Back together... and back to Kaede's village.

Chapter 12, One peaceful day

"Look, Inuyasha and Kagome are back!" Shouted Sango. She and Miroku were outside, under a big oak. Miroku had wanted to go out, even though he was still very weak.

"Hey there! Did you beat him?" Yelled Sango.

"We did it! Well, Inuyasha did it, but Hirako is gone now!" Yelled Kagome back.

"Are you alright, Miroku?" Asked Inuyasha while Kagome landed from his back.

"I'm fine. What about you?" Asked Miroku back.

"Everything is okay. I think we should go back to Kaede's village and tell about our victory." Answered Inuyasha.

So Kagome, Sango and Miroku climbed on Kirara's back and Inuyasha followed them running. They arrived in Kaede's village few hours before sunrise, but the old woman was still awake.

"So you beat him?" She asked.

"Yes we did! Like always." Answered Inuyasha.

Kaede nodded and smiled. "You brought the peace back. Now Naraku hasn't any more powerful demons."

The four stared at her in surprise.

"Do you mean he was sent by Naraku?" Asked Miroku.

"Yes. And now he's hiding somewhere and trying to pull himself up." Answered the old woman.

"Shit! We have to fight with him, too." Mumbled Inuyasha.

"Let's not think about it now. I want to rest." Said Kagome and landed from Kirara's back. Sango and Miroku did it too, and they went to Kaede's house. Miroku had to take backup from the wall, because the vampire's poison had still effect on him.

"I think I know where Naraku is hiding." Said Kaede when they sat down.

"You mean he has changed his hideout again? What a coward!" Said Inuyasha.

"He's somewhere in the Forest without Return, I think. It's in the north from here." Answered the old woman.

"The name doesn't sound very good." Refer Sango.

"It's not good at all. Nobody has returned from that forest. They say that there are more powerful demons that the others we have met before. Demons, which had been there for a very long time. Pain and loneliness has changed those demons into a horrible monsters." Told Kaede.

"Bah! We've beaten many kind of strong demons before, so why couldn't we kill those demons too?" Asked Inuyasha, who was sure they could beat the demons in the Forest without Return.

"I suppose you can beat the demons easily, like you did to Hirako and the other demons too. But I wouldn't say the same about the dead." Said Kaede with a serious tone.

Everyone stared at her in a shock.

"Dead? You mean... there's skeletons or something?" Asked Kagome.

"No. I mean there's the living dead." Answered Kaede. "They're dead, yes. Their heart is not beating and their lungs are not breathing. They're monsters who cannot die. They just rise again to fight, fight until they have killed their enemies. And the enemies are those who still live. If you got bitten by one of them, you have time until the next sunset before you turn into a living dead too."

They were quiet for a long moment and thought about what Kaede had told. Then Kagome asked: "Is there any cure of the bite of living dead?"

"Yes. That cure is a kiss from the person who loves the bitten person." Answered Kaede. They were quiet again.

Then Sango broke the silence. "You look very pale, Miroku."

"What? Do I?" Asked Miroku.

"She's right. Maybe you should get some sleep." Suggested Kaede.

"I'm going to bed too. I'm so tired about all of this!" Said Kagome and gaped.

"Go to sleep everyone. You've had a hard day." Said Kaede. They all went to their beds, and they slept until the next morning... but in the night...

Well what happens in the night?