Sango had every intention of following Inuyasha when Kirara veered suddenly off course. But her plans were thwarted almost as soon as they entered her mind. She had thought that the monk's curse would help them turn the tide of battle, and it had, convincing Kagura to keep her distance… for now. What Sango hadn't counted on was the toll this course of action would take on Miroku.
"Houshi-sama!" she called, watching in horror as he wobbled and then went down. As much as she wanted to find her brother and Kagome, she knew they couldn't leave Miroku here like this. After taking in that many youkai, and so many of the hell wasps, he would be in no shape to defend himself. With Inuyasha already gone, there was no one else to help. Leaping from Kirara's back, she ran to the monk's side. "Are you okay?"
"Don't worry about me," he said, though the strain in his voice—and the fact that he had just collapsed—gave her every reason to worry. He was pale, sweating, his face taut with pain. "We must go after Inuyasha."
She felt suddenly a little sick, knowing he had done this to himself for her sake, and for Kohaku's.
With Shippou's help, she managed to get Miroku onto Kirara's back and more or less ready to fly. The monk slumped against her as if all his strength had gone, and for once such close contact didn't bother her. If he needed to lean on her to keep going right now, then she would let him do it.
As soon as Shippou retrieved Miroku's staff and hopped up behind them on Kirara, they were off.
Trees whipped past at dizzying speed as Kirara raced into the forest. Sango kept her eyes open for any sign of Inuyasha or her brother and Kagome, fearing what she would find. If Kohaku had indeed been deceiving them all this time, and if he had hurt Kagome… Sango swore a silent oath that she would end his life with her own hand, if that was what it would take to stop Naraku from using him again. The thought tore her apart, but she could no longer see any other course to take.
Entirely too soon, their quarry appeared up ahead: Kohaku with his weapon drawn, and Kagome… covered in blood. Sango's heart caught in her throat at the sight even before Kirara swooped in to bring them close.
She had feared the worst, and the worst was exactly what she found. Kohaku had hurt Kagome, and no doubt would have killed her if Sango and the others had not arrived when they did.
Sango's thoughts raced, spiraling downward. She did not want to do this. She wanted to save Kohaku, not kill him, yet she knew now that she had no choice. There was no way this boy was free of Naraku's influence, even if he claimed to have no memory.
There was no way her brother could be freed.
No way.
She had dared to hope, and this was where that hope had led her. Her heart felt as if it had shattered into a thousand tiny shards, each its own horrible ache in her chest. Without Kohaku, she truly would be the last of her people. In that way she would be alone for the rest of her life, no matter how many companions she surrounded herself with.
The last. Alone, forever. And she would be the one that had made it so.
It hurt so much it was almost beyond bearing. But she knew what she had to do.