Sounds of running water echoed off the walls of the cavern surrounding Link and his newest companions. The walls were a dazzling blue gray and green moss covered the floor, with remnants of seaweed, small shells and starfish. No sooner had they entered the cave, a soft melody drifted to their ears, one which Kagome recognized as a harp. Though the melody wasn't as enchanting as that of the Great Fairy's Fountain, it was calm and relaxing.
Inuyasha sniffed the air before grimacing with displeasure. The half demon said nothing, but kept his ears alert, and his sword at the ready. Though the place reeked of fish, he found himself more relaxed because of the harmonious melody.
On their way down the small hill, they stopped before two paths; one forked to the right and the other up a steep incline. The right seemed to lead toward the source of the soft melody and the sound of running water..
"Let's go this way." Kagome said in a hushed whisper.
Sniffing the air again, Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah." Before he turned, his eyes fell on an ornate door to his left decorated with seaweed and colorful shells. The door itself was blue and green. Since the moment he and his friends were brought to his world, he'd been meaning to ask why all the doors were so colorful. Not that it mattered to him.
"What's in there?" Shippo asked. His eyes fell on the wooden post just above the doorway. Try as he did, Shippo could not make out the strange words written above. "I can't read it."
Miroku and Sango both glanced over at the strange letters etched into the wood before shrugging. They would worry about that later. Right now, they had to focus on their task, locating the Zoras.
As they rounded the corner, they stopped. Their eyes fell into a spectacular sight. Four waterfalls fell elegantly from the high cave walls into a large spring of clean water that took up most of the space in the large room. Unlike the ocean outside, this water was so pure and crystal clear that they could make out the rocks, coral, and seaweed just beneath its surface. Centered almost perfectly in the water was a small mass of land with a giant sized open white seashell where a small throne sat elegantly. Blue cushions adorned the chair, giving off a regal appearance.
Alongside the circular room, dozens of doors aligned the walls, each with a different shell, starfish, or octopus designing its exterior. Although the area they occupied seemed abandoned, the group treaded out into the open, prepared for some kind of attack to spring on them, but to their suspicion, nothing happened. Everything was quiet, save for the harmonious music which they could not locate.
Scratching his chin, Miroku regarded the small spring before him with curiosity. "Strange. Only this water is fresh." The monk crouched down and slipped his hand into the cold water.
Ignoring the monk's observation, Inuyasha searched around, rubbing his head. "What the heck. Where are they?" he growled out in irritation. "Figures." He sheathed his sword, which he unsheathed the moment they stepped out into the open.
Shippo, no longer frightened, walked along the edge of the spring while surveying his surroundings with awe. At first he was scared to know what lied beyond the cavern, but he hadn't expected this. "There's no one here?" he asked his fellow friends, but they were just as puzzled.
"You don't think they're out... hunting, do you?" Kagome asked suddenly. She couldn't figure out any other reasonable explanation unless they were inside one room. Thankful that they weren't anywhere within the vicinity, she was also fearful of their whereabouts. Somehow, she had the feeling they were being watched. But, as she looked around, she could not pinpoint the watchful eyes. 'There I go again. Stop being paranoid, Kagome.'
"Let's keep looking," Sango suggested before walking around the lake, with Miroku trailing behind. Eventually, during their search, they disappeared behind the falling waterfalls directly behind the huge seashell.
Curious about the display, Kagome viewed it from afar with interest. "I wonder how they got that down here." Although the platform was just a short swim away, she made no move to jump in and swim over; besides, she forgot to bring her swimsuit. "I wonder who these Zoras really are." She pondered whether their government was a monarchy. In Clock Town, when two old ladies were gossiping about poor Kafei and Anju, she remembered hearing them mention Kafei was the son of the mayor.
And with the modern objects and houses that had in town, Kagome knew they were well past the medieval times, but she couldn't be sure that everyone lived the same lifestyle. Perhaps the other civilians, rather than the Terminans, had their own form of government. Maybe her hunch was right; maybe the Zoras had a king or Queen ruling over them.
Inuyasha remained close to keep an eye out for his friends while also searching the premises. Even as he tuned his hearing to the melody, he could not pinpoint its location. The scent of fish was all over the place, not surprising since it was their domain. 'Where are they?' Was it some kind of trap set for them or were they out hunting, like Kagome said?
Meanwhile, Link quietly leaned against the wall further back from the others waiting. Examining his hand, he thought over the fisherman's words regarding the people living here. He'd known the tribe to be gentle, but if, in fact, they were corrupt, then he had no choice but to fight them. 'What could have happened?'
While her partner seemed deep in thought, Serena fluttered around the room with interest. "Marvelous. Such beauty exists here?" Though it was nice, it hardly compared to her mother's fountain. There was a sense of tranquility here, and she felt the urge to dance along the water, but she refrained from doing so. Noticing the priestess picking up a few shells, the fairy soared in her direction. "Hey," she called, surprising the girl that was bent over in mid-reach of a pink shell.
Kagome smiled. "Hello." She grabbed the object before removing traces of dirt from its surface.
Noticing a pile of colorful shells by her feet, the fairy returned her eyes back to the girl. "What are you doing?"
Not sure how to respond, the priestess held out the shells. "I think I'll make a necklace out of these. What do you think?" she asked before frowning. "I hope they don't mind…" Kagome was referring to the Zoras, whether they were peaceful folk.
"Really?" Serena heard of making necklaces out of flowers, but she never thought a human would craft one from sea shells. However, the fairy thought that the right now was not the time for gathering shells. Wasn't she the least bit worried or frightened? Bewildered by her smile, Serena continued her staring. 'I thought since she was kidnapped and all she would be more cautious of her surroundings, but she's acting like nothing happened.'
Kagome nodded. "Yeah. We did this a lot back home, but I guess right now really isn't the time for making necklaces, huh?" She laughed before tucking the three into her bag near her feet. Turning away from the fairy, Kagome made to leave when her foot unexpectedly snagged on something rough. Before she knew what to expect, she fell backwards with a shriek escaping her.
All ears in the room, hearing the cry, hurriedly ran toward their comrade. Inuyasha, being that he was closest, boldly ran to her rescue at a breakneck pace. He wanted to curse at her clumsiness; she never watched where she was going. If he were to let her fall, he knew he'd never hear the end of it; after all, he handled her safety. He reached a hand for her, but to his dismay, her hand slipped away. "Kagome!" he shouted in panic. Water sprayed at him and Serena from the supposed impact.
Link didn't hesitate as he darted toward the spring, along with Shippo following, where he saw the entire scene. He saw her slip and fall into the water. Not sure if she could swim or not, he still ran to her rescue. But his efforts diminished when he stopped where Inuyasha stood gaping at the sight. Perplexed at his morbid behavior, he turned his gaze toward the spring where the priestess had fallen in. But she didn't go under.
"What happened?" Miroku cried with concern as he and Sango darted toward them. The moment they stood beside the others with their weapons ready, their eyes widened at the sight.
With her eyes closed, Kagome felt strong masculine arms encircle. One hand was under her legs and the other secured around her waist. Opening her eyes, she looked upon her savior, only to gasp at the sight. Lying motionless in this creature's arms, Kagome could do nothing more than just stare. 'Oh my gosh!'
An aquatic blue skinned being was surfaced in the water, holding their dear companion in its clutches. Though almost human in appearance, this individual was not mortal, but was in fact a Zora. This Zora had a pronounced nose, but was lacking in the ear department. From closer inspection, its skin was covered in silver scales, which seemed to give off a pale blue sheen from a distance. This creature's head was shaped like a human's, with a rear-hanging caudal extension of a dorsal fin down his boyish back. This Zora had the physical traits of human with broad shoulders and a nice jawline.
At that moment, Kagome could do nothing more than just stare. She had been so close to falling in the water, but the Zora had sprung from the water and caught her just in time. What more was she supposed to do? She couldn't look away. 'Green eyes…'
Although this creature was a fish, it was undoubtedly human in form. So her questions were, were they half fish or were they more human than fish? She just knew her science teacher would never believe her if she told him she had contact with such a being. Of course, it wasn't the time or place to be wondering such thoughts. 'Am I going to be eaten?' She didn't want to die, at least not yet. Kagome had her whole life ahead of her.
The Zora neither blinked nor moved a muscle to release its hold on the young girl. He, too, was just as curious about the vixen. Never in all his years had he ever come in contact with such an enigma. Of course, he heard tales of those that walked on land, but to see one in person was unbelievable. The rumors he heard many moons back were that these land walkers were terrible beings that were corrupt with evil intentions. Up close, though, he couldn't help but be transfixed to the young one. What was so dangerous about this mortal? She appeared harmless enough, but he wasn't so sure about her companions.
Realizing he'd been staring too long, Inuyasha unsheathed his sword. "Alright, you disgusting vermin, let Kagome go!"
A sudden rush of footsteps shifted their attention away from the lone Zora. To the group's surprise, they found themselves outnumbered. Directly behind them were not one, not two, but over twenty Zoras, each wielding swords with armored plates placed upon their scaly bodies. They appeared fearsome, especially with the glares burning holes straight through them.
"We're surrounded!" Shippo cried with alarm as he scuttled behind Sango's legs.
Inuyasha sent them a glare back. "So you finally show your faces!" 'Is that all there are?' Smirking, Inuyasha pointed his sword at them. "Mind telling me what the hell is going on?"
One particular Zora stepped forth. This one was tall in appearance, with dark blue stripes on his legs and arms. A belt was wrapped around his waist, and gray armor upon his forearms and lower legs, which were adorned with knee-length brown boots. "What business do you have here, land walkers?" his voice was low and husky and quite threatening.
"I hear you and your friends have been causing some trouble lately," remarked Inuyasha. "So, is killing a new hobby of yours?" he questioned with disgust.
Lifting his head, the male Zora scrutinized the half demon. "What manner of human are you?" he questioned curiously before shaking his head. "It matters not. I suggest you all leave now if you value your lives."
Reaching for her weapon, Sango stepped next to Inuyasha. "I think we'll take our chances!" With all her might, she threw her boomerang in their direction, much to her teammates' surprise, but Inuyasha wasn't arguing.
Not at all surprised by the sudden attack, the Zoras dodged the spinning weapon, most ducking while others side-stepped away as the boomerang returned to its owner. Before any could charge with pent up fury, a hand halted their movements, and the Zoras stood down with annoyance but obedience.
"Why do you attack?" the same Zora questioned with hostility in his voice; this did not go unnoticed by a certain priestess who finally snapped out of her daze. "Do you realize your attack means war?"
Before Inuyasha could retort, Miroku stopped him. "Let's not be rash." He placed a hand on Sango's shoulder. "If we continue on, think of the lives at stake," he was referring to Kagome, and also the possibility of a war with the innocent folk back in Clock Town. Stepping past his comrades, the monk raised his hands in surrender. "Forgive us. We do not mean to attack you without a reason, but we were informed that you handled some mishaps recently," he explained with a forced smile. "We do not mean to put the blame on anyone, but we are curious."
The males in the room glared at the man before crossing their arms distrustfully, though the leader acknowledged him with intrigue. Now that the group looked closer, they realized these beings were scarred with hints of burn marks on several of their persons.
"We've done nothing wrong!" One male replied in agitation. A frown marred his scarred face, and most of his friends near him agreed.
Hearing the absurdity, Inuyasha gritted his teeth. "You expect us to believe that? We were told strange mutant fish were causing trouble!" He replied, angering many. "I don't see any other fish walking about! So cut the crap and fess up!" Either they were going to surrender or he was going to unleash the power of his new sword on their puny lives.
Irritated by his loud mouth and insulting words, the same Zora with the scar under his eye waved his fist. "Who're you calling strange!"
Inuyasha smirked. "Better look at your reflection!"
While Inuyasha and some of the Zora fought verbally against each other from across the room, the main Zora, whom appeared in charge, looked passed the group with an arched brow. "What do you have there, Kauji?" he asked when he noticed a petite figure in his arms. "And what were you doing? You had orders, and you disobeyed."
Bewildered, Inuyasha ceased his shouts and turned his eyes back to the other Zora, as did the others. Nearly forgetting the 'thing' was behind him, he turned fully and glared. "If you know what's good for you, you'll let her go!" He warned with a vicious snarl.
No longer dwelling in the water, the Zora, known as Kauji, stood behind the group, still holding their companion in his arms. Water dripped from his lean masculine and naked form, and he didn't appear one bit ashamed but proud; Sango blushed at the sight. He did not linger for long as he made to step past the group, blocking the view of his own kind, however Inuyasha and the others would not make it easy for him.
Seeing this, Miroku sighed before shaking his head. Why couldn't they resolve things peacefully? Although he understood his friend's anxiousness, such situations did not need violence; this was the same for Link, who was watching with interest, Serena had an eye full and was shockingly silent during the entire ordeal.
"Where the hell do you think you're going? I told you to let her go!" He raised his sword as a warning. Inuyasha would not risk hurting Kagome, so he refrained from actually using his sword.
Stopping the moment the half demon's sword was inches from his neck, the Zora arched a delicate brow. "Is she your lover?" he asked, earning surprised glances and a sputtering half demon.
"W-what the hell?" He was completely shocked and taken aback by such a question that he was almost speechless. 'Where did that come from?' Looking at the young woman in his arms, Inuyasha's face grew red when her eyes locked with his. "N-no. And it's none of your business!" He answered, not once seeing the hurtful expression gracing the young woman's countenance.
Smirking at his embarrassment, the Zora chuckled. "I see," he replied with mirth. Noticing the rigid woman in his arms struggle to get free, he released her and calmly placed her on her feet, much to everyone's relief. "My apologies for frightening you. I mean you no harm," he explained, still smirking.
Feeling the ground beneath her feet, Kagome glanced up and gave the Zora a sheepish smile before a blush suddenly stained her cheeks. On accident, her gaze followed the droplets gliding down the curves of the male before her. At that moment, she realized she was staring at a 'man'. Embarrassed, the high school girl gasped and turned with her eyes covered.
'Oh my gosh!'
This wasn't a first for Kagome; she'd seen Inuyasha once before, but that was completely on accident, and there were a few times where he happened upon her too. However, this was different; she actually caught the full sight of what a man's body looks like. Beyond embarrassed, she couldn't find it in herself to look at him. Her friends, Eri, Yuka and Ayumi would have gladly jumped such a fine specimen, but she would rather hide with shame pricking at her, besides, she wasn't that kind of girl.
Noticing her friend's discomfort, Sango placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay Kagome?" She was relieved when she saw her nod. After all that Kagome had been through, this was probably too much.
Chuckling at the sight, which furthered Sango's and Inuyasha's anger, the male Zora sauntered past them and toward his own kind, which stood completely unfazed by the incident. "Forgive me for my disobedience, but I thought a swim sounded nice."
The leader merely shook his head at the smiling Zora. "Don't let it happen again."
Regaining his thoughts, Inuyasha continued where he left off. "You've got a lot of nerve!" he spat, earning renewed glares from the tribe. "Now either you fess up or—"
"There's nothing to fess up," replied the leader. His dark eyes scrutinized the group. "I don't know who told you such tales, but we have nothing to do with it."
Sango reached out and grabbed the monk by his robes, which had been nicely stitched by Anju some time back, and brought him close. "What's going on? They're acting like they've done nothing wrong." She wasn't sure who she should believe. Were the Zoras truthful in their words?
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes distrustfully. "There you go again with the lies."
A tall, skinny Zora stepped out from behind some of his fellow friends and glowered at the foul-mouthed half demon. Unlike the others, he did not wear armor or possess a weapon. "It's not lies. You should get your facts straight first before placing the blame!" He remarked with his friends behind him, nodding in agreement.
"Inuyasha," Kagome began, shifting the half demon's attention away. "Let's hear them out first, okay?"
Feeling his annoyance spike, the half demon gave in with a grunt as he lowered his sword. "Better be good!"
Noticing the silver-haired stranger back down, the leader spoke up. "So, you agree to hear our side of the story?" he asked skeptically. At least he wasn't trying to start a fight yet.
"Hmpt. As long as it's believable, and don't bother lying. I can smell deceit a mile away," he replied.
Accepting this, Kauji stepped forward. "A year ago, strange happenings occurred in Great Bay," he began. "Normally we had no problems, but as of late other creatures suddenly started surfacing, most with traits similar to our own."
"You mean there were others that look like you?" Sango asked with disbelief.
The Zora nodded. "Not entirely, but yes. Once they appeared, the seas grew dark, and the fish washed up on shore. Only after did they attack our people and steal our women," he explained before pointing to a group of three women huddled together on the far side of the room. "Few of our men were slaughtered trying to save those that were taken. Just yesterday, five of our best men were killed. Because of this, we live in fear of another attack. So we've gotten what remains of our settlement together and have stood guard waiting for those creatures sent from hell."
Having heard such words, Inuyasha sheathed his sword. During the brief story, he smelled no hint of lies. He remained quiet as the other Zoras whispered amongst themselves.
"That would explain why you were ready for battle and why you wanted us to leave," Kagome muttered softly. "That's horrible. I can't imagine what you've been through." Her sentiments reached all ears in the room. At least she didn't have to worry about being eaten yet.
"I figured this place would be well guarded, especially with so many wanting to protect their territory," Inuyasha began slowly. "So how come when we showed up, there was no one here?" he inquired.
The leader chuckled. "We knew you were here," he answered without missing a beat. "We were only waiting to see if you were actually a threat. When we saw you advance on Kauji, we took action. A trap had already been set for those other creatures, but fortunately for you, the trap is still set." Noticing their uneasiness, he shook his head. "Unfortunately, now is not the time for visiting, I'm afraid. It'd be best if you leave now before the night approaches."
"Now hold on just a minute. We're not leaving yet," he sheathed his sword, much to his companion's relief before marching himself right toward the Zora supposedly in charge. "We came not only here to ask if you were responsible, but we came here for the pendant."
Blinking, the Zoras glanced at one another before returning their baffled stares back to the half demon.
"The pendant?" A short skinny Zora asked. "What's he talking about?" He whispered to one of his neighbors, but he was equally confused.
"I know nothing about any pendant," Another remarked.
Turning his ears to each response, Inuyasha's shoulders dropped. 'Don't tell me they don't have it.'
Kagome, noticing the confusion, stood beside Inuyasha. "The pendant is round, and it's about this big," she explained as she used her hands in clarification, but her explanation only furthered their confusion. An idea came to her suddenly, and she turned toward Link, who looked at her at the precise moment. "Link, show them your pendant."
Obliging, Link removed the said object from his satchel at his side, which he had earned and received from the Gorons a couple of days back. The pendant he held up appeared like an ordinary carved gray stone, but if one looked closely, they could make out foreign letters around the edge. A small circular white rock sat perfectly in the center of the pendant, and seeing this, the Zoras gasped. Seeing that they recognized the relic, Link returned the object back into his satchel.
Upon noticing the situation, Miroku scratched his chin. "Well, it seems they recognize it." That was a good sign.
There was movement in the crowd as a short pale Zora suddenly shoved through the throng with his eyes wild and frightened. "We thought only our tribe knew of the necklace, but it seems we were mistaken! Our king has what you are searching for," he explained, quite troubled.
Delighted by this bit of information, and because she was right that they had a king or queen government, Kagome clasped her hands. "That's great! Where is your majesty?"
When the little Zora heard this, his eyes fell downcast. "Unfortunately, he is not with us at the moment…" He muttered, quite ashamed.
Shippo, who was no longer hiding, canted his head as he gave the morbid creature a baffled look. "Where is he?" Shippo asked. Somehow, he had a bad feeling. Standing there, Shippo watched as the little guy let out a strangled cry.
Taking a breath to calm himself, the Zora sighed. "Our king was taken many moons ago by those dreadful beasts," he explained with solemnity. "Our King is the proud owner of the necklace, and we are not sure why he was taken so forcibly." The small creature's eyes suddenly watered. "We have tried to rescue our king, but the water will not let us. The water burns our flesh." Tears gushed from his wide round eyes, and he fought to overcome the loss of his king.
Kouji bent down and patted the Zora on the head before looking upon the group. "How is it you know of our majesty's pendant, if I might ask?" the mortals proved suspicious suddenly. "And also, how is it you have traveled here?"
Sango looked at the man. "The Great Fairy of Magic told us to we were to collect the four pendants scattered across Termina in order to return peace to the world." The slayer hoped this information would suffice. "As for our transportation, we flew here," She pointed to her feline friend beside her feet. "While Kirara is not in her bigger form, she can fly."
With this new information, the Zoras suddenly broke out into hushed whispers. Some were so surprised by the very words spoken by the slayer that they began pointing toward her and Kirara with some form of hope. The rest were quite doubtful as they openly glared.
"Amazing!" The chubby Zora exclaimed. He was no longer in tears, but suddenly approached the feline with his eyes sparkling. "Such a creature is capable of flight."
Having heard a great deal, Link left his spot next to Kagome as he approached the Zoras with no fear, not that he would be afraid. Just as he thought, the Zoras were not at fault. But there was one thing that baffled him. "Why do you have a government? Normally you are free of any law, so why now?" he questioned, earning glances from his comrades.
"Since strange happenings occurred a year ago, we weren't sure what to do. There was chaos and disorder among us, and so naturally we elected a leader," Replied the head Zoras. "We chose the elder because he was the only one among us who remained calm. Not long after, we named him our king."
Unconvinced, Link remained silent. 'I suppose it made sense, but this is still strange. If they were so concerned for their own safety, wouldn't they have just chose the strongest from their tribe to head out and fix things? How is a king supposed to help?' Though it made little sense, Link played along with the bizarre idea.
Knowing they were probably unconvinced, Kagome sauntered forward. "We're very sorry to have caused you so much trouble. We realize you probably don't trust us." At this her friends nodded, all except Inuyasha. "If you would, allow us to help you."
Now this was a surprise to the Zoras, especially to the females huddled against the wall. These strangers, whom only just knew of their problems, would help them fight against this new found terror. But, to have a woman offer help was surprising enough.
"You would help us in our time of need?" A youthful male asked as he eyed her curiously.
She nodded. "Of course!" she exclaimed with a bright smile. "Right guys?" She looked to her friends, who all nodded in consent to help, all except Inuyasha; that wasn't surprising. "See!" Seeing an opportunity, the priestess pointed to each of her friends, including herself. "We might not look like it, but we're pretty good in battle. If you let us help you, we'll save all the women and your king. We'll even take care of those monsters."
The head leader of the tribe merely shook his head. "You do not know what you're putting yourselves up against." Though they looked old enough to take care of themselves, he was unsure of their physical strength. Not only that, but he did not seem too fond of a woman going off into battle, no matter if they were skilled or not. Such an idea was absurd.
"Trust us, we've been through a lot," Kagome explained as she thought back to all the battles and adventures they'd gone through. "We even have the scars to prove it."
Sighing, Inuyasha grumbled. "I suppose it couldn't hurt. Who knows, maybe their king will reward us with the pendant afterwards," he muttered, the last part to his comrades. Seeing the smiles on his companions' faces, he crossed his arms. "But I ain't doing this because I want to! We either do or we all die!"
Pleased with the turn of events, Kagome couldn't help but smile at the half demon whose caring nature finally resurfaced. Little by little, it seemed like he was loosening up. At first he was a grouch, but now not as much; this was the side Kagome loved. "Thanks Inuyasha."
"I suppose I can't change your minds?" the leader asked, hoping to change their minds.
Inuyasha merely stared at them. He had nothing to say to them, anyway. Don't get him wrong. He had nothing against fish people, but he didn't feel the need to argue with them because there was no point. Now that he learned the truth, and because they didn't have what they were looking for, then they would go to battle.
Musing to himself, the head Zora turned his back to the travelers. "We will think about it. Come back tomorrow and we will have your answer," he explained.
"Tomorrow?" Kagome questioned. "But what if something happens tonight?"
"She's right!" Shippo piped up. "There's no telling when those things will show up!" He knew he and Link could take care of it, and with Inuyasha and the others with them, it would be an easy victory. "Besides, as a member of the 'Bombers,' it's my duty to help those in need!" Pulling from his shirt a red book, the tyke opened to the first page and began scribbling away in the book.
After hearing the words from the child, Kagome couldn't help but smile; this was the same for Sango and Miroku, though all three were equally confused. Inuyasha though ignored him altogether, but he stared at him long and hard, especially wondering what a 'bomber' was.
Realizing that they would get nowhere and overlooking Shippo's oddity, Inuyasha turned his back. "Fine then. We'll be back tomorrow morning." Sheathing his sword, he calmly started ambling out of the room.
Surprised by this, Kagome stopped him. "Inuyasha?"
Sango was equally confused by the sudden agreement. "I don't see why we don't just stay the night here. What if something happens while we're gone?"
"She's right. Are you certain we should head back?" Miroku asked before looking at the Zoras over his shoulder. "They're in a tough predicament. I don't know why they won't just accept our help." The monk realized they would not convince them much more, and he turned to follow Inuyasha. "It can't be helped. We'll return in the morning."
Agreeing, Kagome, Link, Sango, Shippo and Serena followed the boys before taking one last look behind. It was a shame to just leave them, but what else could they do? Whether or not they agreed, they would have to accept it. Who knew what would lie ahead of them tomorrow.