InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Secrets of the Shinju (Part I): Sesshoumaru's Stolen Memories ❯ Comfort ( Chapter 12 )

Chapter Eleven

Comfort

Kagome woke in the early morning hours. Sesshoumaru was again asleep. She could tell his dream was upsetting him. He had tears streaming down his cheeks. She felt pity and sadness wash over her. She moved to his side and began stroking his hair. After his last dream, she was sure he was seeing his mother's death right now. No matter how horrible he had been in the past, right now he was like an innocent child reliving a horrific event. She stayed by his side until he woke. He looked at her with absolute anguish in his eyes. "She died. She died because I had disobeyed my father and had played with human children." Kagome again reached for his hand and sat beside him. He wasn't crying now, but she knew he was feeling great sorrow.

That day they walked in silence. Kagome could tell he was replaying his mother's death in his head. Several times she saw tears come to his eyes but he did not let them fall. Finally she reached out and took his hand. He glanced at her but did not attempt to pull away. They walked hand in hand until she needed to rest for a bit. While she sat and ate her last granola bar, he walked into the forest alone. Kagome was becoming concerned at the time it was taking them to get to the priestess. She knew she couldn't ask him to work on his flying now. They could both ride Kilala, but the cat was becoming exhausted. She had been forced to stay in her large state for so long, not to mention the fact that she often stayed awake to watch over Kagome. "Kilala, why don't you return to your normal size and I will carry you for awhile?" The cat looked at her but did not transform. "Kilala, it's ok. He isn't going hurt me. You can change back at any time if you need to." Finally the cat reduced herself and sat on Kagome's lap. She began petting Kilala which was rewarded with content purring.

When Sesshoumaru returned she noticed a slightly shocked look on his face as he saw her holding a much smaller Kilala. Kagome quickly explained Kilala's abilities to him. "She is much less threatening now." Kagome gave a small laugh. "Don't let her fool you; she can change back in a matter of seconds." He nodded and then the two stood and began walking. He finally began to talk a little, but avoided the subject of his mother. The rest of the day went by slowly.

They didn't stop until darkness began to fall. Kagome quickly lit a small fire and sat down. Sesshoumaru handed her the bag and told her to use it, since she would not have Kilala tonight. She looked at it then moved to his side. You use it and I will lay with you. Kilala curled up next to Kagome and she rested her head on his shoulder. As soon as he was asleep she could again feel a presence there. She realized that again Hitomi had entered his dream. She looked at him but could not yet judge what kind of dream he was having. She lay her head down again, willing her soul into him. Hoping she could protect him from his own memories.

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Sango and InuYasha both looked to Miroku. He had stopped walking and was looking around. Suddenly his legs seemed to give out from under him. He fell to a heap in front of them. Sango got to his side first and could see that he was unconscious. She told InuYasha to find some water and get a cloth wet. He did what she said and returned to them. Sango had Miroku's head in her lap and was talking to him. He had not yet regained his consciousness. She took the wet rag that he handed her and began wiping his face softly. His eyes fluttered and he looked up at her. "Miroku, what happened?" He again had a look of pain on his face. "The barriers that Naraku has put up, they are meant to keep people with spiritual powers away. Even with my entire monk training, I was unable to control the pain." Sango looked down at him and then he seemed to realize that he was in her lap. "Well, at least something good came from all of this." Though he still appeared to be in pain, he held a slightly mischievous look on his face. She pushed him off of her lap gently and then stood.

InuYasha spoke to the monk, "Do you think we are getting close?" Miroku again looked around. "We must be getting closer. I'm not entirely sure how much more of this pressure I can take." The three began walking again, Shippou riding on Sango's back.

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Sesshoumaru's memories were much briefer this night. He had many visions of his father. He now spent much of his time alone. Sakura came to see him occasionally, but did not like his father. One memory that he seemed to jump out at him was he and Sakura playing near his home. His father came and immediately Sakura ran from him. His father stalked over to him and ordered him to stand. "You will not spend all of your time playing with a female!" He roared at Sesshoumaru. He roughly grabbed the boy and shoved him into the house. Once inside he made him go to his room. He was not allowed to leave for three days. When his father finally came to get him, he made him join him while he went to the village. His father then slaughtered every human there. Somewhere in that village was the man that had killed his mother. And every person would pay the price. Sesshoumaru watched in horror as his father killed, even children. His mother did not like to see humans killed. She had respected humans. She didn't even hate the man that killed her. That night Sesshoumaru had cried. He was frightened and the smell of human blood was still lingering on him.

Kagome woke lying on the ground. Sesshoumaru had grown restless during the night and moved away from her. She sat up and looked at him. He didn't appear sad tonight, but rather frightened. She shook him awake and saw a look of raw terror on his face. He looked around quickly as though he were trying to shake an image from his mind. He jumped to his feet and gazed around him. Now focusing his sights on Kagome, his breathing slowed and he sat next to her. "I can still smell the blood." She looked at him questioningly and then he told her what he had remembered. "He even killed the children I had played with. I wanted to stop him, but I knew I couldn't." He held a look of regret. "I should have tried." Kagome put her hand on his shoulder. "You were just a child. You couldn't have done anything to stop it."

The two sat awake for an hour before they decided to begin traveling. Neither wanted to sleep now. Sesshoumaru was deep in thought most of the day. Kagome again carried Kilala. Kagome grew tired mid-day but said nothing. They needed to cover as much ground as possible. Near evening Sesshoumaru suddenly turned to her. "You have not eaten today. All you ate yesterday was that bar of food you carry in your bag." She shrugged her shoulders and said she wasn't hungry. He insisted they stop and he went to hunt again. He returned over an hour later with meat. She again cooked it and they ate. She saw a stream near by and hurried off to bathe before bed. He followed her but kept his distance, as it was dark now. They returned to their camp and he began to reprimand her. "Kagome, you cannot go days without eating, while we are walking so many hours a day. I sometimes forget that humans require more nourishment than demons do. Don't let that happen again." She promised she would not again go without food. Kilala transformed back to her large size that night, so that Kagome could again sleep with her. Once again they were both left at the mercy of Hitomi.