InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Book Of One Shots ❯ The Bandits ( Chapter 4 )

The Bandits

ChristieLea54

"KAGOME!" a now human Inuyasha called from across the clearing of the forest. A very angry bandit was running straight for her. Inuyasha, even in his human form, quickly disposed of the bandit's traveling companions, but not quickly enough to be able to get to Kagome in time.

The bandit was getting closer. Deftly, Kagome reached for an arrow, and let one go with a soft twang of the bowstring.

It landed somewhere in the man's chest. With one last strangled cry, he fell to the ground, dead.

Kagome had just killed someone. Not a demon, not anything remotely close to a demon. Just a terribly misguided human man. She felt sick.

Inuyasha had managed to catch up with her now, and noticed her suddenly pale as a ghost complexion in the pre-dawn light.

"Kagome?" he asked uncertainly.

She pointed a slender finger at the slain man. "I - I - I just killed him!" she whispered hoarsely, as she fell to her knees.

Inuyasha sighed warily as he sat down next to her in his typical Indian-style fashion. "I know," he said solemnly.

Inuyasha remembered all too well the first time he had killed a man. Not an animal for dinner, or a mindless, raging demon, but a man. A man who somewhere, somehow, had a heart buried deep within him. It had been in self-defense, but to know that you were responsible for taking away a man's life, was horrible. And for Kagome, who was always telling him how precious life is, it must be ten times worse.

"You did the right thing Kagome. He would have killed you." His voice was, for once, completely serious.

She looked up at him. She looked so lost. He hated seeing her like that. Kagome was supposed to be cheerful. Kagome was supposed to be optimistic. Kagome was supposed to be innocent. Not lost and broken.

"I know… what it's like." His voice was heavy. "I should've been there. I should've killed him."

She managed a small smile. "It's not your fault." She turned hopeful eyes on him. "Can we at least bury him?"

"Yeah."

Together they had the common grave dug in no time. Kagome placed a single flower on top, and turned to her best friend. "Thanks… for understanding."

It was then that the sun rose, bringing with it Inuyasha's demon half. Kagome thought that their special moment was over, now that Inuyasha was back to himself, but she was sorely mistaken.

He gave her his trademark cocky grin, and said, "Anytime!"

That made Kagome smile. Hesitantly, she reached up and gently rubbed one of his soft furry ears. But instead of pulling away, like usual, he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

Inuyasha didn't say so, but only one person had ever been able to make his ears feel like that, and that person was Kagome.