Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Inuyasha characters. It looks like that the this chapter contains none of my characters. Wow…

Chapter 6: Finding the Way

Follow the Wind.

The group stared at the note for a long moment. It made no sense at all. The night was calm. Suddenly the sickle was pulled out of the wall. Everyone jumped back to avoid being hit by it.

Sango turned. "Kohaku!" she screamed and started after the fleeting figure.

Miroku was quick to act. He caught her before she could get too far. She fought against him. "Sango, love," he whispered in her ear. She relaxed in his grip. "Let him go. He may lead us to Kagome and then we may be able to get him back as well."

Sango could only nod. She turned in his arms and blinked the few tears from her eyes onto his shoulder. She needed to be strong. For Kagome. For Kohaku. For Inuaysha and Miroku. But most of all, she needed to be strong for herself.

A strong wind picked up then. On it was woman's laugh.

"Kagura," Inuyasha hissed. "Let's go!"

His traveling companions gave a brief nod. He started running. Kirara carried the rest. It turned out the trail was quite easy to follow. If they went the wrong way, the air around them became still.

Still, though the journey took up the rest of the night. Just before daybreak, Naraku's castle came into view. It was grander than they remember it being. But like always there was a layer of his miasma that surrounded the area.

Inuyasha was ready to storm the palace (A/N: How very knight in shining armor of him!). However the rest of the group was not. Miroku placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"We must rest, Inuyasha." The dog-eared boy was about to protest when the monk stopped him. "I want to save the girls as well. But we can't do it if we are exhausted. We can stay here away from the miasma. We know where the castle is. Even you will fight better with a few hours' rest."

Inuyasha looked at his companions. Miroku was right. He was weary and how could he save the women that mean something to him. He agreed.

xxxxx

Naraku laughed. Everything was going splendidly. But damn it if those fools didn't stop just outside of his barrier. He would even make it easy to get in to his castle. Of course finding the girls would be a different story.

He called Kagura to him.

She bowed as she entered. "Yes, my lord?"

"When Inuyasha and his friends come in, do not hinder them in any way."

Kagura was not pleased with this news but she briefly nodded and left.

xxxxx

It was midmorning before the group was ready to go in for the girls. There was something nagging at Inuyasha though. It was feeling too easy. It was bound to get worse. He looked at the group with him. They were all willing to die.

He looked at the fox kit. He's so young. Inuyasha shook his head and made a decision.

"Shippo, you are staying here."

The kit's eyes got real wide. "Why? I care for Kagome, too!"

Inuyasha sighed. He knew that it was not going to be easy to leave the kit behind.

"Kagome wouldn't want to see you hurt." His eyes spotted the girl's backpack. "Besides we can't take the jewel shards into Naraku's castle. So someone needs to stay here to protect them."

Shippo thought about Inuyasha's logic (as did everyone else). After a few moments he nodded.

"Nobody is going to get these jewel shards!"

Inuyasha smiled at him. "Right, but we don't want Naraku to know that they are here…"

"What if Shippo hides in a bush with the gear that way he is near but well hidden," Miroku supplied.

That was what was decided on. Shippo waited until the group was gone before he began dragging the oversized bag into a dense thicket. All the while he prayed that everyone he loved would be all right.

xxxxx

A/N: Sorry it has been so long. My parents came to visit and then I had to move apartments. Then there was the hurricanes. Just fun and crazy stuff like that.

Plus my creativity is being expanded. I am working on an Inuyasha story that does not involve Nekoyasha. Also I am co-writing some stories that will hopefully be posted

Thank you to all my reviewers. I'm glad that you like the side story.

Later!