It wasn't quite dawn, but Kikyo knew she could wait no longer to set out once more. Her body was now suffering from the added miasma that she had absorbed from Miroku. Her time was running out. She rested for as long as she dared to. Then she roused Kohaku and Hotaru from where they slept. Kohaku was wrapped protectively in his sister's arms.
"It is time for us to leave." she told them.
Hotaru yawned widely and rubbed her eyes. Kohaku began to disentangle himself from Sango's embrace, taking care not to wake her.
Kikyo headed towards the edge of the clearing. She knew the children would easily catch up.
It was no great surprise to see Inuyasha waiting for her.
"Kikyo…"
Kikyo met his gaze steadily. There was a very good possibility that this was the last time they would ever see each other. Inuyasha never could mask his emotions, but he was getting better at controlling them. There had once been a time when he would have given into his stubbornly protective nature and refused to let her leave. He would have embraced her and insisted he could keep her safe. She was grateful for his restraint. While she still longed for his arms around her, that would only make this all the more difficult, and she didn't have the time.
"The miasma has been cleansed." Kikyo said, keeping her voice emotionless. "Miroku is now resting."
"So he's going to be okay?"
"Yes." replied Kikyo simply. She walked past her former beloved. He let her.
She heard her two young companions running after her.
"Kohaku," Inuyasha said, "I guess this means you're leaving too, huh?"
"Yes." Replied Kohaku. "When my sister wakes up, please tell her good-bye from me."
"Our paths will cross again." said Hotaru. The children rushed past Inuyasha and took up their usual positions behind Kikyo.
"Hey, Kikyo." Inuyasha said, Kikyo turned to look at him one last time. "Look after them."
"I will." Kikyo promised. She hadn't given up on trying to find a way to save Kohaku. She did not wish to sacrifice him and would only do so if she had no other option. She hoped to save both of the children she now found under her charge.
Kikyo still knew very little about Hotaru. The spiritual energy the girl gave off was unlike anything Kikyo had ever felt. It seemed infinite, like a great unknown chasm of potential waiting to be released. Miroku's body should never fully recover after what he had done yesterday. Yet this child had healed that damage, and more, in a matter of minutes. She had felt Hotaru's strange healing powers herself. There were very few individuals who could heal the living with spiritual energy alone. Hotaru could heal the living and bring relief to the dead without batting an eye.
However, Kikyo sensed a great danger in Hotaru as well. Her energy wasn't demonic, but it wasn't pure either. It was an unknown energy that seemed to resonate from the depth of the underworld. Kikyo could also sense a darkness inside Hotaru, a fear hidden deep down within the child's soul. There was a pain that had never healed.
In spite of Kikyo's wariness, she knew that Hotaru had a good heart. Hotaru and Kohaku had become incredibly loyal to each other. They would look after each other even after they lost her protection.
Kikyo's strength was failing faster than ever before. As they walked Kikyo could detect spiderwebs seeking her out. She could project a barrier around herself and the children for a while, but she couldn't keep it up for long. If Naraku managed to touch Kohaku with one of these spiderwebs then his jewel shard would be defiled. Kikyo turned to the two children.
"It is no longer safe for us to travel together." Kikyo told them. "Kocho and Asuka can keep you hidden from demons. Wait until I return for you." Hotaru and Kohaku exchanged a look. She half expected one of them to argue; she was grateful that neither of them did. "If for some reason I cannot make it back to you, Hotaru, I place you in charge of protecting Kohaku."
Hotaru gave a determined nod.
If I cannot defeat Naraku, it will be these kids fighting him instead. Have I damned them both? Kikyo thought. Forgive me. There was no time for regrets.