Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.
- Seneca
"Ahh, there's nothing like a hot bath after a long day of traveling, don't you agree Sango?" sighed Kagome as she wrapped a towel around her damp head.
"Oh yes, it feels like heaven," Sango answered with a smile as she finished tying her kimono.
Kagome heaved a weary sigh as she bent to retrieve her yellow backpack from the damp ground.
"What's wrong Kagome?" asked Sango, brows drawn together.
"Oh nothing, I was just thinking about how much longer we'll be searching for the jewel shards. We've been at it such a long time. I wonder how things will change once the Jewel is finally in one piece," Kagome said quietly.
The meaning wasn't lost on the young Taiji-ya. She had this conversation many times with Miroku already. Both wondered at the fate of the jewel, as well as the girl standing before her. The end of their quest would force important decisions to be made that have been studiously ignored in lieu of a shared goal. All of their lives would change forever.
"I've been thinking about that too. It's been almost four years since you journeyed through the well for the first time," Sango said as they both turned and began walking the wooded trail that led back to their camp.
"It seems like yesterday that I first met InuYasha," Kagome turned a bright smile upon the young woman she viewed as a sister. "He can be so difficult sometimes!"
As the girls walked along slowly, Kagome mused about her last fight with InuYasha. The distance from the hot springs to their camp was farther than usual, and InuYasha was reluctant to allow the girls to go alone. Miroku of course offered to accompany them, but received only a boomerang-sized lump on his head for an answer. Shippo volunteered after a very dramatic yawn but everyone knew that he wasn't much use against a serious threat. Kagome wanted privacy since bathing was the only time she and Sango had to engage in girl talk, which inevitably revolved around InuYasha and Miroku.
Kagome smiled to herself, sure that InuYasha had a lot to say to her when she returned to the camp.
After a loud argument between Kagome and InuYasha that climaxed with an even louder "SIT!" the girls had finally scampered off for their long desired bath, leaving behind a monk holding his head and a very annoyed hanyou buried face first in the dirt.
Giggles faded into the distance leaving a tense silence at the campsite only to be broken by a muffled and angry voice.
"Why does she always do that? I didn't even deserve it this time, I was only worried about her," InuYasha stated as he finally pulled himself off the ground. "Naraku's puppets could be anywhere. I should go down there and watch over Kagome anyway."
"I might advise against that," replied the monk with a wince as he massaged his temples. "The girls are not completely defenseless, and besides, I don't believe it is wise to push Kagome further. She has become very skilled at detecting demonic auras. And that includes your own as well my friend".
InuYasha only growled a response as he looked over at Shippo and Kirara curled up together on Kagome's sleeping bag. He couldn't shake the ominous feeling that something was going to happen. Sniffing the air he didn't sense anything nearby, however, he knew it was only a matter of time before Naraku made another move against them.
InuYasha's blood turned cold as he caught the scent of a demon the moment before a terrified scream rent the air.
"Kagome!"
As Sango and Kagome walked back to camp, they were discussing their favorite lecherous monk and the strength of his feelings for Sango.
"But he asks every woman he meets to bear his child!" Sango hotly replied to her friend's defense of the monk.
"I know, but I think that it's a habit now more than his actual feelings." Kagome stole a look at her friend. "Besides, I think that you're the only woman he really wants to have his child."
Sango blushed wildly but inside her mind, hoped Kagome was right. It was infuriating to watch the man you love ask other women to bear his child.
Suddenly, they both felt a powerful demonic aura surround them. A large cloud of smoke filled the pathway as Sango drew Hiraikotsu and stepped in front of Kagome. As the smoke dissolved, an ominous looking lizard youkai stood gazing at them with narrowed green eyes.
"What do you want?" Sango asked tensely, readying her weapon and placing her body in a battle position.
"Only the Miko behind you. Hand her over and I'll allow you to live," replied the youkai. His voice sounded like he had a hole in his throat, making it both deep and wheezy at the same time, like air passing through a cracked door.
"Over my dead body you ugly toad!" yelled Sango as she released Hiraikotsu in an arc towards the demon. His lips curled into a snarl as he dodged the attack with ease.
Before Kagome could blink, the demon sent his tongue out and struck Sango in the side of the neck. The force of the blow spun the Taiji-ya around and her eyes collided powerfully with Kagome's frightened stare. "Kagome…run," was all Sango could say as she fell at the miko's feet. Hiraikotsu landed with force a few feet away.
Kagome looked up and caught a superior smile cross the face of the ruthless youkai before her.
"Toad? I think not," was all he said before he looked at Kagome. "Now little Miko, there is someone who desires your immediate presence."
Kagome's thoughts raced frantically as tears gathered in her eyes. 'Is Sango all right, what should I do, where is InuYasha?'
She took a step back as her holy powers flared to life in response to her fear. As her powers receded, she saw the look in the demon's eyes change from smug satisfaction to pure malice. Pain bloomed in her neck and shot throughout her body before everything went numb and her scream pierced the chill spring air.
Kagome's thoughts centered on one thing as she was pulled down into a world of sinister darkness and suffocating silence.
'InuYasha.'
InuYasha crashed through the trees at the same moment Kagome hit the ground. He drew Tessaiga and looked from Kagome's prone body to the youkai standing only a few feet from her.
"You bastard! What did you do to her?" InuYasha growled furiously, hands tightening on the hilt of Tessaiga.
"Ah, the famous InuYasha. For someone who causes Naraku as much grief, I expected a more formidable adversary".
"Naraku? Are you one of his puppets?" InuYasha asked angrily.
Miroku slid to a halt next to InuYasha, staff braced in front of him.
"I am no one's puppet. Naraku and I have an understanding which will benefit both of us after he completes the jewel," replied the demon, never sparing a glance for the monk.
"Naraku will never complete the jewel as long as I'm around. Now step away from Kagome so I can kill ya already," InuYasha shouted as he raised Tessaiga and leveled it at the youkai.
Green eyes flashed as a slimy chuckle floated through the air. Saimyosho flew in and filled the space around the lizard distracting the pair long enough for him to collect his target. Kagome hung limply under his arm, her ebony hair trailing in the dust. A cloud of smoke rose up and engulfed the pair.
"Kagome!" InuYasha roared.
The smoke disappeared as quickly as it came leaving only InuYasha, Miroku, and an unconscious Sango in its wake.
Miroku rushed to Sango and cradled her in his arms, fear quickly dissolving into concern as he felt her breathing gently against his cheek. The monk then looked up to his friend and was taken aback by the look of panic on the usually fearless face of the hanyou.
"InuYasha?" the monk asked tentatively.
"Take Sango back to camp and look after everyone, I'm going after that bastard. I'll bring her back," the last words dying on the wind as InuYasha bounded into the crisp evening air.