A few hours later, Kagura and Kohaku rode upon one of the wind sorceresses' flying feathers. The bastard that used the two as puppets had not told Kagura where to go. Figures. He never told her anything anymore. He didn't trust her. The kid knew though. The Taijiya always knew. It didn't bother her though. She just needed a way to destroy that good-for-nothing hanyou. She just wanted to be free..

"Down there, Kagura." Came the Taijiya's muffled voice from behind her. Kohaku pointed toward a desolate little village. She nodded, making the feather descend until the ground was close enough to drop down to. The Taijiya jumped and landed with a thump. Kagura landed slightly behind him, more silently, the feather shrinking and landing in her waiting hand. She stuck it back in her hair and watched Kohaku scan the area. Where were they? Why were they here?

"Nobody appears to be here, Kohaku.."

"They'll come.."

"Who exactly are we waiting for?" Kagura followed after the Taijiya as he made his way toward what appeared to be a palace, empty of its usual servants. He hadn't answered her question.. She opened her mouth to comment on it, when she notice something. The entire village was empty. Where was everybody? Just as she was about to enter the hut, she glanced toward the sky, spotting those blasted Saimyoushou, buzzing in the air. Her brows furrowed in a scowl.

'Hm.. When did the sky become so gray?' She thought to herself, not the least bit concerned about the weather. Wherever she and the Saimyoushou went, whether the weather had been bright and sunny, clouds would block the suns ray, giving the land an ominous feel to it, "Hmph.." She turned, entering the large hut, sliding the shoji shut behind her.

Kohaku had disappeared from the genkan of the palace without a sound and the wind sorceress followed his scent, curious as to where he wandered off to so quickly. She stopped in the dimly-lit hallway, in front of a beautifully painted fusuma. She sensed him on the other side of the rice paper. She saw his outline though the thin barrier. His shoulders sagged. He dropped his head. Kagura's eyes furrowed.

She slowly slid the fusuma open, stepped into the room and shut it closed behind her. She immediately spotted him on the futon in the middle of the bare room. He appeared to be fine.. She opened her mouth to demand to know what was wrong with him, but he stopped her by sighing loudly, "I am tired of this, Kagura.. I just want it all to stop.. I want to go home."

Her first thought was the Saimyoushou and their damned puppet master overhearing them. She nervously glanced over her shoulder and strained her ears. Nothing. They were alone, save the poisonous insects flying around the village outside, "I know, Kohaku.. I shall do whatever it takes to free us from Naraku's grasp."

She felt the need to reassure him, her cold voice piercing the silence that had settled upon them. Though she didn't want to admit it to herself, she had grown fond of the Taijiya. She wasn't sure if it was their common desire that drew her to him.. Or the way he gracefully eliminated potential threats.. Or how he seemed to be penetrating her soul every time he stared into her scarlet hues. She wasn't sure, but there was something different about him.

"Even if it meant your life?"

".. if it ensured your safety, yes."

"You would die for me? Why?"

"So you can be as free as the wind."

"But you're the wind, Kagura.."

"Wind cannot be confined to a cage or shackled to a wall.. I am not the wind."