The Darkest Hour-- Part IV

Inuyasha stared at the small vial in his hand, watching the shards glow. Kagome had given him the shards. He was amazed that she had thought to do that while being captured.

“Inuyasha!”

He turned and saw Sango and Miroku enter the clearing. Kilala had clearly been pushed to her limits to get them there in time to help. Too bad that they had been too late.

‘And that I wasn’t enough to save Kagome,’ Inuyasha thought.

“Inuyasha, where’s Kagome?” Sango demanded.

“A demon named Hantako has taken her.”

“So, she has Kagome and the shards,” Sango said.

“No, Kagome threw me the shards before Hantako took off with her.” He clenched his fist around the vial. “If we hurry, we can catch them.”

“No.”

They turned to Miroku. Sango recovered first, stalking toward the priest. “What are you saying? That we should leave Kagome in the hands of a demon?”

Miroku eyed the dead panthers, the spilled blood, and Inuyasha’s wounds. “What chance do we have if we attack Hantako now? None of us are in any shape for battle.”

“Speak for yourself, leech,” Inuyasha scoffed.

“I speak for us all,” he replied, his voice still calm.

“We have to help Kagome,” Sango said, bringing them back on topic. “What are we going to do to save her?”

“The demon won’t harm her,” Miroku stated with far more conviction than he felt. “Hantako will soon realize that Kagome no longer has the shards. She has something we want, and we have something she wants.”

“That’s your big plan! To wait!”

“He’s right, Inuyasha. There’s nothing we can do right now to help Kagome.” She scooped up Kilala and began walking back into the forest.

“I hope you’re right about this, Miroku.”

The priest watched his defeated friends walk away. ‘I do, too.’

* * * * *

Kagome cried out as she was thrown into the room. She skidded across the rough floor, scraping her arms and legs in several places. Ignoring the pain, she scrambled to her knees and looked back at her captor.

“I hope you enjoy your quarters,” Hantako said with a laugh.

The door slammed closed, plunging the room into almost complete darkness. She heard the bolts on the other side of the door slide shut. Hantako’s footsteps faded into silence.

‘I will not cry. I will not cry.’

The light from the high, tiny window allow her to get an idea of the room. A dingy futon was against one wall. The only other feature was a low, wide pot sitting in corner.

Kagome got to her feet, inspecting the wall with the window. Even if she used the pot as a stool, she couldn’t get close to the window. And she doubted she could even squeeze through the small opening.

“I don’t even know where I am,” the girl muttered.

She sat down on the futon, doing her best to try to ignore its filth. She knew the others would save her. And since Inuyasha now had the shards, Hantako could not use their power against her friends.

That thought gave Kagome some much needed comfort.

* * * * *

“Great, you’re back!” Shippo cheered, bouncing in his excitement.

His exclamation drew Kaede outside. She frowned as the group approached her home. “Something’s wrong,” she murmured.

“Wrong?” Shippo echoed.

He studied Inuyasha and the others. The old priestess was right. They should be happy that they had won the battle. Then he noticed something else.

“Hey, guys, where’s Kagome?”

Inuyasha flinched, while Sango clutched Kilala’s tiny form closer. Something’s really wrong, the pup realized. “Where is Kagome?”

It was Miroku who answered. “She was captured by a demon, Shippo.”

“A demon! Then why are you guys here? Why aren’t you out there rescuing her?”

“Don’t you think we want to!” Inuyasha snapped.

“Hey, don’t yell at me. It’s your fault she’s gone, isn’t it? Isn’t it!”

“Why you little!” Inuyasha paused as Kaede had placed herself between him and the pup. “Get out of my way, old hag.”

She shook her head. “This won’t help anything, Inuyasha, especially Kagome.”

“You lucked out this time, pup,” he growled and then entered the hut.

Sango and Miroku exchanged worried looks before following. The priest didn’t even attempt to grope the young demon exterminator as she passed by him. Shippo gave the forest one long glance but going in.

Kaede sighed. Things were very serious indeed.


Part IV Inuyasha stared at the small vial in his hand, watching the shards glow. Kagome had given him the shards. He was amazed that she had thought to do that while being captured. “Inuyasha!” He turned and saw Sango and Miroku enter the clearing. Kilala had clearly been pushed to her limits to get them there in time to help. Too bad that they had been too late. ‘And that I wasn’t enough to save Kagome,’ Inuyasha thought. “Inuyasha, where’s Kagome?” Sango demanded. “A demon named Hantako has taken her.” “So, she has Kagome and the shards,” Sango said. “No, Kagome threw me the shards before Hantako took off with her.” He clenched his fist around the vial. “If we hurry, we can catch them.” “No.” They turned to Miroku. Sango recovered first, stalking toward the priest. “What are you saying? That we should leave Kagome in the hands of a demon?” Miroku eyed the dead panthers, the spilled blood, and Inuyasha’s wounds. “What chance do we have if we attack Hantako now? None of us are in any shape for battle.” “Speak for yourself, leech,” Inuyasha scoffed. “I speak for us all,” he replied, his voice still calm. “We have to help Kagome,” Sango said, bringing them back on topic. “What are we going to do to save her?” “The demon won’t harm her,” Miroku stated with far more conviction than he felt. “Hantako will soon realize that Kagome no longer has the shards. She has something we want, and we have something she wants.” “That’s your big plan! To wait!” “He’s right, Inuyasha. There’s nothing we can do right now to help Kagome.” She scooped up Kilala and began walking back into the forest. “I hope you’re right about this, Miroku.” The priest watched his defeated friends walk away. ‘I do, too.’ * * * * * Kagome cried out as she was thrown into the room. She skidded across the rough floor, scraping her arms and legs in several places. Ignoring the pain, she scrambled to her knees and looked back at her captor. “I hope you enjoy your quarters,” Hantako said with a laugh. The door slammed closed, plunging the room into almost complete darkness. She heard the bolts on the other side of the door slide shut. Hantako’s footsteps faded into silence. ‘I will not cry. I will not cry.’ The light from the high, tiny window allow her to get an idea of the room. A dingy futon was against one wall. The only other feature was a low, wide pot sitting in corner. Kagome got to her feet, inspecting the wall with the window. Even if she used the pot as a stool, she couldn’t get close to the window. And she doubted she could even squeeze through the small opening. “I don’t even know where I am,” the girl muttered. She sat down on the futon, doing her best to try to ignore its filth. She knew the others would save her. And since Inuyasha now had the shards, Hantako could not use their power against her friends. That thought gave Kagome some much needed comfort. * * * * * “Great, you’re back!” Shippo cheered, bouncing in his excitement. His exclamation drew Kaede outside. She frowned as the group approached her home. “Something’s wrong,” she murmured. “Wrong?” Shippo echoed. He studied Inuyasha and the others. The old priestess was right. They should be happy that they had won the battle. Then he noticed something else. “Hey, guys, where’s Kagome?” Inuyasha flinched, while Sango clutched Kilala’s tiny form closer. Something’s really wrong, the pup realized. “Where is Kagome?” It was Miroku who answered. “She was captured by a demon, Shippo.” “A demon! Then why are you guys here? Why aren’t you out there rescuing her?” “Don’t you think we want to!” Inuyasha snapped. “Hey, don’t yell at me. It’s your fault she’s gone, isn’t it? Isn’t it!” “Why you little!” Inuyasha paused as Kaede had placed herself between him and the pup. “Get out of my way, old hag.” She shook her head. “This won’t help anything, Inuyasha, especially Kagome.” “You lucked out this time, pup,” he growled and then entered the hut. Sango and Miroku exchanged worried looks before following. The priest didn’t even attempt to grope the young demon exterminator as she passed by him. Shippo gave the forest one long glance but going in. Kaede sighed. Things were very serious indeed.


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