Chapter One
Smoke in the distance, just another town. Shippo trailed behind Kagome who walked slowly beside her bike. Sango was trailing behind as usual and Inuyasha was leading the group. None of them ever looked back, none of them had ever gone back to the place they knew where Miroku's staff was all that remained of their friend. Sango had been hit the hardest because she had been the closest to him, she'd loved him. Even so, none of them could bear to speak of their departed friend to others or even with each other. For a long time they'd been even pressed just to make an effort to be their usual selves. Even when Kagome had left for the usual three days, Inuyasha had not complained. He'd only nodded when she'd said she'd be back in three days. So unlike him. Shippo looked at the half dog demon; he'd been acting funny since the prediction and he had to wonder just if the prediction he'd recieved had really bothered him that much, even though he didn't seem to believe the woman. Shippo's had been the only one that had been anything good and it had made the kitsune feel guilty that his future held such happiness while his friends were to suffer. It just didn't seem fair or right to him. M.. Miroku's prediction came true... Does that mean the others will too? He wondered, having a time just thinking of the monk's name without crying. Kagome had comforted him and Sango, but even she had been unable to keep from crying. He'd once awoke in the night to find Inuyasha wiping away tears; he knew the half demon missed him just as much as he did. They all did. Like an invisible cloud, greif hung over the group and those they had met on the way had given them looks of sympathy that spoke volumes; they knew that they were grieving for someone, it showed.
As they approached the village, a famililar scent hit Shippo. He glanced around, uncertain. Why is that scent so familiar? "Hey Shippo, you smell that?" Inuyasha asked. It was the first time that he'd spoken all day. He'd barely spoken two words all week. "Yeah, it's another fox demon. A female fox demon." "Yeah, smell familiar to you?" He asked. "It does actually, but I can't think of why." Why is he asking this all of the sudden? I don't get it. Usually he doesn't even so much as look my way since... well, since the incident. He thought as they neared the village. People glanced at them, but none of them seemed to be too surprised to see them. In fact, there were a couple of fox demons walking around the town. An unusual sight to see, humans living side by side with demons. Inuyasha blinked. This is strange.... Something is up here. Why would humans trust demons? Fox demons for that matter when they have such a notorious reputation? He wondered to himself. A couple of fox kits ran past Shippo, laughing. Inuyasha glanced at Shippo, half expecting him to run off with them, but the kitsune had been solmn since Miroku's demise. He didn't so much as give them a second glance. Man, the kid is really taking this whole thing hard. He stopped, Shippo, lost in thought. Ran right into him. "I-I-I'm sorry." He stammered. Inuyasha knelt down, trying to be light-hearted, something that was an effort to do. "Why don't you go play while I scope out the village." Shippo looked at him, startled, then he nodded and ran off after the other kits. Sango put a hand on his shoulder that nearly made him jump. He looked up at her, she only smiled slightly before she went off to search the village for answers; going the oppisite way while Inuyasha went the other.
The young fox kits stopped when they realized someone was following them. They were dressed just like he was except one had green pants and green eyes while his companion had on an orange vest and purple eyes. "Hi. My name's Keto and this is my brother Tyi." The fox with green eyes said. "I've not seen you around here before, are you new here?" "Yeah, my name's Shippo. I just arrived in the village." "Wanna play?" "Sure!" Shippo smiled at them, a first in a long time. "Tag, you're it Shippo!" Laughing with them, he ran off to catch them. Sango watched Shippo a moment from where she was before she turned away. "Mew?" Sango ignored Kirara's questioning look and went back to questioning the folk of the village. When she found Inuyasha again they compared notes, apparently everyone had the same story. They had made an alliance with the fox demons when other demons had began to drive out the fox demons and they'd come to the village. Together, the fox demons used their Fox Fire to drive away demons that would harm the village; in return, the fox demons were allowed to live in peace in the village. "This is the strangest village I've seen yet." Inuyasha remarked when they'd finished comparing notes. "I'll say. I've never seen a village that would align itself with demons to keep other demons at bay. I suppose it's not that surprising though since so many demons have come out of hiding since Naraku's disapperance." Inuyasha nodded. Sango glared at the ground, it was because of Naraku that Miroku was gone. Naraku had cursed his great-grandfather and it had been handed down from generation to genereation. Miroku had been the last of the line and he'd not fathered a child to keep the blood going. Sango regretted not ever seeing beyond his charade before. Had she known he'd loved her before then she would have gladly had his child; now it was too late. Sango forced the tears back, Inuyasha didn't say anything.
He never did and she was glad of his silence. Even so, she wished Kagome was back. Kagome had been gone for four days now and Inuyasha had not said anything. She wished feverately just to have Miroku be there with them. For everything to be okay. She almost half expected the monk to come up to her and to try and comfort her only to have his hand stray to her butt. She knew though he never would again and that hurt her most of all. She turned from the half demon and ignoring the startled look of the villagers she feld from the village, tears streaming down her face. I never knew it would hurt this much... I never thought he would never be there to comfort me ever again.... I never thought I would lose him.... She thought as she ran to the forest, she ran as fast as she could until she could run no more. She collapsed beneath a tree, sobbing aloud; Kirara stood behind her silently, having followed her. The fire cat nuzzled her, having transformed, she stood now a bit taller then the weeping woman as she sat on her knees. "Oh Kirara! I miss him so much!" She flung her arms around the fire cat, and not for the first time, cried into the soft, warm fur as the cat just sat there. The cat grumbled softly, but there was no comfort that she could offer to her grieving partner. Sango cried herself to sleep on the spot, weary from the tears. Kirara lay down, offering what warmth she could as she stood watch over Sango. Nothing would bother the peacefulness of the forest where the two lay together. Kirara watched, ears perked forward, something was growing in the place where Sango's tears had fallen. A rose tree sprouted up suddenly a couple feet away from Sango and Kirara. There, the small buds slowly opened to reveal a flower Kirara had not seen before. She remembered seeing a red one that Miroku had given Sango, but never one that was as translucent and clear as the water. She sniffed one, it posed no threat, but when she tried to pick one it shattered into pieces.
As Shippo ran through the village in pursue of his new friends. A voice called out that made him hault. "Shippo?!?!?! Shippo is that you? Where are you!" It was a voice Shippo had never thought he'd hear again. A voice that made him freeze, a femine voice. He turned around to locate the voice, trying to find the person who had called out to him.
