InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kagome's Blood ❯ Fears Realized ( Chapter 3 )

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

 

(Eh, again, please remember that this was my very first fic and was written back in 2004. Eventually, I'll quit repeating myself. Thanks! Snow)

 

 

 

Miroku frowned as he studied the forest from Kilala's back. In the direction of the lake, a destructive path had ripped through the forest. There was another path leading in the direction of Kaede's village. He hoped that his fears were unfounded.

 

"Sango, do you see it?"

 

"It's impossible to miss."

 

Kilala lit at the far end of the beach where the path ended, touching down gently. Sango leapt from her back, coming to stand in front of her, startled when the fire cat growled under her breath.

 

"What's wrong, Kilala?"

 

Kilala turned her head back toward the destruction and then turned and stared at Sango, indicating her own concern.

 

Miroku and Sango carefully scanned the beach. That's when Miroku saw it—discolored water. Miroku raced to the shoreline with Sango jogging close behind. His long black and purple robes soaked up the thick, tainted water as he dove in, dreading what he might find.

 

“Thank you, Kami,” whispered the monk under his breath after finding nothing within the bloody pool.

 

Wading out of the water, he spotted footprints. "Look there Sango."

 

They studied the prints; Kagome's, Inuyasha's and those that they couldn't recognize.

 

"Those other prints look human, yet they seem to have stepped out of the whirlwind and gone straight to the water."

 

"That appears to be correct Sango. However, the footprints are deeper coming out of the water. Something, or someone, was being carried. And then the footprints, together with Inuyasha's, head in the direction of the path leading to Kaede's village. Considering the amount of blood in the water, it had to be Kagome that was being carried."

 

Although he had also noticed that Kagome's footsteps toward the water had been staggered, he refrained from drawing Sango's attention to it.

 

`Being a demon exterminator, she may have the skills to see it all on her own.'

 

Sango lowered her head. "Could she possibly still be alive, Miroku?"

 

Miroku stood, deep in thought. "I couldn't even allow myself to believe that she isn't." His eyes widened with new knowledge. "Kouga! It had to be Kouga!"

 

Sango gasped. "Let's go!"

 

 

~*~

 

 

Inuyasha could hardly believe he was keeping up with Kouga.

 

'It must be Kagome,' he thought in his desperation to save her. `I can't let her die. I won't!'

 

He hadn't noticed the subdued glow of Tetsusiaga. Unknown to him, his speed was being aided by his father's fang, his mother's protector, the sword that in one sweep wreaked havoc on his enemies, disintegrating them with thunderous walls of flames that split the land beneath. He had not yet realized that he and Tetsusaiga were one, that its blaze mirrored the fire in his heart and soul.

 

When Kouga and Inuyasha had reached the edge of the forest, Kaede was already coming to meet them. Her expression told them that she had known of their imminent arrival and had sensed their urgency.

 

"Quickly, bring her!” commanded the old woman, waving her hand toward the doorway.

 

Inuyasha helped Kouga gently lower the still unconscious Kagome onto the bedding lying on the floor of the small hut. Both backed quietly away from the unconscious priestess in order to give Kaede some space.

 

"Can you help her Kaede?” whispered Inuyasha as though his voice would hurt the wounded miko.

 

"I cannot tell until I have seen the wounds, but I can tell ye this; it won't be easy bringing her back to us. Now leave me,” she muttered, flicking her hand toward the door while inspecting Kagome's body.

 

Kaede retrieved the sharpest knife she could find and began to cut away Kagome's clothing. There was no other way to undress Kagome without disturbing her wounds. Upon seeing the extent of the damage, Kaede bowed her head in near defeat.

 

'There may be no helping Kagome now.' Tears came to her eyes as she rose and walked toward the door.

 

While Kaede had been busy, Inuyasha and Kouga stood outside the door of the hut, speaking in hushed voices.

 

"What happened, Inuyasha?" growled Kouga, steely blue eyes glowering at his rival. He wanted answers and he wanted them now!

 

Every muscle in his sinewy body ached to shred Inuyasha to pieces for allowing such harm to come to Kagome. His arms crossed his chest, the hands squeezing the opposite arm in an attempt to quell his desire to eat the hanyou. Even the dark hair swept up into a ponytail quivered with pent up rage. As far as he was concerned, she was his woman and always would be. One day, she would see that and agree to join him in ruling his pack. As long as Inuyasha didn't get her killed first.

 

Not once had Inuyasha looked Kouga in the eye. On the way to Kaede's, Inuyasha had had time to think and was certain that there had been only one way that Kagome could have suffered such wounds.

 

'Could I have done this to her? I couldn't bear it. If I had, I would beg Sango to use hiraikotsu on me,' thought Inuyasha in his fallen heart as he threaded his fingers through his mane while dropping his head to his knees. `She can't die, she…just can't. I promised. I promised to protect her.'

 

Inuyasha spoke with his head lowered, eyes hidden behind his silvery untamed bangs. He couldn't bring himself to meet the angry gaze of Kouga's blue eyes which seemed to be sparking silver darts. Were it not for his need to have a judge, jury and executioner should Kagome die, he would have simply told Kouga to fuck off. As it was, someone needed to make a decision as to his worthiness to stand by Kagome's side. Kouga was the natural choice, since the wolf youkai deeply cared for her.

 

"We were fighting one of Naraku's demons. I transformed…I can't remember anything up to the point that I saw Tetsusaiga in my hands. She was in front of me, unconscious on the ground in a puddle of her own blood. When I kneeled down beside her, she came to and asked me to take her to the lake, so I did. She insisted that I leave her. But, I watched from a distance.”

 

A growl rose from deep within Kouga's broad muscular chest while his upper lip thinned and curled back.

 

"So that I could get a good look at her wounds, stupid! You know how stubborn she is. When I saw what I was looking for, I knew it was time to force her to come to Kaede's. That's when you showed up, you mangy wolf."

 

"You idiot! You don't protect Kagome when you're transformed. You only want to slaughter everything in your path! Gods! Why she stays with you, I will never understand. But if she dies, you die!"

 

Kouga couldn't stand knowing that Inuyasha could transform into a demon with no control, not knowing himself or recognizing his friends. Kagome and her friends were in just as much danger from him as his enemies. Why he had ever trusted Kagome to Inuyasha's care was beyond him. Sheer and utter idiocy was his only explanation.

 

'Stupid girl. I'll kill him one day.'

 

"I would welcome it Kouga, as you wish," replied Inuyasha sliding down against the wall of the hut and dropping his face into his hands. Somehow, he knew. He knew that he had been the on responsible for Kagome's wounds.

 

Kouga's eyes snapped wide as he took in a sharp breath, stunned. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.

 

'Does Inuyasha love Kagome that much? Would he really bare his chest for my dagger? No, I would have to take off his head.'

 

Kouga smirked at the thought. Still, he felt Inuyasha's anguish and joined the half-breed, silently waiting for Kaede's verdict.

 

Kaede came out of the hut, a look on her face that did not bode well.

 

"I will do what I can, but I cannot promise ye anything. I must go to the storehouse for some herbs. I suggest that ye both stay by her side. The presence of her friends is important in her fight to live. She is not faring well," Kaede instructed while giving them both an intense stare that could bore a hole through a rock wall.

 

With that said, Kaede hurried away from them. Without a jealous word between them, the two entered the hut and knelt down beside Kagome, Kouga on the left and Inuyasha on the right. At first, Inuyasha was unsure that she was alive. She looked like a porcelain doll, the outline of her tiny figure beneath the sheets and her still beautiful face as pale as the snow she so loved.

 

So small, so petite, so human and fragile.

 

He brushed the hair away from her face, barely feeling a slight warm breath leave her still beautiful lips. He longed to kiss her and hoped that just that one small thing would bring her back.

 

Guessing the meaning of Inuyasha's gaze, Kouga began to growl, but restrained himself. Instead, he reached for her hand.

 

"Inuyasha," stammered Kouga, "she is so cold…cold as stone."

 

"I know. I felt it when I touched her face."

 

Competitors or no, both knew that this was bad and that Kagome needed all the help she could get.

 

"She needs the warmth of both our bodies. If you agree, we should both try to keep her warm,” suggested Kouga, not taking his worried gaze from Kagome.

 

Inuyasha nodded his head. They both stared at each other, guarding Kagome's virtue as they slid down beside her. Kouga entwined her arm in his and kissed her icy hand hoping to bring it warmth. Tears began to roll down his hardened, sun-tanned cheeks, something that he hadn't experienced since the loss of his many comrades. Had it not been under the current circumstances, he would have been embarrassed. Not now. This was the woman he cherished. She deserved his tears.

 

Kouga looked over to Inuyasha, cradled on Kagome's other side with his head on her shoulder, arm stretched out across her soft abdomen and wondered what was going through the half-breed's mind…

 

`I wished that my fire rat robe was clean. It would do more to conserve what little warmth Kagome has left,' was what he would have heard.

 

He couldn't see Inuyasha's tears trailing out of the corner of his eye, bathing Kagome's shoulder and drenching his own hair. He could not hear the wrenching of Inuyasha's heart. For him, there would be no signs from Inuyasha. Inuyasha's heartbreak was his own to keep. Being careful not to touch her wound, he settled his head in Kagome's hair above her shoulder.

 

Few times had either youkai allowed themselves to shed tears. However, this was Kagome, the one who had stolen their hearts.

 

Kaede returned to find both the hanyou and the wolf demon trying to keep Kagome alive the best way they knew how. She turned away with heavily burdened footsteps.

 

'They may not have much time. I will leave them be. Their medicine, after all, may prove to be stronger than my own.'

 

A shadow was cast from high overhead. Looking up, she saw Kilala with Miroku and Sango astride her back. As the firecat, with ease and grace, silently landed in front of her, she put her finger to her lips, signaling them to be quiet. Well, Kilala had done her part in that department. For the sake of silence, it was a good thing that Shippou hadn't come along.

 

"I know that ye have come to inquire about Kagome. Inuyasha and Kouga are with her now," whispered the old priestess while she led them away from the hut.

 

"Both of them, together, in the same room with Kagome?!" gasped Sango and Miroku.

 

"Shhh! I could not tell this news to Inuyasha. It would be better if ye did."

 

Sango's and Miroku's heart sank further and further with each word whispered while Lady Kaede described Kagome's wounds and how little her medicine could help. They wanted to rush to Kagome's side, but Kaede stilled them. She motioned for them to follow her. Very quietly, she took them to the door of the hut and allowed them to peer through a small crack. What they saw astonished them—Inuyasha asleep on one side of Kagome and Kouga on the other!

 

The amazement lasted only for a moment. What they could see of Kagome wrenched their hearts. Her skin was pale, too pale. The life seemed to have been drained from her small body. Both stepped away from the hut and stared at each other with an overwhelming sadness. However, something unusual had caught Miroku's observant eye though, Tetsusiaga was an almost imperceptive luminescent gold, but glowing nonetheless. It was only a split second of distraction, but enough that he would think on it later.

 

"Sango," Miroku whispered lowering his head to his chest.

 

She put her arms around Miroku's waist, pulling them into each other. Miroku was crushed, his hopes dashed. Seeking to comfort him, and perhaps herself, Sango reached up with her delicate yet strong hand and cupped the side of Miroku's handsome face. She slid her hand under his chin and held it there, lightly tapping it with her thumb, coaxing his face downward so that she could peer into his violet eyes. Through the tears threatening to escape, he gazed at her. As he struggled to hold her gaze, she stood up on the tip of her toes, bringing her face closer and closer. When her lids fluttered shut, she freely gave him the warmth of her lips.

 

Miroku's eyes widened for a moment before he gave in, returning her gesture of comfort. This gift was more than she had ever given him. He waited for her to step away and leave him. But she did not. Instead, barely sinking into his lips, she gave him a taste of her sweet moisture. His eyes drifted shut as he leaned into her. And feeling her wrap her arms around his neck to pull herself up then deepen their kiss, he fully accepted her comfort, returning it with his ever tightening embrace.

 

In the haze of everything seemingly falling apart around them, he hoped this was not a dream. He needed it to be more than an illusion.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~*

 

 

Many Thanks to All of My Readerss

Reviewer Recognition

I Lurv You All

 

 

Cricket42

Inugrrrl

Christen

 

Dark Avenger

Thanks for taking the time to analyze the first chapter and for answering my question

 

 

 

*Disclaimer*

 

Inuyasha and all associated characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I make no profit from this story, nor do I intend to. My only goal is to occupy my demented mind with delusions of actually owning a life-sized, anatomically correct Sesshoumaru. The characters Kaiaela and Mr. Sesshou belong to me

 

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