Edited 11/2/2010

Chapter VII: Inuriku

Sango was sitting in her room, the sun streaming from the window onto her face and the face of her son. Shokuro smiled up at her and waved a little hand in happiness as if to say, 'Mama, Mama pay attention to me!' Sango smiled when she took the small hand into her own and kissed the tips of his pudgy fingers before rocking him absently.

"Baby," she mumbled and kissed his forehead, "I'm worried about your Obaasan and Ojiisan. I think it's killing them to be apart." With a heavy sigh she looked down into the brown eyes of her son. He seemed to be trying to tell her something even though she had no idea what he was trying to say.

Sango jumped when the sound of someone entering the room startled her. She looked up hastily and was greeted by the golden eyes of a lost man. A man so defenseless that she almost swore she saw too much of him. Every part of him was visible to her, all of his pain, his unhappiness, and his love were written on his face in dark circles that shadowed his eyes.

"Inuyasha?"

He walked over to her quickly and knelt before her feet, his head bowing so she couldn't read the expression his face had flashed to.

"What's wrong?"

He sighed and moved closer to her, presenting her with the top of his head where his ears twitched and tweaked atop the mane of silver.

She furrowed her eyebrows and reached a conscientious hand to pet his head. Her one free hand came in contact with the soft tresses and caused her pause. Never in her life had she thought his unruly mane of silver would be this soft against her hands.

Gently she moved her fingers in a petting motion, all the while remembering what Kagome seemed to have told her countless times, "All he wants is to be loved and petted."

The man sighed under her ministrations and moved closer to her, allowing himself to lay his chin on her knee and look into Shokuro's face. The small babe cooed for him and reached his own small hand to tug on a lock of hair. Inuyasha growled gently in return and moved closer to Sango's hand, twitching an ear towards her in a silent signal of consent.

Hesitantly Sango moved her hand to his ear and scratched behind it as she had seen Kagome do once before. The Inu growled contently and rubbed his nose into her knee. As a former Demon exterminator Sango knew what that meant. He was submitting to her and asking her silently, like a pup would, to accept him. Inuyasha desperately wanted to be loved.

She took her hand away from his head and placed it back against the baby's side. "Inuyasha," She hesitated when he looked at her with heart filled eyes that faded into disappointment, "Why did you come to me?"

He sighed and moved his head away from her to bow, letting his nose touch the floor as he humbled himself. "Sango—I don't know how to say this but I," he trailed off his head still on the floor and his hands resting beside him in a manner fitting a Buddhist priest. "I need help. I want Kagome back, it's almost been five months."

He growled low in his throat as he set up his eyes filled with frustration. Sango sighed and touched the top of his head. "Inuyasha."

He pulled away and continued ranting. "She acts like she wants me back and then she turns around and runs off scared. It's so damn confusing. I'm lonely, Sango, and I miss her. I can't sleep or eat, all I want is her love. I don't want to be alone like I was before!" He put his head back to the floor in exhaustion. "I can't do it Sango. I can't live like I did before I met her."

The Hanyou lifted his head to look at the woman before him. She was stroking her sons head and looking away from him at the floor. Before Inuyasha could speak again she sat the baby down beside her and moved forward taking him into her arms for a tight hug.

"You're not alone," Sango said in a soft voice that made Inuyasha shuddered with bent up tears. "Shh—it's okay I'm here and I love you. You won't be alone, I promise."

The hanyou started to cry into her shoulder at the soft admission. "Sango." He whispered through his tears as he lowered himself from her shoulder to her waist. He buried his head into her stomach, his arms wrapping around her middle.

Sango sighed and rubbed his back allowing Inuyasha to vent. It only took a few minutes for the Hanyou to calm. Once his breathing seemed normal she began to speak again. "Kagome will come back but until she does you have me, Miroku and our children. Kagome loves you, she—"

"I know she loves me Sango," he whispered against her stomach interrupting her, "She's told me countless times, but something is holding her back."

Sango nodded and moved her hand to rest on his head allowing her fingers to massage his tender scalp.

"I don't know what to tell you Inuyasha except that you should stay by her."

"I can't even do that," A growl came from his throat and he set up in her arms to look her in the eyes, "I can't even get near her."

"Then keep writing her poetry."

He was across the room with his back to the wall in an instant. "How do you know about my poetry?"

With a giggle Sango motioned for him to sit with her while she took Shokuro back into her arms. Slowly, Inuyasha made his way to her side and set with his legs crossed and his arms in his sleeves. The very action made Sango giggle.

"I kind of pressured her into telling me. I think your poems are lovely by the way."

He blinked. "I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or continue being mad."

"Whatever makes you feel better. Now you go and write another poem for Kagome or something. It's time to feed Shokuro." The baby nudged his nose against her breast and moved his lips to make a sucking motion to prove her point.

With a smile Inuyasha got up to leave. "Is it time to feed Mika too?"

Sango thought for a moment and then nodded. "Yeah, she's somewhere with Miroku. Scent them out for me and ask him to bring her back home."

"Sure, it will only take a minute. And Sango—?"

"Yes?" She looked at him slowly her chestnut eyes blinking innocently and her hair falling over her shoulder as she shifted.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about this."

She smiled, even though Inuyasha had started to show his emotions to them, that didn't mean he wanted to abandon his tough guy act all together. She waved him away when Shokuro's upped his fusing to a cry.

"All right get going. I won't tell a soul."

He laughed as he moved to the door and slid the mat covering away. "Thank you." He said and then disappeared to find Miroku and Mika

-break-

Under a tree not too far from the hut Miroku set with his small girl in his lap. She was giggling and grabbing at his fingers as her father slumped backwards against the tree, cradling her to his chest. She giggled again and made a 'tu-tu-tu' babbling sound. Miroku knew it was too early for her to talk, she was only seven months old, but it was wholly possible that she would start within the next two months or so.

"Otou-san," He whispered to himself and thought of his father, his Otou. In many ways he and his dad looked a lot alike from what he could remember. His father had been tall and handsome with a slight smirk always present on his face. The only difference was their hair. Where his father had always kept his head shaved and clean (as most monks did) Miroku could never bring himself to that.

It wasn't because he had a weaker faith than his father. It was because he didn't want to look like his father. He knew that if he shaved his head he would look at his reflection and see his father looking back at him. It was an image Miroku knew he couldn't handle.

He was brought out of these thoughts by his little girl releasing a rather loud cry for attention.

"Pushy aren't we?" He said with a gentle smile. In return she cooed and patted his cheek lovingly. "I love you too baby."

For a moment Miroku's thoughts turned to his best friend, Inuyasha. Inuyasha had never known his father and his mother had died when he was very young leaving him with no family other than Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru, throughout most of Inuyasha's childhood, had not even been close to family. Even now the older dog demon, although accepting of his brother, spent no time with him. The poor man seemed so lonely and Miroku couldn't blame him.

Without Kagome in his life, Inuyasha had very little. Sango and himself were doing the best they could but it was not the same, Miroku knew neither one of them could replace the love of Kagome in the Hanyou's heart.

Miroku sighed and looked at his small daughter. Not even her love could fill the void Kagome had left.

"Hey, Miroku!"

He turned and looked towards the voice that had interrupted him, recognizing it to be Inuyasha almost immediately. He stood up leisurely and waved towards his friend with his spare arm. "What are you up to? I haven't seen you in forever."

Inuyasha's smile disappeared when he reached Miroku and looked down at the little girl. Above her right eye was a small cut that had nearly faded but was still noticeable to the talented eyes of the Hanyou.

"Never mind that, what happened to her?" He pointed to the small scratch before taking the girl into his arms when she reached for him. The seven month old baby smiled, cooed, and babbled to him as she reached up to pat his cheek and pull on his forelocks.

"She was crawling and hit her head on the side of a cauldron in Kaede's hut. Luckily Kagome saw what happened and took care of her. Gave us quit a scare, though."

Inuyasha nodded solemnly and hugged the girl to him. She, in return, wrapped her little hands behind his head and nestled her fingers into his hair. "At least she's okay now, right?"

"Yeah, thanks to Kagome."

The Hanyou smiled and pulled the girl away from him to look him in the eye. She giggled and reached for him playfully, her hands coming up to caress his flicking ears. With a snort he moved her out of their reach and brought her back to rest on his hip.

"I'm glad she's okay. I don't—" He stopped and looked down at the baby as she yawned and snuggled her head into his shoulder before moving her small hand to grip his haori tightly. She soon started to drift to sleep.

Miroku kept witness to this connection that was building between his little girl and the Hanyou. The two seemed linked and for this Miroku was glad. He knew that when he died of old age and left his girl and boy that Inuyasha, who would still be young, would take care of both of them and their children and their children's children.

In return, Miroku vowed silently, to stay close to the Hanyou. Miroku would be the father he had never known, the brother who had never understood him, and the only male friend to love him. Sango would be the mother who had died too soon, the sister whom he had never had, and the female friend who loved him dearly. And if he could, Miroku promised, he would help Kagome find her Hanyou again and with all three of them as his father, mother, and lover he would be able to once more trust the world. This was all Miroku could promise.

He turned back to the Hanyou who was just now placing the girl on his hip, so she couldn't' reach his ears. The Hanyou sighed before he began to speak. "I just don't know anymore."

"You don't know what?" Miroku inquired.

Inuyasha didn't respond right away but instead looked at Mika with sad eyes. "Never mind, I'm just glad she's okay, that's all." Inuyasha shivered when a cool breeze passed them and moved towards the direction of Sango and Miroku's hut. "Sango said it's time for Mika to eat."

Miroku nodded and looked at his friend with concern. As they walked the path they found themselves across from Kaede's hut where Kagome was sitting outside with Shippo. The girl looked up at them and froze at the sight of the Hanyou.

The poor Inu looked to her, the little girl still resting in his grasp, his eyes were sad and it caused Kagome's heart to go out to him but she didn't move. Instead she stood frozen to the spot and unyielding, her back was straight but her eyes lied about her body.

Upon contact with her graying irises he knew that she wanted to go to him just as much as he wanted to go to her. Her feet, on the other hand, wouldn't budge so she stayed fixated and only looked to him longingly.

"Here get Mika to Sango before she starts to cry." Inuyasha handed the baby to Miroku who sighed and put a hand on the man's shoulder, stopping Inuyasha from disappearing. Miroku knew that Inuyasha wouldn't come with him because of the close proximity of his and Sango's home to that of Kaede's home.

"Inuyasha?" The name echoed on the breeze causing both men to turn and look at the now vacant spot Kagome had been sitting in. Miroku briefly wondered if the girl had spoken or if he and Inuyasha had imagined it. Inuyasha pulled away from the monk and began to walk off but stopped when he felt Miroku's hand touch his arm.

"Inuyasha," The monk began but Inuyasha didn't want to listen to anything he had to say.

"I'll see yeah later Miroku." Inuyasha then jumped away from the monk, landing easily in a tree some thirty feet away.

With silent resolve Miroku looked towards the hanyou and said loud enough for his demon ears to hear, "Keep writing her poetry."

He wasn't sure if Inuyasha had heard or not but he hoped he had.

-break-

Come to me and let me intertwine

The threads of Rhyme

That reside so unified

In the torrents that we are

And like a feverous wave

A red string will dance for us

For we are brave

We are one

Flower nine: Phlox- Our souls are united

With love and meaning,

Inuyasha

Kagome reread her ninth poem one more time before adding it to the collection that she kept with her at all times. She was starting to wonder what was going on with her and why she was like this. She knew now for a fact that she was in love with Inuyasha and wanted to spend her life with him and yet, something was in the way. No matter how much she wanted to go to him she couldn't. Every time she got near him her body ached involuntarily, and her breathing would slow or stop all together.

With a deep sigh Kagome thought about the past seven months hard. Something was wrong, horribly wrong. It was like there was someone controlling her body.

At first, she had thought she was really afraid of him but that initial fear had only lasted maybe two months and had then turned into something else. It was not fear, it was a tight rope on her heart and in her mind. She would see the image of him killing her, over and over again in her head. She would see his face, covered with her blood.

Kagome shuddered. This fear that was left over felt unnatural to her as if it was put in her head. No longer was it her true fears, there was something else and she intended to find out what that something was.

-break-

"Akkanka-sama?"

A man of no more than fifteen looked up from the web of string he was currently untangling. His red hair and blood red eyes shifted uneasily as he stood and looked at the other man who had walked in. The other man's hair was flame orange and tended to remind people of a portrait of Hell. He appeared to be younger and less built than the blood red haired man was.

"What is it Jigoku?"

Jigoku shifted uneasily and looked at the older man knowing full well what would happen if he said what he was about to say.

"I think the girl knows what is going on. Her love for him is strong. The string is no longer holding the door as tightly. I think she is starting to push it back open."

"You make me laugh fool!" The man's expression flamed and his eyes burned like dripping blood. "My strings can do anything, I can close the door that contains her love for him so tightly that she will forget it ever existed. Even an idiot like you can control them enough to seal her feelings."

"Sir, can I ask a question." Jigoku said hurriedly. Akkanka looked at him thoughtfully and nodded the go ahead. "Why do you hate this girl so much?"

"I don't hate her at all."

"Then why go to all of this trouble to torment her and the hanyou?"

"Because the hanyou wronged me by loving her." Akkanka smiled as he looked at a table not too far away from him.

Jigoku looked at the table as well and studied the semiprecious stone globe mounted on it. The globe allowed him to keep track of all the strings that he had placed in the world. It was the epicenter. At the moment it showed the strings connected to a girl about the age of twenty, she was beautiful and heavenly. "What is her name Akkanka-sama?"

Akkanka walked over to the same table and touched the picture of the girl with one slender fingertip. For a second Jigoku felt angry, Akkanka may be his master but that man had no right to touch something so pure, so unrefined. He suppressed his anger knowing that Akkanka would feel the slightest change in him at any moment.

Akkanka moved stealthily around the room and picked up a wooden carving that had been resting next to the mound of string he was untangling. The craving was of the same exact girl down to the natural wave that gathered in her hair. He fingered it as well and smiled before bending down and kissing the figurine. With a slight pause and smirk he muttered the name, "Kagome."

-break-

Kagome opened her eyes to find herself in a familiar white washed world. Everything was white down to every blade of grass and flower. She looked around already knowing where to go but much to her surprise she couldn't find it. Panicked she began to walk, recognizing the path right away, it lead to the well.

With soft footsteps she entered the clearing and saw a person she had not seen since Inuyasha had turned his claws on her.

"I tried to warn you but you wouldn't listen." The man sitting next to the well said as he picked a white flower from the ground. He was the only thing in the clearing that maintained any form of color. His silver hair, his golden eyes, even the slight red design on his haori, were the only things colored for her to see.

"Inu-no-Tashio-sama?"Kagome said as she stepped closer to him. "Where have you been?"

"I have been sleeping till now, trying to protect your mind."

"Does my mind need protecting?" She questioned.

"Yes. Someone is trying to destroy a part of it. A man with blood red hair." He dropped the flower he had been holding and stood up straight to look at her. "It appears you are giving him a run for his money."

Kagome watched Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's father with confused and worried eyes. The man was looking off into the distance, as if he was seeing something that Kagome could not see. "Can you help me, protect myself." She asked breaking his concentration.

"I have done too much already, Kagome." The man replied as he turned towards her his eyes filled with sadness. "I tried to change your destiny but, it appears I can't."

"Am I going to die?" Kagome said as she looked at him. She could feel the sadness running off of his body, it was the same sadness she had felt from her mother when her father had died.

"Only you can answer that question, Kagome." He stood and started to walk away from her. "There is someone trying to take a part of your mind, you must protect it at all cost or you and my son will be lost."

She nodded her head as she looked at him with worried eyes. "How do I do that, how do I protect my mind?"

He looked at her over his shoulder and she felt a wave of love run throughout her body. It was so intense and deep. It touched a part of her mind that felt like it had been locked away for months. "I have to leave you now," He said, "I wish you luck."

"Thank-you, Inu-no-Tashio-sama." Kagome said with tears in her eyes, the overwhelming feeling awakening her soul. "I understand now."

"My name is Inuriku." He said as he looked at her with a smile. "Not even Sesshoumaru knows that."

"Thank you, Inuriku." She said with a loving smile, the biggest smile she had made in months.

His face promptly faded in her dream, not to be heard again, or at least not for a very long while.

-break-

The rain was pouring down heavily on Inuyasha's back causing him to slouch forward in order to protect the small girl who was tucked safe within his haori sleeping. He had been perched in the god's tree with her sleeping on his chest when the clouds had decided to open up above his head.

He was on his way back to the village now because of that. He knew that Sango would not want young Mika in the rain because of the threat of sickness. He also knew his robes would only keep her dry for so long, if she got even a little wet the chances would increase for her to become sick.

With a heavy groan Inuyasha jumped around the puddle in front of him and coughed. He was getting way to cold and wet at the moment and if he was feeling it then Mika was bound to be feeling it soon. Something stirred beneath his robes and let out a small cry. Within minutes the cry turned into a full out wail and Inuyasha knew for a fact that little Mika had felt the cold and wet like he had.

"Shh—baby it's okay. Ojiisan's got you and he's going to do his best to keep you warm." He hugged her closer to him and felt her squirm underneath the material and whimper. He knew she wanted to be let out so she could look at him for comfort.

Quickly he ran for the comfort of a tree whose branches were just big enough and close enough together to prevent the rain for hitting them. He took her out of his shirt and looked her in the eyes. The little girl sniffled and reached for him, her mouth moving to form unintelligible words and babbling noises. One small hand moved to point towards the falling water and then turned to point at him as if asking a question.

"It's called rain. I can't control it, so we'll have to wait here for it to die down." He said as she pointed more firmly. Her little face grew stubborn and she pouted. "Mika, if I could make the rain stop I would. Ojiisan would do anything for you."

The baby smiled and cooed again before her face grew grave and serious, pensive. She opened her mouth and made a slight sound, a familiar sound. Her big brown eyes gazed at him in wonder before she started to form a word.

"Oooo," She furrowed her eyebrows tight in thought before moving her lips over the syllables again. "Oooojjjj."

Inuyasha moved his own eyebrows in wonder as she stumbled over the name again and again.

"Oji."

"Yeah, keep trying! O-ji-s-a-n"

She licked her lips and squinted at him, her small hands raised to his face and then moved to touch his ears, the forelocks of his hair, and then over his eyes. "Ojis—a—."

"That's it,"

She bit her lip with her little teeth, her mouth opened one last time and her tongue flickered.

"Ojisa?

"Yes, Yes! You got it!"

"Ojiisan!"

Tears formed in Inuyasha's eyes as he held onto that small girl and she repeated his name over and over again.

"Ojiisan, Ojiisan!" She exclaimed and hugged him around the neck as he cried into her hair. Babble filled her mouth again, but within that babble she said one word. A word that she would continue to say for the rest of her life and the rest of Inuyasha's. "Ojiisan!"

-break-

Sesshoumaru set on the top of a grand oak tree whose branches lined all the way up to the sky. Below him Rin was playing in the flowers and giggling as she put a flower ring on Jaken's head. The toad screamed and ran around in circles trying to dislodge them in vain.

With a quick nose Sesshoumaru noticed the slight change in Rin's scent and frowned. His little wench was growing up slowly day by day and strangely enough this affected him in a way he never thought possible. The girl—the woman—was drawn to him the same way he imagined his father had been drawn to Inuyasha's mother.

"Chichioya." He mumbled as thoughts came to him of his father and what the man had been like. Sesshoumaru had, for the longest time, thought his father was invincible but he had been proven wrong when the young Izayoi-hime came around.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

He looked down at the woman and smiled in the back of his mind. "What is it Rin?"

"I was wondering, can we go somewhere else?"

"Why?" He watched her as she studied the world around her and sighed. There was something dull in her eyes as she watched the scenery.

"I just would like to travel some."

He nodded and hopped down from the tree, his feet landing on the ground so softly that not even Jaken could hear his movements. They stared at each other for a moment until the demon lord presented her his hand. "Let's go Rin."

She took the offering with a bright smile and he helped her get to her feet. "Where are we going?"

He ever so slightly smiled, something he only did for her. The grass under their feet crunched as he let go of her hand and walked with her beside him. "Anywhere you pick is fine Rin" He whispered as Jaken yelled behind them for them to stop and wait. Silently in the back of his mind he added in a soundless whisper of truth, "As long as I'm with you."

-break-

A little while later Inuyasha entered Sango and Miroku's hut not really caring what was going on inside or if he was interrupting something. Luckily he wasn't. Hastily he barged in and ran to both parents whom were sitting in front of the fire with Shokuro sleeping between them.

"Sango, Miroku!" He cried out and ran to kneel in front of both of them, in his haste he knocked over a pot and woke up Shokuro. The boy wailed until he saw his Uncle, the presence of the man calming him almost instantly.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong?" Sango said with her had clutched to her chest. Miroku was hurrying to right the pot his own heartbeat racing.

Inuyasha's smile nearly split his face as he presented the small girl-child to her mother. "Watch Sango, you won't believe it!" He turned the girl to look at him and she smiled and cooed her arms dancing around her. "Who am I?"

"Ojiisan!"

Both Sango and Miroku gasped in shock as their little girl said her first words.

"Ojiisan!" She repeated and reached for him. He drew her into a hug before smiling wide towards Sango and Miroku.

"Did you hear it? She called me Ojiisan!"

"She sure did," Sango said with a look of utter disbelief hinting around her voice and taking control of her features. For a moment Sango felt unbelievably sad, her daughter, her first born, had said her first word and it hadn't been Okaa-san or Otou-san but instead Ojiisan.

With a quick forced smile Sango turned her face to look at Inuyasha. His features were bright and he looked truly happy for the first time in months. It was like he was a whole new man for a minute. Sango felt immediately guilty for being sad at the hanyou's luck. She knew that he needed this. Inuyasha needed this bit of happiness in his life and Sango was proud that her daughter had caused it.

"Ojiisan!" The girl continued to chant as her Father and Uncle praised her and adored her painstakingly.

Sango looked down at her young son and saw the cute look he was giving her. With a tender smile she reached for him and held him to her chest noiselessly.

"Will you say it for me baby?" She whispered the boy babbled to her in return and smiled showing off his own little teeth. Somehow she knew today would not be the day.

"Sango!" Inuyasha came to her his eyes still bright and for a second she thought they looked a little moist.

"Inuyasha?"

He smiled at her proudly and began to take on a giddy look, a childish look that suited him somehow. "She said it." He whispered as his eyes unleashed a fresh wetness to his skin. "I'm so glad."

Sango frowned, hoping that this spark of life in the hanyou's eyes would not be short lived. With a timid smile she hugged the grown man like he was her child also. "I'm glad too."

-break-

Kagome's eyes opened and she looked around Kaede's hut. Her dream was still fresh in her mind and the feeling of love was still strong in her heart. What had Inuriku done to her when he had smiled and gave her the answer? A single tear leisurely made its way down Kagome's face and lingered on her chin before she absently wiped it away. She did not even notice the little piece of parchment next to her as she focused on the tears in her eyes.

"I'm crying." She whispered and her voice began to shift as the feeling of love overwhelmed her. "Why am I crying?" She put the poem down and moved her hands to cover the wet streaks down her inclined face. "Why do I feel like I shouldn't cry?" Kagome's body then clenched violently before falling to the floor, her eyes closed tightly.

A shadow crossed over Kagome's person as the feeling of warmth filled her completely. Her tears were no longer of fear or self-pity, they were tears of uncontrolled love.

"You cry for the feeling of love?" The shadow whispered hotly. "Your human emotions will be your downfall." The man picked up the piece of parchment and growled low in his throat as he read the love filled poem. In anger he shredded it and threw it away from him. Angered he tried to put the strings back inside of Kagome's mind, sealing the door that filled her with so much love and devotion but the feeling overwhelmed him and burned his hands. He hissed and jumped back.

Kagome snuggled into her side and maintained a fetal position as he watched her.

"Sir?" Jigoku said from his place behind his master, Akkanka. Akkanka was trying to figure out how to place the strings back in Kagome's mind but the love was strong, so strong that he couldn't overwhelm it.

"What is it Jigoku?"

"There are people coming. Two humans."

Akkanka took one more look at the sleeping girl and growled fiercely. With every ounce of strength he had he threw his strings into her mind. They barely made contact with the door that allowed her love to seep through. He drew it tight, hoping he would be able to close it just enough.

The sound of a human's voice calling out broke him away from his task and he cursed. It would have to hold until he was able to come back and secure it more tightly. "We shall depart now." He said and looked at Jigoku.

"Yes master."

They both ran from the hut as Jigoku placed a leaf on his head. A brilliant light surrounded them and they disappeared with the leaves power. Sango and Miroku arrived at the hut moments later stumbling into it hastily in a state of confusion. Kaede's neighbor had told them of the strange man who had entered Kaede's hut, knowing that Kagome was there alone they had rushed to her aid, unsure who the man could have been.

"Kagome-chan!" Sango cried as she saw Kagome's still form. She sighed with relief when she saw the girl was unharmed and then turned her eyes to the hut. She scanned it and saw no one in the room.

"Sango what is that?"

"A note of some kind." Miroku nodded and moved closer to look over his wife's shoulder. Slowly words began to form in front of them.

"Mixes," Sango whispered as she brought the word together, "With—the woul?"

"Woul isn't a word."

"I know, now help me!"

He bent down next to her and they began rearranging the letters into a proper order.

"Mixes with the soul." Miroku exclaimed as he moved the word together. "I wonder what that means?"

Suddenly Sango stopped and took her hands away from the pieces of paper. Her neck craned and looked back towards the door before settling on Kagome. "Miroku, this is a poem, from Inuyasha."

"But why is it shredded?"

Sango shook her head and brought her hands to take up the remaining pieces of the poem. "I don't know but I don't think Kagome did this. She treasures every one of the poems."

He nodded gravely and turned to look at Kagome. "I should go get Kaede-sama."

"Good idea." She said. "I'll stay here."

"Sango?" The small voice of Shippo came to them. A pop in the room revealed that a pot in the corner was none other than Shippo in disguise. Sango cursed under her breath, the kitsune was getting better and better with every exam. Before they knew it he would be stronger than them when it came to illusions.

"There were two men in here," Shippo whispered, "The one named Jigoku is a Kitsune."

End of Chapter

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