Shadows

Disclaimer : Don't own Inuyasha or any related characters


Chapter 5


I winced as I, yet again, scraped my forearms against the bark. Dammit! Why bother with the stupid ropes? I could still get up and run when I needed to, hands tied or not.

I glanced up at the men again, half of them STILL wide awake. I was having a hard time judging time correctly without a watch, but I knew it had been hours since I'd woken up. The moon had gone all the way over the clearing, disappearing over the tree line. It couldn't be another two hours before the sun started coming up. 'Didn't these guys ever sleep?' I thought irritably. I grit my teeth as I , again, scaped my forearms. I wouldn't have any skin left at this rate, but, truth was, I needed something to do. I couldn't just sit here doing nothing as I waited for the men to fall asleep. The nervous tension would kill me. So, I kept at the ropes, even as irritating as it was to make little, if no progress. A couple more small pieces had snapped, but still not enough to wiggle my wrists out. I guess this only worked in the movies.

I snapped my head up at the sudden movement from the group that was still sitting pretty close to me. Another of the men had lain down. Good. Only two left, and I could make a break for it. I'd decided, a while ago, not to wait until the whole group of men went to sleep. I didn't think I had enough night left to wait them all out, but if this group closest to me all fell asleep, I was pretty confident I could get enough of a headstart to get away. The darkness would greatly help, if I didn't fall in the dense forest and break my neck. I'd just have to be very careful.

The ropes suddenly loosened enough for me to wiggle my hands fre I f I froze, totally shocked. Wadda ya know, it did work! I fought the urge to bring my hands in front of me. If someone noticed, I'd lose what little advantage I now had. Now, just to wait the last two men out.

I looked around the clearing. If it wasn't for my situation, it would be a beautiful, if not romantic, picture. The huge bonfire had died down to a slight flicker, casting a vague glow that only stretched a couple of feet around it. I could hear the soft chirping of crickets around me, and the slight swishing noise of a breeze blowing through the forest. There were ten times as many stars in the sky here then there had been in the city. They were so clear and bright, I felt like I could reach out and sweep a handful of them up. Yes. A beautiful setting that you only saw out in the country side. A movement from near the fire caught my attention, breaking the moment.

A man stood up, and started walking toward the group of girls that were sleeping about twenty meters from my spot. He looked over their sleeping forms for several moments. He shook his head, and, to my horror, came walking toward me. I could do nothing but stare, like a deer caught in headlights, as he stood in front of me. The look he was giving me made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and a chraceraced down my spine, causing a noticable shiver. I had to knash my teeth together to keep from jumping up and running. He reached out and grabbed my ankle, pulling me away from the tree to lay prone on the ground. I laced my fingers together tightly to keep from throwing my arms out and stopping him. I had to keep my secret. If I revealed it too soon, I wouldn't get a second chance. He sat on my knees, his body trapping me beneath him.

Even after the two rape prevention classes I'd taken, I couldn't stop myself from paniking, and thrashing around uselessly. Nothing can truely prepare you for a situation like this. He stared at my clothing oddly for a moment, trying to figure out how to get the strange garments off. He finally became impatient, and pulled a huge dagger out of the sash on his waist. "Be still, or your clothing will not be the only thing cut" he hissed fiercely at me. It was all I could do to lay still while he slipped the blade down my shorts on both sides, making short work of the thin cotton material. He continued cutting until I was completely naked, laying on the remnents of what used to be a T-shirt. He turned slightly to pull off my sneakers and socks, looking strangely at the shoes before tossing them aside. I was now completely bare, for the first time in my life, before a man. I fought to keep my hands behind my back. 'Not yet. Too soon.' I kept repeating over and over in my mind.

I dug my fingers into the scaped and raw flesh of my forearms. The pain helped me focus, chasing some of the panic from my body. Anger came in a rush. I was suddenly so pissed at this entire situation. Pissed at this horrible man for picking on me instead of the other girls. Pissed at myself for waiting too long, wishing I'd just gotten up and run the instant my hands were free. Just pissed. He stared at my body, an appreciative look on his face, before he lowered his head to my breast, and began to lick. My stomach flipped over sickeningly, and I snapped. I ripped my arms from underneath me, wincing at my shoulder joints as the screamed in protest. I made a wild grab for the dagger he'd resheathed at his waist, feeling relieved and elated as my hand closed over the hilt. I pulled the dagger free, and paused for only a heartbeat to tighten my grip, then swung in towards his body, putting everything I had into it. I felt the blade slide into the flesh of his side, all the way to the hilt. His tongue froze, and he jerked his head up to look at me. His thoughts flew over his face: shock, confusion, anger, and then pain as he screamed and rolled off me. I didn't even think. I just scrambled to my feet, and took off into the forest.

I had to slow down as I went deeper into the dense brush, feeling almost blindly in front of me for low hanging limbs and anything else that may cause serious damage. I couldn't have been free for more than three minutes, when I felt an arm wrap around my waist, and drag me roughly to the ground. I yelped in pain at the rocks that bruised my bare behind. I knew I'd lost, but I wasn't going down without a fight. I reached out blindly with my mouth, and clamped down hard on the first thing I could find. The man growled in pain. He pulled whatever was in my mouth down, breaking my hold. I had a split second to wonder what he was going to do, when I felt pain explode across my head. Blackness engulfed me before I even hit the ground.

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He slung the unconscious woman over his shoulder for the second time in two days, making his way carefully through the forest back towards camp. He cursed softly to himself, feeling the arm she'd bitten begin to throb painfully. The woman definetly had a fierce fighting spirit, but she'd gone too far. He walked onto the clearing, making a direct line to his fallen comrade. He dropped the woman on the ground, and made his way through the circle of his men, whom were all now awake. He went to his knees beside his long time friend, frowning at his blood soaked side. The monk had removed the dagger, and was trying, vainly it seemed, to staunch the flow of blood with his own hands. Even in the darkness, he could see the blackish liquid run between the monks fingers. It was a grievous wound. His friend would not survive this. All watched as the flow of blood slowed, and then stopped altogether. The monk pressed his ear to his friends chest, and after a few moments, gave a sad shake of his head.

"Prepare a proper burial. I'll take care of the woman." he said, his voice cracking with emotion. He had been a long time friend, and a worthy warrior. To be felled by a mere woman was a disgrace. She would pay with her life.

He went to his horse and retrieved a long coil of rope from his saddle bag, then walked back over to the woman. He stared down at her beautiful form in the slight glow of the full moon. 'What a terrible waste.' he thought, angered that he should care at this point. But she was a beautiful woman. There was no denying that. He'd wanted, so badly, to lay between her creamy thighs, but she had murdered his friend, and that was unexcusable. He didn't think it would matter if he hung her or not at this point, though. She'd most likely die anyway. He'd felt her jaw bone give as he'd punched her in the face after she'd bitten him. Not many would survive such an injury, and even if she did, her face would be permanently misshappen. It wouldn't be a good life for her. Killing her was merciful. He coiled the rope around her midsection many times, tying it tightly enough to ensure it would hold her. He then drug her body to the nearest tree, and threw the other end of the rope around a branch that was high enough to hold her suspended off the ground. He looked down at the woman, sighing loudly at what he had+ to do.

Traditionally, a person would hang in the tree until they died of thirst. It was the cruelest punishment imaginable, but he couldn't go that far. Even thinking of what she'd done, he felt she didn't deserve to hang for days, waiting for death. He bent over her, unsheathing a small dagger at his waist. He sliced open the arteries on the underside of both wrists. The blood flowed forcefully from the wounds to soak into the grass. He then resheathed his dagger, and pulled on the rope, hauling her body off the ground to dangle limply. He tied the rope off, and stood back, watching her blood dripping steadily from her fingertips. He then went over to help bury his friend, putting all thoughts of the woman completely out of his head, as if she'd never existed.

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He crouched on the top most tree branch, watching the group of humans on horseback. They were sticking to the path, as he'd thought they would, and didn't look inclined to stray from it. They would cross the river again in three days, at their present speed, leaving the border of his lands. He would watch, intermitently, until then.

He stood, catching the scent the wind was bringing to his nose. Blood. Still fresh. Back towards the clearing the humans had used to make camp last eve. 'Interesting', he thought. He rose gracefully from the branch, floating to the forest floor. The clearing was not far, so he prefered to walk. The early morning was hot, and though it didn't affect him, he'd started noticing the weather for Rins sake. Humans were extremely susceptible to strong weather conditions, and children even more so. He made a mental note to stay within the forest, and the cool shade of the trees this day, just as the edge of the clearing came into view. The smell of blood was strong. He scanned the clearing, his eyes coming to rest on a woman hanging from a tree. A rope was wound tightly around her chest, half crushing her bare breasts. He moved in for a closer look.

"She's still alive" he mumbled to himself, shocked. Her rapidly fading heartbeat was barely discernable, even to his refined senses. Her milky skin was dotted with bruises and cuts. The entire bottom half of her face was swollen and purple, distorting her features. What could she have done serious enough to merit this kind of punishment? He scanned the clearing again, seeing a grave marker, and smelling freshly turned earth. She'd most probably killed another. "A life for a life." he said, softly. He turned to leave, his curiosity satisfied. It was none of his affair what humans did to one another.

A low groan came from the hanging woman. He turned back around, astonished to see her staring at him with the most intense green eyes he'd ever seen. He stared back, feeling her gaze touch something inside of him. It was like rubbing silk up his spine. He watched as the light began dying in her eyes. She widened her eyes in a moment of panic, realizing her fate, then the light was completely gone. He continued to stare, confused by what had just passed between them.

Tenseiga pulsed strongly at his side, breaking into his thoughts. He looked questioningly at the sword. "Another human?" he asked it, bitterly. It pulsed again, even stronger. He had to grit his teeth together to keep them from chattering from the fierce shock waves. "Have it your way." he sighed. He leapt from the ground, catching her around the waist, and cutting the rope with his claws. He laid her gently on the ground, and rid her of the rest of the rope. The messengers from the underworld appeared around her, as he drew his sword, ready to take her soul back with them. He swiped through them with one clean stroke, and they dissolved instantly. Resheathing his sword, he knelt by the woman and pulled her up by her shoulders, waiting for her to open those amazing green eyes again.

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"How could it be possible?", Kagome whispered softly. Inuyasha just shrugged.

"I don't know, Kagome. I'm just telling you what my nose tells me."

They sat in silence for several minutes, Kagome and Inuyasha both lost in thought. Inuyasha had just finished telling her what he believed had happened to her friend.

"Well, nobody really knows how the well works," Kagome said, thoughtfully, "so, I suppose it's entirely possible. It's just so farfetched."

"Is it?" Inuyasha countered. Kagome thought on this for a moment.

"No, I suppose with all I've seen lately, nothing's impossible. Let's get going." Kagome said, rising from her chair. "Nothing's turning up here, so what can it hurt to look in your time, too?"

Inuyasha smiled behind her back as he followed her out of her room. It was good to see her with a purpose again. She'd been so down since her friend had turned up missing, he hadn't really known what to do. Only that it hurt to see her like that, and he wanted it to stop. She reached behind her, and gently squeezed his hand as they walked down the stairs. He almost stumbled. Her touch always affected him like that. It took a moment to regain his composure. He inhaled deeply, trying to calm the raging blush he was sure was visible.

"Be careful, Kagome." Her mom said, giving her a gentle hug. Mrs. Higurashi grabbed Inuyasha's left ear, as he walked by the kitchen, squeezing it playfully. "And you take good care of my daughter." she finished, looking him directly in the eye. He nodded at her concern, and turned to follow Kagome to the shrine.


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Sorry about the original character setting for Sess. I've read alot of beautifully written stories with Sess/Kag and Sess/Rin pairings that I loved a whole lot. I was just having a hard time branching off of that idea. Please Review!!!