The True Holder of Shikon

Disclaimer - Don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 15 - Back on Track

XxXxX

Three days easily passed since that night that Sango was on the roof. The taiji-ya could be found with Kagome, packing their things so that they could leave. The sun had risen only two hours ago, setting the sky aflame with red and orange. The brilliant sun shone light down onto the dark world below, chasing the shadows away. Nothing but the singing of the birds broke the tranquil silence...except for one other thing...

"Would you hurry up, Kagome?" The impatient hanyou shouted; receiving a death glare from Sango and the girl he was talking to.

"Will you hold on for one minute?" Kagome looked back at her things and stuffed them gingerly into her over-sized yellow bag. Sango had finished a minute before Inuyasha had stormed in, demanding that they hurry up and leave. The taiji-ya walked outside to prevent herself from going deaf from their screaming. Miroku was leaning against the house with Kirara, Shippou, Rin, and Jaken. She leaned next to him.

"Inuyasha needs to learn the virtues of patience, does he not, Houshi-sama?" The houshi looked over at her and nodded.

"I agree, Sango." She grinned. He blinked before grinning back. "Our stubborn hanyou would probably laugh in our faces if we told him that." She sighed, knowing that he was right.

"I suppose his impatience is one of the things that makes him Inuyasha." He chuckled.

"If he was not as he is now then he really would not be the one that we call a friend, would he?" She looked at him before raising a brow.

"Well, I guess since we accept him, we accept his quirks, too." She answered; crossing her arms. A mischievous look crossed her face. "Since we accepted his, I suppose we accepted yours."

"Mine?" He asked; the same look crossing his face. "I have no idea what you mean."

"Don't you?" She asked. He shook his head.

"Would you two stop flirting and get over here so that we can leave?" Inuyasha scolded them. Sango's face flushed scarlet.

"He talks about us flirting..." She muttered angrily. Miroku grinned before walking over to Inuyasha and Kagome. He was glad that they had that playful talk. It was nice to be able to speak like that with her again. He had to admit, he loved shamelessly flirting with her.

It is good to have the old Sango back. I missed her so...

It would be a while before he even attempted to grope her. He wanted to be sure that she did not feel that fear at his touch.

XxXxX

Dusk was fast approaching as the group made their way through the forest they were currently in. Inuyasha led in silence and everyone pretty much followed in much the same way. They spoke only when they needed to, wanting to get as far as they could before night fell. Though, they had to stop sometime.

"We do not need to get anything for you, Kagome?" Sango asked; bending down next to her friend as she took out her pot and ramen packages.

"No, Sango." Kagome smiled. "The water we have in these gallons should do for a while. Besides, Inuyasha said that he doesn't hear any running water."

"Nothing else, then?" The girl shook her head and Sango stood up. She glanced at their wood supply. "Houshi-sama, come with me. We need more firewood." Miroku perked up at hearing his name and followed the taiji-ya through the dense woods.

"Hmm...it seems as though we were lucky to find even our small clearing in here." Sango nodded absently.

"I agree. This place is just like you and Inuyasha; dense." He stopped walking and stared at her back. Then he heard her let out a humorous laugh, which was like music to his ears. He chuckled.

"My clever, clever Sango. How do you do it?" She turned to look at him, the smile she flashed him shining in her mahogany eyes.

"I have plenty more for every occasion." Then, with a wink, she turned back to look around. "In this case, we should not have to go much further. Look at all this dead wood." She bent and picked up a couple large branches. Her eyes inspected the ends. "These did not come off naturally." The houshi walked up beside her and ran his finger over the sharp edges. He frowned at the bleeding cut he got.

"I would think that there is nothing to worry about. Youkai are common in this area. They should pick up Sesshoumaru's scent and leave quickly enough." He walked forward more and picked up more. "Anyway, let's get as much as we can then go back." She nodded. A small smile worked its way to her lips.

He is respecting the wishes that he expects me to have. This is the second time we have talked and he has not groped me nor even set a hand on me.

By the time they got back to their campsite, the shining stars and the crescent moon were out. They were also blocked from sight by the tall, dense trees. The small clearing was nothing more than a spot where the tops of the trees shadowed and blocked any sunlight from reaching below. The small fire crackled and snapped. Kagome looked back at them when they got back.

"Dinner is almost ready." Inuyasha raised his amber orbs to inspect them before snorting and turning away. Sango narrowed her eyes at him but dropped the wood onto the pile. Rin, Shippou, and Jaken were leaning against a transformed Kirara, watching the flames burn. The little girl grinned at Sango when the taiji-ya waved to her. "Did anything happen?" Kagome asked quietly.

"No." Sango replied with a light smile. "Not a thing." The girl grinned. Then she turned back to her errand. Sango took a head count and noticed someone missing. It had slipped her mind when they were traveling that he did not even appear in their sight.

"Where is Sesshoumaru?"

"Hmm, I haven't seen him since yesterday." Kagome responded. "He isn't used to company. Maybe he's picked out a tree to lounge in." Sango nodded. She should have figured as much. Besides, what was there to worry about? The Taiyoukai could handle himself. She lifted her hand to brush her bangs away when her skin brushed the jewel shards. She shivered, feeling suddenly cold.

I had almost forgotten... How long has it actually been? It seems like forever.

She felt something warm drop around her shoulders and looked over to see Miroku kneeling next to her.

"I noticed you shivering. Are you cold? Do you have a fever?" He pressed his hand to her forehead and she was glad the fire was near her because a light blush appeared on her face. He took his hand away.

"No, I feel fine. I just...felt a chill." Despite what she said, she pulled the blanket closer. Kagome watched with a small smile. Inuyasha raised a brow at the scene but shrugged and relaxed against the tree. Rin watched with a disappointed frown on her face. Shippou was trying to fight a large grin from spreading over his face. Sango felt a small trickle of guilt build up inside of her.

What do I have to feel guilty about? It was...one kiss. Besides, this is Sesshoumaru. He could never love a human...could he? Do I still love Houshi-sama? What am I doing...?

She stood up before walking away from the fire. She sat down against a tree and watched as Miroku got up and followed her back.

"Do you want something to drink?" She shook her head with a soft smile.

"You worry too much over nothing, Houshi-sama. I am fine." She gestured that he could sit with her and he did so. She was pretty sure that she would no longer feel that fear of touch. But it was just as much a shot in the dark. Still, she would not risk it. It was comforting, to have his presence near. She could just feel the heat from his body and it helped to soothe her. He sighed softly.

"Sango, I cannot help but worry about someone that I care for." He took her hand and kissed it softly before standing and leaving her to her thoughts. Her mind was thrown into a void of emotions. She touched the spot where his lips had been and a small smile appeared on her face. She was still as confused as she had been but she knew that she had feelings for Miroku.

He has always been there for me... Could this be a test? I cannot just love Sesshoumaru with a snap of my fingers. We had been enemies just not too long ago. How could Naraku alter that by taking me? It seems close to impossible. Still...that kiss meant something.

She closed her eyes and leaned against the tree, feeling her mind slipping into a familiar darkness called sleep.

XxXxX

He felt angry at first. However, this anger felt different. Perhaps it was...jealousy? That houshi was not supposed to be getting closer to her. That was not supposed to happen.

However, I ran like a coward. I am hiding from her and from my feelings. I cannot expect her to just assume that I love her from one kiss that seemed like a mistake. Perhaps she thought that I was not in my right mind. She does not appear to love him, exactly. Is she still not sure about her feelings for the houshi? I can tell that he cares very much about her.

Sesshoumaru had been watching the scene. He had been too numb to feel anything then but now he felt it.

I know that she knows that I hate humans and their foolish emotions. I do not expect her to love me. I have given her no reason to other than our small understanding. Still, is that enough to make her love me? No, not after all of that hatred...

However, as he went over their first argument in his mind, he realized that the only reason for her anger was that he acted high and mighty; acted like he needed no one. She had been trying to tell him that he would realize it someday. Perhaps it was sooner than either of them thought.

I need some sleep. I am losing my mind...

XxXxX

Sango woke up to thin streams of sunlight peeking through the leaves. She sat up to find that she had slid from her sitting position to laying on her side with her back still against the tree. The blanket slid from her shoulders as she stretched and yawned. She looked around to find everyone still asleep. Kagome was asleep in her sleeping bag with Shippou curled up with her, as usual. Rin and Jaken were covered with a blanket, using Kirara as a pillow. Inuyasha was in the tree he was against last night and Miroku was under it. Sesshoumaru was still nowhere to be seen.

Mmm... That was such a good sleep.

Getting up, she treaded softly over to where the gallon of water was. She got out a cup and poured herself a glass.

Ugh, I feel like I stuffed cotton in my mouth.

The water felt refreshing. When she finished it, she felt the need to find a private spot to relieve herself. Inuyasha watched her go, having been awake only an hour. He leaned back against the trunk.

We need to get moving. It ain't gonna get any earlier.

His eyes went to the others. They had fallen asleep faster than he had imagined. He jumped down as soon as Sango got back.

"Help me wake them so we can leave." She nodded without a struggle. That was what he liked about her. She was always willing to leave at even the oddest of hours.

"What time do you think it is?"

"The sun rose a while ago." He answered with a shrug. "Not sure how long but it was less than an hour." She nodded. She moved to wake Rin and Jaken. Kirara opened her ruby eyes and saw her mistress. She shifted and the two sleeping with their heads pillowed on her groaned. Sango gently shook Rin.

"Rin, it's time to get up." She said softly. The little girl opened her eyes. She looked around to see Kagome and Miroku getting woken up by Inuyasha. She looked over and poked the youkai at her side.

"Jaken-sama, it is time to get up." Used to waking up early, Jaken sat up without protest. Sango stood and went over to her things. She strapped her pack to her back and then shifted it to strap Hiraikotsu there. Within five minutes, the entire group was pressing onward.

Around noon, Sango felt the effects of barely eating. She felt slightly fatigued but said nothing and continued onward. Inuyasha had set a tolerable pace for them. The smaller ones, Rin, Jaken, and Shippou, rode on Kirara's larger form. Kagome stopped.

"Inuyasha, I'm getting hungry." She stated; pressing a hand to her growling stomach.

"We'll eat in an hour. Let's just get to a better place to build a fire." He replied without looking back at her. She sighed and started walking again. Her eyes went to Sango.

She didn't even have dinner last night... Now that I think about it, she hasn't been eating well lately.

She felt her legs getting a little shaky and cursed herself for leaving her bike at Sango's village. They had not walked like this in a while. Up ahead, no longer than ten minutes later, they cleared the forest. Fluffy white clouds rolled by, blocking bits and pieces of the clear blue sky. Across the field they saw another forest in the distance.

"As soon as we get there, to the edge of that forest, we'll stop." The hanyou directed their gazes to a dead tree right on the border of the lush green. The grasses were so tall that Kirara had to fly in the air to see. They walked in a straight line with Inuyasha in the front, followed by Kagome, then Sango, and lastly, Miroku. The silence was not uncomfortable but it made Kagome feel a little nervous. She hated the silence. Sango took the water bottle from her waist and took a long sip to quench her thirst. She felt a little hungry but refused to complain. They would eat as soon as they crossed the meadow. The strange thing was she didn't have an appetite. They made it to the dead tree and Inuyasha placed the pack he had been carrying to the ground. "It's a good thing we decided to take the firewood. I don't know how deep we'd have to go."

"Yeah, and this water." Kagome smiled before picking up stones and placing them in a circle. Then she stacked some wood in it and started a small fire. The gray smoke rose from it, twisting into the sky.

"Need some help?" Sango asked; placing her things on the ground.

"Sure."

XxXxX

They had made it quite some miles before stopping again. They found no clearing but the spot they were in would do fine enough. Kagome set to making the fire, Sango went off with Kirara to scout the surrounding areas, Miroku helped to set up their things, and Inuyasha stood on top of a tree to gaze out over the forest. Rin, Shippou, and Jaken watched them.

Sango made sure that she was treading carefully. Each snap of a twig or a crunch of the brown, fallen leaves would echo and catch attention. Inuyasha had said that he scented a couple youkai here or there. She sensed that they were of a lower class. Kirara hopped ahead of her, sniffing around the trees.

Hmm... I wonder if there are any villages nearby.

She noticed a tree close to her that looked easy enough for her to climb. With years of practice, she knew the proper way to climb a tree fast. She jumped up, catching a lower branch and pulling herself up before gracefully climbing up the rest of the way. She could hear the creak and groan of the branches under her weight. By the time she made it to the top, she pushed back the leaves and peered out. The tree wasn't the tallest one but she could see far enough. The forest spanned out for miles and she could see where the gray puffs of smoke rose from their campsite. Her eyes scanned the horizon.

My eyes are not as sharp as Inuyasha's but I think my vision is sharp enough.

Her eyes caught gray smoke further away, most likely carried by the wind. The village was far away, if it even was a village. Most of all she could see was green with the faint outline of mountains in the distance. Sighing with disappointment, she began to climb down. Suddenly, the tree jerked and she lost her balance before falling. Frantically, she tried to grasp any branch she could before she hit the ground. She managed to latch onto one but slammed into the trunk as she swung, causing her breath to leave her lungs. She desperately clung to the tree and looked down to see a bear youkai shaking it. She struggled to regain her breath. Then it began to climb up to her. She was never one to want to become a quick meal so she tried to move but found that the pain was incredible. A large gash on her right arm, from when she lost her balance and hit the sharp edges of broken branches on the way down, bled freely and soaked the arm of her shirt. She looked down to see if she could see any branches to which she could place her feet and give her better balance.

"Damn..." She was shaking. Her strength was not at its fullest. She caught a glimpse of cream fur and saw Kirara lying, unconscious, below. She found some footholds and clenched her teeth, trying to climb up. The youkai was getting closer to her. She felt her heart hammering, felt a nervous sweat beading on her brow. Her breathing was fast and shaky from being slammed. She got to where she could firmly plant her feet and turned down to see the bear closer than when she last looked. Her eyes widened when it swiped its claws at her, missing but hitting the branch. She jumped, feeling the bear take another swipe and rake its claws deep into her left leg. Her hand grasped the branch above her in desperation.

No...

She removed her sword from the sheath on her back with her injured arm. She was suspended in the air, holding on by her left arm. She swung the blade and managed to injure the bear enough so that it paused in attacking her. However, she only enraged it. It climbed up furiously and slammed her into the trunk. She felt blood run down her face but she was far from giving up. It held her in place and she took this chance to switch her blade to her left hand. The youkai knocked it away. She heard it hit the ground below. She placed her forearms against the bear's chest and sprung loose the blades concealed there. She felt a pause before it plunged down, taking her with it. She felt the wind on her face and closed her eyes, knowing what the fall could do to her. It could break her neck.

"Ugh..." She grunted in pain when she felt something slam into her. A warm embrace then encased her and she relaxed. The wind against her skin vanished and she felt all movement cease. Taking a chance and opening her mahogany eyes, she was met with amber orbs. She knew exactly who they belonged to and his name left her lips before blackness took her away to a world without pain. "Sesshoumaru..."

XxXxX

Thanks for sticking with me this far! Love all of your reviews! Please, give me more and tell me how I did!