InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The End of Innocence ❯ Aftermath ( Chapter 4 )

A/N: Hello! Sorry that I haven't written for so long, but it was finals week at school. Now, thankfully, school is over, so I have nothing more to do, and will try to update weekly, ate the least. Anyhow, here is another installment. I hope you enjoy it! Please read and review!

 

Disclaimer: I got tired of L33T writing, so here it is in plain English: No. Trust me, I wish, but no.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

InuYasha landed with a thump and a huge cloud of dust at the edge of the camp, causing Miroku to wake with a start and yawn fuzzily as he lifted his head.

 

Sango, ever ready for a surprise attack, leapt up from the fire she had been fanning and had her boomerang bone aloft within seconds.

 

Shippo jumped behind Sango, then leapt at InuYasha when he saw what was in InuYasha's arms.

 

Sango saw that Kagome was naked, bruised and bleeding, and the image arose unbidden of a feral, demon InuYasha tearing Kagome's clothes off and . . . but then she saw that the Tetsusaiga was safe by his side, and she exhaled the breath that she hadn't known she was holding.

 

But then another fear filled her mind.

 

Is Kagome DEAD?!

 

“Kagomeeeeee! What's happened? Who hurt her?!”, Shippo cried, hopping to every side of InuYasha in seconds, peering over his shoulder at the limp bundle in his arms.

 

Since he had landed, InuYasha's head had been bowed, his bangs covering his eyes. But when Shippo came close, his head snapped up, and he bared his teeth in a feral snarl.

 

InuYasha clutched Kagome to him, and took a step backward.

 

It was Sango who realized what was happening. “Shippo . . . move away from InuYasha. If you provoke him any more, he will try to hurt you.”

 

Sango slowly began to speak, setting down her weapon and holding up her hands.

 

“InuYasha, we know that something has happened to Kagome. We don't want to hurt her. Maybe we can help. Please, let me see Kagome.”

 

As she spoke, she took a couple of small steps towards InuYasha, and he did not move away - but neither did he relax his hold on Kagome.

 

“Don't run away . . . I just want to help. I'm going to come over to you, and just look at her.”

 

She took another few steps, and she was only two yards away from InuYasha. Finally, he relaxed, and the animal rage left his eyes.

 

His face sagged, and Sango saw a look of anguish so intense that she feared Kagome was already gone.

 

Sango relaxed slightly when she saw that Kagome was breathing.

 

Praise the Kami! But what has happened to her? Who did this?

 

Before she could open her mouth, InuYasha, as if reading her mind, said, “Koga,” harshly croaking out the word as if it choked him.

 

All of the blood drained from Sango's face as she cried, “Koga! But he cared for Kagome! He wanted to make her his life mate! Why would he - ?”

 

InuYasha broke in with, “I don't know. I did not see him - if I had, the bastard would be torn to shreds by now,” he said, the anger returning to his face.

 

“We must get her to Kaede. I do not have the skill to deal with such wounds,” said Sango.

 

“InuYasha, go ahead as fast as you can to the village. We will follow you as soon as we pack up.” Without a word, he took off, and Sango heard, as he jumped over the trees, a sound she had never heard before, and hoped to never hear again - InuYasha's howl.

 

The cry was so intense, so heartbreaking, that Sango felt she would go mad.

 

She shook her head to clear the sound from her mind, and then began to run to the stream with a pot for water, so that she could put out the fire.

 

Her head swirled with more thoughts than she could handle.

 

Why? WHY? Did Koga go mad?

 

I hope Kagome will be all right!

 

What if her wounds are more serious than they appeared?

 

What if she - NO! I won't think about that!

 

Kagome will be fine. I know this. She is a powerful priestess - she will heal herself.

 

When Sango reached the river, she gasped with astonishment at the scene that met her eyes.

 

Kagome's torn clothes, the blood on the ground, and the imprint of a body in the mud all added up to one thing: Koga had not just attacked her - he had raped her.

 

Why else would he tear off her clothes and throw her on the ground? Sango was a good tracker, and she could read the disturbances in the mud like the pages of a book. She wanted to ignore the story she saw, but it was impossible.

 

Whether she wanted to ask the question or not, the answer was before her. Sango's eyes began to water as she thought of Kagome, lying in Kaede's hut at the edge of death.

 

Even if she survives and heals, she will never be the same. Sango thought of how sweet and pure Kagome was, how innocent, how trusting, and she began to cry outright.

 

She angrily shoved the pot into the river to fill it, then hesitated. Sango gently reached out and picked up Kagome's uniform, still folded, from the rock where it had been resting.

 

She walked back to camp briskly, wiping at her eyes until they were red. It would not be good if the others saw her crying.

 

Why did it have to be Kagome? I could have fought off any attacker. I have already seen and experienced the evils of this world. But Kagome was still a child! Just a child . . .

 

When Sango reached camp, she squared her shoulders and stood up straight. She had to be strong, for Shippo.

 

But when she looked at the clearing, she realized in surprise that their bags were packed, even Kagome's giant knapsack, and Shippo was shifting impatiently from paw to paw, his face white, obviously anxious to be off.

 

Miroku was sitting on one of the bags, his back to Sango, leaning contemplatively on his staff.

 

He turned around when Sango approached, and his eyes met hers for an instant. Sango was surprised by what she saw. Miroku's face looked drawn and worried - far from the usual lecherous expression.

 

But he was looking at her with worry! Why would he care how I feel? He's just a pervert, damn it!

 

Sango turned her face away, breaking eye contact with Miroku, but she did not blush. It was not the time for foolishness.

 

She whistled to Kirara, who immediately trotted up to Sango and transformed into her demon form, large enough to carry all three of them.

 

Sango slung her Hirakotsu over her shoulder, then reached out to pick up Kagome's knapsack. But Miroku had already hoisted it over his shoulder, and was looking intently at Sango, waiting for her to climb onto Kirara.

 

Sango shrugged her shoulders at Miroku's oddly solicitous behavior, but she filed it away to be considered another time.

 

She climbed onto Kirara's back, and Shippo jumped in front of her. Miroku took a seat behind Sango, and she sat there for a moment, expecting him to try to snuggle up against her like he always did, but for once, he left her alone.

 

She twisted her head around to get a look at him - and he still sported a serious expression on his face, although he was looking off into the distance and ignoring her completely.

 

Sango felt exhausted, even though the sun had only just broken free from the mountains to the north. She wanted to curl up and go to sleep and wake up to find that the morning had been a dream, some terrible nightmare that would go away if she opened her eyes.

 

But it was true, all of it, and there was nothing to do about it. Miroku put his hand softly onto her shoulder, and for once, she did not bat him away - she was lost in thought, and barely noticed.

 

InuYasha will watch over you, Kagome. WE will watch over you. You will be all right. I am coming as fast as I can!

 

~*~*~*~*~