InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Remnants of the Spider ❯ The Caves Pt. 2 ( Chapter 40 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Lady Sianna 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 11.11.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.4K | Visits: 306 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 11.11.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.4K | Visits: 306 | Status: Work In Progress
Remnants of the Spider
The Caves Pt. 2 __________________________________________________________________ ______
Willing herself to remain calm, Kagome stared at the ceiling, or more specifically, the dark creatures that clung to it. ‘They’re sleeping…’ she rationalized mentally. Regulating her breathing with great care, the miko took in the scents of damp stone and the unkempt creatures that currently shared their space. As long as they were quiet, the bats would remain asleep. If they moved quickly and carefully, they would hopefully be able to retrieve the key and get out of this place before nightfall when the bats would naturally wake.
“We should get going,” the priestess finally spoke up as she attempted to decipher which way they should go. There was no clear path available and even with the two flashlights, visibility was limited in the spacious chamber.
“I have an idea.” Sango announced suddenly. Reaching for the tiny fire-cat which had at some point taken up a perch on her shoulder, the huntress carefully scooped the little neko up and held it before her eyes. “Kirara, I need you to transform for me please.” she instructed gently.
Leaping from her mistress’s hands, the cat readily obeyed. As it morphed into the larger form of its battle size, demonic flames erupted like fiery bangles around both its fore, and hind limbs. With the transformation, welcomed light radiated around the cat allowing it to act as a living lantern.
With a small appreciative smile, Kagome switched off her flashlight, and placed it back into the folds of her haori. The miko then pulled her bow from its place across her shoulders opting to carry it in her hand just in case she needed it.
Inuyasha switched off his flashlight as well placing it into one of his oversized sleeves. Casting another glance toward the stony canopy, he flexed his claws in preparation for the unknown.
Kirara now taking the lead with Inuyasha close behind, lead the group in an unhurried trek through the cave. The place held an ominous feel and the bats and dancing shadows only added to the eerie sensation.
The travelers had walked in silence for several moments before Inuyasha finally asked, “Sense anything yet Kagome?”
“I’m not sure,” she answered quietly, “I think we should keep moving forward though. I feel… a strange energy all around this place but I can’t say for sure what it is or where it’s coming from.”
With her less than encouraging answer, the explorers fell into silence again. As they moved together, the collective sounds of their footfalls echoed off distant walls making it sound as if another collection of beings was coming to surround them. Even to the demons in their group this was an unpleasant place. The overpowering stench of the bats together with the thick moisture in the air made scenting for danger all but impossible. Even their acute sense of hearing could not be relied upon in this place as echoing noises were deceptive and could not easily be traced back to their source. However, it soon became apparent that they were not alone in the cave; aside from the bats, something else was alive here.
“Do you hear that, Sesshoumaru?” Inuyasha asked, his voice quiet and unusually fierce. Remembering the lesson taught to him by the elder inu, the hanyou decreased the speed of his stride to a predatory stalk.
“Yes.” Sesshoumaru responded evenly, his eyes focused straight ahead. Looking up at him, Kagome noticed the tense set of his jaw, and the faint but dangerous glint in his eyes.
“Hear what?!” the miko whispered urgently, her hand instinctively tightening on her bow.
“Something’s here, and it ain‘t sleeping.” Inuyasha said as he concentrated on hiding his youki. He could feel the creatures ahead of them and even though he could not yet see them he knew they were not bats. Reaching his ears again and again was the ghastly sound of rending flesh followed by the equally repulsive sound of that same flesh being devoured. An occasional crunch was heard to accompany the other noises, while unknown fluids spilled onto the cave floor.
“What is it?” asked Miroku, his voice edged with concern.
“I don’t know,” replied the hanyou, “but I think we’re about to find out.”
The dismal prediction would be realized sooner than any of them expected as the light projected from Kirara sprawled out before them. Growling softly as she sensed the proximity of the creatures growing close, the cat finally ceased her advancement and crouched low ready to pounce at the slightest provocation. As the rest of the group caught up, they looked forward to see a most unwelcome scene just a couple of yards ahead of them. Her spine tingling unpleasantly, Kagome was forced to cover her mouth to stifle the gasp that nearly escaped her lips.
They were spiders... dark, strange-looking spiders which had been feasting on the body of a small unfortunate bat youkai. Nearly the size of Kirara in her battle form, these spiders, like the bats, were if the youkai variety. They were fierce, horrendous-looking creature with large, blood stained mandibles on either side of their flat heads. Their bodies were equally flat but broad with long thin legs protruding from either side. Additionally, the creatures were naturally camouflaged, their slightly textured hides a speckled mixture of what appeared to be dark brown and black.
Numbering no less than a dozen, the creatures detected their arrival and abandoned their meal. Shining black eyes turned toward them as spiny legs tensed in anticipation. Though blind due to the dark caves in which they naturally resided, the creatures’ hearing was acute and well adjusted to the echoing caverns of their home.
Moving slowly so as not to trigger a premature attack, Kagome drew arrow from her quiver. Her hopes of getting out of here quickly were not looking so good at this point.
‘Again with the spiders!!’ she thought glumly. ‘I hadn’t even thought about spiders!!’
Without warning, the first spider leapt into the air, legs spread, and mandibles ready. With speed and agility characteristic of any feline, Kirara leapt as well deftly avoiding the creatures jaws before sinking her long sharp fangs into its body. The spider’s legs flailed wildly and the fire-cat struggled to prevent its escape. Finally, she wrestled it to the ground and using her slightly larger frame to her advantage, Kirara pressed the youkai against the floor. Then, using her powerful forelimbs to pin it in place, she ended the short battle with a sharp snap of her neck. With a sickening crunch, the youkai’s body was split into two large pieces. A disgusting mixture of blood and organs spilled onto the floor causing most of their group to grimace in distaste.
For his part, Sesshoumaru merely frowned. “We will have to destroy the rest of them more quickly if we do not wish to wake the bats.”
With the conclusion of his statement, another spider quickly scampered forward. Long legs galloping with little effort over the uneven floor, the creature made short work of moving in on them. Wincing quietly at its speed and the feeling of disgust its movements invoked, Kagome loosed a well aimed arrow. Brightening the cave with its light and purity, the arrow sailed through the air before its sharpened tip became buried deep in the spider’s head.
Without a sound, the creature froze in its place as its body was wrapped in consuming pink energy. The light soon died out and the arrow hit the floor with a light clatter as the demon was rendered into fluttering ash.
With the demise of the second spider, the attacks came with more frequency. Leaping soundlessly to the front of the group, Sesshoumaru didn’t say a word as his right hand began to glow. With a flick of his wrist, a long acidic whip extended from two clawed fingers. The daiyoukai hardly exerted himself before more than half the demons were dead. As if angered by his effortless execution of their comrades, the other spiders gathered around him. Some scampered swiftly across the ground while others leapt into the hoping to catch him by surprise.
His expression devoid of emotion, Sesshoumaru artfully destroyed every demon that dared to approach him. The battle would have ended quickly if not for the fact that the more demons he killed, the more there seemed to be remaining.
Swift and agile, the creatures were beginning to emerge from every dark corner of the cave. Their movements characteristically arachnid, the creatures’ long legs moved almost soundlessly across the floor while their large mandibles snapped together hungrily in anticipation of an easy meal.
Growling quietly, Inuyasha flexed his claws. The hanyou swiftly leapt through the air taking a space opposite of Sesshoumaru and leaving his friends between them. This way, he and the daiyoukai would take the brunt of the attack while the others dealt with whatever remained. The spiders were not very powerful, but they would cause a greater problem if they were not destroyed quickly.
Inuyasha’s movements were precise and deadly as he clawed his way through the spiders with his trademark valor. Many of the youkai found their demise at the end of his sharp claws while very few managed to escape his reach. Those that did were dispatched with equal expediency by sacred arrows, sutras or the business end of an oversized boomerang.
The combined efforts soon dented the spiders’ numbers, and those that remained were beginning to show reluctance to continue fighting. Some were slowly backing away. In spite of their primitive appearance, the creatures were apparently intelligent enough to realize that they were outmatched.
With a final flick of Sesshoumaru’s wrist, the last demon willing to fight was destroyed when an acidic whip cleaved its body in two. Kirara, incited by the instinctual urge to chase, wasted no time in following the remaining demons as they quickly scuttled back to the shadowy crevices from which they had come.
Like insects they scattered in all directions, disappearing into any cavity, chamber our tunnel large enough to accommodate them. In spite of this, the fire-cat managed to corner a single youkai, backing it into a wall. With nowhere to go, and its demise staring at it in the form of an oversized cat, the spider began to do something very strange. Crouching so that its body was closer to the floor, the spider started to shake and move its legs rapidly against one another. Initially it looked as if it would attack, but its intention became clear when it began to emit the strangest sound any of them had ever heard. Kagome, Miroku and Inuyasha instantly covered their ears attempting to block out the noise which was a strange combination of a high pitched screeching and the intense reverberation of distant thunder.
The intense sound too much for its sensitive ears, the fire-cat was forced to retreat. Pushing its sizable body off the ground, the neko performed a reverse somersault and skidded to a stop several feet away.
“It’s going to wake the bats!” Sango announced almost frantically, her weapon already poised for attack. A light grunt escaped her as the bone projectile flew from her fingers. They watched as the boomerang tore through the air cleanly severing the spider’s body before making the trip back to its owner. The huntress caught the weapon with practiced ease just as her devoted neko made its way back to her side. With the last spider gone tense, uneasy silence crept up around them.
Unsurprisingly, it would not last long…
All eyes turned to the ceiling where a single bat was beginning to stir. Slowly, it began unwrapping large thin wings from its body. It extended them broadly in a languorous stretch before surrendering to a toothy yawn. Opening its tiny, unseeing eyes, the bat angled its head and ears to face the ground below.
“Move!!” yelled Inuyasha before the bat could do anything further. Instinctually, he pushed off the ground grabbing Kagome awkwardly in his flight. Gasping as she was pressed against the firm planes of his body, the miko nearly dropped her bow when he launched them both off the ground. She hardly had time to give him a dirty look for his impromptu manhandling before he skidded to a stop near Sesshoumaru and placed her between the two of them. Heeding the hanyou’s warning, Miroku, Sango and Kirara quickly sprinted away from the bat to join them.
Adrenalin was already running high from the previous battle, but now as the travelers turned their collective gaze toward the stone canopy, they waited in tense anticipation.
Its mouth opened wide, the bat released a sharp series of barks. Inuyasha looked on and was mildly surprised to see that these were unlike the sounds produced by the bat he and Sesshoumaru had battled. Instead of the intense destructive halos of energy he had expected, this sound produced something significantly less forceful. Probably due to the dimness of the cave, the energy was not visible, but it could be felt. Deceptively pleasant, the energy rolled over them like soothing waves of warm water. One after another, soft rings of energy passed over and through them before they finally bounced off the stone floor and began the reverse journey back to the creature from which they had been released.
Large, precisely angled ears picked up the returning sound and the bat immediately dropped from its perch on the ceiling. Its large powerful wings kept it aloft for a short time before the bat landed some yards ahead of them.
Not quite as large as the bat he and Sesshoumaru had battled, the creature still boasted an imposing size in the enclosed space. Muscles tensed in preparation, Inuyasha was just about to dart forward when the bright flare of Kagome’s arrow whizzed by him toward the bat. With a single flap of its massive wings, the bat rose from the ground as if it weighted nothing at all. The arrow passed beneath it before the creature countered with an attack of its own.
The bat released yet another series of barks, these similar to the ones Inuyasha had faced. Smaller, more controlled rings of energy blurred through the air at frightening speeds. Reacting quickly to the attack, the hanyou leapt to the front of the group, his deadly claws slicing through the air. Unprepared for the nullification of its attack, the creature did not react quickly enough to avoid the powerful wind blades released from Inuyasha’s claws. Within seconds, the bat was ripped to shreds, its torn and bloodied body crashing harshly against a distant wall.
Victory over the lone bat would become inconsequential however as more bats were beginning to wake. One by one the creatures began to drop from the expansive ceiling. Collectively, they seemed to presume that they were under attack, and thus responded in kind. Too many to count, the demons began to fly in swift erratic patterns around the cavern; some daring to fly dangerously close to the group.
The constant beating of their powerful wings generated unpredictable wind patterns and began to dislodge small and medium-sized rocks from the walls and ceiling. To make matters worse, some of the demons began to attack with the same sharp series of barks.
In their efforts to avoid the small but powerful rings of energy the bats produced, the group was forced to scatter in different directions. As they spread out in the spacious cave, each human, hanyou or demon was forced to fight alone. With Kirara, their only light source moving about erratically, it was more difficult to see than ever.
Each member of the group was forced to rely primarily on his or her ability to sense demonic auras so that they did not accidentally attack a comrade. With the constant movement of the swiftly flying bats, the falling rocks and the high levels of stress, it was not an easy task.
Sensing high levels of energy heading straight toward her, Kagome leapt with as much force as her legs could produce. Tucking her body and rolling across the unforgiving floor, the miko scarcely avoided a series of energy rings. They exploded onto the floor just to her right forcing her to leap again so that she was not dragged into the gapping chasm left by the impact or pelted with jagged rock debris.
Her evasion was only partially successful as a sizable rock hit her in the back tearing through her haori and the delicate flesh beneath. Stifling a pained cry behind gritted teeth, the miko ignored the pain as best she could and notched an arrow against her bowstring. With the power that could only belong to the last Shikon miko, Kagome took down no less than half a dozen bats with each arrow she shot. From her place against a relatively sturdy wall, she was scarcely able to see her friends and could only hope that they were faring well.
Sesshoumaru’s whips soon became visible to her far left. The acidic ropes were in constant motion and the faint light they produced allowed her to see the innumerable demons he had already left dead in his wake. Though he was slowly moving toward her, he almost seemed to pivot in place, his movements deadly, efficient and exceptionally graceful.
Confident that he would not need her assistance anytime soon, Kagome turned back to the battle. Dreadfully, she realized that her arrows were beginning to run low. She had killed more bats than she could count and apparently so had Sesshoumaru. She couldn’t really see the others, but she knew that they would have been doing a fair amount of damage as well. Still, there were bats everywhere! They were going to have to come up with another strategy soon because there were still far too many bats, and with larger and larger rocks falling from the ceiling, someone was bound to get seriously hurt if they didn’t find a way out of here soon!
Apparently realizing the same thing, Miroku called out to his companions, “Over here!! There’s a tunnel; we need to get out of here!”
Sango, who had not been far away from him attempted to follow the sound of his voice. Before she could get to him however, the right wing of a low flying bat swept her off the ground. Flipping end over end, the slayer flew through the air before landing roughly on her back. A sharp cry burst from her lips as she rolled to her side in agonizing pain.
“Sango...!” Kagome and Miroku called simultaneously. Kirara was the first to reach her but the huntress was in too much pain to pull herself onto the neko’s back.
“Don’t try and move Sango!! I’m coming for you!” Miroku yelled to his wife, his voice hinting of panic.
“No!!” Inuyasha called back to him as he decapitated an enormous bat. “Don’t loose the tunnel! I’ll bring Sango to you!”
Attempting to make his way toward the downed huntress, the hanyou was repeatedly kept at bay by either falling rocks, energy attacks or the bats themselves. He could not use any of his more powerful techniques inside the cave so instead; he neatly sliced through one youkai after another. It was horrifically fascinating to watch as they were severed upon his blade. Their shredded bodies flew in all directions, yet he managed to stay relatively unblemished by their blood.
Things were getting bad and it seemed that the cave would collapse at any moment. In addition to that, the demons, drawn by the sounds her friend’s voices seemed to forget about Kagome and Sesshoumaru and focused their attacks on Inuyasha and Sango.
Standing over her mistress’s body, Kirara did what she could to keep the woman from being injured further. The cat wouldn’t be able to keep the demons off for long, and Inuyasha was making little progress in getting to her.
“Forget the demons!!” Kagome screamed, suddenly panicked. “You need to get to Sango, I’ll cover you!”
The half-demon only hesitated for a second before he sheathed his sword and began to run. As promised, Kagome shot down every bat that dared to chase after him, some of her arrows flying so close that their energy raised the fine hairs on the back of his neck. The hanyou quickened his pace and while still avoiding falling stones, he was able to get to Sango with moderate expediency. His feet scarcely pausing, he scooped the slayer from the floor before darting toward Miroku. Kirara was fast on his heels and soon all four were relatively safe inside the tunnel.
As soon as they were inside, one of Kagome’s arrows wedged between the fine cracks just above the tunnel’s opening. Like a silk curtain falling to the ground, a shimmering pink barrier fell over the entrance sealing her friends inside.
“Kagome…!” Inuyasha called out, “What the hell are you doing?!”
“It’ll be okay!” the miko assured. “When Sesshoumaru and I can get close I’ll take the barrier down. For now, it’ll keep the bats out!”
And so, from behind the barrier her friends were forced to watch as Kagome tried to make her way to them. She could only run in short bursts before she had to stop to either dodge rock debris or shoot down bats before they could attack. Sesshoumaru was not far behind but he too was still fighting off the seemingly endless supply of bats that still filled the cave.
“Go to the tunnel Kagome!” the daiyoukai ordered without turning to face her.
“Not without you!!” she retorted vehemently. “C’mon, we need to make a break for it!”
“Go now!!” he gritted out again, this time turning to pin her with a compliance-inducing glare. Instead, his eyes widened marginally when he noticed a sizable protrusion of rock directly above the miko’s head. One of the bats, instead of attacking her directly barked out an energy blast causing the rock to dislodge in one large piece from the ceiling.
Without pausing to consider his actions, Sesshoumaru immediately ceased his battle with the bats. Kagome watched in awe as the daiyoukai became little more than a blur before his powerful body collided with hers. The wind was knocked from her lungs and she dropped the arrow she had been preparing to shoot.
Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion, but in reality it was all very swift. The boulder hit the floor with a deafening crash, and seconds later, Kagome felt Sesshoumaru’s hand on the back of her head. Before she could ask what he was doing, the demon lord dove into a previously unnoticed, waist high chamber some distance from the tunnel protected by her barrier.
The placement of the inu lord’s hand protected Kagome’s head from the uncompromising floor as they landed and slid to a stop inside the small chamber. Though he had tried to take the brunt of the impact when they landed, he could not fully prevent the miko from being roughly jostled from the less than gentle collision with the cold cave floor.
Before he could ascertain whether or not she was okay, the woman scrambled out of his arms and he felt her sit up next to him. “Watch out!” she cried as she pulled an arrow from her quiver. She loaded and shot the arrow quickly, its near blinding light showing him what she apparently sensed.
A bat was heading straight for their little cavity, its large mouth open and ready to release an attack. Kagome’s arrow, instead of piercing the demon as he expected, wedged into a crack in the cave floor and instantly created a barrier to prevent the creature from coming inside. The bat proceeded with its attack anyway. Rings of energy rippled over the barrier’s surface spreading out in all directions until it came in contact with the surrounding walls. Rocks of all sizes and shapes were knocked loose and began to pile up just in front of the barrier.
“Oh no...!” Kagome panicked as she attempted to make her way back to the entrance. “We’ll be blocked in!!”
“NO!” Sesshoumaru growled as his hand wrapped around her wrist. He pulled her back and quickly tucked her body beneath his own as another series of barks sounded behind them.
Kagome squeaked in disbelief as the daiyoukai pressed her against the floor before he covered her body with his own. Nearly forgetting the danger they were in, the miko became acutely aware of the very male inu lord whom at this very moment was settled very suggestively between her slightly parted legs. For once she was thankful for the dark because it meant he would not be able to see how horrifically flushed her face must have been.
The priestess was brought back to reality when the sound of falling rocks drew her attention again. Her heart began to race as what little light they had left was blocked out by the piling rocks that sealed them inside the small chamber. She could hear the muffled sound of her name as Inuyasha frantically called out to her. Outside, the thunderous impact of crashing rocks was still prominent, and now smaller rocks were falling from the low ceiling inside their small chamber.
Still covered by the larger form of Sesshoumaru, Kagome was shielded from the debris. She was grateful for the protection, but she was also worried about her friends. Her barrier should keep them safe from the bats, but the cave-in had caused them to become separated. She wanted them all to be together again, but for now, she could do nothing but wait.
__________________________________________________________________ ______
The Caves Pt. 2 __________________________________________________________________ ______
Willing herself to remain calm, Kagome stared at the ceiling, or more specifically, the dark creatures that clung to it. ‘They’re sleeping…’ she rationalized mentally. Regulating her breathing with great care, the miko took in the scents of damp stone and the unkempt creatures that currently shared their space. As long as they were quiet, the bats would remain asleep. If they moved quickly and carefully, they would hopefully be able to retrieve the key and get out of this place before nightfall when the bats would naturally wake.
“We should get going,” the priestess finally spoke up as she attempted to decipher which way they should go. There was no clear path available and even with the two flashlights, visibility was limited in the spacious chamber.
“I have an idea.” Sango announced suddenly. Reaching for the tiny fire-cat which had at some point taken up a perch on her shoulder, the huntress carefully scooped the little neko up and held it before her eyes. “Kirara, I need you to transform for me please.” she instructed gently.
Leaping from her mistress’s hands, the cat readily obeyed. As it morphed into the larger form of its battle size, demonic flames erupted like fiery bangles around both its fore, and hind limbs. With the transformation, welcomed light radiated around the cat allowing it to act as a living lantern.
With a small appreciative smile, Kagome switched off her flashlight, and placed it back into the folds of her haori. The miko then pulled her bow from its place across her shoulders opting to carry it in her hand just in case she needed it.
Inuyasha switched off his flashlight as well placing it into one of his oversized sleeves. Casting another glance toward the stony canopy, he flexed his claws in preparation for the unknown.
Kirara now taking the lead with Inuyasha close behind, lead the group in an unhurried trek through the cave. The place held an ominous feel and the bats and dancing shadows only added to the eerie sensation.
The travelers had walked in silence for several moments before Inuyasha finally asked, “Sense anything yet Kagome?”
“I’m not sure,” she answered quietly, “I think we should keep moving forward though. I feel… a strange energy all around this place but I can’t say for sure what it is or where it’s coming from.”
With her less than encouraging answer, the explorers fell into silence again. As they moved together, the collective sounds of their footfalls echoed off distant walls making it sound as if another collection of beings was coming to surround them. Even to the demons in their group this was an unpleasant place. The overpowering stench of the bats together with the thick moisture in the air made scenting for danger all but impossible. Even their acute sense of hearing could not be relied upon in this place as echoing noises were deceptive and could not easily be traced back to their source. However, it soon became apparent that they were not alone in the cave; aside from the bats, something else was alive here.
“Do you hear that, Sesshoumaru?” Inuyasha asked, his voice quiet and unusually fierce. Remembering the lesson taught to him by the elder inu, the hanyou decreased the speed of his stride to a predatory stalk.
“Yes.” Sesshoumaru responded evenly, his eyes focused straight ahead. Looking up at him, Kagome noticed the tense set of his jaw, and the faint but dangerous glint in his eyes.
“Hear what?!” the miko whispered urgently, her hand instinctively tightening on her bow.
“Something’s here, and it ain‘t sleeping.” Inuyasha said as he concentrated on hiding his youki. He could feel the creatures ahead of them and even though he could not yet see them he knew they were not bats. Reaching his ears again and again was the ghastly sound of rending flesh followed by the equally repulsive sound of that same flesh being devoured. An occasional crunch was heard to accompany the other noises, while unknown fluids spilled onto the cave floor.
“What is it?” asked Miroku, his voice edged with concern.
“I don’t know,” replied the hanyou, “but I think we’re about to find out.”
The dismal prediction would be realized sooner than any of them expected as the light projected from Kirara sprawled out before them. Growling softly as she sensed the proximity of the creatures growing close, the cat finally ceased her advancement and crouched low ready to pounce at the slightest provocation. As the rest of the group caught up, they looked forward to see a most unwelcome scene just a couple of yards ahead of them. Her spine tingling unpleasantly, Kagome was forced to cover her mouth to stifle the gasp that nearly escaped her lips.
They were spiders... dark, strange-looking spiders which had been feasting on the body of a small unfortunate bat youkai. Nearly the size of Kirara in her battle form, these spiders, like the bats, were if the youkai variety. They were fierce, horrendous-looking creature with large, blood stained mandibles on either side of their flat heads. Their bodies were equally flat but broad with long thin legs protruding from either side. Additionally, the creatures were naturally camouflaged, their slightly textured hides a speckled mixture of what appeared to be dark brown and black.
Numbering no less than a dozen, the creatures detected their arrival and abandoned their meal. Shining black eyes turned toward them as spiny legs tensed in anticipation. Though blind due to the dark caves in which they naturally resided, the creatures’ hearing was acute and well adjusted to the echoing caverns of their home.
Moving slowly so as not to trigger a premature attack, Kagome drew arrow from her quiver. Her hopes of getting out of here quickly were not looking so good at this point.
‘Again with the spiders!!’ she thought glumly. ‘I hadn’t even thought about spiders!!’
Without warning, the first spider leapt into the air, legs spread, and mandibles ready. With speed and agility characteristic of any feline, Kirara leapt as well deftly avoiding the creatures jaws before sinking her long sharp fangs into its body. The spider’s legs flailed wildly and the fire-cat struggled to prevent its escape. Finally, she wrestled it to the ground and using her slightly larger frame to her advantage, Kirara pressed the youkai against the floor. Then, using her powerful forelimbs to pin it in place, she ended the short battle with a sharp snap of her neck. With a sickening crunch, the youkai’s body was split into two large pieces. A disgusting mixture of blood and organs spilled onto the floor causing most of their group to grimace in distaste.
For his part, Sesshoumaru merely frowned. “We will have to destroy the rest of them more quickly if we do not wish to wake the bats.”
With the conclusion of his statement, another spider quickly scampered forward. Long legs galloping with little effort over the uneven floor, the creature made short work of moving in on them. Wincing quietly at its speed and the feeling of disgust its movements invoked, Kagome loosed a well aimed arrow. Brightening the cave with its light and purity, the arrow sailed through the air before its sharpened tip became buried deep in the spider’s head.
Without a sound, the creature froze in its place as its body was wrapped in consuming pink energy. The light soon died out and the arrow hit the floor with a light clatter as the demon was rendered into fluttering ash.
With the demise of the second spider, the attacks came with more frequency. Leaping soundlessly to the front of the group, Sesshoumaru didn’t say a word as his right hand began to glow. With a flick of his wrist, a long acidic whip extended from two clawed fingers. The daiyoukai hardly exerted himself before more than half the demons were dead. As if angered by his effortless execution of their comrades, the other spiders gathered around him. Some scampered swiftly across the ground while others leapt into the hoping to catch him by surprise.
His expression devoid of emotion, Sesshoumaru artfully destroyed every demon that dared to approach him. The battle would have ended quickly if not for the fact that the more demons he killed, the more there seemed to be remaining.
Swift and agile, the creatures were beginning to emerge from every dark corner of the cave. Their movements characteristically arachnid, the creatures’ long legs moved almost soundlessly across the floor while their large mandibles snapped together hungrily in anticipation of an easy meal.
Growling quietly, Inuyasha flexed his claws. The hanyou swiftly leapt through the air taking a space opposite of Sesshoumaru and leaving his friends between them. This way, he and the daiyoukai would take the brunt of the attack while the others dealt with whatever remained. The spiders were not very powerful, but they would cause a greater problem if they were not destroyed quickly.
Inuyasha’s movements were precise and deadly as he clawed his way through the spiders with his trademark valor. Many of the youkai found their demise at the end of his sharp claws while very few managed to escape his reach. Those that did were dispatched with equal expediency by sacred arrows, sutras or the business end of an oversized boomerang.
The combined efforts soon dented the spiders’ numbers, and those that remained were beginning to show reluctance to continue fighting. Some were slowly backing away. In spite of their primitive appearance, the creatures were apparently intelligent enough to realize that they were outmatched.
With a final flick of Sesshoumaru’s wrist, the last demon willing to fight was destroyed when an acidic whip cleaved its body in two. Kirara, incited by the instinctual urge to chase, wasted no time in following the remaining demons as they quickly scuttled back to the shadowy crevices from which they had come.
Like insects they scattered in all directions, disappearing into any cavity, chamber our tunnel large enough to accommodate them. In spite of this, the fire-cat managed to corner a single youkai, backing it into a wall. With nowhere to go, and its demise staring at it in the form of an oversized cat, the spider began to do something very strange. Crouching so that its body was closer to the floor, the spider started to shake and move its legs rapidly against one another. Initially it looked as if it would attack, but its intention became clear when it began to emit the strangest sound any of them had ever heard. Kagome, Miroku and Inuyasha instantly covered their ears attempting to block out the noise which was a strange combination of a high pitched screeching and the intense reverberation of distant thunder.
The intense sound too much for its sensitive ears, the fire-cat was forced to retreat. Pushing its sizable body off the ground, the neko performed a reverse somersault and skidded to a stop several feet away.
“It’s going to wake the bats!” Sango announced almost frantically, her weapon already poised for attack. A light grunt escaped her as the bone projectile flew from her fingers. They watched as the boomerang tore through the air cleanly severing the spider’s body before making the trip back to its owner. The huntress caught the weapon with practiced ease just as her devoted neko made its way back to her side. With the last spider gone tense, uneasy silence crept up around them.
Unsurprisingly, it would not last long…
All eyes turned to the ceiling where a single bat was beginning to stir. Slowly, it began unwrapping large thin wings from its body. It extended them broadly in a languorous stretch before surrendering to a toothy yawn. Opening its tiny, unseeing eyes, the bat angled its head and ears to face the ground below.
“Move!!” yelled Inuyasha before the bat could do anything further. Instinctually, he pushed off the ground grabbing Kagome awkwardly in his flight. Gasping as she was pressed against the firm planes of his body, the miko nearly dropped her bow when he launched them both off the ground. She hardly had time to give him a dirty look for his impromptu manhandling before he skidded to a stop near Sesshoumaru and placed her between the two of them. Heeding the hanyou’s warning, Miroku, Sango and Kirara quickly sprinted away from the bat to join them.
Adrenalin was already running high from the previous battle, but now as the travelers turned their collective gaze toward the stone canopy, they waited in tense anticipation.
Its mouth opened wide, the bat released a sharp series of barks. Inuyasha looked on and was mildly surprised to see that these were unlike the sounds produced by the bat he and Sesshoumaru had battled. Instead of the intense destructive halos of energy he had expected, this sound produced something significantly less forceful. Probably due to the dimness of the cave, the energy was not visible, but it could be felt. Deceptively pleasant, the energy rolled over them like soothing waves of warm water. One after another, soft rings of energy passed over and through them before they finally bounced off the stone floor and began the reverse journey back to the creature from which they had been released.
Large, precisely angled ears picked up the returning sound and the bat immediately dropped from its perch on the ceiling. Its large powerful wings kept it aloft for a short time before the bat landed some yards ahead of them.
Not quite as large as the bat he and Sesshoumaru had battled, the creature still boasted an imposing size in the enclosed space. Muscles tensed in preparation, Inuyasha was just about to dart forward when the bright flare of Kagome’s arrow whizzed by him toward the bat. With a single flap of its massive wings, the bat rose from the ground as if it weighted nothing at all. The arrow passed beneath it before the creature countered with an attack of its own.
The bat released yet another series of barks, these similar to the ones Inuyasha had faced. Smaller, more controlled rings of energy blurred through the air at frightening speeds. Reacting quickly to the attack, the hanyou leapt to the front of the group, his deadly claws slicing through the air. Unprepared for the nullification of its attack, the creature did not react quickly enough to avoid the powerful wind blades released from Inuyasha’s claws. Within seconds, the bat was ripped to shreds, its torn and bloodied body crashing harshly against a distant wall.
Victory over the lone bat would become inconsequential however as more bats were beginning to wake. One by one the creatures began to drop from the expansive ceiling. Collectively, they seemed to presume that they were under attack, and thus responded in kind. Too many to count, the demons began to fly in swift erratic patterns around the cavern; some daring to fly dangerously close to the group.
The constant beating of their powerful wings generated unpredictable wind patterns and began to dislodge small and medium-sized rocks from the walls and ceiling. To make matters worse, some of the demons began to attack with the same sharp series of barks.
In their efforts to avoid the small but powerful rings of energy the bats produced, the group was forced to scatter in different directions. As they spread out in the spacious cave, each human, hanyou or demon was forced to fight alone. With Kirara, their only light source moving about erratically, it was more difficult to see than ever.
Each member of the group was forced to rely primarily on his or her ability to sense demonic auras so that they did not accidentally attack a comrade. With the constant movement of the swiftly flying bats, the falling rocks and the high levels of stress, it was not an easy task.
Sensing high levels of energy heading straight toward her, Kagome leapt with as much force as her legs could produce. Tucking her body and rolling across the unforgiving floor, the miko scarcely avoided a series of energy rings. They exploded onto the floor just to her right forcing her to leap again so that she was not dragged into the gapping chasm left by the impact or pelted with jagged rock debris.
Her evasion was only partially successful as a sizable rock hit her in the back tearing through her haori and the delicate flesh beneath. Stifling a pained cry behind gritted teeth, the miko ignored the pain as best she could and notched an arrow against her bowstring. With the power that could only belong to the last Shikon miko, Kagome took down no less than half a dozen bats with each arrow she shot. From her place against a relatively sturdy wall, she was scarcely able to see her friends and could only hope that they were faring well.
Sesshoumaru’s whips soon became visible to her far left. The acidic ropes were in constant motion and the faint light they produced allowed her to see the innumerable demons he had already left dead in his wake. Though he was slowly moving toward her, he almost seemed to pivot in place, his movements deadly, efficient and exceptionally graceful.
Confident that he would not need her assistance anytime soon, Kagome turned back to the battle. Dreadfully, she realized that her arrows were beginning to run low. She had killed more bats than she could count and apparently so had Sesshoumaru. She couldn’t really see the others, but she knew that they would have been doing a fair amount of damage as well. Still, there were bats everywhere! They were going to have to come up with another strategy soon because there were still far too many bats, and with larger and larger rocks falling from the ceiling, someone was bound to get seriously hurt if they didn’t find a way out of here soon!
Apparently realizing the same thing, Miroku called out to his companions, “Over here!! There’s a tunnel; we need to get out of here!”
Sango, who had not been far away from him attempted to follow the sound of his voice. Before she could get to him however, the right wing of a low flying bat swept her off the ground. Flipping end over end, the slayer flew through the air before landing roughly on her back. A sharp cry burst from her lips as she rolled to her side in agonizing pain.
“Sango...!” Kagome and Miroku called simultaneously. Kirara was the first to reach her but the huntress was in too much pain to pull herself onto the neko’s back.
“Don’t try and move Sango!! I’m coming for you!” Miroku yelled to his wife, his voice hinting of panic.
“No!!” Inuyasha called back to him as he decapitated an enormous bat. “Don’t loose the tunnel! I’ll bring Sango to you!”
Attempting to make his way toward the downed huntress, the hanyou was repeatedly kept at bay by either falling rocks, energy attacks or the bats themselves. He could not use any of his more powerful techniques inside the cave so instead; he neatly sliced through one youkai after another. It was horrifically fascinating to watch as they were severed upon his blade. Their shredded bodies flew in all directions, yet he managed to stay relatively unblemished by their blood.
Things were getting bad and it seemed that the cave would collapse at any moment. In addition to that, the demons, drawn by the sounds her friend’s voices seemed to forget about Kagome and Sesshoumaru and focused their attacks on Inuyasha and Sango.
Standing over her mistress’s body, Kirara did what she could to keep the woman from being injured further. The cat wouldn’t be able to keep the demons off for long, and Inuyasha was making little progress in getting to her.
“Forget the demons!!” Kagome screamed, suddenly panicked. “You need to get to Sango, I’ll cover you!”
The half-demon only hesitated for a second before he sheathed his sword and began to run. As promised, Kagome shot down every bat that dared to chase after him, some of her arrows flying so close that their energy raised the fine hairs on the back of his neck. The hanyou quickened his pace and while still avoiding falling stones, he was able to get to Sango with moderate expediency. His feet scarcely pausing, he scooped the slayer from the floor before darting toward Miroku. Kirara was fast on his heels and soon all four were relatively safe inside the tunnel.
As soon as they were inside, one of Kagome’s arrows wedged between the fine cracks just above the tunnel’s opening. Like a silk curtain falling to the ground, a shimmering pink barrier fell over the entrance sealing her friends inside.
“Kagome…!” Inuyasha called out, “What the hell are you doing?!”
“It’ll be okay!” the miko assured. “When Sesshoumaru and I can get close I’ll take the barrier down. For now, it’ll keep the bats out!”
And so, from behind the barrier her friends were forced to watch as Kagome tried to make her way to them. She could only run in short bursts before she had to stop to either dodge rock debris or shoot down bats before they could attack. Sesshoumaru was not far behind but he too was still fighting off the seemingly endless supply of bats that still filled the cave.
“Go to the tunnel Kagome!” the daiyoukai ordered without turning to face her.
“Not without you!!” she retorted vehemently. “C’mon, we need to make a break for it!”
“Go now!!” he gritted out again, this time turning to pin her with a compliance-inducing glare. Instead, his eyes widened marginally when he noticed a sizable protrusion of rock directly above the miko’s head. One of the bats, instead of attacking her directly barked out an energy blast causing the rock to dislodge in one large piece from the ceiling.
Without pausing to consider his actions, Sesshoumaru immediately ceased his battle with the bats. Kagome watched in awe as the daiyoukai became little more than a blur before his powerful body collided with hers. The wind was knocked from her lungs and she dropped the arrow she had been preparing to shoot.
Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion, but in reality it was all very swift. The boulder hit the floor with a deafening crash, and seconds later, Kagome felt Sesshoumaru’s hand on the back of her head. Before she could ask what he was doing, the demon lord dove into a previously unnoticed, waist high chamber some distance from the tunnel protected by her barrier.
The placement of the inu lord’s hand protected Kagome’s head from the uncompromising floor as they landed and slid to a stop inside the small chamber. Though he had tried to take the brunt of the impact when they landed, he could not fully prevent the miko from being roughly jostled from the less than gentle collision with the cold cave floor.
Before he could ascertain whether or not she was okay, the woman scrambled out of his arms and he felt her sit up next to him. “Watch out!” she cried as she pulled an arrow from her quiver. She loaded and shot the arrow quickly, its near blinding light showing him what she apparently sensed.
A bat was heading straight for their little cavity, its large mouth open and ready to release an attack. Kagome’s arrow, instead of piercing the demon as he expected, wedged into a crack in the cave floor and instantly created a barrier to prevent the creature from coming inside. The bat proceeded with its attack anyway. Rings of energy rippled over the barrier’s surface spreading out in all directions until it came in contact with the surrounding walls. Rocks of all sizes and shapes were knocked loose and began to pile up just in front of the barrier.
“Oh no...!” Kagome panicked as she attempted to make her way back to the entrance. “We’ll be blocked in!!”
“NO!” Sesshoumaru growled as his hand wrapped around her wrist. He pulled her back and quickly tucked her body beneath his own as another series of barks sounded behind them.
Kagome squeaked in disbelief as the daiyoukai pressed her against the floor before he covered her body with his own. Nearly forgetting the danger they were in, the miko became acutely aware of the very male inu lord whom at this very moment was settled very suggestively between her slightly parted legs. For once she was thankful for the dark because it meant he would not be able to see how horrifically flushed her face must have been.
The priestess was brought back to reality when the sound of falling rocks drew her attention again. Her heart began to race as what little light they had left was blocked out by the piling rocks that sealed them inside the small chamber. She could hear the muffled sound of her name as Inuyasha frantically called out to her. Outside, the thunderous impact of crashing rocks was still prominent, and now smaller rocks were falling from the low ceiling inside their small chamber.
Still covered by the larger form of Sesshoumaru, Kagome was shielded from the debris. She was grateful for the protection, but she was also worried about her friends. Her barrier should keep them safe from the bats, but the cave-in had caused them to become separated. She wanted them all to be together again, but for now, she could do nothing but wait.
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