She's calm by the time they return.

Kagome takes a deep breath, the sight of her friends milling about morning chores as the smell of breakfast wafts out of the hut a reassurance in the midst of her turmoil.

But someone is missing.

Throwing a questioning look to Inuyasha, he shrugs, and she turns to the others. "Where's Sesshoumaru?"

There's a smile on Sango's face when she asks, and Miroku turns his own, biting down on his lip.

"Kaede?"

The old miko chuckles. "Lord Sesshoumaru is what I believe they call 'stuck.'"

Kagome blinks. "Stuck?"

Kaede chuckles again. "Quite stuck."