All of you are my wonderful muses!


Inuyasha was complaining, Miroku was sighing, and Kagome was berating. Shippou was asleep, and Kirara was relaxing as Yunai took a seat.

(AN: XD, sorry I couldn't help but rhyme.)

Sango was laying her back against a tree, sighing in relaxation. They had finally got to the base of Mt. Fuji, but no luck was found. Kagome had tried to decipher the next line, only to get in a bad mood.

"Look Inuyasha, you're not helping by just sitting there yelling at me! SO STOP YELLING!"

Sango rolled her eyes, 'How will more yelling stop anyone from yelling?' Sango turned her head in the other direction, trying her best to fall asleep for just a while.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN STOP YELLING, HOW CAN I NOT YELL? YOU'RE THE ONE WHO SUGGESTED WE REST!"

"AND HOW IS THAT A BAD THING?" Kagome screamed, making Inuyasha's dog ears twitch in fear of becoming deaf. Kagome was always scary when she was angry.

Inuyasha just turned around and sat, eyes closed, squared shoulders, and a shut mouth.

Kagome's fist balled, "SO YOU STARTED AN ARGUMENT, TO NOT EVEN FINISH IT? DO YOU DO THAT ON PURPOSE JUST TO GET ME ANGRY, INUYASHA?"

"KA-"

"SIT."

"AUGH-"

"SIT SIT SIT."

'Well. That silenced him.'

The group was quiet then, each trying to return to peacefulness. Though it was hard. Everyone was being on edge lately. Even Yunai was irritable, and she was new to the group. They had gone a few days without stopping; save for the 2 hours of sleep Inuyasha let them have. They were always sweaty, never wanting to stop.

Each fight to Mt. Fuji just encouraged them even more to keep going, miasma and Saimyosho followed the demons that attacked the group; a possible sign of Naraku. Sometimes Inuyasha would get his hopes high, for the smell of Naraku was in the air.

Tonight was no different than any other. It was late; neither one fighter was asleep, though most feigned it. It was irksome sometimes, Sango would awake to see everyone with their eyes closed in the most comfortable position they could get into. Everyone looked asleep, though she knew they weren't; their chests weren't rising slowly with a good beat, all uneasy and slightly forced. Eyelids twitch to open when Sango would sometimes make a sound, she could see them, even Inuyasha's ears moved as if he were awake. She bet if she would even simply stand, all would 'awake' and look at Sango, asking her where she was going, simultaneously.

But that's how a fighter lived, tired and jaded, alert to everything, and always awake. Always.


"Will you tell her?"

"I will."

"…You promise?"

Silence. His eyes stared into the boy in his hands, the boy who held much strength.

"I do. I promise."

He fell limp, and Azure no longer looked into Mahogany. A beautiful Mahogany; there were only one other pair of eyes that held the same perfect shade.


Sango's eyes widened as her teeth clenched nervously; what was Kagome doing?

"…Kagome?"

Kagome looked up at her, and continued to eat.

"What are you eating?"

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M EATING?"

"…You're eating your pillow."

Kagome looked down at the object stuck between her teeth, and quickly scoffed. "I'M HUNGRY, Inuyasha always grabs disgusting meat."

Sango nodded, "I know…but it's all he can find. There are no more scurrying animals around. They can sense the evil."

Yawning, Kagome sat up in her sleeping bag; the riddle was under her pillow.

"Sango, do you think you can hold the riddle for a while? Everytime I see it I feel like ripping it in shreds." Kagome smiled sheepishly.

Sango nodded and took it, placing it under the left shoulder armor pad she wore with her Slayer suit. Now a days, she would have to wear it often and wash it often. It got annoying, changing so quickly, that she just slept in her slayer suit; though she took off her armor.

The days had shortened, and it was dark quickly. Winter was coming. The days were always grey; sunlight was on occasion. Sango had done everything in her right mind to keep herself busy; but there was nothing left but to repeat words in her head. Songs were fun to make in her head; they came quickly. Her mother always sung songs she had made on the spot; they usually were about how she felt or what she was doing at the moment.

Lately, people would catch her humming a delightful tune in her head; the words only sung in her mind. The others didn't mind, it would be too quiet without it when no one had anything to say.

It was quiet that day, not peaceful, but quiet. The wind was barely blowing, unfortunate for Inuyasha's nose. Yunai was walking along side of Miroku; his arm around her shoulders as she hugged her man's waist lovingly. Kagome was walking a little behind Inuyasha, Shippou in her arms being hugged to her body. Sango was stuck in the middle; Kirara on her shoulder. It was days like these she couldn't help but hum her way through the trail.

She had made up the song gradually; using the tune of a melody her mother used to sing. Words in her head; Sango hummed soothingly.

Kirara purred, moving her tail to wrap around Sango's nape. The group listened, recognizing the tune. Yunai was smiling contently, singing her own words in her head to Sango's melody as she laid her head on Miroku's shoulder. Miroku was breathing deeply, planning to savor this moment of soothe for a while.

Inuyasha's ear twitched at the sound of her low-throated hum; she didn't want to be too loud. But Inuyasha listened as well, enjoying the small music she was expelling.

Shippou had nuzzled in to Kagome's chest softly; listening to the beat of Kagome's heart with the melody of Sango's hum. Also listening, Kagome sighed light-heartedly.

Now at the shore of a small lake; the wind picked up dramatically, bringing Inuyasha a new scent to pick up. Everyone's hair furiously flew into their face for a moment, before completely blowing in the other direction and letting their hair flow behind them.

"…Naraku!" Inuyasha growled; everyone becoming tense.

Kirara jumped off Sango and transformed as Sango detached the Hiraikotsu from her back and into her welcoming grasp. Grabbing her arrows; Kagome brushed off Shippou lightly and looked around; trying to sense any shards. Politely pulling Yunai in a safer area; Miroku told her to wait there with Shippou, who was coming their way, and jogged back to his group. Yunai nodded solemnly as Shippou jumped into her arms, hugging him not only for his assured feeling of comfort, but for hers as well.

Growling loudly, Kirara followed Sango closely as she moved next to Inuyasha; Kagome moving next to Miroku; their usual positions.

"Not quite; I hope you're not upset."

The fog dissipated as the wind pushed it to stray; 2 familiar female silhouettes balanced on the rail of the bridge that gave passage from east to west of the lake.

"Kagura," Sango remarked harshly.

Kagura smirked. The look of a million demons also became visible from behind her. There was so much; Inuyasha could not only not see but he couldn't even smell what was on the other side of the lake behind the herd of demons.

Keeping her fan gripped tightly in her hand, close to where her heart would be, she stood there; smirking. Beside her, emotionless as ever, Kanna stood staring at the group; her mirror held in her small childish hands.

Yunai gasped, her eyes wide with fear as her gaze darted from the fatal amount of demons to the 5 membered group of the Inu-gumi. Did they always fight off demons of this large mass? It was truly frightening.

"Today; you die!" Kagura called out; keeping perfect balance on the rail as the demons ran past her; towards the group.

Sango wasn't caught off guard as the demons came towards them, instead she started early.

"HIRAIKOTSU!"

The weapon cut through the air, slicing through the demons that had come in it's way. Catching her weapon with ease, Sango looked to see Inuyasha and the rest of the group already busy with their own handful of demons.

Miroku spun his staff quickly in both hands, demons touching the holy electricity only to fly backwards to their death. He wondered silently if they were all poisonous…

"IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!"

Inuyasha grunted as he landed back on the ground below him; claws out and tearing at demon flesh. There weren't as many as he thought, but who he really wanted was Kagura.

Scarcely dodging another claw from a demon, Kagome stood on her knees.

'C'mon…' Aiming for Kanna, who seemed closer, she pulled the thin string of her bow and shot.

The familiar pink aura of her purified arrow seemed to glide in the air longer than it truly did. And with hope of the heavens, Kagome held her breath.

Kanna turned, the arrow an inch away from her small form only pierced a tree in the forest behind them.

Kagome cursed under her breathe as she readied another arrow and aimed for the demons around her; an easier target.

The battle seemed too long for Yunai; Shippou was watching the fight anxiously. How could she help? Yunai had always wanted to learn how to fight, following the footsteps of her brother. But she couldn't learn, for he had passed away due to an illness. Well, she did fight he father with a sword once, but they were just playing; so that didn't count. She couldn't do anything, not now anyways.

A small growling was heard, and Yunai looked down. "Shippou?"

Following his train of sight, Yunai saw Kagome frantically look in her small bag that held her arrows. There were no more.

"There are more near her bag…" Shippou muttered to himself; and with a flash Shippou had jumped out of Yunai's hold and out of their small hiding place.

"Shippou!" Yunai called after him, accidentally stepping out of the small space of hiding and trying to grab for him, landing on her knees, but to no avail.

Shippou grabbed a handful of arrows in both hands from Kagome's bag and ran towards her. Soon, he was out of sight.

Worrying, Yunai gazed at the herd of demons around her new friends, forgetting that she too was now in danger.

Inuyasha slashed ferociously through the lot of demons in front of him. Looking back, his group was handling pretty well on their own; that would be his que to face Kagura.

Well, he would have, if the sound of Miroku's wench hadn't screamed.

All members of the Inu-gumi looked to see Yunai held in the air by her wrist, struggling to get freed. Sango hadn't seen her so terrified.

"Kirara!"

Kagome looked to see Yunai, terribly hanging by her wrist the same time Shippou stood at her foot; a handful of arrows in his hands.

"Thank you Shippou!" And without hesitation, Kagome grabbed an arrow and shot at the demon holding Yunai.

"FOX FIRE!" Shippou attempted to keep the demons off Kagome long enough for her to save Yunai.

"YUNAI!" Miroku called out, horrified. With his gaze reverted to Yunai, a demon took the chance to wrap a scaly tentacle around his middle, planning to devour the monk.

Another demon tugged at his staff before completely taking it from his grip and discarding the weapon.

Inuyasha, who was almost at the foot of the lake about to launch an attack, saw Miroku and growled, obviously annoyed.

"Miroku…" Inuyasha turned around completely and ran towards the demon holding Miroku.

Sango straddled Kirara in mid air as she closed in on the demon, only to hear the sparks of Kagome's arrow fly past her and impale the demon.

Keeping her eyes on Yunai, Sango whispered for Kirara to go faster.

Yunai felt the demon sway and loose his iron grip on her before completely disintegrating from being purified. The feeling of loosing her stomach was never pleasant and quite rare for Yunai as she fell through the air.

Sango; now being directly under Yunai caught her in her arms as Kirara proceeded back to the ground.

Once on the forest floor, Yunai got out of Sango's hold and sat on her knees. "Gomen nesai, Sango! Gomen nesai! I was not paying attention and I—"

"Please Yunai, don't apologize. We are companions, we look out for eachother." Sango couldn't really look her in the eye, but she meant it. With that said and done, Kirara began to fly back in the air—only to stop and look at Yunai questioningly.

Sango also looked down at Yunai, for she had held onto Kirara's leg and prevented her from leaving.

"Please, take me with you…I…I want to help you!"

Kagome watched Sango catch Yunai and sighed in relief before returning her attention to Shippou, who was trying his hardest to keep a demon off by using his Fox Fire. Smiling, Kagome picked him up and set him on her shoulder to rest before whacking the demon with her bow.

"IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!"

Inuyasha sliced through the demon easily, watching Miroku fall flat on his posterior.

"Inuyasha I—"

Inuyasha sent him an annoyed glance before returning to the base of the lake without another word.

Yunai held on to Sango's waist as Kirara flew them to meet demons of the air.

"HIRAIKOTSU!"

Yunai watched as Sango let the large bone she carried around fly through the air and slice the demons that got in their way.

It was amazing how such a woman could carry around that large bone, only to show even more strength by thrusting it easily at demons; killing many at a time. Yunai wished she had that much strength, she even wished to atleast have half Sango's strength. But something told her that it took time, sweat, tears, and sacrifice to get her into where she was today.

A new spark of courage leapt at Yunai as she turned to see a centipede demon charge at them from behind. Sango glanced over her shoulder to see the demon, panicking as she wondered how to kill it.

Without thinking, Yunai grabbed the hilt of Sango's katana from her sash and unsheathed it.

"Yunai—"

Said person, held onto the katana with both hands and turned in her seat, facing the demon. As she held out the sword, the demon ran into it piercing itself, the sharpness of the katana impaling the demon between the eyes.

After it fell from their height, Yunai shook some demon blood off the sword and moved to sheath it; only to be stopped by Sango moving the sheath.

"No, you hold on to it," Sango looked back infront of her, a smile on her face, "You could make good use after all."

Yunai also smiled and held onto the katana.

"Here," Sango grabbed something within her suit and gave it to Yunai. "Gas bombs, throw them below when you see a large amount of demons; but make sure no one of our group is near them. Use the katana in our defense."

"Ok," Yunai nodded, her mind set as Sango threw her weapon once again.

Kagura stood in vain of all the commotion going on around her as more demons came to try and grab a piece of the fighting flesh infront of them, running ahead of her.

'The group has another member.' From the monk's expression; he had a liking for this woman. Funny, a strong impression had given her the idea that he was infatuated with the demon slayer.

'This woman seems helpless, just a mere human.' Kagura thought.

Kagura turned her head towards the distance, knowing Naraku's Saimyosho would come soon, Naraku would check up on her. She hated him; the fact that he held onto her heart just for her torture was unbearable. Looking back at Inuyasha and his group, she felt envious of them. They were free, neither heart nor soul was taken from them.

'They can help you…'

Kagura was stunned by the small voice of hope inside her, she was sure her hope had left her a long time ago. But honestly; she believed her hope. They could help her, and she knew that. But how would they know that? Will they trust her?

Kagura looked down at Kanna, she was just a child, but her soul had been taken from her. It was awkward to be around her, Kanna was a loyal apprentice of Naraku.

She would have to discard Kanna.

Inuyasha looked at the sky; it was almost dark. He had to hurry, it was the night of the new moon. After unsheathing Tetsusaiga, he started to cut through the demons easier.

Kagura watched as Inuyasha whipped out Tetsusaiga, but he was becoming slower. And idea struck her; looking up at the sky, the absence of the moon startled her. Was it the new moon already?

Sango and Yunai also watched from the sky as Inuyasha began to pulse.

Yunai looked at the horror stricken expression on Sango's face as said person looked up at the sky.

"The new moon…"

Catching Yunai's curiosity, Sango explained. "Inuyasha, being a half demon, has the burden of turning into a human on the night of the new moon."

Yunai looked down at Inuyasha, his hair turning a dark shade of ebony. "Human…" She knew Inuyasha didn't like her much, but she couldn't help but feel slightly worried.

"Kirara, go down for a moment."

Yunai felt Kirara swoop down suddenly, making her grasp on Sango, tighten. What was Sango doing?"

Before Kirara even landed, Sango jumped off and landed into a low crouch next to Inuyasha.

Taking out something from within her suit, Sango held it infront of Inuyasha as she stood. Yunai noticed it was the mask of a Demon Slayer.

"Here, Inuyasha." Sango gave it to him, only for it to be brushed away.

"I don't need it—"

Sango glared at him before completely catching him off guard and wrapping the mask around his face, covering his nose and mouth. "Yunai and I will be dropping a few gas bombs down here to divert the demons away from you for now." Inuyasha looked at her curiously as he watched Sango climb back on Kirara. Inuyasha keh-ed, atleast Yunai was making herself useful.

Once in the air again, Yunai dropped a few bombs around Inuyasha's form; distracting the demons as they tried to bite him.

"Good job, Yun—" A sudden force of a demon slammed into Sango and knocked her off Kirara.

"SANGO!" Yunai called after her. Her Hiraikotsu was knocked out of her hand.

Sango cursed that Inuyasha was so close to the lake, for now she was falling from the height of Kirara and into the muddied lake. It wasn't a normal lake; she had guessed that the first time she saw the greenish goop of a lake.

Kagura, being on the lake was practically in hand reach of the falling Taijiya. Why hadn't she done anything? With a loud splash, the lake awoke as Sango was engulfed by the dirty waters.

"Sango!" The gas had cleared and Inuyasha's human vision watched as Sango fell into the water. About to jump in after her; a wall of demons surrounded him, "Damnit, MOVE!"

Kagura unconsciously tucked her fan within her clothes and jumped off the railing of the bridge and into the lake after Sango. She would gain atleast the Taijiya's trust by doing this. Hopefully.

Without thought, Kagura tried her best to swim around. It was like swimming in mud, the dirtied water was thick.

The sudden tug on Kagura's foot told her that Sango was directly under her, so she reached down to her foot and grabbed the hand before maneuvering Sango on her back.

Using her demon strength, she jumped out of the muddied water and reached for the end of the bridge. Kagura pulled both herself and the Taijiya out and laid on the foot of lake breathing deeply.

Sango was first to get onto her feet and she tried her best to squeeze the disgusting water off her clothes. She hadn't known the surprise of who saved her until she saw Kagura take her fan back out.

"Kagura?"

Kagura looked at her, the silence between the two was uncomfortable.

"You…you saved me?"

Kagura didn't know whether to be sarcastic, like she wanted to, or being sincere about it. Being sarcastic might tick off the demon slayer.

"Yes…I..." 'Might as well go with the truth now.' "I could use your trust now, Taijiya."

Sango remembered all the times the wind sorceress had given them such a hard time, but it was awkward now. She wanted to hate her for it, but she couldn't help but also remember the times Kagura had wittingly helped them out.

"And I could use yours."

Inuyasha sheathed his father's sword; it was useless in the arms of a human. Even the sheath would be a better weapon that the sword itself. Looking up, he saw Yunai look terrified at the water, seated on Kirara. That's right, Sango had fallen in.

Inuyasha was about to jump in when Kirara roared, flying to the foot of the bridge where he saw Sango and Kagura, both muddied from being in the lake. 'Kagura…? Kagura saved her? What the hell!"

Yunai leaned down as Kirara hovered above her mistress, grabbing Sango's hand with both hands.

"Help us, Kagura. We will help you." Were Sango's last words before Kirara lifted her into the air only to drop her near Inuyasha.

Kagura stared after her; she and her friends were still in view. They would help her?

Inuyasha punched another demon in between the eyes harshly, easily killing the demon. Noticing Sango, again, land in a low crouch next to him, he looked at her strangely.

"Was it my imagination or were you saved my Kagura?"

Thanks to Kirara, Hiraikotsu had been saved by an easy catch of the mouth. Sango hacked off the head of a demon before peering in Kagura's direction. "She needs us. And I'm helping her."

"What?" Inuyasha asked incredulously, "She's a spawn of Naraku!"

"She never told about your little secret. Even now!"

"Keh, who knows? I mean she did attack tonight."

Sango rolled her eyes, "Can't you see it in her eyes? Are you so oblivious, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha stared at her questioningly.

"Kagura wants freedom from that bastard, and you would want the same! She has no one on her side, why? Because Naraku is making her do all these horrible things to us. I bet she wouldn't even attack us unless she needed something of ours desperately." Sango answered her own question.

Turning around, he keh'ed audibly, not wanting to object nor agree. Thus, making Sango smile as she continued her slaying.

A buzzing sound disturbed Kagura's thoughts. Looking to her right; Saimyosho surrounded her; hovering over her head indicating she is wanted back at the castle. Kagura scowled, "I'll be there in a minute. Take Kanna now."

Doing as they were told, the Saimyosho headed back, waiting for her a mile ahead.

Kagura gritted her teeth; she wouldn't have time to talk with Sango now. Looking around; she spotted them. Sango said to help, but how if she was in close distance to the Saimyosho.

Mounted on the large cat demon sat the new woman, Yunai, Kagura had heard Sango say. Kagura grabbed a feather from her hair, thrusting it in front of her before she sat politely on it heading for the average human woman.

Before Yunai had even noticed Kagura in arm length of her, Kagura started to speak. "Woman," She attracted the woman's attention, instantly noticing her eye's wide with curiosity and mix of fear. "Tell Sango I will meet her at Lake Shakinjou well into the night. I wont have much time, so tell her to hurry."

Kagura noticed Yunai dart her eyes between Kagura and Miroku, she was trying to pay attention but it was hard when the man you loved was starting to get hurt pretty badly. All of them were. And the demons just seemed to go on to no end.

Nodding, Yunai looked Kagura in the eye before checking upon Miroku once again only to look back at Kagura. "I will tell her."

"Good," Kagura had an idea. A way she could help. "Tell the monk to use it. There is no poison." Upon receiving a curious look from Yunai, she assured her he would know what she meant.

And before long, Kagura departed on her feather in the wind, heading towards the Saimyosho.

Looking down at Kirara underneath her, she was wondering how to…work her. Yunai remembered what Sango would always do, lean downward next to Kirara's ear and tell her what to do. Yunai thought it would be a better idea to tell Sango what Kagura had said first, hopefully she would understand for Yunai did not.

"Umm," Yunai leaned down near the large Kirara's ear, "Let's go down to Sango?"

Kirara mewed curiously as she inclined her head to see the woman on her back try and mimic her mistress. Yunai could have sworn there was a look of amusement in her eye, as if she was laughing at her, before Kirara obliged and swooped down near her mistress.

Kirara called out to Sango before she landed, telling her she was arriving and to make way. After Sango had indeed made a small area for Kirara to land, Sango heard Yunai call her over. She was probably too scared to get off.

"Before that female demon left—" Yunai began, only to be cut off by Inuyasha who was back to back with Sango, covering her.

"Kagura left?" He called over his shoulder, "Some help she gave us!"

"Shush Inuyasha." Sango regarded him, then changed her attention back to Yunai, trying to conceal the surprise she was feeling that Kagura left. "Yes what about her?"

"She told me to tell you to meet her tonight, well into the night. She won't be—AH!"

Sango followed Yunai's vision to see a pretty large demon come infront of the human Inuyasha, towering over him.

"Move Inuyasha—Hiraikotsu!" Sango called out, slicing the demon's stomach leaving the rest to Inuyasha. Inuyasha keh'ed and murmured about not needing her help.

Yunai noticed Sango look back at her urgently, hoping she would hurry with what she would say.

"She won't have a lot of time so you will have to hurry after the demons I guess."

"Ok, I can meet her."

"And one more thing, she told me to tell Miroku that he can 'use it' and that there is no poison…what does that mean?" Yunai asked curiously. Noticing the surprised look on both Sango and Inuyasha's (who had turned momentarily to hear better) she continued to look at them questioningly.

"Damnit why didn't she tell us earlier!" Inuyasha asked furiously.

"Atleast she helped us, you're pretty hurt Inuyasha." Sango informed him, swinging the Hiraikotsu after Inuyasha had ducked so she could kill the demon that wished to kill Inuyasha from behind.

"Look who's talkin'!"

"I was barely grazed," Sango lied, "You're hurt much worse. Its good she helped at all."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, he knew he would heal a lot faster once it turned morning. "Must we repeat this conversation everytime we've finished a good fight?"

Sango chuckled at the realization that they indeed had a similar conversation to this almost everytime they fought a demon or demons.

Kirara nudged Sango's arm. "Alright Kirara. C'mon Inuyasha we should tell Miroku and get out of the way."

Yunai, still confused and uninformed, watched Inuyasha get on last behind Sango who was behind herself.

"Go Kirara!" Sango called.

Without hesitation, the cat demon strode into the air.


Haha, its like everyother chapter has Bankotsu/Sango interaction...infact i'm going to go check now.

Anyway, thx for the people who reviewed...please do it again! As well as those other people who didnt review...REVEIW PLEASE! For those of you who are authors...yall know how it feels to get a wonderful review. So please help me out! I needed my wonderful muses again!

-Monica