InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ This Wasn't In The Job Description ❯ A Change of Plans ( Chapter 68 )

Chapter 68

 

A Change of Plans

 

Kagome's head throbbed, and she could barely breathe from the weight on her chest. Opening her eyes to darkness, she coughed and gasped for air. Getting her bearings, she realized that InuYasha was on top of her, and not moving. His shoulder half covered her face. She tried to free her arms but they were pinned underneath him.

 

“InuYasha,” Kagome grated, her voice hoarse and filled with dust.

 

There was no response.

 

“Miroku, Sango…” Kagome called desperately.

 

A faint groan came to the left of Kagome, but she could not tell who it was from. She called out again, but still got no answer. Her heart began to beat rapidly, and adrenaline pumped through her body as she tried to wriggle free of InuYasha. She realized in a rush what had happened, and knew that they would probably run out of air soon. With a tremendous tug, fit to pull her shoulder out of its socket, she freed her right arm. It tingled from loss of circulation, but she dragged it up and began shaking InuYasha's shoulder.

 

“InuYasha, wake up!” Kagome cried, but he still did not move.

 

Reaching up, Kagome found that InuYasha was covered in rock and debris, and her hand came away bloody from where it touched part of his head. Who knew how long it would be before he would recover. Her hand trembled as she pulled it away.

 

There was a sound of rock moving Kagome realized through the haze of her reeling mind. It was getting louder, and she could feel the air beginning to move around her. Had someone found them? Could it be they were saved?

 

“Help, we're in here!” Kagome called.

 

~*~

 

Sesshomaru's generals were not amused, but there was nothing they could do. Their Lord had chosen to keep Kagura, the former minion of their enemy, by his side as they went to battle. It was a place of honor, and they did not know why she deserved it. But she held herself proudly, answering their Lord's terse questions concisely as they talked strategy.

 

Lord Sesshomaru's army came to the crest of a hill that over looked Naraku's stronghold. Kagura had been right, this was the area with the weakest defense. They swept away all of the enemy in their path. Now they faced an oncoming swarm, charging at them up the hill. Fliers came upon them first, but the forest they were in provided cover while Sesshomaru's archers took them out with volley after volley of arrows. The hideous things rained down from the sky and had to be dodged. Then Sesshomaru gave the order for them to charge the enemy, but he held back with Kagura.

 

“Naraku is at the back. on a hill and behind a barrier,” Kagura said. “He can expand the barrier only so far, but be sure to keep your forces from getting so close it will block their retreat; about 200 yards from his current position.”

 

Sesshomaru nodded, and gave orders to his runners to inform all his generals to keep a certain distance. They were to occupy Naraku and his horde while Sesshomaru, Kagura and a special force waited to set their secret plan in motion.

 

~*~

 

Byakuya arrived to find the stronghold of his master under a skeleton staff. A guard informed him that they were under attack, and Naraku was overseeing the battle on the eastern edge of their territory. Byakuya nodded, and decided he better seek out his master. As much as he loathed being near or in direct conflicts, he felt he had no choice. He was unsure how long he could keep InuYasha trapped - he knew the hanyou was strong and would recover quickly from his injuries.

 

When Byakuya arrived, he went and stood to the left of Naraku. Kanna was at Naraku's right. He stood silently, waiting to be noticed, staring out past the red sheen of the barrier at the battle raging beyond. A strange woman sat on the ground behind them, tied up hand and foot. She glared at him when he approached. He ignored her.

 

“What took you so long to return?” Naraku glowered. “Report.”

 

“I have InuYasha and his friends trapped in a cave,” Byakuya said. “But I don't know how long it will hold.”

 

“Interesting…” Naraku replied, bringing his hands from behind his back and clasping them in front of him, a wicked smile on his handsome face. “We will go there at once. Grab that woman - she will come with us. Kanna, stay here and command my forces - you know what to do.”

 

Byakuya brought out his origami crane, and it transformed. He picked up Kikyou, and slung her like a sack of laundry between himself and Naraku. They flew into the air, and headed west, away from the battle.

 

~*~

 

Kagura was the first one to notice what was happening behind Narku's barrier. Brows drawn down, she grimaced angrily at this unforeseen change of events. She turned to get Lord Sesshomaru's attention, moving to stand in his line of sight while he listened to a report from the field of battle. He saw her and raised a questioning eyebrow.

 

“Naraku is leaving,” Kagura said. “He is with two people - another youkai who, by the looks of him, must be my replacement, and a strange human woman who is bound.”

 

Kagura knew of only two reasons Naraku would leave a battle on his own territory. Either he had found the whereabouts of the Shikon no Tama formula, or he had found a way to capture InuYasha. They had to scrap their original plan. From the solemn and determined way he regarded her, Kagura knew Sesshomaru was of the same mind.

 

“We must follow Naraku at once,” Sesshomaru said. “I will send word to General Tsuyoimaru to do as much damage as possible and push them back into the barrier before retreating.”

 

It took a moment for Sesshomaru to give his terse message to the runner, who bowed and quickly sprinted off. A cloud formed under Sesshomaru's feet. Kagura had been about to pull her feather from her hair, but Sesshomaru extended his hand to her. Looking at him in wonder, she slowly pulled her hand away from her head. She reached out and took his hand, and she climbed aboard the small, fluffy transport. Quickly, they flew up in the air, high above the battlefield. Archers kept the remaining fliers from reaching the pair. Now that they were alone, Kagura relaxed but immediately felt a wave of weakness overtake her. She weaved unsteadily, and was grateful when Sesshomaru put a hand around her waist to steady her…and left it there.

 

~*~

 

It seemed like an eternity to Kagome before she saw a glimmer of sunlight pierce the swirling, dust filled air of the cave. She gasped as a puff of fresh air reached her, and tried calling out again, coughing instead. There was a sudden rush of air past her as she heard the crash of rocks being removed from the cave entrance, and there was enough light to vaguely make out the shapes of her friends and the ruins they lay in.

 

Someone stood above Kagome and InuYasha, pulling debris off her hanyou. All she could make out were hands, the swing of long hair, and the momentary glint of their eyes in the dim light. The person tugged, and Kagome gritted her teeth as InuYasha was dragged off her. The stifling weight off her chest, Kagome took a deep, painful breath of air. Then she tried to push herself to a sitting position, her hands pressed gingerly to the debris-strewn ground, but her head started to spin.

 

“Don't sit up too quickly, if at all,” their savior said.

 

“Please, help InuYasha, and my two other friends,” Kagome pleaded in a raspy voice.

 

Their rescuer gently turned InuYasha over, and then grabbed him under the arms. Kagome crawled after them, not trusting herself to stand. She felt the knees of her jeans rip, and her chest felt painfully bruised. But all she could think of was the limp form of the man she loved being dragged out in front of her. She had never seen him look so vulnerable…so lifeless. The daylight almost blinded her, and she raised a hand, squinting, to see who had saved them.

 

“You…” Kagome exclaimed.