Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry it took me so long to update. My dad is a farmer and I help him on the farm on sunny days, which around here is pretty much EVERYDAY! So I haven't had time to get my stuff together. I'm sorry! I don't want to be an author who writes a story and harldy ever updates! But it's hard during the summer. Hopefully it will rain more and I can get more chapters up!
Well, Enjoy the chapter! I'm excited for the next chapter! Read and Review!

Chapter 7

This bright sunny day wasn't very reflective of how a young man felt today as he stood in front of a wooden cross. The mound of dirt that used to be piled so high was now flat and grass was starting to grow over the brown soil. One would not have known there was a grave there if not for the makeshift tombstone.

He bent down slowly as he smiled sadly upon the gravesite. It had been exactly a year since his love's death, taken away while giving birth to their first child. His wife, being a small frail woman, wasn't supposed to have children. When they found out she was with child the couple was both overjoyed and scared. Abortion wasn't an option for his loving partner. When the time came to give birth it was a long hard struggle between life and death. Thankfully the child lived, but at the price of his wife.

"Hello darling," the man greeted his deceased love. "I couldn't bring little Sho today because his grandparents are spoiling him rotten for his birthday. It's been a whole year and you'll be glad to hear that our son is a smart one. Not only did he take his first steps this month, but he spoke his first words. Can you believe it was 'dad'?"

The man continued on telling stories of their son, his work, and the gossip in the village. He couldn't help but be sad that his wife couldn't giggle at his silly jokes or admonish his fascination with the town gossip. He tried to laugh and put on a smile, but soon he was crying.

"Oh, how I miss you," he sobbed. "Everyday I pray for a sign that you are here and watching over us, but still I have seen nothing. Please, please just this once let me know you are here."

Opening one glossy moist eye he saw the wooden cross and the forest in the background, nothing more. The man closed his eyes yet again. Once again he would receive no sign. A tear trickled down his cheek, and he let out a small sad sigh. Sometimes it really made him question his faith.

Finally opening both eyes he set down the flowers he had been holding. Daisies were her favorite; small, happy, and fragile, just like his beautiful wife. The flowers even rested their delicate bodies lovingly against the strong hard wood of the cross like his love used to when she needed her husband for support. A smile graced his face at the memory. Just before leaving the grave, he prayed and whispered his love hoping his wife would hear his words.

On his way back home a prickling at the back of his neck caused the young man to turn one more time towards the grave. He examined the wooden cross, now accompanied by a bouquet of daisies, to see nothing. He shook his head, feeling silly in thinking that maybe she might have been there.

Just as he was turning he saw a vision in white pass by his peripherals. "Ah!" he cried in joy as he watched the white long haired figure dash out of sight. "My love! A SIGN! THANK YOUUUUU!" The man screamed at the top of his lungs in gratitude.

A weird echoing through the forest caused Sesshomaru to stop in his tracks. "Youuuuu…" it cried after him.

He raised his eyebrow at the wind's words, unable to understand its meaning. They say when you hear voices in nature you are suppose to listen, but Sesshomaru couldn't understand why the wind was calling for him. The call came from the direction that he previously came from. The direction his stupid brother and his blind followers were in. Was the wind calling him back towards them?He couldn't help but wonder.

Shaking off the thought as quickly as it came, the Demon Lord returned on his way back to his own pack of misfits. The taiyoukai couldn't help, but be slightly proud of his own little group. His annoying, but loyal follower Jaken; the two headed smart and strong Ah and Un; and his bright young and resourceful ward Rin. A mixed up group, but not more so than his stupid brothers. At least his group had smarts and strength, while Inuyasha's was lacking in both departments.

Sniffing the air, Sesshomaru headed towards the distinct sour odor of his small green servant. He almost rolled his eyes at the thought of the short demon practically running over to him and squawking about something like usual. He couldn't help but notice that the distinct smell of his servant was in fact moving farther away from him. He specifically remembered telling Jaken to stay put.

Picking up his pace, Sesshomaru flew through the forest at lightning speed. He bypassed the spot that he originally told his small caravan to stay without a blink and raced on. He sped through the trees like a whisper and stopped just before he reached his small group. Landing softly on the ground without a sound, Sesshomaru walked over slowly to observe his small group before he made is presence known.

Jaken was comically yanking Ah and Un who, ignoring the small demon, was trying to take a nice refreshing drink from a nearby stream. Jaken's little feet dug into the ground over and over as he tried to pull the two headed demon from its drinking hole, but to no avail. Realizing his attempt of moving the beast was futile, he finally stopped and rested his back against one of the legs of the dragon demon.

"Come on Ah and Un! We have to find her or Lord Sesshomaru will have our heads!" He squawked as he wiped some sweat from his forehead.

Ah looked over to the stubby green imp with a raised eyebrow as if saying Our heads? You're the one who lost her. He then turned back to join Un in quenching his thirst.

Jaken paid the two headed demon no mind as he talked to himself. "Oh how could this have happened? I shouldn't have listened to that stupid girl. Hide-and-seek. Ha! I thought that would keep her quiet and out of my hair, so I humored her. Who would have thought she'd be smart enough to figure out that I wasn't actually going to look for her? Now she has run away and I have no idea where she went! Lord Sesshomaru is going to kill- OW!" Jaken saw stars.

Temporarily blinded, the green demon blinked his large yellow eyes in attempt to clear his vision. Rubbing his head where something had knocked into it, Jaken noticed a large goose egg was starting to form on his round noggin. He looked around for the offending object that hit him to see a large rock a few inches away from him. He stood up and wattled over to the stone to examine it. Out of nowhere, another object whacked him upside the head and knocked him into the stone on the ground, making for three large bumps on his head.

"Jaken..." An icy voice growled from above his lying mass.

The imp like demon froze at the sound of his angry master. Even slightly disoriented he was able to recognize the demon lord's fury. Jaken laid on the ground attempting to look pitiful hoping that his master would show more mercy than wrath. Boy was he wrong.

Sesshomaru flipped his small servant over on his back and stepped forcefully on Jaken's stomach. "Oof!" The green little demon puffed as the air was pressed out of him. He gasped for his breath.

"What happened to Rin?" Sesshomaru asked his voice cutting through the silence like a knife.

"Gah! She's... gone!" Jaken wheezed.

Sesshomaru almost rolled his eyes at his pathetic servant. "I've noticed. Where has she gone Jaken?"

The poor little demon shook his head as he stated, "I don't know master. One minute she was here and the next she was gone."

Sesshomaru huffed at his incompetence and nonchalantly kicked the demon into the stream. Ignoring Jaken's blubbering, Sesshomaru walked over to Ah and Un to inquire the beast. Both heads looked at him with confusion and then shook their heads. They had been too busy sleeping. The demon lord started to question if his group was more like Inuyasha's imbecilic group than he originally thought.

Taking a moment to collect his anger, Sesshomaru inhaled a deep breath through his nose. Almost immediately his nose was filled with the sent of his young ward, surprising him, though his face wouldn't reveal this. He turned in the direction of the scent and sniffed again. This time it was stronger with the gust of wind and he realized that her scent was surrounded by the familiar odor of others he knew quite well. His calming breath did nothing but feed his anger.

"Jaken!" Sesshomaru almost barked.

The soggy green demon had just gotten out of the stream and was on his hands and knees. The icy voice of his master caused a shiver to run down his spine. "Yes master?" He asked fearfully as he looked up to the taiyoukai's back.

Jaken could have sworn his master's head turned around one hundred and eighty degrees in his anger. His red eyes glowed hotly, even in the burning sunlight, right into the small demon's black heart. Jaken's mouth went dry as he realized he might not survive the day... again.


Finally cleaned up from the fight, the Inuyasha gang pushed forward. Rin had settled in almost fittingly with the rest of the group, making quick friends with Shippo and Kirara. Taking up the rear, Sango and Kagome couldn't help but smile at the young girl's excited chatter. Inuyasha, leading the way, seemed annoyed while Miroku accepted the girl kindly into their small group.

"You know that Sesshomaru is going to come for her. You do know that right?" Inuyasha spoke from the front of the group.

"Of course we know that!" Kagome answered smartly. "Did you expect us to just leave her back there with Naraku's demons? Who knows what might have happened to her?"

"I'm not saying that! I'm just saying that I hope you're prepared for a pissed off taiyoukai."

The whole group, except for the blissfully unaware children, went silent after Inuyasha's harsh, but scarily true statement. They had seen what Sesshomaru did to Sango without a second thought. And he probably was more annoyed than angry. Who knew what he could do when he was royally pissed off?

"I'll handle it," Sango spoke firmly.

Kagome almost got whiplash from turning to look at the demon slayer so fast. "What? Are you insane? Don't you remember what happened last time? It's better if we 'handle it' together."

"I hope by together you don't mean me!" Inuyasha growled.

"Of course I mean you!" Kagome huffed as she waved her fist at the half demon.

Sango shook her head at Kagome and smiled with confidence. "No, please let me take care of Sesshomaru. I'm confident that things will go over smoothly, plus I have a little something up my sleeve."

A horrified and confused expression crossed the futuristic girl's face. Before she could ask what Sango's plan was a figure in white appeared right in front of the two women. Kagome couldn't help but let out a small scream while Sango looked up with boredom as if she expected the figure to materialize exactly the way it did.

Kagome, who had fallen on her bottom, scrambled backwards to see that it was Sesshomaru himself. Inuyasha rushed back to help her up, but she didn't acknowledge his presence. The demon lord's energy radiated off of his form, overpowering her senses. She could feel his arctic rage and it froze her to the ground.

"And what is this thing that you have 'up your sleeve,' slayer?" The taiyoukai asked icily as he looked at her doubtfully.

"Hello to you too, Sesshomaru," Sango flatly stated, showing the taiyoukai that she wasn't afraid. He raised his eyebrow impassively at her. The proud demon slayer straightened her posture and lifted up her head, not allowing Sesshomaru to think for a second that she would be submissive to him. "My plan will be revealed all in good time. However, I have a question to ask before anything else is said."

Sango allowed time for the demon lord to give his assent or dissent, not that she expected a response from him. However, he surprised her when he gave her a curt nod of his head. I'll humor you, he thought as a smirk pulled at his lips. Sango couldn't help but notice the smirk and she glared at him angrily, causing the smirk to grow wider.

"Fine. Here is my question. Will you join the Inuyasha gang?"

A soft breeze blew by...

"WHAT?" yelled her small group.

All eyes rested on Sango.