InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Wandering Souls ❯ Demons and Worries ( Chapter 10 )

"Don't even try it," Lea growled as she caught sight of Miroku's hand slipping behind her. How did I get stuck with this moron today?

Miroku stood beside Lea looking down over the crumbled village below. Everything lay in ruins, the apparent attack of some sort of demon. Smoke lazily wafted its way skyward from several dozen places.

"This was recent," Miroku quickly drew his hand away from Lea, not wanting to get hit again. Being slapped by Kagome and Sango were one thing but getting hit by the female hanyou was quiet another. It was almost like getting struck by Inuyasha only harder. "Let us see if anyone survived." Quickly, Miroku hurried down the hillside wanting to be out of the hanyou's reach.

"Watch yourself monk!" Lea yelled after him a lopsided grin plastered on her face. She thought about how much she would like to teach him a lesson in manners where a woman was concerned. Only thing that stopped her was the feelings Sango held for the pervert.

"Lucky bastard." Lea whispered under her breath as she took off after him.

The search though out the rubble lasted half the day, but they could find none alive. The rest of the day was spent in digging graves for the lost souls. Conversation was light between them till they were finished.

"When is Kagome coming back?" Lea asked the monk when they were finished.

"Sometime tomorrow." Miroku told her worriedly.

Kagome had left several days ago to replenish the diminishing supplies and take a few of the exams she always seemed to be studying for. Marie wondered for the hundredth time exactly what good this school thing the young miko always talked about was.

Inuyasha was sulking by the well as he had been since the girl had left and Sango had stayed behind with Shippo to keep an eye on the depressed hanyou when Marie told Lea that she had sensed a strong demon nearby. Lea had told the others about it and volunteered to check it out.

Lea smiled remembering how Inuyasha had wanted to come with her but in the end Lea had made him stay to watch over the well and village just in case the demon showed up there.

Miroku and Kirara had gone with her, if only to keep her company. Now worry plagued Lea and she raced back toward the village leaving Miroku and Kirara to catch up later. She sensed that there would be some sort of trouble coming tier way soon but did not know what.

"I don't need this today!" Lea shouted frustrated into the wind. Tonight was the night of the new moon, and both she and Inuyasha would be forced to deal with their pathetically weak human sides.

She gripped the hilt of the enchanted sword, Awaseru, which her father had given her all those years ago as Lea tried to figure out where the source of dread filling her was coming from. Lea could find nothing out of the ordinary and hurried home before nightfall could bring on the transformation. This was not going to be a good night, Lea knew. She had learned long ago to trust her feelings.

Sango and Marie had finally coaxed the reluctant Inuyasha into Kaeda's hut without a second to spare and Lea cane tumbling in behind them just as the transformation started to take place.

A few minutes later a tired Miroku and Kirara stepped inside. Sango greeted the monk and swept the tired neo-yoaki into her arms.

"Marie was right, a nearby village was destroyed not a half days journey from here." Miroku explained as Lea pulled Marie away from the others to speak privately with her. Lea did not worry that the others would hear her now, as both she and Inuyasha were human. There Lea explained her feeling to her older sister, deep worry showing in her eyes.

"Are you positive that Kagome will wait till tomorrow to come back Inuyasha?" Marie asked with deep worry in her voice as she went to strap on her own blade.

"Yeah," he replied without conviction. Marie sighed again hoping for all their sakes that he was right, but then the young miko may not want to let Inuyasha go through another change without her supporting presence here.

As night progressed, Marie began to pick up on something a ways from the hut. It was something the miko could not sense as though a large void had suddenly formed out of nowhere. Unsettled, Marie began to pace back and forth, snapping at the others if they disturbed her.

Marie's senses were aflame; everything was setting her off tonight. Inuyasha and Lea stared at her watching with irritation.

"Calm down, sister," Lea tried to sooth Marie to no avail.

"Will ya stop pacing already, wench!" Inuyasha piped up. "Your making me dizzy!"

Marie growled at both of them, an almost inhuman growl that could have been made by a true demon, finally deciding she had to find out what was causing her distress.

"Miroku, Sango," Marie spoke suddenly, shocking the others to wakefulness. "You stay with Inuyasha and Lea while I find out what is going on. Shippo you're coming with me. I may have need of your fox-fire."

Marie scooped the half a sleep kit up in her arms and marched toward the door.

"Can't it wait?" Inuyasha grumbled.

"It will be sunrise soon," Sango protested, "Then we can all go together."

"No it can't wait," Marie snapped angrily before stalking out of the hut. Lea exchanged curious glances with the others; worry showing plainly on all their faces at Marie's unusual outburst of emotions. It was so unlike her that imminently they started to prepare themselves for her return.

"Where we going?" Shippo asked sleepily, he nuzzled closer to Marie's warm body seeking to fall back to sleep.

"The well," Marie replied calmly, her voice showing none of the emotions she felt deep inside. She refused to take out her anxiety on the innocent kit in her arms.

"Why there?" Shippo asked suddenly forcing himself wide-awake.

"I have a bad feeling Kagome's in trouble."

Shippo blinked, wide-awake now, he jumped from Marie's arms to rest on her shoulder. "Do you really think she came back early?"

"She knew what tonight was," Marie explained, hurrying along the pathway. "She'd be worried about Inuyasha and Lea."

Shippo's eyes grew wide as understanding set in. "Oh no!"

Marie almost flew over the ground, dread seeping deeper in her heart with each step. Hurriedly, reaching the well Marie spotted what she feared most.

Kagome's backpack lay abandoned near the bone-eaters well, its contents scattered haplessly over the ground.

"Shit!" Marie let the word slip out before realizing what she'd said. Marie scented the air around the backpack, her nose wrinkling in disgust.

"Naraku," Shippo whispered fear etched in every word. "He's got Kagome!"

He jumped off her shoulder and began jumping around angrily.

"Shippo, get back to the others, fast." Marie commended. "As soon as the sun's up get the others to follow you."

"But where are you going?" He asked suddenly afraid to be left alone.

Marie sensed his words and tried to comfort him as best she could in the short time she had. "I need to go after them, Lea can follow my trail after sunrise."

"But what if he is nearby?" He wailed peering into the shadows surrounding the well.

"Don't worry Shippo, you'll be alright. "Marie gently pushed the kitsune toward the village, "but right now we have to worry about Kagome!"

Suddenly, Shippo was off and running, and Marie wasted no time. She ran following Naraku's scent as long as she could. When it ended suddenly, Marie stopped to use her miko powers to help locate the new trail. It was not hard with the sword Noratu had given her. It helped to enhance her already strong powers among other things, when drawn and through them Marie picked up the faint pulsing of the jewel shards some distance away. Almost as if sensing her intrusion, Kagome's captor slammed up the void Marie had felt earlier.

Hope filled Marie as she raced off after the void. Her powers held onto that feeling and guided her every time it shifted.

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"She's more powerful then you thought, wench." Naraku growled sensing Marie drawing closer. For a human her speed was remarkable. "She maybe your undoing yet."

Evil laughter filled the small chamber at his words. "You sound worried, Naraku," the voice said. "Do not worry they'll all be here soon enough, the girl cannot get past your barrier."

"For your sake, Kikyou," Naraku growled, "you'd better be right."

"Soon you'll have the girl's power and your enemies will be in your hands." Kikyou walked from the room. Naraku glared at her retreating back an evil grin on his beautiful face.

"Soon, bitch, soon." He hissed into the night air. Naraku turned his gaze outward to watch the sunrise; it was one of the few things he truly enjoyed anymore. That and the evil things he planned to do to Inuyasha and his group of followers.

"She did what?" Both Lea and Inuyasha's voices chorused in unison.

"I can't believe she'd go off by herself!" Lea cried, human tears threatened to spill over. It was a lie though she knew how headstrong her sister could be where someone in danger was concerned.

"We gotta go after them! Kagome needs us!" Inuyasha ground his teeth together in helpless frustration.

"We have to wait till the sun's up." Sango spoke weakly. She did not wish for harm to come to her best friend but she knew that dealing with the now human hanyous would be difficult until they transformed back.

"Fuck that!" Both hanyous coursed at once. Before anyone could stop them, both rushed out into the night ready to fight no matter what. Sango, Shippo, and Miroku followed quickly on Kirara.