Sango fought to remain calm as she stumbled away from Miroku, but this was like something out of her nightmares. It had always been one of her greatest fears: that a friend would be harmed while protecting her in battle. She just had never really thought it would be the monk, and not one of her fellow slayers. But it was the monk, and with the fight about to resume at any moment, she knew there was no time to lose. She was at his side again as soon as Inuyasha was clear.

The hanyou paused to ask, "Are you okay, Miroku?"

Propping himself up with the arm that wasn't bleeding everywhere, the monk retorted, "I was more scared of your sword than anything else!"

"Well, then pull the covers up over your head and don't watch what's going to happen next!"

Sango thought this was a rather brash response, especially from someone who had been impaled recently, but she did appreciate that he was giving her time to get Miroku out of the way.

It seemed that Kagome, too, thought this was not a wise course of action. She came charging forward, though not so far forward as to give Juuroumaru and Kageroumaru an easy opening, stopping short to yell at Inuyasha. "You shouldn't move around so much yet! You'll reopen your wound!"

"Shut up, it happens all the time…"

Satisfied that Inuyasha could handle things for at least a few minutes, Sango turned her attention back to Miroku. "Can you get up?" she asked.

"Yes," he told her through gritted teeth.

She didn't have time to get him back on his feet yet, because Inuyasha shouted a heart-stopping warning. "Kagome!"

Sango looked up, flicking her gaze to follow Inuyasha's line of sight. Her heart leaped into her throat as she realized Kageroumaru had managed to sneak into position to pounce on Kagome. As fast as he was, there was no way she could intervene in time. It would be too late even before Inuyasha could hope to reach Kagome.

But Sango wasn't the only one who saw the danger—and Kouga was fast enough to intervene. With a powerful leaping kick, he burst out of the forest undergrowth and sent Kageroumaru bouncing harmlessly to the ground. Whatever the reason he'd come back after running away earlier, his unexpected return meant that Kagome was safe again, for now.

While Kouga and Inuyasha resumed arguing as if they had never stopped, Sango crouched beside Miroku and suggested, "Let's get you to cover before things get any worse."

"That's the best idea I've heard all day."

She helped him get to his feet, noting with alarm that he was losing a lot of blood from the wound in his arm. "We really should see to that…"

"Wait."

Sango did not understand the request at first—why wait?—but then she realized why. Inuyasha and Kouga had stopped bickering long enough for Inuyasha to try explaining the situation to Kouga. Knowing Inuyasha, his rendition of events would be far from accurate, and farther from helpful.

Sure enough, after Inuyasha explained about Kageroumaru emerging from inside Juuroumaru, Miroku stepped in. "Kageroumaru is fast, too. So fast, none of us could keep up with him."

Kouga sneered. "Just who do you think I am? Nobody can match me for speed."

Sango had her doubts about that, but at least this meant Inuyasha wouldn't have to take on two incarnations by himself and she would have time to get Miroku safely out of the way. "Come on, monk. Let's find some cover."