Chapter 5: Kitsune cover-up
~Inuyasha's forest, night of the new moon~
Shippo has been sensing something nearby all day, as has Kilala. Neither of them is able to pinpoint what it is, because as soon as they get a lock on its location, it moves, telling them it might be a demon. The fact that Sango and Miroku aren't sensing it, though, gives them reason to doubt this. At sunset, however, the whole group sees something that seems to glow near their campsite, giving Inuyasha reason to be nervous because it's the night of the new moon. Shippo actually volunteers to check it out.
The glow in the forest is Rose's own campsite. She sits by her fire carving runes into the shafts of her arrows when she senses the young kitsune in the bushes near her. She smiles a little to herself as she says out loud, "You can come on out, Shippo. I'm just enhancing my arrows."
Shippo comes out slowly, saying, "How do you know my name?"
"You and the others are famous even in the Eastern lands. I hear you guys are currently fighting apparitions known as the Band of Seven. Is that right?"
"Yeah. How'd you know?"
She tugs a bit on the collar around her neck, "I've had a run-in with the leader."
"You're the werewolf that Koga mentioned?"
"He mentioned me? He rescued me from Bankotsu about half a month ago. I've been taking refuge in my cousin's castle for the last few days until I could regain a bit of confidence."
"Why leave the Eastern lands if Bankotsu is after you?"
"He has my stuff. And Nadeshiko is my friend. We met about a year ago at Cousana's castle. Plus, he's the only one who can take this damn collar off of me unless he's killed."
"Well, Inuyasha wants to kill him. You wanna come back to our campsite with me?"
"Actually, Shippo, I'd rather you not tell them who I am. Just say I'm a human who's traveling or something, okay?"
"No problem…."
"Rose."
"Okay, Rose."
Shippo heads back to the others and tells them the lie Rose asked him to. Inuyasha doesn't buy it, though, going over to Rose's camp himself, only to find it empty but for four arrows and a note that says: For Kagome.