Hunted By The Wolf

Hunted By The Wolf

Chapter 7: Into the Darkness
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Inspired by pledges of loyalty (and sexual favors)
I've decided to write an update on only one day
after my last!
I did do something productive on my
day off.

Consider the support group squashed.
I want you all hooked.
.............................................


My friends gave me at least until camp was set up to
pester me for details. Except for Inuyasha, who just
watched me with a slightly suspicious look in his eye. I
was getting restless. I didn't want him making any undue
accusations, here. I didn't do anything wrong. Either
had Kouga, for that matter. When the fool had licked my
neck, it had healed it, hadn't it? So it wasn't for the wrong
reasons, not that Kouga had done it for any reason other
than out of guilt.


Guilt. It was a funny thing. Did most people feel guilt when
they hadn't done anything, only thought about it? Not that
I had been thinking about anything particularly wrong that
day.


The fire was snapping in a manner that soothed me, and I was
grateful. As relieved as I was to be back with my friends, I
couldn't help but dread their questions now that I was back.
Oddly enough, it was Miroku that spoke up first.

"So, Sango. How exactly did you end up with Kouga?"
His eyebrows were raised above those dark eyes, and for once,
they were leer-free. His words actualized my thoughts and I
glanced up at him before my attention moved back to the flames.
Over the top of them, I could see Kagome and Inuyasha watching
me curiously, expectantly from their respective places around the
fire. I sighed. It had to come sometime.


"Well," I began, wondering what, if anything, I should leave
out. Lying wasn't my strong suit. Was omitting the truth lying?
"One minute I was talking to you, Miroku, and the next someone
grabbed me and we were moving. When he set me down, I saw
who it was, and wanted to fight. We didn't however, because he,"
I paused, wondering how to describe the night without it seeming
as oddly intimate as it had felt. "Well, he apologized after he
realized that he'd made the same mistake, twice." Kagome laughed
and Inuyasha's nostrils flared. Not so funny to him, I suppose,
that Kouga had tried to kidnap Kagome a third time. Not that
he'd succeeded the second time, either.


Miroku was watching me with an unreadable expression. I
wondered why he was so interested all of a sudden. The lecher
never paid any attention to me. Except maybe to my ass, I thought
with a snort. I narrowed my eyes at him for a second and then
continued.
"Anyhow, he didn't want to take me back that night, so I set out
on my own. It's too dark this far North at night, though. As you can
see, the visibility isn't very good without fire nearby." I frowned. The
next part might seem a little odd. "He offered me deer, and I was
so hungry and tired that I couldn't pass up the offer," I sighed. Yes.
It was odd. That's why it would seem so unlike me, to accept a
near stranger's offer of food and bedding after they'd kidnapped me,
after all.
"I ate, slept, and the next morning," I hurried along, hoping they
wouldn't notice that I skipped over any interaction Kouga and I
might've had. I ignored Inuyasha's expression and tried to continue.
Was he sniffing at me? He was! He was sniffing in my general
direction! Jerk. I glared at him as I continued. "And then we set
out. His wolves followed us, and then we stopped to rest. The
saimyoushou showed up then, and just attacked us," I paused,
biting my lip. "That's out of the ordinary, isn't it?" I asked, looking
to each of them.

"It is," Miroku stated, his thumb and forefinger holding his chin in thought.
I felt a pang of guilt, glancing at him. I didn't like this. This wasn't me,
this holding of secrets. Argh, what secrets! I berated myself. I didn't
do anything! It's because of the way you felt.. I growled internally
at my head. 'Don't start with me.. There's more important things to
worry about..' There's always more important things... You're a
woman, you fool. When are you going to admit it to yourself?


I shook my head and waited for them to comment on this. Inuyasha,
as usual, spoke up then.
"Eh, where were you?" He leaned forward, his interest piqued by
a possible mention of Naraku. I frowned, put my palms up.
"South of the cave, I think." Inuyasha groaned then.
"Have we already passed it!?" His knee started jerking up and down
in excitement. I almost laughed. He really was a dog.
"I don't know...with the way Kouga runs, it could still be further south."


My friends all looked at me, eyebrows raised. What? I looked into
the fire. What did I say? It dawned on me, that they realized
he'd carried me. So what?
"So...you..had to keep up with him?" Miroku, dense as ever, questioned
slowly. I swiveled my head in his direction, and leaned back against
my giant Kirara-bed. She purred, setting me at ease. I had nothing
to hide. I didn't do anything wrong except allow myself to be kidnapped.


"He carried me," I stated boldly, holding houshi's gaze, unfaltering.
His facial expression darkened, and then that mask he puts on became
apparent. He was using his usual houshi hide-a-feeling mask and
pretending to find the situation humorous.
"Like Inuyasha carries Kagome?" The laughter in his voice didn't
sound so genuine to me. I could see where this would lead. I nodded
and shrugged, blinking at his reaction. Kagome, blessed girl, broke the
tension and cleared her throat. We both looked to her.
"So, Sango, are you saying Naraku was around, or just his insects?"

I twisted my mouth in thought.
"I was hoping you all would be able to figure that out. If he had a
hideout somewhere nearby, wouldn't there be miasma surrounding it?
And Inuyasha," I paused, directing my attention on him. "Wouldn't you
be able to smell that from a ways away?" He looked down, thinking.
Didn't want him to hurt himself.


"Maybe," he said quietly. "Or maybe something he didn't want anyone
finding." I nodded. I'd thought of that too.


"Because," I started, "if he had been around, I think he wouldve sent
Kohaku after me once I'd been wounded. They didn't really seem to
have a plan," They were all looking at me the way they always do
when they think I've suddenly remembered Kohaku. They were
wrong. I always thought about him. My kid brother was picking
away at my brain with that scythe constantly underneath all the thoughts
I kept my conscious brain busy with to ignore the pain. "The insects
I mean. They weren't waiting for us, it was more like we'd stumbled
upon them." They all seemed to accept this and think on it for a while.


"We'll look for the place they attacked you tomorrow. Most likely, now
that someone's found it, Naraku will have left or moved whatever he wanted
kept a secret." Inuyasha said with finality, not asking for our input. I hated
it when he did that.
"What if it's something he cannot move?" Miroku asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Like what?" I asked, moving the collar on my uniform over to stare at my
wound. He watched me for a moment intently. Pervert.
"I don't really know, Sango. Maybe a holy artifact or maybe..."
"Maybe a grave," Kagome finished, eyes wide.
"Who's grave would it be?" Inuyasha asked, scowling.
"Who knows," Miroku said, tiredly. He watched me again for a moment,
his expression unreadable. "I'm getting some sleep," he declared, moving a
little further away from me. Not that I wasn't entirely ungrateful. This meant
no groping hands to wake me in my sleep. You're injured, stupid...the houshi
doesn't grope you when you're injured..


"Yes," Kagome said, clapping her hands together. "You should all get
some sleep. We might find something helpful or important tomorrow."
Kagome. Ever the bright-eyed optimist. I smiled softly, and then moved
slowly to get comfortable, curled up warmly against Kirara. Tomorrow I would
find out why exactly those bastard wasps had attacked us at such a random
spot. I couldn't wait. When I had my full strength back, I would wipe out every
one of those annoying insects.
'Can't wait!' I thought dimly. 'Get to go back to the place where I almost died!'
I tried to let myself fall asleep, but Kagome came over to where I lay and crouched
down.
"Hey," she said quietly. "Do you think there's anywhere to take a bath nearby?
I haven't for days." She made a face and gestured to the Hanyou, who was
hunkered down against a tree, glaring daggers at her unspoken accusation. I looked
up at her and frowned. I probably stank, horribly. I wondered if I smelled not only of
bear youkai blood as well as my own, but of Kouga. I nodded to Kagome and
accepted her help up.

"Don't go too far, I don't feel like saving yer asses." Inuyasha called out, and Kirara
got up and stretched out.
"She'll come with us so you won't have to save our asses," I called back
sarcastically. Kirara stalked around to the front of us to lead us to water. I hoped
it wasn't far. Kagome sighed as we sidestepped rocks, frowning in deep thought.

"Something wrong?" I asked her quietly, ignoring the odd tingling in the left side of my
body.
"Are you sure you're okay, Sango?" She glanced up at me from where she supported
me from under my arm. I smiled at her concern, and bent my head down to nudge
hers with my own.
"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be? Other than the limping, Kagome, I'm fine,"
"What happened with Kouga? Are you sure he didn't hurt you?" I snorted at that.
"Kagome, do you really think he would?" I couldn't see her expression that
clearly in the dusk, but she shook her head.
"No. But something's weird. Miroku's acting really weird. You know?"
"Yes," I sighed, nearly overjoyed at the sight of the small stream Kirara had led us to.
"I just figured he was weirded out by my getting kidnapped. I'm sorry, Kagome." I took
my arm from around her neck and sat back against a large rock, undoing the buttons
on my uniform. She cocked her head at me, going to the buttons of her own clothing.
"For what?" she asked, pulling her shirt over her head. I finished undressing and I
limped to the water before answering her. "Well," I started as I sank into the cold
water from the waist up. The sensation was delicious on my dull left side, and I was
just happy I could feel it almost as intensely as I could on my right, unaffected side.

"I'm sorry for not coming back that night like I should have," I stated finally, dipping my
hair back into the water. She shook her head, doing the same.
"I'm glad you didn't. What if you had run into the saimyoushou on your own, Sango?"
I stopped. She was right. Without Kouga there to help me escape I would've been a goner.
Without his wolves they would've stung us to death had they not fought them back. I
scratched the dried blood out of my hair, grimacing at the smell it was probably giving off.


"Maybe we shouldn't go tomorrow," she said thoughtfully, she said, wiping her face.
I looked at her, shook my head.
"We should," I stated, not really wanting to argue.
"Sango, you're injured. What if he is there? We're in no
condition to fight him. I don't want to lose anyone," she said sadly.
"Kagome, what if this is our chance to get an upperhand? I'll
be fine by dawn!" I promised, smiling at her as largely as I could. We
couldn't waste a chance to get that bastard.


Ugh. I was rank. Kagome laughed at my face, illuminated by the moonlight which had come
out from behind a cloud, finally. She let her doubts drop, and I was thankful.
"Sango," she said, in a more serious tone. I looked up from what I was doing. She crouched
with the water up to her shoulders. "I'm glad you're alive. I was so worried about you." I
smiled and looked down. It was nice to have family again. Ever since I had come to join
this group, as aggravating as my little family was, they really made me feel loved. Hah.
Even if they showed it by grappling my ass every once in a while.
Kagome interrupted my thoughts. "We should get back soon, Sango. I don't want
them 'worrying' and 'coming to look for us,' " I agreed, and rinsed my hair with the pure
mountainous water. Kouga had smelled something like this water, like the fresh air that
was all around us. This was his home, after all.

I wished desperately that I could stop thinking about him once
we were out of here and everything was back to normal. I didn't need
whatever I felt about him or the last two days complicating my life any
further. Miroku. I didn't even knew how I really felt about him, so why
had I considered Kouga so much in the last few days?


Because he saved your life, and you enjoyed being near him, even
if it was such a short amount of time, I sighed, rung the water from
my hair. I needed to stop talking to myself. Kagome and I got out of the
water and dressed. Kirara led us back to camp, nudging me onto her back
for the return trip. I was lucky. I had those around me that cared about me.


I didn't need love in a romantic sense, not right now. I didn't need romance
or attachment to a man in that way. I didn't need sex.


Who are you kidding? "GrrrrrrSHUTUP!" I whispered, trying to act
normal when I saw Kagome turn slyly to glance at me with a raised brow.
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Morning light. I loved being awakened by the sun on my face. Small waves
of warmth radiated off of the nearly dead fire, and I stretched out, arching my back
against Kirara. She purred, letting me know she was awake.


The others stirred around the same time I did, Kagome pushing Inuyasha away
when he tried to wake her up. I giggled at the sight, and houshi helped me up,
and then turned to step on the fire and put it out.


"Where's Shippo?" I asked him, testing out my left leg. It didn't tingle anymore,
and that was at the very least a positive sign. He watched me for a
moment for any sign of discomfort, and then bit his lip.
"We sent him home on Kirara after you were kidnapped. Kirara
needed something to occupy her, as well. She was sick with worry,
poor kitten." Her ears were flat, and I laughed at the expression
her eyes took on as she glared at him. He smiled softly at her,
and then looked back at me. "We didn't want Shippo around
then anyhow. He was as worried about you as he usually
is when Kagome's late,"


My eyes widened at this. "He was?" I asked, confused.
"Silly kit, he should know by now that it takes more than a
nearsighted kidnapper to kill me off," Miroku's facial expression
didn't reveal much other than discomfort, and I grabbed the
staff he used for walking and fighting above his own hand
as he tried to walk away. He sighed and turned to me,
realizing that I wanted to talk to him about the subject.

"Miroku," I began, suddenly without words. What could I
say? What were we to each other. "You've been acting
strangely," I decided upon figuring him out before I assumed that
he'd noticed anything odd. He looked at me from the corner
of his eyes, sizing me up I suppose.
"Sango, I was worried about you. I don't know what I would
do if I were to lose you," I hadn't expected him to be so open.
He never was. His hand inched up until the top of his fingers
touched the bottom of my hand that wrapped around the staff.
I couldn't believe him. I wasn't sure if this was a good situation
or not. It never fails. Nothing can be simple, Sango!


I breathed out evenly, peering into his face. We stood about a foot
apart, a fairly respectable distance, though it was rare for us to be
so close. I knew my cheeks had turned slightly pink, and I knew
the bastard was enjoying it, too. He smiled softly, and I swear his
face moved closer. Of course, though, things being what they were,
I'll never know what would have happened if he had kissed me.


"Houshi!" I yelled, and smacked him. "That wasn't your cursed hand!" I
spat, and trudged off to where Kagome and Inuyasha had sauntered, waiting
for our, well, what could have been a romantic interlude, to be over. What the fuck was
I thinking? Of course the idiot couldn't not be a lech for two seconds and
just be a normal man before he ruined everything. I snorted, reaching a
disgusted hanyou and mortified Kagome.


"Perv," I muttered, walking past them. They followed. At least I could
walk with what I thought was an unnoticeable limp. I sneaked a look at my
wound, stopping next to a tree. It was gone, except for a scab over the hole
the giant stinger had left. Apparently, wolf spit worked wonders. I had to
keep it covered, and when Kagome reached a few paces behind me I covered
up the expanse of flesh, waiting for her to reach me.


We walked in silence, Kirara and myself leading, I suppose. The area started
to look familiar after a while, bent tree limbs and all. This must have been
where Kouga had entered the trees. I smirked softly at the memory. The jerk.
He'd done it on purpose to scare me. I stopped looked to a large tree to the right
of us. There, where I'd kicked the tree the day before (or the day before that,
I couldn't be sure,) was a dent and a lapse in the bark.

"Here," I declared. "This is where we stopped to rest, and then.." I turned, looking
for the mostly unwalked path we'd followed a short ways. "We walked down
this way.." I cautiously started forward, glancing at the hanyou to let him
know to be on his guard. He grunted and put a hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga,
and I shifted the weight of Hiraikotsu, just to be sure. I was glad that the
wasp had stung my left shoulder and not my throwing arm. I would
have had to retrain that arm for months if it had been injured.


"There's the katana!" I said happily, stepping over to it where it lay on
rocks and leaves. Kagome came up behind me cautiously, her hand
at her throat.
"Is this where they attacked you?" I nodded, looking around.
Nothing. There wasn't a thing here.
"Why would they be out in the middle of nowhere?" Inuyasha
asked, sniffing at the air. He opened his eyes, and they narrowed. A
low growl started to emit from his chest and he moved to be in front of
Kagome.
"What is it?" I whispered, moving Hiraikotsu to my side. The monk's hand
went to his sealing beads. The forest was quiet and tense, the air thick
with nothing. Not even a bird in the trees.
We waited for a few minutes, and I finally grew too agitated to stand quiet
and waiting for something to attack. "Inuyasha, what is it already?" I
demanded quietly, angry now. He bared his teeth, and at the noise
of something hitting the ground and crunching leaves behind me
spun me around.


"Fuck are you doing here, wolf?" Inuyasha pushed Kagome slightly behind
him and snarled. I blinked a few times and sighed in relief. Stupid hanyou.
He'd known it was just Kouga, why with the theatrics?

"I got attacked here yesterday, mutt. I have more right to be here'n you do,"
Kouga bit out, smiling unpleasantly. I rolled my eyes. Was all this necessary
for the male ego, I wondered?


"Is there anything important about this place?" I asked him, hoisting Hiraikotsu
across my back. He bit his lip.
"I thought so, but can't quite remember what. I haven't really been to
this area much, y'know? It's pretty far east of the caves of my pack, when
the pack still lived...there..." he stated quietly, pushing his bangs off of his
forehead for a second. I turned so that I wouldn't watch him, and took a few
steps towards the dried blood on the ground. "Hey, hunter, aint'cha glad
to see me?" Kouga called to me, humor tainting the lecturing tone he'd used.
I turned to look at him over my shoulder, but couldn't finish the thought.


The leaves beneath me crackled, and suddenly the ground gave way. I
began to fall, though I made no sound. I scrabbled at the tree root that
stuck out from the loose earth, and the cries of my tribe sounded far
off to my adrenaline-filled ears. All I could think was, get out, don't
get buried. Don't go through this again...


The faces of my friends appeared nearly instantly over the edge of the
unstable hole in the ground. Kagome was reaching down, trying to
reach me. Silly girl, I thought absently, scratching at the earth to
try and raise myself. Anything to distract myself from the panic that was rising
in my gut. She'd never be able to reach me. There was just too much distance.
Kouga was preparing to jump over the edge, but Inuyasha put a hand out to stop
him. He growled and got in the hanyou's face. The houshi's staff was almost
within my reach. I just couldn't get to it, not from this far down. The rumbling
of the ground had never stopped, so I couldn't hear them. Kouga had pushed the
hanyou out of the way and was stretching to reach. Then, the best possible
thing that could have, happened. The ground supporting all of them
gave way. We tumbled together, myself first, of course, into the darkness.


It felt like forever. Moments, probably, had passed, but the adrenaline pumping
through my veins made me feel like it had been hours. I waited for the impact.


I would die from falling through a hole in the ground. I couldn't accept this.


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Bwahahaha! The cliffy stands until tomorrow. (Don't kill me, guys, I have tomorrow
off as well, so there'll be another chapter, I promise.)

You'll like the next part. This shit practically writes itself.

Again, I do this in your best interest. ;P