Swords and Roses by Flaming Hawk

A Broken Friendship

"Mom, I'm leaving! Kagome called as she ran through the door.

"Be safe!" she called back as Kagome disappeared into the well house.

Kagome had sprinted toward the well. It had been far too long since she had seen Shippou, Sango, and Miroku. She slammed the door to the well house, and hesitated before jumping in. Kikyou had joined the group. They didn't even need her anymore.

~flashback~

Kagome's stomach wrenched as she stepped through the trees as InuYasha's fangs sank into the soft flesh between Kikyou's shoulder and neck. Her head rolled back in utter bliss, her eyes only slits, but widened when she spotted Kagome. An evil sneer crossed her features as she gave Kagome an "I win this time, runt," look.

Kagome ran as fast as she could back to Kaiede's hut, her heart racing, tears running down her cheeks. She grabbed her bag and fled.

She ran into Sango on her way out and fell backwards onto the hard dirt beneath her. She pushed herself up and before she could keep running, Sango had her by the shoulders, holding her in place.

"Kagome!" What happened? What's wrong?" Sango demanded.

"InuYasha- with-HER!" was all Kagome could manage before her voice broke. She wrenched free from Sango's grasp and ran. When she reached the well she jumped through and hasn't returned since.

~end~

'Shippou needs you,' she told herself she couldn't forget her promise to the little kitsune. Without a second thought, she jumped through the well.

********

"Did you feel that, Miroku?" Shippou asked as a strong aura stirred the trees around them.

"I did, do you think it could be-?"

"Kagome!" Sango gasped.

********

"KAGOME!" the little kitsune nearly knocked her over as he jumped up, embracing her in an enormous hug.

"Shippou!" she yelled, returning the hug full force after she regained her balance. "How are you, kit?"

"Kagome!" Sango called, followed by Miroku, an angry red hand print appearing on face.

"Sango! Miroku!" she ran over and gave Sango a hug, avoiding Miroku's wandering hands.

"We missed you, Kagome," Miroku said holding his arms wide for a hug.

"I don't think so, Miroku!" Sango warned.

"Where's InuYasha?" Kagome asked.

No answer.

"What?" she asked, worry rising in her voice.

"Kagome, InuYasha left with Kikyou to go hunt for jewel shards." Miroku explained.

"Oh," Kagome whispered.

"But we stayed and waited for you, Kagome!" Shippou exclaimed.

"I see that. Thanks, Shipp."

"Hey," Miroku said. "Look on the bright side; we have most of the jewel shards."

Kagome gasped. "You're right. InuYasha might have another shard collector, but we have more of the shards! Let's go collect the shards on our own!"

"Maybe, if you had gotten back sooner, we wouldn't have left without you!" a harsh voice snapped from behind them.

"InuYasha! Guess what! I don't CARE! You are such a jerk sometimes! I don't know why I put up with it for three years! I hunted shards with you! I helped you defeat Naraku, and I didn't even get a 'thank you!' If it weren't for me, the jewel never would have shown up again, you'd still be stuck to that stupid tree!"

"If it weren't for you, wench, the jewel never would have been shattered in the first place!"

"If it weren't for me, Kikyou would still be DEAD!"

"Give me the jewel shards," InuYasha snarled.

"Get away from me, InuYasha!" Kagome's voice was shaking with anger.

"Give me the fucking jewel shards, wench!" InuYasha, growled, grabbing her shoulder, knocking Shippou to the ground, one hand around Kagome's neck.

"Shippou!" Kagome gasped. "Get out of here! Go get Kaiede!" Shippou quickly jumped to his feet and scrambled into the brush.

"InuYasha let her go!" Miroku said grabbing his arm. InuYasha threw him back into a tree where he slumped to the ground.

"Miroku!" Sango yelled, starting to run toward him.

"Not so fast, bitch!" Kikyou said, backhanding her. Sango recovered quickly and returned the blow twice as hard. Kikyou stumbled backward. Sango slammed the hiraikotsu into the side of Kikyou's head, knocking her unconscious.

"You BITCH!" InuYasha growled, punching Sango, one hand still holding Kagome. She went sprawling across the forest floor, a steady stream of blood flowing from a cut on her forehead.

"InuYasha, let-"Kagome choked.

"Her go," a silk baritone voice finished her sentence for her.

"What are you doing here, Sesshoumaru?!" InuYasha snarled, glaring at his older half brother, who had appeared behind Kagome.

"What I do is not your concern, half-breed," he sneered "however, what you do on my land is my concern."

"What are you talkin' about?" InuYasha snapped. "You rule the Western land, not the Eastern."

"I see no reason to discuss my life with you. Let the human go."

"I don't need to listen to you; we're not in your lands."

"Yes, you will find you are, hanyou. I have just made an arrangement with the Okami of the eastern Lands. You are needlessly spilling blood in my land. Release her or I must use force."

"Whatever." He snorted dropping the now unconscious Kagome onto the forest floor. Kicking Sango out of his way, he gathered Kikyou in his arms n jumped into the trees.

The inu Taiyoukai Gently picked up the unconscious Kagome his cloud forming beneath his feet. He would take Kagome to the western land were she would be safe, the kitsune will inform the village of the others. She was not breathing and no human medic could h