Inuforlyf

The Hunt

June 21, 2001

Rated: M for visual aids and language

Summary: Kagome and Kikyou's mother is gone, kidnapped. Their father hears this and asks three Inu youkai, his friends, to look for the lady of their village. However, a deal is made.. For the youkai to look for his wife, one of the sons of the eldest youkai must wed with one of the two daughters, who are Miko. Miko are known to purify the demons and hold nearly no nice feelings for the youkai kind. Unfortunately they learn a secret that can very well ruin their life if they are to mate with a demon. Hearing they must wed with one they run, thus beginning the hunt.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. This is Fanfiction.

I will update a story every day until I run out of things to type. Thus the stories will end, duh! I'm back! And in need of a beta!

" Are we there yet?" Shippo inquired the head beside him. He was perched on top Kagome's shoulder, enjoying both the view and the ride. "Shouldn't you tell us, Shippo?" Sango replied, with a smile. Shippo shrugged in turn, but did not respond.

The group continued forward, as the day greeted their journey. They took to the road at the first sight of day light. The trees were now lessening and the rays were coming clearer and brighter. It was weeks since the start of this group's travels. The new moon had come and gone.

Upon reaching a village, they would take turns staying out of the human villages with Shippo and Kirara; though it was often Miroku, it was a good method. During their travels, they gathered cleaning stones and Sango skinned animals; with this, they properly traded for food, clothing and shelter. At times, however, Miroku would speak to the head towns' man and they would receive accommodations without having to barter. The untrained priestess often questioned what the monk told those men.

With the coming and goings of the days, Kagome grew closer to the group. She and Sango often confined in each other. Sango shared her concerns in finding her brother and life at the village without her there. She also expressed her fears of a man: Naraku. As the two would sit beside one another, just before falling into the darkness of slumber, they would share dreams and aspirations. One of the nights, Sango told Kagome part of a story she knew of the monster. He gained power through the deaths of demons and humans alike. He manipulated the woman he loved in order to get a sacred jewel known as the Shikon jewel. Hearing of his tricks, the woman hid the jewel within a child. Of course, the former demon exterminator told the story after a day a traveling ended with Kagome, once again, being gravely injured.

The group had set up camp and Miroku decided to recline against a wall. The monk wished to meditate and so Sango went out to patrol the area. With nothing to do, Kagome began to take inventory of her charms. In order to do so, she needed an area with a flat surface and light illuminating said surface. She stood from her seat, near the mouth of the cave, and started her way towards the fire, Sango had brought up before leaving. Upon reaching the flames, however, Kagome tripped. She shrieked and flapped her arms before the princess of the Eastern Lands landed on their only source of heat.

She screamed and cried and rolled off. Her face burned in agony. The monk quickly ran towards her and patted the flames from her eye lashes, eyebrows and hair. Shippo attempted to soothe the girl but quickly failed. She cried out, stop, stop and heaved dry coughs as she gas letting more gas out than she was breathing in. While in immense pain, she continued to exclaim in fear and shock. Sango then came rushing into the cave. "Oh kami! What happened? Shippo, go look for dome salve; keep close to the cave."

She took Shippo's place and tried to comfort this girl she was beginning to love as she did the clan she was once apart. Miroku took hold of Kagome's left arm and Sango took hold of the right. They helped the sobbing girl up and out, through the mouth of the cave. The cool breeze attacked Kagome's face and the sobbing turned into gasping sounds. "Can you speak, Lady Kagome?"

"It hurts," her two companions walked to the stream that attracted the finding of the cave. Kagome whimpered and as if understanding the miko, Sango caressed Kagome's hand and reassured her, "Shippo can find us with his nose. And I'll send Miroku back to the cave just in case." Taking the hint, the monk, previously mention, nodded and turned to head to the cave. Sango sighed. "Why does this keep happening to you?" She lowered her friend and they kneeled besides the source of water. "Lower your head, Kagome."

Obliging to Sango's soft words, Kagome dipped her head down. Slowly, a flow of cold water fell from above her head. When the short flow ended, she heard another small splash and the flow returned. Sango continued to cup the water in her hands and pour it, "That's the best I can do, I am sorry." Kagome shook her head and shrugged. Sango replied with a heavy exhale. "Right, that healing property you have. You think it will heal this?" And her response was a whimper and a slow nod. "Okay, would you like to stay here and wait for Shippo?" Kagome replied by standing. Sango nodded and directed her friend to the cave. Instead of entering, they sat against a tree beside the mouth of the cave. Kagome sat facing the forest they trekked earlier.

Though her eyes were closed, she did not look relaxed. Her face, with blackened cheeks and scarred, charred, pieces of skin hanging from her brow and chin, was tense. Her back was straight and her legs were uncomfortably tucked beneath her; she was alert, but with her eyes and lips almost melted shut, Sango knew her friend was in pain.

"When I first arrived to the village of purity, I thought it was terrible joke." Though Kagome made no movement, Sango knew her dear friend was paying attention. There was a scuffle with in the cave and she knew the monk was too. She waited from him to exit before continuing. A haughty Kirara exited after him.

"Everyone helped one another and they took me in. I sat frowning and arguing with everyone, but they smiled at me and listen to my complaints. Instead of belittling me and treating me like a child, they took what I said and responded accordingly. My opinions mattered, of course this didn't make sense. For a village of purity to accept a girl, with blood not only dressing her hands but her soul as well, must have gone against everything they believed in. Airi smiled at me and said, Impure actions with pure Intentions are always in question. Is it a sinful act to lie to keep another from pain? She asked and I didn't have an answer.

"One night, I woke up screaming. At the time, I was staying with her, so she ran into my room and held me until I was finished. She asked me why I was crying and I told her of the slaughter. A man named Naraku tricked my family into a trap. The famous Taijiya clan was killed. I survived and my brother did as well. In fact, had I not injured him earlier that day, he would be under the same flower bed as my father, now." Sango paused here as Shippo came rushing to them with different herbs and a variety of stones. Miroku took hold of the things Shippo brought and went towards the stream. He beckoned the little fox to follow. With a nod, he ran after the monk.

"My Brother, Kohaku, was home awaiting our return. I fought the low level demons under Naraku's power and then, I fought the dead bodies of my father and two uncles. I fled after vowing revenge. I ran home hoping to collect my things and Kohaku, so that Naraku wouldn't find us. Village seemed to have been attacked. The buildings weren't destroyed but the civilians were missing. Items were rolling on the streets and no one was around to collect them. It looked like the people all left. Kohaku, too, was missing. I suspect Naraku played a hand in that as well. I told Airi this and she asked if I still wanted revenge. I couldn't answer her.

"A part of me, the member of the clan, the fighter, wanted to but Sango, my inner self, didn't want to leave Airi's arms. She pulled me from the futon and took me outside. 'What is the good in revenge?' She asked and I still could not answer.

"We reached the stream of innocence and we knelt before it. I didn't know what it was then. It was just water to me. She cupped some water in her hand and poured it on my face. She wiped my eyes with her thumb. 'Your goal' she said 'isn't to punish the wrong doer, instead it should be to end the evil doings of this man and to find your brother.' And then she told be the story behind Naraku."

By now, Sango's voice had grown husky from her prolonged speaking and her fatigue. Kagome had lowered the tension in her back and was leaning against a tree. Sango wondered if her friend was still in pain or if she was properly distracted.

"She told me, fifty years ago, Naraku was traveling around Japan scouting villages and the larger towns. When asked why he was doing so, he answered, to survey the lands he will keep and which he will destroy when he becomes the leader of Japan. Many laughed at him, others called him delusional and some actually encouraged this dream. And one day, while surveying a human village, the half demon saw a miko leading a group of young adults, into a field, to pick plants, roots and herbs alike. He approached her and asked how she made a group of youths to do as she requested. And the girl jokingly replied, 'great leadership skills.' As the two joked, the students clamored about her being friendly to mysterious demons. Hearing that, Naraku asked the maiden, 'are you not a miko, why do you not attack?'

"Why should I harm you, when you have done nothing to warrant pain? Since then, they grew to be friends. As they grew to be friends, with her name besides his, he gained followers and was successfully taking control of the southern lands. With the southern lands in his power he wanted more and thought he could get more lands if he was more powerful. He then thought, in order to become more powerful, he would need more lands and riches than the other lords; he, however, had to first become a full demon. He spoke to many and even imprisoned some monks, priestess and sorceress who could not produce the results he wanted.

"They all, however, agreed that if he were to acquire the famous shikon jewel, he may use that for power or simply wish to become a full demon. With this in mind, he went on to search for the jewel.

"After many rumors, he came across his first friend, the miko. He asked if it were true, was she the shikon jewel's protector. She replied, 'my name is Midiroku. Not only am I named after the great priestess, it was she who spoke to my mother in a dream and requested my mother to name me this. It is so because she knew I was going to come across the jewel during my travels and with my large soul and powers, I would be able to protect it. As of now, I have yet to come across this jewel.'

"Naraku, having been betrayed before by many under him, did not believe her. From then, he had her watched and tracked no matter where she would travel to. He even had demons attack her, to see if she would tap into the jewel's power for protection. Angry with her so called friend's actions, she disappeared from everyone's view. In truth, she returned to the village she made two years prior to meeting Naraku. It is said she later found the jewel. She still viewed Naraku as a friend. Instead of facing the half demon and choosing a side, she hid the jewel. She embedded it in a toddler in the village of purity. Naraku has been searching for it and ways to grow more powerful ever since."

Her last word seemed to echo through the quiet of the night. There was a rustle to her right and the ex demon exterminator shot her attention towards the noise. It was the monk and little Shippo returning. Miroku held a flat stone, with a green colored paste on top it. Hearing a sigh, she turned to see Kagome in a newly relaxed stance. "Has lady Kagome fallen asleep?" Sango nodded.

"I told her the story of Naraku."

"Not exactly a bed time story," he replied.

"No, it's not. You know it, I take it." Miroku's face grew grim. "Yes, I am personally affected by the monster."

"Oh yes, I am sorry. Your wind tunnel." The two fell silent and Shippo crawled into Sango's lap. There was a meow and Kirara joined the fox.

Before Kagome, Miroku knelt. With slow gestures, he began to apply the paste to Kagome's face. "Do you think putting the paste will do anything?"

"I do not believe that it will not hurt to try, Lady Sango." He continued to apply. Soon the silence of the group was broken once again. "I have a theory." Miroku said and while keeping the concentration on the delicate procedure of applying the paste, he continued. "Lady Kagome told us she always healed in such away. But she also mentioned, during our travel, that her sister, Lady Kikyou, sprained a wrist and could not practice her archery for weeks."

"Yes, and?" Sango inquired, not understanding the conclusion Miroku was leading towards. "It is safe to say, her twin sister does not hold this healing property. You also mentioned that Lady Kagome's grandmother is the founder of the Village of Purity. That means, Kagome is the granddaughter of the second great priestess, Lady Midiroku." Miroku pulled away from Kagome's face. "I fear that should I continue applying this paste you will beat me, Lady Sango. However, seeing as you are preoccupied being a bed for-"

"Don't get hurt monk." Sango said reaching as she noticed Kagome was also burnt of the chest. She slid the sleeping figures into Miroku's awaiting lap and took his previous position. "You wound me, my dear Sango, I would never-"

"Get on with your theory,"

"At first, I thought it was because she is such a great and powerful miko, but I have never heard of even the first Lady Midiroku having this power."

"That and Kagome knows close to nothing about her power."

"Exactly, and it cannot run in the family seeing as her twin does not hold this ability."

"So you believe the founder of the village of purity embedded the jewel in Kagome?"

"Yes, that is my theory. It can also explain why she is so clumsy. Her body is at constant battle with good and evil. When the balance between good and evil is tipped, she is tripped."

"You may be right monk." Sango pulled away from her sleeping, accident prone friend. Miroku smiled in satisfaction. "Do you think Naraku knows?"

He's smile fell, "er-"

"Or even Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Yes, that could explain why he is so adamant about finding her. It cannot all be due to the hunt; as Lady Kagome once exclaimed, she is not a demon. She should not be affected by it." Sango nodded in agreement before placing the stone down. "Kagome says her mother was kidnapped."

This time Miroku nodded seeing her implication, "Yes, that could be Naraku's doing."

"So why does he not simply come down and take it from her?"

"He must have a plan."

"She says her sister is missing also."

"I fear whatever Naraku has planned, lady Kagome will experience hardship the two of us cannot fathom."

TADA! This opened a few cans of worms while closed others. I hoped you enjoyed that. Please review if you did, or even if you didn't. Remember, I need a beta so please disregard the epic mistakes. If you think I need to clarify anything, please tell me so, so that I may shine some information in certain areas. Anyways, the next chapter will be up tomorrow, or the day after.I may update Loving the groom tomorrow instead of this story. variety!

NEXT TIME: A heated moment between Kikyou and Inuyasha! Will the hunt between the two finally be consummated or will the reformed Miko lash out at the half demon in memory of what her last sexual encounter led to? Read to find out!