InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ This Wasn't In The Job Description ❯ The Hot Spring ( Chapter 28 )

Chapter 28

 

The Hot Spring

 

InuYasha, Kagome, Miroku and Sango traveled all day though the forest. They found and searched a more ancient area, but found no sign of the youkai magnolia. When they made camp that night, InuYasha warned them that the next leg of the journey would take them up into the mountains.

 

“I'm afraid I must continue to carry you,” said InuYasha to Kagome as they sat around the fire. “The terrain will be too hard on your bad ankle.”

 

“That's okay,” said Kagome with a sweet smile. “I appreciate that you are taking such good care of me.”

 

The hanyou tried to not betray his emotions at Kagome's words, but he smirked a little and flushed. Miroku's eyes twinkled, and a sly smile came to his face as he regarded InuYasha, but Sango elbowed him in the ribs before he could say anything.

 

“What was that for?” said Miroku in a false, offended tone.

 

Turning to him with a frown of exasperation, Sango just glared at Miroku. He shrugged, and when Sango turned away, he surreptitiously slipped his hand around her hip and stroked her ass.

 

SLAP!

 

Miroku grinned, holding his hand to the red hand print on his face, and Sango threw her hands up in despair.

 

“I'm sleeping on the other side of Kagome tonight,” said Sango wryly.

 

“I'll miss you,” said Miroku, giving her puppy dog eyes.

 

“I won't miss you,” Sango grumbled back, and got up to prepare a place to sleep.

 

“Cut it out you two,” said InuYasha in a weary voice, and took off his jacket, handing it to Kagome to use as a blanket again. “We have a long, hard journey in front of us, so everyone get some sleep.”

 

The next morning, they ate and broke camp. As Kagome was helped onto InuYasha's back, she wrinkled her nose at the way she smelled. It was hard to go so many days without a bath, and she felt dirty and uncomfortable. Her body ached and her ankle throbbed if she put too much pressure on it. She longed for a soak in some hot water.

 

“InuYasha,” said Kagome, her chin resting on his shoulder. “Are there any hot springs up here?”

“Probably,” said InuYasha.

 

“Well, do you think we can find one?” said Kagome hopefully.

 

“I guess so,” said InuYasha. “Why?”

 

“Because she wants to take a bath, you dense hanyou,” said Miroku from behind them.

 

“Who the fuck was talking to you, you pervert,” replied InuYasha irritably.

 

“Do you want a bath?” said InuYasha, turning his head to look at Kagome.

 

“Yes, I do,” said Kagome with a wistful sigh.

 

“Alright,” said InuYasha. “Lett's find a place for you guys to wait and I will scout the area for a hot spring.”

 

They found a place where a break in the trees let warm sunshine in. Carefully, InuYasha placed Kagome on some mossy rocks where she was joined by Miroku and Sango. Kagome smiled up at InuYasha gratefully before he bounded off, into the steep slopes of the wooded mountain. While he was gone, Kagome removed the towels they had been sleeping on from her backpack and dusted off the debris in hopes that she would be using them soon.

 

About an hour later, InuYasha returned.

 

“Okay, I found a hot spring,” said InuYasha, squatting down in front of Kagome. “Get on Kagome, and let's all get going.”

 

The hot spring was a large, fairly deep depression among some boulders that lay at the foot of a crumbling ledge of rock. Light steam rose from the water, and Kagome exclaimed in delight.

 

“That looks so inviting,” said Sango. “I think I'll join you.”

 

Then Sango turned and faced Miroku with a wry frown. He looked back at her with eyebrows raised and a smile playing about the corners of his mouth.

 

“As for you, my perverted friend,” said Sango, taking him by the shoulders and turning him so he was faced away from her. “March - get out of here. There is no way I am going to take off my clothes unless I can't see you. - and you me.”

 

“Aww, Sango,” Miroku whined. “What do you take me for?”

 

“A pervert,” said Sango, InuYasha, and Kagome in unison.

 

With an exaggerated sigh, Miroku slumped his shoulders and began walking away.

 

“Don't worry about him,” said InuYasha. “I'll keep him in line.”

 

The women watched as InuYasha caught up with Miroku and grabbed his arm, walking him further away at a brisk pace. When they could no longer see the men, they turned to each other and smiled. Sango took Kagome's arm and helped her get to a small ledge of rock by the hot spring, and they both undressed. Then they slipped into the hot water with expressions of satisfaction.

 

“Don't you think we have gone far enough?” said Miroku, as they got well out of sight of the women. “What is something happened and they need us?”

 

“Don't worry,” InuYasha scoffed. “We aren't so far that I won't hear if they need us.”

 

But the hanyou stopped anyway, and leaned his back against a tree crossing his arms. Miroku sat down on a fallen log, and looked back longingly in the direction of the hot spring. InuYasha gave a bark of laughter at the look on Miroku's face and shook his head. The moment was broken as InuYasha suddenly got a vigilant look on his face, his ears swiveling, and sniffing the air.

 

“Something's coming,” said InuYasha, putting his hand on the hilt of his sword. “It's coming fast, from over there - ”

 

InuYasha spun around but was not able to free his sword in time. A huge, female bear youkai with two cubs came crashing through the trees at the two men. She swiped at InuYasha as he managed to free the sword and it went flying out of his hand. Miroku tried to use his staff, but the trees were in the way. They were driven back by the enraged mother bear youkai. InuYasha kept swiping at it with his claws, but this only further angered her. The terrain made fighting difficult, and they had to dodge the blows of the bear's massive claws and duck tree limbs that she cut down on top of them in her attempts to reach them.

 

Kagome and Sango were enjoying the hot spring. It eased Kagome's sore limbs and her swollen ankle, and she kicked her feet lazily in the water. At her side sat Sango, eyes closed and an obvious expression of contentment on her face.

 

“Did you hear something?” said Sango suddenly, standing up in the water and looking back the way InuYasha and Miroku went.

 

“Sounds like an animal,” said Kagome worriedly. “Do you think it's dangerous?”

 

“You're injured, so stay put. I'll go check,” said Sango. “It better not be Miroku or he'll feel Hiraikotsu on his head next.”

 

Sango peered over the edge of the ledge and her eyes went round as she saw InuYasha and Miroku being forced their way.

 

“Oh no!” Sango gasped.

 

“What is it?” said Kagome, leaning over and trying to peer over the edge.

 

They only had a moment as InuYasha's grunts and growls could be heard amid the roaring of the bear youkai. Sango moved towards Kagome just in time.

 

“Die, you fucking bear!” said InuYasha, raking the bear youkai on the arm.

 

With a roar of rage, the bear youkai landed a blow on InuYasha's chest, and he went tumbling over the edge of the hot spring. Miroku made a grab for him but was only pulled in after him. The bear youkai fell in on top of them, making a huge splash. Underwater, InuYasha pushed Miroku out of the way and gave a mighty shove to the belly of the bear youkai. It went flying out of the hot spring, hitting its head hard on the rock ledge when it landed. Dazed, it picked itself up and staggered off, cubs in tow.

 

InuYasha exploded up out of the water, chest heaving, a snarl on his lips as he watched the bear youkai leave. Beside him Miroku surfaced, gasping. As the two men got their breath back, they suddenly realized where they were. InuYasha looked up, startled at the sight of Sango and Kagome who sat cowering in the water, covering their naked breasts with their arms. He blushed and looked away, but Miroku didn't. Sango grabbed Kagome and darted behind InuYasha's back.

 

“Miroku...” said Sango warningly.

 

“Um… yes, Sango my sweet?”

 

Sango's hand reached around the side of InuYasha's back.

 

SLAP!