A/N: Thanks much for the review godoflight. I'm glad you like it. I apologize for the shorter chapter this time, but I've been having problems with this part for quite a while, and this is all I could get out. Hopefully the next chapter will come easier.

Chapter 4: Elsewhere

Earlier that day…

Kyoshi sat impatiently outside his parents' hut. His father, desperate for help, had asked the help of a wandering group that happened to be in the area. Kyoshi sighed and leaned his head against the wall. Some rescuers he's decided on. But then it's not like we've got that many choices. He lifted his head as he heard footsteps nearing the door and scrambled to his feet when the young miko and monk came out with Kyoshi's parents.

His father looked mildly surprised to see him there but quickly introduced him. "This is our son, Kyoshi." After a pause he continued. "He can show you where we believe our daughter was last."

Kyoshi nodded to his father and looked at the strangely dressed miko. She must be even younger than Midori-chan. "The waterfall is through the forest there." He pointed off into the trees. "We can wait until tomorrow if it suits you."

The miko smiled. "We'll go now. Just let me call the rest of our group." She poked her head around the corner. "InuYasha, Sango, Shippo, we're heading into the forest now." The hanyou, yokai exterminator, and kitsune came over and looked at Kyoshi. The miko quickly explained. "He's to show us where the girl was last seen. He's her brother…" She looked to him make sure she was right.

Kyoshi nodded. "Hai. The waterfall is this way." He led the odd group through the trees to the waterfall. Once there, the hanyou tensed and started sniffing the air.

The miko walked over to him. "What is it, InuYasha?"

He wrinkled up his nose. "I smell Sesshoumaru, and it's recent…last night, probably..."

As the hanyou and miko conversed, the monk approached Kyoshi. "We were told your sister has red hair and green eyes. Rather odd coloring, don't you think?"

Kyoshi shifted nervously and chose his words carefully. "She's not related by blood. We found her about 13 years ago and took her in. From the state of her clothes when we found her she'd been traveling for a while…"

The monk nodded as the yokai exterminator walked over to join the conversation. "So she could be from anywhere…" she added softly, more to the monk than to Kyoshi, "and be anything."

Kyoshi frowned as he looked to her. "What do you mean by that? Are you saying you don't think she's human?"

Sango sighed. "It is possible. There are many yokai that can take the form of a human, though why one would take such a flawed form is beyond me." She didn't want to upset him, but he had to be made aware of the possibility.

The monk interjected before Kyoshi could reply. "If she was indeed very young when you found her, it may have been a case of protecting herself. It is very unlikely that a yokai would wait 13 years and then disappear if they meant to cause harm."

At that point the miko came over with the kitsune on her shoulder and smiled at the monk and yokai exterminator. "So have you two introduced yourselves yet?" She could instantly tell from the looks on their faces that they hadn't. She shook her head and jumped right in, motioning to each as she said their names. "This is Miroku, Sango, and Shippo, the grumpy one over there is InuYasha, and I'm Kagome."

Kyoshi bowed slightly as he took in all the names. "My name is Kyoshi." He noticed the 'grumpy one' seemed to be sniffing around in an agitated manner and wondered what he had found. There was a slight awkward pause when a sudden movement in the trees caught everyone's attention. InuYasha was the first to react, slashing out with his claws. Branches now splattered with blood landed loudly and the hanyou cursed, knowing whatever it was had gotten away. "Chikuso!"

Kagome moved to lay a hand on his arm in an effort to calm him down. "Did you see what it was?"

He shook his head, still glaring in the direction whatever it was had gone. "No, but I can think of only one kind of yokai with that scent. We're in Sesshoumaru's territory now and if I know him, he'll make an appearance soon." It had been so long since he'd been in the area he hadn't realized that's where they had wandered. What a wonderful welcome home…

Kyoshi wasn't sure whom exactly they were talking about, but he could tell it wasn't a good thing. Realizing it was already starting to get dark he glanced around, a bit nervous. "You're welcome to stay the night in the village. It's the least we can offer for helping us."

Kagome turned and forced a smile. "Thank you. I think we'll take you up on that offer." She glanced to her companions to make sure they agreed before moving to follow Kyoshi back to the village.

Kyoshi set the group up in his hut, assuring them he would be fine staying with his parents. InuYasha insisted on staying outside in a nearby tree so he would be able to tell if any yokai were approaching sooner. The rest of the village had already been avoiding the family since they asked the group for help and they continued to do so as the sun dropped below the horizon. Kyoshi stood outside in front of his parents' hut for a while staring in the direction of the waterfall clearing. He was uncomfortably aware of the hanyou's gaze flicking to him repeatedly and finally headed in for the night.

Though he really did try to get to sleep, his mind kept churning with what could be happening to Midori, keeping him awake. After a while, he heard movement from near his hut and, being careful not to wake his parents, he slipped outside just in time to see the hanyou slip into the forest in the direction of the waterfall. What is he up to? Kyoshi hesitated, not sure if he should tell the hanyou's companions or not. After a moment he decided they probably would have gone if they needed to and hurried after the hanyou. He did his best to stay downwind, knowing that most yokai had much a better sense of smell than humans did. When he reached the clearing, the hanyou was already in a tense conversation with a white haired yokai, so Kyoshi hung back in the trees, hoping he wouldn't be noticed.

"What's the matter? Suddenly afraid to fight me?" The hanyou taunted the yokai in a hateful voice.

The yokai's eyes narrowed slightly as he replied in a calm, yet menacing voice. "It was Otoo-san's wish that we not fight on these lands, but if you do not leave, I will go against it."

"Keh. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't decided to take up human nabbing." The hanyou wash pushing the yokai's patience, but at least he was getting to the reason the group was there.

The yokai turned as he replied in the same cool voice. "The Lord of the Western Lands would not stoop so low. I merely took care of an unfinished problem."

The hanyou moved to attack the yokai's retreating when a female voice rang through the trees. "Osuwari!" He landed face first into the ground, dragged down by the prayer beads around his neck. Kyoshi turned to see the young miko and the rest of the group jogging through the trees, the miko going straight to the hanyou's side. "InuYasha, you baka! How many times have we told you not to go running off by yourself!"

Kyoshi, somehow still unnoticed, decided now was not the best time show himself. As the miko and yokai exterminator ranted at the hanyou for his idiocy, Kyoshi quickly made his way back to his parents' hut. Not that he expected to get any sleep, there were even more questions on his mind now. Who was that yokai and what did he have to do with his sister? Did he really take her, as the hanyou seemed to think? And if so, why?

He slipped back into his parents' hut and lied down on the thin futon, his mind spinning. After some time he thought he heard the group return to his hut, and a while later, he finally dropped off to sleep, his body and mind exhausted.

Japanese Glossary:

miko : priestess

chan : used for children, young females, and anything a female dubs cute

hanyou : half-demon

yokai : demon

kitsune : fox

hai : yes

chikuso : used to express frustration (like saying "damn" or "shit")

Otoo-san : father

Osuwari : sit

Baka : an all-purpose insult meaning stupid, idoit, etc.