An Education by UnknownRandomness

Clocking Out

Prompt:  Dew – (n) Drops of water that form outside at night on grass, trees, e.t.c. 

Word Count: 560

The bloodstained dew clung to the morning leaves, its vibrant colouring revealing the massacre that had continued through the night into the first clutches of a beautiful morning. Crisp and biting, the wind struck Kagome's red cheeks like a rigid fist, whisking her breath away with every new wave. Beside her, Inuyasha panted heavily, his ragged breaths condensing in the early morning air. Sango punctuated the hushed atmosphere with mumbled curses, quietly berating the man she loved about being more careful, saying that he should not have rushed in to save her even at the cost of his own well-being. Miroku quietly replied with soothing words that he would always defy her wishes on this matter. 

Sesshoumaru's golden gaze was rooted on the miko, watching the staggered rise and fall of her chest, the burning blood in her face and the liquid dripping from her wrist to the leaves below her, painting the green leaves a perverse crimson. She seemed unaware of her life force quickly slipping from her arm, staining the sleeve of her white garment, adding to the dirt and remanants of youkai already decorating the previously pristine material. The dai noted Inuyasha slowly returning the diminished Tetsaiga back into the sheath at his side, before collapsing, exhausted.

The time traveller glanced over at her felled friend, raising her tired gaze to the sky, noting the absence of a visible lunar body. The new moon still held its sway over their now-human companion, but as she felt the sun's rays begin to heat her goose-pimpled flesh, his dark hair slowly returned to its normal argent shade. He remained unconscious, his body quickly dealing with the considerable injuries he had sustained trying to fend off Naraku's many evil compatriots. The spider had discovered Inuyasha's weakness and attempted to exploit it - luckily, Sesshoumaru had returned from the West in the nick of time.

With a small moan, Kagome fell to her knees, feeling shaken and drained. That had been her hardest battle yet and Naraku hadn't even bothered to send one of his mannequins with the small army he had unleashed upon them. Abruptly, a powerful shiver travelled through her and the young woman sneezed, the violent movement sending a jolt through her arm. Looking down at the limb, she was surprised to see blood pouring down her hand. She couldn't feel it at all! She tried to raise her hand, but when it refused to cooperate, she chose to pull her sleeve back instead with her working arm. 

Sesshoumaru growled as the human revealed the wound. It was festering already, even though it had been inflicted not too long before. A large pocket of pus burst at the jostling of her shirt, and he wrinkled his nose, the smell emanating from it being incredibly potent. The Western Lord was unsurprised when the girl's eyes promptly rolled back in their sockets and she also collapsed next to his half-siling. Humans. They were so delicate. With as few words as possible, he attracted the slayer's attention and instructed her to tend to the miko. It seemed that his part of their alliance was done; he had saved them from destruction. They were their own responsibilities. The woman called after him as he began to walk away from the battlefield, but he ignored her voice. Their survival was now on their heads.