CHAPTER THREE

Inuyasha

"Heheheh, take that, stupid demon." Another day, another victory and another jewel shard added to the collection to complete the Shikon no Tama. I was proud of myself by the way I handled my Tetsusaiga. I could feel myself getting stronger with every battle.

"Ew, it stinks so bad!" Kagome complained with her nose covered, inching closer to the decapitated demon to retrieve the jewel shard.

"Stop foolin' around, Kagome! Get the hard and let's go!" I yelled in frustration. Humans could be so useless sometimes.

"Don't yell at me! How about you come get the shard since you're so immuned to the smell?" She yelled back at me.

"Fine!" I stomped passed her and Shippo over to the head of the demon, only to be stopped dead in my tracks, feeling a painfully burning sensation beneath my left foot. I looked down and saw smoke coming from underneath my foot. The green ooze from te inside of the demon was acid and it was burning my skin off.

I screamed out in pain, scaring everyone and falling backwards onto the ground, shaking my foot in the air. "Wh-what the hell! Get it off!" I panicked.

"We can't touch it!" Shippo said. "Uh, try dragging your foot across the ground!" He impulsively suggested.

I wasted no time in taking his advice. It hurt like hell to add more pain to what was already bad, but it worked. I threw myself onto the ground and panted heavily, trying to catch my breath. Kagome, Shippo and Miroku all crowded around me.

"Are you okay, Inuyasha?" Miroku questioned.

I refused to open my eyes once I shut them as if I would be able to see what my foot looked like if I did. "Is it bad?"

"Bad enough. Let's hurry back to Kaede's village so she can whip up some potion to help you." Kagome dug into her yellow bag for her First Aid kit and started wrapping my foot up.

I sat up and saw Sango sitting on a flying Kilala's back, poking at the shard with a stick. "Heads up!" She warned.

Shippo jumped in my view to catch the shard Sango flicked our way. "Got it. Here you go, Kagome."

"Thanks, Shippo. Alright, Inuyasha."

"He can ride back to the village on Kilala if your bike is too much trouble, Kagome." Sango suggested.

"That's fine. Let's just hurry before something else happens and this acid creeps up my leg or something." I limped to Kilala and hopped on behind Sango.

"Oh, calm down. That won't happen." Kagome waved me off and instructed Miroku on how to stand on the back of her bike thingie as Shippo hopped in the basket.

As we neared Kaede's village, I picked up the scent of demons nearby. My ears turned back and forth as my eyes scanned the area. I grabbed the sheath of my Tetsusaiga. Damn, if only I wasn't rushing into trying to get that jewel shard my foot would be okay.

"Is something wrong, Inuyasha?" Sango asked looking back at me over her large boomerang, Hiraikotsu.

Kilala wasn't on alert as I was but she was sniffing the air. I waited a moment before I answered Sango.

"It's nothing." I placed my hand back on her side, holding on as Kilala trotted the rest of the way back to Kaede's village.

We made it to the old woman's hut in no time. I carefully dismounted Kilala and pat the feline on her head in thanks. "Hey, old hag, I need a favor-" I pushed open the curtain to Kaede's hut and stopped in the doorway. "You've had cats in here?" I growled, ready to fight. The longer I stood there, the more scent picked up into my system. It was cat, dog, nature, sweetness and a hint of oranges. "And dogs? And why does it smell like dirt?"

"Hm, are ye not a dirty canine demon, Inuyasha? And is Sango's furry partner not a feline herself?" Kaede challenged me.

I huffed and put up a hand to silence her as I stepped inside and sniffed around on all fours.

"What happened to your foot, Inuyasha?" she asked me.

"He stepped into some flesh-eating acid after defeating a demon." Miroku entered the hut with Shippo on his shoulders, following Kagome and Sango. they all sat down and got comfortable. I blew air out of my nose, unsatisfied that I couldn't find the source of these mixed smells.

"We were hoping you had a potion that could help heal him faster." Kagome spoke for me as I took a seat beside her, glancing at the fresh arrows sitting in a corner near Kaede.

I crossed my arms into my shirt and propped my right foot up, knee-to-chest as Kaede unwrapped my left foot and observed it.

"What's the rush? Let it heal on its own time." Shippo crossed his arms and turned his nose up at me.

I punched him in his head and a large knot grew where I hit him. "The jewel shards are the rush, you idiot!"

"Hey!" Shippo cried. "Kagome!"

"Inuyasha, leave Shippo alone!" Kagome snapped at me like always.

"We've been at this for weeks. Can't we rest for a while? I'm beat." Shippo complained.

"I didn't want to say anything, but I could use some rest as well." Sango chimed in.

"And I need to go home and get more supplies. I only have one more pack of ramen. I should leave tonight."

With everyone talking about needing rest and being tired, I just felt like I should take this journey to Naraku alone like how I intended to before I met them all anyway. I hated to sit around when I had a mission to complete.

I growled by instinct from irritation. "You guys can do whatever you want but I'm going with or without you."

"It doesn't look that way." Kaede broke her silence.

"What are you babbling about?" I rose an eyebrow at her.

"I don't think there is anything I can do to speed up the healing. I can only provide ye with something to keep the pain down."

My eyes stretched and there was no doubt I had a sad expression on my face. "Huh?!"

Kaede finished cleaning my wound. "By the looks of it, ye will just be out of commission for a couple of days. It's already healing at a steady rate." She wrapped my foot with clean bandages and handed me a potion to drink.

I gulped it down. "Ah, it doesn't matter. If I have to, I'll still fight- foot wound or not." I made up my mind. "But I am the strongest so I guess I'll stay here and look after you all." I threw over my shoulder.

Standing, I headed out into the village, going nowhere in particular. I had been on my feet all day, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to rest for a while. I stuck my head inside Kaede's hut for a brief moment and asked Kagome if she would prepare the last pack of ramen for me before I jumped in a nearby tree to keep an eye on the area.

Minutes had passed and the mixed smell from earlier tickled my nose. I sat up on the thick tree branch with my legs dangling on both sides and looked around. My eyes landed on a girl with her hair in a ponytail wearing a white kimono.

My eyes narrowed and a low growl escaped my throat. The girl paused and looked around. There was no way on earth a human could hear the sound I just made. It was barely audible. But she heard it. The way she paused was like she stopped to check her surroundings. The strong cat smell was evident as well as the dog smell. I'm not sure what she was, but I was going to find out.

When I thought about getting down to get a closer look at her, she went inside Kaede's hut.

"Huh? What could she want with Kaede?"

My right ear turned outwards, following the sounds of trees falling to the ground in the distance. I forgot about the girl and leaped to the direction where the trees were falling, making sure to take it easy on my foot.

Ayame

"Kaede, I can't find Sakura anywhere." I sighed, walking into her hut. Talking with Kaede earlier about our reason for leaving must have had her thinking way too hard. She said she was going on a walk and was gone for two hours now. I started to worry about her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you had guests." I apologized. "I'm Ayame." I waved.

"Geez, you're really pretty." A little fox demon said, making me blush. "My name is Shippo and this is Kagome, Sango, Miroku and Kilala." He did the honor of introducing everyone.

My eyes gazed over the group and landed on the kitten with two tails that Shippo pointed out to be Kilala. My eyes burned with threatening tears that I did my best to hold back. I recognized her instantly. Saber tooth's similar to her were one of the main bloodlines in my family. When Naraku killed my parents he killed a lot of my aunts, uncles and cousins in the process, trying to get to them. It's been a long time since I've had contact with any of my family. As far as I know, Sakura was the only family I had left.

I forced a smile. "Thank you, Shippo. You're pretty cute, too." Kilala walked up to me and sniffed, circling me in the process. Without warning, she jumped into my arms and showered me with kisses. I couldn't help but laugh and feel welcome by her. "She's so adorable."

"Hm. She usually doesn't warm up to people so quickly." Sango smiled.

"Guess this is a good thing then, huh?" I scratched Kilala behind her ears and listened deeply at her purring. It soothed me. Put me in a happy place. It reminded me of my mother.

She jumped out of my arms just as the monk named Miroku approached and took hold of my hands, staring deeply into my eyes. "Your beauty is impeccable. Please, would you do me the honor of bearing my children?"

My face dropped and I instinctively forced my hand to his face and sent him falling to the ground. "You don't even know me, you jerk! No, thank you!"

"Miroku!" Sango's voice elevated into a threatening tone followed by a smack. She placed her hand imprint on the opposite side of his face from where mine was.

"Forgive me, I just can't help myself." He whimpered with a smile.

I shook my head. He was so straight forward. Judging by Sango's instant anger I'd be crazy to think she didn't like him in some kind of way.

"I wouldn't worry too much about your sister, Ayame. She does seem to think she can take care of herself."

I laughed at Kaede's statement and took a seat beside her.

"Sounds like a certain someone I know." Kagome mumbled. "Shippo, could you please let Inuyasha know his ramen are ready?" She requested, digging a pair of chopsticks out of her yellow bag.

The smell of the noodles reminded me of Sakura. She loves those things. Maybe I'll make her her ultimate favorite dish tonight- seafood medley Lo Mein.

"Inuyasha?" I questioned. "Would he happen to be resting in the tree hovering this hut?" I knew I smelled the scent of a dog around when I was walking back. His growl made it even more obvious of his presence.

"Yep, that's him. My handful of a best friend." She rolled her eyes with a smile. "So, Ayame, how do you know Kaede? If you don't mind me asking."

"She was close friends with my parents. She took my sister Sakura and I in for a while after they were killed."

Kagome's face grew sad. "I'm so sorry to hear that." She placed a hand to her chest, unsure of what to say next.

I smiled at her. "Yeah, it's okay. You don't have to be sorry. The one who did this will pay." I said with confidence. "We stopped by to visit Kaede for a few days before we continued on with our journey."

Before Kagome could ask another question, Shippo came back into the hut. "Kagome, Inuyasha isn't around anywhere." He informed.

Kagome frowned with a groan. "Why would he leave when he's the one who asked me to make- wait…" She stopped.

"What's the matter, child?" Kaede was aware of Kagome's alertness.

"There's a jewel shard nearby."

"Not again," Sango sighed. She reluctantly stood and strapped a large boomerang onto her back and slid a sword into her waist tie.

I wanted to know more about her- all of them actually, but I knew now wasn't the time, seeing as how they had business to attend to.

"That must be where he ran off to. He probably smelled trouble." Miroku stood and grabbed his Shorinji Kempo.

Just by their weapons and outfits, I knew so far that Sango was a demon slayer and Miroku was a monk. Kagome was dressed in a school uniform so there was no doubt she was from the present. Her comment about the famous jewel shard instantly revealed to me her spiritual priestess powers. They were a very interesting group to get to know.

"We'll be back shortly, Kaede." Kagome snapped a plastic top onto the bowl of ramen and put them in her backpack. She grabbed what I knew were her own bow and arrows and rushed out of the hut.

Before I could say anything to Kaede about our talk from earlier, my wrist pulsed. I pulled up the sleeve of my kimono and my okurimono mark was visible. I was still in my human form, though. That could only mean one thing.

"Sakura."