Thanks again to everybody who reviewed!! Reviews make me feel loved ; )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the other cool characters in this story.

Rated for: just blood and swearing so far

Spoilers: Up to volume 29 in the manga. If I get some feedback in favor of it, I'll post a brief summary of what has happened recently in the manga that is relevant in this story.



Chapter 4: Hunting

Sesshoumaru stalked noiselessly through the darkening woods. It had been four days since his encounter with Naraku's offspring. It had taken little time to defeat, though Sesshoumaru had kept it alive briefly in hopes that Naraku's location could be forced from it. When he discovered the beast could not speak, he immediately destroyed it. The encounter was somewhat puzzling; Naraku never sent an attack unless he had some kind of trick up his sleeve. Sesshoumaru snarled at the thought of that cowardly hanyou, who had the audacity to try and trap and manipulate him repeatedly. If the trap did not lay with the creature he had killed, it must lay elsewhere, he knew. He had quickly returned to where he had left Rin and Jaken.

When Sesshoumaru arrived in the small forest clearing he glared in cold rage at the scene before him. The two-headed dragon had been cleanly sliced until it was almost unrecognizable. He could see massive scars on the trees from where the beast had apparently unleashed its energy attack in defense of itself and Rin. Sesshoumaru was silently satisfied with the way the beast defended and looked after Rin; it was more steadfast than the excitable Jaken. Looking around, he found his servant in a similar condition. Even if he hadn't recognized the clean narrow slashes, Kagura's scent still hung in the air.

At his side, he felt a pulse from the Tenseiga. He frowned. At least it seemed that his sword was willing to cooperate with him today. The sword's temperamental nature frustrated him greatly. It only seemed to work when it wanted to, though it had gotten him out of at least one tight spot. Perhaps if he had better control of the sword, he could have restored his missing arm by now. It damaged his pride to know that the sword led him more than he commanded it.

He drew the Tenseiga and slashed at the dragon. He hesitated only briefly before repeating the process on Jaken. Annoying as he was, there were some chores that Sesshoumaru did not prefer to take care of personally. While he waited for the two to reassemble themselves, he scouted the forest around the clearing. Rin and Kagura's scent disappeared a few meters beyond the clearing, but seemed strongest towards the northern end.

'This doesn't make any sense,' he thought. 'Why would Naraku go to the trouble of taking Rin hostage and then leave me no means to find him? The girl has no value.'

"He will die." He glanced back at the clearing where Jaken was just beginning to make his way to his feet. "Let's go," he said as he turned sharply and walked away to the North.

Naraku knelt on the floor of his newest stronghold. After leaving the mountain, he had taken over a convenient human castle to replace the one he had fled previously. Kagura stood in the dim doorway watching him while Kanna kneeled silently near Naraku, her small white figure appeared ghostly and deathly still.

Naraku held before him a shallow basin. Into it he poured a dark fluid from a bottle at his side.

"The miko's blood?" Kagura inquired curiously. She watched as Naraku pulled out a small round stone and placed it in the basin as well, smiling slightly. Suddenly, a malignant dark light surged from the basin. Kagura threw an arm up in front of her face and watched in fascination as the stone drew the blood within it. The darkness faded and the low light of the torches once again permeated the air and reached the dark corners of the room, casting shadows like flickering moths. In the center of the basin, the bead glowed softly with a gentle whitish-pink hue. The shining stone contrasted sharply with its dark surroundings. 'It's pure?' she wondered and looked with renewed confusion at her master.

Naraku, however, seemed satisfied with the result, carefully picking up the stone and replacing it within his robes.

As she stood dumbfounded, Naraku rose and approached her. "Kagura," he said, pressing the bottle into her hands with a grin, "spread some of this around." Kagura felt the weight of the container in her hand; there was still some blood in it.

"I think it's time we invited our guests. Send Kohaku to guard the two prisoners. Go now."

Kagura turned sharply. It was obvious that Naraku did not intend to fill her in on his plan. As she started to walk away he called her back.

"Kagura."

She turned slightly to show him she was listening.

"When they arrive, stay out of the way," he said with amusement in his voice.

She nodded slightly and walked down the pitch black hall, its lamps unlit since the departure of its human occupants.

Inuyasha and his companions were seated around a small fire under the eaves of the dim wood. Or rather, Sango and Miroku sat while Inuyasha was lying against Kirara, dead to the world with Shippou curled up near him. Just before nightfall Sango and Miroku had convinced him to stop for the night and make camp. Though the hanyou had disagreed vehemently, it was clear that the entire party was exhausted and Kirara could go no further. Though they were all anxious to rescue Kagome, it was obvious that their search was having little success.

Inuyasha was not healing quickly enough, especially for his own tastes. Sango and Miroku had managed to keep him on Kirara, but mostly because he was not strong enough to put much effort into an argument. A few dark spots on his haori where his wound had caught and reopened at various times during the past two days were evidence of his greatly weakened and injured state.

Miroku and Sango stared tiredly at the flames from opposite ends of the fire, lost in their thoughts, trying to keep their fatigue at bay. Miroku stole a quick glance at Sango, her face gently lit by glowing orange as sparks and tongues of flame danced in front of her face. She looked so beautiful.

He frowned. She looked so sad.

"It's hopeless, isn't it?" her quiet voice snuck over the sound of the crackling and popping of the fire. Her eyes remained down and unfocused. "If Inuyasha can't track her then there's no way we can find her." She sighed shakily, ". . . and another person I love will become his victim."

Miroku's hand had gone instinctively to the prayer beads encircling his hand and he gripped his wrist tightly. "Hopeless . . .?" he pondered as he watched a tear make a glistening track down Sango's cheek. He wished he was sitting closer to her so he might put his thumb to her face and wipe it away. He gripped his hand harder. 'Always something between us . . .' he thought sadly.

"It's not hopeless yet, Sango. As long as we're still alive." He desperately wanted to say or do something to help her, but he was at a loss as to what. To make matters more complicated, he feared that if he tried to get close to her he would only end up hurting her worse. 'I won't let anything hurt her,' he thought resolutely.

Sango finally looked up into Miroku's serious face. Her gaze took in his vice-like grip on his wrist and felt a little guilty for her desperation. Every day Naraku lived Miroku's life slipped away, but he didn't despair. It wasn't right to lay her burdens on him as well. She missed his usual upbeat attitude and the peace she felt when the group was whole and together. She wouldn't even mind that much if he tried to feel her up again. 'It would almost be alright...' she thought, '. . .if I was the only one he wanted.'

But tonight, she just didn't want to feel so alone.

Miroku watched in startled amazement as Sango got up and walked over and sat next to him. She gently leaned in to him and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Houshi-sama...I'm so tired," she breathed. Miroku felt her small form shaking against him and heard her quivering breath.

He hesitated a moment before he placed his arm around her shaking shoulders. "Me too, Sango," he said as he turned his face and rested his cheek in her soft hair.

"Me too. . ."

In moments both were asleep.

Naraku had returned below the castle two where the two humans were imprisoned. He frowned to see Kagome hanging limply sleeping in her bonds. He wanted her awake for this. He approached her and released some of his shouki toward her. Immediately her body fought to regain control and she twisted and writhed in her bonds. The poison dissipated into nothing as it touched her skin, but it had the desired effect.

Her eyes stared coldly at him. The fear and contempt coming off her was almost tangible and Naraku breathed it in deeply. He pushed himself until their faces were only inches apart and began to pull his fingers through her hair, grinning as she tried to pull away but was stopped by the chains.

"They'll be here tonight," he said, watching her reaction carefully. He saw hope flicker there briefly only to be replaced by an anxious look. "But don't worry, they won't get this far. Because of you, they won't leave here alive." She was terrified now, he could see.

He grabbed her chin sharply and forced her to look up at him. "You'll be staying with me until you outlive your usefulness. I'll try to make our time pleasant, because of all of the fun you've given me in the past. And after that, if you behave, I may let you join your friends." His fingers dug into her face and neck and her blood was beginning to slide down his fingers.

Rin had awakened as well when Naraku entered, and let out a frightened yell when Naraku had grabbed Kagome.

"As for the brat," he said, turning his attention and releasing Kagome's face, "I'll have no use for her after tonight." He stepped over to the little girl, who had curled up as much as she could and was shaking like crazy.

Naraku smiled, and raised her head by the back of her hair. "You," he said, drawing a finger across the girl's cheek, leaving a line of blood. "You should have found someone else to follow instead of Sesshoumaru."

Something snapped again in Kagome and her head shot up. Her body felt warm and the ends of her limbs tingled, though they had been almost senseless moments before.

Feeling the surge of holy energy fill the room, Naraku turned and hit Kagome hard across the head before she could attempt to unleash it. "Bitch!" he yelled as Kagome's chains clanged as they took her full weight again. He retreated from the room, uncomfortable with the lingering holy energy. "When this is over, you'll die slowly."

Only a few hours after making camp, the hanyou's nose began to twitch. He was sleeping very hard as his body tried to heal and at first it seemed only as if the scent were part of his dream, which had been especially bad of late. Gradually, as the scent grew stronger, he struggled to waken. Finally, with an effort, his eyes shot open and his ears stood alert. It wasn't just his dream.

He growled dangerously. "Miroku, Sango, get up! I can smell Kagura."

In a few minutes they were back in pursuit.

Not far away, a white and silver figure also caught the scent on the wind and streaked off in the same direction the hanyou and his friends had gone.



Ok, so not a whole lot happening in this chapter, but we'll be jumping back into the action in the next one.

BTW, I already have Chapter 5 finished. I'll post it in a few days, or sooner if I get enough demanding reviews. That's right, I'm just that evil. You guys can see what I'm putting Inuyasha through, after all.

As always, criticism encouraged!!

-Aiwendil