Inuyasha looked at the paper in his hand. "He calls me a fool," He sneered.

"Let us go, Inuyasha."

Kikyo and Inuyasha were now headed to the South to aid Kagome and the South. Sesshomaru's father sent word of Sesshomaru's choice with them. But by the time they made it South, it was the last thing on their mind.

Kouga and Kagome were already knee-deep in battle with another land.

Sango told them that Kagome had insisted even though she was not adequately trained. Sango was deeply sad for Kagome. Kagome had spent her whole life trying to avoid this fate.

The letter was quickly forgotten, and Inuyasha rushed into battle as well, Kikyo by his side. They offered aid without question.

But then, two weeks later, word reached the West. Not of acknowledgment on the engagement.

Naoko paced as a Southern soldier bowed with a letter in hand, addressed to her only. It was bloody, and fear spiked her. Lord Inutashio quickly made his way to her, Sesshomaru right behind him. She looked up wide-eyed as they entered the room.

"You have received word from your brother?" Lord Inutashio asked,

"And your son, my Lord," She handed the bloody paper over to him.

Sesshomaru knew right away this was not the letter they were waiting for.

"Inuyasha didn't even have time to deliver your letter, my Lord," Naoko spoke, knowing what Sesshomaru was thinking.

"Kagome has the jewel in her possession now." Lord Inutashio lowered the letter.

"What?" Sesshomaru hissed.

"Kikyo has been kidnapped; she had just enough time to hand over the jewel to Kagome."

"My Lord, if I may?" Naoko hoped she would be allowed. Both men looked at her.

"Please allow me to aid my brother."

Lord Inutashio rolled up the paper "Go."

Sesshomaru looked at his father. "Is that not for me to say?"

His father looked at him. "You will go with her; judging by this bloody paper, things are not going well. I want to know who this Naraku is and if he is a real threat."

"He is a genuine threat, my Lord," Naoko interrupted. "If he gets his hands on Kagome and the jewel, it will not end well; I would be shocked if Kikyo is even alive at this point."

"Where is the Miko now?" Sesshomaru asked his father,

His father looked at Naoko, then at Sesshomaru. "They don't know."

"Either he has her, and she still has control of the jewel, or she's hiding really well." Naoko spoke rushed, "We need to go and now."

Sesshomaru walked past her without so much as a word. Naoko bowed to Lord Inutashio and ran after Sesshomaru. "My Lord?"

Sesshomaru put his arm around her waist, and with a blink of magic, they were gone.

In moments, they materialized in the South at the main den. Naoko gasped as she looked at her hurt brothers lying around being tended to.

"Naoko, Lord Sesshomaru?"

They both turned to see Sango. "What are you doing here?"

Naoko rushed to her. "Where is my brother?"

"He is still out there with Inuyasha, looking for Kikyo and Kagome."

"Fools," Sesshomaru sneered as he looked around.

"They aren't fools; they are doing what they can to find them," Sango defended.

"I am not speaking of the weakling wolf or my half-breed brother." He snapped. But they were fools, too. Did they really think they could win without his help?

"Don't you dare call her weak!" Sango yelled,

"What do you call a woman who goes blindly into battle untrained, slayer?"

"Brave!" Sango pushed past Naoko: "Brave and stronger and selfless!" Her clothes and skin were covered in dried blood.

"Sango," Naoko tried to calm her down.

"No," Sango stated firmly. "You know what, she's not as untrained as you think! Kikyo gave the jewel to Kagome because it was reacting to her power; the moment it went into her hands, it was purified and became one with her!"

"Wait, the jewel became tainted?" Naoko asked,

Sango looked back at her. "It was, and as soon as Kagome purified it, she became sick; your bother tried to get to her, but everything happened so fast," Sango looked at the ground. "Kikyo was taken, and Kagome was gone."

She looked back up, her eyes meeting the pink ones of the Demon Lord. "If Naraku had the jewel, you would know it." Her words were strong, but then she started to falter. "Either Kagome is hiding really well with one hell of a shield up, or she's dead."

Naoko gasped,

Sesshomaru's eyes began to bleed. "What makes you think she would die so easy?" His words were slow and sounded deadly,

Sango shook her head. "Easy, no, Kagome would not die easily, but she would die if it meant keeping the jewel out of his hands."

"Sango, are you sure?" Naoko touched her arm,

"Yes, Kikyo told everyone that if it came down to the jewel or death, she would choose death because the jewel would go with her to the otherworld to be reborn."

"You think Kagome would do the same?" Naoko asked, growing concerned.

Sango slowly nodded. "Yes," Tears streamed down her face. "She was willing to marry your brother but more willing to die."

"Did Kagome know about our engagement?" Naoko asked,

"No, we didn't tell her." But Sango sure did.

"Sesshomaru!"

They all quickly turned to see Inuyasha. Covered in blood and panting.

Sesshomaru wasted no time in charging his brother. He grabbed him by the throat and lifted him. "If she dies, you die half-breed."

Inuyasha grabbed his brother's arm. "K If she dies, it's your fault, asshole."

"Where is she?" His eyes were fully red now,

"She's gone, Sesshomaru; you ain't never going to see her now."

Inuyasha was tossed with a wave of power none of them had ever seen before. With a swirl of power, Sesshomaru transformed and took to the skies.

Naoko patted Sango's arm. "He will find her."

Inuyasha struggled to get up. "You better hope he doesn't."

Both women looked at him.

"I found her blood."

"What does that mean? Naoko asked,

"I know why she got sick; she will kill him if he doesn't kill her first."

Sango and Naoko looked at each other and then back to him.

"Kagome was pregnant."