Chapter 10
Just as Kagome was settling into sleep across from a not-as-frightful demon Lord and his young ward, Inuyasha laid exhausted upon a low branch just outside of scent range of Sesshoumaru's small camp.
It had been a long few days for Inuyasha and he was unable to travel further. Instead, he sat upon a low branch and thought back upon the last few weeks. He was having a difficult time accepting Kikyo's death and found that Kagome's sudden departure had only deepened his feelings of depression. Had he traveled just a few meters further he would have picked up on Kagome's scent and maybe felt slightly better, but he just sat preoccupied with his own feelings of misery as he reexamined the past few days.
Flashback
Kagome had decided to return to her era. 'Good' Inuyasha thought as the small group made their way towards the Bone Eater's well. He was mildly disappointed when Kagome explained her belief that she would not be able to pass through the well once back in her own time. 'It's better this way,' he thought to himself in a half-hearted attempt to comfort himself, 'now I won't be reminded of Kikyo and she'll be happier in her own time.' A feeling deep in the pit of his stomach told him this wasn't the case.
After a few long goodbyes and Kagome had hugged everyone else, she disappeared for the last time down the old well. Inuyasha followed the remainder of his friends towards the village. After a number of sincere invitations to join them and another brief round of good-byes, Sango, Miroku, and Shippou climbed upon Kirara and headed toward the exterminator's village, leaving Inuyasha alone in front of Kaede's hut.
After a brief pause and one last glance towards Kaede's hut Inuyasha walked into the forest without as much as a glance back. His trip was extremely uneventful, with the only real danger occurring when he ran into three large bear youkai who were drinking at a small stream. One swipe with tetsusaiga and he was once again wondering the forest aimlessly. Inuyasha was perfectly fine with this solitude, for once he wanted to be alone with his thoughts.
End Flashback
So here he was perched atop a low branch after three days of walking. A loud sigh could be heard throughout his section of the forest. Inuyasha had hoped that he would find answers as he wandered. All that came to him was something Kagome use to nag him about. "Why won't you ever ask anyone for help? You can't do it all yourself you know." He could almost see her in front of him, one finger wagging by her side. 'Maybe I do need someone' he thought with another sigh before he finally drifted into a deep and dreamless sleep.
"What's that up ahead?" Miroku asked while looking over the side of Kirara. "I don't know," Sango replied "The village should be up ahead. "It smells like something is burning" Shippou added from his spot on Miroku's shoulder. As they emerged from a thick patch of trees all three let out a small gasp. "There's smoke coming from the village," Sango exclaimed looking frightened. "Hurry Kirara" Miroku added as the neko demon flew toward the village.
After landing just outside the village walls, Sango took off in a dead sprint towards the village followed closely by Miroku with Shippou clinging to his shoulder. As they entered the village, Sango's freight soon turned into rage as she noticed the smoke was coming from the hut she once shared with her family.
"How dare someone come in here and…" Sango trailed off as she stormed towards the hut. "Don't be irrational Sango" Miroku yelled chasing after the enraged exterminator. As he followed her inside the hut he nearly ran into her back when she stopped suddenly just inside the door. Miroku was about to complain when he caught sight of what she was staring at.
"Kohaku."
"What the…" Inuyasha began as he came over the small hill leading to Kaede's village. "Everything's burned" he exclaimed gazing at the charred remains of a once bustling village. Slowly he made his way toward the center of town before stopping and heading towards Kaede's hut. Once inside he started sniffing around for any clues to what might have happened.
His eyes grew wide as he picked up on the scent within. "Kagome" he whispered to himself as he sniffed around the hut, missing the other scent within the hut as a sense of urgency started to overtake him. 'Her scents stronger than anyone else's' he thought to himself as he exited the hut and continued sniffing.
Once outside he scrunched up his nose in frustration when he was unable to pick up her scent again. He once again made his way towards the town center when he picked up on the scent of a large number of humans. 'Must be all the villagers' he thought as he started to follow the scent. 'Leads up into the mountains' he mused as he started to follow the scent occasionally making out Kaede's distinct smell from the other scents.
"They're sleeping now" Sango said exiting the hut and sitting next to Miroku after getting both Kohaku and Shippou to sleep. "Did he tell you what happened?" Miroku asked as Sango laid her head against his shoulder.
"Well…" Sango began after letting out a low sigh, "he says that it started two weeks before we defeated Naraku. He was walking through the forest returning to Naraku's castle when a woman dressed like a warrior approached him." "A woman dressed as a warrior?" Miroku asked rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I know," Sango replied, "the way he described her it sounds like Midoriko." "Interesting" Miroku replied before Sango resumed her story. "He claims that she restored his memories to him and severed his link with Naraku, apparently she told him that if he was able to come to terms with what he had done he'd be able to live after the jewel fragment was removed. After she left he returned to Naraku and thought about what she had told him. He said that Naraku removed the jewel the morning of the final battle." "But how did he get away from Naraku after the shard was removed?" "He said once Naraku removed the jewel he just played dead, and then after Naraku left he slipped out of the castle and started running. It took him two days to reach the village. He was planning to leave tomorrow to come find us."
"Well, it seems that all has turned out for the better" Miroku commented as he put his arm around Sango's shoulder. "I know," she replied "I just wish Kagome was here with us." Miroku and Sango continued to sit in silence for a moment more before rising and returning to the hut. "Tomorrow we'll start rebuilding" Miroku said as they disappeared inside the hut.