Chapter 8

The two sons of the great dog lord stood in silence. Sesshoumaru grunted a few times and refused to play Inuyasha's way of arguing. Rin stood by Ah-Un and Jaken in a bored state. Standing there waiting for her lord and his brother to stop the nonsense was just tiring. She just wanted to help Kagome find Kikyo and see if she could help with anything else. Jaken was still unconscious and Rin kept him company even though he would restrict her help. The sun was now hiding behind a cloud and everything was in shadow. The trees rocked back and forth gently with the heavy wind. Loose leaves fell from the branches and they made their way down to the ground below. The loose dirt swirled about their feet and then settled to another part of the ground once the wind stopped. Sesshoumaru's tail's fur contained some kind of wave as the wind pressed against it. Inuyasha was still angry with the fact Naraku was still alive and he failed to destroy the bastard. Now they had to return searching for him once again.

The only good thing was that the fact Kagura was dead and they didn't have to waste their time fighting her. Naraku has nothing to control. The only thing he has is the smallest fragment from the Jewel that he is living off of. Even though the fragment is small compared to the other shards, it has enough power to kept him alive. Kagome yawned again and almost drifted to a deep slumber but she managed to keep her eyes open. Shippou was getting tired too, considering he was trying to find Kagome all night with Inuyasha was still full of determination of finding her. Kikyo was getting annoyed with this baka fight. She just learned her dear younger sister Kikyo had died from a demon and left her in charge of the village once again. What was she ought to do? Her heart was still yearning for freedom from the hell that was put on by Naraku. Would they allow a dead miko to be in charge of their village again? Many questions needed to be asked and many answers to be told.

The dead miko and her soul collectors headed into the woods. No one noticed until Kagome looked around to see she had left. Kagome quickly got up and Shippou once again went flying into the air. Poor Shippou! The young miko reincarnated by the dead priestess Kikyo, followed her into the dark woods. What else was she to do? She has been looking for her for the past almost forty-eight hours. Being with Sesshoumaru and his posy was enough and becoming sick over the rain while searching for her and she walks away. Kagome wasn't going to let Kikyo disappear again and have to track her down that easily. After Shippou landed he want after Kagome since he didn't want to loose her again. He finally caught up with her and he jumped up to her shoulder. She was a first startled because she didn't know who it was but soon settled down once she saw it was the young kitsune on her shoulder knowing he didn't want to loose sight of her again.

Kagome was running for a short amount of time and then decided to walk the rest of the way. She had lost sight of Kikyo when she drifted into a daydream or when she was watching the two brothers ignoring each other instead of making a treaty. At least one time they should work together, put away their differences, and help one another out. Kikyo and her soul collectors were no where in sight and Kagome was frustrated. She came all this way for nothing and she failed Kaede's last request. If her sense of smell was like Inuyasha's, then finding Kikyo would be a piece of cake but that wasn't possible. She was just a mere human and not a demon. But there was one way she could find the dead priestess and that was to sense the shikon shard she possessed in her kimono. Close by her heart and it would be the way to find her. Shippou looked at Kagome and saw a slight smile forming on her face. The ends of her lips rose upward. Shippou was very confused for she was just angry before and now she was smiling.

Kagome began to run again but she went west this time. So sure she was heading towards the miko and she was right. Shippou was hanging as tight as he could, afraid to fall off. His fingers twirled in Kagome's shirt and him crying behind her. Inuyasha hadn't noticed the three's disappearance and Sesshoumaru did. Rin blinked in confusion when she saw Kagome, Shippou, and Kikyo gone. Inuyasha had his eyes closed and when he opened them, he saw the spot where Kagome was sitting was empty. He went in circles in one spot and Kagome wasn't any where in sight and so was Kikyo. He was thinking the worst and Kagome was kidnapped by Kikyo. He also thought they got bored and went ahead to Kaede's village on their own. Anyway Kagome was going to get yelled by him. Sesshoumaru turned around as his brother took off into the other direction. Sesshoumaru signed and Jaken understood, so did Ah-Un and Rin. Rin didn't want to leave without saying good by but she had to do what her Lord wanted to do. Leaving wasn't an option so she didn't protest. Soon enough the fluffy gang disappeared in the opposite direction from where Inuyasha was heading.

Inuyasha raced through the woods following both Kagome's and Kikyo's scent. Kagome stopped for a minute to take a rest and get back all the breath she lost. Shippou dropped to the ground and he panted for air. Screaming was all he did when Kagome was running again. Kagome sat herself on a nearby knocked down tree and sat on the trunk. Shippou sat up and then got back up to sit back down next to the girl from the future. Kikyo wasn't far ahead and taking a small rest didn't give her much travel to not be able to catch up. On top of that, Inuyasha was closing in on Kagome's trail and he was going to be furious with her when he does show up. He didn't really get the chance to lecher her before but once the whole ordeal with getting Kikyo back to the village, he was going to give her a piece of his mind. A minute past and Kagome got back on the ball. If you know what I mean. Kikyo wasn't traveling anymore so that gave Kagome the advantage to get to her. Kagome wasn't running anymore but just walking once again.

"Kagome are we almost there?" Shippou wondered.

"Why should you be tired when you're getting a ride and I'm doing all the walking and running?" Kagome asked.

"Well at least you got some sleep when I was up all night looking for you" Shippou was a little grouchy.

"Shippou I really don't want to fight so let's just carry on. She's just ahead and I want to get this over with" Kagome's voice cracked from all the yelling.

"Sorry just a little tired" Shippou apologized.

"It's okay, I'm a bit unsettled these days. Kaede's death was a major toll and now Naraku is still alive just adds to our problems. We're closing in on Kikyo so lets move on without any more fits" Kagome stated.

Kagome walked on and in only moments later, Kagome and Shippou saw Kikyo in their view. Kikyo was sitting at a base of a trunk of a tree with her soul collectors circling the area. Kagome came out of the brushes and walked straight for Kikyo. She didn't hesitate and her determination took over again. Kikyo looked up to see Kagome closing in.

"Kikyo why did you disappear on us like that. Your sister needs you and you turn your back on her request?" Kagome lectured the one who she was reincarnated from.

"Do you think it's going to be easy for me to take control of that village?" Kikyo looked away.

"Well yeah, didn't you used to be the village priestess before?" Kagome's voice softened.

"Hm...I'm one of the walking dead and do you really think they would welcome someone who is dead take over? You got to be kidding me. I feed off of women's souls and you think that's normal. They would probably be terrified and would scare me away. I won't be welcomed there. I'll attend to the funeral but nothing more" Kikyo exclaimed.

"I didn't think about that. I guess you have a good enough reason but that doesn't change the fact your sister wants you to take over. Maybe they will except you" Kagome just wouldn't give up.

"You sure don't know how to quite do you? But how are you so sure this will work?" Kikyo smiled and got back up to walk over to Kagome and Shippou.

Here comes Inuyasha...

"Kagome!" Inuyasha came storming out of the bushes and walked right in front of Kagome.

"Hey Inuyasha. Done talking to Sesshoumaru?" Kagome smiled hard.

"Don't be all innocent. You took off again and I could have lost you again. It was hard enough to track you down the first time and I don't need to go through that again" Inuyasha crossed his arms and held his head high.

"Come on Kikyo lets be on our way" Kagome took a hold of Kikyo's hand.

Kikyo didn't budge and Kagome kept on walking. As she walked on she by accidentally ripped Kikyo's arm right off. Kikyo's eyes went wide and so did everyone else's.

"You took my arm off!" Kikyo was trembling in fear.

"You took off Kikyo's arm Kagome" Shippou declared.

"Woops! Sorry!" Kagome handed Kikyo her arm back.

"I can't believe she took her arm off" Inuyasha was just stunned.

"How can I repair this now? Do you think mud would help?" Kikyo was still trembling.

Just messing with ya. That didn't really happen but I wish! But that would be BAKA (Stupid).

"Inuyasha I was just getting Kikyo back because she was growing impatient with you and Sesshoumaru fighting!" Kagome yelled.

"Well you don't have to bite my head off!" Inuyasha uncrossed his arms and walked away.

"Now he's going to leave me?" Kagome was surprised for the hanyou's actions.

"Kagome I ain't leaving you behind! Baka..." Inuyasha stopped and took place in a tree above.

"Kikyo can we please leave before Inuyasha gets any angrier?" Kagome was practically begging now.

"Sorry" With that, Kikyo's soul collectors wrapped themselves around her and a big bright light appeared.

In an instant, Kikyo disappeared in the white light and Kagome was very disappointed. She failed Kaede's requests and her own sister turned her back on her. What kind of sister would do that? She didn't have any reason to hate her. Inuyasha looked back at Kagome and he had a saddened expression. Shippou was also sad and he didn't think Kikyo was this horrible. All the searching and travel she did was for nothing. Kagome stood there like she was paralyzed or something. Inuyasha came down from the tree and took a hold of Kagome's arm.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome didn't know what he was doing.

"Come on forget about her. She's not going to come so give up. We have to pay the monk and Sango a visit. They need to know about Naraku" Inuyasha explained his actions.

"Well you don't have to grab me like this" Kagome remarked.

"Ah stop your yapping and lets move" Inuyasha was getting a little pushy.

He's just still worked up on the fact that Naraku is dead. You can't blame him for being mad. Kagome yanked her arm away and Inuyasha grabbed a hold of it again.

"Inuyasha stop it! Why are you doing this?" Kagome protested again.

"Inuyasha let her go!" Shippou jumped off and bite Inuyasha's arm.

"Get off me you little runt" Inuyasha shook the arm Shippou had in his mouth violently.

"Look what Naraku is doing to us again! He's making us crazing and that's what makes us so vulnerable. Don't you see he wants us to split while he's healing" Kagome broke into tears.

This is exactly what Naraku wants. If this continues, by the time Naraku is fully regenerated he could kill them one by one. Naraku could get what he wants and that wouldn't be good.

To be continued...