Clash of Alphas by sarhea

Riku Ryuu's Prompt - Nail

~ooO Nail Ooo~

While the men finalized the details of the battle plans Kagura stared at Kagome. Finally Kagome looked up and said, “What?”

“Why did you support me?” the kaze-youkai asked. “I was your enemy. I tried to kill you.”

“Did you want to?” Kagome countered pointedly.

“Not really,” Kagura admitted. “Naraku wanted you dead and if I didn’t obey he threatened to crush my heart and kill me.”

Kagome nodded sharply. “That’s exactly why I supported you. You have much reason as any of us to hate Naraku. And you deserve a second chance. It’s not like you wanted to do any of the nasty things you did.”

Kagura blinked back tears and nodded. “Yes.”

Kagome leaned across and patted the kaze-youkai’s arm. “Look, we’re approaching the final battle and I’m not willing to turn away anyone who could help. We may have powerful fighters but every little bit helps.”

Kagura looked confused. Kagome thought she looked so much like a child, inexperienced and unworldly. Kagome felt like she was the older mature woman, not the gorgeous kaze-youkai.

“My people have a poem called ‘For want of a nail’. It goes something like this:

For want of a nail, the shoe was lost.

For want of a shoe, the horse was lost.

For want of a horse, the messenger was lost.

For want of a messenger, the battle was lost.

For want of a battle, the war was lost.

For want of a war, the kingdom was lost.

All for the want of a horseshoe nail.

“Basically the idea is something really simple and tiny could be critical in the big picture. You are willing to fight and help. And you might be the nail, the key to victory, so I’m not going to let them turn you away.”

Kagura brushed back tears and nodded.

Kagome deliberately turned her voice more cheerful. “Do you like any particular food? I’m not promising anything but we can try to make it for dinner.”

Kagura shook her head. “I have no preferences.”

“Then you can try something I really like. It’s called oden.”

TBC...

 

INUYASHA © Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan • Yomiuri TV • Sunrise 2000
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