Maiden of the Peach

Chapter nine: Unexpected Hero!

      Waves upon waves of nerve-wracking pain flooded over my body as my eyes slowly open to a dark blur of shapes dancing along my line of sight. Soft rustling erupted from overhead as I struggled to make sense of what had happened and where I was, every part of my being had become numb and useless. Voices reached my ears, but I couldn't make out what they were saying as I fought to move an inch, flinching as my body retaliates much to my displeasure. Closing my eyes once more as I take in a calm shaky breath, thinking back to the events that had transpired just moments ago.

      Kagome manages to get me on top of Kirara's back with me nestled on her sturdy shoulders, and her thick neck fur faced down with my head tilted to the side while Shippo held a worried expression. His entire body shook with what I thought was anger, or maybe it was fear once I took notice of the tears in the corner of his emerald green eyes.

      "Is she going to be okay, Kagome?" His voice shook slightly with a definite hint of uncertainty.

      "It's hard to say, Shippo, but we need to get her back to the village at once to get her wounds treated," Kagome answered with confidence and determination. It seemed to relax Shippo as I took notice of how his trembling started to die down.

      "Kagome! Miroku, Inuyasha, and I are going after Zenki and Houki. They couldn't have gotten far. You and Kirara focus on getting (_______) to Kaede, Okay?" Sango's voice rang in my ear while I fade in and out of consciousness.

      'Am I going to be okay?' My mind buzzes with wild conflicting thoughts of home, my mom, and my aunt. 'What will they do? What's going to happen to them?' hot tears pooled in the corner of my eyes, but they never fall. 'I-I don't want to die!' I greet my teeth in anger as my fingers grasp tuffs of Kirara's warm, soft thick cream-colored coat in fear that my life would slip away at any moment.

      "You guys, please be safe, and we'll see you back at Kaede's hut," Kagome responded. I could feel her eyes land on me for a brief moment, followed by Kirara's conservative movement of her powerful muscles rippling underneath me. A gust of wind blows my hair into a frenzy as she takes an energetic leap into the air, followed her long strides, racing into the still sky above as she runs back to the village. As it turned out, Kaede's village had been further away than I, or more adequately, we initially thought due to Houki's spells of illusions.

      'I wonder... how long had he held us under his spell?' My thoughts are bitter as my grip on Kirara's fur tightens. 'I-I don't know. I still don't know anything about this world! L-let alone, Kagome. How can I keep calling them my friends if I... I keep putting them through so much trouble?' Guilt and frustration claws at my belly with my face hidden hopefully from their view.

      "(_________)?" Kagome's voice speaks up gently to catch my attention. Briefly, I manage to meet her eyes as her lips part to speak once more. "Don't worry. We'll be at Kaede's soon." She added just as a sudden flash from the forest below catches us by surprise, managing to glance over just enough to lay witness to a fast-flying demon! A ravenous blackbird humanoid monstrosity with a deadly looking spear clench within its talons and its red eyes held an evil glint.

      "It's a demon!" Shippo yelled out in a panic as Kirara manage to swiftly dodge the monster, thankful that I kept a tight grip but cursing the gravity of the situation on my very tender limbs as pain shot through every nerve in my body.