A/N: So it's been months since I updated this, had a bit of a writer's block.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, I have nothing, not even money so please don't sue!

Chapter 8

Gaia made sure to stay at least 2 miles behind Inuyasha and Kaede. She may be down wind but she would never underestimate the power of an Hanyou nose.
It was still easy to stay out of sight, the forest having many places she could hide. But she knew the forest wasn't everlasting, it would soon make way for farm lands and grass. But she would worry about those problems later, for now she needed to focus and not lose her father's scent.

She just couldn't let them go by themselves, she was the cause of all this. And she didn't wish other to fix her problems. She might be young, but she wasn't helpless. Kagome would be worried, but she had faith that her mother would understand.

Jumping from tree to tree, she suddenly had to hold on to a branch as she suddenly found herself about to jump into an open field.
"Shit." She swore under her breath, knowing full well if her mother would have heard her she would be in serious trouble. It wasn't long before her demon eyes spotted the two she was following. They were slowly making their way along the dirt path leading to the next village. She suddenly panicked as she saw the hill they were about to climb, if they reached the top, they would be out of her sight. She scanned the surroundings and found nothing but long grass and a few stray large rocks. She just had to risk it, make her way through the long grass and hope she would be able to keep herself hidden.
"I could just turn back now, I could say I went to see them off or something." A little voice in her head said. "No, I can't let them do this alone, this is my problem, not theirs."
Knowing that this was her last chance to turn back, she jumped from the tree, not really looking where she was jumping into.

Inuyasha's ears tweaked backwards and he suddenly halted his slow walking pace.
Kaede immediately noticed and pulled on the reigns of her trusted horse Shadow.
"Is something the matter Inuyasha?" She asked.
Inuyasha's ears moved from left to right, front to back, and his eyes scanned the tall grass in the distance.
"I could have sworn I heard somebody scream a nasty word." He shrugged his shoulders and continued walking. Kaede soon followed.

She noticed the large mud pool halfway down the tree. She had screamed a word she did not wish to repeat and had lost her balance, landing flat on her face. She was now covered head to toe in filthy thick black mud. And was covering her mouth with her hands.
Did they hear her?
She held perfectly still for at least five minutes before she dared raise her head to find them.
Her eyes peaked just above the grass as she followed the dirt path all the way up the hill. She was just in time to see them disappear on the other side. She let out a huge sigh of relieve before she stood up.
She knew she had to gain some ground, but also needed to stay out of sight and smell. Although the mud did seem to cover her body odor very nicely.
She decided she would run to the top of the hill so she could see them, the mud and the wind would cover her smell, she could stay closer and not lose track of them.
With a small nod of her head she set off in a steady pace.

As she ran up the hill her mind kept racing. It went back to the day she killed that weird lizard looking creature. She didn't even know she had that kind of power. Where had that suddenly come from? Could she use it again if needed? Could she learn to control it? Or would she be a danger to the people she loved? Is that why they're going on this journey? To keep her from harming others? Would they send her away?
The voice of her father brought her out of her internal monologue. Without thinking she had ran over the top of the hill, down the hill and within very close proximity of her father and Kaede. TOO close. She stood there in the middle of the road, open mouth and all, completely shocked.
How had he not noticed her, did he not hear her? Smell her?
But then he stopped, he was going to turn around, she knew it, she would be discovered. And he would send her home. It was only an hour walk, a 10 -minute run for them. He would run her back. No, she could not let that happen! Her mind was racing, she had to find a solution….and then it came to her…

Inuyasha turned around, he could have sworn he heard footsteps. But the clomping of that horse had his ears ringing.
He scanned the area behind him, just dirt and ro…..wait…did that rock just move? He must be losing his mind with this slow pace.
"Can that horse of yours go any faster?" He asked irritated.
"Of course, I just wanted him to stretch first." Kaede answered, while setting Shadow in a fast trot.
"That's more like it!" Inuyasha followed.

She could not believe her own brilliance! The mud had hardened and dried, and if she rolled into a ball she looked just like a rock!
She had been able to get in place just in time, he hadn't noticed her! Internally she laughed, she could definitely use this skill to follow them. With a large smirk on her face she followed Kaede and Inuyasha. Making sure she ran quietly through the long grass.

Aiyo kept fidgeting with her clothes, to Kagome this was a clear sign. This little girl was hiding something. Kagome narrowed her eyes, determined to get to the bottom of this.
"Aiyo, is something wrong?" She asked in her sweetest motherly voice.
The little girl shook her head forcefully. Another sign she was withholding something. This girl could not lie.
"Are you sure?"
A very forceful nod was her response.
Silence…Kagome's greatest weapon. Aiyo could not stand it.
Kagome rested her head on her hand and looked lovingly to her youngest daughter.
More silence.
A bottom lip started trembling. Almost there.
Aiyo's eyes started moving all over the room, trying to look anywhere except her mother.
And then she broke.
"GaiaisfollowingDadandKaedeandI'mnotsupposedtotellyouuntilit' 'tlistentome.I'msorrymommy." She said in one very long breath.
Kagome blinked a few times. "I'm sorry honey, repeat that a bit slower? I don't speak jet plane."
"Gaia is following Dad and Kaede, and I'm not supposed to tell you until it's too late to follow them. I said it was a bad idea, honest! But she wouldn't listen mommy!"
The whole village could hear the "SHE DID WHAT?!" that was Kagome's response.

It took Kagome a few minutes to calm down. Gaia had followed Kaede and Inuyasha on a very dangerous journey. She could not let this happen. She would have to go and get her.
Aiyo would be left in the care of Miroku and Sango, as she borrowed a horse from a local farmer.
"Mom, why can't I go with you?" Aiyo asked.
"Because then there would be no room for Gaia now would there? I'm going to get her and come back home. And you'll both be in trouble!"
"But mom!"
"No but's young lady, now listen to Miroku and Sango, I'll be back before you know it."

Kagome mounted the young horse, and set of. She was very grateful for all the riding lessons she was forced into by her mother. She could finally put them to good use.

Gaia was feeling over the moon. She even started singing a song in her head. "I'm so good, I'm so stealthy. If this was my job, I would be wealthy". She even started running on the beat of her made up song.
The sun had started setting, it seemed the time had run as fast as she did. The sky had turned a bright orange, a spectacle she would have gladly stopped for to see it unfold. Unfortunately, she had no time to do such things. Her father and Kaede had kept a steady but rapid pace through the farm lands. They hadn't even stopped at the last 4 villages they'd passed.
Her heart was pounding a mile a minute, she had never exerted herself to this extend, running for miles, running for hours. Her breath had stopped being rhythmic, but became labored and harsh. At this rate, she wouldn't hold on much longer.

"Inuyasha, it seems Shadow has reached his limits for today. We should find a place to rest." Kaede said with a heavy heart.
She would have loved to continue on the entire night, however, she had to conclude that only demons were up to such a heavy task.
Inuyasha snorted. "Tsk, that what ya get from bringing such an old horse."
"I assure you he has excellent stamina. However, both him and me need sleep. A weakness of the mortals, but alas, unavoidable."
"Keh." Inuyasha mad off quickly to search for a place to camp.

"Ow thank god" Gaia thought to herself. She couldn't even pronounce the words anymore. Sweat has started trickling from her body like somebody had opened a faucet. Her breath came in labored gasps and moans.
Defeated, out of breath, and out of any more energy. She found a rock to lay her head against. And quickly, passed out.

The dark had set in so fast she had almost no time to adjust. Her horse, speeding across the gravel road, it's hooves throwing up small rocks.
She could only see a few feet in front of her horse, and she was panicking.
At this rate, she would probably miss Kaede's and Inuyasha's camp.
She halted her horse after yet another near miss with a tree. She needed to stop, it would be quite a shame to have survived something so evil and vile as Naraku, yet to die in a horse-riding accident.

And that's when she heard Inuyasha's voice. Looking around her, she spotted a small light coming from between the trees.

A foul stench invaded her senses. She woke quickly, afraid the hairs in her nose might burn up.
"Where is that coming from?"