Chapter Eight: Silence is a Virtue

I had really bad writer's block on this chapter…so I started writing poems instead. I always used to hate poetry, but it turns out that it's really fun! I posted the first one that I wrote. (It's my first Inu-Yasha poem, and my first poem ever.) Anyway, this is the third version of chapter eight, and although it isn't perfect, it's a lot better than the other two possibilities. Anyway, sit tight; I'll try to get more out as soon as I can.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yasha.

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"Where do you think Kagome is," Shippo asked as they walked.

Sango sighed, "I don't know yet Shippo. Inu-Yasha has gone back through the well, but until he returns we're just going to have to go to the village and see if there's any news. I would hate to think that we're just sitting around here if there is an obvious cause for this problem."

"That means that we're kind of looking for Kagome right now," Shippo concluded. "Okay! I'll race you to the village!"

Sango laughed, and ran after the little demon. He really was a sweet child; she could see why Kagome loved him so much. That wasn't to say that Sangodidn't, it was just that Kagome and Shippo had always had a special bond. In fact, Sango realized, we all have special relationships with Kagome. She is the one that really brings us all together. If it weren't for her…well, if it weren't for her then none of us would be where we are today. I just hope that she's all right.

She let her stride widen as she picked up speed, smiling at Shippo's delight in the game. "I'm going to win," he called out, and laughing, he turned and ran a different way.

"Hey, Shippo, come back!" Sango paused, but only for a moment. Then she was off and running again, the green boughs of trees flashing past her face. "I'm coming after you Shippo," she called, and the tiny demon shrieked in mock-horror.

Suddenly they were out in the open air of the village. "I win!" Shippo looked up at her happily. "Let's go find Kaede, okay?"

"Okay," Sango replied, only a little out of breath. "I'll follow you."

To their surprise, however, Kaede wasn't in her hut. "That's odd," Sango said, thinking aloud. "I wonder where she went to."

"I guess we should go look for her, huh," Shippo guessed. "I'll look over on the other side of the river."

Sango looked down at the demon with mirth in her eyes. "I'll see you later then Shippo."

As Shippo left she shook her head, a small smile still on her lips. If Kaede was on the other side of the river, then they would probably be able to see her from here. He probably just wanted to go back to the well to see if Kagome had arrived yet. Sango just wished that finding her could be that simple.

It may be foolish, but somehow I get the feeling that Kagome is out of our reach now, she thought, knocking on the wooden doorframe of the first hut.

"Yes," came a young male voice. "Who is there?"

"My name is Sango," she said through the door covering. "Please excuse me, but I thought that perhaps you might know the whereabouts of Lady Kaede."

"Oh, aye, I be here as well child, come in." That's luck; Sango thought in amazement, I found her on my first try.

Sango ducked into the small home. She looked up to see a man sitting with Kaede on two of four cushions that surrounded a low table. The man stood and bowed, and Sango quickly mimicked the gesture before turning and doing the same to Kaede.

The man straightened up, and Sango noticed how tired he looked. "Thank you for your time Lady Kaede. I appreciate your generous offer of allowing me to stay here in this village, but I cannot leave my own villagers now. I wish your town safe," he added, brushing past Sango in his haste to leave.

Sango looked back at the swinging door piece, the only sign that the man had been there at all. "Is something wrong Kaede?"

Kaede looked grim. "Yes, there does seem to be something amiss. That man from another village came – one not too far from here. He says that the people of the town have been disappearing, one by one, for nigh on two-score moon rises. Now there be but a handful of townsfolk left, and he feels the need to return to them…he merely came here to warn us of the demon's presence so that we might leave before it be too late."

"Has anyone tried to find the demon," Sango asked, her face paling in anger.

"That is the most vexing part of his tale…he said the finest hunters in the village did go to slay the creature, but that as of the time he set out on his journey to our small town, none had returned. Mayhap they be dead… Their only clue as to what might be happening rests with this," Kaede nodded toward a poorly sewn bag in the middle of the table. "Go ahead – ye may open it."

Warily, Sango reached for the bag. She pulled apart the uneven stitches to reveal…"It's one of Naraku's poison insects!" It took her a moment to calm her rage enough to speak, but then she continued, "I should have known that he would be behind this…destroying that poor man's family, friends, and village." Her voice shook with hatred as she spoke these last words. She remembered all too well what it was like to lose everything that one loved to Naraku.

Kaede looked up at her thoughtfully. "What is it that ye think we should do? I don't believe it wise to leave now…we cannot rebuild a village in little time."

I'm going to kill him," Sango cried. "We'll go to that man's village now, Kaede! Don't move this one for the likes of Naraku; it would only please him to know that you were going through such hardship!"

"Perhaps ye be right, my child. I shall wait here for ye's swift return."

………………..

Looking into Kanna's mirror, Naraku's thin mouth twisted into a smirk. Everything was going according to plan. He would finally gain the jewel shards that the girl, Kagome, carried with her. Then all that would remain would be the shards implanted in Kouga's legs.

"Soon I shall have the entire Jewel of Four Souls, Kanna. There is nothing that can stand in my way once those sentimental fools rise to my bait. I think that they will find it hard to escape from both Kagura…and Masanaga," he said with a low laugh.

"Once I have completed the entire jewel, and am no longer bothered by Onigumo's heart, I can kill that dratted priestess Kikyo. I'm sure that Inu-Yasha won't mind…since he'll already be dead." Naraku said, amusement in his voice. "You have done well Kanna. You may now leave. Tell Kagura to come to me later on... I have a job for her."

………………..

"And you're absolutely certain that she's not there, Inu-Yasha?"

"Dammit, Miroku, I told you already! I couldn't find her anywhere. The place that her scent was most fresh was inside the well!"

"Hmmm…this does not bode well," he said anxiously.

"Inu-Yasha! Where's Kagome," Shippo called as he bounded up the hill.

Inu-Yasha scowled at the little fox. "I don't know."

"What? She has to be there! I'll bet you just didn't look hard enough," Shippo chided.

While normally Shippo would have received several punches to the head for a comment like this, Inu-Yasha was now too wrapped up in his own thoughts to reply. What's happened to you, Kagome, he asked her silently. He wasn't surprised when she didn't reply.

"Miroku! There's a – oh, Inu-Yasha, is she back yet," Sango asked as she tumbled out of the woods.

Inu-Yasha was very tired of this question so Miroku, sensing this, answered for him. "No sign of her yet," he said sadly.

"I am sorry to hear that," Sango replied, worry in her face, "but we have something that we need to attend to."

All eyes rested on Sango.

"Naraku appears to be located near a neighboring village. The inhabitants are disappearing rapidly," she explained.

"How can you be sure that it's Naraku," Inu-Yasha demanded to know.

"One of the villagers came to warn Kaede," Sango told them. "He carried with him one of Naraku's insects."

Inu-Yasha's head dropped for a moment. "Inu-Yasha," Miroku said gently. "You know that you can stay here. Sango and I can take care of this."

"I suppose I count for nothing," Shippo grumbled.

Inu-Yasha frowned. I hate to leave Kagome behind when she might be in danger, he thought, but I can't just let Naraku get away with the crime he committed fifty years ago…not when I made a promise to Kikyo.

"Don't be an idiot, monk. You need my help. I'm coming," Inu-Yasha decided, raising his head. "Don't you guys remember? I'm going to kill that bastard." He gave a determined smile. "Let's go."

……………….

Kagome was beginning to wish that she had heeded Asherah's advice, and had stayed behind until the Lady's arm had healed, and Asherah had been able to join her. It was too late now though; she and Sesshomaru had only been walking for an hour and already Kagome was lost. All she could do now was follow his lead and hope that they would reach their destination soon.

So far, the walk had been uneventful. All she had seen were trees, rocks, grass, and the occasional flower. The scenery was nothing special to her, having spent the majority of the last three years in the feudal era with Inu-Yasha.

In her now bored state, she realized just how much she missed her friends. Her surroundings had never bothered her before when she had had someone to talk to, but Sesshomaru didn't seem especially keen on striking up a conversation any time soon.

Kagome took a deep breath and decided to simply try to do so herself. After all, he couldn't hurt her now; he was supposed to protect her.

"So, Sesshomaru," she began. "What is life like in a castle?"

"Fine," came Sesshomaru's reply.

"Well, that's good…er, and what about your training master? Is he nice?"

"No…"

"Oh…um, that's too bad…and…what is your father like?"

"Strong."

"Can you possibly say more than one word at a time," Kagome asked, exasperated.

"Yes."

She sighed. It was no use. He just wouldn't talk to her. She would have to think of some other way to amuse herself. Her brow furrowed in concentration and then… Aha! I've got it, she thought happily.

Kagome began to hum.

……………

She had been humming for two hours, and Sesshomaru didn't think that he could take much more. If the human was planning on continuing to practice this annoying habit throughout their time together, and she was counting on having his protection, then she had another thing coming to her. Her repetitive music would surely be the death of him, and if he went down, then he was taking her with him.

What was it that Takumi had always said? Ah yes, drastic times call for drastic measures. If ever a time would qualify, he decided that it was now. He was going to have to say something to stop that inane music.

"Where do you live, human?" A stupid question, it was true, but Sesshomaru didn't think that he could manage anything better. He had a splitting headache already, much more of that "music," and he would have been incapacitated for life.

Kagome stopped dead in her tracks. He's—no he isn't…wait, yes he is! He's trying to have a conversation with me! She couldn't believe it. It was a miracle. Now, how to answer the question? Can it really hurt to tell the truth, she wondered. I guess so. He probably wouldn't ever speak to me again…he'd think that I'm crazy.

She ran to catch up with Sesshomaru before answering. "Um, how do I put this? I guess…well, I live a long ways away from here. I'll describe it, okay?"

Sesshomaru nodded grimly. He would endure her chatter if it meant that the humming would stop.

"It's a lot different than here—where I come from I mean. The houses are a lot bigger, and there really aren't any demons. People get paid for doing their jobs, and almost everyone goes to school at least until they're eighteen. School's free, unless you go to a private school. I still go to school, actually. This is my last year of high school, and then…well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens."

He was shocked to find himself asking her more questions. "No demons? How is that possible? What is it like?"

She smiled before replying, "I don't know how it's possible, honestly. If I were to judge only on the strength of the demons I've met so far, I would've figured that you'd be outliving us all. Really though, I sometimes miss having demons around when I'm at home. I don't miss the fighting though. Or the complaining and self-centered things that—oh no! I'm sorry, don't get me wrong; I really do miss some of the things about demons! Like…like…um, well…I know that there's something that I like about demons…" Try as she might, Kagome was unable to think of anything offhand that she really liked about full-fledged demons. Somehow, she didn't think that she had scored any points with Sesshomaru on this one.

Sesshomaru snorted softly. "Don't hurt yourself trying to be nice to me, human. I don't need your kindness."

"But…but…there really must be something that I like about demons," she continued.

He looked at her in astonishment. Why does she bother? Did she not hear me the first time? I need no sympathy or good-will…

Kagome caught his eyes on her, and she smiled nervously. "I'm not really one to judge demons anyway, seeing as I spend most of my time with a half-demon. Wait, Shippo is a full demon…but he really doesn't act like one," she laughed. "Er, well, anyway…um, tell me about…about…something…um, what's life like for you?"

"See for yourself," he replied, gesturing towards the horizon.

Kagome gasped. She had been paying so much attention to their current dialogue that she hadn't noticed the castle in the distance. "It must be huge," she exclaimed.

"It's big enough. Let's pick up the pace, human. If you hurry, we can be there before dark."

Kagome tried to continue their chat, but Sesshomaru could no longer keep his mind focused on any one topic. Although she didn't know it, something on the wind had startled him.

His father was home.

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Well, somehow Kaede ended up sounding more like Yoda than herself, but hey, I tried…Thank you for reading the latest chapter, and please review!

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