InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Gift ❯ An Attack... ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: This has not changed....

 

A/N: Sorry for this being late. I had planned for this to be up sooner then this, but I received a promotion at work making me a Manager... and well, I didn't have as much time on my hands as I use too... My apologies.

 

~Love imposes impossible task,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Though not more than any heart asks,
And I must know she's a true love of mine.

~Scarborough Fair

 

 

THE GIFT

Part Two:

 

 

Kagome reached up to grab the top of the ledge of the well with a grunt. Was it her imagination, or was it getting more difficult to climb up the well instead of easier? She heaved silently as she struggled to pull herself and the heavy book bag on her back.

 

`Oh...'

 

The book bag. That was what was wrong. She stood there for a second on the top step of the rope latter to gather her strength to throw herself and the heavier-then-usual book bag over the ledge. She didn't know what possessed her to pack more things then what she normally did. The only excuse she could think of was that she had had a feeling that she wasn't going to be able to return home for a while. A long while.

 

When she felt her breathing normalizing, Kagome gripped the stone ledge above her tightly and began pulling herself up. Just as she was beginning to lift herself up she suddenly felt something clamp tightly on her wrist.

 

And with a swoosh of air she was yanked, completely, out of the well.

 

Kagome barely had time to stifle her scream of alarm before she felt herself dangling in mid air. She took three deep breaths to calm her racing heart before prying her eyes open; she'd squeezed them shut when she was pulled out of the well. She tentatively opened her eyes and turned her head slightly to look at her captor. She quickly took in the intense amber eyes, long white hair and the calm expression on the face.... and sighed in relief.

 

`Sesshoumaru.;

 

For a moment there Kagome thought she might have, inadvertently, gotten herself into trouble... again

 

Not the Inu-youkai she was expecting... which was good. She wasn't going to be yelled at.

 

“Ah... hello, Sesshoumaru...” she smiled hesitantly at him.

 

Sesshoumaru arched one fine brow at her but his face remained quietly detached. He looked her up and down, but was no longer surprised by her strange garb now that he knew she wasn't of his time.

 

The moment she saw that eyebrow arch her stomach did a flying somersault that if it was at the Olympics it would have received a perfect score. `Dammit!' Why was it that just one simple movement of an eyebrow could cause her to melt and have such odd reactions everytime??

 

It was annoying. But she tried desperately to hide the reaction by trying valiantly to hold on to her smile.

 

“You `re late.”

 

Her smiled died an early death.

 

Was he going to yell at her? No. He wouldn't... it wasn't his way. Why would one yell when they were perfectly capable of getting their point across without raising their voice even a mere octave? She sighed... this was going to be worse.

 

She looked up to lock her blue gaze with his... she figured she might as well get it over with.

 

The moment there eyes locked she felt a tingling sensation run through her entire body starting from the tips of her fingers down to her toes. `Woah!' she thought as she stared back at him. She had become used to the active butterflies in her stomach that always decided to do cartwheels when he came around but this was new.

 

All of a sudden she was very aware of his grip holding firmly around her wrist as she dangled a good four feet above the ground. She was also very aware of how close his body was to her own. In short she was very aware of him.

 

Sesshoumaru had no idea the sensation running through his body was not felt by him alone. He'd been telling himself that the miko was not that important to him personally. That she was just a necessity for the task they had ahead of them, but for some reason, at this very moment, he couldn't seem to tell himself that... or believe it. All he could do was stare into the piercing blue eyes of hers and feel as if she was drawing him into herself and leaving nothing for him to keep to himself.

 

It was very irritating.

 

`What the hell...' he thought to himself as he regarded her quietly. As he slowly tried to analyze what was happening to him the funny sensation abruptly died away as if it had never been.

 

He stood stock still as he contemplated his body and what had just happened, but could come up with no plausible answers. All that he could make out is that for a few inescapable moments he wanted nothing more then to be there with her.

 

And even now he didn't want to deny, even to himself, that he wanted her with him.

Not that he was about to make any kind of declarations or anything like that... she's a ningen. And, admittedly, she was not like most and was more powerful then even most youkai it still didn't change facts. And the facts mattered. Right??

 

But what the hell was that feeling? It was as if someone had opened him up and let things that he did not want to think about flow free and out.

 

He didn't like it.

 

Sesshoumaru focused once more on her eyes and saw the confusion he was feeling mirrored there.

 

Well there was one consolation. Whatever was going on she wasn't the one doing it and had absolutely no idea what it was also.

 

Kagome staring confusedly at him as the strange sensation slowly receded from her body. It didn't go away though; she could still feel it somewhere inside her; like a humming just below the surface of her flesh. It was a very soft yet intense feeling and she couldn't seem to shake it off.

 

Sesshoumaru decided to ignore the feeling for now since it was gone anyway and turned his attention back to the reason he was there in the first place.

 

“We waste time,” he said in that quiet way of his then slowly lowered her to the ground.

He released her wrist and watched as she lowered her arm to rub at her wrist softly with her other hand.

 

Kagome watched him silently as she massaged her wrist. He hadn't been holding her tightly enough to cause pain, but she could feel the tingly feeling all around her wrist where his hand was holding her. So, she was rubbing at it to dispel the feeling.

In truth, she could actually feel the little humming in her skin going away.

 

Kagome huffed in frustration. She didn't want the feeling to go away. Not yet! She wanted to know where it came from and what it meant.

 

“Is Inuyasha upset?”

 

Sesshoumaru arched a brow at that. He wondered if she realized just how stupid that question was.

 

Kagome sighed as she bent down to pick up her book bag. She slowly heaved the heavy yellow bag over her shoulder and stuck one arm through the hole provided by the straps.

 

“Well, it's not as if I meant to be late,” she said with a frown. “I over slept a little.” Not to mention the talk she had with her mother took up time as well, but she didn't see a reason to add that.

 

Thinking of her mother and the talk they had made Kagome think of Ayaela. She wondered if the sorceress was really `real' or just a very well known story. She had a feeling that the woman was real though. Kaede-sama had spoken of the woman as if she truly existed and after all Kagome had seen in the Feudal Era she wouldn't be surprised at all.

 

Now, the story of the wolf was a little hard to swallow and even though she was inclined to believe it when her mother was telling her the story, it was a little bit more difficult then that when she had time to mull the whole thing over in her head.

 

But still... there was the coincidence of a white wolf being in both her mother's story and in what Kaede-sama had said.

 

But to believe that a man who once lived and died came back to live again as a wolf? Well. Let's just say it brought a whole new meaning to the word `reincarnated'. Though she knew there were religions out there that believed in the possibility of being reincarnated as something other then a human.... but, to return you to the one you loved in life?

 

There's a sweet kind of bitterness in that kind of gift, she thought.

 

As she thought about all this she followed behind the Taiyoukai quietly. She was so mixed up in her own thoughts that she had no idea where he was leading her nor did she realized that they'd reached there destination and that in doing so Sesshoumaru had come to a stop.

 

Not until she'd run into the back of him that is.

 

“Umph!!”

 

The impact caused the sound to come involuntarily out of her and sent her thoughts scattering. Kagome's head flew up then as she felt herself run into a hard and warm object. The sudden movement of her head combined with the weight of her book bag caused her center of gravity to shift dangerously backwards.

 

“Ahh!!”

 

In a desperate bid to keep her balance she flung her hands out to grab on to the nearest thing available.

 

Which just happened to be the back of Sesshoumaru's clothing.

 

`Boy that would have hurt!' she sighed to herself in relief. Then realizing what she'd just done she immediately let him go and took a hasty step back.

 

Kagome could feel her cheeks burning with her embarrassment.

 

Sesshoumaru had turned his head to look over his shoulder to look at the miko when he felt her grab on to him. He was just about to tell her to let go of him when she'd jumped back and let go on her own. So he had a perfect view of her cheeks turning red.

 

He could easily sense her embarrassment and wondered at the cause of it. She really was a strange creature, he thought idly.

 

Kagome looked at him from between her eyelashes as she fiddled with her own fingers nervously.

 

“Sorry,” she mumbled with a small sigh.

 

At least she didn't forget to breathe she thought to herself in disgust.

 

“Pay attention.”

 

Kagome stiffened when she heard his words. She scowled at his back for a second before moving slowly forward to stand beside him. Now that she'd realized he'd stopped walking... why did he stop walking?

 

“WHERE THE HELL IS SHE!?!”

 

`Inuyasha...' Had he been yelling like that for long? And if so how'd she miss hearing him until now? She saw that both Sango and Miroku were there as well... being yelled at. She wondered if she should interrupt. She figured Inuyasha must really be mad if he hadn't even sensed she was back on his side of the well.

 

“Inuyasha,” said the monk calmly as if talking to an irate child. “I'm sure Kagome is on her way Inuyasha. Something must have delayed her.”

 

“Yes, Inuyasha,” sighed Sango. “Please calm down.”

 

“WELL WHAT THE HELL COULD BE TAKING HER SO LONG?!” he ranted at them. “DAMMIT! I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE GONE TO GET HER!”

 

Kagome shook her head as she watched and listened. It was a good thing they weren't the ones in hiding.... because they surely would have been found by now.

 

“I swear...” she breathed to herself as she moved forward. “Inuyasha.”

 

“IF SHE'S NOT HERE IN FIVE MINUTES I-”

 

“INUYASHA!” she screamed.

 

Lord, he was already giving her a headache. She rubbed at her temples as they all turned in her direction.

“Ah, Kagome-sama,” said Miroku with a grin. “See Inuyasha. She is here.”

 

Inuyasha stared at her for a moment as if processing the fact that she was actually standing there. He couldn't believe he hadn't sensed her presence. He narrowed his eyes at her and stalked over towards her.

 

“YOU'RE LATE WENCH!” he shouted inches from her face.

 

“SO I'VE BEEN TOLD INUYASHA!” she yelled as her temper grew. “I'M NOT IN THE MOOD FOR YOUR NAMES INUYASHA! CALL ME THAT AGAIN AND YOU'LL BE EATING DIRT!!”

 

She narrowed her eyes at him as she waited for him to say something else stupid... which he did.

 

“WENCH, I DO-”

 

“SIT BOY!!”

 

>BAM!!<

 

Kagome placed her balled fist on her hips as she watched him fall face first into solid ground. She waved at the air in front of her face to clear the dirt that permeated the air at his impact.

“That hurt,” groaned Inuyasha, face in the ground. He still couldn't move enough to stand.

“Ground meet Inuyasha. Inuyasha, ground,” she said smugly. “Though you should be familiar with each other by now.”

 

Kagome stared at the small crater he'd made and was still currently lying in as she slowly calmed her temper. He really did know how to bring out the ugly in her she thought with a frown.

 

“I warned you Inuyasha,” she crossed her arms over her chest. “You couldn't just say hello?” That was a rhetorical question.

 

He figured her anger must have been short lived since he was gradually getting back more of his moving capabilities.

 

Sesshoumaru arched his brow at the pup face down on the ground. No matter how many times he witnessed it, the sight of seeing the hanyou being `sat' never ceased to entertain him.

 

“That was an expected conclusion,” said the monk quietly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

 

“Yes,” replied Sango from his side as she stared at her friend on the ground. “It does seem to be rather obvious doesn't it? Yet always warranted.”

 

They all watched as Inuyasha slowly pulled himself out of the crater he'd formed with his body's impact. He gave them all a good glare since he didn't have the energy, nor at the moment the courage, to say anything.

 

“You waste my time, half-breed.”

 

They all turned their attention to the Taiyoukai; who'd been quiet thus far. They watched as he gracefully walked forward and around the large crater and continued on through the clearing and out the other side.

 

“I take it from the direction he is headed we've decided to go in the direction of the mountains?” asked Sango though in truth it was not a question. None of them would dare to question the demon Lord.

 

“I guess so,” sighed Kagome.

 

Then after a final glance at one another they all set off in the direction the inu-youkai had headed.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Kagome, Sango, and Mirouku had to run to catch up with their very reluctant partner. Though it had not looked as if he was moving that fast his strides had quickly put a lot of space between him and them.

 

And, of course, Inuyasha had to run to catch up with them

 

When they caught up with him they quickly fell into line behind him. Kagome was directly behind the Taiyoukai with Sango right behind her. Miroku brought up the rear as Inuyasha made his way through the treetops the lined the path on either side of them.

Once there they were able to slow their pace slightly and they all immediately fell into the thoughts of their own minds. Kagome stared at the back of Sesshoumaru as she pondered her unwanted--at least she believed they were unwanted--reactions to him.

 

Well if not unwanted, they were damn sure uncomfortable.

 

Sango wondered whether she would ever see her brother again after all this was over and what would be come of the little boy once the jewel shard was removed from his back, because it would have to be removed... one way or another.

 

Miroku's eyes were trained on Sango's backside while his mind focused on images that had to do with the Taijiya, that part of her anatomy, and the rest of her anatomy as well.

Inuyasha silently fumed as he raced through the treetops... for many reasons.

 

~*~

 

He could feel her eyes on his back and wondered for the thousandth time whatwas going through her head.

 

Sesshoumaru pushed his senses to step up his awareness of his surroundings as his mind contemplated the miko behind him. He still had the funny feeling in his gut when she was near him and was currently suffering under it now, but he didn't really worry about that. He was, kind of, getting used to it.

 

Granted he still had no real idea what it meant, but he knew it came from her. He wondered if she was doing it to him? But, that brought up the questions; what was she doing and why? And since he had no answer for those and didn't feel any real threat from her or the feeling, so he had to discard that idea.

 

Much to his own disappointment.

 

Kagome sighed inwardly, as she asked herself once again why she couldn't get her mind off of the youkai in front of her. She wanted so badly to know what he was thinking about even though she knew it probably had nothing, what so ever, to do with her. She also wanted to touch him.

 

She had to know if his hair was as soft as it looked.

 

He was an enigma that she desperately wanted to figure out. It was strange because in many ways he was as straightforward as they come, but there was still a level of unknown to him that made him seem to be a complete and utter mystery.

 

Kagome was beginning to feel ambivalent about him. When she was around him her head told her to run... and run fast, but her heart... well it was telling her the opposite.

Mysterious? Yes, he was that. But, every woman liked a bit of mystery, right? But, he was a walking enigma. And a powerful one! Who'd want that!?!

 

She did.

 

Kagome sighed once more at her hopeless thoughts then shuck her head vigorously in effort to rid her head of them. When that didn't work she immediately turned to her training. Kaede-sama had taught her that her power did not derive itself from the Shikon jewel but from her own spirit and essence. She had taught Kagome that the power was hers' and was with her whether she had the jewel in her possession or not. And that in truth, the jewel could only work to its full potential in her hands.

 

`Well, that sure explains the crazy baboons need to get his hands on me!'

 

Kaede-sama had taught her how to harness and tap into that power and use it for herself. So now, not only can she channel her power into her bow-and-arrows as well as through her hands and eyes. Though she didn't care for the eyes part at first because it made her eyes water like crazy causing her to have trouble seeing for a while afterwards. But, thankfully, that was no longer an issue.

 

Kagome watched Sesshoumaru carefully to match her pace with his so she would have no fear of running into him before she closed her eyes. She took two deep cleansing breaths and released them slowly as she systematically opened her senses up to the world around her. Though she could not hear his steps she could now sense the Taiyoukai in front of her, so should he decide to stop suddenly she would know it and be able to respond accordingly.

 

She could also feel Sango at her back and she could hear the wind's soft whistle as Inuyasha moved effortlessly through the trees above. She could smell the soft fragrance of the forest and of flowers that must be in bloom near by. She could hear the light tapping of Mirouku's monk staff and the light swish of his rosary as it swung in time to his movements.

 

Kagome could feel the familiar power swirling inside her and gave a small smile at it as she let the sounds and smells around her meld together as she was taught and yet make sure they remained distinctly separate in her mind for identity purposes. She carefully focused on the light humming feeling that she felt deep inside as she made it build up. There was this feeling of warmth that was slow and comforting as the power moved steadily to the surface.

 

In truth Kagome no longer had to go through this lengthy process anymore to tap into her power. Now all she had to do was think and feel what she wanted and it would manifest itself into her hands or eyes... depending on where she wanted it.

 

She was only doing this exercise now because it called for an intense concentration, which gave her a reason to close her mind off from her thoughts of a certain someone. Yet, at the same time it completely opened her to her surroundings making it impossible for anyone to sneak up on her... or them without her knowledge of it before hand.

 

Gradually her body began to glow with a soft pink light from head to toe. Then just as gradually she began to rise in the air as her feet left the ground to come to a stop about four inches above the ground.

 

Kagome, lost in her power, had no idea that she was now floating along behind Sesshoumaru.

 

Sango's eyes widened as she watched her friend's body begin to glow. But, she wasn't worried over-much for she'd seen the pale pink glow many times before though. But, when her friend began to float in mid-air her eyes widened in alarm.

 

Okay, now she had to draw the line. And this was a fine place to do it thought Sango.

 

“Kagome?”

 

Kagome opened her eyes and if anyone were to look at her just then they would see that her bright blue eyes had been taken over by the same pale pink light.

 

“Hmm?” she responded, still floating along.

 

“At least it's the lighter pink,” said Miroku from behind her.

 

“Kagome, you're starting to freak me out! Stop it!”

 

It always amazed Kagome when she saw her influence on Sango in a way that was glaringly obvious thought Kagome with a silent giggle. But she responded to the small sense of alarm she could hear in her friend's voice.

 

“But, I'm not doing anything, Sango-chan.”

 

That's when it hit Sango. Kagome's feet were still moving as if she were walking. Her eyes widened even more when she realized her friend didn't even know she was walking on thin air.

 

Kagome came to a stop as she subconsciously sensed that Sesshoumaru had come to a halt in front of her while her attention remained on her friend.

 

“Kagome.”

 

“Yes, Sango-chan?” she turned to look at her friend.

 

“I am assuming that you realize you are glowing with that pink light of yours, but perhaps it has escaped your notice that you are also no longer on the ground?” asked Sesshoumaru in that silky voice of his with an arch of his eyebrow.

 

Kagome swiftly turned her head to look over her shoulder at him before turning her gaze to her feet. She stared in shock for a moment before she had to cover her laugh with a broad smile. She had forgotten that when she did the process of elevating her senses that it sometimes had the effect of elevating her.

 

“Interesting... I'd forgotten about that,” she said lightly before shutting her eyes. Slowly she lowered herself to the ground then she opened her eyes.

 

They all watched as the glow in her eyes faded away to reveal the cerulean orbs behind it.

 

“Sorry Sango. I was... practicing.”

 

“Yes, well, I think you have it now,” smiled Sango. “It was odd to see you rise in the air like that. Amazing, but still odd.”

 

“Yes. It happens sometimes.”

 

Kagome turned and resumed walking at the same time Sesshoumaru did. For some reason her senses were still tuned to him. It puzzled her as to why that was when it should have stopped the moment her powers receded.

 

But, she could still feel the under currents of her senses being locked on to him. With her eyes open and on his back she had no fear of running into him so she had no need of the extra help. So why didn't the link recede too?? `Strange,' she thought with a frown as she followed behind him.

 

Kagome sighed dejectedly. In her attempt to get her mind off him she'd gone made it worse. Now, not only could she not stop thinking about him, now she could feel him too.

She wondered who she'd pissed off in a former life to be cursed like this.... as if Inuyasha wasn't bad enough.....

 

 

~*~

 

 

The sky had begun to darken so they'd found a place to settle for the night. Sesshoumaru had kept them going at a steady pace only allowing them to stop for a rest once, so they were all pretty tired.

 

Kagome and Sango set about making a quick supper for them all before Kagome handed them all a blanket to rest on. She even went so far as to give Sesshoumaru one. Placing the article on the ground beside him she gave a small smile before returning to her own blanket on the other side of the fire. She knew he wasn't going to use it; in truth she'd never seen him sleep. He was always the last one still awake when they slept and the first one up when they woke, but she couldn't just give everyone else a blanket and not him. That would be rude.

 

Sesshoumaru had told them that it would be fine to make a fire since they were not close enough to the mountains to alert anyone they did not wish to alert, but the fire would have to be put out after Kagome and Sango finished their task.

 

Kagome figured he was probably thinking they were better off safe then sorry.

But, in reality, Sesshoumaru figured Naraku already knew they were on their way. After all, they both had something the other needed and with the hanyou running off to hide in the mountains... well, he really left them no other choice.

 

There were exactly three shards left to complete the jewel and they all were with Naraku. And one was going to be difficult on a few levels he knew. Sesshoumaru shifted his gaze to the only other woman in their group. He watched as Sango arranged her blankets to lie beside the miko. He had to give her credit; she was handling all this very well. He knew she, as a human, must be very worried about her brother and the extracting of the shard he was told was in the boy's back. He knew she understood what it could mean for the boy should the shard be removed, but she was holding herself admirably well. She was a good warrior and most times above adequate in battle. He had come to realize that in their group everyone played a part and everyone helped; even the ktsune.

 

And he would not forget that the Taijiya had protected and saved his Rin's life when he was too far away to aid the child.

 

For that, he had decided that he would use Tensaiga and help her with her brother when the time came. And it would come; there was no way around it. It was the honorable thing to do.

 

`A life for a life.'

 

Sesshoumaru leaned his head back to see Inuyasha sitting in his usual style at the top of the large oak tree before lowering his gaze to the monk leaning against the base of the same tree.

 

He knew the monk also needed to finish off the hanyou and if his nose and eyes did not deceive him he was sure the monk did not have a whole lot of time left. `And though I am not sure how, the monk knows his time is close.'

 

Sesshoumaru had never believed humans could possess the kind of courage, determination and skill that these three around him did. And though he had believed Inuyasha to be pathetic to surround himself with such creatures through the years he had come to see that these three were not like many others and had to give his brother silent credit for his choice.

 

`If he is going to associate with that which is beneath him, then at least do so with the best of them.'

 

And his brother did do that. Even the clay miko had some power within her, but he had to wonder how long the miko would continue to reside in a world that was no longer meant for her. He knew that Kikyo believed herself to be the most powerful miko, but he also knew that for all her words she knew that she was not the most powerful.

 

He believed that was what pissed the miko off so much. Not so much the fact that one was stronger then her, but that the one who was, was almost a mirror image of herself and therefore should not be stronger then the original.

 

He wondered how long it would take her to realize that the only similarities between herself and the miko lying across from him was their faces. And even that was only minimal.

 

Once again his thoughts had brought themselves full circle to be on Kagome again. Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? He had a feeling he knew what these feelings that were growing inside him were since they held a bit of a resemblance to what he felt for his parents, but he was not about to admit that to himself much less to anyone else.

While he was able to separate himself from those very unwanted thoughts he was not able to separate himself from their source...which he very much wanted.

 

Not that he planned to share that either.

 

Sesshoumaru leaned his head back against the tree behind him and stared at the clear night sky and the moon above.

 

This was going to be a very long journey.

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

They'd risen early to get a head start on the day. No sooner had the sun hit the sky did Sesshoumaru have them up and getting ready. Within an hour Kagome and Sango had washed, dressed, and made breakfast. And as soon as the meal was finished they were on their way.

 

Because the weather was especially warm today Kagome decided she'd wear her priestess uniform instead since the clothing was made of a very light material and therefore would keep her fairly cool. The bottom half was a dark blue and instead of wearing her hair hanging to her waist she'd decided to pull it up into a high ponytail atop her head.

Sesshoumaru approved of the look thinking it was much better then some of things she wore from her own time... or he kept telling himself that.

 

They walked in comfortable silence.

 

They were all focusing on their own thoughts as they continued to track their enemy. Miroku smiled to himself as he stared at the lovely view in front of him. A view that he knew he would never tire of seeing; the sway of Sango's hips. He wondered if she had any idea why he always chose to walk behind her.

 

Then he caught the disgruntled look she threw over her shoulder in his direction and figured it was safe to assume that she did, in fact, know. But, he decided that as long as looks were the only thing she was throwing at him (and lets face it, that was usually not the case) then he would just go on looking then,.

 

After fifteen more minutes of watching the rocking motion of the Taijiya's behind it was becoming to not be enough.

 

“Sango-chan,” in his desperation he unthinkingly called out to her and now had to rack his brain for something plausible to say as she looked over her shoulder in answer.

 

“Yes, Miroku?” she inquired with a slight frown on her brow. Sango wasn't stupid she knew very well why the monk liked to walk behind her, but she was trying her hardest to ignore it. `Hentai!!'

 

“I was wondering,” he moved up to walk beside her, “have you given any thought to what you will do when this is all over?”

 

`Oh good one, Miroku. Why don't you just drool over her'

Sango arched a brow at him, but as he continued to look at her as if waiting for an answer, she shrugged and responded.

 

“I'm not really sure,” she said quietly as she looked forward in thought and in doing so she didn't see him move his staff to the hand furthest away from her. “All I ever wanted was to be with my family, but that is no longer possible. Kohaku is all I have left and should I lose him...” a shadow crossed over her face. “Well, I honestly haven't thought about that. I won't let myself think about that possibility.”

 

When he saw that forlorn look cross over her face he, for a moment, forgot about the reason he moved closer to her and smiled at her in sympathy and understanding instead. After all, if there was one thing Mirouku understood it was the concept of being alone and having no family.

 

Truthfully though, he had to admit, he hadn't really felt that way in a long time. Though he missed his family he also knew that he had found a new family too.

 

If Sango could have read the monk's mind she would have agreed with his thoughts. She too, thought of Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippou as her family and had been doing so for a while. She was even getting used to having the Taiyoukai and his little ward, Rin around.

As for Jaken, she'd buried the little toad alive if she wasn't sure that Rin would dig him back up. She couldn't understand why that was.

 

“Sango you do have family and if it is at all possible we will get Kohaku back for you,”

“I know... and thank you.” She smiled at him as he patted her shoulder. “I will find something to do when this all over... or maybe we will all remain together. We will see when that day comes.”

 

Miroku nodded as he silently prayed he would live to see that day. As his hand fell away he felt his fingers begin to itch.

 

He remembered why he'd moved closer to her.

 

Miroku gave the woman beside him a sideways glance as his hand began to move closer to its desired destination. He told himself he was doing it to cheer her up. That he was only trying to put the roses back in her cheeks. Nothing more.

 

The hairs on the back of Sango's neck began to stand up and she immediately went tense. Something was wrong. She darted her eyes around her to see if she could see where the danger was coming from. She slowly began to relax when she noticed that Inuyasha, Kagome, nor Sesshoumaru was showing any signs of there being anything wrong. She released a breath as she relaxed more.

 

Sango turned her head slightly to look at Miroku... but was too late.

 

She stilled when she felt the rubbing. `That pervert!' She narrowed her eyes at him as she pulled her hand back in anger.

 

>SMACK!!<

 

“HENTAI!!”

 

They all stopped when they heard her yell out. Well, all except Sesshoumaru, who continued walking, having already known what was in store for the demon exterminator and the consequences, it would undoubtedly bring. He'd seen it many times before and saw no reason to stop walking for it.

 

“Keep your hands where I can see them or I promise you, Miroku, I will hurt you in ways my father said no man should ever be hurt,” she yelled at him as she stared at him on the ground then she turned and stalked away from him.

 

Miroku got to his feet as he grinned at her retreating back. He could help, but smile at the way he hips moved when she was angry. Then he locked gazes with a pair of blue orbs.

 

“What?” he asked innocently. “I was only trying to cheer her up. It was completely innocent Kagome-sama.”

 

“You are anything but innocent,” scoffed Kagome trying to hide her smile. He really was adorable, she thought, when he was messing with Sango.

 

“I don't know why you two don't just kiss and confess!” said Inuyasha from a tree branch above them. He'd also stopped when he'd heard Sango, but just like his brother he'd also seen it coming. But that was because he'd been watching the entire time.

 

“You two are so damn irritating!” he growled in a huff.

 

“I assure you Inuyasha, there is nothing I need confess to the fair Sango.” Which was true; he'd already told her. It was just that Sango was taking her time deciding and he just felt like reminding her that he was still waiting.

 

Inuyasha stared at him for a moment in surprised confusion. He couldn't believe the monk was trying to deny his feelings for the woman. He was just about to say something along those lines when he saw the amusement in the monk's eyes. His amber eyes widened for a second when he heard a muffled giggle coming from the vicinity he knew Kagome to be in.

 

“Feh,” he growled before muttering, “stupid monk!” Inuyasha turned and leaped back up into the trees before taking off in the direction Sango and Sesshoumaru had gone.

 

Miroku watched his friend huff off and sighed. He knew Inuyasha hadn't known that he had already told Sango of his feelings and wasn't at all sure if the hanyou had figured it out now. He hadn't hidden the fact from Inuyasha, it was just that Inuyasha wasn't always around, with him chasing after Kikyo all the time, that Miroku hadn't realized that Inuyasha was clueless.

 

He figured he'd have to talk to him later.

 

And as for Sango; he wasn't all that worried. He knew she wouldn't have reacted so strongly if she didn't care about him. That made him smile.

 

“What is that smile about?” asked Kagome. When his smile grew she tensed and rushed to cut him off when she saw him opening his mouth to speak.

 

“On second thought,” she said loudly before him. “I don't want to know. C'mon they're leaving us.”

 

She hurriedly turned and walked away from him.

 

Miroku grinned as he watched another pair of hips sway back and forth as she walked away. Then an image of an angry Sesshoumaru appeared in his mind and he immediately redirected his gaze. He didn't know what was going on between those two, but he felt a strange power in the air whenever they were near each other, but it wasn't an evil power so he didn't worry about it too much. He guessed there was something there and decided he was going to enjoy the show as they both struggled to figure out just what that was.

He rubbed his cheek where he'd been hit as he moved to follow the miko. He thought about the Taijiya and his violet eyes twinkled; he knew there was something there as well.

 

A pair of red eyes watched the monk head off to join his group.

 

Kagura moved from the shadows of a thick tree and released the hold she had on her scent. She knew she smelled like the baboon and she didn't want to tip off the group. She immediately threw her small feather into the wind and hopped on when it transformed.

 

It was time to get the others. Inuyasha and his group were almost at the part of the forest where the attack was to take place and she had to make sure nothing went wrong this time.

 

Naraku wanted the miko and she had to get her for him. Kagura didn't want to think about what would happen if she failed again.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Miroku and Kagome had caught up with the others easily and quickly moved back to their positions behind the Taiyoukai. Kagome figured Sesshoumaru must have slowed his pace for how easily they had caught up to him, but no sooner then she was right behind him again he'd picked the pace back up without once looking back at them.

 

Sesshoumaru knew exactly when the miko was behind him again. As the days wore on his senses were becoming more and more open to her. He could feel her. And though he had no idea how or why that was he was sure that if he didn't have his keen eye sight and his sense of smell he would still have no trouble finding her.

 

Sesshoumaru immediately went on alert when something unfamiliar swept through the air. As he listened closely he noticed the quietness around them. The forest was entirely too quiet. They were not alone.

 

Then a familiar scent hit his nose and he halted.

 

`Naraku'

 

He heard a light swish and a pulling sound come from behind him and almost grinned. He'd heard that sound enough time to know what it was. He didn't need to turn around to know Kagome had pulled and readied and arrow in the string of her bow.

 

`So, she senses it too. Good.'

 

Which meant the monk and the exterminator should have sensed it too. And he didn't have to look to the trees to know Inuyasha had. He'd heard the Tetsusaiga being pulled out and transformed.

 

Kagome stood behind and a little to the left of Sesshoumaru. Her arms were straight out in front of her as she had an arrowed aimed straight in front of her. Actually, she had two arrows loaded in her bow. She'd been taught by Sesshoumaru that just by spreading her fingers she could fire up to three arrows at once and if she did that and turned her bow horizontally she could also hit three different targets at once instead of holding the normal way, vertical, and hitting one target three times.

 

She'd sensed the change in the air at the same time Sesshoumaru did, but she'd already been on alert for she'd noticed how quiet the forest was way before then.

 

When she'd noticed that she couldn't hear not one bird, cricket, or bee buzzing in the forest she become worried. The quiet was too eerie. Unnaturally so; and therefore she'd gone on her guard.

 

She immediately drew on her power and held it ready.

 

“They are here,” she said softly.

 

No sooner then the words had left her mouth did the youkai come crashing through the trees ten feet in front of them. There had to be at least a hundred of them. She darted her eyes to the sky where she saw the large insects that were meant only for Miroku. She looked out the corner of her eyes to her left and saw that Miroku was looking to the sky as well.

 

Just then a strong ki waved through her senses and her eyes widen as she sucked in her breath. She faced forward to look for its source.

 

“What...”

 

Then a large youkai came to step out in front of the other youkai. He had long dark purple hair and large black eyes. He was heavily muscled and stood about nine feet tall. Hanging in his left hand was a large metal club with spikes protruding from it.

 

He was staring at her.

 

Her eyes widened then. Only to be blocked from view a second later when Sesshoumaru took a neat step to the left. Right in front of her.

 

Sesshoumaru didn't even think about his actions as he moved in front of Kagome. He took three steps forward causing the youkai's black gaze to focus on his amber one.

Inuyasha watched his brother move to block Kagome from the demon's gaze, and was glad for it... though surprised. He didn't like the way the demon was looking at her and was just about to jump down there and make it known when he seen Sesshoumaru move.

 

He had not expected it.

 

“Who are you?” asked Sesshoumaru quietly.

 

“I am Hakua,” answered the large demon in a gruff voice.

 

“What do you want?”

 

“WHO GIVES A FUCK WHAT HE WANTS! AS IF IT'S NOT OBVIOUS!”

 

Hakua looked up in the trees at the hanyou in red. He looked back and forth between the two inu-youkai with white hair and gold eyes before looking back at the older one in front of him.

 

“Be quiet Inuyasha,” said Sesshoumaru never taking his eyes from the large demon. “I asked a question.”

 

“Her,” Hakua pointed his club straight at Sesshoumaru's head, in indication, of the miko behind the Taiyoukai. He watched as the Taiyoukai arched a brow and shrugged. “She is to come with us. Naraku wants her; Naraku shall have her.”

 

“THE HELL I WILL!!” yelled the miko as she began to glow with a fierce pink light.

 

“They will die,” he motioned to the two brothers. Naraku had told him to kill the inu-youkai and since there were two and he had no idea which one his lord was talking about he would just kill them both. “And you have no choice.” He spoke to the miko though he could not see her.

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed red then. He would dare to threaten him!!

 

“You should have walked away,” he said silkily quiet.

 

“DIE!!!”

 

Inuyasha attacked and the battle began.

 

 

To be continued....

~*~

 

Sorry, people, but I had to cut this in half. This was 30 pages with over 18,000 words!!! Suffice to say I was having trouble posting it as one post, so go ahead a click the purple arrow....