Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or anything much for that matter, but I do own my mind and body, and I would say that is pretty damn good!!

Two Years Later…

After having returned through the well, they had informed Lady Kaede of the occurrences in Kagome's time. The old priestess retreated into her spiritual corner and prayed for what she hoped would be a good life for young Kagome because she had a feeling she knew what the young girl would try.

"Well, Inuyasha, any luck?" Shippou asked hopefully.

"Not one damn whiff! How the hell does she manage to keep her scent from me?!" the half demon fumed. How the hell does she manage to keep her scent from me?!" Inuyasha replied to the eager young Kitsune. Shippou and Inuyasha's ears drooped as they headed back to their camp. Miroku and Sango were already there, beginning to prepare the evening meal.

Miroku, Sango, Shippou, and Inuyasha had been searching for Kagome for over a year. Suggestions of giving up were often offered, but Inuyasha would become furious at their lack of caring. Also, every once in a very great while, Inuyasha would catch a tiny trace of Kagome's scent on a passing breeze. Even though her scent had changed, becoming sadder, lonelier, and to some extent colder, he recognized it and would take off like an idiot in whatever direction it had come from, only to find that it would seemingly vanish. He would be on an emotional high for a few days, maybe even a week, then would revert back to what had become his usual scowling self. All the progress he had made while being with Kagome had disappeared, leaving behind a demon far worse than the previous.

"I just don't get it!" he roared that evening upon returning to the camp.

"So, still nothing? We really should give it up. She obviously doesn't want to be found," Miroku muttered into the fire he was prodding.

Nearby, two dark eyes surveyed the little scene. The figure the eyes belonged to shifted from the current position to a more comfortable one. The very slight rustling caused by the motion drew Inuyasha's attention. He didn't see anything, except the deep shade of dusk in the forest. However, the little hairs on the back of his neck were standing up, and he got the distinct impression he was being watched. The demon dismissed the sound and the intuition and continued speaking with the others in his group.

The figure in hiding barely relaxed. *Count on Inuyasha to be overconfident. I could have easily killed him by now. * Giving a scarcely noticeable, grim smile at having been assured of the small party's well being, the figure bounded up into a nearby tree branch and settled in to meditate. *I really need to keep track of my time more carefully now. I almost let it go to long. * the mysterious being thought.

The band settled down for the night, Inuyasha taking first watch, Miroku second, and Shippou third. All the males had convinced Sango that she need not take a watch.

The first two went by without and interruptions and Shippou was awoken for his turn. The sneaky little fox, not really wanting to take his watch, decided to skip out. He cleverly waited until Miroku had gone to sleep, then curled back up in his blankets.

The figure, which had been meditating until that point, rose from a sitting position to a crouch. With a tremendous leap and a graceful mid-air flip, the being landed without a sound. Using precise stealth, the figure crept into the encampment and neared the sleeping dog demon. Trembling fingers reached out to his rosary necklace, delicately stroking the hard smoothness. Then, without a second thought, the bead were slipped over Inuyasha's head and laid atop his sleeping roll. A salty drop of water fell from above and splattered on a single bead, rolling off in many tinier droplets, and leaving little wet marks on the fabric of the sleeping roll.

Sensing something, or someone, close to him, Inuyasha woke from his deep slumber and blearily opened one eye. Leaning over him was a female, dressed in all black. Before he could really see anything more than that, the sun chose that exact instant to breach the horizon and backlight the intruder.

With the brilliant morning sunbeams disguising whoever it was, Inuyasha decided to act. He sprang clumsily from his sleeping roll and darted forward towards the intruder. The person easily dodged the attack of the half-sleeping demon. With a nimble jump, the being left Inuyasha completely alone. He whipped his head around, waiting for an ambush, but it never came.

While inspecting the area around his bed for footprints, he came across his rosary beads, all tangled up in a knot from him so quickly exiting his bed. He gingerly picked them up and ran them through his fingers. Still holding them, he once again looked around, this time in wonder. He sniffed the air, knowing exactly what he should be smelling. That was when he noticed it, there was no scent, none, not even the earthy smell of the woods. It was like a scent should be there, but it was invisible. *Is that how she is doing it? Does she make her scent invisible? That way, it would still be there, but it would be unrecognizable, as well as untraceable! *

Wow, another super long chapter! I might as well tell you now though, I will be gone from the 7 – 12, so I will not be able to post any new chapters, BUT, I will be coming back with many more written, so there will be a frenzy of updating. Bear with me through that one week and it will all be better!

PhantomLogic.