Masterful Deception

Oh my god, I'm sorrrryyyy!!!!
It's been so long since I last updated, I know! Life has just been hell and to top of my wonderful life our computers have all been down due to some unknown thing attacking our wireless hook-up. It's still not completely fixed but hopefully I'll still be able to update.
I promise not to do this again.
Enjoy this extra long chapter as a sorry until I get the next one up.

Chapter 3

InuYasha slowly opened his eyes and blinked away the fog. His head was fuzzy and it took a few moments to know where he was. ‘The hut.’ he thought slowly for a few moments before all his memories came flooding back to him. ‘Damn demons.’
He looked around the hut and found Miroku sitting on the ground with Sango’s head in his lap. Shippo sat on Miroku’s shoulder and the two were chatting quietly.
InuYasha turned his head fully and looked to all corners of the hut. Someone was missing. An important someone. “Where’s Kagome?”
“InuYasha! You’re awake.” Shippo bounded over and sat next to his head. InuYasha noticed a white bandage wrapped firmly around the kit’s forehead. Miroku was bandaged around his left arm and Sango sported bandages around her body and chest. He took a small sniff and sighed in relief when they all smelled healthy.
“Kagome went for a walk about an hour ago. She left as soon as she got us all patched up.” Miroku shrugged. “She said she was restless.”
InuYasha stared at him. ‘Restless? She could barely stand when we found her after the battle.’

InuYasha watched as Kagome’s small form disappeared into the trees. He sighed in relief before turning back to the battle.
InuYasha raised his sword and slashed viciously at the oncoming demons. He growled out a challenge. He watched as Miroku stepped forward and opened his wind tunnel, he sucked in some demons but wobbled in exhaustion. Sango and InuYasha stood behind him as they tried to get their breath back. They rested their heavy weapons against the ground and wiped the falling sweat off their foreheads. InuYasha watched as Miroku stumbled and closed the wind tunnel.
“There’s too many.” Miroku gasped out.
InuYashahed hed and raised his sword. He swept through the host of demons swinging his sword widely. He dodged the blows and ducked just as Sango’s boomerang flew over his head.
“Watch it!” He called out angrily. He saw Miroku and Sango desperately fending off the demons. Miroku’s staff twirled dangerously and Sango swung her boomerang and cut down demons with her katana. InuYasha beat down another swarm of demons before checking on Kirara and Shippo. Kirara bounded through the air clawing and tearing at the sensitive flesh of heads and necks. Shippo sat upon her head and distracting the enemies with his small bursts of foxfire.
ainfainful swipe of claws brought InuYasha back to his own battle and he snarled at the now dead demon.
“This is getting really stupid.” InuYasha muttered. Demons swirled in a chaotic mass around the fighters. InuYasha leapt in front of Miroku and Sango and let loose hi most powerful attack witch obliterated all of the remaining demons. InuYasha sheathed his sword and panted in exhaustion.
“Everyone ok?” InuYasha asked. He looked around and saw everyone nod.
“That was strange though.” Miroku thought aloud.
InuYasha looked at him waited for him to continue.
“What were they doing? They seemed to have no purpose or reason for being here and attacking us.” Miroku cradled his forearm and winced slightly as he spoke.
“You’re right. It does seem strange.” Sango gasped out. She swooned and her knees buckled. InuYasha jumped over and grabbed her before she fell.
“We can figure that out later. For now we should go back to Keade’s hut and care for our wounds.” InuYasha lifted Sango and placed her on Kirara’s .
.
Miroku and Sango both nodded when an ear pierced scream rang out from the copse of trees that, that Kagome had run to.
“Kagome!!!” InuYasha cried as he sprang towards the trees as fast as he could. His heart beat painfully in his chest as he ran through the trees looking for the beautiful young girl who had earned a special place in his heart.
He sighed in relief as he found her sitting at the foot at an old tree. His relief turned to concern as he approached the shaking girl.
“Kagome?” He asked quietly. “Are you alright?” He bent down next to Kagome and put his arm around her shoulder.
He watched her sniffle and the nod her head slowly. “I was scared… That’s all.” She said slowly.
InuYasha sighed and then nodded. He gently picked her up and he could feel the thundering pace of her heartbeat. He looked down in concern and saw that she was breathing rapidnd hnd her eyelids were drooping. She looked completely exhausted.

“Are you sure?” InuYasha asked as he sat up gingerly. He felt his side and then smirked when he felt no pain. The wound was already gone. Good.
“Positive. She said she needed to be alone for a while.” Shippo piped up. He shrugged. “She didn’t look like she felt well.”
“Stupid girl.” InuYasha muttered as he got off the bed. He looked around the hut for a moment before he found his shirt and pulled it on. InuYasha stopped and watched Miroku tuck a strand of hair behind Sango’s head. InuYasha smirked. “Have you thought anymore about those demons?” He asked as he sat down next to Miroku.
Miroku looked at him in surprise before nodding. “Yes. But I have only come up with a few reasons that they would attack us so randomly.” He looked at Sango gently before continuing. “One: They were possessed be a shard of the Shikon jewel. That would account for their ferocity and chaos.
“That can’t be.” InuYasha interrupted. “Kagome couldn’t sense a jewel shard and we didn’t find one after I destroyed all of them.
Miroku nodded. “Yes. That’s true. So that leads to option two: They already attacked a village of such and they were still bloodthirsty.”
“Don’t think so.” InuYasha said finally. “I didn’t smell any blood on them.”
“I agree.” Sango said suddenly. She opened her eyes and gasped.
“Sango! Are you alright?” Miroku asked in concern. His face was anxious as he leaned over the injured girl.
“I’m fine.” Sango said with a smile. “ A little pain but I’ll live.” She frowned and returned to topic. “If those demons had already attacked something they would have smelled like it. And they probably wouldn’t have attacked us because they probably would have been tired. Plus what would have stirred them up in the first place? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“You’re right.” Miroku said thoughtfully. “That leaves us with option three: Someone had them come after us.” All of them stopped to think about that option.
“Naraku?” Shippo asked quietly.
“It would make sense. He never does his own dirty work.” InuYasha growled.I doI don’t know.” Miroku said slowly. InuYasha and Sango looked at him questionly.
“Well he likes to put a bit more finesse into his plans doesn’t he? And he knows us better than that. I don’t think he would underestimate us like that. He knows how strong we are.”
“That’s true.” Sango said in disappointment. “But who else had the power to control demons like that and wants us all dead.”
“I don’t know.” InuYasha shrugged.
Miroku shook his head and scrunched up his face in thought. “Maybe it was him.”
“Huh?” InuYasha muttered.
“What if he had no intention of killing us? What if that attack was only meant as a distraction to get us out of the way?” Miroku looked seriously worried.
“But nothing we know of has been attacked. The village is fine and so is Koga’s pack. If something was wrong with them, Koga would be running here for help.” InuYasha snorted.
“True.” Miroku only looked a little relieved. “But I still think we’re missing something.”
“Maybe. But we’ll figure it out in time.” Sango said reassuringly with a smile.
Miroku smiled back. “Yes. We will.”
Shippo bounded down off InuYasha’s shoulder and went to the fire. “Here. Keade made food for us before she left.” He pointed to the bubbling pot that sat in the fire. Shippo grabbed a bowl and the ladle, preparing to serve himself some.
A small thump outside caused all of them to swivel their heads towards the door.
“Keade?” Miroku asked. He then stopped and gasped in surprise as Sesshomaru waked into the hut.
“Sesshomaru.” InuYasha growled. His anger quickly turned to surprise however. “Kagome?” He stood up and walked over to Sesshomaru who was cradling the trembling girl. “Kagome! What’s wrong?” He asked, getting slightly panicked.
Sesshomaru gently lowered Kagome into InuYasha’s waiting arms and then sat down against the wall. “I found her like this. She won’t tell me what’s wrong.” Sesshomaru said. He kept his tone neutral and his face emotionless but InuYasha could tell his brother was worried about Kagome.
InuYasha lowered himself onto the ground and cradled Kagome in his lap. He stroked her hair and growled to her softly.
Sesshomaru looked at him with no expression but his eyes betrayed the surprise and amusement he felt. The girl wasn’t scared by the growl. She actually seemed to take comfort in it. Sesshomaru resisted the urge to chuckle. So he was right after all, they were both interested in being more than friends. Interesting.
InuYasha’s growl softened as Kagome snuggled into his warm chest and stopped shaking so intensely.
“Kagome?” He asked more softly than any of them had ever heard him speak. “Tell me what’s wrong. He lifted her chin and forced her eyes to his. She met his eyes for only an instant before wrenching her face from his hand and burying it again against his chest.
InuYasha stared in horror at the top of her head. “InuYasha? What’s wrong?” Sango asked. He only growled fiercely and turned Kagome in his lap. “Show them!” He demanded.
Kagome sniffled but turned fac face to her friends and lifted the sleeves of her shirt. The bruises were getting darker by the hour and they stood out grotesquely against her pale skin.
“Oh Kagome.” Sango moaned as her eyes filled with tears. “What happened? Please tell us.”
Kagome looked nervously around the hut and InuYasha watched as her head swiveled to look over her shoulder at him. He pulled her closer to his chest and hugged her from behind. He growled low and reassuringly and she relaxed into his chest. She took a few deep breathes and closed her eyes.
“It was Naraku.” She whispered. They all stared at her before letting out various exclamations of anger and disgust. InuYasha remained totally silent and seemed to be holding himself to still. ‘I won’t snap. I won’t yell. Kagome’s scared. She doesn’t need that.’ He thought furiously as he clenched Kagome to him possessively.
“Tell us exactly what happened.” InuYasha ground out in a surprisingly calm voice. The others looked at him in surprise before realizing he was trying his hardest not to explode.
Kagome sniffed again slightly before beginning her story in a halting, shaky voice. She held onto InuYasha’s arms tightly as the tears began again to course down her cheeks. She continued her story and had a small sense of relief as InuYasha tightened his arms around her. She finished and slumped back against the strong, growling chest behind her.
InuYasha was beyond furious. Red rage clouded his vision and the only thing that kept him from transforming was the close proximity of his sword and the presence of the trembling girl on his lap.
Silence followed throughout the hut as each person stopped to think about the horrible truth Kagome had put forward.
“Well.” Miroku said with a shaky gulp. “Now we know what Naraku was doing. He distracted us with those demons while he tried to take Kagome.”
“But why? He never seemed interested in Kagome that way. What changed?” Sango frowned with worry.
“I don’t know. It could just be he was waiting for the right moment. Miroku held a hand to his chin. “But we should try to find the reason.”
“We should sleep now.” InuYasha spoke up suddenly. “It’s late and we all need to sleep.” InuYasha said.
Miroku and Sango both nodded. Sesshomaru stood up and headed towards the door.
“Sesshomaru?” He turned his head to look at InuYasha. “Thank-you.” InuYasha said softly.
Sesshomaru noddeI wiI will wait outside the village. We shall make a plan tomorrow.” They all stared at him. “The girl needs to be protected and I will help.” With that he pushed aside the fabric covering the door and headed out into the forest.
Miroku and Sango settled down where they were and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
InuYasha leaned against the wall of the hut and looked down at the raven-haired beauty who was curled in his lap. “Are you alright?” He asked in concern.
“I will be.” She sniffed. “he just gave me a horrible scare.”
“Don’t be scared.” InuYasha said as he lost out to temptation and nuzzled his nose into her hair. “I will protect you no matter what.” He inhaled deeply and marveled at her sweet scent.
Kagome smiled against his chest as she lost the battle to hold down the tremendous blush that crept up her cheeks. “Thank-you.” She muttered into his chest as she gratefully let sleep take her in.
InuYasha watched as Kagome settled down into sleep. “Don’t worry. I will protect you with everything that I have. He tightened his hug on the girl as he sank down and followed her into the realm of dreams.

There. Good and long. I hope you all liked it. Remember to review, and I'll see you all later.

Dagan.