May You Never Be Alone by BunnyMacCool

Prologue

When the evening sun is sinking

down behind the trees

And the moon is slowly rising

won't you sometimes think of me?

-Won't You Sometimes Think of Me ~ Hank Williams

Prologue

It was a sight they never really expected to see that day. Or any other day for that matter. Kagome just knew that when she rounded the corner and saw Naraku towering over the Lord of the Western Lands with what could only be a smug look on his face . . . today was going to be one of those days.

Higurashi Kagome remembers much of that day. She remembers running into battle after the moment of stunned silence, and Inuyasha's cry of outrage when Naraku sent a shower of demons their way. She remembers Miroku and Sango fighting back to back with Shippou protected between them. She also remembers the unmoving forms of Sesshoumaru's retainer, ward and steed lying in a heap to the side of the Lord.

What she does not remember, or cannot even grasp, is how Naraku felled the mighty older brother of Inuyasha. When they arrived on the scene Sesshoumaru was already on his knees. He looked furious and ready to annihilate. He also looked defeated. Naraku had the youkai lord backed against a giant boulder that rested against the hillside like a serene giant. The evil hanyou had been chanting a spell quite happily when they had burst upon the clearing and distracted him.

After the waves of youkai descended on them, Kagome's memory wavers a little. She recalls battling the endless, or seemingly so, hoards of creatures. Strangely, she does not remember defeating them all. It was done eventually, however, to the delight of her companions and the utter ruining of her clothes.

What happened next was, however, unexpected. Naraku had finished his chant in the confusion and a swirl of lighting and power suddenly flashed around him. The light seemed almost black, if that was even possible, as it encompassed the giant boulder and youkai lord kneeling before it. Then, with one brilliant flash that blinded them all, Naraku and every evidence of his army vanished.

All seemed well. For a moment. It was when Sesshoumaru tried to stand that the true meaning of Naraku's spell became evident. The startled release of air that left his lips was the only acknowledgement that the stoic Lord had been taken off guard as he plummeted face first into the dirt.

All eyes turned to his feet, or where his feet had been before, but now appeared to be drawn inside the very boulder itself. With an angry grunt, Sesshoumaru tried to tug his feet loose, but nothing happened. Then suddenly there was a great jerk of movement and the youkai was now sucked into the boulder up to his waist.

Two things happened at that moment. First, Sesshoumaru quickly flipped to his stomach and dug his clawed hand as deep into the ground as it would go. Second, everyone else seemed to suddenly realize what was happening.

Higurashi Kagome remembers many things from that day. She remembers the cold Lord frantically leaving great gouges in the ground, as he was pulled further into the stone. She remembers the little girl who traveled with him suddenly waking and screaming his name in horror. She remembers Inuyasha's gut-wrenching, heart-breaking cry for his big brother as the only family he had left disappeared into the massive stone.

She remembers many things. And the look of absolute terror on the face of The Lord of the Western Lands is something she will never forget.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Um, yup... short little opener. Please continue on to first chapter. Thankya.