Desperation

Okay, finally I got this damn chapter done. It took me forever. I'm sorry about that. This chapter though not the shortest feels short it reads really quickly. It was quick to write too. That is as soon as I kicked my blocks ass. It's also kind of a filler chapter. The good stuff will start again soon. I'm also updating What About so two story updates today. Thank you for waiting again I'm sorry for it taking me so long. *hugs*
Till later,
Eluwei

Chapter Thirty-Seven

At first the shadowy landscape was confusing. It took her several minutes to gain her bearings. She nearly gave up and went back, but she knew she had come to this place for a reason.
She knew what it was when she saw the Tai-Youkai’s still form. She rushed to him falling to her knees at his side out of concern. Relived to see he was still from exhaustion she laid one hand on his shoulder and touched his cheek with her fingertips.
His eyes slid open and he smiled at the worried look furrowing her brow. He wrapped his long clawed fingers around her sword callused ones.
“I am alright my young friend.” His deep voice was tired.
“Don’t bullshit me Tai,” she growled her concern morphed to anger. “You’ve exhausted yourself meddling in the physical plane. I warned you it would happen. Why did you continue?”
“I had to insure my son’s happiness.”
“For being thousands of years old you’re still a damn fool.”
“I know, but through my meddling I’ve gotten all the information that I needed. All of my fears have been confirmed. I truly need your help.”
“I already told you I would do everything in my power to do as you have asked. Now show me.”
He lifted his hand and laid his finger tips against her temple. With her eyes darting behind closed lids she filtered through the images he sent her. When they stilled she nodded.
“Why me over anyone else in the world,” she asked.
“You are the only one who can do this task. I have searched far for someone with the capacity. You are the only one with it.” He met her eyes. “Are you that troubled by my request?”
“No,” she shook her head. “I will do this for you because you have become my friend, but also because it will make brother happy, and he deserves that.”
“You deserve happiness as well Shadara. Have you not fought hard enough?”
“I will continue to fight, but happiness isn’t in the plan for me.” She shrugged. “I shall continue as I always have.”
“You’re so young to be so poignant.”
“My body may be young but my soul is old.” She stood and looked at him. “I must get back. Will you be alright here alone?”
“Hai, I’ll be fine, it’s safe here. The astral plain isn’t so bad a place to spend eternity.”
“You should not be trapped here.” He shrugged at her words.
“At least I can watch my pups from here.”
“If you keep expending your energy like this you’ll never escape this place.” She turned away from him.
“Be well my dear Blackwolf.”
“Be well Tai.” She walked away from him and was enveloped by the mist.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When she opened her eyes her vision was filled with silver and she met with two sets of worried eyes, one purple, one amber.
“Do you two mind,” she croaked and pushed on Starlight’s nose.
“Keh,” Inuyasha backed away and crossed his arms.
“We were only worried about you little one.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Do you two mind?”
Kagome shook her head as she came through the door and heard the slayers’ raspy words.
“Keh.”
“We were only worried little one.”
“Why don’t you two leave her alone for a minute?” She said as she set the tray she’d been carrying on the nightstand.
“But-“
“My bonded, I love you, now get the hell out of my room.” Shadara sent a look at the two males. “You too brother,” she propped herself up on her elbow. “Kagome can take care of me just fine.”
Kagome shook her head at the sorry looks on their faces and shooed them from the room. She turned back to the bed and looked at the emerald eyed woman who was holding a piece of toast.
“How long was I out?” She asked before taking a bite of her breakfast.
“Nearly a week,” she sat on the edge of the bed, poured some tea, and handed it to Shadara.
“Damn,” she took the cup. “Thank you.”
“Everyone has been worried, but no one more than those two.”
“I would expect nothing different from bothers and bonded unicorns.” She emptied her tea cup. “They both tend to be over protective creatures.” Kagome handed her the bowl of beef stew she had brought her.
“Are you alright,” she had noticed the slayers’ shaking hands.
“No but I will be.” She lifted her eyes to Kagome’s. “I’m sorry for worrying everyone.”
“It’s alright, we’re just glad you’re going to be okay. I’ll go get Brook so she can help you. I’m sure you’d like to take a shower.”
“That’s an understatement. Thanks Kagome,” she smiled.
“You’re welcome.” She rose and exited the room.
She found Brook and her grumbling mate outside the front door on the veranda. The redhead turned to her.
“How is she?”
“Tired and shaky, she could barely hold onto her cup. She needs your help.”
“Thanks,” with a nod she was gone.
“Inuyasha calm down,” he was pacing.
“Fuck Kagome, she’s out for days and as soon as she wakes up you run us off.”
“Because I know how you are. Whenever someone you care about is hurt you hover. Right now she needs to eat and get cleaned up. She doesn’t need her brother or her bonded,” she gave a pointed look at Starlight who stood at the base of the stairs, “hovering over her right now.”
“She is correct Inuyasha,” Starlight said. His eyes grew distant for a moment. “Shadara says she’s simple tired and that after a shower she’s returning to her bed to sleep.”
“Keh, fine, but as soon as she’s up I want to talk to her. I want to know what she knows about my old man.” He paced some more. “I’m going hunting.” He leapt over the rail and was gone.
“Is he always like this?” Starlight asked.
Kagome leaned on the rail and looked at the big unicorn.
“Yeah, especially when he’s worried.”
“Mama!” She turned at the sound of Shippo’s voice and he leapt into her arms. “Where’d Papa go?”
“He went hunting honey.” She ruffled his bangs.
“I wanted to go to,” he crossed his small arms and pouted.
“I’m pretty sure that he’s not hunting rabbits.”
“Oh,” he looked up at her, “is he hunting those bad unicorns?”
“I think so. He’s in one of his ‘gotta kill something’ moods.”
“Okay,” he nodded in understanding. “Mama can I have a cookie?”
She laughed at his wide eyed expression.
“Come on we’ll go raid the kitchen.”

It was late into the afternoon and everyone was in the backyard when Kagome felt Inuyasha returning.
“Mama, I smell Papa and blood,” Shippo tugged on her sleeve.
Everyone looked up at the child’s words and turned toward the woods. A few moments later Inuyasha walked out of the trees. He was splashed with blood and carried his hoari in his right hand. It was lumpy and bulging with whatever he was carrying in it.
His mate was glad to see that besides a couple of small scraps he was unharmed. She smiled at him as he came to her.
“I see your hunt was successful.”
“You could say that.” He dropped his hoari and with a clatter several of the nearly fifty horns fell from it.
“Damn, busy were you,” Brook said as she stepped over. “Was this all one group or more?”
“Three small ones, I came across them a ways north of here.”
“How far?”
“About ten miles I guess.”
“That’s just past the edge of the property,” she nodded. “Good job, did it take you long?”
“Nah, they were pretty easy to take out. I’ll go out again in the morning and see how many I can find. Maybe go a bit further out.”
“Sounds good now let’s get you cleaned up,” Kagome pulled him toward the house.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“You should put him to bed,” Inuyasha nuzzled his mate’s ear.
“You’re right,” she ran her hand over Shippo’s hair. He was curled up in her lap and had fallen asleep during the movie they were watching. She lifted the sleeping boy, carried him into the other room, and put him to bed.
When she returned Inuyasha was already in bed and had a thoughtful look on his face.
“What are you thinking about,” she asked as she crawled in next to him.
“It’s been three damn days and I still haven’t got to talk to her about the old man.” He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into him.
“Well all she’s been doing is eating and sleeping trying to recover and you’ve been hunting dark ones all day. How many have you killed now?”
“Just over two-hundred, they’ve been pushing the borders with small groups. They think she’s dead so they’re seeing how far they can get.”
“It makes sense,” she snuggled closer and laid her arm across his stomach. “Don’t leave so early tomorrow and you should be able to talk to her.”
“Alright,” he put out the light, turned to her, and kissed her senseless.
Everything would have gone smoothly the next morning except Shadara was nowhere to be found. Her truck and Kit were gone as well.