The Fire Sorceress
Chapter 1
"Damn. Whatever was carrying the shard is gone. It was going too fast."
Kagome slid off Inuyasha's back, stretching. Their group had been chasing after the elusive shard-bearing creature for most of the afternoon, and the thing had managed to finally shake them off in the dense woods at the foot of a mountain.
Miroku and Sango got off Kirara's back, the fire cat gratefully returning to her kitten form and laying down. Shippo sat down next to her too, and the pair were instantly asleep.
"I don't think this is a good place to be, guys."
Inuyasha was glaring into the distance, his nostrils flared. Kagome shot a worried look around the area and asked why while the others kept their weapons ready.
"This place is home to a tribe of fire-bird demons. They generally are fine with leaving people alone, but if we're too close to their turf, they'll attack."
"What do they look like?"
Miroku began trying to look up into the sky, but the thick leaves and branches blocked his sight.
"When they're in their battle forms, they look like huge hawks encased in fire. In their other form, they look like humans with bright hair colors. Red, orange or white. Their eyes are usually pale blue, but they can be red or orange too."
Kagome nodded and set her bag down, pulling out her sleeping bag.
"Well, we won't move anymore tonight. Then we'll go on in the morning and go to them and ask if we can restock on supplies. You said they were peaceful."
"No I didn't. I said that they will leave people alone, unless they invade their territory. These yokai kill their own for trespassing. The only way to go in and live to tell the tale is to be invited."
Kagome chewed her lip as Miroku built a fire and Sango sat down next to her, unstrapping her armor and letting it drop in a pile next to her.
"Inuyasha, come on and sit. They won't come after us just because you stopped watching."
The white haired half demon sighed and sat down next to Kagome, smiling when she pulled out his ramen.
Darkness fell as they ate, crickets began to sing and the companions fell into comfortable silence. Inuyasha yawned and leaned back and closed his eyes. Kagome smiled and poked him in the chest, making him open one eye.
"What?"
"Aren't you worried anymore? You were so anxious before, why so calm now?"
"They don't like to move around at night. They may have great eyesight in the daytime and heat vision at night, but their bodies slow down in the cooler air."
"Oh."
Soon, all of them were sleeping. Sango slept near Kirara and Shippo while Miroku slept nearer to the fire, shivering, and Inuyasha slept with Kagome in her sleeping bag. When Inuyasha and Shippo both sat up a few hours later, startled awake by the sound of a frightened yell, the sun had not yet risen. Kagome sat up when she felt the crackle of a time shift.
"Do you know of any other time-travelers Inuyasha?"
"No. Just you…"
He stood and walked a short distance, looking back over his shoulder as Miroku and Sango both rose from their sleep. Miroku's clear violet eyes were trained the same direction as Inuyasha's, both seeming to sense a presence not too far from the camp.
"One of us needs to go check it out."
Inuyasha nodded, biting his lip. He would have to be very careful if he went to search whoever had shouted. If the fire-bird yokai had gotten hold of a trespasser, there would be little he could do but come back and get the others out of there. He had to be fast, but also careful to avoid detection. If one of the yokai saw him in their territory, it would not matter if it was nighttime and cold, they would attack.
"I'll go, Miroku. The rest of you get ready in case we have to run."
Without looking back, he sprinted into the dark woods.