Disclaimer: FYI I don't own any of the inuyasha characters just my own. Well read and review thanks everybody.
The day was exceptionally hot even for the middle of summer. Kagome and Sango were walking a little ahead of the group as they made their slow progress along the dry, dusty path. It had been over a week since their last encounter with a demon and they were all starting to get a bit cross. Just this morning Kagome had sat Inuyasha half a dozen times and was now avoiding him completely. What it was that Inuyasha was supposed to have done remained a mystery to everyone, not even Inuyasha knew. Shippo was riding along on Miroku's shoulder and was drooling slightly on his robes as he slept. Inuyasha was in the back, keeping as far from Kagome as he could.
They had been walking for some time and were looking for a place to stop for lunch when Inuyasha stopped short. It was a few minutes before the others noticed he was not with them. When they turned to look, Inuyasha was sniffing the air suspiciously and unsheathing his Tetsusaiga. Shippo woke up with a start, sniffing the air in much the same way.
"What is Inuyasha," Kagome asked sounding somewhat worried.
"I smell a demon," Inuyasha replied.
"Me too. I think it's a Phoenix Demon," Shippo informed the group.
"Come out, you bastard, I know your there." Inuyasha yelled
A few birds in the nearest tree took flight startling the group. But apart from that nothing moved. Inuyasha indicated that they should fan out and search the trees on either side of the path. Kagome and Sango took the right side followed by Shippo and Kilala. Inuyasha and Miroku headed off to the left.
Just as he was about to step of the road and into the trees Miroku felt a sharp pain emanating from deep inside his collarbone. The pain was almost blinding and he had to stop, trying to catch his breath.
"Come on, lecher" Inuyasha yelled back at him as he disappeared around a boulder.
Miroku couldn't help it. He had to sit down even against his better judgment. Even if the demon was standing there in front of him he would have sat down. Then he realized that the demon was standing there, staring at him. He jumped to his feet and immediately fell to his knees. The pain was just too great, he couldn't even scream for help. He was at the demon's mercy. She could kill him but instead she seemed to be more concerned then anything else. Perhaps his blurry vision was deceiving him but he thought he saw a look sadness pass over the demon woman. 'She was beautiful' said a little voice in the back of his mind, 'at least the cause of his death would be a gorgeous she-demon and not the ugly curse he was forced to bear.'
Arriana knelt down beside the crouching monk and helped him to his feet. 'It's him,' she thought. After all these years the prophecy was finally going to be fulfilled. Miroku was to be the cause of the dark lord, Naraku's, downfall. The young monk staggered as she led him to a rock and set him down gently. The pain in his shoulder was beginning to make his eyes water and his face was scrunched up in pain. Arriana pulled a small container of ointment from her robes and reached out for the monk's shoulder. He saw this quick movement and panicked, trying to slap her hand away.
"It's alright. I'm just trying to help you. You can trust me Miroku."
"I… don't understand. Who…who are you? How do you …know my name?"
Just then Inuyasha burst out from behind a clump of trees. "Stay away from him, demon, or I'll cut your head off," Inuyasha yelled. Kagome and Sango heard him scream and immediately took off toward their friends.
"I'm just trying to help him. Can't you see he's in pain," Arriana said not taking her eyes of Tetsusiaga.
"What did you do to him, bitch?" growled Inuyasha.
"Inu...yasha, it's…ok" Miroku whispered hardly able to make himself heard. Just then Sango came bursting out of the underbrush wielding her Hiraikotsu and closely followed by Kagome with her spirit arrow notched and a full sized Kilala. Arriana decided it would be safer if she backed a way slowly but as she went to get up Miroku let out an almost inaudible gasp. She decided to risk it and began applying the ointment to his now trembling shoulder. Slowly the pain began to subside and Miroku could breathe a little easier.
"Miroku, what's going on? Who is she?" Kagome asked.
"I don't know," He answered, "but I don't think she means us any harm. If her intentions were malicious I would have been able to sense her earlier. Besides she was alone with me for several minutes before Inuyasha found us so if she was going to kill me she could have done it by now."
"I don't give a damn, Monk. She's a demon."
"Inuyasha sit," Kagome called plunging the dog demon face first into the dirt.
"Damn it, Kagome who's side are you on anyway." Inuyasha yelled back.
"I think we should give her a chance to explain herself," Sango piped in. At Sango's words the all turned expectantly to Arriana. Well, all except Inuyasha, who was sporting a rather childish expression and fingering his large sword distractedly.
Taking it as her turn to speak Arriana stood up slowly and glanced briefly at each of the figures standing before her. "My name is Arriana. I am a Phoenix demon. I come from a long and honorable line of Demons. My family has for many generations passed down a prophecy of great importance. According to the prophecy a great evil will arise and threaten the safety of the world for three generations and that a child will be born to the son of the son of one who bears the mark of this evil upon his right hand. This child will have the greatest power ever known because it will be the result of a union of this powerful son and the phoenix demon of the same generation. When the dark lord Naraku arose we knew this was the evil from the prophecy, so when Miroku's grandfather was cursed we knew this was the family we were meant to protect. At least until the son of the son was born. We made sure that at each child's birth one of our people was there to protect the family and seal the infant's kazaana. My mother was present for your birth Miroku. She said it was the most wonderful and terrible thing she had ever seen. She was so sorry for you and your mother. I think she blamed herself for what happened. She said she should have been quicker with the prayer beads but, well, you were the chosen one and she knew it. She got distracted by it I think."
"Miroku, what is she talking about? What happened?" Sango looked at Miroku and immediately wished she hadn't said anything. Miroku's eyes were beginning to well up.
"When I was born my kazaana took my mother. It's a wonder it didn't take yours as well," Miroku added turning to Arriana.
"My mother was protected by the Korataal Amulet." Arriana pulled out the necklace she wore. On the end was gold circle with an ancient symbol carved into. "The Amulet has been passed down along with the prophecy for many generations."
Kagome hesitated for a moment but apparently decided that the question had to be asked. "So does that mean that you and Miroku are destined to …have a child?"
"Yes, but I think we can put that aside for the time being don't you?" Sango seemed a little hurt by these words but she recovered quickly and when Miroku looked again she was as unreadable as ever.
Kagome was the first to speak again. "Well I think you should travel with us then."
"Kagome are you crazy! You want her to travel with us, you stupid girl."
"Sit" Kagome bite back. Once again Inuyasha plunged face first into the dirt this time sinking in about three inches.
The group made its way down the path for a few more minutes until a glade to the right caught their eye. They rested there for a while, ate some lunch, and moved on again. The sun had almost completely disappeared by the time they found a place to stay the night. It was a small abandoned cabin set a little aback from the road and within walking distance of a little stream. When they settled down for the night Inuyasha carefully placed himself between Miroku and Arriana obviously not intending to sleep with this demon sleeping next to him. After only an hour Arriana got up and walked out of the hut. Inuyasha followed her, not willing to let her out of his sight for a moment. Outside Arriana walked to the nearest tree and levitated up to a suitably large branch. She slept there the rest of the night with Inuyasha dozing in the doorway to the hut.
The next morning the gang woke up to the smell of cooking food. Arriana had woken up a dawn and went out hunting. The rabbit stew was almost gone before it was finished cooking. Even Inuyasha came down from his pouting to eat some.