Yo. What's up? Anyway, I'm tired. Really tired. And I want to sleep. And I want food because I'm hungry. I wish Mom would make dinner. Anyway, I've been drawing a bit lately. I have a long way to go, but I'd say that I'm pretty good. Yeah...

To the chapter.

Save Me From Myself

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Hunt

I was afraid. The thought of fighting Naraku frightened me so badly. Who knew if all of us would survive, let alone any of us?

And then there was Kohaku. Where was he, and would he even survive?

So many questions that were left unanswered.

Though, I don't know if I wanted them answered.

- - -

InuYasha lead the group towards the forest and out of the village. They were all ready to go, but they had no idea where Naraku was. He was too far away for InuYasha to smell anything.

Kagome looked off into the distance, holding onto the Shikon Jewel tightly in her palm. Often weaker demons would pop out of the forest and Miroku would get rid of them with a sutra, or InuYasha would cut them with his claws.

Besides all of the demons attacking, it was a pretty normal trip.

Sango walked next to Kagome and Miroku and looked over to the miko.

Kagome was holding onto the jewel once more, like she was afraid that someone was going to steal it. Though, her thought was perfectly valid.

Looking at the Shikon Jewel made Sango think about her brother, Kohaku. Sango's eyes lowered towards the ground and she quietly sighed.

Hardly anyone noticed Sango's odd breathing patterns, though Miroku did. Sensing something was up, Kagome walked faster to catch up with InuYasha and Shippo in the front.

"Sango?" Miroku asked once Kagome was out of earshot.

Sango looked away and muttered, "It's nothing."

"What's bothering you?" asked the monk.

"I already said it's nothing, Houshi-sama," insisted Sango.

Miroku looked slyly at Sango and raised his eyebrows. "I know you better than that, Sango. What's going on?" Miroku asked.

Sango sighed and looked at the ground.

"I was just thinking about... Kohaku," Sango said, hugging her chest.

"Oh."

Miroku looked ahead of them, trying to think of something to say.

Before Miroku could say anything to Sango, she spoke, "Is he alright? If we find him, what will happen? We need to take the jewel out of his back, but if we do that, his life will be taken away." Tears welled up at the corner of Sango's eyes and they threatened to fall, but she blinked them away.

"I can't tell you the future, and if I could, I wouldn't want to. Though it's a horrible situation either way, we will figure that out when we get there," Miroku said, putting an arm on Sango's shoulder.

Sango hesitated, waiting for Miroku's arm to move down even a bit, but it seemed that he was being serious. After a few moments, Sango relaxed and leaned against him, which was a bit uncomfortable while they were walking.

"I've got it," InuYasha suddenly blurted out, interrupting Miroku and Sango's moment.

"Got what, InuYasha?" Shippo practically shouted, bouncing up on InuYasha's shoulder.

InuYasha turned his head to the left and said, "Naraku's scent. He can't hide it because he lost the power of the Shikon Jewel."

Kagome, glaring into the distance, said, "We should go."

Miroku, Sango, Kirara and Shippo, widened their eyes at Kagome's tone of voice. They all backed up quite a bit, fearing that Kagome's anger might be taken out on them.

InuYasha nodded and lead them towards Naraku's scent.

Now that the hanyou was weakened, they stood a chance, but he was still powerful.

Kagome gripped the Shikon Jewel even more tightly, relaxing the pain in her back. She could feel the youki from the jewel start to take over.

Don't get angry, Kagome, the miko told herself, trying to relax more.

- - -

The silence was deafening.

No one had talked for TWO HOURS. Shippo hadn't insulted InuYasha, InuYasha hadn't pounded Miroku, Miroku hadn't groped Sango, Sango hadn't gossiped with Kagome, and Kagome hadn't sat InuYasha.

No one spoke.

The forest was just as quiet. The farther they went from the path, the quieter it got. The only thing heard was the grass being crushed beneath their feet and a subtle breeze making the trees sing.

Everyone could feel the youki that got more powerful the farther they went, and InuYasha could smell Naraku.

That's what it all came down to. Naraku was here, not to far away.

Maybe he wasn't in a cave this time, though. That's what Kagome thought, at least, as she stepped on a twig, making the most noise that anyone had since they stepped off the path.

Kagome was getting sick of all these caves that Naraku used.

InuYasha pushed aside thick branches that went back and hit Miroku in the face.

"Thank you for holding those for me," Miroku said, breaking the silence and wiping a few leaves off of his face.

Kagome and Sango went past the branches as Miroku held back the tree from hitting anyone else.

"Naraku's scent is strongest here," InuYasha said.

"And he doesn't even notice me," Miroku muttered, glaring at the back of InuYasha's head.

Feeling someone look at him, InuYasha turned around and glared back. "Do you have a problem?" demanded the hanyou.

Miroku slapped his own forehead, making a red mark appear immediately.

Ignoring the bickering, Sango asked, "Where is he?"

They were in a clearing hardly big enough to call a small clearing. There was something strange though, and the bushes and trees across from where they entered looked a bit artificial.

Kagome walked over to the fake looking trees and held out a hand. They came in contact with thin air, which soon materialized into a huge cliff, and they were at the bottom of it.

In the middle of the wall, there was a hole.

"I suppose Naraku is having a tough time using any of his powers without the Jewel. Anyone could have found that pretty easily," Sango said.

Everyone turned to Kagome, who was standing at the cave entrance.

"Kagome?" InuYasha asked, walking towards the miko.

No one spoke for a moment and then Kagome turned her head towards them a bit.

"It's..."

The entire party leaned forward.

"IT'S A CAVE!"

The others almost fell over from her answer while Kagome continued to rant about how Naraku had absolutely no originality, whatsoever.

End Chapter