It was the same conversation Sango had had many times before. Something wasn't right in the village, and the locals could point to some strangely altered object or animal as the source of the problem. Upon investigation, there almost always turned out to be a youkai involved.

This village, it seemed, was no different. A small group of local men had crowded around her group when they came into town. From the way they looked, it must have been immediately obvious that they could help.

"We only had normal bears in this area," the man said.

His friend added, "There was one that was more aggressive, though. Sometimes it would attack people when they were working in the fields… But one day it changed. Became even more aggressive. Bigger, meaner. We… we don't know how many people it's killed."

And since Sango and the others had come this way because Kagome sensed a piece of the Shikon jewel nearby, the story quickly became their business. Even Inuyasha didn't argue this time as the monk assured the villagers that they would do everything they could to resolve the situation. He acted sullen, like he was in a bad mood… but he was almost always like that. And he almost certainly wouldn't be complaining if this opportunity did turn up a jewel shard.

So they headed into the forest beyond the village, with Kagome in the lead. Even though Inuyasha seemed to prefer taking the lead himself, her sense of where the pieces of the jewel could be found had not led them astray yet.

"This way," Kagome instructed, pointing down a half-hidden track through the underbrush. "I sense the Shikon fragment this way. It's close by!"

Sango waded carefully through tall grass and thick undergrowth, moving in the direction Kagome had indicated. Behind her, probably for Inuyasha's benefit, the monk said, "It sure is nice having Kagome around… Inuyasha, don't fight with her ever again."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the hanyou huffed.

Up ahead, Kagome generously ignored the barb.

Happily, Shippou interrupted with a change of subject before things could get out of hand all over again. "That monster bear has been eating people, huh?"

"That's what the villagers said," Miroku agreed.

For a while they walked on in silence, which suited Sango just fine. If the bear youkai was as aggressive as the villagers had said, then stealth might be the best approach. They could attack before it even knew they were there, taking less risk themselves. It certainly seemed like a better strategy than charging in and hoping for the best, at least to her.

Though of course, it all depended on the others being willing to keep quiet.

"Inuyasha, for some reason you seem dissatisfied," the monk noted. "We have a promising lead on a jewel shard…"

"You bet I'm not happy," Inuyasha snapped back. "Here we are chasing maybe one shard, when we know that asshole Kouga has at least two! It would be better to get rid of him first."

"Because in the meantime Kouga could be gathering more shards of his own?" Miroku suggested, in a tone of voice that suggested anything but.

"It's because he's your love rival, isn't it?" Shippou asked.

"Shut up!"

"What? He got it wrong?"

"I said shut up!"

Kagome heaved a massive sigh; it appeared that she was as sick of the needling and bickering as Sango was.

But for now the only thing they could do was focus on the mission. Someone, at least, needed to stay focused. After all, something big was moving through the underbrush up ahead, and it seemed to be heading right for them. Sango moved forward into the lead position. She didn't want Kagome to be in harm's way if it did turn out that a bear youkai was in possession of a jewel shard.

"The bear!" Shippou cried a warning.

But what reared up out of the brush was no youkai. Two men in tattered armor, bearing swords rose up in front of them. Taking one look at the group, one of the men—bandits—began to chuckle.

His companion said, "Looks like it's our lucky day. We'll be taking those women now."

Sango gifted them with the least impressed look she could manage while Inuyasha interposed himself between the bandits and his companions. For once she didn't mind Inuyasha's interference at all. If he wanted to get his hands dirty dealing with these guys, she was more than happy to let him.

"Don't worry, Shippou, they're just ordinary bandits," the monk soothed.

"Ordinary bandits?" The bandits seemed displeased to be cast in such a light.

Inuyasha snorted. "Nothing personal. Just get lost."

With predictably outraged cries, the bandits threw themselves at him, blades first. Their rush was arrested a moment later when something else set the trees to shaking around them. They had enough time to stop and turn partway, and then the bear came charging out of the forest.

It was indeed enormous and, to Sango's horror, it looked torn open and partially rotted, as if it might have died before returning to life as a youkai.

"There's a jewel shard in its forehead!" Kagome called.

Its forehead, where flesh and bone had been ripped open to reveal brain matter. Had this thing, like her brother, been brought back to life by a jewel shard? Or had natural forces turned it into a youkai when it should have died?

While Sango was thus distracted, Inuyasha dove into the fray, slashing Tessaiga. The bear took the blow, reeling backward as it was slashed open diagonally from the shoulder, but did not go down. It turned tail and ran after that, but that was the only sign that it had any awareness of being injured. It did not slow down, and did not even favor the injured leg.

Sango didn't have to call for Kirara; the nekomata was already there, and a moment later Sango was mounted and they were airborne, giving chase. Below her, Inuyasha also raced in pursuit.

They burst out of the forest together, and Kirara came to an abrupt halt. They were nowhere near to catching up with the bear, but… In horror, Sango cried, "Inuyasha, those insects!"

"Saimyoushou," he realized.

Behind them, she could hear the sounds of their friends rushing to catch up, but she couldn't look away from the horrifying sight in front of her. The saimyoushou were not just swarming in unbelievable numbers. They had come for the bear.

No, not the bear.

The wasps descended, crawling all over the bear as if they were looking for something. They remained that way for only a short while before suddenly alighting.

"They took the jewel shard!" Kagome gasped.

"They must be taking it to Naraku," Sango murmured. Her heart pounded hard at the realization that the opportunity thus provided might lead them to their enemy's hiding place. "Kirara, let's get the monk."

Kirara swung around in a wide loop, putting on speed.

"Houshi-sama," Sango called, reaching for him without slowing Kirara at all, "let's go!"

He looked very nervous at the prospect she was proposing, but he gamely gave it a try anyway. He caught her hand and jumped as Kirara whipped past. They had not attempted anything like this during their few practice sessions, but she supposed there must be a first time for everything. Kohaku had mastered it easily enough. Surely the monk could handle it, too.

She hauled him up and back; he was much heavier than her brother, but she managed. He flopped rather gracelessly into place behind her, but didn't fall off. And although he'd ended up pressed up tight against her at first, he quickly sorted himself out and took up his now customary position with his staff across her lap.

With both riders now securely in place, Kirara put on a burst of speed and charged after the saimyoushou. Wherever they were taking that jewel shard, they were not getting away.