Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, because if I did, Kikyo would be dead and buried- for good this time. No last minute rising from the dead things.

Chapter 3

Kagome tightened her grip on Inuyasha as he leapt over a tall tree and continued to speed through the forest on their way to the village. Kaede, Miroku, Sango, and an unhappy Shippo were to follow shortly after, riding horses.

I hope we get there in time to help... She thought sadly, imagining the devastation the village must have suffered.

Kaede didn't know much about the attack, only what a messenger had told her. Apparently there had been three demons- what kind they were or why they had attacked had been a mystery. They had ravaged the village, appearing to be looking for something, killing anyone that had gotten in the way.

She felt sick just thinking about it.

She burrowed her face into the comforting warmth of Inuyasha's back and tried to sort through her thoughts.

Why had the demons attacked? Were they being ordered around by someone? There was nothing to gain by attacking the small village. As far as Kagome knew, they had only one shrine, and a small one at that.

What were they looking for? The messenger reported that they had searched each house, killing the people inside and burning it when they were through. What had they wanted?

Why three demons? Such a small village poised only a minimal danger to even a single demon, yet they had been attacked by three.

They must be searching for something very important. Kagome decided, no closer to an answer than when she had begun.

She sighed and Inuyasha gave her a quizzical look. She had been too quiet on this journey. It wasn't like her.

"Sorry." She gave him a smile to hide her uncertainty. "Just thinking." He nodded and turned back to concentrate on the jump ahead.

She watched the expression on his face for a moment, before returning to her thoughts. She had long ago given up on trying to figure out her feelings for him. They were as complicated and fleeting as butterflies. She merely excepted the fact that they were part of her, and ignored them.

She excepted him as her Guardian. Someone to look after her, to protect her. Deep in her heart she knew there was more, but those feelings were pushed aside, because they were impossible.

He loves Kikyo. She reminded herself fiercely. The dead miko always seemed to be watching over them, even when she wasn't there.

With a mental sigh, she returned her attention to the landscape rushing by her. Her breath caught as she viewed the destruction before her. The forest was lush and green, sharply accenting the burned out shell in the center that had once been the town.

Inuyasha jumped and landed at the edge of the burned out area his eyes flashing in anger.

Smoke still rose from a few of the homes, and as they watched a roof fell into the charred ash that had supported it until now.

Blank eyed people moved among the burned houses, pulling items from the rubble. Most were covered with the ash that seemed to permeate the air around them, choking them.

Kagome coughed once and drew in a shaky breath. "Let's go." She walked through the main street to the shrine, the only building not completely destroyed by the devastating fire.

Mutely Inuyasha turned to follow her, his expression a mixture of horror and anger.

As they approached the shrine a chorus of moans and screams rose from within. Kagome entered slowly, allowing her eyes time to adjust to the darkness.

She stopped, horrified at what she saw. Pallets laid on every available inch of floor, covered in bodies. Some were still alive, moaning and crying out in pain at their injuries. But most were unmistakably dead.

Their bodies burnt beyond recognition, or mangled by the jaws of what Kagome could only assume had been the demons.

She let out a choked sob, burying her face in her hands. She shivered when warm hands slid around her waist, pulling her back out of the shrine and away from the bodies of the dead and dying.

"Don't look..." Inuyasha's voice was gentle, but tempered by the disturbing things he had witnessed.

She turned to bury her face in his shoulder, her shoulders shaking with sobs.

"It's okay..." He murmured over and over, knowing it wasn't and hating himself for lying to her.

He dared to pull away when her sobs had quieted to mute tears. He wiped the last of the tears from her cheeks with gentle fingers.

"Kagome... I know this is hard for you to understand, but you have to be strong for these people. If we're going to help them, we need you."

"You're right." She took a shaky breath. "I'll be fine." She stepped away from him, hating to leave the warmth of his arms, but knowing it was expected of her.

He gave a brief nod. "I'll go and find out who's in charge and see what we can do. Just stay here okay?"

She nodded and he descended the shrine steps.

"Inuyasha?" Her voice brought him up short.

"Yes?" He replied not turning around.

"Thank you." He grunted and continued walking, leaving her alone. She sat on the shrine steps, trying desperately to ignore the moans coming from behind her.

She shivered despite the warmth of the air and hugged herself.

A movement in front of her broke into her thoughts and she looked up to see a young girl not two feet from her. The girl stood silence, seeing she had gotten Kagome's attention.

Kagome studied the girl as the girl did the same for her. The child couldn't have been much older than Shippo. Her long, dark brown hair was pulled back in a braid, trailing down her back. Her light blue kimono dragged on the ground behind her and covered her hands as well, much too big for her.

But it was her eyes that commanded Kagome's attention. Dark black pools, so deep you could fall in if you weren't careful. So expressive, like a million things were running through her head at once, but so blank you could never guess what she was thinking.

The child blinked, breaking Kagome's concentration. Shyly she stepped up next to her and sat on the shrine steps, imitating the way Kagome sat.

"Hello..." Kagome said quietly. The girl didn't bother to respond, reaching up with one tentative finger to touch Kagome's cheek.

The girl's hand drifted back to her lap and she watched Kagome with something like awe. Kagome found herself astoundingly intrigued with this small person, who approached her with no hint of fear.

"What is your name?" She found herself asking.

The girl gave a shy smile and seemed on the verge of responding, but was cut off by a harsh voice.

"Ungrateful brat!" A man reached down and grabbed the child by the arm, yanking her off the steps. "I turn my back for two seconds and you run off!" He raised his hand to hit the girl, but stopped with a shocked expression when Kagome grabbed his arm.

"Leave her alone!"

OOOOO

Author's Note: Longer, I know. But my muse seems to have woken up from her extremely long nap and decided to help me type this. I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry about the cliff-hanger. But you'll just have to read on to find out what happens. At least it got more exciting!

Special thanks to my two reviewers: Dark Inu Fan and StarfireRobin! Thanks for taking the time to give me some advice and some encouragement!

MysteryMaiden7