Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku caught up to the others shortly after the little incident near the shrine. Sango was still a little shaken up but she was doing much better than before. Kilala was so excited to see her and crawled up in her lap, awaiting much needed attention. Rei sighed. She needed some sleep, but she was thirsty, so she went to the stream nearby for some water.

"Hey hanyou priestess!" whispered a voice from somewhere amongst the trees, "Over here..."

Rei looked up, her black eyes scanning the area for someone before she spotted the burning mane and tail of Hibara, the fire horse demon that had escaped Inuyasha and Miroku earlier on unharmed.

"Get the hell away from me..." she spat, leaping down from the rock.

"Listen...I won't kill you if you help me get the shikon no tama shards from that obnoxious dog demon Inuyasha," Hibara challenged her with a hint of amusement.

"The hell I will!"

"Interesting choice," Hibara chuckled, "Not wise, but interesting. You want your insides spilled out so that everyone will know that the preistess right here is half-demon!"

"You'll be dog food before either happens, Hibara!" Rei cried before fire spiralled up the blade of her sword and she began slashing at him with fury. Her blade caught his leg, cutting him down to three legs and he stumbled for a mere moment, long enough for her to bite him and make him holler in pain.

"YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Hibara screamed, his voice echoing loudly throughout the forest, "FOR THAT EVERYONE WILL KNOW YOUR SECRET!"

"Not-"

"Half-demon priestess!" Hibara shouted at her before she could speak, and before she had the chance to realize that the others had followed his screams and howls.

"Hanyou miko?" Shippou exclaimed once they arrived at the scene, "Inuyasha, did you know?"

Inuyasha shook his head, "If I had known, I would have already told you. There's so much blood and death on and around her that I can't smell any demon blood in her. Makes me dizzy to even be near her," he explained.

Leaping over Hibara, Rei drove the sword right through Hibara's neck, splitting his head right from his shoulders. Standing over the dead horse demon's body, she sheathed her sword and sighed.

"Sis...but why-"

"Because it's the side of me that is not related to you, Kae," Rei explained to him before turning to the others, "and I'm sorry. We can be out of your way as soon as now if you'd like. I am grateful for your help...but..." turning away, she leapt up onto a branch where she hugged her knees to her chest, "by the way, Sango...how are you feeling now?"

"Fine," Sango replied, "thanks."

Well into the middle of the night, everyone except Inuyasha lay peacefully asleep, Kilala curled happily at Sango's side. Rei had been up on the branch for hours and not said a word. The little boy, Kaemon, had explained that their father had always raised them according to their gender, or rather, raised Rei according to her gender, and had pretty much faded her out into the background. Which explained why she had no yearning to wish to stay with them, but the explanation did not give reason to the aura of extreme hatred and resentment that surrounded her. His ears pricked suddenly when he heard a sniffle. And although she was hidden by the shadows and he could not see her, he knew she was crying.

Holding as still as she possibly could, she dried her tears with her fingers and attempted to still her breathing. From below, she could feel Inuyasha's eyes scanning the shadows and wondered suddenly why her father had fallen in love and had a child with a demon to begin with. All her life she'd been fighting her demon side, had struggled to focus solely on her human side to please her father...and yet she still fought a losing battle. Even now, she still wondered who she truly was...

"Hey...if you're going to travel with us, tears are out of the question," he called up to her, "just because everyone knows your little secret, does not give you the reason to be a cry baby."

"...What the hell would you know," she shot back.

"I know damn well how you feel. I'm a hanyou too, as if you hadn't noticed. Probably not, with all those tears in your eyes. But now is not the time to be depressed. I thought a priestess was supposed to suppress her emotions and not allow them to affect her actions."

"How do you-"

"How do I know? I've been around a hell of a lot longer than you and I..." He hesitated a moment before finishing his harshly spoken sentence, "...fell in love with a priestess once." However, his last words were not harshly spoken. They sounded sad, remorseful, and filled with regret.

She was unsure of how many days she'd been asleep. She peeled away the bandage that someone had expertly dressed. When she looked upon her wound that had been inflicted by that damned sword, Tetsusaiga, she estimated about two. Her wound was almost fully healed. Where in the world was? She glanced around her dark surroundings. She didn't recognize this forest. Hastily she rose and tied her kimono properly. She'd never be able to get those blood stains out nor mend the tear that exposed her chest. The fire beside her was still smoking. The three that had been providing their hospitality towards her had obviously not been gone for long. She could smell human all around her. That little girl had been the one who watched over her the most, it seemed. A fresh fish had been neatly placed beside her. Although she required all the strength that she could, she would not take it. She would never take from a human. She reached into her sash. Her eyes narrowed. Where was her weapon, the Nekoken? Her question was answered with the arrival of her three captors.

"Yay! Kitty is awake!"

The cat demon ignored the young girl who had referred to her as "Kitty" and had instantly thrown her arms around her into an embrace.

"Rin...release her..." the dog demon, Sesshoumaru instructed. It was obvious the cat demon did not approve of Rin's affections.

"Yes my lord," Rin said and did as she was told.

"...Your generosity is appreciated..." the cat demon said quietly, "however...if you require imbursement...as you can see I have nothing..."

This sword..." Sesshoumaru began, drawing the Nekoken from his sash and unsheathing it, "...from where did you recieve it?"

"...That is not your business," the cat demon retorted, "If it is what you desire in return for your hospitality...I must decline."

Jaken's face went tomato red with fury, "HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO MY LORD IN SUCH A WAY! YOU-" WHACK! His lord struck him over the head with the hilt of the Nekoken.

"Enough Jaken..."

"...Yes...my lord..." the toad whimpered, rubbing his sore empty head.

"Kitty hungry?" Rin inquired.

"I have a name, human. Use it or lose your tongue. I am Miyu."

Kao crouched beneath the cover of the bush and watched Inuyasha intently. The sun had just risen and his eyes still remained closed. Hopefully he was still in a deep sleep and unaware of her presence. She crept from under the bush and stopped when meeting his right foot. At that moment she pounced! Her claws and teeth were ready to dig into the tender flesh of his placid face. She could already feel the blood oozing between her fangs when suddenly his eyes flashed open.

"Thought you could sneak up on me, eh? You failed!" Inuyasha cried and seized her by the tail in mid air.

"OW!" she squealed when he yanked her back, "Lemme go ass wipe! You need me! Admit it! You don't know where Naraku's castle is! I do! So why can't we just work together!"

"You already said she could come anyways, Inuyasha," Shippou said.

"Yeah, she kept her end of the bargain," Miroku added.

"Wha? How come you're always on her side!" he yelled.