Loss
…
Retreat
The Inutachi utterly fail to defeat Naraku: he departs unhindered of his own accord, leaving them to recover Kouga as the vile hanyou goes hunting. Inuyasha rescues the wolf prince while Shippo transforms into a pink balloon to float Kagome to safety and Sango and Miroku ride out on Kirara.
Miroku uses his wind tunnel to make a hole in the cave wall, allowing Kirara and Shippo to fly out of the mountain and away from the rampaging demons still roaming the area.
Destruction
The mountain is falling apart when Kagome finally spots the two missing males. They are both mostly unharmed in spite of everything; Kouga even still has his shikon shards. The two are arguing -as usual- when Inuyasha tenses suddenly and runs off.
Kagome calls after him, then senses something strange herself. Even Inutaisho looks puzzled, so she follows after her hanyou friend.
Dokuseiga just looks bored, so Kagome guesses she isn't running towards a fight.
Grief
Kagome catches up in time to see Inuyasha just standing there looking lost, Tessaiga in one hand and a broken bow in the other, as Sesshoumaru walks away from him. The daiyoukai pauses as he notices Kagome through the smoke and lets her approach him.
"Naraku claimed to have slain the undead miko," he says coolly. "Is your soul restored?"
Kagome glances sideways at Inutaisho, who shakes his head sadly.
"Iie, Sesshoumaru-sama," the miko ventures softly, mindful of Inuyasha's grief.
"Then she lingers in this world still," Sesshoumaru states, turning and vanishing into the gloom, Jakken at his heels.
Unsaid
As Inuyasha is clearly in shock, Kagome does not mention that Sessoumaru is convinced of Kikyou's continued existence. She personally feels that Inuyasha needs to get over the undead miko, as Kikyou only binds him to his past mistakes and to death.
Kagome truly believes her hanyou friend deserves better than that.
And besides, if she isn't dead, where is she?
And that's that. Next up is more character development and -eventually- the Inutachi's discovery of Kagome's ghostly stalker. But that's a good few chapters away yet. Kagome has to go home before that, among other things...