CHAPTER ONE
*
Inuyasha left an hour before sunset, just as the sky was starting to turn red and orange.
"I'll be back in the morning," he called just before leaping up to a tree bough.
"I know," Kagome said, waving. "I'll see you tomorrow. Don't run into any trouble."
"Feh," Inuyasha grumbled.
Kagome watched him leaping from tree to tree until he vanished in the distance. The moon had only been a sliver the night before, and it would be completely gone that night. But the sight of him racing away didn't worry her. She knew that when she woke up in the morning, he'd be in a tree or on Kaede's roof, or somewhere like that.
She stretched and yawned. They had spent almost three weeks straight hunting jewel shards, even running afoul of a nest of demon rats that had cornered Shippo up a tree. After many days of stumbling through the wilderness, Kagome told Inuyasha that she wanted to go back to the village for a rest. To her surprise, he agreed.
It was only that night that Kagome noticed why, lying in her sleeping bag on the cool grass. She could see the moon through the trees. It was a thin little crescent, with only a few days until it was gone altogether. Inuyasha preferred to be somewhere halfway safe when he changed. Into a human.
Kagome wandered back over to Kaede's hut, shivering in the evening breeze. I know he's gonna be okay, she thought. After all, there aren't that many demons in this neck of the woods. But I can't help worrying about him when he's alone.
She glanced back at the reddened outlines of the trees. The sun had set halfway already.
*
The glow of Kaede's hearth could be seen through the doorway and windows. Kagome felt a little more comfortable as she saw her friends sitting around it, talking and eating bowls of Kaede's stew. It was the kind of homey, warm atmosphere that was what she missed most about home. Wandering with Inuyasha was never boring, but it was a little hard to not have a nice warm room to go to at the end of the day.
Kaede handed her a bowl. "Has Inuyasha left yet, Kagome?"
"Yeah," Kagome said. "I just saw him off. He was really in a hurry."
"I'm not sure why he insists on hiding in the woods when this happens," Sango said meditatively. "Why doesn't he just stay out of sight in Kaede's home? It would certainly be safer."
"Probably he doesn't want to be seen in a vulnerable state," Miroku said. "Though he's still quite strong and agile as a human, he's nowhere near as powerful as he is normally. To Inuyasha, that's a weakness that he doesn't want anyone to view."
Kagome sighed. "You're right about that. But some vulnerability could do him good."
She kind of liked it when he turned into a human when she was around. He'd been sweet on the few occasions when he had. I just wish I knew if that was just how he behaves when he's human, or if he really meant all those things he said and did, she thought. She skewered a piece of meat and chewed on it thoughtfully.
"Kagome," Kaede said quietly. "On this night, perhaps ye may take your mind off Inuyasha for some hours, by studying the herbal remedies I have not yet taught ye. There is one herb I have wished to show ye, but I have not been able to for many weeks. It blooms only on the nights of the new moon and the full moon, and ye have not been here during those times."
"Do you have any here?"
"Nay. To pick it any time but when it is blooming would be a waste." Kaede rested her worn hands on her knees. "Kagome, will ye pick some tonight? They bloom under the rock cliffs near the river. Where ye bathed after the battle with Mistress Centipede..."
"Oh, that place," Kagome said. "Sure, I'll go pick some."
Kaede brought a basket in from the next room, while Kagome rummaged around for her flashlight. "If ye feel uneasy, come straight back, and we will try this another time," the old priestess said.
"You can bring Kirara with you, if you want," Sango offered. The little demon cat mewed and waved her tails.
"No, it's just a short walk from here," Kagome said, putting her flashlight in her basket. "I shouldn't have any problems."
She stepped out into the chilly night air, and glanced up at the starlit sky. The moon had vanished.
TO BE CONTINUED
*
Inuyasha left an hour before sunset, just as the sky was starting to turn red and orange.
"I'll be back in the morning," he called just before leaping up to a tree bough.
"I know," Kagome said, waving. "I'll see you tomorrow. Don't run into any trouble."
"Feh," Inuyasha grumbled.
Kagome watched him leaping from tree to tree until he vanished in the distance. The moon had only been a sliver the night before, and it would be completely gone that night. But the sight of him racing away didn't worry her. She knew that when she woke up in the morning, he'd be in a tree or on Kaede's roof, or somewhere like that.
She stretched and yawned. They had spent almost three weeks straight hunting jewel shards, even running afoul of a nest of demon rats that had cornered Shippo up a tree. After many days of stumbling through the wilderness, Kagome told Inuyasha that she wanted to go back to the village for a rest. To her surprise, he agreed.
It was only that night that Kagome noticed why, lying in her sleeping bag on the cool grass. She could see the moon through the trees. It was a thin little crescent, with only a few days until it was gone altogether. Inuyasha preferred to be somewhere halfway safe when he changed. Into a human.
Kagome wandered back over to Kaede's hut, shivering in the evening breeze. I know he's gonna be okay, she thought. After all, there aren't that many demons in this neck of the woods. But I can't help worrying about him when he's alone.
She glanced back at the reddened outlines of the trees. The sun had set halfway already.
*
The glow of Kaede's hearth could be seen through the doorway and windows. Kagome felt a little more comfortable as she saw her friends sitting around it, talking and eating bowls of Kaede's stew. It was the kind of homey, warm atmosphere that was what she missed most about home. Wandering with Inuyasha was never boring, but it was a little hard to not have a nice warm room to go to at the end of the day.
Kaede handed her a bowl. "Has Inuyasha left yet, Kagome?"
"Yeah," Kagome said. "I just saw him off. He was really in a hurry."
"I'm not sure why he insists on hiding in the woods when this happens," Sango said meditatively. "Why doesn't he just stay out of sight in Kaede's home? It would certainly be safer."
"Probably he doesn't want to be seen in a vulnerable state," Miroku said. "Though he's still quite strong and agile as a human, he's nowhere near as powerful as he is normally. To Inuyasha, that's a weakness that he doesn't want anyone to view."
Kagome sighed. "You're right about that. But some vulnerability could do him good."
She kind of liked it when he turned into a human when she was around. He'd been sweet on the few occasions when he had. I just wish I knew if that was just how he behaves when he's human, or if he really meant all those things he said and did, she thought. She skewered a piece of meat and chewed on it thoughtfully.
"Kagome," Kaede said quietly. "On this night, perhaps ye may take your mind off Inuyasha for some hours, by studying the herbal remedies I have not yet taught ye. There is one herb I have wished to show ye, but I have not been able to for many weeks. It blooms only on the nights of the new moon and the full moon, and ye have not been here during those times."
"Do you have any here?"
"Nay. To pick it any time but when it is blooming would be a waste." Kaede rested her worn hands on her knees. "Kagome, will ye pick some tonight? They bloom under the rock cliffs near the river. Where ye bathed after the battle with Mistress Centipede..."
"Oh, that place," Kagome said. "Sure, I'll go pick some."
Kaede brought a basket in from the next room, while Kagome rummaged around for her flashlight. "If ye feel uneasy, come straight back, and we will try this another time," the old priestess said.
"You can bring Kirara with you, if you want," Sango offered. The little demon cat mewed and waved her tails.
"No, it's just a short walk from here," Kagome said, putting her flashlight in her basket. "I shouldn't have any problems."
She stepped out into the chilly night air, and glanced up at the starlit sky. The moon had vanished.
TO BE CONTINUED