InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Secrets of Salvation ❯ Understanding Inuyasha ( Chapter 4 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

That night Kagome hardly slept, and when she did she found little comfort. The same images kept appearing in her dreams. She was fighting Naraku, and losing. No matter where she ran he was always right in front of her.

"I will kill them Kagome. If you run I will kill them all. Everyone you hold dear." Then she saw them. Her friends who had become her family. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and ... who was that other person? Why couldn't she see his face? They were bruised, bloody, and bound in chains. Sango's arm was obviously broken and Shippo had tears streaming down his face.

"Kagome-sama," Miroku's normally strong, confident voice seemed so weak, so filled with uncertainty. "we've failed you."

"We couldn't, we couldn't do anything Kagome. We tried so hard, but we... we..." Sango's voice began to shake and she dropped her head, no longer able to meet Kagome's gaze.

"This was not their fight Kagome." Naraku's voice came to her, quietly at first. "What more will you put them through?" She tried to stand up. She tried to go to them. She tried so hard but her body wouldn't listen to her.

"Please, help us Kaogme." Shippo whimpered. "I tried to be brave, like you, but I'm scared Kagome. I'm scared."

"Shippo, just hold on. I'll help you I promise. I won't let him do this to you. I won't-"

"But I already have!" Naraku's voice was thundering in her brain now. Kagome's eyes grew wide as he appeared next to her loved ones. He raised his hand and a tentacle sprouted forth from his palm. "This is what you have chosen Kagome. You have sentenced them to death." The tentacle shot through Sango's stomach and Miroku screamed her name as he tried to break free of his bonds. His cries, however, were silenced a moment later when another tentacle impaled him, the hand that reached for Sango dropped to his side. They were now both slumping forward, the chains that bound them the only thing holding them up, making them look like puppets in Naraku's personal show. Dark blood oozed from their wounds and dripped to the ground, pooling around their feet. Shippo screamed and the sound echoed in Kagome's mind. She coudln't move. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't look away. She thought she was going to lose her mind as her friend's eyes fell upon her, vacant save for the glassy stare that can only mean death. Their eyes pinned her down, pleaded with her, accused her. Then, just when she thought she couldn't stand the pain any longer, just when she thought she was going to lose her mind, two arms wrapped around her from behind. She knew these arms. They were strong and she trusted them. They belonged to someone who protected her, someone she loved. She turned around to look into the face of the person who brought the comfort, and as the shadows dissipated she saw his fanged smile, his long hair, his fierce eyes.

She whispered his name as the images faded and became just a dream once again.

Inuyasha swallowed hard as he fought his internal battle. She was obviously having a nightmare. The sound of her quiet groans had woken him up and then he was assailed by the smell of her tears. That was probably the smell he hated most in the world. He squatted by her sleeping bag and stared at her intently, his brow furrowed in his indecision. He always did this when she was restless in her sleep. He always debated his course of action, but in the end he always chose the same path. He reached his hands under her, slowly picking her up to cradle her in his lap, his arms wrapped tightly around her. For some reason it usually seemed to help quiet her. He stroked her hair and whispered in her ear, mentally cursing himself for not being able to do more. He felt so helpless. He couldn't see her nighttime attackers and he couldn't use his sword against them. These were demons that Kagome had to fight on her own, and while he knew she was strong he also couldn't help but wish he could protect her, even in her dreams.

He whispered the words into her ear that he could never force himself to say when she was awake. "It's okay Kagome. I'm here. I'll always be here." Then she stopped moaning and a wave of relief passed over her delicate features. She smiled gently in her sleep. He used his sleeve to wipe away the sweat that had formed on her brow and then he gently brushed her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. As he studied her he realized that he never tired of looking at her, and just now he thought that world couldn't be more perfect. He let his guard down, as he so rarely did, and smiled. That is, until he heard what she said. Just one word from her made his heart sink and his anger rise at the same time, and with the same force. The whispered word that tumbled from her sleeping lips.

"Kouga."

When Kagome awoke she groaned instantly. Her mouth was dry and sticky and her body protested movement. She sat up slowly and rubbed her sleep heavy limbs. She swiped the back of her hand over her eyes as she yawned and unzipped her sleeping bag. Why did she feel like she had been crying? She moved toward the warmth of the fire and as the sleep cleared from her vision she noticed that everyone else was already awake.

"Kagome? Are you all right?" Kagome looked up to find five pairs of eyes staring at her intently. She nodded and with a wave of her hand tried to dismiss their concern. They didn't look convinced.

"More nightmares?" Miroku asked. She heaved a sigh. Why did he always have to be so perceptive? Kirara jumped up into her lap, in what seemed like an attempt to give comfort. Kagome scratched her ears absent-mindedly.

"You should probably tell us what you dreamt child. We still need to determine if they're dreams, or warnings." Kaede said.

Kagome rubbed her temple with her free hand. "I honestly don't remember what I dreamt, just that..." Her eyes wandered to Shippo, whose normally carefree face was marred with concern. She was going to say that the only she remembered it had something to do with failure in the battle with Naraku, but she changed her mind. "just that I wasn't happy to dream it. It doesn't matter." Then she noticed that something wasn't quite right. What was it? Someone was missing and it was upsetting her, but at the same time she couldn't help but feel that she shoudln't be upset by it.

"Where is Inuyasha?" She asked suddenly. No one was surprised by her question.

"He was gone before any of us awoke this morning." Miroku answered. Kagome stood up and made for the door.

"I'm going to go wash my face." She said as she let the bamboo curtain drop behind her. No one said anything, but they all knew she wasn't going outside just to wash her face.

She headed in the direction of the stream but she didn't make it more than ten steps before a red blur dropped from the trees to block her path. She looked up into the golden eyes of a very angry looking hanyou. She had gotten used to him sneaking up on her a long time ago. She got the feeling that he was trying to be imposing, but she couldn't help the yawn that escaped her mouth. She held her hand over her mouth as she mumbled a good morning, that was barely coherent, and his annoyance seemed to grow.

"Where are you going?" He asked, his eyes narrowing. Kagome shrugged as she yawned again, and she stretched her arms above her head.

"Just to the stream." She said as she dropped her arms.

"You don't have to lie to me Kagome." She looked completely confused at that comment.

"Lie to you? Why would I lie about that?" He folded his arms and looked away from her, a solid "Keh" was his only response.

"Is something wrong Inuyasha? You're acting weird this morning."

"Well, if I bother you so much then why don't you go run to your stinking wolf?" He smacked himself mentally. 'I'm such an ass. Why did I just say that?'

"What? Kouga? What does Kouga have to do with..." She trailed off as something snapped into place in her mind. 'My dream... but how could Inuyasha know?' He answered as if he was reading her thoughts.

"You said his name enough in your sleep." If Kagome was in her normal state of mind then she would have instantly caught on to the vulnerability and despair in that comment. If she was thinking clearly she would have seen the pleading in his eyes, she would have known that he was all but begging her to tell him that he was wrong. But, alas, Kagome was not herself this day, and her thoughts were not entirely her own, so her answer wasn't one that Inuyasha wanted to hear.

"Where I go is none of your business Inuyasha, and neither is what I dream!" She yelled. The hurt look in his eyes was almost enough to make her stay and comfort him and say she didn't mean it, but something was telling her to leave. It was so insistent that she turned around and stomped back to the hut. Inuyasha stood staring after her.

'You were asking for it.' he told himself. 'You were stupid to believe that someone like her could want a mangy half-breed.' Then a "Keh" escaped his lips that was much stronger and more sure than he really felt at the moment.

"It looks as though you found Inuyasha." Miroku said as Kagome stomped past him and sat down with a huff. She grunted in response. Sango looked at Kagome with pity in her eyes.

'Why does he always have to upset her. Doesn't he see what he's doing to her?' She thought.

'Okay,’ Shippo thought. ‘How do I cheer her up?’ He hopped onto her knee to work his magic, but he never got the chance. Kouga came bursting into the hut, all smiles, and Kagome shot to her feet, which in turn sent Shippo tumbling to the ground. He rubbed his sore rear with a scowl on his face. Did Kagome forget he was there?

“Kouga Kun!” Kagome exclaimed. Miroku and Sango’s eyebrows rose in unison. They looked entirely surprised, and their shock only grew as Kagome ran up to Kouga and laid her hand fondly on his arm. “I’m so happy you came back.” She said as a genuine smile broke across her face.

“Of course. I promised didn’t I? I’ll always keep my promises to you Kagome.”

“And so will I.” Came another voice. Inuyasha was standing in the doorway gnashing his teeth and squeezing the doorframe so hard that it began to crack beneath his grip. “I promised to protect Kagome, and I will. No matter what.” ‘Even if she doesn’t... think of me the way I want her to.’ “Keep your hands off her.” Kouga turned slowly to face Inuyasha, and then pointed to Kagome’s hand on his arm.

“Whose hands are on who Inuyasha?”

Inuyasha’s stomach lurched. “Why are you touching him?!?” he bellowed.

“Inuyasha, calm down.” Kagome said placatingly, as she removed her hand.

“But you... you...” He was at a loss. “Fine do whatever you want you stupid wench. See if I try and save you from your own stupidity.” Yes, he was speaking in Inuyasha language again and once again Kagome was in no state of mind to understand what he really meant. “But, I’m still going to kick the shit out of his skinny ass for coming into my forest without permission.”

“Let’s finish this then Dog Turd.” Said Kouga with an immense amount of confidence. Inuyasha led the way outside and, to everyone’s surprise, he didn’t draw his sword. “Oh, so you’re going to try and fight like a true youkai huh? Good luck.” A deep rumbling began in Inuyasha’s chest and he let loose a growl that sent shivers up Shippo’s spine.

“Inuyasha is really serious isn’t he?” He whispered from his perch on Miroku’s shoulder.

“It would seem so.” Miroku replied, not taking his eyes off the pair as they faced off.

AN: I’m so happy that people gave reviews. Thank you so much!


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