Inescapable Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Displaced

Thump-thump...... thump-thump......

Rin was sitting quietly by her lord's knee, her eyes bright with un-shed tears. Shippo was curled around Kagome's hand, the only part of her body that taiyoukai was willing to share as he clung tightly to her wounded body, willing her to open her eyes.

Thump-thump......

…... thump-thump......

Sango and Miroku had set up a small fire to keep everyone warm, and had settled down, their eyes also focused on their friend with worry and a sense of dread. Kikyo was sitting at the base of the tree InuYasha had taken residence in to keep watch, determined to let nothing that could harm the little miko further to get near their encampment.

Thump...-thump......

......thump...

..............................



It took a moment for the absolute silence to register, for the absence of a heart-beat to filter through Sesshomaru's frozen mind. All the demon's in the clearing snapped their eyes to figure cradled in the inuyoukai lords arms. InuYasha jumped down from his perch and quickly rushed to where Sesshomaru sat stiffly, his tawny eyes wide as they stared at the pale and bloody woman still within the circle of his arms.

"No..." the silver-haired hanyou whispered is disbelief, clenching his shaking hands into fists at his sides.

Kikyo's sharp gasp cause everyone to quickly look at her in trepidation. Her brown eyes were wide in shock, her hand clutched to her chest as she panted for breath. InuYasha had rushed to the undead miko's side as she fell to her knees. Tears running down her cheeks, Kikyo choked on a sob before she looked up, her eyes locked on the face of the young woman who had suffered so much, who had been displaced in time for so long. Kagome had been the friend InuYasha needed to trust in himself an others, had saved her and healed her time and again, and had not only given her blessing for the couple to be together, but had helped others understand the love she shared with InuYasha.

Sesshomaru's gaze had remained focused on Kagome, his claws biting into her quickly cooling skin as he listened to the smothering silence where there should have been a heart beating. He didn't want to hear the words building in the undead one's throat, didn't want to acknowledge the damning truth in those doe's eyes so like and yet unlike those of the vibrant woman he couldn't take his eyes from.

Shoulders shaking under the pain, Kikyo cried, "The rest of her soul--"

A loud cawing interrupted Kikyo as a large, dark shadow swooped into the clearing. Everyone's gaze was drawn to what appeared to be a large black crow that had landed in the tree where InuYasha had previously sat. The most prominent difference, however, was the crow's third leg. Miroku moved forward, his eyes locked on the bird with wonder and ...hope.

"Yatagarasu...?"

Sesshomaru's eyes finally snapped up at the houshi's breathless murmur, his golden gaze finding the fowl and latching on with the same sort of empty hope. Yatagarasu was supposedly a god, and the appearance of the great bird usually was evidence of the divine intervention of the kami in human affairs.

He was a symbol of guidance... and rebirth.

Standing swiftly, Sesshomaru strode forward, looking directly into the endless gaze of the feathered kami above him.

"Do you know of a way to save the miko?" Sesshomaru's voice was cold and impervious, but inside his soul was standing on the precipice of despair, waiting to fall or fly. A tense moment passed, all eyes in the clearing on the kami, waiting. After what seemed an eternity, the crow jerked it's head once in a nod, and with a screech took wing, circling once before shooting off towards the south.