Better That We Break

Kagome's eyes fluttered open. Her eyes darted from left, up, and then to the right. She was in an unfamiliar atmosphere and as she made a move to stand, her body had jerked back down onto the mat, for her wounds had yet to heal. Tears started to well up in her eyes as she recalled what had happened to her previously.



'Maybe...it was just all a horrible dream...'she thought hopefully. But, her bartered body had told her otherwise. She closed her eyes mournfully and felt the full impact of her tears spilling down her cheeks.'Mother...father...Sota! Dead. They're all dead.' she thought dreadfully. ''Why couldn't I have joined them?''



+++



The young woman flinched as the old lady had helped her sit up straight. She had light hazel eyes that somehow showed genuine kindness, a petite stature, and donned thinning curly salt and peppered coloured tresses. She grabbed the bowl of stew that was beside her and handed it toKagome.



''Thank-you,'' Kagome said in a raspy voice. She coughed and placed a hand at her throat briefly, shuddering at what had gone in there and resisted the urge to retch.



''What's your name?'' the old lady asked after Kagome finished eating.



''Kagome,'' she replied.



''I am Satoko.''



+++



Kagome removed her upper garment and turned her back to Satoko. What she saw astonished her. Only a mere couple of days had gone by since Satoko had first tended to her and already, the wounds appeared as if it were never there.



''You are feeling better?'' Satoko asked.



Kagome nodded. ''I am very grateful you saved my life,'' she said.



''Are you, my dear? Your aura tells me otherwise,'' Satoko replied and placed a hand on her shoulder.



''How can you tell?'' she asked, slightly confused.



''Your aura screams out despair, grief and I can sense a small amount of joy,'' Satoko replied. '' I don't blame you. In the condition I found you, I just had a feeling something extremely despicable happened to you. Do...do you mind me asking?''



Kagome breathed in deeply. The woman saved her life. She at least deserved an explanation as to what happened. ''It was midnight. Snake demons had ambushed our village. There was so much death...my parents...''



+++



Sesshomaru inhaled the putrid smell of human decay. A human village in his lands slain under his nose? He almost laughed. His father would not be proud. As he walked around the area, his nose smelled something familiar. He entered a small hut and passed a dead couple. The familiar smell was that first human woman he'd rutted, and killed. But why did he feel the urge to take her again? Maybe he could revive her with the Tenseiga? He felt disgusted with himself and shrugged off the feelings.



He sensed something outside. Quietly, he stepped out of the hut and placed his clawed hands on the hilt of his sword. Something green came at him and he reacted by slamming it down to the ground, hearing the green thing make an 'oomph' sound, which then proceeded to squeal.



''Lord Sesshomaru! It is I, your faithful Jaken!'' the imp yelled.



Sesshomaru gazed at it and released his hold on him and walked away. The imp was a nuisance.



''Wait Lord Sesshomaru!!!'' Jaken squeaked.



Jaken stood frozen as his master turned to him and felt the impact of his feet. He flew back a few meters and he was relieved as he landed on something comfortable. He thanked the heaven's he hadn't landed on the cold hard floor.



In an instant, Jaken screamed and ran as he got off the pile of dead humans he landed on. He frowned. His master was very cruel, indeed. He was out of breath as he caught up to Sesshomaru. He told him that his mother was gravely ill and that he needed to get back to the castle.