Unbroken

I sat beside Kagome, Kilala in my lap, staring off into the fire that burned brightly in front of me, the fire giving warmth to an unusually cold night for summer. I hadn’t talked to anyone about what had happened in the mountain, nor did I really want to, though, I knew I would have to eventually.

I felt Kagome’s eyes on me, “Are you okay? You’ve been awfully quiet.”

I shrugged, unsure. “I suppose.” I knew she wanted answers, but I was feeling oddly depressed.

“Please talk to me, Angel.” Her eyes were pleading with mine.

I sighed, knowing I would have to talk eventually, that I would have to open up about what I was feeling. “I suppose that my issue lies with Katsuro.” I eyed Sesshomaru who stood, leaning against a tree, his eyes closed. “He’s a fully grown man.”

Sesshomaru opened his eyes a little before closing them again, Kagome gasped, shocked, Inuyasha dropped his chopsticks, and everyone else simply stared at me.

“Somehow, Yamiko aged my son twenty years in about a month. She even changed his name to Kumori.” I paused, trying to remember what Yamiko had said to me after I had awoken. “She said something about him having the same weakness as his father, meaning me.” I shifted, uncomfortable.

“Weakness? How so?” Kagome’s voice was quiet.

“I vaguely remembering him telling her to let me go or he would.” I rubbed the swollen scabbed welts on my wrists from the shackles. “She let me go alright. She made me fight her. I had been drugged and chained to a wall so I was severely groggy and not much of an opponent. She was about to kill me when Katsuro stepped in. He ordered me to leave and, before I could, an explosion occurred and I was hurled out of the mountain.

“I have to go back for him. No matter what that evil witch has done to Katsuro, he is still my son.”

“We can go back tomorrow.” Kagome spoke quietly.

“How? She said that Sesshomaru was unable to follow me but somehow I was able to get through the water just fine. It could be the same for you.”

Kagome looked deep in thought for a minute before speaking. “We will figure something out.”

“What about the opening in the mountain that you flew out of?” Miroku had a finger on his chin, thinking. “Couldn’t we all go in that way?”

“When we initially went to the mountain, that large opening was shielded. None of us could see it.” I thought back, not remembering an opening that large.

“It’s worth a shot. If we can see it this time, we can at least check it out.” Sango smiled at me.

“I suppose. But if we do see that entrance, then they are more than likely gone.” My voice saddened. If Katsuro disappeared again, I would be heartbroken.

“Let’s all get some rest and head back to the mountain tomorrow.” This came from Inuyasha. He was now lounging on the soft grass-covered ground.

I absentmindedly ran my fingers through Kilala’s fur, causing her to stir. We all laid down, Kilala nestled against my chest, and very slowly I drifted into a restless sleep.

When I woke, the sun wasn’t even peeking over the horizon. The sky was still dark and stars still sparkled in the sky. Kilala was curled up with Shippo and no longer laying against my chest, so I rolled over and sat up. I looked around for Sesshomaru, but he was nowhere in sight.

I quietly moved out of the small clearing that we had made camp in and began to wander through the woods, curious as to where Sesshomaru was. I ran my fingers over the bark of trees that I passed by. When I came to a large fallen tree in the woods, I stopped and sat on it. Early morning dew clinging to its surface.

I looked up at the sky, watching the stars slowly being to fade. A lone star shot across the sky, a small tail following the little ball of light, trying to catch up. I closed my eyes and made a silent wish. ‘Please let Katsuro stay safe.’

I sat on that log until the sun began to lighten the sky. I sighed and stood, stretching my arms over my head as I allowed my body to stretch. I dropped my arms, my head filling with sand for a moment. I began to walk the short distance to where the others were sleeping.

When I arrived, I sat down and leaned back against the tree that Sesshomaru had leaned against earlier that night. ‘I wonder where he is.’ I closed my eyes, not falling asleep, until I heard movement as the others began to slowly waken and stir.

I opened my eyes to see Miroku kissing Sango awake and Kagome was poking Inuyasha’s cheek. Shippo and Kilala still curled up together, still fast asleep.

Inuyasha grabbed Kagome’s hand and pulled her closer to him. I wasn’t sure if he was going to kiss her or threaten her for poking his cheek. I shook my head and moved to the three that were still sleeping. I gently woke Shipp. Kilala stretched, meowed, then walked over to Sango, who was now sitting with her legs tucked under her, and sat in her lap.

Shippo rubbed his eyes then stretched and yawned. He opened his eyes and looked around, “Where’s Sesshomaru?”

“I don’t know. He was gone when I woke up this morning.” I looked around the edge of the clearing.

Kagome pulled out food for everyone from her large yellow bag and we ate breakfast before starting back towards the mountain. I stretched my senses, searching for Sesshomaru with the link we shared. I touched his mind and I immediately stopped. Something was seriously wrong. Sesshomaru’s mind was clouded with pain, his thought were murderous. He rejected my questions and shut the link between us off.

“What’s wrong?” Sango was the first to notice me not moving.

“It’s Sesshomaru. Something is wrong.” I was panicked.

“Where is he?” Kagome asked, concerned.

“I’m not sure. He shut the connection down before I could pinpoint where he was.”

“Let’s check the mountain first. Maybe he is there.” Miroku was calm, the exact opposite of me.

“He’s hurt and they drugged him. Just like they did me.” Then a realization hit me. “What the hell was he thinking going after them!?”

We hurried to the mountain as pure helplessness began to spread through my body. The barrier was intact again and I quickly walked to it, placing my hands on the rippling barrier. I focused my mind and the barrier began to disintegrate until an opening formed that was large enough for us to pass through.

The creepy fog still slung to the ground. Sango and Miroku took off on Kilala, looking for the entrance of the cave that I had been thrown out of.

It seemed like forever before they made it back. “We found a large opening on the other side of the mountain.” Sango hollered at us.

Shippo used his fox magic to turn into a large balloon, carrying me alone while Inuyasha carried Kagome on his back. We all hurried to the opposite side of the mountain.

When we rounded the corner, the large entrance came into view and my mind flooded with the details of the last time I had been through there. We all cautiously landed, weapons drawn.

The inside of the cave looked like a war zone. The once complete furniture laid in splinters of wood, objects that hug on the wall were shattered. The walls were scorched and the floor was black.

I opened my mind, looking for Sesshomaru. I got a small tinge of recognition but it was too far away.

“He isn’t here….” My mind was on overdrive. “No one is.”