InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Snow Angel ❯ The Guilt ( Chapter 12 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: CMK2CMM 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Comedy / Drama / Romance | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 05.04.2013 | Pages: 1 | Words: 679 | Visits: 644 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Comedy / Drama / Romance | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 05.04.2013 | Pages: 1 | Words: 679 | Visits: 644 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 12 - The Guilt *Regrets* (Skye's Weekly Challenges)
It was the morning of their fifth day sheltered in the bear's den when the sounds of the blizzard quieted. Hopeful, though reserved, they poked their heads outside. It was as if the entire world had been coated in white, but finally the clouds had parted, and the blue sky was once again visible.
"Do you think it's over?" Kagome whispered, as if this puffy white world required quiet reverence.
Inuyasha pulled the bearskin door open from the mouth of the cave and slid outside, getting a good look around. He studied the sky and breathed in deeply, before turning to his companions with a smirk. "Yup, it's done. I'm gonna go take a walk around, see if it's this deep everywhere," he gestured to the snow that easily reached mid-chest before shoving his way a few steps further. "If it is, we still won't be able to travel too well."
"Not unless you can turn into a snow plow," Kagome said with a sigh, earning confused looks from her friends. "He'd have to carve out a path for us. Hopefully it's only this high because of the wind. Be careful, Inuyasha. Don't get lost in all that white."
"I won't get lost, wench," the hanyou called back, annoyance in his tone. He knew she only worried because she cared about him, but it still made him feel like she was questioning his abilities.
Everyone headed deeper into the cave, leaving the door open so they could enjoy the sunlight, even if it did let in the cold. They waited for nearly an hour before they heard Inuyasha holler from outside. "Pack it up, guys! We can start heading back today."
"Do you think it wise to leave so close to midday?" Miroku asked. "We will be forced to stop and make camp in just a few hours."
"Yeah, it gets dark so early now. Maybe we should stay the night here and be ready to go at first light. That would give us a lot longer to travel," Sango agreed.
"It'll still take us a few days to get back to Edo either way, so I'd rather sleep somewhere warm and dry tonight, especially since we'll more than likely be camping out in the open on the way back."
"Yeah, whatever," Inuyasha grumbled. He was more than ready to get out of the dark, dank cave, but he knew his friends were right. They wouldn't be able to travel very quickly, even though the snow wasn't nearly as deep in the open areas. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo could fly on Kirara of course, while he carried Kagome on his back, but the newest addition to their group made that impossible, and he knew the miko would never leave the dog behind.
He knew that he never should have insisted they attempt traveling this far into winter, but his desire to complete the jewel and defeat Naraku often overwhelmed his common sense. It was too cold and the days were too short for them to make much progress. If he had been unable to find them suitable shelter before the storm hit, he could have lost them all.
He spent the entire time they waited in the cave wallowing in his guilt while trying to convince himself it was alright. They hadn't told him no, but he knew it was only because they knew he wouldn't take no as an answer. He needed to be more careful. He was responsible for the health and safety of three humans and a kitsune child, and their needs had to come first, even if that meant their quest was put off for a while. They would do him no good dead, and he was terrified of ending up alone again. Next time, he would think things through more before he lead them away from the relative safety of Edo.
It was the morning of their fifth day sheltered in the bear's den when the sounds of the blizzard quieted. Hopeful, though reserved, they poked their heads outside. It was as if the entire world had been coated in white, but finally the clouds had parted, and the blue sky was once again visible.
"Do you think it's over?" Kagome whispered, as if this puffy white world required quiet reverence.
Inuyasha pulled the bearskin door open from the mouth of the cave and slid outside, getting a good look around. He studied the sky and breathed in deeply, before turning to his companions with a smirk. "Yup, it's done. I'm gonna go take a walk around, see if it's this deep everywhere," he gestured to the snow that easily reached mid-chest before shoving his way a few steps further. "If it is, we still won't be able to travel too well."
"Not unless you can turn into a snow plow," Kagome said with a sigh, earning confused looks from her friends. "He'd have to carve out a path for us. Hopefully it's only this high because of the wind. Be careful, Inuyasha. Don't get lost in all that white."
"I won't get lost, wench," the hanyou called back, annoyance in his tone. He knew she only worried because she cared about him, but it still made him feel like she was questioning his abilities.
Everyone headed deeper into the cave, leaving the door open so they could enjoy the sunlight, even if it did let in the cold. They waited for nearly an hour before they heard Inuyasha holler from outside. "Pack it up, guys! We can start heading back today."
"Do you think it wise to leave so close to midday?" Miroku asked. "We will be forced to stop and make camp in just a few hours."
"Yeah, it gets dark so early now. Maybe we should stay the night here and be ready to go at first light. That would give us a lot longer to travel," Sango agreed.
"It'll still take us a few days to get back to Edo either way, so I'd rather sleep somewhere warm and dry tonight, especially since we'll more than likely be camping out in the open on the way back."
"Yeah, whatever," Inuyasha grumbled. He was more than ready to get out of the dark, dank cave, but he knew his friends were right. They wouldn't be able to travel very quickly, even though the snow wasn't nearly as deep in the open areas. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo could fly on Kirara of course, while he carried Kagome on his back, but the newest addition to their group made that impossible, and he knew the miko would never leave the dog behind.
He knew that he never should have insisted they attempt traveling this far into winter, but his desire to complete the jewel and defeat Naraku often overwhelmed his common sense. It was too cold and the days were too short for them to make much progress. If he had been unable to find them suitable shelter before the storm hit, he could have lost them all.
He spent the entire time they waited in the cave wallowing in his guilt while trying to convince himself it was alright. They hadn't told him no, but he knew it was only because they knew he wouldn't take no as an answer. He needed to be more careful. He was responsible for the health and safety of three humans and a kitsune child, and their needs had to come first, even if that meant their quest was put off for a while. They would do him no good dead, and he was terrified of ending up alone again. Next time, he would think things through more before he lead them away from the relative safety of Edo.