InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Breaking of Dawn ❯ Shippo's Realisation ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter Ten - Shippo's Realisation

~*~*~

Kagome quickly got out of her stupor as a young girl stumbled into the room, the wind youkai Kagura closely behind. Kagome wasn't very shocked to find out that Kagura was there, it was more the fact that Rin, the little human girl following after Sesshoumaru, was there.

Rin looked as if she'd been dragged through the forest-floor. Her clothes were tattered and dirty and she had small cuts and bruises covering her frail form. It enraged Kagome to see her this way, but she refrained from commenting, not wanting to make matters worse.

Rising swiftly and gracefully from the floor Kagome was at Rin's side before anybody could blink an eye, let alone react.

Kagura raised an eyebrow in a questioning way, dismissing whatever questions she had on her mind; she walked passed the two humans, ignoring their presence completely.

Rin didn't show any emotions as she looked around the room slowly. Kagome guessed that she was too shocked to do anything else so she bent down with open her arms, inviting the small child to get the support she needed.

"It's okay Rin. It's me Kagome. Remember? I travel with Sesshoumaru's brother."

At the name of the Lord of the Western Lands, Rin directed her gaze to meet Kagome's eyes. Both challenge and worry clearly evident in her chocolate brown eyes.

"Your eyes are different." She stated simply.

Kagome smiled as she nodded and drew Rin in for an embrace.

"I know Rin. Something weird happened to me not long ago. I promise that I will tell it to you later."

Kagome could feel that Rin's posture was still stiff and awkward. A slight scent of fear reached her nose and she tightened her grip on the girl.

"I promise I'll look after you till Sesshoumaru comes here."

Kagome had no doubts that the youkai Lord was on his way. She had on many occasions sensed a slight change in his behaviour, posture and aura whenever the small child was nearby. She had no doubts that Sesshoumaru cared for her, no matter how strange it might seem.

"Is Lord Sesshoumaru fine? I don't want him to be hurt." The scared voice reached Kagome's sensitive ears and she nodded against the girl's shoulder.

"I'm sure Sesshoumaru is fine." Kagome cast a glance over at Kagura as she continued to consult the girl.

"He's strong and brave and very soon he'll be here for you."

Kagome could feel Rin relax against her and she scooped her up, cradling her in her lap in the same way Inuyasha held her when she was worried or scared.

Sensing movement from the other occupants of the room, Kagome looked up to see Hamei carrying a tray of lukewarm water towards them. She put it down in front of Kagome and handed her a small towel.

"I think it's best if you wash her." She whispered silently before walking away again, settling herself against a corner of the room.

Kagome switched her glance to Kagura as she dipped the towel in the tray.

"Why's Naraku doing this?" She asked the wind youkai calmly.

Kagura glanced to the door once before answering.

"Bait mostly. I'm guessing he wants the hanyou and Lord Sesshoumaru to kill each other. When they've done that, or at least been wounded enough to weaken them, he'll make his final move. Mind you I'm only guessing. It's not like the lousy bastard ever tells me anything."

A smirk lit on Kagura's face and Kagome got the feeling that the action was mutual. More of a `if you won't share, I won't share' kind of thing.

Kagome frowned and put her attention back to washing the small girl resting comfortably in her lap.

"Kagome?"

Rin spoke suddenly and lifted her gaze to meet Kagome's

"Hm?"

"What does `bastard' mean?"

~*~

Inuyasha felt a growl grow in his throat as Sesshoumaru and his toad retainer finally came into view.

For once it wasn't his presence that caused the reaction in Inuyasha, well, not only his presence at least. No, now it was mostly because of the faint scent that clung to Sesshoumaru like a second skin.

It was a scent Inuyasha adored, a scent of purity mixed with fresh flowers and honey. A scent of power. Kagome's scent.

`The fucking bastard. What has he done?'

Sesshoumaru's reaction was very much like Inuyasha's. In fact, for a second they both seemed to act exactly alike, exactly at the same time.

They stopped, glared, sniffed and growled before they both attacked face on. Not one word spoken to explain the reason of the sudden attack.

Both Miroku and Sango stared amazed at the pure power unleashed in the assaults. It wasn't Only Sesshoumaru, but Inuyasha too. They moved like shadows, one moment there and the next gone. Never had either Miroku or Sango witnessed anything similar in any of the fights the brothers had had in the past.

Sango inched closer to Miroku and took a hold of his arm, clinging to him for support, needing it. Too much had happened in the last week and it only seemed to build and escalate. She didn't know if she could take it anymore.

"Why are they fighting? Like this I mean. We should be out looking for Kagome or her scent."

Miroku only nodded as he watched the display of raw, brutal power. Not even noticing Sango's approach.

Shippo was as amazed as the rest of them, but when Sango mentioned searching for Kagome's scent, he sniffed the air and was surprised at what he discovered.

"That's it!" He cried out as he rushed towards the fighting brothers, ignoring the startled cries from behind.

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha listen to me." He dodged the inu youkai as he came crashing towards him.

Inwardly, Shippo winced. That last blow delivered by Inuyasha had been incredibly hard and accurate. He kind of pitied the dog demon.

"Inuyasha stop fighting! He doesn't have Kagome!"

Dodging once again, he ran after Inuyasha as he skittered across the ground. This time Sesshoumaru had been the one to deliver the blow.

"Listen to me!" He yelled again when he reached the hanyou struggling to get off the ground and back to the fighting.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Inuyasha growled as he leapt back to his feet.

Shippo barely had time to get out of the way as both of them attacked again.

"It's not her scent!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Naraku's trying to trick us."

The fighting abruptly stopped as if both the brothers, by an unspoken compromise, had agreed to listen to the kit when Naraku's name was mentioned.

"Speak." Sesshoumaru commanded with an icy voice, clearly stating how little patience he had.

Shippo gulped and averted his gaze from the cold raptor eyes Sesshoumaru had fixed on him. He wanted nothing more than to creep down a hole in the earth and stay there. How could he have been so stupid as to interfere when the two descendants of the greatest inu youkai ever went into a face on assault?

"The scent Inuyasha. It's not Kagome's."

Shippo tried to keep his heart from stopping as menacing growling erupted from them both.

"Of course it is. You think I don't know Kagome's scent?" Inuyasha growled back, snatching for Shippo's tail.

Shippo managed to jump away and shook his head, praying that Sesshoumaru would have a little more patience… His eyes were starting to turn red.

"It's not her new scent. It's her old."

Sesshoumaru blinked in surprise at the kit's statement, but quickly returned to his old expressionless self. He didn't quite understand what the kit was talking about. The only scent he could smell was that of Rin and it was covering his bastard brother.

Shippo pretended not to notice and continued with the explanation.

"Naraku's tricking us. Probably with some spell… Think about it, he'd be just the guy to make this kind of trap; having you and Sesshoumaru kill each other would fit him perfectly. Besides there was that strange feeling when we entered the village and after that we've not been able to sense her. Until Sesshoumaru came that is. He smells of Kagome, but it's her old scent. Naraku doesn't know about her change yet."

"I have no reason to smell of Inuyasha's wench." Sesshoumaru stated calmly, ignoring the growling erupting from his brother.

Miroku and Sango had deemed it safe enough to approach and positioned themselves behind Shippo. Miroku was leaning slightly on his staff.

"What Shippo says makes scent, but I'd like to know why you Lord Sesshoumaru attacked without warning this time. I can understand Inuyasha's reaction, but yours is unclear to me."

Miroku looked calmly up at Sesshoumaru, managing to keep him cool when the icy gaze was directed to him.

"This Sesshoumaru does not have to explain himself to a lowly human."

Miroku nodded.

"True, but if it helps to destroy Naraku's plan don't you think it's worth sharing some information?"

Shifting his grip briefly on his staff, Miroku sent Inuyasha a hard glare to keep him from rushing into something that he would regret.

There was a stretching silence as they all waited for Sesshoumaru's response. Finally Sesshoumaru gave an imperceptible nod and turned away from them, beginning to leave.

"Oi! Where do you think you're going?" Inuyasha yelled after him.

Sesshoumaru lightly tilted his head, but kept on going.

"The lowly hanyou Naraku has stolen from me and I will not let him get away with such an insult. You Inuyasha are covered in the scent that belongs to what he stole. This Sesshoumaru is going to find that lowly hanyou Naraku and kill him." It was stated with a calm, deliberate voice masking the fury the Inu Lord had.

"Not without me you're not!" Inuyasha responded and ran after him.

Sesshoumaru stopped abruptly and turned an icy glare at his half brother.

"This Sesshoumaru does not have time for your meddling and annoying ways."

Inuyasha snorted and kept going, passing him and taking the lead.

"The fucking bastard's taken Kagome and from the way you're acting I bet it was Rin he took from you. Now get your lazy ass in gear. I won't allow him to get away this time."

~*~

Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kirara began to follow as Jaken finally mustered enough courage to come out from the tree he had been hiding behind.

Glancing around the empty village a thought suddenly struck Miroku…

"Inuyasha how are we supposed to find Naraku now that the scent trail was false?"

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A/n: Yay! The story's moving forwards… with some minor cliffies… Please don't be mad.