Love's Endeavor by SunflowerDreams21

Down the Rabbit Hole

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are the sole property of Rumiko Takahashi.  I make no profit from this story.

The branches in the forest were at a standstill and he could feel the tension strumming through the air, it felt as though all of nature held its breath. His body tensed the sensation was familiar and oddly it mollified his beast. His eyes narrowed at the thought that something unknown to him could pacify him. So he moved in a direction he never believed he would of his own accord.

“Milord?” His retainer asked hesitantly as he bowed before his majestic lord.

“Stay.” was his cold and impassive reply.

That single command sent chills through the imp’s body, it held the promise of pain should he decide to follow. Well, he was no fool and he liked being alive, he would stay put. “As you command, Milord.” Even as he spoke the words his master had already left him far behind.

Ever since she had woken up she felt strange, she felt drawn to something that she could not understand. The Sacred Tree of Ages called to her, she felt its call in every fiber of her being. So here she stood entranced by what seemed to be the only scar the ages had left upon the sacred tree. What am I waiting for?

“Buyo?” a young male voiced called out.

Instantly she was distracted by the voice of her brother calling out to their cat. “Souta.” she called to him.

“Over here, in the concealed well house.” the distant voice called back.

She neared the structure and spotted her brother peeking in through the barely opened door. “What are you doing here?”

The young boy grimaced as he thought about why he was here in the first place. “It’s Buyo, I think he’s down there.”

“So why don’t you go get him?” She baited him knowing he was completely terrified of the well and the story tied to it.

“Are you kidding it’s scary down there?”

“You’re a man? Or so you always tell mama and me.” She smirked as she saw the sour expression that lighted his face.

“Kagome…” He whined sounding every inch a young boy.

“Fine, but you owe me.” Boy did he owe her big, the last thing she wanted to be doing on her birthday was to be searching for her overweight cat in a musty well house.

“Okay.” His response was a little too fast and eager for her ears.

“Buyo…” She called hoping the cat would come to her of its own accord, even as she made her way down the ladder off the raised platform that was built around the well.

A scratching rent the silent air and she heard her brother gasp, “What was that?”

“The cat.” she deadpanned, he was just being jumpy.

“Oh yeah.”

The scratching came louder this time and she screamed as something rubbed against her leg causing her brother to scream. “Buyo!” She cried out angrily as the cat rubbed against her leg, when the scratching came followed by some wood breaking she tried to scream but couldn’t. She heard Souta call out to her and try to run to her aid when she was dragged down the bone eater’s well and into blue light.

She was turned to face her captor, “You have it don’t you?” It hissed at her, its rancid breath torturing her nose.

“Have what? I don’t have anything.” She cried out as she desperately tried to wriggle free from her captor’s unforgiving gasp. It was then that she truly looked at the thing holding her, “…Youkai?”

“I can feel it. The Shikon No Tama, you must have it. I can feel it recreating my body. I’ll just take it from you.” It opened its horrendous mouth to her and readied itself for the strike.

“No!” Kagome cried out as she threw her hand out, a pulsing pink light flowing from her palm and pulling the monster apart.

She landed on her knees in the well and called out, “Souta.” There was no response, she looked up only to see clear skies not the wooden ceiling of the well house. “Grandpa? Mama?” No help for it, I’ll have to get out one way or another. She pulled herself out by the ivy that clung to the sides of the well.

When she reached the top she was met by cold golden eyes, “So you have returned?”

“Umm… what?” Way to go Kagome sound like idiot when a handsome man talks to you. It was then that she truly looked at the man and realized that like her captor there was no way he was human. His white hair hung long and free, his golden eyes were an anomaly in itself and his markings and claws were a dead giveaway.

“Hn… so it would seem you don’t remember. Perhaps for now that is for the best.”

“Sure. So you’re a youkai, a real youkai?”

“Hn…”

“Umm… mind telling me where I’m at?”

“The centipede will regenerate itself and you must go now.”

“Go where?”

“Follow the Tree of Ages, I’m sure once there someone shall help you along.”

“Why can’t that be you?”

“For now our meeting is but a brief interlude in time Therefore you must go to the Tree of Ages.”

“The Sacred Tree? I can usually find my way home from there.” She stated as she started in that direction.

Suddenly he grabbed her hand careful of his deadly claws, “Though I said our time is but a brief interlude try to remember that anything I say or however I may act you must decipher, not everything is as it seems.”

She stared at his inhumanly beauty, “Sure whatever you say.” her breath was but a whisper but somehow she knew he heard.

“Hn…” was the only response she received even as his presence fled her and his touch seemed only an ethereal feeling on her tingling hand. Kagome made her way to the Sacred Tree but somehow her time with this youkai had felt familiar and right. Only time would tell if he played a larger role in her life.