The Darkest Hour-- Part VI

The full moon bathed the village and surrounding forest with silver, ethereal light. Except for the occasional animal cry, all was quiet. He should have found it peaceful.

But Inuyasha couldn’t. His thoughts kept turning to Kagome. Where was she? What was happening to her?

“I should have taken her back to the well,” he muttered. Then she wouldn’t have been captured. And he and the others wouldn’t be worrying about her.

“Feeling sorry for yourself, dog boy?”

He jumped from the limb, drawing his sword. “Been wondering when you were going to show that ugly face of yours again, Hantako.”

“I’d watch my manners, hanyou. I’d hate for your little shard detector pay for your disrespect.”

He growled at her, tightening his grip on his sword. However, he didn’t say anything else. He settled for glaring at her.

She laughed. “Much better. Now, where are the jewel shards?”

“Why should I tell you?”

“Because I’m willing to give you your shard detector back in exchange for them.” She smirked at him. “You know that you’re not match for me. This is the best chance you are going to get to get Kagome back.”

He grounded his teeth together. “Fine. Where do you want to meet?”

“Meet? There will be no meeting. You give me the shards now, and then I will return Kagome to you.”

“I don’t think so. If I give you the shards now, there is no guarantee you will release Kagome. You’d probably keep her to find even more shards.”

“You’re really getting on my nerves, dog boy.”

“I have something you want, and you have something I want. But you’re not going to get the shards until I see Kagome’s all right.”

She frowned, clearly annoyed. “Very well. Meet me in the clearing by the well just before sunset. You bring the shards, and I’ll bring the detector.”

“See you then, Hantako.” Just a quietly as she had appeared, the demon was gone.

With a sigh, Inuyasha sheathed his sword and returned to his branch. He’d tell the others in the morning. There was no reason for all of them not to sleep.

* * * * *

Kagome shivered, curling into as tight a ball as possible. To be such a small window, it did let in a lot of drafts. What she wouldn’t give for a blanket!

‘A blanket is the least of your problems, Kagome,’ she told herself.

Hantako had been a wicked, almost giddy mood when she appeared in her cell a few moments ago. The demon had enjoyed Kagome’s cries when the icy water hit her, soaking her and the decrepit futon. The torture had again resumed.

However, there were no demands to know where the shards were. It meant that Hantako knew where they were or at least had a good idea. And that scared Kagome.

* * * * *

“I don’t like this.”

Shippo looked up from his bowl. “Why, Miroku? It means that we’re getting Kagome back.”

“I don’t trust this demon.”

“Well, yeah, she’s a demon. Of course, you can’t trust her!” Inuyasha turned to the demon slayer. “I think you’ve hit him one too many times in the head, Sango.”

“He does have a point,” she replied. “There’s no way to be certain that this demon will give Kagome back even if we do show up with the jewel shards.”

“Whoa, what’s this ‘we’ business?”

“You don’t honestly think that we’re going to let you go there alone?” Miroku asked.

“There you go with this ‘we’ stuff, again.”

“Kagome is our friend, too, Inuyasha,” Sango stated. “Of course, we are going to be there. Besides, you may need our help.”

“I’m not going to need your help, Sango.”

“Inuyasha, you barely handled her panthers. Who knows what kind of powers she wields?”

“I’m beginning to wonder if she really wields any.” The monk’s peaceful expression briefly faltered when he realized that Inuyasha and Sango were staring at him. “Why didn’t she just take the shards from Inuyasha last night?”

“Maybe she didn’t know that he had them.”

“I doubt that,” Miroku said. “If she is so powerful, why not go ahead and kill him? She had a perfect opportunity to do it when she took Kagome. He was already injured by her panthers.”

“Hey, I’m right standing here, Miroku!”

“Hmm, you’re right,” Sango mused, ignoring the hanyou’s outburst. “Instead she used Kagome to hold him off.”

“Are you two saying that Hantako’s afraid to fight me?”

“I’m not saying that definitely, Inuyasha,” Miroku replied. “But it is an interesting possibility.”

“It could be that her only true power is her control over the panthers.”

“What are you babbling about, Kaede?” Inuyasha demanded.

“You had left her with only one panther when she retreated. Perhaps that is her only power to control those animals.”

“Well, we can’t do anything that will endanger Kagome,” Sango interjected. “Besides all this is only an idea. It could be she just likes playing games.”

Inuyasha glanced outside. “We have plenty of time until sunset. I’ll be back later.”

“Stay close by, Inuyasha!” Kaede called.

“Feh, whatever,” he muttered, already disappearing into the forest.


Part VI The full moon bathed the village and surrounding forest with silver, ethereal light. Except for the occasional animal cry, all was quiet. He should have found it peaceful. But Inuyasha couldn’t. His thoughts kept turning to Kagome. Where was she? What was happening to her? “I should have taken her back to the well,” he muttered. Then she wouldn’t have been captured. And he and the others wouldn’t be worrying about her. “Feeling sorry for yourself, dog boy?” He jumped from the limb, drawing his sword. “Been wondering when you were going to show that ugly face of yours again, Hantako.” “I’d watch my manners, hanyou. I’d hate for your little shard detector pay for your disrespect.” He growled at her, tightening his grip on his sword. However, he didn’t say anything else. He settled for glaring at her. She laughed. “Much better. Now, where are the jewel shards?” “Why should I tell you?” “Because I’m willing to give you your shard detector back in exchange for them.” She smirked at him. “You know that you’re not match for me. This is the best chance you are going to get to get Kagome back.” He grounded his teeth together. “Fine. Where do you want to meet?” “Meet? There will be no meeting. You give me the shards now, and then I will return Kagome to you.” “I don’t think so. If I give you the shards now, there is no guarantee you will release Kagome. You’d probably keep her to find even more shards.” “You’re really getting on my nerves, dog boy.” “I have something you want, and you have something I want. But you’re not going to get the shards until I see Kagome’s all right.” She frowned, clearly annoyed. “Very well. Meet me in the clearing by the well just before sunset. You bring the shards, and I’ll bring the detector.” “See you then, Hantako.” Just a quietly as she had appeared, the demon was gone. With a sigh, Inuyasha sheathed his sword and returned to his branch. He’d tell the others in the morning. There was no reason for all of them not to sleep. * * * * * Kagome shivered, curling into as tight a ball as possible. To be such a small window, it did let in a lot of drafts. What she wouldn’t give for a blanket! ‘A blanket is the least of your problems, Kagome,’ she told herself. Hantako had been a wicked, almost giddy mood when she appeared in her cell a few moments ago. The demon had enjoyed Kagome’s cries when the icy water hit her, soaking her and the decrepit futon. The torture had again resumed. However, there were no demands to know where the shards were. It meant that Hantako knew where they were or at least had a good idea. And that scared Kagome. * * * * * “I don’t like this.” Shippo looked up from his bowl. “Why, Miroku? It means that we’re getting Kagome back.” “I don’t trust this demon.” “Well, yeah, she’s a demon. Of course, you can’t trust her!” Inuyasha turned to the demon slayer. “I think you’ve hit him one too many times in the head, Sango.” “He does have a point,” she replied. “There’s no way to be certain that this demon will give Kagome back even if we do show up with the jewel shards.” “Whoa, what’s this ‘we’ business?” “You don’t honestly think that we’re going to let you go there alone?” Miroku asked. “There you go with this ‘we’ stuff, again.” “Kagome is our friend, too, Inuyasha,” Sango stated. “Of course, we are going to be there. Besides, you may need our help.” “I’m not going to need your help, Sango.” “Inuyasha, you barely handled her panthers. Who knows what kind of powers she wields?” “I’m beginning to wonder if she really wields any.” The monk’s peaceful expression briefly faltered when he realized that Inuyasha and Sango were staring at him. “Why didn’t she just take the shards from Inuyasha last night?” “Maybe she didn’t know that he had them.” “I doubt that,” Miroku said. “If she is so powerful, why not go ahead and kill him? She had a perfect opportunity to do it when she took Kagome. He was already injured by her panthers.” “Hey, I’m right standing here, Miroku!” “Hmm, you’re right,” Sango mused, ignoring the hanyou’s outburst. “Instead she used Kagome to hold him off.” “Are you two saying that Hantako’s afraid to fight me?” “I’m not saying that definitely, Inuyasha,” Miroku replied. “But it is an interesting possibility.” “It could be that her only true power is her control over the panthers.” “What are you babbling about, Kaede?” Inuyasha demanded. “You had left her with only one panther when she retreated. Perhaps that is her only power to control those animals.” “Well, we can’t do anything that will endanger Kagome,” Sango interjected. “Besides all this is only an idea. It could be she just likes playing games.” Inuyasha glanced outside. “We have plenty of time until sunset. I’ll be back later.” “Stay close by, Inuyasha!” Kaede called. “Feh, whatever,” he muttered, already disappearing into the forest.


Part VII Back