Author's Note: Sorry this one's a little short, I had to cut a lot of senseless bickering I originally had in this chapter... and this is also the first part of what was originally chapter three. It was just a really, really short chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Inuyasha characters. I do, however, own Sanae.
"We're here!"
Sango, Miroku, and Kagome dismounted Kilala, Sanae sliding off Inuyasha's back and leading them to the village entrance. The people along the streets seemed afraid of the group. Inuyasha, Sanae, Shippo, and Kilala weren't exactly human to begin with, and then there was Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga, Sango's Hiraikotsu, and Kagome's bow and arrows. Mothers called their children inside and closed the doors.
"What's their problem?" Inuyasha crossed his arms.
"If you haven't noticed, we're a bit odd. They probably think we're going to raid them,'' Sanae answered.
"I know you're used to our home village, but you're half-demon, remember?" Kagome spoke up.
Inuyasha mumbled something about humans, and it was obvious Kagome considered giving him a piece of her mind. Sanae was surprised by this, her own young prejudice against humans not strong enough to voice in front of those who helped her, but generally not having been tampered with.
"We're obviously not welcome here, so let's do this and get out," Sango cut in, effectively changing the subject.
"Where's this blacksmith, Sanae?" Miroku asked.
Sanae took a good look around, not smelling or seeing any smoke.
"This… this was the area I was told about, I don't understand."
"Have you ever considered maybe this isn't a human blacksmith?" Inuyasha crossed his arms again.
The female kitsune looked to him and then looked away, feeling rather stupid.
"I suppose it could be a local demon."
"Wonderful," Kagome sighed, not sounding the least bit thrilled.
"We still have daylight. We'll split up and search the surrounding areas for smokestacks," Miroku devised.
The group agreed quietly, Kagome was to scout the western route, Shippo northwest, Miroku to the north, Sango northeast. Kilala would take the east, Inuyasha the southeast, and Sanae would handle the southern road. Each would turn back by dusk if they hadn't found anything. And if they hadn't, well there was only one remaining area, wasn't there? The group was banking on one of them finding the blacksmith's forge, reporting it back to the group, and then having the demonic half of the group make good use of their night vision and find the place.
Miroku made sleeping arrangements at the inn and they were off.
Sanae was at the edge of the village and came to a fork in the road when she shifted into a form that was closer to human. Her fox tails disappeared, her claws receded into nails, and her canine feet stretched into human ones. It wasn't long before a man with a broom came running towards her.
"Wait! Don't go any further!"
"Why not, human?"
"That route is far too dangerous, even for… what did you just call me? Aren't you—?"
The man got a better glimpse at Sanae's elf-like ears and gasped.
"No," she chuckled playfully, deciding to give up the masquerade early, "guess again."
"Y-you're a—a—" he stuttered.
His eyes widened as they shifted to Inuyasha, who had been walking a similar route and met at the fork.
"You're demons!"
"What of it?"
The man turned and ran without another word.
"Are they all like this in these parts?"
"I guess so."
Sanae kept going until she stumbled upon a freshwater spring, songbirds continuing to bathe and chirp as if she wasn't there. Inuyasha followed a little ways behind. This was probably where they were going to split up and explore their own areas. Sanae was hesitant of this as she started picking up the scent of wolf. Soon after she noticed Inuyasha sniffing the air, probably picking up the scent too now, she was silently relieved.
"Smell something?" as if she hadn't notice.
"It's Koga."
The scent was quickly getting stronger, meaning the wolf was getting closer. Sanae growled under her breath, this was just what they needed. Within no time, Koga had arrived in a whirling tornado.
"What are you doing here?"
"Now, is that the way to greet an old friend?"
Inuyasha still didn't look amused, so Koga tried again.
"Look what I found~"
Author's Comment: I struggled with this quite a bit because this used to lead into a part where I made Koga out to be a total asshole. (I don't know what I had against him?) So this might get really derpy really fast.
Next update coming soon.