The First Clue

That night, Saeka snuck outside to the lake for some private time. She couldn't get any with everyone else, no matter how much she loved them. Besides, knowing that Sesshomaru commonly traveled at night, being out completely alone, she felt closer to him than ever.

She sighed as she sat down and wrapped her arms around her stomach. Her nausea was beginning to go away, but the pain she felt still hadn't vanished. Sesshomaru had left her only three things. A new future, his memory and a gnawing pain deep inside her shattered heart. His letter had stated that he hoped she would find a better life and a new companion with him gone. How could he be so foolish?

She clicked her teeth together angrily. She was so mad, she felt her fangs lengthening. She knew that getting mad would only transform her into a dragon and that wouldn't be good for the baby. She shouldn't do that too often, or her baby would be born a dragon. Just the fact that it was half dragon, half dog mixed its genetics around. However, only she knew this because it spent the first nine months or so of its life sharing her body. She knew everything it knew and she was sure that this time, she'd be more careful. Miharu and Saaya had both turned out fine, and Saaya still had a true form she hadn't unlocked yet. It was identical to Miharu's, but still too powerful for her still-frail body.

She gasped as she felt a different movement coming from her lower abdomen. It felt like a heartbeat. This was different. She sighed and shook her head. She'd had two children, yet this new one was confusing her greatly. It was like it wasn't the same as the other two. Something told her that this time it would be a boy. If so, then she knew Sesshomaru would be excited. Every man expected his first child to be a boy. Her father had been the worst example. This was only one reason she wanted Sesshomaru back so badly. He'd definitely want to know and this time, she may let him be there.

" Please," she whispered into the wind. " Please lead us to him."

As she listened to the breeze whistle gently past her ears, she heard someone coming out of the cabin and walk toward her. The steps were slow, careful, just like Sesshomaru's. For a second, she thought it was him, but when Miroku sat down beside her, she let loose the breath she'd been holding. She glanced at him. " Good evening, Miroku." She mumbled. He crossed his legs and laid his staff across his lap. " Saeka, are you all right?" he asked.

" Do I look all right?"

" Frankly, no. You look like you lost your best friend, so to speak." He said in a sad, cheerful sort of way. Saeka looked at him. " Why are you out here? Sango could get mad." She said in warning and reference. He chuckled. " You know what's funny, I sort of grew out of that old habit. Once I turned twenty-one, it sort of lost its appeal. That and the fact that I had a son."

" I see. Have you heard from Botan?"

" No. He sent us a letter, saying he'd reached the eastern hemisphere. I sent him a letter back, without Sango's knowledge, asking how Rin was and whether or not they found Kohaku."

" Did he reply?"

Miroku's face grew sad. " I hope Sesshomaru doesn't hear of this. Rin, sort of ran off on him. They found Kohaku. Dead." He mumbled. Saeka gasped and her hand went to her mouth in horror. " No! Kohaku was killed?" she exclaimed.

" Yes. He was attempting to be a slayer all on his own, with hardly any experience with the type of demon he was handling. It decapitated him. Rin was so distraught, her memories of him and everything else having returned, that she disappeared and he never saw her again. For all we know, she's heading back to Japan. She might be trying to return to Sesshomaru." He said, looking at Saeka.

" No. I can't believe this. Kohaku's dead. And Sango doesn't know?"

" No. To keep her from knowing for as long as possible, I've been answering her letters to him. She'll find out eventually, but I want that to be far in the future if possible. Maybe she'll find out if Rin ever returns." He said, looking up at the starry sky. " But that's one good reason that Sesshomaru's gone. He doesn't have to learn of that early on. But, if Rin finds him first, then this could get ugly. She'll tell him the whole story."

" She won't find him. He's gone back to hating humans. I'm sure that's why he left, because I needed to be around them. Bu I couldn't travel in the condition I was in when he changed everything around and chose to dwell among you. I was a target for demons and humans alike the way I was." She muttered. " I have to be extra careful with this one." She said. " Anything I do that has to do with my demonic energies could greatly alter its form. It could be born deformed, it could be a dragon youngling or a puppy, or it could even be dead from the combination. It was the same thing for Miharu and Saaya."

Miroku nodded understandingly. " I see. So you can't fight." He said.

" Right. If I fight, I could kill the baby. There are so many different things that could happen to it. I can't possibly name them all. It could even affect me."

" It must be confusing." Miroku pointed out. " Sango never had problems."

" I envy her." Saeka murmured. Miroku smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. " Saeka, just don't forget, we all care about you and we know how much Sesshomaru meant to you. I now know why, when I first heard Myoga say your name, it sounded so familiar." He said.

" Why?"

" I'd heard it being said by my father, many years ago. A young healer from the north was called in a few miles away to cure a sick child with dysentery."

Saeka gasped. " That little girl! Meiji! I remember her! She was one of my first patients."

" Yes. She was my distant cousin. You saved her life. I always remembered your name. I never thought I'd meet you personally. I wanted to thank you."

" Your welcome." Saeka said. He shook his head. " No, that isn't what I mean. I loved my cousin and even though she was always sickly, I never forgot that you healed her. Saying my thanks isn't nearly enough, Healer Saeka. I want to thank you now, by helping you find your companion. If you'll permit me to protect you for him, that will be enough payment for what you did for Meiji." He said gently. Saeka smiled. " Thank you, Miroku." She said tearfully.

At the crack of dawn, the group exited the cabin and started out. Saeka had flipped a coin and decided that their best bet was to head northward. She knew that Sesshomaru could be going to the west, but she couldn't afford to be choosey and doubt was a luxury she couldn't afford anymore, if she ever could to begin with. She wrapped one hand around her stomach sadly. Besides, she had other things to worry about as well.

" North then?" InuYasha said to her. She looked up and nodded slowly.

" I just hope I'm right." She murmured. He looked sadly at her. " Saeka, we'll find him. If I know him, which unfortunately I do, he still cares about you and probably won't have gone far."

" I trust you."

Kagome came up beside him and smiled at him. Sakura was walking alongside of them and looked up at her aunt. " Aunt Saeka?" she said in her newly developed vocabulary. " Where's uncle Sesshomaru?"

She'd finally gotten the pronunciation of his name correct. Saeka smiled at her.

" He's…gone on a journey." Saeka said gently. " We're going to follow him."

Sakura beamed. " I've never been on a journey before! This is just like the ones mommy and daddy went on when they were younger! I'm so excited!"

" You should be. Journeys are always fun." Saeka said. But she grimaced.

Except when you're following the mate who doesn't love you anymore.

As they left the village, Saeka took a last look behind them as she felt another heartbeat inside her. Something different was happening. She hoped it was a good sign. She'd asked Kaede to pack a special cloak and she figured that now was the time to take it out. She turned to Kagome who was walking beside Kirura and Kirara who was carrying two small bags. One was hers. Kagome handed it to her and she opened the strings. She pulled the cloak out and tied the bag around her shoulder. She unfurled the midnight blue cloak and draped it around her neck and over her shoulders, fastening it with a special clasp just above her breast. This would both provide a protective cover and hide her developing pregnancy from enemies. The cloak reached her ankles and was full enough that nothing would be revealed. She'd have to keep it on the entire way, no matter what. Kagome knew what it was and she said nothing. InuYasha tried to ask, but she shushed him and told him she'd explain it later. He growled, but busied himself with keeping an eye on Naraku, walking beside Saaya who was dressed in a similar black cloak, this one simply for protection. Naraku, though benign now, was looking rather formidable as he kept a firm arm around her shoulders. It was clear he was willing to defend her, but InuYasha still didn't like him in such close proximity with his niece.

When they reached the rocky pass that ended the human population, InuYasha suddenly made a face and sneezed.

" Badger." He groaned. He pointed northward. " That has got to be him. Only Kaede has a badger scent as strong as that! UGH!"

" I guess this might be easier than I thought." Saeka said thoughtfully. Saaya hummed determinedly and looked at them all. " Let's go." She said.

" Right." Sango said. She was carrying Rona and her weapon on her back. She glanced at Miroku. " Come on."

As they left the view of the village behind, Saeka felt a sob catch in her throat. She knew that their time was shorting with every second they wasted and she didn't want it to happen out in the wilds. She wanted her baby to be born safe. But even if they didn't make it back in time, if in the very least Sesshomaru was with her, then that would work just as well.

She was always safe around him.

Sesshomaru, still stiff from his battle and the poison, braced his foot against the stony cliff to see if it would be a good launch. The cliff was easily forty feet high, so he'd have to jump to have a hope of getting past it. He sighed and braced. He pushed all of his strength into his legs and shoved off the ground into the air. To him, jumping was second nature, as was running. He easily reached the top of the cliff in a few seconds. He glanced back down where he'd started and then turned. What he saw made his eyes widen.

He was standing before a vast valley, completely bathed in an eerie mist. He could see only the tops of the peaks before him.

" Interesting." He murmured. Something about this place was drawing him in. He had to admit, he was curious. He cautiously started forward.

He was soon lost to sight in the thick mist.

A/N: This chapter was sort of boring to write. I've been gone all day with volleyball and staying after school for my ceramics project that has been giving me heck all week. Mom also dragged me to Kohl's for some 'springy' shopping. I can't STAND clothes shopping! UGH! Well, let me know how this is.