Inuyasha pored over the maps again, trying not to wrinkle his nose. He had to go into Naraku's office in order to access his maps, and that wasn't pleasant. The whole room reeked of him. Those that could still fight and the wounded took up residence in the abandoned mansion once it was clear its master wouldn't leave Kagome long enough to come back to it. The deluge of people, demons, and activity was starting to coat and permeate the rest of the mansion, flushing out Naraku's stink slowly. But here it was still potent and disgusting. Like being choked with corpses. Still, Inuyasha ignored it and pressed on.

They had found deeds for several other mansions owned by Naraku. He could be holding Kagome in any one of them. He knew from his communication with Kagome that they hadn't moved. That could mean that Naraku didn't anticipate their pursuit, which was good. But it could also mean that Naraku was so confident in their inability to find him that he didn't see the need to move, and that was potentially bad.

"Inuyasha," Kouga interrupted, unceremoniously opening the door. Inuyasha looked up. "Kagome says there's another food pantry in the basement. It's where he keeps the good food. Tell Sango so she can feed the injured."

"Do it yourself," Inuyasha growled.

"I'm training my pack. It's important. You, on the other hand, are wasting your time. You're not going to see anything new on those maps, so do something worthwhile." Not waiting for a response, Kouga shut the door again and sprinted away, presumably back to his new army.

Inuyasha allowed himself to snarl pettily, knowing the wolf wouldn't hear it. Kouga was right, of course. There was nothing in these maps he hadn't already seen. But that wasn't why he was snarling. It still annoyed him that Kouga and Kagome had a mind link as well. Apparently her magical essence had activated it with each of her life slaves. She had a mind link with Shippo, too, but he didn't find that quite so annoying. For about a day, he and Kagome had had a special, intimate connection that no one else shared. He loved the feel of her thoughts in his mind. It made him feel somehow chosen, unique. The way he had felt when she first brought him out of the warehouse. But then Kouga started to try it and now he wasn't the only one Kagome shared things with. It shouldn't bother him, but it did.

Childishly, he shoved the maps away from him and stomped down the stairs to tell Sango Kouga's message. She and Miroku had been tending the wounded without rest since the battle had ended days ago. They'd even managed to bring a couple people back that Inuyasha himself would have left for dead. It was wonderful, but the effort was clearly wearing them down.

"Kagome says there's another food pantry in the basement," he relayed tersely.

"Thank Kami," Sango replied between changing bandages. Her eyes had deep purple bags under them and her arms were covered in human and demon filth. Pus, blood, vomit. Sleep clearly wasn't the only thing she was giving up to heal. "Miroku, could you?" she asked without looking up. He nodded and disappeared. She didn't see either action but continued her work as if she had. He was about to turn away when she spoke again. "It must be nice."

"What must?"

"To talk to her. I wish I could. I wish she were here most of all because she's much better at this kind of thing than I am, but if I can't get that I wish I could at least hear her voice. I miss her."

Inuyasha was about to reply that he missed her, too, despite his access, but Kagome spoke in his mind before he could.

Well, "spoke" was being generous. It was more of a wordless cry. Sometimes when Naraku tortured her she called out to him. He guessed she did it unintentionally because it wasn't exactly coherent. The first time it happened, he had been anxious and desperate, crazy with the pain he heard. It was torture. Now he was getting more used to it. It was still painful, but no longer startling.

His face must have shown what he was experiencing because when Sango glanced up to see why he hadn't replied to her comment, her eyes filled with compassion. "I guess I wouldn't want that part. Go."

He didn't need any more permission. He dashed immediately to the most comforting room in the house. Hers.

If Naraku's office was a chokehold, Kagome's room was a breath of fresh air. He filled his lungs with what was left of her scent, wishing it weren't so stale already. Officially, he shared the room with Sango and Miraku, but they had yet to use it.

Kagome, he thought. I'm here.

The pain in his mind lessened a little. He hoped it was because she was comforted, not because she was trying to hide her thoughts from him.

He fell facedown onto her bed and started to prattle off things about his day intermixed with comforting statements. Anything to distract her. After what seemed like an eternity the tone of her thoughts settled down. Finally, she thought, He's gone. Thanks… I'm sorry to keep putting you through that.

I'm sorry you have to go through that. Is it just me or is it getting more frequent?

It is. And he seems more and more frustrated. Maybe he's not able to use my powers the way he wants.

Hopefully. Though I wish he wouldn't take it out on you.

It's nothing I'm not used to. He could almost see her shrugging dismissively. He growled, wondering if she'd hear it.

That tickles. Apparently she did.

I don't want you to be used to something so horrible.

It's better than feeling the way I did the first time it happened. Her mind drifted to that first time, and because their link was open, Inuyasha experienced the shock and horror with her. He heard her cry in a way that he'd never seen in person. Before he realized it, he had shredded one of her pillows.

I really am going to kill him, he thought.

If I don't get to it first.

I miss you. It was harder to keep any true thoughts private when they talked like this.

I miss you, too… So much. At least she couldn't hide either.

I'll be there soon. Somehow…

I hope so. But he knew she could hear the doubt in his thoughts. Grimly, he pushed himself off the bed and headed back towards the office. Maybe if he looked at the maps just one more time…