InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mating Season ❯ The will to live… ( Chapter 14 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: SplendentGoddess 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.28.2006 | Updated On: 07.28.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 17.5K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.28.2006 | Updated On: 07.28.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 17.5K | Status: Completed
Blanket Disclaimer:
Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.
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Chapter 14 – The will to live…
Inuyasha crashed back into camp rather unceremoniously, as his bellowing woke everyone with a start.
“Get up! Get up! We’re heading back to Kaede’s… NOW!!!”
“What on Earth…” were Sango’s first words, before she saw what it was that Inuyasha was holding in his arms…the fallen Kagome.
“What happened?” Miroku asked quickly, as he straightened his outer robes and grabbed his staff.
“Kikyou…” was all he could muster to say, and it was enough..
As Sango stuffed her taijiya outfit in Kagome’s bag, and tossed it quickly to Miroku who already sat upon the transformed Kirara, she quickly dumped water onto their campfire, and left much of their belongings where they lay, including their sleeping rolls, which they simply didn’t have time to worry about rolling. Flinging her Hiraikotsu onto her back, she disregarded the fact that she was currently only dressed in her yukata, as she quickly leapt upon Kirara’s back behind Miroku, who was holding a terrified Shippo balanced in his grasp along with his houshi staff and Kagome’s bag.
Without another word, Inuyasha was gone, having bound off through the woods, taking to the treetops. He was out of sight before they could blink, but everyone knew the way, so they quickly headed off themselves, knowing that he would arrive before they did, even as Kirara flew as quickly as she physically could.
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As the first light of dawn began to crack over the horizon, Kaede was abruptly assisted in her groggy waking of the morning, when a frantic hanyou came crashing into her hut.
It was only then that Inuyasha begrudgingly realized that they’d failed to ever confide to the old miko the fact that he and Kagome had mated. Though he knew that Kaede accepted him, he hadn’t been sure how she’d feel about…that, and hadn’t wanted to cause any trouble for Kagome or the others whenever they stopped in the village. Well, there was nothing for it now. It would quickly become obvious, as soon as the old miko noticed her marks.
“You’ve got to help her!” Inuyasha screamed frantically, as Kaede stumbled to her feet, to see that Kagome had been shot…with Kikyou’s arrow.
“Calm down Inuyasha…your hysteria will not help her.” she replied as soothingly as possible, as she gently assisted him in laying the fallen girl down upon the futon.
The elderly miko quickly took note that Kagome was still breathing, and she released a heavy sigh of relief at the sight.
“What happened?” Kaede asked next, as she went about gathering up some of her healing herbs and supplies.
“Kikyou…” Inuyasha started, unsure of how to tell Kaede what her elder sister had done, but then decided to just be honest. “Kikyou tried to shoot me, but Kagome sat me, but she was right behind me and in the line of fire!” he confessed, almost at tears by that point.
“It would seem that the arrow has missed her heart, and her breathing also indicates that both lungs are still intact.” Kaede stated with obvious relief, wishing to calm the frantic hanyou.
Kaede then told Inuyasha to leave, so that she could remove Kagome’s clothing, but the hanyou quickly lost it again at that.
“I ain’t going nowhere.” he stated with finality, as he proceeded to slice through her tank with his claws. Leaving Kagome’s side wasn’t an option, so let the old hag think whatever she wanted.
Kaede’s good eye glared at him in disbelief, but her look of anger quickly changed to one of shock as she caught his mumbled confession of… “She’s my mate.”
Kaede raised an eyebrow to that. It was news to her, but looking back down at the unconscious girl, she quickly noticed the mating mark on her shoulder.
“I…see…” was all she could say, as she wordlessly consented to Inuyasha’s presence by going about removing the remains of Kagome’s shirt.
Inuyasha’s ears lowered at the miko’s tone, but as she continued to tend to his mate, he quickly realized that no matter how Kaede might feel about their coupling, she apparently wasn’t going to let those feelings interfere with her duty to try to save Kagome’s life, and for that, he was grateful.
Upon closer examination of the entry wound, it appeared as though Kikyou’s arrow had hit a rib, stopping as it imbedded itself in the bone, thus protecting Kagome’s lungs and heart.
The wound was bleeding, but not too badly, as the arrowhead itself was likely holding much of the blood inside. Kaede knew they should not pull it out just yet.
Noticing the scar on Kagome’s wrist, Kaede wondered if it was what she thought it was. “Inuyasha…” she asked quietly, as she wiped the sweat from Kagome’s brow that was beginning to appear in the onset of fever. “…did ye and Kagome also perform the blood bond?”
Her voice was so neutral that Inuyasha wasn’t sure how to read her, and unable to find his own voice as he stared at his unconscious mate, he decided to answer her question by pulling back the baggy sleeve of his suikan, revealing his identical scar.
To his surprise, Kaede actually seemed relieved at this revelation. “This is a good thing.” she assured him, as she continued to explain, “Such a wound would likely prove fatal for a mere mortal, because even should she not bleed to death, she could then die from fever. Your youkai blood will surely assist in her healing.”
That was good news, but…“It…was a purifying arrow…” Inuyasha mumbled just loud enough for her to hear.
“I believe such a purification will be temporary,” she stated with confidence, as she continued to wipe down Kagome’s forehead. “The blood-bond is a permanent thing, meaning there is no way for Kagome to be returned to her mortal self. Your youki is now a part of her very being, and just as you would only turn human for a short time, before your youkai blood returned, so too will her youkai blood resurface, once she recuperates.”
His ears swiveled at that.
“A purifying arrow would have only turned me human? Temporarily?” He couldn’t believe it, he couldn’t fucking believe it. Kagome didn’t have to sit him; he wouldn’t have died!
“That is likely why my sister originally shot ye with a sealing arrow, despite her precautions to me regarding that very technique. Why she has shot a purifying arrow at ye now, I do not understand.”
“Keh, I do.” he grumbled, as it all suddenly made perfect sense. “She was about to drag me into hell with her, so she must have wanted to turn me human before she did it.” His ears drooped again at that realization.
“Where is my sister now?” Kaede asked, one eyebrow raised.
“I…” Once again deciding that honesty was the best policy, Inuyasha confessed, “I put her to rest.”
He didn’t want to speak too poorly of her, after all, considering that it was her sister who was currently tending to his mate. He prayed that Kaede would not be too upset with him, and tried to remind himself of how the elderly miko had attempted to tell him from the very beginning that the Kikyou that walked today was not her sister, and that her false body should be destroyed so that her troubled soul could rest. Looking back on it now, he only wished he had realized it sooner.
“I see.” was all Kaede said again, but to his ears, she did not sound angry, and for that, he was grateful. Inuyasha may pretend otherwise, but he really did respect the old woman, mainly because she was one of the few who always treated him with respect.
It was around that time that her doormat swung open again, as Sango, Miroku and Shippo all poured into her hut. Nobody even realized that Kagome was still topless at first, as even Miroku could only concentrate on the sight of that arrow sticking up out of her body.
In a single act of complete anti-lechery, once the monk realized he was privy to her breasts, at about the same time everyone else realized it as well, he gently tapped Sango’s arm, and said “Come on, let’s let them tend to her. I’m sure she’ll be just fine; she is strong, and has a strong will to live.”
As Miroku picked up the crying Shippo, he passed one last glance in Kagome’s direction, the only expression on his face being fear of possibly losing someone whom he thought of as a little sister. Then, bowing towards both Kaede and Inuyasha, he escorted himself and Sango out of the hut.
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Having quickly come to the conclusion that since Kikyou’s arrow still bore its powers of purification, it would have to be removed from Kagome’s body in order for her wounds to start healing, Inuyasha volunteered to be the one to pull it out. He did so in one swift thrust, the arrow burning his hand in the process, but that pain going unnoticed as he concentrated only on causing Kagome the least amount of pain possible. The wound immediately began to gush blood, but they had been prepared for that, and he quickly leaned down to lick the wound clean, having bitten his own tongue to encourage more of his blood to enter her system, while at the same time assisting the wound in healing with the natural healing properties of his saliva. Inuyasha was a little embarrassed that Kaede was still present throughout this process, but it was necessary, since she was ready with a paste of healing herbs to trawl into the wound as soon as he stopped her bleeding.
Now, covered with a blanket, Inuyasha allowed the others to reenter the hut. They were amazed and relieved at the level of warmth present in her complexion, having feared that she would look a closer to death after such a trying ordeal. She surely would have died, had it not been for Inuyasha’s influence. Shippo knew better than to leap on her, and instead, walked up to her sleeping figure slowly, and gently kissed her cheek, while rubbing his sniffling nose, trying so hard not to cry.
“She’s gonna be fine, runt.” Inuyasha mumbled encouragingly from his spot on the floor.
Though Kagome had developed a fever, it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been, and now that the worst was already over, they all hoped that she’d wake up in the next day or two. Nobody got much sleep while they waited, but unlike the other times Kagome had ever been recovering in Kaede’s hut, for whatever reason, this time, Inuyasha did not leave to stay in the Goshiboku, or even up on the roof. Instead, he stayed put right where he was, on the floor in Kaede’s hut, right next to the head of Kagome’s futon. At some point in time, due to the mental stress of it all, Sango had found herself leaning against Miroku, as the monk sat up against a different spot of the wall across the floor from their friends. He had his arm wrapped protectively around her, and in a second act of non-lechery behavior, he reframed from groping the worried slayer.
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It was dark, and she was alone. “Where am I?” she questioned herself, surprising herself even more when she suddenly realized that she had no voice. How did I get here? she questioned herself next.
Kagome started to walk, but she couldn’t see where she was going, which scared her even more than it would have in the past, because she had since gotten used to her advanced eyesight, thanks to her bond with Inuyasha. The nervous miko started to sprint into a run, but had to stop when she suddenly felt a stabbing pain in her chest. She reached up to touch it, and felt nothing, but when she pulled her hand away, what limited vision she still retained was enough to see that there was blood on her palm.
My blood? Kagome wondered with anxiety.
Sitting down with a silent thud, Kagome quickly realized that she couldn’t go anywhere, especially when she didn’t even know where she was, so she tried to call out for her mate, but found that she still had no voice. Wanting to cry, she suddenly stopped, when she felt a warm aura surround her. It was as if she were currently being cradled in his arms, yet when she looked around, she still could not see him, nor anything at all, for that matter. The only thing she could see was herself, when she looked down, and in doing so, suddenly saw an arrow protruding from her chest.
That’s right, Kikyou’s arrow, it hit me when I sat him… she remembered then.
Am I…am I ‘dead’ ? the miko wondered with a gulp.
It was then that Kagome thought she heard a voice, Inuyasha’s voice! But she couldn’t understand what he was saying.
Maybe I’m not dead, but dying… she concluded then.
“No, I don’t want to die!” she screamed on impulse, surprised to discover that her voice was suddenly there, as she clearly heard herself scream. Then, she felt that same sharp pain in her chest again, and looking down once more, she realized with horror that her clothes were becoming soaked with blood, though the arrow was gone from her chest, at least. “I don’t want to die.” Kagome repeated, that time a mere whisper.
Kagome started to hear other voices, then. She still heard Inuyasha, but she also heard Kaede, Miroku, Sango and Shippo. But she still couldn’t understand what they were saying, and she still couldn’t see anything around her but blackness.
Realizing her sense of smell was coming back to her, Kagome smelled the metallic tang of her own blood, but when she looked down over herself once again, she suddenly discovered that her wound had been cleaned, and dressed, and she was naked!
At first she wanted to scream, but then she thought she smelled another, familiar scent.
Inuyasha…
Blinking, Kagome suddenly realized that she could see him, or at least, a shadow of him, as she felt him embrace her, and tend to her wound.
“Inuyasha?” she questioned hesitantly, but at first he didn’t appear to hear her. Then, his image seemed to solidity, as he suddenly looked her right in the eyes, and winked. She couldn’t help but to smile at him then, and blinking, she suddenly realized that he was naked, too.
As light flooded the darkness that once surrounded her, Kagome found that she was suddenly in the same clearing in which they’d first coupled, as they lay there together now, wrapped in each other’s arms on the forest floor. She quickly realized that this was one of those dreams where you knew you were dreaming, as she pulled herself away from Inuyasha just enough to look him in the eyes, to see that they were red, with purple stripes on his cheeks, as he gently brushed his fingers across her own cheek, grumbling “Mine.”
“Yes.” she responded without hesitation, placing her hand upon his own, holding it to her cheek as she asked in vein “Inuyasha? Where are we? What’s happened?”
Kikyou suddenly appeared on the horizon at that point, and in an instant, Inuyasha was up and at the ready, a low growl rumbling threateningly in his chest and throat. Before Kagome even had time to process what was happening, she saw him draw his sword, and cut down the image of Kikyou.
Everything went black again after that, although Kagome quickly realized that she could still hear the rumbling growl he had been producing in his chest. But the sound was different somehow, as it no longer seemed threatening, but rather, it almost seemed to sooth her. Yes, she realized, it was like the soothing growl, almost like a cat’s purr, that he had done for her on occasion in the past. He had been embarrassed when she’d teased that he was purring, but had admitted all the same that the sound bore the same general meaning, one of contentment and comfort. Kagome tried to follow the sound then, tried to use it to find her way back to him. In the darkness, she noticed a spot of light, but as she approached it, the rumbling got quieter, so she turned away from the light instead, walking towards the sound of her mate. Then, she saw a different kind of light, in the same direction she was headed, that looked to be in the shape of a doorway, and as she approached, she could suddenly make out what looked like the bamboo flap to Kaede’s hut. Passing through it, she still saw nothing, but started to hear voices again, only now, she could suddenly understand them…
Kagome heard Inuyasha beg Kaede to save her, and heard Kaede in response say that Inuyasha’s blood-bond with her would help.
Glancing down to look at the scar on her wrist, she soon realized that she was now dressed in miko garb, and couldn’t see her arms. Since she had already figured out that she was dreaming, that minor change went mostly unnoticed, as the miko merely took the moment necessary to push back the fabric of her sleeve in order to ease her mind. There it was, her bonding mark. She relaxed then, as she released a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding. As Kagome studied the mark on her arm, she could almost swear that she saw, and felt it pulsing, as her reawakening youkai blood rushed into her system. With her sense of smell suddenly working again, she greedily took in Inuyasha’s woodsy scent. That wondrous, wild odor, like the forest, very piney, and a little like a dog, too, to be honest. Kagome permitted that scent to wrap itself around her as she let the sounds she’d heard fade away, as the voices around her all seemed to disappear, leaving only that rumbling growl which still remained, as she leaned into it.
“I’m going to live.” she told herself with conviction.
“Kagome?” she heard Inuyasha’s voice reply. Had he heard her?
“Yes…I’m here.” she responded.
“Kagome, can you hear me?”
“Yes, I can hear you.” she answered, although she quickly realized that he couldn’t hear her. She must not be speaking out loud.
I’m in a coma… she concluded.
“Kagome…” she heard her mate’s voice continue to plea. “Please come back to me, please. I need you, I…love you.”
Kagome wanted to cry… He was right there, right outside her body, but she was trapped within it, and couldn’t get to him.
“I love you too!” she shouted anyway, hoping to force her body to say the words out loud, but whether she did or not, she had no way of knowing.
All sound left her then, except for that soothing rumble. That rumble had been continuous throughout the entire dream, ever since it first started, she realized. It hadn’t even ceased while he’d been talking, which didn’t seem possible, but Kagome figured her perception of everything around her was a little off for the time being.
“If that is my light in the darkness, than I shall follow it for all eternity.” she told herself, as she started walking again, the scenery around her never changing, as she once again found herself in an endless void of blackness.
But as soon as Kagome’d said the word “light” she saw just that, as a light appeared before her, the same one she’d walked away from before. Something didn’t seem quite right about it, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Something from deep within her body was calling her towards that light, wanting her to go to it, and it, in turn, seemed to want her. It suddenly dawned on her that that was the light, as in, ‘walk towards the light’. “If I go that way, will I die?” she wondered. Suddenly, Kagome realized that as she approached the light, the sound of Inuyasha’s rumbling grew quieter and quieter. It quickly clicked for her that yes, that was the light.
“No, I will not die!” she shouted, as she turned around and ran as fast as she could away from the light, which quickly faded into nothingness, leaving her once again in that black void of nothing. Ignoring the eerie feeling of limbo the blackness offered, she once again focused on the sound of rumbling, headed towards the source until the sound suddenly got louder, and louder. She wasn’t sure how long she continued to follow the sound of Inuyasha’s growl, but suddenly, she realized that she heard other sounds, as well.
Breathing, heart beats, crickets… crickets? Then slowly, other sensations reached her. Smell, she could smell again, though she didn’t smell the strong scent of her own blood, thank the kami. She could still smell herself, though, in addition to Inuyasha’s soothing scent, and, Kagome realized, she could also smell her other friends, as well as the smoke of a fire. Then, not long after, the miko realized that she could feel again, as she suddenly felt the warmth of said fire, as well as the softness of the blanket that had been wrapped around her. Slowly, she opened her eyes...
Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.
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Chapter 14 – The will to live…
Inuyasha crashed back into camp rather unceremoniously, as his bellowing woke everyone with a start.
“Get up! Get up! We’re heading back to Kaede’s… NOW!!!”
“What on Earth…” were Sango’s first words, before she saw what it was that Inuyasha was holding in his arms…the fallen Kagome.
“What happened?” Miroku asked quickly, as he straightened his outer robes and grabbed his staff.
“Kikyou…” was all he could muster to say, and it was enough..
As Sango stuffed her taijiya outfit in Kagome’s bag, and tossed it quickly to Miroku who already sat upon the transformed Kirara, she quickly dumped water onto their campfire, and left much of their belongings where they lay, including their sleeping rolls, which they simply didn’t have time to worry about rolling. Flinging her Hiraikotsu onto her back, she disregarded the fact that she was currently only dressed in her yukata, as she quickly leapt upon Kirara’s back behind Miroku, who was holding a terrified Shippo balanced in his grasp along with his houshi staff and Kagome’s bag.
Without another word, Inuyasha was gone, having bound off through the woods, taking to the treetops. He was out of sight before they could blink, but everyone knew the way, so they quickly headed off themselves, knowing that he would arrive before they did, even as Kirara flew as quickly as she physically could.
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As the first light of dawn began to crack over the horizon, Kaede was abruptly assisted in her groggy waking of the morning, when a frantic hanyou came crashing into her hut.
It was only then that Inuyasha begrudgingly realized that they’d failed to ever confide to the old miko the fact that he and Kagome had mated. Though he knew that Kaede accepted him, he hadn’t been sure how she’d feel about…that, and hadn’t wanted to cause any trouble for Kagome or the others whenever they stopped in the village. Well, there was nothing for it now. It would quickly become obvious, as soon as the old miko noticed her marks.
“You’ve got to help her!” Inuyasha screamed frantically, as Kaede stumbled to her feet, to see that Kagome had been shot…with Kikyou’s arrow.
“Calm down Inuyasha…your hysteria will not help her.” she replied as soothingly as possible, as she gently assisted him in laying the fallen girl down upon the futon.
The elderly miko quickly took note that Kagome was still breathing, and she released a heavy sigh of relief at the sight.
“What happened?” Kaede asked next, as she went about gathering up some of her healing herbs and supplies.
“Kikyou…” Inuyasha started, unsure of how to tell Kaede what her elder sister had done, but then decided to just be honest. “Kikyou tried to shoot me, but Kagome sat me, but she was right behind me and in the line of fire!” he confessed, almost at tears by that point.
“It would seem that the arrow has missed her heart, and her breathing also indicates that both lungs are still intact.” Kaede stated with obvious relief, wishing to calm the frantic hanyou.
Kaede then told Inuyasha to leave, so that she could remove Kagome’s clothing, but the hanyou quickly lost it again at that.
“I ain’t going nowhere.” he stated with finality, as he proceeded to slice through her tank with his claws. Leaving Kagome’s side wasn’t an option, so let the old hag think whatever she wanted.
Kaede’s good eye glared at him in disbelief, but her look of anger quickly changed to one of shock as she caught his mumbled confession of… “She’s my mate.”
Kaede raised an eyebrow to that. It was news to her, but looking back down at the unconscious girl, she quickly noticed the mating mark on her shoulder.
“I…see…” was all she could say, as she wordlessly consented to Inuyasha’s presence by going about removing the remains of Kagome’s shirt.
Inuyasha’s ears lowered at the miko’s tone, but as she continued to tend to his mate, he quickly realized that no matter how Kaede might feel about their coupling, she apparently wasn’t going to let those feelings interfere with her duty to try to save Kagome’s life, and for that, he was grateful.
Upon closer examination of the entry wound, it appeared as though Kikyou’s arrow had hit a rib, stopping as it imbedded itself in the bone, thus protecting Kagome’s lungs and heart.
The wound was bleeding, but not too badly, as the arrowhead itself was likely holding much of the blood inside. Kaede knew they should not pull it out just yet.
Noticing the scar on Kagome’s wrist, Kaede wondered if it was what she thought it was. “Inuyasha…” she asked quietly, as she wiped the sweat from Kagome’s brow that was beginning to appear in the onset of fever. “…did ye and Kagome also perform the blood bond?”
Her voice was so neutral that Inuyasha wasn’t sure how to read her, and unable to find his own voice as he stared at his unconscious mate, he decided to answer her question by pulling back the baggy sleeve of his suikan, revealing his identical scar.
To his surprise, Kaede actually seemed relieved at this revelation. “This is a good thing.” she assured him, as she continued to explain, “Such a wound would likely prove fatal for a mere mortal, because even should she not bleed to death, she could then die from fever. Your youkai blood will surely assist in her healing.”
That was good news, but…“It…was a purifying arrow…” Inuyasha mumbled just loud enough for her to hear.
“I believe such a purification will be temporary,” she stated with confidence, as she continued to wipe down Kagome’s forehead. “The blood-bond is a permanent thing, meaning there is no way for Kagome to be returned to her mortal self. Your youki is now a part of her very being, and just as you would only turn human for a short time, before your youkai blood returned, so too will her youkai blood resurface, once she recuperates.”
His ears swiveled at that.
“A purifying arrow would have only turned me human? Temporarily?” He couldn’t believe it, he couldn’t fucking believe it. Kagome didn’t have to sit him; he wouldn’t have died!
“That is likely why my sister originally shot ye with a sealing arrow, despite her precautions to me regarding that very technique. Why she has shot a purifying arrow at ye now, I do not understand.”
“Keh, I do.” he grumbled, as it all suddenly made perfect sense. “She was about to drag me into hell with her, so she must have wanted to turn me human before she did it.” His ears drooped again at that realization.
“Where is my sister now?” Kaede asked, one eyebrow raised.
“I…” Once again deciding that honesty was the best policy, Inuyasha confessed, “I put her to rest.”
He didn’t want to speak too poorly of her, after all, considering that it was her sister who was currently tending to his mate. He prayed that Kaede would not be too upset with him, and tried to remind himself of how the elderly miko had attempted to tell him from the very beginning that the Kikyou that walked today was not her sister, and that her false body should be destroyed so that her troubled soul could rest. Looking back on it now, he only wished he had realized it sooner.
“I see.” was all Kaede said again, but to his ears, she did not sound angry, and for that, he was grateful. Inuyasha may pretend otherwise, but he really did respect the old woman, mainly because she was one of the few who always treated him with respect.
It was around that time that her doormat swung open again, as Sango, Miroku and Shippo all poured into her hut. Nobody even realized that Kagome was still topless at first, as even Miroku could only concentrate on the sight of that arrow sticking up out of her body.
In a single act of complete anti-lechery, once the monk realized he was privy to her breasts, at about the same time everyone else realized it as well, he gently tapped Sango’s arm, and said “Come on, let’s let them tend to her. I’m sure she’ll be just fine; she is strong, and has a strong will to live.”
As Miroku picked up the crying Shippo, he passed one last glance in Kagome’s direction, the only expression on his face being fear of possibly losing someone whom he thought of as a little sister. Then, bowing towards both Kaede and Inuyasha, he escorted himself and Sango out of the hut.
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Having quickly come to the conclusion that since Kikyou’s arrow still bore its powers of purification, it would have to be removed from Kagome’s body in order for her wounds to start healing, Inuyasha volunteered to be the one to pull it out. He did so in one swift thrust, the arrow burning his hand in the process, but that pain going unnoticed as he concentrated only on causing Kagome the least amount of pain possible. The wound immediately began to gush blood, but they had been prepared for that, and he quickly leaned down to lick the wound clean, having bitten his own tongue to encourage more of his blood to enter her system, while at the same time assisting the wound in healing with the natural healing properties of his saliva. Inuyasha was a little embarrassed that Kaede was still present throughout this process, but it was necessary, since she was ready with a paste of healing herbs to trawl into the wound as soon as he stopped her bleeding.
Now, covered with a blanket, Inuyasha allowed the others to reenter the hut. They were amazed and relieved at the level of warmth present in her complexion, having feared that she would look a closer to death after such a trying ordeal. She surely would have died, had it not been for Inuyasha’s influence. Shippo knew better than to leap on her, and instead, walked up to her sleeping figure slowly, and gently kissed her cheek, while rubbing his sniffling nose, trying so hard not to cry.
“She’s gonna be fine, runt.” Inuyasha mumbled encouragingly from his spot on the floor.
Though Kagome had developed a fever, it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been, and now that the worst was already over, they all hoped that she’d wake up in the next day or two. Nobody got much sleep while they waited, but unlike the other times Kagome had ever been recovering in Kaede’s hut, for whatever reason, this time, Inuyasha did not leave to stay in the Goshiboku, or even up on the roof. Instead, he stayed put right where he was, on the floor in Kaede’s hut, right next to the head of Kagome’s futon. At some point in time, due to the mental stress of it all, Sango had found herself leaning against Miroku, as the monk sat up against a different spot of the wall across the floor from their friends. He had his arm wrapped protectively around her, and in a second act of non-lechery behavior, he reframed from groping the worried slayer.
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It was dark, and she was alone. “Where am I?” she questioned herself, surprising herself even more when she suddenly realized that she had no voice. How did I get here? she questioned herself next.
Kagome started to walk, but she couldn’t see where she was going, which scared her even more than it would have in the past, because she had since gotten used to her advanced eyesight, thanks to her bond with Inuyasha. The nervous miko started to sprint into a run, but had to stop when she suddenly felt a stabbing pain in her chest. She reached up to touch it, and felt nothing, but when she pulled her hand away, what limited vision she still retained was enough to see that there was blood on her palm.
My blood? Kagome wondered with anxiety.
Sitting down with a silent thud, Kagome quickly realized that she couldn’t go anywhere, especially when she didn’t even know where she was, so she tried to call out for her mate, but found that she still had no voice. Wanting to cry, she suddenly stopped, when she felt a warm aura surround her. It was as if she were currently being cradled in his arms, yet when she looked around, she still could not see him, nor anything at all, for that matter. The only thing she could see was herself, when she looked down, and in doing so, suddenly saw an arrow protruding from her chest.
That’s right, Kikyou’s arrow, it hit me when I sat him… she remembered then.
Am I…am I ‘dead’ ? the miko wondered with a gulp.
It was then that Kagome thought she heard a voice, Inuyasha’s voice! But she couldn’t understand what he was saying.
Maybe I’m not dead, but dying… she concluded then.
“No, I don’t want to die!” she screamed on impulse, surprised to discover that her voice was suddenly there, as she clearly heard herself scream. Then, she felt that same sharp pain in her chest again, and looking down once more, she realized with horror that her clothes were becoming soaked with blood, though the arrow was gone from her chest, at least. “I don’t want to die.” Kagome repeated, that time a mere whisper.
Kagome started to hear other voices, then. She still heard Inuyasha, but she also heard Kaede, Miroku, Sango and Shippo. But she still couldn’t understand what they were saying, and she still couldn’t see anything around her but blackness.
Realizing her sense of smell was coming back to her, Kagome smelled the metallic tang of her own blood, but when she looked down over herself once again, she suddenly discovered that her wound had been cleaned, and dressed, and she was naked!
At first she wanted to scream, but then she thought she smelled another, familiar scent.
Inuyasha…
Blinking, Kagome suddenly realized that she could see him, or at least, a shadow of him, as she felt him embrace her, and tend to her wound.
“Inuyasha?” she questioned hesitantly, but at first he didn’t appear to hear her. Then, his image seemed to solidity, as he suddenly looked her right in the eyes, and winked. She couldn’t help but to smile at him then, and blinking, she suddenly realized that he was naked, too.
As light flooded the darkness that once surrounded her, Kagome found that she was suddenly in the same clearing in which they’d first coupled, as they lay there together now, wrapped in each other’s arms on the forest floor. She quickly realized that this was one of those dreams where you knew you were dreaming, as she pulled herself away from Inuyasha just enough to look him in the eyes, to see that they were red, with purple stripes on his cheeks, as he gently brushed his fingers across her own cheek, grumbling “Mine.”
“Yes.” she responded without hesitation, placing her hand upon his own, holding it to her cheek as she asked in vein “Inuyasha? Where are we? What’s happened?”
Kikyou suddenly appeared on the horizon at that point, and in an instant, Inuyasha was up and at the ready, a low growl rumbling threateningly in his chest and throat. Before Kagome even had time to process what was happening, she saw him draw his sword, and cut down the image of Kikyou.
Everything went black again after that, although Kagome quickly realized that she could still hear the rumbling growl he had been producing in his chest. But the sound was different somehow, as it no longer seemed threatening, but rather, it almost seemed to sooth her. Yes, she realized, it was like the soothing growl, almost like a cat’s purr, that he had done for her on occasion in the past. He had been embarrassed when she’d teased that he was purring, but had admitted all the same that the sound bore the same general meaning, one of contentment and comfort. Kagome tried to follow the sound then, tried to use it to find her way back to him. In the darkness, she noticed a spot of light, but as she approached it, the rumbling got quieter, so she turned away from the light instead, walking towards the sound of her mate. Then, she saw a different kind of light, in the same direction she was headed, that looked to be in the shape of a doorway, and as she approached, she could suddenly make out what looked like the bamboo flap to Kaede’s hut. Passing through it, she still saw nothing, but started to hear voices again, only now, she could suddenly understand them…
Kagome heard Inuyasha beg Kaede to save her, and heard Kaede in response say that Inuyasha’s blood-bond with her would help.
Glancing down to look at the scar on her wrist, she soon realized that she was now dressed in miko garb, and couldn’t see her arms. Since she had already figured out that she was dreaming, that minor change went mostly unnoticed, as the miko merely took the moment necessary to push back the fabric of her sleeve in order to ease her mind. There it was, her bonding mark. She relaxed then, as she released a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding. As Kagome studied the mark on her arm, she could almost swear that she saw, and felt it pulsing, as her reawakening youkai blood rushed into her system. With her sense of smell suddenly working again, she greedily took in Inuyasha’s woodsy scent. That wondrous, wild odor, like the forest, very piney, and a little like a dog, too, to be honest. Kagome permitted that scent to wrap itself around her as she let the sounds she’d heard fade away, as the voices around her all seemed to disappear, leaving only that rumbling growl which still remained, as she leaned into it.
“I’m going to live.” she told herself with conviction.
“Kagome?” she heard Inuyasha’s voice reply. Had he heard her?
“Yes…I’m here.” she responded.
“Kagome, can you hear me?”
“Yes, I can hear you.” she answered, although she quickly realized that he couldn’t hear her. She must not be speaking out loud.
I’m in a coma… she concluded.
“Kagome…” she heard her mate’s voice continue to plea. “Please come back to me, please. I need you, I…love you.”
Kagome wanted to cry… He was right there, right outside her body, but she was trapped within it, and couldn’t get to him.
“I love you too!” she shouted anyway, hoping to force her body to say the words out loud, but whether she did or not, she had no way of knowing.
All sound left her then, except for that soothing rumble. That rumble had been continuous throughout the entire dream, ever since it first started, she realized. It hadn’t even ceased while he’d been talking, which didn’t seem possible, but Kagome figured her perception of everything around her was a little off for the time being.
“If that is my light in the darkness, than I shall follow it for all eternity.” she told herself, as she started walking again, the scenery around her never changing, as she once again found herself in an endless void of blackness.
But as soon as Kagome’d said the word “light” she saw just that, as a light appeared before her, the same one she’d walked away from before. Something didn’t seem quite right about it, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Something from deep within her body was calling her towards that light, wanting her to go to it, and it, in turn, seemed to want her. It suddenly dawned on her that that was the light, as in, ‘walk towards the light’. “If I go that way, will I die?” she wondered. Suddenly, Kagome realized that as she approached the light, the sound of Inuyasha’s rumbling grew quieter and quieter. It quickly clicked for her that yes, that was the light.
“No, I will not die!” she shouted, as she turned around and ran as fast as she could away from the light, which quickly faded into nothingness, leaving her once again in that black void of nothing. Ignoring the eerie feeling of limbo the blackness offered, she once again focused on the sound of rumbling, headed towards the source until the sound suddenly got louder, and louder. She wasn’t sure how long she continued to follow the sound of Inuyasha’s growl, but suddenly, she realized that she heard other sounds, as well.
Breathing, heart beats, crickets… crickets? Then slowly, other sensations reached her. Smell, she could smell again, though she didn’t smell the strong scent of her own blood, thank the kami. She could still smell herself, though, in addition to Inuyasha’s soothing scent, and, Kagome realized, she could also smell her other friends, as well as the smoke of a fire. Then, not long after, the miko realized that she could feel again, as she suddenly felt the warmth of said fire, as well as the softness of the blanket that had been wrapped around her. Slowly, she opened her eyes...