Chapter 15: The Journey Continues (Transition Chapter)
The gang was finally on there way now running to make up for lost time. Kamiko, Keiko, and Kiramita were taking up the front. Inuyasha, now having caught up to them, and Kagome on his back were in the middle. Sango, Miroku and Shippou were riding Kirara taking up the rear. The journey to the north was long as Keiko had pointed out. Soon they had slowed to a walk and the dark of night was threatening to fall upon them. Keiko soon turned and looked back at the group. Everyone was exhausted from the long days walk. They only stopped for lunch and dinner was fast approaching.
"We'll make camp here for the night. We need time to make camp and eat before night befalls us," Keiko said.
Kiramita found a good spot surrounded by trees with an opening in the canopy ideal for a fire. She gathered a few sticks and logs and touched it and it was a flame. Kamiko and Keiko ran to find some good little critters for dinner. Kagome rolled out her sleeping bag at the base of a big tree next to the fire and Inuyasha took his perch right above her on the lowest branch. Shippou and Kirara walked around and looked at the scenery. Miroku was busy surveying the area for demonic auras. Sango came back from her walk as Keiko and Kamiko walked up with some rabbits and assorted berries. Sango smiled as she walked over to Kagome.
"Hey, there's a hot spring not to far from here," Sango informed Kagome.
"That's great, Sango. We'll go right after dinner," Kagome said. Sango looked over and glared at a particular eavesdropping monk.
"You can plan on staying put monk," Sango stated firmly.
"Why, whatever do you mean? I'm only listening for your safety Sango," Miroku stated putting on his fake innocent face. Sango sighed.
"That's fine, we all can go after dinner," Kiramita said. Miroku looked hopeful. "Or should I say us girls," Kiramita restated. Miroku frowned.
"That's right Miroku, keep wishing, it won't ever happen," Kamiko said from behind him, making him jump a foot high. Everyone laughed.
"Ok, girl your just scary sometimes," Miroku said to Kamiko and she just laughed harder.
"Don't you know I try," Kamiko said.
As dinner was cooking, Inuyasha, Miroku and Shippou went to the hot spring to get their bath in before the girls took it over afterwards.
"Man I just don't get women, why can't they just go along with it," Miroku stated sourly.
"Because they're women," Inuyasha stated. "No one can understand them, not even their own kind. It gets even more difficult when they are demons," Inuyasha said then sighed.
"Do you mean that Kamiko girl?" Miroku asked.
"Yeah, I thought she was like in love with me then she beat me over the head with her ice staff telling me that I don't love her and that I love Kagome," Inuyasha said.
"But how was she in bed?" Miroku asked.
"Well, let's just say she was amaz- WAIT! I am not having that conversation with you!" Inuyasha growled and jumped out of the water grabbing his clothes and walking off.
"That's alright I can read between the lines. She was amazing," Miroku laughed following in suit.
"Shut it monk!" Inuyasha yelled. Miroku just smiled as he dressed.
Inuyasha and Miroku soon joined the girls just as dinner was finishing cooking.
"Just in time boys," Kiramita stated as she took the meat off the fire with her sword. It was a pretty silent meal with small talk about the fourth element.
"So what is the temperament of a black panther demon?" Kagome asked.
"Well, with my experience with them, they can be stubborn, bad tempered creatures. But that's really no different than, say, Inuyasha and Kamiko here," Keiko said gesturing toward Kamiko and Inuyasha. Kamiko stayed silent.
"Hey!" Inuyasha said.
"What's wrong Inuyasha? What she says is true about you," Miroku said with a smile.
"Feh, whatever," Inuyasha said.
"So, if they travel in large packs, how will we know which panther is the element?" Kagome asked.
"It's just a sense. We'll know him by his scent," Kiramita said.
"I see," Kagome said. Kagome looked over towards Kamiko who had stayed silent the whole dinner, even about the comment about her and Inuyasha. Kagome got an idea.
"Well, shall us girls head to the hot springs before it gets too late?" Kagome suggested. All the girls nodded in agreement.
"Shippou, I want you to stay here to guard Miroku and make sure he doesn't follow us, or Inuyasha, for that matter," Kagome said.
"I'll do my best," Shippou said. The girls walked off towards the hot springs. Keiko, Kiramita, and Kagome quickly stepped into the hot spring, sighing in relief as the hot water quickly soothed sore muscles. Kamiko took off her clothes and the other girls stared. A huge scar covered Kamiko's body still from her battle with Ratorah. Kagome knew of the battle, having found the half demon covered in her own blood from the battle.
"That is one nasty scar," Kiramita said bluntly.
"Kiramita!" Keiko yelled.
"What, we're all thinking it," Kiramita said.
"Well, you don't have to be so rude and blunt about it," Keiko said.
"Its okay, Keiko," Kamiko said.
"Well, how did you get it, is what I'm wondering. If you don't mind me asking?" Keiko asked.
"It's from a battle with a powerful bat demon named, Ratorah. He slaughtered my entire family before my very eyes before he came after me. He killed my sister, Katori, my mother Kairin, my father Hanasomo, and my closest family member, my baby sister Rana. This streak in my hair is from when Ratorah sliced my baby sister's neck right in front of me," Kamiko said with shadows lurking in her eyes.
"Wow, what was he after? I mean, with that kind of slaughter, he must have been looking for something that you had, right?" Kiramita said.
"Yes, he was looking for the jewel shard my father had given to me," Kamiko answered.
"Did he get it?" Keiko asked softly.
"No, when he killed Rana, something…happened. I'm not sure what exactly, but power seemed to surge in my body and I not only killed him, but destroyed him. There wasn't even a trace left of him after I was through with him," Kamiko said.
"I think I know what happened," Kagome said.
"What?" Kamiko asked.
"Your demon side must have awakened and you became a full fledged demon when he killed your sister. I've seen it happen to Inuyasha before, and when he did, he didn't even recognize who his own friends were. He even almost killed us before when he changed. And since you're a half dog demon like him, I be that's what happened," Kagome explained.
"I see, it makes sense," Kamiko said.
"That must have been horrible. I can't imagine having my family or pack murdered in front of me like that," Keiko said.
"Well, that was my pack. We didn't live as part of a huge pack like you do Keiko," Kamiko said.
"If you don't mind, may I ask why? I'm so used to a pack that I find other forms of packs, strange," Keiko said.
"Well, my father was part of a huge dog demon pack, but when he mated with my mom, who is also a half dog demon like me, my father was ostracized along with my whole family from the pack. They had a goal of keeping everyone in the pack pure, no half demons," Kamiko said. "See, my father was a full fledged dog demon, my mother was a half dog demon, I'm a half demon, my younger sister Katori ended up being a full demon, and my baby sister Rana was also a half demon as well," Kamiko explained.
"It makes sense," said Sango.
"Well, we've been here for a while and I bet a certain monk is losing his patience and we may end up with a visitor soon if we don't head back," Kamiko said.
"I agree," said Sango. They walked back to the camp just in time to see Miroku heading the direction to the hot springs.
"Where were you going, monk?" Kamiko said. Miroku started to sweat.
"Um…I need to…relieve myself," he said scampering off into the bushes. All the girls were still laughing as they entered the camp.
"What's so funny?" Inuyasha asked.
"Nothing," Sango said smiling to herself as she sat down by Kirara.
"Well, I guess we better hit the sack, we still have a long way to go tomorrow," Keiko said.
"Yeah, I agree," Kagome said as she snuggled in her sleeping bag with Shippou. Inuyasha jumped on his branch directly above her. Keiko leaned against a tree with Kiramita leaning against the tree next to her. Kamiko found a tree directly across from Kagome and Inuyasha and perched on a branch. Miroku found his way back and sat in front of a tree next to Sango and Kirara. They all drifted off to sleep before long.