Author's Note: Looks like last chapter didn't have that great of a turn out. But that's my fault for taking so long to update. I guess I shouldn't have a life then. But nonetheless! I am not to be deterred! I will finish this story! One way or the other!

Special Thanks To: Juusan'ya, Ro0ting4Kagome, Catbuddy

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Chapter 21: The Tables Have Turned

"Kagura, I think a kidnapping is in order." The spider demon said, the corners of his mouth curved into a smirk.

XXX

Kagura trailed the group of travelers at her master's order. Making sure to be down wind, she stayed out of scent range of the hanyou and two other demons that traveled within the small entourage.

Kagura waited impatiently for an opportunity to strike. The demoness was bored with this tedious post and prayed it would end soon. But of course, she was helpless to resist. Her master ordered it, and she must obey. She was created for this purpose… and until he no longer held her heart in his hands she was stuck. There was no way around that, no matter how much she wished it.

The wind demon eyed her quarry, praying the chance to make her move would come soon. She would do anything to relive herself of this boredom.

Kagura could not even begin to fathom where her prey was going. They certainly weren't getting any closer to finding Naraku. If anything they were going farther away from Naraku, rather than closer. Where ever this new lead had come from it was certainly a lie. It seemed as if Naraku had set up a decoy to lead them farther away.

Could they be any more stupid? These were the enemies Naraku seemed to worry about? They seemed pretty insignificant to Kagura.

Finally, the sun began to fall and the group settled down for the night. Kagura released a sigh of relief. Only a few moments left before this task would be over. She waited as patiently as she could for each member of the small group to fall asleep.

Finally, Inuyasha's eyes closed in sleep, and his breathing evened. Kagura waited a few more minutes before she made her move. She wanted to be sure he was no longer awake to shorten the chances of her being caught.

Cautiously she approached the travelers, careful not to wake any of them. She kept a more careful eye on the hanyou and neko youkai. It took mere minutes for her to reach the side of the miko where the kitsune slept. Kagura stopped to watch the miko's even breathing. Momentarily she contemplated stealing the jewel instead of the child but that thought was silenced almost immediately.

The miko slept with one hand tightly clasped around the jewel. To remove it would most likely wake her and that would be the end of Kagura. So, she set about the easier task, the one Naraku had sent her out to do. Retrieve the kitsune and return home with him.

Attentively, she used a small wind to slowly and gently lift the arm the miko that lay loosely across her adopted child's form. Then, she conjured up another weak wind to move the child into her grasp. Once this was done she gently set down the miko's arm, ever so careful not to wake her.

Satisfied with her work, Kagura left the scene of the crime, the kitsune still asleep in her arms.

'He isn't even aware of the great danger he is in.' Kagura thought.

XXX

The next morning Kagome awoke with a start. She had no idea what had caused her sudden arousal and slowly stretched, but could not still the heaviness in her heart. What was bothering her? She looked around the temporary camp site to see she was the first to awaken.

Even then it took her a few minutes to realize what was missing. Where was Shippou? She stretched and yawned again, taking her time to awaken her stiff and still sleepy body. When a second glance around the camp site didn't reveal his whereabouts she began to become worried. Where was he?

"Shippou?" She called.

No answer.

"Shippou?!" This time her call was more urgent.

Inuyasha began to stir at this point, and opened one eye. "What are you screaming about now, woman?"

"I don't know where Shippou is! And he's not coming when I call him!"

"He probably just wandered off somewhere." Inuyasha justified as he stretched. There was no hint of worry on his form.

"But he knows better than that! Something's wrong! I just know it!"

"What's wrong? Shippou's where?" Sango's small sleep filled voice asked. Kirara mewled beside her, angry for the disruption.

Miroku was also awake at this point.

"I don't know where he is!" Kagome trilled. "He's missing! What do you think could have happened to him?!"

"I'm sure he is fine. He must have wandered off somewhere while we were asleep and lost track of time." Miroku tried to reason. "I'm sure all we have to do is look for him and we'll find him."

"I hope you're right." Kagome whispered. What kind of mother lost track of their child?

XXX

"Shippou!" Voices chorused through the forest. "Where are you?!"

"This is getting us no where!" Kagome cried. "At this rate we are never going to find him. I know something has happened to him! He may be hurt or-or worse!" She collapsed against a tree, unable to support her own weight.

"I guess it's safe to assume Kagome is right." Sango smacked Miroku's arm.

"Why would you say such a thing?" She glared at the monk. "I'm sure he's fine. Come on, let's keep looking." She tried to tug her friend to her feet but Kagome yanked her arm away.

"Don't touch me! We've been looking for hours already! What more proof do we need that something is wrong?" She demanded.

Sango was taken aback by her friend's outburst. Never had she seen Kagome in such a state of disarray.

"Tell me, what do you want to do then, Kagome?! You're not the only one worried about him! I'm just was scared for his safety as you are."

"We should just move on. If Shippou is out there somewhere he will show up eventually." Inuyasha said. "He's a demon. He'll be able to defend himself."

"But he is just a child!" Kagome protested. "Demon or not, he can't be left alone!" Suddenly she was overwhelmed with the grief and the tears came.

They fell from her face in rapid flows. She could no longer hold it in. She was a horrible mother for letting him wonder off, or to allow something to take him away from her. If she had been more alert he would still be with her now. She had failed.

Suddenly she felt strong arms around her. Through tear stained eyes she recognized Inuyasha's form. She leaned into his warmth and allowed herself to sink deeper into her guilt.

"I've failed as a mother." She cried. "If I had watched over him better this wouldn't have happened. I'm a horrible mother." She clung to the hanyou and allowed the tears to fall even harder.

"Feh." Inuyasha automatically responded. "There is no way you are a horrible mother. You're the best thing that pup has ever had. Sometimes things like this just happen." Inuyasha swallowed hollowly as he continued and his own thoughts led him to his own mother. "Y-you're a great mother. Don't worry. We'll find him." He ran his clawed fingers through her hair, just as his mother did when he was a child.

"Finding him is not the issue." A voice said. "It's retrieving him."

"Naraku!" Inuyasha snarled. Unconsciously he found himself pushing Kagome behind him.

"You were expecting any other?" Naraku snickered.

"You took Shippou?!" Sango asked appalled. "You were the one that did this?"

"But of course! Well, I didn't do the dirty work. I had my ever faithful servant retrieve the puny kitsune, but I did give the command." Naraku said contemptuously.

"Why would you do such a thing?! He never did anything to you!" Kagome screamed.

"But that's beside the point." Naraku challenged. "You have something I want; now I have something you want."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha demanded.

"It means, baka hanyou that the tables have turned. If you want to see the kitsune alive again you will do what I ask and give me the Shikon No Tama. Fail to comply and you forfeit his life." Naraku's features twisted into a devilish smirk beneath his baboon pelt. "Is that something you are willing to risk?"

"Monster!" Miroku shouted.

"I've been called worse." Naraku mocked sighed. "I'll give you some time to think it through though. I'm feeling reasonable. Should you decide to take up my offer, I will be at Mount Hakurei. But, should you choose to disregard my proposal the kitsune will die. See you in twenty-four hours!"

And he disappeared.

"That bastard!" Kagome's strangled shout startled everyone. Rarely did she curse. It just wasn't very priestess like. "How could he do such a thing?"

"You're not really asking that question, are you?" Inuyasha asked irritably.

"What do you think, Inuyasha? I have but a few hours to make one of the most awful decisions of my life! Save my son or damn all of humanity. Do you think I was seriously asking that question?"

"Listen, everyone! Now is not the time to get all riled up. We must think this through carefully and decide the best course of action." Miroku proposed, trying to take on the roll of peacemaker. Unfortunately is valiant efforts were in vain.

"And that's going to be easy?!" Sango snarled. "How are we supposed to decide something like that?"

It wasn't long before a full on yelling match ensued. Inuyasha yelling at Kagome, Sango yelling at Miroku… it seemed like the argument would never end.

XXX

"Excellent." Naraku smirked as he gazed through Kanna's mirror. "This worked out better than I thought it would."

Kagura stood off in the background shaking her head humiliation. Her master was a mad man. This was the monster she was forced to be enslaved to?

She stole a glance at kitsune youkai she had been forced to retrieve the night before. From his cage he stood glaring at Naraku. He was clutching the bars so tightly his tiny knuckles had turned white.

"You won't get away with this Naraku! My mommy and Inuyasha will save me and you will be dead!" Shippou promised.

Naraku looked up from the mirror and glared at the little interruption. "I will make you eat those words you arrogant child! How dare you speak to me like that!" Without so much as moving from his spot Naraku's arm elongated into a tentacle that smacked Shippou so hard across the face he went flying and smacked against the back of his cage. "Unfortunately for you, you will be dead before they arrive."

Shippou slowly fell into unconsciousness. "Mother…" He whispered.

XXX

Later that day, the sun had already begun its decent and still no decision had been made. The group sat huddled at yet another camp site and settled in for the night. Kagome stared into the fire, lost in her thoughts.

Although the group as a whole had not come to a conclusion Kagome herself had already made up her mind. It wasn't a decision she was proud of but it was the decision she felt she must make. It's what her heart told her to do.

Kagome faked sleep until she was certain everyone else had succumbed to the pull of their slumber. Stealthily she stood and gathered few belongings to make her journey. In the dead of night she snuck away from camp.

She had to use these critical hours to her advantage. If anyone of them woke up too soon to find her gone she may not be able to make it in time. Kagome had already decided that Shippou's life was more important that the Shikon No Tama. She would hand it over to Naraku and if she was lucky the jewel would consume him and she might be able to get it back. It may take years, but that was a sacrifice she was willing to make.

As she ran through the dead of night, she prayed her companions remained asleep at least until early morning. She was on her way to Mount Hakurei where Naraku would most certainly be waiting.

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There you have it. Another chapter. Took me two days to write it, the last day was just a long time away from the first. Sorry for the wait. I just have been working on a big mythology project lately and that has consumed most of my time. Not to mention it's the end of the year. And I'm busy. This chapter wasn't near as long as the last one… but I hope you enjoyed it anyways. Please Read and Review. Thank you.

Clouds of the Sky