InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Changes of the Soul ❯ Cuts to Deep to Heal ( Chapter 4 )

Author's Notes: Ok just to let some interested people know… I am not adding a character for him or her just to be there, which would be a waste. I'm adding Fluffy for a reason, just like other characters like the dreading Kikyou and Kouga! I'd sorta actually feel bad for them if they were there just to take up space. This chapter's pretty intense for all of those who love…umm…well, intense emotional stuff! I was hoping it would be a tad longer but I am evil once more. So smite me! I don't really have anything to write other than, ENJOY! Also that I'm very tired from all my stupid AP classes. If you take them then I sympathize or empathize, can't quite remember….anyway I and if you sympathize too with then could you review? That rhymed…HA! Just a thought anyways.

Disclaimer: Umm well unless you have some serious disease that causes severe memory loss, you should know already that I DON'T OWN INUYASHA!!!!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! HAHA J/K!!!

He had been in such a joyful rush to get to the well he had dismissed all logic and reason as he raced toward Kagome's scent, not smelling the strong scent of blood and not feel the strange aura that now hung around the forest like a dense fog.

However, as he bounded out through the trees the scent overwhelmed him and he snapped his head in the direction, finding a sight worse than any nightmare he could have imagined.

His egotistical half-brother, Sesshomaru, was there of all people. And what was worse he was kneeling over his Kagome….!!!!!! His Kagome who was, to his utter horror, was on the ground unconscious, badly wounded with severe gashes and bruises over all her extremities and face. That was just what he saw from a distance as he bounded forward, claws raised in defense and offence, As he sprung ever closer the scent of blood almost knocked him back as he saw the sight of his beloved become more and more gruesome.

He let out an infuriated growl and leaped the final remaining feet over to his brother with an implausible speed. Sesshomaru anticipating a similar reaction from his brother at the scene, stood up swiftly in front of Rin as if protecting her from the onslaught of attacks that could come into play.

Inuyasha had stopped right in front of Kagome, and while still growling menacingly, he kneeled slowly toward her while still keeping his hard eyes trained on Sesshomaru.

However it wasn't Inuyasha that Sesshomaru was concentrating on. The Miko had abruptly shifted her aura in his direction when Sesshomaru had appeared, and now her aura was surrounding Inuyasha's. This puzzled him greatly as his eyes narrowed at the sudden flare of her power around Inuyasha, almost feeding him. He had definitely sensed a pull or strain of his own demonic Youkai aura when he had traveled near her. However the case was obviously different as now it almost seemed like she was giving power to Inuyasha, in which caused his own power and Youkai to swell.

Inuyasha was seeing red. It was taking over him at the stolen glances of the shape Kagome was in. His blood was pounding in his ears from seeing Kagome so badly hurt in the presence of his disgusting brother. His instincts were kicking in to take dominance over the situation and protect his mate. He couldn't stop growling he was enraged and he could feel his instinctive demon-blood taking over.

Sesshomaru saw his younger half-brother eyes flashed a sudden violent red and his own quickly narrowed in annoyance. His stupid Hanyou brother was not thinking clearly and only looking at the superficial scene instead of trying to ask questions. If he didn't take control of the situation it could turn bloody. Not that he cared, he just had other things on his mind.

"Inuyasha, the miko is…" Sesshomaru started to comment but was sharply cut off by Inuyasha.

Inuyasha didn't scream or didn't even yell. However his initial reaction to the unmistakable awkward sight neither surprised nor didn't surprise Sesshomaru.

He growled through fanged teeth as his eyes were severely dilated and his breath left is mouth with forced harsh motions as his chest heaved. His growl was a low deadly warning of dominance in Inu language. His eyes flashed a horrible red once more.

Inuyasha could hear the demon voice inside of him commanding him to protect Kagome, his woman, and slay Sesshomaru. However just as his eyes had started to bleed red he caught the scent of Kagome's blood grow heavier and whipped his head around in which caused him to gasp sharply at the sight.

What he saw tore his heart to pieces as he looked at his mate's broken body and watched the ragged breaths she took.

He inwardly winced. She looked extremely pale, and he noted, from the excessive loss of blood. She had to be treated before he could think about dealing with his villain of a brother. The word `brother' was like a bitter poison to his mouth as he blanched at the sight before him. And if Sesshomaru were actually being related in any way with what had happened to Kagome, which he actually doubted in the back of his mind, there would be no mercy.

He couldn't be sure how long Kagome had been that way so his mind frantically started to reel with decisive actions to take in the situation. He abruptly forgot about Sesshomaru completely as he scooped up Kagome in his arms gingerly and dashed as quickly as he could to Kaede's hut, knowing she would be able to help Kagome.

Sesshomaru stared after Inuyasha and the Kagome as Inuyasha, very much distraught, took off into the forest precisely where he had made his entrance.

He silently hoped she would be ok, not really understanding why he cared however. He turned silently and beckoned Rin and Jaken to follow him as they disappeared back into the woods from where they had traveled. They quickly followed, but Sesshomaru could tell Rin was still extremely worried.

"The young miko will be ok Rin, so stop your worrying now, you do not wear that emotion well." He stated in his calmly stiff voice.

She straightened slightly as if a taut string then slouched again while peering back down at her feet softly. Her only reply was just complacently nodding, obviously still worried.

He sighed in pure annoyance. He was mentally stimulated almost, and yet drained at the same time. He would most certainly come back and check on the young Miko and her power. Anything concerning power and the disturbance of the natural balance would have to be dealt with by him and only him. For he was also curious about this new development and what could have possibly caused that tremendous surge of power off her.

This was certainly making him uncomfortable as he leered down at the dented blood stained grass behind him as he turned to leave, where the maiden had just laid. He suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of pain or worry, he wasn't sure which one. This he did not care for, so he did the next best thing to take care of the situation. He kicked Jaken solidly on the back and kept walking.

"Come Jaken you must look so ignorant and dim standing there gawking like that." Was his commandingly cold voice. Oh, how Jaken's torture was his favorite pastime.

"Ye…sss, Yesss Lord Sesshomaru! I am coming! Come along Rin!" Jaken cried in a frightfully high tone.

And just as swiftly and majestically as he appeared he disappeared into the shadows, slowly journeying back to the western lands, for the time being.

************

Fast. Fast was not the word for it. More like defying the laws of gravity and physics. He needed help. He needed the girl in his arms to be all right. He needed answers.

He needed revenge. But not now! Now, it was Kagome.

He leaped over a particular jagged rock and Kagome's face turned limply toward his chest rest lightly on it, causing him to gaze down at her with concerned filled eyes. The scars that marred her cheeks look old, and the blood that freckled her pale skin was brown, and crusted. However new blood started to mingle as he watched purple cuts form and heal in various places of her body in rapid sucession.

Suddenly a sharp, pure aura ripped through Kagome causing her to buck violently and push Inuyasha sharply to a halt. She censured brutally against him, as her eyes open in a blinded pain and a vicious pink and magenta glow enveloped them.

Inuyasha felt as if he were being torn in two. Then he realized that exactly what was happening. His demon sided was being extracted from his human one. He had no time to spare. While Kagome gradually ceased the harsh contractions and her wounds ceased to form and heal, he was already within sight of Kaede's humble cottage.

He had set of in a frantic haste to Kaede's hut, which was just beyond the forest median. He landed softly yet swiftly, startling the old woman into a wide-eyed double take as she was boiling water at the makeshift fire. She was about to tell give him a kindly lesson in scaring frail old priestess begrudgingly until she saw his serious countenance and peered down at his limp bundle in his arms. She hadn't noticed it before, and she had merely assumed was his dinner her hunted. She knew he was prone to doing just that on occasions that Kagome would depart form the land. Barley recognizing the form and appearance she shuffled closer but started once more at the low warning growl Inuyasha emitted as she reached a wrinkled hand for inspection. She sighed and peered closer until her face contorted in sheer horror.

Her face sudden grew as grave as the Hanyou's before her as she simply nodded at him and dashed inside to grab the needed supplies from an adjacent room. He crossed the room quickly as his padded feel made a soft patter on her rough wooden floor. He barley registered anything in the room as he took the utmost delicacy in shifting her in his arms as he walked to minimize her obvious pain.

He then sat down gently, still holding Kagome's limp form while shifting her from bridal style to making a makeshift support system between his legs letting her back rest delicately on his chest. This was so hard for him, he could hardly stand her inner pain as he watched faint traces of turmoil across her face.

As Inuyasha felt Kagome stir in his arms softly he couldn't help the hope that appeared in his golden orbs as she slowly opened her now dull blue eyes up to him. He winced inwardly seeing the pain laced within them but noted another emotion he couldn't read filling in them as well. That wasn't what was important. He just needed the hag to do her darn job NOW.

An impatient growl gruffly caught in the back of his throat as he fell a soft tug and looked down once more into hid Kagome's scrunched and tortured features. And for what felt like the fifth time that day, his heart cleaved into for her.

"Inu…yasha" she breathed. Her breath was short and she could barley make out his figure above her until blackness started to over come her once again. It was all she could do to keep her eyes open as another painful stab took her side and she couldn't hold his eyes in her anymore.

"Kagome!" He whispered a raspy emotional reply as he snuggled closer to her. He tried to take her completely into his strong arms holding her tightly with out further damage to her crumpled body..

Kaede returned quickly and squatted down to tend to Kagome when she stop mid action. She knew the half-demon to be affectionate on some occasions but only with Kagome, and it was a rarity. This was absolutely a shock seeing him this unguarded and almost loving. She knew that she had to use all of her professional demeanor and skill she had learned with demons and protective rights so she took a deep breath and continued, albeit cautiously.

She knelt calmly beside the pair and tried to examine the deep wounds that adorned the young miko. But it was hopeless she soon found out with Inuyasha's constant arms in the way as if trying to sheild Kagome from further injury and yet heal her on his own.

She leaned back to examine the loss of blood and she gasped and her face drew a repressed horrified coutanence as she realized the full gravity of the situation. She knew Kagome to be unconcious before, however with the amount of blood loss she needed to work quickly and efficiently in order for the girl to survive at all. She noticed the glossy red puddle around the pair and the soaked through hoari that was clinging to Inuyasha's chest and legs.

Inuyasha however was paying little if no attention at all to Kaede. In fact he seemed to be in a state of shock and kept pulling Kagome closer to him as he stroked her ebony colored hair with profound gentleness.

She summoned her courage to face the protective Hanyou as she called his name firmly. As she found that didn't work, she tried to pull him out of his shock to adress the problem.

So she lifted his chin to make him look at her as she quietly requested, "Inuyasha will you please set Kagome down so I may tend to her wounds….", however she was immediately broke off with his instinctive growls. She knew that is what they were, instinct. He felt suddenly violated, and wanted to protect his potential mate as he saw Kagome. To this she became worried.

She knew from the looks of the injuries to the small examination she had done what had caused this. She knew the inner struggle that was going on inside the young miko and she knew she needed to be attended to as soon as possible for fear of death. That was the price at the end of the struggle if not delt with. She had to find some way to inform the Hanyou of the danger.

She rounded on Inuyasha swiftly and raised her voice strong and unwavering. "Inuyasha if you do not release the girl now, she will die.

He slowly looked up in her old wrinkled face and she gasped at the pure emotions flowing freely in his face, but she didn't have time to respond when at that moment several things happened at once as a wild scream was let loose.