Kagome lay in her sleeping bag, with her back to the dying fire. She knew four sets of eyes were on her back. Suddenly she sat up and turned to them.
"With you all watching me like that, I am never going to fall asleep!" She yelled.
The group across the fire sheepishly looked at each other, and Sango even laughed. "We are sorry Kagome!"
Finally Inuyasha got up and walked over to Kagome. He sat down near her head and pulled her sleeping bag so that her head was resting on his lap. He closed his eyes and leaned back against a tree. He began to stroke her hair.
Kagome felt like she was going to melt. She blushed and closed her eyes, just happy to be near him like this. Inuyasha had taken this action for two reasons. Firstly, he figured if Kagome was comforted she might actually fall asleep. Secondly, with his eyes closed, his hearing and sense of smell took over. As he sat there with his fingers touching her soft hair, he realized there was also a third reason. Once again, he had caused Kagome pain, by nothing more than being in love fifty years ago. His feelings for Kikyo had changed vastly since then, and had moved from love to hate to a kind of respect and a need to finally have her memory at rest. His feelings for Kagome……now that is where things got complicated. He liked to tell his brain that he didn't love her and could never fall in love with her, but his heart told him different. Her love of life, her desire to do the right thing, and her devotion to him made her an invaluable companion.
She sighed and relaxed against his legs. His fingers still moved through her hair and soon she drifted into an uneasy sleep.
About an hour later Kagome began to move around in her sleep and whimper. Inuyasha perked up, as did Miroku and Sango. Inuyasha breathed deeply through his nose and picked up a very faint smell, that he did not recognize, somewhere to the south of them. He eased Kagome off his lap. Shippo moved to Kagome's side to protect her while the threesome went off is search off the demon tormenting Kagome.
They traveled quickly, but quietly. Kilala, Sango's little cat demon went with them, to watch their backs. She had remained quiet through most of what had happened already tonight, but was now ready to help as much as she could.
Miroku used his hand to cover the rings on his staff, as they moved quietly, following Inuyasha. When they reached a clearing about a hundred yards away from their campsite Inuyasha stopped. They stood on the edge of the clearing looking at what appeared to be an old woman chanting.
Inuyasha sprung from the ground and landed with solid feet right in front of the old woman. Sango and Miroku ran up to flank him on either side.
"Alright, granny! Playtime is over. You are going to pay for what you have been doing to Kagome!!" Inuyasha said pointing a claw at her.
The old woman opened her eyes and they were soulless and pure black. She opened her mouth and an earsplitting shriek emanated from her. Suddenly glowing red eyes appeared in the bushes all around the clearing.
"Oh no!" Sango said, grasping her huge boomerang, and preparing for the coming onslaught. Inuyasha unsheathed his Tetsusiaga and attacked the old witch. Spider demons the size of small horses burst from the underbrush. The old witch crumbled to the ground quickly and Inuyasha turned his attention to the spider demons.
"I!" Hack!
"Hate!" Slash!
"Spider!" Stab!
"Demons!" Inuyasha growled.
"I concur!" Said Miroku who was feverently wielding his staff with precision. Sango's boomerang sang through the air rending bodies and legs as it passed.
Suddenly a scream filled the air.
"That was Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled and jumped into the air in the direction of the campsite.
Miroku and Sango finished off the last few spider demons and climbed on Kilala's, whom had transformed into her larger size during the battle, back. Kilala headed back to camp.