InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shards of Foxfire ❯ Chapter 10

Sorry it took so long to update! I had writer's block, and I've been really busy so far! I promise to update faster next chapter. *sniff sniff * There will only be about three more chapters left! Then, I'm not sure which story I'll move on to. Should I write the story that takes place after this one, before this one, or the very 1st in this series? Review and let me know! Also, expect Shards of Foxfire Christmas somewhere around Xmas day!

Thanks to all of my reviewers!

Chinita - Here ya go, I'll try to update more next time!

Cricket-chan - Yep, a cliffie! This chappie has one, too!

Fairyangel24 - Sorry it was so confusing, but you get my drift, right?

Robin5791 - Yes, I think you skipped at least 1 chapter!

Killersmurf - Yay! A new reviewer! I'm glad you like this story!

Sango-to-Miroku - Thanks for reviewing! Yes, that was a dream. Yes, I feel sorry for Sango, too. She's been through a lot. I'm glad you look forward to my updates! I would watch episode 132 - if someone would e-mail it to me or tell me where to find it! *hint hint*

Suddenly, something happened. There was a bright flash of light, and Sango was lying on the ground, surrounded by roots. She soon realized where she was, in the middle of a miasma-infested forest. She was about to sit up and get on Kirara, when she felt a sharp pain in her back. She looked back, and was shocked to find that her back was bleeding, and it hurt to move. She cursed as she looked behind her to see a particularly sharp root covered in her blood. Sango soon realized that that was how the miasma worked. Kagome had tried to explain it to her, but she didn't understand until now. The miasma would take hold of a fear, replay it in your mind, and control the roots to kill you. Sango shivered as she realized what could have happened. Then, she thought of something else - "Miroku!" Sango ran to Kirara and got on, telling her to hunt for Miroku. She had to find him, or she would never forgive herself.

Inuyasha could feel blood trickling down his haori when he felt someone hugging him. "Inuyasha!" He blinked, and turned around. Kagome's arms were draped around his neck, and his Tetsusaiga was poised at his heart. He sheathed his sword, and looked at the mist-covered ground of the miasma forest, a haunted look in his eyes. Kagome said nothing, only imagining what his nightmare must have been. She began massaging his back, unknotting the tensed muscles. At first, Inuyasha felt like telling her to leave him alone, but it felt so good that he didn't want her to stop. When she finished, he relaxed, and allowed her to lean on him. "Where'd you learn that, Kagome? That felt good." Kagome smiled. "When you have a little brother who has had nightmares for years, you pick things up. Usually, that calms him down, and I thought it would work with you, too."

"Kagome?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. Now, let's fond the others before anything happens to them." Inuyasha said, acting like he hadn't thanked her.

Rin heard Sesshoumaru call her name, and her nightmare vanished in a flash. She got loose from the roots that bound her, and went up to him. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin said, using her childhood nickname for him. He smiled very slightly, and put his arm around her, like a big brother. "Come on, Rin. Let's go find the others. I don't want you getting lost." Rin nodded. It didn't matter where they were going, or what they were going to do, but Sesshoumaru would never leave her behind. Although his arm loosened from her shoulders and went back to being by his side, Rin didn't care. Wherever he was around, she was safe.

Amari soon came upon Shippo, who was curled up and wrapped in roots. "Shippo, wake up!" But Shippo didn't respond, and the roots tightened closer around him. Amari quickly pried the roots off of him, and picked him up. He was still whimpering from his dream. She hugged him to her, and he woke up in a flash. "Thanks for saving me, `Mari!" Amari smiled, and the two of them walked to meet the others.

Sango had finally found Miroku. He was covered in vines, and tears were running down his face, occasionally calling Sango's name. Sango felt like her heart was breaking for him as she ran over to him. Using swift cuts, her dagger turned the vines into ribbons. She tried to shake him awake, but he didn't move. She tried everything possible to wake him up, even slapping him, but he didn't move. Finally deciding that there was only one way to get him to wake up, she kissed him. Immediately, he shot up, and looked at her. "Sango, you're alive?" He hugged her tightly, and then went limp. `That ordeal must have worn him out.' Sango said as she pulled the collapsed monk onto Kirara. "Now, let's go find Kohaku." Sango got onto Kirara behind the monk and flew up to the top of the trees, searching for her brother.

Kouga soon found Ayame, curled up in a ball, actually not covered in vines. However, there was a ring of vines around her that would soon over her up completely. Koga quickly used his claws to get rid of the vines, and then shook Ayame awake, who was shivering. When she finally awoke, she muttered, "Fire" before collapsing again. Kouga felt sorry for her. Ever since she was little, she had been afraid of fire, and now she had been surrounded by it in a nightmare. It had been a tough day. Kouga gently picked Ayame up, and ran off to where everyone else was. He knew that Kohaku would find Naanaami, and so he just worried about Ayame.

Sango soon found Kohaku standing up in a clearing, lost and confused. He had clearly escaped the miasma, but he couldn't find anyone. "Kohaku!" Kohaku turned around, and waved at them, relieved that they were safe. Sango pointed to the space on Kirara in front of her, but Kohaku shook his head. "I've gotta go find Naanaami!" Kohaku said. "You guys find the other and tell them where I am, okay? I'll find you!" Sango nodded, and flew off as Kohaku ran in the opposite direction, searching for Naanaami.

Sango finally found the others in a group. They all looked tired, and Ayame was completely out. "Where are Kohaku and Naanaami?" Kagome asked as Sango laid Miroku down with his head on Kirara. "We found Kohaku. Apparently, he'd freed himself. He's gone after Naanaami and will meet you here." Sango passed by Kagome, who stopped her with a critical look at her back. "Sango! You're bleeding! The scar must've reopened during your nightmare. Here, let me bandage it up." Sango submitted to Kagome's care, gritting her teeth in pain and hoping that Kohaku found Naanaami.

Naanaami was lying on the ground, a vine sticking out of her back when Kohaku found her. "Naanaami, get up." Naanaami awoke in a flash, and looked over at Kohaku, afraid of him. "It was a nightmare, whatever happened. It's gone now." Kohaku said as he pulled out the vine in her back. Naanaami yelped in pain. "Sorry. We'll get Kagome to treat that, ok?" Naanaami nodded. "Can you walk?" Naanaami stood up, and walked a short distance before tripping over a root. "Ow, I twisted my ankle." Naanaami said, trying to keep walking, but Kohaku stopped her. "Here, I'll carry you. Get on my back." Naanaami willingly got on his back, and wrapped her arms around his neck as he negotiated the rough terrain, headed to where the others were.

When Kohaku and Naanaami got to the group, everyone was awake and bandadged. Kagome tended to Naanaami, and they decided to leave the forest as soon as possible. Naanaami and Sango rode on Kirara because of their wounds, while the rest went along the path. The sun was setting, but Koharu's village was in sight. Everyone's spirits lifted. They were right on time, despite that long trek through the forest. And even as they walked, a figure got bigger and bigger as it ran toward them. "Miroku!"

"Hi Koharu!" Miroku said as she hugged him, and then stepped back. "Miroku, this is my fiancee." Koharu said, indicating the man who was coming up behind her. Miroku didn't even flinch. "Well, congratulations, Koharu." He smiled at Koharu, who grinned back. "Oh, yes. I assume you want a place to stay? Well, come on!" Koharu said, her fiancée leading the way.

The village was very neat and orderly and everyone welcomed their visitors, especially since Koharu was escorting them. The nearest village girl led them to their sleeping area, which was a large hut in the center. They dropped their things off in that area, and then followed the village girl to the hot springs. Sango warned Miroku that if he even went near the girl's side of the springs, she would make sure that he died a horrible and painful death. With that affirmed, the girls had a relaxing, enjoyable, Houshi-free bath. They got into their regular clothes, and went with Koharu for dinner.

The feast was good, but not as fine as Kuranosuke's palace. Of course, since they hadn't eaten since breakfast, the dinner was devoured quickly by Inuyasha and Shippo, with help from everyone else. After dinner was over, Kagome was bored, so she got a small chess set out of her backpack. "Hey, Sango, wanna play? No stakes this time!" Sango nodded, bright red, and Miroku chuckled, thinking about the last time that they had played chess (A/N: Another fanfic, you'll find out eventually.). Kagome and Sango sat down across from each other, and the villagers watched with wonder.

The game was over quickly, and Sango had won. Kagome was surprised. "How did you win so quickly? I thought that the last game we played was when-" Sango cut her off. "I've been practicing with Miroku and Kohaku. Now, this time let's have high stakes. Whoever loses has to sleep outside the hut." Kagome agreed to the terms, and they were soon playing again. This time, the game took forever, and showed no signs of ending. Sango would get ahead, and then Kagome would. Finally, when everyone had thought that it would last forever, Sango won. Kagome moped for a while, but then started making a bed outside with a blanket from her backpack.

Everyone else was nice and warm in the hut, but Kagome was shivering outside, and Inuyasha could hear her. Sighing, he stepped outside to find Kagome, who hadn't had any sleep. He wrapped his fire-rat fur haori around her, and she stopped shivering. In fact, she fell asleep instantly. Inuyasha sighed, and wrapped his arm around her. He fell asleep as well, and was so comfortable that he didn't want to move.

The next morning, everyone woke up early so that they could get on the road soon. Koharu replenished their supplies and hugged Miroku one last time before sending them on their way. They just had to go to Jinenji's village, which was half a day's walk away, so Kagome decided to have a picnic lunch. Everyone else agreed, and they walked for a few hours before finding a good spot to start lunch.

"Um, Miroku?" Sango asked as she laid out the food they had cooked and gathered for the picnic.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay with Koharu's decision?"

"Yes, I can't control her life, and I'm happy for her. Why do you ask?"

"Well, didn't you … love her?"

Miroku's face softened, and he hugged Sango. "You were jealous?" Sango nodded, feeling guilty about thinking that way. Miroku continued, "Don't worry about it. I didn't like her anymore, and I didn't know how to tell her that I loved you instead. Her having a fiancee made it a lot easier. I guess destiny works out that way." Sango smiled, and would have continued to hug him, but Inuyasha was smirking, and everyone looked as if they were about to start laughing, so Sango went back to fixing lunch, her face bright red.

Lunch was soon ready, and it was pretty good for being on the road. Everyone got some food, and then Shippo started a food fight, which ended when a spare tomato hit Inuyasha in the face. Inuyasha spent the rest of the time trying to figure out which tree the kitsune was disguised as. Kagome started teaching Amari how to play chess, and Kohaku started teaching Naanaami about inequalities, as she wanted to go with him to the future after they were done being in the past. Everyone else just rested for a few hours until the sun began to set.

"C'mon, let's go." Inuyasha growled when he had finally found Shippo. "It's already almost dark, and I want to get to Jinenji's village before anything catastrophic happens." Everyone else agreed, and packed up quickly. Naanaami looked worried. "It's the full moon already? That's when I transform!" Inuyasha grumbled as they headed towards the village, telling everyone to go faster. He could feel the other hanyou's demon energy disappearing. Naanaami looked unaffected, though her hair looked straighter and darker. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief as they entered the village.

"We wish to see Jinenji-san." Kagome told the nearest villager, who looked at them suspiciously. However, Jinenji had just left his large hut, and looked perfectly happy to see them. "Welcome! Come with me. My mother is preparing dinner." He led the nervous group to his home, where Jinenji's mother was waiting. After a flurry of introductions and a fast dinner, everyone was seated in the floor of the hut, and Jinenji's mother wanted an explanation. "Why have you come here, and who are these other people. Also, why does Inuyasha look so strange?"

Kagome patiently explained everything that had happened to them, while the others patiently listened. By this time, Naanaami didn't look the same any more. Her hair was black and straight instead of its normal golden color. Her ears and tail had disappeared, and her claws had retracted. Even her eyes had changed to be a muted gray-blue instead of the piercing blue that they normally were. Kagome also reminded Jinenji's mother that Naanaami was a half-demon. Jinenji graciously agreed to allow them to stay there for the night, and they would be on their way again in the morning. Everyone was tired from all of their travelling, so they went to sleep early, in the main room of the hut.

Naanaami sat up, exasperated. It was useless. She couldn't get to sleep while she was in her human form; she felt too vulnerable. Everyone else looked quite comfortable. Koga and Ayame were close to each other, as well as Miroku and Sango. Kohaku was asleep right next to her, while Sesshoumaru and Rin were on the other side of the hut, far away from each other. Kagome was leaning on Inuyasha, who was awake just like Naanaami. He slowly left Kagome's side and crept out of the hut, beckoning Naanaami to follow.

Please review! It means so much, and the faster you review, the faster I write!