This story of mine will follow most of the main events, save for a few. You will notice the differences as you read through the story because it will be deadly obvious if you've finished the manga or anime. For example, the time line will be drastically altered. It has been over the course of six years that InuYasha and the rest have been looking for the shards. Imagine the main storyline, but over a longer course of time, hehe.

Sentience

Chapter 1: The cold, dead fire

By Leoncia (AisuKaze)

Colorful leaves, the tell-tale sign that fall was approaching, were slowly being illuminated by the rays of the sun rising in the east. The wind blew gently, making the leaves twitter with slight movement. This movement allowed the sun to fall on Kagome's face, which she didn't much appreciate as she rolled over and buried her face into Shippou's hair while tucking the edges of her sleeping bag over both of their heads.

Awake enough to know it was morning, her soft brown eyes fluttered open to greet the day. While her mind caught up Kagome slowly began to realize it was the most peaceful wakeup call she had in quite a long time. She groaned and sat up slowly, trying not to disturb the still sleeping child. Hands moving to rub the last bits of sleep from her eyes, she began to wonder if Sango had finally tied up InuYasha and gagged him so all of them could get more sleep than they were used to.

Her eyes landed on the now cold and dead fire. Normally it would have still been glowing faintly as InuYasha would poke at it and add new fire wood to it during the night—he didn't sleep much, if you couldn't tell.

Confusion fell over her face as panic started to bury itself within her mind. She looked around quickly, her hands on Shippou and shaking him awake. He groggily answered to the shaking by swatting at her hands, only to receive an even more violent shake in return.

"Yeah, yeah InuYasha. I'm up, I'm up!" As he yelled he sat up quickly before the half-demon became even more violent towards him. That was, at least, until he realized that it was Kagome who was shaking him awake.

He began to sense the fear, confusion, and panic that were rolling off of her in waves. Before he could ask her, though, she beat him to it.

"Where is everyone, Shippou?" Her voice was weak.

Shippou shot up from his place within the sleeping bag and look a quick look around the campsite. There wasn't a trace of any of their traveling companions to be found. Sango's large boomerang was missing; her pack that held her other clothing and necessities was also gone. In fact, the more he looked, the more it dawned on him that it seemed like the only ones who made camp the night before were he and Kagome.

"I… I don't know." He quietly crept around the camp, sniffing the air and the spaces his friends had made their own for the night.

"It smells like they haven't been around all night. The only scent I can catch is part of InuYasha's." He mumbled. "But it doesn't me out any. His scent doesn't lead to anywhere." Shippou paused to point up at a low-hanging branch, "It's only in that area."

Kagome, by now standing as well and following Shippou around, felt her heart jump into her throat. Panic fully within her mind now, she began to scream their names. Only the silence of the forest greeted her in return.

"Sit!" she yelled as loud as she could. They both waited for the normal sound of InuYasha crashing forcefully to the ground. The forest was the only companion around them this morning, it seemed.

Kagome stood rock still for what seemed like an hour. In reality it had only been half a minute before she began hurriedly packing her and Shippou's things back into her backpack. Shippou turned and after he realized what she was doing, he quickly set about helping her.

"What are we going to do, Kagome?" his voice pleaded at her, his green eyes constantly glancing at her as they stuffed their belongings away.

"We're returning to the village, to Kaede. It's the only thing I can think of right now," she answered.

Shippou nodded. It was probably the only good idea they were going to come up with, given the circumstances.

As they finished packing, they immediately set out back the way they had previously traveled. Kagome's mind was reeling with possibilities. Some thoughts, such as the group getting tired of her and leaving her, were down right crazy but her mind was throwing any random thing at her that it could conjure up.

They traveled all day, only briefly stopping for a break or something to eat. Shippou would scout ahead every hour or so to make sure they were on the right path, and return to Kagome with directions. At night, they only made a small camp with no fire—seeing as fire attracted enemies and Kagome wasn't in the right of mind to deal with that—and slept very little. They set out again, hours before the sun was bound to rise.

Over all they made good time and reached Kaede's village in a day and a half. Shippou had noticed no traces of their group along the way and he felt his heart sink into the pit that had been growing the past couple of hours. He couldn't smell them within the village, either.

"They're not here, Kagome…" he said quietly and after hearing her sharp intake of breath, he wanted to kick himself. He just squashed all of Kagome's hopes, even if he was being realistic.

Kagome gave a nod for an answer and headed for Kaede's hut, Shippou close behind her. As she closed in on the home of the aging priestess, smoking slowly billowing out of the small hole in the roof, she released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding till now.

"Kaede!" Kagome yelled before pushing back the bamboo screen.

The old priestess looked up to Kagome, then Shippou, shock clearly all over her face. She stood up slowly and walked towards them, watching Kagome take her shoes off and Shippou dust off his paws.

"What is the matter, child?" she asked as she took Kagome's elbow gently into her hand. "Why are ye back so early?" Stealing a look past the two she added, "And where be the others?"

Kagome felt comfort in the elder woman's touch and it took everything she had to not collapse against the priestess and cry her heart out.

"I was hoping you could tell me that…" she whispered and hung her head, bangs shielding her eyes.

Kaede maneuvered Kagome into a sitting position by the fire pit while Shippou recounted what had happened, and how they immediately set off back to the village.

She sat silent for quite a while, thinking over the events she just learned about. Kaede finally released a sigh and shook her head, "I'm afraid I don't know what has happened, children. Did you notice anything, besides the others missing, that would give me some clues?"

Shippou chimed in, "Miroku, Sango, and Kirara's scents were completely gone, like they had never set foot in that part of the forest. InuYasha's was lingering but it was faint, and didn't lead anywhere. It was like…"

"They just disappeared," Kaede gently finished his sentence for him. At Shippou's silence Kaede took that as the end of her clues and a frown formed on her face. She'd never heard of something like this, either.

Kagome began to shake violently, holding back hot tears that threatened to spill over onto her cheeks. She tightened her hands into fists, "We need to find them. Now." She grit out between her clenched teeth.

Shippou scooted closer to Kagome and rested his head on her shaking shoulder, "We will, Kagome, we will."

Kaede looked on with a hint of pride swelling in her breast. Kagome and Shippou had both matured over the years, but she felt sad that it took this dilemma for her to realize it. "Must be me age getting to me finally." She thought bitterly to herself.

"What will ye do?" Kaede asked. The answer was the last thing she ever expected to come from Kagome, and it seemed Shippou felt the same way.

"I'm going to find Sesshoumaru."