Chapter Six

The forest was quiet, desolate, and gloomy.

There was no sign of any life or vegetation; just the rotting gnarled trees that cluttered the little patch of land. Flourishing shrubbery, green and thick with life, surrounded the dead, lifeless forest.

No animals dared to set foot inside of it, for there was no way to survive. No rivers or small streams ran through the forest, no moss grew on trees, and there was no clear path leading from one end of the forest to another.

The Forest of Death, some called it, for not only was the vegetation dead, but anyone who even tried to venture into it would die for it was so incredibly large.

Demons however, were the only creatures ever able to make it in and out of the forest alive. There were times when they even lower their prey into the forest in order to make a quick kill, for despite the fact that the forest was dead, the black gnarled branches of the trees gave for good hiding places.

But that was why she continued to wander in there.

People thought that she herself was foolish for doing so, but she didn't care. She trained near the edge of the forest, hoping that one day she could over come her fear and venture further into the forest - but she never did.

At first she thought that it had something to do with the fact that her little brother feared the forest that loomed so closely to their village, and that he would be heart broken if she were to get stuck in the forest and die. But then she realized that it was her own personal fear that held her back.

She dreaded dying and she knew it. But that still did not stop her from training at the edge of the forest. She would over come that fear sooner or later.

A smirk passed over her face as she continued to train, swinging her katana with a deadly precision. She went through her motions, sometimes using the deadened trees around her as targets of her attacks, but she mostly just swung her sword through the air, working up a well-earned sweat.

Her breath came out in slow short puffs, and her muscles were beginning to burn from working out so long. But not only that, it was getting dark quickly, and she knew that it would soon be time for him to come and retrieve her.

It was a daily ritual between the two, and at first she despised it, but the more he came to escort her back to her village, the more she began to appreciate his company. Granted, they did not get along as well as she wished they could, they were still pretty good comrades.

The young woman then swung her sword around in a fluid motion once more before stopping to take a breath.

Her muscles didn't burn nearly enough as they should have and -

"Lady Sango."

The said girl turned at the sound of her name, fixing a frown upon her face.

"Yes?" She asked, taking in the appearance of the man before her. He wasn't smiling, but his eyes were shining with amusement. He knew of her fear of the large forest, her fear of traveling too far into it, and she hated it. She had always thought that he knew to much about her, and there were times when she wished that she could just beat the knowledge out of him but -

It felt good knowing that he knew.

"Your father requests an audience." The ebony haired man said calmly, a faint smile appearing on his features.

"Ah," Sango murmured surprise not apparent on her face," no wonder you're early."

"Do not think that I merely come as a messenger to your father. I could have come of my own free will."

Sango gave him a pointed look. "Of course, but you mainly come of your own free will when I am bathing."

The man feigned innocence.

"I'm afraid I know not what you speak of Lady Sango, perhaps you care to elaborate?"

Sango snorted.

"And you call yourself a monk."

The monk smiled.

"I have never once considered myself virtuous Lady Sango."

"Of course," Sango replied, sheathing her katana and picking up a large bone boomerang that she had leaning against a tree. "Now, you said my father wished to see me?"

"I did."

"And do you happen to know what he wants to see me about?"

"I don't."

Sango huffed in aggravation. The monk merely smiled before motioning back towards the village with a gloved hand.

"We should get going Lady Sango."

"Of course, and please stop calling me Lady Sango. I have never once considered myself a lady."

"Ah, but that you are. You have all the necessary anatomy to qualify as a – "

"Ok, I get the point." Sango replied, blushing furiously at his bluntness. The monk merely smirked before turning around to walk away, Sango following slowly after him.

And Sango wondered what her father wanted her for. It wasn't natural for him to request an audience with her, especially when she was busy training. Her father had always approved of her being able to fight like a man, but that probably had something to do with the fact that she was his first-born.

He would always be proud of her no matter what she did. Even if she chose to be nothing more than a housewife instead of a warrior he would be proud of her. Sango couldn't help but smile softly.

"Eh, Miroku-sama?" Sango asked quietly.

"Yes?" The monk slowed, matching pace with her, and jingled his golden staff once.

"Do you think my father might want me to stop training? I mean he has never once interrupted my training sessions."

Miroku glanced at Sango curiously before an understanding look appeared on his face.

"You were thinking of becoming a housewife again weren't you?" He questioned, his formality gone.

Sango snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "No I was not."

Miroku looked as though he did not believe her in the slightest.

"Perhaps it is not what you think. What if your father merely wishes for you to begin training your younger brother? After all Kohaku is coming of age and he will be a man soon. You do have skills that surpass any man that I have seen fight." Sango smiled slightly, looking down at the ground as she attempted to fight a blush.

"Thank you Miroku-sama."

"My pleasure."

And Sango froze; her smile instantly was replaced with a scowl. She whipped her head around to glare at Miroku, her face that was once red with embarrassment now red with anger.

"You - you - you pervert! Thank you does not mean that you able to supply yourself with general compensation!" Sango ground out, her fist clenching and unclenching.

I will not hit him, I will not hit him, I will not hit him. She chanted over and over in her head.

Miroku merely blinked, before drawing his gloved hand away from her body and raising an eye in question.

"I don't believe I understand what you mean. Care to elaborate?" Miroku asked, feigning innocence.

And Sango's control snapped.

Her hand moved lightening fast, ready to slap his cheek but then -

A loud crack resonated through the air.

Sango's hand stopped centimeters from Miroku's face as she turned this way and that attempting to find out where the sound had originated from but then -

Sango's eyes widened in surprise as she looked towards her village.

There, floating only a few feet away was a small figure, surrounded by nothing but blood.

~*~

He was a dead man.

From the moment he saw her body vanish from within those flames he knew - his father was going to decimate him.

And he knew that he would not live past that moment.

Perhaps he should not have been as rough on Kagome than he had initially been but - he was doing it for her benefit.

He couldn't risk having her injured while he was traveling to the Northern Border, and he certainly did not feel like babysitting her. She was practically useless without her miko powers, and if he was to be attacked by some of Naraku's forces he knew for certain that she would not be able to hold her own, even if she was properly trained.

Her reaction time was too slow, and she would be too frail to last against a full-blooded demon.

Inuyasha sighed loudly, flopping down onto the grass-covered ground.

Only inches away from him was the spot where Kagome had disappeared within the flame, and there was still a small red residue left from where she hadn't touched the blood looking substance.

But Inuyasha wasn't a fool.

He knew it wasn't blood.

It was energy.

Tainted miko energy.

Perhaps he had been a little too rough on her, after all, if she was mad enough to cause her powers to be tainted....

Inuyasha rubbed his head slowly, dreading the time when he would go and talk to his father. He had half a mind to go and tell him right away, after all the consequences wouldn't be as harsh if he were to wait but still - the thought of even having to face his father's wrath was terrifying.

Which was why he had already gotten up and started walking towards the citadel.

He knew that it was against his better judgment but -

Inuyasha was no fool.

He would much rather face his father then and there rather than procrastinate and wait until the entire ordeal got out of hand. Besides, Sesshoumaru had watched him beat Kagome to a pulp - his brother would probably accuse him of murdering the poor girl.

Inuyasha cursed inwardly.

No matter what he did or tried to say he would be the one held responsible for her disappearance. What he wouldn't do to kill that girl with his own hands.

After a moment of thinking of different ways to decimate Kagome once he found her, he found himself standing in front of his father's chambers.

For a second Inuyasha's hand hesitated as he reached out to grab the door, thinking better of what he was going to do.

'SHUT - UP! I'm not scared - if that's what your thinking.'

'Hey, you said it not me.'

Inuyasha growled loudly at the sudden memory.

He wasn't scared.

He wouldn't allow himself to be frightened, instead he would walk into the room and tell his father what happened. After all, if he did tell him, they could send out a search party immediately for her and she would be found that much quicker, that way she wouldn't go running back to Naraku and -

Inuyasha froze.

Then he blinked and opened the door slowly.

He just had to know.

His father was sitting at a small table, Sesshoumaru sitting across from him.

They were both looking at him, his father with an elated expression on his face. Inuyasha thought that it had something to do with the fact that his father was expecting him to accept his mission of wandering to the Northern Border to speak to the leader of the wolves.

"So you've accepted? Sesshoumaru told me that you were hesitant to accept the offer at first." Inutaisho stated calmly, not noticing that there was something wrong about the way that Inuyasha regarded him.

"Whatever. Listen pops -"

"Father, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru said quietly.

Inuyasha merely ignored him.

"Look, I was just curious. Why is it that you need Kagome?"

Inutaisho gave Inuyasha a deadpanned look.

"You honestly need to ask?"

"Of course I need to fucking -" Inuyasha cursed inwardly as his father glared, " I mean, yeah I need to ask."

"You have to be one of the most foolish person I know, brother." Sesshoumaru stated, ignoring the disapproving look his father shot him.

"I believe what your brother means is that, look at what she is. Kagome is one of the most powerful mikos in the world. She is the protector of the Shikon no Tama, and only the most powerful miko can protect it and keep it purified. It is an amazing feat for someone as young as she. But then it should be expected, after all her mother was extremely powerful as well. But just think of the kind of power we would have if Kagome is on our side. Granted, the Inu-Clan is one of the most powerful Clans ever, but we still don't have the power to defeat Naraku. And he is merely a hanyou like yourself."

"That- that's not all you need her for is it?" Inuyasha asked, ignoring the last statement his father made.

"No it is not. Honorable as I may be, Inuyasha, I still know a losing battle when I see one. That is why we must play dirty, exactly like Naraku does. Naraku manipulated Kagome into giving him the Shikon no Tama. The Shikon no Tama gives Naraku tremendous powers, and it just so happens that the only way Naraku can keep the Shikon no Tama is if it is tainted. This is where Kagome comes in. If we -"

"If you can manipulate her into doing what you want, you will get her to go to Naraku get the Shikon no Tama back from him and purify it, right?" Inuyasha asked, feeling somewhat exhausted.

"Correct. That way, Naraku is weaker, he can't get the Shikon no Tama, and it would be easier for us to defeat him."

"Oh." Inuyasha replied, looking towards the window.

Sesshoumaru looked at his brother skeptically, noticing how weary he suddenly looked. It almost as though he was going to tell them something that he'd rather not talk about.

Sesshoumaru looked to his father, wondering what exactly was going through his head when -

"So, when are you going to go to the Northern Border?"

Inuyasha's head snapped up and he looked at his father an eyebrow raised in question.

"Northern Border?"

Inutaisho looked impatient.

"Yes, the Northern Borders. Where you and a team of people are -"

"That team including Kagome." Sesshoumaru added.

And then, Sesshoumaru knew what was wrong.

He sensed it as soon as Inuyasha's lost all color when he mentioned her name. Sesshoumaru glanced at his father impassively, noticing the way he was watching Inuyasha. And Sesshoumaru wasn't ignorant; he knew that his father had seen Inuyasha's reaction.

"Where is Kagome, Inuyasha?" Inutaisho asked, taking a tentative step towards his son.

Inuyasha hesitated.

What exactly was he supposed to tell his father? That his secret weapon just disappeared off the face of the planet? That she just suddenly started expelling tainted miko energy from her hands and then caused the ground around her to burst into white flames, which in turn caused her to disappear?

"Well-"

Inutaisho growled loudly.

Oh well, Inuyasha thought, might as well get it the fuck over with.

"Kagome's not here anymore."

Sesshoumaru blinked.

"What do you mean 'not here anymore'?"

Inuyasha sunk his fangs into his lip before looking his father in the eyes.

"She's gone," he stated strongly, doing his best not to show any fear.

"She's gone?" Sesshoumaru asked, watching his father's fist clench and unclench.

"Yeah. She's gone." Inuyasha said again.

"Ah," Inutaisho murmured, his eyes glowing a dark crimson color.

And then, just as Inuyasha was going to tell his father what exactly had caused her to disappear, Inutaisho let out a loud gruesome snarl and then -

He attacked.

~*~

She was falling.

The air wisped past her face, causing her hair to fly askew and her kimono to grow taut on her form. The air was cold and crisp, causing goose bumps to rise on her arms and her lips to chap.

She just wanted to stop falling.

Her eyes had remained closed, but she could feel it - she could feel everything.

She was riding the wind to her doom - towards an unwanted sanctuary - towards death.

It frightened her.

And she just wanted to stop falling.

Tears spilled from her blue eyes as she opened them, letting out a quiet whimper of fear as she grew closer and closer to the ground, to her death. She didn't want to die. Not now not ever.

But she knew that eventually she would have to, after all it was part of human life and it would be part of her life.

She was almost to the ground.

And she closed her eyes tightly, ignoring how the winds around her picked up, howling viciously in the usually quiet night air.

And then, she could practically feel the wet dewy grass all around her and she waited for impact but -

Something tightened around her middle, knocking all the breath from her body.

She gasped in pain, attempting to draw some air into her burning lungs.

It was an agony beyond all belief, causing so much pain to her already beaten body.

Tears were streaming from her eyes as she continued to float, the warm humid air growing hotter around her.

And then the grip around her middle loosened causing air to sweep into her lungs once more and -

The air around her was so incredibly hot.

She opened her eyes hoping to see what was causing the air to burn her skin so much and -

Her eyes widened in fear.

She was hovering a few feet above the ground, engulfed in blood.