Chapter Ten-Enter Kouga

Saraku ignored Kagome and Shippou pleas for her to return. She'd had enough of Inuyasha. Furthermore, she really missed Sesshoumaru. It had nothing to do with the shard, although she hoped to get it back. The whole of it was that Sesshoumaru was nice to her. He loved her. He never said it, but she knew he did. As she ran further and from them, Saraku decided her own future would lie with Sesshoumaru. She wanted to be his.

She crossed the Spring, remembering the direction in which Sesshoumaru had carried her in the day he took her from Inuyasha. It would take her three days to get to him. She only hoped she would remember the way his caverns. She'd been so sick at that point the only thing she remembered was Inuyasha attacking her for her shard. "I'll never forgive him for that!" She exclaimed aloud.

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Meanwhile, on the other side of the Spring, Kouga three of his guards were hunting, when the young wolf prince stood straight. He was sure he'd heard something that sounded like a human's voice yelling. "Hold on, Boys. Someone's coming. Take your positions." Kouga stood firmly, spear at the ready. He watched the brush carefully.

"Taking my shard then claiming it was Sesshoumaru! Really, what a jerk!" Saraku walked into the clearing now, pausing. "Wait a minute….it wasn't this way. Oh no! Which way did Lord Sesshoumaru go?!"

Kouga's eyes widened, seeing the small human girl. She was so young, and innocent. What in the world was she doing out in the wilds alone? "Hey you there!" He moved forward behind her now, his men following,spears at the ready.

Sara looked up with a surprised shriek. "Wh-who are you?" She sputtered,staring at the wolf prince.

"I am Kouga. Head of the Wolf demon tribe. And you are?"

"Sa-saraku…"

"Well, Saraku. This is no place for a child of your age to be in alone. Go on home now." Kouga really wasn't into killing defenseless children.

"I'm t-trying to get th-there…." She began.

"What? Did your family leave you?" Kouga frowned, kneeling to her level.

"N-no…not really." She then explained about the fight between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru over her.

"Well, you must be something special if those two want you." Kouga's mental wheels were turning. If they both wanted her, then the hanyou and his brother must know something about her. He turned to Genta. "Take her back to our den." Kouga wanted to re-match Inuyasha anyway. It sounded to him from the child's explanation that Sesshoumaru, not Inuyasha was the bad guy. If this was the case, he knew Inuyasha would come for her.

"W-wait…I have to find Lord Sesshoumaru! I promised!!" Sara exclaimed as she was carted off.

"I'll find him for you." Kouga promised. But first,I will send a little message to Inuyasha. We will see if he truly cares for this child or not. He followed them back to his den, plotting his ransom message.

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"You have to go after her,Inuyasha! She'll get hurt!" Kagome pleaded.

"Why should I bother?! She obviously doesn't give a damn about us!" Inuyasha retorted. "Let her be killed for all I care!"

"This is stupid!" Sango piped up now. "Inuyasha, she is only a child. All she's doing is reacting to your own attitude towards her. Sesshoumaru's obviously never spoken a sharp or cruel word to her. That is why she went to him. You've been so damn worried about her shard, you've failed to remember she lost her family because of it. Did you stop to think maybe that's why she doesn't want to give it up right now?"

"Sango's right. She's still grieving. We haven't given her time to do so." Miroku agreed.

"We don't have time for that! We don't know when Naraku will strike next. We have to keep our guard up." Inuyasha argued in aggrivation.

"But she's a child, Inuyasha! She doesn't know any better." Kagome defended the girl. "Who knows what's out there. You said yourself demons would come sniffing around her."

"If she had her shard,which she doesn't!" Inuyasha said,before leaping into a tree.

"That's right,Inuyasha! She doesn't. You brother does." Kagome pointed out. "If you really want the shard, you should've taken her back to him yourself. Possibly offered a trade of sorts."

"Feh…..whatever. Leave me alone." The half-demon curled up on a branch, brooding.

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Rin awakened suddenly from her slumber. It was still mid-day, so she knew Lord Sesshoumaru probably wasn't around. She sat up, and walked over to the water hole. Her dream had been horrible. Saraku had fought with Inuyasha and ran away,but now she was lost. She couldn't find her way to them.

"Rin? You look distressed." Lord Sesshoumaru stood behind her.

"My Lord. I thought you would be gone." Rin said softly. "I dreamed a bad dream last night."

"I see." Sesshoumaru replied softly.

"My Lord, Sara was on her way to us, but I fear she has gotten turned around. " Rin told him.

"Is that so? Well, then we should try and find her,before the wrong person does." Sesshoumaru left Rin to finish her washing. Such a silly fool, that brother of mine is. I would've easily traded him for the shard to care for the girl. Now he's allowed her to fall into danger. Damn him. My suspicions were correct after all. Inuyasha cares nothing for her. "Jakken. We head back East. I fear Saraku may be in danger." Sesshoumaru informed his servant.

"My Lord, what if we can't find her?" Jakken asked, disliking the idea of having the second human child rejoining them.

"We will." Sesshoumaru turned the watering hole. "Come, Rin. Let's find Sara."

"Coming!" Rin replied with excitement. She was sure they'd find her playmate now.