InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Silver Fox ❯ Lost and Found ( Chapter 22 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Lost and Found

Naraku laughed as he looked into Kanna's mirror. Though angry about Kagome and Kagura's escape he could still locate the fox except for a few times. "Kanna, show me Kagura." She small child gave the slightest nod. The mirror slowly faded to show Kagura riding on her feather to, what looked to be, InuYasha's forest. "Now the red fox." The picture faded again to show nothing. "Master, I cannot find him." He looked down in thought. Maybe his leaving them alone for so long had ruined his plans. Now that the red fox was gone there was even less of a chance of getting the woman back, for surely she would turn to somewhere she deemed safe.

He knew that if he was willing he had the numbers to mount an attack, but there would be no true strength backing it. He rubbed his temple in an attempt to stop the oncoming headache. "Kohaku," He called. "Go to InuYasha's forest, find out if fox is dead or just missing." "Yes, master Naraku." He looked back to the mirror which was once again showing Kagome's form. "She is waking." He murmured.

Kagome woke with the noon sun beating harshly down on her. Luckily no one had found her. At least yet anyway. The wound in her side had healed but the blood was thick and hard in between the fine silver strands of hair. She stood, no shakiness, and walked off the path. Her muscles were still a little sore from the running but it would fade in time. She sniffed the air desperate to rinse off the blood and take human form again. She trotted further away from the path and into the high grass that was common in fields. The smell of water was all around but the problem was finding it. Finally after much indecision she followed the path. Certainly not the wisest choice but at least she would have some bearing on where exactly she was.

She came to a village that was nestled at the bottom of a hill with the wind at her back. Kagome cocked her head when she realized that this site seemed very familiar. She got her answer why when many heads with silver hair caught her eye. It was the silver fox village before her. How far away was that? How far did she run? She could only guess since no real remembrance was there. When all your trying to do is escape your surroundings just don't matter. A group of playing children spotted her on the hill. "My lady!" The children bowed and waved.

Kagome started down the hill toward them. The young kitsunes moved aside and let her pass. The guards at the gates to her home moved aside with respectful bows. As fast as she could she slipped into the indoor spring and bathed. She rinsed most of the blood away before transforming. "My lady I have brought your kimono." "Thank you." She replied numbly. "Lord Sesshoumaru's guard wishes to speak with you." "Guard?" "The one the lord sent to watch the village while you were away." Kagome nodded. After the servant left she washed, dried, and dressed.

The guard was waiting in the study. He was tall, broad through the shoulders, and had long brown hair that was pulled into a low pony tail. "Lady." He bowed. "What was it that you needed?" "Since you have returned I was going to ask if the duration of my stay was over." Kagome nodded. "Yes, you can return to the western palace. I thank you and Sesshoumaru." The guard stood, bowed once more and left. Kagome leaned on her desk, head in her hands, and tears falling down her cheeks again. In her mind it didn't make since that she was crying. She didn't really know Sai that well. He was a good friend and maybe a little more, but that didn't explain the pain.

She shifted so that she was laying on her arms. "Why does it hurt so much?" She whispered. Even when the tears finally stopped she just stared blankly out the window. A knock came on the door. "Dinner is ready my lady." She made no move to get up, just kept concentrating on where the pain was from. Her mind kept replaying his last moments. "It's my fault." She moved around a bit. "All my fault. If I had told him sooner he would..." She stopped her sentence short. "It's not fair!" She stood and punched the desk, breaking it in two. Servants rushed in. "My lady are you alright?" One questioned.

"I'm fine, I'll clean this up." Kagome stood. "No my lady, you go and eat. We will clean this." The smaller of the two told her and ushered her out of the room. Kagome sat at the table pushing her food around on the plate, to depressed to eat. Sick of looking at the plate and knowing that she wouldn't eat any she stood and went to her room. Sleep seemed to escape when the nightmares came. A vivid mix of Sai's death and time spent with Naraku. She shot up. It had been some time since Naraku haunted her dreams, and she could only be left to wonder what it was that the evil hanyou was up to. After all he had been quiet as of late. The rest of the nights sleep wasn’t forthcoming but it did eventually return.

It was midday when she confronted her guard, Ryu. "Ryu I must take a journey for a time." The guard stopped walking and looked at her. "And who will watch this village?" His voice seemed harsh. "I was going to ask if you would. I cannot sit idly by and wonder if he is really dead." Kagome had told Ryu and a few others about what had taken place. They understood her grief and helped when they could.

"My lady, I am but a guard." Her mildly protested. "Ryu, I trust you with much. I will return as soon as I can, and if you need me I won't be concealing myself." He hesitated, about to say something, then bowed. "Thank you my lady." He was nervous. Anyone could see it in the tension in his shoulders and stiff back. She left the village with hurried steps after changing into suitable travel clothes. 'I have to be sure that he is gone.'

Walking along the path she realized that she had never traveled alone. It was always with the group, Shippou, or Sai. Shrugging the thought of she continued down the path to...somewhere. That stopped her. "Now where am I going?" She looked around, shielding her eyes from the sun. The well would probably be the best place to start looking, but avoiding InuYasha would be the problem. Kagome sighed and sat down. Now was the time to plan.

Well...it could have been time to plan. Kagome stood and brushed herself off. Why plan when you could just do things at random? She sighed again and slouched. When did that ever work? But a plan wasn't exactly forth coming. Maybe she could think of one on the way. That worked. Again she was off.

It was just barely dawn when she came to InuYasha's forest. The dew had covered the leaves and grass making it smell like it had just rained. The ground was still torn up from the fight, though it did look like some one had tried to smooth over the deep gouges. Kagura sat on the lip of the well, fanning herself. She turned to look at Kagome. "Kagura?" "Kagome." Kagura greeted. "What's going on?" Kagura snapped her fan closed. "Naraku is looking for you." "I thought you had nothing to do with him." "I've heard it through other demons."

"Why is he after me?" Kagura stared at her a moment. "Because your something he can't have, like Kikyo." "I have to say that I thought he and Kikyo were, you know..." Kagome trailed off waving her hand. Kagura laughed softly. "The day that woman lets anything other then a human do that is the day InuYasha confesses true love for that wolf demon." She flicked her fan. "Hey Kagura, have you seen another fox around here?"

"No, I have not." Kagura looked to the sky. "It is time for me to leave, I suggest you do the same." She flew off. The sun was rising, falling on Kagome and the clearing. "I could go home for a while." She mumbled. A blue light flooded the clearing as Kagome went back to the future. She arrived on the other side with her mother peering down the well. "Kagome, thank kami your here!" Her mother shouted, relieved. "Mom, what's going on?"

Kagome scaled the well wall and slid over the lip of the well. "What's up mom?" Kun-loon turned and walked out the door. "Well the day you left I noticed that you left your first-aid kit, so I went to leave it on the edge of the well in case you came back for it. When I walked in I couldn't help but look down. Honey...Sai was really hurt and-" "He's alive?" Kagome interrupted. "He's in your room." Not giving her mother another glance she ran into the house but stopped at the door to her room. For some reason she couldn't will herself to go inside. Fear welled up in the pit of her stomach. Questions raced around her mind. How bad was he hurt, and would he be okay? Bit by bit her hand found it's way to the door. The door groaned in protest of how fast she opened it.

Sai was on the bed, sleeping or unconscious, she didn't know. Bandages were wound around his head, covering one eye, and around his arms and torso. The rest of him was covered with a blanket, but she was sure the white wrappings went further. Gradually she came to the bed and sat. Kun-loon sat behind her daughter. "Kagome, he will be fine but it's going to take a while." She reassured her. Kagome reached and petted the bright red hair. "I'm glad that he's alive." Kun-loon nodded, stood, and left to let Kagome have a moment alone.

She transferred over to the desk chair after moving it next to the bed. Certainly it wasn't the most comfortable place but it worked for now. Grabbing a book she stretched out and started to read while stroking his hair. The book helped take her mind off the fact that the man in the bed next to her was seriously injured. She read through a few pages before turning to look at Sai and brushing stray hair off of his face. How could InuYasha say you were working for Naraku? You couldn't be right? Sighing she went back to her book.

The sun flooded the room and on to Kagome's sleeping form. The book lay forgotten on the floor, opened to some random page after it's fall. Kagome woke with a start from her nightmare. She smiled however, happy that finding Sai alive wasn't just a dream. The crick in her neck was making her wish she decided on some different sleeping arrangements. Though she couldn't remember when exactly she fell asleep.

It didn't matter. A soft tap sounded on the door. "Yes?" Kagome was sure it was her mother but asking never hurt anyone. The door slid open slowly revealing Kun-loon holding a tray of food. "I thought you might be hungry." Kagome stomach grumbled in acknowledgement. She blushed and Kun-loon laughed. "I guess that would be a 'yes'." Kagome took the tray gratefully and started to eat. "Has he woken up yet?" Kun-loon asked. Kagome shook her head. "If he doesn't wake up soon we are going to have to take him to the hospital." "We can't do that!" Kagome balked at the very idea.

Kun-loon was taken aback by the harshness in her voice. "Kagome-" "No." She said sternly. "What would happen if they found out that he wasn't human mom?" Kun-loon nodded. "I have thought of that, but he could die if we don't find out what's wrong with him." She shook her head. "Kagome I don't think we're going to have much of a choice." Kagome sighed and looked over at Sai. Risking exposure wasn't the best idea, and Kagome certainly didn't want to be the one to do it. "Let's see if he gets worse before we make that decision mom. Besides not waking up everything seems fine." His breathing wasn't labored, and heartbeat was normal so he was fine for the time being.

"All right, but if he doesn't wake up in at least two days I'm taking him." Her tone of voice left no room for argument. Kagome nodded. In two days she would have to agree with her mother on taking him. If he wasn't awake by then there was probably a very good chance that he was in a coma or something. As this line of thought was passing another sprung up. Just how did he get through the well when he wasn't with her? Did that mean anyone could pass through? Or was it just her, InuYasha, and now Sai? She'd have to ask him when he woke.

A strange smell wafted up to her nose. She sniffed around a moment before realizing it was her clothing. It needed washed, badly. Grabbing some clothes out of her closet she had a quick shower and threw the travel clothes into the washer. She stretched out on the floor in her pajamas. Sure, it wasn't even lunch time but she wan't planning on going anywhere today. That and skirts just never seemed to want to cooperate when you wanted to lay on the floor, and the last thing she wanted to do was show the next person that walked in the color of her underwear. She'd be down right mortified and die of embarrassment.

Kagome ate dinner with her family. It seemed that they all had been taking turns watching over him in case he had woken. That was when gii-chan started into some new legend he heard about related to some item that he bought. She didn't pay any attention, after all, said item would most likely be fed to Buyo anyway. She smiled as her brother and grandfather argued over whether or not the story was true. It came down to Souta flinging pickled radish across the table which started a small food fight.

They fell back laughing. "All right who's going to help me clean this up?" Kun-loon asked. The room fell silent. She sat up and looked around. Kagome, Souta, and gii-chan managed to escape. "You guys get back here!" She called in a mock serious tone. They came back into the room, all smiling faces. Clean up was quick with all of them working. "Good night everyone." "Good night Kagome." Kun-loon said. Kagome pulled out the extra blanket and curled up in the chair with the book she was reading the night before. She knew that she would fall asleep in the chair again, but she was to tired to drag out the extra floor mat.

A warm hand woke her sometime before dawn. She looked over to be met by piercing green eyes. "Sai?" "Kagome..." she leaned over. "How do you feel?" "Fine I guess." Kagome reached over and unwrapped the bandages covering his head. "How long have I been out?" "It's been days, I haven't kept track." He pulled her into an embrace. "I'm so sorry Kagome." "Sorry for what?" He didn't answer just held on as if she were his life line and the only thing that mattered.

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