Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 76: Left Behind

Kagome awoke with a sharp cry as she shot upright on her sleeping mat with tears streaming down her cheeks.

The movement startled Inuyasha, Lady Kaede and Miroku where the group were sitting beside Kagome, having waited patiently for her to wake up from whatever spell Magatsuhi had cast on her. Rin and Sango also looked over from where they were seated between Yuki and Kohaku by the back wall of Lady Kaede's hut, and Yuki stirred in her sleep as Kagome breathed heavily in an attempt to recover from the shock she'd received in her dream.

"I failed?" Kagome asked, and Inuyasha asked worriedly, "What's wrong, Kagome? Are you still in pain?"

Kagome turned to look at him in surprise, and she said with confusion lacing her voice, "But... how did I...?"

"You lost consciousness after Magatsuhi glared at you." Miroku reminded in a kind tone. "Do you remember what happened?"

Kagome blinked, before she inhaled sharply as it came back to her.

"I remember now... I suddenly felt weak and..."

Kagome looked around as she spoke, before her eyes fell on Yuki and Kohaku.

"Yuki, Kohaku." She gasped. "Are they okay?"

"Yuki's recovering." Inuyasha confirmed. "She was badly wounded but she slept most of it off already and she'll be back on her feet by tomorrow."

"And... Kohaku?" Kagome asked tentatively, and Sango sighed.

Brushing her little brother's hair back, Sango murmured worriedly, "Well, he hasn't woken up since it happened."

"I'm sure it's because Magatsuhi defiled his shard." Kagome replied before shifting to move over toward the other girl and the boy in her lap. "Let me purify it."

As Kagome attempted to purify Kohaku's shard, Rin glanced toward the mat covering the doorway worriedly.

Just outside the hut, Jaken was pacing irritably.

"Honestly!" Jaken huffed as he paced, the vein in his temple throbbing angrily. "How dare he bring the mighty Lord Sesshomaru back to this lowly human village!"

The imp demon glared pointedly over his shoulder at Totosai where the old master was busy working to the side of Lady Kaede's hut. The older demon ignored the small imp (again) as he worked, and Jaken puffed his chest indignantly.

"And to think Yuki would ask the same thing!" He went on, ranting his irritation now that they were certain Yuki would be fine. "And she forced Lord Sesshomaru to step inside a human dwelling! Why should she want to follow Inuyasha? Then all she does since we get here is sleep, the ungrateful little..."

As Jaken continued to complain, Totosai let out a sigh of satisfaction.

"Okay, all done."

Bringing up Bakusaiga, he carefully sheathed the sword inside his latest creation before handing it over to Sesshomaru, who had been waiting for hours without a word beside the swordsmith.

"A scabbard for Bakusaiga." Totosai announced.

Sesshomaru took the sheathed sword in his left hand before he gripped the handle of his new sword with his right hand. With a small flick of his wrist, he unsheathed Bakusaiga partially to examine the blade as it slid out smoothly from its new scabbard, before he sheathed it with a sharp click once more.

Without a word, he slid the sword and its scabbard into his belt, above Tenseiga, before he started off away from the hut.

Inside, Rin heard his faint footsteps distinctly, having been on alert for it just in case, and she hurried up quickly after her lord.