InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ This Wasn't In The Job Description ❯ The Capture ( Chapter 23 )

Chapter 23

 

The Capture

 

 

The beautiful meadow was now a mess of upturned earth and youkai worm slime, but luckily, InuYasha found Kagome and Sango's missing clothes and weapons. They had been thrown near the edge of the forest. When he brought them back, he made Miroku turn around to give the women privacy to get dressed.

 

“What should we do now?” said Kagome to InuYasha after she was clothed again.

 

“Do you see any portals back to the human realm?” said InuYasha.

 

“No, I don't see or sense any portals,” said Kagome with chagrin.

 

InuYasha made a sound of disgust and frustration, running his hand through his hair. Then he looked around, trying to get his bearings. He hadn't been back to the demon realm since he left it when he was fifteen. That was a good ten years ago. It was hard to be sure exactly where they were. Not that it mattered much; he had lived in the forests alone, trying to survive after his mother's death when he was eight. He had no place here, at least no place he had been able to lay claim to. When his mother was alive, she said his father had made provision for him before he had died. But all he ever had been able to find of his legacy was Tessaiga, and Sesshomaru made sure that he never got anything else.

 

“Come on,” said InuYasha. “Let's see what lies on the other side of this forest. It has to end somewhere.”

 

The hanyou led the group away and back into the forest, but soon other things were on their minds.

 

“I'm getting hungry,” said Sango. “I don't suppose there is a restaurant around here.”

 

“Very funny, Sango,” said Miroku, “but I am hungry as well.”

 

“I think if we can get a fire started, I have some instant ramen we can eat,” said Kagome.

 

“Ah, the angel of forethought has food for us!” said Miroku gratefully.

 

“All right,” said InuYasha, “I could eat too. Let's find a place to make camp, and I'll get a fire started.”

 

And so they did just that, finding a break in the trees where the ground was suitable for a fire. It took no time at all for InuYasha to get a campfire going, having had to live this way when he was a child. Kagome used water she had brought in some plastic bottles, heating it in a small pan and then serving everyone their ramen. One wasn't enough for InuYasha, and he went to search in her backpack for more.

“Careful with the supply,” said Kagome. “Once this is gone, we get no more until we can back home.”

 

“I won't let us starve,” said InuYasha, cracking open another container. “My forest survival skills may not have been used in a while, but I still remember enough to take care of everyone.”

 

Feeling better after their meal, they moved on. As the afternoon wore on, Miroku, Sango and Kagome were getting tired. But InuYasha, their tireless leader, encouraged them to forge ahead. Just as the trees seemed to be thinning, Kagome tripped on a tree root, because she was getting tired and not paying attention to where she was going.

 

“Ow!” Kagome said in pain, and sat up gripping her ankle.

 

Immediately, InuYasha turned around and came to her side.

 

“What happened?” he said, squatting down beside her.

 

“I think I twisted my ankle,” said Kagome, her voice tight with pain.

 

Miroku and Sango gathered round while InuYasha gently took Kagome's foot in his hand and examined it. Sure enough, the ankle was swelling, and Kagome winced in pain even though he was being careful.

 

“I have a first aid kit in my backpack,” said Kagome.

 

While Sango helped her remove her sock and sneaker, InuYasha pulled the first aid kit out. Closing her eyes and biting her lip, she steeled herself against the pain as InuYasha straightened her ankle and then wrapped it securely.

 

“You're not walking on that, girl,” said InuYasha. “Here, up on my back.”

 

Getting on either side of Kagome, Miroku and Sango helped Kagome to stand and climb on InuYasha's back. It was so good to snuggle against his strong, warm back, as InuYasha got up and they continued their journey. Just being this close to him was a comfort and eased Kagome's pain. Tiredly, she rested her head on his shoulder, and fell into a fitful doze.

 

Kagome was woken by the vibration of a deep, ominous growl growing in InuYasha's chest that she could feel through his back. He had stopped moving, and his ears were pressed back against his head, a snarl on his lips.

 

“What's the matter?” said Kagome.

 

“We have company,” said InuYasha. “Let me handle it.”

 

Three Inu Youkai in feudal era armor suddenly sprang into their path, their eyes narrowed and snarls on their lips. They held spears, and pointed it at InuYasha's group. The hanyou itched to draw Tessaiga, but was hindered by the fact that he held Kagome on his back, and was not about to put her down when she was injured.

 

“By decree of Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands, all intruders are to be brought to his fortress immediately,” one of the Inu Youkai said.

 

“You can tell Sesshomaru to fuck off,” snarled InuYasha. “I won't do anything because he says so.”

 

Another one of the Inu Youkai looked over InuYasha with disdain.

 

“Are you not InuYasha, our Lord's bastard, half-human half-brother?” The InuYoukai spat with disgust in his voice.

 

“So what if I am?” said InuYasha. “I may be a half-demon, but I am not a bastard!”

 

“Maybe we should go with them,” said Miroku. “Kagome is too defenseless right now if we lose this fight.”

 

“I never lose a fight,” said InuYasha hotly, but as he felt Kagome tighten her grip on him, he knew that Miroku was right. There was just no way for him to fight with her on his back, and he did not want to run a risk by putting her down.

 

“Fine, we'll come,” InuYasha growled grudgingly. “But we come on my terms, and we will leave whenever I want to, not if or when fucking Sesshomaru says so.”

 

The Inu Youkai patrol fell into formation around InuYasha and his group and led them off towards the fortress of Lord Sesshomaru. Behind them, the group's pursuer stayed far enough away to not be noticed, but close enough to follow, keeping themselves off the path and treading softly between the trees.