I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters.
"Sango! Watch out!" Kagome cried as she barrelled into the slayer, sliding half a meter on her side across the muddy terrain. An insect demon roared past, screaming its indignation at not catching its prey. It was early spring and the ground was still soggy from melted snow and heavy rains. Green shoots were beginning to appear on the barren trees but fresh blooms had yet to make an appearance.
"Thanks, Kagome," Sango said as she got to her feet, stepping out of the slight trench their skidding bodies had caused. "Are you alright?" she asked, reaching her hand out for the black-haired teen who was now covered from her necktie to her ankles along one side in a thick layer of mud.
"Windscar!" Inuyasha yelled a little ways off. This normally weak demon's strength was enhanced by a shard of the Shikon jewel making it a real pest to the nearby village. Several fields of crops just breeching the soil were devastated. They had been tracking this demon through the forest and had just reached the edge of a large, but soggy, meadow when it attacked. Inuyasha was leveling the land with his Windscar not far from the women as Miroku lead the creature away from the females.
"Uh, I think so-oooh" Kagome whined, grasping the slayers firm grip and attempting to stand. Kagome's right leg almost buckled under her weight. Sango quickly wrapped her arm around Kagome's back, taking her weight to help her remain standing. The whine attracted Inuyasha's furry white ears and as their eyes made contact Kagome shouted "Yasha, it's in its left pincer!" The inu made quick work of the insect demon with his Windscar, and headed to Kagome who, with Sango's help, was limping towards a transformed Kirara.
"What have you done to yourself now wench!" Inuyasha shouted. In truth, he was more concerned than pissed but showing it was, in his mind, a form of weakness. The only way to make Kagome tough was to be hard on her and better him than some demon or murderer.
"Inuyasha that may not be the best way to inquire about our fair Kagome's wellbeing." Miroku panted as he reached the group.
"Yeah, Inuyasha! Leave Kagome alone." Shippo butted in, scowling fiercely at the inu hanyo.
"Every time we get going and finding shards the wench goes and get herself hurt and wants to 'go home'" Yasha replied, the last words said mockingly.
"Like you've never gotten injured in a battle. Kagome was protecting me from the demon. It switched direction after you unleashed the Windscar right next to me and I had to jump out of the way!" Sango said her volume increasing to the point of shouting.
Inuyasha’s puppy ears went back but his scowl remained.
“How bad are you injured anyways?” questioned Inuyasha, attempting to shift the conversation away from his mistake and onto his raven-haired friend.
“I can't tell with all this mud caked onto me. Kami, I bet this is going to be worse than the case of road rash I had playing softball in gym class. I slid onto home plate just wearing my gym uniform. I had contusions all the way up to here,” replied Kagome, pointing to her hips.
“ Softball? “ said Sango.
“Home plate?” said Miroku.
“Contusions?” said Inuyasha.
“Oh, well softball is a game and home plate is where you begin and end...oh forget it. Remind me to explain it sometime. We have all the things to play. Yasha is there a hot spring nearby?” Kagome pleaded as she shivered from the increased wind blowing across her soaked school uniform. There may be no hope left for this uniform, thankfully she had others in her trusty yellow pack.
Inuyasha sighed deeply. Secretly, he was relieved she was not asking to return home through the magic time portal known as the bone eaters well. She had recently returned from a trip home to acquire supplies and took entirely too long there. Her excuse was, of course, those troublesome tests. Maybe if he found her a spring they could resume traveling and not have to wait on her meager human healing abilities.
“ Yeah, come on Kirara I guess you gotta carry the wench.”