InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Not My Fairy Tale ❯ Bearskin ( Chapter 6 )

Part six

Bearskin

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“Hearing the old man's troubles Bearskin reassured him, saying `If that is your only problem, then I have money enough.' The kind, gentle-hearted soldier gave the old man handfuls of gold to take back to his family. The old man was so grateful he offered to take Bearskin back to his home that he might choose one of his incredibly beautiful daughters as his wife. This pleased Bearskin and he agreed. When the old man arrived he told the story of his rescue and introduced the strange and dirty soldier to his girls. The first daughter screamed at the sight of Bearskin and fainted. The second looked him up and down and said `He's not even human anymore, how can I accept such a monster as a husband?' and she ran from the house. The youngest and most beautiful girl smiled kindly at the half-human-“

 

“He's kinda like a hanyou now, isn't he, Kagome?” Shippo asked from his seat in front of the storyteller. He had his tiny paws grasped in his hands as he sat cross legged, trying to imitate InuYasha without falling over. The dog-eared boy snorted from where he sat behind Kagome and looked away, pointed ignoring everything and everyone.

 

“Not quite but I suppose, he at least looked like a half-man half-bear by now.” Kagome giggled a little nervously at Shippo's keen observation, comparing the brave soldier of fortune to the reckless half-demon sulking behind her.

 

“Now the girl said `Father, he must be a good man to have helped you when you were in trouble. I will keep your promise and become his bride.' Bearskin was glad to have found such a selfless, accepting girl for a wife and took the ring from his finger and broke it in two. He carved his name on her half and her name on his and told her to keep it safe for one year when he would return to her. Should he not return then he was dead and she was free of him. He left them, and the girl dressed in black as a sign of mourning and waiting. The youngest daughter wept when she thought of the compassionate man who would be her husband forced to wander the world, alone and friendless.”

 

Kagome saw Sango lean into Miroku's side and whisper in his ear. “That does sound like someone we know.” The demon slayer chuckled. It was just loud enough for her to hear so she was positive InuYasha had heard it too. Her face burned a warm red and she dropped her wide, disbelieving eyes to the grass beneath her knees. `Oh my god. I can't believe she just said that- now everyone's gonna think the story's about InuYasha!' She snapped her mouth shut then hurriedly continued with the very non-InuYasha-related fairytale.

 

“N-Now the last day of the seven year deal came and the soldier returned to where he had made the pact with the youkai. When the demon appeared he had a nasty fit at having lost the bet. But he honored the deal and cleaned the soldier, cutting his hair and shaving his beard, and dressing him in grand clothes. The soldier left for town and bought a carriage to take him to his bride's home. When he arrived, no one recognized him. The two older sisters fell over themselves to impress him but the youngest was dressed in black and never raised her eyes nor spoke a word. Saddened by how sorrowful and faithful the girl had stayed the year he was gone, the soldier stayed for dinner after which he asked the old man if he could take his daughter for a wife. The two sisters left the room with their father, thinking one of them would be chosen. Once he and his unknowing bride were alone, he knelt before her and asked for her hand in marriage.

 

“ `Alas, sir, my heart belongs to another. I am betrothed to the man who carries the other half of this ring. I await his return for he promised he would come back to me after the year is out. But I will wait longer still, praying for his safe return.' ” Kagome grinned in a pathetically hopeful way, her heart hung on those words, waiting, forever for a love that might never have been meant to be- how well she knew the feeling.

 

“Keh. There's no way she could have that much feeling for an ugly monster she'd only met for a night. It's just a stupid, naive story.” Kagome's heart froze at his tactless words, and InuYasha stood and stomped away, the breeze of his abrupt movement chilling the hurt miko. She shivered, though it was more from what he'd said than from the night air. Tears pricked her eyes but she blinked quickly, turning to glance behind her. Let the others think she was glaring at his retreating back.

 

“Love at first sight! It happens! She fell in love with a kind soul, not the terrible beast!” She shouted. The silence of the night was her only reply.

 

“Kagome, just finish without him. He's stupid but I like your stories.” Shippo scowled fiercely in the direction the hanyou had fled in, a baby growl rising from his small chest. “I think that one just hit too close to home!” He shouted at the long gone InuYasha.

 

“Oh Shippo, it's okay!” Kagome was surprised at the strength of Shippo's show of anger and swooped the cub up in her arms, rubbing his head to erase the memory of his growling. “Where was I?”

 

“The girl was declining his proposal of marriage, Kagome-sama.”

 

“A familiar line, huh, Houshi-sama?” Sango grinned and the monk laughed uneasily, one hand at the back of his head.

 

“I don't know what you mean, Sango-“ The unaccounted for hand was suddenly accounted for as the teasing smile dropped from the taijiya's face and a sharp crack resounded through the dark forest.

 

Kagome laughed at the couple then settled once more to finish her story. She petted the fox kitsune in her lap, knowing he'd calm down under her attention. “So the youngest daughter said she would wait until her betrothed returned and that she couldn't possible marry the young man before her. The soldier took advantage of her closed eyes and plucked the ring half from the ribbon she wore around her neck. She began to protest until he held up his half of the ring and put them together, proving they were once the same, whole ring. `I am you betrothed, whom you once saw as the horrid creature, Bearskin. I have now returned for you.' He kissed the girl and the two older sisters returned to hear his confession. They were so furious that they ran away and killed themselves out of jealousy. The demon appeared and claimed their souls, laughing that he had lost the soldier's soul but gained two more instead.

 

“The youngest daughter and the soldier were soon married and lived happily ever after, never doubting their faith and love for one another.”

 

“If only everyone was blessed with such faith and trust.” Miroku stated wistfully, his eyes closed though he was obviously indicating the girl beside him. Kagome laughed at Sango's indignant expression, and the group continued to chat while Kagome soothingly petted the fox kit to sleep in her lap. The fading sunset deepened and disappeared, the air quickly grew nippy. Kagome opened her sleeping bag and threw it over her shoulders as a warm, downy blanket and she placed a tired Shippo in the nest she made in the extra comforter beside her.

 

“Was InuYasha going to stand watch tonight, or has he abandoned us to brood?” Sango asked loudly to the woods surrounding their little campsite. As before, there was no answer from the missing hanyou.

 

“I'll go look for him, he can't be too far. I swear, he thinks without him we'd forget to breathe.” Kagome stood, careful not to disturb her sleeping pup, and shivered delicately in the cool air. She pouted at the loss of warmth but InuYasha's glaring eyes and reproachful voice beckoned her. Now that she thought about it, he sounded as hurt as she'd felt when he left-

 

Kagome snatched her bow and quiver from where they lay next to her pack and slung both over her shoulder. No sense in being stupid. She walked away from the light of the fire and into the black trees. She hoped he'd stayed close enough to keep an eye on them, he was probably up hiding in some nearby tree, waiting for a demon to slaughter. He had to at least be close enough to hear them call if they needed help or if she suddenly sensed a shard.

 

When it grew too dark to see by the waning moon and fading firelight, the miko took out the jar of shards that she kept tucked in her pocket and concentrated, praying as Kikyou had taught her once while trapped in a cave a while ago. The six bits of crystal tinkled like tiny chimes in their container then began to glow a steady, clear lilac, just bright enough to show her a path through the underbrush. She whistled softly and took a deep breath, pleased with the result of her power.

 

“InuYasha? Where are you?” She called quietly. InuYasha would hear her, she knew he would but she didn't want to attract any unwanted attention from wild boars or cats or bears. She just wanted the dog.

 

“It's time to come back, you can't be mad at me forever. I'm gonna find you one way or the other.” She warned to the leaves overhead. “Don't make me say the word.” She waited a moment, listening for a tell-tale rustle in the canopy or bushes. “InuYasha.” She pursed her lips, her scowl a mirror of one his best. “O-su-wa-“

 

“Baka wench! What the hell do you think you're doin'?!” He landed just feet in front of her, exactly as she expected. A little closer, actually- she back-stepped quickly, hand falling over her heart as it jumped. He glared at her with those glowering, somber eyes, his mouth firm and frowning, his hands fisted at his sides.

 

“Oh good. I'm glad I found you.” She smiled brightly, and took a hold of his sleeve as if she'd just run into him on the street and it was all a pleasant surprise. “Now what had you in such a huff earlier? You were really mean back there. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings-” She sidled up beside him- and his warm haori- and started walking slowly back to camp with the surly boy in tow.

 

“Feh. I don't know what the hell you're talkin' about.” He grumbled and folded his arms. She kept her hold on his elbow and sighed melodramatically.

 

“You didn't like my story again. It's like a variation of Beauty and the Beast, I guess. I kinda promised I wouldn't tell stories like that. I thought you might get offended.”

 

“You didn't promise me anything.” He said haughtily, blowing off her disguised apology.

 

“No, but I'm sorry anyway. I know you've always felt like you've been left out, maybe even cursed to be alone and it hurts you even more when you start to think you have someone to be nice to you, friends who will be friends no matter what, who know you in and out and forgive and forget-“

 

“Keh. You're just as naïve as your baby stories.” He jeered. Kagome stopped dead, her hands falling clenched and bloodless at her sides.

 

“InuYasha! You're such an IDIOT!” She screamed, tears welling unbidden to her chocolate eyes. The hanyou instantly froze, his sensitive ears flicking back so far they practically pressed flat against his white hair. “You don't even see what's in front of your face! Baka, baka, baka!” Tears raced down silver tracks along her cheeks as she spun away.

 

“Ka- Kagome-” He winced at the sight and no doubt scent of her tears, more respectful of them than her words.

 

“Shut up. I don't care if you see us as friends or not. I don't care what you see us as. I'm going to bed.” With that she wiped away her tears and swiftly strode away, the enchanted glow of her shards fading as her concentration collapsed.

 

InuYasha was left muttering curses as he stalked his way back to camp a safe distance behind his miko. He never saw it coming when he heard an irritable murmur float back toward him and his prayer beads began to glow pink.

 

“Osuwari.”