In four days time, Miroku was back on his feet and Sango had resumed ignoring him when he had resumed his lecherous ways. The rain had finally stopped and they were almost ready to be going again.

'Have you seen Inuyasha?' Kagome asked while scanning the treetops.

'I've already told you... I don't know where he is!' Sango shouted. She turned around with an irritated look plastered on her face. 'Oh. Kagome. I'm sorry. It's just- well. Them,' she murmured, pointing at one of the seven woman Inuyasha has 'accidentally' saved.

Kagome smiled. Her amusement at their trying to repay Inuyasha for his deeds never ceased.

'Aren't you jealous?'

'No... I- I'm not -jealous over Inuyasha.' Sango raised a sceptical eyebrow at the girl. 'Besides, isn't it obvious he doesn't like them in the slightest. Why else would he be hiding from them?' A second's pause allowed for a new thought to pass over Kagome's mind. 'Maybe you're the jealous one,' she teased. 'When they aren't looking for Inuyasha- they follow Miroku around like lost puppies.'

Sango choked on the statement. 'Shhh... Don't be so loud. And I'm not- Shippou! Hi.'

Shippou stopped and looked up at the demon slayer, curious about her strange actions. Giving up on figuring her out, he turned to Kagome. 'I found You-Know-Who,' he whispered. 'He's waiting for us. Sango, you might want to fetch Miroku.'

'Um... yea,' she agreed, finally getting a hold on herself. They made quite a scene as they left the small town. Sango pulled Miroku along by his ear as a mother might a naughty child.

'Ow... ow-owow. Ow.'

Not a day went by without the monk getting smacked or Shippou complaining of boredom or Kagome wishing she had her bike. Three days passed and to their dismay it began to rain again.

'Ooo. Look, look.' Shippou pointed off slightly to the left of where the trail was heading.

'Smoke,' Kagome stated, then getting excited said, 'That means fire and food and shelter. Let's go!' Kagome, with lifted spirits, made a beeline for the smell of cooked fish. Of course, if they turn out anything like the last people we stayed with I wouldn't mind going another few days without real food.

'I don't like the smell of this,' came Inuyasha's opinion a ways into the forest. He wrinkled his nose in disgust.

'Here. I've more wood for the fire,' said the voice of a young girl. Dropping numerous twigs and leaves along the way, she joined whoever it was she seemed to be speaking to. She looks really familiar, Kagome supposed.

'Sesshoumaru,' said Inuyasha in absolute contempt. 'The scent is obvious now.' The hanyou hurried through the last few feet of trees to the small clearing ahead. Kagome and the others followed. 'What are you doing snatching up little girls and turning them into slaves?'

Sesshoumaru blinked, subtly surprised that his younger brother might show up here and so unexpectedly.

Inuyasha pulled out Tetsusaiga and held it ready to fight.

'No! Sesshoumaru-sama is good to me. He saved me,' said the girl.

'I thought you looked familiar,' Kagome declared. She's the one we saw with Kohaku before.

'I will not fight you, Inuyasha.'

'Huh? You what?' The perplexed half demon lowered his sword.

'I'm not in the frame of mind. However, I do request that you leave.' Sesshoumaru repositioned his back against a large pine. 'All of you,' he growled.

'Sesshoumaru-sama, you are okay right? You're worse than I've seen you,' the girl murmured when the demon winced while trying, again, to find a comfortable position. Rin's eyes filled with worry and anxiety.

In the awkward light Kagome noticed the blood soaking through the youkai's bone white kimono. She gasped. 'He's hurt.' Then imagining Inuyasha's response, said, 'Look, I don't care how much you might hate him, he still needs help.'

'I don't need a human's aid.' Sesshoumaru glared. Turning to the girl he muttered, 'Rin. I want for you to fetch some water.' A/N: laughing Behold the irony.

'But... Please let her help you. '

Rin ended up winning the debate. In the dim firelight Kagome bandaged Sesshoumaru's shoulder, arm, and chest. The youkai glowered the entire time and grimaced at Rin for this had been her suggestion. Shippou, Miroku, and Sango kept their distance... not, of course, out of lack of curiosity. Sesshoumaru, however, appeared as if he could still cause serious damage. The look of utter distain displayed across his face was far from obscure

'If you don't mind telling us... what happened?' Miroku queried.

'It's nothing... and your bandages will do no good,' he said to Kagome. 'I will be well enough come sunrise.' Sesshoumaru glanced about the clearing for his younger brother, though, did not see him. You could always trust a half-breed to run away. It's just as well he isn't here. He's nothing but a nuisance. Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed, feeling he would never live down this humiliation.

By morning, the youkai and human girl had gone. Kagome silently wished him well, then set off looking for Inuyasha. Why does he always disappear like this?

COMING NEXT... CHAPTER FIVE: BATTLE OF THE BAKA