Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own Inuyasha and the gang or Naraku. I do own the demongirl, though.

Scroll 2: Confrontation

The sound of her bare footfall seemed muffled as the strange demongirl entered the soft, dull green light of the forest. Her sharp, no longer gentle eyes scanned the trees for any movement out of place. She continued deeper into the woodlands in this fashion, always on the alert. It's near, she thought, I can feel it. So engrossed in her search was she that Inuyasha and his friends were quickly catching up to her without notice.

Kagome, riding the hanyou's back as usual, gasped suddenly. "I sense Jewel shards! And a lot of them!"

"We must be close to that demon!" Inuyasha stated, speeding his pace.

"Be careful, Inuyasha!" called Miroku as Kirara hurried to keep up. "More shards means more power!"

"Heh, I don't care how strong she is!" the hanyou replied. "I'll tear her apart if she doesn't give them up!"

The company halted, then. as the demongirl came in sight. She had her back turned to them, staring up in a tree. A black and purple sparrow gazed down at her, shard of the jewel clamped in its beak. Without warning, it swallowed it, making Kagome start. She thought it was going to be the crow demon event all over again, but in one flash, the sparrow was in pieces and the demongirl took up the Jewel fragment in her now-vsisble claws. Inuyasha immediately jumped into view.

"Hey! Give us that shard!"

The demongirl turned her head slightly towards him as his friends followed. She really did look as if she could be the hanyou's sister, save for a few differences. "Can I help you?"

"Umm, excuse me, but we really need the eight shards you have," Kagome voiced timidly.

A small hint of a smile appeared on the demongirl's face at her words. She tucked the fragment in the sleeves of her haori and turned away. "I'm sorry, but I can't give you these." She started walking away.

Inuyasha dropped down in front of her, stopping her in her step. "Give us the shrads or die!"

The demongirl only sidestepped the hanyou and continued on.

"Careful, Inuyasha," Kagome warned. "The shards are in her sleeves. She's not even bothering to use them."

"She must be really powerful to be that confident," said the monk. "This could be a problem."

Shippou peeked above Kirar's head. "Uh, maybe we should just leave!"

"I don't think that's an option!" Sango spoke up, hefting her hiraikotsu. "Kirara! Let's get her!"

But Kirara shook her head and did not move.

Sango gazed at hte cat demon puzzledly. "Kirara? What's the matter?"

Shippou quickly jumped off as Kirara reverted back to he smaller form. The little cat bounded over to the demongirl and hopped onto her shoulder, brushing against her cheek.

The demongirl smiled and stroked her headfur.

"Huh? What's going on here?" Kagome asked, completely baffled.

"Kirara seems to trust her," Miroku said thoughtfully.

"Figures! She's a cat demon! Of course she'd trust her!" Inuyasha stated. "But I definitely don't!"
He was about to spring at her when the sky abruptly darkened. Everyone tensed, looking around to search for what had caused it to do so. A faint buzzing then sounded throughout the forest. Large, yelow wasps appeared in the air, waiting patiently just out of reach.

"It's Naraku's poisonous insects!" Miroku shouted.

Inuyasha shot a muderous glare at the demongirl. "You! You work for Naraku! Don't you!"

A deep, familiar chuckle sounded in front of them. A white baboon appeared from the shadows of a tree, standing precariously upon one of its branches.

"Naraku!"

Inuyasha: Hey! What's the big idea putting Naraku in the picture?!

--I thought you were trying to find him and kill him yourself.

Inuyasha: Yeah but I was just in the process of getting another Jewel shard!

--So? Now you get the chance to get more shards.

Inuyasha: Oh yeah.

-:rolls eyes:-