Chapter Four

Kagome had been wandering aimlessly around the forest for a full ten minutes. It was growing very dark now, and were it not for Shippo's foxfire, they would have found it very difficult to find a safe path.

Kagome's heart was sinking rapidly. Where could they have gotten to? And what kind of awful enchantment had Kallisto cast over her beloved Inuyasha? Inuyasha was by no means weak. She would have to be rather powerful to pull the wool over his eyes, which was a scary thought indeed. Scarier still was the thought that Inuyasha had followed her of her own free will. But he would never do that to her…would he?

"Kagome?" Shippo's voice came small and meek from her shoulder. "Do you think we should head back? We've been walking around for ages and we've seen nothing. Perhaps Miroku and Sango have had better luck."

"I want to keep going," Kagome insisted. "If just for a little while. Inuyasha would never give up on me so I won't give up on him."

Shippo made no response. It was evident he thought their efforts useless. Yet Kagome had to try – she could not live with herself if something happened to Inuyasha.

Deeper into the forest they ventured. It was surprisingly quiet, with only the odd hooting of an owl or the cracking of a twig to disturb them. Yet as they headed onwards, a new sound met their ears. It was Inuyasha and he was crying out. However, his cries were not ones of pain; they were heavy, amorous moans. Even Kagome could not mistake that tone. Her stomach turned to lead and a hot, burning sensation prickled at the corners of her eyes.

"Oh Inuyasha…" she whispered, and she collapsed on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

Moments later, Miroku and Sango burst through the undergrowth slightly ahead of them. They too must have heard the commotion and come running towards it. However at the sight of Kagome, they both stopped in their tracks.

"Kagome?" Miroku murmured. "What's the m-"

Yet the monk's question was cut off by a sharp yelp of pain; Sango had apparently elbowed him.

"Go and get Inuyasha away from that girl," she hissed. "Kirara, you too. I'll stay here with Kagome."

Kirara and Miroku disappeared into the trees, leaving Shippo and Sango alone with Kagome. Kagome made no attempt to move, or to stem her tears. She felt Sango's arm as it was slipped around her shoulder and she leant into the older woman's embrace.

"How could he?" she sobbed. "How could he do something like this?"

Sango stroked Kagome's hair soothingly.

"The Inuyasha we know would never do such a thing," she said, tenderly. "That awful nymph, if that's what she really was, must have done something truly terrible to him."

Kagome did not respond. She knew Sango was right, but it did nothing to ease her sorrow. Spell or no spell, he had been with another woman. How could she ever look at him the same way again?

Somewhere not too far away, she heard a scream of frustration. Evidently, Miroku had discovered Kallisto's hiding place and she was not too happy about being interrupted. There were several bangs, a roar and a flash of brilliant light from up ahead. Then everything fell silent.

"You don't think she's hurt them, do you?" Kagome whispered, looking up to Sango's face for a response. Yet Sango seemed relatively unperturbed.

"No," she responded, quietly. "That was Kirara that we heard. I think they've just scared her away – and good riddance!"

Kagome sat in silence, Sango at her side and Shippo in her lap. Several minutes passed before Miroku and Kirara returned. Inuyasha was travelling on Kirara's back, apparently unconscious. His clothing was rumpled and askew, as though he'd been dressed in a great hurry, and an assortment of highly coloured, circular bruises were beginning to appear on his neck. Kagome could not bear to look at him. Every glance at his face brought those sickeningly lustful moans flooding back into her mind. She did not want to think about what was going on in that clearing.

"Is he alright?" asked Sango, getting to her feet.

"Yeah, he's ok," Miroku muttered. "He passed out when Kallisto's spell broke that's all… she must have had a pretty strong hold over him."

"Where is she?" Kagome whispered, glancing up into Miroku's eyes. "Has she gone?"

"She fled when I came into the clearing," the monk responded truthfully. "I don't know whether she, erm, got what she wanted…"

Kagome shook her head. She didn't want to hear it. Inuyasha was safe: for now, that was enough.

"Are you alright, Kagome?" asked Shippo gently.

Kagome simply nodded and clambered to her feet.

"Let's just go back to camp," she said, quietly, and taking Shippo in her arms, she began to lead the way silently back through the forest. Her companions followed, neither one daring to say a word.