Ch. 4 the journey starts

When they returned to the hut, a monk was waiting outside.

"Sango said we've got a guest coming. I'm supposing this gouges creature is her?" the monk kneeled in front of her, taking her hand and kissing it lightly. "I have a question my dear."

Kagome groaned. "Miroku you really don't wanna ask it."

"Ask what?" Sana was confused. She looked back and forth at her ancestor and Kagome.

Miroku looked into her eyes. "Will you bear my children?"

Sana was silent, and Kagome just looked down rubbing her head with her fingers.

"I would," Sana said, "but being your great, great ect. Granddaughter I don't think it's legal."

Miroku's eyes widen in shock and Kagome burst out laughing.

He looked over at Kagome. "Is she telling the truth?"

She nodded and smirked. "She's from my time, and she's got proof she's related to you. You're her ancestor."

Miroku's eyes lit up and he wrapped his arms around Sana and hugged her tightly.

Sana laughed and hugged him back. "I can't believe I'm hugging my great, great, great whatever grandpa."

"Grandpa?" Sango had walked out and was staring at them.

"Wait," Miroku pulled away and looked at her. "Who's your grandmother? Who do I marry? And how are you born? We've haven't had a woman born-"

Sana shook her head. "Can't tell you. I don't want to change too much about the future."

He nodded. "I understand."

Sana smiled then looked over at Sango. "So where is Shippo? He's the only one I haven't met yet."

Kagome poked her head in real quick and called for him. A few seconds later a little boy, with red hair and a bushy tail walked out. "Hi, I'm Shippo."

Sana smiled and knelt in front of him, her hand out. "I'm Sana. It's nice to meet you kiddo."

He smiled. "You're pretty. Sango said you were."

She laughed and tussled his hair. "Yeah she's pretty too though." She stood. "So when do we leave? I'm pretty curious about this mark me an Inuyasha got."

As she finished talking, he walked out. "We're leaving now. Grab your bag Kagome." He started walking, leaving them in the dust…

It was hours later when they had set up camp for the night. None of them had spoken much, most of the group had just been shocked that Sana had kept up with Inuyasha without even breaking a sweat.

Kagome started boiling water for ramen.

"Sana?" Shippo was in her lap, loosing staring contests with Kilala.

"Hmm?"

"What do you do in your time for fun?"

"I'm investigating my family tree. I'm disproving the curse."

Miroku shivered at the mention of it. "Why? Met a witch who can reverse it?"

"Miroku you can't truly believe the story of a witch and curse."

He was silent.

"Oh. You do."

Shippo tugged at her hair, getting her attention. "What's the story?"

She looked at Miroku. "Would you wish me not to tell it?"

He didn't move or say anything for a few seconds then nodded. "Go ahead. I am interested in how the times have changed the tale."

Sana nodded and smiled, then begun the tale…

"Over nine hundred years ago, twins were born. The first was a strong boy, the second, a beautiful girl. The boy grew to be a man, a monk, very smart and brave. The girl, Sana, grew up timid and frightened. She worked as a maid in a powerful lord's mansion. After many years, the lord's son returned from wars, and saw her. It was love at first sight. He protected her from all that threatened her, and she loved him with all her being. But, their love could be nothing. She was a maid and he a powerful lord's son. They kept it secret, sneaking at night to steal a kiss in the moonlight. But another maid, one who was obsessed with the young lord knew. She hated that Sana had the lord's heart on a string. She went to a powerful witch, and paid her well to place a spell, a sickness on Sana. Then, to insure no descendent would sneak into the lord's heart, a spell was cast. No woman would be born in his lifetime. Sana grew sick. Soon bedridden. Then, with her lover, and her brother at her side, she passed to the next world."

"Not too much has changed." Miroku was smirking to himself.

"What is different?" Sana leaned forward.

"The curse was cast because the lord had told his father that he wished to marry Sana. And his father disagreed, she was a weak girl, she wouldn't survive for long. And the maid, she had tormented Sana sense she first started working. She was whom the lord saved Sana from countless times."

"But who was the lord?" Sango took a bowl of ramen from Kagome, and passed it around. "Doesn't anyone know?"

Sana shook her head. "I've never found any information on him. The only way I know of him is this tapestry my family has, but we only have it because our last name was put on the back. It had been given away to another castle many years ago."

Miroku nodded. "I'm not sure who he was either. My ancestor was not fond of him. He claimed it was his fault his sister became ill. I don't say that I disagree with him."

"How can you say that? It was love."

"It was not love. It was a simple care that came from being taken care of."

"Wait if it's his lifetime then he must have died shortly before you were born." Kagome looked over at Sana.

"That's why it's only a story. I mean, what creature can live over a thousand years?"

Inuyasha scoffed. "My father was three thousand years old before he died."

Sana didn't say anything, just stared at him with wide eyes.

Miroku cleared his throat. "Forget it. I think it's time we turned in."

They nodded and set up sleeping bags and mats but Sana's mind was too busy. "Miroku? Did your version know the name of the witch?"

He paused to think. "It was a demon witch. Her name was Touru."

Sana nodded and leaned against a tree, Shippo still in her lap. "Can I ask something for myself? You all seem like a rather odd grouping of people. I mean demons, slayers monks and Kagome. What's the story? Why are you traveling together?"

One by one they told their tales of Naraku, and the destruction he caused. It angered Sana to learn of this curse on Miroku, and Poor Sango's family. It hurt her to have Kagome tell her of Inuyasha's tale, who was currently missing. Then about the Jewel and how she broke it.

"I pray we don't meet him while you are here with us Sana. I do not know what would happen if he attacked you." Sango said.

"I'm sure we won't. The trip will only be a few days, three at tops, and his sent is nowhere near here." Inuyasha walked into camp, a dead deer on his shoulder.

"Oh gross!" Kagome turned away.

Sana laughed and started going through Kagome's bag. "Do you have a knife? A hunter friend of mine taught me how to skin a deer once. I'm sure I can cook it. It'll be good with the soup."

Sango smiled. "I think there's one in the bottom. I'll help." She moved over and helped, pulling out two knives. They cut up the deer and cooked it, Sana skinning it. "I bet we can sell it and get some cash."

"I'm sure we can Sana." Miroku smiled muttering to himself. "Look how smart my granddaughter is."

"Yeah if she's so smart why doesn't she go home?" Inuyasha sat at a tree, his hands in his sleeves.

"If I went home you'd have that tattoo for the rest of your life boy." Sana stuck her tongue out at him.

"Boy! I'm two hundred years older than you! More actually if-"

"Yap, yap, yap you sound like my neighbors Pekinese. You're two hundred, but the body and kinda mind of an eighteen year old. And I'm twenty five years old. Body and mind. So I'm older."

"If you two are done bickering the meat is done." Sango started serving the meat in the bowels that held the soup.

"Thank you." Sana took hers and settled back on her mat, Shippo back on her lap.

"So three days? Then three home, so six days all together?" Kagome took a bite.

"Yeah. I'm hoping it will be quicker, if no demon attacks and we avoid villages." Inuyasha voiced the last part much louder.

After eating in silence, both Sango and Kagome went to sleep.

"I think I'm going to go for a run." Sana looked at Inuyasha. "Are there any demons around?"

He shook his head as she stood, removing her boots.

"What are you doing?" Miroku tilted his head.

"I can run better without the boots. I'll be ok grandpa." She laughed and took off. She ran for a while till she realized that she was being fallowed. She stopped and looked around, pulling out one of her knives from her belt. "Who's there?"

Inuyasha stepped out of the trees. "Miroku asked me to fallow you in case something happened."

"You said demons weren't near."

"Doesn't mean one won't show up. Or a human could be around. They can be just as bad for a woman."

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not as weak as you think I am."

"You couldn't even run for more than twenty minutes."

"That's only because I heard you fallowing and thought you were going to attack! I was being precautions!"

He made a discussed noise. "I doubt that's the reason."

"Fine then. How about a race? Not for speed, I'm not naïve enough to think I can outrun you, but at length? Who can run the longest.

"I'm a demon. I can outrun you for hours."

"Is that a challenge?"

He smirked. "Three. Two."

She smiled and took off. "ONE!"