"I guess we can camp here," I announced, dropping to the ground under a tree. I'd pushed them hard today, but Kagome was sensing jewel shards up ahead. Of course, it didn't seem like we were getting any closer. I sighed deeply and closed my eyes.

"Not all of us are super-human like you, Inuyasha," Kagome's voice chided me. "You have to stop for us occasionally, so there's no point in pouting about it."

I opened one eye and looked at her. "I ain't pouting, woman. I'm thinking." I knew she wasn't going to believe that.

"Whatever. Come on, Shippou, let's go get some firewood so we can boil water for dinner," she turned and stomped off. Shippou followed her, without a word of resistance. The stupid kid follows her around like a puppy. Although, I guess the rest of us do too.

I closed my eyes again, and waited for Miroku to come over and tell me that I was being harsh to Kagome. I figure he'll take the time to fondle Sango. "Pervert!" came the yell, right with my thoughts. Then, he'll walk around the parameter of the camp, and drop to sit on my left.

I heard a rustle of grass to my left, and then Miroku spoke, "So, you are thinking."

I opened both eyes, and fixed him with a stare trying to convey that he needed to leave me alone. I saw the red on his cheek from where Sango slapped him. "Again? When are you going to give it up?"

Miroku just grinned broadly at me. "It wasn't as hard this time," he confided in a quiet voice. "I'm starting to think she likes it."

I glance at Sango to see if she noticed. "I wouldn't say that so loud, monk. She's still in camp." Sango was sitting with her back to us, working on her Hiraikotsu.

Miroku just grinned at me. "She'd pretend she couldn't hear, even if she did. She doesn't want to admit anything to me."

"Do you blame her?" I asked, with a smirk.

"No, of course not. It's just rather amusing," Miroku turned serious, and I knew this was why he came over to talk. "Just like someone else I know pretends not to notice admissions of interest."

I turned away from him, and turned to watch Sango polish her bone Hiraikotsu. "She wouldn't have to keep polishing if she didn't have to keep hitting you. You're making more work for her." I tried changing topics quickly. Miroku was leading me down a road I didn't want to go.

"You can't change topics that easily, Inuyasha," Miroku said with a shake of his head.

"But we're finished, aren't we?" I asked, opening my eyes wide, waiting for him to decide that I was too dumb to know what was going on.

But, before Miroku could say anything, Kagome and Shippou came running back into camp, out of breath. "Demon," Kagome gasps and points behind her.

I turn to where she pointed and drew Tessiaga. It leapt immediately into its larger form, and I moved to stand between whatever was oncoming and Kagome. I noticed out of the corner of my eye right eye that Sango stood, and waited. I could sense Miroku standing on the other side of Kagome, just in case. The damn monk was finally learning.

Through the brush a huge beast lunged forward. He walked on four legs and had four eyes. But, all his eyes were all in front, so it'll be easy to get on one side where he wouldn't be able to see me. He had a scaly exterior, but it was plates. That means I can push my sword between the plates to get to the fleshy parts. He stood significantly taller than me, but I think that he's only slightly bigger than Kirara's transformed form. Not half as big as Sesshomaru's transformed form. I can take him, I decide. "Does he have a shard, Kagome?" I ask, before I move.

I hear her clothing rustle as she peeks around my back. I can feel her nearness, and it makes me smile on the inside. Of course, now is not the time to be thinking about that, so I push the thought away, to think about later. "I'm sensing 2 shards," she said, "but this demon only has 1."

"Where's it at?" I ask, sharply.

"In its chest," she answers, yelping with surprise. I spare a glance behind me, and I see Miroku grabbed her arm and pulled her back from me.

"You can't be too close to him, Lady Kagome. He's not aware of himself when he jumps," Miroku explained calmly.

I growled slightly at that, "Monk, give me some credit."

At that moment, Sango saw her opportunity and released her Hiraikotsu. It sliced through the air, and hit the demon on the right side of his head. He turned towards her, and I saw my opening. I jumped forward, and landed on his left, by his front leg, about a foot away. I slammed the Tessiaga in between the plates of scales, right above his leg. The beast screamed and turned, ripping the Tessiaga from my hand as it was lodged firmly between the scales.

"Dammit!" I yelled, and lunged after it. The monster turned his head again, and I suspect that Sango hit it with her weapon again. It was just the distraction I needed, and I grabbed the Tessiaga and twisted it. The monster howled in pain as I pulled out Tessiaga and jumped back, hoping to miss the fountain of blood that would follow.

The blood that came out was thick and sluggish. But, it still started flowing from the wound. I looked across at Sango, who was paused, waiting to see what I'd do. She motioned to the creature again, and I could tell she wanted to attack it at the same time. The creature was standing, shaking its head and trying to get an idea of where we were at. I nodded slightly, not saying anything for fear of missing something from where Kagome was standing with Miroku and Shippou.

I noticed Sango's muscles tense in her arms, as she got ready to heave the Hiraikotsu over her head again. I lunged at that moment, so the movement was at the same time. What I didn't take into account was that the monster gave up trying to get us, and was pushing forward again to where Kagome was standing. I hit a scale on the monster's side, rather than between scales. Tessiaga cut a groove in the scale, but didn't penetrate. I heard a whoosh as the Hiraikotsu passed over head, and another as it returned to Sango.

"Miroku, stop it," I yelled to him, realizing the monster was picking up speed, before I would have a chance to get there.

Miroku nodded once, and stepped forward in front of Kagome with his shakujou raised. Sango threw her Hiraikotsu and it hit the back of the monster's head at the same time that Miroku hit the creature in the eyes.

Another howl echoed through the forest before I finally reached the monster. I could see where the plates separated under his tail. I hoped Shippou didn't notice this, or I'd never hear the end of it. "Kaze no Kizu," I yelled, and drove the Tessiaga's energy through the beast from behind. The creature split open with each half falling on either side of me. As soon as the halves stilled, Kagome decided to rush forward to grab the shard.

"Would you stay back, already?" I yelled at her. "We don't know if it's dead yet!" I could just see the creature still moving an arm and clawing at her.

"If I don't get it," Kagome yelled back, "then it will regenerate and then where will we be." She reached down and pulled the shard out, holding it up to the light. "Got it."

The demon dissolved, and I stepped forward and walked past Kagome, Tessiaga still drawn. "You said there were two shards. Where's the other one?" I asked, wary of another attack.

At that moment, I heard a yell from Shippou. "Behind you." He was frantic with worry.

I turned, and behind the group raced a human. As he ran, he drew his sword.

"It's in his sword arm," Kagome said, quietly, as she started to reach for her bow. "I can get it."

"He'll be here before that," I say, and step between her and the attacker.

"You can't kill him, Inuyasha," she said. "I don't care how evil he is, he's still human."

I glanced at Miroku and Sango, who were getting ready to assist me with the attack. Miroku nodded with Kagome. Sango just shrugged.

I noticed Miroku tense, and I turned to see what was going on. The human was close enough to him that he could be perceived as a threat. Miroku held the shakujou out at the last minute as the human tried running past it, tripping him and knocking him to the ground. We stood to watch and see what he was planning on doing. His breathing was labored. He'd chased the former demon for quite awhile, I think. I could smell fear on him as well as the demon.

"He was controlling it," I say, half to myself.

Sango nodded, "Didn't you notice the collar when you attacked?" she asked me.

I just shook my head. "No, course not."

Shippou snickered at that, and I bonked him lightly on the head before he could even start. "Ow, Inuyasha! That hurt," he whined at me.

"Don't laugh at your elders," I answered, without taking my eyes off the human. He was finally starting to stand to his feet.

After he rose to his feet, he looked at us watching him. "Thank you for stopping that beast," he said, oblivious to what we'd said before about him controlling it. "I owe you a debt of gratitude, but I do not know to whom I owe my favors. I am Nishimura Ichiro."

"Feh, you owe us nothing," I said, rudely, ready to leave the human to his own devices.

"Don't be so rude, Inuyasha," Kagome said, stepping forward. Perfectly normal, I thought, cause she does it all the damn time. Who died and appointed her ruler.

"I am Kagome, this is Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango and Shippou," she said, pointing to each of us in turn.

Nishimura bowed deeply, and Kagome returned the bow. When he rose, however, he had his sword in his hand. Sango and I noticed it at the same time. "Kagome, watch out," I heard Sango yell. I pushed Kagome out of the way, so I ended up being at the tip of the sword. I felt it push into my gut, and felt my bones break around it. Suddenly, I realized it was also coming out my back at a lovely angle since he was rising up to do the stabbing. That'll teach me, I thought.

Sango hit the man over the head with her Hiraikotsu, and he fell to the ground unconscious, taking the sword with him. I was barely aware of the fact, since I knew that if I hadn't taken the hit, it would have been Kagome. I was hurt, but I couldn't feel it I was so shocked that she let herself get that close to danger.

"Dammit," I said, looking at Kagome. "What were you thinking?" I grabbed her arm and pulled her close.