Author's Notes: Okay first of all for those who reviewed thanks they make me smile which is rare for me, and for those who didn't here's your chance, review this time. Okay so this chapter's riddled with clues to the future plot if you read carefully see if you can figure it out before the inu gang. Alright so here's chapter 4.

Disclaimer: Oops almost forgot…again-chuckles-I'm such a scatter brain, oh well we all know that I don't know Inuyasha, or my own computer for that matter, I'm workin' on it. Now on to the story!

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When Good Mikos Go Bad

Chapter 4 False Leads

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'Just hang on a little longer Kagome.' Inuyasha sent out the thought repeatedly, as if by some chance the fallen miko could hear him.

It didn't take long for the hanyou to sniff out the exact spot Kagome fell from and soon they were all atop Kiara on a steep decline to the base of the cliff.

"Definitely the right place, judging by all the demon remains." Sango commented dryly, kicking a severed head away from them as she dismounted Kiara.

"Yes, Sango, I'm sensing strong traces of spiritual energy." Miroku agreed, hopping down from Kiara as well.

"Did Kagome do all this?" Shippou spoke up, not moving from his mount on the demon cat, he seemed to have run out of tears, but still spoke with the deep sadness lacing through his voice.

"Impossible to tell, though I doubt it could have been anyone else. Can you pick up her scent around here Shippou?" All the monk received as reply was a shake of the kitsune's head. "How about you Inuyasha?" He looked around for the inu hanyou but saw no signs of his whereabouts. "Inuyasha?" The monk called again.

"Miroku-sama over here." called Sango who had wondered off following the trail of slain youkai. Where the carcasses were thickest was Inuyasha, nose to the ground, sniffing furiously at a pool of blood.

"I-is tha-that…?" Sango couldn't finish her question as it was all too apparent what she wanted to know. Since Inuyasha hadn't answered Shippou finally hopped off Kiara and took a whiff of the red substance, turning to Sango he tried nodding but the return of tears welling in the kit's eyes was all the answer needed.

Being the only one able to keep his emotions under check enough Miroku had the sense to ask, "If this is her blood…then where is Lady Kagome's body?" Everyone looked at him strangely even Kiara, but Inuyasha's gaze scared him most, it looked almost hopeful. A wave of sympathy and pity for his friend couldn't stop the undeniable logic from voicing itself. "No one could have survived the blood loss, yet alone that fall." He let it sink in but when the hanyou opened his mouth to argue, the monk anticipated his words adding, "There are no blood trails leading away, she couldn't have simply gotten up and walked away."

"She's a miko, she could've put up a barrier." Inuyasha barked, before Miroku could burst that bubble of hope too.

"Inuyasha…" the monk shock his head pityingly, "have you ever once seen Kagome raise a barrier?" Inuyasha had no answer, at least not one that he was going to voice after all he had a point.

"There's still a chance," he muttered feebly.

Silence reigned for a few long, agonizing minutes; Shipou was the one who broke it, voicing the question that everyone was thinking, "But…if she's not here…wh…where is she?" No one answered, still busy pondering their own thoughts, Sango and Miroku wondering how the body could have been removed without a trace to follow, and why. While Inuyasha held on firmly to the chance that she had left under her own power, despite the lethal amount of blood mocking him from its place on the ground, Shippou simply waiting for someone to tell him what had happened to his mother figure.

Miroku, ever the voice of reason spoke up, "Assuming that this is Lady Kagome's blood and she was taken somehow, then who do we know that would benefit from abducting her body and for what purpose?"

"How the hell should we know?" Inuyasha wasn't in the mood for the detective work right then, "the only damn smells around here are Kagome and those stinking youkai she killed." He continued not seeing the importance of his own words.

Monk and slayer exchanged a significant glance, something that the kitsune beside them easily picked up on, "You don't think those demons were after Kagome do you?" unfortunately not even Shippou could really say it was a total surprise, it wouldn't be the first time, only this time it had worked.

"It would explain why they left right after she fell." Sango admitted reasonably.

"And by the looks of things here," Miroku added, surveying the wreckage of the demon army surrounding the blood stain, "Lady Kagome went down fighting, quite literally." Ashes of purified youkai were indeed present within the carcasses of the dead demons, along with a very familiar bow and the splinters of its quiver.

Inuyasha actually smiled slightly at the last part, 'she better of fought,' was all he could think. "So Naraku had his new incarnation come after Kagome, that ain't exactly anything new, he's always trying to take her jewel shards."

The mink nodded sadly. "Yes, however, the difference is this time he has succeeded, and has most likely taken her body," Inuyasha flinched at the word 'body' but made no comment, too busy trying to sort through his own thoughts. "the question is 'why' what could Naraku possibly gain from taking Lady Kagome's body?" the monk continued.

"Well, if we know one thing about Naraku is that he likes to play with us. He's probably planning on using her against have her fight us," venom filled Sango's voice, her knuckles turning white as suppressed rage fought its way to the surface, "like he did with Kohaku." She hissed softly pain for the thought of losing her adoptive sister to the sane cruel plot she had lost her brother to be cut afresh with the possibility of it. Shippou jumped up onto the slayer's shoulder patting her check in understanding sympathy. The women's angry shaking faded and she smiled brightly at the kitsune perched on her shoulder.

"If Lady Kagome were to be reanimated in the same manner as Kohaku that would indeed present a problem." Miroku mused over the possibility of such a complication. "No good can come from Naraku gaining control of spiritual energy as strong as Lady Kagome's," he paused wary of Inuyasha's reaction to his next statement mentally declaring it safe enough he voiced his last thought, "we also don't need another Kikyo wondering around." Other than the twitch of his dog ears Inuyasha didn't react, Miroku released a breath thankful to have avoided an explosive outcome.

The inu hanyou had actually barely heard the monk's ramblings, he wasn't sure about Naraku's motives, nut he had come to know the vile cretin pretty well, their solutions had holes in them and one thing Naraku didn't leave were holes. What are we missing? Naraku's never this direct, there's gotta be someone else, something we're missing.

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Author's notes: And there you have it chapter four it was a little longer than the norm, and I promise as the plot develops the chapters will get longer. And if you can decode the clues in this chapter and the next you'll know what happened to Kagome. New characters will be introduced so if you don't recognize them that's why. Next chapter: Suspicious Situation should be up by next week but I might update during the week if homework's light. Well I'm done for tonight, its 1:37 and I have to check my email before bed so bye (!