Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 81: Demon

Yuki groaned and she felt like kicking herself if only that were possible.

'Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid!' She growled internally, chastising herself. 'How could you let him fool you? Of all the-'

It had taken her a few seconds to realize something was wrong. Until a moment ago, she had thought she was still outside, clinging to Sesshomaru to stay afloat above Naraku's body while listening to Byakuya's irritating jibes. However Yuki had soon noticed there was something wrong with Sesshomaru's scent: it was too faint to be right beside her. Unfortunately, by the time the realization and subsequent understanding had sunk in, she found she was already inside Naraku.

In the middle of a fog of miasma.

The instant she had realized where she was, she had ceased breathing to the extent possible, also covering her nose and mouth with her kimono sleeve in an attempt to filter out whatever tiny portion of miasma she could from entering her system.

'This is bad though...' Yuki thought as she wandered about a little. 'I can't smell anything without risking breathing in too much miasma... but without my nose, I have no idea where I am or where to go.'

She could just picture Sesshomaru's face if he could see her now.

'He'll have my head.'

Yuki winced as she breathed in more miasma, and then she paused. In that brief moment, she had definitely smelt Rin... and Inuyasha.

Fully-fledged demon Inuyasha.

"No!"

Yuki took off, almost flying with the speed at which she was racing through Naraku's body. But still she pushed herself faster because there was only one outcome she could predict from Naraku bringing Inuyasha and Rin together now of all times.

"RIN!"

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In a different part of Naraku's maze-like body, Kagome moaned and slowly peeled her eyes open.

'Where...?' She thought hazedly, blinking to try and clear her mind.

There was a strange slashing sound somewhere nearby although strangely faint; that was the first thing she registered. Then, as she stirred, Kagome became aware once again of the stining pain in her arm - the arm that Inuyasha had slashed with his claws as he lost control of his body.

'Inuyasha!'

The thought had Kagome jolting awake. Now more aware of herself, she glanced over to the source of the slashing sound. Only to freeze in shock as she saw Sesshomaru standing guard not far away while slashing away all the demons that attempted to come closer to the smell of human blood. The dog demon was unmoving aside from his right arm as he whipped his poison whip back and forth in a steady rhythm, destroying all the other demons instantly.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked, still unable to believe her eyes.

The dog demon paused, glancing back at her with barely a tilt of his head. Kagome swallowed as she met cold, unreadable gold eyes; but then Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and he turned sharply back to the front to swipe away yet another pair of snake demons that attempted to get closer.

That made her feel a little bolder and Kagome asked tentatively, "Have you been driving away the demons for me?"

Sesshomaru didn't pause in his actions nor did he look back but he answered her with a question of his own.

"Those wounds are Inuyasha's doing?"

Kagome grasped her injured arm and turned her head away, remaining silent. But it seemed that was the response he was expecting as Sesshomaru straightened up from his last kill.