A/N: Alrighty, here's le next chapter. Enjoy!
ThebigW: Yes, yes, of course. Just shaddap and read the next chapter. (please?)
Sesshomaru-luver: Yes, as promised, more Sessy.
Lord Unknown: Haha...yeah. I know where you live . . . No seriously, I do
Chapter Three: Decisions
Kouga ran out into the woods that held the scent of Kagome. Looking every which way, he still couldn't detect her. Finally he ran straight into a small clearing, and before him stood a well.
"Hmm?" He walked up to it and kicked it lightly. He looked inside, but there was no water. "That's odd."
"Hey, what're you doing here?!" a voice cried from behind him. He whirled around to come face to face with a small . . . thing. He assumed it was a ferret.
"Aren't you that little ferret that always tags along with that dog-turd?" he asked it.
"Grr . . . I'm a FOX!!! NOT A FERRET!" Shippo yelled.
"Whatever . . . But do you know where Kagome has gone?"
"She went back home. I think Inuyasha went with her."
"Why that mangy—Where is Kagome's home? Tell me!"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Just tell me, you little ferret!!"
"FOX!"
"WHATEVER!"
"I'm not telling you, and that's final!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
Kouga began beating Shippo over the head.
"FINE! I'LL JUST FIND HER MYSELF, THEN!"
"Miko! Are you leaving us so soon?" (miko=priestess)
"Yes. I must be on my way."
"We thank you for helping our injuries caused by those bandits. How may we pay you?"
"No reward is necessary."
"So be it. Farewell, Lady Kikyo."
Kikyo nodded once and turned. She began walking towards the direction she had been traveling for many days now; the path that led to Naraku. She had happened to come by this village and, as her job as a miko, helped the wounded. Her journey was cut back by one full day and now she needed to be faster. Naraku was up to something big this time. She needed to put an end to it.
Sesshomaru walked out from the trees on the outskirts of the forest and looked at the scene before him.
A village, or what had been a village, was utterly destroyed and not a single thing stirred. Houses were burned to the ground or smashed apart. Barns and stables were now firewood. Not a soul remained alive.
Jaken and Rin came out next, Rin giggling until seeing the sight. She gasped.
"L-Lord Sesshomaru . . . ?" she asked uneasily.
"It seems as though some sort of youkai did this. It is too great a wreck to be the work of men," he responded calmly.
"Shall we go and check, my lord?" Jaken implied.
"We do not-" He was cut off by Rin running to the remains of the village. He followed. Jaken, looking nervous, came shortly after.
Rin looked down at some sort of crater in the ground. When Sesshomaru came closer, he saw it was in fact a large claw print of a rather large youkai.
"Do you think this is what destroyed the village?" Rin said softly. Sesshomaru didn't answer.
'This is most likely Naraku's doing,' he thought to himself. 'He's birthing new youkai by the minute.'
"Let's go, Rin."
"Huh?" Rin looked up from the print and joined Sesshomaru. Jaken looked at the print, gulped, and ran after them.
Kagome climbed out of the well and stood on the grass. Stretching, she looked up into the morning sky as Inuyasha climbed out after her.
"Great, now can we continue our search?" he asked eagerly. She sighed and turned around.
"Let's see if the others want to first, all right?"
"Feh . . . Fine . . ."
Kagome rolled her eyes and led the way back to Kaede's hut.
"KAGOME!" Shippo came running up to her and hugged her.
"Hi Shippo!" she said cheerfully. Miroku, Sango and Kaede came out as well.
"Kagome I got something really important to tell you!" Shippo panted. "Kouga was here, looking for you!"
"WOLF-BREATH WAS HERE?!" Inuyasha yelled, clenching his fist, while Miroku shoved him out of the way.
"Yes, indeed. He seemed desperate," the monk added.
"He called me a ferret!" Shippo pouted as Kagome patted his head.
"Don't worry. At least he's gone now, right?"
"I guess . . ."
Inuyasha, meanwhile, was also pouting.
"Oh stop it, Inuyasha," Kaede said sternly. "Instead of making him your enemy, make him a friend, like Kagome has done. I don't see why you get so angry with him."
"A friend?! You off your rocker, ya old hag?!"
"Inuyasha would never make friends with Kouga," Sango muttered as Miroku put in a "You can say that again." Inuyasha glared at them.
"Well anyway, a certain someone wants to go back to shard hunting," Kagome interrupted. "Is it alright with you guys?"
It was. The faster they found Naraku, the faster he could be dealt with. They set off that afternoon.
Naraku looked on as Kagura stood off to one side, tapping her fan against the palm of her hand. Kanna stood near her, holding her mirror, and Kohaku sat in the corner, looking away from everyone. Around him were the latest youkai he had created from his body. Each were violent and highly dangerous, with weapons or claws or fangs or whatever else was put together to suit each demon.
He chuckled. "Maybe I should stop for today."
"There's already quite enough. Why keep adding more?" Kagura asked.
"The more the merrier."
Kohaku, in the corner, tried to look emotionless. In truth he was actually thinking about his sister. (For those who don't know, Kohaku comes to his senses in one volume and remembers everything. Naraku probably knows this, but Kohaku thinks he doesn't, so he tries to act like he hasn't regained his old self back)
'What should I do?' he asked himself. 'I can't just let Naraku go away unnoticed with all of this . . . I have to escape somehow. Warn nee-chan (elder sister) . . . But how? How?' He looked around the room full of youkai, and suppressed a shudder. Hakudoushi, Naraku's latest incarnation, would surely figure him out. But he had to run away.
'Tonight,' he decided. 'Tonight I will join nee-chan again.'
