Oof. This chap's a tad longish. Sorry, I tried to break it down into two for better reading, but there was just no plausible cut off spot without adding yet another scene. It's worth it, I swear! Just keep reading!
Ooh, and speaking of. I got reviews! And from famous authors! * Dies in happiness. *
Disclaimer: Inu Yasha and all assorted affiliates does in no way belong to me…..yet.
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Toe The Line
By Phoenix Cubed
Chapter 2: A Sucker's Choice
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"No!"
Inu Yasha started into wakefulness, shooting up from the darkness and dripping with cold perspiration. His back was ramrod straight and his chest heaved beneath the thick covering of the fire rat kimono; the rest of his body remained static in a dreamer's paralysis against the trunk of a wide tree that he was resting against. The demi-human's amber eyes were wide-eyed and unblinking as they locked onto the campfire before him, the flames inadvertently causing an unending replay of his most recent nightmare.
He had watched them fall, helpless to do anything but jump blindly after them, screaming their names as he did. Two pairs of deep-set brown eyes had pleaded for his help, and he'd been able to nothing but cry out and reach blindly into the flames. Of course, rules of the masochistic dictated that he would awaken just as his hand had been about to reach…someone. He hadn't been able to tell who.
The campfire continued to blaze with considerable heat and strength, despite the close proximity of dawn and the fact that early morning watch seemed to have dozed off. Inu Yasha glared across the camp circle. Miroku was destined for a very rude awakening come morning.
"I, Inu Yasha?" Kagome's sleepy voice cut through his poisonous thoughts, causing him to start for the second time in less than a few moments.
"Kagome," he said, not able to keep surprise from leaking into his voice, and he turned to see Kagome blink the sleep from her eyes and replace it with concern as she focused on him.
"I heard you yell," she told him, sitting up and shifting out of her sleeping bag, "are you all right?"
"I'm fine," he said shortly, recovering his composure. "Go back to sleep."
Kagome ignored the order and crawled over her sleeper to sit next to him, replacing the already small distance between them with a hairsbreadth. After a brief bout of insomnia last night that had consisted of jumping from branch to branch while trying to find a suitable sleeping cradle, Inu Yasha had given one large snort of disgust and dropped back to the ground. He would have been in for a row of teasing had anyone been awake to witness his arboreal acrobatics, but as it was he'd been greeted by nothing but the crackling pops of the fire and Shippo's mumbled dreams. He'd glared over at Shippo, irrationally jealous of the cub for being able to get a good night sleep while Inu Yasha could not. His jealousy, of course, had nothing to do with the lucky little bastard's place in Kagome's arms, his head resting peacefully next to her heart to listen to a never-ending lullaby. Oh no, he was just mad because he was sure it was Shippo's sleepy murmurings that were keeping him up. So he'd sat on the edge of Kagome's sleeping bag, glaring at the kit, listening to the steady rise and fall of Kagome's breathing until the world had faded away into dreams.
Stupid dreams. Stupider nightmares. And even above that, stupid him for once again falling into the trap that was Kagome. Inu Yasha was cursed was cursing himself five ways to the new moon as Kagome settled by his side and lifted a tentative hand to his face.
"You sure you're okay? You're sweating," she said.
"I'm sitting by a fire."
"Not that close."
"What is this, an interrogation?" Inu Yasha griped, "I said I was fine!"
"Okay, okay," she said, leaning away from him, "but if you're really fine, would you mind letting go of Shippo? I don't think that color of red is healthy for anything but your clothes."
"And not even then!" Piped up a little voice.
Inu Yasha blinked and looked down, only to notice that his hand was tightly fisted around the young kitsune's tail, suspending the cub upside down off the ground. "Shippo? How did you get there?"
Arms crossed and red faced from his awkward position, Shippo glared at the half demon, "you grabbed me, stupid! Here I was, having a great dream when you start yelling and flailing about! And then you grab my tail! If you're going to have a nightmare, can't you at least do it in a tree—away from my tail?"
"A nightmare! What?" Inu Yasha sputtered, "I was not!"
"Oh yes you were!" Shippo accused. He scrunched his eyes closed and began to wriggle about in an extravagant manner, "you kept shouting 'no, no! Don't!' and then you shouted for Kagome and—eek!"
Shippo was cut off as Inu Yasha huffed and tossed the fox kit at Kagome, wanting to stop Shippo's embarrassing impersonation just as much as he didn't want to know what exactly he'd yelled out loud during his moments of surreality.
"Keh," he huffed, "I didn't have a nightmare."
"Of course not," Kagome smiled at him and hugged Shippo close as the kitsune continued to mutter about idiot half-breeds. "But you know… if you did, that be okay, too."
"Keh. Whatever." The half demon grunted and stood up to move off Kagome's sleeping bag. Shaking the creases from his clothes, he turned about until he was facing the fire once more. For a brief count of time he stared at the blazing kindling, his face unreadable in the flickering light of the bright flames, and it made Kagome think that maybe Inu Yasha was considering telling her about whatever had been bothering him enough to cause another night of bad dreams and terrors.
"Are you going to sleep again?" He asked finally, his eyes never leaving the fire.
So much for that idea. "No," she replied, her voice quiet to hide her disappointment, "I don't think so."
"Then let's go," he said, bending down to dump dirt on the fire. "We've got a long way to go today."
From the other side of the camp Kirara began to stir. The tiny cat demon's eyes slid open to focus on Inu Yasha, who nodded to the feline's silent question. Kirara yawned in response and uncurled herself from beside her current mistress, stretching a bit before nuzzling Sango in an effort to wake her up.
"You know, Inu Yasha," Kagome said as she watched him scrape damp earth over the flames, "We have a water bucket."
"I know."
"Then what—"
"Pack up," he said, stamping uncharacteristically hard on the smoldering ashes, "I wanna get moving."
"What about Miroku?" Sango yawned, already tying together her sleeping gear as she gave a nod in the monk's direction.
"I'll get him," Inu Yasha replied, not bothering to hide the smirk that crept over his face and into his voice. He grabbed the full water pail that sat next to the fire and stood up, careful not to spill as he made his way over to the last member of his company.
"Oi, Miroku!"
There was a splash and a disturbingly high yelp, causing Sango to roll her eyes and Kagome and Shippo to drop their heads with a sigh of resignation.
"And just when you think he was acting serious," Kagome muttered.
"Hmph," Shippo replied, "Inu Yasha is about as serious and mature as his outfit is stylish."
******
It was sometime later that the small group of travelers found themselves on a well-worn cart trail leading them southeast. Miroku and Inu Yasha took the lead, and behind them some distance were a more leisurely walking Sango and Kagome carrying Shippo and Kirara. Neither girl felt the need of their male counterparts to hurry the morning along, and so they enjoyed a friendly conversation and a gentle pace as they watched the last bit of dawn's coloring fade to blue. The sun had risen in a spectacular show some time ago, as it was prone to do in those pollution free days and indeed many after, and was now flooding the forests and rice fields with its life giving light and warmth.
Kagome smiled as she took in a deep breath of the crisp morning air. It would be a good day to travel, a sunny and clear sky with the cool atmosphere of early fall. The cheery weather was a welcome change from the conditions of the past few days. Damp and windy, darker clouds than the ones that hung ominously in the sky could only be found on the countenances of her traveling companions. Spirits had been low following the battle at Mt. Hakurei and the events leading to and just after Kikyo's death. Not knowing what else to do, they had returned to the village by the well to rest and regroup, allowing Kagome to slip back to her own time without even a whisper of protest from Inu Yasha. The dog demon had been too busy trying to break the news of Kikyo's latest demise to the resurrected priestess's younger now aged sister, Kaede. But unlike Inu Yasha, the village head had been accepting of the tale, regretful only for the inability to replace Kikyo's remains to her enshrined resting place.
Kagome knew that Inu Yasha had been disturbed by Kaede's lack of grief, and even more so by something she had told him; though no one could tell Kagome the words that they had exchanged. Because of the unsettling events surrounding Kikyo's final scene, Kagome expected him to go off alone a day or two and engage in a bout of sulking and dangerous, self-destructive thought. But it had shocked Kagome to see Inu Yasha appear before her again not a day after she'd left him, commanding her attention and company.
He'd been rude, obstinate, and almost his old self in his demands that she immediately return to the Feudal Era with him so that they could get moving on a lead to a Shikon Jewel shard. But he'd also been hesitant, unsure, and expressive in a way that put Kagome completely off guard.
I wanted to see your face again.
Being a demon of many words and many more insults, it was impossible for Kagome to figure out just what Inu Yasha had really meant by his reluctant confession. And while she would love nothing better than to take his words directly to her heart, she could not get over the nagging suspicion—spurred on by her already shaky self-confidence—that recent events had triggered yet another case of mistaken identity. It hadn't been Kagome's face that Inu Yasha wanted to see.
Then again, Kagome's brain continued to mutter, perhaps it was. Because Kagome's face meant Kagome's presence, and Kagome's presence meant that the group could continue engaging in their never ending pastime of shard hunting. Which was exactly what they were doing now, again. Having not been home more than a day, the group had departed only yesterday afternoon upon learning of a demon who was rumored to know the whereabouts of nearly every Shikon Jewel fragment still left unclaimed. Though far fetched, the rumor was too good to pass by uninvestigated.
Or so the informant claimed.
"Hey, Myouga," Inu Yasha tapped the ancient flea on the head with a clawed finger, "tell me about this Moo Moo guy, or whatever."
"Mimisenri, Lord Inu Yasha," Myouga corrected for the fifth time that morning, patiently enduring being ground into the prayer beads of Inu Yasha's rosary necklace. "He's a very ancient demon that lives in a lake on the edge of the Older Forest. Mimisenri has excellent hearing, and so there is very little that he doesn't know or cannot find out. However, he's known to be somewhat of, ah, a recluse, and more selective of his visitors than the swordsmith Toutousai. We may have difficulty locating him once he learns of our coming, if he decides he does not wish to see us."
"So basically you've brought us out on a wild goose chase," Inu Yasha said, reaching once more for his tiny retainer.
But Myouga was quicker this time, jumping to Miroku's shoulder and ducking behind the monk's short dragon tail. "Forgive me, Lord Inu Yasha, but it was the best I could do!"
Inu Yasha made as if to chase the flea, causing Miroko to sigh and fend off his companion with a halfhearted swipe of his staff. "Leave him be, Inu Yasha. You know as well as I do that these days a rumor is better than nothing. The jewel is almost complete and fragments are scarce. We need to take what we can get."
"I know, I know already!" Inu Yasha retorted, "you don't have to tell me like I'm stupid."
"No," Miroku agreed, "I have to tell you like you forget, which you do. And purposely, I might add."
"Its not intentional, I just have a lot of stuff to think about; that's all."
"Really," Miroku's voice was carefully neutral as he cast a side long glance at his friend, "and pray tell, what exactly is this 'stuff' that you're thinking of."
Inu Yasha fumbled a step before growling and snapping at his friend. "Stuff!" He said to Miroku, "I don't need to spill my every thought."
"If you had any to spill," Miroku sighed, cutting off Inu Yasha's protests with another swing of his staff. "Face it, Inu Yasha, there's only two things you're thinking about right now, and your mind wanders back and forth between them like—"
"Like your hands on girls?" Shippo supplied, appearing suddenly between the monk and the half demon.
"A truly unjust analogy," Miroku sniffed, donning an expression of injured pride.
"I'd say it was pretty accurate," Inu Yasha replied as he turned to look down at the fox cub. "I thought you were with Kagome and Sango."
"I was," Shippo answered, scaling Inu Yasha's body to perch on top of his head. "But they're talking about girl stuff, so I decided to come up here with you guys!"
"Decided to?" Miroku asked.
"Or was told," Inu Yasha snipped, flattening his ears sideways to avoid being pinched by Shippo's squirming body.
Shippo made a face at the top of Inu Yasha's head. "She asked me nicely, so there," he told his transport as he wriggled about some more to fish a sweet stick from his pocket.
Miroku eyed the sucker and turned to face the trail again to hide his smile, "I see."
"Oi, Shippo," Inu Yasha's eyes crossed at the top of his head to look up at the cub, "you drop that candy in my hair and I'll put so many lumps on your head it'll make this road look smooth. Got it?"
"Like I'd waste this on you," Shippo replied, slurping on the bulbous candy. "Yum, strawberry; my favorite!"
Still riding on Miroku's shoulder, Myouga smiled at the small cub's behavior. "Ah, to be young again. If only all problems could be solved with a sucker—instead of started by one."
"Huh?" Inu Yasha looked over at the ancient retainer. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Ah, nothing, M'lord," Myouga said quickly, hopping to the other side of Miroku's neck again. "I only mean that—"
"Save it," Inu Yasha sighed, losing interest in the conversation. Instead he flicked his already harassed ears back momentarily to catch a snatch of the girls' footsteps and voices, making sure they were all right. And just as quickly they flipped forward once more, the skin beneath his fur and across his nose burning pink in embarrassment.
Definitely girl stuff.
Inu Yasha glanced over to see Miroku sending him a curious and expectant expression.
"Not a chance, monk. Your thoughts are dirty enough as it is."
Miroku sighed. "Your problem, Inu Yasha, is that you don't appreciate the many virtues of the woman; the mind, body, and soul of a female are gifts that must be admired and, ah, discussed at length to achieve proper enlightenment."
"There's only one virtue you're after, letch. And from the too much that you've forced me to listen to already, there seems to be little discussion done beyond the introduction. Then even, I wonder."
"The best of ways of expressions are not always verbal." Miroku countered sagely. "Poetry in motion, as they say."
"Oh, for the love of—shut your mouth!" Inu Yasha cried, valiantly fighting the blush that was beginning to creep across his cheeks, "Myouga! How much further until we find this Mii Moo?"
"Mimisenri, M'lord—"
"Really, Inu Yasha, sometimes I wonder about you. Any sound person of a proper age—"
"—Being older than the brat on top of my head," Inu Yasha cut Miroku off again.
"Oh, I don't mind!" Shippo announced helpfully, still gnawing on his sweet stick.
"Well I do," the half demon growled, "Myouga! How long?"
"As I was saying—"
"Part of your problem may be just that," Miroku continued on, unmindful of the exasperated flea as he pursued what he knew a conversation that was rapidly becoming dangerous. "Your mind. After all, here you are a handsome demon at the prime of life, with your choice between two beautiful, devoted women—"
Inu Yasha halted, frozen in his tracks. The embarrassment that had colored his features only moments before vanished behind a closed, angry mask as he faced off against Miroku.
"I said shut the hell up, Miroku," he hissed, ears flat and eyes blazing. "That ain't a matter of choice and you should damn well know it! I don't get a—"
"Inu Yasha!" Kagome's voice cut through the tense stand off like a sword through soft flesh, causing Inu Yasha's amber eyes to snap from Miroku to her. His expression was fierce and intense, causing Kagome to falter slightly before she regathered her courage and stepped towards him again. "What's the yelling about," she asked, "what's a matter this time?"
"What's with these questions today? Leave me alone, would you?" Inu Yasha snarled, turning away from the shocked girl. Desperately he searched for a new subject before Kagome got it into her head to press the issue and start another verbal battle he couldn't fight. "Myouga, the distance!"
"No need to be snappish, Lord Inu Yasha," Myouga huffed, bounding over Miroku's small tail of hair, "As I was saying, its another few hours' walk before the trail turns south for another day or so. From there, 'tis only a matter of locating the demon Mimisenri."
"Fine, let's go." With that, Inu Yasha turned smartly back to the trail and stalked forward, leaving his silent and stunned companions in his wake.
"What was that about, Miroku?" Sango asked, concern for Inu Yasha pushing her voice and feet forward.
"Stupidity," Miroku answered with a sigh, falling in step beside her.
Shippo, who had been tossed off Inu Yasha's head after the half demon's outburst, hopped from the ground and into Kagome's arms. "It's okay, Kagome," Shippo tried to reassure the confused schoolgirl. "Inu Yasha's just tired. You know he gets like that way after a bad dream."
"I know, Shippo," Kagome smiled at the kit and gave him a hug, "but thanks."
"Kagome!" Sango called over her shoulder, waving for her friend to catch up.
"Coming!"
******
The companions continued their journey in more or less untouched silence from that point on. Inu Yasha marched purposely forward at the group's head, setting a terrific pace that Kagome thought would have killed any modern day power-walker. Still, she trudged dutifully behind her friends without a voice of complaint, hauling her abominably heavy bag on her back as she managed her daily miracle of keeping up with her much lighter-traveling friends. Hours later though, when the sun had passed from one half of the sky to the other and Inu Yasha had yet to call a break in their hike, Kagome began to feel the first hints of irritation. As well as blisters on her feet and cramps in her back muscles. That annoying git, he was pushing her like this on purpose! That stupid sun fried mind of his must have somehow connived another hair-brained reason to be angry, and now he was making her suffer for his stupidity! Most likely Inu Yasha was festering over his fight with Miroku and was now looking to pick a fight with Kagome to make himself feel better. Well, she'd show him! Kagome refused to give him the satisfaction of needing to ask for a rest, just so he could shoot her down. She'd walk all day if she had to, she thought; she—
A flicker of red touched the corner of her vision, causing her to look over with a start.
She was walking right next to him.
She squeaked and jumped away from him, not expecting the demi human to be walking so close beside her when he'd been far away only moments before. Her sudden movement caused her to slip a bit and she ended up tripping over a deep cart rut on the rockier side of the road. This caused Inu Yasha to look at her with a bewildered expression before his brows furrowed back into his normal contemplative scowl, and he reached a clawed hand over to pull her back to the safer area of the road. Previous thoughts forgotten, Kagome gave him a tiny smile of thanks before settling next to him, only to notice that the pace had slackened significantly as Inu Yasha continued to walk idly beside her. His hands were clasped behind his head and his eyes looked forward at nothing in particular before he slid them over and awarded her a brief, warm glance.
It was in that moment that Kagome understood the half demon's antics. Her mouth angled upwards in an amused smile as her hand reached back into her bag and fished out two more suckers. The white one, cheesecake, she handed to Inu Yasha; watching in amusement as he tore at the wrapper with a pleased, feral grin to have a go at his favorite flavor. She popped her own raspberry flavored sucker into her mouth and gave him a short, but no less meaningful look of her own.
Apology accepted.
The silence continued unbroken but for the licks and crunches of candy as Kagome and Inu Yasha wandered together down the cart trail, not bothering to tell their still speedy companions about the new change in pace.
They were noticed soon enough, however, when Sango and Miroku, hosting the demon entourage, disappeared over the top of a hill while following the cart road. A moment later Shippo came scurrying back over the hill and raced down to the two stragglers, calling Kagome's name and launching into her arms when he was close enough.
"What's up, Shippo?" Kagome asked, giggling a bit as the kit scuttled up her arm to reach her neck and give her a hug.
"You weren't behind us! I thought Inu Yasha got you mad and you went home!"
"Hey!" Inu Yasha protested, "I don't always gotta make her mad, you know."
"Could have fooled me," Shippo replied, giving Kagome's neck another squeeze. "Anyway, there's a division in the road on the other side of this hill. Miroku and Sango want to know if they go left or right."
"How should I know?" Inu Yasha snorted, "Myouga's the one who's supposed to be giving directions."
"Yeah, but he's with you, isn't he?"
Kagome and Inu Yasha stiffened, each of their faces suddenly blooming with crimson.
"He is?" Kagome strangled out.
"He better not be," Inu Yasha growled, his hands reaching to his neck and shoulders in a vermin hunt. It wasn't long before his claws pinched together over a small, soft body.
"Myouga!"
"Lord Inu Yasha!" Myouga opened his arms in a gesture of surprised innocence, "fancy seeing you—"
Squish!
"—Here." The now very flat flea made a grand impression of a feather as he fell from his master's vengeful claws and drifted down towards the ground.
Shippo made a tisking noise and reached out to catch the old demon. "Really, Myouga," he said, nudging the flea into his proper shape. "You should know better than to stay in Inu Yasha's way. He's too immature not to get mad and squish you."
"That's it," Inu Yasha growled and swiped his claws at the child.
Shippo squealed and ducked behind Kagome, causing Inu Yasha to swear at the baby demon and move to chase him. But Kagome stopped him with a sigh as she reached and laid a hand on his arm, "leave it alone, Inu Yasha."
"Keh," Inu Yasha grunted, but settled down anyway. He felt the slender hand on his forearm give a light squeeze before it slid away, and the situation was comfortable by the time the four of them went over the hill and down to their remaining companions.
Kagome immediately noticed the scenery change from one side of the hill to the other. While all during the day they had enjoyed a backdrop of healthy forests and rice fields, the land before them now was the dreary shade of dying brown and gray. The trees were gnarled and spindly, and their once towering heights were now withered and bent with the angles of age. Bushes and branches were bare, with few leaves having the strength in their stems to cling for dear life to their posts. The grass was thin and sparse as a bald man's comb over; and from somewhere ahead the wind brought the unpleasant smell of decay and stagnate water, causing Inu Yasha to snort and tilt his ears back in annoyance. The sudden change from a cheery to unpleasant atmosphere was enough to make Inu Yasha uneasy, and in as much a gesture to comfort himself as Kagome, he placed himself close in front of her as they walked down the hill to join Sango and Miroku.
"There is a great weight of age to this place," Miroku greeted them, "we must be careful here."
"Obviously," Inu Yasha replied, letting his hand wander to the hilt of Tetsusaiga. "Any more words of wisdom you'd like to share?"
Ignoring their mischief, Myouga hopped down from Shippo's hands and bounced to the trailhead. The road before the travelers split before them into three different directions. The cart trail they had been following made a sharp ninety-degree turn back to the northeast, showing the obvious choice of the traveling majority through this part of the country. The second trail was much less traveled and veered straight southwards; while the last road was even less used and took a west by south west direction.
"Its this way," Myouga announced, bounding a ways into the middle trail. "It leads around the edge of the Older Marsh and to the Older Forest, where it is bordered by—"
"The Older Lake?" Shippo snickered, picking up the flea again and hopping onto Miroku's shoulder.
"Well, let's get going then." Inu Yasha strode forward, falling in line behind Sango and Miroku. Not two paces later he stopped, realizing that a key member of his party was missing. "Kagome?" He ventured, turning around to locate the girl.
The girl in question was still standing at the trailhead, one hand raised to her chest in hesitation as she stared not at her retreating friends, but at the right most trail in the split.
"Kagome," Inu Yasha jumped to her side, "what is it?"
"A Shikon shard," she said quietly, still looking down the far right trail.
Inu Yasha followed her gaze. While neither of the south leading paths were exactly ideal, the wind told him that the one Kagome indicated was the last place he wanted to go. Something in the way it smelled bothered his senses.
"Ain't that our luck," he said, glossing over his unease with a smirk towards Kagome. "We came to ask about a shard, and one shows up for us. Looks like we don't have to go lookin' for that old geezer anymore."
"But Lord Inu Yasha," Myouga protested, coming back to join the half demon, "Mimisenri may know of others beyond what the Lady Kagome has just detected."
"He's right," Sango agreed, coming to stand before Inu Yasha. "Myouga's information is too valuable to let go."
"What do you suggest we do then," Inu Yasha snapped, "It'll be days out of our way if we go tromping around that forest looking for some old guy that probably doesn't even want to be found! And by the time we catch him and get what we want, the shard might move."
"Then we should split up," Miroku decided, thinking fast. "Sango and I will follow Myouga to Mimisenri, and you and Kagome can locate the jewel fragment. That way no time is lost."
"I don't know," Kagome said, doubtful, "if we split up, won't it be hard to find each other again?"
"Not if we meet at the village," Miroku replied, already turned back to the middle trail. "Myouga is willingly leading us to Mimisenri, so it can't be dangerous. You two can do the hard work of finding the shard and then go back to the village and rest. We'll catch up once we find this Mimisenri fellow."
Sango opened her mouth as if to say something, but as Miroku passed her by he quickly caught her eye and gave a minute shake of his head. Lightly taking her elbow, he pulled her along with him.
"What are you doing?" She hissed at him, trying to wrench her arm free.
Miroku held gamely on, "Giving a stubborn fool no choice," he muttered, using his other hand to wave goodbye at his friends, and also to catch Shippo from jumping off his shoulder to join Kagome.
"Wait!" He said, "I wanna go with Kagome!"
Miroku held the kit tighter. "Not this time, Shippo."
"But—"
"Shh," said the monk, winking at the kit.
Shippo, being the smart lad that he was, caught on immediately. He grinned wickedly and nodded, then turned to wave vigorously at Kagome and Inu Yasha. "Bye Kagome, see you in a few days! And you be nice to her, Inu Yasha!"
"Uh…bye?" Kagome said, dipping her fingers in a confused wave of goodbye. She watched as the majority of her friends practically tore down their trail at top speed, leaving her and a very confused half demon in their dusty wake.
"What do you suppose that was about?" Kagome asked.
"No idea," answered an equally befuddled Inu Yasha.
******
That's it; I'm ending this chapter! Goodness, it got a bit longer than I had planned. But the more the merrier, I always say! ^.^;; Hows about a review for my poor aching fingers?
