Chapter Six-The Search Begins!
"Come here, Girl." Naraku beckoned to Saraku. It was the next morning, and he was ready to see her again.
Saraku stepped forward, trembling. She knelt in front of him respectfully. Oh Lord Sesshoumaru! I wish you'd never let me leave the palace! I'd rather be safe, than anything!
"Where did you get your jewel shard?" Naraku asked quietly.
"It was given to me by my father, before he died. He was killed by a group of demons when I was seven." Saraku felt her lower lip trembling. It had been so long since she's spoken of her real father. She'd actually begun to think of the demon lord Sesshoumaru as her only father.
"I see…." Naraku was thinking this over. What should I do with her? I can't let her go. She's seen too much. Maybe I can find a way to use her against Sesshoumaru. Or….Did she say she knew of Inuyasha? Maybe that is my answer. "You will remain here, until I find a use for you. Go."
"I just want to go home…. To my father Sesshoumaru." Saraku pleaded just above a whisper.
"I said go." Naraku replied, and Kanna appeared. "Feed her."
Kanna nodded, and grabbed the girl's hand. "Come."
Saraku had no choice but to follow her. "What will he do to me?" She asked her.
"Don't ask questions. Just do as he says." Kanna replied, avoiding her question all together. She handed the child a piece of bread, and some stale water. "Eat."
Saraku wrinkled her nose at the taste of the food and drink, but she made no complaint.
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Kagura watched all this in a hidden viewpoint. She felt bad about what she had done to Saraku. It was obvious now that the girl could not do what she thought she might at first. And now she was being forced to remain with them. Great. Well,this isn't helping me at all. Besides, I caught her. I could think of plenty of uses for her. Her eyes lit up then. "Yes. I do have much better uses for her than he does. And besides..what was I thinking? I don't take orders from him anymore!"
She waited until later that night, then walked into the room where Saraku was being held. Slowly, she walked over to where the girl slept, and shook her. "Get up."
"What is it?" the girl asked softly.
"Ask later. Get up. We're leaving." She pulled the girl to her feet abruptly. "Do you want to stay here, or be free?"
"Be free…." Saraku replied, wrapping her royal blue kimono around herself.
"Then hurry. I won't let you go yet, but at least I can get us out of here." Kagura all but yanked the child out of her cell, and down a corridor. "Don't make a sound, or it's back in the dark cell for you." She whispered at length. She had to get her past Naraku's guards. The girl merely nodded. Kagura was slightly impressed by how well behaved her prisoner was. She looked around, then picking the child up, she rushed out of the house, and into the woods with her.
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Inuyasha was sitting on the bank near Kaede's village, when Kagome found him. "Inuyasha?"
"Yeah?" The hanyou boy looked up at her. There was a very worried tone in his mate's voice. "What's the matter, Kagome?"
"Kouga's here with some of his men. Something awful has happened to Saraku."
"What?! What did he do to her?!" The half-demon jumped up, and rushed over to where Kouga was standing. "What've you done to her?!"
"Not me. I didn't do anything to her. We think Kagura has kidnaped her. You know, the Wind Mistress."
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "How could that have happened?! Wasn't Sesshoumaru watching her?"
"We found her camping equipment. She must have been traveling to find your group." Kouga replied.
"Without a chaperone? What was my idiot brother thinking?!!" Inuyasha's outburst brought Kaede, Miroku,Sango (with Chibi) and Shippou over.
"What's going on, Kagome?" Miroku asked.
"Saraku's been kidnapped by Kagura." Kagome replied, truly full of worry.
"Oh no! What if she plans to take her to Naraku?!" Shippou asked with a shudder.
"I hope not…." Sango never forgot how Naraku had manipulated her little brother Kohaku. She held Chibi closer to her.
Miroku put a consoling arm around Sango. "We must not waste no more time. We have to find her."
Kaede nodded. "Would ye like me to keep Chibi with me, Dear?" She looked at Sango.
"I think that's quite impossible. She still must be nursed. Don't worry. We'll be fine."
The village leader nodded. "All right then." She nodded to Kouga's group, before leaving everyone to make plans.
"I'll take my group west. If I find her, I'll send a messenger." Kouga decided aloud.
"Your help is most appreciated." Kagome replied sincerely. "Thank you."
"Feh….." The half demon glowered at his sworn enemy. "Fine. Do what have to do." This, he said more to please Kagome than any other reason.
Kouga nodded, then led his men in the direction he'd indicated. He knew Inuyasha wasn't happy in reality, but that was too bad. The wolf prince had changed for the nicer, and he would not leave an innocent child in Naraku's grasp.
Kagome watched them leave, then looked at Inuyasha. "If they're going west, should we head south?"
"No. I think we should go the way she was coming. There might be some clues to which direction Kagura took her from her camp." The hanyou replied. Then seeing the fear Kagome had in her eyes, he spoke even gentler. "We'll find her, Kagome. And then she'll stay with us. There's no way I'm going to let Sesshoumaru have her after this!"
"But Inuyasha……I don't want you and your brother to fight…." Kagome still believed the brothers should be more civil,if not more loving towards each other.
"Feh…. That won't change, with or without Saraku. He hates me, and I never did a damn thing to him. I didn't ask his dad and my mother to mate!" Yet, silently, Inuyasha wished he and Sesshoumaru got a long better as well.
"We can decide those things later. The more time we waste, the farther away she gets!" Shippou spoke up now. By then,Sango,Chibi and the young kitsune had settled on Kilala's back.
"Shippou's right. Come on." Miroku led the way, heading towards Inuyasha's brother's dwelling. "He's still living in the hut, right?"
"I've no idea. That's where there were over two years ago when he last brought her to visit." Inuyasha replied. "It wouldn't hurt to try there first."
"Alright." And so Miroku turned them northeast, and headed for the old hut of Inuyasha's father.
(A/n:In case anyone is curious, or didn't remember,Kyoko and Achika are also feature in Melissa's (Oneesan no Hiroushi Miroku's) Taming of the Wolf,and are used with her permission! Sorry this chapter was so short. I'm building on ideas. I'm still working on direction. Hahaha!)
