Meanwhile, the tension between Shippou and InuYasha had died down to their normal animosity toward each other. Shippou lay curled up in Kagome's arms. "Kagome," Shippou said, looking up at her. "Sango's been gone for a while. I know she went to take a bath, but she hasn't come back yet." Kagome looked around and realized that Shippou was right. "You're right. It shouldn't have taken her this long to bathe." She stood, still holding Shippou in her arms. She walked over to the base of the tree that InuYasha was perched in. "InuYasha, have you seen Sango?" She received a grunt in reply. "Look InuYasha, I'm sorry about telling you to sit earlier-" InuYasha promptly fell face first from the tree into the ground. "Oops. sorry. That was a total accident!" Kagome couldn't help but laugh a bit. InuYasha pulled himself up from the ground and brushed off his clothes, trying desperately not to start yelling at her. "What do I look like, a bloodhound? I don't sniff on command!" Miroku walked over to them. "What seems to be the trouble?" "Sango's missing. What'd you do to her, Miroku?" InuYasha asked, smirking. Miroku glared at him slightly then turned and ran in the direction that Sango had set off in earlier. When he arrived at the river, Miroku began to look around. The others quickly joined him. "See anything, Miroku?" Kagome asked, setting Shippou on the ground. "Not a sign of her. Damn." He turned to InuYasha. "Could you just see if you could find her sce-" "Didn't I just say I don't sniff on command?!" InuYasha said, earning himself a smack on the back of his head from Miroku's staff. "OW! Alright, alright!" He lowered himself to all fours and began to sniff the ground. "Well?" Shippou asked impatiently, tugging on InuYasha's clothes. "Hold your horses! I have a lot of scents to sift through!" InuYasha continued to sniff. "Alright, there's Sango's scent." He paused for a moment then his eyes narrowed. "I'd know those two scents anywhere." "Whose are they?" "Kohaku and Naraku's," InuYasha answered, standing. Miroku's fist tightened and he clenched his teeth together. "Well, there's only one thing for us to do," he said after a while, "and that's to go after her." Kagome nodded in agreement. Miroku began to walk back towards their camp. In a castle a few miles away, Sango lay on the floor of the darkest, deepest dungeon, unconscious. A large gash across her head leaked blood, trickling down her face. A large rat scrambled over her chest and sniffed at her mouth. Sango coughed and woke up, throwing the rat off. "Where am I?" she wondered aloud, setting her hand in something moist and slimy. She made a disgusted face and attempted to shake off the muck. Sango squinted trying to make out anything at all. A torch dimly lit one corner of the dungeon where a skeleton hung against the wall by chains. Sango closed her eyes and tried to repress the nausea that threatened to overwhelm her. Just as she thought she would lose all control over her queasiness, the loud, creaky sound of a rusty door opening echoed through the filthy prison. As she turned toward the sound, a bright, searing light sliced its way through the darkness. Sango was forced to raise her arm over her face to see. She could barely make out the outline of a young boy. "Kohaku?" Sango rose to her feet and looked at the boy, her eyes burning from the light. She slowly advanced towards the door. Her footsteps felt heavy as she tried to get to him, each step claiming a little bit of what little strength she still possessed. Not seen to Sango, Kohaku smiled an evil, malicious smile. Sango gasped as he raised his weapon above his head. "And now, Sango, you meet your demise."