Walking through the forest, the monk repeated the words of the other previous villages that he passed by.

"If you continue along the path through the forest, you should find the village that you seek. When you are close to the village, you will find an empty well near a large tree." One villager had told him, "That is the bone eater's well. That well should be a sign unto you that you are near the village. Once you see that well, walk past it across the clearing and the village that you seek to find will be in sight."

Feeling that he should have been close by now, the monk began to look around his surroundings for the bone eater's well. 'It should be around here somewhere. I have been on this path for a while.' Not seeing what he desired to find, the monk continued to walk through the forest as he repeated the words of direction in his mind once more, 'It should be around here somewhere.'

As the monk continued to walk, he noticed that he had entered a large yet beautiful clearing full covered with luscious grass. As he took in his surroundings, he noticed a well that had some vines climbing up its sides. The monk's eyes widened in realization, 'Is that the bone eater's well? Am I finally close to the village?'

The monk walked past the well and across the clearing, before he walked past some more trees and finally saw what he was looking for. 'It's the village where the InuHanyou's companions reside. I have finally found it.'

The monk stood on a small hill that gave him an overview of the village below him. Though quite a distance away, he could see the villagers moving about as they went on with their lives-totally oblivious to the eyes of the monk.

Feeling relieved, the monk was about to head down the small hill, when suddenly, he sensed a strong yet familiar demonic presence. The feeling of dread began to build in the monk's chest, as he turned around to face the forest behind him that now carried an ominous air in it.

"Come on out!" The monk called out, gripping his staff, "I know you're in there you vile demon!"

Suddenly, from the shadows of the forest stepped out a woman who gave the monk a dark smirk. The chill of terror swept through the monk's body as he immediately recognized who that woman was. "I-Impossible...How did you find me?" The monk spoke, his body shaking in fear as he gripped his staff even harder. "How did you know that I would be here? How?"

Kagura's smirk only widened as she replied, "It doesn't really matter that I know you are here, prayer boy. What really matters is if Naraku knows that you're here and why you are here."

At the sound of the spider demon's name, tears began to gather in the monk's eyes as his heart began to violently beat against his chest.

Taking out her fan from her sleeve, "And in case you're asking, the answer is yes!" Kagura said much to the monk's horror, "Any last words, before you die?"

Terrified, the monk shook his head and took out some sutras. "S-Stay away from me! Begone you vile demon!" Throwing them at the wind sorceress.

Kagura watched in amusement as the sutras landed on her clothing, giving a little spark before finally falling down to the ground. She gave them a brief glance before taking her time to step on them as if they were harmless as a little insect.

"So I guess it is true." Kagura said, chuckling in amusement as she gave the monk a look full of mockery. "When you are doing something contrary to the will of Naraku, your powers aren't as strong as they usually are when you are obeying him."

Horrified at this, the monk took a step back, "N-No…." The monk cried out, taking a step back, "NO! Please!...Let me go….Let me do this! I beg of you Please!..I don't want to die!" The monk fell to his knees as he began to sob terribly and bitterly. "PLEASE SPARE ME!"

"Oh, have the mighty fallen. I almost feel sorry for you." Kagura said her cold smirk never leaving her face, "ALMOST! NOW PERISH, DANCE OF THE BLADES!"

The monk's blood-curdling scream rang through the air as the birds of the forest flew off into the distance.

As if hearing the scream, Miroku stopped what he was doing and looked in the direction where he sensed something was off. As he focused on that direction for a moment, Miroku gripped his staff and excused himself from the group of village women who were confused by the lecherous's monk's sudden change in mood.

Immediately as he left the village women, Sango ran up to him already suited up in her battle gear.

"Did you sense something demonic in the air as well Miroku?" She asked as the fire cat beside her growled as it too glared in the direction where the monk was staring at. However, before Miroku could reply, Kouga and Kagome suddenly ran up to them with concerned looks on their faces.

"It's Kagura!" Kouga said, "Let's go!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk.." Kagura said, watching as the wounded monk on the ground struggled to get up. "It looks like you had enough spiritual power in you to defend yourself against some of my blades."

Hissing in pain, the wounded monk looked up at the wind sorceress with hatred in his eyes.

"Such a shame too. Here I was trying to give you a quick death." Kagura said, positioning her fan for another attack, "This should finish you off. DANCE OF TH-"

"I THINK NOT KAGURA!" A voice growled as a miniature whirlwind approached at a fast rate. Then, before Kagura had time to react, Kouga suddenly appeared from the whirlwind and gave the wind sorceress a punch to the face.

"ARUGH!" Kagura cried out as she fell to the ground, dropping her fan. Holding her swollen cheek, Kagura shot the wolf demon a deadly glare, "YOU DARE HIT A WOMAN!"

"Only if that woman is you and any female incarnation of that disgusting bastard Naraku." Kouga growled as he cracked his knuckles. "NOW DIE!"

Kagura quickly grabbed her fan, swiped it open. And in that instant that she did that, a lone large blade of wind came from her fan and went straight towards Kouga. Kouga immediately dodged the attack and was about to land another hit to the wind sorceress when he sensed something coming towards them at an incredibly fast rate.

"HIRAIKOTSU!" Came the battle cry of the demon slayer as her large boomerang weapon suddenly appeared into the clearing heading straight towards the wind sorceress. Kouga and Kagura immediately moved out of the way as the large bone weapon hit the ground where the wind sorceress stood a second ago.

Suddenly, Miroku, Sango, Kilala, and Kagome appeared as they ran up the hill. The wounded middle-aged monk watched in awe and in relief as the young priestess and his fellow monk ran to stand in front of him, as the demon slayer ran to get her weapon.

Giving the group before her a sharp glare, Kagura growled as she ready her fan again. In response, the group immediately prepared themselves for another attack from her as the humans readied their weapons and Kouga his fists.

However, instead of unleashing another attack, Kagura took a deep breath with her eyes locked on her enemies and took out a feather from her hair ornament.

Realizing what she was about to do, Kouga immediately ran towards her and growled, "Oh no you don't!" However, it was too late. Kouga braved himself against the gust of wind that tried to blow him back as Kagura got on her feather and floated up.

"Well, it seems that my work is done." Kagura jeered, looking down at her enemies below her, "That monk doesn't have much time left to live anyway. Until next time."

With that, Kagura flew off into the distance leaving the wolf demon and the human group behind in her wake.

Miroku glared at the retreating back of the wind sorceress for another second, before turning his attention to the wounded middle aged monk on the ground. "Are you alright my good man?" Miroku asked the man, "Can you stand?"

Though the middle-aged monk's face reflected pain, he gave the group before him a smile of sweet relief. "Thank Buddha…" He said, "Thank Buddha ...for the chance he has given me today!... Thank Buddha!"

"Sorry, we weren't fast enough to notice Kagura before she attacked you," Miroku said, thinking that the middle aged monk was thanking Buddha over what had just happened. "But you should be alright now. Come let us take you into the village where your wounds will be treated."

"No, that's okay." The monk with a smile still on his face as he grunted in pain, "It's too late for me, but at least my soul will rest in peace." He said much to the confusion of the lot before him, "You are the group of the InuHanyou named Inuyasha, am I correct?"

"Yes we were associated with him, but that was before he died. "Miroku answered, wondering where the middle aged monk was going with this and how he even knew of the InuHanyou. However, before he could voice these questions, the middle aged monk continued.

"I have come to tell you that your friend Inuyasha is not dead, he is alive. And he is being held captive at Naraku's castle."

"I knew it!" Kouga said, not letting the thought of doubting the words of the middle aged monk even cross his mind for a second, "I knew that Inuyasha was still alive somewhere. I just should've known that Naraku had him!"

However, Miroku, Sango, and Kagome were confused and doubted the middle aged monk.

"Excuse me, but what makes you so sure that Inuyasha is alive? Naraku showed us the-"

"The beads of subjection that were covered in blood right?" The middle aged monk finished for Miroku and watched as the others became shocked at his words, "I am the one that removed those beads from Inuyasha while he slept. Naraku had commanded that I do so and gave me a strict warning to keep this to myself. Naraku did not kill Inuyasha as he led you all to believe."

Now, everything made sense. No wonder Kagura was trying to kill this man off. This man had decided to risk his life in telling the group this, instead of heeding what Naraku had asked of him. But why?

"As much as we like to believe you, there's too many things that confuse me," Kagome began, "Why? Why did you decide to disobey Naraku and tell us, the people you have never met before and even risked your life over for? And how did you know where we were and what we looked like? How were you so sure that Inuyasha had a group? For all you could've known is that Inuyasha traveled by himself. How were you so sure that we existed?"

"Right." Miroku said, "And among all these questions that not only Kagome has, but I have as well, only one answer comes to mind as to how you would have known about us. Naraku. For all we know, this could just be another one of Naraku's traps. And that's something that I-"

"I understand where your line of reasoning is coming from," The middle aged monk cried out, interrupting Miroku, "But I'm telling the truth. The only reason why I'm here today is because of a dream I had a few days ago. In that dream, I was dead and was visited by the great king Enma. I was supposed to join the lost souls who were already on their way to the fiery pits of hell, when the great king Enma had decided to spare my life if I come to this village and do what he commanded me to do."

"And that was to find us and tell us that Inuyasha is alive." Miroku finished for the middle aged monk who only nodded in response at this, "But why would the great king Enma concern himself over a small matter of whether Inuyasha is alive or not? Why would that, among all things, be the thing that he is so concerned with."

"Because Inuyasha is the only one who can defeat Naraku and stop his reign of terror with the sword called Tessaiga. Without that creature and his sword, you all have no hope of ever defeating Naraku! ''The middle aged monk answered, not even taking the time to consider the words his fellow monk had spoken.

"That's what you think, old man," Kouga said, offended that his power was being underestimated by his rival's. "We don't need mutt face's help to defeat Naraku. Especially since he's not even strong enough to even rescue himself from Naraku without our help."

"Exactly what I was thinking." Sango said, "With or without Inuyasha, we are not weak. We don't need his help to defeat Naraku. Besides, we are managing fine without him. He's the one that ran away from us when we tried to help him sort out his own mess."

The middle aged monk looked at the group before him, horrified at what they were saying. "You fools!" He began, "I am only sharing unto you what the great king Enma told me in the afterlife. And here you all are fighting me on every word that I say, when I have not even told you the path to get to Naraku's castle!"

"And yet the more you speak," Miroku said as he gave the middle aged monk a look of suspicion, "The more I continue to doubt your words and wonder whether or not this is just another ploy of Naraku's. However, since I can tell that you are telling the truth, I can't help but wonder if you are unknowingly being used by Naraku. What you are saying about the king Enma doesn't make sense. If the great king Enma didn't care about Naraku before, why does he care about Naraku now?"

"Have you not heard what I was saying?" The middle aged monk insisted, "I was dead and was on my way to hell for helping Naraku deceive you all. It was only because of the mercy of the great king Enma, that I was spared and offered another chance in life just to tell you what was really going on. Thirty years ago, I had made a mistake that damned my soul to the fiery pits of hell and which also gave Naraku the opportunity to take advantage of me!"

"And what mistake was that?" Miroku asked, interested at this new piece of information, "What was the mistake that was so damning that also gave Naraku the opportunity to take advantage of you?"

The middle aged monk looked to the side as the look of regret reflected across his face. He took a deep breath before turning his attention back to the monk, "Thirty years ago, I allowed myself to become overcomed by petty emotions and allowed a group of demons to destroy a village. Those villagers accused me of a heinous crime that I did not commit. And instead of listening to my pleads of innocence, they left me to die, but I was saved by Naraku.

Then after the whole ordeal was over, I was visited by Naraku once more, who claimed that I owed him. I owed him my service for him saving my life. When I refused, he placed a spell on me that made my spiritual powers to only be used if I was serving him. He gave me his word that he'll release me after forty years of service, but I had never expected to die before completing the remaining ten. I have regretted my decision for the last thirty years. And if I had the chance to, I would go back and save those villagers instead of allowing those demons to take them to the gates of hell that night. I was only so fortunate that the great king Enma took pity on my soul, otherwise I wouldn't be here today."

The middle aged monk took another breath as tears began to gather in his eyes, "Oh no...I have not yet told you the location of Naraku's castle and yet...I'm already on the verge of death. I don't think I can hold on much longer…."

Feeling sorry for the middle aged monk, Miroku bent down and took the monk's hand, "I'm sorry for all you went through my poor man. I apologize for not believing you earlier."

The middle aged monk continued to take deep and shallow breaths as he began to cry, "Why didn't they believe me when I told them that I didn't do it. I didn't treat those boys that way. Why didn't those villagers believe me after all the good works that I have done for them? Why? I have done nothing but waste my life ever since I met them…. If only, I never met those villagers, if only I didn't take pity on them, if only….If only…."

The middle aged monk took a few more breaths before he stopped moving all together. Miroku immediately began to pray for the middle aged monk's soul.

Kouga waited until Miroku was done praying, before he finally spoke, "Never for a second did I ever think that Inuyasha was dead. It just didn't feel right. I just should've known that Naraku was planning something else by using his death."

"We all should have known Kouga." Miroku said, standing up from the middle aged monk's body with a solemn expression on his face. "Naraku not only took the time to deceive us, but also decided to keep Inuyasha alive when he very well could've killed him. What I want to know is why? Why did he do that? What is Naraku up to?"

"Well, we won't find it just waiting around." Sango said, bothered by the unsettling feeling of what Naraku's plan was. "Let's go rescue Inuyasha. If there's any plus side to this, is that Inuyasha will be around to raise the child he got the woman he loved pregnant with."

Although the group agreed with the demon slayer, once those words were said it just didn't feel right to them. It was as if they were mistaken and there was something else going on-something deeper.

Bothered by the strange turn of events, Kouga turned towards the direction of where the wind sorceress had flown off. "We can follow the scent that Kagura left behind. Hopefully, it'll be able to lead us to Naraku's castle where we will find Inuyasha."

"But what if it doesn't?" Kagome said, "What if it leads us into a trap? A trap set up by Naraku? Nothing makes sense right now."

"I agree, but..." Miroku said, "It's a chance that I'm willing to take if it means saving Inuyasha from Naraku's hands."

"I see..." Sango said, before adding, "But before we go, we should first tell Kikyo the good news, so she'll have something to look forward to when we come back."

The wolf demon and the humans agreed before they decided to head back to the village.

"So Inuyasha is alive and you're going to go to Naraku's castle to go and rescue him?" Kikyo said, taking in what her reincarnation had told her. "How do you know for sure that this is true?"

"We don't, but it's a chance that we are willing to take." Kagome said as she petted the fox demon in her lap. "Kouga and Miroku went to go dig a grave for the dead monk that gave us this news."

For a moment, Kikyo looked concerned before a dark smirk came on her face. Kagome, noticing this, mistakenly thought that the pregnant priestess was happy and smiled out of joy. "I'm glad that it pleases you Kikyo."

The smirk on Kikyo's face turned into a smile, "Yes, I'm just happy that Inuyasha will be finally returning back to me. So we can raise our child together. Oh, I'm so ever thankful to you all."

Kagome returned the pregnant priestess's smile with a genuine smile of her own. "It's ok. The important part is that once we get Inuyasha back, we'll make sure that he marries you so you two will never be apart from each other again."

At this, Kikyo laughed at this, "If you all are here, I have nothing to worry about. Perhaps marriage will keep him from running off next time, I hope!"

"You said it!" Kagome agreed, as she also began to laugh. However, she stopped once she heard her name being called from outside.

"Kagome?" Said priestess heard Sango call out from outside.

Putting the fox demon in her lap to the side, Kagome got up and walked to the door of the hut, "Yeah Sango. " She answered as she watched the demon slayer open the door to the hut.

"Are you ready to go?" Sango said, as she stood at the entrance of the hut. "Kouga and Miroku have finished burying the monk."

"Yeah, but I was waiting for lady Kaede to return so she could watch Kikyo. Maybe we should leave Shippo behind so he can take care of her, until Kaede returns from picking herbs?" She turned her attention to the fox demon besides the pregnant priestess.

"As much as I want to see the look of regret and embarrassment on Inuyasha's irresponsible face," Shippo said, as he puffed out his chest and put a fist to it, "I rather stay and watch Kikyo, because unlike Inuyasha, I'm responsible!"

"You said it." Kagome giggled, as Sango smiled at the small fox demon's attics.

"If it's alright with you all, "Kikyo said, "I would rather be alone. I can take care of myself, so don't worry about me. Besides, I'm sure that my younger sister will be back soon, so don't worry about me and take Shippo with you."

"Are you sure?" Kagome said, as she looked concerned at the heavily pregnant priestess, "Kaede usually has other matters in the village that she attends to during the day, I don't think she'll be around to assist you alot. So that's basically leaving you alone and since you're almost 7 months pregnant, I just don't feel comfortable leaving you alone."

"It'll be ok Kagome." Kikyo insisted, "I could use the alone time anyway. No offense. Besides, I don't want you thinking that I'm some kind of a burden that needs to be taken care of. Take Shippo with you. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Shippo asked, looking up at the heavily pregnant priestess. Kikyo smiled and patted the little fox demon on the head.

"I'm positive." She replied.

"Alright." Kagome gave in, but added, "Let me at least get you some more water so you wouldn't have to worry about getting up to fetch some yourself. "Will two buckets be enough? Hopefully, we won't be gone long."

"Five would be better since you might be gone for a longer period of time." Kikyo said, "This would also spare my younger sister from going to the stream for a day or may even until tomorrow afternoon."

"Good point." Kagome agreed. Besides, it was not like the pregnant priestess would drink all that water within a day already drank through two buckets, if she drank two of the five as she usually did, she would still have three more to last her another day before she would have to worry about getting some more. "I'll be right back."

"And I'll help you." Sango added as she and Shippo followed the time traveling priestess out of the hut.

With eyes of deep suspicion, Kouga watched as both the time traveling priestess and the demon slayer carried four buckets of water from the stream to the hut. As they went to go get more, Kouga almost went to stop them, but the voice of Miroku caused him to pause in his actions.

"Is there something wrong Kouga?" Miroku asked, watching how apprehensive the wolf demon seemed to be.

As if he was weighing his options, Kouga took a moment before answering the monk. "We may need to address something once we come back. I would do it now, but if it wasn't for the possibility of Kagura's scent fading away, I realize it can be addressed later. Besides, there are some things that we can't risk losing right now."

Although Kouga said that, Miroku noticed how upset the wolf demon was. It was almost as if he would rather address the situation he was speaking of now. "Are you sure Kouga?"

Kouga took a moment, before finally saying, "I'm positive."

"Alright, bye Kikyo. Bye Kaede!" Kagome called out, as she waved goodbye from where she was on Kouga's back. "We'll be back soon. With hopefully Inuyasha by our side!"

"Alright!" Kikyo called back, "Thanks again. I can't wait for that. So long my friends!"

However, unknown to the group as they departed from the village, a dark figure silently watched the group's retreating forms, before turning his attention back to the heavily pregnant priestess. The pregnant priestess and the older priestess were also oblivious to the dark presence watching them in the shadows of the dark forest. And so as the two siblings headed back inside the hut, the dark figure stepped out from his place in the forest.

Coming out from the shadows of the forest, Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes in suspicion at the hut that contained the two priestesses. Sesshomaru almost found himself walking towards the hut, but decided against it.

It was not time yet.

With this in mind, Sesshomaru walked back to his place in the woods and remained on watch. However, unknown to Sesshomaru, behind him on a tree branch was a purple spider that laid in wait in a web that adjusted to its body. Besides the purple spider was another spider whose body was wrapped in its own web and no longer could move. The purple spider waited for a few more moments before turning around and disappearing in thin air.

In a dimly lit room sat Naraku as he remained still in his seat on the floor. Although his eyes were closed, his senses were sharp. He could tell when the candle he was sitting in front of went out, as the room went dark. However, he remained perfectly still in his position. Suddenly out of the dark corner of the room, the purple spider appeared in the midst of the darkness and headed straight towards Naraku.

Once it reached Naraku, the spider climbed upon his knee and entered the sleeve of his arm. Once inside the sleeve, the spider found a patch of skin where it stopped and merged into Naraku's arm. Naraku opened his eyes as he chuckled.

"Well, well, well…" Naraku said, "Everything seems to be going along smoothly, just as I had planned. Now I wonder if…"

Naraku waved his hand over the small bowl of water that sat before him, as the water in the bowl glowed once and the scene of Inuyasha looking out in the distance suddenly reflected on the surface of the water. There, in a small bed across from the InuHanyou laid the little child as he remained asleep in his bed undisturbed by the world around him.

Naraku chuckled in dark amusement, as he drew his attention to the InuHanyou whose eyes looked out the small window. As if he was thinking about something. However, unknown to Inuyasha, a reflection of Kanna stood in the shadows of the same room as the mirror in her hands glowed.

"...I wonder if the rest of us would even make it to the final stage." Naraku finished, as he chuckled once more before bursting out into laughter.

I'm almost done with the next chapter guys. I'm so glad so many of you are enjoying this story.

Reviews are always appreciated.