Miroku noticed it in the instant before Sango shouted for Kirara and took off after the young man wearing the slayer's armor. She had frozen where she stood, an expression of shock on her face. He was certain of it: despite the distance she had recognized that man. It was no real surprise; even before the destruction of the village of the demon slayers, there had never been very many of them. If another slayer had escaped the slaughter, it only made sense that Sango would know who he was. But that meant that this young man was no imposter, and that being the case, Miroku wondered why would he have slain an entire village of innocent people.
Then again, he remembered all too well the way Sango had tried to kill his friends when she first ran into them. As curious as he was, Miroku knew there was no time to fully consider the answers to his questions just now. The mysterious young man was getting away. Sango and Kirara had already taken off in pursuit, and Inuyasha was hot on their heels. If Miroku didn't hurry to keep up, he would be left behind.
As he raced after his companions, his thoughts scattered a hundred different ways seeking an answer.
Part of him, the part that was always suspicious, thought that this must be a trap of some sort. Thus far, Naraku had simply let Sango go without testing her loyalty to her new companions or making any apparent attempt to regain his pet warrior. The sudden appearance of another surviving slayer would be exactly the kind of scheme Naraku would devise, and if that were the case no good could possibly come of this.
Back at the village of the demon slayers, Sango had indicated that each of the villagers was accounted for. But if this young man was indeed someone Sango knew... there was no telling what might happen next. Like her, he might have been forced to fight against his will. Or there might be something else afoot altogether.
It had been easy to trust Sango after Naraku revealed his deception. Miroku had even enjoyed having her as part of the group, but now he had to wonder what this would mean for the group's future. If another of her people truly had survived the massacre at the village, would she join forces with him or would she stay with them? Would both of them stick around?
He, who habitually made a point of forming only casual bonds with anyone, was surprised at how much he already cared about what happened to Sango. She had lost so much already that his instinct was to shield her, in whatever small way he could, from more suffering. And besides, he still owed her somewhat for showing up with the others to help save him at Mushin's.
Huffing for breath, Miroku caught up with his companions at last. He could sense its presence, malignant and impenetrable, but he asked anyway, "A barrier?"
Inuyasha made a face that was half snarl.
Kagome nodded, looking pensive. Shippou mirrored her expression from his perch on her shoulder. "That boy," she murmured. "He had a shikon shard, I could feel it."
Miroku ignored the sudden chill. The presence of a shikon shard was no proof of Naraku's involvement. Even so, Miroku was certain that his enemy was wrapped up in this. And he didn't like it one bit.