To live is to love by Fluffysgirl?

Damsel in distress

It had been two days since Inuyasha and the others had left her in Kaedas' care. Sick with what she thought was the flu, Kagome had reluctantly stayed behind though her heart had ached to do so. She worried for her friends safety, but her concern was mostly because Inuyasha had sought the help of Kikyo. The thought of the two of them traveling together made tears blur her vision. At the time, she had pushed her feelings aside and had agreed that it was a wise decision. After all, how would they find shards of the jewel without the dead priestess to help them?

Sighing, Kagome rubbed her tired eyes and noticed that her face still burned with fever. Not even the medicine from her time seemed to be helping. She toyed with the idea of returning home and letting her mother take care of her and then she wouldn't have to feel so alone...so worthless. So betrayed.

The flap of Kaedas' hut was pushed aside and a cool afternoon breeze settled over her. She shivered and pulled the blankets closer to her feverish body. The old priestess, Kaeda, came in carrying a bundle of wood in her arms and busied herself with rekindiling the fire.

"Get some sleep, child. I will wake you when the food is done and it is time for your strange medicine."

Kagome forced a smile, though it did not reach her eyes. Her heart was too heavy. "Thank you, Kaeda. I think I'll go home tomorrow. Inuyasha can come get me when he gets back." she said weakly.

It wasn't long before a restless sleep claimed her.

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Her skin seemed to be on fire. It was almost unbearable. She moaned and threw her cover aside, wanting sleep to claim her again. Had her fever gotten worse in such a short time? She took a deep breath and a coughing fit seized her as pain shot through her lungs. What if it wasn't the flu? What if she had phneumonia?

Kagome forced her eyes open and bolted upright in horror. Night had fallen and yet bright orange light shone through the window. The smell of burning flesh filled her nose, making her gag. Fighting her panic, she crawled to her belongings and slipped on her shoes. Outside in the distance she could hear screams of agony as well as Kaedas' voice shouting commands.

"Stand strong, my friends! This abomination has come for Kagome! We must not fail!"

Kagome's hand was reaching for her bow and quivers when she heard a voice that stopped her blood cold.

"How foolish you are, pathetic woman! The likes of you could never defeat me! Shouldn't you be calling for your hero, Inuyasha?"

Naraku.... Why was he here? Did he know that Inuyasha was gone? There was no way that Kaeda and the villagers could hold him at bay. If it was true that he was after her, then she had no choice but to surrender. She would never forgive herself if he killed her friends because she chose to hide in fear.

Gripping her bow and arrows tightly to her chest, she ran from the hut toward the sound of the voices. Around her the village was burning. Bodies lay strewn here and there and Kagome forced herself to stare ahead, not wanting to see their lifeless eyes or their silent death screams. She ran on, her body weak from her illness, until she was only a few yards away. Ahead, Kaeda and a group of twenty villagers were fanned out in a hopeless attempt to keep Naraku at bay.

Forcing her hands not to shake, Kagome knotched an arrow in her bow. "Inuyasha, where ever you are, please come back to me."

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Hope it's not too short. Just trying to get my bearings and learn the ropes. I'll have another chapter up very soon. Fluffy to the rescue!!!