Chapter 34

Inuyasha returned to the camp with the news. They related the information gained from Yashiro.

They would travel to the monastery and Sesshoumaru would finally get the elusive scent of his quarry than they would travel to the various villages in the valley below. Perhaps they would get lucky and find him soon.

Miroku was back to his old ways. He was watching Katame again. She didn't like it one bit. She had been violated once before by the demon Shogon because of the actions of men and she didn't like the way he looked at her.

Inuyasha saw this and took it upon himself to talk to his friend.

"Miroku, we have to talk. I've been watching you look at Katame. Keep your eyes off her, you're bothering her. You can't have her anyway, Miroku, she is Sesshoumaru's mate and you would do well to remember that. He would tear your heart out if he thought for a second you had any ideas about her."

"Hey I'm a monk not a saint. Besides I'm only looking. You know I wouldn't do anything about it. I'm not that stupid, Inuyasha."

"Well I'm not so sure about that Miroku. Katame is a friend of mine and I won't let her get hurt."

"Who said anything about hurting her?" Miroku had not seen his friend like this before. "What's really going on Inuyasha, tell me."

"Katame was violated once before and I promised to protect her from that ever happening again. She's kind of special to me." He looked at his friend and then took him by the shirt front. "So keep your eyes and hands off! Understand?"

"OK, ok anything you say. Wow you're in a foul mood today." Miroku went back to the fire

"Katame?" He thought it would be safer to apologize now than have is friend rip him apart. "Ummm, I just want you to know... I wouldn't hurt you. Ok? Sorry if I scared you."

Katame just looked at him. She didn't quite know if she should talk to him at all. He was a man after all, and it was men that brought her to Shogon in the first place. They had looked at her that way too. She didn't trust him. She walked away and went to sit by her husband.

Sesshoumaru knew something was bothering his wife but wasn't sure if it was just camp life or whether it was something else. He pulled her close.

"What troubles you my Katame?" He spoke softly.

Katame had never lied to her husband but she knew he would be furious to learn of Miroku's unwanted stares. She snuggled into his chest and murmured something inaudible.

Sesshoumaru didn't pursue it. Lucky for Miroku.

---------------------------------------------------

At the monastery....

"Is this his scent Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru sniffed around the place. The scent was everywhere but it also was old. Naraku hadn't been here in at least a month.

"Yeah that's his smell alright. I know his stink anywhere." Inuyasha was in a bad mood. He had hoped to find that demon and finally get him out of his hair.

It was Naraku that had caused the problem with Kykyo in the first place. If it hadn't been for him, he wouldn't have been shot and pinned to that blasted tree.

"Damn!" Inuyasha said out loud. "I wanted to get my hands on him. Where could he have gone?"

"Don't worry Inuyasha we'll find him." Kagome tried to comfort him.

"You said the smell is about a month old. How far could he go in that time? Where would you go if you were him?" She asked Sesshoumaru.

"They say that he likes to terrorize villages." His eyes looked off into the distance. "There is a village three days from here. It will be easier for me to it scout out, now that I know his scent. Mind if I borrow your son Inuyasha?

"Sugumi fly!"

Sesshoumaru and Sugumi took off into the darkening sky.

Sesshoumaru and Sugumi arrived near the outskirts of the village. "Come Sugumi you look the part. Walk through the village and tell me what you see. I will fly to the surrounding farms and check them. If you need me use your sword I will hear the blast and return to you."

Sugumi looked up at his uncle and nodded. There was at least one advantage to looking human. He wouldn't scare the villagers the way his uncle would if he was spotted. Also if Naraku was here he wouldn't detect the man-demon so easily.

Sugumi walked through the village it was late and so nearly everyone was asleep inside. He passed by several houses and buildings that looked broken down and burned. One villager spotted Sugumi and ran to his house. The man looked terrified to see a stranger out in the streets at night. He scented the place. Yes there it was the smell of Naraku. But it was also stale. Naraku had been here but a while ago.

"What are you doing here? Who are you?" The villager had warned the others that a stranger was walking about. "We don't like strangers here. What do you want?"

"I want to walk through your village in peace." Sugumi's calmly replied. "Do you have any complaints about that?"

"Who are you? You haven't told us. Why are you here?"

"I am Sugumi, and I came to see if I might find a certain demon here. I know he has been here I can smell him. When did Naraku leave?"

"Ahhhh, He seeks Naraku." One village man cried.

"No... You must leave here or he will return and destroy us all." Came another cry.

"Wait. We came to destroy him. But he isn't here where is he? Where did he go? You must tell me." Sugumi tried to get them to calm down.

The villagers were in a frenzy. They were terrified that the dreaded Naraku would return they decided to put an end to the one seeking him.

"We must destroy him."

"He will bring Naraku back down on us."

"Get him!"

Sugumi did him best to reason with the frightened people, but to no avail. They rushed Sugumi. His father and uncle had taught him that humans were fragile and could be damaged easily. He was not to be too rough with them or they would die at his hand.

Sugumi did his best not to hurt them but they kept rushing and landing on him. He threw a couple of them and brushed off a few more but this was getting aggravating.

He drew his sword and shouted his cry. "Fire blast shielder." But he had aimed it at the sky so he wouldn't kill any of the weak humans that had piled on him.

A huge blast erupted from the sword and all the villagers suddenly dropped to the ground. They began to beg for their lives.

"Forgive us lord we didn't know what you were." The village elder pleaded. "We are but humble people. We fear the demon Naraku. Please, lord Sugumi, spare us."

Sugumi put his sword in its sheath and crouched before the face of the trembling elder. "We are seeking Naraku to destroy him. Where is he? Do you know?"

At that moment Sesshoumaru arrived to find his nephew had everything under control. He came up to Sugumi as he was speaking with the elder.

"Ahhh... another demon we are lost."

"Enough of that now!" Sugumi shouted at the panicked man. "This is my uncle Sesshoumaru. He won't bite you, if you would just calm down." He turned his attention to his uncle.

"Uncle Sesshoumaru, Naraku was here before I was about to find out what the elder knows about where he has gone."

"So old one where is he?" Sesshoumaru stepped up to trembling old man.

"Please lord, don't hurt me. I don't know where he has gone. He was here, but left just before the last full moon."

"What direction did he go in old one?" Sesshoumaru picked up the elder by the shoulders.

"Forgive me lord I don't know where he has gone. He was seen going north but none dared follow him. Lord Sesshoumaru, please, I promise you that is all I know."

Sesshoumaru dropped the frightened man and walked away. "Sugumi, come." He took off back to the others back at the monastery.

Kagome had made a meal for everyone and they were sitting enjoying it when Inuyasha scented his brother's return. "I hope you made enough food Kagome, Sugumi the terrible has returned."

"Sugumi is back already?" Kagome ran to the door in time to see them land.

"Hi mom, I'm hungry is there anything left." The demon hugged his mom and ran inside to claim his portion of the food.

"Hi Sesshoumaru we have some supper made for you. Would you like some tea? It's hot." Kagome never really knew what to expect from the demon when he returned from being away. Sometimes he was pleasant most of the time he was in a foul mood.

"Where are the others I must speak with them?" Sesshoumaru pushed past her then thought better of it. "I will have some tea Kagome, thank you."

'That was weird.' Kagome thought to herself as she followed him inside. 'He never says thank you. I wonder what's gotten into him.'