InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Till Death ❯ Ch.8 ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter Eight

 

Cold water engulfed her as she dove into the depths of the freezing ocean. It numbed at her body ridding her of the nerve-wracking pain the enveloped her body. The arctic water crushed her body, winding her as she choked out for breaths. Kagome wouldn't be surprised if all of her bones had been shattered from the fall, and she hyperventilated as she tried to regain desperate air into her lungs.

 

She resurfaced as she spit out all the water she inhaled, coughing desperately. She needed Sango; where was Sango? She looked around desperately for her sister, but the dark shadows of the water blocked her sight. She couldn't find her anywhere and she was hurting so much, she just wanted to stop treading water and have a quick nap. No! Not before she found Sango! She shook her head, ridding herself of all pessimistic thoughts that were clouding her judgement. “Sango!” She tried to call bravely but it only came out as a choked whisper. Darkness was beginning to surround her vision as the muscles in her legs gave out.

 

“Kagome!” A voice cried out distantly, but she ignored it, not even having the strength to look to see who had called her.

 

She began to pull herself farther away from the boat in hopes that Sango would be found there. It was so cold; she was trembling as her face slowly lost its entire colour, yet she went on.

 

Then she saw it, one boot floating just out of the water! She ignored the fact that all her muscles were frozen, that her mind was shutting down as she swam over to Sango, and the loud splash that could be heard behind her. She reached out, trying to get there faster, she had to get there before the darkness took her away.

 

After what seemed like forever she reached the floating boot, seeing a body attached she squeaked out something incoherent. She pulled the girl's head above water, hugging her form with all the strength she had left. She checked for a pulse, finding one, barely, but there was one there, she found the last string of hope. She needed to get water out of the girl's lungs, but how when she couldn't even get out of the water in the first place. Gradually, she felt the string break, leaving her sobbing, cold and alone in the deep water.

 

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His breath hitched in his throat as he saw her drop off the boat into the polar water after something. Panic consumed him, what was his fiancée doing jumping of a fucking boat! He didn't know what to do, lost he sought out someone to advise him what to do. But there was no time! He looked around the boat, searching for something to help him save his wife to be. Some rope! But he would need someone to hoist him out of the water after; it had to be somebody trustworthy, it would be too convenient if both captains died in one tragic rope broke.

 

His memory dashed throughout all the names he knew, trying to find somebody trustworthy to help him. Miroku was in no shape to do so; Houjo was a pathetic weak human that couldn't hoist Kagome out of the water alone, Kouga! He had been told that Kouga fancied Kagome, he would pull them both out if it meant saving Kagome. He quickly looked around the deck, Kouga took night shift usually didn't he, well where the hell was he! “Kouga!” He bellowed. “Get your fat ass over here!”

 

Inuyasha didn't have to wait long before Kouga was in front of him. “What do you want, dog-shit?” Kouga lipped.

 

“Kagome's in the water. I'm gonna' save her. You're going t'pull us out of the water with rope. Understood?” He asked flippantly.

 

At the mention of Kagome's life in danger Kouga immediately shaped up. “Yes, sir!” He replied before running to the storage room to grab some rope. He was back in a matter of seconds but it seemed to take too long for Inuyasha, she could be dead by now! He skillfully tied the rope around his waist and called out her name loudly, begging that she could hear him. “Kagome!” He didn't know why he was so worried; perhaps a friendship had been formed between the two in the short time they had been acquainted.

 

He jumped off the boot, feet first, he was unbelievably thankful that he was a demon, a jump like this could be bone shattering. He wondered not for the first time if Kagome had died from the fall, why had she fallen in the first place! It's not like the sea was wild enough to push her off tonight, it was strangely calm, and even if it wasn't, a skilled sailor like herself should have been able to handle it.

 

Water cascaded around him as he hit the water, he quickly resurfaced, pulling with all his strength, even if he was hanyou, the chilled water would give him hypothermia after a long enough period of time. His eyes darted around the dark sea, he couldn't find her anywhere, he desperately called out her name. “Kagome!” Still there was no answer.

 

Water had went up his nose when he hit the ocean so he was unable to detect her scent, all he could smell was the burning salt in his nostrils. He couldn't hear her as water lapped around him; waves blocked any possible sound of movement in the water. He couldn't see her, the water was too dark and gloomy, it matched her outfit. Of all days she had to wear the black pants and navy shirt today!

 

He gave a frustrated growl before he saw her; she was slowly swimming away from the boat. Her movements were drowsy and clumsy, he could tell that already hypothermia was taking its toll on her small body. He began to sprint over to her, kicking with all his might, trying to reach her before she fell unconscious and drifted to the bottom of the ocean where nobody could save her.

 

He was just meters away from her when he saw her cradling something in her arms. He looked at the girl curious as to who she would jump off a boat, risking her own life, for. Then it came to him; the answer was obvious, Sango! The two were like sisters; they would never leave each other to die. Then a horrid thought came to mind, what if Kouga wasn't strong enough to pull all three of them up? It was too late to second thought now; he swam over to the drowning girls and tapped Kagome on the shoulder. “Kagome,” He whispered before wrapping an arm around her waist.

 

“Inuyasha?” She asked softly in a puzzled voice. “Sango needs help! Please help her!” She pleaded.

 

“I'm going to help ya both. `Kay? I need you to hold on t'me. Don't let go no matter what.” She slowly nodded her head. He pulled on Kagome's arm so that Sango was in his grasp and held onto her tightly. “Kagome, pull on that rope as hard as ya can.” He ordered, trying to remain calm.

 

But it was too late; she had drifted off into hypothermic sleep. He had no way to tell Kouga that they needed up now, both his arms were full with unconscious dead weight. He tried to keep himself afloat as he thought of a solution but slowly he felt himself sink deeper and deeper into the sea's greedy hands. Then he found the solution! His claw grazed something on Kagome's waist before it became entangled in the smooth fabric. It was a belt! He pulled Sango deep into his embrace and entwined the same hand into Kagome's belt, once he was satisfied that they were both secure he pulled sharply at the rope. Then he felt it, slowly, but surely, the rope was being pulled towards the ship. Faintly he could hear the scare yelp of Kouga. “Inuyasha! You weigh twice as much as Kagome, you fat bastard!” He would pay for that one once Inuyasha was on board again.

 

The polar water was numbing his body; he couldn't feel anything. His breath came out in short; frosty puffs and his triangular ears had an edge of frostbite on the tips. He tried to fight off the unconsciousness that threatened to overwhelm him as his legs toilsomely kicked in a unsuccessful attempt to get the three of them out of the water sooner then the prolonged heaves of Kouga.

 

Sluggishly they reached the side of the boat before Kouga began to hoist them out of the water. He was thankful that the fingers gripping Kagome's belt were frozen shut for he felt that if they were not, he would have dropped her again, into the ocean. They began to sway back and forth coming awfully close to hitting the rough wooden boards of the ship. Just as a precaution he twisted their three bodies so that he would block all the impact. And the unconscious girls were lucky he had done so because more than enough times, in Inuyasha's opinion, did they hit the gigantic ship.

 

Soon the three of them were unceremoniously dropped onto the deck in front of Kouga's sweating form. They were all sopping wet and frozen to the bone. Inuyasha was so close to passing out, and he did but not before he issued a last order, “Somebody better fucking give Sango mouth to mouth! Or you're all as good as fucking dead!” Then the darkness blurring his vision overtook him as he too, fell unconscious thanks to the deadly chill of the grim ocean.

 

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Sunlight streamed through the curtains when he awoke, though he wasn't certain if it was the day after he had saved the two pirate females from the lethal sea or weeks. He let out a low moan as he cracked open one eyelid. He was alone in his room still in the clothes that he had dove into the water with, not that he minded. He was appreciative that they didn't dare change his clothing, it would mean their death. He rolled over in his bed, wishing to block out the streams of sunshine and fall back into a blissful rest. But no such luck, he had never been one to be able to do that, being told it was lazy and impudent.

 

Muttering curses to himself he sat up, grateful that his half-demon dulled the headache he would have received from being unmoving for so long and the many hits he felt from the long hoist. He slid around so that his bare feet hit the planks of wood. He wondered who dared remove his boots, but then again, it was just his boots, whoever had done it was lucky he was in a good mood today.

 

He pulled on his boots, not bothering with his socks and exited his chambers into the hallway. He looked around for some helpless whelp that would answer as many questions as Inuyasha felt the need to know. Finding none he decided on the next best thing and strode off into Miroku's room. He gave a triumphant sneer as he saw that the man was in his bed in a deep sleep. He walked over to the man and gave him a sharp smack on the side of his head, waking him immediately. Cautiously his eyes fluttered open to see Inuyasha's impatient glare to which Miroku gave a sheepish grin. “Greetings captain, it's good to see you up.”

 

“Shuddup with the shit, monk. How is your hand weakling?” He asked nonchalantly, covering up any detection of care from his voice.

 

“It still burns, but the pain is residing.” He answered.

 

“Pathetic. What's the date?”

 

“It's Wednesday, you've been asleep for a day and a half Inuyasha.” The calm pirate informed.

 

“How are the wenches?” He demanded.

 

Sadness crept into his voice as he answered this question. “Kagome is fine, she suffered a severe case of hypothermia and three crushed ribs, but our healers tell us she'll be fine. She has yet to wake up. Sango is another matter. Both her legs are broken along with two of her ribs. Her hypothermia is deadly; she is wavering between life and death, our healers say she can go either way. Though we believe there is something that can heal her, though if the herb is extinct or not we are unsure. And even if we did obtain this herb she still may not survive.”

 

“I'm sorry.” Inuyasha responded putting a hand on the shorter man's shoulder. “Do we know where it can be found?” He asked slowly, considering his options.

 

“Yeah, Hamamatsu.” He replied lifelessly.

 

“We'll go. I hear it is a wealthy village, and Kagome would want it this way. We'll try for Sango.” He said before leaving Miroku's room.

 

Miroku stared at the door, which Inuyasha had just left dumbfounded, he was unaware that the crude hanyou could express kindness in such a way. There was hope for Sango after all; he nearly wept with joy! He had seen her torn and battered form countless times in the past day and a half, only leaving for sleep and the captain duties he had taken over while the two captains were asleep.

 

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Inuyasha strode up through the doorway onto the deck. Seeing that his ship was still properly functioning and that none of his crew was fooling around and needing a verbal lashing, he continued up to the quarter deck where the wheel was currently being driven by Ginta, a strong follower of Kouga. Once he had ordered the man to get their asses to Hamamatsu.

 

He stomped off the quarterdeck and into the hold where he ran into Kouga's structured form. When they noticed who they had run into they began to snarl at each other, they had taken an immediate dislike towards the other since the beginning. “'Cuse me, cap'n.” Kouga said vulgarly.

 

“You're excused.” He replied his tone equally detestable. As the taller man tried to brush past him his hand shot out to grab his shoulder. “You did good Kouga. Thanks.” He said with a snarl.

 

“I did it for Kagome.” He said with a cocky grin. “Hell, I would've left you to die.” He said before storming out of the hold.