The Next Door by Crystal Echoes

Chapter 1

He slowly awoke a very loud high pitched reverberating ring was all he could hear save the beat of his own heart and the ragged hoarse breathing.

The smell of blood permeated the area, but the area… the smells he was not familiar with. His body screamed at his ever movement begging him to stop and heal his wounds but the unfamiliarity of this place kicked his instincts in. He would not be caught in this state unprepared and vulnerable.

One eye cracked open and he narrowed it barely able to see passed the blood pooling in his eyes. He had to lick his wounds… where? The sounds of animals fled from him leaving him in a lonely forest. Slapping his hand ahead of him he dragged his body forward, his right arm was unresponsive, his legs mangled but they would heal soon. Not soon enough for him.

He dragged himself through the dense brush out of the clearing knowing he was leaving a trail of blood behind. After a moment he simply could not go any further. “Ten… sai.” He whispered a name trying to locate her scent. When he could not he shut his eyes, “Forgive me.”

His blue eye clouded with red blood slowly closed and he rested his pale face on the dead leaves.

The Next Door

One.

She sat up startled.

Rushing over to the flap of her door she pushed the curtain aside and peered outside. All the villagers were already up and out of their homes, the men holding torches staring in awe.

Kaede fixed her haori and slipped her geta on walking out into the street.

“Kaede-sama!” The village headman rushed to her side, “A great power in the forest, what is to do?”

“It could be a demon.” Kaede thought aloud as she looked up to see a giant billowing of smoke coming from the forest. There was no fire at least what she could see. “They could be fighting amongst themselves. Either case it is dangerous to the town.”

Shippou came bounding out of the hut holding her bow and quiver of arrows, “Here you go!”

Kaede took her weapons and was helped onto a horse by one of the villagers. A few of the men on horseback followed after her as she rushed into the woods. Shippou leapt on her

“It is to the bone eaters well Lady Kaede.”

“What’s that?” Shippou leaned over Kaede’s shoulder staring into the woods.

“What is wha… Stop!” The horses stopped suddenly in front of a huge tree that was blocking the pathway. She stared at the scene before her, tens of trees fallen over. The god tree stood at the edge of her line of sight in the darkness, still there but the trees surrounding it were knocked over.

“Kaede… look at that.” Shippou whispered pointing to something over the mass of fallen trees.

Kaede narrowed her eyes, “Shippou, ye need to find yon Kagome… and quickly.”

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Inuyasha characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and I make absolutely no money off them other than lose a lot of sleep.

The characters ‘Lunar & Tensai’ are based on avatars created by good friends of mine aptly named TotalLunar Eclipse & Tensai Hilra-Eclipse. I am using their personalities, likeness and names by written consent. They are real life people and their likenesses and background stories belong to them and them only.

Any original characters are the property of me and cannot be used without my consent.