A wet figure approached, coming from the direction of the nearby river. The figure opened her mouth to speak.

"Inu-Yasha?" she said slowly with a hint of nervousness in her voice. "I've decided to go home for a few days. You see, my mom could really use the hel-" She was cut off by a very distinct and very definite "No.", from Inu-Yasha.

"Inu-Yasha! You can't force me to do whatever you want. Besides, my mom really could use my help.

"Oh, and why is that?" He replied sarcastically.

"Because she's thinking of adopting a little girl who is staying with us."

Inu-Yasha's apparent glare grew to a look of slight curiosity. "Oh yeah? How come?"

"Because she's a mother," Kagome said, now sporting a smile. "My mom loves people, especially children. And since I'll only be with her for a few more years, she'll need another girl around the house."

Inu-Yasha looked at her thoughtfully before her earlier statement finally registered. 'I'll only be with her a few more years.'

"What did you mean by: you won't be with your mother for long?"

"That's not what I said."

"Close enough. What did you mean by it?"

"I'm in my first year of highschool right now. After it's over I'll only have three years left. Then I'll move away from home."

"Why?" Inu-Yasha said looking at her intently.

Kagome, feeling uncomfortable under his serious gaze, avoided his eyes. "Because that's what people do. When children grow up, they move away." Kagome was silent after this. Why was there so much tention? Somehow she felt as though she had created it.

"Inu-Ya-"

"You can go."

Kagome was surprised, but she didn't ponder the matter, for she feared Inu-Yasha might withdrawal his decision to let her return home. "Thank you so much!" She sputtered. "I bet mom will thank you too." She shouldered her bulging yellow backpack, as she always did when preparing to leave, and positioned herself to leap into the old well. Before she could, she felt Inu-Yasha's clawed hand grab her arm. As she turned to face him his eyes reflected a seriousness on a level higher than any she had ever seen before.

"Kagome, promise me that you'll come back."

Kagome couldn't help but smile. "Of course I will," she said softly, "I won't ever leave you."

Satisfied that she would return for the moment, Inu-Yasha let go of her arm. As he did he felt lonely. Kagome's words had drilled a whole in his heart, and had earned a permanent place in his memory. The last thing he said to himself before she dropped out of sight was: "She's coming back."

When she finally found herself at the bottom of the well, Kagome felt sad. Sure, she needed to help her mom, but she hadn't wanted to leave Inu-Yasha and the others. She would be gone only a few days though. It wasn't as if she was never going to see them again. Reassuring herself that this was true, Kagome made her way to the top of the well, and out of the well-house.

The sun shone brightly in her face when she emerged. 'It's so much sunnier here than it was there!' She thought to herself. As she continued to head toward the house she spotted a little girl. "Sachi." she called out. The little girl stopped to look at her, then smiled. Sachi's features alighted with joy at the sight of Kagome. She ran to Kagome almost tripping on the little purple skirt she wore.

"Be careful!" Kagome said cheerfully as Sachi hugged her legs. "I don't want you getting hurt." The small girl only looked up at Kagome and nodded. She didn't seem to talk much.

Kagome bent down and patted Sachi's head. "Let's go inside and find a snack." The little girl nodded her head vigorously indicating a yes.

Kagome searched the cupboards endlessly until finally she gave up. Nothing souned right. All of the food in the Higurashi house-hold just did not seem very appetizing at the moment. Her face lit up when an idea struck her. Pulling Sachi along with her, she rushed up the stairs to her bedroom and grabbed a black purse sitting on her desk. She reached her hand in and pulled out a pink change purse. Inside she had crammed forty dollars along with some loose change. 'More than enough!' she thought to herself smiling. "Mom! I'm taking Sachi out for some ice-cream!"

"Alright honey."

Kagome and the little girl rushed to the front door and continued at a quick pace until they reached the shrine entrance. "It feels good, doesn't it?" she said happily. "It's nice to get out of the house every once in a while." Sachi smiled now too. It would seem that even she agreed

The pair made their way down the busy streets turning when the need arose. They came to a stop when an ice-cream vender came into view. 'well I was waiting to get to the shop, but this is right by the park. Much better!' They stopped and gave the vender their order. Two small strawberry ice-cream cones. When they received their food, Kagome ushered Sachi over to a pair of empty swings and the two of them sat down. Each girl munched away happily on their ice-cream silently. Neither said a word until both had fully devoured their welcomed treat. Taking the girls' hand, Kagome led Sachi over to the wooded area of the park. In this place you could take walks through the woods and visit the creek if you wished. Most of the woods would be gone soon because they were damning the river that rested inside. She wanted Sachi to know how beautiful it was before it was gone.

They stepped onto the path and began their way into the woods. The flourishing trees let in the sun, but blotted out it's overpowering sense of light. The ground beneath thier feet was only a dirt path lined with small stones. The path faded away once it reached a small black bench placed there for sitting. The bench was meant for two, so Kagome helped Sachi onto it, and the two of them sat and watched nature thrive around them. There was only movement when Sachi initiated a sharp intake of breath at the sight of a butterfly. The butterfly was red and never seemed to flutter in the same place for long. Sachi watched it with only the slightest hint of mischief in her eyes.

Noting the concentrated look about her, Kagome motioned for Sachi's attention. When the girl did not give a response Kagome looked up to see the butterflies for herself. She had never seen any like them before. Their wings seemed to glitter in the sun, sometimes seeming almost translucent, though they were not. They held onto her attention with such little force that they seemed unreal. They were just little butterflies but their presence was enormous. She tried, uselessly, to pry her eyes from the magnificent insects, but found she couldn't. There was just something about them...

Soon the butterflies began to move away. Quick as a flash, Sachi was running after them. That instant Kagome's trance was broken.

"Sachi! Sachi stop!" Her pleading attempts were in vain. Sachi's little legs were carrying her farther and farther away from her. As what was happening around her finally set in, Kagome took off running as well. Her frantic calls echoed through the woods and down it's path. "Sachi! Sachi!" Sge pleaded with the child as she ran deeper and deeper into the woods.

The sun still hung high in the sky, but what if she could not catch Sachi? It would grow dark and the child would become lost. If this were to happen Kagome would be forced to look for her. There would be no way she could leave her. If she could just simply catch her then none of that would have to happen.

She continued running on, Sachi was just ahead of her, moving as fast as her short little legs would allow. She was still chasing those little butterflies. "Sachi!" Kagome called desperately. 'She's not stopping. She's not even slowing down.' Breathless and quite winded, Kagome continued on. Though she feared she would slow soon before the girl ahead of her.

While running, Kagome passed a stone engraved with two young maidens. She took no notice of the stone, but as soon as she passed it all grew dark. This she did notice. 'What is going on?' She looked frantically ahead of her for Sachi. Nothing. She had stopped running now that it was dark. Instead, she walked cautiously forward. It was hard to see, and she could just barely make out the outlines of the surrounding trees. After she had taken a few steps she saw a lump in the middle of the path. 'Sachi' She ran to the girl's small form.

"Sachi! What happened?" This time the girl actually answered, but it was eerily quiet.

"Kagome," She said softly, "I can't see." With that she threw herself at Kagome. hugging her tightly. She was scared and Kagome could feel it. Her fear played with her mind and pulsed through her veins. She was shaking all over. Bending down to the ground, Kagome gestured for Sachi to get onto her back. She turned to face the way they had come, but it looked different. Maybe they should go the other way. It was possible that they may have somehow gotten turned around. She didn't know where they were, or why it had suddenly got dark, but she had to protect Sachi. The little girl resting on her back was depending on her. She couldn't let her down.