Night started falling over the forest clearing. The group's usual routines went on more or less as normal. Kagome started the campfire with wood Inuyasha brought her. Miroku put up a few sutras to keep them hidden from demons as they slept. Shippo gathered food from the woods.

Rin and Jaken stood around unsure where they should be. Rin seemed badly shaken over what had happened. Miroku was surprised. He had seen the young girl face situations that would have made hardened warriors quake in fear, without so much as batting an eye. Her faith in Sesshomaru seemed to be so strong that she could no longer fully comprehend danger, because surely he would always show up to protect her before anything truly bad could happen. Miroku wondered if this was the first time she had witnessed someone close to her grievously injured since she was orphaned. Shippo invited her to join him in his search for food, and she accepted. The distraction seemed to be helping her recover slightly.

Jaken, on the other hand, seemed overwhelmed with anxiety of his own. Miroku had overheard the small demon fretting to himself over whether or not Sesshomaru would actually kill him for allowing one of the children to get hurt.

Miroku was curious as to how Kohaku and Hotaru ended up traveling with Rin and Jaken in the first place. Last he had seen them, they had been with Lady Kikyo. Miroku knew Sesshomaru was extremely protective of Rin, even if he didn't totally understand why. But he was shocked that the proud demon would take in two more stray human children.

If they are both human, that is.

Miroku looked down at his right hand where his wind tunnel was covered by his prayer beads. Throughout his life, the cursed vortex had gradually become larger and larger, causing him more and more discomfort. Using it had only hastened this progression.

Before the battle with Moryomaru, the monk had become accustomed to a constant ache from his palm to his elbow. He used the pain to gauge how much time he had left. When he used his wind tunnel that day in the mountains, he had done so expecting to die in that battle. It was a miracle that Lady Kikyo had managed to revive him, but then Hotaru had done something. Somehow his wind tunnel had shrunk to a size it hadn't been since his childhood. The familiar ache had eased to barely more than a twinge of discomfort.

Then there was the path of destruction in the forest that Kohaku claimed came from Hotaru. Miroku had followed the path for a long while, after the camp was set up. He could hardly fathom so much damage coming from a single attack. Everything from trees to rocks were completely eviscerated. Only ashes remain. Even Inuyasha wasn't capable of something like this.

The monk had so many questions, but he knew now was not the time to ask them. One thing was clear; whoever or whatever this girl was, Kohaku cared for her deeply. He was beside himself with grief. None of them had to ask the specifics of what had happened to her. Kohaku's weapon left a very distinct scar.

By the time Miroku returned to the clearing, the sun had just about disappeared under the horizon. Fireflies were starting to light up the trees. Miroku hoped that wasn't some sort of omen.

Sango remained by her brother's side until Miroku returned to the others. She stood up and walked over to Miroku. Inuyasha and Kagome joined them.

"Well?" asked Inuyasha.

"The path continues for more than a mile." Miroku reported, careful to keep his voice quiet, so Kohaku couldn't overhear. "Most of it is like it looks here, total annihilation of everything in a straight line. I've never seen anything like it."

"Are we sure the kid did that?" Inuyasha asked. "That sounds more like the attack of a demon."

Miroku looked down at his hand again.

"We don't know anything about this girl. I don't think we should rule anything out."

"We know she's not from this time period." Kagome pointed out. "She's from my time."

"Yeah, but I've been to your world tons of times." Inuyasha said, "Last I checked, girls there ain't exactly punchin' holes in forests."

"Has Kohaku told you anything?" Kagome asked Sango.

Sango shook her head.

"He hasn't said a word to me." She crossed her arms to hold herself. Her eyes were deep pools of grief, fixed on her younger brother.

"He was just possessed," said Kagome. "Give him some time."

"I don't think he can handle another death on his conscience." Sango said.

"You don't think she's going to pull through?" Miroku asked.

"Honestly? No. The injury is deep. We didn't actually manage to stop the bleed completely, just slow it down. And it's more than just that. There was blood in her mouth and nose, which means her lungs were damaged. I don't know how she's managed to hold on this long."

"They've been traveling with Rin and Jaken, that means they've been traveling with Sesshomaru." Kagome pointed out. "And he has the tenseiga."

"It's not that simple." said Miroku. "Even if she dies and Sesshomaru revives her, that's assuming that he even would, Kohaku will still carry the knowledge that he struck her down."

"That's another thing, what's your brother doing following Sesshomaru around?" Inuyasha demanded.

"I don't know." Sango said quietly. Miroku put his hand on her shoulder. He wished he could bring her comfort somehow.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and scanned the clearing.

"Yo, Jaken!" He called.

Jaken was across the clearing. He looked up at his name, giving a brief pause to his frantic pacing.

"Get over here!" Inuyasha shouted.

The small demon marched over, angrily.

"I want you to know, I'm only coming over here to tell you that I don't take orders from half-demons!"

"Shaddup!" Inuyasha said. "How long have Kohaku and Hotaru been travelling with Sesshomaru?"

"I don't answer to you!"

"Jaken, please." said Sango. "Kohaku's my brother."

"Hmp, I don't see why that should mean anything to me. As far as I'm concerned that boy's been nothing but trouble! Look what he did!"

Inuyasha ground his fist into Jaken's head. "Listen here, you little bastard…"

Miroku sighed. This was getting them nowhere. He doubted Jaken would be able to provide answers anyways. Even with Inuyasha twisting his body like a laundress twisting out a cloth.

Whatever transpired, one thing was clear. Naraku had weakened significantly. Miroku could sense it. He was sure Inuyasha would be able to feel it as well. Naraku's demonic aura had decreased drastically. Whatever Hotaru did to him had injured him in a way that Inuyasha and the others hadn't managed to achieve in all their confrontations with the demon.

Miroku watched as Sango rejoined her brother by the injured girl. His heart went out to Kohaku. Whatever power Hotaru did or didn't have, Kohaku's feelings for her were perfectly clear. Sango was right, if she didn't pull through, he would never recover