A Child Lost by Midnight Song

Desperation

Her side throbbed though she couldn’t tell if it was the arrow or the run that made it worse. She ran fast and hard, using the glow of the now whole, pure jewel to guide her way in the pitch dark of a new moon night. Behind her, Kagome could hear the slithering laughter of her worst nightmare, the evil hanyou that haunted her dreams and hunted her trail.

Sobbing, she thought hazily of Inuyasha, struck down in his human form; of her friends, horribly injured but protected by a weakening barrier. She tore through the forest, ignoring the taunting, chilling comments of her enemy as he gave chase.

When she pushed through the trees and ripped across the grass of her favorite clearing, Kagome couldn’t restrain the cry of relief, part whimper, and part sob. The well was close, just a few more feet. Behind her, an explosion rocked the ground and sent her flying with its aftershock. Barely, she kept her hold on the jewel as the wind was knocked out of her and she lay in a dazed, half-deaf bloody mess on the ground.

She could feel him, the way his aura crept closer, the way his distinct form of evil and hate and bitterness and greed all roiled into one ugly, globbing mass of maniacal hanyou. It took more strength than she thought she had to push herself onto her hands and knees, to pull the arrow out of her side. She nearly faltered from the pain, couldn’t stop the scream and almost wasn’t able to push past it.

Naraku watched her silently, approaching slowly. He had her now. Her friends were near death, she was weak alone. Even as she pulled the arrow free of her body, he wasn’t worried; at least, not until he saw the bow form.

It was hard to concentrate as she slowly wearily, raised her arms into position. She pulled Kikyou’s instructions to the front of her mind and without pausing to second guess herself. It took more energy than she realized she had but as the arrow loosed and flew towards her enemy, she was grateful. Yet another thing she owed to her incarnation. She didn’t wait to see if it landed on target, knew she only had seconds.

Pushing herself, she scrambled on bloody hands and knees. She felt the arrow strike the ground, felt the barrier rise and heard his infuriated scream as he pounded and pounded on the pink shield. With each strike she flinched, with each attack it faltered. When she reached the well, she pulled herself over just as the barrier shattered and with one last, slightly dazed, triumphant look at Naraku, made the wish on the jewel as she tumbled down and the magic swallowed her. 

o.O.o

Word Count: 463

A/N - I KNOW! I just couldn't help myself thought but to start a new one. Just don't worry that I'm going to keep up with Bitter and once summer starts, all my others as well. I don't know how long these chapters are going to be but I'm leaning toward drabble-ish length so that I can update more frequently. Let me know what you think!