Chapter Five

Kikyo had never been to the Hollow Wood before, though she knew the presence that guided her. It wasn't all that difficult to see, especially for a priestess with such a vast understanding of demon nature. She slid quietly through the murky bog, not quite certain where it was she was going but knowing without a doubt she would soon arrive. InuYasha, the very object of her being, was close. She knew it without actual proof—a priestess's intuition, something that was simply there—that feeling she got whenever he was near. She couldn't explain it, but that really didn't make any difference to her. Understanding how wasn't the important part. Just that he was.

She also sensed that a battle had been fought here, perhaps weeks prior to her arrival, a battle fought not with blades or claws. Rather, it had been an ambush. Kikyo narrowed her eyes and slipped down to a knee, brushing her hands through the silt at her feet. The tiger demon. It must be. The one that attacked InuYasha? She felt no emotion as she inspected the area, only the undeniable sentience that something terrible had been here. Auron had been here; that much was certain. Naraku had also made an appearance, and somehow enslaved him using a Shikon jewel shard.

Luckily, InuYasha had not fallen to the tiger; her earlier encounter with the half-demon had proven that much. He would not be taken so easily, no matter how powerful his adversary. Not with his own fierce loyalty to the girl—Kikyo's eyes narrowed in remembrance of Kagome, the very object of her jealous rage—could he have possibly given his life when she depended on him for protection. She turned from the scene, having found no evidence as to where the shadow demon had gone. There's a troubling moon tonight, she thought as she continued down the path. I don't quite understand all that has happened, but I intend to find out.

She continued to wade through the bog until she came to rocky hillside that lifted up and out of the bog. Her eyes fell upon a mountain that she had never known existed. The opening of what had to be a massive cave loomed over her. She drew a deep breath and slipped out of the water. She chose a path that led away from the cave, though she knew she would be back. There were more important matters at hand; this could wait, for the time being.

I wonder when my love is slated for death, she thought, barely paying attention to the foul creature that had lingered in her path. Not too soon, I hope. I yearn to be at his side when that moment comes. Wait for me, InuYasha…

"Intriguing that I would find you here, my dear Kikyo."

She barely lifted her eyes to stare into the baboon mask that watched back at her. "You are in my path, Naraku."

He bobbed his head in a pitiful bow. "Perhaps. Then again, perhaps you are in my own." He took a slow step forward, flexing his claws only slightly as he neared her. "Though Onigumo's heart still beats within me, the decisions I make remain of my own judgment."

"Tell me your purpose here."

Naraku chuckled from within his mask. "Not much different from your own really. There is much power in the Hollow Wood, power unclaimed as of this moment. Soon, however, it will be within my grasp."

Kikyo's eyes narrowed even more. "You are a power-hungry fool. One must learn to control power before the desire for more can be sufficiently satisfied. Your greed will be your downfall."

"Such optimism for a dead girl."

She bowed her head ever so slightly. "I may be a walking corpse, but I still hold your heart in the palm of my hand."

From within his mask, Naraku's eyes shimmered. "Not for long."

As the dawn arrived, a blur of red and white skimmed over the treetops of the Hollow Wood, still a dreary and dark world before the coming of the morning sun. The overcast sky was a dismal gray, and that only made the world around him even darker than the norm. InuYasha didn't like it one bit, after all he knew and especially considering all that he didn't know. It would mean that he would have to take even more care of his friends, knowing that a possible minion of Naraku was on the loose, somewhere out here.

And what of Kikyo? InuYasha's heart still pounded in retrospect of his latest encounter with the undead priestess. Kikyo, what are you really doin' out here? he wondered as he bounded over a particularly wide break in the trees. He had watched her wading, fully clothed in her priestess's garb, waist-deep in a pool of heated mineral water. She had been looking for something, he knew that much. But what? As much as Kikyo held a place in his heart from fifty years ago, she was far from the same girl now as she had been way back then. She was a beast of two emotions: intense love and hatred for him, and a dark longing to be with him in death as she felt they had been meant to be together in life. Perhaps she was right; InuYasha had so often felt the same way. But he had to be free of her in order to collect the shards of the Shikon jewel. He had to destroy Naraku in order to end the hell that his life had become. Naraku intended to use the jewel to mold Japan, and all of the world, into his own image.

By damn, InuYasha wouldn't let that happen. However, to succeed in that quest meant his life, toward that end, was not his own. Only one person in all his life, save his own mother, had truly accepted him for who he was, and that had been Kagome. Not even Kikyo had been able to look past the half-demon before her to see the soul within. Only Kagome.

"What are you doing here, InuYasha?" Kikyo had demanded. She had already been wet from the storm. What she had been doing in the pool he couldn't begin to guess, but it had seemed important. He knew whatever it was, she hadn't found it before his arrival. She had stared at him with an emotionless calm. "You and your friends have no business in the Hollow Wood. I suggest you turn back before you get yourself hurt."

"You know me better than that," he had said quietly, dropping to the crouch at the pool's shore, sitting at her eye-level. "I ain't goin' nowhere until I find what it is I came for." He didn't know what that was exactly, and by the calm chuckle from deep in her throat, she understood. He didn't like to be mocked. "Don't patronize me, Kikyo."

She had simply turned away, determined to say nothing more as she waded deeper into the pool, though he could see the warning in her eyes as she offered her parting glance. InuYasha shuddered even now, wondering what it all had meant. Kagome… I hope you don't think less of me, he thought as he bounded over the treetops. I have promises to keep, and Kikyo deserves no less. For now, however, he could stay with Kagome. She needed him too.

A somber Miroku stood at the mouth of the cave and yawned. The haze of the dawn had lifted, and he could see the top half of the sun peeking through a narrow opening in the overcast sky, just above the sea of green. The beauty of the forest never ceased to amaze the young monk. As troubled as his existence was, beauty in life was one of the few escapes available from the darkness. He had accepted the truth a long time ago, and that alone had made the horrors of his existence bearable. Even now, it almost allowed him to forget the sling that held his broken arm in place.

Almost.

He lifted the cup to his lips and sipped the steaming brew. Spiced tea trickled down his gullet, effectively calming his nerves. With a sigh, he closed his eyes. At least life with InuYasha and the others was eventful. Any other way, he wasn't so sure he could even survive.

"Miroku?"

The monk turned his head slightly at the sound of someone trying to speak his name through a heavy yawn. He smiled and sipped his tea.

"Oh, there you are." Kagome stifled another yawn as she approached, still wiping the sleep from her eyes as she came to his side. She too held a cup of tea. "I don't ever want to sleep in another cave as long as I live. My back is killing me."

Miroku smiled. "You need more then your bedroll."

"You could say that again."

A few birds fluttered past, just over the treetops. Kagome had to smile. She'd never seen such sights before coming to the feudal era, and now they were commonplace. With a soft sigh, she leaned against the mouth of the cave and breathed in the sweet, morning air. InuYasha had chosen a place where he could keep watch over the entire forest. Kagome couldn't blame him for taking that precaution. Sitting out here, there would be no way he could miss a thing, especially some demon that might happen to fly overhead. Under the cover of the forest, watching the skies would not be so easy a task.

At the same time, the memory of the soul collectors she and Sango had spotted two nights ago was still fresh in her mind. Was that the reason InuYasha had picked this cave in particular? Kagome sighed and sipped her tea. "What about you, Miroku?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you sleep well?"

The monk didn't answer, but Kagome could tell he was tired. Her eyes drifted to the arm that hung limply in his makeshift sling. Quickly, he turned from her and swept his gaze out over the treetops and overcast sky, checking for anything out of the norm. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, at least not at the moment. Still, that did not mean there was no cause for concern. Despite his smile, Miroku kept a serious tone. "InuYasha has been out for some time. Stalking shadows, I'm sure. We ought to find him before he upsets the forest locals. We don't want to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves."

Kagome cringed. "You mean any more than we already have."

"Indeed," the monk said.

A dreary silence fell over them; Kagome ached for him even now, seeing the pain in his eyes when, despite his lingering troubles, it had seemed barely a bother in the past. She reached out and lay a hand on his shoulder. "Miroku…"

"I don't need your sympathy," he said quickly, turning to her. Kagome pulled her hand back suddenly, her eyes widening. It was now his turn to rest his good hand on her shoulder. "I am not helpless, Kagome. We will continue to fight Naraku together, as we've always done. We will continue to collect the jewel shards. Together."

"All of us," a voice echoed as Sango appeared, dressed in her kimono, though Kagome was pretty sure she had her demon-slayer uniform on beneath it. A transformed Kirara, the size of a horse, followed in her wake; Shippo rested on the fire-cat's head with Kagome's handkerchief in tow. They all looked set for the day's journey, each a little more grim then they had been the previous day, before they knew about the demon tiger that stalked InuYasha.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," the monk said quietly.

They ate a light meal of fish and rice by firelight before they decided they had rested long enough. After gathering their things, Shippo helped Kagome to put out the fire, and they were set to be on their way. Once they were on the path again, the five of them made good time, with Miroku and Sango riding atop Kirara and Shippo huddled in the basket of Kagome's bike as she pedaled after the fire-cat. They were quiet, listening for signs of their half-demon friend. Typically, when InuYasha raised a ruckus, he wasn't difficult to locate. Especially for Kirara, who was himself a demon, so Kagome let him lead the way.

I wonder what's going on with InuYasha? Kagome wondered as her bike slid effortlessly down a dirt trail. It was a remarkably smooth ride considering, though no ride was really all that smooth here in the feudal era. She longed for paved roads, but then again, she really kinda liked it this way. She was the only one from her era to see Japan before cities had swarmed the land.

Kirara, Sango, and Miroku, had already built up a considerable lead on her, likely so they could reflect on the journey, especially away from little Shippo. The poor fox demon rested as best he could, occasionally blasting unwanted phlegm into Kagome's handkerchief. Guess I'm gonna hafta ditch that one, she thought. Too bad. I really liked the design, too. The little fox demon kept mumbling under his breath, and even though she couldn't quite make out what it was he was saying, Kagome knew better than to ask how he was doing. She sighed and continued to pedal down the long, narrow path.

Kagome couldn't shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong. It had been bothering her since the previous evening, seeing the apparent distraction in the eyes of her friends, knowing of the powerful demon tiger that threatened them and the odd weight of ruin that clung to the air of the Hollow Wood and rested squarely on her shoulders. The origin of the danger was unclear, but there could be no doubt that it was there. That thought alone scared the hell out of her.

It was an undeniably beautiful morning. The air was crisp and pure, quite refreshing against Kagome's delicate throat. Despite her worries, she was comfortable knowing she was among friends who truly cared for her well-being. Kagome tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and sighed. She shared their care and devotion, both for each other and for their quest. Even though he refused to admit it, she believed InuYasha felt the same way.

Things were going in the wrong direction fast. Sango no longer had her Hiraikotsu, and Miroku… Kagome sighed again.

"Kagome? Are you okay?"

"Huh?" she looked down to Shippo and forced a little smile. "Oh, I'm fine. Things just aren't exactly going as we planned."

"And you're worried."

"Sure, who wouldn't be?"

Shippo swallowed and looked back after the trio ahead of them. Then he heaved a heavy sigh of his own. "Kagome?"

"Yes, Shippo?"

"Don't tell the others, but I'm worried too."

Kagome smiled and mussed the kit's hair. The fox demon always found a way to make her feel better about any given situation. "Don't worry, Shippo. You're secret's safe with me."

There it was again, the foul stench of a dark and treacherous evil, lingering and mixing with that of a another darkness. InuYasha had already memorized the foul smell of the demon tiger, but the accompanying stench was something that was by far more familiar. Hatred surged through his veins. Naraku. It seemed the bastard had decided to join his ominous patsy. Flexing his claws, InuYasha darted through the treetops on the way to meet his destiny.

Kagura snapped open her fan peered over the razor-thin edges to the tiger demon below. A mischievous smile played on her pale lips as the mighty beast prepared for battle. This was a creature bred for battle, she mused, both brutal and distinctly efficient in the art of war, and he certainly looked the part. In human form, he was about as massive a monstrosity as she had ever laid eyes upon. In his true form…words could not do him justice.

She slid her crimson gaze to Kanna and peered into her mirror.

Naraku, guised in his baboon mask and cloak, watched from the comforts of his new den.

In that instant, the tiger demon drew his battle-ax, howling out into the darkness of the forest, and darted forward. Kagura could see InuYasha in his path, standing and waiting, his powerful sword drawn and poised for battle. Naraku chuckled darkly, and murmured a simple command to her from within the mirror: "See to it InuYasha does not leave this place alive."

Kagura drew a slow breath. She turned her eyes back toward Auron and nodded slowly. "It shall be done." She held out her arm and lifted her fan up, drawing the winds away from the two battle-crazed warriors.

And with that motion, InuYasha's most formidable weapon was nullified.