Somber Twilight

Princess of Ikana

Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

Prompt: matutine (adj.) - just before the dawn

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They say time heals all wounds but what if they all happened at the same time? How much agony and sorrow can one person burden themselves with before it becomes too much?

Kagome didn't get any visitors after Sango and Miroku passed on the other night. Shippo and Kirara had departed ahead of them and Inuyasha wasn't looking too good these of these invisible demon had spread far. Kagome was the only one who didn't get the recent plague that had befallen the village that winter.

Guilt wracked her mind as she watched her best friend gasp for breath, she sat beside him with a pale of water and a rag. She wrung out the soiled cotton with cool water before laying it back onto his sweat ridden forehead.

"Shhh…"

There was no more to say, days before they spoke of how this was fate and Inuyasha didn't blame Kagome once for surviving.

The snow began to fall the other night and she feared that help was not coming. Not many priestesses or monks travelled far during the harsh months, most stayed with their village. Kaede was one of the first victims of this new illness and so Kagome was the sole priestess, she made her rounds to various homes but feudal remedies did nothing but comfort care. Since coming back to the feudal era on a permanent basis, she gave up access to her future medication and wondered if it would have helped now?

In the future, smallpox was eradicated from most places and many people were vaccinated against it, she only knew what she learned from school and history. It truly was gruesome to watch, Horrible fevers and vomiting began at first and then a few days later the sores all over the body appeared. Villagers lasted about a week in pain and discomfort before dying, it was highly contagious that since it began weeks ago she estimated that 70% of the village had it only a few survived… she figured out that she wasn't affected because of the future, she had been vaccinated against the disease.

"Kagome-sama?" called a timid voice from outside.

She rose and went outside while glancing back at Inuyasha, fearing he could leave her while she left.

"Yes? Oh, Eiko-san?" Kagome greeted her tiredly.

"I'm sorry to have disturbed you, but Ichigo is very weak and I wonder if he is going to make it to sunset…" her voice cracked with emotion.

Kagome closed her eyes, blinking back tears as she couldn't offer her anything. So instead she led her back to her hut and explained that it was time to pick a burial spot before they didn't have any more men to dig any plots.

Hours felt like an eternity, but before long midnight arrived and a new moon cycle began.

Inuyasha's silken silver tresses melted into ebony black and his demonic features disappeared. His symptoms worsened and a little before dawn, Kagome said goodbye to her love, husband and friend.

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500 Words

A/N: New muse R&R 3