A/N: I'm really sorry it took so long! I'm busy but mostly lazy! Really sorry! Anyways at least I finally got it up and I tried to add some action in this chapter so I hope you like it! Also I am staying with all the original couplings ie: InuKag, SanMir, RathCesia, ThKit, RuneTint. I'm also trying to stay as on character as possible. So if you see someone acting different than you think they usually would, be sure and tell me! I love getting reviews and constructive criticism always helps! Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: Same as always.
Sango took the rear of the group, making sure to keep a hand on her Hiraikotsu. She sighed to herself wondering what they were getting themselves into when she heard a pair of feet nearing her. Tossing her head to the side quickly and taking a tighter grip on her weapon she realized it was only Miroku approaching her. "What do you want?" She raised her eyebrows at him.
"So hostile." He raised his hands into the air as if to prove his innocence, "Who says I don't just want to have a friendly conversation?"
"When was the last time you were able to approach someone of the opposite sex just to be their friend. You are such a leachier."
"Will honor me with how a friendly conversation between a man and women should go then."
Sango turned to him with a playful smirk on her face before beginning her enlightment. The two of them talked the rest of the way to Kaede's Village. Rath and Cesia both walked alone, careful to avoid each other at any cost but secretly keeping a watchful eye over the other. Rune and Kagome continuing to discuss their current situation, the whole time the two similarities in leadership but differences in how serious they chose to take it becoming more and more obvious, possibly even causing some of the good and possibly bad qualities rube off on one another. InuYasha kept a close eye on, not only Rath, as usual, but also on Rune. How could a stick like him be making Kagome laugh like that, how can she have so much fun with a guy she just met. She never acted that way around him, all he wanted to do was make her laugh the way she did when he wasn't around. Thatz continued down the rode still distracted with his thought of Kitchel, angry he had left her and Nadil's castle, fear of whether or not she was alright. A few bonds were beginning to form between the two groups, but it seemed for each friendship, there was another pair of enemies.
"We're almost there!" Kagome exclaimed a few hours later.
InuYasha nodded and made his way to the front of the group and beyond, "I'll go warn the old lady we're coming!" He yelled back at them, and then mumbling so he hoped only Rath would hear, "And maybe warn the villagers to take out their brooms and pitchforks." Glaring back at the boy, "You better not lay a hand on Kagome or there'll be no one stopping me from killing you demon!"
"Except my sword that'll be lodged in your gut!" Rath managed to respond to the threat before InuYasha disappeared into the distance.
Sighing Kagome decided to gather the rest of the company in a group that didn't take up half the forest. "Sango, Miroku, would you two come up here for a minute!" She called back to them, at the same time giving Rune a look that she hopped would single him to do the same for the others.
"Rath, Cesia, Thatz, could you come here too!" Rune called to the others trying to be polite.
"Well I'm on my way but I think I'll keep my distance. I'm afraid if those two," Thatz singled to Rath and Cesia, "get to close together, everyone within a mile might end up being a casualty." Rune gave Thatz a deadly glare before turning back to Kagome.
Once everyone was in hearing distance Kagome, uncomfortable, broke the ice, "If Kaede can not help us we will not abandon helping you get home with Nadil, but I can not honestly tell you where else to start. You may have to stick with us for a while before you are able to return home." She paused for a moment knowing there was much more to be said, but she didn't know how, nor did she have any want to be the one who said it, "There is obviously a lot of, uh, tension, between, well, all of us. I don't believe any of you are bad people, and if this is going to work we are going to need some cooperation between us. It may take a while but I honestly think we will be able to get along if everyone is willing to put an effort into doing so." Kagome cleared her throat. She wasn't even sure what she had just said or even why she had said it, there just so much tension, she felt someone needed to break it. Rune began to give each individual Dragon Knight a personalized stare, warning them to answer her and to do it right.
Sango was the first to speak, "I don't see any reason this won't work, that is if InuYasha ever gets over his hardheadedness. I apologize for his rudeness toward all of you, I promise it's nothing personal." This got a smile from everyone except Rath and Cesia, Cesia choosing to remain emotionless and Rath introducing his opinion toward the matter with a rude snort of a laugh, in which of course he was rewarded with another of Rune's deadly glares.
Miroku spoke next, "I have to agree with Sango, I do not mind the company of another very beautiful lady as we travel at all." His statement was rewarded with glares from everyone as well as yet another concussion due to Sango's Hiraikotsu.
Shippo smiled dancing between his friends legs, "I'd be happy to travel with you!"
Thatz final decided to add his comment as the village came into view as long as it means good food and a bed, count me in. Maybe I can even find a few good things for a very reasonable price." A smile crossed his face as he relished in the thought of a good meal, sleep, and thievery for the first time in what seemed like forever.
"Well I don't know about the rest of you but if this lady can't help us I can do it on my own much faster than I ever would with all of you slowing me down. Besides, I'm not going anywhere with that damn Yokai!"
"Rath!" Rune protested his unnecessary insult.
"It's alright Rune, he probably has the right to say that about InuYasha. He hasn't been treated much better." Kagome sighed. Suddenly replaced it with a smile, she recognized the bridge at the entrance to the city. "We're finally here!" Leading the group towards Kaede's house she made sure to wave at all the villagers she recognized or that recognized her, she was shocked my a sudden outburst from the home of the old women.
"Stay back demons!" Came the voice well known voice of the village elder and healer, Lady Kaede, "Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippo back away from there! You two too, she indicated Rune and Thatz. "Let me reveal these demons for the true monsters they are!"
"No Kaede! Rath and Cesia are our friends!" Kagome yelled to the old women with her drawn bow, everyone else to shocked to even speak, much less move.
"You do not understand Kagome! These are no normal humans, they only wear disguises over their true demonic faces. I'm sorry if they were your friends in the past. But the ora I feel from them now is that of pure evil and death!"
Kagome didn't know what to do, Kaede must have been mistaken, but what if she wasn't, what if her friends truly were possessed by demons. "But Kaede…"
"You heard her Kagome!" InuYasha made his way out of the hut, "I told you I didn't like his sent, I told you he was a demon! And I was right! Do what she say's, it's for your own safety!"
Kagome finally began to make her way away from the apparent threats, Kaede sound so serious, there must be something wrong. Miroku, Sango and Shippo had all backed a distance away from the two apparent threats. But Thatz and Rune remained where the were, in between the arrow and their friends. "Hold you fire Lady, neither Rath nor Cesia mean you any harm." Rune began.
"Move now! I warn you! I will not have demons such as these within my village! I tell you now if either of them wanted to they could rid you of this earth quicker than you can even imagine." Kaede drew her arrow all the way back and readied it for release.
Both Rune and Thatz were fearful now thought neither of them would move an inch. But Rath and Cesia behind them seemed almost calm, almost as if they were used to the treatment they were experiencing here. "You have nothing to fear, if I wanted to hurt you," Rath began with a sly smile on his face, "I would have by now."
"I tell you for the last time, move or be shot down with the demons!" Kaede said with a now almost fearful tone in her voice. She began to release the arrow.
Rune and Thatz barely had time to duck an arrow that was aimed strait for Rath's heart, but whereas Rune and Thatz had barely had time to duck, Rath and seen the release much earlier in time to move out of the say towards Kaede, not even bothering to draw his sword. Instead Rath took the arrow Kaede was pulling out of her shaft to fire at Cesia in between two of his fingers and rotating it so she was forced to forfeit her grip. "You can not win and I really don't want to kill you, I advise you do the wise thing and listen to me before you try and kill me." He tried to snap the arrow between the two fingers he held it in without success. Giving the stick an annoyed look he tried snapping it over his knee but found it impossible to break the arrow at all. "How did you make this?" He asked suddenly interested.
"Demon, leave my village immediately!" Kaede had not given up on forcing Rath and Cesia from the village she was trying to protect. "Fine, I'm sick of being called a demon everywhere I go in this place. What's wrong with you people! You keep that dog around, the squirrel to, both of them are demons!"
"Don't you dare try to play your tricks on me demon, I can see through that disguise to what you really are-"
"You know nothing about me!" Rath snapped back, tossing the arrow still in his hands onto the ground and making his way in the opposite direction, sending a herd of onlookers crowding into the nearest building. Cesia, who had been quietly and calmly standing in the same place since the time Kaede had exited her home, glanced at Kagome and Rune, not in the mood to give them a comforting smile or assuring I'll be right back. She merely meet their eyes letting them no there was no guarantee of where she was going or whether or not she would even be back. After that she followed Rath down the road, careful not to get to close to him that he would be concerned enough with her presence to push her away. The others watched them go for a while and then turned to the angry Kaede for an explanation.
A/N: Sorry this is a little longer that I expected it to be! And sorry again for keeping you waiting! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'll try to get the next one up in a week! Also, I finally made a profile! Go check it out if you have time! Thanks! Review!