A/N: I might go back and redo this chapter, but for now I can't make it better

The Miko Is Late

Kagome, finally cleansed enough, knelt on a flat pillow next to Miroku and Sango, who were now quiet as if Kagome hadn't found them bickering just a minute ago. The miko sat opposite to them, a bit to the side, leaving a big, plain blue pillow for someone else. It took little time for the last member of the audience to make their appearance.

A middle-aged woman in priestess robes walked in the room and smiled warmly before she knelt on the pillow. She looked so in place in this room with white walls, with old sliding doors that opened to the great garden that surrounded the building. The scent of incense that lingered in the air only enhanced the serene atmosphere of the place. It was hard to believe that there had been a Youkai attack here not too long ago.

Kagome took a deep breath and schooled her features. She didn't care about the prejudicial woman, but she wanted to make a good impression on this new woman. She wanted not to embarrass her family and the lady seemed so nice. Much nicer than the other priestess in the room.

"Thank you for coming here so fast," the woman said in a pleasant voice, bowing slowly as if she was experiencing back pains. "The matter is most troubling to us and we shall need your assistance to rectify it."

"Of course, If we can help in any way, we will," she smiled brightly. The woman's dark, serene eyes reminded Kagome of her mom.

"There are many artefacts stored here, some merely waiting for a right wielder, some put here to be forever hidden," the head priestess spoke in a soft, even voice. "Among the most prized of the objects we keep is a heavenly bow that we entrusted only to a handful priestesses of unrivaled power over the centuries."

Kagome nodded and noticed that her friends were listening with curiosity. Almost every shrine and temple had some artifacts they safekept. The Higurashi Shrine had a legendary jewel put under a dozen seals by ancient priestesses. Her grandpa had made Souta and her memorize the legend of the gem, which was said to grant wishes, but in a twisted way.

"It was the bow that was stolen from us. By a group of youkai, no less. No youkai could use it, so we have no idea what use they have of it," the woman shook her head. "Miko Kagome, we ask of you and your friends to retrieve the heavenly bow,"

She bowed her head politely as she spoke the last sentence and Kagome felt a blush flood in her face. The other miko bowed stiffly.

"Uh, but why us? I mean, we're honored…" she stumbled over her words.

"Lady Kagome," Miroku piped in. "As well as SAngo and I, I mean no offense, but there are many spiritually gifted people in this world, why have you gone to the length of asking someone from the human realm?"

Kagome glanced back at the monk with a sigh of relief. Leave it to Miroku to voice her question in flowing words that would not accidentally offend anyone. She missed Inuyasha and his helpful comments and suggestions - he was not exactly well-mannered himself, but over the years he had gained some experience.

She was still learning and she felt awkward and unsure if she was carrying herself well as a priestess of her family. It was easier to act all priestly around people in the town near the shrine, but in front of another miko, and one radiating authority and serenity even when she requested help because a powerful artifact had been stolen… Well, it was hard not to feel inadequate and inexperienced.

But before the woman before her could answer, a wash of tangled emotions went through Kagome. She stiffened and gasped at the mess that filled her head, her own thoughts scattering when she heard Inuyasha's voice.

'Stay put, Kagome!'

"Youkai!" gasped someone from somewhere nearby, but she didn't listen, trying to decipher the emotions and glimpses of images she received from her shrine guardian. For him to reach her so far away from him meant he was either very focused on the message or greatly shaken.

And then the ground under her trembled as if an earthquake was starting. It wasn't too strong, but easy to sense.

'Inuyasha! What's going on?' she jumped to her feet, ignoring the other people in the room and turning in the direction she knew he was. The tone of his voice was angry, concerned, determined. She got a glimpse of a tree exploding when a lightning struck it and he barely had time to jump away from the flying debris.

'Stay put, damnit!'

As if she walked through a thick fog, Kagome dazedly stumbled onto the engawa, heedless of other people in the room, alarmed by the shaking and waves of youki that came from somewhere far down the mountain slope. She somehow managed to descend to the ground and then took off running, reaching for Inuyasha with her mind.

She was oblivious as to what was happening with her companions, if they were still back in that room or followed her outside. She was trying to fish something substantial out from the eddy of thoughts, blurry images and feelings that were filling Inuyasha's mind, swirling around her and never allowing her to steady herself, to reach him, to figure out what was going on. Were there moths flying around him or leaves from the destroyed tree?

Stumbling and swaying on her feet Kagome reached the steps that led down the side of the mountain to where the youkai of their group had been waiting for them/ She saw a blinding light from Inuyasha's attack plowing the ground and a bunch of humanoid youkai that dodged the attack.

"Inuyasha!" she screamed when one of the yokai put something in the dying light of the attack and then swung it at Inuyasha. To her horror the signature attack of Tessaiga lit up the area yet again, hitting the stunned hanyou, who collapsed to the ground. Kagome froze, her hands reaching to her mouth to stifle a cry.

The vortex of Inuyasha's thoughts, his determination and anger, all the presence of her hanyou in her mind was gone and she felt like she was reaching in the emptiness of the void. She felt so cold, so lonely, as if a part of her was gone.

One of the youkai walked over to where Tessaiga was next to the prone body of the shrine guardian where he had dropped it. Sparks flew from the sword, preventing the youkai from picking it up. Two others approached with a piece of something that looked like cloth. In no time at all they rolled Inuyasha on the cloth and carefully pushed the katana with their weapons to lay over him, then tied the cloth and picked up the unconscious hanyou between themselves. One of the youkai looked back and up, straight at Kagome, then waved a hand. The whole group disappeared in a flurry of flowers and mist that dissipated to reveal the empty battlefield.

All that took less than a minute.

"Inuyasha!" she screamed, stumbling down the stairs, reaching with her hands as if she could reach all the way to where the youkai were lifting the hanyou and carrying him away from her. Her cry was seconded by her mind screaming, reiki lacing every syllable of his name.

There was no response.