a sickening red.

It was either the sight of another fallen comrade or the sight of its blood that caused the semi-docility of the remaining Carthrid's to come to a violent end. The Carthrids showed their instability as they all charged at the same time, knocking over one another to get to their victims first.

When the first of the Carthrids reached them, it went for Kagome. It snarled with madness dancing like mirth in its crimson orbs.

But Káede anticipated the attack and raised her walking stick as high as her stunted body would allow her to reach. There was a bright light and Kagome felt as though the air around her were pressing in on her from all directions. She gasped as a transparent, blue sheen encased her body protectively. The Carthrid let out a surprised yelp and slammed into the barrier, only to have its bared neck meet Max's sharp teeth.

So that's what the stick is for! she thought despite herself.

The next Carthrid reached the group and met a quick end as Sango dug a bladed boomerang deep into its open, screaming mouth. Blood spurted as she wrenched the deadly weapon out of its mouth and quickly let it fly towards the onslaught of bloodthirsty monsters. The bloody boomerang lodged itself in the side of another Carthrid's head, reducing the count to twelve.

Káede proved her own skill and let two short knives soar through the air and struck gold as two more Carthrids fell to their knees. Anyone who got too close was met by either a face full of walking stick or the sharp edge of a long knife. The grace she possessed while fighting was an amazing contrast to her usual demeanor and Kagome resolved from then on to give her more respect.

As Káede and Sango fought, several Carthrids either seemed too injured to fight, or had gotten trampled in their companions rush to taste the bloody kill. They all met a gruesome death by the hand of Max's powerful jaws.

Kagome watched in slight awe and tremendous horror of the bloodshed. No movie that she had ever seen depicted such ghastly images. As she watched Max sink his long fangs deeply into an unfortunate Carthrid's neck she suddenly knew why some soldiers needed therapy after coming back from war.

One of the red-eyed monsters got a chance to aim a kick at the wolf. Max yelped in pain as a foot violently connected with the side of his head, the Carthrids clawed toes raked a deep cut dangerously close to his right eye.

The sound of Max's cry shook something within Kagome to the very foundations. Her heart pounded with fury that she had never known and she swore that her own eyes could have turned red when the disgusting freak reached out to finish him off.

What Kagome did next was very brave, very honorable, and very stupid. Not even really thinking about what she was doing, she stepped out of the barrier and let out a blood-curdling scream as she dived for the Carthrid aiming to take Max's life.

Amazingly — and luckily — she had done the right thing in charging blade-first. The scream distracted the Carthrid as it looked over its shoulder, delaying Max's time of death. Ignoring the sounds of Káede yelling at her to stop Kagome kept running. A force that both terrified and amazed her was running through her blood as she drove the sharp dagger to the hilt into the Carthrid's unprotected back.

All was chaos around Kagome but to her time stood still. She saw the eyes go wide, the muscles tense, and the blood that leaked profusely out of the opening. She couldn't help but stare as the Carthrid let out a small, surprised, “ah-ah-ahhh.” And fell to the ground… dead.

As Kagome stared dumbly at the life she had just taken, seven pairs of red eyes shifted to the now vulnerable young woman.

Feeling the weight of their hungry stare she felt the adrenaline that possessed her to do what she did fade away. It only hesitated a moment before spinning around and running as hard as she could into the forest, foolishly dropping the knife in her terror.

The faded bruises around her neck seemed to flare in pain once more, bringing horrifying nostalgia to her head. She didn't stop when several Carthrids took pursuit, nor did she stop when Káede yelled for her to do so. She couldn't. Fear raced through her veins proving to be just as terminal and irremovable as cancer. She was suffocating just like before.

The wind howled in her ears as Kagome ran through the forest, the branches of the trees cutting at her cheeks. She was quickly running out of breath. She looked back and gasped in horror. There were more of them; their insane red eyes held crazed determination and she could tell by the way they slowed down every time they got close that they were toying with her. It was like a game to them, the object was to catch and kill the fool… Today she was that fool.

She couldn't believe what she had done, and yet couldn't find reason to blame herself. She couldn't have let them kill Max. Even now that her life was in danger, she didn't regret what she did. Nevertheless, the action terrified her. Not once had she ever felt the urge to take another's life. She had felt anger, sadness, but never felt compelled to indulge in the unforgivable sin of murder.

Her much needed breath left her as her foot hit an extended tree root and she fell to the ground. The Carthrids saw her fall and sped up, eager for the sweet taste of her flesh. Kagome tried to get up but a clawed hand pushed her back down. She closed her eyes and waited for the final blow to take her.

Instead of the deathly pain of being stabbed by sharp claws, she heard a loud bird-like shriek along with the rustle of feathers and a rather surprised yelp.

She opened her eyes to see a huge eagle beating her wings and raking its sharp talons over the Carthrids face. The Carthrid shrieked as the Kagome stared as the beautiful bird fought fiercely to defend her, captivated by the beauty and her amazing amount of luck.

Another Carthrid ran past its struggling companion, and this time a voice… that voice… appeared in her head, begging — no, demanding — to do the one thing she should have done a long time ago: Scream.

She screamed.

It was the first time that Kagome was ever thankful for the appearance of the voice and the results justified her gratitude. The minute she shrieked the Carthrids fell to their knees. Their crimson eyes squeezed shut, clawed hands pressed their ears to their ugly heads and they screamed back at her in unexplainable agony.

Kagome saw what might be her only chance to survive and continued to scream as she slowly got to her feet to take off running once more. Hopefully by then, Sango, Max and Káede would catch up and she'd be alright.

The one who was struggling with the eagle screamed louder than any when the eagle's talons dug into his crimson eyes. It looked as if his eyes were simply melting away rather than actually bleeding. It was one of those sights that you would never forget, and not in the good way.

She was about to turn around to start running again when the female looked up at her and saw something in her eyes that made her pause… something that made her stop screaming.

This proved to be a mistake seeing as the Carthrids immediately recovered. The female's eyes became enraged once more and it tensed its legs, ready to leap up and charge.

But the Carthrid never even got the chance to take one step towards her. The last thing it ever saw was Max's razor sharp teeth.

It was amazing. Blood stained the gray fur around his right eye making him look even more ferocious as he turned his attention on the now blind Carthrid. The eagle that had attacked it was now nowhere to be seen and Max put the Carthrid out of his misery.

Her relief never even had a chance to grace her features when a clawed hand grabbed her from behind. She instinctively screamed again and the hand immediately let go. She spun around, ready to punch, kick, scratch, bite or anything else she had to do to live. If Max was going to fight for her to the death, then she'd make sure it wasn't in vain.

She was quite speechless, however when she was not greeted by the sight of a blood thirsty Carthrid, but molten silver and the sound of a deep, yet stimulating voice.

“I guess it's true when people say the prettier the girl, the louder they scream.”

Kagome stood their transfixed with the sight before her. Muscles peeked out of an open, sapphire robe, and the night itself glowed in the onyx locks dangling past his shoulders like fine silk. Orbs of platinum stared with amusement masking rather plain concern. A hint of sharp fangs sliding past his smirking lips and claws betrayed his heritage. She knew without even having to ask that this was another Canan.

Oh my God.

The nameless Canan snorted and grabbed her arm. He gave a gentle tug, forcing her behind him, shielding her protectively. The Carthrids were beginning to recover. Five of them stood, the other three having suffered the fate of death by Max's jaws. The wolf snarled at the five red-eyed beasts, crouching in an aggressive position, standing his ground defiantly.

“Do you know that wolf?” the Canan whispered.

Kagome nodded. “Yes.”

“Then call him off the attack and get him over here so he can protect you. I'll handle this.”

A simple whistle was all it took to draw the wolf's attention away from the Carthrids. With a final growl, Max slinked away and stood by Kagome, still baring his teeth at the cold-blooded killers.

The Canan stepped forward.

One of the Carthrids snarled at him. “Give us the girl, revolting Luprid!” it hissed.

Luprid? she thought. I don't think I've heard that one before.

The Canan merely chuckled at the insult. “Revolting? Isn't that a bit out of your vocabulary, dumb ass?”

Red eyes narrowed. “That's it, Luprid, laugh while you still can. You can't laugh when you're dead.”

“That a challenge, bastard?”

The Carthrid didn't even get a chance to respond. He moved so fast that by the time Kagome registered the movement, he had already sprinted ten yards, sliced a grey-tinged neck with his claws and moved on to his next victim. The Carthrid gurgled before falling in a heap on the forest floor.

The Canan found himself surrounded, but the red-eyed madmen weren't smart enough to take advantage of it. Before they could take the skilled fighter down, he had thrown a vicious uppercut to one of them and leapt over the briefly dazed Carthrid. In their eagerness for blood, the foolish beasts trampled their companion, accidentally stabbing him in several places with their three-inch claws. The man braced himself against a tree and used the Carthrid's forward momentum against them. Before they could stop themselves, two faces were slashed to ribbons and the Canan had already moved to the side to avoid the blow of the final Carthrid. He struck quickly, wrapping his hands around the beast's neck from behind, twisting sharply to the side. Kagome winced at the bone chilling snap that filled her ears as the Carthrid's head hung limply to the side.

The Canan growled in disgust and dropped the Carthrid to the ground. His silver eyes turned to her and she once again found herself unable to speak. He walked towards her, trying not to touch his sapphire robe — or anywhere else — with his bloody hands. “You okay?” he asked gruffly.

Kagome nodded. “I —” she stopped to lick her dry lips. “Yes, thank you.”

He nodded.

Kagome looked at him, unable to do anything else she spoke: “I… I'm Kagome,” she said, wincing. She sounded like some giddy teenager with a crush!

The man looked a bit surprised but responded, “InuYasha,” before looking at his hands. “I'd shake your hand, but they're covered in blood.”

Max decided that not enough attention was being paid to him and nudged InuYasha' hip with his nose, but he got no reaction other than a brief look of acknowledgement.

“Look,” he said, hesitant to pet the wolf with his blood soaked hands. “You should know better than to wander out here alone. There are bandits and Carthrids all over the place. You shouldn't be out here, especially in those.” He pointed to her attire and Kagome blushed. For some reason she was unable to give him the same treatment she gave Sesshoumaru.

Before she could give a nervous response, however, InuYasha was lifting his head in the air, sniffing scent she couldn't smell. “That's… that's impossible,” he muttered. “How the hell —?”

This InuYasha looked not angry, not frightened but perplexed. He obviously smelled something that should not have been there, something that didn't belong in the forest.

Kagome wondered what it was but a voice cut her contemplation short.

“Kagome? Who's with you? Is it Sesshoumaru?” It was Káede. “You shouldn't have run off like that, child. You could have been…”

The old woman finally came into view and for the first time she looked speechless as she stared at InuYasha, both held twin expressions of disbelief.

Kagome recognized the expression. It was the same one that her mother had held when she had walked into her kitchen and laid eyes upon Káede. It was a look that said these two knew each other.

Her theory was proved correct when Káede's look of astonishment changed into a radiant smile. The old woman raised a gnarled finger at the Canan, who still wore a look of complete shock, and laughed.

“I knew it! I knew you were still alive!”

 

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::Author's Notes::

Okay, I'm finally done with this chapter I'm sorry for the long wait — which I tried to make up for with the length — and the change of heart about the chapter name. The next chapter will be called “The Lost Warrior”

The big meeting finally happens and I tried to portray a state of mind where Kagome is attracted to him the minute she sees him. And I think I made the small action scene like it was supposed to be. Did I get it right?

As for the rivalry concerning InuYasha and Sesshoumaru, well that comes into play in the next chapter.

And I apologize if it's a bit rough, if you think otherwise please let me know, I'm sometimes a bit over obsessed. Lol

Please help me ease my crazed mind, does it really flow? Or is it choppy and awkward to read?

 

Acknowledgements

~chanda~kokoronagomu~Liesie~Stinkypinker~Haksi~inu-babe~ladyde ath31178~pokiepal~ ThisIsMeSmiling~Darago~Cowgirl 101~

 

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NEXT CHAPTER: The Lost Warrior

(To all who are missing Inuyasha's testosterone I have one thing to say to you… “Keh!”)

 

~Eyes of Eden~

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