InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Trials of Subsequent Time ❯ A Veil of Sunlit Smoke ( Chapter 3 )

Trials of Subsequent Time

Chapter 3: A Veil of Sunlit Smoke

~*~

As much as Inuyasha felt for Kagome, he was beginning to lose the thin strands of patience that he had managed to maintain. The group had been moping around Kaede's trivial village for one procrastinating day. Although the others would be reluctant to admit it, Inuyasha knew that they must have been feeling the same anxiousness to be on their way once more. Leaping out of his alpine tree, Inuyasha headed for Kaede's hut. Kagome must not be allowed to drown in depression!

At the hut, Inuyasha noticed that Miroku and Sango had reached the same conclusion. The two were sitting side by side in one corner of the familiar hut. Kagome was pacing the other side of the hut, a downcast expression on her face.

Breaking the silence, Inuyasha cleared his throat. "Kagome, are you ready to go?" Not knowing how else to say it, Inuyasha hoped that Kagome didn't think he was rushing her. Baka, he scolded himself, why shouldn't he rush her? She would get over this and then things would go back to normal.

Kagome halted her frantic pacing and looked up at the hanyou. "Inuyasha, I didn't hear you come in." Noticing that her friends were there also, she sighed. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

Sango stood and Miroku followed suit. "Kagome, you have to snap out of it. Spending all day in this hut will not solve the problem!" Sango exclaimed.

Before Kagome could respond to this outburst, Inuyasha stepped forward. "Didn't you even hear what I said Kagome? Are you ready to go yet?" He scowled at Kagome but refrained when he saw the anguish written on her features.

"I…know that we can't stay here. We should go, but I…I can't bring myself to do it. Can't we stay a little longer? What if Kaede finds a way to bring the well back?"

Inuyasha darted forward and grabbed her wrist before he let himself become too sympathetic towards the depressed girl. "You can't just wait for that to happen! What if it takes weeks? Or even months? Kagome, we have to keep living. Besides, your family won't be expecting you for another week!"

Kagome pondered. A tempest was raging inside her heart, and she didn't know which way to turn. What if….She shook her head to banish the thoughts. She had to keep living as if nothing had happened. "You're right Inuyasha. But can't we stay just a little bit longer?" Kagome pleaded.

"No, Kagome," he stubbornly replied.

The storm that was taking place inside Kagome halted at this reply. Inuyasha was being a selfish baka again and someone had to teach him!

Noticing the familiar light in Kagome's eyes, Inuyasha grinned. If all was well with her, she would sit him. Then everything would be back to normal.

"Inuyasha…OSUWARI!"

~*~

"You see? They've already gotten over the well! They are performing exactly as planned!"

"Ha! The well was nothing. At the end…"

"We'll talk about the end when it comes to that. Right now, they, and you, need to worry about the village."

"What about the miko who lives there? Can we kill her or will we need her?"

"We may need her. But then again, we may not. Let's leave it up to chance."

"Hehe, and I thought that I was supposed to be the evil one."

~*~

Inuyasha rubbed his chest as he placidly ambled along the old road. Far ahead of the others, he refused to look backwards at Kagome. He had only been concerned with Kagome's welfare! Why did she have to become so aggressive all the time?

The weight of what was happening had still not parted from Kagome. She clutched Shippo to her chest as she walked, subconsciously keeping her eyes on the dusty road. Struggling to believe what Inuyasha had said, she shifted her worries to the back of her mind.

Sango abruptly stopped and a furious expression crossed her face. The hand that had been searching her backside retreated back to its owner as Miroku anticipated what was to come next.

"Hentai!!!!!" Haraikotsu came crashing down on Miroku before he could escape. Nearly unconscious, he stumbled to keep up with the others.

~*~

The black warrior halted his horse at the summit of the hill that oversaw the village. He signaled for his men to stop, and waited for the cessation of hoof beats. A careful observation of the village proved that there were little or no defenses.

One of his men approached him, kneeling on the soft ground. "My lord, is it time to attack? Should we not wait for night?"

Annoyed by this disturbance, the lord turned reluctantly. "Fool, can you not see that this village has no defenses? Our master has sent us on a useless errand. It is an insult to us to even be here! Why should we wait for dark? Ready the torches." That said, the nefarious man raised an arm to ready his men for a charge.

~*~

About a mile down the road, Inuyasha promptly stood still. Turning back to the others, he sniffed the brisk air.

"What is it Inuyasha?" Kagome questioned.

"Smoke. I smell smoke coming from Kaede's village!"

Without another word, the group sped back the way they had come.

~*~

Once the village was in sight again, Inuyasha's jaw dropped. Kagome, who was right behind him, delivered a gasp, which was barely audible over the commotion only a few yards away. Miroku and Sango said nothing, only stared at the scene with anguish.

Ahead of the friends, smoke filled the sky and mingled with the sunlight. Piles of flaming debris were scattered where huts once stood. Black cloaked men on horseback galloped through the site. They wielded torches, which they fed to the roaring fires. Small groups of villagers ran screaming in an attempt to escape the murderous warriors.

Inuyasha looked over the scene and noticed something unusual. A tall man on a midnight black horse was observing the scene from a hill parallel from the group. His torn cloak flapped in the wind, every so often resting gently on his shoulder.

Drawing Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha mentally prepared himself for a fight. "Kagome, stay with Miroku and Sango. Try to help the villagers. I'm going to stop this right now."