Kagome walked back to the camp feeling much better then she had earlier.
'Wow, it's amazing how a bath helps solve almost anything.' She thought.
She walked into the camp site and was greeted by a very hyper Shippo almost immediately.
"Kagome!" He shouted, jumping into her arms.
"Hi Shippo." Kagome said while ruffling his hair.
"I had lots of fun with Sango, Miroku, and InuYasha while you were gone!"
"Oh did you now?"
Kagome looked over at the three others and almost laughed when she saw them. Sango was sitting high atop a tree, glaring at Miroku with Kirara sitting on her lap, Miroku was buried up to his waist in dirt and had lumps all over his head, and InuYasha was glaring at Shippo from his spot next to the fire. His hair was strung with noodles and he had chocolate smeared all over his face.
"Lady Kagome?" She heard Miroku ask. "Could you help me up? I seem to be stuck."
This time Kagome did laugh as she walked over to him and tried to pull him out by his arms.
"Hey Sango!" Kagome called up to her friend. "Can you help me get him out?"
"No way!" Sango called down, shaking her head. "I think I like it better when he is down there, stuck. I feel much safer."
Miroku looked up at her with a hurt expression.
"Why my dear Sango," he began "you misjudge me. You see, there was this strange bug that I had never seen before, and I just had to get a closer look so I …"
"So you looked down my kimono?"
"It was in your best interests."
InuYasha snorted.
"Keh, you got what you deserved monk."
"I would say the same for you InuYasha."
InuYasha glowered at him and turned away, trying to get the noodles out of his hair.
Kagome shook her head and went back to getting Miroku out of the dirt.
"Okay, I want you to push up with your legs while I pull on your arms." She said.
Miroku nodded.
"Okay one… two… push!" She yelled and with a grunt, Miroku came out of the ground. Unfortunately, he landed right on top of Kagome. It didn't take long for Kagome to feel that all too familiar squeeze.
"PERVERT!" She yelled, pushing him off and hitting him on the head. Seconds later, Sangos' Hirokutsu fell out of the tree and on to Mirokus' head, leaving him stunned.
"Monk." InuYasha growled out in warning. Kagome was like a sister to him, and he wouldn't let any old person going around and grope her.
Kagome backed away and went to sit by the now noodle less and chocolate free InuYasha.
Miroku sighed and went to sit under the tree Sango was on.
Sango looked down at him and scooted closer to the trunk of the tree.
Kagome shook her head and looked up at InuYasha.
"So, how did the whole noodle and chocolate thing happen?"
InuYasha grunted and looked over at the fox that was asleep by Kagomes' sleeping bag.
"He came up behind me and pushed my face into the bowl of ramen I was holding."
Kagome looked up at him, surprised.
InuYasha looked embarrassed about what he was going to say next.
"I stood up really fast, tripped over a rock, and landed on one of those chocolate bars Shippo stole from your bag."
Kagome stood up and would have frowned at Shippo stealing if the whole situation hadn't been so funny.
"I'm surprised you didn't hit him, not that I'm complaining!" She quickly said.
"Keh, I'll get him next time.
Kagome just shook her head and began to unroll her sleeping bag by the dying fire.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
Sesshomaru flew over his lands towards the sent of his half-brother. Normally, he wouldn't want to be anywhere near him. This time though, he had something he needed, the miko that was always following the half breed around.
It wasn't hard to pick the most worthy miko for his task. The human had proved her worth many times in battle. She would stand up to him, even when there was no possible chance of her even hurting him. In doing so, she had earned a small sliver of respect from the demon lord.
Sesshomaru looked up at the starlit sky briefly. He figured that he would be able to reach the half breeds camp, and obtain the miko at about the time the sun rose.