The wives heard of this news, as well. They were just as happy as the men, for this was the time when most girls in the village grew old enough for marriage. The women would go out, buying fabrics and other imported goods to make lovely bridal suits for their daughters. They would enforce strict diets around the village to the girls, and constantly scold about being too thin or too fat for their future husbands. The younger girls would then stand up to the elder, more matured girls; and stick their tongues out showing that they too were ripe for marriage.
The married women would also buy cooking supplies, for the samurai would return from their long, perilous journeys to rest until the next battle. The men would gather the food from the fields, and the wives would prepare it as best they could, to show appreciation for the warriors in their great militia. The soldiers would be honored with a great feast and a drumming ceremony for their bravery and skill.
However, this was also the time when Kaede, the head village priestess, invited Inuyasha and friends to her home to rest up. Kaede had known Inuyasha, Kagome, and the others for quite some time, and offered them help and rest when they most needed it.
The white haired, tough-talking half-demon called Inuyasha sat by a large magnolia tree, away from the round, thatched huts. He sat with his dog ears perked up, as though waiting for someone. Kagome, who had stopped by Kaede's for some supplies, brought back a pear for him.
"Eat, Inuyasha. Sango will arrive soon," she said somewhat soothingly. Inuyasha, who seemed to not like friendly offers, for he seldom received them, turned his head away and scowled. "Where is that damn woman?" he asked rather rudely. "I swear, Sango caused us enough trouble already. She didn't have to keep us waiting here like a bunch of dogs!"
Kagome sighed and leaned against the tree across from him. She opened her backpack and lazily removed bags of potato chips, sweet rice, neatly wrapped sandwiches, and thermoses of water and tea. "Sorry," she said suddenly. "The tea is cold." Inuyasha sighed, and folded his arms across his chest.
"It would still have been hot if Sango came on time." Shippo the fox demon, whom had grown tired of listening to his friends' argument, let out a long breath. "Will you two cut it out? Sango will get here once she's here. Let's just get Miroku and eat the lunch that Kagome graciously prepared for us. Geez, sometimes I'm the one who acts like the adult." Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged glances, scowled evilly at each other, and began to eat their lunch slowly. "She'll come to us when she gets here," Kagome said wearily.
The young Demon Slayer stepped gingerly through the tall blades of green grass on the hill that still smelled of spring in the winter air. The grayish-blue sky was hazed with dust, and the cold breeze was almost as harsh as the heat in the summer.
Sango walked with her soft, brown eyes down. She was a lovely sixteen-year-old girl, not much older than her companion Kagome. She often kept her beautiful, shiny black hair down; except in battle, when the action was rough. Times like that reminded her to train, so she could be as strong as Inuyasha. Sango considered herself lucky to have such good friends with as much talent as herself.
She ran up to the higher hills, past the huts and fields, hoping to relax with all the time she still had left. Free time was very rare, especially in the feudal times when demons roamed the earth. Sango, like the others, often fought to train, but they were also after a sinister villain responsible for nearly everyone's miseries.
Sango stopped running for a moment, taking the time to appreciate her beautiful surroundings. She looked down at her bare feet, which were being tickled gently by dandelions of white and soft gold. "How beautiful," she whispered, and stooped slightly to pick one from its long, spring-green stem. She stood once more, and held the weed to her mouth. Slowly, Sango blew on the head of the dandelion, sending its spores blowing in the gentle wind. The whitish-gray weeds stuck to her skirt, and the remainders wafted by in the air, as though they were a bunch of feathers. Sango reached out to catch them, feeling the soft buds fall through her fingers onto the grass below, and then float back up into the air to the other escaping spores.
And at that moment, Sango felt as though there was no danger in the world.