"SHIPPO, KILALA!" Sango shouted, searching for her little companions. She turned around, almost running into Miroku. She jumped back, than sighed.

"Did you find anything?" she asked, her face lighting up hopefully.

"No. Did you?" he asked, watching the light trickle put of Sango's pretty face.

"Nothing," she replied, slumping to the ground. "Where could they have gone?"

Miroku sat down beside her, letting his staff drop with a jingle. His eyes searched the cliffs surrounding them. His gaze stopped on the spot where they had last seen InuYasha and Kagome.

"What if…" he murmured to himself. Sango, who was watching him closely, let her gaze travel up to where Miroku was looking.

"What if what?" she asked, looking at the monk. He jerked out of his trance and glanced at the demon slayer.

"Come with me," he said, getting to his feet and putting a hand out to help Sango up. "I think I know where they went."

"Miroku, where are we going?" Sango asked, pausing on the steep incline of the slope to blow a strand of hair off her sweaty. Miroku looked back and chuckled.

"Surely you're not getting tired," he teased, walking back down to where Sango was standing.

"I already told you, I think I know where Shippo and Kilala are," he continued.

"Yes, but WHERE?"

"Where we last saw Kagome and InuYasha."

"Oh."

"Now, let's continue, shall we?" Miroku said, offering his arm to Sango.

"Sango! Miroku! Wait for us!" a very familiar voice called. The two turned and sighed in relief. Shippo and Kilala were running up the hill behind them.

"Where'd you go?" Shippo asked. "We were looking all over the place for you!"

"Well, talk about irony," Miroku chuckled. "We were doing the same thing."

"Where were you?" Sango demanded." We've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Oh, we were just at the river, watching the rapids," Shippo explained.

"Why didn't you come when we called?" Sango asked.

"You can't hear much over the rapids."

"Yeah, but why-"

"They're back. That's all that matters," Miroku said, smoothly cutting Sango off.

"Mishawka, I'm back!" Akura called out, stepping aside to allow InuYasha to pass.

"Good! Bring the girl in here, than show the young man around," a woman's voice called from a chamber to the left of where the trio was situated.

"Bring her in here," Akura told InuYasha, motioning to Kagome's silent form and walking into the chamber. InuYasha walked into the small room, glancing around as he did so.

"Put her here," Akura ordered, pointing to a futon mattress on the floor. "Mishawka will take care of her."

"Where is this Mishawka anyways?" InuYasha asked, setting Kagome down gently.

"She is around here somewhere," Akura told him. "Do not worry. Kagome will be perfectly safe." Noting the skeptical look on his face, Akura turned around and sighed.

"Mishawka, could you come out, please?"

"I'm right here." InuYasha spun around in surprise, his hand gripping the hilt of the Tetsusaiga tightly.

"But you're a …"