InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Upon Broken Wings ❯ Into the Forest ( Chapter 2 )

DISCLAIMER: I do not, have not, and will not own `Inuyasha' nor any of its characters. These belong solely to the beloved Takahashi-sama - who is loved and adored ^^

 

[…What a mood killer…]

 

 

Glossary:

Ne-chan - older sister (in other context, it can also mean 'Miss')

Masaka - "impossible", an expression of unbelief

Kitsune - fox youkai

Inu-no-niichan - literally, 'dog elder brother'. Souta calls Inuyasha by this name.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Her vision was blurred.

 

Fighting off the unnatural daze that claimed her mind, Higurashi Kagome peered around, trying to clear whatever it was that was obscuring her vision. Her mind raced, trying to make sense, trying to recall what had happened.

 

She had jumped headlong into the well with Souta … with dire aspiration to cross over.

 

Her surroundings slowly came into focus. A pale, blue light reflected off the cold ground of the well. The moon?

 

Holding her breath in suspense, eyes slowly rose to meet a shy moon, nearly shadowing out of existence, it still gave off enough light that Kagome could use to observe surroundings with.

 

The girl immediately whipped her eyes from corner to corner, trying to make out another shadow. Whipping her head to the right, she came to lay eyes on her brother, only beginning to awaken a few feet away. Turning around to meet his sister's gaze, he asked, “Ne-chan?” Looking to the sky, Souta wearily thought aloud.

 

“Where`s the roof?”

 

With a smile, the girl responded, “Souta, there wouldn`t have been a roof here a half century ago.” Working around her choice for words, Souta's eyes widened.

 

“You don`t mean…?”

 

As the school girl nodded with a smile, a blinding pain coursed through her. In a delayed reaction brought on by her body, Kagome gripped her left shin. Forcing back a grunt of pain, the girl flinched. “Ne-chan?” Ignoring her brother's heartfelt concern, she pulled her hand into her field of view.

 

Crimson red blood reflecting in the moonlight now trickled down her palm.

 

Souta scrambled to see what his sister was gawking at. “Ne-chan. You`re … you`re bleeding?”

 

Shifting her gaze down to the source of pain, she found a layer of shimmering red coating her once snow white sock, blood choking on itself from inside the miniature hole; the bullet hole. A cold rush came over the girl. Thoughts of everything and anything raced through her mind. Her mind was full, yet blank. Everything passed through uncomprehended.

 

Somewhat gaining control over her thoughts, she turned back to her hand, clearing her mind.

 

… Kaede's … isn't too far from here.

 

“Souta.” Shifting his attention from her hand to her eyes, she continued. “Look. We're not far from here is Kaede-obaasan's hut. She can help.”

 

Inuyasha should be there too …

 

“Kaede-obaasan?” Souta questioned. Kagome shook her head. “Not now. Right now, we need to get out of here.” As Kagome rose to move, the pain was found to be nearly unbearable. Collapsing to her knees, she propped up her injured foot and froze; waiting for the pain to dissipate.

 

“Ne-chan! You shouldn`t move.”

 

I … will. Kagome thought. I can … do this.

 

Thoughts began fleeting back to when the three men where chasing them. All Kagome could think of in between her blank thoughts was Inuyasha coming to save her like he always had done.

 

I'll … do this … !!

 

Forcing her body through agonizing pain as well as heaving her mind into calm relaxation, she stood. As she did, she instructed Souta to follow her. Looking upward, she found familiar vines which cascaded down the walls. Despite their delicate look, the girl had used them to climb out of the well on various occasions. Now looking at this as only another climb out of her many, she began. Using only her arms and available right leg.

 

Souta slid over to the wall. He watched as his sister climbed the vines, despite the pain. Taking a deep breath, he mimicked her actions. Grabbing the first vine he saw within his reach he pulled hard, dragging his body up with him. This brave attempt was rejected, sending the boy falling to the ground.

 

Landing on the ground with a dull thud, the boy frowned and tears began to well up in his eyes. Retaining his standing position, Souta wiped away the tears and looked up to his sister, now out of arm's reach. Determined to go on, he carefully selected another vine, pulled it toward him to be sure it was steady, and when he was convinced, the boy did the same with another vine. He then pulled his body weight up and quickly reached for another. Hastened to be speedy in his movements, he was catching up to his sister; who was already lifting herself over the well.

 

Reaching the end of the vines and beginning of the wood, he reached high, but wasn't tall enough to get to the top of the well. Kagome lowered her hand in an offer to help. Putting his hand in hers, he was hastily lifted over the well.

 

Wile he did, Souta sighed. “Masaka! You do that every time you come over here?”

 

With a smile now wretched in pain, Kagome turned and began heavily limping toward the village.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Was the village ever this far away?

 

The girl was limping to her own pace and, once again, leaned on a tree for support as she caught her breath. Close behind, Souta purposely diverted his eyes from Kagome. He couldn't look at his sister as she was now; he had never seen her like this before. Does she go through this kind of pain often when she leaves home?

 

Souta turned his gaze from his feet to the path they had walked. It was simple to follow the path they had journeyed … for it was marked with blood. The boy could still see the well, although it was well off in the distance. Souta followed the crimson path from the clearing and came to a stop at his feet. The trail was jagged, as Kagome went from tree to tree seeking to maintain her balance. Souta started at the crimson trail for an unknown period of time. Torn between his want to explore the world he had only dreamed of and the agony of being no help to his sister in need, he followed the trail further to where Kagome stood.

 

Retaining her breath, the girl pushed off from the tree and continued in her slow manner, leaving yet another crimson pool behind. Coming out of his daze, Souta was only forced to take a few effortless steps in order to catch up to the girl.

 

Why … Kagome's mind spoke out of agony. Why is it … all I can think about … is … Inuyasha?

 

Thoughts of him coming to her rescue struck at her mind. So much time of being at his side at led to a sense of security that at long as he was there, everything would be alright. Out of every rare time he had ever wrapped his arms around her, any thoughts of uncertainty and anguish were swept away. Replaced by the feelings hope, support, and the guarantee that everything would be all right in his hands.

 

Feeling faint, the schoolgirl collapsed to the foot of the nearest tree to her left, careful not to get any dirt in her wound. Bringing up her injured leg up to a ninety degree angle, she propped herself to the tree. Kneeling on her right knee, she breathed heavily. Looking up to inspect their trail to be walked, the girl's eyes brightened as best they could as she saw the one thing she had been desperately praying to see. The barrier between the end of the forest and border of the village was in sight.

 

Turning her head slightly to see her brother, the girl couldn't catch any sign of him. “Souta?” The boy looked up from the blood trail he was following at his feet, and scurried up the crimson stream to meet his sister's half turned gaze.

 

“Ne-chan?”

 

Finding her breath, she replied in short, uneven breathes. “Kaede-obaasan. She lives in that village … just ahead. Everyone`s there … they-” Her words were cut short by an abrupt gasp of breath; an attempt by her lungs to preserve air. Undetected by his sister, Souta gave a short nod. “I need you to … to go there … and get Inuyasha!”

 

“Me?”

 

The throbbing of her wound grew all the more prominent. “Who else? Now listen.” Kagome gave the boy precise directions that would ensure he found the hut. Rushing off, he repeated the directions over and over, determined not to loose them. The pain in the girl's leg was worse than ever. Waiting until she was absolutely sure her brother was out of ear shot, she let out wails of pain. Hot blood spewed from the wound. Throbs of angst forced Kagome to blink back the tears that had been threatening to come up ever since she had first seen the blood.

 

My vision … it's getting blurry … Fighting to keep her eyes open, she pleaded. Souta … please hurry!

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

The village was silent. Nearly all of it's inhabitants were sleeping. The exception, however, resided in in Kaede's hut. Out of the six occupants, a headstrong hanyou sat alone in the corner. Still murmuring to himself complaints about a week without Kagome, he was interrupted by an entity who had overheard his low grumbling voice.

 

“Inuyasha!”

 

The loud whisper forced the silver haired hanyou out of his thoughts and to study the room. In a sigh of annoyance, he replied in a manner that was not so concerned weather he awoke the others or not, “What do you want, Shippou?” After a slight pause, the response came; the soft voice piercing through the silence.

 

“Are you … thinking about Kagome?”

 

Partly startled, but still annoyed, the hanyou wasted no time in answering the young kitsune's question. “Keh! What`s to think about? She`ll be back in a week. End of story.” Cocking his head to the side, he creased a frown over his face. This action seemed to be his only defense in an uncomfortable conversation, even if it was unseen.

 

After another silence, the kitsune's response was filled with sorrow. “She`s never been gone for that long … we can hardly do a thing without her you know?” Giving voice to his thoughts, the hanyou left the conversation at that., doing what he could to suppress that very notion.

 

The night dragged on, the only definite sound coming out of the darkness that Inuyasha could make out was the occasional crowing of a late night bird, and his breathing.

 

Eh?

 

Inuyasha sniffed the air one more time to be sure of it. As the hanyou had feared, his nose had never deceived him. Springing up to his feet, he dashed out the door.

 

Shippou sat up and watched the door sway back and forth from the impact. Thinking nothing of the situation, the kitsune lay down and closed his eyes.

 

Poor guy … Shippou yawned. Won't even admit he's worried about her.

 

Out of the hut, Inuyasha sniffed the air once more. Shifting his gaze to his left, he saw nothing more but the shifting shadows of trees. But the scent was there … that unmistakable aroma. Taking shape among the shadows, a dark feature was bouncing out of the forest. In two great leaps, he reached the half way point between him and the forest.

 

Emerging from the shadows, Souta was panting, but found the breath to greet the one he was looking for.

 

“Inu-no-ni-chan!”

 

As cautious as ever, Inuyasha leapt to meet the boy. Raising all kinds of questions, the hanyou questioned him. “Souta?” As he knelt down, silver locks drifted down behind, reflected in the moonlight. Souta came to a halt inches from the hanyou, drooping his head, and resting his hands on bent knees taking a momentary rest. “What are you doing -here-?”

 

Still panting, the boy managed to force out the words.

 

“Ne-chan.”

 

Inuyasha tilted his head slightly to one side. “Kagome?”

 

Souta shot up his head to meet amber eyes. “She … she needs your help!”

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Alone in the forest and kneeling in a pool of her own blood, Higurashi Kagome swayed back and forth, and fought to keep a hold of her consciousness.

 

Clamped by her hand, the blood from her shin was gagging on itself; Letting out periodic bursts of blood. Her shin didn't hurt as much now as it was numb. However, her body was giving up the conscious fight and her mind's will to keep her eyes open was fading.

 

In a sudden effort to keep her body awake and mind alert for Souta, she swayed away from the tree and, in one swift movement, pounded her shoulder back into it. The sudden shock shook her for a moment, but did little to bring on any long term effects. With her vision already fading in and out from a hazy state and back again, with eyes half closed, Kagome looked out into the distance.

 

The moonlight poured through an ocean of branches. Such a tranquil scene.

 

Shaking her head to bring back focus, Kagome looked hard into the direction Souta had ran. Have to stay awake.

 

Through the silver light, a shrouded form was approaching in the distance at a rapid pace. Kagome feared the worst. Youkai? Testing her ability to move, she found the numbness had ventured to both of her legs and up her right side.

 

Having nothing to do but watch the form approach her, she squinted her eyes and tried to make it out. As sliver strands of moonlight fell upon the form, a silver wave was bounced back. Even as it came closer and features more defined, the girl found the extensive locks of silver hair a dead give away. Knowing help was coming, the girl breathed a sigh of relief. Hopping off from the silver haired figure, Souta scrambled the few meters to his sister's side. Gently, the boy put a hand on the girl's shoulder. As she didn't look at him, he asked in his tiny, airy voice,

 

“Ne-chan?”

 

Inuyasha knelt in front of the girl. Forced to take in the scene, his eyes fell upon the pool of blood emerging from the girl's shin. The hand that once clutched the wound firmly was loose and did little, if anything, to stop the flow trickling down her leg.

 

“Kagome …”

 

His voice reveled a kind of heartfelt concern that called Kagome`s consciousness back into focus.

 

The girl fought every muscle in her body to lift her head to the hanyou. Brown eyes met shimmering amber. Other features of the hanyou were masked in shadow. Knowing how appalling the setting may seem, she smiled, not quiet knowing herself the effect of her action, but in her mind, a smile was a kind gesture anytime.

 

Her body's scream for rest was finally approved by spirit as the schoolgirl let out a final “uh,” fading out of consciousness. Then continued to fall forward into open arms.

 

The last thing the girl remembered of that night was the swift motion of artificial flight brought on by her carrier.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

 

 

 

 

:: Yume_Hikaru