Deceitful Eyes

The Golden Ostrich

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha (but can I have Miroku? Or maybe Sesshomaru?)

* * *

"All is ready. Are you, Kikyo?"

"I am. Just give me the potion and I will handle the rest."

"Very good. I trust you will not fail me."

"I don't intend to fail a lover more than once in my existence, Nurako."

"Hmmm...follow the insects. They will scout them out for you."

* * *

Night shadows began to sift though the trees, speckled with the pale frosty light of the moon. A chill breeze stirred up, sweeping crisp dead leaves away from the feet of the travelers. They wove their way among the naked branches and prickly bushes that seemed to reach out for them with every step. The wind rose from the ground, flirting icily with their hair and clothes. One girl shuddered and pulled her shawl closer around her shoulders.

"Cold, Sango?" asked the monk walking alongside her. She nodded and shivered again.

"This is the draftiest forest I've ever been in."

"Here, let me keep you warm," he said and looped his arm around her.

"Miroku," she said in protest, but the wind picked up again and she quickly shut her mouth. Warmth, she decided, was welcomed even from the hentai monk.

A few yards ahead, Kagome glanced back and saw Sango huddled up against Miroku's body.

"We need to get out of this wind. It's even making Sango friendly with Miroku."

"I'm trying," muttered InuYasha, feeling another gust picking up. "There's nothing around this place though...just dead trees."

Kagome nodded and stopped walking. "Well can we just rest here for the night and light a fire? At least it would be a little warmer."

InuYasha grunted but halted as well. "All right, we'll settle here for the night. There's obviously no one living in this forest, so we'll just have to tough it out." His companions nodded wearily.

"If we can at least get some trees to our backs, it might help block out the wind," said Sango, scanning the area.

"I don't like this place at all," murmured Miroku. "It has a foreboding aura clinging to the branches and leaves."

"Look, don't start with the ominous dark cloud crap, okay?" InuYasha snapped. "There's no one around to tell it to who hasn't heard it before."

"I mean it this time...can't you feel that the spirit of this place is restless and nefarious?"

"I can," said Kagome, shaking slightly. She wasn't sure now if it was the wind making her so cold, or the icy gloom that clung to her skin like a thick coating of frost.

"So can I," said Sango, sitting down with Miroku still holding her tightly. There was no use in trying to get him off; it would only make everything worse for both of them. He would be hurt and she would be freezing again, and it was obvious that InuYasha was in a testy mood...no point in upsetting everyone.

"Dammit," said InuYasha once they had coaxed a small fire into life. "It's been four days and we still haven't seen any signs of Nurako or a Shikon jewel shard."

"Be patient," said Miroku. "One or the other, if not both, will turn up soon enough."

"InuYasha, calm down," said Kagome, watching him twiddle with the handle of the Tetsusaiga. "You've really got to learn to stop fidgeting."

"I'm not fidgeting, I'm thinking," he replied. "How did I end up with such bossy companions anyway?"

"Need I remind you?" asked Miroku wearily. "Can we just eat and rest for the evening? I have a feeling we're going to need our strength very shortly."

"Well we can rest, but we haven't got anything to eat," said Sango, peering into their bare ration bag.

"We could go foraging," suggested InuYasha, unwilling to face the night on an empty stomach. It was bad enough that they weren't having any luck in their quests, but no food too? What kind of cruel world was this?

"I wouldn't recommend it," said Sango. "This isn't a trustworthy place at all."

"Grr, dammit! This is too much! It's just a forest! We can't let ourselves starve to death!" yelled the hanyou, leaping up from the ground.

"InuYasha! SIT!" screamed Kagome, bringing him and his hopes of dinner crashing onto the forest floor. "Why can't you just behave?"

He stared at her in cynical disbelief, only softening his gaze when he realized she was shivering.

"Fine, whatever," he said, still not allowing himself to abandon his prideful demeanor. "If it'll make you happy."

"Yes it will," Kagome replied stoutly and shifted over closer to him.

"It's gonna be a long night," mumbled Miroku, watching InuYasha eyeing her suspiciously.

"Mm-hmm," Sango agreed.

* * *

Nurako's insects flew fast and true towards InuYasha and his company, Kikyo following by two of her soul serpents in their wake. Over an expansive ancient forest they moved while she peered down through the dead branches below. A yell rang out through the trees; that of the girl which InuYasha kept at his side.

"InuYasha! SIT!"

'Ah, there's the sound of the brat who caused Nurako and I all this trouble.'

She signaled the swarm of insects and they stopped, hovering in midair while she continued forward. Kikyo knew that InuYasha would easily sense their presence, but she was of the nonliving and harder to detect. The soul serpents moved in closer until she could make out the tiny flicker of a pitiful fire, casting the shadows of four travelers around it.

'Yes, here they are. Unwary fools, they should keep better watch...Sango's already asleep in Miroku's arm, and the wench Kagome won't be awake for much longer. This will be easier than I imagined.'

The soul serpents silently retreated away from the firelight, carrying Kikyo to her work.

* * *

"You know, this place really must be evil or something," InuYasha said, staring at Sango. She had woken some time ago, screaming about her brother and Nurako. By this time though, she was far off in the realms of slumber again, having taken up Miroku's offer to let her sleep in his lap.

"It's just so she won't feel so scared," Miroku said defensively, gazing down at her dozing form.

"Right."

"What about you? It's not like you're exactly far away from Kagome."

InuYasha snorted. His arms were wrapped tightly around Kagome's body in an attempt to shield her from the wind.

"You know this is only because it's so cold...some of us can be kind without having ulterior motives."

"Right."

Silence fell over the small campsite, the two satisfied with their night's bickering. They both had other things on their minds: the Shikon jewel, Nurako, and the two girls that were clinging to them like giant teddy bears.

* * *

The night wore on, shifting the moon across the starry sky and splaying new patches of light and dark across the woodland floor. Kikyo and her soul serpents rose away from the forest, disappearing among the stars.

* * *

Author's Note: I know there isn't a lot going on yet, but the plot will pick up in the next chapter. Please review and keep an eye out for updates! It shouldn't take me long.