Warnings for this chapter: death and corpses, cold-shoulders, and discussions of lack of autonomy (kinda? Like what would happen when someone steals your dead soul?)

Kaede was asleep when they entered the hut, Shippo dutifully watching over her. Miroku sat down heavily on the other side of the fire and beckoned Inuyasha over. He reluctantly sat with his back to the monk, letting him pull off his robes and examine his wounds. Neither had bled much more despite the exertion, and Miroku deemed it safe to leave them unbound, for now. Inuyasha slunk off to the other side of the fire and lay down, curled with his back to the low flames. Miroku frowned but didn't comment. He was already struggling to keep his eyes open. It didn't matter that he mourned the loss of the warm body that had been pressed to him as he recovered from the venom.

They slept through the afternoon and ate the simple soup Kaede made them. Miroku brought up leaving the next morning and neither Shippo nor Kaede protested too much. They both gathered a few more travel supplies and Shippo made his case for coming with them. Miroku didn't follow it too well, but he knew that it was very loud and very insistent. Inuyasha made no comment one way or the other, so Miroku reluctantly agreed to let him come with them. For the time being. Inuyasha stayed quiet the rest of the evening as well, curled up in the corner with his chin resting on his crossed arms.

Despite still being exhausted, Miroku found it difficult to sleep that night. He tried to chalk it up to Shippo and Kaede's snoring, or the ache still coming from his arm, but in truth he knew it was from the whirlwind of Inuyasha's mind. The hanyou hadn't calmed since the battle, and his nervous energy was infectious. Miroku wondered what was churning in his mind, whether hatred toward Naraku or reflections on Kikyo drove his thoughts. He supposed it didn't really matter – the two subjects were so intertwined. He closed his eyes and tried to meditate, hoping that it would lead to sleep. It worked, eventually, but when he opened his eyes the next morning, he knew it hadn't been enough. He wanted nothing more than to curl up again and sleep the rest of the day away. Inuyasha pacing the length of the hut persuaded him otherwise.

Shippo gave Kaede a big hug before they left. Kaede warned Miroku not to underestimate Naraku, and not to let Inuyasha be too rash. Inuyasha glared at the old miko but didn't respond. They set off in the direction that Miroku's staff fell. Shippo seemed to recognize the tense atmosphere, and spent the entire day's walk sitting on Miroku's shoulder. They didn't stop until the sun was well below the horizon. Inuyasha immediately jumped into a tree and lay down, soundly ignoring both of them. Miroku sighed. He got Shippo to help him find some firewood and gave the fox the few scraps of dried meats and vegetables Kaede had insisted they bring.

Inuyasha didn't come down from the high branches when they settled down to sleep. Miroku tried not to dwell on the matter. He rested against the trunk of the tree next to Inuyasha's and Shippo curled into his lap. Even with his staff lying against his shoulder, Miroku knew he wouldn't be able to let down his guard. He hadn't been given the chance to fully recover, and though Inuyasha moved more freely, his wounds were still far from healed. Miroku closed his eyes and meditated, and tried to ignore the restlessness seeping down from above, which told him he wasn't the only one who wouldn't be sleeping that night.

When morning came again, Miroku knew that they couldn't carry on as they had been. Inuyasha looked about ready to bite someone's head off, and Miroku found himself glaring at the sun as though personally offended by it. He should've confronted Inuyasha, demanded that he either deal with his feelings or push them aside for now. Instead, he murmured a "good morning" to Shippo and stayed silent like the coward he was. It was already a bad sign that the evil presence that guided his feet to the nearby town was almost a welcome thing. They stood outside the walls of the nobleman's house, a little intimidated by the sheer size of it.

"This mansion is enormous!" Shippo whistled, tipping his head back to catch sight of the roof over the gate. "Miroku, will we be staying here tonight?"

Inuyasha huffed, crossed his arms and turned his back. "He's probably gonna tell 'em that an ominous cloud hangs over the mansion."

He had to give it to Inuyasha – there was no guesswork as to when he was displeased with something. "I have a legitimate reason for coming here."

The relief with which they were greeted by the guards spoke volumes. They bowed deeply to Miroku with a respectful "Hoshi-sama." They were skeptical of Inuyasha and Shippo, but when Miroku explained that they were in the business of aiding those with demon problems, the guards instantly brought them to the lord of the house. He greeted them as humbly as the guards had, and brought them to the room of his elder daughter.

"Her mother has been distraught ever since it happened," the lord explained, a little tearfully. "Ever since we heard reports from the countryside. I don't know whether they're demons or spirits, but something has been stealing away the souls of all the young maidens who pass."

His daughter lay under a funereal shroud. Miroku guessed she must have died only that morning.

"So these youkai only target dead girls?" Inuyasha asked, voice gruff but not unsympathetic.

"As though losing her wasn't upsetting enough," the lord sighed. "I cannot have her soul stolen before it reaches its final resting place."

"No such thing will occur," Miroku assured gravely. "My associates and I shall protect the princess's soul from these demons."

He said a prayer over the young woman and the lord led them to another room. Apparently the youkai only appeared at night, and the lord insisted on feeding them before that. Miroku hoped that his serene expression could compensate for the enthusiasm that Shippo failed to hide. Inuyasha's scowl could mean anything, so Miroku figured they were safe for the moment. Several attendants came bearing platter upon platter of delicious-looking food, and the hanyou glared at him the entire time. At least he had the courtesy to wait until everyone else had left to make his displeasure known.

"It's the same old unwarranted feast. You're taking advantage of their hospitality!"

Miroku looked over the food. It was, to be fair, a little excessive. Small bowls of tofu, daikon, fruit, and miso soup were scattered around piles of rice, summer vegetables, eggs, and several fish dishes. Jugs of sake and tea sat on the side. "Perhaps, but we can't fight properly on an empty stomach."

He carefully didn't mention that Shippo hadn't eaten since the day before, and neither of them had had anything since the night before leaving Kaede's. Despite his words, Miroku could only manage a few sips of broth. The place was too quiet, too still. The air was thick with an unspoken evil, and it made his stomach churn.

Shippo dug into the feast with enthusiasm and Inuyasha grudgingly followed. Even he had to admit that it would be a pity to waste the mound of food which did, indeed, taste delicious. There was enough fish that he didn't have to fight Shippo for any, though he did steal an egg out of the kit's hands, just to mess with him. It wasn't until after he's finished more than his share and saw Shippo lazily nibbling on some radish that he realized Miroku had barely eaten anything.

"Come on, monk," he prodded, mostly teasing but a little concerned. "What's the matter with you? You barely touched your food."

Something flashed across Miroku's face and he smiled tightly. "Mm, maybe later."

At Inuyasha's insistent glare, he did eat a little more. It would be irrational not to take advantage of the bounty before them, and he needed to keep up his strength. As it started to get dark, and Shippo was napping sprawled across the floor, Miroku asked Inuyasha to scout the area around the mansion. The hanyou nodded in agreement and left without a word.

Inuyasha sighed heavily in the cooling night air. There was no trace of youkai anywhere, but that didn't mean there wasn't something lingering in the air. The entire household seemed to be holding its breath, and the tension was palpable. Miroku had been tense as well, and it set Inuyasha on edge. He was glad for the distraction this mission entailed. Ever since Naraku had slipped through his fingers, he'd felt utterly useless. He needed something to sink his claws into. Just not right away, apparently. With one final sniff around the walls, he headed back inside.

"Well, everything looks clear out there," he reported as he stepped into the room. "Anything unusual in here?"

Shippo blinked back at him. "No, so far everything's been good."

Inuyasha glanced around suspiciously. Sure enough, there was no one else in the room. "Good. Now where's Miroku?"

"Sounds like there's one other princess living here, so Miroku said he wanted to go make sure she was safe."

"Oh, sure." Inuyasha didn't bother hiding the contempt in his voice as he sat down next to Shippo and the dead woman. Stupid monk. He always had one thing on his mind. "I can't believe him. Too bad he has everyone convinced he's a saint, otherwise I'd give him a good stomping."

Shippo looked at him quizzically. "But Inuyasha, I like Miroku. I don't think he's just acting nice to fool others."

"Hmph. Forget it."

"My youngest daughter is petrified," the lord sighed, leading the way to her chambers. "She so looked up to her sister."

"Please, leave it to me," Miroku said. "If she is anything like her sister, the younger princess must be a beauty beyond compare."

The lord smiled sadly, stopping just outside the chambers and motioning for Miroku to pass. He slipped through the doors, his most charming smile fixed on his face. He loved his job. Still, the princess was likely truly frightened. He had considered bringing Shippo along to comfort her with something cute and fluffy, but decided against it. For one thing, someone needed to watch the body. For another, as cute as he was, Shippo was a demon, and there was no telling how the princess would react to a new demon when she already feared them. Lastly, if things got out of hand, it seemed irresponsible to bring a child into the mix.

It turns out he needn't have worried about that. The princess was almost out of her mind with fear, and clung to him before he even finished introducing himself. She was trembling from head to toe and tears streamed down her face. It took a long time full of gentle words and soft smiles just to get her to calm down enough to release him. By the time her sobs had turned to giggles and flirtatious smiles, Miroku was uneasy. It was getting late, and everyone he had talked to about these demons said they appeared for the souls not too long after dark.

"I must take leave," he told her, a little regretfully. "Your sister's soul requires my unwavering protection."

"Do not abandon me, master Miroku!" she insisted, grabbing at his robes. "I fear for my safety!"

"No one will come after you," he tried again, gently peeling her away from him. It was true. From what he had heard, the demons showed no interest in the living. Besides, he had put up several sutras just in case. Her wandering hands – whether intentional or not – made him pause to reconsider. The tiny voice in his head urging him on was not helping matters. Then a cold wind slithered through the room, extinguishing the oil lamps and leaving a sinister tinge in the air.

Inuyasha sat in silence – he wasn't sulking – when he felt the slightest tug on his robes. He looked down to see Shippo's little hand clutching the fabric at his leg. He opened his mouth to snap at him, but Shippo's eyes were fixed on the covered face of the dead princess. He was a kid, after all. Somewhere in the mess that was their journey, Inuyasha had almost forgotten that. He sighed and shifted his leg so it partially obscured Shippo's view. He moved Tessaiga as well, laying it across his lap in front of the kit. Shippo didn't comment, but he pressed a little closer to Inuyasha's side.

Then the dead princess lifted off the floor.

Shippo shrieked and flung himself onto Inuyasha's arm. They both stared as she floated upright, dead eyes seeing into nothingness. A white light shone through the paper walls before they suddenly exploded inward. Inuyasha ducked, covering his and Shippo's eyes from the flying wooden splinters. A youkai flew in, a finned serpentine white head and long, slender body with three pairs of insect-like grasping legs. It circled the room before dipping down toward the dead princess. Inuyasha jumped to his feet but had to pause to pry Shippo off his arm.

A white ethereal substance floated from the princess's mouth. Inuyasha guessed it must be her soul. The demon hovered above it, its six legs wrapping around it and gathering it close. Inuyasha pulled out Tessaiga and cut the demon cleanly in two. The princess hung suspended in the air for another moment before slowly falling back to the ground, her soul dissipating.

"Her spirit's safe again!" Shippo cheered.

"You think it's over?" Inuyasha scoffed. "Not likely."

Feet came pounding down the outside walkway, followed by a familiar voice. "Inuyasha! More! Outside! Time to move!"

Miroku sounded vaguely afraid. Inuyasha rushed outside to see dozens of the demons floating through the air, each with a soul clasped in its arms. They all moved in a singular direction, into the nearby forest. Miroku ran up beside him, a young woman chasing him. Inuyasha scoffed. "Really, Miroku?"

"After them!"

The monk hurled himself over the low railing and running after the demons. Shippo yelped as the woman approached them and quickly followed after Miroku. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, side-stepped the woman's grasping hands, and chased after the others. However, his exasperation quickly shifted to grim determination as his eyes followed the demons. There were many of them, too many, all carrying the spirits of the dead. Each represented the soul of a human that could be lost forever if they didn't help.

They ran through the trees, not fast enough to keep pace with the demons, but Inuyasha felt unease building in his chest and didn't jump ahead of Miroku and Shippo like he normally would. Even as the faint light of the souls began to disappear into the distance, he felt like he made the right call. Something warned him not to wander. Miroku was still running beside him, not as fast as he usually was. Inuyasha knew that with his own injuries still healing, he wouldn't be able to carry the monk and Shippo on his back. He swore and slowed to a stop, Miroku following suit. The trail had gone cold. They continued in the direction the demons had gone, not stopping until the sky lightened with early morning. Then they admitted defeat.

Miroku suggested that they return to the town to question the locals about their experiences with the demons. Shippo mumbled incoherently and burrowed deeper into Miroku's chest. He hugged the fox closer to him and looked at Inuyasha. They were following a small river back in the direction of the town, but the hanyou was dragging his feet, looking utterly unenthusiastic.

"Come on," Miroku encouraged. "We need to learn more about these youkai so we can search for the lost souls."

Inuyasha grimaced. "Why can't we just stay in the mansion until more spirits come tonight?"

"There is no indication that the youkai will return there, since no one else has died. We need more indication of where to start searching." Inuyasha harrumphed but didn't respond. "We owe it to the souls of those lost women to do something to help them." Still nothing. "Right, Inuyasha?"

"Feh."

Miroku slowed to a stop. "What? You think otherwise?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms and kept right on walking. "I'm just not especially interested. I mean, what's in it for us? It's not as though we'll find a Jewel shard."

Miroku frowned. Lately, Inuyasha had been so much better about helping people without being prompted. He sensed that something was bothering Inuyasha, though he couldn't put his finger on it. "We don't need something in return. That's not the point of helping."

"That's what I'm tired of – helping people all the time," Inuyasha snapped. "Look, I'm gonna be a great demon someday, so why should I waste my time going around rescuing petty humans?"

Ouch, that stung. "And I suppose that those people you've helped in the past meant nothing to you?" Inuyasha turned to glare at him. "Think of Kaede and her village, and Nazuna, and all the others who look up to you now. You're practically a saint in their eyes."

Inuyasha grimaced. "Saint? Don't insult me. Where are you going with this?"

Miroku patted his shoulder. "As far as I'm concerned, you've outdone yourself."

"Still not interested," Inuyasha growled. "So you can count me out. Got a problem with that?"

Miroku had no response. He couldn't exactly force Inuyasha to help if he didn't want to. Still, something felt off about the situation. He hadn't seemed opposed to the idea before. What had changed?

Shippo's shriek almost made him jump out of his skin. The little fox was pointing into the water, where a half-drowned figure was clutching onto a floating piece of debris. Miroku's stomach clenched as he recognize the man as a fellow monk.

"Come on, Inuyasha!" he called, trying to keep the urgency from his voice. "Time to show your heroism!"

"Not on your life!" the hanyou shot back, taking a step away from the riverbank.

Miroku threw his staff to the side and prepared to dive into the water. As he jumped, an arm curled around his waist and dragged him back. Inuyasha didn't even waiting for him to catch his feet before leaping into the water without a word. Miroku ignored Shippo's utterly perplexed look and waded into the shallows to help the hanyou drag the human back to them. The young man was unconscious but breathing, and appeared uninjured. Miroku considered building a fire to warm him up, but the blazing heat of summer would likely suffice. The young monk moaned, and shuddered. His eyes first met Miroku's and his brows furrowed in confusion. Then he saw Inuyasha and Shippo.

"No!" he gasped, shoving himself violently away from them. "More demons!"

"Demons?" Miroku asked, glancing between the monk and Inuyasha. "Tell us, what did you see that causes you such fright?"

"Upriver, the monster!" the young man pointed, shakily, in the direction the demons had gone the previous night. "She bore the face of beauty but there was only evil within."

"A demon?" Inuyasha asked, stepping forward. "And it took the appearance of a human?"

"At first glance she appeared to be a human," the monk said slowly. "But clearly she was possessed by a demon. Though, I must admit, I've rarely heard of youkai that impersonate a priestess."

Miroku felt a twist in his gut, a deep sense of foreboding. He tried to tell himself that it could be any kind of demon. They had no idea what they would be dealing with, or if it was even related to the stolen souls.

"She was able to ward off my master's immense spiritual powers," the monk continued.

Alright, still could be any kind of demon. A powerful one, but nothing unusual there. So why was a cold sweat breaking down his body? Why was there a prickling sensation on the back of his neck?

"Wait, I believe I heard her name spoken." Miroku closed his eyes. Somehow he knew what was coming. "It was…Kikyo."

Inuyasha's reaction was instantaneous. He dragged the monk up by the front of his robes, snarling ferociously in his face. "If I find out you're making this up, you'll wish you were still in the river."

"Inuyasha," Miroku said warningly.

"I speak only the truth!" the monk pleaded. "The woman lured away the lonely souls of dead maidens!"

"I don't care about that!" Inuyasha growled, and Miroku's jaw clenched. "It's her name. What makes you so sure her name is Kikyo?"

"Inuyasha, that's enough!" The commanding note in Miroku's voice brought Inuyasha back to himself, and he slowly lowered the monk back to his feet.

"The children of the village addressed her as such," the monk continued despite the threat. "All the youngsters called her Kikyo."

Miroku stepped forward and placed himself between Inuyasha and the monk, forcing the hanyou to let go of the monk's robes. He pressed his back against Inuyasha's chest, causing him to take a few steps back in response. He spoke instead to the monk. "We thank you for this information, and I apologize for your rough treatment. Peace go with you."

He bowed and the monk gave him a long, confused look before bowing back. He hurried away, casting repeated glances over his shoulder. Miroku watched him go with an impending sense of dread. So, Kikyo was the one responsible for luring away the souls of the dead women. She was still in the land of the living. But what state was she in? Their last encounter had not exactly been amiable. Was she still the vengeful spirit desperate to avenge herself? Miroku glanced at Inuyasha. The hanyou looked wrecked.

Inuyasha's mind was in turmoil. Kikyo was alive? She survived the fall? She was- She was nearby! That monk had said upriver! He turned and ran, jumping from rock to rock. Kikyo! He had to save her! Kikyo!

Miroku watched him go. Shippo jumped onto his shoulder and called out "Inuyasha!"

"Let him be, Shippo," Miroku murmured. "He's going to find Kikyo."

He shifted his path upriver. Even if Inuyasha found Kikyo and they needed some time alone together, there was no use in getting separated. He would follow from a safe distance, just close enough to help if need be. Kikyo may have changed. He had glimpsed into her mind before, and the anger he felt there still worried him. No matter what happened, Inuyasha might need some help, whether aid in a fight or simply knowing that someone stood by him. Miroku blinked. Or, someone to help him navigate when the sky blacked out!

A faint whistling sound came from the air, and suddenly there were more of the soul-bearing demons flying through the sudden darkness all around them. Miroku instinctively put up a barrier around himself and Shippo, but the youkai were paying them no mind. They wove through the trees, heading in a very specific direction. Miroku ran after them. Being closer to the ground slowed them down enough that he could just barely keep them in sight. Slowly, more and more began to appear overhead. If these demons truly belonged to Kikyo, then she was nearby. And kami, how had that even happened in the first place?

Miroku kept his eyes on the demons, occasionally glancing up to the ones overhead. He ran down a hill, almost slipping in his haste. In the darkness, he missed the sharp drop of the ground disappearing before him. Suddenly he was falling, grasping at nothing, and came crashing down to the ground below. He gasped, the air knocked from his lungs, and was gratified to see Shippo scampering towards him. At least he hadn't accidentally crushed the demon child.

"Miroku, are you alright?" Shippo asked, a spark of amusement mixing with concern.

Miroku wheezed out a vague reply and clambered gracelessly to his feet. That was when he saw her. Kikyo, lying still and draped over the low branches of a tree. The lights of the spirits danced around her. A cold shiver ran through his body.

"Shippo, get out of here," he instructed, voice tense and low.

"What?"

"Find Inuyasha and tell him that Kikyo's here."

Shippo glanced from Kikyo back to him. "What about you?"

"She might be hurt. I don't know if she's even alive. Go, quickly!"

Shippo turned and ran, and something loosened in Miroku's chest. No matter what may come, at least Shippo was away from the danger. Taking a deep breath, he began his approach.

As Sango is fast approaching, I've been thinking about POV characters and whose psyche I want to explore. Sango's a really interesting character and completes the main three (as much as I love Shippo, he doesn't have much personality outside of "child"). Therefore, I think it's only right to add her perspective to the story so we can explore her thoughts and opinions along with the other two. However, she's not the only one I want to explore. Kikyo, Koga, and Sesshomaru are all super interesting and complex characters with a lot of room for growth, but because they appear so infrequently, I don't think I'll be adding them as POV characters to avoid overcomplicating things. However, I'd love your input on the matter because I'm definitely open to change and experimentation.