Disclaimer: I still don't own it. Nope.

A/N: Okay...this took a while...I can explain. I didn't feel motivated to work because they took Inuyasha off adult swim. Then a very good friend of mine alerted me that it was coming back with season 2 on the 25th of August, I figured I should start again. Anyway.... Wow. Seven reviews in a record amount of time. Though it's because I was bugging my friends to read my story...^^;; Let's see.... I dedicate this chapter to Selena, Hayley's character Hayley's cat, because poor Selena is jealous of Mihoshi's caterwauling. Don't ask. Just read. It's also dedicated to Hard_core_chibi, who helped me with the name of Mihoshi's sword.

PS: No action in this one, sorry! It gets better next chappy, I promise.

"KAGOME!!"

Inuyasha swatted Kagome's leg away from his head and got up after a good five minutes of inhaling the dust. "Kagome, are you crazy? Inviting demons you've just met to come meet your friends and eat your food. What if they attack when we're asleep, hn?"

Kagome smiled and wrapped her arms around Inuyasha's arm. "But you're gonna be there to protect me, right Inuyasha?" Mihoshi and Tamashi giggled slightly. Inuyasha blushed lightly and yanked his arm away, muttering.

"I won't attack unless I'm provoked," Mihoshi warned, glaring at Inuyasha and fingering the scabbard on her waist. Inuyasha, in turn, growled and put a hand up near his face to show off his claws. Tamashi and Kagome let out exasperated sighs.

"Will you grow up, Mihoshi?" Tamashi said, shaking her head. "And you, Inuyasha, put your hand down! You look like an idiot," Kagome commented, and glared when Inuyasha opened his mouth to say something smart to her.

"We should go before they tear each other's throats out," Kagome said, grabbing Inuyasha by his ear and pulling him along. Tamashi followed, and a scowling Mihoshi came last.

Back at camp, Miroku, Sango and Shippo raised their eyebrows at the two hanyous. It was very quiet for a while. Kagome was cooking a pot of ramen on her portable stove, Inuyasha and Mihoshi were staring each other down, Kirara was eyeing Tamashi suspiciously, Tamashi was watching Inuyasha and Mihoshi, Miroku was staring at Sango's chest, Sango didn't notice because she was watching Kirara watching Tamashi, and Shippo was watching Miroku goggling at Sango's chest to make sure he behaved himself.

"Hurry up with the food, wench!" Inuyasha said, not breaking eye contact with Mihoshi. Shippo scowled as he heard Inuyasha use the familiar insult.

"You should be nice to her. She's nice to you," Mihoshi hissed. The corner of Inuyasha's lip twitched as he growled at her. He looked ready to tackle her, and Mishoshi looked ready to leap out of the way if he tried.

"At least someone appreciates me being so patient all the time," Kagome said, emphasizing the word 'someone.' Inuyasha looked away from Mihoshi.

"Hey, I appreciate you! And I'm nice to you, too. I risk my neck for you every time there's a demon near!" he said, scowling at Kagome's back.

"What Inuyasha means is that he fights twice as well as normal when Kagome's around," Miroku said, looking away from Sango with a sigh. Inuyasha said nothing, on account of knowing the monk was right.

It was quiet once again until Kagome cheerily piped up, "Okay! Ramen's done!"

"Finally!" said Inuyasha with his usual impatience, racing over and eying the steaming pot of food. Shippo also let out a small cheer, scampering over and looking at Kagome expectantly. "Kagome, this smells good!" Kagome smiled. "Thanks Shippo!" she said, turning to get some bowls out of her backpack. Shippo looked at Inuyasha as if to tell him 'That's what you're supposed to say!'

Mihoshi leaned over and sniffed the bright yellow bag. "Is there anything she doesn't have in that thing?"

Kagome blushed lightly. "Eh.. I tend to over-pack sometimes."

After everyone had eaten their share of the food (Inuyasha's being much larger than everyone else's) it was already getting late. Shippo curled up next to Kagome in her sleeping bag. Miroku was asleep leaning against a rock, with Sango's head on his shoulder and Kirara curled up in her lap. Inuyasha was asleep in a tree not too far from their camp. Mihoshi and Tamashi weren't asleep at all. In fact, they were huddled together, writing in the dust for fear Inuyasha would hear them if they spoke.

((A/N: The words surrounded by // is what they're writing on the ground, since I can't use quotation marks on account of they're not speaking.))

//He's getting impatient// Mihoshi scrawled in the ground with the claw of her index finger. Tamashi ran her hand over the words and then wrote //I know, so go grab it// //I think not! You go get it, you're the quiet one!// //You're the fast one// //You've got padded feet!// //Quit being such a baby about it, you said yourself he's getting impatient and you know how he gets when he's mad// //Fine// Mihoshi wrote and stood up, kicking dust over the writing as she did.

Quietly the cat hanyou ran over, her feet just barely touching the ground as her steps were so fast. She stopped, hovering over Kagome and eyeing the large chunk of the jewel that she wore around her neck. Squatting down she used her sharp claws to snap the chain then removed it from her neck. She snickered as she stood, gazing at the jewel. It looked positively radiant in the moonlight. However, her snicker reached Shippo's sensitive ears and he stirred, sitting up and looking at the cat-girl hovering over him. "Mihoshi, what are you-" Shippo had no time to finish his question as Mihoshi punched him on the top of his head, causing the little fox to be knocked out. As quickly as she came Mihoshi was gone and the rabbit girl and cat girl dashed off into the forest.

The pair stopped after about 15 minutes of running. Mihoshi sniffed the air. Although her nose wasn't as tuned as Inuyasha's she could still pick up the scent of whomever they were looking for. She nodded in that direction, taking off with Tamashi at her heels.

After a few more minutes of running they came to a halt in front of a shadowy figure. Tamashi and Mihoshi both bowed and then Mihoshi approached it with the jewel.

"We apologize for taking so long Master, but we thought it best to wait until the girl fell asleep until attempting to steal the Shikon no Tama...to avoid any unnecessary combat with-"

"I know," said a male voice, smooth as silk but cold all the same. "You have done your job well." The man outstretched a palm from under his large cloak-like garment and the young hanyou dropped the large shard into it, after which stepping back and bowing before him.

"Now Master, may we see out families again? We have done what you asked, and you promised to-"

"Promised?" said the voice and the girls raised their heads. "I do not recall promising you anything. I will allow you to see your loved ones once I'm finished with you, and I am not finished with you yet. You may choose to stop serving me, but then I cannot ensure the safety of them all."

Mihoshi bit her lip, trying not to say anything that would get her, or her family, hurt. "...Yes, Naraku."

Naraku laughed and disappeared back into the shadows from which he came.

A/N: Woaaaah, long chapter...three and a half pages on Microsoft Word. Since this took me so darn long, I beg of you! REVIEW! Like the thing says, a well-rounded critique is the finest reward. Or something like that. Until next time, duckies!