Enlightened by Smortz

Moving Forward

A/N

So, I spewed this plunny in chat, and then nightmareofcat posted a perfect challenge for writers and artists in the forum, and I couldn’t resist this idea that had been tumbling around in my head for a few weeks now.

If any of you are interested in the challenge, head on over to the forum for the specs!!!

I should be posting another chapter tomorrow night once I return from Vegas. ^_^

Read and Enjoy.

~Smo

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own any characters associated with the manga/anime InuYasha. They are just puppets to further enhance my creative imagination.

Chapter 3

Sesshomaru was unaware of the chaos happening around him. As soon as Storm had emerged through the trees carrying both him and Kagome, the village seemed to erupt in panic. A taller, black haired woman wearing a blouse and leather skirt ran to him to assess Kagome. She gave orders in a different language and people ran to do her bidding.

Tents began to come down. Horses were gathered. Kagome was pulled from his arms. The medicine-man named Miroku came over to him and gestured for him to dismount. Sesshomaru tried to decide what his decisions were. If he went back to his troops now, with a captain close to death, his soldiers would demand a manhunt for the tribe this instant. WIthout sparking suspicion, Sesshomaru would need to lead it. If he were to say ‘no, let’s wait a few days’, they would think he were crazy.

If he stayed with this village, the men could think it was some kind of accident. His captain could have just fallen off his horse. Bruises and a head injury were perfect for that. Sesshomaru knew Inuyasha would eventually come to the conclusion it was an Indian though, when he realized the bruises did not match a fall pattern. However, there was no sign of him or Kagome at the scene anymore. Surely, that would buy them time. Still, it came down to staying in the village, which would stall the troops and give him time to think things through.

“Sir?” Sesshomaru stared at the man known as Miroku. He was waiting for him to get off Kagome’s horse. Giving a nod, Sesshomaru swung his leg over and hit the earth below him. “Care to explain what happened?”

“My soldiers are looking for me,” Sesshomaru answered. “I think we were near the camp when Kagome was pulled from her horse. She fought well but was hurt. I brought her back. If I stayed, I would have had to turn her over to the authorities.”

Miroku seemed to contemplate his story. A moment later, he bowed his head thankfully. “Then I believe we are in your debt. Unfortunately...” he trailed off, staring over Sesshomaru’s shoulder.

Sesshomaru turned, eyes widened on the newcomers. Horses made their way through camp. Several men, all muscularly built, looked upon the camp with confusion. One horse was dragging a large stag behind it. These were the warriors his men would have to face. The leader stood tall, wearing wolf’s fur around his waist. A necklace made of fangs dangled low on his chest.

He eyed Sesshomaru strangely. “What has happened in our absence?” he growled to Miroku. The medicine-man gave a sigh of exhaustion and motioned for the warrior to follow him. Miroku paused to pat Sesshomaru’s back and point to a tent. Giving a thankful nod, Sesshomaru left him to deal with the confused warrior.

Peeling the flap of the tent back, he peered inside to see Kagome covered by a small fur. Her right jaw was swollen, left eye a deep purple. The lips he had wanted to caress were bloodied and split. Rage made Sesshomaru want to seek out vengeance, but he kept the urge locked up.

The woman who had received Kagome was still kneeling by her side. The tent smelled of burning herbs, smoke floating through the hole at the top of the tent. “How is she?” Sesshomaru asked gently, hoping not to startle the woman.

“She fought fiercely. I am sure her opponent looks worse,” the woman answered. Sesshomaru wondered how she would guess such a thing before stopping. The woman was fishing for information and using her confidence in Kagome to do so. Kagome had outsmarted him before. It shouldn’t surprise Sesshomaru to realize she could fight too.

“He does,” Sesshomaru answered. “I do not know if he still lives,” he added, taking a seat on the furs behind the two women. For the first time since he arrived, he introduced himself. “I am Maj-. I am Sesshomaru.” So used to saying his rank, he realized being a Major would do no good here.

“They call me Sango,” she greeted. Turning back to the injured woman, she whispered, “I am sure that was not her intention. Kagome only fights when her life is in danger.” The woman suddenly sounded worried. Sesshomaru knew why. She was worried he would now see Kagome as a danger.

“It was in self-defense,” he assured her. Sesshomaru could still hear madness outside. Tents were being folded and put away as the sun began to peek out from the mountains. The pink hues of the morning light were drifting over the camp. This would be a busy day for the tribe. “What is going on?”

“If your men are looking for you, it is only a matter of time before they find us. We will need to leave quickly,” Sango explained honestly. “Kaede and Koga will decide what to do with you.”

It was a blatant dismissal. Sango was done talking to him. He expected it was because she was trying to think of how they had gotten in such a situation. Sesshomaru thought it would make the woman calmer if he voiced his own worries. “If I go back to my men, they will want to retaliate for the fallen captain.”

“Even though she was acting in self-defense?” Sango countered angrily. She did not turn to look at him, her eyes remaining on Kagome’s sleeping form.

“All they see is my abductor,” Sesshomaru answered stiffly. “They believe the Native that took me has now killed or harmed our captain.”

Sango shook her head. Reaching out, she brushed through Kagome’s soft black tresses. The hair fell back against a folded blanket. Sesshomaru felt his fingers itch to feel its smoothness. He made fists in the sides of his pants to keep from responding to such an urge. “How do you get yourself in such situations?” Sango seemed to ask the unconscious girl.

“You are her sister?” Sesshomaru wondered. He could feel the closeness between the two women. They practically looked like sisters. Sango’s hair was just as dark, but was longer and straighter. Kagome’s had a natural wave to it, making it appear wild and tousled. Sango’s eyes were a dark chocolate while Kagome’s were sky blue with her innocence and fiery sapphires with her wrath.

Sesshomaru startled himself with his calculations. Had he really paid such close attention to see such detailed characteristics? Thankfully, he didn’t need to give himself an answer. Sango answered, “Not by blood, as your people call it. We are sisters by tribe. Kagome and I found each other a few years ago.”

“Found?” Sesshomaru held onto the keyword in the sentence. Who had found who? Had Kagome saved Sango like she had the boy?

“Kaede and I found her,” Sango answered with a hint of finality in her tone. That was all he was going to get out of her. Sesshomaru nodded, taking in the information. They had found Kagome. What state had she been in when they found her?

About to ask another question, Sesshomaru was stopped when the warrior entered. Was this Koga? “You,” he said harshly to Sesshomaru. “Kaede has spoken. You will travel with us. When we are safe, I will escort you back.”

As soon as the warrior came to give Sesshomaru his sentence, he was gone. Sesshomaru sighed, reaching up to rub his temples. How had he gotten into such a mess? A slight stirring caused Sango and him to turn back to Kagome.

She was trying to peer through the eye that was now swollen. “Sango...” she whispered. Her word sounded torn and broken. Sango instantly handed her a small wooden bowl holding water. Kagome propped up on one elbow, wincing at the movement. She sipped at the bowl for a few long seconds before setting it down on the floor.

Kagome’s eyes found him a moment later. “You are still here?” she asked. Her eyes narrowed. The angered sapphire orbs jolted him out of his pitied assessment of her. “Why are you still here? You should leave!”

“Kagome! He saved your life,” Sango argued, holding her friend’s shoulder in an attempt to calm her down. “You should at least thank him. Koga has returned and said he will travel with the tribe into the mountains until we are safe.”

“We will never be safe with him,” Kagome pouted, folding her arms across her chest.

“Not exactly the thanks I expected,” Sesshomaru murmured under his breath. He eyed her with his golden eyes, not liking the mood she had awakened in.

“You tried to shoot me in order to-to protect that man!” The outburst made him pause all thought and movement. Sango’s jaw dropped, mouth parted as a gasp echoed in the silent tent. Kagome remained glaring at him.

Sesshomaru had almost been able to forget about that plan during the situation he now found himself in. Between thinking of traveling with a tribe and what he would do with his troops, he’d almost been able to not think about him attempting to shoot her. “You unloaded my gun,” he stated. It wasn’t the smartest thing he could have said.

“Good thing or else you would have shot me,” Kagome quipped. “So you go from trying to kill me to saving me? What is your move? What are you doing? Did you leave a nice trail so your troops can come and destroy our way of life?”

Sesshomaru’s eyes narrowed at her attacks. Never had his honor been questioned so ruthlessly before. “I did no such thing. I was only going to shoot you in a leg so you could fake death and we’d go our separate ways.”

“You can’t just shoot someone in a leg and move on! The bullet could have shattered!” Sango argued. Sesshomaru cringed. He hadn’t thought about that at the time. From close range, the bullet should have just gone through.

“Well, I did not shoot her, and I think that is the important thing. In fact, the important thing is that I brought her back,” he declared in a tone that held no room for arguing. “And I believe if anyone left tracks, it would be your horse, Kagome.”

Sango regarded him coldly. Sesshomaru held back his sigh. Any ground he had made in befriending this woman was now gone. “Koga should have known that when he was making his decision.”

“So I could be killed and scalped?” Sesshomaru returned hotly. The slip of his anger made him want to smack himself. Both women looked at him as if he had shot them.

“Violence is not our way,” Kagome gritted out. Nodding in thanks to Sango, she murmured some more words Sesshomaru could not understand. Sesshomaru cringed when she got up and a loud crack came from her shoulder. She paused at the entrance of the tent. Her fists were clenched at her sides, knuckles white from her grip. Silently, she glanced at him, waiting.

Sesshomaru gave a grunt as he took the quiet cue. Standing, he followed her out of the tent back to the teepee he had recovered in. When he entered, several children were rolling up their furs and regarding him with cautious eyes. Shippo was in this tent as well. It was then that Sesshomaru learned another thing about this woman.

This tent, her home, was where the children stayed. These were parentless children - orphans. Most likely, their parents had been killed in battle or raids. Sesshomaru swallowed thickly as a lump of guilt came over him. Had he taken any of their parents?

“Kaede told us we were to set up in Miroku’s tent until...” Shippo trailed off. The unspoken words were still loud though. Until he leaves. Kagome and the tribe did not trust him around their children. Sesshomaru wanted to argue, to defend himself. He was not a monster! He would never harm children!

“A smart decision,” Kagome replied. Sesshomaru shot her a seething glare. “Pack up your bedrolls and take them to Sango. She and I will be in charge of you while we travel,” Kagome instructed.

Sesshomaru watched her then as she helped the kids roll up and tie their furs. The wooden structure he had seen in here before was now a pile of wood - destroyed. They would need the wood for fire while traveling. How far did they plan to go?

“I would not hurt them,” he whispered to her, finally moving from his spot in the tent entrance. He began to help her move things, stacking mortars and shoving them in a large bag made from buffalo hide. “For you to say such a thing insults my honor.”

“If you could shoot a woman not paying you any mind, then you could probably harm a child,” Kagome mumbled deep in thought as she tucked a dress into the bag. She stepped into her boots and hoisted the large satchel over her shoulder. She picked up rolls of furs and stuffed them under her arms. “Either way, you are an unknown man in our camp. Trust is not given so easily.”

“I am only here because you kidnapped me,” Sesshomaru protested. It was true. It’s not like he wanted to be here. This was too close, too much for him. He would rather be issuing orders from a tent and reading the results on paper. It was separated, unemotional.

“Hmm...” The new voice made Kagome and Sesshomaru look to find Miroku leering at them from the tent entrance. His arms were folding in a lazy way over his chest. A smirk was apparent on his face, almost as if he was amused by their arguing. “I wouldn’t call it a kidnaping. What about... a surprise invitation?”

Sesshomaru couldn’t help the gawking expression that came over his face. Kagome’s giggle from behind him shook him from his shock. Miroku moved from where he stood to cup Kagome’s face and gaze doctorly at the bruises. “You should not be working. You should be saving up your energy for the travels. I will have Sango lay out a bedroll by the fire.”

Kagome shook her head defiantly, but had a caring smile on her face. “I am fine, Miroku. Your concern is wasted. I have more than enough energy to help pack and travel,” she argued. Sesshomaru wanted to support Miroku, but he saw that Kagome wanted to help. This was, in a way, her fault, even though from the beginning it had been inevitable. They would have had to move either way.

It was better for them that they were bringing him along. While his troops would eventually come to his rescue, they would need to negotiate for his life instead of just attack. By the time the tribe got relocated and let him go back to his troops, Sesshomaru would be able to straighten out their newfound hatred over his abduction and the captain's injury.

“Even if I argue, you will be too stubborn to listen,” Miroku said with a sigh. Obviously, the man was giving in. Miroku set out to help the kids, leading them out of the tent. Kagome lifted the last of the bag and ushered Sesshomaru out of the tent in front of her.

Just as they left, the entire teepee collapsed as other members of the tribe pulled it down. Sesshomaru watched Kagome stare at it with a look of sadness in her eyes. This had been her home, and now she would have to start over and make a new one. “You should be used to traveling.” He hadn’t meant it to sound so harsh and reprimanding. Sesshomaru had made it sound as if it was her fault for living such a life. “I just mean that your people often move.”

“I know what you mean,” she muttered, helping him out with a smirk. “This was the longest we’d been in one area. We have been here for three years,” she answered his silent question. “It always takes some getting use to.”

Makeshift wagons made from carved out tree trunks were being pulled behind the warriors and some horses. A large cow was pulling a cart full of wooden poles that had held up the tents. They were all heading towards a trail that led up into the mountains.

Kagome led him to the horse pasture. Storm was there grazing alone. She mounted him as gracefully as he remembered. “You will walk beside my horse. We have no more now that Mother is... in the hands of your troops.”

He had forgotten about that old horse. He had not been able to carry Kagome and try to lead a horse in the dead of night. Sesshomaru nodded. If this was to be his punishment, he could easily deal with it. He had been in the military for a decade now and walking was part of the job. He followed Kagome to where children were riding along with the warriors and Sango. Some were in the wagons. Shippo ran up to Storm. The horse gave a cough, as if warning the boy to slow down. Kagome held out her hand, which Shippo took, before swinging him up behind her.

When they met the forest’s edge, Sesshomaru stopped to turn and look at the camp. In the middle of the forests, with trees that led to the meadow, it looked as if it had never been a home to begin with. Without a few piles of burned wood, Sesshomaru would not be able to tell this portion of forest had ever been inhabited. Leaving the camp for good this time, Sesshomaru turned and caught up with Kagome, his mind busy trying to come up with a plan where both sides won.

A/N:

I am not quite sure who wins this round. I believe afte re-reading it, Kagome handled the situation with him quite nicely. If you feel differently, leave a review or message me with your feedback!

Kagome: 2

Sesshomaru: 1