Thanks again for so many great reviews.  Not one flame I received, and I'm not complaining!  Glad you all are interested in my story.  I'm happy-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y!  It's *ahem* THE BLIZZARD OF 2003! *dun dun dun* All those who live in the DC/metro area know what I'm talking about.  The weather guy says at least a foot and a half!  Oh hell yeah, this is what I've been waiting for!  So, anyway, on to the story, right?  Will we figure out anything about Miroku?  *insert dramatic music*

MY DISCLAIMER IS AS FOLLOWS: I do not own Inu Yasha or anything having to do with Inu Yasha except for this fanfic itself, 2 DVD's and 3 manga's.  But I own something Rumiko Takahashi doesn't own.  What's that, you ask?  THE SNOW IN MY BACKYARD!  MWA HA HA HA!

            "Miroku-sama?  Miroku-sama, wake up!"  A voice whispered urgently.

            The monk opened his eyes, and realized that the candles in the room had been blown out.  The man couldn't see the face before him, but he knew it was Kimi.  The girl gently shook Miroku.

            "I'm awake.  What's going on?"

            "We must leave immediately."

            "Can you at least tell me what's happening?" The monk pried.

            "Houshi-sama, we will explain when we are very far away from here," Sango said.  "Can you stand?"

            The monk shook his head.  "I don't think so."

            Kimi nodded and bent down.  The girl swung Miroku's left arm over her shoulders, and indicated for Sango to do the same.  The man winced as his wound was stretched.

            "Where are Inu Yasha and Lady Kagome?"

            "They already left.  Now come on, we can't carry you, you have to make some effort to walk," Kimi said as she pushed the door open.

            The trio slowly made their way down the halls, without much help from the monk, but never the less, they made it outside.  Miroku gaped at the site.

            It was now night and the full moon was clouded by plumes of ebony smoke.  The man didn't know how could've not smelled the black smoke billowing from the far side of the mansion.  Flames licked at the blue-black sky and the clash of metal on metal could be heard in the distance.  Kirara was standing ready a few feet away from the three, lifting her front paws up anxiously.  Sango hopped onto the cat demon's back, and then pulled Miroku up behind her, who was followed by Kimi.  As soon as the girl was seated, Kirara shot off into the sky.

            "Where is the Lord?" Miroku asked.

            "Dead, all the men are gone as well," Kimi replied.

            Miroku started.

            "Who was fighting back there?"

            "Inu Yasha-sama," Kimi replied.

            The girl had a death grip on Kirara's fur as the demon flew, and her voice shook slightly when she spoke.

            "Is something wrong?" Sango asked, hearing ragged breathing from behind her.

            "It's just…I've never ridden a demon before…"

            Sango and Miroku laughed, but the monk abruptly stopped with a suppressed moan of pain.

            "Houshi-sama?"

            Miroku brought a hand up to his chest, and when he pulled it away, it was stained crimson.  Kimi saw the blood, and gasped.

            "What's wrong?" Sango asked, fear in her voice.

            "It's Miroku-sama, his wound has re-opened."

            Sango swallowed with some difficulty as she totally comprehended what the girl was telling her.  A re-opened wound is bad.  It's even worse when the wound is in a vital part of the body, like the chest.  And, it's even worse than worse when no supplies were on hand to re-treat the wound.  Damn it.  The demon exterminator bit her lip in frustration.

            "Lady Sango, I think…I think Inu Yasha-sama may have been…mistaken…when he said that Miroku-sama wasn't poisoned."

            "What?!"

            As Sango turned around, Kimi pointed to Miroku's chest, indicating the now strange black-ish tint to what should be vermilion.  The flow of the blood was unusually sluggish as well.  Oh no…

            "We have to get him help, with out an antidote of some sort…" Kimi trailed off, the rest need not be said, for all three of them knew what would happen.

            "How could Inu Yasha have been mistaken?  His nose…he has such a good sense of smell and…" Sango said, a lump forming in her throat.

            "Some poisons aren't even detectable until hours have passed.  Even Inu Yasha-sama could have been fooled."

            The demon hunter nodded.  She felt Miroku's hands tighten on her shoulders as his breath began to come in pants, and she grit her teeth.  The woman began to search the trees below her frantically, looking for any sign of water.  Luck was on her side!  A small spring was just up ahead, and Sango urged Kirara faster.

            "Hang on, Miroku,  you have got to hang on…"

            The cat demon landed, and the two women quickly lifted the man off her back and brought him to the crystal water.  Sango quickly pulled the shoulder of Miroku's robes down, exposing the wound, and tore away the bandages. The woman's eyes widened in horror.  The poison seemed to actually be eating at the monks' skin, making the hole bigger, little by little.  Just like his wind tunnel…The demon hunter ripped a piece of the fabric around her waist off, and dipped it into the cool spring.

            "Here, Lady Sango, I'll do it," Kimi said softly, taking the dampened cloth from the other girl's hands.

            Miroku arched his back in pain as the dripping material stung at his chest, inhaling swiftly through his nose.  His hands dug into the soil at his sides.

            "What's wrong?  Why is it causing him so much pain?" Sango asked, looking from Miroku to Kimi, confused.

            "The poison is causing the wound to become extremely sensitive."

            The girl took the fabric away from the monk to wring it out, and the man's back lowered to the ground. 

            "S-Sango…"

            The demon hunter looked at the man below her, startled.  Kimi turned to look as well. 

            "Houshi-sama?" Sango said hopefully.

            "Promise me…promise me that you'll…that you'll kill Naraku."

            Tears welled up in the girl's eyes, and her face burned.

            "You are not going to die, do you hear me!  You are NOT going to die!"

            Miroku coughed, and a thin trail of blood ran down his chin.

            "Oh Gods, Miroku…" Sango whimpered.

            The monk smiled weakly.

            "That's the first time…I've ever heard you use my name."

            "Miroku…you can't…you can't die…we've come too far…for it to end like…like this."

            Sango ran a hand down the man's sweat-streaked face.

            "Sango…" Miroku breathed.

            Suddenly, a terrible explosion broke the serenity of the forest.  Incredible heat whipped through the trees like a hurricane wind, knocking the two girls over.  Animals and demons alike tore through the woods, trying to escape the raging inferno that was quickly approaching.  The trio struggled to get out of the way as creature upon creature dashed past them, trampling the plants in their path.  Amongst the thundering of feet, hooves and claws, Sango made out three familiar figures: A man in red, a girl in a skirt, and a tiny kitsune.

            "Inu Yasha, Kagome!" the demon hunter called, waving her arm.

            The half demon heard Sango, even over the roar of the stampede, and made his way to her with Kagome and Shippo on his back.

            "What's wrong with Miroku?" Inu Yasha asked, eyeing the monk's pathetic state.

            "He's poisoned," Kimi said, her voice nearly drowned out.

            Kagome gasped and Shippo's eyes widened.  Inu Yasha looked angry.

            "He can't be poisoned.  I checked him when he got the wound, and there wasn't a trace of venom!"

            "Can we discuss this later?" Sango said loudly.  "We have to get out of here before we get trampled and get Houshi-sama some help!"

            Sango tilted the man's head up for emphasis.  Inu Yasha noted the blood seeping slowly from the monk's chin to his neck.  The half demon snorted quietly to himself.

            "Baka, if you die now, I promise, I'll kill you."

            Yeah, yeah, quit your whining.  I know nothing really happened in this chapter, and I apologize.  But don't worry, as you're reading this, I'm most likely working on chapter 5, and I'm pretty sure something interesting will happen, and the plot will thicken…