InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ What Happened To Innocent Life? ❯ Chapter 3

(Revised)

 

Chapter 3

Once Sango and Kagome returned to camp, Kagome took up the job of bandaging the rest of the child's wounds and changing her tattered and blood stained clothing while Miroku went to think on some stuff - what? No one really knew, but from the look on his face they gathered it was something important. Sango had laid everyone's bedding out - it was getting dark out - and was now keeping Kagome's ramen hot for her. Shippo and Kirara were playing in the snow while Inuyasha - finding the pup safe with Kagome - had left to go eat his ramen.

Usually, Inuyasha would be the first one to devour his ramen, sometimes even going so far as to steal poor Shippo's, so everyone was a little more than surprised when he hadn't been the first to start eating. The fox kit had even bought the food to the dog demon, but still he didn't except it - which Shippo had found quite disturbing.

After a lot of reassurance from Miroku that everything was fine, the kit had gone off to play with Kirara, though every now and then his jade colored eyes would wonder over the dog demon - seeing if he was back to normal again or not.

When Kagome had entered the campsite Shippo had the urge to rush to her and ask her why Inuyasha was acting so… so weird. Shippo had never seen the said dog demon act so… protectively towards anyone - besides Kagome - in his entire life. He had even hurt Kagome for goodness sake and that was saying a lot, though Shippo knew Inuyasha's instincts were in control, it was an unsettling thought.

Shippo stopped his feet from carrying him forward when he remembered Miroku's words.

“Shippo, when Lady Kagome and Lady Sango return to camp I'm going to ask you to leave Lady Kagome be while she tends for that child, ok?” Miroku asked, all signs of his usual playfulness gone as he stared down at the fox kit.

The auburn-haired child shook his head in understand, though he couldn't help the question that passed by his lips. “Why?” Jade eyes sparkled with curiosity. “I always help Kagome when she tends wounds.” It was common knowledge that Kagome would do most of her healing, bandaging, and herb mixing with her faithful fox child at her side. It was rare when her adopted son would not watch her and/or help, especially if he was in the area.

Miroku's violet eyes locked with Shippo's curious green ones as he debated on what to tell the fox child. After a moment a sigh passed by Miroku and Shippo smiled, knowing that he wasn't going to be left out of the loop for once!

“What I'm about to tell you, you cannot repeat to anyone. Andto clear this up now, I'm not exactly sure about any of this, is all of this understood so far?” When Shippo nodded and added a `yep' for effects he continued. “I believe that pup to a rare breed of demon. Among, you demon, I believe you would call her a `Forbidden One'?” Miroku watched as the fox kit's eyes went wide. “And if she mixed with what I think she's mixed with, she wont be just a forbidden one among demon kind but humans as well. I believe she has priestess' blood running through her veins… whether she knows it or not it a whole other factor.”

“I've heard of Forbidden Ones. They're suppose to be killed at birth,” Shippo piped up. “I never agreed with it… I mean come on. It's not the baby's fault that their parents' decided to have a fling, right?”

Miroku smiled in wonder at the child. What an innocent and utterly true thought in was… so why couldn't others see it like that? “You're right Shippo, it's not the child's fault in anyway.” He could tell by the way Shippo's tail had wrapped around him and by how the tip would flick stiffly that he had become uncomfortable with the conversation.

“Remember, this conversation it our little secret until I found out more about what's going on, ok? And remember to give Lady Kagome her space when she returns, too.” He waited for the young fox to nod his and when he did Miroku smile and ushered him off. “Good, good. Now I'm going to meditate.” With that he had walk a little deeper into the woods.

Shippo snapped out of the memory as a voice intruded his thoughts.

“Shippo! Shippo! Shippo!” Looking about, he saw his mother kneeling in front of him, waving her hand in front of his face. Shaking his head to clear it, he smiled sheepishly at her, embarrassed that he had spaced out like that.

“Yeah, mamma?” Shippo questioned.

“Is everything alright?” Her voice was filled worry and Shippo almost cringed. He hated it when he made her worry.

“I fine, really. I just spaced out was all.” When he saw the uncertainty in his mother's gray-blue eyes, he quickly spoke up again. “Really, it was nothing.”

Shippo watched as she gave him another look, but was glad when she dropped it. “Ok. Are you going to come help me?” Kagome gestured towards the girl that was wrapped in blankets.

“Ah…” Shippo tried to think of something believable that wouldn't hurt his mother's feelings. “I was… umm… hoping that I could stay and play with Kirara? I hope you don't mind, me and her started a game and I was hoping to finish it.” Shippo's pawed foot dug into the softly packed snow, unconsciously as he lied to the one person that he found very hard too.

He felt his quilt rise as Kagome gray-blue eyes bore into his own. His tail curled around him in submission as he gave his mother an all to innocent smile. “Really mamma, I just want to finish my game with Kirara, I promise.”

“You know Shippo, that lying is not very becoming of my young fox.” Shippo stiffen and looked away as soon as those words left Kagome's mouth. Shippo opened his mouth to say something; Kagome silenced him by raising her hand to cover his lips. “People who lie are no better than the people who steal.”

“What do you mean like `people who steal?'” Shippo questioned as confusion sparkled in his emerald depths.

“Well, people who lie steal the truth from those around them,” Kagome clarified, gently touching her finger to his nose. “And it's wrong to take things that are not our, isn't it?” Shippo nodded, crossed-eyed as he looked at the tip of Kagome's finger. “Now, my kit, why don't you want to help me? You always do.”

“Well, I promise to keep it a secret…” Shippo answered softly, looking away not wanting to see any disappointment in his mother's eyes.

“See, that wasn't so hurt now was it?” The fox kit looked up at Kagome's words and was happy to see a soft, understanding smile on her face. “I'm glad that someone can trust you with a secret, my kit. Now be good to them, and their trust and don't tell anybody.” Shippo smile back while nodding his head and Kagome leaned forward to kiss him on his forehead before straightening up.

“I'll see you in a little while Shippo, have fun,” Kagome called as she turned to walk back to where the injured girl and Inuyasha were waiting for her.

Shippo instinctively started to follow but stopped himself, instead he called out. “Mamma!” When she turned so that her eyes met his, so that he had her attention, Shippo continued. “I love you.” He watched as a small smile graced her lips as he spoke those three simple words.

It had taken a lot of courage for Shippo to speak those words, though he had called mother for almost a year now. He was afraid that his words and feels would be rejected. He didn't no why he felt that way, seeing as he knew Kagome to love and care for everyone and everything, but still he feared rejection.

“I love you too, my kit,” Kagome replied with a smile before walking back over and placing another kiss on her son's head. Hugging him tightly for a few moments before releasing him and heading towards where the two dog-demons were.

A slow smile appeared on Shippo's face as realization hit him. Kagome loved him like her own kit! Laugher spilled out of the small fox as he let himself fall backwards into the snow.