The pain that burns me, the thoughts that haunt me, the anger that consumes me, the surrender that calls me...You cannot save me from what is my own agony...

He watched his prey dart back and forth, water dripping from his wet hair to run down his face. Moving nothing but his eyes, he prepared to attack...

"Gotcha!" The small fox emerged from the water, holding the fish high above his head while looking to the others for approval. "Look! I got one! I got one!" Kagome, Miroku, and Sango clapped with friendly enthusiasm while InuYasha simply rolled his eyes.

"In the time it took you to catch one, runt, I could've brought enough to last the next three days! I don't even see why...ow!" He hissed as Kagome's elbow found his ribs, her eyes closed tightly in irritation. She needed to say nothing, opening her eyes to shoot him a death glare sufficed just as well as any 'sit' threat would have.

"Way to go, Shippo! You're getting better! You actually caught one this time!" The miko beamed, ignoring the muttered curses to her right. Shippo gave her an adoring smile before continuing his fish hunt. Kagome waited for his back to turn before connecting her palm firmly with the back of a certain hanyou's head. "Give him a break, InuYasha! He was trying so hard!"

"Alright, alright! Jeez!" Giving her one last pout while rubbing the sore spot on his cranium, his mumbled swears fired up once more as he got to his feet, shoving his arms into his sleeves. His thoughts of revenge of the fox were interrupted by the putrid but all too familiar scent that attacked his nostrils, causing his nose to wrinkle. "Oh, great..."

"What is it, InuYasha?" Kagome, as well as the rest of the group, silenced their chatter and turned to the hanyou.

"Human blood...and Naraku." He sneered, placing his hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt. They need not ask his intentions, springing to their feet to follow before he had a chance to move. Kagome slung her bag over her shoulders and called to Shippo, jumping on Kirara alongside Sango.

"Hurry..." She encouraged, reaching a hand down to the tike, all the while watching InuYasha and Miroku disappear in the distance. "Let's go!" Sango nodded.

"Kirara!" The fire cat galloped into the air, leaning slightly to increase her speed. Catching InuYasha was not going to be easy.

The hanyou growled as the scent grew stronger and even more disgusting. 'That bastard! How many has he killed?!' He ducked a low branch and jumped a fallen tree, darting back and forth with ease as he moved in on his target. 'His scent...it's growing fainter...' "Hell no! He ain't getting away this time!"

"InuYasha, wait!" The monk called, struggling to keep his pace behind the young hanyou. His request was immediately granted, leaving him to slam into InuYasha's back, almost taking them both off their feet. "What in the..." His gaze left the hanyou's bewildered expression and focused on his line of sight. Miroku gasped, his staff jingling as he jerked back a step. "It can't be..."

The woman never moved, her blood-drenched body only shivering violently from fever. Numerous wounds covered her stomach, legs, and face, most still leaking blood. Miroku stepped forward as Kirara landed, only to be stopped by InuYasha's extended arm. "It's a trap...it's gotta be..." Kagome ran to his side, gasping before clutching the sleeve of his kimono.

"InuYasha, is that..."

"Kagura." He answered with a low growl. His eyes darted back and forth in search of anything unusual. 'Something's not right...' Kagome leaned around to see his face, biting her lip.

"InuYasha?"

He moved out of her grip, creeping closer to the still form. He heard the shuffle of feet behind him and turned to shake his head. Things were still too unclear. Finally towering over the woman, he kneeled beside her, inhaling deeply a few times. He jerked back, losing his balance and falling, his eyes wide.

"InuYasha, what is it?" Sango asked, each individual consecutively taking a step forward.

"She...she's human..." He managed to choke out, looking above and around for any sign of Naraku before laying his gaze back onto the former wind sorceress.

She became aware of the pain before anything else, her eyes seemingly refusing to open. She groaned and attempted to sit up, barely registering the pair of hands shoving her back down. Against her body's better judgement, she forced her eyes open, blinking several times to clear her hazy vision.

"The witch is awake."

She recognized that voice right away, turning her head with a moan to the side. The silver haired hanyou leaned forward, narrowing his eyes dangerously.

"So, what's the deal?" He demanded, removing Tetsusaiga from its sheath to lay its normal, rusty blade across his lap. Kagura swallowed hard and bit her lip.

"InuYasha, let her rest." She turned to the other side where the remainder of the group sat. Kagome's eyes left InuYasha and focused on Kagura. "She has a lot of explaining to do." The miko stated blandly. Kagura inwardly winced as Miroku fingered the beads around his right hand, and Sango tapped a finger against Hiriakotsu. Something told her this was not going to be easy.

"You expect us to believe that?" InuYasha almost laughed at the preposterous notion. "Oh, come off it! This has got to be the worst plan he has come up with yet!"

"Assume...what you must, InuYasha." She said dryly, taking another sip of the herbal mixture Kagome had concocted for her. "What I tell you...is the truth."

"Give me a break!" He yelled, standing over her. "Shippo comes up with better stories than that!"

"Hey!" The kitsune screamed from Kagome's lap, picking up a rock to throw. Kagome grabbed his small hand and shook her head, releasing him as he dropped the stone. The young miko thought quietly for a moment before speaking.

"You have to understand that we can't just believe everything you say, Kagura. You've been our enemy for quite some time, and to think that you gave everything up...your powers, your alliance with Naraku...to help us is a little outrageous."

"Outrageous my ass." InuYasha scoffed, leaning against the tree they all were resting under. "It's downright stupid." The former wind sorceress lowered her head and narrowed her eyes.

'How can I get them to believe me?' She glanced up to InuYasha, who raised a skeptical eyebrow at her glare. Then, to Kagome. The miko merely shook her head and looked away. Sighing heavily, she let the small bowl fall to the ground and immediately began to attempt standing.

"What are you doing?" Miroku asked, seeming to be the only one who noticed.

"I'm...leaving." She choked out through panting breaths, staggering to her feet. "My presence is...of no use to you either." One step was all she took. It was all she was allowed to take. Gasping, she snapped her head around to stare wide-eyed at the clawed hand on her arm.

"You're not going anywhere." He warned quietly, giving her a slight shove back to the ground. "Sit down." She could not stifle the pained squeak as she hit the ground, immediately setting a glare on the hanyou. "We're not through with you yet." As if by instinct, Kagura turned to Kagome, surprised to see the young girl give an approving smile. "Tell me why we should believe you." His tone was threatening, so she knew to watch her words carefully. They were enemies, after all, and he would have no second thoughts about finishing what Naraku had started.

Licking her suddenly dry lips, she gathered her composure as best she could through the obvious pain she was feeling. "I do not intend to betray you, that you must believe." she looked around the group, a small smile crossing her pale face. The entire group tensed, and InuYasha grabbed for his sword as she reached for the single, tattered feather that was still entwined in her hair.