The waiting was interminable, not least of all because of InuYasha's impatience. While InuYasha gave vent to his rage and frustration, Miroku stood silently beside Kagome and wondered what the barrier really meant. Obviously it was meant to keep them from Sango. But why? He could venture a few guesses, and did not like the direction his thoughts were taking at all.

Sango had been through enough tragedy already. Miroku should know, he'd been the one to see to her wounds. So little time had passed since then... She couldn't possibly be fully recovered yet physically, much less spiritually.

"I don't like this," Kagome murmured, subdued in her concern. "What does Naraku want with Sango?"

It seemed she had arrived at the same conclusion as he had. Miroku chose not to tell her what he thought Naraku might want with Sango. Instead he said, "We'll have to wait and see, or find a way past that barrier."

He could still feel the intense power of the barrier looming to one side, though it remained as invisible as ever. He wondered if he or Kagome had the power to get through it, and if they might regret it if they did. The longer they waited, the more he thought it just might be worth it.

If Sango ended up ensnared - or worse - because they had delayed...

"What the hell made her run off like that, anyway?" InuYasha grouched, giving up on the barrier for the moment. He sheathed his sword and glowered into the forest.

"She seemed to know that boy," Kagome suggested. "And... he had a shard of the Shikon no Tama."

"Feh," InuYasha said by way of agreement. "That means Naraku's probably involved in this." His glare intensified; Miroku guessed he was trying to decide whether to go after the barrier with Tessaiga again.

"She did indeed know the boy," a voice piped up from nearby. "And Naraku is definitely involved."

Kagome startled; Miroku took a moment to recognize the voice as belonging to Myouga, the flea youkai that served InuYasha when it suited him to do so. The last time they'd seen him had been just before Sango joined their group, when he'd arrived with Kirara and told them about the Taijiya. Miroku was beginning to see why InuYasha had so little respect for his "retainer," though he had to admit the flea was useful.

"That boy was Sango's brother, Kohaku," Myouga went on.

"Are you sure that kid is Sango's brother?" InuYasha demanded.

"There can be no doubt," Myouga replied, his tone inexplicably sad.

Miroku gazed down the path where Sango and Kirara had disappeared. No wonder she had taken off so quickly. No wonder she'd told them nothing of what she knew or who she was chasing. She hadn't wanted them to know the truth, that her own kin could have caused such destruction.

So you still don't trust us, he mused. Not, he supposed, that he could blame her. She had been hurt, and deeply, by the loss of her family and her village. Those wounds would take time to heal, if they ever healed at all. Time that Naraku was not giving her.

Did you think we would cast you out if we knew it was your brother that had done this? he wondered, though of course he had no answers, only guesses. Even if or when they were reunited with Sango, it wouldn't do to ask about this. She would have to come forth with it on her own, or else they would risk hurting her further or even alienating her from the group completely.

Even as he resolved not to pry, he felt he barrier begin to fade and knew they would soon have their chance to find out what had happened. The hair-raising, prickly feeling began to dissipate without warning, leaving behind merely the cool afternoon shade of the forest.

"The barrier," Kagome commented, hesitating slightly as if she did not quite trust her instincts.

"It's gone," Miroku confirmed. What remained to be seen was what had happened to Sango. Whatever Naraku had been up to, he had achieved his goal or he wouldn't have allowed the barrier to fall.

"Then what are we waiting for?" InuYasha demanded, starting down the path.

He didn't make it far. Sango emerged from the forest just ahead of him. At first Miroku was glad to see her alive and whole, but her expression was grim and her posture wooden. Clearly, something unpleasant had befallen her out there in the forest. But what?

Kagome rushed forward, past InuYasha, to meet Sango. "Sango!" she called. The sound of her voice seemed to snap the Taijiya out of her angry trance. "Was that boy... was he really..."

"That was Kohaku, wasn't it?" Myouga blurted out.

Miroku carefully hid his irritation at their tactlessness. They should have left it for Sango to explain rather than tearing the emotional wounds open again, but there was no going back now.

Fury flashed across Sango's face. "That was not Kohaku," she snapped.

Kagome flinched. Sango immediately looked repentant, realizing that she'd gone too far. Miroku caught her gaze with a wry look, thinking, Well, they asked.

Sango lowered her eyes.

Miroku watched her intently. The pain he'd seen in those eyes was intense. She hid it so well most of the time, but now it was like the mask had been torn off, leaving her hurt bare for all to see.

She looked up suddenly, and he couldn't look away. The pain was still there, but now he also saw a fierce determination. And anger, shame, regret... "I have a request for you, monk," she said. He almost thought he saw her tremble. "Please give a memorial service for all the villagers that were slain."

Miroku nodded once. "Of course."

InuYasha fumed. "We can't waste time on something like that. That kid is still out there with a shard of the Jewel."

"Go after him, then," Miroku suggested mildly. "I think you already know he's long gone by now."

He left them behind then, heading back to the ruined village. Sango was fragile enough right now. She did not need his dissent or mistrust as well. If it would ease her burden to lay the villagers to rest, then that was what he intended to do.

InuYasha might doubt, but Miroku did not. For Naraku to lower the barrier meant that he was already out of their reach. And Sango's brother, too. There was no point in chasing. It was better to do what they could here and wait and see what might happen next. Sango had returned to them, and Miroku would wager that meant sooner or later Naraku would return, too.

All they had to do now was have patience.