The houses were burnt to the ground. The temple, shattered like kindling. Fields and roads torn up as if a giant with a shovel had come along to plant bulbs. But the strange thing was there were no bodies! That was because the people had taken refuge in the nearby forest when they saw the priests leaving to hunt down Tetsusaia. Lucky for them, she didn't bother to hunt them down, and merely destroyed their village.
"Well, it's not that bad. Luckily there's no one dead," Miroku said optimistically.
"I still want that sheath back. I can't control the Tetsusaiga's power without it." Inuyasha was stubborn.
"Well, her scent should still be fresh. Go sniff her our!" Shippou demanded.
"Good idea…" Inuyasha started smelling the air. "I got her!" He started running into the forest.
"It seems our Tetsusaia never left the forest after all. Or if she did, she destroyed the village and returned to it, thinking we'd suspect her of being gone for good," Miroku deducted.
"You think so?" Kagome asked.
Inuyasha was back in the grove. Immediately, her checked the tree and grinned when he saw Tetsusaia lazing in one of the uppermost branches, hugging the sheath.
"I see you're still here," he called to her.
She looked down at him with a faint smile. 'Now that I have avenged my tormented soul, I can reveal my real nature. In truth, Inuyasha, I never felt anything against you. I merely want to see the sheath up close once more. Then I shall gladly return it to you." Her words were mysterious, but Inuyasha was jolted from his puzzling when he heard a rustle in the bushes.
"Come out of there!" Inuyasha demanded. From behind him, he heard Kagome's voice.
"Sheesh, alright! We're all here! Shippou, did you give us away?"
Miroku interjected. "I don't think it was Shippou. Inuyasha's nose is a great tool."
"But…if you're over there, then who's…?" Inuyasha whipped around to see an old priestess detangle herself from the twigs and branches. The woman was gnarled and ancient, and spoke in a soft yet fragile tone.