50 Years Too Early

Chapter 8: Unity

Kagome had always loved roller coasters. Ever since gramps to her to Osaka's Expo-Land and she rode the Orochi roller coaster, she was hooked. With each passing year she expected more out of the roller coasters she rode to the point where Eri, Yuka and Ayumi had once joked that the only way for her to get the thrill she wanted was to go skydiving. There had been times where she had given it some thought. But riding on Inuyasha's back through the hair infested forest made her reconsider. Even on the fastest, tallest rides, she had always been strapped in and felt safe in some manner. Here, the only thing keeping her from falling at least 3 stories were Inuyasha's arms. She could feel the strength in them but that didn't make her feel any better about it.

It didn't help that the half-demon bounded through the forest with speeds no roller coaster could match. The wind whipped against her face, making it nearly impossible to keep her eyes open. With each drop and jump it felt like stones were being dropped on her stomach. Every now and then he would bark at her to keep her eyes peeled for Yura's hairs, a task easier said than done. She allowed herself to crack open one eye only to see Inuyasha launch himself another six stories into the air to get past a rather tall tree. Kagome's stomach instantly dropped into her legs and her scream echoed to the heavens. She felt Inuyasha's body buckle at the sudden noise causing him to miss his intended branch. Kagome could only scream louder as they plummeted. Her arms latched onto the closest thing it could find, Inuyasha's neck. The moment his arms left her legs, she squeezed as hard as she could and let loose another scream, not daring to open her eyes.

"Would you stop screaming!?" Inuyasha yelled over her. "We ain't even falling anymore!"

Kagome allowed one eye to open and saw that Inuyasha's claws had dug into the bark of a tree. She took one glance down and quickly buried her face into his back. They were still several stories above the forest floor.

"Jeez!" Inuyasha said as he launched himself back into the branches. "I don't know what Kikyo was thinking sticking me with you. Alert the entire damn forest where we are while you're it."

Despite the intense speed, Kagome managed a glare at the halfling. "You're running faster than a bullet train and you expect me to be calm about it!? Not all of us can be Ms. Perfect like your girlfriend, Kikyo!"

"She ain't my girlfriend!" Inuyasha barked. "And what the hell is a bullet train anyways?"

"Ugh….! You're hopeless," Kagome said.

"And you're-!" Inuyasha halted before he could continue. A fire burning in a nearby clearing illuminated the dark woods in a flickering orange light. Kagome didn't have Inuyasha's sense of smell, but even she could smell the smoke, and worse in the air. She felt the nausea build in her stomach almost immediately and mentally cried for Inuyasha to turn back but she pushed it back down as best as she could. Kagome tightened her grip on Inuyasha and the half-demon made his way towards the fire. In only four leaps, he landed at the scene and the nausea in Kagome's stomach peaked.

Four burned bodies lay near the charred remains of what used to be the bushes of the clearing. Piles of ashes and dust dotted the space near them. Kagome could only assume the ashes were the rest of their friends. The intact bodies had burns that no CSI TV show could accurately replicate. She felt her knees weaken and the bile in her stomach threaten to enter her throat. She turned away and crouched down just in case.

"Bandits," Inuyasha announced, looking over what was left of their armor. "It doesn't look like they put up much of a fight."

"Did…Yura do all this…?" Kagome managed to say. Suddenly their chances didn't seem all that great.

"Looks like it. I smell her stupid scent all over this place." He glanced down at an untouched patch on the burned ground. Kagome heard him take a few sniffs around the patch. "Judging from this scent, one of them managed to get away. Keh, doubt he lasted long though."

"Terrific," Kagome said gulping down her remaining nausea.

"Now what's the matter?" Inuyasha groaned. "I better not hear you say that you're scared or you want to go home."

Kagome took a breath. Getting scared wouldn't help Kaede. If they didn't save her and fast, Yura would do to Kaede what she did to the bandits. She saw a bow and a quiver of arrows leaning against a tree and smirked. If Kikyo could do it, so could she.

"Actually," she said grabbing the bow and arrows. "I was going to borrow these."

Inuyasha glanced at her for a few moments, his expression unreadable, before merely scoffing. "Whatever you say."

It took a few seconds for Kagome to readjust herself on Inuyasha's back before they set off again. With each passing moment, Kagome could feel her heart race. By the time the rocks of the cliffs came into view, Kagome was amazed she could hear anything over the pounding organ.

"You know you're not going to hit anything right?" Inuyasha said. "So why bother?"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, dog boy," she said.

Inuyasha raced up the top of the cliff, which gave them a full view of the valley below. "Have you even held a bow before?"

"No, but how hard can it be?"

"Famous last words…" Inuyasha muttered.

Kagome shot him a glare before a pulse ran through her body. It was as if spiders were crawling under her skin. She could feel Yura's presence straight ahead of them. She crawled to the peak of the cliff and looked down at the valley. A giant sphere made up of countless interlocking clumps of hair, skulls and bone stood in the center. Kagome could only gape at the strange aura she felt.

"A giant…hairball?" she said. "Yura isn't one for subtly is she?"

Inuyasha took a few whiffs of the air. "The kid's down there somewhere. But Yura's scent is so strong, I can't pin her down."

Kagome looked over the area as one thought began to nag her. "Inuyasha…I think we're missing one important element here."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "What's that?"

"Where's Yura?"

OOOOO

When Kikyo arrived at the valley, already she could feel something amiss. The giant hairball that served as Yura's lair pulsed with her demonic aura. The mare's hair bristled against Kikyo's legs as they approached. She scanned the area, unable to pin down neither the demon's presence nor Kaede's. But she could at least detect Inuyasha's and Kagome's presence. They were in position; she just needed the proper lure for their target.

"Yura!" she called. "Show yourself. I'm here as you asked!"

She could hear the hairs around her screech like a sour note on a shamisen, starling the mare. Kikyo pulled on the reins to keep the creature steady, though she doubted its stillness would last. The mare's hooves stomped the ground, ready to gallop in the opposite direction at any unexpected sound. Kikyo grabbed an arrow from her quiver and aimed it into the valley. Pain ran up her arm from her shoulder wound. Kikyo bit down on her lip to keep herself from wincing. The last thing she needed was Yura knowing how weakened their previous encounter left her. Even now, after Kagome adjusted her bandages, her knee injury ached. She still wouldn't be able to put weight on it. With any luck, she wouldn't need to leave the mare's saddle. But in her travels, Kikyo had learned that luck was a fickle creature.

"So I see," Yura's voice echoed. "Yet, I do not sense the Sacred Jewel. Does your sister's life mean so little to you?"

Kikyo could feel a shift in Yura's demonic aura but she still couldn't trace it. "I give you this one chance. Release my youngest sister and perhaps I will spare your miserable life."

"You underestimate me, Kikyo," Yura said, her voice rising, making the mare even more unsettled. "I'm nothing like those primitive demons who threw their lives away in their pursuit of the jewel."

Kikyo stretched out her awareness, Yura was close. She only needed a few more moments to pinpoint her exact location. "Your current actions, suggest otherwise."

"Well then, allow me to demonstrate."

A sword flew out from the valley faster than Kikyo could spot. Instinctively, the priestess launched her arrow at the weapon, only for the sword to curve downwards, avoiding her attack completely. Kikyo reached for another arrow but was two seconds too late. The sword imbedded itself deep into the mare's chest, striking its heart. The mare's cries pounded against Kikyo's ears at it stood on its hind legs, thrashing about. The priestess attempted several soothing gestures but nothing could ease its pain. The horse's own weight became too much for it and Kikyo could feel it begin to crumble to the ground. As it made its final cries, she leapt from the saddle. But she regretted the action almost instantly as pain crippled her leg. The priestess could not resist the cry that escaped her lips.

"It's as I thought," Yura said. "Your fragile human body has yet to heal."

Kikyo took a knee, unable to stand for long. But already her bow was notched. "You dare call me fragile when you are too afraid to even show yourself?"

"Very well, I shall remedy that."

The hairs around Kikyo sprang to life, enfolding her limbs and waist, then dragging her into the center of the valley to the base of Yura's hairball. Dust and rock knocked against her trapped body, the hairs tightening their grip with each passing second. She felt a tug on the locks and like a pulley; Kikyo was hoisted almost eight feet into the air, to come face to face with Yura. The female demon stood on thick tendrils of hair like a tightrope, her demonic violet eyes smug and her sword sheath empty.

"Are you satisfied now priestess?" Yura asked. Another tug brought her sword flying back to her waiting hand. It was then Kikyo noticed the hair wrapped around the hilt. She managed a quick glance around her and saw Yura's back was to the cliff where Inuyasha and Kagome lied in wait. Despite herself she managed a smirk.

"Why yes, Yura, I am very satisfied," she said. "Inuyasha, now!"

"Finally!" she heard him exclaim. "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!"

Four golden arcs slashed through Yura's torso from her shoulder down to her hips. Yura's eyes widened at the sudden attack and the hairs immediately lost their grip. Kikyo dropped but did not get far before Inuyasha grabbed her and slid to ground.

"Are you all right?" he asked as he set her down.

"I will survive," she said simply.

Inuyasha scoffed, ready to berate her she figured, but Yura's voice cut through the air.

"Such a bad doggie you have priestess," she said from above them, her wound from Inuyasha's claws nonexistent. "I see it falls to me to teach your pet some manners."

Inuyasha's ears flattened, his face locked in a growl. "Who are you calling a pet, bitch!"

"Inuyasha," Kikyo warned. "Do not allow her to provoke you."

But the half-demon already sprang into the air, his claws poised for a strong swipe. Yura dodged the attack with little effort. Inuyasha grabbed one of the nearby tendrils to keep himself at her height but he realized his mistake too late. The tentacle quickly wrapped itself around his wrist, immobilizing his right arm. Inuyasha swung out with his left but another gesture from Yura made three more tendrils wrap around his remaining limbs.

"Too easy," Yura giggled. "Your little doggie has quite the temper Kikyo."

Kikyo grimaced. Yura surviving a direct attack from Inuyasha's claws complicated matters enough, now she had Inuyasha in her midst and still no sign of Kaede. How was it possible that Yura not only survived but managed to heal herself? The priestess brushed the thought aside for the moment. Freeing Inuyasha had to come first. She looked to her left, where her bow laid a good twenty paces away. She took one step with her injured leg and nearly crumpled to the ground. Curse this wound, she thought.

"Having a little trouble, Kikyo?" Yura said.

A surge of demonic energy was Kikyo's only warning before Yura's hair swept her up and bound her across from Inuyasha. Yura tugged on both their bonds cutting off the blood flow to her limbs and aggravating her shoulder wound. She saw Inuyasha struggle against the hair but to no avail. Kikyo could feel numbness setting into her arms from the elbows down, the only feeling that remained was pain in her shoulder. Yura seemed to sense her discomfort and swung in her direction. She passed a hand through Kikyo's hair, her smile of victory impossible to ignore.

"The mighty Kikyo, at my mercy," Yura said, looking over her hair. "I would have hoped that a priestess with your reputation would have given me much more a challenge, but alas. I can add your hair to my collection at the very least. As soon as I take the Sacred Jewel of course."

"Get your hands off of her!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Although I must say," she said as she made her way towards Inuyasha. "It's rather sad when your pet has far prettier hair than his owner."

Inuyasha swiped his claws at the demon but Yura merely dropped to a lower hair chord. The hair absorbed her fall and allowed her spring back up, slashing Inuyasha's chest as she went with her sword. The demon licked the blood off her blade and smiled.

"Just for that, you shall be first half-breed."

"Yura, release him!" Kikyo said.

"Too late, Kikyo!" the demon replied and launched herself towards the trapped half-demon. She raised her sword over her head, ready for a decapitating swing when a single arrow whizzed into her path. The shot was wide and nowhere close to hitting its target but at the very least it took Yura's attention off Inuyasha. The only problem lied in who was now in Yura's focus.

"Yura!" Kagome called from below. "Let them go right now, or the next one is going through your head!"

OOOOO

That stupid girl! Inuyasha thought. She might as well have placed a large target on her face. Even with his Fire-rat robes, he doubted she could take Yura's full wrath. The halfling struggled against his bonds with a new vigor. With Yura's attention elsewhere, the hairs had loosened slightly. He could only free up his left arm but that was all he needed. He glanced over to Kikyo who returned his stare. She managed to move her hand, catching his attention and pointed downwards at the ground. He followed her fingers and saw her bow lying close by. Inuyasha nodded in understanding. If she could get to her bow, she could end this.

"I thought this girl fell down the well," Yura muttered. "But oh well, at least I get to see her die this time around."

"Sorry," Kagome said. "I'm not going anywhere!" She loosed the arrow but missed Yura completely. Instead the arrow shot straight towards Inuyasha's head. He ducked as the projectile whizzed over him and imbedded itself into the hairball.

"Oops…" he heard her say. Across from him he heard Kikyo sigh.

"Oops! That's all you have to say!" Inuyasha yelled. "You could have killed me with that you idiot!"

"Well excuse me for trying to save you!"

"I don't need saving!" he barked back. The last thing he needed was to feel indebted to her. Although even he had to admit she had guts for stepping into the fight.

"Says the guy tied up!" Kagome said, trying to notch another arrow.

He was about to retort when a surge of spiritual energy caught his eye. The arrow implanted in the hair formation flared with purple energy, breaking apart the walls of hair. Inuyasha glanced at Yura, who had been strangely quiet. Her eyes were locked on the skulls oozing out of the lair, her teeth grinding. As more skulls parted, Inuyasha managed to catch the scent of the kid. He squint his eyes and sure enough, he saw Kaede's round face among the skulls. She looked as if she were sleeping but whether or not she was alive was another thing.

"Kikyo!" he shouted. "The kid's in that stupid hair-ball thing! That's why I could barely pick up her scent!"

Kikyo nodded and turned to her twin. "Kagome!"

"I'm on it!" she said, running down the slope.

"You're not doing a thing!" Yura exclaimed. A swing of her comb brought four jets of flame shooting down the hairs and heading straight for Kagome. The girl froze and before she could take another step, she was engulfed. Kagome collapsed to her knees crying out for help.

"Kagome!" Kikyo cried.

"A pity your sister turned out so weak," Yura said. "But don't despair you'll all be joining her soon."

Inuyasha dipped his free hand into his wound, covering his fingers with his blood. "We'll see who's joining who! Blades of Blood!"

The attack slammed into Yura's exposed back, cutting off her sword hand and knocking her into the cliff. The hair slackened as he thought and Inuyasha took his chance. He dipped his claws again and turned to Kikyo.

"Kikyo, don't move!" he shouted. "Blades of Blood!" Kikyo's bonds were torn apart like paper. Inuyasha cut through his and pushed against the cliff, catching her before she fell completely.

"Kagome…" she muttered looking at the flames.

"She'll be fine," he said as they dropped to the ground. "She's wearing my Fire-rat robes."

"Inuyasha, behind you!" Kikyo exclaimed. The halfling quickly pushed Kikyo out of the way and soon had Yura sword imbedded in his chest, knocking him over. Inuyasha grit his teeth, it was a shallow wound, something that would heal in day or two. But that didn't stop the pain from flowing up and down his torso. A tug on the hairs around the sword brought it back to Yura's waiting hand, which had somehow reattached itself after his attack.

"Your demon powers are pathetic, little doggie," she said, floating to the ground. "I bet you want to jewel so you can become a full demon. However, a wish like that would be such a waste of the jewel's power."

"Keh, like you'd be any better," Inuyasha scoffed getting to his feet. "What would a demon like you want with the jewel?"

"Isn't obvious? I would declare my new power to every demon and human that dared to cross me. And I would rule over the western lands as its new empress with no demon daring to take my territory."

Despite his injures, Inuyasha could only laugh. He tried imagining Yura defeating Sesshomaru but the only image he could see was her being melted away by his poison claws. And demons taunted him for having ridiculous dreams. At least becoming a full-fledged demon was at least remotely possible. All the power in the world couldn't help this one against the western demons.

"What's so funny half-demon?" Yura growled.

"A weakling like you would have no chance in the western lands," he said. "Even with the Sacred Jewel, you'd still just be a fly to them."

"The personal pet of a priestess has no right mocking me!" Yura hurled her sword once more but before Inuyasha could react, an arrow pulsing with spiritual energy shot past his cheek. It cut through the hairs controlling the sword, making the weapon fall harmlessly to the ground. Inuyasha looked over his shoulder to see Kikyo notching another arrow. Good, at least now the field was even.

"Your head is next," Kikyo said simply.

"I don't think so!" Yura tugged on the hairs wrapped around her fingers, sending her flying back up. Kikyo loosed another arrow, cutting the four hairs and making Yura fall back to the ground.

"Inuyasha, we need to keep her on the ground," she said. "Without the aid of her hairs, she has no power."

"Got it. What about the kid?" he asked.

"Kagome has it handled."

OOOOO

Climbing had never been Kagome's strong suit in gym. She wasn't afraid of heights or rather not the heights in the modern world. It was just that the rock wall they practiced on, never sat well with her for some reason. The rope climbing exercise had always been a source of embarrassment for her too. She could only reach the first quarter portion of the rope before her hands gave out on her. Meanwhile, Eri reached the top in record time twice in the same year. But then looking back, she would much prefer climbing up the rock wall in gym class with her peers watching rather than climbing up a structure of demon hair with only human skulls for her footholds.

When the fire had hit her, she had been sure that she was done for. But after a few seconds she realized that not only was she not burning, she wasn't even hot. Inuyasha wasn't kidding when he said his robes would give her protection. No wonder he wore it all the time. Slipping out of the plume of flame had been easy once Inuyasha made his move and kept Yura's attention on him and Kikyo. The only downside was that the flames had burned her bow and arrows. If Yura somehow got past Inuyasha and Kikyo, she'd be defenseless. Kagome shook her head, forcing down the thought. Just focus on getting Kaede out of here, she said to herself.

The little girl was easy enough to spot, being that she was the only head with skin still attached in the structure of hair and bones. Just like when they found the remains of the bandits, Kagome gulped down her revulsion and scaled the demonic structure to the unconscious girl. At least Kagome hoped she was just unconscious.

"Kaede," Kagome said when she finally reached the child. "Come on, wake up." She was buried up to her neck in Yura's hair with skulls surrounding her. Kagome checked for a pulse on her neck and thankfully found one, it was steady but weak. She had to wake her up and fast. Kagome removed her fingers from the child's neck and as lightly as she could, slapped Kaede across her cheek.

"Ow…" Kaede moaned. "Wh-what's going….Lady Kagome…?"

"You're all right," Kagome breathed. "Come on, we have to get you out of here."

Kaede looked around trying to get her bearings and after a few seconds, recognition flooded her eyes. "Now I remember, that demon Yura captured me."

"That's right and your sister and Inuyasha are fighting her right now," Kagome said. "They sent me to get you to safety."

"W-wait. My sister can't win…" Kaede muttered.

Panic swelled in Kagome's stomach. "What do you mean?"

Kaede struggled against the hair. "Yura's body is different. Her heart isn't in her body…it's somewhere else."

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw her. Before she put me in here, there was a red skull she had with her. I sense something different about it. It's the core of her demonic aura."

"So get rid of the skull, and we get rid of Yura," Kagome simplified as she began digging out Kaede from the hair. "Do you know where it is?" Her question was answered when Kaede freed her right arm, showing the crimson red skull in her hand.

"She put the skull in here with me," Kaede said with a smile. "I thought it looked important so I held on to it."

Kagome returned her smile. "Nice one."

"Get away from there!"

Kagome turned around to see Yura's sword heading straight for them.

OOOOO

Yura dodged another one of Inuyasha's swipes and she gave more ground. It was as Kikyo predicted, she had no close quarter's ability. Cut off from the hairs she was helpless. Yura's sword caught several of Inuyasha's claws, before the demon pushed him back and leapt to reconnect with her hairs. The moment she jumped Kikyo loosed her arrow, making the demon pull back and allowing Inuyasha to tackle her back to the ground.

"You would strike a woman?" Yura asked as Inuyasha raised his fist over her.

The half demon just smirked before his fist slammed into her face. "I would, got a problem with that?"

Kikyo glanced over her shoulder. Kagome was making good progress to Kaede. They only had to keep Yura occupied with them. Inuyasha jumped back when the demon stabbed at his chest. Seeing a moment's reprieve, she reached into her bosom for her comb, most likely to call on more hairs. Kikyo fired her arrow, reducing her hand to ashes. But rather than dispersing, the ashes gathered back together, reforming Yura's hand.

"Do you not see I am immortal!" she declared.

Inuyasha rushed in. "Let's see you survive this!" His claws plowed through her chest, striking her heart, or rather where her heart should have been. The demon merely took a step back as if Inuyasha had just stepped on her foot and stabbed his stomach before following up with a slash across his chest.

"You are a poor master indeed, Kikyo," she taunted. "Your pet would not only strike a lady, but fondle her bosoms with no second thought?"

"Inuyasha, are you all right?" Kikyo asked ignoring Yura's barb.

"I'll live," he said. "These scratches just give me more to work with. Blades of Blood!"

"Heads up!" Yura declared with a swing of her comb. A wall of hair converged in front of her like a curtain, blocking the crimson blades. The skulls trapped in the hairs shot out towards the half-demon. Kikyo loosed several arrows destroying them before they could harm either of them.

"This is going nowhere," Inuyasha growled. "No matter what we do, we can't put her down."

"Could it be that her heart lies elsewhere?" Kikyo said, destroying another skull.

"Well where else could it be?"

Before she could respond, Yura shot out from the hair curtain, her sword ready to slice her in half. But she suddenly froze. Her eyes darted to the hair structure and instantly filled with fury.

"Get away from there!" she shouted at Kagome and Kaede and hurled her sword their way.

Kikyo quickly notched an arrow but Yura was upon her before she could fire. A swift kick to her injured knee brought pain screaming up her leg.

"Blades of Blood!" The attack hit Yura directly, knocking her aside, but she recovered just as quickly.

"A good try little doggie, but you'll need more than that to kill me," she said.

"Inuyasha! Kikyo!" Kagome cried out. "It's this red skull! This is the core of her demonic aura or something like that!"

Kikyo looked up to see Kagome unharmed, not even bleeding, waving a red skull in her hands.

"That little bitch!" Yura hissed, launching herself at Kagome. "Why won't she die!"

"Inuyasha…" Kikyo began but he caught her meaning immediately.

"I'm on it!" he nodded and leapt after Yura.

OOOOO

"Hey Yura!" Inuyasha shouted in the air. "We weren't finished dancing! Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!"

The four golden arcs were preempted by another wall of hair. Her sword came his way soon after, but Inuyasha knocked down with a punch. As he felt himself falling, he grabbed one of her loose hairs and began to climb after the demon.

Yura closed in on Kagome and Kaede, but an arrow from Kikyo struck her ribs. The demon paused to resister the projectile and pulled it out. But the brief pause was all Inuyasha needed. He dipped his claws deep into his wound. He flared his demon energy as much as he could before attacking, this had to work!

"Blades of Blood!" A storm of his crimson blades struck Yura from her head down to her torso, cutting her in every way imaginable. As she shook her head to recover, he turned to Kagome and the kid. "Quick! Throw me the stupid skull!"

"I hope you can catch!" The schoolgirl hurled the skull through the air. When it reached the peak of the throw, Inuyasha launched himself into the air. Yura jumped after him, her hairs ready to tie him up but an arrow from Kikyo dissolved them. His clawed hands grabbed the skull and he turned to face the ground.

"Kikyo!" he shouted holding up the skull. "You ready?"

Kikyo notched an arrow and aimed straight for the skull. "Yes!"

"Stop that!" Yura cried.

"Fun's over bitch!" Inuyasha declared and hurled the skull with all his might.

Yura flew past him reaching out for it but Kikyo's arrow, engulfed with spiritual energy passed through the crimson skull. The head froze in the air before the sacred energy began to break it apart piece by piece. In a flash of purple light and skull was nothing but ash. Yura's eyes widened, her body petrified in mid-air. In only a few moments her body broke apart to dust, leaving on her clothes and her cursed comb.

Inuyasha could only spit at her remains. "Try coming back from that one."

OOOOO

"Sister Kikyo!" Kaede cried as she embraced her sister. "I knew you'd come for me."

Kagome couldn't help but smile at the scene. It was all over. "Is everyone ok?"

"Keh, these are nothing but scratches," Inuyasha scoffed. "Still, I gotta admit that some nice thinking with the skull, Kagome."

"Oh no, don't like at me it was Kaede….Did you just say my name?"

Inuyasha shrugged as he gathered his fire-rat robe. "Yeah…well don't let it go to your head. I still think you're pretty useless."

Kagome felt her temper flare but Kikyo interrupted before it could get worse.

"Inuyasha do not be so crass," she said. "She did help to save Kaede and defeat Yura."

"Yeah fine…whatever…" He glanced at Kikyo before jumping away into the forest.

"I actually think he's starting to like me," Kagome said. "Well…at least tolerate."

"Every step counts I suppose," Kikyo replied. "Come, let us return to the village."

Kagome was about to follow in step when a weak moan caught their ears. Her heart pounded against her chest. Yura still wasn't dead? Kikyo made her way in front of them, with her arrow poised to attack. It was a humanoid figure, walking slowly in the shadows its arms reaching ut for anything to grab onto.

"Stay where you are!" Kikyo ordered.

The figure ignored her warning and stepped into the moonlight, showing his features. It was a horribly burned man. From what was left of his armor, the only survivor of the bandits she and Inuyasha saw earlier. The man collapsed with a groan as if walking took everything he had. Kikyo dropped her bow and made her way towards the injured man.

"Kaede, get men from the village to help me carry him to a safe location, Kagome, I will need water and bandages to treat his wounds. Hurry, he does not have much time!"

"I'll be right back," Kaede said.

"What is your name sir?" Kikyo asked the burned man.

"O-Onigumo…."