The next two weeks were uneventful. No shards, no demons, and no nightmares. 'thank god for that…' Kagome thought to
herself as they continued along a dirt path. 'maybe those nightmares were just all in the mind. They couldn't have been
real…or were they…?' Kagome's mind started to swirl with constant questions. She became lost in her own train of thought
when Shippo's voice rang through. "Kagome are you okay?" He asked looking at her worriedly. "uh…yeah Shippo. I'm fine…"
She responded in a strange monotone. "Are you sure you're alright, Kagome?" a concerned Sango asked.
"I'm fine Sango.." Kagome replied, her voice tinted with boredom as if she's been asked the same thing over a hundred
times at once.
"but you've been acting very strange lately" Miroku stated.
"I'm serious guys, there's nothing wrong" Kagome responded, starting to get agitated with the same questions being asked
over and over. Unfortunately none of them were truly convinced, but dropped the subject anyway.
Soon enough Miroku and Sango were having their own conversation following behind Inuyasha and Kagome. Inuyasha was
fairly quiet but keeping a close watch on Kagome. Kagome came to a sudden halt. "What is it, kagome?" Inuyasha asked.
"A jewel shard, no three and they're heading toward us" Kagome replied reaching for her bow and arrows. "But I don't sense
any demons nearby." Miroku stated, going into a battle stance. Inuyasha's ears twitched as the bushed behind them started
to shake. They turned just as the "culprits" jumped out.
Two small foxes jumped out of the under brush, barking, growling and tackling each other. "The shards are on their
collars" Kagome said staring at the small foxes. "They seem harmless enough." Miroku said picking the smaller white fox up.
"So cute!" Kagome squealed as she took the fox Miroku was holding. Sango kneeled down next to the black fox that sitting
still glaring daggers at them. "It looks like they have owners." Sango said examining the collars. "But there aren't any
names on the collars." Shippo objected as he tried to catch the black fox. "Just get the shards and let's go!" Inuyasha
growled getting more impatient by the second. "Right" Kagome nodded as she tried to get the shard from the fox. The small
fox hissed, her hair standing up. Kagome dropped her out of surprise. "So they do know what the shards are," Miroku said
raising an eyebrow. "Maybe they're demons in disguise?" Shippo questioned jumping onto Miroku's shoulder. Both foxes stood
next to each other, back arched and hair standing up. "They seem more like cats than foxes." Inuyasha said as he grabbed
the white one by her tail. She didn't seem to mind it but her partner didn't seem to like the idea.
He growled and jumped at Inuyasha's hand, but to no avail. He landed on the ground once again, growling and showing
his small but sharp fangs. "Inuyasha, I think you upset him. Watch it he might actually hurt you." Sango teased. "keh, yeah
right! What could these little runts do" Inuyasha said sarcastically, tugging on the fox's ears. The black fox decided that
if he couldn't attack Inuyasha from the front, he'd attack from behind. He crept quietly through the bushes behind the gang. "hey! Inuyasha, where'd the black one go?" Shippo asked looking around. Inuyasha looked around and sniffed the air "He probably ran off". "I don't think so Inuyasha, I still sense the shard nearby" Kagome said looking in the bushes. She knelt down and picked up the shard the black fox was carrying "He left the shard behind". "Watch it, Kagome. This maybe a fox trick." Miroku warned. "ahh! You little…" Inuyasha suddenly started swearing at the black fox who was busy sinking his fangs into Inuyasha's ankle. Miroku sighed, "So Miroku was right, it was a trick." Sango said watching Inuyasha try to shake the fox off. Unfortunately for the fox he was too stubborn to let go. "damn it! Get off!" Inuyasha yelled as he pulled the fox off of his ankle and dropped it on the ground. It landed hissing and growling at him. "Inuyasha, maybe its best if you put his friend down" Kagome requested watching the black fox on the ground. "not till I get the jewel shard" Inuyasha stated firmly as he took the blue collar from
around the fox's neck. She squirmed and hissed in protest, Inuyasha ignored it, took the shard then dropped her and collar
on the ground. She stood up and shook off as the black fox took a defensive stance in front of her. "I-Inuyasha I think he
wants the shard back." Shippo said hiding behind Kagome. "too bad" Inuyasha reached down to grab him but before he did the
small fox quickly changed form into a medium black wolf. Inuyasha hesitated for a second but reached for him again. The
wolf snarled at him, giving the smaller fox enough time to grab the shard and her collar. As soon as she grabbed her collar
the wolf picked her up by the nape of her neck and started to retreat to the deeper part of the forest.
"They got the shards back!" Inuyasha yelled as he took off after them with the others following close behind him. The
wolf appeared on top a rotten log that over look the thin path the gang was following, but he didn't seem to have the fox
with him. He stood on his perch growling and showing his fangs. Miroku stared at the wolf "We're in his territory Inuyasha,
he may have a trap set for us."
The small white fox crept around a large tree and behind the gang. She barked playfully and jumped around. The group
turned to see the fox acting like a playful cub. "you're not getting away this time!" Inuyasha growled as he started chasing
the fox. The fox ran off into the forest. "wait Inuyasha! It might be a trap!" Kagome yelled and started running after
Inuyasha as the rest of the gang followed. When they caught up with Inuyasha he still hadn't caught the fox. The group kept
a small distance away from Inuyasha just incase there was a trap set.
The fox climbed up a pile of leaves and sat at the top. "Inuyasha wait!" Sango called. Inuyasha paid her no heed and
ran up to catch the fox. She moved before he had the chance to grab her, suddenly the ground shook beneath him. Just as he
was about to jump the ground collapsed and he found himself at the bottom of a 30 foot hole. The fox walked over to the
edge and looked down. "when I get out of here I'm going to.." Inuyasha's words trailed off as he muttered curses under his
breath. The fox seemed to be laughing at him, she stuck her tongue out at him and started to run away again. The others
caught up to Inuyasha in time to see him fall and the fox run off. "we warned you, Inuyasha" Miroku said flatly as he
looked in the hole. Inuyasha jumped out "how the hell did they set a trap?" he questioned dusting off. "they're getting
away!" Kagome said pointing at the wolf who was again holding the fox while she carried the shards and her collar.
herself as they continued along a dirt path. 'maybe those nightmares were just all in the mind. They couldn't have been
real…or were they…?' Kagome's mind started to swirl with constant questions. She became lost in her own train of thought
when Shippo's voice rang through. "Kagome are you okay?" He asked looking at her worriedly. "uh…yeah Shippo. I'm fine…"
She responded in a strange monotone. "Are you sure you're alright, Kagome?" a concerned Sango asked.
"I'm fine Sango.." Kagome replied, her voice tinted with boredom as if she's been asked the same thing over a hundred
times at once.
"but you've been acting very strange lately" Miroku stated.
"I'm serious guys, there's nothing wrong" Kagome responded, starting to get agitated with the same questions being asked
over and over. Unfortunately none of them were truly convinced, but dropped the subject anyway.
Soon enough Miroku and Sango were having their own conversation following behind Inuyasha and Kagome. Inuyasha was
fairly quiet but keeping a close watch on Kagome. Kagome came to a sudden halt. "What is it, kagome?" Inuyasha asked.
"A jewel shard, no three and they're heading toward us" Kagome replied reaching for her bow and arrows. "But I don't sense
any demons nearby." Miroku stated, going into a battle stance. Inuyasha's ears twitched as the bushed behind them started
to shake. They turned just as the "culprits" jumped out.
Two small foxes jumped out of the under brush, barking, growling and tackling each other. "The shards are on their
collars" Kagome said staring at the small foxes. "They seem harmless enough." Miroku said picking the smaller white fox up.
"So cute!" Kagome squealed as she took the fox Miroku was holding. Sango kneeled down next to the black fox that sitting
still glaring daggers at them. "It looks like they have owners." Sango said examining the collars. "But there aren't any
names on the collars." Shippo objected as he tried to catch the black fox. "Just get the shards and let's go!" Inuyasha
growled getting more impatient by the second. "Right" Kagome nodded as she tried to get the shard from the fox. The small
fox hissed, her hair standing up. Kagome dropped her out of surprise. "So they do know what the shards are," Miroku said
raising an eyebrow. "Maybe they're demons in disguise?" Shippo questioned jumping onto Miroku's shoulder. Both foxes stood
next to each other, back arched and hair standing up. "They seem more like cats than foxes." Inuyasha said as he grabbed
the white one by her tail. She didn't seem to mind it but her partner didn't seem to like the idea.
He growled and jumped at Inuyasha's hand, but to no avail. He landed on the ground once again, growling and showing
his small but sharp fangs. "Inuyasha, I think you upset him. Watch it he might actually hurt you." Sango teased. "keh, yeah
right! What could these little runts do" Inuyasha said sarcastically, tugging on the fox's ears. The black fox decided that
if he couldn't attack Inuyasha from the front, he'd attack from behind. He crept quietly through the bushes behind the gang. "hey! Inuyasha, where'd the black one go?" Shippo asked looking around. Inuyasha looked around and sniffed the air "He probably ran off". "I don't think so Inuyasha, I still sense the shard nearby" Kagome said looking in the bushes. She knelt down and picked up the shard the black fox was carrying "He left the shard behind". "Watch it, Kagome. This maybe a fox trick." Miroku warned. "ahh! You little…" Inuyasha suddenly started swearing at the black fox who was busy sinking his fangs into Inuyasha's ankle. Miroku sighed, "So Miroku was right, it was a trick." Sango said watching Inuyasha try to shake the fox off. Unfortunately for the fox he was too stubborn to let go. "damn it! Get off!" Inuyasha yelled as he pulled the fox off of his ankle and dropped it on the ground. It landed hissing and growling at him. "Inuyasha, maybe its best if you put his friend down" Kagome requested watching the black fox on the ground. "not till I get the jewel shard" Inuyasha stated firmly as he took the blue collar from
around the fox's neck. She squirmed and hissed in protest, Inuyasha ignored it, took the shard then dropped her and collar
on the ground. She stood up and shook off as the black fox took a defensive stance in front of her. "I-Inuyasha I think he
wants the shard back." Shippo said hiding behind Kagome. "too bad" Inuyasha reached down to grab him but before he did the
small fox quickly changed form into a medium black wolf. Inuyasha hesitated for a second but reached for him again. The
wolf snarled at him, giving the smaller fox enough time to grab the shard and her collar. As soon as she grabbed her collar
the wolf picked her up by the nape of her neck and started to retreat to the deeper part of the forest.
"They got the shards back!" Inuyasha yelled as he took off after them with the others following close behind him. The
wolf appeared on top a rotten log that over look the thin path the gang was following, but he didn't seem to have the fox
with him. He stood on his perch growling and showing his fangs. Miroku stared at the wolf "We're in his territory Inuyasha,
he may have a trap set for us."
The small white fox crept around a large tree and behind the gang. She barked playfully and jumped around. The group
turned to see the fox acting like a playful cub. "you're not getting away this time!" Inuyasha growled as he started chasing
the fox. The fox ran off into the forest. "wait Inuyasha! It might be a trap!" Kagome yelled and started running after
Inuyasha as the rest of the gang followed. When they caught up with Inuyasha he still hadn't caught the fox. The group kept
a small distance away from Inuyasha just incase there was a trap set.
The fox climbed up a pile of leaves and sat at the top. "Inuyasha wait!" Sango called. Inuyasha paid her no heed and
ran up to catch the fox. She moved before he had the chance to grab her, suddenly the ground shook beneath him. Just as he
was about to jump the ground collapsed and he found himself at the bottom of a 30 foot hole. The fox walked over to the
edge and looked down. "when I get out of here I'm going to.." Inuyasha's words trailed off as he muttered curses under his
breath. The fox seemed to be laughing at him, she stuck her tongue out at him and started to run away again. The others
caught up to Inuyasha in time to see him fall and the fox run off. "we warned you, Inuyasha" Miroku said flatly as he
looked in the hole. Inuyasha jumped out "how the hell did they set a trap?" he questioned dusting off. "they're getting
away!" Kagome said pointing at the wolf who was again holding the fox while she carried the shards and her collar.
