Disclaimers Notice: The only thing I own is the way in which I chose to use the characters and setting (oh, and a few of my own creations...)

Authors Beginning Note: For reference to a big new character, You might want to read Chapter 39- Today, We move out. In fact, a few characters are going to be popping up here soon as the fight progresses more. So reviewing that chapter wouldn't be a bda idea, that is of course if you don't remember.

Anyhoo, to explain my lateness of this chapter, the server has been slow, so I wasn't even able to update my chapter, however I did tweak my bio, for those of you who care to look.

I hope you enjoy!

Shout it outs!

Lance Yoshi: >Blush Wow. I wouldn't go that far...but I'm delighted you think so.

Tanwen-Whitefire: I'm glad you're not grounded any more so you could read it! :P

Rayame325: Thanx a bunch!

Chapter 53

Attack

"Do you feel it Miroku?" He nodded. A few others stopped their preparations and looked towards where they were to go. They shrugged their shoulders and continued.

"Lets hurry up and finish packing." Sango wouldn't let it go.

"Miroku. I think something is wrong." Kirara began pacing and rubbing Sango's ankles impatiently.

"What is it Kirara?" The little Niko changed in her larger self. Now Miroku's uneasy feeling began to increase.

"Suppose it's a trap?" Sango chose to ignore his comment and got on. Miroku hopped on behind Sango. They were jerked back as Kirara sped through the dead trees.

"Help! Someone!" A girl screemed. They could just barely make out the figure of a woman in the darkness, before something large and black swooped down. Kirara growled in alarm and stopped. Sango got off and went to the place the woman once was and dropped down to her knees.

"It a bow. Miroku, do you think...?"

"Kirara, lets find that thing!" They jumped into the air.

"Look! Up ahead!" Miroku pointed at a slightly darker shape.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango whipped out her large boomerang. The dark shape screeched and flapped uselessly, dropping a small figure into the dark. Sango caught her weapon and Kirara dove for the shape.

They swooped, and right before she fell to the ground, Sango caught her up and they quickly went back to camp, all the while feeling a sticky substance ooz onto her arms, makeing Sango shiver. The darkness concealing her identity completely.

"We need a healer immediately!" Miroku hollered as they landed near a fire.

"They both let out a relieved sigh, seeing that the female was not Kagome, but she was still severely injured and bleeding profusely. Sango began removing the girl's clothes where most of the bleeding was coming from, as Miroku tried to stop the bleeding stub where her leg once was.

"You must..." Blood began to fill her mouth.

"Don't talk. You'll only do more damage." Sango said ripping off a layer of material, wadded it up and placed it on the puncture wound on her stomach.

She looked up at Miroku who sadly shook his head. There is a very slim chance that this miko girl would live, if any. Internal wounds are deadly, and nearly impossible to heal, especially the kind to the stomach.

"There...danger...mikos..." She began whimpering, her eyes wild and frantic.

"What? What is it?" Sang leaned closely to the girls mouth.

"Naraku's army...flying...danger...raven....yukai...Mikos...dying...help...he " Her body began to shudder.

"Miroku hold her down, I..." Too late. The miko went limp. Her eyes rolled back and red bubbles formed in her mouth. She was dead. The healer came and saw the dead innocent.

"What happened here?" He asked in a thick voice.

"Naraku sent Raven Yukai to attack the Miko regiment. He is starting to send out his army for an attack." Sango said. She sat back on her heels, knuckles white, nails digging into her palms. The round man sucked in a deep breath.

"Tell Leutenant Lee. The Miko camp is being attacked." A nearby demon ran quickly through the crowd with breathtaking speed and warned their leader.

"Sango, we have to go." Miroku touched her quaking shoulder. She angrily nodded and stood up, looking down at the body. The girls hair dripping in her own blood, and clothed smeared with it. The ground stained with it.

"But we have to bury her first, or in the least..." She stopped as Miroku nodded. Lifting her up, the two threw her onto the fire, said a prayer and quickly left. The stink nauseating everyone who passed.

They were one of the first few to leave.

They flew on Kirara's back, armed and ready for battle. In the distance they saw fire rising from the ground giving off an evil glow.

"Look in the sky. It's a huge mass." It was. The darkness barely concealed it. Things swooped down, screeching and snatching. Some caught things, others brought back nothing. Some fell to the ground, not getting up. Screams could be heard, some louder and more distinct than others. It wasn't until they got closer that they saw the arrows shooting into the sky.

"Kirara land."

"No."

"But Miroku, all of those arrows..."

"We'll do more good up here than on the ground." He was right. Sango rubbed Kirara's neck.

"You ready?" She growled in reply. They charged in to the black mass. Tearing and ripping into the huge raven Yukai.

They didn't sweep into the territory until night came. It was dark and drizzling. They didn't even have the light of the moon to guide them.

"Kouga, where are we?" Ginta asked.

"What, you afraid?"

"Of course not boss, its just..."

"Oh, suck it up." Natsuko said. She was not in a good mood, to say the least. They reached a small area and saw thousands of little fires set about, but no one besides them.

"Ayame, I..."

"Shhh. Now is not the time Mariko."

Though...I would like to know...what Kouga has gotten us into now...

"Well, well, well. Look what the rain has drug in. Six wolf Yukai. Very small company I'd say." Shapes slunkered back by the fires, all of them whispering. A cloaked figure stepped to greet Kouga.

Long slender fingers pulled back the hood to reveal a strange Yukai. Her human face shone with a smooth milk white. Her cheeks pink as a morning sunrise. Her dark green eyes flashed mishcivious blue. Hair a dazzling blue/green that gleamed against the fire light and accentuated her long slenderly curved ears, that were like none other, but added mystery, and grace to her total complexion. Her rose red lips curved upwards.

"For those of you who don't know me, I am Mystina, leader of the vagabonds of Japan. We call ourselves The Thieves of Elodia. Welcome." She drawled out. Ayame wanted to growl, but held herself. Natsuko however was another story. The only one of their company to look composed civily, was Kouga.

"So, Kouga. What brings you and your...tribe here? Surely you haven't decided to join us, though, I wouldn't mind if you stayed." She hung all over him.

That witch better get her claws off...Or I swear...

Ayame's tail flicked of to the side agressively. Mystina grinned, noticing and relishing in the girls jealousy. Kouga took a step back. Uncomfortable with the woman's close proximity.

"Have you heard?"

"What, of Naraku's war?" Kouga nodded briefly. Looking over his shoulder at the others of his company, she seemed to give them a more measured look, as if trying to find what purpose they have to play.

"Come with me then." They followed her through the camp. Murmurs went up between the Yukai and humans there, a few even tried their luck to see if the small pack of visitors had anything of value, they quickly regretted it.

"Ginta, All I see is a tree." Hakkaku whispered. They did indeed stand in front of a tree. A large one. The trunk so thick, that even if they all reached finger tip to finger tip, they wouldn't be able to hug even half of it. It stood magnificently, but didn't draw unusual attention to itself.

"Se anto cle av." She whispered and walked through.

"Kouga! Did you, did you see that!?" Ginta jumped, Hakkaku pointed a shaky finger. Both grappled onto each other. Mariko clung to Natsuko's arm, who stepped back. Ayame whipped out a bone dagger, ready to fight if the need be. The band of thieves immediately became alert at the sight of a weapon, tensing their muscles.

"Ayame, put that away. Mystina is a sorceress, not a threat." Kouga growled.

"I will not." She hurled out angrily. Jealousy pounded in her veins, as well as the hurt pride.

"Let the little girl keep her toy. I do not mind. However, if you insist upon staying out there, I might feel insulted." She had stepped out halfway and disappeared again. After giving Ayame a dirty look, Kouga stepped through the tree, and disappeared into it. Crossly so, Ayame tucked the bone into her tied waist fur, leaving it easily accessible and stomped through. Natsuko, looked over her shoulder at Hakkaku and Ginta.

"Men." She stomped through, Mariko closely following.

"Should we go in?" The two, still clinging to each other, looked over their shoulders at the rough crowd.

"Well, we definitely shouldn't stay out here." He whispered.

"Good point."

"Kouga! Wait for us!" They ran through the tree, the Theives of Elodia laughed heartily before going back to their business.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled. Three black birds were lying dead on the ground, but one had just snatched the school girl up into the air. He watched as she disappeared into the pitch blackness.

"Dammit!" He yelled and looked at Shippo.

"Don't even think about it. I can't lift you up! You're way too heavy!"

"Then I'll just have to use Tetsusaiga!" He pulled out his blade and it instantly became the majestic sword it was meant to be.

"You idiot! What if you hit Kagome!"

"Then you come up with a plan!"

"I can't think under this stress!" Shippo sulked a bit. Fed up, Inuyasha came up with the only plan he could, not bright, but for Inuyasha, this was more thought out than most.

"Go find her you idgit! Quite your sulkin!" Inuyasha threw the little kit in the air.

"Wah!" He screamed and quickly changed into a fairy looking creature, like the one who had summoned Kagome and Sango to meet Miyako for the first time. He wore long ragged pants that were held up by a vine, a bare chest, pointed ears, two small antennae, and long red and black monarch wings. His hair was blond and ruffled. His eyes were red, and he looked to be the age of 14 yrs old. However, the red puffy tail gave him away.

"Don't get eaten!" Inuyasha yelled.

"What do you mean!" A dark bird dived at him and he narrowly flew out of reach.

"I don't have a weapon!"

"Here." Inuyasha threw a bloodied arrow and Shippo caught it.

"Eww!" He squeeled. Looking up he saw more birds heading his direction and frantically flew into the crowd of Black Raven Yukai.

"Do you always send a little boy to do a man's work?" Inuyasha whipped around, staring at a new face.

"Who the hell are you?" He stared into her piercing wild blue eyes. Her long black hair whispered against her face. Her bloody lips made her moonlight pale skin gleam all the more. Her chest was bare, and her hair hardly bothered to cover it. Long black wings, scared, crude, and bloody flared on her back. Her lower body was identical to that of the black birds that were attacking.

"I am Mai. Leader of the flying Yukai of Naraku's army. I am here to kill you Inuyasha. Isn't this your lucky day?" She grinned, her lips cracking. Blood dripped down her chin and she licked it.