InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Breaking of Dawn ❯ Change in Scent ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter two - Change in Scent

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Inuyasha was about to go and look for the two girls when the wind turned and he caught an alien scent with his nose. Youkai. Without a second thought he ran off into the forest, ignoring the cries of the young pup and the startled monk. The scent came from the direction Kagome was. That much he could tell from only his nose. It set his blood on fire. Thinking about Kagome in danger. Speeding up his ears caught the cry from Sango. "Kagome run!" He was still too far away to do anything, but he strained his muscles. Willing them to move faster. Willing himself not to be too late to save her. He could feel the restraint Tetsusaiga held over him, keeping him from turning full youkai. Keeping him from moving faster. He growled in annoyance and as the next plead from Sango reached his ears he threw the sword away. Allowing his blood to take control. His vision went red.

"I said get out of here!" Sango's voice echoed in his ears.

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In the meantime, the little kitsune had also caught the strange youkai scent and his heart skipped a beat. So that was why the angry hanyou had run off. He'd never forgive himself if something happened to Kagome. She was like a mother to him. He loved her more than he could put into words. Feeling tears run down his cheeks he cried to the monk that a demon was after Kagome and then he too was off into the forest.

Miroku blinked once before the information registered in his mind. Sango was in danger! He began to run and soon he had caught up with the little kit, he scooped him up in his arms without slowing down…

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The sight that met Inuyasha as he reached the lake made his blood burn with impossible anger. Kagome lay face down in the dirt, bloodied and wounded with the youkai hovering over her, ready to thrust and take her virginity. The growl that escaped Inuyasha's throat, made the birds in the nearby trees take to their wings, and it felt as if the ground itself was shaking.

In one giant leap he was on the youkai, cutting with his claws. The sight of the blood flowing made his own sing. It was like music to his ears when the unknown youkai crashed to the ground. Wounded and bleeding from serious wounds. He hadn't wanted to kill him with only one blow. Oh no. This youkai was going to suffer. He would rue the day he tried to take HIS mate.

Landing softly and silently in front of Kagome, he struck a fighting pose. Ready to defend. Ready to attack. Ready to kill. The alien youkai shuddered and tried to get off of the ground. Inuyasha growled. He was going to deal this creature so much pain it would want to die. And then… he was going to grant the wish.

Moving with impossible speed, Inuyasha struck out with his claws, nicking the youkai's shoulder as it barely dodged the attack. The dance had begun.

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As Miroku ran with the kitsune in his arm he caught a glimmer from the last rays of the sun to his left. Slowing only a fraction, he realised that it was the Tetsusaiga, reflecting the sunshine. `Oh no!' Turning abruptly he ignored Shippo's protests and went to get the sword. He dreaded the monster he was going to meet if he didn't bring it. He had to stop the crazy hanyou before he killed Kagome, or even worse. Sango.

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As the youkai crashed to the ground with a last whimper from its throat, Inuyasha growled disappointed. He had wanted it to last longer. The youkai hadn't suffered enough for what he had done. He wanted someone to suffer. Looking around his eyes landed on another female. This one wasn't his mate. He was about to lounge at her when something inside him stopped him. He sniffed the air and caught her scent. Managing to find it amongst the thick scent of blood and the scent of his mate in heat. She smelled familiar and his own scent was surrounding her. Not in the way it would've done if she was his mate, but in the way it would if she spent a lot of time in his company. Cursing to himself he realised that she was a part of his pack. He couldn't kill her unless she had done anything to displease him. And she had done the exact opposite. He could still remember her voice, urging his mate to get away from the danger. This pack member had tried to protect his mate.

Turning to his wounded mate, he decided to let the matter go. She was wounded and needed his help more than he needed to hurt someone. He bent down and the scent of her heat caught in his nose, making his head swim. She was still a virgin. He could smell it. All his instincts told him to take her right there and mark her as his, but again something within him stopped him.

She was shaking and sweating. Oblivious to the world around her. He had to wait until she had healed. It was frustrating him to no end, but he didn't want to hurt her more. Bending down again, he began to lick the wounds on her arm and on her hands. Content in the meantime to taste her sweet blood. Besides, his spit would help her heal quicker…

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Miroku stopped dead in his tracks as he reached the clearing where the lake was. What he saw made his blood run cold.

Black blood was covering the entire ground. Some of it was even on the trees. To his right he could see Sango lying unmoving on the ground and to his left he could see Inuyasha in his youkai from, bending over Kagome and licking her. His fist instinct was to run over to Sango and check that she was alright, but he knew that the immediate danger lay with the youkai Inuyasha. The dead corpse of the other youkai was no threat at all. `Man, I'm happy I've never really pissed Inuyasha off', was the first thought that crossed his mind when he saw the mutilated youkai. Shaking his head he realised that the young kitsune hadn't made a noise since they entered the clearing.

"Shippo are you okay?" He whispered, trying to speak low enough so that Inuyasha wouldn't hear him. It wasn't low enough. Inuyasha jerked his head up and glared at Miroku, making a low threatening sound reverberate from his throat. With those red eyes glued to him, Miroku wanted nothing more than to run. He must've moved a leg because the growl came again.

"He's telling you not to move," the terrified kitsune mumbled. He was clutching Miroku's robes tightly. Trying to keep back his tears. Miroku nodded before whispering back. "I figured as much. I have to give him his sword before he kills everyone." Shippo only nodded weakly. "Just don't go any closer. He's trying to protect Kagome." The monk arched his eyebrow at the statement. "How do you know?" Shippo shrugged like it was obvious. "His posture, the way he growled, his scent. Everything about him says; stay away and you'll be fine. If he considered us enemies, he would've attacked long ago. And if he doesn't consider us enemies that means that he considers us part of his pack." Shippo shrugged. "He's in his youkai form. He's acting on pure instinct…" Miroku shook his head in wonder. He would never have thought that Inuyasha was capable of protective feelings in his youkai form. If he considered them part of his pack `now', then he must really care for them in his hanyou form.

"We still have to give him his sword back. I'm not sure how long I trust him to see us as part of his pack if we stay around when he wants to protect Kagome." Shippo nodded again, a bit calmer since he reacted on Inuyasha's posture and scent. "Make him want to get the sword. That's the only way. If you throw it to him, he'll attack." Miroku gulped. Make him want to get the sword? Like that would be easy when all Inuyasha cared for at the moment was to protect Kagome.

`Protect Kagome? Wait, that's it!' "Inuyasha?" Miroku spoke slowly and calmly to make the crazy hanyou understand that he didn't threaten him. Inuyasha growled low and Miroku took it as a sign to continue. "If you want to protect Kagome, you can do it better with this sword."

He held up the sword and instantly regretted it as the growling rose in volume. "Eh… I mean. It was your father's, it has his strength embedded in it. You'll be stronger with it. Better able to protect her… and… and the pack."

When Inuyasha rose slowly from his position by Kagome, Miroku was about to make a run for it, but the insistent claws from Shippo made him stand still. He was sure that he was about to die.

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Inuyasha could smell the reek of fear surrounding the two members of his pack. He could understand that they were afraid of him and it didn't really bother him. It showed that they respected him and that they weren't about to challenge him. Looking at the sword the human was holding up, he began to rise from the spot in front of his mate. He was really reluctant to leave her, but on the other hand, he could smell the power emanating from the sword. With that power he would be invincible.

As his hands curled around the sword he could feel that his anger was ebbing away. He didn't really understand what the sword was doing until it was too late.

When Miroku saw that the red in Inuyasha's eyes began to reside, he was so relieved that he nearly lost his feet. It didn't take long tough before he remembered Sango and rushed over to her. The kit still hanging on to his robes.

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With the thick smell of blood surrounding the area, Inuyasha was half expecting to be attacked, so he was really happy that he already had the Tetsusaiga in his hand. When he turned around tough, all thoughts of an attack were wiped from his mind. Kagome was lying half naked and bloodied on the ground in front of him. He was calmed a bit by the fact that her scent didn't signalise that she had been mated to. He would've killed himself if he had done anything like that to her without her permission.

His blood began to boil with anger again when he realised what had happened. He had thrown the sword away… that was a really chilling thought, but it didn't make up for the anger he was feeling towards the dead youkai lying in the grass some feet away. `Well at least it has paid for what it did to Kagome.'

Taking off his haori he draped it over Kagome to cover her up. He noticed that she was sweating and shaking, and she didn't react to anything he said to her. His heartbeat increased with worry. She didn't have serious enough wounds to make her behave the way she did, so something else was definitely happening to her. He had to get her back to Kaede. Fast. But it was one day of walking to her village. Sighing he turned and saw Miroku bending over Sango. She was beginning to regain her consciousness again and Inuyasha felt a twinge of guilt. He couldn't remember if he was the reason that she got hurt. He was about to call over to them when a brown fur ball crashed into him. He looked down and saw the little kitsune pup fighting to get past him to Kagome. Grabbing Shippo's tail he lifted the kit up to his face and growled at him. "If you dare to bother Kagome now, I promise you'll regret it." Tears running down his cheeks, Shippo gulped and nodded that he wouldn't bother Kagome.

Certain that Kagome would be left alone he talked to Miroku.

"Hey, monk! We have to get Kagome to Kaede. Something's wrong with her and I'm not talking about the fact that she almost got raped." Miroku raised his head and looked over at Inuyasha as he helped Sango up on her feet, cautioning her to take it easy. Sango didn't seem to hear him, as she pushed him away and ran over to Kagome. Staring down on the shaking form covered with Inuyasha's red haori.

"I told her to get away." She whispered. "I told her to get away. Why didn't she listen to me?"

Miroku came over too and draped his arms around Sango's shoulders, knowing that this wasn't the time to grope her. "Calm down Sango, it wasn't your fault. You did what you could. Besides, Inuyasha is right for once. We have to get her to Kaede." Sango only nodded numbly as she leaned into Miroku's embrace, letting the throbbing headache engulf her and lead her back to sleep.

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They had been walking the entire night when Inuyasha began to see the faint lights from the village in front of them. He was carrying Kagome in his arms, trying very hard to ignore the smell coming from her and at the same time, focusing on it. Something wasn't right with the way she smelled. When they had been back at the clearing with the lake he had noticed it too, but then he hadn't been sure about what he smelt because of the thick reek of blood. Besides, he had also reasoned that her being in heat was changing her smell. Now he wasn't so sure that that was the reason for her change in smell.

Kagome had been shaking and sweating through the entire night and in the meantime her scent had changed slowly, but nonetheless surely. He wasn't sure about what the change in smell meant, and he couldn't catch up on exactly what the difference was. Turning to the little kitsune walking besides him with his head lowered he finally decided that it was time to ask if the kit could smell it too.

"Shippo." The kitsune raised his head startled at the fact that Inuyasha had used his name. "Do you… do you smell something different about Kagome?" Behind him, Inuyasha could feel Miroku's eyes fixing on his back. Miroku had been carrying and supporting Sango through the night. Never complaining about the added burden, and now he was carrying a sleeping Sango again, careful not to move her too much as they walked.

Shippo stared at Inuyasha a second before he nodded slowly. "Yes, she has been smelling different all week, but I didn't care, because she always smells different at this time of the month." Inuyasha didn't need to look at Miroku to know that the monk was smiling his lecherous smile. For once he ignored it and glared at the kit as a small blush crept across his face. "Forget about that you runt. I'm talking about the fact that her smell has changed since she was attacked." Shippo blinked and sniffed the air, focusing on Kagome's scent with all his attention. When his eyes went large and round he stared surprised at Kagome. "She… she smells. She smells more like a youkai or a hanyou then a human."

Inuyasha stopped dead in his tracks. Staring in disbelief down at the kitsune. Drawing a deep breath of Kagome's scent for the first time he realised that the little runt was right. Miroku caught up with them and stared down at Shippo. "What did you say?" He asked, barely concealing his surprise. Shippo looked more excited than worried about what he had said, and somehow Inuyasha couldn't find a reason for the reaction to be wrong. "Her scent has changed during the entire night." Inuyasha explained for Shippo. He looked down at the girl in his arms. "She's smelling nearly like a hanyou now… and it's still changing." Miroku's face went white. "We have to get her to Kaede fast; I just hope that it's not too late." Inuyasha glared at the monk as he began to walk again. "Miroku. What's happening to her?" The monk ignored him and continued to walk. Completely lost in his own thoughts.

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A/n: Inuyasha to the rescue! Woohoo!!! You like? You review ^_^ And again I'll mention my other fic `Waking Powers'. Thanks for all the reviews.