Sora: Hello everyone! Here is the next chapter, rewritten! The story is beginning to change slightly, I'm taking out parts of the story that I thought were forced. Happy reading!

Chapter Two: The Horrifying Image

Kagome jumped down the well, the colors inside of it swirly around her pleasantly, unlike the first time when Mistress Centipede had dragged her down there. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of soft nothingness caressing her skin. When Kagome opened them again she looked up and saw that her view of the sky was blocked by a very irritated half-demon. His golden eyes reproachful and his silver hair hung into the well, reminding Kagome of a very irritated Rapunzel.

"You were supposed to be back forever ago!" Inuyasha exclaimed.

"Did you miss me then?" Kagome asked, teasingly, yet serious on the inside.

"Keh," he said, momentarily withdrawing his head them leaping down beside her. He would never admit his feelings, Kagome already knew that, but she could tell. She could tell by the way he looked at her, no matter what he said, he loved her and for now he could get away without admitting it!

Inuyasha lifted the heavy backpack onto his shoulder and wrapped one arm around her waist. Inuyasha sprang out the well, his haird and Kagome's whipping around their faces. Silver and ebony intertwining, like the limbs of a vine.

Inuyasha set Kagome down on the grass beside the well, "I guess it didn't matter anyway, we can't leave tonight."

"What? Why not?" she queried, not seeing the problem. He was about to respond, when a rumble of thunder cut him off. Inuyasha's ears laid down flat on his head and Kagome could have sworn that she heard him whimper quietly, but she didn't say anything, she didn't want to embarrass him.

Inuyasha looked agitated, "It looks like we're going to have quite a storm, no point in trying to get anywhere tonight."

"Okay!" Kagome said brightly, "Now we can have dinner with Kaede!"

Now she just had to break the news to him that they wouldn't be able to leave for at least a week because of the festival…Maybe she'd let Kaede do that, she didn't take any nonsense from Inuyasha.

"Well, let's get back to the village," Inuyasha said briskly, but the twitching of one of his ears let on his axiety. Kagome giggled and Inuyasha glared at her.

"I guess dog demons hate thunder just as much as real dogs," Kagome teased, throwing her consideration of Inuyasha's ego out the window.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Inuyasha replied defiantly, "And what do you mean real dogs, I am a real dog!"

"I meant- Oh never mind, stop being so cranky!" Kagome said, poking his arm.

"Whatever," he grumbled back, sweeping Kagome up onto his back, partly, she thought, just to keep her quiet.

The pair got back to the village quickly, the rain just barely starting to fall. "KAGOMEEE!"

A loud yell sounded through the air and Kagome saw a small fox demon running at her.

"Hi Kagome! We missed you! I drew a picture for you while you were gone, and I picked some flowers for you! And I drew another picture, and another! OH, and I found some pretty rocks! And then I watched Sango chase Miroku. Then Miroku gave me something sweet to drink, if I promised that I would help him hide! That was about 45 minutes ago, no an hour, 46 minutes? No, no, no definitely 48 minutes!" Shippo said excitedly.

"Miroku?" Kagome asked suspiciously, holding the frantic Shippo at arm's length,"What did you give Shippo to drink?"

Miroku looked slightly guilty, "Just one of your Cow Ka Cool A drinks."

"You gave Shippo a Coca-Cola! And those weren't caffeine free!" I exclaimed, looking at Shippo as if he were a ticking bomb.

"-and THEN the lightning started. And everyone was yelling and it was scary and everyone was like oh no! And then Inuyasha started acting all weird, getting all jumpy and growly," Shippo finished, beaming like the Cheshire Cat.

"It's true," said Sango walking up to us,

"I think the lightning and thunder has unsettled Inuyasha."

"I ain't afraid, I just wanted to get all of you frail humans under shelter before you got sick, " Inuyasha said defiantly.

"You know Inuyasha, not all humans are frail," Miroku said, flexing an arm in Sango's direction.

"Pretty frail," Sango said, punching Miroku in his other arm. Miroku valiantly tried to avoid wincing.

During the time the others had been talking, Kagome had wandered to the edge of the woods, peering in and listening closely.

"Hear something?" Inuyasha asked, suddenly at her side.

"What? Oh no… I guess it's nothing," Kagome said absentmindedly, still staring intently into the forest.

"Okay…," Inuyasha said slowly, tugging Kagome back towards the village.

While Kagome and Inuyasha had been talking the wind had started to pick up, Shippo clung to Miroku in order to keep from blowing away. The first few raindrops fell on Kirara, making her scrunch up her nose in response.

"We should go to Kaede's hut," Sango said, as thunder sounded again, "And fast!"

The group took off sprinting towards her hut, the rain coming down faster with every step. The village seemed a lot bigger than usual.

"Why does Kaede's hut have to be all the way on the other side of the village?" Miroku whined, not as tired as he seemed with all of his complaining.

Inuyasha glanced at Kagome, she was trying to keep up, but she really was the weakest one of the whole group. Inuyasha scooped her up in his arms, purposely not looking at her. Kagome felt her face redden as Sango and Miroku exchanged covert smirks.

Kagome leaned into his chest, the air was cold and she wasn't really prepared for the weather, so she was grateful for the warmth he provided. She scrunched up her nose slightly, giggling on the inside. He usually smelled good, but right now he just kind of smelled like…wet dog.

The group slowed to a walk as they reached Kaede's place; although, when they looked in, they found it full to the bursting with frightened villagers asking Kaede for advice. Inuyasha looked at Kagome, his face clearly objecting to such close quarters.

Luckily they didn't have to search for another place, sango took immediate action. She didn't like getting soaked anymore than Kirara did, but she didn't exactly see Miroku volunteering to carry her. She wouldn't have let him, even if he had.

"Come in here!" Sango yelled, motioning to the rest of the group, she stood inside of another hut a little ways away.

"Whose home is this?" Kagome asked, worried that they were intruding on someone's hospitality.

"Oh, it's been empty for awhile, that's why it's so dusty in here," Sango remarked and Kagome added proof to that fact by sneezing.

"Aw great," Inuyasha said, "You really are going to get sick, with just little rain!"

"Inuyasha! It's just the dust! Dust does make people sneeze!"

"Oh yeah? Prove it! It doesn't make me sneeze!"

"I can't make someone sneeze! It just happens. Besides, you're half-demon, that's probably why you're not sneezing."

"Well—"

Miroku cut off Inuyasha with a sneeze, Inuyasha stopped talking.

Inuyasha watched as everyone got ready for the night; they laid out their blankets and Inuyasha thought how ridiculous it was that humans needed to do so many things just in order to go to sleep. Kagome bustled around, making sure the soup, Ramen, wasn't burning, making everyone comfortable, and listening to Shippo. Inuyasha leaned against the side of the hut, Tetsuiga propped in his arms. He was comforted by its familiar weight, it was the last thing he had from the father he didn't even remember.

Kagome sat down beside Inuyasha, silently passing a bowl of Ramen to him; Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara sat down, completing their usual circle.

"Kaede is hoping that we can stay for the annual village festival," Kagome remarked, hoping to appear offhand.

"What!" Inuyasha spluttered, "The old hag wants what? We have people to defeat, places to avoid, jewel shards to find! And she wants us to stay for a festival?"

"Oh Inuyasha!" Kagome said, eyes shining, "It'll be so fun! We can help... Wait, what do they do for the village festival?"

"If it is anything like the one we had at the demonslayers village, then it was generally a time for pleasantry. Songs, food, games, and fun, but we will have to ask Kaede for the specifics," Sango said, "It really is a wonderful time."

"Mew!" Kirara agreed.

"Oh please, please, please!" Kagome said, her wide brown eyes staring up at Inuyasha.

"Please!" Shippo cried, joining in on the mantra.

"Fine, whatever," Inuyasha grumbled, but even he looked slightly excited.

"Well," Kagome said, now all business, "I think we all should get a good night's sleep, because we going to have a lot of festival planning tomorrow!"

Kagome punched her fist in the air, and Miroku's hand crept slowly towards Sango. Basically, their usually positions.

The crickets chirped lazily outside of the small hut, the regular breathing of the three humans and two demons created a steady hush. The silence washed over Inuyasha and he leaned back against the wood of the hut, his eyes flickering to Kagome, a small smile of excitement still etched on her face.

Inuyasha felt himself growing tired, it would be ok to just to close his eyes; he wasn't going to sleep, just resting his eyes…

Just then the most horrific noise split the air, Inuyasha yelped, cursing himself for ever closing his eyes. Inuyasha's eyes raked the scene, searching for the demon that was responsible. Just then his eyes zeroed in upon a small light, bounding over to it, he scooped up the tiny demon and leapt outside with it. Inuyasha flew a fleeting glance back at his sleeping friends to make sure they were all right and was amazed that they hadn't woken up.

Inuyasha looked warily at the weird demon; it just sat there, making its horrible keening. Then as he crept closer a horrifying image popped up; Inuyasha scrabbled at the demon, wishing for the picture to disappear. Just then a voice rang out,

"Hey Kagome; babe. Sorry I'm calling so late…"

Sora: Oh no! Who could it be? Leave your thoughts and comments in a review! Thanks everyone! And also thank you to the anonymous reviewer who checked out this story, only the first chapter was rewritten then so I hope you weren't too confused, but I'm glad you liked it!