InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Suffocating ❯ Revived ( Chapter 6 )

Suffocating
Chapter 6: Revived


Story produced and written by:
XX_Blue_Lips_XX


Rei wondered the woods, picking flowers along the trail back to her village. A smile gleamed from her face as the afternoon sun speckled through the openings in the trees. She basked in the warmth as she past each warming ray. A giggle left her lips as she started to skip. A hum flowed from her lips and her eyes sparkled with childish joy. Shifting off the trail to where bright glowing blue flowers laid, she bent and plucked them from the earth. As her eyes wondered taking in the site around her, a white object met her eyes. Mischievous filled orbs locked on the object, as she rose and walked towards it, trailing off the dirt road and even further into the forest. Approaching the object, she came only a few steps away before a terrible smell hit her nose. The girl continued with fear hanging onto her. Coming to stand beside what had caught her eye, a scream erupted from her lips, and her eyes widened in fear.

Dashing away as quickly as her little legs could take her, she ran the dirt road straight home. When she hit her village, people's head's snapped up, their eyes following the running girl.

Rei only stopped after running into her father's arms, a concerned expression plastered to his face. "What is wrong, Rei?" He questioned quickly.

"T-t-there's a-a b-body in the w-woods" Rei stumbled, wrapping her arms around her father's waist.

"What kind of body?"

"A w-woman's b-body. S-she's n-not m-moving, and s-smells b-bad." Rei finished.

"Rei go inside and stay with your mother, Daddy's going to check it out, okay?" He told her in a harsh but soft voice, giving her no room to argue.

"Okay, be careful daddy." Rei said before running into her hut.

Rei's father gathered a couple men, making sure that if anything happened that they'd be prepared, and lead them the way his daughter had ran. Ordering for them to stay alert and watch for any signs of a body, they trailed the dirt road.

"Over There!" One man shouted, pointing to his left to the barely visible white of the woman.

The group descended into the forest, and over to the body that lay not far ahead. As they made their way closer the smell started to swarm around them. Covering their nose, they came to a halt when everyone was gathered around the body. One man knelt and turned the woman's body over. Placing his hand on the woman's face to feel how cold it was, he was surprised to feel warmth in her deathly pale flesh. Giving a startled look up, he hovered his hand over the woman's mouth and nose. After a couple minutes of silence, the man looked up with complete shock.

"She's alive! We must get her back to the village and treated her or she'll never make it!" The Man yelled. Giving the woman a sympathetic glance, he mumbled, "It's a miracle she even survived, god knows how long she's been out here for."

Order's were shot around as the woman's body was delicately picked up and rushed back to the village. As the men rushed back into the village, stares all around were watching them as one man carried something within his arms. Yells for the village healer, caught the ears of villagers and some even took off to find her. Rei's father came to a halt when he saw the crowds separate, and a middle-aged woman came running through the parted crowd.

"Oh dear god" The woman rushed to the man holding the-what seemed to be-lifeless body of a young woman. Giving a quick glance to the damage, she ordered them to follow and bring the woman to her hut.

"Lay her down over there," She pointed to a small futon on the floor, "What has happened to her, she looks like the dead themselves." She asked with concern.

"We do not know. My daughter had found her while out on one of her daily walks, and this is how we found her." Rei's father explained.

"But she is alive?"

"Yes, Ryou had felt her breathing, though very shallow it was the only indication of life, we thought her dead as well." Norito explained, giving a shake of his head, "Who is sick enough to do such a thing to this poor woman."

 

"You are not alone in your thoughts, Norito. Now please, if you will leave so I can begin my work at hand."

 

"Yes, Lady Shizuri" Norito bowed his head, and left the hut, leaving Shizuri alone with the girl. Mixing together a few herbs and other substances, she brought the medicine over to the girl. Placing the pot at her side, she lightly brought the girl's head into her lap, and brought the contents to her slightly a gap mouth.

 

Pouring the tiniest bit into her mouth, she waited for the woman to react and take the medicine. When nothing happened, she placed the pot at her side again, and gingerly opened one eye lid. Feeling movement, she looked to the opposite side of herself, to see the woman's fingers curve into her palm.

 

"So you are alive, how have you managed to stay alive, young one." Shizuri mumbled in a hushed tone.

 

Bringing the medicine back to the girl's parted mouth; she let a little more of the liquid slide inside. This time though, the woman's mouth slowly and shakily closed. She watched as the woman had problems with swallowing, but managed to get the sticky substance down.

 

When her lips parted again, Shizuri repeated her actions. After all the liquid was consumed, she slowly placed the girl's head on the small pillow, and hastily brought over the water pail, and a cup. Bringing her head into her lap again, Shizuri brought the cup to her lips, and let the cold water run down her throat. Reaching for another cup full, her eyes glanced at the woman's shut ones, and saw as tears leaked from under her lashes.

 

"Shhh..." Shizuri cooed, letting her hand grab the woman's limp one. Giving it a tight squeeze, she dipped her fingers by the water pail into the cold water, and dabbed the Jane's cracked lips, moisturizing them.

 

Once she had finished her water, and no longer needed anymore, Shizuri left her for only a minute to bring over more items and bowls filled with assorted medicines. Once again lifting her head into her lap, she dipped her fingers into a creamy white substance and spread it over her cracked lips.

 

Shizuri took extra care with the girl's delicate state, as she washed and cleansed her body of the dirt that covered her. She watched as the girl twitched at some area's that were touched, and tried her best to be even more sensitive there. As her eyes took in the girl's form while washing her, she saw the many scars that lined her body, and came to the conclusion that she had been through alot. Shizuri stayed by the woman's side as she slept, watching over and making sure none of her vital signs changed.

 

As the night weared on, Shizuri's eyes drooped abit. Shaking her head, and turning her stare to the window where the crescent moon shined, her ears caught a choked sound. When she realized what it was, her head snapped in her charges direction. A cracked whimper was coming from the girl, and her body began to shake as tears rolled down her face. Making to get up and move closer to the woman to comfort her, her body was frozen stiff when the girl's eyes snapped open in her direction, and her body shot up straight the blanket falling to only cover her waist.

 

It did not seem as though the woman were looking at her at all though, but as if right through her. When the fog that hung over the woman's eyes faded, she began shaking and fear tainted her orbs. Shizuri slowly moved towards her, wanting to calm her down before she hurt herself further, but the girl just continued to back away in fear, her mouth moving but no words coming out.

 

"I'm not going to hurt you, just please calm down, your going to hurt yourself, please" Shizuri begged fearing for the girl's life.

 

When finally backing into a corner, the woman covered her head with her thin arms, shaking violently. Shizuri's eyes brimmed with tears, her heart feeling for the woman. Slowly as not to scare the girl any further she made her way over to her, unbeknownst to her that her slow movements only worsened the condition.

 

When she came to kneel by the girl, the woman lashed out-though with very little strength-throwing her arms wildly at what she considered an enemy. Shizuri did the only thing she could think of, and reached out at the girl, grabbing her arms and pulling her in to her embrace. Soothingly brushing her hand along her head she softly shushed her. She could feel the girl relax into her, and sobs shake her body, until she finally fell unconscious.

 

After getting her back onto the futon, and covering her up, Shizuri wiped the sweat from her forehead, and let out a breath of relief.

 

Yawning with her hand over her mouth, Shizuri welcomed the morning sun with a smile. The girl-to her relief- slept the rest of the night, and had not whimpered in distress. Seeing as though the woman would need to rest for along while, she stood and stretched her limbs; walking to the door and taking a seat in the sun's rays on her front step. Wiping at her eyes in an attempt to clear the sleep that hung over them, Shizuri almost yelled in surprise when the site of Ryou and Norito stood before her.

 

"We have come to hear what news you have on the woman" Norito questioned, giving a bow while speaking.

 

"She is alive, but in very bad condition. It seems she has been tortured for a good while, for her body is covered in scars." Shizuri began.

 

"She awoke last night...." Hearing their gasps she nodded her head in understanding.

 

"She feared me as if I was the devil himself. I fear that she has been through and seen things she should have never have been witness to. Her lungs are pretty badly torn and she may not be able to speak ever again, or if at all, barely above a whisper. She is very thin, and an unhealthy shade, which means she has not been feed for quite a long time. This is all I can tell you at this moment, but for now until she awakes and is revived from her very unhealthy state I can not tell you more." Bowing her head to the two men, she left to go back inside.

 

After a week of forcing water, medicine, and swallowable foods down the girl's throat, her strength slowly began to build. Though her weight was very much

Questionable, she wasn't nearly as thin as before. Shizuri was surprised to see her body healing quicker then a normal human's but let the thought pass. Many children had left the young woman flowers and wished for her to get better and the flowers had now covered her entire doorstep which soothed Shizuri's heart knowing so many cared for the young woman's safety.

 

It was three weeks when movement returned to her body, and her strength built enough so she could sit up on her own, even if for a little while. Norito and Ryou came by every morning to be informed of the woman's state; Norito's little daughter, Rei who had found her started to come along as well. Everyday more villagers showed up asking about the mysterious girl's health, and Shizuri was just getting worn out answering all their questions.

 

One day though everything took an abrupt change. While she exited her hut to greet the morning sun like always, she was not greeted with Norito's, Ryou's or Rei's faces, but rather a running mob of screaming villagers.

 

"What's going on?" Shizuri asked panicked.

 

"There's a demon in the village!" One person yelled, running by. Shizuri's eyes widened, before she ran into her hut and grabbed a sword that rested near by. Rushing outside again, she ran in the direction the youkai was coming from. She would offer her aid to the village men as best as she could. When she got to the site, she saw in horror as a huge bear youkai swiped its massive paws at the men tossing them aside as if they were nothing but flies.

 

Growling, she ran towards the youkai, bringing her sword down on the Bear's paw as it swiped at her. She let out a terrified gasp when the bear did not suffer a single wound and knocked the sword from her grasp. The bear striked out at her, his deadly claws threatening to cut her to bits as they came downwards to where she stood.
Tears came to her eyes as she awaited her demise.

 

The sound of the bear's pained growl caused Shizuri to snap her head up in the bear's direction to see a pinkish white light cover its chest. Within the light she could faintly make out an arrow, and saw as it pierced through the youkai's heart. The bear twitched for a couple seconds before falling to the ground dead. Shizuri felt the power still surging around her from the holy arrow that had purified and killed the massive beast. Turning on her heel's she looked in the direction from where the arrow had come from and gasped at what her eyes met.

To be continued......