Chapter 8

Kaelas! Curse you, Naraku!

The tension between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru doubled over the next few days as Sesshoumaru silently continued to hold the miscarriage over Inuyasha's head, smiling smugly at his younger brother's lack of a pup. Not many were pleased by this, even Rin was angry at Sesshoumaru for his smugness over the incident and had refused to speak one word to him for three days. When it came to those of the Blood they now shared a home with...well...no amount of diplomatic superiority over his younger brother kept Sesshoumaru from feeling the sting of Daemon's cold rage every now and then. Daemon was fiercely loyal to Jaenelle and to Jaenelle alone, but when it came to the other women in the coven or Kagome or Rin now, Daemon rarely tolerated any of Sesshoumaru's lack of sympathy. He, too, had chosen not to speak to Sesshoumaru as well.

Kagome, however, didn't allow Sesshoumaru's lack of sympathy towards the loss get to her, and instead put herself to work everyday, choosing the working path to bring herself back up to speed again. Jaenelle seemed to approve of this and greatly admired the woman's determination.

On the fourth day in Amdarh, Jaenelle decided it was time to take Kagome and Rin out to the city for a little shopping spree to take their minds off the males in the cottage.With the women gone, the males would have to turn their frustrations elsewhere until the women returned. Sesshoumaru chose to test Lucivar's strength against his own while Inuyasha chose to doze off for hours at a time in a tree deep in the gardens. Daemon tended to the courtly details of life while the kindred learned more about their new demon friends.

Inuyasha, only an hour into his nap, had awoken to find himself staring into the eyes of a rather curious Ladvarian, floating on air not a foot from him. Annoyed, Inuyasha had swiped the kindred dog towards the ground, turned and dozed off again, his ears twitching as Ladvarian had rejoined him.

"What do you want, pup?" Inuyasha asked in annoyance a few minutes later, folding his arms over his chest.

You can walk on air, Lord Inuyasha?

"Of course I can't. I'm only half demon, remember?"

But you got into the highest tree here. You climbed it?

"Partly, I jumped most of the way. What's it to yu?"

Jaenelle taught me how to walk on air. You could be taught, too, and then you wouldn't have to climb.

"What makes you think I would want to learn how to float on air?" Inuyasha asked, growing impatient.

Lord Sesshoumaru knows how,

"He's full demon, pup, that's why. He can fly, too, not just float," Inuyasha paused, his eyes narrowed. He looked at the sceltie who seemed to be smiling and studied him intensely. "You could teach me how to walk on air?"

I have never tried to teach any one else, but I might be able to,

"There's a first time for everything I suppose," Inuyasha leapt from the tree, landing gracefully on the soft grass. Ladvarian joined him, looking oddly pleased with himself. "You haven't accomplished anything yet, pup, so I wouldn't look pleased with myself if I were you. Now, what do I do?"

"Welcome, ladies," Banard smiled as he approached Jaenelle and the two women with her. "Can I do anything for you, Lady?"

Jaenelle smiled, shrugging. "I have a mission for you, actually," She grinned, locking elbows with the older man and walked towards another shelf with him while Kagome and Rin looked over Banard's artistry. He was definitely a skilled and talented jeweler. Kagome was deeply impressed and Rin seemed to have fallen in love with the necklace her eyes were now locked onto.

"It's gorgeous,"

Banard turned towards her at her explanation and grinned. "I'm pleased to hear that,"

Kagome leaned in close to the glass, examining the silver chain and the jeweled locket that hung from it. "It's splendid,"

"You have a very good eye, little lady," Banard smiled, pleased. "It's one of my favorites as well. It's called a Lover's Heart. Common in these parts. Most are usually wedding or engagement presents, but there are those rare times when they're purchased and given as gifts to new lovers. Very popular these days,"

Jaenelle saw the hopefulness flash in Rin's eyes as the girl imagined Sesshoumaru one day giving her that very necklace, perhaps on their wedding day? Jaenelle smiled faintly, turning back to Banard long enough to pass on her mission. He laughed when she finished, shaking his head in amusement. "Ah, the Lady has finally given me a challenge! Will you be in Amdarh long? I can have a rough draft design drawn up by noon tomorrow for you to look over!"

"Excellent, I look forward to it, Banard!"

"Anytime, Lady. Be sure and tell the Prince I said hello,"

"I will," Jaenelle smiled sweetly, leading Kagome and Rin out of the jewelry shop and towards the nearest book store. "I thought you might like to pick out a few good books to read. I have hundreds you could go through if you'd like, but if you sneak one in under the male's noses they're less likely to inquire about it. Assuming, of course, that you hide it well enough,"

"Oh dear," Rin giggled.

"Just don't get a sniffle book and read it while no one's around. A distressed female happens to be the male's least favorite form of the female gender, period. Especially when they hear you crying and don't know why,"

"Ah, personal experience?"

"Yes, but see, I have good aim."

Kagome paused, perplexed, and then laughed. "I see," Jaenelle nodded, smiling, very much pleased to see the girl was laughing again.

Meanwhile, back in the gardens at the cottage, Inuyasha was proving to be a difficult student. Ladvarian was finding it increasingly complicated to teach Inuyasha how to float on air. The hanyou was having trouble understanding the whole concept and every time he stepped off the bench he just hit the grass, grumbling about how the lesson didn't really make sense.

Finally, seeing no other way to accomplish his task, Ladvarian offered to teach Inuyasha by breaching his inner barriers and feeding him the lesson that way. It took effort, but Inuyasha finally let him in and soon found himself stepping from the garden bench onto thin air.

"Well, would yu look at that," Inuyasha mused, suddenly smug. "So, it worked after all," He set himself on solid ground again and patted Ladvarian on the head. "Not bad, pup, not bad at all," Inuyasha grinned, heading back towards the tree to continue his catnap. He'd love to show his new skill to Sesshoumaru just to piss his older brother off, but honing that skill first sounded like a good idea. Until he could bend this new skill to his will and put it to good use, he wouldn't reveal it to his brother just yet.

Inuyasha got comfortable in the tree again and settled down for his catnap. Ladvarian looked up at him and then sniffed the air curiously. A strange scent had come to him earlier in the day and he was greatly surprised that Inuyasha hadn't caught the scent. And if Inuyasha had caught the scent, how come he didn't ask about it? It was surely new to Ladvarian.

The sceltie ignored it, however, because if Inuyasha wasn't bothered by it, was it anything worth looking into? Ladvarian made up his mind, choosing to sit in on Lucivar and Sesshoumaru's sparring match until the women returned.

Jaenelle, Kagome and Rin returned around seven that evening, just in time for dinner. Daemon greeted them at the coach, taking their shopping packages from their hands. The women were grateful to lose the weight and were even more pleased when the delicious smell of the dinner steak reached them as they stepped inside.

"Good lord, I'm starved," Kagome moaned.

"Me too!" Rin chirped in, bouncing excitedly before the dinner table.

"Hey, where's Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, surprised that he hadn't greeted her at the coach. Which, really, was very strange. And then it hit her. "That's right...it's the New Moon again...Has it really been a month already?"

Ladvarian bounced around at Kagome's feet, his tail swishing happily behind him. He's sleeping in the tree out in the garden,

Kagome smiled. "I'll go get him then,"

insert break!

For a moment, Kagome was overwhelmed by the cuteness of the sight. "Hey, Inuyasha!" She shouted up at him, smiling. "Inuyasha, wake up!"

He muttered something inaudibly, his eyes opening to the moonless night sky. "Damnit,"

"You awake yet?" Kagome called and Inuyasha looked down at her, confused.

"Kagome?" He sat up, jumping from the tree and landing in front of her, looking mildly rumpled. "When did you get back?"

"A few minutes ago. Dinner is ready," She smiled at the curtain of black hair that framed his face. "Did you enjoy your nap?"

"For the most part," Inuyasha muttered, examining his clawless hands. "Until I woke up to a moonless night sky,"

"Come eat, Inuyasha," Kagome giggled. "And maybe you'll get some dessert tonight,"

The hidden meaning under those words couldn't have been more obvious, Inuyasha followed without question as his mate headed back inside. Behind them, about a mile into the kindred territory of the woods, a faint pink glow lit up the night sky, unfortunately it went unseen and unnoticed completely by Kagome and her mate.

The balcony doors had been left open to their room from the gardens, allowing a light breeze to filter into the room and keep them comfortably settled for the night. However, close to two that morning Daemon was awoken instantly by a brush against his inner barriers. For a moment he stared at the ceiling, perplexed, wondering curiously what had brushed him before he realized that one of the protective shields surrounding the cottage and gardens had been breached. Hastily, he slipped from beside Jaenelle, pulled on a robe and walked towards the balcony doors. Just beyond the brush of the garden a small movement caught his golden eyes. A delicate psychic probe told him it was an animal, but an animal he didn't recognize. A kindred perhaps, but then he sensed no jewel.

Animals didn't usually bother him, but the fact that it had gotten through his shield troubled him deeply. It definitely wasn't Kaelas and unless the cat had taught this animal to pass through the shield and not tell anyone, Daemon wouldn't be getting back to sleep again until he figured out what the hell it was.

"Daemon?" Jaenelle pushed herself upright in the bed, studying him intently for a moment.

He motioned at her to be quiet and shielded himself in a black sight shield, walking invisibly out of his bedroom towards the animal. He took to walking on air and followed the stumbling creature towards the marble pathway of the garden. He didn't like such trivial exercises but the animal didn't seem to be up to anything suspicious, though Daemon knew something was off. At first glance he thought it was a fox but then thought better of it. He could have sworn it had clothes on.

He felt a little silly for walking on air with Jaenelle at his heels. She never did follow orders very well. She touched his shoulder, leaning over him, her eyes wide. Daemon, he's hurt, look at the blood,

Don't touch him, we don't know what it is yet,

It looks like a fox... She paused, blinking. ...a fox demon...?

Do you think that perhaps this little fox is with the others?

Maybe we should ask him and find out, Jaenelle landed quietly on the marble path and dropped the sight shield. The fox's ears twitched and he paused, his breathing hitching. "Hi there,"

Daemon remained invisible, watching his wife carefully, wrapping black protective shields around her. Jaenelle smiled gently, waiting for the animal to respond to her but went rigid instead. Daemon felt her tense, felt the change in her. The fox vanished then and slowly, Jaenelle turned to stare towards the woods. For a moment she stared directly into a fiery mass of fur and the next she was staring into the darkness.

"Did you see that, Daemon?" She stood, slowly, her eyes never leaving that spot in the brush.

"I'm not sure," Daemon took her arm, rechecking all of the shields, strengthening them greatly. "Get back inside, I'm going to have a look around."

"Should I warn Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"Not yet," Daemon murmured. "Leave him out of this until I'm sure about what we saw just now," Jaenelle nodded, turning swiftly towards her bedroom to get settled back into bed.

Daemon waited until he was sure she was safely tucked inside before he knelt before the blood on the marble path. Ladvarian had now joined him, looking distressed.

I caught the scent earlier but Lord Inuyasha did not so I thought...

"It's the night of the New Moon. Lord Inuyasha would not have caught the scent because his demon powers have been suppressed until the sun rises." Daemon murmured. "Don't fret, Ladvarian. He'll catch the scent in the morning. I am, however, troubled that Lord Sesshoumaru did not catch the scent. And if he did I wonder why he has made no mention of it..." Daemon, slightly agitated and confused studied the landscape set before him. He patted Ladvarian on the head and rose erect again. "I'll send Kaelas out to check the estate,"

Kaelas isn't here,

"What?" Daemon turned towards the Sceltie, startled. "What do you mean he's not here?" He sent out a psychic spear thread and, golden eyes narrowed to thin slits, looked back at the sceltie. "Where is he?"

I don't know... Ladvarian looked distressed again, obviously feeling guilty for not informing Daemon or the Lady of this sooner.

"Hmm..." Daemon sighed heavily. "All right then, good night, Ladvarian." Prick,

Annoyance shot back at him on an Ebon-grey spear thread, apparently he'd interrupted something. Oooh, this had better be good, Bastard, I'm busy with something.

Kaelas isn't here,

So? Again the annoyance.

I don't know where he is and he didn't inform anyone that he was leaving. Prick, something breached my shield,

A pause and then, Is everyone all right?

Yes, whatever it was left quite quickly but Kaelas should have been here,

Does Jaenelle know?

I haven't told her yet,

Then don't. There's no need to get the women riled. I'll look for him in a few minutes,

Still busy? Daemon inquired, his humor reaching Lucivar.

Bastard, Lucivar warned. Marian is growing impatient,

Get back to me about Kaelas,

I will,

Daemon severed the link and walked back into his bedroom, smiling at the sleeping form of Jaenelle on their bed. Wherever Kaelas was, Daemon trusted Lucivar to find him.

Shadows danced over their forms as the breeze rustled the trees outside, casting their shadows over the sleeping couple. Kagome rested comfortably on her left side, Inuyasha pressed against her back, his arms wrapped around her body. For a moment, Inuyasha stirred, but whatever had disturbed him passed and he snuggled against Kagome, breathing deeply the scent of her hair.

The bedroom window creaked open for a moment and a flash of orange-red light engulfed the glass for a moment, but then vanished again without a trace. Kagome murmured something in her sleep, but didn't wake up, and whatever had caused the flash vanished, leaving the window cracked open.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, lightening flashed, and a gust of wind threw the window open until it slammed against the wall. Inuyasha jumped, the Tetsuseiga already drawn from the scabbard. Kagome jolted, jumping behind him, her hands curled around his arms. They both relaxed and laughed at themselves when they realized it was just the window banging against the wall. Inuyasha was able to relax for a moment knowing that Kagome was safe and then moved to close the window. "Well, what a wonderful way to ruin a good dream,"

Kagome giggled, her hand pressed against her chest. "Well, at least now we know we'll be quick to react the next time something comes through our window."

Inuyasha moved back to the bed, falling back on the mattress with a groan. "That was more trouble for one night, I won't be getting back to sleep now, that's for sure,"

Kagome giggled as his head came to rest in her lap. She brushed the black hair from his face and smiled down at him. "Inuyasha,"

"Hm?" His eyes were closed, and he was thoroughly enjoying the feel of Kagome's fingers stroking through his hair.

"Do you like it here? I mean, if there isn't a way to get back home...could you stomach living in this realm with me?"

His hands found hers and he rolled, smiling. "What a stupid question,"

"I'm serious, Inuyasha,"

"I know," He whispered, sitting on his knees now, finding his hands at her face. "And yes, I could stomach it," He leaned forward, kissing her. "So long as you can live with me knowing Sesshoumaru will always be around here somewhere,"

"With Jaenelle and Daemon around, Sesshoumaru doesn't bother me. Besides, since Rin stopped talking to him, Sesshoumaru hasn't been bothering us,"

"It's amazing; the power she has over him." Inuyasha mused, sitting back on his heels. Kagome smiled at the cuteness of her mate, finding herself lost in the new life she had with him. "What are you looking at me like that for?"

She shrugged, still smiling, and sat back in the bed. "Only a few hours left until the sun rises,"

"Thank the darkness," Inuyasha muttered, catching his mate's eye. "What?"

"Nothing," She giggled.

Bastard,

Daemon was instantly awake again. Prick?

I found Kaelas, but I think something's wrong. He won't answer me,

Where is he?

He was lingering around Surreal's apartment. He's on his way back to you and Jaenelle right now,

Daemon nodded, thinking. I'll keep in touch,

"Mmm, good morning," Jaenelle smiled, pausing at the worried look on his face. "Daemon? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Kaelas disappeared last night. Lucivar found him and said Kaelas is on his way here but that he isn't answering Lucivar at all."

"That doesn't sound like Kaelas," Jaenelle murmured. "Unless something's wrong,"

"Kaelas will answer you, Jaenelle,"

Kagome knew something was terribly wrong the second she spotted the blood on the garden pathway. She looked immediately to Rin who seemed perfectly fine, and at any rate the blood seemed to have dried over night. Kagome knelt, wary, and touched the blood. Her miko powers stirred in her and her eyes closed. This blood...something was familiar about it, and yet, she couldn't quite figure out why. Either way, she didn't feel right.

"Inuyasha...I hope you're close by," Kagome stood up, sighing heavily. "I'm not having a very good week at all, am I?"

"Hm?" Rin turned towards her, curious, and then noticed the blood at Kagome's feet. "Uh--"

"It's not mine," Kagome reassured the girl. "Come on, Rin. I think it's better if we go back inside. Quick, let's go,"

"What about Kaelas? He's in the woods!" Rin pointed at the mass of white fur walking towards them. Her Miko powers flared within her. Something wasn't right about Kaelas.

Her eyes suddenly widened. "A shard of the Shikon Jewel...I can sense it..." She froze solid. "Oh no, Rin, run!"

"What?" Rin's arm was suddenly held captive by Kagome's hand as the two darted off out of the garden.

At that moment, as Kagome had feared, the white mass that was Kaelas leapt out after them. Rin, realizing this, suddenly let out the most shrill scream Kagome had ever heard. One thing was for sure, everyone was bound to have heard that.

"LORD SESSHOUMARU! HELP!"

Kagome dove down with Rin, feeling Kaelas sore over them, pivot when he hit the ground and come after them again. "Split up! Rin, quick! Run towards the cottage! He can't follow both of us!"

Rin nodded and darted back towards the cottage, unfortunately for Kagome, Kaelas had chosen her. Naraku had no use for Rin yet so Kagome was the best target to get to Inuyasha and the Shikon shards they had. Kagome, realizing this, sprinted across the lawn, hoping she was running in the direction of Inuyasha or, heaven forbid, Sesshoumaru.

"KAZE NO KIZU!"

Kagome dove, ducked, rolled and threw her hands over her face to avoid Inuyasha's attack at Kaelas. Unfortunately, having been strengthened by a Shikon shard, Kaelas easily dodged the attack. His fur was singed, but he didn't stop his attack.

"Damn you," Inuyasha snarled, grabbing Kagome and bounding towards the cottage. "Will someone get that damned cat under control!" He skidded to a halt at the steps into the cottage and set Kagome down gently, the Tetsuseiga poised in front of him.

"KAELAS!" Witch thundered, glaring darkly at him. "Kaelas, you will stop this! KAELAS!"

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "Inuyasha! His neck! There's a Shikon shard in his neck!"

"That's not all that's there," Inuyasha growled. "I see a strand of a spider's web,"

"Naraku?"

"No question now! Naraku's controlling him!" Again, Inuyasha leapt forward, swinging the Tetsuseiga dangerously towards Kaelas. "KAZE NO KIZU!" For a fleeting moment Inuyasha was sure the attack would hit, but the Shikon shard, coupled with the power of Kaelas' own jewel of power, gave the Arcerian predator greater speed than Inuyasha had expected.

Kaelas leapt, turned, and focused now on Rin who had stumbled in her run for the cottage and had gotten turned around completely. "LORD SESSHOUMARU! HELP ME, PLEASE!"

"Stay back, beast," Tokijin slashed out towards Kaelas, knocking the cat backwards. Sesshoumaru was bent in front of Rin, his amber eyes flashing dangerously at Kaelas. The threat had been obvious and had greatly startled Rin into a flat out trembling state, and she clung to his fluff so tight her knuckles flushed white. Sesshoumaru glared dangerously at the cat as their eyes locked together. Kaelas brandished his claws and his sharp teeth, growling deeply towards the Youkai lord. Lucivar swooped in suddenly out of nowhere, startling Kaelas momentarily away from his target.

"All right, Kaelas, that's enough!" Lucivar tackled him, wrapping his wings around the cat and praying his claws wouldn't find his wings.

Kaelas thrashed, hissing, throwing his huge paws out towards Lucivar to try and throw him off.

"Inuyasha, we have to do something!" Kagome cried, staring in horror at the scene before them.

"There has to be a way to get to that jewel shard," Inuyasha snarled, calculating different ways to get hold of Kaelas. "Lucivar can't hold him for long."

Kagome looked around desperately, staring in disbelief. "I can't believe you people leave these things lying around," She reached for the bow and arrow, notched the arrow, ran from the steps, much to a loud protest from Inuyasha, and made sure she was right in Kaelas' line of sight. "Let him go, Lucivar!"

"Are you insane!"

"Just do it!" Kagome insisted, her heart pounding in her chest as she drew the arrow into the bow, her eyes locked on Kaelas. Lucivar released him and Inuyasha felt as if his world was about to end. Kagome was right in the path of this crazed, Naraku-controlled Arcerian cat, holding nothing but a flimsy bow and a dull training arrow.

"KAGOME HAVE YOU LOST YOUR DAMN MIND!"

Her hands shook as she struggled to keep the arrow in check. Kaelas was almost in range. If she loosed the arrow too soon...

Kaelas leapt, Inuyasha howled and the arrow was loosed. Her heart pounded and her stomach lurched. The arrow soared over Kaelas' head and the cat dove for her.

"KAGOME!" No one moved, no one breathed.

"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH, KAELAS!" Jaenelle screamed, infuriated. Kaelas stumbled, pausing to regard Witch as she stepped towards him. "What's gotten into you?"

"Jaenelle!" Daemon shouted, his eyes wide. "Jaenelle, get back!" He dove into the abyss, intent on descending to the Black before Kaelas would have a chance to turn on Jaenelle.

"Kaelas," Jaenelle murmured, staring in disbelief as the cat hissed and leapt for her.

Daemon dove under the black web, rose, and in one concentrated blast he shattered Kaelas' crystal chalice and watched in dismay as the cat fell, broken, onto the grass. Jaenelle sank to her knees beside him, cradling the cat close to her. "Forgive us, Kaelas..." She whispered, stroking his soft white fur.

"Don't be fooled, Jaenelle!" Inuyasha insisted. "Naraku has control over him! Get away from him!"

"I shattered his chalice, he's useless," Daemon murmured bitterly.

"Don't be naive, that cat isn't dead or broken or whatever you want to call it. Naraku isn't stupid and he's the one controlling that cat. He won't stop until we get that jewel shard out of his neck," Inuyasha clutched Tetsuseiga tight in his hands, leaping off towards Jaenelle.

"Ok, this is all just so frustrating," Kagome murmured, regaining her composure. "Damnit, why me?" She rose to her feet and reached for the arrow she had loosed at Kaelas, notched it and stood ready. "Inuyasha, get Jaenelle away from Kaelas,"

Inuyasha grabbed the distraught woman and leapt away again just as Kagome's arrow soared at the Shikon Jewel. It struck dead on and bounced backward, the shard clattering onto the cement. The strand of the spider web disintegrated from the back of Kaelas' neck and the cat fell still.

"Watch it, Kagome!" Inuyasha cried out and Kagome jumped back from the jewel shard just as Naraku's faithful hornets descended on it. She glowered at them as they flew off into the distance. Kaelas, she noticed, was still alive, but unconscious.

"Let me go!" Jaenelle threw herself from Inuyasha's arms and dropped to her knees beside Kaelas again.

"Kagome, are you all right?" Inuyasha asked, approaching her.

"A little shaken but I'm ok...Damnit, Inuyasha, that was too close for comfort."

"Yeah," He sighed heavily, looking back towards the forest. "I never suspected Naraku to control the kindred. We underestimated him this time," He looked down at Kaelas, shaking his head. "We need to be careful now,"

"I didn't sense the jewel until today," Kagome murmured. "He must not have had it the last few times we've seen him,"

"He left last night," Daemon said blandly as he approached. "I knew something was wrong when I saw that fox last night and then--"

"Oh god the blood...Oh no..." Kagome looked towards the woods, her eyes full of tears. Is that why the blood had seemed familiar to her as she had touched it? Had her Miko powers registered that blood as that of a friend? "Shippo, poor Shippo!" She rose, racing towards the woods without thinking twice.

"STOP HER!" Daemon shouted at Lucivar. "There's something in those woods that--"

Too late, that mysterious fire engulfed beast bounded out of nowhere and caught Kagome on its back. "Shit!"

"Wait!" Inuyasha shouted, smirking. "Wait, it's all right,"

"Kilala..." Kagome murmured, her heart skipping several beats. If Kilala was alive did that also mean that...? Tears lit her eyes. Her trying to protect Inuyasha hadn't killed her friends after all. "Oh, Kilala! I'm so glad to see you!" She wrapped her arms around Kilala's neck and buried her face in the cat's fur. Kilala landed in front of Inuyasha and purred, nuzzling his chest with her nose. "Hey, Kilala..." He murmured, stroking her neck, watching the hysterical Kagome with solemn eyes.

"She's hurt," Jaenelle murmured, reaching out to touch Kilala's side. "Not badly, but she's injured,"

"Then it was your blood in the garden and not Shippo's," Kagome murmured, hastily dismounting Kilala's back. "Kilala, are you ok?"

The cat nodded, the fire engulfing her a second later. When the flames subsided she was a tiny two tailed cat again. "Meeeow," She leapt into Kagome's arms when Kagome held them out for her.

"Kilala, where are Shippo and the others?" Inuyasha asked, eager to find their friends and prove his brother wrong so that Kagome might have some peace for a little while. Kilala purred, looking towards the woods again. "I'll go get them. Kagome, please, for the love of everything living, stay here and don't follow me. Kilala needs you and if I miss Shippo, he'll need you, too."

Kagome, reluctant, nodded at him. "Please be careful, Inuyasha."

"Feh, what are you talking about? It's me, Kagome,"

She forced a smile, still cuddling Kilala close as Inuyasha bounded for the forest. Jaenelle sighed, sitting back on her legs. "I can repair his chalice, but I don't know if he'll be able to use his jewels again or not. They weren't shattered, but something's wrong with them..."

"The Shikon shard he had might have suppressed them for a little while..." Kagome offered.

"We won't know until we get these two healed and back in good shape." Jaenelle murmured.

End of chapter. So Kaelas is revealed and Kilala and Shippo return! Yay! XD