InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ You Don't Know What You Have 'Till Its Gone ❯ Impatience ( Chapter 6 )

{Disclaimer: Inuyasha doesn't belong to me so don't sue. ::sighs:: unless someone would like to give him to me. I would have a ball playing with those ears.}

You Don't Know What You Have 'Till It's Gone

By Striking Falcon

Chapter Six: Impatience

Inuyasha and the others were following the latest trail Sesshoumaru left for them. Since the disappearance of Kagome's pack, they hadn't discovered another fresh lead the whole month. They found this new one three days ago, and Inuyasha insisted on them following it doggedly until they found the end. Inuyasha's nose was to the ground as they approached a thick part of the forest. Inuyasha ignored the brush, following his nose until

WHAM!

"What was that?" Shippou squeaked as Inuyasha flew backwards a few feet into the trees behind them. He slid down one in particular, landing on the ground with an oomph. Miroku and the others rushed to his side.

"Jeez, Inuyasha, are you ok?"

Inuyasha struggled to his feet, one hand grasping the Tetsusaiga's hilt. With one smooth move, he launched himself at the barrier again, and again rebounded into the tree like some insignificant insect. Sango shook her head in annoyance.

"One more try ought to do it, Inuyasha," she said as he stood up again. "Maybe this time you'll hit the tree hard enough to knock some sense into your thick skull."

Inuyasha growled at her, but sheathed Tetsusaiga. Stepping closer to the barrier, he grazed it with a finger. Instantly, his hand shot back in a flash of light.

"Well, this sucks. How are we supposed to get through?" he muttered. Sango stepped forward and touched the barrier, expecting the same thing.

Nothing happened.

"Well, that's odd," Miroku said, raising his hand to the barrier, Shippou following the same. Their hands were repelled like Inuyasha's.

"So, this kind of magic only reacts violently to men. Can you walk through it, Sango?"

Sango stepped forward gingerly, and felt her body press against an invisible wall.

"Sorry houshi-sama. No such luck."

Inuyasha sank to the ground, Shippou hopping off Miroku's head to join him. He patted Inuyasha's knee gently. Unlike Sango and Miroku, he knew how Inuyasha felt about Kagome. He could smell it on him. It was just really hard for the stubborn dog demon to admit to it.

"Now what do we do?" Sango asked as Miroku pulled and ofuda from his robes. Chanting a small prayer, he slapped the ofuda to the barrier wall. It shimmered forcefully under the ofuda's influence, then a small section opened like a split in a sheer curtain. Inuyasha dashed inside, leaving everyone but Shippou (who wisely leaped on his shoulder) behind. Sango turned to thank Miroku, but the look of worry on his face stopped the words in her throat.

"What is it, houshi?" she asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. He nodded to the barrier, and Inuyasha's fading figure.

"It was too easy, displacing the barrier spell like that. Even Naraku's barriers take some form of concentration to get rid of when Kagome is not with us. I don't like this, my dear Sango. I don't like this at all."

Sango turned to the barrier. Sighing, she stepped one foot inside, motioning for Miroku to follow. As they walked through the forest, Sango glanced at Miroku. He was praying silently, his hands clasping his rosary beads.

"Do you think it's a trap?" she whispered, ignoring Inuyasha's ranting in the far distance for them to "move their slow asses" before he left them behind. Miroku looked up from his chanting, fear and determination in his eyes.

"It can be nothing else."

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"I don't understand. " Kagome said to Sesshoumaru as he watched the servants adjust a hooded veil over her head. It covered her hair, her mouth and most of her nose, but kept her eyes in full view. "Why do I have to wear this?"

Sesshoumaru studied her for a moment before handing the nearest servant the blue kimono in his hands. He watched as they adjusted the kimono and tied the silver sash around her waist. He handed them the blue gloves as well. When they were finished he dismissed them to survey their work. The veil and hood matched the midnight blue of the kimono perfectly, and the white gloves reached far under the sleeves. Only Kagome's eyes could be seen, everything else covered in fabric. The fabric was permeated with a scent-blocker, preventing anyone but him from finding her scent. Her sudden scent change caught his attention. He gazed into her eyes, slightly surprised to find a blush on her cheeks.

"You have to wear this for dinner, which shall be in a few moments," he responded. Turning to leave, he suddenly felt a small tug on his sleeve. Looking down, he gazed deeply into her eyes.

"Won't Rin find it strange?" she whispered, his intense stare starting to get to her.

"Rin has had an early dinner. I am expecting guests."

He turned, his hands tightly grasping her upper arms. Kagome squealed slightly, not out of fear, but surprise. She stared into his face, searching for whatever it was that made him react so strangely.

"You are not to speak, you are not to move, and you are not to breathe unless I say so. You are to be perfectly quiet, no matter what."

He tugged her chin closer to his face, causing Kagome to stand on her toes to reach without falling against him.

"If you disobey you will die. I promise."

He held her like this for a moment, drinking in the panic in her eyes and her quick, shallow pants against his cheek. 'She will obey. And after today, she will be mine.' A slight shimmer from outside her window broke his intense stare. Releasing her so abruptly she crumpled to the ground, Sesshoumaru left her room. Stepping quickly to the main dining room, he tapped his temple. Somewhere outside, a barrier around his fortress split in half. Sesshoumaru sat down in the nearest chair, his expression calm, if not pleased. He watched as servants bustled around him, busying themselves under his threatening gaze. 'And so it begins,' he thought to himself, his fingertips lightly pressing against themselves. 'Time to see if Inuyasha is really as stupid as I thought.'

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SF: That's the last time I do something so stupid! {::SF glares at a smiling Sesshou. The Inuyasha cast stare at them as Sesshou sits on the sofa onstage.::}

Kagome: What did you tell him?

SF: {::waving her off::} I just told him I'd give him some-

Miroku: You did THAT?!!

SF: {::blinking::} What are you talking about?

Miroku: You said you gave him some.

SF: If you would have let me finish, I'd have said some WHISKEY, jackass! Man, how perverted can you get. Oh yeah, keep going!