InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Talking in His Sleep ❯ Howls ( Chapter 7 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Author's Notes: Sorry for the long update time. I'll explain more at the end.

" " Speaking
[ ] Thoughts

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[Damnit of all the places she could be, she had to be here]

Inuyasha watched another of her soul-gatherers float by and clentched his fists. He knew he shouldn't go, Kagome would be hurt again and he didn't want to do that to her, he'd already hurt her enough recently. [Even though I don't know how] But Kikyo might have come to see him, she was heading towards Kaede's village it seemed, maybe she was in trouble?

Staring blankly ahead, Inuyasha failed to notice the thunder rolling ominously or Sango getting up behind him. He shouldn't, he knew he shouldn't... but he had to. For some reason he couldn't not go see her, it was always that way with Kikyo.

"Inuyasha?" Sango's voice was hesitant, hoping he'd use some sense and stay this time. "How can you be sure?"

"I just saw one of her soul stealers," he pointed in the direction it had gone. "She's heading towards Kaede's village, which means there's probably trouble."

[Isn't there always when she gets involved?] Watching him for a few minutes, she looked over at the couple curled together by the wall and frowned a little. Kagome didn't seem the least bit worried over Miroku's hands groping her, she looked quite warm actually and comfortable. For his part, the monk didn't seem to mind their position either. [Not like he would]

Hearing Inuyasha move, she was surprised to see him scoot over and rest against the wall across from Kagome and Miroku. "You're not going?"

"Feh," giving a small shrug, he frowned and rolled his eyes, "Its fucking raining and Kagome's got my haori, I'm not going anywhere until it stops."

"Won't that make it worse?" Sango sighed and moved back to Kirara, shivering from the cold.

Giving a low growl, Inuyasha stared out into the rain, ignoring her question. [Its not like she won't figure it out, Kagome knows the only reasons I leave are the new moon and Kikyo] Not wanting to think of what her reaction might be, he settled in for a light nap, knowing by the sounds of things that this might take a while.

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And of course, as if to make him angrier, the rain took a full day to stop. They had no food, no blankets, a damp shelter, and a hyper kitsune to entertain. Kagome played with him and told him stories, but wasn't able to calm him when he got hungry. They were all equally starved, but what child ever thinks of that? Thus he spent the day whining about his hunger every so often.

"Will you shut up already? We heard you! You're hungry! But guess what? So are we!"

"You don't need to yell Inuyasha, he's just a baby and he's starving, there's nothing for him to eat and nothing else for him to do," Kagome pulled Shippo into her arms and rubbed his stomach tenderly.

"Feh, whatever wench, I think the rain's finally dying down," Looking out of the cave's entrance, Inuyasha was relieved to see he was right, the rain had slowed and was nearly gone. Without a word to the others, he jumped out of the entrance and dissapeared into the forest.

"He left his haori," Kagome looked down at the ground and gulped, thankful again that she'd crashed into the bush the day before and Inuyasha had been able to save her.

"He'll be back for it," Sango shrugged and glanced back to her pet. "Kirara could you get us down there?"

With a mewl, the cat demon transformed and kneeled for them to climb on. Once they were all set, she carefully exited the cave and flew them in the direction Inuyasha had taken, following his scent into the forest. Mere minutes after they'd begun their trip, their companion came back and surprised them.

"There's a fairly large village not far from here, I'll catch up with you there later."

Removing his haori, Kagome held it out to him and turned her head away, refusing to meet his eyes despite his attempts to glance into hers. [She must be nearby if he's leaving again] Fighting down the tears threatening to spill, she held onto Shippo tightly and bit her lip to hold in her sobs.

Sango and Miroku shook their heads, the latter slipping off Kirara's back to speak to Inuyasha privately. "You should not go to her Inuyasha, especially not now after all that's happened."

"I know that but she's heading for Kaede's village which means she's in trouble," Inuyasha glanced over at the girl avoiding eye contact with him. "I promised to protect her from any more trouble and..."

"And what of Kagome? You promised to protect her as well but the only thing you've managed to do is hurt her." Miroku argued, "I cannot tell you why but if you go to Kikyo now it will crush her Inuyasha. Kagome's always lived in Kikyo's shadow when it comes to you, you always put the dead one first."

Inuyasha tensed, "Watch it monk."

But Miroku was in no mood to watch it, "No! YOU watch it, watch HER, damnit Inuyasha I know what I'm saying. If you go now Kagome will never get over the pain of other night, it will only add to her troubles."

"Feh, you're overreacting Miroku, she knows how things stand between us. I've been to see Kikyo at least four times without hearing anything from Kagome," Inuyasha crossed his arms and turned away, "The village is not far, you should be there soon enough, just head west. I'll be back as soon as I see what's up."

"Ready Houshi-sama?" Sango called out, eager to get going already.

"Damnit Inuyasha, she doesn't deserve this," Miroku glared one last time before sliding into his seat once again behind Kagome.

"All right Kirara, let's go," Sango sighed and shook her head at the hanyou before they left.

[They're wrong, Kagome knows everything about me and Kikyo, she understands why I have to go] Watching them leave, he hoped she'd look at him but she kept her face turned away. Shippo glanced back and also shook his head at him, making Inuyasha growl in frustration at the annoying kit before heading for Kaede's village.

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"Kagome daijobu? You've been awfully quiet," Shippo snuggled into her arms for warmth, looking up into her saddened features, "Inuyasha's a baka, you shouldn't be sad about him."

"Calling a person a baka isn't nice Shippo," Kagome sighed, "I'm fine, don't worry about it."

"He wasn't kidding when he said it was a large village," Sango interrupted while Kirara landed and they climbed off.

"Wow its like the size of a small city," Kagome smiled for the first time since they'd split up, eyes bright with curiosity. "I wonder where we are?"

"This is a city, we're in Edo," Miroku pointed at the guards at the walls and front gate.

"I've never been to Edo," Sango mused, "Odd since its really not that far from Kaede's village.

"Edo?" Kagome gaped, "I'm home!"

"I thought you said you were from the future?" Shippo frowned in confusion.

"I am, but in the future I live in Edo," Kagome beamed, "Only they changed the name by my time so we call it Tokyo, but its the same place."

"Tokyo? That's strange," Miroku shrugged and led the way down the small slope towards the city gates. "I've been here before, I know someone who could give us shelter for the night."

"Sounds great," Kagome yawned, stomach growling from hunger. "Think we should stop somewhere to eat first?"

Shippo's eyes lit up, "Yeah!"

Miroku however, shook his head and came back towards them, "That would not be wise, Shippo-chan you must make yourself as unnoticable as possible. People here do not like youkai, be they full-grown or children. Come here and I can hide you under my kesa."

"That's awful," Kagome frowned, handing the kit over and watching Miroku hide him under the purple material.

"But understandable if you think about it," Sango carried Kirara and tucked one of her tails out of sight. "Youkai have often attacked their city and tried to destroy it. They have reason to be wary even if they aren't going to harm them."

"I guess," Kagome followed Miroku to the city gates.

To the girls' surprise, one of the guards knew Miroku and after a few minutes of cheerful banter they were allowed in without trouble. Inside the city walls, smalls homes and shops lined the streets. Kagome looked around in awe, having seen paintings of these times and surprised by how accurate people in her own time were about the layout and way of life.

Most shops were closed since it was dark out, but a few still had their doors open and welcomed business. Miroku briefly pointed places out, frowning at the tension in the people around them. Having been there before, he was surprised by how nervous everyone seemed to be. [What could be going on?]

A group of samurai crossing a street ahead made him stop and frown. [Samurai? In Edo? What could the meaning of this be?]

"Kenji lives just a few streets ahead, we'll be there shortly," Miroku moved closer to the girls, both of them also looking ahead at the samurai.

[Samurai? Why are there warriors here?] Searching through her memory for any historic events that might have occured during this time, Kagome was forced to stop abruptly when a small boy came crashing out of a doorway and fell directly in front of her.

Opening her mouth to ask if he was all right, she was stopped short again by a group of men following the boy out, one kicking him furthur into the street. With a yelp, the trembling boy moved until he kneeled in the center of the street where anyone walking past would see.

The leader of the men, a powerful looking samurai with a fierce expression on his face shouted out to the people staring, "This boy dares disobey and attack Tokugawa-sama, for that he is to be punished with ten lashes."

Kagome gasped, glancing at her equally troubled friends beside her. Stepping around the men to get a better view, she felt fury well within her at the men's cruelty. The boy looked no older than her brother Souta and they were going to whip him?

When the man lifted his hand for the first stroke, Kagome surprised everyone including herself by rushing forward and draping her body over his small frame. "NO!"

The soldier froze, glaring down at the girl, "Woman, this is no affair of yours unless the child is of your family."

"He's not but you can't whip a child!" Kagome raised her eyes to glare back at him, "I thought samurai held to a strict code of honor? What honor is there in whipping a helpless boy?"

"Helpless? The boy attempted to stab Tokugawa-sama!" The man roared, "Since you obviously know nothing of this matter you will move away."

"No!" Kagome shook her head, glaring up at him defiantly, "I'm not going anywhere!"

"Kagome don't!" Sango struggled against the samurai who had moved to block their path. The other girl had already gotten past them, one more and they'd be in lots of trouble with Matsudaira.

Growling in rage, the man again swung back his arm, the whip held menacingly above him, "Move or recieve the lashes in his stead."

Kagome heard the boy whisper for her to leave but shook her head, tightening her hold on him. Gasping as the whip cracked once on the ground beside her, the sound sent a shiver of fear through her but her resolve stayed firm. Seeing that had been her final warning, Kagome bent over the boy and tensed, waiting the first blow.

To Sango and Miroku's horror, they were unable to do anything but watch as the strap lashed into their friend's back. Hearing her small cry of pain, they screamed and struggled against the men holding them back, taking four each to be held in place. As they watched in morbid fascination, the whip struck a second time and then a third. With each blow a new slash was cut into her kimono, another gasp was heard, and worst of all the whip came away with more blood.

Having felt only a slight sting with the first blow, Kagome managed to reign in her cry of pain and give only a gasp, but each blow following it steadily broke down her strength. By the sixth blow, she could feel the blood on her back and her lip from where she'd bitten hard enough to break the skin. With the seventh she finally gave into the pain threatening to overwhelm her and screamed.

The sound of raw agony was accompanied by a howl nearby, followed by another. Jumping in surprise at the sound, the samurai stopped and glanced up around him. Another howl joined the first two, followed by a another. Glancing down at the girl, he realized she'd stopped screaming and saw her body was being held up the boy, who'd been surprised when she fell into a dead faint. With the approaching of the howls, the men released her companions, turning to locate the sources of the sounds.

Rushing to her side, Sango and Miroku gently took her from the boy and held her up, tears streaming down the taijiya's face at her friend's state. Forgetting any threat of danger to himself, Shippo had come out of Miroku's kesa and been held down by the monk, but his small face was equally drenched in tears at the sight of his mother's whipping.

[She didn't do anything! Why won't they stop?] Ran through his mind as he'd watched the blows.

When the howling was suddenly replaced by a fierce growling, Sango and Miroku looked up and were surprised to see they were surrounded by wolves. Fierce, wild, and deadly, the pack slowly surrounded the circle of men around them.

Wondering briefly about the meaning of it, their doubts were soon cleared when a whirlwind rushed into the scene, stopping a few feet away from Matsudaira. Kouga stood tall and dangerous, glowering at the men as he demanded to know where Kagome was, Miroku's body blocking her from his view.

"Who is this Kagome?" Matsudaira asked tremulously.

"Kagome is MY woman and my pack has been watching over her since I had to leave her side. She is here and she has been injured, I can smell the blood." Kouga bared his fangs and claws, fury emanating from his being.

It was her voice that broke the silence following his words, calling softly for him, "K-Kouga?"

Finally noticing the taijiya and houshi, Kouga stepped around them and stopped cold at the sight. Kagome lay face-down, tears streaming down her cheeks just as blood soaked her clothes, long and deep lacerations cris-crossed along her back. Growling in rage, he stepped forward to crush the man holding the whip when she stopped him.

"Please Kouga, tasukete," A small breeze flew by and caused a whimper of pain to escape her.

Heart breaking at the sound, Kouga glared at the man but quickly turned and lifted her into his arms, being very careful of her back. A sob escaped her lips and she clung to him tightly, dreading even the smallest movement for fear it might pull at her wounds.

Chest rumbling in a soft purr-like sound, Kouga focused on the houshi, "We need a place to tend to her."

"I know a man," Miroku nodded and stood to lead the way.

The men surrounding them moved out of the way, terror obvious in their faces and movements. Without another glance at them, Kouga motioned for Miroku to lead the way and absently growled an order to his pack as he left. The sound of screaming reached Kagome's ears and she managed to glance up at Kouga's stony expression.

"Will they...?"

"No one harms one of my pack like this and lives," Kouga replied darkly, "Especially not a female and even more so the alpha female of the pack. I did not order them to do it, my pack knows the law, they are merely following it."

"What did you..."

"I ordered them to return to the cave and wait for us there, but I knew they would not go until their task was finished and I did not make an effort to stop them." Kouga pulled her closer and carefully stepped over a ditch.

"Why?"

He sighed, "If you hadn't called for me I would have done it myself, but then I heard your voice and I knew it would disturb you to watch me kill the man. I allowed them to do me the favor, although they were all as eager to do it as I."

"Really?" Kagome felt herself losing the struggle to stay awake and sighed, smiling at his next words before giving into the pain tugging her into unconsciousness.

"Of course, you're family, any one of my pack would willingly die for you."

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Nearly and hour later:

"What a brave girl"

Kenji sat back and glanced over to the screen at the far end of the room. The taijiya had tended to her wounds and left the girl to rest, the wolf prince insisting on staying beside her.

Having listened to Miroku's explanation of what occured, he glanced over at the boy and kitsune beside the fire, one gobbling down his second bowl of stew and the other nibbling on a chunk of bread. A sniffle brought his attention back to the couple before him and he smiled at the picture they made.

Surprisingly his lecherous friend was acting quite chivalrously, having draped an arm around the distraught taijiya, he soothed her crying and moved to accomodate her better when she fell asleep, her head resting on his shoulder. The light in his eyes betrayed his emotions as he held her, showing of the deep feelings the houshi harbored for the girl. Knowing about his friend's incorrigible lechery, Kenji was glad to see he'd finally found someone to care for. He knew Miroku was a lot deeper than he appeared, however the weight of his curse lay heavily on him.

"So the boy attempted to kill Tokugawa-sama? That was both extremely brave and foolish," Kenji watched the boy eat and shook his head sadly. "They just took over the castle, he must have had family in there or someone die in the struggle."

"We'll find out tomorrow Kenji, now we need to rest, last night was difficult for us," Miroku carefully lifted Sango and lay her down on the futon laid out by Kenji for her. Thanking his friend again for his hopitality, he watched Kirara and Shippo lay down beside her and sighed at the kitsune's worried expression.

"It'll be all right Shippo, you'll see, Kagome will be better after a full night's rest." Miroku ruffled his hair before lying down on his own futon, watching him nod and fall asleep.

The boy took the bed offered by Kenji and thanked him also before drifting off. Moments later the two men were also soundly resting.

The only one left awake in the hut was the wolf prince seated beside Kagome. Having waited for her wounds to be tended, he sat watching her and inwardly cursing Inuyasha again. [The bastard's dead! How dare he leave her again!]

But then he knew the reason for it, his dead bitch must have shown up somewhere. It was just beyond Kouga why the dog would still follow after her if he knew she was nothing more than a mix of clay and bones. How could he leave someone as precious as Kagome for that? And damned if the girl wasn't loyal to the baka despite his own constant betrayals.

[No more, Kagome will either come with me or I'll have to join their stupid quest] Kouga watched her back rise in a soft sigh and her head turn on the pillow. Moving to turn onto her side, Kagome gasped in pain and woke up suddenly, eyes wide and surprised when she saw him.

"How long have you been there?" she whispered softly.

"Since you were finished being bandaged," Kouga watched her wince and take a deep breath to ease the aching. "What are you trying to do?"

"I can't sleep on my stomach unless I have something halfway beneath me like a body pillow," Kagome sighed again.

Not knowing what a body pillow was, Kouga figured a body might suffice and moved from his sitting position to lay down. Gently so as not to jar her back, he helped her lift onto her side for a second, sliding into place beside her before pulling her to lie half over him.

"Does that help?"

Blushing, Kagome nodded, her cheek rubbing against the soft pelt covering his chest. Feeling him slide his arm beneath her so she lay coocooned against his side, she smiled as he carefully covered her with the blanket and placed a soft kiss to her forehead, ordering her to sleep.

"Arigato Kouga"

Moving her arm across his waist, she snuggled close to his warmth and closed her eyes, again feeling his chest rumbling soothingly beneath her ear, lulling her to sleep.

Moments later, just as he was about to doze off himself, Kouga felt her leg drape over his and her head snuggled closer, resting just above his heart. He growled softly and was rewarded with her whispering his name in her sleep, a smile coming to his lips at the sound.

[Hai Kagome, its about time... anata]

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"What do you mean she didn't come by here?" Inuyasha glared at the old miko standing in the doorway.

"Just as I said Inuyasha, if Kikyo came this way she did not stop to ask about ye or Kagome," Kaede rubbed her good eye sleepily. "Where are Kagome-chan and the others? Ye left her after what's happened to look for my sister? Are ye daft?"

"Kagome will be fine, she's in the big village with Miroku and Sango," Inuyasha yawned, watching Kaede's eye widen in surprise.

"Ye left Kagome-chan in Edo? The walled village not far from here?!"

He shrugged, "If that's what its called then yes you old hag, what's so wrong with that?"

"Edo's Osaka castle was recently under siege! The shogun's son and his army are there, Kagome could be in great trouble!"

"Feh, she's just a girl, how much trouble can she get into?" Seeing how the old woman would only keep scolding him if he stayed, Inuyasha turned and exited the hut, heading for the Goshinboku to take a nap before deciding what to do.

"Mark my words Inuyasha, Kagome-chan has a knack for trouble, ye've seen the proof of it yourself after the other night! How could ye leave her to look for Kikyo? Will ye never realize how much ye hurt her with yer constant pursuit of that clay body floating about?" Kaede yelled after him.

"Woman that clay body is your sister!" Inuyasha turned to glare.

Kaede shook her head sadly, "My sister Kikyo died fifty years ago Inuyasha, that body might have part of her soul but it is not truly hers anymore. Ye must see the differences, she is no longer as she was, she is living off borrowed time."

"Whatever," turning his back on her again, Inuyasha ignored the guilt of leaving Kagome behind again and dissapeared into the forest. [Kagome will forgive me, I know she will, and she'll be fine in that village, she has the others to watch out for her]

A sudden howling pierced the night and he frowned, listening carefully as the wolves cried out for their leader. [Feh, that whimpy wolf, what the hell could they need him for?]

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Quick vocab: Tasukete= Help & anata= term of endearment or a couple's way of saying 'you'

Ok I know this updte took forever, believe me I would have sent it in sooner but the previous version got erased and then I didn't want to rewrite it all and I ended up changing it a bit. I hope you all liked this and that it was worth the wait.

I've got to run, let me know what you think - Inuyasha will meet with Kikyo and show up more in the next chapter I promise. See ya!