InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fateful Night ❯ Dawn of Memory ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: sitting in a pool of cool water an umbrella drink in one hand and a very bare chest-ed Sesshomaru fanning her with a palm, Orion murmurs. "I don't own Inuyasha, but I did buy Sesshomaru here at pawn shop." Palm falls on head as a frowning Sesshomaru jumps in pool and dunks Orion.

A/N here you go one chapter for today. Sorry it was too hot to think today I thought I was going to die it was so hot. Sticky and hot, pouts I'm a desert critter I'm not built for humidity. Why is it so humid in Japan? Pouts. :(

Please read and review

Chapter 4

Dawn of Memory

Light flickered to thorough her eyelids, tightening her eyes Kagome turned and pressed her face into the warm forest scented cloth to her right. Her movement jarred her many bruises causing her to gasp.

"Wake up lazy." a rumbling voice mumbled.

Turning her head once again, slower this time, Kagome cautiously pried her eyes open. She was instantly assaulted by blinding light, with a small groan she quickly hid her face in the white covered chest she was leaning against. She heard a huffed "Keh" as the person shifted them around before the rumbling voice spoke again.

"There now open your eyes slowly." Obeying, Kagome cautiously squinted. Peering up in the direction the voice had come her eyes widened at what she saw.

Golden eyes shown in a shadowy face that was framed by shining silver hair. He was haloed by dancing points of rainbow light.

Gasping at the sight Kagome watched as the man leaned closer to her.
Leaning close to the girl Inuyasha and quirked an eyebrow at the expression on her face.

"What are you staring at wench? Did my nose turn green?" Scowling at him Kagome noticed the rainbow light disappear as the man cast a deeper shadow over her.

"My name is Kagome." She mumbled trying to figure out how he had been glowing.

Pointing to the cave roof above him Inuyasha said, "It's the crystals. They are what blinded you a bit ago too." Grinning toothily he watched the woman in his arms peer up at the roof, and then glare back at him.

Above her the entire ceiling of the cave glittered and shone with a thousand hues as the morning light reflected off millions of crystals growing there. Glaring at the haughty man Kagome greeted him,
"Good morning Inuyasha?"

"More like noon, but yeah." Inuyasha replied with a nod, fingering the sutra beads around his neck. Noticing the motion Kagome focused her blurry eyes on the necklace. It was made of black wooden beads, interrupted periodically by teeth of some kind. Raising her hand to his Kagome fingered the smooth beads.

Inuyasha watched as Kagome rolled one bead between her thumb and forefinger. The beads felt cool to the touch, as she spun one back and forth Kagome noticed they weren't completely smooth. With a small frown she leaned closer to them peering at the dark surface. Carved into each bead was a simple rune. Tracing the rune with her nail Kagome looked up into the frowning face of Inuyasha and asked, "What do they say?"

"Feh! How the hell should I know I didn't select them." He huffed, standing to put space between him and Kagome, effectively dumping her out of his lap and onto the floor.

"Old Kaede-baba, thought she could control me by binding them to me. HA! She never could get them to work. The old woman told me they were 'subduing' sutra Keh!"

Scowling up at the dog eared Inuyasha, Kagome rubbed her already bruised hip as she righted herself.

"Well I know what I would have said to subdue such an arrogant dog like you." She murmured half to herself.

"What was that wench?" Inuyasha growled

"My name is Kagome! KA-GO-ME! Use it!" she yelled standing up "And I would have said 'sit' to sub..." Before she could finish Inuyasha slammed face first into the ground at her feet. Staring Kagome knelt down as poked at him.

"What the hell? Are you OK?"

With a roar Inuyasha jumped up from the cave floor.

"What the hell did you do to me wench?!" he bellowed at Kagome.

"I didn't DO anything! All I said was sit."

WHAM! Inuyasha was flattened to the ground once more.

Jumping back Kagome watched as Inuyasha struggled against the beads holding him to the ground.

"BAKA!!!" came is strangled bellow, as he finally scrambled to his feet. Cracking his knuckles Inuyasha paced towards the confused girl as she backed away from him.

"What's going on in here?"

"We heard shouting."

Sango and Miroku said as they rushed into the cave just in time to see Kagome jump over a pack and yell
"Inuyasha, Sit!"

Two mouths dropped open in shock as their friend was dragged to the ground by the glowing beads around his neck.

Kagome rushed over to the pair and peeking around Sango at Inuyasha she yelled at the hanyou.

"Stay away or I'll say it again."

Sango turned to Kagome and asked the scowling girl, "What happened?"

"I don't know, I was just looking at his necklace and then I said I would have used the word sit..."

Wham!

"to subdue him and he sat. Now every time I say sit he sits."

Wham!
Wham!

"God dam it woman stop saying that!" Inuyasha yelled form the swallow crater he was struggling to rise himself from.

Looking at the expression on his friend's face as he scowled at the tiny Miko who was peering around Sango and sticking her tongue out at Inuyasha was all he could take and Miroku fell to the ground laughing. Tears streaming from his eyes he fended the hanyou off with his golden staff when the incised half-demon advanced on him.

"Oh Kami but that is rich. Kaede never could figure out why they didn't work." Miroku managed to get out between fits of laughter. "I wonder why they work now?"

"The blood." came the curt smooth reply. Glancing behind her Kagome took in a quick breath as she saw the man standing at the entrance to the cave. His head nearly reached the top to the crystal incrusted cave; his silver hair fell to his knees where it swayed gently. The white of his hakama and haori shown in the morning light as the crystals around the mouth of the cave sent sparkling beams of light dancing around him.

"Her blood on the sutra beads, keyed them to her command." The shining man said as he continued further into the cave. "Kaede should have known that."

"I don't care what triggered it I want the damn things off!" Inuyasha growled tugging at the beads that refused to pass over his head. Watching Inuyasha struggle with the necklace Kagome giggled at the faces he was making. The soft tinkling sound reached Inuyasha sensitive ears causing them to swivel around towards the woman who had stepped out from behind Sango.

Stalking over to her Inuyasha glared down at Kagome who had her hands clamped over her mouth. "You stink. I'll take you to a spring." With that Inuyasha picked Kagome up and dashed out of the cave.

Before Kagome recovered enough of her composure to sit him, Inuyasha landed near a steaming hot spring and placed her on her feet. The curling steam drifting across the surface of the spring drew her attention away from Inuyasha's rough manner and focused it on her aching body.

Blood still caked her hair to her head causing her to shudder as tears sprang to her eyes once more. Bruised muscles almost cried out for the soothing water. Glancing at the already turned back of the demon, Kagome walked over to the water and quickly slid out the blanket that was still wrapped around her.

Stepping into the heated liquid Kagome hissed as angry scratches encountered the mineral rich water. Wading out waist deep she turned back to Inuyasha, who stood only five feet form the waters edge.

Nibbling on her lower lip Kagome considered asking him to leave, but she really didn't want to be left alone.

"You better not peek, Inuyasha!" she yelled instead.

Spinning at her words Inuyasha's retort died on his tongue as he saw Kagome standing waist deep in the water. Her hair hung over her shoulders barely concealing the round breasts under which her arms were crossed.

Bruises crisscrossed her arms and ran down what he could see of her ribs. He noticed beads of sweat that were beginning to form due to the hot water stand out against the creamy skin of her flat stomach. Lowering his gaze to the water Inuyasha watched as a red line seemed to advance up her body from the steamy surface.

As the line reached her face Inuyasha saw her fling herself chin deep into the water. The next thing he saw was the ground rushing towards him as her screaming voice rang in his ears.

"SITSITSITSIT!...SIT!" Kagome yelled as Inuyasha carved a small man shaped depression in the forest floor.

Kirara circled down into the forest canopy when she caught the scents of Inuyasha and Kagome. She transformed into her small form with a burst of flames when Sango jumped off her back and hopped into her friends waiting arms.

As Sango passed a still flattened Inuyasha, Kirara jumped down and sniffed at the silver haired hanyou, cocking her head to the side she chirped questioningly. Grumbling Inuyasha rolled over careful not to even glance at the spring and lay across the path, one foot resting against his other knee and his head propped up on his hand, elbow digging into the soft earth.

Sango placed a large bundle on one of the rocks surrounding the spring and began disrobing.
"Inuyasha keep an eye out for that lecherous monk would you?" she called over her shoulder as she slipped into the water.

"Him too!?" Kagome squawked from the far side of the spring.
Sango noticed the hanyou twitch and his head fell off his hand before she turned and peered though the swirling mist trying to locate Kagome.

"Oh Inuyasha's harmless its Miroku you have to watch out for he is always trying to steal a glance at any girl taking a bath." Sango told the girl again wondering about Inuyasha's earlier position in the ground.

The steam parted as Sango came closer to Kagome; she was sitting against a small boulder partially submerged in the spring. Kagome was leaning against the boulder with nothing but her face above water. Her hair skimmed around her as her arms floated limply at her sides.

Sango's heart clenched as she saw the look on the woman's face. Her eyes were closed and the sadness seemed to hang from every feature. Sitting next to Kagome Sango silently lowered herself into the water as she watched tears slide from the corner of Kagome's still closed eyes, and down her face to mingle silently with the spring water.

Sliding into the water next to the girl Sango began saying the first thing that popped into her head thinking to take Kagome's mind off her own pain. She was surprised by her own words as she began to recant the events of her first meeting with Inuyasha and Miroku.

"It's been two years since I meet up with Inuyasha and Miroku. I tried to kill them the first time I met them. I found them in the ruins of my village searching though the broken huts of my neighbors, I thought they were youkai who had stayed behind to pilfer and rob the dead, after the battle that destroyed my entire clan. Kirara was the only thing that saved me from joining the rest of my family in death."

Kagome slowly opened her eyes and turned to the taijiya as she softly began to talk. Lifting her head out of the water she resettled herself against the rock to her back. Next to her Sango leaned against the same rock staring up at the small patch of sky framed by the surrounding pine trees. Her eyes seemed to fallow the steam as it drifted into nothing on its way to the tree tops.

"It was a calm night during the spring, the entire village was gathered in the plaza (I'm going to call it that because I want to :P ) to celebrate the planting of the crops. That night we ate the last of the pickled dikon and the children put on a play.

My brother Kohaku played a youkai; he wore a mask made from a tail segment of a centipede youkai, it was carved to look like a boar demon with tufts of fur tied all over it. The younger children were the taijiya coming to the aid of a village the youkai was terrorizing.

They 'hunted' Kohaku around the fire and finally cornered him by the well. He put up a valiant fight `slaying' two of the hunters, before they finally 'killed' him." Sango smiled at the memory.

"Kohaku gave such a dramatic death scene, staggering around the plaza, swiping at the pursuing hunters. He finally 'died' with a vow of revenge on the descendents of the hunters. The applause was thunderous the whole village cheered and clapped, congratulating the triumphant children hunters as they posed atop the slain youkai. Our cheering was so loud we didn't even hear the swarm as they descended on us."

Kagome tilted her head to the side as Sango's voice dropped, eyes closed the woman bowed her head, a few tears sliding down her cheek she continued. "Suddenly the cheers became screams. The fire scattered as a huge youkai tossed a bleeding man into it, children panicked running in every direction. Their parents tried to fend off the youkai while gathering them but none of us had our weapons with us. The hunters among us grabbed what we could, and tried to hold them off, but they were everywhere.

A few of us were able to get our hands on our weapons; Kirara brought mine and my fathers to us. A few of the families had managed to gather in my father's house and we defended the area around it. Fires had broken out in the village, I could hear screaming coming from one hut. Apparently, a few children had hidden there and they were trapped."

Sitting in the heated spring, the once warm mineral scented steam became choking hot smoke. Three youkai stood in front of her, feinting towards her, each lashing out at her before retreating behind the others. Using her boomerang Sango fended off their attacks but didn't dare send it flying at any one of them. They were spread out just enough so that at most she would be able to only kill two leaving her open to attack by the last one before her weapon would returned.

The largest of the three rushed her; she caught its claws with her weapon forcing the razor sharp lengths to lodge deep in the bone of the boomerang. Struggling to free itself the youkai snarled at her over the edge of her weapon.

Thick poison dripped from its fangs as it snapped his jaws at her, shaking its head a droplet of poison landed on her cheek. Hissing from the pain, Sango pushed the youkai back using its trapped claws to steer it into the other youkai attacking her.

The two youkai behind the one trapped in Sango's boomerang ripped their comrade to shreds as he came into range. Soon the only thing still attached to Sango's weapon was the bleeding arms of the beast.

When Sango felt the weight of the youkai leave her weapon she swung it in a powerful over head sweep. She caught the two remaining youkai across the neck as they struggled over the remains of the dead youkai. Before their heads landed on the already blood drenched ground Sango raced past them toward the burning hut.

Dodging flying youkai and leaping over smaller fires that were littered across the streets Sango repeatedly sung her boomerang to clear her path of attacking youkai. Skidding to a halt in front of the blazing hut she called out to the children to come out. Coughing screams where her only answer as the children crouched in the hut. Too scared to move the young ones screamed as the small building began to collapse around them.

"Oh Kami no!" Sango yelled, slinging her weapon across her back she dove through the flaming door of the hut. The heat of the flames licked at her face as she passed the threshold. Rolling to a crouch her eyes darted around the smoky room desperately searching for the children.

A blast of acid smoke hit her in the face bringing stinging tears to her eyes and causing her to double over coughing. Above her the timbers of the shingled roof moaned in agony as the flames flowed over them. Dashing the tears from her eyes Sango spotted the children huddled in the corner, eyes screwed shut against the terror surrounding them.

Scrambling over to them Sango shook them, "We have to go NOW!" she yelled at them. Picking up two of the smaller children she looped the hands of the three remaining in her belt and headed back to the door.

As she neared the door she could see Kirara standing out side the hut keeping the youkai at bay. Detaching the children's hands for her belt, she pushed them at the door.

"Go to Kirara." Sango commanded handing one of the children in her arms to the oldest child. Sango followed them the last child still huddled in her arms. The child in front of her ran from the hut just as a roof timber collapsed across the door.

Sango flung herself back in order not to collide with the flaming beam. In her arms the child shrieked in terror. The air in the hut was suffocating, smoke burned her eyes as Sango desperately searched for another way out.

Rushing over to a patch of wall that had yet to catch aflame Sango began to kick at it. The waddle and dab barely cracked between the frames of sticks that made up the wall.

'Oh god why are the walls so well made?' Sango thought irrationally.
Behind her another beam crashed to the ground. With it burning debris began raining from the roof and swirl around her and the child making it even harder to breath.

Coughing Sango's vision began to narrow to include only the patch of wall in front of her. Again and again she kicked at the unyielding surface. In her arms the child stopped yelling and went limp. Burning remains of shingles fell on her burning though the thin fabric of her short kimono and singeing her arms and neck. Sango didn't even bother to brush them away as she continued to kick at the wall in desperation.

Finally a small hole appeared in the wall, as it did she shifted the silent child to one arm and reached around for her weapon. With a tremendous swing Sango sent the tip of the boomerang crashing into the wall. Wedging the weapon out of the wall Sango nearly wept in frustration when she saw how small the opening was.

Glancing down at the child in her arms Sango swung the boomerang once more with all her might. Chunks of wall went flying when the boomerang crashed though the wall, the momentum of the blow drug Sango forward. Letting go to the strap on the boomerang she pushed the weapon out of the hut where it tottered to its side.

Sango jumped out of the gapping hole staggering as she gasped for air. Her lungs were burning with smoke and she could hardly see though the tears streaming down her face. Falling to her knees Sango coughed and wheezed as she tried to fill her lungs with clean air. The child still clasped tightly in her arms began to stir.

Sango let her slide to the ground as she began to retch from coughing so hard. She didn't notice the group of soot smeared kids rush over to her followed by a limping Kirara. The children ran to their rescuer and began slapping at her clothing. Her kimono was on fire in several places, smoldering slowly. One of the older children bent and picked up the child from Sango's lap while Kirara padded over to the hut and drug the boomerang back to her friend's side.

Just as Sango regained control of her diaphragm the hut behind them collapsed in a fiery eruption of sparks, sending a huge plum of smoke curling into to the sky. Standing Sango looked down at the tattered children, who looked up at her. Their eyes shone whitely, in stark contrast to their blackened faces. Bending slowly Sango retrieved her weapon,

"We need to get back to the head man's house. Can you stay close to me and Kirara as we go?"

At their nod Sango made sure they were all holding each others hands, then with Kirara behind she took the lead and they headed off. They passed though the eerie streets. Dead humans and youkai littered the streets adding frightening angles to the flickering shadows cast by the burning village.

Rounding a corner they came face to face with a lizard youkai feeding off a dead villager. The children screamed as the youkai ripped the arm off the body, turning its head at the sound the youkai advanced on them chewing on the arm as it came. The sickening crunching and snapping of the bone was loud in their ears as Sango stepped forward her weapon held over her shoulder.

The youkai leapt into the air, and Sango snapped her arm letting hiraikotau fly. It caught the youkai between the front and hind legs slicing it in half as it continued its arc. As the beast fell to the ground a humanoid youkai stepped out of an ally.

"What now mighty taijiya? Your weapon is gone how will you defend those cowering children? I think..." before he finished the sentence hiraikotau buzzed thought the air on its return arc taking the head off the taunting youkai.

"Who said my weapon was gone?" Sango whispered. Turning back to the children she watched Kirara bite a small flying youkai in half before she padded forward and bumped her nose into the back of the last child propelling him forward. It seemed to shake them out of their stupor and they again headed towards the head man's house.

When they arrived, the number of youkai surrounding the house was enormous. Her father noticed Sango and the children and yelling an order sent three slayers out to help get the children under cover.

The fight to get back though the mass of youkai was terrible. They were attacked from every direction including above. The children huddled under Kirara, with Sango and the other three hunters ringed around them. Inch by inch the group edged toward the relative safety of the big house.

One of the hunters screamed as a huge flying youkai sunk its lethal talons into his shoulders and lifted him up into the smoke filled night sky. Sango was bleeding from several shallow wounds, the blood and sweet ran down her face and she constantly dashed it out of her eyes. The screams of humans being mutilated by youkai mingled with the roaring of the flames from the village and the triumphant yowls of hundreds of blood thirsty youkai.

Panting Sango spun to Kirara when she herd her friend scream in anger. She watched helpless as the smallest of the children was skewered on the deadly claws of a lion youkai. Dark blood bubbled at the corner of her mouth as her tiny hands, clutched at the sharp talons protruding from her chest. Pain filled eyes locked with Sango's.

Reaching one hand out to her the child went limp on the claw just as the youkai flung the child away from him.

Sango screamed shaking her head from side to side tears flying from her eyes. She threw the boomerang with all her might. The massive bone weapon hurdled end on end though the air, it hit the youkai in the groin and continued to spin its way up his body causing him to scream in agony and shock. When it reached the lion's head the boomerang flew off into the night. The youkai died screaming.

Sango grabbed a sword from the ground and jumped to Kirara, she began pulling the children out from under the fire cat and slamming them down on her back. The panicked young taijiya children only stared at her mouths gaping. When she had the last on the cat she clinched his hands in the thick fur of the youkai and patted Kirara on the head.

"Hang on tight. Kirara take them to father's house." She screamed over the raging battle around them, and turned back to fend off a youkai that was mainly eye and tail. Pushing the sword though the demon Sango took a quick look behind her, Kirara was already in the air slashing and biting her way though the flying youkai, one of the children was swept off her back just before they reached the safety of her father's home. Sango couldn't hear Kirara's roar at losing another child as a large boar youkai charged her.

Spinning out of the way Sango managed to avoid being gored by the beast, but she felt bolt of pain shoot down her leg as the boar's lower tusk slice though her thigh. Staggering she turned and faced the boar as it again charged. Glancing quickly at the small sword in her hand she knew she was going to die. Holding the sword straight before her Sango braced herself angling the blade so that the force of the youkai's charge would plunge the sword deep into its own skull.

The boar seemed to stagger and then it flew through the air as Kirara caught the creature with one of her massive paws. When the cat landed Sango noticed her father and Kohaku slide off her friend's back.

"Aneue!" Kohaku yelled as he tumbled over to her.

"Here this might help more." her father handed Sango, her long katana, and tanto, both made from youkai claws. Moving to her side her father took up a position with his back to hers, while Kohaku quickly tied his brightly colored festival sash around her bleeding leg.

"This will have to do for now."

He then took a similar stance as their father just as a bird youkai flew at them, Kohaku swung his sickle like weapon at the bird and yanked the chain as it contacted. The youkai seemed to peel in half, raining the three of them with hundreds of small spiders.

Growling in disgust they brushed at the arachnids, Kohaku yelped when one bit him and began pounding on his chest and arms. Turning to his sister he began brushing the spiders off her as Sango raised her sword to fend off a flying youkai. Grateful Sango spared her brother a small smile in the brief lull that followed.

Looking down at her little brother Sango was taken aback by the blank look in his eyes. His hand was stopped half raised to brush a spider off his neck. As she watched Kohaku lowered his hand and reached for the sickle at his waist. Thinking there must be a youkai behind her Sango glanced over her shoulder raising her sword.

Nothing was there.

A strange gurgling sound at her right drew her attention to her father as he fell to his knees grasping at his neck. Bright red blood gushed from a huge wound. Shocked Sango looked to Kohaku who stood his sickle hanging from his lowered hand. Blood ran down the blade dripping freely from the tip.

Rushing to them Sango added her hands to her fathers over his wound. Looking up at Kohaku she saw again the blank, almost lifeless look in his eyes. Her attention was dragged back to her father as he fell flat on ground.

With a soft sigh he was dead.

"Father!" she screamed reaching for him, burning pain sliced though her arm before she touched him. Kohaku stood above her raising the sickle once more, as it flashed down on her Sango raised her tanto, blocking his swing.

"Kohaku what…?" she breathed pushing him back. He fell to his back before leaping gracefully to his feet. Frowning Sango followed him as he darted to the side dashing into the woods. Barely able to keep up with her leg injury Sango finally came to him as he paused in a small clearing.

"Kohaku what is wrong? What is happening?" she asked dodging his attacks as he slashed at her. Leaping back from a slash aimed at her neck Sango dodged to one side as the weighted end of the chain flew past her cheek.

As she fell over a fallen tree she noticed a thin thread glittering near Kohaku's neck, following the shining thread she glanced behind her. There in the shadows of the clearing stood a man draped in a cape made from the hide of a white baboon. The cowl of the cloak still shaped like the head of the animal hid his features in darkness. Spinning Sango ran towards the man,

"Who the hell are you? Leave my brother alone, let him go you.." mid stride Sango's world exploded in pain, as she fell to her hands and knees she reached her hand around to feel the blade to Kohaku's sickle buried in her back. A shuddering sob escaped her as she fell to her hands and knees, she watched as feet came into view from behind her.

One of those feet lifted and she felt it push into the small of her back as the curved blade was yanked form her back. As it jerked out of her, Sango collapsed to the ground. Turning her head to the side she saw her brother raise his arm once more.

"Enough!" a cold hollow voice called. At it's command Kohaku lowered his hand and tuned away form her. The edges of her vision dimmed, shrinking the world around her until all she could see was Kohaku following the white baboon man into the darkness.

Kagome sat staring at Sango as she stopped talking, the taijiya just sat there looking down at her knees, pulled up to her chest. Reaching out Kagome gently placed her hand on Sango's shoulder.

"Sango?"

Blinking Sango refocused her eyes on Kagome, shaking her head to clear the images of the past from her mind she gave Kagome a sad smile.

"I'm OK Kagome." She said quietly. "I thought I was dead but I woke up sometime the next morning. I was so weak I could barely see, somehow I managed to drag myself back to the village, where I passed out again." Looking up at the bank of the spring Sango smiled at the sleeping Kirara curled on top of her clothing.

"Kirara found me sometime during the day and got me under shelter. She even managed to get a fire near me I still don't know how she did that. Later during one of my more lucid moments I heard movement near by in one of the burnt out huts. I came rushing out of the hut armed with noting but my tanto and attacked the scavengers.

Just before I slit Miroku's throat Kirara knocked me to the ground. The next thing I remember was wakening up in the remains of my father's house. My wounds were bandaged and I was lying under a blanket next to the fire." Looking back to Kagome Sango noticed her confused look.

"I was so feverous from my wounds I hadn't felt a thing when I attacked them. All I was thinking was that they were youkai and I needed to kill them. Turns out they weren't scavenging the huts they were looking for remaining bodies. Inuyasha and Miroku buried my entire village when they found it destroyed, I was the only survivor."

A small cry of distress made Sango look back up from the water's surface, Kagome rushed over to her and wrapped her arms around Sango.

"Oh Sango I'm so sorry." Kagome whispered holding the woman in her arms. For a moment Sango let herself be comforted but soon she pushed gently out of Kagome's arms.

"It was a long time ago Kagome, the pain is duller now. Enough about me let me help you get cleaned up. I know how hard it can be to clean blood out of your own hair." Quickly wading over to Kirara Sango picked up a small canvas bag and waded back to the teary eyed Kagome.

"Here turn around and I'll soap your hair." Turning the girl by her shoulders Sango pushed her down until just her head was above water pulling a handful of sand like substance out of the bag she dipped her hand under water quickly and then began to rub the stuff into Kagome's hair.

As the sandy particles melted they began to suds up and Kagome realized it was soap sand. Sango's fingers were gentle as they massaged the soap into her scalp. Sighing, Kagome relaxed and let Sango wash her hair.

On the path to the spring Inuyasha had listened to Sango as she related her tale. Sitting up he thought back to the disaster of a village he and Miroku had found two years ago as Sango helped Kagome bathe. He had been able to smell the blood 50 furlongs away. He and Miroku had run the entire way hoping to make it in time. Their worst fears were realized when they finally arrived the smoldering village had been too quiet.

The bodies of youkai and humans were littered across the ground like broken toys tossed aside by an angry child. They had been headed to the village to seek out information on the Shikon no Tama, this village was rumored to have been the birth place of the jewel. They searched the village and when they found none alive they had begun to dig graves.

All night and into the next day they had buried the dead, men with their weapons still clutched in their hands, women clinging to their children, torn bodies so mutilated they couldn't even tell if they had been male or female. The worst had come when they had searched the head man's house, inside Inuyasha came upon the bodies of three children huddled in a corner. Wrapped around their crushed bodies was the headless body of a centipede youkai.

He had ripped the dead youkai to pieces his eyes as cold as the winter. As he had gently carried the three children out to lie next to a grave, Miroku had found the head of the youkai still latched to the throat of a woman holding a carving knife.

When the villagers were finally buried they had sat sickened, straining into the sun. Finally they had risen and Miroku had suggested they search once more though the ruined huts for any remaining bodies before they left.

Sometime around noon a small two tailed youkai cat walked up to them. Miroku had stopped him form attacking the small youkai telling him it didn't feel of evil. The cat turned towards a hut and looking back over its shoulder chirping a small meow at them, just then a small tornado of anger erupted out of the hut and launched itself at Miroku.

Before Inuyasha could move to his aid the half dead woman had the blade of a dagger pressed against his throat. Not wanting to hurt the woman Inuyasha growled in frustration, suddenly the small cat youkai burst into flames and tackled the woman.

Miroku scrambled away from the pair and looked back at the giant fire cat that was standing protectively over the now, unconscious woman. Transforming once again the small cat gently licked the woman's face and looked up at the pair. Its request was plain to Miroku and himself, and they had taken the woman back to the head man's house and tended to her wounds.

A sudden rustling in the bushes to his right shook Inuyasha out of his musings. Peering into the brush he caught a glimpse of purple just before a large boulder fell from the sky and landed on the monk hiding there.

"Hentai monk!" came the shriek from the springs as Inuyasha watched Miroku's hands and feet twitch where they protruded from under the rock. Sighing he got up and rolled the boulder off his friend.

"After all this time one would think you would learn you can't sneak up on her, Miroku."

Pulling the monk up out to the hole he was in Inuyasha rapped him over the skull and called over his shoulder.

"Oi are you two almost done? I'd like to get moving soon."

"Where to, that your in such a hurry Inuyasha?" Sango yell up to him.

"We need to get Kagome to Kaede so she can tend to her wounds." The hanyou replied steering the houshi away from the spring. "Sango bring Kagome back to the cave on Kirara."

"Well I guess we have your marching orders. You feel reasonably clean?"

Kagome nodded at the other woman then groaned.

"What's wrong Kagome?" Sango asked

"I only have the dress I was attacked in, I don't want to put it back on all bloody like it is."

"Oh don't worry Kagome I brought you my spare Kimono to wear. I didn't think you were going to want to wear that thing either. Come on lets get dressed before Inuyasha comes back to check on us."

Dressed in Sango's pink and green kimono Kagome rode on the back of the fire cat youkai named Kirara. The youkai barely touched down in front of the cave before Inuyasha was beside the cat. Kagome slid down the silken furred flank and stood looking up into the frowning face of Inuyasha. With a small shake of his head he handed her a roll of bread.

"Here eat this and then we'll leave."

Kagome bit into the roll and discovered it was wrapped around a savory meat of some kind. Too soon she had finished the roll and was startled when Inuyasha's back came into view. Confused she looked up at him.

"Get on, we're leaving." He commanded. With a twinge of irritation Kagome clambered onto this back, she had to hike the hem of the kimono up awkwardly to do so. As soon as she was settled Inuyasha wrapped his hands around her knees and took off to the east.

A/N I hope you liked the chappie. I know it seems a bit early to add in Sango's drama but she was trying to keep Kagome from slipping away again and really it was the first thing that popped into her head. She wasn't trying to belittle Kagome's pain or any thing. OK ok? Good. Note: I can't spell but please are they words I miss really so bad that you loose your train of thought when you come to them? I can't even see them anymore and if they were that bad I would think I'd at least notice them even if I couldn't tell what I needed to do to fix it. Mean reviews based on spelling really hurt so please don't be mean to me.