Kudos to my reviewers!

Deviliscious: I'm continuing! Enjoy!

HollyWd: Glad you like it so much. Keep reviewing and I'll keep writing.

Amber: Here's another chapter.

Hanyou-demoness: Obviously something confusing.

Dog-demon-emiko: I laugh along with you.

Sioned: Run! Kagura's coming!

JBQ: Don't lose hope! Review!

Chapter 8

Miroku rubbed at the side of his face as Sango glared at him.

"I swear, monk, you do that again and I'm pushing you off!" she snarled. They were up in the air on Kirara's back, and it was the third time that morning that his hand had wandered.

"I just can't help myself," Miroku said, sounding not in the least contrite. "Seriously, Sango, you're just irresistible."

"Well, restrain yourself, or you'll be making a one-way trip to the ground!"

Kirara growled her agreement.

"What, you're both ganging up on me?" he said in tones of mock horror. "All right, then, I'll behave."

"You'd better," Sango muttered.

They had been searching for Kagome since that demon had swooped down and snatched her and Shippo up. They had followed immediately on Kirara, but the demon had been far too fast to keep in sight. Since then, they had been going on Kirara's sense of smell. It was slow going, but it was better than sitting around and worrying.

"I wonder how Kagome and Shippo are," Miroku said, breaking the uneasy silence. "And Inuyasha. Do you think the demon that took Kagome was the same one that took Inuyasha?"

"I can't imagine why that demon would carry off Kagome and Shippo," Sango admitted. "It would be nice if they were all in the same place, though."

"It would," Miroku agreed. "I just hope they're all right."

"Well, even in his human form Inuyasha can take care of himself," Sango pointed out. "And perhaps he's changed back by now. Kagome's capable, and Shippo seems to do all right, so they should be fine."

"Hopefully," Miroku said, still sounding a little worried.

They flew on for a few minutes, not speaking, when Miroku spotted something. "Hey, Sango? Do you see that over there?"

Sango looked where Miroku was pointing. "That castle?"

"Yes," Miroku nodded. "There's a demonic aura. Can you feel it?"

Sango was quiet as she concentrated, but she nodded. "I feel it. We should check it out."

They headed over, and Miroku broke the silence that followed.

"It's a powerful aura," he said. "We could be going into extreme danger."

"So?" Sango demanded, already priming herself for a possible battle.

"So, we should make good use of the time we have before it," Miroku said, smiling.

Sango felt her face turn red, and with one swift movement—

Space

SMACK!

The sound echoed around the hills and filtered down to Kagome and Inuyasha, who were sitting in the garden outside his rooms.

"Did you hear that?" Kagome asked.

"Yeah," he said, looking around. "It sounded like a branch falling from a tree or something."

Shippo came outside to see what had made the noise, and he saw them before either Kagome or Inuyasha did. "It's Sango, Miroku, and Kirara!" he cried, running out into the open part of the garden and hopping up and down. He started to wave his hands and call to them. "Hello, guys! We're down here! Helloo-ooo!"

Sango spotted them and waved back, but she didn't look happy. Kirara swooped down towards them with a speed that was fabulous to see. When they were about ten feet still up, Sango pushed Miroku off Kirara's back. "You filthy lecher!" she growled. "You're lucky I don't kill you!"

Inuyasha started laughing. "That was the sound we heard! Not a tree branch, but Miroku getting slapped!"

Miroku got up stiffly from the ground and smiled. "It was worth it," he said as Kirara landed and Sango got down. Kirara changed to her smaller form and leapt into Sango's arms, and Sango glared at him. She muttered something that made Miroku blanch as Kagome hurried to cover Shippo's ears.

"Well, what's this?" Inutaisho asked as he came out. "More guests?"

"Some more friends of mine," Inuyasha explained. "They were looking for us, and they followed the scent here."

"That's about it," Sango said, bowing.

Miroku bowed as well. "May we know your name?"

Inutaisho smiled. "Inutaisho. I am Inuyasha's father."

Sango and Miroku stared at Inuyasha.

"It's complicated," he said, seeing that he would have to explain again. "Let's go inside and I'll tell you the whole story."

Author's Note: Well, what did you think?