InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Journey of the Half-Immortal ❯ Chapter 11 ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: codelyokolayouts
The night has arrived and it turns out to be hell for Aniu. Going off on her own she sits by the river as the night takes away her only possesion: her power. But who comes to visit just as she turns to leave for camp? Who comes to save her? Who will be to blame?

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy | Type: Fanfiction Sequel | Uploaded On: 08.16.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.5K | Visits: 246 | Status: Work In Progress

Chapter Eleven
 
After setting up camp Aniu went to the head of the cave and took in the sun setting on distant mountains. Tonight was the night. She didn't want to be here when she first started to transform. She wasn't embarrassed; it was just that she didn't know how Sesshoumaru would act. She shook her head. She'd been with him for a month now and they had already proclaimed their love for one another. For crying out loud, when they first met she was in her vulnerable stage. Shouldn't that make her feel comfortable when it happened around Sesshoumaru? No! She sighed and shuddered slightly.
Sesshoumaru was watching Aniu from a little ways into the cave. When she shook he walked over to her and put his arms around her waist and set his chin on her shoulder.
“What's wrong,” he asked.
Aniu leaned into him letting him warm her numb body but she kept her arms crossed in front of her instead of touching his arms.
“I just need to be alone,” she said matter-of-factly.
Sesshoumaru tightened his grip around her. “Why? I said I would protect you. I said I love you. Why won't you stay here with me so I can watch you?”
“I'm not saying I won't come back before dawn. I just don't want to be here when I first transform. Okay?”
“Why?”
“It's difficult for me to change in front of someone. It took me a year before I did change in front of Inuyasha. I still haven't done it with the rest of the gang yet.”
Sesshoumaru's arms tightened more around her waist when she mentioned Inuyasha's name. She was finding it hard to breathe. Her breath was coming in short gasps and she could barely get a few words out.
“I'm sorry…please…forgive…me. I forgot…about…your rule.”
Sesshoumaru hadn't even noticed that he was hurting her. He loosened his grip until he was holding her gently. He leaned his forehead on her shoulder and waited until her breathing had returned to normal.
“I'm sorry, Aniu. I wasn't paying attention to my actions.”
He sighed, thinking about how much he could have hurt her. He was dragged back to the present when he felt a hand on his arm. Moments later he felt a hand in his hair. He moved his mouth to her neck and laid gentle kisses there. She whimpered softly. He let out a warm breath on her neck.
“I love you.”
“I know but I need to be alone right now. I'll come back but please Sesshoumaru let me go for a little while.”
Sesshoumaru was thoughtful for a minute, thinking about how hard it must be to even share her vulnerability with him, let alone see her transform. He had to let her go but something in the back of his mind was itching at him. It was telling him he shouldn't let her go, at least not alone. If he really wanted her to trust him he had to do it. She would be back, he could trust her word. He sighed and Aniu went very still in his arms. Her hands stopped in mid-caress and it felt like she had stopped breathing.
“Alright. You can go but please come back as soon as possible.”
Aniu was so relieved she didn't even hear the warning and concern in his voice. She turned in his arms and he leaned his forehead on hers. He stared hard into her eyes and only saw relief. She must not have heard what he had said. He pulled his head back a little and opened his mouth to speak but was stopped by her mouth on his.
She whispered against his lips, “Thank you.” Then she gently pushed his arms away and ran off towards the river.
“Good riddance!” Jaken said. “Now we can all rest in peace without having to worry about that bitch.”
“Jaken!” Rin said with a shriek.
“Well, it's true! Isn't that right, Lord Sesshoumaru?”
Sesshoumaru turned around, his face unreadable and Jaken scrambled to hide behind Rin.
“Jaken,” Sesshoumaru said his voice cold.
Jaken peeked out from behind Rin. “Yes Mi' lord?”
WHAM!
Jaken lay on the ground with a large lump protruding from his head. He groaned and Rin snickered. He scowled at the human wench.
“Well, that's what you get when you insult people, Master Jaken.” She turned away, still giggling and followed Sesshoumaru deeper into the cave.
“I really have to learn to keep my mouth shut.” Jaken slowly rose to his feet and walked back into the cave.
* * * * *
Aniu hugged her knees closer to her chest as she felt the power leave her. It was suddenly a lot colder than it had been. She shook as the last bit of power was drained from her.
Her golden hair turned to night black, the green stripes on her cheeks disappeared and the black cross on her forehead flipped upside down.
She sighed, suddenly feeling cold and weak. She hated this form. Even if she had fangs and claws, they weren't really good for protection. If she went back, Sesshoumaru would protect her. Even with her powers she always felt safer knowing he was near.
 
Long, lost words whisper slowly to me, still can't find what keeps me here. When all this time I've been so hollow inside, I know you're still there...
 
She shook her head and started to get up.
SWISH!
Aniu looked down and saw a cut through her kimono and blood started seeping through the cut in her arm. As soon as she saw the blood it started to hurt and she grabbed her arm and sank to her knees. How come whenever you see blood then the wound starts to hurt?
Out of the corner of her eye she saw white horse legs covered in flames. There was something strange about the legs. She looked up and up and up until she could see the rider.
The rider looked to be only eight or nine years of age. He was dressed in white with white hair to match. He looked like a tiny figure on top of the fire horse. The kid carried a long stick that had a large blade on the end, a naginata. The naginata was dripping with black liquid. Her blood.
Aniu looked at the horse. Her eyes went wide with recognition. Entei. Then that means…
“Hakudoshi,” she said astounded.
He chuckled. “So you recognize me. You know you're not an easy person to track.”
“What do you want,” she asked quickly, panic starting to seep into her words.
He chuckled again, sending cold shivers down her spine. “You.”
He lashed out with the naginata. The movement was so fast she didn't even feel when the blade made contact with her skin. She suddenly had a cut from hip to ankle. She cried out and was silenced when she was hit by the other end of the knife then fell hard on her stomach.
Aniu started to get up when she felt the naginata cut a deep, long stroke into her back. Again she cried out.
Hakudoshi flipped the naginata around and hit her hard on the back of the head but not before she let out a scream for Sesshoumaru.
She fell limply to the ground and Hakudoshi smiled. This was too easy. He picked up her unconscious body and threw her on Entei's back. Once loaded he took off in the opposite direction of Sesshoumaru's camp.
“Now to Inuyasha,” he said as he chuckled.
 
I tried to kill the pain. But only brought more. I lay dying, and I'm pouring crimson regret and betrayal. I'm dying, praying, bleeding and screaming. Am I too lost to be saved? Am I too lost?
* * * * *
A loud, ragged scream tore threw Sesshoumaru's camp. He was up so fast that the furs that were covering him flew several feet to either side of him.
“Aniu.”
He was off and running before Jaken could even ask what was wrong. He flew through the trees so fast it looked like the branches were moving aside for him.
He burst out of the forest so hard he had to dig his feet into the ground so he wouldn't plunge into the icy river. Once the dirt settled he did a double take of the area. He walked over to where he could see and smell most of the blood. The strange thing was he couldn't smell anyone or anything else. He looked around and saw no footprints. How could they kidnap Aniu without leaving a scent trail or footprints?
Sesshoumaru shook his head and started sniffing around to see which way they might have gone. He picked up the scent of blood heading north-east.
Once he had the scent he was off running at top speed not wasting anytime in going after her.
“Hang on. I'm coming, Aniu. I'm coming.”
 
Blame it on me, set your guilt free. Nothing can hold you back now. Now that you're gone, I feel like myself again. Grieving the things I can't repair and willing...
* * * * *