Warnings for this chapter: amnesia/memory loss, loss of self, attempted murder, threats of violence and death


"I have something to say."

They all stopped what they were doing to look up at Shippo, who stood dramatically in the doorway.

"I want to come with you this time," the kit said seriously.

"We've discussed this," Inuyasha said immediately. "It's too dangerous for little squirts like you."

"You said that I needed to stay in Kaede's village so that you could focus on protecting each other and not have to worry about me," Shippo said. "But you're my family." His eyes welled up with tears and he sniffed hard before continuing. "And I can't stay here while you're getting hurt! I miss you!"

"Shippo…" Miroku sighed. "I'm sorry, and we miss you as well, but it's too dangerous for you to come with us."

"I can stay safe with you!" he insisted shakily. "Demons can come to the village even when you're not here. If I'm with you, you can protect me! I can help you! I can stay back where it's safe."

Miroku frowned, and exchanged a helpless look with Inuyasha and Sango. They both looked deeply conflicted.

The monk walked over and crouched in front of Shippo and took his hands. "It's true that there is danger everywhere, but here, you have an entire village to protect you. Out there, we have Naraku trying to kill us. It's just not safe."

"For you, too!" Shippo almost shouted. "I need to be with you to be safe, so I can learn how to protect myself!" Miroku opened his mouth, but he pushed forward. "I'm a demon! There are always going to be humans or other demons trying to kill me. I can't just hide away forever. I need to know how to survive!"

Silence resonated around the hut.

"I hate to say it," Inuyasha sighed. "But he's got a point."

"What?" Sango and Miroku asked simultaneously.

"Look," he sighed, crouching down beside Miroku and the kit. "Demons aren't like human kids. They gotta learn to take care of themselves from a much younger age – comparatively speaking. He might as well start now."

"Naraku," Miroku pointed out. "Kagura, Kanna, whatever other-"

"Shippo," Inuyasha said seriously, holding his gaze. "I'm not saying yes, but if you were to come with us, you wouldn't be in any of the battles with us. If we tell you to run, you run. If we tell you to stay behind, you stay. If we tell you to get on Kirara and come back to Kaede's village, you gotta do it, no arguing, no questions asked. Got it?"

"I promise!" Shippo nodded.

Sango grabbed Inuyasha's arm and dragged him to the other end of the hut, Miroku following close behind. The slayer spun around and hissed in his face "I thought we agreed on this! We needed a united front!"

"I can't help it if the kid's on to something!" Inuyasha whispered back. "Maybe leaving him at Kaede's isn't the best for him. He needs to know how to survive."

"He's a child!" Miroku said in exasperation. "He'll still be a child after Naraku's gone."

"Look," the hanyou sighed. "Naraku sent that giant soul collector after Kikyo and she led it to the village. If we hadn't been here as well, then Kaede would be the only one standing between it and Shippo. Maybe he's safer with us, after all? And he really does need to learn to take care of himself. Like it or not, he's a demon, not a human. Life is different."

They all frowned amongst themselves for a bit before Sango huffed. "Kirara, what do you think? You know demon culture best."

Kirara sat by the slayer's feet and nodded solemnly.

"Alright," Sango said, rounding on the fox. "You come with us for one month. If you get even close to dying, or if anyone gets hurt because they had to protect you, then you're coming back, end of story."

"Yes!" Shippo jumped up, his energy shifting at once. "I can't wait! We're leaving today, right?"

"Suppose so," Miroku smiled softly, his arm subtly winding around Inuyasha's waist.

"Yeah, we've been here long enough," the hanyou agreed softly, leaning the side of his head against Miroku's for a moment before moving to grab some food.

They gathered their supplies and Kaede arrived to walk them to the edge of the village. A number of other villagers joined them to say goodbye once they heard Shippo was leaving. It seemed that the kit had gathered quite the loyal following. They set off with boisterous shouts filling the air as Shippo and Kirara darted between their feet, already immersed in a game. Miroku was watching them with a wistful look on his face, and Inuyasha rolled his eyes fondly before squeezing his shoulders.

"You're not allowed to get all misty-eyed about this," he told the monk gently.

"Our little boy's growing up," Miroku said theatrically and yet a little too sincere.

"He's a demon," Inuyasha reminded him. "He's going to be a kid for a long time yet, and he's a fox – he's going to be little forever."

"Despite everything, it'll be good to have him around."

Inuyasha pressed a kiss to his temple. "Just wait until we start having to stop to catch butterflies or look at weird rocks again."

xXx

They settled down earlier than they usually would that night, none of them feeling any particularly strong need to hurry. Shippo and Kirara had been relentlessly playing all day, and the night was warmer than expected. Kaede had insisted that they bring three thick blankets with them, as the weather was turning undeniably colder, and there were guaranteed to be nights like this where they slept outside. Sango pulled her own blanket from her carrying cloth and laid it down beside the fire-pit that Miroku was building. She pulled out two more then paused, glancing at Inuyasha.

"Will you be needing two?" She asked mildly, nothing in her voice other than a hint of amusement.

"Ha, ha," Inuyasha drawled. "Yes, we'll be needing two." He lowered his voice. "I don't know if he steals blankets yet."

"I have never stolen anything in my life," Miroku told them solemnly.

Inuyasha chuckled. "Yeah, we need two."

Sango grinned and tossed them at him before standing. "Kirara, come on, we're going fishing."

Kirara didn't respond, and they all looked over to where she and Shippo were crouched low to the ground, moving incrementally forward. They watched for a while before Miroku figured it out.

"Are you teaching him to hunt?" he asked, simultaneously entertained and mildly horrified. "Kirara, we're not going to let him grow up that quickly! We're still going to feed him!"

"You can teach me to fish!" Shippo said excitedly, running over to catch a hold of Sango's hand.

The slayer shot them a perplexed look before heading off to the river nearby. The other two shared a smirk and set about collecting firewood. Much of it was damp from recent rains, and once they returned to the campsite, it took much longer than usual for Miroku to light the fire.

"It's going to be a long winter," he sighed. "As soon as it starts raining every day, or even snowing, we're going to have to plan our path from village to village."

"And making the money to do it," Inuyasha added. "You can't con all of them."

Miroku muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "try me" before he crowed in success as the fire sparked to life. It was just in time, as the others were returning with their catch. Sango made a point of showing Shippo how to clean a fish, and once they were roasted, they naturally gave him the biggest one.

They lazed around the fire for a while, watching the flames and enjoying the peace. Miroku had surreptitiously migrated to Inuyasha's side over the course of the meal, and now they were pressed against each other with the monk's head leaning against the hanyou's shoulder. Shippo's keen eyes surveyed them thoughtfully.

"Are you two married now?" he asked suddenly.

Miroku inhaled sharply and choked slightly. Inuyasha spluttered out something and immediately went red.

"Why do you ask?" Sango prompted, utterly failing to hide her delight.

"Well, they're obviously courting," Shippo said reasonably. "And they're not mates yet, but I heard some of the villagers talking about human marriage. It seems like something they would be."

"We're not married," Miroku told him calmly, though Inuyasha could hear his heart pounding. "These things take time, and we're only just starting out."

Shippo blinked and cocked his head. "But don't you lo-"

Inuyasha leaned forward and clamped his hand over the fox's face. "Only. Just. Starting. Out."

Miroku grinned and hid his face in Inuyasha's shoulder. Sango was snickering quietly into her hand. Inuyasha huffed indignantly at them both and buried his fingers in Miroku's hair. They lapsed into an easy silence as the sun set. Sango gathered Kirara and Shippo onto her lap and wrapped a blanket around all of them, snuggling closer to the fire. Inuyasha looked up at the stars peeking through the canopy above them, leaning heavily into Miroku.

"I think I'm about ready for sleep," the monk eventually announced, standing. "I'm just going to grab a little more firewood."

"I can come with," Inuyasha said, already pushing himself up, but Miroku waved him back down.

"No, it's alright, I got it."

Inuyasha watched him go with a slight twist in his gut. He followed him with his eyes for as long as he could and, once he disappeared into the darkness of the surrounding forest, listened intently. He stared into the fire, his muscles tensed and barely breathing. He didn't know why he was reacting so strongly, why his skin crawled when Miroku wasn't in his sight. It wasn't as though the monk couldn't take care of himself. There was no danger around, no demons in the area, and Miroku was staying well within earshot. But he couldn't help following the monk's every breath, heartbeat, and step with unwavering focus. After a while, he felt eyes on him once more. He glanced up to see Sango watching him with a gentle expression on her face.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," he muttered, quietly as to not obscure the sound of Miroku breaking a branch in two.

"You care about him," she shrugged. "It's sweet."

"I care about all of you," he snapped back. "It's just with him, I…I don't know. I get so nervous when he's not around. I…" He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. "Sango, I think I'm afraid."

"Of losing him? Of course you are," Sango whispered. "We all are. You know I had Kirara follow him whenever he went off alone for a month after the stunt he pulled at Mushin's?"

Kirara lifted her head from Sango's lap and nodded wearily in confirmation, looking decidedly peeved at the memory.

Inuyasha snorted a short laugh before the smile faded from his eyes. "I just don't know what to do. Eventually he's going to get tired of being smothered."

"And you'll figure it out from there. He's not an idiot- Well…" They both chuckled again. "But he knows that we all worry about each other. He may not understand why we care so much about him, which is why I routinely want to smack him, but he knows that we do. And it's not as though he doesn't want to protect us, as well."

He supposed that was true. But Kikyo's words still rang in his head. He knew that he had to be careful.

When Miroku got back, Inuyasha pulled him down beside him and placed a quick hiss on his lips. Miroku grinned broadly and dove back in for another, deeper kiss. A loud gasp rang through the campsite as they pulled away.

"When did that start happening?" Sango demanded.

"Blankets are ready," Inuyasha told Miroku, maneuvering them both down and wrapping one of the blankets on top of them.

"No!" she continued. "You can't just do something like that and not tell me about it!"

Miroku hid his face in Inuyasha's side as the hanyou called out "Goodnight, Sango!"

"You two are impossible!" she proclaimed. "And goodnight!"

xXx

They set off in the opposite direction of Kaede's village the next morning, figuring that they could plot a wide circle around the province and arrive back in a month or so, presuming nothing drastic happened. So, it wasn't a solid plan. As it was, they had been walking for maybe half the day before they sensed a demon nearby. Everyone grabbed their weapons and Sango surreptitiously dropped Shippo on Kirara's back, ready to defend their escape. Then the large, bulbous form came into view. They all breathed a sigh of relief as Miroku waved him down.

"I've been looking for you for ages!" Hachi proclaimed, transforming down to his smaller size. "I found something that might interest you."

"Oh?" Miroku asked. "And what's that?"

"There have been rumours going around amongst demons all over the area that Naraku's castle has been destroyed!"

"Naraku's castle?" Inuyasha asked sharply. "Where? How long ago?"

"At least a few days ago by now," Hachi said. "I can't know for sure. But I know where it is! Come on, I'll take you there!"

They loaded up onto his back, silent with nervous energy. Hachi had very little information, just speculation amongst smaller demon communities. As they approached the site, it wasn't difficult to see the ruins of large castle grounds. The shells of stone walls surrounded remnants of broken buildings and deep pits in barren soil. Hachi set down on the outside and they tentatively crept closer. An eerie quiet surrounded the grounds, interrupted only by the soft whistling of the wind.

"Shippo, stay on Kirara," Miroku murmured, eyeing the area.

"This is it?" Inuyasha asked in subdued tones, staying close to the others even as he strained to see more.

"There are still traces of Naraku's miasma in the air and soil," Mirok said. "He had to have been here."

They moved in tight formation through the grounds, keeping their senses heightened for any sign of a trap. Sango kept one hand on Hiraikotsu and the other on the hilt of her sword. Cold dread was seeping into her bones, as much as she tried to push it away. They searched the entire area, but found nothing more than the frames of the mansion and other buildings etched into the earth.

"It doesn't make any sense," Inuyasha muttered, ears and nose twitching. "There's hardly any signs of the ruins! Hachi, just how long were you running around looking for us?"

Miroku sighed and stood from where he was examining one of the gouges in the ground. "You've got a point, considering it's Naraku. It wouldn't be the first time we've been lured to a false castle."

"No, this was real," Sango said softly, and they both turned to look at her.

She knelt beside a low mound of earth. She brushed into the soil with her fingers, revealing the hard, plated object she had discovered. As they watched, she pulled various pieces of armour from the ground, along with several broken weapons. The armour came in three distinct colours and was cracked and shattered in places, but the design was identical to Sango's.

"Find something?" Inuyasha asked, frowning at the bitter turn to her scent.

Her fingers splayed over a shoulder cap. "This was my father's armour. The day he was murdered, we were lured to Naraku's castle."

Inuyasha and Miroku crouched next to her, looking over the grave.

"My father and the others were slaughtered." She swallowed hard. "By Kohaku. Their bodies were buried in the corner of the courtyard. Right here. It has to be it."

"Sango…" Inuyasha murmured, though he didn't know what he could say. He kept on forgetting how recent everything was for her – much more recent than anything the rest of them were facing. She'd just seemed so distant from it all. After those first few days of grieving, she'd locked everything up inside herself. They only saw glimpses of it, and it was mostly centred around getting Kohaku back. He had to remind himself that she'd lost her home, family, and people as well.

Miroku stepped forward wordlessly and placed a hand on her shoulder. Sango looked away, swiping at her stinging eyes. The monk then untied the knot of his kesa, pulling it from where it was tucked into his koromo.

"Miroku?" Sango asked, distracted from her thoughts by the display.

"We mustn't leave your father and the others buried in this tainted ground," he said, kneeling down by the grave and draping his kesa next to it. "We can bury them elsewhere and offer our prayers. Is that alright, Sango?"

"Of course!" she stammered, her heart clenching. "Miroku, I- Thank you."

He nodded gently and continued his work. She dug more pieces of armour from the earth and handed them to him. The first time she felt a bone she paused, closed her eyes, and pressed on. The bodies had mostly decomposed at this point, but it remained far from a pleasant task. As they continued, Inuyasha knelt down beside them and made sure that they found everything there was to find. Sango tried to distance her mind from what they were doing, what she held in her hands, but her thoughts were hardly any kinder.

Naraku's castle had completely disappeared, who knew how long ago. But there had been people living there – the young lord's attendants that Naraku had tricked into serving him. What had happened to them? And Kohaku. Naraku had to be keeping her brother somewhere. He couldn't have been destroyed along with the castle. He couldn't have been…

They did one final search of the grounds and found nothing. Whatever trace of Naraku had been there was gone. Hachi flew them to a nearby forest, far enough to be free of the stench of miasma but close enough that they could find it easily. Her village was far enough that it would be impractical to carry the remains back – there was still a chance that Naraku was in the area. They chose a clifftop overlooking a small lake. A beautiful spot. Miroku performed a funereal service as best as he was able, promising that it would hold them off until they could return the three slayers to their rightful resting place.

Inuyasha brushed past him wordlessly and walked to the rocky cliff before huffing thoughtfully. "Hachi, help me with this," he called out.

Safely on the tanuki's back, he sliced Tessaiga along the cliff face, dislodging several large slabs of rock from the softer soil holding them. Hachi followed them to the ground and, one by one, hauled them back up the cliff. He never once complained, despite the obvious effort it took to lift something so large. Once he was done, Inuyasha moved the rocks over the shallow grave Miroku had dug and arranged the stones protectively overtop, falling over each other and holding each other up. He stepped back to survey his work, crossed his arms and nodded, satisfied.

"It's beautiful," Sango whispered. "Thank you."

Inuyasha shrugged and stepped back to rejoin the others, where they were praying. Sango was left alone in front of the monument. She knelt, carefully placing a small bundle of wild chrysanthemums on the ground before it.

"Let you rest here for now," Miroku murmured behind her.

Someday, she swore, she would bring them home. She would give them a proper funeral, with proper graves. She would do it. It was her duty, hers and Kohaku's, to tend to their abandoned village. Just as soon as she got Kohaku back. Just as soon as she destroyed Naraku. If she was still alive, she would do it. And they would both watch over the graves.

xXx

He tossed the piece of wood into the air and struck with his kama, slicing the thin log in two. He leapt forward and caught one of the halves on his foot as it fell, crowing with success. Granny and Gramps gasped and cooed and applauded appreciatively. He spun around and bowed theatrically, letting the pieces fall into the wood pile next to him.

"That's quite the performance, young lad," Gramps smiled.

"Remarkable!" Granny proclaimed, pushing herself up from her seat before helping her husband up as well. "Truly an entertaining performance!"

"And you've done a fine job cutting our firewood," Gramps winked at him.

"Don't mention it," the boy grinned. "I'm happy to help out."

"And help you have!" Granny cooed, ushering him over. "You must be tired after all that work! Come inside and rest."

"Thank you," the boy said, following them into the small house. Yet despite Granny's repeated attempts to get him to sit still for a while, and the exhaustion he felt in his bones, he couldn't settle down. He swept the floor, helped Granny mend some clothing, and fetched some water with Gramps. As he did his best to lend a hand in cooking, Granny tutted about how she would need to make him a decent kimono for the approaching winter. The boy tried not to look gloomy at the prospect.

He suspected that he wasn't very successful, for while they were eating their meal, Gramps sent him a searching look. "Did you remember anything today?"

The boy sighed and lowered his bowl. "No, not really."

"Nothing about where you came from?" Gramps prompted. "Or at least your name?"

He shook his head sadly.

"Wait a moment," Granny said thoughtfully. "Perhaps you lived close to the castle?"

He blinked. "Castle?"

It sparked something within him, though he couldn't say exactly what. Granny and Gramps had said that they'd been on their way to investigate the claims of some castle suddenly disappearing when they stumbled upon him in the woods, lying unconscious on the road. A cold tremor ran up his spine and he shivered.

"Hitomi castle had many occupants," Granny continued. "You could easily have been the child of a vassal or a guard, maybe even a samurai! It would explain your skill with that kusarigama."

Gramps shook his head. "Why a child would need such a weapon, I'll never know."

"We still don't know what caused the castle to disappear," Granny pressed on, ignoring her husband. "Perhaps something terribly frightening happened to you, and that's what caused you to lose your memory."

There must have been something in his eyes, in the smile he offered them, because Gramps shook his head. "Nevermind all that now. No need to rush."

"Exactly," Granny nodded. "These things take time. Meanwhile, you can stay here as long as you like." She waved a spoon at him as she went to stir the soup. "Now, eat up! There's lots more."

The smile he wore was genuine. "Thank you."

He may have no idea who he was or what his life had been, but if he was surrounded by such kind people, then he wasn't too bad off, was he? Granny had told him – when he first realized that he couldn't remember anything no matter how hard he tried – that the mind sometimes forced a person to forget something. That it was a way to protect oneself from bad things in the past. He just had no idea what it might be.

That night, he sat at the base of the tree outside the hut, which was quickly becoming his favourite place to think. He glanced over the crest of the hill, past the farm and the forest, to the ruins that he could just make out in the darkness. He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd been there, at least once before. Yet every time he thought about going there over the past ten days, just to see, something held him back. It was like a giant, invisible hand closed around his chest and suddenly he couldn't breathe. He thought it might be better to stay away.

He looked up at the crescent moon and paused. A dark cloud obscured some of the white light, though it was twisting and moving unnaturally. The more he watched, the more it looked like a flock of birds or swarm of insects… Then he could hear the buzzing in the air. Then a sharp bolt of fear shot through him. It sent him jumping to his feet, running back to the hut for all he was worth.

"Gramps, Granny!" he cried out, bursting inside.

They were both halfway to their feet, worry plainly etched on their faces. He didn't give them time to ask.

"I have to go!"

"Go?" Gramps echoed in confusion.

"Go where?" Granny asked, concerned.

"I can't stay here anymore!" he insisted, his hand clenching around his kusarigama. Something told him that whatever was coming, it was the reason that he never let the weapon leave his side. "It's dangerous! Don't go outside." He forced himself to take a breath, to let all the love and gratitude show on his face. "Thank you for everything."

He ran before they could stop him. Their shouts followed him into the darkness. He aimed his path downhill, into the forest, knowing the insects would follow him. He didn't know how he knew. He also didn't know why, with absolute certainty, he knew that he had been running like this just a few days before – the night that the castle disappeared. He'd been running for his life then, too.

Kohaku. The voice was low and silky and dangerous. It sparked panic in his mind and revulsion in his gut. I have no need to keep you alive any longer. Go join your father and the others.

His father? The others? Kohaku? Was- was that his name? Was he Kohaku? It felt right, even though the word in that man's mouth had felt so wrong. He felt like maybe, he had been the one that caused him to flee.

The ground burst apart before him, splitting in two in a wave towards him. He was thrown back, shards of rock flying through the air around him. He cried out as a shard grazed his arm, drawing blood. There was a demon in front of him, a giant red mantis with a stark white face. The face looked like a skull with glowing red eyes. Kohaku couldn't look away.

xXx

They made camp early again that night. Sango hadn't said a word since they left the makeshift grave. She'd responded to their questions with terse nods and tight lips. She'd bowed deeply to Hachi when they sent him off. Shippo had reached out to take her hand, and she'd swung him up into her arms and hugged him close. They kept careful watch on one another as Inuyasha fished and Miroku built the fire, never letting any of their group stray out of sight. Kirara transformed into her larger size and kept watch, casting occasional glances back in the direction of Naraku's castle.

Despite a thorough search, there was no sign of Naraku or his incarnation, no indication of where they went. It was disheartening to say the least. Sango had been so sure that once they finally found the castle, it would hold some answers. Perhaps they could have found Naraku there. They could have discovered his plans, his weakness, something. But it was too late. He'd left before they'd even gotten close. Between losing the castle and their aimless meanderings for the Jewel shards, they were as directionless as they'd ever been.

And she hated it.

She knew that she couldn't give up. It wasn't just herself that she was fighting for, after all. But it hurt. Every day was a failure until Naraku was dead.

Kirara lifted her head from her paws before springing to her feet, hackles raised as she peered into the forest.

"What's the matter, Kirara?" Sango asked, reaching for Hiraikotsu. She was ready for battle, still in her armour from before.

"There's a Jewel shard," Miroku warned, a note of urgency in his voice.

They sprang into action. Inuyasha ran ahead while Sango jumped onto Kirara's back and swung Miroku on behind her. Shippo leapt on Inuyasha's shoulder, casting them a wide-eyed look as he did so. They followed Miroku's pointing finger until Inuyasha and Kirara could track the scent of the demon. There was something else in there, too, something that Inuyasha couldn't quite place.

A buzzing came from overhead and he growled, glancing up to confirm the swarm of Saimyosho.

"Keh!" he spat. "Are they after the Jewel shard, too?"

xXx

The mantis raised a dagger-tipped arm and hissed. "Kohaku, you cannot escape from me!"

He was frozen, the sound of his name in this demon's mouth crashing into him with a sense of wrong. How did it know him? Why was it after him? What was he supposed to do?

"Surrender and give me that Sacred Jewel shard in your back," the demon grinned, stepping closer.

Sacred Jewel? What Sacred Jewel? The mantis hissed and lunged, swiping at him with a barbed forelimb. Kohaku dodged out of the way, but it was close. His kama was still in his hand, heavy and awkward in a way it hadn't been before. The demon flung its head back before its tongue shot out of its mouth, striking at him. Kohaku threw himself to the side just in time, his weapon falling out of reach. He landed hard on his front, the air knocked out of him and he spun around. The demon was lunging a him. He couldn't get away in time!

"Kohaku!"

The scream came from behind him. A heartbeat later, a large, flat weapon bent at an odd angle flew through the air, slicing easily through the mantis' forelimb. The demon shrieked and stumbled back. The weapon continued its path, and Kohaku followed its arc back to the hand of the woman who had thrown it. She was dressed in leather hide with thick plated armour covering her belly, legs, and shoulder. There was a sword at her hip as well as the large weapon which she wielded with ease. And she was staring at him, eyes wide.

"It wants his shard!"

The warning cry came from a man, riding a giant two-tailed cat towards them. Another man was running next to him, with white hair and dog ears. The woman looked struck for a moment before her face hardened. She lifted the large weapon above her head and threw it once more. It flew through the air and cut the mantis demon in half. The second man growled at he came to a stop beside her, exposing teeth so elongated that they could be called fangs. He pulled a thin sword from its sheathe before the blade transformed to more than twice its original size. The man leapt into the air like it was nothing, slashing at the insects which hovered above them. He hit several and scattered the rest.

The man landed easily beside the first, who had slid off the demon cat's back and held his staff out defensively, watching Kohaku warily. Kohaku shrank back under their combined gaze, especially when the woman was staring so intensely. She had called him by his name. Did he know them? Did they know him?

"Who are you?" he asked tentatively. "Do we, uh, know each other?"

A shudder ran through the woman and she took a few halting steps towards him before dropping to one knee in front of him.

"Kohaku," she said slowly, carefully. "Do you recognize me?"

"No," he admitted, a little reluctantly. "I'm sorry. I can't remember anyone. Or anything."

The woman's frown deepened, and behind her, the two men exchanged a heavy glance.

"You should come with us," she said, sounding strained as she offered him a hand. "We can help you, and I can explain everything. Will you come?"

Where else was he going to go? They led him to the demon cat, who sniffed him for a moment before presenting her back. They told her that her name was Kirara, and introduced themselves as well. He focused hard on the names, trying to see if they would spark his memories, but there was nothing. The woman tried not to look disappointed, and failed. Sango, she was called. She seemed nice. He hoped that she wouldn't be upset with him.

One of the men, the red one, called down the path and almost immediately, a small kitsune appeared. He scampered towards them and froze almost comically as soon as he saw Kohaku. That, more than anything, caused the sinking feeling in his gut. The kid acted like he was scared of him. What had happened? What had he done?

The man in red picked up the fox and spoke to him in hushed tones while the other, the monk, stuck close to the woman's side. After a short conversation, the man in red threw the fox into the air, where he transformed into a large pink orb and floated up into the sky. Just who exactly were these people? A few moments later, the fox re-emerged, talking rapidly about an abandoned storehouse he'd spotted in a clearing a short distance away. The others nodded and followed his lead.

Kohaku clung to the thick fur around the demon cat's neck, intent to hang on and not show any sign of weakness. His kusarigama lay heavily against his hip. When they reached the storehouse the fox had found, the woman helped him off the cat, who promptly caught on fire and shrunk down to the size of a rabbit. The woman and the cat followed him inside the hut, while the man in red and the little fox waited outside. Kohaku had a feeling that the man in red didn't like him much – he kept on looking at him sideways, his jaw clenched tight. The monk spoke quietly to them both before stepping inside and closing the door.

The storehouse was old and rundown, with several open patches along the walls. The woman placed her weapons against the sturdiest of the walls and, after a moment, Kohaku followed suit. The monk knelt down and pulled a roll of bandages from his robes.

"You've hurt your arm," the woman said, reaching out for it.

He shied away, a little uncomfortable. "I'm sorry," he said, not really knowing what he was apologizing for, but knowing that he needed to say it. "We've met before?"

The woman nodded almost imperceptibly, and she looked so sad. The monk hummed lightly and handed the roll of bandages over to her. "Kohaku, do you remember anything at all?" he asked gently. "Anything about a castle, perhaps?"

Kohaku looked away, both of their eyes following him intently. "No… I'm sorry."

"You don't remember Naraku?" the woman pressed.

Kohaku froze. Naraku? The churning inside his gut grew worse, and a wave of icy dread slowly washed over him. That low, silky voice echoed around his mind. Had that man been Naraku?

xXx

Inuyasha kicked a rock away and huffed before continuing his pacing. He could hear the conversation going on inside and it was driving him mad. Didn't remember anything. How convenient! And Miroku had insisted that he wait outside – he was 'scaring Kohaku with his death-glares,' apparently. Bullshit! If he wanted to scare the kid, there would be no question about it. He spun around, in search of a bigger rock to kick. He was distracted when the door of the storehouse slid open and Miroku stepped outside.

"What're you doing?" Inuyasha hissed in a low voice, his eyes darting to the door as the monk walked towards him.

"Sango wanted a moment alone with her brother," Miroku said, calm but firm, a warning in his tone.

"What, are you an idiot? It's not safe!" Inuyasha snapped, still keeping his voice down. "It's a trap! That kid is just putting on an act for us."

Miroku hummed and grabbed Inuyasha's arm, dragging him down to sit beside him. "It doesn't appear that way to me."

Inuyasha stared at him incredulously. "You mean you trust him?"

Miroku sighed. "I didn't say that. But think about the last time we saw Kohaku – he was virtually a puppet, like a human without a soul. This boy is…different."

"You know it's another of Naraku's tricks," Inuyasha insisted. "It has to be. First the castle, and now this?"

"Admittedly, the timing is suspicious," Miroku shrugged. "But it doesn't necessarily mean that Kohaku is involved on Naraku's behalf. He's Sango's brother, Yash. We need to give him the benefit of the doubt."

Inuyasha growled softly. "Do I need to remind you how many people he's killed?"

Miroku didn't answer, but he leaned heavily against Inuyasha and placed his temple on the hanyou's shoulder. Inuyasha sighed and placed his hand on the side of the monk's head, winding his fingers into his hair and pressing him closer.

xXx

Sango couldn't keep her eyes off Kohaku. After bandaging his arm, they leaned back against the wall together, side-by-side, just like they used to. It was so strange – she had still felt close to the Kohaku she had met before, the one under Naraku's control who barely spoke but still called her sister. She knew that he was still her Kohaku. And yet this little boy who could remember nothing about himself was closer to her brother than he had been before. Unsure of himself, a little afraid, but eager to please and willing to learn.

"So I was right about my name?" he said, a small smile quirking his lips. "Great! What else can you tell me?"

"Well," she paused, but she couldn't keep it hidden. "You're my little brother."

He froze, just for a moment, before a smile spread over his face. "I have a sister? Wow, that's… I guess that explains why you all were looking at me funny. It's nice to meet you!" He frowned slightly, brow furrowed and nose scrunched. "Or, I guess that's a weird thing to say to your sister. I'm glad I met you, though."

Sango looked away, fighting to keep from crying.

"Do you remember anything about our home? The slayer's village?" she asked.

His eyes widened comically. "The slayer's village?" He glanced at Kirara, who was worming her way onto his lap. "Was I a demon slayer, too?"

Sango watched out of the corner of her eye. "You were still an apprentice."

She had to fight to keep herself from grabbing him tight in an embrace and never letting go. He'd barely allowed her to bandage his wound. But here he was, so close, and so familiar. Had he ever been a slayer? Not really. That mission had been his first, his only experience in battle. He had been so frightened, yet so brave. She admitted to herself that perhaps, he wasn't suited for the life of a slayer – he was so gentle, so tender-hearted. He used to cry when they stepped on insects or killed rats in the storehouse. Nothing like the cold, empty eyes that looked back at her after Naraku found him. A slayer of a different kind.

"Hey," Kohaku said eagerly. "Tell me everything you know about me!"

She glanced at him curiously, wondering just how much he could handle all at once. Kohaku must have sensed her hesitation because he sagged slightly, picking up Kirara and looking into her eyes.

"I feel so empty," he murmured. "'Cause I don't know how I got here, or why I'm like this."

She swallowed hard. He was so painfully familiar. She reached out slowly, making sure that he could follow her hand before it landed on his shoulder.

"Don't rush it," she said, smiling tightly. "It'll take time to remember. We have all the time in the world together now."

He looked at her quizzically. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head slightly, still smiling. "Kohaku, is it alright if I hug you?"

"Uh…" His face went red, and he looked away, his shoulders hunched. "I guess so."

"It's alright if not," she said, though the words killed her. "I know you don't know me, even though I know you. I've really missed you, Kohaku."

He looked up at her again, and cautiously opened his arms. She pulled him in gently, and buried her nose in his hair. She knew that she was trembling. After a while, he pulled away, looking embarrassed. She tried to give him an encouraging smile. Her Kohaku was back. He had endured everything from Naraku and escaped his grasp. It didn't matter if he couldn't remember anything… Perhaps it was for the better. She didn't want him to remember what Naraku had forced him to do.

Kohaku leaned back against the wall, but their sides were still pressed together. Slowly, his head came to rest on her shoulder. Sango closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Only the sound of Kirara's purring filled the hut as they sat quietly together. Bit by bit, Kohaku leaned more heavily into her until she realized with a start that he was asleep on her shoulder. Sango bit her lip hard and rested her brow against the top of his head, whispering silent promises into his hair.

xXx

"We need to find out what he's planning," Inuyasha said harshly. "I'm sure a few good punches will knock the truth out of him."

"It's not as simple as all that," Miroku sighed, cutting off Shippo's indignant retort. "I can't say whether or not it's a trap, but the fact remains that Sango's been reunited with her younger brother."

"He's a threat," Inuyasha insisted, crossing his arms. "I'm not going to let him harm my pack."

"We can remain alert and keep an eye on him," Miroku continued. "If it is a trap, Sango will be heartbroken. But we have to keep in mind that Naraku loves to toy with people's feelings. True, the boy could be planted to do us harm, but Naraku could also be counting on our hostility towards him and expect us to hurt him. Or perhaps he really did escape Naraku's clutches!"

Inuyasha sent him a sorrowful look. "You really believe that?"

Miroku ran a hand down his face and looked up at the night sky. "We don't know exactly how Naraku was controlling him. If it was simply through the Jewel shard in his back, well, he did the same with Sango the first time we met her, and she was able to cast him off without a problem. Sango said that Kohaku was beginning to recognize her, the last time they met. He could have broken free."

Inuyasha huffed and poked at the ground aggressively. His ears flicked when the door of the storehouse slid open. Sango and Kirara stepped outside. Inuyasha was immediately on his feet, stalking towards them.

"Yash-" Miroku started warningly, but he ignored him.

"If you won't tell her, I will!" he spat over his shoulder.

He landed in front of Sango, who looked like she was deep in thought. When she saw Inuyasha's stony expression, her face fell. "What?" she asked, almost sounding afraid. "What's the matter?"

Inuyasha sighed, softening his tone. "Listen, Sango. It's about Kohaku – it's obviously one of Naraku's traps."

"You're wrong!" she snapped. "I trust Kohaku!"

"That's what Naraku wants," Inuyasha told her firmly.

She shook her head, her eyes darting past the hanyou pleadingly. "Miroku…"

The monk frowned tightly, and he looked conflicted.

"What choice do I have?" she asked, eyes blazing as she turned back to Inuyasha. "I have to trust my brother!"

"This whole thing reeks of Naraku," Inuyasha said.

Sango was breathing hard, her hands curled into firsts as she shook her head once more in agitation. "If we hadn't come to his aid, that mantis would have taken his Jewel shard and he really would have died!"

xXx

Kohaku stared hard at the floor, flinching as the voices outside got even louder. The woman – Sango, his sister – sounded upset. The angry man was shouting at her. He didn't know exactly what they were talking about, but he knew that the man thought he was dangerous.

"…would have died!"

"That's the trap! That's what he wants you to think!"

Sango's voice raised even higher. "It's not a trap!"

He squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath. They were all unhappy because of him. He was hurting his sister just by being there! He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't stay with them – he couldn't be the cause for their group to be at odds. He had to leave. He picked up his kusarigama and crept to the small hole in the wall at the opposite end of the storehouse. He crawled through it quietly, but the arguing pair were too caught up in each other to notice. He glanced around the side of the storehouse, just to take one final look at his sister. Her face was twisted with rage, the threat of tears in her eyes.

"You're being blinded by love!" the man in red was shouting.

"Enough!" Sango yelled. "You don't know how I feel!"

"Open your eyes!"

Kohaku sighed and whispered a soft farewell before he turned and ran into the forest.

"Let me tell you something-" Sango started, and she looked like she was about to throw punches.

"Shh," Inuyasha hushed, cutting her off as his ears twitched. He glanced behind them to where Miroku was already standing, looking back at the horizon.

"They're coming," the monk warned.

"Hundreds of 'em," Inuyasha breathed.

The stench of demons was slowly filling the air. He could hear them, their screeching voices overlapping into a low hum in the night sky. They looked like dark clouds from this distance, but they were quickly approaching. A hoard of demons larger than any he'd seen before was racing towards them, led by a swarm of Saimyosho.

"Naraku's advanced guard," Miroku observed grimly.

"It's Kohaku they're after!" Sango gasped.

She spun around and ran for the storehouse. Inuyasha growled and called after her "Sango, don't be stupid!"

An attack would be the perfect time for Kohaku to take them off guard, when they were utterly distracted by the overwhelming number of demons. They were mostly weak demons, at least, but their sheer number could still prove fatal. Inuyasha ran towards the hoard, stopping only to slap Miroku's right arm down as he lifted it, hissing "Don't you dare!"

He leapt at the Saimyosho first, trying to get as many as possible with his claws. Because while Miroku was an idiot, he had a point – Inuyasha could only take out so many with the Wind Scar. The sword was still heavy, too heavy to use for a long battle. They would also need the wind tunnel.

"Kohaku!" Sango shouted, flinging open the storehouse door. "Kohaku!"

But it was no use. The room was utterly empty, save for Hiraikotsu and her sword still leaning against the wall. A shout from Miroku drew her attention behind her.

"Sango!" he called back to her, reaching into his robes for his sutras. "The Jewel shard is heading that way!" He pointed into the forest, and his eyes were begging her to be careful. "Keep him safe!"

"Thank you!" she called back, jumping onto Kirara's back. The twin-tail quickly picked up the trail and bounded through the trees.

Inuyasha landed and was about to spring into the air again when crescent blades flashed from inside the swarm in a burst of white light. Inuyasha swore and dove out of the way, rolling to his feet and running without breaking stride. Miroku snatched Shippo off the ground and followed him, keeping low to avoid the flying blades. They crashed into the grass around him in a ceaseless barrage. The Inuaysha's hand grabbed his robe and pulled him forward, closer to the cover of the storehouse.

The attack slowed to a stop and they glanced back at the swarm, unsurprised to see Kagura falling from the sky. She landed lightly and laughed.

"Shippo," Miroku said urgently, shoving the kit towards the base of the storehouse. "Under there. If things go badly, you need to run."

"Kagura," Inuyasha growled, stepping between her and the monk. "Whaddya want this time?"

She smirked, waving her fan teasingly in front of her face. "I know you're hiding Kohaku. Inuyasha, just let me have him."

Inuyasha growled, one ear flicking to the empty storehouse. Hadn't Kagura heard or seen Kohaku escape?

"Don't play innocent with me!" Kagura drawled, almost sounding bored under her anger. "Hand over Naraku's kempt boy."

"Why do you want him so badly?" Miroku called out challengingly, stepping to Inuyasha's side, further blocking the storehouse from her.

"I don't, particularly," Kagura shrugged. "But when that little wretch went berserk and ran off, he still had the Jewel shard embedded in his back."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "That's why you've come for him?"

The first wave of demons touched down beside her, leering and salivating. Kagura didn't so much as glance at them. "Naraku always goes overboard. Imagine dispatching this enormous army simply to retrieve the shard! You might as well just hand him over and save yourselves the death."

Miroku's mind was racing. "You only want the Jewel shard?" he asked, ignoring the incredulous look that Inuyasha sent him.

"Correct," Kagura shrugged. "Of course, once that's removed, Kohaku will die. We're under orders to let Sango have him after that."

Miroku was the one to growl this time, but it presented a way out. If they didn't care whether Kohaku lived or died, then perhaps he really had escaped! What use would he be to Naraku if they could no longer control him? And if all Kagura wanted was the shard, well, Miroku had a few shards of his own. Just maybe…

xXx

Kohaku was running for his life. He could hear the insects following him. How had they found him here? He skidded to a stop as a second swarm descended from the broken canopy above him. They were both moving towards him, cutting off any chance for escape. He lifted his kama and began spinning it around on its chain – this was going to be a tough fight.

Before he could throw the kama, a large bent weapon flew through the trees, slicing through several insects. Kohaku spun around, relief shooting through him so fast that he forgot that she'd been the one he was running from, initially. Sango caught the weapon as it returned to her and landed from where she'd jumped from Kirara's back. The twin-tail landed beside her, both of them staring at him.

"You're alright," Sango breathed.

"I don't understand," Kohaku shook his head. "Why? Why did you come? They were after me!"

Sango shook her head and walked towards him, a gentle look on her face. "Kohaku, please. Stay with me. Don't leave me behind again."

He took a step back, emotions coursing through him. "Why? Why are you doing all this for me?"

She knelt down in front of him, looking up at him through shining eyes. "You're my brother. You're my one and only little brother. I would do anything to keep you safe."

Kohaku was speechless. As one, Sango and Kirara glanced to the sky, where the swarm of giant insects were reforming. Behind them, a wave of demons approached.

"Kirara," Sango said, calling the twin-tail to her side. "Take Kohaku and regroup with Inuyasha and Miroku. I'll join you once I finish with this bunch."

Kirara grumbled worriedly but presented her back to Kohaku, who climbed on. He cast a frightened glance back at Sango, and she met him with a reassuring smile. As Kirara took off back the way they'd come, Kohaku watched Sango's weapon fly through the air again and again. The demons fell in chunks around her and, just as she disappeared from view, he could see her pull out the sword at her hip. It wasn't like anything Kohaku had ever seen. She was incredible!

A giant worm demon crashed through the canopy above them. Kohaku cried out but Kirara didn't even slow down, just leapt at the demon head-on. Kohaku clung to her back as her powerful jaws bit through the demon's throat. She landed but didn't continue, growling at the demons circling above them. As soon as her eyes found them, the demons dove. Kirara sprang into the air, tearing at them with teeth and claws. Kohaku tried to hang on, he really did, but she was moving so fast! When she rolled to avoid a demon's bite, he fell from her back with a cry.

He'd barely hit the ground before Kirara landed on top of him, shielding him with four powerful legs as she growled and snapped. She had wounded several of them and killed one more, but they were pressing in on all sides. Kohaku tried to crawl out from under her, to help her, but she was moving so fast! She spun around ceaselessly, swiping at the encroaching demons, her legs framing him on all sides.

"Kirara, down!" a voice shouted from behind them.

Kirara didn't hesitate before flattening herself to the ground, Kohaku's face pressed against her chest. Something small and round like a rock thudded into the ground beside them, and a thick yellow smoke began billowing from the object. Kirara growled and closed her eyes, and Kohaku coughed and gagged at the foul-smelling substance. The demons around them reared back, temporarily blinded by the smoke. Then Sango leapt through the trees, her sword taking the head off one of the demons before she lifted Hiraikotsu. One swing of the weapon swept around them, slicing through the remaining demons.

Sango reached to a bamboo canteen at her side and spared just a moment to splash water over Kiara's tightly closed eyes. The twin-tail wheezed and blinked several times before nodding. Sango placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at Kohaku, her eyes scanning him perfunctorily, searching for injuries. But there was no time to say anything, as another wave of demons had found them. Without a pause, Kirara shot into the air, barrelling straight into the first demon and using her momentum to fling it back into the others. As she drew their attention, Sango grabbed Kohaku's hand and dragged him behind her.

"Come on!" she shouted, the gentle voice she'd had earlier replaced by hard-edged steel. "We need to get back to the others!"

Somehow, running by her side seemed to be the safest place in the world. She was so familiar – he just couldn't remember! And he wanted to. He wanted so badly to know who he had been before. He wanted to be the brother that she so clearly yearned for. But every time he pressed too hard, an eerie, cold dread began to seep through him. It was almost like he was afraid. But of what? Was it the same thing that caused that man to look at him like the enemy, or that fox child to be afraid of him? It wasn't just that he couldn't… There was something he didn't want to remember.

Kill her.

Kohaku stumbled behind her and Sango didn't stop, just held his arm tighter and kept running. She prayed that Kirara would be alright. Their only chance was to get back to the others, where she was sure another battle was raging. That idiot Miroku had better not be using the wind tunnel with all the Saimyosho patrolling the air! No, Inuyasha wouldn't let him. And Shippo! She swore quietly and ran faster. So much for keeping him safe. Once Kirara rejoined them, she would send both the fox and Kohaku off with her to somewhere safe. If such a place could still be found.

Kohaku stumbled once more and his hand slipped from hers. She spun around, deathly afraid that he'd been injured. Instead he was staring blankly at her, a cold, unseeing look in his eyes that had her heart pounding and nausea rolling through her. No! No, no, no- It couldn't be happening again.

"Kohaku," she gasped, voice hoarse and strangled with fear.

"What a shame," he said in a distant, lifeless voice. "That you're so far from the others."