In less than a week, you will die.

Kagome couldn't eat and instead found herself staring the hot bowl of ramen in her hands. She didn't have to look up to feel the unspoken stress in the atmosphere. Kouga hovered protectively next to her, every once in awhile letting out a deep set growl in his throat. His thoughts were churning too and whatever he was thinking about was angering him.

Sango stood on edge, pacing in a circle around the fire. She occasionally exchanged silent glances with Miroku. She bared the weight of the oversized boomerang without thought.

They had repositioned themselves outside around a large firepit the village usually reserved for celebrations. Kouga admitted they'd be at a disadvantage from a tactical standpoint if they stayed inside. Something about not being able to see demons coming but Kagome didn't care why.

Sure, she was colder out here. Even with the roaring fire in front of her and the heavy blankets draped over her shoulders she always seemed to be cold. But despite the chill and the threat of sickness, she'd rather be out here than where that demon thing had disintegrated. Just thinking about it made her stomach turn. Yes, she could manage sleeping outside on the hard ground for a month. Anything to be away from that thing.

"Kagome-san…I'd hate to ask again but did the youkai say anything else? Anything else that might have suggested involvement with Naraku's disappearance? Anything that suggested more youkai would be coming?"

Kagome let out a shaking breath. She could hear Kouga's chest vibrate as he quietly growled in protest to disturbing her. In the last few hours, he'd become worse than Inuyasha. It seemed like he'd kill anything that got close to her. Even Shippou sat across the fire near Miroku. Kagome tried not to dwell on it. While she wouldn't want him to get used to that kind of behavior, she could hardly protest now. Especially because Kouga viewed this as his second failure to keep her safe. She had attempted to convince him that he did come in time… but details…

"He just said he wanted to see me. That my name is being called from people in the underworld."

She started to repeat the story and only paused when Miroku nodded accordingly. Rubbing his chin, he voiced his thoughts aloud.

"There is something specific about you Kagome. Something that needs you and only you. You had said that Cerrimatso was created just for you Kagome. If Naraku created something just for you—something so important that he would not worry about the jewel shards you had around your neck…"

Miroku mused.

"Come on monk, you got any answers yet?" Kouga complained as impatiently as Kagome felt.

"I'm trying." Miroku contended. "I am but I can't see the connection yet. What could he need Kagome for that any other jewel seeing miko could not do?"

"You mean like Kikyou?" Kagome asked.

"Like Kikyou." Miroku agreed, deliberately avoiding eye contact. If he noticed the obviousness of the gesture, he didn't show it.

"Well who is to tell us that Naraku hasn't gone after Kikyou too?" Sango stopped her pacing and joined the conversation. Still careful to watch her surroundings, she dug the side of her boomerang into the dirt and rested her arms on the top of it.

"Wait. Didn't Inuyasha take us to the place where Cerrimatso was created on word from Kikyou?" Shippou even asked.

The color drained from the adults faces.

"So you're saying it was all a trap set up by that bloodless bitch?" Kouga hissed. "She knew about it because Naraku had planned to get to her. And then Inuyasha was stupid enough to bring Kagome there instead?"

"Potentially a trade off." Sango followed his thoughts. "Kikyou sold out Kagome to save herself. Regardless if she manipulated Inuyasha to do it."

Before Kouga could open his mouth Sango held a hand up.

"Look, whatever has happened we all know Inuyasha wouldn't put Kagome in harms way even to save Kikyou. He didn't know." She said with such authority no one questioned her.

Kagome nodded firmly. Inuyasha had said he loved her. And though they had now parted, he wouldn't have done that knowingly.

"While all of this is possible, it doesn't explain everything. Kagome, could you finish the story for us one last time?" Miroku regained control of the conversation and refocused it back on Kagome.

The girl took her time. Sipping on the warm liquid soup in some effort to ease her aching throat, she thought.

"Then the man said that they were coming for me."

Kagome left out the dying within the week part. She couldn't say it. Some determined part of her mind knew they would change it. They had too. So there was no point on dwelling. There was no point in scaring her friends.

"That doesn't sound like a generic thing. They need Kagome." Miroku added.

His face went crooked and he stared hard into the licking red flames of the fire place. The air had gotten colder and the wind had picked up until the extra oxygen made the fire roar.

"There are too many variables to consider Miroku. Lady Kikyou is surviving by part of Kagome's soul. And Cerritmatso did tell Kagome she was missing part of her soul. They could very much need them both."

Miroku suddenly launched his staff toward the ground. The wooden stick smashed into the floor with a loud smack and jingle of its metal charms. A dirt cloud exploded from the impact. Miroku's brow had pinched and fists curled showing an uncharacteristic stress of the young monk.

"Miroku." Kagome whispered when she recovered from the shock of the moment first. Kouga had stiffened by her side but made no mention of the abrupt behavior. Guess they all had begun to feel like that.

"It doesn't make sense. But we need to figure it out. Kagome-sama said they were calling her from the underworld. And anything in the underworld cannot end well."

Somehow in that moment it became obvious that Miroku had absorbed much of the leadership since Inuyasha left. The determined sort of anxiety to keep his friends safe. And no doubt he felt like he was failing. Sango must have noticed it too, and she reached forward to rest a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll figure it out together." She said firmly. "But right now—right now we can't get nervous enough to start screwing up. We will protect ourselves. We will protect Kagome. And right now that means helping her build up her aura with positive energy."

Everyone nodded after a moment. Kagome still refused to leech but the innate part of her certainly enjoyed it.

"We need to gather our thoughts." Sango kept on. "Kagome, if you remember anything else you need to tell us."

Kagome agreed instantly. A passing thought went through her mind about the nightmares she'd been having. But in the past week, those had faded. She stared at her soup for a moment, swirling it in her cup.

"So if Kikyou's involved, does that mean we have to catch up with Inuyasha?" Shippou squeezed his way back into the conversation and Kagome's mind diverted.

Kouga made an ugly face and Sango frowned.

"Only if we need to in order to keep Kagome safe…" which sounded like Sango definitely didn't dismiss the possibility. "But right now she can't travel safety anyways."

Kagome watched from where she sat. In less than a week

She dismissed the sick thought immediately. Then Miroku suddenly piped up.

"Positive energy will rebuild Kagome's aura. So for her sake, I will bed her and let her take as much as my aura as she needs." He boomed returning to his typical womanizing fashion.

Though the following slap sounded like it hurt, Kagome laughed.

A.N: just to prove I'm not dead. I'll work on the next chapter tomorrow where there will be more Kag/Kou and more stuff actually happening!