Chapter 14

Meanwhile (during chapter 13)

After being given the mixture by Kaede, Kagome began to rest quietly. Sango and Miroku when to their hut on the edge of the village to get some sleep. Shippo and Kirara also went to Sango's hut since that was where they had been living since Kagome had left. Kaede went to her sleeping quarters in her hut so that she would only be a room away in Kagome would need her.

Inuyasha on the other hand, was on the top of the hill where Kikyo's shrine was located. He placed a white lily upon her grave and lit some sweet smelling incense, as he kneeled before it. It was dark with not even the moon for light and Inuyasha was in his human form. He was lost in his thoughts and without his super hearing he did not notice movement coming from the hut below.

Back in hut, Kagome began to move around. First just by flexing her hand. And eventually she was moving her head and the rest of her body. Slowly, her eyes opened. Quietly she pushed the blanket, that had been placed to keep her warm and got up off of the mat she was lying on.

Kagome slinked out of the hut and began to slowly slip away toward Inuyasha forest. She had almost reached the tree line when Inuyasha had returned to the hut. Kagome stopped and looked back toward the village before she continued to disappear into the dark forest.

When Inuyasha got into the room where Kagome had laid, he didn't notice right away that she wasn't there. His human eyes took much longer to adjust to the lack of light in the hut. He fallowed the wall till he figured he would be able to watch over her for the rest of the night. Once he sat down he looked at the mat when Kagome should have been, and since his vision had began to adjust, he began to notice that there was no silhouette where there should have been one. Inuyasha began to panic and rushed to the mat in front of him. To his dismay Kagome was gone.

In a rush he began to call out Kagome's name and went to wake up Kaede. When she awoke she said; "what is it Inuyasha? What is wrong?"

Inuyasha looked back at her with worry. "Kagome is missing. Why didn't you watch her old woman? And It is on my human night. How am I going to find her?"

Kaede got up quickly and suggested; "maybe you should go get Sango and Miroku if she is not within sight."

Inuyasha nodded and rushed out the door to look around. When he couldn't see her, he ran to Sango and Miroku's hut, yelling as soon as he got into reach. "Get up you damn monk, Kagome is missing. Get your ass out here!"

With the mention of Kagome's name Miroku arose from his place by the fire. Luck for him his fast response to Inuyasha's voice helped him avoid the wrath of the upset hanyou.

Quickly Miroku poked his head out of the hut. "What is going on?"

Inuyasha responded; "I said Kagome is missing. I need you and Sango to help me find her. She isn't anywhere near the village."

Miroku in thought; "which probably means that she has gone into the forest. Let me get Sango and we will go right way."

"Hurry we don't know what will happen with her being alone in the forest."

Miroku was already gone back into the hut. When Sango was awoken and told of the situation, she dug out her slayers suit and put it on. She then picked up her weapons and the two rushed out of the building.

Once everyone was assembled, Kirara was sent to fly around looking for her with Sango, Miroku was going with Inuyasha, and Shippo was asked to stay behind with Kaede, just in case she came back. Everyone knew what they were to do and went off in there separate directions.

The first place Inuyasha looked was the clearing. He thought that since he had found her there before that maybe she had gone there. To his dismay he was wrong. Sango searched the outer line of the trees. She looked down as she patted Kirara on the head. "Try and pick up her scent Kirara. She can't have gone far."

In the forest, Kagome labored through the brush to finally stop in a particularly dense part of the forest and leaned against a tree. Once she had stopped long enough to get her balance she continued to trudge forward. Her eyes were blank and other than her movement, there was no real sign of life.

She continued till she was at the base of a cliff just out of the tree line. Kagome followed the cliff till she came to an opening in the rock. She entered the cave, stumbling while she went. Once she cleared the opening she knelt down in the middle of the room and placed her head in her hand and didn't move.

When the sun rose, everyone was beginning to lose faith that they would be able to find Kagome. Inuyasha scoured all the places that he thought she would go. (While he was human that was.) And Sango followed the tree line trying to have Kirara catch Kagome's scent with no luck.

As the sun hit Inuyasha he began to turn back to his former self. He felt the surges of power course through him and his scenes heighten. Inuyasha stretched his muscles. He and Miroku headed back to the village where they had all agreed to meet up.

Once at Kaede's hut the group talked about what they were going to do next. Inuyasha spoke; "I am back to myself now so I am going to search the forest again for her scent. Miroku and Sango go with Kirara and check around and see if anyone has seen her. I am not ready to give up just yet."

Sango nodded and got up to leave. Inuyasha looked at Kaede and gave her a worried look. "Could you watch the runt a while longer for me?"

"Alright Inuyasha I will. Please find Kagome. I am not sure how she was able to move in the state she was in but I have a very bad feeling about it." Kaede said.

Inuyasha nodded and left the building with Miroku. Miroku got behind Sango on Kirara and they went off to check with the rest of the village. Inuyasha set out for the forest again. This time he had all his senses at his disposal. "I will find you Kagome. I promise you. Just hold on."