My battered angel wings

The sensation that she was flying never left Kagome, no matter how many times she rode on his back as he leaped from tree to tree in the most graceful manner, like running over a rippling lake of orange and red leaves below the cloud covered sky. Wind splashed her face in a wild current as they raced on top of the vast forest.

"Everything ok?" Sango's voice reached Inu-yasha and Kagome from above and Inu-yasha grunted in response as Kirara flew ahead of them in wisps of flame. Miroku shifted closer to Sango, his staff against her stomach, holding him against her. Closer to her than he had been able when they first met. They had been heading for the destination for two days, riding well into the night with small rests for food and drink.

They had left Shippo behind against his wishes and protests, but in the end Kagome had lifted him up in her arms and whispered to him reassuringly. In the end Shippo had complied with the order that he had to protect the village, and with a parting kiss on the forehead from Kagome and gruff but tender ruffling of hair from Inu-yasha they had gone, leaving tears in Shippo's eyes, for they reminded him too much of his own parents.

Surprisingly, more accompanied the group. Flying beside Kirara, propelled by powerful angel like wings flew a cat like demon. It had the slender body of a tiger, it's pelt a dark sea-blue with jagged black stripes. Its snout was short and smooth, sporting a mouth adorned by long, sharp teeth. Protruding from its head were two long brown horns, which glistened, obviously well kept. It's ears were furry but slender, and were plastered to it's head, avoiding the wind as it flew. On the creatures back was a strong built but thin female human who, very surprisingly for all except Kagome, wore manly riding trousers, a white loose shit and a brown fur jacket to ward off the increasing cold instead of a Kimono, or at least a woman's hakama. Her black hair was tied up in high pony tail and whipping behind her, thin and nimble fingers holding on gently to the demon's blue pelt. Her face was thin, tanned skin instead of majestic pale, but her most shocking feature were her clear dark green eyes which glimmered with the smallest amount of light.

Inu-yasha and Kagome had met them as they raced out of the hut, Inu-yasha growling at the demonic smell he had failed to notice as he became trapped in Kagome's refreshing and seductive scent. It was total chaos outside the hut. Villagers ran around in a frenzy to organize themselves against the offending demon that flew over the village. Arrows flew to pierce it, but the creature simply flew out of range with the human glowering at them from it's back.

"Cease! We are not here to harm you, I am looking for those who search out the Shinkon No Tama." She shouted down, but her words did not have the desirable effect on the villagers. They all started whispering to each other quickly.

"She wants the shards of the Shinkon Jewel!" They shouted and resumed their attack. The human narrowed her eyes and sighed in frustration, but she had known it wasn't going to be easy while travelling with her demon friend.

The demon tried to fly low again, only to have an arrow nearly miss her human rider and she snarled in response, flying high again. The woman patted its head reassuringly, noticing the anger simmering inside her.

Inu-yasha saw the demon bare its teeth and took up a fighting stance, ordering Kagome to stay back, which she ignored. Inu-yasha went to push against the villagers, but Kaede stopped him with a halting hand against his forearm. Inu-yasha looked at her, obviously irritated, but the old Miko continued to look at the flying demon.

"Halt, Inu-yasha. I think they mean us no harm." She said calmly. Inu-yasha looked at her disbelievingly as Kagome came by her side.

"Kaede-sama…I sense no danger." She said hesitantly, making Inu-yasha's irritated expression to focus on her. Kaede simply nodded and smiled.

"Nay, me neither." She said, and cleared her throat.

"Cease the attack! She poses no threat." She ordered in a stern voice. All of the men looked at her in surprise and the hiding women that hid with the children started whispering, but stopped as Kaede focused her narrowed eye at them.

The woman on the back of the demon sighed in relief, but stayed tense and ready, her hand over the hilt of her sword and her bow and arrows in easy reach, just in case it was a trap. It wouldn't be the first time.

The villagers scrambled to get away from the approaching demon. Its wings beat powerfully and raised dust and dirt in obscure clouds, making the onlookers cover their eyes and noses, some coughing as particles tickled their throats. Finally the demon put it's great paws on the floor and curled it's white feathered wings. Most of the villagers continued to point their arrows at them, and the human did not dismount, signalling that both sides were weary of each other.

"I search for those who seek the shards of the Shinkon No Tama." She said in a clear, loud voice. Inu-yasha snorted and walked towards her, people moving out of the way to clear a path. Both human and demon looked at him, and Kagome was surprised to see a small smile on the woman's face, and something flash through the bottomless black eyes of the tiger like demon.

"And who the hell asks?" Inu-yasha said rudely, making both the woman and Kagome frown slightly.

"Inu-yasha…" Kagome whispered warningly, stepping beside him. She looked up at the human and smiled friendlily, but didn't excuse Inu-yasha's behaviour, she hadn't done that in a long time, keeping her bow ready and stance tense. The human looked from Kagome to Inu-yasha, then to Miroku, Sango with Kirara as they came up beside them and finally Shippo who jumped unto Kagome's shoulder. Kaede stayed back, watching the scene as she leaned on her stick, but was ready to give out orders at a moments notice.

Sango was clad in her exterminator armour, her stance ready, Kirara mewing softly at the demon. Miroku had a relaxed stance, but anyone who new him would know he was ready for battle by the shine in his eyes and the loosened prayer beads. The group looked up at the new comer, and as she looked down at them she saw that they truly looked like a formidable enemy, and couldn't help but feel reassured instead of afraid, for if everything went smoothly, they would be an ally, not an enemy.

"My name is Paloma, I come from a hidden village, which I cannot reveal the name so publicly, but my elders have sent me to find you. We need your help." She said with the same clear tone as before. Inu-yasha, who had sheathed his swords, relaxed the grip on the hilt slightly, but didn't remove his hand from it.

"Are you gonna tell us what you want? We don't have all day." Inu-yasha smirked. Kagome narrowed her eyes at him and the woman glowered, tensing her jaw.

"Maybe if your men were not pointing arrows at me, and not be treated like an intruder, I could explain my wishes calmly." She hissed through hew teeth. Inu-yasha snorted.

"My men? Ha!" He laughed. Paloma looked down at him and sighed inwardly. She had to speed things up.

"It concerns Naraku." She said simply, and as if a spell were cast the whole group tensed, a growl rumbling out of Inu-yasha at the mere mention of the name. Kagome took this as her queue to intervene. She looked back at the villagers, and along with hand motions told them to but away their arrows. After hesitant glances and a stern look they all put away the arrows, grumbling and tense. Few villages accepted demons, and thought Kaede's had a half-demon protector they were still set in their old ways. Kagome put away her bow as a sign of peace and Sango relaxed her stance, looking at Miroku who, for once, had a serious expression in front of a beautiful newly introduced woman.

"Come to my hut, all of ye." Kaede's voice reached them and they turned around to see her retreating form limp into her hut.

Finally, they all settled in Kaede's hut where she prepared an early lunch, as they had all missed breakfast. It turned out that, like Kirara, the tiger like demon, which's name they found out was Trig (which reminded Kagome of trigonometry), could transform into a smaller version of herself, with no wings, so she could fit in a hut easily, and lay on Paloma's leg as she sat beside the fire, the warmth pleasant after travelling in the autumn cold.

The group sat around the fire, Kaede tending it along with Shippo who helped her prepare the food, unusually quite as he sensed the tenseness of his friends. Sango sat with Kirara on her shoulder and Miroku sat beside her, his staff lying beside him. Kagome sat in the other side of Sango, but farther away from her than Miroku was. Inu-yasha sat slightly behind Kagome with his back against the wall, his katana resting against his shoulder, once hand across it and the other on the wooden floor. Paloma sat in the extreme of the fire, all of them facing her in some way.

They all waited after being fed, even Inu-yasha used up all his patience in keeping his mouth shut, his jaw clenched in the effort. Finally they all looked at the newcomer expectantly, and she didn't squirm under their stares.

"Tell us, what brings you here?" Kaede asked after everything was cleaned up. Paloma looked at her, then did a quick sweep over the group before her gaze rested on Inu-yasha.

"Unfortunately I cannot tell you much, I am but the messenger." She started, and Inu-yasha's patience ran out with those words.

"Then what the hell are we doing here, wasting time?" He bit out. Paloma looked at him calmly.

"I have to explain what I know." She replied. Inu-yasha huffed but kept quiet. Satisfied, Paloma continued.

"As I said, one of the elders of my village sent me to find you. They know quite a lot about you, more than you would like, probably, for they know many of your secrets." Sango frowned at that.

"What do you mean, our secrets?" She asked. Paloma smiled sympathetically.

"They know your pasts, and, in Kagome's case specially, were you come from." She said and Kagome gasped. Inu-yasha narrowed his eyes and shifted to get closer to Kagome in a protective way.

"Why? How?" Sango asked, bewildered.

"Spies mainly. Our village is well hidden, we have many…. Gifts, if you will. Talents, and we are trained since children, much like the exterminators." She said. Sango's eyes were wide. Seeing the shock of their expressions she smiled reassuringly.

"We mean you no harm. The reason we have done this is because our goals are the same one, and that is to take Naraku down, but we ourselves cannot do it." She clarified.

"Why?" Kagome asked. Paloma looked at her.

"We do not have the necessary unity. It is only one of the elders which wants Naraku to die, for he poses no direct threat to the village, and though the rest are willing to help her, they will not give lives to the problem, even though Naraku is killing many innocent people." She said with an angry frown, her eyes blazing. The group looked at her in silence, and she shook her head, as if to clear it of a memory. She lifted her gaze and they could all see the pleading expression she tried to hide.

"We have also gathered information on Naraku, thought it probably matches yours." And then she explained everything she knew about Naraku, and indeed she could tell them nothing new, the group could actually tell her more about him and his remaining reincarnations, about their strength, weaknesses and the way they fought mainly, but one fact, which she saved for last, was new and quite shocking.

After a thoughtful silence after their discussion on Naraku she proceeded to tell them.

"But there is one thing the elders were able to find out…" She started hesitantly. They all looked at her expectantly, even Kaede with her one steady eye, for she had become quite interested in the conversation. Paloma went on,

"We have been able to find some things about his intentions, mainly by a rebellious incarnation who talks a lot. We now know what his main goal is, his main fear." She said, which perked everyone's attention.

"As you all know, Naraku is immensely powerful, but not gained by skill, but by tainted poison. True, with very powerful attacks, eventually, maybe, someone would be able to defeat him, but I don't think this likely. His downfall, we are sure, will be purification." Everyone glanced at Kagome except Kaede, who looked thoughtful. Kagome looked around them and straightened her back slightly.

"Yes, I know." She said calmly, shocking all but Kaede. Shippo hopped unto her lap and caught Inu-yasha's look, even though Kagome didn't. He had seen that look before, even though in few occasions, and mainly at her, though he himself had been directed one, long ago. It was a look of simply but pure proud. Shippo smiled up at Kagome and she smiled back. Paloma coughed slightly.

"I'm not quite sure you know what this means…" She said, and all of them looked back at her, and for the first time she looked uncomfortable.

"She's…She's in danger. A lot of it. Naraku will do all that is possible to kill her, and he is not known to fail." A deep growl took over the silence, and Kagome looked at Inu-yasha as the growl became a savage snarl.

"No!" he bared is fangs at her as if she were Naraku,causing Trig to stand up and bristled. Kagome looked at him with wide eyes, and in an act to calm him down but a hand over his, which was driving its claws into the wooden floor, and squeezed. It snapped Inu-yasha out of his anger as he looked down at their hands, but the fire that blazed did not dim.

"I'm not-" Kagome started, but was suddenly cut off by Inu-yasha.

"That's right, you're not!" He snarled. Kagome doubted they were taking about the same thing.

"What?" She asked. Inu-yasha locked gazes with her.

"You're not fighting him! Didn't you just hear what she said? He wants to kill you!" He said. Kagome looked at him as if he had gone mad.

"He wants to kill all of us!" She replied. Inu-yasha narrowed his eyes.

"But you more. You will go back." He growled, making Sango gasp. Go back? It had been years since he tried to push her back to her time, and he had never done it again. Paloma looked at the fight in panic.

"She can't go! She is the only one who can do it! She is the most powerful Miko and-"

"I don't care!" Inu-yasha said and stood up. Kagome growled much like Inu-yasha and stood up with him.

"Stop it! You will not tell what I can and cannot do! Who do you think you are?" She challenge, Inu-yasha rose immediately

"The one who always saves your ass!" The reaction was immediate. They all watched as Kagome tense, then closed herself off, shutting the doors and windows tight.

"I've gotten better than most people could, and you know it. You haven't 'saved my ass' in a long time. I defended myself from your copy-cat without your help." Her voice was low and deadly, but was tainted with a hurt that even Inu-yasha could not miss.

"Of all the people, Inu-yasha, I would have thought you would have faith in me." She said lowly, and her eyes flared with anger. "What, you think that just because all the shards are collected you can just…discard me!" Her voice rose. "Even though I'm just, just a shard detector to you doesn't-"

"That's not what you are, and you know it." He said. Miroku and Sango exchanged glances. Kagome frowned, shaking her head, she ran a hand though her hair, a habit she had attained throughout the stress of the past years.

"No, I don't know it. Wench, shard detector, bitch, that is all you have ever called me, Inu-yasha. Ever. What am I supposed to think?" She practically shouted. Paloma watched in shock. She had not been expecting the outburst. Kagome went to turn away from him, but Inu-yasha grabbed her arm, making her look at him. Kagome didn't back down.

"You are supposed to see what I say though my actions, not just my words! Have I not shown you what I think!" He asked. Kagome stared at him, thinking back at the first time he thought he had left him, how he called out to her though the fox fire. The first time he hugged her, for her safety. All the times he had risked his life for her, all the time she was hurt, and he was concerned, not because it endangered his shard detector, but because he cared, and now his reaction to her 'death'. It seemed he always broke when at the edge, when he was afraid she would leave. Then her mind skipped to their kisses. The gentleness of the first one, the tender care. Then towards the second one, filled with passion Kagome thought only she held. Her eyes softened. She had known all along he was not good with words, and she knew, no matter how many times Inu-yasha hurt her, that he never meant to do it, and he would never kiss her trying to hurt her. He wouldn't kiss her when thinking of another, of the other, for it was Kagome he had gasped.

Inu-yasha saw her relax as she saw the truth in his words. Part of him was aware that people were watching, and there was a time when he would have pulled away, when he would have been foolish enough to hurt her all over again, like he had done so many times before, but instead of letting her go he pulled her against him, making both Kagome and the on looking Sango gasp.

"I know you can do it. You almost killed him once before, and even though he is stronger now, so are you. I just… he's killed so many…" Kagome closed her eyes against his chest. 'Is he comparing me to Kikyo?' She thought wearily. Inu-yasha, sensing her tense in his arms, sighed.

"This has nothing to do with Kikyo, woman! I just…urgh!" He pulled at her slightly so he was looking down at her eyes. "What if you die? I can't…I can't lose you." He growled, not happy at having to confess with a public present, but glad he had said it. Kagome kept his gaze.

"Now you know how I feel when I think you're just going to let go when your revenge is complete, and for me it's so much worse, because you want to die! How can you say you can't lose me, when it you that want to leave me?" She blurted. Inu-yasha stared down at her, shocked. As foolish as it may sound, with Kagome's fake death, he had practically forgotten about his promise to Kikyo.

Kaede watched them stare at each other and decided that the conversation was one they should speak in private. She coughed to get their attention, but seeing that it didn't work looked at Paloma.

"I think there is more to why Paloma is here. I think we should hear what she has to say." She said in a slightly loud voice. Finally Inu-yasha and Kagome snapped out of it and caught the hint. Blushing slightly they sat down in their original places, Inu-yasha mumbling a low 'feh'.

Paloma cleared her throat, a bit confused and feeling out of place, but she pushed the feelings down.

"Well…" She said, a bit lost as of were she had been, but with a sigh decided to get right to the point.

"We want you to come to my village. I will lead you there, for it is hidden. We need your help, and in return we will give you ours. We think we will soon be able to know where Naraku is cowering." At that all eyes went wide, but before anyone could say anything Paloma went on. "I can't tell you anything now, my elder will explain everything once you are there. But we need to leave now. It is a three day journey, hard riding. Once there, everything will be clarified, and you can make your final decision if you want-" but she was cut off by Kagome.

"After more than three years of following lost leads, You can be sure that we will do whatever we can to bring him down." She said, smiling. Sango and Miroku nodded as Shippo smiled and Inu-yasha grunted. Paloma smiled at her in return. Everything was going fine.

Pack full and on top of Kirara, Kagome having gone in record time to her time to fill her backpack, tell her family she may be gone longer than usual, and a long goodbye hug to her mother, which was tense as she waved, sensing the seriousness of her daughter's journey, they set off on the most promising lead they had ever caught hold of, leaving a waving Shippo and Kaede, and many villager on lookers. All of them hopped it was the beginning to the end of a long journey which had been stretched too far, with Miroku's wind tunnel growing bigger and more potent, and they all knew he didn't have much to live. Sango had been staying more by his side, as if she could protect him from his on coming death. Occasionally they would take walks alone, and sometimes it didn't even end with a slap and a shout from Sango.

Kagome lay her cheek on Inu-yasha's back, loving his warmth as it bubbled her against the cold and rushing wind. Inu-yasha shifted her slightly, the feel of trousers wrong instead of naked skin, which he much more preferred. Inu-yasha blushed slightly at his thought and snorted inwardly. Too much time spent with the monk, he decided, but as Kagome rubbed her cheek against his back he smiled. He loved running with her on his back, she was no burden, instead, it made him feel closer to her in a none physical level. He sighed again and decided to just enjoy the rush of running as he leaped from tree to tree. He could see that the forest was getting denser as they travelled. Suddenly a shout came from ahead.

"Stop! We have to go down here and enter the caverns." Paloma called down and they all nodded, even though she wasn't looking at them. Kagome perked up and straightened. Trig and Kirara descended and Paloma took them to a well hidden hole in the forest, where the trees were cut down to let pass, but the foliage of other trees, which stayed green throughout winter, for they did not have the strength or reserve to shed its leaves and grow new ones, camouflaged it. Inu-yasha leaped down after Trig, and Kirara followed after him. They stood in a very small clearing, but what attracted attention was the gaping cave entrance that, instead of being the mouth of a mountain dipped down towards the floor from a tree covered hill. The opening was rocky but obviously used, for the steps of many had smoothed it considerably. They all dismounted and faced it as they stretched out their sore muscles. Trig and Kirara did not transformed back, and Paloma turned to face the group.

"Through here we pass the caverns and will reach the village in less than an hour. The only problem is that it's pitch black, but Trig can lead us while Kirara and Inu-yasha help guide us. Always hold on to someone, it is very easy to get lost in the darkness, and though we have made sure it is safe from threats you can die if you don't know the way back." They all nodded to show they had understood. Paloma took hold of Trig's pelt and Miroku and Sango stood at each side of Kirara, holding on to her. Kagome, a bit lost, looked at Inu-yasha, but seeing that he was looking in the other direction took it as a sign and went to walk with Trig, only to find a clawed hand around her wrist. She looked from it to the owner's amber eyes.

"Stay close, wench." He rumbled. Kagome blushed slightly but slipped her petit hand in his large one. After a moment of surprise he blushed back but circled her hand with his. Sango smiled at Kagome and Miroku smirked and waggled his eyebrows suggestively, but stooped as Sango hit him over the head. Paloma smiled. She could see the group was very close, and could see the obvious attraction within the group.

"Lets go." And with that they entered the inky blackness.

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A/N

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah.

Sigh. Ok, I have no internet, so I haven't been able to read reviews before this (well I read a few, and one of them was what made me write this so quickly and a longer chapter than usually. Your name stars with D and…I think it ends with a number...) But if you think you don't gotta review just cause I won't read them in time you are wrong! Because I'll read them as I put the chapter up, and once I start it's easy to write blah blah blah, just review please. (I said please dammit!) Oh and if you are wondering how I put the chapter up, one of the aunts has the connection, so it's gonna take longer blah blah blah, who cares, it's 4 in the morning my pillow is a brick and I don't feel like writing at all (thus here is the reason a review would come in handy!)

Reviews

Can't write this can I? Then what are you doing?

Food for thought- why are you reading this? Eat a bagel or somin…(foul mood? No, this is my personality! Yay for everyone who knows me!)

-Queen Baka (trumpets play, but one has anest of maggots from the dead rat that resided in the trumpet and chokes on the slimy worms, then dies. People should really learn to take care of their instruments...)