Chapter 2

"InuYasha went after Kagome?" Sango asked, blinking down at Shippo.

The kitsune nodded with his arms crossed over his chest. He watched as Sango drunk some water from the village well.

"He left as soon as Kaede finished treating his scratches. That was awhile ago so he might've ended up going with Kagome to her era," Shippo explained.

"I see," she sighed. "At least Naraku's gone, and we can breathe a little easier."

"Exactly! If Kagome has to go back home, I say let her," Shippo nodded to himself at his own suggestion. "I just wish InuYasha didn't have to act like such a baka."

"Hmm… I think he had every right to be mad after Koga kissed Kagome like that," the demon exterminator mused, getting another drink of water.

"Maybe…" Shippo sighed.

Feminine giggling brought the two's attention to the absence of Miroku. They didn't have to look far to see the monk laughing it up with a young maiden from the village. The young girl seemed to be in her seventeenth year, had long black hair, and unblemished, creamy skin. It was obvious to see that she had just come back from the rice fields by seeing the woven basket of rice plants strapped to her back. Standing before the girl was Miroku holding her extended hand as if reading it.

"Oh, sir monk, please! You're making me blush!" the young girl exclaimed, giggling.

"No, I'm sure of it! Healthy children are definitely in your future, and their father, a good man of the cloth- Gah!" Miroku grunted with a huge knot on his head as a result of Sango hitting him with her boomerang bone.

"You should move along now," Sango told the confused girl in an even tone.

"Huh? Uh…." Without another word, the village girl left them alone, looking over her shoulder at them.

"Ow! Sango, what did I do!?" Miroku asked, rubbing his head.

"The same thing you always do to get some sense knocked into your head, for being such a lecherous pervert!" Sango snapped angrily at the Buddhist monk. "When are you ever going to learn your lesson and stop!?"

Miroku sighed longingly and stood up from where he had been knocked down. "Ah, my dear Sango, how can I make you understand the need for a child of mine to be born?"

Sango grimaced. "Are you really serious? Your wind tunnel is gone, Miroku! Where is the desperate need for a child!?"

Miroku smiled, and Sango gasped when he took her hand and rubbed it on his cheek. "Oh, Sango, can't you see? You're the only one my heart belongs to. It's just that old habits die hard so please have patience with me."

Sango growled dangerously, jerked her hand free, and slapped the monk as hard as she humanly could. The slap echoed throughout the village, causing all of the villagers to stop what they were doing to stare at them. Miroku was shocked at the ferocity of Sango's anger and stared at her in disbelief.

"Sango…"

"I've run out of patience with you, you miserable lech!" the demon exterminator yelled. In anger, she spread out her arm to gesture towards the entire village. "I don't deserve to be humiliated in front of village after village by your womanizing antics with every walking female within sight! Do you hear me, monk!? I don't deserve it!"

With that said, she turned to walk away.

"Sango, wait!" Miroku called after her.

"Sango!" Shippo ran after the demon slayer. "Where are going, Sango!? Don't leave!!"

"I have no choice!" Sango declared, still walking. "You don't need me around anymore! Send my regards to InuYasha and Kagome. I wish you all luck with finding the rest of the shards. Kirara!"

The two-tailed cat didn't transform but mewed and ran after her mistress as Sango walked away from the village. The urge to look back was strong within Sango, but she resisted the urge and kept walking.

'I will not give Miroku the satisfaction of looking back. I am strong. I'm a warrior. I don't need anyone in my life!' With that in mind, she continued to walk through the field and into the Forest of InuYasha.