To those of you who reviewed.... I LOVE YOU!!!! Seriously, I can't express what it means to me to have people, first of all, READ my work, and the second of all, think enough of it to reply. I give you all E-Hugs! Yea! Oh, and FireDemond, that story was actually a collaboration RPG that the starter decided to post on here, so that might be what you're thinking of. But that story didn't go anywhere, so it died. I'm sorry! But, I will write more, I promise! It's much more rewarding too, when you hear from the reader.
Once again, enjoy! I was actually motivated last night to put this up b/c of the reviews. Ya'll rule!

Naraku leapt with ease from the trees. Since his heart was hidden away, he had no need to fear deadly attacks. The pompous coward had done his dirty deed with his own hands, for once, and now had fled from the sight.

Naraku had felt that the rips of his traitors made it unsafe to keep the hearts in his castle. He moved the group then to a small cave tucked far away. Usually it was surrounded by a strong barrier, keeping anyone from entering.
But when he had left from its shelter this time, he had been careless. Naraku's invincible feelings had made him reckless, and he swept from the barrier without a thought of its defense. He believed the only threat to its location now dead.
But the barrier was weakening.

Sesshomaru followed the strength of his dog nose, tracing the path of Naraku's stench with urgent flight. Naraku must have known Kagura was following him...but he didn't believe that anyone else would be. That was why he had paid no heed to my presence. He felt no danger. What a fool you be Naraku!

The forest below him soon came to an end, and a rocky alcove appeared. There was no wind to affect his tracking—Naraku had certainly come from here. Sesshomaru slowed his speed, lowering to the ground. Once landed, he placed Kagura's limp form on the ground and turned to investigate the rock. Jaken's high cords piped into action nervously. "My Lord Sesshomaru, what is the meaning of this venture?"

The vast yellow eyes turned for a moment to his servant. "Stay here with Rin. Watch Kagura."

With that he stepped forward to the rocks, peering at each crack and corner, trying bitterly to ignore that his heart was pumping faster and faster with each passing second, then—his eyes stopped their roving. A cave...? He moved his way closer, sharp ears picking out the haunting echo of an entrance, his nose taking in the stench of Naraku. Yes, this was it! He could sense a small barrier protecting it, but... it seemed entirely ineffective now. Cautiously, he stepped to it, and touched it with a claw: no effect. Granting himself a silent victory smile, he entered quickly. He believed an intense search awaiting him in the effort to find her heart, (if he could), but he was only to be revolted.

There, on the floor, were the shattered, almost indistinctive remains of a heart. Kagura's heart. He bent, taking the remains into his claws, gently plucking up the excess material of it, missing nothing. He stood again, and turned, seeing the shelf to his right. Kagura's vase was missing in a long line of marionettes being played by a sick puppeteer. Naraku, I will destroy you. Then he exited the dank cave into the sunlight, and went straight to the demoness' side.

Rin watched as her father took the heart fragments in his hand and laid them down gently onto the dead chest of Kagura, then gasped when they suddenly melted back into her body. The little girl waited excitedly, eyes searching desperately for a sign of life... But none came.

"But, Lord Sesshomaru, you put her heart back—why is she not alive?"

Her lord stood straight, and moved his hands to his sword sheaths, yet it was Tenseiga that sang this time as it was pulled into the day. "Naraku destroyed her heart, but..." He held the sword in front of him and his energy began to gather and wake the sword from its long slumber. His eyes looked about, then, "Just as I suspected."

With a triumphant grin, he swung the Tenseiga through the air, killing away the soul-searching demons that his life-sword revealed, then arched it down deep into Kagura's chest. The point dug it's way into her... and yet she was still. Sesshomaru's eyes widened. No... it can't be... "This...is...NOT YOUR FULL POWER!"

At once the sword began to glow, it's blade widening and pulsing, pulling down its master's energy until it bound it to its dead. Sesshomaru closed his eyes as his energy was pulled, feeding the sword on with all the feelings he so hated, so despised, and now couldn't live without.

And then there was a ragged gasp, and Kagura's body arched under the blade, limbs twitching to motion with the sudden return of blood, eyes snapping open to the bright sun, chest heaving in the new breaths of air that had never willingly left. Sesshomaru plucked the sword from her body, and at once the energy was dispersed, and the sword returned to normal. Her body sank again, but did not cease its return to life. Sesshomaru knelt next to her, his sword sheathed, surprised to find himself slightly out of breath. "Kagura."

The demoness' eyes were wide and confused, searching about her, only to find the face of a little girl bending over her, a servant staring at her in shock, and... "S-Sesshomaru!"

The demon, seeming satisfied, stood and left her side. Kagura blinked after him and tried vainly to sit up. She turned to the youth at her side, suddenly recognizing it as the human girl that followed Sesshomaru so closely. "Wh-where am I? What happened...?"

Rin smiled at her, tears falling down her smooth cheeks. "Lord Sesshomaru saved you! He brought you back to life with the Tenseiga!"

Kagura stared at her, and once more moved to sit up, only succeeding in propping herself up on her elbow. "But—how can that be?"

"Do you question his power, eh?" She blinked at the voice of the servant, only to recognize him as Jaken. He set forth unleashing a tirade of how she had abused his lord, and she was saved out of the graces of his heart, and she should be thankful...but Kagura wasn't listening. She stared at Sesshomaru's back, a short distance away. "I was lost."

The demon must have sensed this thought posed at him, for he tilted his head just ever so slightly to give her a reply. "When we discovered you, you were lifeless, with no trace of apparent injury. I assumed, correctly, that Naraku had possessed your heart and crushed it. His scent was traced to here. I suspected that, because he had crushed your heart outside of your body, your soul would not escape unless your body returned whole. I was correct, and once your heart was returned to you, I merely stopped your soul from taking its leave. That is how you are alive today, Lady Kagura."

And with that, he turned his head away again and walked into the shadow of the woods, leaving Kagura to stare at his retreating back.

Wee! Only one more chapter to go! That's so exciting, isn't it? I'm happy with this story now, but I know that about 4 days from now, I'll want to fix it. Goo. Ah, the life of a perfectionist.

Oh, and I thought I should mention--I know the hearts are shown as black orbs with red fireystuff around them in Naraku's hands, but the way I see it is, once Naraku takes out the ball and decides to crush it, it will turn back into a heart for him. He's sick enough to do that, and it's much more dramatic.

Oh, and I'm not sure if S. already knew Naraku had her heart, if so, forGIVE me :), I err! All I know is that she's told S. to save her from his prison. So, if I'm wrong, don't flame, just smile and nod, wot wot!

R&R, thanks for reading!