Dulcet: Look! I found time to update over vacation... just for you guys!

Chapter Thirty-Seven: An Inside Job(?)

The night had a peaceful calm to it; a sort of serenity that Yuki couldn't help but love. It was a good feeling that she was experiencing as she lied awake with her back to the crackling fire, the only source of sound or light known to her. And even though her eyes were closed, and she didn't exactly know where in the forest that she and her party were in, she felt safe knowing that she had friends nearby to protect her, the two brothers resting with her while Yoita scouted the surrounding area, making sure that no threat snuck up on them.

But soon, this relaxing trance turned into a thick state of fatigue, the weights of weary becoming so heavy that now it would be almost impossible for her to open her eyelids as her breathing began to come in steady and deep intakes and exhales. However, Yuki's eyes instinctively snapped open as she heard the sound of shifting nearby: someone was getting up from the spot in which they rested and beginning to leave the safety of the campsite.

The fight to resist the urge to shift or to glance over at which brother was departing was a strong one for Yuki, but somehow she managed as he could be heard making only the slightest sounds of rustling as he gathered a few things of his and left. But still Yuki did not sit up from her spot. Instead, she waited just as motionless as ever, just to be sure that he had gone and that it was safe for her to investigate.

And so silently she sat up and looked about the site. It seemed so empty now that Ichiro was gone since Kazuhiko had chosen his bed among the branches of tree so that he could remain out of sight until he was needed. But why had he gone out at this time? And why the secrecy? These were the questions that should have been going through her head at the time. But now the only thought that she was thinking was simply the question of whether she should follow or not.

If Yuki did go after him then she would be alone in the forest as Ichiro lead her through parts unknown to a destination that she probably didn't belong at if he was trying so hard to keep the secrecy. But if she didn't follow him, then he would just get off with whatever he was sneaking around doing... and Yuki couldn't let that happen. So, she stealthily arose from her spot and began to make her way out of the area, giving Kazuhiko one glance to make sure that he was still sleeping soundly. His eyes were slackly closed as he hugged his sword in his arms with his back against the trunk of the tree, peacefully sleeping

Or so Yuki thought. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," Kazuhiko called, his position unchanged though his voice showed perfect consciousness.

And so she froze in her tracks, utterly surprised by the fact that her guard was in fact not sleeping. So, she turned around and walked back to the tree and looked up at him who now had lazily opened his eyes and was now sitting calmly. "Why not?" she questioned, her hands folded innocently behind her back as if she had been doing absolutely nothing wrong.

"This part of the forest isn't for human females to wander on her own," Kazuhiko replied as he finally looked down at her, "Even some foreign demons choose to avoid this place at all costs."

"Why is that?"

But the reply didn't come from Kazuhiko. Instead, the intruding Yoita replied, "Because all temples are located here."

"Yoita!" Kazuhiko scoffed, "What are you doing here? You are supposed to be on guard!"

"Ichiro showed up and volunteered to take up his post," Yoita shrugged as he came closer into the circle, "And I was getting tired, so I gladly let him. It would rude and stupid to not."

"You idiot!" Kazuhiko scolded in a growling voice as he menacingly jumped down from his spot, "Do you think that I would believe that?"

"Why wouldn't you?" Yuki questioned, slightly intimidated by the ice demon's tone.

"Because I know that Ichiro is going to go and meet with Naraku!" Kazuhiko replied, "Yoita knows! He's one of his minions as well!"

"I prefer the term 'reliable employee'," Yoita corrected, "I am not a mindless, loyal follower."

"But Ichiro is!" Kazuhiko growled, "And this only confirms that he's plotting something with Naraku STILL!"

"Or he could be on sentry duty," Yuki put in, not ready to jump at believing Kazuhiko, not only because Ichiro had told her that the demon was one of Naraku's henchmen but also because he was her opposite and now proving to be a potential enemy after all.

"But I know he isn't!" he continued to argue, "I'll show you."

With that, he picked up Yuki and began to whisk her away through the trees, heading to Ichiro's post among the tall trees. Kazuhiko's expression was frustrated and determined to foil his brothers his intentions by revealing his neglectance of duty to Yuki. But why did he want to do that? Ichiro was his brother; his flesh and blood. Why did he want to this?

And then he stopped in his tracks as he looked up into one of the trees. "I don't believe this," he mumbled as he stared, forgetting Yuki in his arms.

"What?" she questioned as he looked as well. And there, standing proudly on the limb of one of the giants was Ichiro, his eyes scanning the area as they stared with focus out into the wilderness.

"You see?" Yuki told him, "I told you that he wasn't doing anything wrong!"

"Well... I suppose..." Kazuhiko began to agree, even though it was obvious that he didn't want to. Then he sighed and began to head back to the camp.

Yoita was still waiting, his hands resting behind his head as he leaned against the base of a tree in front of the fire, his faithful pet Chame not too far off. "Find anything?" Yoita questioned, "Or in your case, I should ask 'nothing'."

"If you are questioning whether he was at his post or not," Kazuhiko said as he gently set Yuki back down, "Then the answer is yes, he was there."

"Told you so," Yoita told him as his friends came closer to sit down around the campfire.

"I'm still not convinced though," Kazuhiko shook his head as he closed his eyes, "I've been on to him for years and his little expeditions have never suggested anything otherwise."

"Why are you so set on getting us to believe that Ichiro works for Naraku?" Yoita interrogated, his eyebrow quirked with suspicion.

"Because I know that could put us in danger," Kazuhiko retorted, sensing the distrust.

"Yeah," Yoita nodded, "Or he could not be in league with Naraku and he could be protecting us from him... which is what you wouldn't want."

"What?" both Kazuhiko and Yuki questioned in unison.

"There is a lackey of Naraku's that I still don't know about to this very day," Yoita replied, "He has been very careful to keep the identity of that person from me throughout the years... and I have very good reason to believe that it's you, Kazu."

"That's insane!" Kazuhiko growled, "You of all people should know that it's Ichiro who is the follower, not I!"

But the human man made no reply to that, but simply averted his eyes to look at the ground in stubborness, his opinion set. And so Kazuhiko turned to his other companion, his eyes pleading. "Lady Yuki... you believe me, right?" he asked, very close to begging.

And it was this near pleading that broke Yuki's heart to shake her head, no. Who should she believe? A man that she was sure that worked for Naraku telling her of his possible co-worker, or a man that she had been already informed of working for Naraku who was now pointing fingers away from him. She just couldn't trust a liar. "I'm sorry," she told him with her head bowed.

At first, Kazuhiko looked entirely taken aback, but instantly recovered his composure as he stood and retreated back to the branch of his tree without another word.