Where My Heart Lies

Kagome rubbed her wrists, being particularly careful around the opened wounds. Her back was still complaining, but she pushed it far into the back of her mind as she kept her eyes on Lily's back. They climbed the stairs to the obsidian door that had locked her away from the rest of the world for over a month. They had spent precious minutes trying to get her muscles to agree with the forgotten idea of standing up straight. Now it seemed that each step up was taking an eternity. Both woman and demoness knew that the room and stairway were nearly soundproof, but held their breath anyway, being extra careful to tread lightly, jumping when the other made even the slightest scratching noise with a misplaced step. Finally, they reached the top.

Lily paused, her hand on the door. She could feel the tremble in her hands, could see that it was causing the candlelight to flicker. She tried to mentally curse herself for her weakness, but could only see the possible league of minions and Teinosuke himself standing outside the door, already aware of her plan, her deceit, the hate that she had borne for him ever since he had killed her tribe. She had never been afraid before, but that was under the intentions to plot of sneaking out in the dark, alone, without much chance of her being caught. She had quickly been filled with the idea of vengeance, but now was thinking second thoughts. The dangers of taking someone else with her. The human might slow her down! Lily's thoughts ran like quicksilver, she was afraid to go, yet afraid to stay.

She could feel the breath of the girl, Kagome... with the power and it urged her to move forward. Placing a hand on the door she pushed with the lightest amount of pressure. The large door didn't move. With hands that were shaking slightly, she pushed again. The door moved open a crack, just enough for Lily to peek out. Taking a cautious look around through the narrow passage, the two confirmed for themselves that it would be safe enough to open the door enough to walk though. Both breathed a little easier after swinging open the oh-so-quiet door to find that the chamber was empty. Lily had stripped off the kimono, under which she had donned close-fitting leather garments much like what Kagome had. Lily had made them herself after trying on Kagome's and finding that while they were considerably bigger, they were much easier to move in. Now without her wrappings to confine her, Lily remembered her agility and grace as she quickly outstripped Kagome's speed when crossing the length of room, staying low to the ground. Despite the dead quiet that permeated the building, both felt the desperate need to try to be as silent as possible, as invisible as could be.

Reaching the far end of the room, Lily quickly cast a glance down the hallway. The throne room was the center of the entire structure. The halls and rooms wrapped around it, twisting and turning. While not a labyrinth, it took some time to get to the outer gates and freedom. In fact, it took some time to get anywhere really. Lily knew the shortest routes, but there were passages that Teinosuke chose not to share with her that allowed him to move much more freely. Lily still didn't know how many servants were still in the castle, so her guard was up. She could sense that Kagome didn't even need to be told to watch her step. The girl behind her was that high-strung she was bound to climb the walls at the slightest hint of recapture.

Lily almost chuckled at the thought before realizing that she would join Kagome in the cold shackles should they be caught. And Teinosuke would not be likely to treat a traitor on the same level as a new toy.

It took some time, but after much whispered instructions and nearly noiseless footsteps, Lily had guided them to the midpoint of their path to the main door. Why is there no one here?? the demoness was getting nervous. Certainly, there had been times when there were few staffed in the castle, but she could never recall a time when there had been no one patrolling not even one of the halls. She was jumpy and adrenaline was pumping too quickly through her system, as much from Kagome's skittishness as from her own nerves. Sweat beaded both of their brows despite the rather cool temperature inside. The length of time it had taken them to come this far seemed indeterminable.

She stopped, hearing footsteps. A feather light touch caused her to jump. "Sorry," Kagome had reached out to Lily trying to keep her still, "I hear footsteps... but I don't sense Teinosuke. A guard maybe?" she whispered.

Lily nodded and quickly peered around the corner. There was the guard, leaning against a wall. He seemed bored, a strange thing for a guard of the Demon Lord's castle to be. Turning back to Kagome, she motioned for the young priestess to take care of the guard quietly. Kagome was utterly confused. How was she supposed to 'take care of' the guard?

"C'mon! Aren't you a miko?" the demoness hissed. "I'm not a miko!" Kagome shot back. Pushing the cat demon out of the way, a little rougher than normal. "I'm something entirely different" she muttered, under her breath.

Kagome stood and eyed the guard, still uncertain as to what exactly she was supposed to do. The lack of weapons cancelled the idea of disarming him, and she certainly wasn't strong enough to physically attack him. Her thoughts settled on a barely remembered image, one of a spark between fingers forced close by shackled wrists. No... there's still the miasma... Kagome could still feel the dampening pressure of Teinosuke's magic. Her mind kept turning back to that spark though. Had she been getting stronger then? Had the miasma and the necklace actually helped her? Kagome's hand strayed to the gem on her neck, her eyes still pinned on the inattentive guard, and considered this. ...maybe.... just..... hmmm

Very tentatively, she stretched out her powers, seeing again that small thin beam of light. However now, the light was no longer in its rigid form, but looser now. Still controlled, but it bent with ease around objects. Kagome fleetingly thought that this might indicate an increased level of comfort with her power, but the idea faded just as quickly before it was fully considered as the curvaceous light beam reached the guard. Focusing on what it was that she wanted to do, Kagome watched as the light touched the man, as the guard seemed to jump, realizing that something wasn't quite right, before his arms dropped to his sides and he slumped back against the wall, down to the floor.

Lily was out and at his side mere seconds after his eyes shut. "Hey! I didn't think you would be able to kill with that!"

Kagome frowned, a mix of worry and fear skipping across her features. "No, I only wanted to knock him out." She leaned down and pressed two fingers where a pulse should be. Her breath stopped a moment, afraid of what she might had accidently done, before releasing in a whoosh as the steady bump...bump...bump assured her that his heart was still in working order. She could only hope that his mind would be the same. She didn't like the idea of destroying another...

Lily shook her head. Still a foolish mortalshe thought Does she really think she can avoid killing always?? The she-demon allowed only another second or so for Kagome to consider her actions before tugging on the girls sleeve and hurrying down the hall. With Kagome close on her heels, they found that there were few other guards. More than had been present within the heart of the keep, certainly, but Lily was still not comfortable, and mentioned so to Kagome.

"So stop complaining, I just want to get the hell out of here! If there are less people for us to sneak around, the quicker we can get away!" Kagome hissed. The silence was oppressive and only increased her anxiety. She also agreed that it was too quiet in the keep, but the deep-seated drive to get away ignored the cautions her mind, and Lily, brought up.

"Miko, this is Teinosuke's castle. Not once, in all of my employ, has there been so little protection! There's something going on, I don't like this."

"Well what do you propose we do?"

"I'm not sure. We've just got to take it slow, keep our guard up..."

Kagome sighed. "Maybe Teinosuke has them routed elsewhere... there has to be others he's pissed off to start a war with or something..." She was hopeful.

"Oh probably... but I tend to destroy those I 'piss off' rather quickly."

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Sango was starting to get winded. She couldn't understand how this little bear was running so quickly. It didn't feel like a demon, nor did it seem possessed. Yet no matter how hard they tried to catch up to it, the cub was always just ahead. The demon slayer hoped that Ayame would be able to catch up with Kaede in time. She also hoped that they weren't wrong in following this entity.

"Hey! It's stopping up ahead!" InuYasha's voice travelled back from his lead position. Sango hoped that wherever the cub had lead them, it wasn't somewhere that would become a trap.

The group stopped, somewhat breathless, amongst a small copse of trees some number of miles off from the base of a mountain. Shippo glanced over to the looming mound of stone to his right. It gave him an uneasy feeling, making his fur stand on end. He couldn't detect a specific scent, but there was something ominous on the wind.

A yelp rang out, closer to the mountain than what Shippo would have preferred. The group started towards the sound, each member spotting a flash of black tail. The fox cub quickly scrambled up onto the back of a transformed Kirara. The mountain had barely been in view when they started. Kami knew how far they had run already. There was a muttered curse up ahead as the cub's tail ducked out of sight once again.

InuYasha was tired and exasperated. He was absolutely fed up with this stupid little cub! She was running them around in circles! "WOULD YOU JUST FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU WANT TO GO???!! DAMN BEAST!" he barked.

The noise of the cub ahead stopped abruptly. Stupid InuYasha, couldn't you have kept your mouth shut? Now we've lost her! Miroku's thoughts were bitter, but were cut short. Why were they so concerned about where the cub was taking them anyway? They didn't even know where she was leading them, and aside from a whim, they had no other reason to follow in the first place..... What the....

The group had slowed to a walk, cautiously heading to where they had last seen the cub.

"This was a waste of time, InuYasha." Koga spoke up. "Why did you bother leading us after the cub? She was probably just looking for someone to play, she's not very old. We should be looking for Kagome, not chasing bears through the woods. How much time have we--"

"Shut up wolf."

InuYasha took some slow sniffs in the air. It was there, and it was strong. But he hadn't scented it before. Not even a whiff. He should have caught a slight scent before coming upon it... shouldn't he? Koga's indignant claims rang through him, bringing him back from his thoughts. Something about InuYasha daring to hush him... whatever.

"I told you once wolf. Shut. Up." The hanyou's voice was low this time, not even bothering to look at the wolf youkai.

Sango was getting tired of anger and bickering between the two demons. It was getting them nowhere. From the corner of her eye, she could see Miroku was feeling the same way, and Shippo was quietly fuming off to the side, also tired of InuYasha and Koga's behaviour, but unable to step between them.

The taijiya took firm hold of her hiraikotsu. She had to have these two separated if they were going to find Kagome. They didn't have time for fuming male tantrums.

Small bear cries sounded in the forest to their left. InuYasha flew off to find the cub, the scent that he knew too well was filling his nose, the air seemed so thick with it. The remainder of the party followed behind, somewhat startled by the hanyou's sudden departure.

InuYasha could see the small mound of fur that they had been chasing for the better part of the day. The bear cub's back end was all that stuck out from behind an outcropping of moss-covered rocks.

"Hello little one" a voice, low and soft, came from behind the rocks. InuYasha skidded to a stop, the party nearly crashing into him. It couldn't be who he thought he was; it wasn't possible.

As the group circled wide around the rocks, they could see Kikyo half-crouched towards the bear cub with her head tilted, as if listening intently to what the small animal had to say. She snapped her head upwards. She nodded. InuYasha wasn't sure if the gesture was directed at them, herself, or perhaps the little cub. InuYasha caught himself. Kikyo was erratic, if nothing else, but not insane. Seriously talking to unintelligible beasts was out of the question.

“So,” Kikyo began, straightening. “You need some assistance in finding your little lost priestess?”


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A/N: So yeah. long time no see hey? So SO SO sorry for anyone who has waited this long to see an update. Feel free to kick me *bends* a lot of life got in the way, then I forgot about it, then remembered it, worked on it again, and hopefully I'll be back to actually working on this thing again. still have everything in my head, no worries about that. :D the end to this particular story may be coming in about 5-6 chapters I think, maybe more, maybe less. but just to give you a heads up. don't worry tho, I have more planned for these guys :D

Also, as always, critiques and comments are welcomed and appreciated. :D let me know ! Thanks to all who have waited and supported me this long and to those who have just began reading, thanks for taking the time to check out my stuff :D