InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hanyou's Heart ❯ New Tricks ( Chapter 6 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Chevalier Mal Fet 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Drama / Romance / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.20.2015 | Pages: 15 | Words: 10.0K | Visits: 335 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Drama / Romance / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.20.2015 | Pages: 15 | Words: 10.0K | Visits: 335 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: I don’t own
Inuyasha; this is a work of
fanfiction
Chapter Six: New Tricks Episode One: In the Henhouse Inuyasha didn't like the way the skies were darkening up ahead. It didn't appear to be natural. The day had been a clear and sunny one so far. Kagome had been enjoying it. She'd told him so. As if he cared…But anyways, a storm couldn't roll up on them that fast. And it was coming closer. "It looks like it's about to get ugly." Inuyasha snorted. He had the feeling she was right in more ways than she knew. "Stupid girl, you don't need to state the obvious. 'It's a nice day.' 'Oh, the weather is turning.' 'Wolves smell.' I know already." Kagome looked sideways at him. Why had he brought up wolves? She really didn't want to think about that. The memories made the bile rise in her throat. She thought she was fairly used to the gore by now…but that had been especially grisly. Her thoughts were interrupted as something reddish streaked out of a bush in front of them, and Inuyasha jumped in front of her, clubbing it down with one quick fist. "Ow! What was that for?" Kagome was surprised to find a cute little demon rubbing the bump on his head. It was a little boy, though she wasn't certain what kind of demon he was. She only knew that his tail was so CUTE! "You didn't have to hit me so hard. You didn't have to hit me at all!" Inuyasha made a dismissive, yet arrogant, noise. "Oh, it's just some little rodent." He ignored the shouted 'I'm a fox!' and picked the little demon up by that overly fluffy tail. Somehow, those noises Kagome was making in her throat made Inuyasha feel sick. He just knew she was going to say something involving the word 'cute' or 'adorable'. "What's the rush, little rat? You running from something?" The kit stopped struggling for a moment, before doubling his attempts to wriggle free. "Let me go! Let me go, half-breed!" A smart demon would have noticed the sudden anger in Inuyasha’s eyes and left alone. "Let go of me. I'm a full demon, not some little half-human basta-" Apparently, this fox wasn't that smart. Inuyasha squashed him hard into the earth, growling low for the kit to hear. He needed to learn some manners…and some healthy respect for strength. The hanyou ignored Kagome's protestations at his treatment of the fox and tried his question again. "Why the hurry, mouse? We just met." He flashed his teeth. The fox gulped. "Uh…well, you see…uh…" A sudden crack of thunder caused the kit to jump out of Inuyasha’s grasp. He was fast when he needed to be, and damn, but the kit was scared of something out there. "He's coming for me! He's gonna kill me!" "Who? Who's trying to hurt you?" The concern in Kagome's voice made Inuyasha cringe. Why should she care about some demon-child that she'd just met? Then again, why should she care about some bastard hanyou who'd given her so many reasons to flee. She didn't make any sense, but as much as Inuyasha was disgusted by her caring, he respected it, and liked it. Why did females have to confuse things so much? The fox seemed more willing to talk to Kagome. Small wonder. No one ever wanted to talk to Inuyasha. "It's Manten! One of the Thunder Brothers! Naraku sent them out to kill me!" Inuyasha’s ears perked up at Naraku's name. "The Thunder Brothers?" Kagome asked, just before Inuyasha said, "Why would Naraku send anyone to kill you?" The fox glared at Inuyasha but answered Kagome. "The Thunder Brothers are demons who serve Naraku. They've been leading the attacks on the Alliance around here. They killed my father…He was the leader of the Alliance til that wolf Kouga took over." "What is the Alliance?" Inuyasha glared at Kagome. She should just shut up and let him ask the questions. "The Alliance are the forces that have teamed up to fight Naraku! There are demons and even some humans." The fox gave Inuyasha a superior look. "They might even let a half-breed join…if you're strong enough. I'm a member. I was running a message to some of the wolves in north when Manten and his soldiers found me." "So that's why this whole area reeks of wolf. I feel like I'll never get their smell off of me…" Blood all over his claws, his face, all over his body. So much blood…He shook himself. He didn't like the sad look in Kagome's eyes when she looked at him. It was almost like pity. "So, some pathetic demons have joined together to kill Naraku? No need. I'm going to kill him myself." For Kikyou. The fox's condescending reply was lost in another crack of thunder, lucky for him. "He's getting closer! I have to go, I have to go!" "It's too late, little foxling! I'm here to finish my collection of fox pelts. Your will go well with your father's." The fat, shark-like face smiled cruelly at the quivering kit. Was this Manten? Why had the fox even bothered running? This had been terrorizing the Alliance? Inuyasha grimaced. Somehow he had less than positive words for that pathetic bunch of losers right now. There was no way he would ever consider joining them…but now, he felt almost that he should kill them out of pity. He cracked his claws. This wasn't going to take long. Episode Two: Bleeding Heart Kagome stared at the fat form of who could only be Manten, judging from young Shippou's shivering. Though the thing before her looked menacing enough, with those sharp teeth and narrow eyes, somehow it lacked the killing air that she had felt about Inuyasha and his brother, Sesshoumaru. Manten had the eyes of one who enjoyed hurting others, and did so on many occasions, but he did not look like a cold killer. Without even knowing how strong this Manten was, Kagome knew that he would be no match for Inuyasha’s uncaring claws. "Come now, little foxling, I want to add your pelt to my collection. I haven't all day to wait about." Inuyasha grunted, disdain clear. Manten gave him a sideways look, smiling devilishly. "Oh, have you gained protectors, little foxling? A little human girl and what appears to be a half-dog. It would be a shame if I had to kill them as well…I have no use for any more human pelts. I have more than enough as it is. Now come here, little one!" Manten reached around Inuyasha towards Kagome and the fox, disregarding Inuyasha as a threat. Inuyasha’s face flickered once. Probably just in affront at being ignored. Kagome knew what was coming before it happened. She ducked and covered herself as best she could. There was a flash, light reflected off of suddenly blurring claws, and a wet tearing. Manten screamed as blood fountained from where his arm had been severed, just above the elbow. Kagome shuddered. No matter how well she covered herself, she was going to have to get out a new set of clothes…again. She needed to bring some shampoo, too. She ignored Manten's shrieking and picked up Shippou and carried him away from what was about to become messier. If the demon had any real brains, he'd leave before Inuyasha actually tried to hurt him. Inuyasha only now seemed to really notice Manten. He hadn't even looked as he had cut the arm from the beast's body. The hanyou faced Manten squarely and smirked. It wasn't much, just a small upturning of his mouth. "I'm sorry, did you say something?" Manten screamed incoherently at him, vainly trying to hold in the blood with his one hand. No matter how hard he tried, blood kept spurting out between his fingers. "Oh, you seem to be injured. I know a great remedy for that…" Manten finally found some semblance of a voice, though it shook wildly. "You bastard hanyou! You will die for this! You will die for…agh glak urrr." His voice ended in a gurgling as blood ran from his mouth. Inuyasha shook his hand vaguely, trying to shake off the blood on his claws. It would be quite hard to speak with that gaping hole in his throat. There was a slight crackle of electricity from deep within the demon, but it was drowned away in the rushing blood. The fat idiot had never even realized he was dead. Inuyasha turned to face the shivering fox and the equally shivering Kagome. Admittedly, she was shivering because she was thinking about how impossible it was to get demon blood out of white fabric, and the fox was shivering in abject terror. It was close enough, wasn't it? "So, now what do you have to say for yourself, rabbit? I've killed this pest for you, now will you leave us alone? Or would you rather I did the same to you?" Shippou looked up into Inuyasha’s face, eyes wide with fear. He looked deep into those cold yellow eyes…and fainted. Kagome gave Inuyasha a very disapproving glare. "You didn't have to scare him like that, Inuyasha. That was completely uncalled for." The hanyou just snorted and shook his head. Damn, but this girl would drive him crazy before long. "Why again are we taking this runt with us?" Inuyasha glared at the little fox that had perched on Kagome's shoulder. Shippou gripped her tightly about the neck, but had gotten up enough nerve to stick his tongue out at the hanyou. Inuyasha growled, and the fox's nerve faltered, but the damned thing was annoying him. "Inuyasha be nice. I've already told you…Shippou is just a little boy. We can't leave him all alone, especially not with demons running around killing each other all the time." She didn't mention that most of the killing seemed to be done by Inuyasha. "He needs to get to this Alliance. If they're fighting Naraku, then were kind of on the same side, right? Maybe they can help us." Inuyasha growled. He would be damned before he let that pathetic bunch help him. He was about to tell her so when the fox spoke up. "Yeah! And you're strong! Very strong for a half-breed. You might be able to help us a little. Maybe you're even as strong as Kouga!" The fox seemed to think about this for a moment. He shook his head. "No, you're just a half-breed. You couldn't be as strong as Kouga." "Now, Shippou, you need to stop calling Inuyasha that. He did save your life after all." Kagome said over the rumbling in Inuyasha’s throat. She glared at the hanyou again before turning her eyes back to the narrow path through the woods. "You're sure this is the way, Shippou? We haven't seen any signs of this Alliance you mentioned." Inuyasha grumbled about being compared to 'weak wolves' and glared at the back of Kagome's head. Stupid girl. He didn't want to go to this Alliance. "Maybe they don't exist? Or maybe they're so weak that we won't even notice them?" "Oh, you'll notice us, all right, hanyou. Stop where you are, or you'll have more fill of us than you care for." Kagome froze and Inuyasha stopped in front of her. Suddenly they were surrounded. By damned wolves. "You will go no further until I say that you may, half-breed. I am Kouga, prince of the wolf demons and leader of the Alliance." Inuyasha stared at the one who claimed to be Kouga. Oh, gods…This mangy mutt was going to destroy Naraku? It really wouldn't be worth his time to kill the Alliance. Inuyasha wasn't sure how they survived on their own at all. And why did wolves have to smell so bad? Perfect. Episode Three: Resistance (Is Futile) Kagome didn't seem to notice Inuyasha’s martyred sigh. She had seen the hanyou kill several wolves, but never this many. There had to be more than a dozen, perhaps twenty, wolves. And this Kouga was supposed to be the leader of the Alliance. He had to be strong. If she knew Inuyasha, he would start a fight any minute now, no matter how terrible the odds. She had to do something fast. Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and grinned arrogantly. His mouth opened for one of his classic witticisms, which admittedly were never all that witty, but he never voiced it. "Hello, I'm Kagome and this is Inuyasha. We're enemies of Naraku, too. We thought that we could help you fight him, since we heard that you are trying to defeat him, too. Please, we don't want to fight." Everyone stared at her. Was it really possible to say all that in one breath? Inuyasha shook his head. They didn't want to fight? Not really, admittedly, but only because wolf blood tended to cling and the smell lasted so long. Stupid girl. She should have just let him handle it. Kouga was eyeing her, now, seeming to only now notice her. "You're pretty, for a human, just a girl, though. I thought you were just there for the half-breed's amusements…but he actually lets you speak. He looks…and smells…like a dog. Maybe he's your pet?" Kouga ignored the growl that came from Inuyasha and the sudden glow that sprang to life in his eyes. He paid attention to Kagome's blush and down-turned eyes, though. "So, you're not his lover. Unbroken, in fact. This hanyou must be even weaker than I had thought. Even a little girl is too much for him!" The wolves laughed uproariously, seeming to find it the funniest joke they'd heard. Inuyasha had stopped growling. He looked ready to spring…in fact…Kagome shouted before he could leap for Kouga's throat. "Sit!" Inuyasha was hurled to the ground. His cry of outrage was quickly drowned in laughter twice as loud as before. Apparently the wolves had found something even funnier than Kouga's jokes. They kept gasping 'Sit!' in between laughs. Kagome thought they might pass out if they kept it up much longer. Suddenly, something tightened around her collar and jerked her into the air. She came face to face with a furious Inuyasha. Her shirt was choking her, but Inuyasha’s fist only tightened on it. She could feel his hot breath on her face, coming in short bursts. "Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again." The wolves had finally stopped laughing and were raising spears and various weapons warily. A few edged towards the girl and hanyou, apparently to save her, but Inuyasha dropped her roughly. Kagome landed hard on her butt, and rubbed at her sore neck. Inuyasha looked at each of the wolves, and each wolf shifted uneasily as his eyes passed them. There was something disquieting there…like he was filing them away for future reference. Kouga was no less affected than the others, but he hid it. This thing was still an hanyou, after all. It wouldn't do to look fearful over a half-breed. "Kouga, don't kill them! They saved me from…er, they helped me defeat Manten!" The little fox-thing ran out to stand in front of the girl and hanyou. It was protecting them? HAH! "He may be a hanyou, but he is still strong. And they are enemies of Naraku, too!" "Is that so?" Kouga looked frustrated. "Well, then…I guess I'd better take them to see the human. Come, I don't have time to waste on you two." Kouga and the wolves began to escort them into what appeared to be a village, but a village full of demons and humans who were practicing with weapons. Shippou appeared back on Kagome's shoulder, and Inuyasha heard him whisper to her. "Kouga is the leader of the alliance because he is a demon, but She is the one who really makes the decisions." Kagome tried to ask who She was, but Kouga yelled back for her to be quiet. Inuyasha growled. No stinking wolf was going to yell at his Kagome. They arrived at a hut that was a little bit larger than the rest, and one of the wolves knocked. They waited for longer than Inuyasha would have expected before someone finally answered. It was a human. He looked that wolves and rolled his eyes. "Listen, we're busy right now. We'll talk to you later, Kouga." Oh yes, Kouga was definitely in charge around here. Kouga's face grew red, with embarrassment or anger, it was hard to tell. "I found these two wandering into our camp, with one of our messengers. A hanyou and a little girl. They made it right passed any of your patrols. Maybe we should talk about security again?" The human glanced at the two prisoners and glared at Kouga. "Very well. I shall tell her that you are here. And about your…captives." He disappeared inside and reappeared a few moments later. "She will see you now, with the captives." Kouga led them inside, with three of his wolves. Down a short hall they found a large room with several humans in it. The table in the center of the room held several maps with markings on them. If Inuyasha was any judge, the Alliance seemed to have very little influence over the region. What he guessed were Naraku's forces were everywhere. They stopped just inside the room, waiting for the three humans at the table to notice them. There were two strong, healthy men, and one young girl. A bit too curvaceous to look threatening, especially in that tight uniform. All the humans in the room were wearing…save Kagome, of course. Inuyasha could hear them talking softly to themselves, and likely Kouga could, too. Stupid humans. One of the men was talking. "Many monks and priests have been helping us. They want to be rid of this evil, too. We've had several join us recently." "What of the rogue?" The girl spoke and the second man answered. "The rogue monk? We don't even know his name, but we hear he hates Naraku. He was somewhere to the north last I heard. Do you think he will come to us?" The girl shook her head. "I don't know. I…I think we should talk later." The three turned to look at the ones waiting for them. The girl stepped forward slightly and spoke, eyeing the captives more than the wolves. "Well, Kouga it seems you've brought something interesting for once. A hanyou and a human girl…younger than me, I'd say. But if I remember correctly, you were ordered never to have more than three other demons in my presence at a time. You have four, five including yourself." Kouga sputtered. "I brought only three! This thing is a half-breed. He doesn't count as a demon! And if you mean the messenger, you've never minded having him near you. He's just a child after all…" The girl shook her head. "No, I don't mean little Shippou. But this hanyou is more dangerous than you think, Kouga. You should pay more attention to what we say in councils." The girl turned back to the maps on the table. "We've lost a lot of ground in the weeks since Lord Sesshoumaru was killed. He was our greatest chance of victory over Naraku." Inuyasha could see Kagome swallow nervously. Oh, yeah…that. "If you would remember, Kouga, it was Lord Sesshoumaru’s brother that killed him…A hanyou." Kouga blinked. It seemed to take a moment for it to sink in. Gods, the man was an idiot. "But this hanyou is nothing. He is just another…" "A hanyou with a young girl? A pretty, young human girl, travelling with an inu-hanyou? How often do you see that? The rumors do tell of a human girl with Lord Sesshoumaru’s brother. His mate, possibly." Inuyasha grimaced and Kagome blushed. "And you bring a hanyou, an INU-hanyou, with a human girl companion, into my presence? You fool, if he were the one, he could kill a dozen of your wolves!" "Lady Sango, Lady Sango! Please, don't be mad! They helped me. He killed Manten of the Thunder Brothers. Kagome wouldn't hurt anyone. She's nice. And Inuyasha is just a half-breed…" The room became silent. The girl, Sango, finally spoke. "Did you say…Inuyasha?" The men put hands to weapons, which Inuyasha only just noticed, not that they were any real threat. Kouga was confused. "Yes, Sango, his name is Inuyasha, not that it matters much what a half-breed is called…" "You moron! You knew that this was Inuyasha and yet you brought him into my very room! This IS the hanyou that killed Lord Sesshoumaru!" The surprise in the faces of each wolf was amusing, and the fearful silence of the room was gratifying. Inuyasha almost smiled. "Feh." Episode Four: Rout The silence dragged, and the tension was sweet in Inuyasha’s mouth. He could smell the fear coming off of the humans, and even more from the wolves…all save Kouga. The wolf seemed too stupid to even know when to be afraid. All he needed was an excuse…Kagome licked her lips nervously. Oh damn, she was going to say something and ruin it all. Inuyasha grabbed her arm tightly and he heard her gasp in pain. He felt a twinge in his chest, but he ignored it and shot her a warning glare. The humans in the room seemed less fearful than the wolves, strangely enough. They simply felt 'ready'. The girl was staring straight at him, something not quite fear in her face. What was with these people? "So…you are the hanyou, Inuyasha? You do not look as fearsome as I had imagined, but looks can be deceiving. You do not have the air of strength, the poise that Lord Sesshoumaru had…but you did kill him, did you not?" Inuyasha wasn't quite sure what to think of this girl, hardly older than Kagome, who was so calm with him. "I killed the bastard, yes. It wasn't that hard, really. He was just another demon." That wasn't strictly true. Yes, he had managed to kill Sesshoumaru without any real effort, but that had been mostly because his overconfident brother had not realized how strong the 'half-breed' had grown. Inuyasha knew he was stronger than his brother, but Sesshoumaru had still been a powerful demon, and had Inuyasha not killed him so quickly, it would have been a tough fight. "So, the rumors were true then. A hanyou did kill Lord Sesshoumaru. Don't even bother, Kouga, you and your wolves together couldn't kill this one. You couldn't even get close to Lord Sesshoumaru. That was why you never managed to win the Alliance. Hah, and when the time came that Sesshoumaru died, you and your wolves couldn't even take it from a group of humans." Kouga growled loudly and raised shaking fist at the girl. The other humans loosened weapons, seemingly out of boredom. "You little bitch! We would never let a human lead us. We would never follow a demon-slayer. I am the leader of this Alliance, not you! I am…" "Shut up, Kouga. We both know I lead the Alliance. We only let you pretend it because we need your wolf pack and your influence with other demons. Ever since my village was destroyed, I've wanted vengeance on the Lord Naraku. My fellow villagers and I will kill Naraku, not you." Inuyasha shook his head. "You are wrong. Naraku is mine." Every head in the room turned back to him. "I will kill Naraku myself, and if you don't get in my way, I might even let you live. But nothing, NOTHING will prevent me from killing that bastard!" Silence filled the room. The wolves all looked to Kouga for guidance, and the humans all looked to the girl. "You don't even have to think about it, little girl. Just stay out of my way. I doubt the wolf is smart enough to understand, so I'll probably kill him anyways, but you keep your little Alliance out of my path and it might survive, if Naraku doesn't kill you all." "If…if you wish to kill Naraku so badly…why do you not join us, Inuyasha? The Alliance has suffered tremendously since Lord Sesshoumaru’s…death. If you were to fight by our side, then we would storm Naraku's castle and defeat him." Inuyasha smiled. "It wouldn't be that simple, little girl. I've already 'stormed the castle' as you put it, and killing Naraku has proved a bit difficult." "You've what! You were inside his castle? You saw Naraku?" "Of course. I fought the bastard, until the building started to fall on my head. I was surprised to find out that he was a demon though…" "WHAT!" Everyone seemed to shout at the same time. "Naraku is a demon? How can this be?" "You mean you didn't know? Of course he is a demon. A human wouldn't have lasted a second against me." Sango looked troubled at this revelation. "So, Naraku is a demon. This makes things even worse. Inuyasha, we would truly appreciate your aid. If you would join us…" Kagome looked ready to accept. Inuyasha spoke before she had a chance to volunteer him. "No. I would never work with this pathetic group of losers. You'll be lucky if Naraku doesn't kill you all. But like I said, if you get in MY way, I will." "Inuyasha! They aren't your enemies. They-!" Gods, but that girl was so…great. That wasn't the right word, was it? She was interfering in his business. She was worrying about him. She was…worrying about him? Was she really? And why did that make him feel so…nice? Inuyasha intended to be harsh with her, to show no weaknesses, but he couldn't bring himself to be. "Kagome…We don't need their help, and they would just get in my way." His voice grew softer as his eyes found hers. "We don't need them at all. We can take Naraku together." GRRRRR! What the hell was wrong with him! What was wrong with this girl! Inuyasha tried to ignore the sneering wolves and the calculating eyes of the demon-slayer girl. That Sango simply stared at him for a moment before she said quietly. "Why do you want to kill Naraku so badly, hanyou? What has he done to YOU?" Inuyasha met her eyes with his own steady gaze. "He took something from me." "Those damned rebels! I will kill them all! For my brother, none of them shall live through the day!" The demon's eyes flashed with madness and fury as he shouted at the collected horde. "We shall kill them all!" A human commander querulously raised his voice to the demon. "But, my lord Hiten, Lord Naraku told us not to attack the rebels. Lord Naraku told us not to…Aghh!" He fell, blood fountaining from his torn throat, and Hiten turned back to the gathered, and now cowed, mass of warriors. "Kill them all!" A wolf burst into the room, raising protests from the humans, but before Sango could utter a reproach, the wolf yelled, "Kouga, Naraku is attacking! He's broken through the outer perimeter. The army is almost in the camp!" The demon-slayers cursed and grabbed weapons from sheathes. Kouga was a bit slower to react, so Sango shouted for him to leave and get his wolves into the battle. Then she turned to Inuyasha, who was eying Kagome worriedly. Sango noted this for later. "Inuyasha, if you would aid us now, it would be a great blow to Naraku's power. The Thunder Brother Hiten leads this army, and he is surely out for your blood, since you killed his brother this day." "Feh. Your affairs are none of my concern. I have better things to do than to fight in your little wars." "Inuyasha!" He ignored Kagome's shouted protest and continued. "I will kill Naraku. His little armies don't really matter to me. I think you should get out there and fight though because your little Alliance is doomed, as far as I can tell." Sango gave him one last look before motioning the other slayers and rushing out of the room. Kagome turned to Inuyasha obviously ready to give him a tongue-lashing. "Inuyasha-!" "Come on Kagome, we have to get out of here. None of these weak demons or humans could hurt me, but I don't want you to get killed while I'm not looking." Kagome's face softened and she mouthed the words 'worried about me?' Inuyasha growled and tugged her onto his back. "Come on, we have to get out of here. I can't afford to lose my jewel detector." He raced out into the confused village. The sounds of battle were obvious to the east, so Inuyasha turned and headed south. Soon there were no more people to stumble over, and the sound of battle faded. Inuyasha stopped some distance from the village and let Kagome off his back. There wasn't much chance the conflict would reach all the way out here. Kagome was quiet for a time, even while she made their dinner. And as dusk passed and the dark settled around them, she finally broke the silence. "Do you think they made it?" Inuyasha fehed, but that didn't seem good enough. "That Sango girl is strong, don't let her age fool you. She survived if any of them did, though I doubt that idiot Kouga could have. Don't worry, Kagome. Like all rats, they'll find a way to survive." Kagome seemed satisfied enough with that answer and lay down for bed. Inuyasha watched over her through the night. But no demon would be foolish enough to harm his Kagome. Episode Six: Hanyou Damn! There was definitely a demon or two following them now. Those stupid wolves had led some of Naraku's petty youkai towards them, and a few had broken off to chase after Inuyasha and Kagome. Inuyasha thought he smelled about three, though he wouldn't trust his nose right now. Damn that Kouga! He didn't have time to fight some meaningless battle…not tonight. A few minor youkai wouldn't be much trouble, but he couldn't watch over Kagome all the time, and what if one of them hurt her? Why did his heart clench at the thought of that? Inuyasha could smell the demons coming closer, their scents growing stronger. There were three. He would have to turn and face them now. In an hour it would be dusk. Better now than later. Damn. Damned wolves! "Kagome. There are definitely some demons chasing us now. We're gonna have to stop and face them. I want you to stay hidden while I finish them." Don't argue Kagome. She opened her mouth. Why do you always argue? "Why can't we just keep going Inuyasha? I don't want to see anymore bloodshed today." She shivered. Inuyasha felt a bit bad over that. It was his fault that she'd seen so much violence recently. He'd been the one mostly causing it. "Your so fast, Inuyasha. I'm sure we can outrun them." "No. We can't run anymore…if we keep running…they'll catch us anyways, and I want to fight on my own terms." "Please, Inuyasha?" Her eyes were so innocent. DAMN! Inuyasha looked away. There was no way he could say no to that face. "Inuyasha, please, I don't want you to be hurt anymore." Her voice actually trembled. It trembled, for him! "Fine…we'll keep going." Confusing emotions warring inside him, he turned away from her and gave one last sniff at the air. They were close. "We'll have to hurry then. Get on my back. We need to go fast." Inuyasha. That was the name those pitiful rebels had given him. They'd screamed it before he had finished with them, screamed it to end the pain as much as to save their lives. The ravens would enjoy feasting on them. He couldn't punish Inuyasha for the death of his brother yet, but someone had to pay the price until he could. Now he was almost upon his target. Inuyasha would scream a thousand times longer, would feel a thousand times the pain. For vengeance. The sun was an ominous orange as it hung just on the horizon. Inuyasha ran on, heedless of the weight on his back or of that on his mind. Darkness was falling now, the first stars appearing overhead. He couldn't smell the demons behind him anymore, but he ran on as if they were right behind him. Soon though, his pace slowed, and his breathing grew heavy. He'd tried running and now he was tired. He stopped and Kagome slid off his back, obviously worried that he had become so exhausted so quickly. Shit. "Ka…Ka…Kagome…go hide. Hide somewhere safe…" Inuyasha never wheezed, but if there were to be a first time, then this would probably qualify. "They'll probably be here soon. I can't run anymore. Just hide." "But Inuyasha…" The worry in her eyes was infuriating. She shouldn't worry about him. Why couldn't she just worry about herself? It wasn't fair. "Go, damn you! Go hide, you stupid girl!" There was a crashing overhead that made Kagome jump, and even startled Inuyasha. It was just thunder. "Listen Kagome, you need to go hide. There is more than one demon and I can't have you getting hurt while if one of them slips by me." Finally seeming to understand, she nodded. She turned towards a thick tree just as another roll of thunder filled the darkening sky. Suddenly, Inuyasha could feel eyes on him. The demons were already there! Inuyasha could feel the strength draining from his body. He clenched his fists and growled in dismay. His claws were gone. Even his growl sounded pathetic now. Human throats were not made for growling. In the growing darkness…growing because his eyesight was becoming far less sharp…he could vaguely make out the shape of a man, no a demon, floating some twenty feet above the forest. Those fiery wheels helped to keep him in sight, but the other two, who were just now emerging from behind the trees, were just grey silhouettes. The floating one turned slightly to see the ground better, and the light from his wheels lit up his face. He surveyed the pair below him, glaring at the two humans. Where was that damned hanyou? He had been just ahead of them until now! Inuyasha started to edge away from Kagome, hopefully to draw their attention from the defenseless girl. Unfortunately, this drew Kagome's attention. First she saw the floating demon, then the two brutes before Inuyasha, and then she noticed Inuyasha himself. "Inuyasha! What happened to your hair?" Inuyasha groaned. They were about to be attacked by demons, and she was worrying about his hair? Her exclamation made the floating demon jump in a manner of speaking though. "Bitch, did you just say Inuyasha? Are you saying that this human is Inuyasha?" Inuyasha was suddenly wary. This demon was looking for him specifically? Kagome, on the other hand, was mostly affronted. "Hey, don't call me that! Who are you anyways? Why do you want to know about Inuyasha?" The demon ignored her questions and turned his attentions to Inuyasha. "Human, are you indeed Inuyasha?" Inuyasha simply fehed and made a great show of haughtiness. "Bastard, tell me your name or I kill your whore!" Neither of them paid any attention to Kagome's protestations at being called Inuyasha’s whore. What was there to do? "Why do you care if I am or not? Just who are YOU?" The demon drew himself erect and shouted down at him. "I am Hiten, and I'm am sworn to vengeance on Inuyasha, for the murder of my brother, Manten." Oh…that. "I do not care what Lord Naraku says about sparing the damned hanyou…I will kill him for my brother!" Sparing the hanyou? What the hell! "Hey wait a minute…what is this about Naraku sparing me? I'm gonna kill that bastard. Why would he spare me?" Hiten smiled grimly. "So you ARE Inuyasha? It's a pity. I was hoping to kill a hanyou, but a human will have to do. Humans just don't scream for as long. I thought a hanyou would make such pretty noises." "Shut up, you damned moron! What did Naraku say about me! And I am strong enough to kill you any day!" Hiten raised an eyebrow in amusement. "How can you, a mere human, kill me? Are you really a hanyou? How else could you kill my brother? But if you are a hanyou…Then this must be your day of weakness! Oh, how wonderful for me! I can torture you all night until the sun rises and then keep you screaming until your hanyou body is completely destroyed!" "Inuyasha…what is he talking about? Why do you look like that? What is going on!" Inuyasha just shook his head. Hiten didn't seem all that strong…but Inuyasha didn't think he could take all three of these demons as a human. Hiten would make a mistake if he let Inuyasha live until sunrise, but what would happen to Kagome during the night? "It's time for my vengeance, Inuyasha! I will keep you screaming for the entire night!" Suddenly, Hiten was no longer hanging in the sky. He was a fiery streak coming towards Inuyasha at an alarming speed, some sort of spear held out before him. "Kagome run! Go hide…Ahhh!" Inuyasha felt a terrible burning pain in his side as the spear sliced a small but painful gash across his human skin. Why did humans have to be so weak? The pain was terrible. Inuyasha raised his hands to defend himself, but the demon was fast and the spear very sharp. It seemed to dart though the hanyou's defenses of its own accord, leaving little slices all over his body. Inuyasha managed a lucky swipe at the demon, giving him a brief reprieve, but then the other two demons were upon him. They were basically just huge men, nothing more than muscle, slow and stupid, but their punches hurt! Inuyasha felt his lip burst open, and their bony knuckles were leaving cuts beneath his eyes and across his jaw. Finally one of them struck him hard across the head and he fell onto his back. Inuyasha stared up at the cloudy sky that was slowly spinning around him. Then Hiten was above him, blocking the sky completely. "Hanyou, I won't let you die quickly. You have taken my brother, and now you have stricken me in the face. I will make you suffer for my loss. But I can't have you trying to crawl away, so I hope that you are strong enough to survive this!" Inuyasha tried to shout as something flashed down towards his right shoulder, but no sound would escape his throat. Then there was a searing pain throughout his body as the thing stabbed straight through his shoulder and into the ground beneath him. Inuyasha did scream then, a strangled sound, choking on the blood that was suddenly in his throat and trickling from his mouth. His eyes took a moment to focus on the object, but they eventually did. It was a short sword, pinning him to the ground. He couldn't move at all without it tugging at the sword, sending another wave of pain through his body. He nearly passed out several times as Hiten then busied himself slicing at his skin, leaving little cuts that trickled blood and burned fiercely, but that would not be fatal. What little strength had been in Inuyasha was now draining away with his blood. Inuyasha heard Kagome's shouts, but they were distant and muffled to his ears. He was having a hard time concentrating on anything, a hard time remembering that it was him that was being sliced. He didn't scream, but he did pant a little harder with each new cut. Now he was naked, his clothing having been cut off of him so that Hiten could watch him bleed. When this had happened he wasn't sure. He had probably blacked out, but he was awake now. He could hear Kagome crying somewhere behind him. That really disturbed him, but he couldn't quite figure out why. Hiten wasn't anywhere to be seen. No one was. Where was everyone? Inuyasha listened as hard as he could with his pathetic human ears, one of which seemed to have been removed…and he could make out the sound of Kagome sobbing and Hiten talking to her. "Come now, pretty thing. If you'll be that hanyou's whore, surely you could not object to a much better…" Inuyasha growled slightly. Something about the demon's words and tone was making him very angry. "These two enjoy beating women, but I do not like wasting such fine pretties. If you simply stop resisting, they won't hit you anymore." He could just barely hear Kagome's crying refusal and her cries for Inuyasha. That was him…There were sounds, like someone punching raw meat…and Kagome cried out again and again. "Not so hard you two. I want her alive for now." Inuyasha could feel his blood growing hotter, what little was left in his body. He was furious. No one could touch Kagome! NO ONE COULD HURT KAGOME! He pushed hard against the ground, ignoring the pain in his shoulder, and lifted himself to his feet, sword still through him. Everything was going red. He could see the demons now, standing over Kagome's battered form. He could see Hiten, with that evil smile. He could see them dying, bleeding. He started to run.
End of Chapter Six -Chevalier
Chapter Six: New Tricks Episode One: In the Henhouse Inuyasha didn't like the way the skies were darkening up ahead. It didn't appear to be natural. The day had been a clear and sunny one so far. Kagome had been enjoying it. She'd told him so. As if he cared…But anyways, a storm couldn't roll up on them that fast. And it was coming closer. "It looks like it's about to get ugly." Inuyasha snorted. He had the feeling she was right in more ways than she knew. "Stupid girl, you don't need to state the obvious. 'It's a nice day.' 'Oh, the weather is turning.' 'Wolves smell.' I know already." Kagome looked sideways at him. Why had he brought up wolves? She really didn't want to think about that. The memories made the bile rise in her throat. She thought she was fairly used to the gore by now…but that had been especially grisly. Her thoughts were interrupted as something reddish streaked out of a bush in front of them, and Inuyasha jumped in front of her, clubbing it down with one quick fist. "Ow! What was that for?" Kagome was surprised to find a cute little demon rubbing the bump on his head. It was a little boy, though she wasn't certain what kind of demon he was. She only knew that his tail was so CUTE! "You didn't have to hit me so hard. You didn't have to hit me at all!" Inuyasha made a dismissive, yet arrogant, noise. "Oh, it's just some little rodent." He ignored the shouted 'I'm a fox!' and picked the little demon up by that overly fluffy tail. Somehow, those noises Kagome was making in her throat made Inuyasha feel sick. He just knew she was going to say something involving the word 'cute' or 'adorable'. "What's the rush, little rat? You running from something?" The kit stopped struggling for a moment, before doubling his attempts to wriggle free. "Let me go! Let me go, half-breed!" A smart demon would have noticed the sudden anger in Inuyasha’s eyes and left alone. "Let go of me. I'm a full demon, not some little half-human basta-" Apparently, this fox wasn't that smart. Inuyasha squashed him hard into the earth, growling low for the kit to hear. He needed to learn some manners…and some healthy respect for strength. The hanyou ignored Kagome's protestations at his treatment of the fox and tried his question again. "Why the hurry, mouse? We just met." He flashed his teeth. The fox gulped. "Uh…well, you see…uh…" A sudden crack of thunder caused the kit to jump out of Inuyasha’s grasp. He was fast when he needed to be, and damn, but the kit was scared of something out there. "He's coming for me! He's gonna kill me!" "Who? Who's trying to hurt you?" The concern in Kagome's voice made Inuyasha cringe. Why should she care about some demon-child that she'd just met? Then again, why should she care about some bastard hanyou who'd given her so many reasons to flee. She didn't make any sense, but as much as Inuyasha was disgusted by her caring, he respected it, and liked it. Why did females have to confuse things so much? The fox seemed more willing to talk to Kagome. Small wonder. No one ever wanted to talk to Inuyasha. "It's Manten! One of the Thunder Brothers! Naraku sent them out to kill me!" Inuyasha’s ears perked up at Naraku's name. "The Thunder Brothers?" Kagome asked, just before Inuyasha said, "Why would Naraku send anyone to kill you?" The fox glared at Inuyasha but answered Kagome. "The Thunder Brothers are demons who serve Naraku. They've been leading the attacks on the Alliance around here. They killed my father…He was the leader of the Alliance til that wolf Kouga took over." "What is the Alliance?" Inuyasha glared at Kagome. She should just shut up and let him ask the questions. "The Alliance are the forces that have teamed up to fight Naraku! There are demons and even some humans." The fox gave Inuyasha a superior look. "They might even let a half-breed join…if you're strong enough. I'm a member. I was running a message to some of the wolves in north when Manten and his soldiers found me." "So that's why this whole area reeks of wolf. I feel like I'll never get their smell off of me…" Blood all over his claws, his face, all over his body. So much blood…He shook himself. He didn't like the sad look in Kagome's eyes when she looked at him. It was almost like pity. "So, some pathetic demons have joined together to kill Naraku? No need. I'm going to kill him myself." For Kikyou. The fox's condescending reply was lost in another crack of thunder, lucky for him. "He's getting closer! I have to go, I have to go!" "It's too late, little foxling! I'm here to finish my collection of fox pelts. Your will go well with your father's." The fat, shark-like face smiled cruelly at the quivering kit. Was this Manten? Why had the fox even bothered running? This had been terrorizing the Alliance? Inuyasha grimaced. Somehow he had less than positive words for that pathetic bunch of losers right now. There was no way he would ever consider joining them…but now, he felt almost that he should kill them out of pity. He cracked his claws. This wasn't going to take long. Episode Two: Bleeding Heart Kagome stared at the fat form of who could only be Manten, judging from young Shippou's shivering. Though the thing before her looked menacing enough, with those sharp teeth and narrow eyes, somehow it lacked the killing air that she had felt about Inuyasha and his brother, Sesshoumaru. Manten had the eyes of one who enjoyed hurting others, and did so on many occasions, but he did not look like a cold killer. Without even knowing how strong this Manten was, Kagome knew that he would be no match for Inuyasha’s uncaring claws. "Come now, little foxling, I want to add your pelt to my collection. I haven't all day to wait about." Inuyasha grunted, disdain clear. Manten gave him a sideways look, smiling devilishly. "Oh, have you gained protectors, little foxling? A little human girl and what appears to be a half-dog. It would be a shame if I had to kill them as well…I have no use for any more human pelts. I have more than enough as it is. Now come here, little one!" Manten reached around Inuyasha towards Kagome and the fox, disregarding Inuyasha as a threat. Inuyasha’s face flickered once. Probably just in affront at being ignored. Kagome knew what was coming before it happened. She ducked and covered herself as best she could. There was a flash, light reflected off of suddenly blurring claws, and a wet tearing. Manten screamed as blood fountained from where his arm had been severed, just above the elbow. Kagome shuddered. No matter how well she covered herself, she was going to have to get out a new set of clothes…again. She needed to bring some shampoo, too. She ignored Manten's shrieking and picked up Shippou and carried him away from what was about to become messier. If the demon had any real brains, he'd leave before Inuyasha actually tried to hurt him. Inuyasha only now seemed to really notice Manten. He hadn't even looked as he had cut the arm from the beast's body. The hanyou faced Manten squarely and smirked. It wasn't much, just a small upturning of his mouth. "I'm sorry, did you say something?" Manten screamed incoherently at him, vainly trying to hold in the blood with his one hand. No matter how hard he tried, blood kept spurting out between his fingers. "Oh, you seem to be injured. I know a great remedy for that…" Manten finally found some semblance of a voice, though it shook wildly. "You bastard hanyou! You will die for this! You will die for…agh glak urrr." His voice ended in a gurgling as blood ran from his mouth. Inuyasha shook his hand vaguely, trying to shake off the blood on his claws. It would be quite hard to speak with that gaping hole in his throat. There was a slight crackle of electricity from deep within the demon, but it was drowned away in the rushing blood. The fat idiot had never even realized he was dead. Inuyasha turned to face the shivering fox and the equally shivering Kagome. Admittedly, she was shivering because she was thinking about how impossible it was to get demon blood out of white fabric, and the fox was shivering in abject terror. It was close enough, wasn't it? "So, now what do you have to say for yourself, rabbit? I've killed this pest for you, now will you leave us alone? Or would you rather I did the same to you?" Shippou looked up into Inuyasha’s face, eyes wide with fear. He looked deep into those cold yellow eyes…and fainted. Kagome gave Inuyasha a very disapproving glare. "You didn't have to scare him like that, Inuyasha. That was completely uncalled for." The hanyou just snorted and shook his head. Damn, but this girl would drive him crazy before long. "Why again are we taking this runt with us?" Inuyasha glared at the little fox that had perched on Kagome's shoulder. Shippou gripped her tightly about the neck, but had gotten up enough nerve to stick his tongue out at the hanyou. Inuyasha growled, and the fox's nerve faltered, but the damned thing was annoying him. "Inuyasha be nice. I've already told you…Shippou is just a little boy. We can't leave him all alone, especially not with demons running around killing each other all the time." She didn't mention that most of the killing seemed to be done by Inuyasha. "He needs to get to this Alliance. If they're fighting Naraku, then were kind of on the same side, right? Maybe they can help us." Inuyasha growled. He would be damned before he let that pathetic bunch help him. He was about to tell her so when the fox spoke up. "Yeah! And you're strong! Very strong for a half-breed. You might be able to help us a little. Maybe you're even as strong as Kouga!" The fox seemed to think about this for a moment. He shook his head. "No, you're just a half-breed. You couldn't be as strong as Kouga." "Now, Shippou, you need to stop calling Inuyasha that. He did save your life after all." Kagome said over the rumbling in Inuyasha’s throat. She glared at the hanyou again before turning her eyes back to the narrow path through the woods. "You're sure this is the way, Shippou? We haven't seen any signs of this Alliance you mentioned." Inuyasha grumbled about being compared to 'weak wolves' and glared at the back of Kagome's head. Stupid girl. He didn't want to go to this Alliance. "Maybe they don't exist? Or maybe they're so weak that we won't even notice them?" "Oh, you'll notice us, all right, hanyou. Stop where you are, or you'll have more fill of us than you care for." Kagome froze and Inuyasha stopped in front of her. Suddenly they were surrounded. By damned wolves. "You will go no further until I say that you may, half-breed. I am Kouga, prince of the wolf demons and leader of the Alliance." Inuyasha stared at the one who claimed to be Kouga. Oh, gods…This mangy mutt was going to destroy Naraku? It really wouldn't be worth his time to kill the Alliance. Inuyasha wasn't sure how they survived on their own at all. And why did wolves have to smell so bad? Perfect. Episode Three: Resistance (Is Futile) Kagome didn't seem to notice Inuyasha’s martyred sigh. She had seen the hanyou kill several wolves, but never this many. There had to be more than a dozen, perhaps twenty, wolves. And this Kouga was supposed to be the leader of the Alliance. He had to be strong. If she knew Inuyasha, he would start a fight any minute now, no matter how terrible the odds. She had to do something fast. Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and grinned arrogantly. His mouth opened for one of his classic witticisms, which admittedly were never all that witty, but he never voiced it. "Hello, I'm Kagome and this is Inuyasha. We're enemies of Naraku, too. We thought that we could help you fight him, since we heard that you are trying to defeat him, too. Please, we don't want to fight." Everyone stared at her. Was it really possible to say all that in one breath? Inuyasha shook his head. They didn't want to fight? Not really, admittedly, but only because wolf blood tended to cling and the smell lasted so long. Stupid girl. She should have just let him handle it. Kouga was eyeing her, now, seeming to only now notice her. "You're pretty, for a human, just a girl, though. I thought you were just there for the half-breed's amusements…but he actually lets you speak. He looks…and smells…like a dog. Maybe he's your pet?" Kouga ignored the growl that came from Inuyasha and the sudden glow that sprang to life in his eyes. He paid attention to Kagome's blush and down-turned eyes, though. "So, you're not his lover. Unbroken, in fact. This hanyou must be even weaker than I had thought. Even a little girl is too much for him!" The wolves laughed uproariously, seeming to find it the funniest joke they'd heard. Inuyasha had stopped growling. He looked ready to spring…in fact…Kagome shouted before he could leap for Kouga's throat. "Sit!" Inuyasha was hurled to the ground. His cry of outrage was quickly drowned in laughter twice as loud as before. Apparently the wolves had found something even funnier than Kouga's jokes. They kept gasping 'Sit!' in between laughs. Kagome thought they might pass out if they kept it up much longer. Suddenly, something tightened around her collar and jerked her into the air. She came face to face with a furious Inuyasha. Her shirt was choking her, but Inuyasha’s fist only tightened on it. She could feel his hot breath on her face, coming in short bursts. "Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again." The wolves had finally stopped laughing and were raising spears and various weapons warily. A few edged towards the girl and hanyou, apparently to save her, but Inuyasha dropped her roughly. Kagome landed hard on her butt, and rubbed at her sore neck. Inuyasha looked at each of the wolves, and each wolf shifted uneasily as his eyes passed them. There was something disquieting there…like he was filing them away for future reference. Kouga was no less affected than the others, but he hid it. This thing was still an hanyou, after all. It wouldn't do to look fearful over a half-breed. "Kouga, don't kill them! They saved me from…er, they helped me defeat Manten!" The little fox-thing ran out to stand in front of the girl and hanyou. It was protecting them? HAH! "He may be a hanyou, but he is still strong. And they are enemies of Naraku, too!" "Is that so?" Kouga looked frustrated. "Well, then…I guess I'd better take them to see the human. Come, I don't have time to waste on you two." Kouga and the wolves began to escort them into what appeared to be a village, but a village full of demons and humans who were practicing with weapons. Shippou appeared back on Kagome's shoulder, and Inuyasha heard him whisper to her. "Kouga is the leader of the alliance because he is a demon, but She is the one who really makes the decisions." Kagome tried to ask who She was, but Kouga yelled back for her to be quiet. Inuyasha growled. No stinking wolf was going to yell at his Kagome. They arrived at a hut that was a little bit larger than the rest, and one of the wolves knocked. They waited for longer than Inuyasha would have expected before someone finally answered. It was a human. He looked that wolves and rolled his eyes. "Listen, we're busy right now. We'll talk to you later, Kouga." Oh yes, Kouga was definitely in charge around here. Kouga's face grew red, with embarrassment or anger, it was hard to tell. "I found these two wandering into our camp, with one of our messengers. A hanyou and a little girl. They made it right passed any of your patrols. Maybe we should talk about security again?" The human glanced at the two prisoners and glared at Kouga. "Very well. I shall tell her that you are here. And about your…captives." He disappeared inside and reappeared a few moments later. "She will see you now, with the captives." Kouga led them inside, with three of his wolves. Down a short hall they found a large room with several humans in it. The table in the center of the room held several maps with markings on them. If Inuyasha was any judge, the Alliance seemed to have very little influence over the region. What he guessed were Naraku's forces were everywhere. They stopped just inside the room, waiting for the three humans at the table to notice them. There were two strong, healthy men, and one young girl. A bit too curvaceous to look threatening, especially in that tight uniform. All the humans in the room were wearing…save Kagome, of course. Inuyasha could hear them talking softly to themselves, and likely Kouga could, too. Stupid humans. One of the men was talking. "Many monks and priests have been helping us. They want to be rid of this evil, too. We've had several join us recently." "What of the rogue?" The girl spoke and the second man answered. "The rogue monk? We don't even know his name, but we hear he hates Naraku. He was somewhere to the north last I heard. Do you think he will come to us?" The girl shook her head. "I don't know. I…I think we should talk later." The three turned to look at the ones waiting for them. The girl stepped forward slightly and spoke, eyeing the captives more than the wolves. "Well, Kouga it seems you've brought something interesting for once. A hanyou and a human girl…younger than me, I'd say. But if I remember correctly, you were ordered never to have more than three other demons in my presence at a time. You have four, five including yourself." Kouga sputtered. "I brought only three! This thing is a half-breed. He doesn't count as a demon! And if you mean the messenger, you've never minded having him near you. He's just a child after all…" The girl shook her head. "No, I don't mean little Shippou. But this hanyou is more dangerous than you think, Kouga. You should pay more attention to what we say in councils." The girl turned back to the maps on the table. "We've lost a lot of ground in the weeks since Lord Sesshoumaru was killed. He was our greatest chance of victory over Naraku." Inuyasha could see Kagome swallow nervously. Oh, yeah…that. "If you would remember, Kouga, it was Lord Sesshoumaru’s brother that killed him…A hanyou." Kouga blinked. It seemed to take a moment for it to sink in. Gods, the man was an idiot. "But this hanyou is nothing. He is just another…" "A hanyou with a young girl? A pretty, young human girl, travelling with an inu-hanyou? How often do you see that? The rumors do tell of a human girl with Lord Sesshoumaru’s brother. His mate, possibly." Inuyasha grimaced and Kagome blushed. "And you bring a hanyou, an INU-hanyou, with a human girl companion, into my presence? You fool, if he were the one, he could kill a dozen of your wolves!" "Lady Sango, Lady Sango! Please, don't be mad! They helped me. He killed Manten of the Thunder Brothers. Kagome wouldn't hurt anyone. She's nice. And Inuyasha is just a half-breed…" The room became silent. The girl, Sango, finally spoke. "Did you say…Inuyasha?" The men put hands to weapons, which Inuyasha only just noticed, not that they were any real threat. Kouga was confused. "Yes, Sango, his name is Inuyasha, not that it matters much what a half-breed is called…" "You moron! You knew that this was Inuyasha and yet you brought him into my very room! This IS the hanyou that killed Lord Sesshoumaru!" The surprise in the faces of each wolf was amusing, and the fearful silence of the room was gratifying. Inuyasha almost smiled. "Feh." Episode Four: Rout The silence dragged, and the tension was sweet in Inuyasha’s mouth. He could smell the fear coming off of the humans, and even more from the wolves…all save Kouga. The wolf seemed too stupid to even know when to be afraid. All he needed was an excuse…Kagome licked her lips nervously. Oh damn, she was going to say something and ruin it all. Inuyasha grabbed her arm tightly and he heard her gasp in pain. He felt a twinge in his chest, but he ignored it and shot her a warning glare. The humans in the room seemed less fearful than the wolves, strangely enough. They simply felt 'ready'. The girl was staring straight at him, something not quite fear in her face. What was with these people? "So…you are the hanyou, Inuyasha? You do not look as fearsome as I had imagined, but looks can be deceiving. You do not have the air of strength, the poise that Lord Sesshoumaru had…but you did kill him, did you not?" Inuyasha wasn't quite sure what to think of this girl, hardly older than Kagome, who was so calm with him. "I killed the bastard, yes. It wasn't that hard, really. He was just another demon." That wasn't strictly true. Yes, he had managed to kill Sesshoumaru without any real effort, but that had been mostly because his overconfident brother had not realized how strong the 'half-breed' had grown. Inuyasha knew he was stronger than his brother, but Sesshoumaru had still been a powerful demon, and had Inuyasha not killed him so quickly, it would have been a tough fight. "So, the rumors were true then. A hanyou did kill Lord Sesshoumaru. Don't even bother, Kouga, you and your wolves together couldn't kill this one. You couldn't even get close to Lord Sesshoumaru. That was why you never managed to win the Alliance. Hah, and when the time came that Sesshoumaru died, you and your wolves couldn't even take it from a group of humans." Kouga growled loudly and raised shaking fist at the girl. The other humans loosened weapons, seemingly out of boredom. "You little bitch! We would never let a human lead us. We would never follow a demon-slayer. I am the leader of this Alliance, not you! I am…" "Shut up, Kouga. We both know I lead the Alliance. We only let you pretend it because we need your wolf pack and your influence with other demons. Ever since my village was destroyed, I've wanted vengeance on the Lord Naraku. My fellow villagers and I will kill Naraku, not you." Inuyasha shook his head. "You are wrong. Naraku is mine." Every head in the room turned back to him. "I will kill Naraku myself, and if you don't get in my way, I might even let you live. But nothing, NOTHING will prevent me from killing that bastard!" Silence filled the room. The wolves all looked to Kouga for guidance, and the humans all looked to the girl. "You don't even have to think about it, little girl. Just stay out of my way. I doubt the wolf is smart enough to understand, so I'll probably kill him anyways, but you keep your little Alliance out of my path and it might survive, if Naraku doesn't kill you all." "If…if you wish to kill Naraku so badly…why do you not join us, Inuyasha? The Alliance has suffered tremendously since Lord Sesshoumaru’s…death. If you were to fight by our side, then we would storm Naraku's castle and defeat him." Inuyasha smiled. "It wouldn't be that simple, little girl. I've already 'stormed the castle' as you put it, and killing Naraku has proved a bit difficult." "You've what! You were inside his castle? You saw Naraku?" "Of course. I fought the bastard, until the building started to fall on my head. I was surprised to find out that he was a demon though…" "WHAT!" Everyone seemed to shout at the same time. "Naraku is a demon? How can this be?" "You mean you didn't know? Of course he is a demon. A human wouldn't have lasted a second against me." Sango looked troubled at this revelation. "So, Naraku is a demon. This makes things even worse. Inuyasha, we would truly appreciate your aid. If you would join us…" Kagome looked ready to accept. Inuyasha spoke before she had a chance to volunteer him. "No. I would never work with this pathetic group of losers. You'll be lucky if Naraku doesn't kill you all. But like I said, if you get in MY way, I will." "Inuyasha! They aren't your enemies. They-!" Gods, but that girl was so…great. That wasn't the right word, was it? She was interfering in his business. She was worrying about him. She was…worrying about him? Was she really? And why did that make him feel so…nice? Inuyasha intended to be harsh with her, to show no weaknesses, but he couldn't bring himself to be. "Kagome…We don't need their help, and they would just get in my way." His voice grew softer as his eyes found hers. "We don't need them at all. We can take Naraku together." GRRRRR! What the hell was wrong with him! What was wrong with this girl! Inuyasha tried to ignore the sneering wolves and the calculating eyes of the demon-slayer girl. That Sango simply stared at him for a moment before she said quietly. "Why do you want to kill Naraku so badly, hanyou? What has he done to YOU?" Inuyasha met her eyes with his own steady gaze. "He took something from me." "Those damned rebels! I will kill them all! For my brother, none of them shall live through the day!" The demon's eyes flashed with madness and fury as he shouted at the collected horde. "We shall kill them all!" A human commander querulously raised his voice to the demon. "But, my lord Hiten, Lord Naraku told us not to attack the rebels. Lord Naraku told us not to…Aghh!" He fell, blood fountaining from his torn throat, and Hiten turned back to the gathered, and now cowed, mass of warriors. "Kill them all!" A wolf burst into the room, raising protests from the humans, but before Sango could utter a reproach, the wolf yelled, "Kouga, Naraku is attacking! He's broken through the outer perimeter. The army is almost in the camp!" The demon-slayers cursed and grabbed weapons from sheathes. Kouga was a bit slower to react, so Sango shouted for him to leave and get his wolves into the battle. Then she turned to Inuyasha, who was eying Kagome worriedly. Sango noted this for later. "Inuyasha, if you would aid us now, it would be a great blow to Naraku's power. The Thunder Brother Hiten leads this army, and he is surely out for your blood, since you killed his brother this day." "Feh. Your affairs are none of my concern. I have better things to do than to fight in your little wars." "Inuyasha!" He ignored Kagome's shouted protest and continued. "I will kill Naraku. His little armies don't really matter to me. I think you should get out there and fight though because your little Alliance is doomed, as far as I can tell." Sango gave him one last look before motioning the other slayers and rushing out of the room. Kagome turned to Inuyasha obviously ready to give him a tongue-lashing. "Inuyasha-!" "Come on Kagome, we have to get out of here. None of these weak demons or humans could hurt me, but I don't want you to get killed while I'm not looking." Kagome's face softened and she mouthed the words 'worried about me?' Inuyasha growled and tugged her onto his back. "Come on, we have to get out of here. I can't afford to lose my jewel detector." He raced out into the confused village. The sounds of battle were obvious to the east, so Inuyasha turned and headed south. Soon there were no more people to stumble over, and the sound of battle faded. Inuyasha stopped some distance from the village and let Kagome off his back. There wasn't much chance the conflict would reach all the way out here. Kagome was quiet for a time, even while she made their dinner. And as dusk passed and the dark settled around them, she finally broke the silence. "Do you think they made it?" Inuyasha fehed, but that didn't seem good enough. "That Sango girl is strong, don't let her age fool you. She survived if any of them did, though I doubt that idiot Kouga could have. Don't worry, Kagome. Like all rats, they'll find a way to survive." Kagome seemed satisfied enough with that answer and lay down for bed. Inuyasha watched over her through the night. But no demon would be foolish enough to harm his Kagome. Episode Six: Hanyou Damn! There was definitely a demon or two following them now. Those stupid wolves had led some of Naraku's petty youkai towards them, and a few had broken off to chase after Inuyasha and Kagome. Inuyasha thought he smelled about three, though he wouldn't trust his nose right now. Damn that Kouga! He didn't have time to fight some meaningless battle…not tonight. A few minor youkai wouldn't be much trouble, but he couldn't watch over Kagome all the time, and what if one of them hurt her? Why did his heart clench at the thought of that? Inuyasha could smell the demons coming closer, their scents growing stronger. There were three. He would have to turn and face them now. In an hour it would be dusk. Better now than later. Damn. Damned wolves! "Kagome. There are definitely some demons chasing us now. We're gonna have to stop and face them. I want you to stay hidden while I finish them." Don't argue Kagome. She opened her mouth. Why do you always argue? "Why can't we just keep going Inuyasha? I don't want to see anymore bloodshed today." She shivered. Inuyasha felt a bit bad over that. It was his fault that she'd seen so much violence recently. He'd been the one mostly causing it. "Your so fast, Inuyasha. I'm sure we can outrun them." "No. We can't run anymore…if we keep running…they'll catch us anyways, and I want to fight on my own terms." "Please, Inuyasha?" Her eyes were so innocent. DAMN! Inuyasha looked away. There was no way he could say no to that face. "Inuyasha, please, I don't want you to be hurt anymore." Her voice actually trembled. It trembled, for him! "Fine…we'll keep going." Confusing emotions warring inside him, he turned away from her and gave one last sniff at the air. They were close. "We'll have to hurry then. Get on my back. We need to go fast." Inuyasha. That was the name those pitiful rebels had given him. They'd screamed it before he had finished with them, screamed it to end the pain as much as to save their lives. The ravens would enjoy feasting on them. He couldn't punish Inuyasha for the death of his brother yet, but someone had to pay the price until he could. Now he was almost upon his target. Inuyasha would scream a thousand times longer, would feel a thousand times the pain. For vengeance. The sun was an ominous orange as it hung just on the horizon. Inuyasha ran on, heedless of the weight on his back or of that on his mind. Darkness was falling now, the first stars appearing overhead. He couldn't smell the demons behind him anymore, but he ran on as if they were right behind him. Soon though, his pace slowed, and his breathing grew heavy. He'd tried running and now he was tired. He stopped and Kagome slid off his back, obviously worried that he had become so exhausted so quickly. Shit. "Ka…Ka…Kagome…go hide. Hide somewhere safe…" Inuyasha never wheezed, but if there were to be a first time, then this would probably qualify. "They'll probably be here soon. I can't run anymore. Just hide." "But Inuyasha…" The worry in her eyes was infuriating. She shouldn't worry about him. Why couldn't she just worry about herself? It wasn't fair. "Go, damn you! Go hide, you stupid girl!" There was a crashing overhead that made Kagome jump, and even startled Inuyasha. It was just thunder. "Listen Kagome, you need to go hide. There is more than one demon and I can't have you getting hurt while if one of them slips by me." Finally seeming to understand, she nodded. She turned towards a thick tree just as another roll of thunder filled the darkening sky. Suddenly, Inuyasha could feel eyes on him. The demons were already there! Inuyasha could feel the strength draining from his body. He clenched his fists and growled in dismay. His claws were gone. Even his growl sounded pathetic now. Human throats were not made for growling. In the growing darkness…growing because his eyesight was becoming far less sharp…he could vaguely make out the shape of a man, no a demon, floating some twenty feet above the forest. Those fiery wheels helped to keep him in sight, but the other two, who were just now emerging from behind the trees, were just grey silhouettes. The floating one turned slightly to see the ground better, and the light from his wheels lit up his face. He surveyed the pair below him, glaring at the two humans. Where was that damned hanyou? He had been just ahead of them until now! Inuyasha started to edge away from Kagome, hopefully to draw their attention from the defenseless girl. Unfortunately, this drew Kagome's attention. First she saw the floating demon, then the two brutes before Inuyasha, and then she noticed Inuyasha himself. "Inuyasha! What happened to your hair?" Inuyasha groaned. They were about to be attacked by demons, and she was worrying about his hair? Her exclamation made the floating demon jump in a manner of speaking though. "Bitch, did you just say Inuyasha? Are you saying that this human is Inuyasha?" Inuyasha was suddenly wary. This demon was looking for him specifically? Kagome, on the other hand, was mostly affronted. "Hey, don't call me that! Who are you anyways? Why do you want to know about Inuyasha?" The demon ignored her questions and turned his attentions to Inuyasha. "Human, are you indeed Inuyasha?" Inuyasha simply fehed and made a great show of haughtiness. "Bastard, tell me your name or I kill your whore!" Neither of them paid any attention to Kagome's protestations at being called Inuyasha’s whore. What was there to do? "Why do you care if I am or not? Just who are YOU?" The demon drew himself erect and shouted down at him. "I am Hiten, and I'm am sworn to vengeance on Inuyasha, for the murder of my brother, Manten." Oh…that. "I do not care what Lord Naraku says about sparing the damned hanyou…I will kill him for my brother!" Sparing the hanyou? What the hell! "Hey wait a minute…what is this about Naraku sparing me? I'm gonna kill that bastard. Why would he spare me?" Hiten smiled grimly. "So you ARE Inuyasha? It's a pity. I was hoping to kill a hanyou, but a human will have to do. Humans just don't scream for as long. I thought a hanyou would make such pretty noises." "Shut up, you damned moron! What did Naraku say about me! And I am strong enough to kill you any day!" Hiten raised an eyebrow in amusement. "How can you, a mere human, kill me? Are you really a hanyou? How else could you kill my brother? But if you are a hanyou…Then this must be your day of weakness! Oh, how wonderful for me! I can torture you all night until the sun rises and then keep you screaming until your hanyou body is completely destroyed!" "Inuyasha…what is he talking about? Why do you look like that? What is going on!" Inuyasha just shook his head. Hiten didn't seem all that strong…but Inuyasha didn't think he could take all three of these demons as a human. Hiten would make a mistake if he let Inuyasha live until sunrise, but what would happen to Kagome during the night? "It's time for my vengeance, Inuyasha! I will keep you screaming for the entire night!" Suddenly, Hiten was no longer hanging in the sky. He was a fiery streak coming towards Inuyasha at an alarming speed, some sort of spear held out before him. "Kagome run! Go hide…Ahhh!" Inuyasha felt a terrible burning pain in his side as the spear sliced a small but painful gash across his human skin. Why did humans have to be so weak? The pain was terrible. Inuyasha raised his hands to defend himself, but the demon was fast and the spear very sharp. It seemed to dart though the hanyou's defenses of its own accord, leaving little slices all over his body. Inuyasha managed a lucky swipe at the demon, giving him a brief reprieve, but then the other two demons were upon him. They were basically just huge men, nothing more than muscle, slow and stupid, but their punches hurt! Inuyasha felt his lip burst open, and their bony knuckles were leaving cuts beneath his eyes and across his jaw. Finally one of them struck him hard across the head and he fell onto his back. Inuyasha stared up at the cloudy sky that was slowly spinning around him. Then Hiten was above him, blocking the sky completely. "Hanyou, I won't let you die quickly. You have taken my brother, and now you have stricken me in the face. I will make you suffer for my loss. But I can't have you trying to crawl away, so I hope that you are strong enough to survive this!" Inuyasha tried to shout as something flashed down towards his right shoulder, but no sound would escape his throat. Then there was a searing pain throughout his body as the thing stabbed straight through his shoulder and into the ground beneath him. Inuyasha did scream then, a strangled sound, choking on the blood that was suddenly in his throat and trickling from his mouth. His eyes took a moment to focus on the object, but they eventually did. It was a short sword, pinning him to the ground. He couldn't move at all without it tugging at the sword, sending another wave of pain through his body. He nearly passed out several times as Hiten then busied himself slicing at his skin, leaving little cuts that trickled blood and burned fiercely, but that would not be fatal. What little strength had been in Inuyasha was now draining away with his blood. Inuyasha heard Kagome's shouts, but they were distant and muffled to his ears. He was having a hard time concentrating on anything, a hard time remembering that it was him that was being sliced. He didn't scream, but he did pant a little harder with each new cut. Now he was naked, his clothing having been cut off of him so that Hiten could watch him bleed. When this had happened he wasn't sure. He had probably blacked out, but he was awake now. He could hear Kagome crying somewhere behind him. That really disturbed him, but he couldn't quite figure out why. Hiten wasn't anywhere to be seen. No one was. Where was everyone? Inuyasha listened as hard as he could with his pathetic human ears, one of which seemed to have been removed…and he could make out the sound of Kagome sobbing and Hiten talking to her. "Come now, pretty thing. If you'll be that hanyou's whore, surely you could not object to a much better…" Inuyasha growled slightly. Something about the demon's words and tone was making him very angry. "These two enjoy beating women, but I do not like wasting such fine pretties. If you simply stop resisting, they won't hit you anymore." He could just barely hear Kagome's crying refusal and her cries for Inuyasha. That was him…There were sounds, like someone punching raw meat…and Kagome cried out again and again. "Not so hard you two. I want her alive for now." Inuyasha could feel his blood growing hotter, what little was left in his body. He was furious. No one could touch Kagome! NO ONE COULD HURT KAGOME! He pushed hard against the ground, ignoring the pain in his shoulder, and lifted himself to his feet, sword still through him. Everything was going red. He could see the demons now, standing over Kagome's battered form. He could see Hiten, with that evil smile. He could see them dying, bleeding. He started to run.
End of Chapter Six -Chevalier