Scroll Eight, Search Party

By the time Inuyasha had returned, the rest of the village was up and moving. He slank carefully to the house he left a few hours ago, finding Miroku was scarce.

Kagome was sitting on the edge of the porch ajusting her bow…and much to the Dog Knight's distaste, so was that dark blue Ronin Warrior. He stood there with his huge golden bow, the only piece of his armor present and was showing the young girl ways to hold it and aim.

"Here," Rowen held out his bow. "Let me see your's for a second." He picked up the wooden bow and unhooked the cord to see if the stick was weak in any areas. "You see, a bow can work really good as a sheild or a warpped staff."

Kagome nodded as she held the heavy gold bow of the Strata armor. "How can you hold this thing?" She asked. "It's so heavy…and…" She managed to lift it up and tried to pull on the cord. "The cord is so tight…"

Rowen shrugged. "I don't notice it." He muttered, looping a new end to Kagome's cord and then hooking her bow back together. Strata tested it's pull and then handed it to it's owner. "There, that should be enough. You have pretty good arms, your cord was too loose."

Kagome started to pull at her bow. It was difficult in coming. "This won't make things better…" She muttered. "I can barely hold it."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Means your aim is only going to get worse."

Rowen looked up and shot a cold threating look at the demon. "She does pretty good." He said in a cool voice that dared Inuyasha to challenge his statement. He turned back to Kagome. "I know it might seem hard for now, maybe you should carry another, looser, bow on you until you get the feel of this one."

"What good does tighting the cord do?" Kagome asked, still trying to pull it far enough back.

"Well it gives the arrow more push and makes it go farther. If your bow became as tight as mine, at close range you could fire clear through your taget."

Kagome shuddered just a little at the thought. "Have you ever had to—"

"A few times." Rowen said as he picked up his bow and it suddenly disappeared. "The bastard kinda desevered it anyway. Sad thing is, I didn't kill him."

Inuyasha scoffed as he climbed up the steps. "Coward."

Kagome growled. "SIT BOY!"

The dog demon went face first into the wooden floor boards. He snarled as he reached up to his face and gingerly touched his splinter filled snout. The moment his ears stop ringing he could hear Rowen laughing.

"Ah stick it up your—"

Kagome put her hands on her hips. "Inuyasha!" She barked. "Ss—"

Rowen put a hand on her shoulder. "Nah, forget it. Let him curse." He smiled a little and tapped his nose as he winked at the canine. "Enjoy getting those splinters out."

Inuyasha growled in a seething rage as the Ronin Warrior walked away.

He snapped at Kagome, "What the hell was that for!?"

"They are our friends! And unlike you, they don't think to kill ever person or monster they run into." Kagome growled.

Inuyasha snarled a little. "Yeah…thanks for pointing that out." He sat crouched on the floor trying to dig a splinter from his nose. "Well if that one is up, were the are the rest of those pathetic Ronin Warriors?"

Kagome sighed in dismay at Inuyasha's lack of kindness. "Most of them got up really earily. I think it had been just as the sun started to peak into the valley that Cye, Kento, Rowen, and Lea began moving around."

The dog knight growled. "And Sanada?"

"I don't know. His tiger won't let anyone near the room that the men slept in last night…well, give or take the Ronins themselves."

Inuyasha yelped as he finally pulled the silver of wood from his nose. "I over heard him very earily in the morning. He is prone to nightmares." The half breed felt his reddening nose for more splinters. "I think his girlfriend found some way to make him sleep again."

Kagome glared at Inuyasha. "They are not a couple."

Her protest was answered with a scoff. "Does the line 'One of these days I'm going to make sure we can spend more than five minutes alone.' mean anything but that?"

Kagome blinked several times in surprise. "He…he really said that?"

Inuyasha nodded. "While giving her a hug and all that other sappy stuff you humans do. If he kissed her, I swear, I was going to cough up a lung."

Kagome sat down on a sack of grain that was sitting in the corner of their room. She looked down at the bow in her hands. If everything Inuyasha said was true, then maybe there would be a small chance that she and Inuyasha might…might…Oh what was she thinking?! She couldn't fall in love with some half wit who only wanted to get more power and nothing but.

"Why are you suddenly so quiet?" Inuyasha asked in a hushed voice.

"I'm…ah…thinking…"

Inuyasha growled a little. He was glad Miroku was missing, the demon looked like he was picking his nose while removing splinters. He finally got the last one. "Well…ah…think a little louder please." He said quietly. Man, I hate it when she gets that quiet.

Kagome looked up. "Inuyasha—"

"Yes?" He turned around quickly and took a few steps froward. He crouched down on the floor in front of her.

"Um…do you think that we might…"

"Might what?"

Kagome couldn't tell if she was staking all over or flushed. "Might be a—"

Inuyasha leaned forward until Kagome swore he was going to kiss her.

"Am I interupting something?" Miroku asked pleasantly.

Kagome screamed in surprise and gave Inuyasha a hard smack across the head. The dog demon hit the floor covering his sore noggin as the monk stood by the door with a wicked smile on his face. "Sango has returned."

"Kagome!" Shippo cried as he appeared from behind Miroku.

Sango stepped in and looked at the group with confussion masked on her face. "Who was that strange woman in armor helping the wives with their wood cutting?" She leaned her large boomarange in the corner by Kagome and was starting to pull off minor items from her battle suit.

"Oh, that's Lea." Kagome informed. "You should meet. I think you might get along with her great."

There was the sounds of a paws on the wooden floor. Shippo ran to the door and looked out to see the large white tiger coming from around the corner and to the room, smelling the air.

"AAAAhhhhhh!!" Shippo squealed and ran back into the room. "A TIGER!"

Sango picked up one of her daggers and started for the door when Miroku grabbed her arm and held her back. "No! Things are already strained with Inuyasha's kill first ask questions later actions. The tiger shouldn't hurt anyone." He waited until the large white beast stuck his head into the room and took a sniff.

Inuyasha growled a little. "Get out!" He snapped.

Whiteblaze flashed his fangs at the dog demon and came forward to sniff again at Sango's leg. He stepped back and roared.

"What is going on!?" Sango cried, recoiling from Whiteblaze with a startled Miroku. The sounds of thundering boots filled the air and shouts from outside. Ryo was the first to answer since he was so close, coming into the room.

He froze. "A ninja?" He asked, refering to Sango.

"N-no…" Kagome studdered. "Sango's a friend. Whiteblaze came in all of the sudden, took a sniff and then roared at her."

Lea, Kento, Cye, and Rowen appeared next. "Is everything alright?" Cye asked. "What's wrong?"

Ryo ordered Whiteblaze to sit, which the tiger obeyed. He apporched Sango and offered his hand. "Sorry. Why did he roar?"

Sango shook her head. "I don't know. He took a sniff at my leg…"

"The one you injured." Shippo pointed out. "Remember that demon tooka chunck out of you? We found some cloth and made a bandage."

"Do you mind if I see?" Ryo asked, appearently not affected from the lack of sleep he had. Sango reached down to the cuff of her pants and pulled them upto revel a calf covered in blood soaked bandage. It was plain white, making it easy for the drabble of scarlet to stand out.

"I don't see why Whiteblaze would be so upset." Cye informed. "Though I have heard of other reasons tigers and loins are agravated when around women…"

"But Whiteblaze never had a problem around Lea and Mia." Kento pointed out.

Kagome watched as Lea stroked Whieblaze's large head. She froze suddenly, casting her eyes to Sango's leg. "Ryo…Whiteblaze smells Sage's blood." She whispered in horror.

"Sango, here, lets get some fresh bangage on that." Miroku pulled over a bench. "Shippo, get some water."

Cye disappeared from the room, coming back with a sheet in the process of being torn to ribbons. "I sent for Lady Kaede to bring some herbs. Let's see if this is really bad."

Sango held up her hands in protest. "WAIT A MINUTE!" She ordered. "Who the hell are these people?" She demanded. "I'm not having total stangers tend my wounds when I can do it myself."

"They're Ronin Warriors." Kaede said as she entered. "And they are allies now because they have come through the well with Kagome to save a friend."

Sango blinked in surpise. She took one look at Cye's red hair. "They can't be here looking for the man who the demons think are the Shikon jewel!" She whispered. "The one with sun colored hair?"

Ryo straitened just a little. "Tell us everything…What ever you have seen or know about him."

"It's moving fast through the forest." Sango said as she sipped at her tea. "I didn't believe the rumors when I heard. When traveling to a village far west, I stumbled apon a back of demons all squabling over some cave. When I had finished the battle and taken some names and asked why they where there…" Sango sighed, "They mentioned that some demon woman had stolen away the Shikon jewel in the body of a young man with sun colored hair.

"There was a small cell deep in the cave, with broken shackles and a torn up tunic." Sango explained. "I was bleeding and in despreate need of something to stop it. So I tore up the shirt, even when it was stained with a little blood from it's previous wearer and made a bandage."

Lea looked over to Ryo, her hands clenched in her lap. "I'm getting some serious bad vibes."

Rowen stood up. "We can't waste any more time." He informed. "And accordin' to some scouts in the village, there are more monsters comin' around the village. They might try to attack again at night fall."

"The village was attacked?" Shippo asked. "What happened? Why?"

Inuyasha growled. "Our new friends have armors that those monsters think are the Shikon jewel."

Kagome blinked in surprise. "Then why and I not noticing it?"

Cye shook his head. "That's not important. The fact is that the demons can and we're a risk to the people here in this village." Torrent informed. "I think we should pack up and start off before the sun sets and get some distance between us and these people."

Lea leaned over to Kagome. "I sensed your powers when you first ran into me." She explained. "I've been using mine to mask our armor's powers. I'll drop it down if you like."

"Can I see just how much your armors really give off for power?"

Lea waved her hand to the ground and with out warning, their aura's became visible to Kagome. They were incredably bright and strong, full of power and life. The demons were really thinking these Ronins were the Jewel of Four Souls.

It stopped suddenly. Kagome turned to Lea. "No kidding. Each one of you emmits enough power to be one whole jewel!"

Lea nodded. "I'm doing this to save you from a nasty headache." The two of them focused back on the conversation at hand.

"How long will it take to get a raft loaded?" Kento asked.

"Maybe an hour." Miroku informed.

Ryo nodded. "Then let's get going." He ordered, getting up. "Is there anyone in village with a raft?"

Sango nodded. "The one I came in on could be restocked and ready. Though, I'm not sure if there is enough room for such a large group."

"We can go by trees." Cye explained. "And I can swim for miles using my armor."

Rowen nodded. "All we need is somethin' to get us out of here fast and then we can take things on a slower pace when we are far enough from the village that we know the people will be safe."

Inuyasha snarled. "How many of you are going?" He asked.

Ryo stood with his arms crossed and eyes glued to a wall. The look of untamed hate in his eyes was like fire. He dared the demon to challenge his answer. "We're all going."

"Big Surprise." Inuyasha muttered as he got up and left.

"Here are some herbs in case anyone is injured." Kaede held out the pouch to the group. Cye slung the package's strap over his head so it hung down his back and out of his way.

Rowen and Kento waited for Inuyasha's party to climb on the raft, and together the two fo them pushed it off into the running water as it floated down stream. The Ronins suddenly disappeared into the trees and were gone.

Inuyasha growled a little. "I hate it when they do that."

Miroku shurgged. "I think it's an interesting ablity to move that fast. Feeling a little intemadated by the fact they more as fast as you?"

"Faster." Inuyasha muttered. "I can't follow them as well as I usually can."

Kagome smiled a little. "It's not that bad Inuyasha. With them along, we can find Sage and be back to locating Shikon shards before we know it."

Inuyasha shook his head a little. "I don't know." He said quietly. "With all those demons thinking they are the Shikon jewel…I think we're going to be held up a lot."

Sango nodded a little. "The hordes of demons looking for Sage's body was unbelieveable. I think we should keep our guard up at all times."

Miroku sighed a little as they floated down the river. He caught a quick flash of Cye and Lea as they came down onto the banks for a moment, like running when times just stopped and then they disappeared again.

"I have a very bad feeling about this." He whispered. "I think Naruko will soon be deeply invovled with our search."