InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Oops ❯ Cold Water ( Chapter 13 )

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha or any characters there in.

Chapter 13: Cold Water

(Day 29)

"How much farther is this village?" Kagome yawned, "It seems like we've been traveling for a week!"

InuYasha adjusted his grip on her legs, "That's cause you keep falling to sleep." He grumbled. It was already well into the afternoon.

"Would you rather I stay awake and be cranky?" she asked, just a little too happy, "Put me down."

InuYasha rolled his eyes and let go of her legs. Kagome slid down slowly and took off for the trees at a brisk limp, she must have been asleep longer then she thought.

"Where are you going?" InuYasha called after her.

"To use a tree, why do you think I woke up?" She answered quickly, "Go on, I'll catch up."

"Keh!" InuYasha crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby tree.

Sango jumped off Kirara, who transformed and jumped into her arms. Miroku and Shippo continued to drift up the trail on Kagome's bike; there was no real reason for all of them to wait for Kagome, and no reason to waist the energy already put into moving the machine forward.

"Miroku look!" Shippo leaned forward in his basket and pointed at the battle field that covered the road for at least a mile, "Eww, they've been burned." He put his hand over his nose.

Sango, InuYasha and Kagome joined him on the edge of the battlefield.

"The trees on edge of the field aren't damaged." Sango noted, "It looks like a youkai."

"Ya think?" InuYasha sniffed about discreetly, trying to avoid the smell of burnt flesh and get the scent of the youkai involved at the same time. "It's recent, just a few days old, I can make out one youkai." He sneezed, "Smells like sulfur."

The army of burned bodies smelled awful even to the humans. Their flesh was dark, blistered and shiny, their wounds seeped and flies and beetles were crawling everywhere.

"I think we should go around to the-" Miroku paused to do a quick head count. "Where's Kagome?"

She seemed to have vanished, again. InuYasha swore under his breath hopping that she hadn't gotten kidnapped, again, while he was distracted by the stench.

"She's over here!" Shippo pointed to a bush off to the side of the path, "But I wouldn't go back there if I were you."

"What's wrong?" InuYasha moved towards Shippo.

Kagome's wavering voice drifted from the bush, "No, stay back. This is embarrassing enough. Shippo? Would you bring me my small bag, please?"

Some rather unpleasant sounds followed. Shippo ran quickly to the pack, on the bike and slowly returned to the bush.

"She's never done that before," Miroku turned to InuYasha, who was grimacing, "has she?"

He shook his head, "Never."

"Most women become nauseous when pregnant," Sango said thoughtfully, "maybe it's just now catching up with Kagome."

The males looked at her in surprise.

"What?" she returned their look, "I helped out around the village, I'm an older sister. I am a woman, or have you forgotten that?" she finish dryly.

"I could never forget that, Sango." Miroku smiled and walked towards her. InuYasha had lost interest.

"Miroku, I'm in the mood to hit something right now." Kagome walked up holding Shippo and artfully keeping her back to the gruesome field.

"The village is across that field Kagome," InuYasha took in her slightly green face. "We have to go around."

"I can sense a shard," Kagome said in a clipped tone, "Only one and it's past that field."

InuYasha nodded, "Are you alright?"

Kagome nodded, "I just can't look at it, lets get this over with, fast."

For a while they traveled perpendicular to the road, putting as much distance between them and the carnage as possible. It took them the rest of the afternoon to reach the road again and put enough space between them and the stench to satisfy the youkai noses among them. They had to make camp in the twilight, and pray the wind didn't change.

"Tired." Kagome yawned from her seat next to Sango.

"Just finish your ramen, Kagome," Sango said, "Then you can go to sleep."

Kagome looked down at the bowl of noodles half-heartedly, "I'm getting tired of ramen."

"We keep traveling too long to hunt." Sango yawned. InuYasha was really pushing them while Kagome slept.

"Hmm, since Kagome returned from her home we have eaten nothing but traveling foods," Miroku aimed this comment at InuYasha, "nothing fresh, no vegetables-"

"No meat!" Shippo piped up.

"We'll reach the village tomorrow." InuYasha said over his empty ramen container, "They'll have food there. Kagome's too tired to wait for anything fresh to cook tonight."

"Good night every body." Kagome yawned, again, and put her empty container into the fire. She crawled over to her sleeping bag and slipped inside. InuYasha jumped into the tree above her, just like he had last night. Kagome figured, and hoped, that the return to the normal sleeping arrangements was due to the lack of convenient cover lately. But, she missed him; she had really enjoyed her one night of knowingly falling to sleep in his arms. And her lately less then rational mind would come up with all kinds of depressing reasons for the nightly distance.

InuYasha didn't like it any better than Kagome. But he didn't want the chance of a human walking up to camp and catching them together. Miroku's teasing really wouldn't factor in, as long as they didn't do anything. And he slept to deeply when he was with Kagome. And her sleeping bag was really too small for two people anyway. He wouldn't be able to jump up quickly if he needed to.

At least she was now marked properly again. Now youkai that could tell that she pregnant would also know that she was his mate. Not that that made her much safer, it was just that now she stood slightly less chance of something really horrible happening to her because she was pregnant and without a mate. Assuming they cared either way. But most animal based youkai would, and they are the ones that InuYasha was worried about.

Shippo was ecstatic about the whole thing. He had been worried that InuYasha would take his place beside Kagome at night permanently, and he would have to content himself with Kirara or Sango. But now he could curl up with Kagome and enjoy her new warmer, almost velvety scent. A mother's scent, which was still completely Kagome. All he had to do was put up with InuYasha's fiery, woodsy mark, but even that seemed to suit Kagome just fine.

And so the night passed. Kagome and Shippo curled up in her sleeping bag, InuYasha in his tree. The others were spread around the fire just far enough away from each other to prevent "misunderstandings".

The next day went much like the others had. Kagome marched ahead with InuYasha, hurrying them toward the rumored village. Or InuYasha hurrying them along while Kagome napped on his back.

It was mid afternoon when they spotted the village from a rise in the road. Kagome was on her own feet and happy to see their destination so close, maybe she could get in a nap before the fight, or some real food.

They entered the village and did the usual, find the nicest place in town and finagle food and shelter, this time however, the youkai terror was real.

The villagers welcomed them warmly, after they found out that they were here to fight the nearby fire youkai.

"The fire youkai has always been there." The headman said as he showed them to their room, "He protected this village, he provided us with the hot spring. A few weeks ago a powerful youkai attacked the village and he defended us. The fight went deep into the woods and we lost sight of them. After that our protector turned against us. Within the village we are relatively safe, but the attacks are getting closer and closer. We are worried that the next attack with kill us all."

"Do not worry," Miroku said, "tomorrow we will see to this fire youkai for you."

"We can not pay you much." The headman said.

Miroku shook his head, "Not to worry, we think that the youkai may have something we want. After that… anything you can offer so that my friends and I can continue our good works would of course be appreciated."

"Then why wait?" the headman asked, "Why not go out today and get it over with?"

"We have traveled long and hard to get here, sir." Miroku replied, "We need rest and good food before we can face a fight with such a powerful youkai."

This continued for a little longer, but Kagome lost interest in it all fairly quickly. She stole a glance at InuYasha; he was looking around the room, checking out the situation like always. But this time he was standing on the other side of Sango, not next to her as usual.

He was acting distant again. He had kept someone between them ever since the village came into view, and rarely even looked in Kagome's direction.

Finally the headman accepted that the situation would just have to wait for tomorrow and left to see to a hot meal for them.

Miroku sighed and took a seat next to the wall so that he could lean against it.

"What?" InuYasha sat next to Miroku and looked at him pointedly, "You're not going to chat up the village for information?"

"No, InuYasha," Miroku said with his eyes closed, "I am going to rest and enjoy a hot meal of something other than ramen. Then perhaps I'll see what the villagers have to add to our hosts' description."

"What's this shit about waiting a day, huh?" InuYasha scowled, "We could take him now."

"We are tired, InuYasha." Miroku explained patiently, "I truly believe Sango, Kagome and I require rest to face this fight."

InuYasha looked around at his friends. Sango was leaning against the other wall next to Kagome with her eyes closed. Kagome was sitting next to Sango, looking at him; she looked tired and kind of sad. InuYasha wanted to go to her, but didn't want the risk someone seeing them together.

Since everyone else had their eyes closed, Shippo was the only one to see the sad looks passing between the young couple on opposite sides of the room. He sighed, forget the time thing, lack of communication was definitely their biggest problem. So, should he tell Kagome what he thought InuYasha's motives where, or tell InuYasha to do it himself. Telling Kagome would most likely cause an entertaining scene, and get him hit on the head when she wasn't looking. Approaching InuYasha could get him hit on the head.

It was a tough choice, but Shippo decided that, since they were really mates now, he would actually try to help. He scuttled up to InuYasha and sat in his lap.

"What?" InuYasha growled distractedly.

"You should tell Kagome why you've been avoiding her since we reached the village." Shippo whispered.

InuYasha turned his gaze away from Kagome to look at Shippo, "Is that what's bothering her?"

Shippo shrugged, "It seems reasonable. Why else would she get so sad after you guys became mates for real?"

InuYasha flinched and Shippo realized that might not have been the best way to put it, "Just talk to her, InuYasha. Kagome doesn't understand the way things work here. She doesn't know what we know."

"Shippo is right, InuYasha." Miroku added quietly, "Kagome doesn't understand why people would be… unhappy, with your relationship with her."

InuYasha was silent for a while, "I'll talk to her. When we're on the road again."

The smell of hot stew filled the room as their meal was brought to them.

"Meat!" Shippo sniffed happily at the aroma of hot, cooked, red meat coming strongly from the stew.

The bowl was set on a low table in the center of the room and everyone gathered around it eagerly. Everyone, except for Kagome.

Kagome stared at the bowl with a horrified expression. The smell that Shippo had squealed happily over was turning her stomach something awful.

"Kagome," Sango asked as the rest noticed that she had not joined them, "what's wrong?"

"You look kinda green." Shippo said.

"I'm… going out side." Kagome jumped up and ran from the room. She sat on a porch, panting, "Damn it! I finally get some real food and I can't stand to be in the same room with it."

"What's wrong Kagome?" Sango asked as she sat down next to her.

Kagome looked at her friend reproachfully, "You didn't have to come out here."

"Yes I did," Sango said, "You're my friend. Why did you leave like that? What's wrong with the food here?"

"Nothing Sango," Kagome sighed, "I just… got nauseous when I smelled the meat. I'm so hungry, and I want to eat that stew but, I can't stand the smell. Maybe if it was cold, then it wouldn't smell so much, and I could eat it."

Sango nodded, "I thought it might be something like that. I'll put your bowl aside."

Kagome smiled at her, "Thank you Sango, I'll stay out here until the coast is clear."

*

As Kagome put down her empty bowl the headman ran into the room.

"The youkai is attacking!" he panted, "Please come with me now."

They gathered their weapons and ran into the early twilight. Just outside the village, flames were leaping behind some trees and a flaming vaguely humanoid flaming figure was spraying fire from his hands.

Kagome zeroed in on the shard while the others took in the field of battle. The shard that she had been sensing was lodged in the creatures "throat", and it was a dark purple.

"INUYASHA!" she called above the roar of the fire, "Don't kill him! I think the shard was already tainted. I think-"

The youkai turned to them and sent a tentacle of flame at them forcing them to scatter. InuYasha grabbed Kagome in mid sentence.

"- if we can remove the shard, the youkai will return to being the village protector." Kagome finished, unfazed, when InuYasha put her down in a new, unscorched spot.

He looked at her in slight shock, had this sort of thing really become that ordinary to her, "You could have gotten kill just then Kagome, If I hadn't pulled you out of there."

Kagome waved it off, "I knew you would get me out in time. We don't have time to waist. Just get me to him so I can get the shard out safely."

"Where's the shard? I'll do it myself." InuYasha turned to the fight; Sango and Miroku were battling the fire youkai using blue and white powder bombs and ofuda. They seemed to slow the raging youkai a bit.

"No, InuYasha, promise me you won't kill him." Kagome gave him a stern look.

InuYasha returned the look, "…I can't promise that."

Kagome nodded, "It's in his throat."

InuYasha surveyed the field, the stream ran from the cold hot spring north of the village ran next to the burning scene, maybe he could use that.

Kagome watched the battle through the heat smoke and steam and waited for her chance to help. Sango's powder bomb lessened the flames on the youkai, but Miroku's ofuda would burn up before they reached the creature. InuYasha stood on the other side, blocked from Kagome's view by fire, smoke and steam.

InuYasha waited for Sango to toss another powder bomb before he sliced into the water, sending a wave over the powder covered youkai. The powder that hadn't yet disintegrated became a thick paste that gave off a choking steam as it burned.

Blinded, hurt and coughing, the youkai backed away from its own smoke and tripped. As soon as it was down Kagome rushed forward, the paste was burning away, but the toxic steam was mostly spent. She pulled out an arrow and gouged the tainted shard out of his neck as quickly and carefully as she could.

The shard landed a few feet away from the now still youkai. Kagome backed away, choking on the thick steam, as the last of the paste burned away and he returned to his full heat.

InuYasha watched Kagome back away, coughing, and kneel a few feet away. Sango and Miroku, as well as some of the villagers, started to put out the burning forest before it reached the village. The other villagers, who hadn't felt so confident in the victory yet, started to join them. Nobody neared Kagome and the youkai.

InuYasha looked at the youkai, he wasn't sure what would happen now that the shard had been removed, he didn't trust him yet.

The youkai sat up and looked at Kagome. His face was lost in the flames, but she saw him nod at her before his stood and left. The path he took to his mountain remained untouched by the flames that had forced Kagome back.

"Kagome!" Shippo dove into her belly, setting off another coughing fit. "Are you alright?"

Kagome nodded and looked up at InuYasha. He had walked up the bank, starring at her. The villagers ran around her, some stopped to help her clear her lungs. InuYasha looked at her with a blank, almost angry look on his face. Then he turned toward the village and walked away.

*

A/N: I'm back! I passed my test and am beginning to fit in a work, kind of. That last one can take awhile for me. I had to get a new computer and that took longer then reasonable.