AN: And once again… We are back! Fourth chapter up and ready for your feasting pleasure! We introduce a "new" character in this chapter… Oh, what tangled webs we weave… I tell you, someone should really psycho analyze PoF and me for all the stuff we come up with! Though… So far no one has complained, so I guess that is a good sign at least! ::grin::

drake220: So glad you liked Kikyo!!! And yeah… We offered her Midol… You wouldn't believe the profanities… Apparently nothing less then Advil for her. But oh well, all we can do is wait and see if it helped… Her… Shall we call it 'disposition'?

KougasMyMan: Yay! Cute and fluffy is great, isn't it? We supplied you with more cuddly warmth in this chapter as well, don't worry. As for making you cringe… It's only the beginning. ::cracks knuckles:: Who knows what is going on in Kikyo's mind? Only one way to find out… Yep, you've got. Read on!

megu-sama: Glad you like!! And as per your request… An update!

ptbear: Glad you like! This sequel, in our minds, is just as good as it's predecessor. As for what is to happen and how things develop… We have many twists and hair pin turns in store for you guys. Don't worry. It'll be a wild ride. We promise.

As for everyone else, thank you for reading! We hope you like our story and would really appreciate your feedback in the form of reviews! So please review and enjoy the fourth installment of 'Lies of the Heart'!!

Ja ne! :)

Chapter Four: The Dark Forest and the Dank Dungeon

Inuyasha landed on his feet, the portal swirling above him. 'To think I grew up in this world. Imagine what Sango must have thought....'

The forest was dark, the sky even blacker. Dawn had not yet come to the demon world; but then, neither had it come to the human one. His ears twitched. He had forgotten how silent the forests of the demon world were. The animals all lived in fear, never uttering a sound lest a demon be on the prowl for flesh. The trees were older here, tall enough that some demons were dwarfed by the eldest of them.

Magic was everywhere. He could smell it. Everything had its own power in the world. He turned to warn Miroku and Kagome to be careful, not to offend anything in the forests, but they had not arrived yet.

Miroku landed on his feet and crouched low. Looking up, his eyes adjusted to the darkness and shone green. "Can you pick up her scent?" Miroku asked straight to business. The silence was deafening, but he had grown use to it when he had spent years here. Looking up, Miroku saw Kagome fall through the rip in the sky, and a pink swirling power around her. Shit. Her power would tip everyone off. When had a Priestess last been in this world? "I'll give you the honors of catching your wife." Miroku smirked and stepped aside. "She's annoyed enough as is, no need to have her fall on her rump and be even more annoyed." Miroku added, remembering how pissed she got when Inuyasha babied her on the way here.

The portal closed behind them. It would not open up again until it was made to do so. Though Miroku had the power to do this, Inuyasha couldn't help but feel slightly trapped in the place that he had turned his back on.

"Bastard," Inuyasha muttered before jumping up to catch his wife as she fell. He landed easily, holding Kagome in his arms and against his chest. He opened his arms so that she could get up. He wanted to ask her if she was okay, but that was stupid, and only make Kagome think that he was trying to coddle her in her current "state". Instead he snorted. "Stupid wench."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him and kicked his shin. "Are you manic? One minute you are all over me not to ride the god damn horse and now you are calling me stupid wench. Inuyasha, your hormones are more off kilter then mine!" Kagome accused pushing away from him and gathering her back pack up, along with her arrows and bow.

For the first time, Kagome actually looked around and felt a chill run up her spine. "As though someone walked over my grave..." she whispered then ventured forward to the woods. The silence was irking her. Placing her hand on an old tree, Kagome closed her eyes and felt the wood, the age... Maybe it was a pure presence, or her power, but the tree suddenly had green leafs budding.

Miroku stood amazed then glared at Inuyasha. "She has to control those powers. A demon is bound to smell her out. You did." Miroku collected his backpack and went after her.

'That's my wife... Eh?' He shook his head, snapping out if his growing pride for Kagome. But none of it showed on his face. If anything, he looked more worried. He hurried ahead of Miroku and took Kagome's hand off the tree, pulling off to the dirt road. Inuyasha didn't let go of her hand. "Kagome, you can't go around using your powers like that. Demons are going to notice you if you do, and they're going to come looking for us. We want to try to be undetectable, so unless it's in dire need, no using your magic? Okay?"

Kagome nodded in understanding but looked sadly at the tree. "It was dying, and it's such a good old tree..." Kagome whispered then peered into the dark woods. "Are those kadomas?" Kagome whispered, her hand tightening around his briefly before she pulled herself free of his grasp, barely and moved a few steps forward, curious like a young girl of this new dark, looming world.

Miroku came up beside Inuyasha and eyed his friend. "You might not notice this, but the other world dulled out our demonic side. This one sings to the demon blood in our veins," Miroku said noticing how Inuyasha's claws looked more menacing and his eyes were a darker shade of yellow. "Be careful not to show her the demon she married," Miroku suggested, his face unreadable as he shrugged at Inuyasha his green eyes blazing. "She is somewhat demonic herself with those powers, maybe this world is singing to her too- Fuck," Miroku whispered seeing a bunny crawl out of its hiding towards her. "She's fucking bringing the fucking forest to fucking life," Miroku said aghast, unable to keep the cussing out of his mouth. "Control your wife for whatever sake!"

"And you control your mouth," he growled, purely for comedic affect. He reached out again and caught Kagome, holding her close and letting her look at the tree spirits as he sniffed the air. His senses were even better then normal. Inuyasha managed to ignore the scent of his wife long enough to find the right direction.

"Come on Kagome," he said gently. "It's time to go." He was about to start pulling her away when he thought of something else. "Hey, Miroku, wanna play tag?"

Miroku narrowed his eyes at Inuyasha who was hugging his wife, then grinned, raising his hands in denial. "Maybe when I wasn't a married man, sure. I mean, I didn't know you swung that way, or Kagome for that matter. But I made a vow to Sango. I am a one woman man now," Miroku apologized. "It's just gonna have to be the two of you for now," Miroku said shaking his head.

"Not like that," Inuyasha growled. He bent down and wrapped Kagome's arms around his neck, reaching behind him and pulling her knees up to his hips. He muttered for her to hold on, before he jumped, an amazingly long jump.

Okay, Inuyasha really didn't like the demon world, but it felt good to feel his old strength returning. He felt stronger and faster than he had for a long time. But the thought was as sobering as it was uplifting. If this was how a half demon felt, then imagine how much stronger his brother was!

"Try to catch up!" Inuyasha shouted, his actions calling him an idiot. He looked out of the corner of his eye to Kagome. "You okay back there?"

Kagome nodded, cuddling closer to Inuyasha. Causing him a distraction as they almost faltered in step. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she began kissing it for no good reason. "You are thriving here," Kagome whispered in awe, apparently, she did see things after all. "I've seen your human side and now I am seeing your demon one." Kagome pondered this then shook out of her thoughts. "Where are we going?" She questioned then looked down in shock, as Miroku raced through the woods they were practically gliding over in leaps. "He never seemed like a demon before," Kagome whispered in awe.

Inuyasha shrugged gently. He liked having Kagome being this close to him. "Miroku's not a demon, not really, he just as a couple demonic powers under his sleeve. He hides them better than I do," he said, his ears twitching as he spoke of them. "And we're going to my mother's house, because that's where Myoga said Sango was being held. My father built my mother a house in the middle of nowhere, so that no other demon could hurt her."

He leapt over a gentle stream, and watched as the water seemed suddenly clearer. Could this dead place actually be drawing the magic from Kagome? The Black Forest, so named because of its dead nature, was even more dangerous, if that was the case! He increased his speed. "Demon side or not, I'm still Inuyasha. Why? Don't you like what you see?"

Kagome tightened her hold on him and would've given him a real reason to lose his step, but decided against it. She'd save it for later when they were all safe. "No. I like. It's you. Just another side of you. A very sexy side of you," she said blushing, glad her face was buried in his back where he couldn't see her, or feel the heat rise in her cheeks. "Your eyes are yellower and, well, I never really saw you as a demon before. That's all," Kagome replied, and looked down, watching Miroku nervously. "Or him," Kagome paused and tapped Inuyasha's shoulder. "Wait, didn't you tell me on the ship your mother...?"

"Is dead, yeah," he snorted. "Well, my father didn't have the best plans, okay? But the point is that he built my Mom a place of her own, and that's apparently where Sango is being held. So that's where we're going." Inuyasha paused. "And when you need a break to stretch your legs or anything, just let me know, okay?" And then he started wondering if his cheeks were as red as they felt.

Kagome lowered her head. "I know. I'm sorry..." Kagome whispered, her hand idly running through Inuyasha's silver hair. "Are you sure Myoga wasn't lying? He's a flea after all. He sucks blood. Not the most trustworthy of creatures," Kagome muttered and seeing his cheeks redden, decided they were far enough above ground, skipping from branch to branch, for her to cause him to redden a little more, without Miroku noticing. "If I have to stretch my legs, I'll just curl them around you." Kagome said nudging her knee against his upper thigh. "I like doing that. Remember?"

Inuyasha missed the next branch.

Luckily there was one under it. He found it hard to swallow, but when he did he glanced over his shoulder. "Will you stop doing that, woman?!" he bellowed. Kagome might be able to see the changes in his body from being in the demon world, but she couldn't see what it was doing to his mind. He senses felt like that had expanded by miles. She was on his back but her scent enveloped him from all angles. His face could feel strands of hair as they brushed his face with each jumping motion he took. He could hear her breathing. Inuyasha wanted to throw up his hands, forget all about Sango, and take her off to somewhere where they couldn't be disturbed for, oh, the rest of their lifetimes!

Kagome contained her laughter and just nodded. She'd play it the good girl. "I'll be good," she promised, her fingers reaching up to the base of his ears. They seemed so much... More. Everything about Inuyasha seemed more potent, more powerful, and more real. As though she's never really seen him before. Looking around from their vantage point, Kagome leaned her cheek on his shoulder, enjoying the steady flow of his leaping through the air. "This world is cold. I can't picture you in it."

He paused on one branch a second. Like the river, the tree began to absorb the magic that Kagome seemed to be letting off. He smiled gently and continued on the way. "It's not so bad. Now that you're here it's not so bad. But I was pretty cold myself, back when we first met, if you remember. I almost wish we could stay here, just for a little while. I wouldn't mind seeing the Black Forest come back to life."

Kagome snuggled close to him. "It's all so sad..." Kagome whispered looking down at the forest. She swallowed, nervous, "I feel as though the branches are reaching out to me, wanting something from me. This world is cold." Kagome studied Inuyasha's ears. "You were. But you weren't cold like everyone else, you were warm under it all," Kagome said and moved her leg again, she promised to be good. Oops. Well, promises... Are meant to be broken. "I couldn't love, marry and mate with someone as cold as these woods. But you have changed, yes."

Inuyasha stifled a laugh. "Kagome, you couldn't mate with woods period," he gently pointed out to her. Inuyasha didn't need to ask if she liked the change, he knew the answer. Instead, he told her about the world. "To the west live our lands, the lands that my brother rightfully deserves to rule over. If my brother hasn't taken it yet, then that means Naraku still holds the throne. We're going to stay as far away from there as possible. My mother's castle lies to the north, and that's where I grew up when I was little. You would have liked it, Kagome. It's nothing like the Black Forest."

Kagome was thrilled. They always passed over this topic when they talked. She wanted to know more about it now. "Tell me," Kagome whispered, enjoying the thought of a child Inuyasha, it made a fluttering feel fill her belly. "I want to know what it was like," Kagome said thinking idly, that she probably would've liked his parents.

Looking down, Kagome spotted Miroku and pulled Inuyasha's sleeve. "Can he keep up the whole way? Is it far?" Kagome asked staring out to the western lands Inuyasha spoke about. "Aren't they your lands rightfully, as well?"

"Not really. My brother got the throne, but I got my mother's lands." He clamped his mouth shut before he said anything else, not wanting Kagome to hear about the castle when it was in its prime and then start blaming herself for making him stay and give up the place he would have called home. "I'll tell you about them later. We have a day or two of traveling ahead of us, so I can't tell you all my stories now."

He glanced down at Miroku. "Still haven't caught me, bitch!" He picked up his pace again. That should egg him on for a little bit longer.

Gasping slightly, when he picked up the pace, Kagome smacked him. "This isn't a race, and this is his wife we're searching for! He's pushing himself hard enough without your goading!" Kagome retaliated and looked down; shocked to see Miroku was still keeping up with them. He reminded her of a deer running through the woods. She started to understand Sango's statements. "Maybe we should stay here," she blurted out.

"You mean for the night, right?" he asked, nearly sweat dropping. Had he actually heard her right? Stay in the demon world? She'd said but five minutes ago that it was cold, and that she could never live here! Inuyasha snorted. "Now why would we want to go and do a stupid thing like that?"

"Because this is where your past is, and things aren't that great in my world. Here you have lands... We could create our own little world. I'd bring the area around our house to life as you put it." Kagome whispered then sighed. "But otherwise, yes, let's camp here for tonight." Kagome said glaring at Inuyasha. "What? You know, you don't have to be so difficult!"

His reply of 'Women!' had earned him a good kick in the shins when he let Kagome down. Then he had earned a strike on the head from Miroku when the caught up, which was only about five seconds. They found a good clearing, and began to set up camp.

Miroku volunteered to get supper, and took off to the spring. Inuyasha sat in front of a bundle of sticks, staring at it before he began to strike two rocks together, trying to get a fire going. He glanced at Kagome as she unrolled her bedroll. Inuyasha, of course, hadn't brought one. He completely forgot about trying to start a fire and rushed over to take her in his arms, kissing her passionately before letting her go and returning to the pile of sticks.

Kagome fell onto her rump and stared at him breathless. "You know, it's not fair to kiss a woman like that and run back to the fire..." Kagome said in a rush of breath, then considered him. "Are you alright?" Kagome asked, sure this place brought up memories for Inuyasha. Snuggling herself under the blanket she rolled out, Kagome lay on her side, her arm her pillow and watched him. "You can share the bed with me. I'm sure Miroku wouldn't mind," Kagome said taking a quick tally of what they had brought with them, and realized Inuyasha hadn't brought a sleeping bag of any sort.

"I told you, all I need is my sword, but..." He stopped talking when he finally got a spark going. Inuyasha blew on it gently, slowly adding pieces of tinder to it as it grew. He turned so that his breath wouldn't disturb the flame, though his eyes still watched it. "But thanks anyway. I'm sleeping in the trees tonight. I used to do it all the time when I was younger." He smiled at the memories of spending summer nights under stars. "And I wouldn't have run back to the fire if I didn't think that damn monk would return any minute and give us shit."

He just had to keep on telling himself that this was a lesson in resistance.

Kagome smiled tiredly at him, and snuggled down into her covers, curling up like a sated cat in her makeshift bed. "Tell me," Kagome paused to yawn, her eyes sleepy, kept fluttering shut from fatigue. She didn't exactly get a-n-y sleep the previous night when he was human, and now... Kagome yawned again, thankful for a change for Miroku's presence. She wasn't sure she'd be able to handle him tonight. "Tell me about your youth. I want to know." Kagome said, her eyes shutting but she made a sound to show him she was still awake.

The fire suddenly took, blazing to life. Inuyasha sat beside Kagome and lifted her head into his lap so he could run his fingers through her hair. She looked so peaceful when she was sleeping. And he had to give her credit for staying up so long. "I said, tomorrow, Kagome, and I mean it. You'd just fall asleep now, and then I'd have to tell you all over again anyway."

"I don't mind..." Kagome purred, snuggling close to him. "You're going to have to anyway. Later," Kagome murmured, her hand laying on her stomach, the blanket between the palm and her belly. "My own pirate prince..." She whispered already losing herself in sleep.

Inuyasha didn't move, leaning against the tree and watching her sleep, watching the forest slowly return to its normal splendor. He could hear the birds in the trees, their wings cutting through the air. They weren't singing right now, but one day they would. When Miroku came back, Inuyasha motioned for him to be silent as he gently lowered Kagome's head back to her sleeping mat. He was about to say that she was asleep when he tripped and fell flat on his face.

Looking back, he saw that she had clutched the hem of his pants. "Bitch," he lovingly swore, working her fingers off his clothes. "Even in sleep she doesn't like me to wander far."

Miroku grinned as he watched them, jealousy ringing through him. He wanted to be that way. With Sango. Lowering the fish down beside the fire, he began working on them. "She's a smart woman," Miroku pointed out, then noticed how her hand was laid over her stomach. "Do you want a boy or a girl?" he asked setting the fish over the fire to grill. Leaning back against the tree, he watched the fish cook.

"Sango and I were working for a son," Miroku confessed looking down at his wedding band, for the first time since they arrived here his eyes turning blue again. "We had a name planned out," Miroku added, feeling that if he spoke out loud, it wouldn't feel so damning as when he thought about it to himself. "If they hurt her, I'll tear this world apart, Yasha," Miroku said looking at him with a cruel directness. "Even if it takes me with it, I'll destroy it and everything in it," he swore, then turned the fish over.

For a few minutes they sat quietly. "Hey, I had a thought. Since I know Sango was giving some of the drug to Kagome, she shouldn't have gotten pregnant. But look around her, the grass is green around her. GREEN. Not a shadow of the color," Miroku said, slight wonder touching his voice. "Maybe it didn't work. Her body purified it."

"She is a priestess," he shrugged. "And that's what I want. I want another little priestess. But no matter what the sex of the child is, I'll be happy." Inuyasha sighed and looked at the fire. "I know that there was nothing that I could have done to help you and Sango, Miroku, but I'm sorry anyway. And if you try to destroy this world or yourself, I will have to try and stop you. What would Sango do if she recovered and you weren't there? Or what would your son do if he was born without a father? But, please, don't feel bad on my account, if you want to kill my brother. I promise you I won't be mad, I won't get jealous over who kills him, as long as he's dead."

Miroku smirked at Inuyasha. "I'll leave the final blow to you," Miroku promised then looked down at his wrapped up hand, the Buddha beads tightly covering it, containing its evil power. "I don't want a son without a father," Miroku admitted, shocked that Inuyasha's words actually rung true and made some sense to him. "Fuck it. Women really do screw up your fucking life," Miroku muttered, though inside he knew he'd trade any whore anywhere just for one night with Sango.

"You know, I've been talking about children since I was a teen. But you're the one having one and... Damn, it changed you. Or is it she who did it?" Miroku asked looking over at Kagome and handing Inuyasha a fish on a stick, hot off of the fire. "Do you think you could've reached this, with Kikyo?" Miroku ventured carefully.

"Hey! It didn't change me that much! I mean, it's not like she has me whipped or anything," he sulkily protested. Deep down, he really knew that it was Kagome that had changed him. She just brought out all the good in him. She had changed him as quickly and as helplessly as she was the forest around them.

Thinking about Miroku's question, he shrugged. "I honestly can't say. I know that if it did, it would have taken a lot longer for me to fall in love with her. I can't help but love Kagome." He managed to hold back a sigh of happiness. He watched his wife, happy just to be near her. "Nor can I help protect her and worry about her, the same way you do with Sango. I never had to worry about Kikyo, even though I... cared for her too. But had she gotten away, I would have stayed on the ship, and never would have seen her again. She never asked me to go with her, Miroku. Kagome did, three whole times."

"The love in her eyes is very obvious," Miroku stated looking at her as she slept. "Apparently three was the lucky number, I doubt she would've asked so many times if you answered 'yes' the first time." Miroku smirked as he watched his friend turn colors. "I hate to say this. But I'm happy for you," Miroku muttered.

Kagome stirred and sat up, her eyes looking huge and blinking, she looked very young suddenly, all bed raggled and out of place. But suddenly the sleepy haze that covered her was gone as she smelt the fish and rushed out of her sleeping bag, running away from their little campsite to fall on all fours and throw her heart up.

Inuyasha sighed as his ears twitched. "What's the matter with her?" He gave a sigh that was half a groan. "I think I'm in over my neck! I was never really good with girls to begin with, and now my fuckin' wife is pregnant. Okay, Miroku! Tell me everything you know about pregnant women!"

Miroku grinned. He had Inuyasha trapped now. "Well," he began thinking it over. This was a good distraction from Sango, he couldn't help her anymore tonight. Good distraction. "Their backs begin to hurt, their feet hurt, their chests grow and are even more supple to the touch, their stomach swell, they complain," Miroku muttered biting from his fish and looking in the direction Kagome ran off too, a worried look passing over his face. "They get sick a lot. Tend to have mood swings. Blame the male for their condition," Miroku said and seeing Inuyasha's ashen face, decided to help cheer him up. "They have a higher sex drive!" Miroku said then looked over at the bushes. "Strength, thy name is woman," he muttered spitting out a fish bone. "By the way, don't call her 'fucking wife', she is a Priestess after all. Show respect," Miroku chided, his monk side rearing up.

'A higher sex drive?' Inuyasha thoughtfully began to eat the fish. Their lives were pretty rambunctious enough as it was. He didn't think that they needed anymore action. He grumbled something about lechers and what to do with them (an action which sounded like it would hurt very much to the poor demon used in the particular curse) before he looked at the bushes. He quickly swallowed the rest of the fish. "I'm going to go and check on her." He swiped the canteen as he walked by it.

Kagome sat back on the balls of her feet and unlady like, wiped the back of her hand across her mouth and stared at her breakfast from the day before. Sitting back, Kagome's legs felt shaky and her muscles quivered, her whole stomach was still reeling. Steadying her breathing, Kagome closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. She had felt squeamish before, but never had she thrown up.

Placing her hand protectively on her stomach, as though the child was already there, a being formed, Kagome got up and nearly bumped into Inuyasha. Embarrassment colored her cheeks, and she tried to hide her vomit from his sight. "I'm not much of a fish person," Kagome confessed, and shyly moved her hand away from her stomach.

Staring at him for a moment, Kagome allowed her shoulders to slump. They were both inexperienced. "How're we going to do this?" she whispered softly.

He handed her the canteen, and his empty hand reached out to cup her face, running his thumb over her blushing cheek. He gazed down at her fondly. "Then tomorrow night you can do the hunting." Inuyasha kissed her forehead tenderly, reaching his arms around her to hug her, taking careful care not to hold her too tight. "I don't know, Kagome, but we are. I mean, we've spent a month looking after Shippo together, and there haven't been any problems there. I don't know a lot about kids, Kagome, but I know that no matter what, you're going to be a wonderful mother."

Inuyasha knew that his words were filled with truth. His heart told him that Kagome was going to be a great mother: something about her just made her the maternal type, the kind that knew what do when she held a baby, or how to make them smile. Inuyasha, on the other hand... Oh, he could deal well enough with kids, when they were old enough that sitting on them and tickling them was punishment. It was when babies were involved that he didn't know what to do.

He slung the canteen over his shoulder when she handed it back to him, and she managed to smile a bit. Inuyasha took that as a good sign. He kissed the tip of her nose, his large hands rubbing her back. Burying his nose in her hair as he hugged her, he breathed in deeply, smelling only Kagome. "Don't worry about it. We'll, get through this together. We always will. Nothing short of death will keep me from being by your side, Kagome."

Sometimes, when he was with Kagome, he felt less like himself and more like himself at the same time. Inuyasha lost his growl, his voice warming up to her. But he could not help his 'open mouth, insert foot' nature for very long. Eventually he would say something that would fuck him over, but Kagome would always eventually forgive him.

Thankfully, this didn't happen as often as it had aboard the pirate ship. But every once in a while, he enjoyed teasing Kagome, just to watch her blush, and watch her fiery nature explode. Not to mention that when she got pissed off she got a huge power boost that made Inuyasha all the more aware of whatever it was that made Kagome be Kagome.

"I love you," he said so quietly that the only way she could hear him was because she was cuddled against his chest. Since he had first said the words, they were easier to say, though not in a voice above a whisper, and never when he was looking her in the eye. If he tried to say it when she was looking at him, he somehow knew that his heart would break, for some inexplicable reason.

Kagome looked up at him with watery eyes and nodded. Wrapping her arms around him, she snuggled as close as possible. He was a pirate. But he was her pirate. He was a demon, but he was her demon, he was many things. But he was hers no matter what, if in human or demonic form. They owned each others soul. "And to think I shot you when you broke my door..." Kagome whispered kissing the little thin mark that was left from where they exchanged blood. "It's been a month and it feels like a lifetime." Kagome whispered. "I never want it to end." She said and then pushed him away, running past him and falling to her knees once more and sufficiently emptying her guts all over the forest floor again. "I hate you..." She grumbled in between pukes.

Sitting next to her, he once again passed her the canteen, knowing how easily it was to get dehydrated. Her being sick didn't mind him at all: she was no worse than Shippo had been before he got used to ships. He held her hair back for her, and thought nothing of it. "Hey, if I was in your position, I'd hate me too."

"And what position would that be? All fours with your demon husband holding your hair like it were reins?" Kagome muttered jerking her hair away and sitting back on her haunches. "I'm sorry. I just hate throwing up."

"Well how about next time I just let you vomit in your own hair?" he snapped.

Kagome glared at him. "You suck." She retorted.

Miroku entered their little clearing in the woods and nodded, an understanding expression on his face. "I am sure he does. But then again, you two would know that." Miroku said grinning. "Anyone want fish?"

Sango groaned, holding her head as her stomach tried to revolt at the feeling of nausea that suddenly hit her stomach. She put her head back down on the wet ground, and let the feeling pass. She counted to fifty before she tried to sit up again, and for good measure sat up slowly.

Her eyes were slow to focus. That was no surprise, considering how badly she had gotten hit on the head. Her wrists and ankles felt heavy and cold. She didn't need to be a fool to know that she was chained up. She could hear dripping water, and the sound of heavy breathing, as if some giant monster was breathing into her neck.

'No wonder,' she mentally snorted. 'I got kidnapped by fucking demons. It doesn't take a genius to know where they took me.'

"Miroku...."

"No. The name is Kagura." Said the demonic temptress, while leaning against the door of the dungeon and playing around with her fan, tapping it impatiently on the palm of her hand. "You took long enough waking up."

"Pardon me for not fuckin' being on time," Sango mumbled. Her vision had cleared enough that she looked around. She was chained to the wall, and there was enough chain so that she could walk around, though not enough to let her touch the bars of her cell. Thankfully, they had gotten her after she'd finished dressing. Some of her packs were in the corner, but she doubted that her weapons –which she had not had a chance to put on- were still there.

The dungeon was dank, a wet thing made of colorless rock and the smell of pestilence. She hated it, but sat on the longing for fresh air and trees. Sango needed to keep her head about her.

The speaker had black hair pulled into a sensible bun. Her eyes were red, and the tapping of her fan was already starting to get annoying. Sango had never heard of her before, and was almost thankful for her name. "So, are you the one that orchestrated this little game, or are you just here to taunt me?"

Kagura sneered, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "To be exact, I am here as your babysitter."

"Oh, come now. Let's just be civil about this: you're here as my jailer," Sango snorted. She tried to cross her arms, but that felt too uncomfortable. She just sat there on the ground, still too dizzy to stand up. Her brown eyes showed all the anger her body couldn't. "What did you do with Miroku?"

Kagura really hated Naraku for this. Not only was she a trapped pawn in this game, but she was a damn baby-sitter for a human female. Rolling her eyes, Kagura shrugged her shoulders back and let out an indignant huff. Her long fingers caressed the stem of her fan. "Miroku?" She questioned, knotting her perfectly sculptured brows together and cocking her head to the side, the long red beaded earrings jiggling about. "Oh. You mean the sexy monk," Kagura drawled, her fingers playing over her fan. "Nothing."

Sango didn't quite believe Kagura, not after she called Miroku sexy, but she saw no reason not to believe her. A small amount of worry lifted off her shoulders, knowing that Miroku was okay. "That's my sexy monk you're talking about," she grumbled. Sango wanted to throw every threat she knew at the demon, but if they didn't know that she and Miroku were married, then she wasn't about to give up that information.

The question of "why am I here" was right on the tip of her tongue, but she wasn't going to be so cliché. Instead, she arched an eyebrow, looking almost at ease with her imprisonment. "So?"

"You know, I preferred you unconscious and snoring. You're a damn pest, always yapping. Don't you ever shut up?" Kagura demanded like a hissing snake, before turning on her sandaled foot and looking out of the little bars on the door window. Lowering her head, wisps of Kagura's hair fell forward and she sighed. Damn it. She could feel the silly female's eyes watching her. Turning on her heel, one hand on her hips, she looked provocative and sexy while the other hand dangled her fan about her shoulder. "Your sexy monk?" Kagura asked, a cruel streak shinning through her blood red eyes.

"I do not snore!" Sango protested, barely able to believe that they were actually having this conversation while she was chained to a wall. She rolled her eyes. "And I think I know why you got assigned to baby-sit. It's the other way around. I'm actually the one doing the baby sitting!"

Kagura smirked. "You've got guts. I'll give you that much. If however, little wit." Kagura brushed the girl off dismissively. This? This was the girl who had killed so many demons? What was Naraku up to going to make a public execution? She was nothing, this girl.

She copied Kagura's grin almost exactly, her eyebrows drawing together in a dangerous expression. "I've got plenty of both, you'll find. Just wait till I get loose, and then I'll show you some real wit. But even chained up, I'm perfectly content, because at least I can have the last word when it comes to exchanging quips with the likes of you, Kagura!" Sango spat the name out.

Kagura smirked. "And what likes am I?" She inquired dangerously.

"I'm guessing somewhere in between a slut and a bitch," she growled, her tone mocking without the warmth it held when she teased Miroku. She seemed as cold as Kagura. "You can't get what you want, you get what you can take. And obviously whoever you've thrown your dice in with, it hasn't gotten you very much if you're here looking over me. Maybe you better start giving instead of just taking, Kagura. It could get you a little bit farther in life. I mean, warden to a chained up human? That's what? The equivalent to a pig keeper in human standards? If that's the case, then maybe it's your talent that denotes your rank, rather than your position."

Kagura arched a single brow. "Is that all you've got?" She asked empathetically.

"Oh, bite me, bitch," Sango growled. She really didn't have the mind for tossing around insults right now. Her stomach was growling and her head still throbbed. "Why don't you go fuck a cow or something, and leave me to fight off this headache by myself?"

Kagura shrugged. "Because I am here until my shift comes to an end." Kagura answered truly unimpressed in the least by this "wondrous" demon slayer.

There was a moment of silence, before Sango felt that she had to fall back on the old cliché she had tried to avoid. "So, why did I get captured? You guys obviously knew that I was a demon hunter, hence why you grabbed me after I bathed as opposed to an outright attack. And no doubt you did something to Miroku too, like an enchantment of some kind to keep him from coming and helping me. But I bet you went too far and made it look like I just upped and vanished. If so, then you guys aren't as smart as you claimed. Because that...."

She stopped herself, her thought a sobering one. That would alert Miroku that something was wrong, and he'd come looking for her. No doubt he'd ask Inuyasha and Kagome for help too. 'Maybe it wasn't me they wanted all along. Maybe it's really them.' The thought made her feel weak: she was not a piece of bait, damn it! But she managed to keep her grin from wavering. "Well, I guess I'm not so dumb after all, Kagura."

Kagura shrugged. "I am not a telepath. You might've thought up the wrong reason, in which case - You are."

Sango sighed and leaned against the wall. "I should've stayed asleep..." she mumbled.

Kagura nodded. "Won't you though?"

"Because I want some answers!" Sango curled up in a ball. "Fuck this! Good night! I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when the shift changes. Maybe the next demon will be a little bit more of a conversationalist!"

Kagura smirked at that. Kanna? A conversationalist? How... enchanting.