Okay, we all know what I'm gonna say:
I do not own InuYasha! Or anybody else, for that matter…

The Lost Years of Kaede

Recap: 'If I don't come, I'll be killed. And I must not be killed; I must train Sayuri.'

Naraku's Castle

Sakura was pacing around the rather luxurious cage she had been locked into. Contemplations on what had transpired were racing through her head. 'Naraku killed the snake demon for a reason. A disappointment? Ka—Sayuri said the demons were after the Shikon no Tama. He's openly told me he plans on using me, but he could use any other of his stronger, demonic minions, so he probably wants my soul. The soul is the basis of the miko's powers.

'He also must want my body for something. Does he plan on turning me into a demon? If so, then why?' Pacing wasn't cutting it for her anymore. The woman felt her way around for the soft surface she knew was nearby. 'How do I hold onto my life? Is there any way to escape?' These were Sakura's thoughts as she lay in Naraku's bed. It was plush, and weird. It was raised high off of the ground, and had an unfamiliar fabric for sheets. The room was ill lit, so Sakura had to force herself to stay in a confined area as she paced in order to not lose herself in the gloom and size of the makeshift cell.

Naraku had commanded her to stay inside until he came back for her. Of course, she had to comply. He had almost absentmindedly mentioned the fact that the room was guarded at all exits by ravenous demons who were under strict instructions to devour any life forms that left the room before his return. There were no windows to speak of in the room; this she had already stumbled around in search of. She was literally trapped and under the mercy of a foul, terrifying beast's whims, and kept safe only by her guards' fear of that beast.

Demons weren't notorious for remaining fearful for very long.

She decided to take a chance anyways. The room didn't have everything she needed for survival, in any case. "Hello? Anyone close?" she cried out. "I'm hungry…" she finished quite lamely. Not receiving an answer, she returned to the walls of her mind in order to keep her thoughts off of the oppressing weight of the semi-darkness.

'I think he wants to suck up my soul into his body to be used at a later time. This is the only option that makes sense; otherwise there'd be no point in keeping me alive. I have no other connection to the jewel but my pupil. He must want to use me against her somehow by perverting my form and heart, and ordering me to attack her. I must tell Sayuri this, so she will not be shocked if she finds herself battling me in the name of Naraku. Even if I can no longer be her teacher, I can still give her knowledge.'

At this Sakura grinned, knowing that this would be the thing that would give her power over Naraku. Anything she could use as a weapon would be greatly appreciated. If she instilled in herself enough hate of Naraku now, every part of her, no matter how convoluted, would always hate him. 'Naraku will be surprised. If he finds and decides to make a move on the Sacred jewel, he will use my soul. But even if I don't remember who I am, I will be a traitorous minion.'

She would never know that she would never be twisted into a demon; she would instead become one of the first incarnations that Naraku made. The part of that demon that was her soul would be the part that kept fighting Naraku; wanting nothing but her own freedom despite not having a heart. Sakura would be the one known as the wind-witch, Kagura.

With Naraku

Naraku was determined to find Kaede. Such a task was obviously not fit for any of the idiots currently serving him. He needed the Shikon jewel at any cost, and that meant finding the girl he had gone to such pains to track down. His desire for the Shikon was simple: he wanted to find a beautiful mate, preferably the one who lay in his bed as he traveled. Perhaps another woman would finally quell the heart of the foolish human who had created him with his own body.

Of course, a human could never become his mate, no matter how beautiful. Humans were weak, as he knew all too well. Her eyesight was already fading, and she was barely into her second decade!

His thoughts thus turned on his prisoner; he began to think about her in earnest. Remembering Onigumo's limitations as a human, Naraku expected she would be getting hungry about now. He dispatched one of the minor demons he kept with him for that purpose with a message to his castle telling his servants, for lack of a better term, to feed his young pet. They were under strict instructions to give her not the most elegant cuisine, but not typical prisoner fare either. These "strict instructions" were buried under orders once again forbidding the miko's death under pain of excruciating disembowelment. That should keep even the feistier of his followers in check until he returned to claim his attractive prize.

Naraku found the wooded area his spies had told him should hold Kikyo's sister's paralyzed body. He commanded the youkai transporting him to carry him down. A quick look around told him that the girl wasn't there.

"Hmmm… It seems that Kaede has moved. But who moved her, I do not know. She couldn't move on her own; there must have been far too much poison in her bloodstream," he said aloud to himself, forgetting that his thoughts could be overheard now that he was out of his territory.

Naraku's eyes, however, found the scorch marks left by Sakura's failed attempt to purify the demon that had eventually kidnapped her. Inhaling deeply, he found a smell that was neither demon nor the woman waiting for him in his room. His human conscience put a name to it; Kikyo. The scent was hers, but not hers. It was undoubtedly Kaede's.

He followed her scent's trail to a village not unlike the one Kikyo had been sworn to protect. The girl's scent lingered around a certain building in particular; obviously the "small" delays that had prevented Naraku from coming earlier had allowed the girl to heal almost completely from her wounds. She was awake, and talking to a man.

Unabashedly, Naraku listened in on the conversation in the hut, but he was too late to hear most of it. The portion he overheard was dull and uninteresting, and did nothing to further educate him about his mark.

From his post in the trees, however, he did manage to spot what appeared to be a group of makeshift messengers approach the humble abode. The leader of the messengers seemed to hesitate at the dwelling's entryway, but eventually gathered up his courage. Naraku watched as the man knocked on the hut's makeshift door, and listened to him as he began to speak.

Sorry that this is a bit lame. I didn't want to anybody to think that I forgot about Naraku and Sakura. Reviews are welcome, wanted, and replied to most enthusiastically!