InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Watcher In The Woods ❯ Day One: The Departure ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: Why would I be writing this fanfic if I owned Inuyasha? Someday maybe...someday....



The next morning the halfling did not show up at Kaede's hut. His companions searched the woods for the tree he was sleeping in. When they found it Miroku reached up with his staff and said, "Inuyasha, are you awake yet? I thought you wanted to leave before dawn," gently tapping Inuyasha's back.

Shippo, who had been carried by Kagome, jumped out of her arms and started climbing the tree. When he reached Inuyasha, he perched on his chest and tapped the sleeping demon's face. "Come on, Inuyasha! Wake up already!"

"Huh? Oh, yeah...I'm awake," yawned the halfling, stretching his limbs. Inuyasha noticed that Shippo was on his chest, "Would you mind getting off me?" He grabs the little fox by the scruff of his neck and tosses him toward the ground.

"Sango, catch me, please!" cried Shippou on his way to the forest floor. "He's so mean!"

Sango has her arms outstretched to catch flying fox. "Inuyasha, you can really be cruel sometimes, you know that?" Yelled Sango as she catches the flying fox. Shippou weeps in her arms.

"Inuyasha, I packed a breakfast for you," said Kagome. "If you want it, you're going to have to come down here." She pauses for a moment waiting for the half-demons reaction. "Don't make me say that word!" she says, trying to stifle a giggle.

Inuyasha positions himself right above Kagome and said, "Oh, you wouldn't dare." He leaps from the branch, without his usual grace. He scratches the area behind his left ear, which has spread itself a little farther south down his scalp. Kagome offers the breakfast to Inuyasha but he declines. He tells her he'll eat it later.

Kaede had been watching Inuyasha since she arrived at the tree. She couldn't help noticing his rather haggard appearance and said, "Inuyasha, thou must be careful on this journey. Thou must rest when thy body tells thee to. I'm afraid that thee may not last." (AN: I'm sorry gang. I felt that I had to correct her usage of the archaic language. Please don't hurt me! :: Falls to knees, bowing at the waist, banging head and hands on the floor, repeatedly::)

"Don't worry about me, grandma," scoffed Inuyasha, "I'm fine. I didn't sleep so well last night."

"Kagome, take this with thee. Thou mayest need it," said Kaede. She hands the young girl a pouch full of herbs.

"Thank you, Kaede," she said as she takes the small bag. Kagome ties it onto her backpack and Inuyasha offers to carry it for her. As he picks it up he tries to hold back a sneeze.

Myouga hops onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "Well Myouga, lead the way..." said the halfling, scratching his ear, "...and stay away from me."

The flea points in the direction with a hurt expression on his face and said, "This way, milord," hopping off of his masters shoulder.

The group says their good-byes and head for the clearing. Kaede watches her young friends as they depart. She knew that the half-demon was not well. She also knew that if he was not in his top form he and his friends might not survive what possibly could lie ahead of them. She offers up a silent prayer to the gods to keep them safe and well. The priestess watches them until they are out of sight and starts to walk back to her village, still in prayer.


The group has been hiking for the majority of the day. Kagome had been playing little games with Shippou to keep him occupied on the journey. When they came up to a creek she looked behind her and saw that Inuyasha was well behind them and looked as if he was gasping for air. She didn't want to say anything to her friend about his condition because she knew it would embarrass him. "Oh, it's so beautiful here. Why don't we stop and rest for awhile?" Inuyasha looked in her direction and breathlessly nodded in agreement.

The small band of travelers gathered together and sat under the shade of a large tree near the creek. When Inuyasha caught up with them he walked over to the creek dipping his hands into the water to wash his face and get a drink of water. When he finished he sat under the tree with his friends resting his back against it. He feels the itch behind his ear again and scratches it. After a few moments the halflings breathing started to return to normal.

Kagome opens her backpack and rummages around to find the food she packed for the trip. "Well, now is as good a time as any. Is anybody hungry?" She pulls out a few packs of Ramen Noodles. She gathered wood for the fire and started cooking the noodles.

"I am! I'm so hungry," Shippou exclaimed, "I could eat a whole dragon!"

"Oh my, Shippou, you could indeed!" the monk chuckled.

"That's too much for someone your size!" Said Sango.

"Inuyasha, I still have the breakfast that Kaede packed. Would you like it now?" asked Kagome. Inuyasha closed his eyes and declined the offer. "I don't want it to go to waste."

"I'll take it, Kagome. I'll have it for dessert!" Chirped the little fox.

"OK, Shippou, it's yours then!" giggled Kagome.

"Master Inuyasha, you really must eat something. You need to keep your strength up,” said Myouga, concerned, hopping onto his master's shoulder.

"I'll eat when I'm hungry, Myouga." grumbled Inuyasha as he goes back to the creek for some more water. "I thought I told you to stay away from me. Get off!"

"But master..." Myouga hurtfully hops to Sango's protective shoulder.

The Ramen was ready and Kagome hands out bowls of the steamy noodles to her friends. She hands a bowl to Inuyasha and he reluctantly takes it. He sniffs at it and his stomach begins to churn. "Thank you, Kagome...but...I just... can't..." He drops the bowl on the ground beside him and runs to a safe distance so that he doesn't disturb the others as they are eating. He drops down on all fours and loses the contents of his stomach.

Kagome ran after Inuyasha carrying a towel with her. He could feel her pulling his long white hair out of the way. "Inuyasha, are you ok?" she asked, kneeling beside him.

"K-Kagome...please...leave me alone..." he manages to get out before his stomach protests again.

"No, Inuyasha, I thought you might need some help," said Kagome, gently rubbing his back.

"Well...I don't." coughed Inuyasha as he takes the towel and wipes his face. He stands and fights the dizziness in his head. When it clears somewhat he walks back to the creek to wash his face and rinse out his mouth.

The young demon walked back to the area where his friends were enjoying their meal. Kagome was following a few paces behind him. When they reached the tree they found Kagome's sleeping bag placed neatly on the ground with a pillow resting on top of it.

"Inuyasha, why don't you lie down and get some rest. You look like you could use it." suggested Sango.

"No, Sango, I'm all right. We need to keep moving. I want to get as far as we can before nightfall," sighed the halfling.

"Actually," Miroku interrupted, "there are only a couple hours of daylight left. We might as well camp here for the night. I bet you'll feel better in the morning."

Inuyasha was about to open his mouth to protest but decided that he probably wouldn't get anywhere arguing with these humans. He admitted to himself that he was too exhausted to continue. The halfling sighs as he sits on the sleeping bag. "All right...I give up...You win." He lies down and immediately falls asleep.

"Boy, that didn't take much," said Shippou. "He really must be sick."

Miroku volunteered to keep watch for the night. A few hours after everyone fell asleep, he restoked the campfire. The hair on the back of his neck was standing on end. He had the feeling that they were being watched. The young monk picked up a thin log that was in the fire. Holding it out in front of him like a torch he looked around. He didn't see anything that looked suspicious but he still had that uneasy feeling.



To be continued: