I'm sorry for the long update! I just moved and it took us FOREVER to get internet (stupid cable servieces...)! But I haven't stopped typing, and I am determined to finish this story! So, please enjoy!

Previuously…

"Inuyasha, you have no power to stop us from leaving," she replied. She then let her arrow fly, but Inuyasha dodged, letting the arrow strike the nearby tree with a 'plunk.'

"Ha, stupid bitch, you missed me!" Inuyasha gloated as he lept towards them. Midway, he suddenly slammed into a barrier. "What th-"

"I didn't miss," Kikyo explained, cutting off the hanyou's words. "I simply created a barrier that would contain you." With that, she turned and nodded to Kagome and Shippo. The group consisting of two mikos, a kitsune, and a nekomata proceeded to exit the clearing, leaving the remaining Inutachi behind.

.Chapter 4: Unexpected Visitor

Kagome woke up to the blinding ray of sun shining in her eyes. She sat up and stretched as she gathered her surroundings. She noticed Kilala was curled up next to her while Kikyo was a few feet away resting.

They had traveled all night to gain distance from the Inutachi as Kikyo's containment barrier would not be permanent. After traveling for several miles, they arrived at a cave in the dead of the night and decided to rest. After Kikyo placed a barrier hiding their scent, Kagome gave her a sleeping bag, much to the older miko's shock.

"What is this?" Kikyo asked, eyeing the strange green material."It's called a sleeping bag," Kagome explained, "It's almost like a portable bed."Kikyo blinked twice in confusion. "A bed? What is that?""Let's just say it's like a futon you can carry around."

She was jolted back to the present by a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Shippo hovering over her.

"Morning Mama," he said with a sheepish expression.

"Good morning," she greeted back. "Is everything alright?" she asked. He then turned, and Kagome then noticed the pile in the cave. The pile contained two small fish, a tiny rabbit, some berries and nuts as well as a few herbs.

"Well, I tried to go hunting like Inuyasha sometimes does, but I don't think I did a very good job…" He said. That's when Kagome got a good luck at all the dust on him as well as the bottom of his hakamas were damp. "I first started to try hunting forest creatures," he continued, "but I was almost attacked by a deer. Then, I tried fishing, but I frightened all the fish away. After that, I remember you told me that some people can live without meat and went to collect some fruits and nuts as well."

"Shippo," Kagome interrupted, "it's okay. You did a great job for your first hunt on your own." Shippo beamed at her as she stood up. It took some time to clean the meat and sort the fruit ("Wait, some fruits are toxic?!" "Yep.") before they were grilling the meat and preparing some instant rice to go with it. Kagome noticed Kikyo stirring as she went to remove the meat from the fire and greeted her, startling the woman.

"Kagome," she mumbled after after a while, "my apologies. I didn't mean to sleep so late."

"No need to apologize," Kagome told her with a wave of her hand. "I've been up for only an hour myself. Breakfast is almost ready if you want any."

Kikyo was up and folding the sleeping bag when she heard Kagome's comment on breatfast. On cue, her stomach rumbled. Kagome and Shippo shared a laugh as Kikyo looked slightly embarrased.

As they ate, they talked about their plans for the day. "Inuyasha is still too close," Kikyo stated as she ate, and Kagome and Shippo nodded in agreement.

"I guess training can wait until we gain enough distance away from them," Kagome said as Kilala emerged from Kagome's sleeping bag. Kagome placed a small piece of rabbit and fish in front of the nekomata and went to put up the sleeping bag. Of everybody in the group, she had been the most tired from carrying them so far.

They finished the rest of the breakfast, and took thne remaining fruit and nuts in Kagome's bag before putting out the fire and heading out on Kilala.

"Can you sense Inuyasha?" Kagome asked Kikyo Kilala flew farther southeast, further away from Inuyasha's forest.

"I can still faintly sense him off in the distance," Kikyo said after a while. "However, his pace is much slower than it was last night."

"Probably because Miroku and Sango are getting tired and Inuyasha is irritated at not getting his way," Shippo commented.

"Well, whatever the reason," Kagome said. "Let's be glad that we have some distance between us."

After some flying full speed for another hour, Kikyo spoke up.

"Okay, I believe we are safe enough to walk and give Kilala some rest." Kagome nodded in agreement and they landed in an open field. Before they could, a tornado in the distance came close in the distance.

"Is that-" Kagome began. "It is," Shippo continued. Ever since Kagome's return 6 months ago, they hadn't ran into Koga at all. Kagome noticed Kikyo notching an arrow. She went to tell the miko to not attack, but hesitated. What if Koga is just like the others? She didn't discover that the others were evil that night several months ago…

"Kagome!" Koga said upon his arrival. "Have you finally abandoned Muttface for someone better?" He then noticed the new change in the party, mostly the new addition. "What are you doing here?! You better not have done any harm to Kagome!"

"I haven't tried to harm her!" Kikyo shouted back. "We are trying to escape Inuyasha and the others, so you need to move out of our way!"

"Escape them?" Koga questioned. He then turned to Kagome and stared at her for a while, noticing the differences from the last time he saw her. Afer a while, he began talking again.

"What made you run away? Did you discover the truth about that damned tajiya?"

"Excuse me?"

Koga crossed his arms and turned away from them as he felt his anger grow at the thought.

"The tajiya that travels with you," he was saying, "isn't to be trusted. Years before you arrived, the tajiyas would travel around exterminating youkai from villages."

Kagome nodded. "She told us that. Her village would get various requests to go to other villages to assist them in the youkai that were attacking. The villagers would reward them for their bravery and assistance."

Kouga shook his head in disgust. "She lied. The tajiya villagers were selfish and cruel humans," he began.

I'm sorry it was a bit short, especially for such a long hiatus. However, I do plan to work on the new chapter and hopefully have it posted either tomorrow or Monday. Please be patient with me though and I will update soon!

~~AnimeAndie~~