Notes: It's certainly been awhile, ne? I honestly didn't intend to put such a lengthy time between updates. The whole college thing (first year) has made time for writing and inspiration hard to come by. But I thank all of you deeply for your reviews, I'm very flattered. Enjoy this chapter. I know it's short, but a longer one shall be out very soon.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha "Sengoku o-Togi Zoushi" and its related characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi.

Part III:

Submerged

As Kagome trudged across scattered branches and gnarled tree roots, she could feel the anger and frustration coursing within her. One on any other day, well almost any, she might have felt guilty for reacting so quickly. But of course, it was no ordinary day she was dealing with and exceptions needed to be made. Even if the given parties weren't aware of them.

Upon hearing the sound of footsteps crushing the brittle leaves on the forest floor behind her, Kagome paused. Expecting to see a very irate Inuyasha in demand of an apology, she whirled around abruptly. He was oddly silent and Kagome didn't intend to allow him the first words in their inevitable disagreement

Whom she found instead of the fuming hanyou caused her to start momentarily. Miroku stood calmly before her, his gaze appraising.   

"You seem to be quite jumpy today, Kagome-sama," He stated, his voice tinged with amusement. "Is there any particular reason for your discomfort and anything I do to help relieve it?"  

Kagome's jaw dropped and she gaped at him in shock. After all that had happened last night and his…stares and…normal behavior, he had felt the need to ask why she was jumpy?

It took Kagome immense restraint to not hurt the attractive monk in a gory fashion and with loud sigh that was partly composed of exasperation and partly composed of rage, she spun on her heel and trudged onward.

Miroku watched as Kagome stomped away from him in mild dismay. He had obviously been enjoying the current situation too greatly and pointing it out had indeed been a mistake. 

On a more positive note, he hadn't made an uncomfortable acquaintance with the ground or felt the sting of Kagome's delicate hand marking his face.

While Miroku stood considering his luck, Shippou ran by him. While the kitsune's size had proved to be an asset in regard to quick getaways, his short legs made him far less swift when it came to long-distance travel.

"Kagome, wait up!" Shippou called out loudly. Perhaps not the best idea, Miroku reflected, given how apt youkai were at appearing with little warning.

Prepared to follow the kitsune, Miroku was nearly knocked off-balance as Inuyasha's red-attired form blazed past him.

Upon righting himself, Miroku frowned in dismay. The hanyou was unquestionably angry and held a plausible reason for his ire.

I doubt this will end well, Miroku mused, his thoughts grim as he followed the path quickly...

To say Inuyasha was livid would have been a great understatement. While he was had grown somewhat used to Kagome's over (in his opinion) use of the subduing spell, the utter fury and obnoxiousness behind the most present experience baffled him.

Or it did to an extent. He couldn't help wondering if Kagome had somehow seen him going off to follow Kikyou's Shinidamachuu.

Not that it's any of her business, Inuyasha thought with frustration.

He knew Miroku had still been awake at the time and had anything tried to hurt Kagome he would have quickly become aware of things. And while Miroku was a lecher and a thief, he was hardly someone to underestimate in a fight.

Upon noticing Kagome simply standing at the edge of the overgrowth, with Shippou in his ever-popular position in her arms, Inuyasha sighed heavily. Perhaps it was a trick of the wind, but Kagome almost appeared to be shaking.

Damn it. I said I would always protect her, it's not like I'd just go back on that promise. 

Despite his best attempts to suppress it, another irritating internal voice captured his attention.

You also promised you would protect Kikyou as well. Were you able to follow through on that promise?

Hoping to silence his inner doubts and worries, Inuyasha shouted, more than loud enough to catch the attention of Kagome, Shippou and the demon the next mountain over.

"Kagome! What the hell did you think you were doing back there? You think me being smashed on a bunch of rocks is funny or something?"

When surprisingly, he received no reply, Inuyasha growled to himself and moved closer to see what had Kagome and Shippou so preoccupied.

He followed their gaze down a rolling hill, where only a few feet away, an immense village stood. The wooden gate was thrown open, giving a clear view of the numerous huts and buildings that filled the area. The paths were clear and the surrounding areas appeared to be untouched by the traces of time and misuse.

"What do you think a big village like this is doing out in the middle of nowhere?" Shippou inquired curiously.

"It's certainly odd, to say the least." Miroku responded behind him, mildly out of breath from racing to catch up to the others. "While closer inspection will probably confirm things, it appears to be deserted."

"The scent of blood isn't in the air. Neither is that of any humans, youkai or Naraku." His previous anger momentarily forgotten, Inuyasha glanced at Kagome.

"Do you sense any shards of the jewel, Kagome?" 

Kagome shook her head, her expression clearly unsettled. "No. I don't sense…anything for that matter." 

Inuyasha gave a derisive snort. "Figures."

Miroku stared at the one of the gates, his expression suspicious. "Nonetheless, I would suggest that we all remain on our guard as we pass through the village."

"Feh, I'm always on my 'guard,' bouzu."

"What about when Kagome subdues you?" Shippou piped up from within Kagome's arms. "You're pretty foolish if you make her do it to you so often."

As always, Shippou had a way of choosing the ripest time to cause to mischief.

"I don't make her do it." Inuyasha argued haughtily. "She's just crazy enough to like causing me pain!"

"Crazy?" Kagome repeated angrily, while glaring at the offending hanyou. "Who's the one who charges head first into battle without giving a second thought to a plan or the enemies he's fighting? Who's the one-"

As amusing as might have found the argument, had Miroku's well-honed clerical powers alerted him to something not particularly…human had appeared somewhere nearby.

Scanning the area quickly and finding no visible trace of a possible assailant, Miroku glanced at Inuyasha and Kagome, whose mirrored tense expressions confirmed that they too had sensed something amiss.

"It's not above…" Kagome muttered, her expression intensely focused.

"Below!" Miroku yelled, as a loud rumbling seemed to fill the air. 

The ground abruptly began to crack and split apart and as Inuyasha prepared to grasp Kagome and Shippou and leap to safely, thick vines exploded from the large crevices and wrapped themselves around his body.

"Sakon Tetsusou!" Inuyasha shouted, the golden light from his claws obliterating some of the vines around him. Not nearly enough however, as he was quickly dragged into the gaping earth.

"Inuyasha!"

Hurriedly reaching for her bow and an arrow, Kagome struggled to find the main source of the vines. Shippou had moved to Kagome's shoulder and used his "Kitsune-bi," to singe the vines that came too close to her.

Neither the miko, nor the kitsune expected to have Kagome's feet swept out from beneath her, as her glowing arrow tore through a writhing mass of vines before her.

The final sound she clearly heard as she was dragged into the darkness, was Miroku's frantic voice screaming her name…