just love me

“Kikyo!” the said priestess raised her head at the sound of Inumaru’s voice. The little boy held a small beetle demon’s head in triumph. “I won Kikyo I won!! He tried to eat me and I warned him but he didn’t listen, “the little boy continued on proudly. KIkyo hid a grin before admonishing him, “you better not bring that filthy thing into the hut Inumaru, this is a place of healing not a playground.” Perfectly used to Kikyo’s mood swings, Inumaru merely grinned and skipped off to dispose of the head. Shaking her head, she finished gathering her herbs and knelt by a man who was coughing up blood. He had consumption and Kikyo could only do so much without bringing him back from the dead. She fixed him some herbal tea that would aid the chest pain but there was little else she could do.

She stood up, a frown creasing her forehead. She knew what death was, a dark unending expanse of despair. A good man such as this one did not deserve such a premature invitation. ‘Will he be all right Lady Kikyo?” His wife knelt beside him in worry, tears threatening to spill out of her brown eyes. ‘He could be better,” Kikyo avoided the question, “But could be worse as well.”. The wife seemed to understand and she knelt her head, “Is there nothing else you could do?”. “I’m a priestess, not a miracle worker. I extend my consolations and I wish that I could only do more to help him but as it is…..” Kikyo laid a comforting hand on the sobbing woman’s shoulder. The man stirred and Kikyo stood up to leave the couple together.

Inumaru grinned up at her from where he sat, pounding herbs into a poultice. “Inumaru I only need enough for two patients, not a whole army, “ she laughed. Inumaru looked at the large amount of poultice in surprise, “but I didn’t want to waste it.”. Kikyo sighed, “Well it never hurts to be prepared.”.

“Let’s go for a walk, “ Inumaru whooped for joy at Kikyo’s suggestion, she didn’t walk with him through the forest often. She gathered her soul collectors behind the hut as to not startle the patients and followed the boy who was anxious to leave.

Inumaru was bounding around the forest in joy trying to catch a butterfly. He laughed in joy and Kikyo watched him with a small smile on her face. Suddenly the butterfly was crushed in a large hand. Inumaru’s laughter stopped and Kikyo’s blood ran cold. “Inumaru, get behind me.” She ordered, and the boy hurried to comply, warned by the urgency in her voice. The priestess pulled an arrow to her bow and aimed it at Naraku.

“So hostile?” He chuckled, brushing the crushed butterfly from his hand. Kikyo didn’t say anything but merely narrowed her eyes at him.

“I merely came to check on your wellbeing.” Naraku said casually

“Or to check on your disgusting puppet? Don’t worry, I took care of him.” Kikyo nearly snarled at him, barely keeping her emotions in check.

“oh, him. A mistake, I’m sure he didn’t get a scratch on you, my dear priestess.” Naraku sneered at her

“Oh don’t worry your human heart over me Naraku.” She sneered back, “because my heart is certainly not worried about you.”

“Only my human heart is wounded by that barb at my pride, but the rest of me is pounding to see you screaming under me as I take you and then rip you apart you with my own hands. Unfortunately, Onigumo won’t let me do that. But soon, I will be able to and then we will see who is on top, my priestess.” Naraku said, hatred dripping from every word.

Kikyo couldn’t find anything to say to that, she let her arrow speak for her. It flew straight on its mark and Naraku barely dodged it. It sliced off a lock of his ebony hair. He looked up at her in anger.

“you came all the way here just to tell me that, how sweet Naraku.” Kikyo could barely keep her emotions in check.

“you will see, oh you will see. “ Naraku breathed ferally and disappeared in his miasma.

Kikyo collapsed and Inumaru ran to her side. She patted his arm in reassurance and stood up with the aid of her soul collectors. They made their way back to the hut, unaware of the eyes watching them.

“Kikyo?” Inumaru looked up at her, “ Who was that?”


“Just an old friend.” Kikyo said through gritted teeth. Inumaru was frightened by the look on Kikyo’s face. It was an odd mix of hatred fear and sadness that had Inumaru wanting to throw his arms around the priestess. He did just that. He hugged her leg tightly and when she stopped and looked at him in surprise he looked up at her, “Don’t be mad Kikyo. You got me remember?”
She smiled down at him, “How could I ever forget?” She patted his head in thanks and continued to walk.

Inumaru watched Kikyo in worry. He had come to love her almost like another mother. He was about to run after Kikyo when A large tentacle clamped itself around his throat and dragged him back into the trees, the pressure on his throat not letting him shout a warning to Kikyo.

Kikyo frowned, something seemed different. She turned around, realizing that Inumaru was no longer behind her. She would have owed the conspicuous lack of Inumaru at her shoulder to him running off to play if she hadn’t sensed a demonic aura in the trees.

She could barely hear the tell tale rustle behind her before she whipped out her bow and fired an arrow at the snake demon that had snuck up on her. He disappeared with a hiss of pain leaving Kikyo panicking. Was she losing her powers? She was more and more unable to sense things as each day came.

“Inumaru.” Kikyo now realized what was going on when the owner of the aura registered in her mind. Apparently, Naraku had not left the forest as he had seemed to. Oh shit, Kikyo’s eyes widened.

“Inumaru!!!” Kikyo yelled the boy’s name in panic.