Hiroshi: Tora-chan where are you?

Vitanie: What still can't find her?

Hiroshi: No and I'm starting to worry.

Vitanie: Have you tried the closet yet?

Hiroshi: No, why would she be in there?

Yuki: She's crying saying that no one likes her.

Hiroshi: What? What did you do this time Yuki?

Yuki: Why are you blaming me farm boy!?

Vitanie: Will you two shut up. She's upset because no one reviewed for the last two chapters. She doesn't think anyone likes her story anymore.

Yuki: Then why is she still writing it?

Hiroshi: Yuki go to sleep (play's wolf's lullaby and puts Yuki to sleep)

Vitanie: Nice one

Hiroshi: Thanks. Tora-chan doesn't own Inuyasha.

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Last time: Kohaku told Sango that he didn't want to go back to the demon slayer village. The group started toward the shrine where the Hoshi Ken is.

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Vitanie moved toward the fire with a sigh. After Kohaku and Sango had talked they didn't want to talk about it so they had continued the journey in a tense silence until Vitanie had managed to get Sango and Kagome involved in a conversation. Shippo and Mari had stayed near to Kohaku laughing and playing around. Yuki had decided to let Inuyasha lead since he wanted to keep an eye of Leiko who trailed the group due to her food deprived state. Hiroshi was just trying to keep the mood light with his music while he tried to get to know Sora along with keeping an eye on Miroku who was also talking with Sora.

"Here's some more firewood, this should last us until morning," she said distracted about different thoughts racing through her head. She sat with another sigh as she undid her braid and started to comb out the white and black strains.

"Vitanie, I love your hair. It's so pretty," Kagome remarked from where she leaned against Inuyasha's shoulder.

"You know I think that was one of the first things I heard Hiroshi's mother say. She wanted to know how I kept it so clean," she laughed remembering the first day she met Hiroshi.

"Yeah, and you lied flawlessly that day. Oh course none of us knew that, but I enjoyed watching you make fools of my parents. Best act I've seen yet," Hiroshi replied plucking out a few notes before returning to the song he had been working on.

"So you've been traveling with Hiroshi since the beginning right?" Miroku asked a glint of mischief in his eyes.

"Yes, I have and before you say another word let me saw this. Shut it pervert."

"Ouch! I didn't even say anything yet," he complained.

"You didn't have to. Your voice and expression said it all," she replied making everyone laugh. Leiko also started to laugh and quickly stopped herself when she had realized what she was doing. Vitanie had heard her though and smiled at the tan tiger.

Everyone from there started to separate into different conversation, so Vitanie once again lost herself in thought until she felt a strange aura approaching. She wasn't the only one that felt it because she also saw Inuyasha, Yuki, and Leiko stiffen at the growing aura.

There eyes roamed the darkness uneasily waiting for what ever it was to show itself. Vitanie's unease grew so she stood with her back toward the fire trying to see what was coming. She held her staff in front of her hoping that the aura would pass by them. The aura was strong and she knew that she couldn't defeat it easily. She also didn't want to put any of her friends in danger. She most of let more of her fear show then she wanted because Leiko soon stood next to her smirking.

"The little cat afraid of a big bad aura," she smirked. "Don't worry your life belongs to me, so I wont let them kill you."

"Leiko, this isn't the time," Vitanie whispered fiercely. At the next moment she pushed Leiko to the side while throwing herself the other direction just as the ground where they had been standing exploded.

Vitanie landed lightly on her feet and glanced over at Leiko who had stumbled into Yuki. In turn he had thrown her to the ground trying to get to Vitanie. She quickly took her eyes away from them as she once again dodged another explosion. She had to continuously dodge until she was well away from the fire and was able to hide herself in the darkness. Her pupils had gotten large trying to gather as much light as they could. It was then that she saw a movement from above. She dove to the side just in time to escape being grabbed but felt claws tear her shoulder. With a hiss she scanned the sky trying to see where the demon had gone.

In the distance she heard Yuki and Inuyasha fighting along with Leiko. Hiroshi kept Mari and Shippo out of the way while he scanned the area trying to figure out which song could be of use. He had several that could help, but with such a large diversity of friends he was worried that the enemy wouldn't be the only one affected by his song. What worried him the most though was that some of his songs didn't just put the enemy to sleep, some of them killed. What he didn't notice was that Sora still sat by the fire with a glazed expression on her face. After a moment she snapped out of it and ran to those who were fighting.

The first person she reached was Leiko. She quickly grabbed the lions arm and spoke in her ear, "They're after Vitanie. You have to find her quickly."

"What! How do you know," Leiko asked swinging Vitanie's old staff quickly to knock another demon away.

"The spirits have told me that they want Vitanie. You must get to her."

"Get Inuyasha or Yuki to find her, I'm a little busy," Leiko snapped until she looked over and saw that both canines where completely surrounded by a large swarm of demons. Sango and Kohaku where over with them trying to help, while Kagome and Miroku stayed over by Shippo, Mari, and Hiroshi making sure that they were safe.

"Sora, get over there with the others. I'll find the stupid tiger," Leiko finally conceded before running off in the direction she had seen Vitanie dodge in earlier.

Vitanie once again dodged a dive from the flying demon. Then she quickly ducked a blow that was meant for her head from an ogre in front of her. She scrambled to her feet behind the ogre and delivered a crushing blow to the demons back sending flames shooting into the sky before it completely died. Unfortunately that gave away her position as well as blind her for a moment. At that moment she let her other sense take over as she dove for cover behind a tree.

Leiko saw a flash out of the corner of her eye and headed towards it. That stupid cat if she used the fire stone, then she's probably blinded herself. Think before acting, she thought as she exited a patch of trees into a small clearing. It was then that she felt the aura from before.

I know this aura, but from where? She thought as she ran toward a patch of white in the surrounding darkness. She was barely able to block the blow from Vitanie as she approached.

"Don't attack those coming to help, idiot," she hissed

"Leiko, is that you?" Vitanie asked. "How did you find me?"

"Your hair was a good beacon," she replied before getting hit in the shoulder with two talon clawed feet.

"Leiko!" Vitanie yelled trying to get over where the tan tiger lay. Leiko on the other hand was busy trying to get the clawed feet out of her shoulder. With a shout of rage she dropped her staff and clawed at the demon on top of her. The demon let out a shriek but didn't let go.

"Stay back you fool," she yelled over at Vitanie whom she saw moving in her direction. "These demons are after you, so stay hidden."

Vitanie released a sigh as she continued toward Leiko raising wind around her. The wind became such a force that if forced the winged demon off of the wounded half tiger/lion.

"I know they're after me, but I can not let others get hurt helping me out. You were in no shape to fight to begin with. And I promised myself when I started this journey that I was not going to let any of my friends get hurt," she yelled shooting out strands of fire into the howling winds. The earth started to shake as walls slowly surrounded Leiko forming a protective wall.

"What are you doing fool?" Leiko shouted but Vitanie ignored her and looked up at the fire filled sky.

No wonder I was having problems dodging, there are six of them, she thought looking up at the bat demons that flew over head. She could feel the blood dripping down her left arm from where her left shoulder had been torn open. She knew her body was going to just get worse the longer she fought. I'll have to do it in one attack, she bitterly thought while she gathered as much energy as she could from everything around her.

"Stop you idiot, if you release that much power you'll pass out! Let me out of here," she heard Leiko screaming. She had left enough room in the earthen walls for Leiko to see out of, but there was no way for her to be able to get out in time to help. Vitanie cast a look back at her and smile before walking out into the center of the clearing. The wall of wind and fire shrinking tell it was only immediately around Vitanie.

With a final sigh Vitanie released the gathered energy letting the elements melt together as they shoot up into the sky obliterating all the demons in the surrounding area. Vitanie looked at the burst of color the blast created before letting the darkness over take her and falling to the ground.

Yuki kept slashing at the demons, but was feeling extremely uneasy. Vitanie had been no where in sight since the beginning of the battle and then he had seen Leiko run off. He was worried that the half lion had gone to attack Vitanie, but didn't have a chance to follow. He made another slash with his sword taking out two other demons before taking another look around.

Inuyasha was off to the side also looking around; they noticed that the sun was just starting to rise. That meant they had been fighting all night. There were no more demons attacking them so they both sheathed their swords and headed over to the others.

"Inuyasha! We can't find Vitanie or Leiko anywhere!" Kagome cried when they drew nearer to the group.

"If that lion has hurt Vee in any way," Yuki started with a growl.

"You're wrong," Sora stated. "Leiko went to help Vitanie."

Yuki turned on the grey clad girl with a vengeance, "Are you blind and deaf! Everyone here knows that Leiko wants Vitanie dead. There is no way in hell that that traitor would help her!"

Sora ducked behind Hiroshi in fear from Yuki's rage, fear clearly seen on her face. Yuki was about ready to launch into another raged speech when Miroku spoke up.

Maybe we should stop arguing and go and look for them. Can anyone catch Vitanie's of Leiko's scent?" he asked shooting a glance at both Yuki and Inuyasha.

"I'm getting a faint trace in that direction," Inuyasha replied pointing over his shoulder to a grove a trees. Everyone just stared at him for a second. "What, the wolf was to busy yelling, so I went ahead and found the scent. The sooner we find them the sooner we get this stupid sword," he shrugged causing Kagome to giggle a little.

Without a word Yuki raced off in the direction that Inuyasha indicated in search of Vitanie.

"He doesn't even realize how transparent he is, does he?" Sango asked starting out after the wolf.

"No he doesn't. All he cares about is finding Vitanie. Every time she's been hurt he's blamed himself," Hiroshi answered softly.

"Well shall we catch up with him before he does something stupid," Sora said from behind Hiroshi.

"You have more guts then I give you credit for," Inuyasha smirked as let Kagome, Mari, and Shippo climb on his back. Sango, Sora, and Hiroshi got on Kirara's back, while Miroku and Kohaku started off on their own after Yuki.

They caught up with Yuki just inside the woods where he was looking for the scent before taking off again. They quickly reached the clearing where the saw Leiko stuck inside of an earthen prison.

"Will you get me out of here?" she yelled when she saw them.

"How did you get in there?" Kohaku asked when he examined the two foot think walls.

"That stupid Tijian locked me in here, before she released all the power she had and passed out," Leiko exclaimed.

"Then where is she?" Yuki growled as Inuyasha sliced one of the walls apart.

"She was taken. I couldn't get out, she wouldn't let me out, and you guys were too far away. Hideaki took her," she finished in a whisper not looking up from the ground.

"Hideaki? Who's Hideaki?" Inuyasha questioned.

"He's a very powerful, clever, smartass of a fox. He's known for his manipulation of plants and for being a total leach," Leiko answered with a sigh.

"We need to follow him and get Vee back," Yuki snarled.

"And we will. As soon as we see to Leiko's injures and get some clue as to where they've taken her," Kagome replied as she got her first aide kit out.

"Besides, unless you can fly, you'll never pick up a scent," Leiko relied before she let herself relax against the outside of one of the earthen walls that Vitanie had taken the time to protect her with.

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Yuki: Is it me or is Leiko becoming nicer?

Tora-chan: It's you.

Vitanie: Finally out of the hiding I see.

Tora-chan: Yeah, well I'm a writer and I hate leaving things unfinished. So no one reviewed, that just means that I have less motivation to get the next chapter up. I know what's going to happen, so it doesn't bother me.

Hiroshi: Don't lie. It does bother you.

Tora-chan: Okay fine, it bothers me a lot. But I am determined to finish this story. But for now I'm going to go and eat a big bowl of popcorn (walks away from computer)

Hiroshi: Thank you once again for reading and please review (bows)