Disclaimer: Not mine, just borrowing 'em, promise to clean 'em when I'm done

A/N: Did I mention that you can blame JK Rowlings for at least one week of lateness? But damn, that was a good book. Anyway, thank yous go out to bunnyangel (no possession, wrong fanfic) Lady Vinicia (tension keeps climbing) Aalikylaih Suzoyki (Inuyasha and Kagome in next update, hang on!) Esk42 (these chapters should help ease your tension a bit!) MiaMoo (we have to get everyone out of danger before they get to the stronghold, and even then they have Sesshy's mom) bluediamond-hime (Kage is a fullblooded dai-youkai princess, so she might be as powerful as Sesshy some day...) SakuraAyanami (sorry it took so long, here's more fighting for ya') Rory4 (I can see how I goofed you up, but the line above is Kohaku's, and the last line is Rin's, otherwise thank you! Hugs!) Illidan the Half Demon (three more chapters of a fight, and then the stronghold!) Star Garden (everyone else's emotions and battles are here for you) DCoD (I hope you stick through these chapters, cause that fight should have been the climax, instead of the first one, and these battles are quite as exciting) Ar-an Angel (no, no, no, kill Naraku later…) Rambonata (she changed her name because she equates Rin with the child who Sesshy abandoned, and Akai is a woman who doesn't need him, but now she has to deal with being both. Akai means red, the color of the ribbon he left her) theevilashleyness (don't hate me! see last chapter for self-justification) Peace Heaven (still more battles to be had, and will be updating more frequently) X30SeCOndS2RJA14 (I hate writing your name! So long…Sasayaki abuse will continue, never fear) EyeofDlareme (arigatou, and I promise to keep up more often) BlindSeer220 (Sesshy's busy with his own problems, but he taught his little girl to take care of herself) Ru-Doragon (Rin yells at Daddy when they're firmly in the stronghold…and for more things than Kohaku bullying) Change in heart (Souten and Rin are starting to bond, mainly over dislike of Sasayaki and being treated like girls, and Sesshy's mom, well…) Future Aristocratic Assassin (alright, you seem to have caught up with everything, if you have more questions, let me know) MidnightAngelxxx (thanks!) eirivan (you should have seen me trying to figure out what "ganbatte" means…hehehe, anyway, thank you!) Alanna-Sama (you caught the meaning of Tsumeato! gold star for you!) Vespera (thank you for the comprehensive review, and the last thing I want is a sappy Sesshy, takes all the fun out of his love for Rin) Itshortysunshine (I know, I know, I'm sorry!) HawkAngel XD (thank you!) Bethany Ann Dickinson (updating, and will do more this week!) inuyasha's tennyo (I'm back! I'm sorry!) and everyone else, thanks and I'm sorry! That was a page and a half of thank yous…

"Oh, you bit—!"

The rest of Shippo's shout was lost as the silent shimmer floating just past his head connected with the trunk of a nearby tree. He threw both arms up to shield his face as the wood blasted apart. The screams of the villagers ahead of him underlined the boom that shook the ground. Dimly, he thought he heard Sango's voice, though he could not make out the words.

Wood slashed at his flesh. Something pierced the skin of one pointed ear, and drove partway into his head. He felt blood on his neck as he lowered his arms and pushed on.

A glance back showed Sasayaki standing behind them, surrounded by toppled trees and broken rock. Her head thrown back in mad mirth, she laughed to the skies as the mortals scattered before her. Soft black hair swirled around her face, and her azure kimono flared like a corona of the hottest flame. She was a creature of utmost beauty, and pure insanity.

Shippo turned forward to make certain he didn't run straight into a tree, his mind whirling.

Naraku's "daughter"…his favorite…if I could just…

The blue-green foxfire began to shimmer in his hands as he looked back once again.

The horde of minor youkai that followed Naraku everywhere swarmed around Sasayaki. A huge gray shape lumbered into view, waving four arms as he turned to the deranged girl for directions. She laughed, and pointed off to Shippo's right. Something dark swooped in front of her from the sky.

One strike with Tessaiga and Inuyasha could wipe out that horde…Foxfire for the gray beast, and the wind tunnel for Sasayaki…

He stopped, and turned back.

"Shippo-kun? Shippo-kun, where are you?!?"

The kitsune started in surprise, as the realities of the situation crashed back down on him. He did not know where Miroku or Inuyasha were, nor Sango or Kagome. He could not put that plan, or any plan, into action. He was running.

He gritted his teeth, and dashed after the villagers he had sworn to protect.

"Here! I'm right behind you!" Shippo hollered back, and the young woman who had cried out his name, Iva, looked at him gratefully over her shoulder.

There were seven of them in his protection, two women, four men, and one child clinging to Iva's hand. The trust in their eyes caused a surge of adrenaline through Shippo's veins, and he managed to sprint forward, catching up with the tail end of their party. Still, he pricked his sharp ears to hear any sound from his friends.

Through the crashing of the villagers through the brush, he heard the sound of something huge pounding the earth, and Kohaku's voice to his right.

"Iie, iie, iie! Not now!" the young man shouted.

It was like a physical pain, racing away from battle. It was not their way, he and his friends, to scatter and run. They stuck together, watched each other's backs, and worked, always, as a team. He understood they were still doing so, to some extent, by the very act of fleeing. It did not help.

What is the point of defeating Naraku, baka, if the innocent you fight for are killed? he tried to tell himself as he dodged around a clump of bushes, steering his humans deeper into the forest.

Somehow, he still felt like a traitor, and a coward.

"Alright, everyone," Shippo shouted over his guilt, turning his head to keep an eye on as many directions as he could, "keep close together! Keep your weapons ready, men! And—watch out!"

He had watched every direction but up.

The ugly, pitch black body of Uma swept down suddenly from the sky above them. The screams and explosions and poundings of the four armed youkai had managed to mask the sounds of his hooves as he galloped through the air. Now he came down low, taking the mortals by surprise, thick fingers grasping for any throats that came within reach.

He missed any flesh, but managed to catch a handful of one man's topknot. He wheeled in the air and rose again. For a moment, the frightened ningen dangled from his hand. Then the dark locks of hair ripped free of the mortal's head, and he tumbled back down, blood streaming down his face from a torn scalp. He landed hard on both feet, then crumbled, his spear falling away as he lay still in the dirt.

"JURO!" came a sudden shriek. "JURO!"

"Iva, iie!" Shippo shouted. He leapt forward as the young woman sprung to her feet, releasing the child as she tried to rush to the fallen man. Shippo managed to catch her, and force her back down into a crouch.

"Stay down, Iva, stay down!"

"Juro! Let me go! Let me go! That's my brother! Juro!"

Uma's deep laugh rumbled over them as he waved the handful of hair through the air.

"Such lovely hair! And the scent of his blood…ah, the blood of a weak ningen!"

"My brother is not weak!" Iva shrieked directly into Shippo's ear. "You bastard! I'll kill you, I'll kill you! JURO!"

She's almost as scary as Keiko! Shippo thought as he fought to keep Iva down.

As though his thoughts called to her, the beautiful hanyou girl's voice rang out from nearby, as filled with fury and pain as Iva's voice.

"DAMN YOU!"

Shippo turned his head a little towards the sound, eyes widening at Keiko's tone. He wanted to go to her, to help. But the woman beneath him continued to struggle to throw herself at Uma, a move that would be as suicidal as brave. He had to protect his charges, and trust in Keiko to handle herself.

I should be more worried about her opponent, he thought wryly.

A glance showed the rest of the villagers still close to the ground, some in running crouches as they tried to reform their circle, with the one child being shoved to the center. The other woman lay still and refused to move, sobbing into the dirt.

"I don't want to die! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"

Shippo shouted over her. "Grab the girl! Drag her if you have to, just get under the heavier trees!"

As he spoke, he seized the wildly struggling Iva around the waist and prepared to follow his own instructions. There were too man potential victims, and too little strength, for him to make a stand against Uma. Shippo winced as he saw Juro begin to move feebly on the ground.

"I'll come back for him, Iva, please come with me!"

"I won't leave him! I can't leave him!"

"Let her stay, kitsune!" Uma shouted as he came about. "I'll devour her pretty eyes, right after your fluffy tail!"

He began to gallop straight for them, black mane and tail flowing behind him.

Shippo hurled the ningen woman towards her companions as he tried to call the foxfire back up.

"SANGO!"

Miroku's voice threw him. His head turned, the flames flickered and died, and Uma was already upon him, he had no time…

"My sister loves that tail!"

Something brilliant and hot, like a deadly firefly, swept past Shippo's face.

Uma shrieked in pain and rose quickly into the air, his hooves pounding just above Shippo's head. The kitsune ducked and staggered back, watching in some surprise as the ugly horse demon shook his hand. Something had pierced directly through the palm, something long and thin…An arrow.

Instead of glowing pink like Kagome's, the end burned a savage gold.

"Nani?"

He looked over his shoulder to see Higure and more villagers rushing onto the scene. Even as he stared, shocked, Higure slid another arrow onto his bow, took aim, and fired at Uma. The youkai moved at the last second, whether to dodge or just to launch another attack, and the arrow merely grazed his right flank. Smoke rose from the wound, and his mouth opened, teeth gnashing in pain and rage as he was once again thrown off his charge.

"How in the hell—?"

Higure cut Shippo off with a withering look. "You didn't think only Keiko had the powers of a firebird, did you?"

"Honestly, I hadn't thought about it at all," Shippo admitted. Then he frowned at the younger man. "Your sister loves my tail?"

"Hai, well, she's insane."

A crashing from behind brought both young men around, Higure raising his bow threateningly. Then they realized it was a breathless Minoru, five ningen close behind him. He stopped for a split second at the sight of the arrow readied to bury itself in his skull, but already his brother was lowering his weapon.

"They're on my tail!" he gasped as his people raced past him. "The horde of little youkai—"

"They're easy to kill, but too many of them could over power us," Shippo hissed. "Iie, Iva, get back here!"

The young woman was trying desperately to drag her brother's moaning body out of danger. Uma, high above them, ripped the arrow from his hand with an enraged roar. His coal black eyes swept the area, and found her.

Before Shippo could move, Minoru's villagers had engulfed her in their own group. One man bent to help gather Juro, while the others tried to make a circle around them. The rest of the mortals stumbled out of the heavier trees as though to help.

"Stay there!" Shippo hissed at them. "You seven," he pointed at Iva and her guardians, "quick, that way! And…where is Uma?"

The horse youkai had disappeared from the sky.

"He's run!" Minoru cried.

"It can't be that easy," Shippo said. "Quickly, all of you! Go!"

"Keep together!" Higure began to shout, running for the six saving Juro. "Stay close! Weapons ready!"

Minoru backed up, searching the air for Uma and the horde of lesser youkai. "Where are they? Keep your eyes to the sky!"

Shippo did just that as he ran for the rest of the villagers, and so he caught the first glimpse of Uma, bursting out of the leafy canopy suddenly, right on top of them. His hooves nearly caught the heads of several men, yet they managed to duck just in time as he swept by.

"Women and children down! Keep your heads down!"

With a strangled scream, the young woman who had lain weeping wrenched her arm out of the hold of one man, and broke free of the circle.

"Iie, don't run! Keep down!"

Shippo tried to run for her, to tackle her as he had with Iva and drag her down to safety. But he was too far, and too slow.

Uma seized her around the throat, just as he had Rin. He turned, and climbed up into the sky.

"IIE!"

This time, Uma was not looking to take a hostage.

He raised the struggling, screaming woman to his mouth. His teeth sank deep into the side of her throat. There came a wet ripping sound, and the screams stopped. Uma threw his head back and shook his mane, laughing into the sky.

Shippo felt the rage and helplessness hit him like a hammer between his shoulders. The foxfire was there before he even knew he had called it, no longer blue-green but a brilliant cerulean. He reared back, both hands together, and prepared to throw it straight into Uma's face.

Something hit him hard in the back.

He stumbled, and the fire burned a smoking gauge into the forest floor.

"K'sou!"

He spun to strike this new enemy, only to find Minoru, his back to Shippo, looking up into the sky.

"They're here."

The horde was upon them.

Uma threw the body of the young woman high into the air. Three small demons snatched her up. Hungry mouths dove for her flesh, and she writhed, dying but not yet dead, unable to even scream as she choked on her own blood.

Shippo called up more green-blue fire, weaker than a moment before, and flung it with all his might.

It caught the three little monsters. One screeched in pain as the other two fell. The girl also fell, from three times the height Juro had survived. No streak of white light saved her, as it had Rin. She plummeted, and landed face first on the hard ground.

She did not move again.

That's something, at least.

From somewhere amongst the trees, beyond their gathered villagers, they heard Kohaku's voice shouting in horror, "KEIKO!"

Keiko! What's happened—?

He dodged as something tried to seize his head, and looked around.

Both Keiko's brothers were in full battle with the horde. Higure aimed well, and Minoru moved with the speed of his father, his spear flashing through the air to sever heads and cleave demons in two. Though neither tried to break free to run to their sister's aid, he could tell by their strained faces they had heard Kohaku's shout. They knew the only way to help Keiko would be to finish off their own enemies first. Shippo, hating himself, charged into the fight, leaping up to seize a youkai and drag it down, as he saw Iva, Juro, and their protectors reach the rest of the villagers.

The ningen men crouched and swung with spears or staffs, while Iva gave quick, angry orders to the women. The few children were pressed to the ground in the center, crying and frightened. Juro, blood still seeping down his face, tried to push himself up to help the defenders.

Uma is a fool. These people are strong. I hope he knows his mistake when Iva rips his eyes out.

"This isn't working!" Higure snarled. "There are too many!"

Shippo threw a ball of foxfire just past Minoru's head, igniting several youkai. A dozen more pressed in. Teeth sunk into his shoulder. He ripped the little monster free, only to feel something lash his leg with a tail like a whip. He staggered and nearly crashed in Higure, who was now using his bow to simply club the youkai. Shippo saw he had only three arrows left in his quiver.

"Shippo-kun!" Iva cried again as Uma's hooves thundered through the air. "Shippo-kun, where are you?!?"

All three men turned towards the sound. A demon latched itself to Minoru's suddenly unguarded neck, while another leapt up from the ground, onto Higure's back. A third, something long and slimy, wrapped around Shippo's waist.

"Ah!" he cried in disgust, prying the demon free. "Damn!"

Minoru thrust blindly with his spear at his own neck, trying to dislodge the beast burrowing into his flesh. "We need help!"

A soft, melodic voice came from nowhere, or everywhere, saying softly, "All you had to do was ask."

Shippo recognized the flare of pink, and knew to duck. He caught each of the brothers by an arm and brought them down, too. All three lifted their heads to watch.

The horde of small youkai had no chance. The blessed arrow cut through them with all the strength of a Wind Scar. Several screamed, but most did not even have the chance. The arrow cleaved the demons to pieces, then landed with a dull thunk in the base of a small tree just behind the villagers.

As the shocked mortals, as well as Shippo, Higure, and Minoru, stared at the arrow in confused wonder, Uma saw his tattered forces, and threw back his head in a roar of rage.

Less than a dozen of the horde had managed to escape. They fluttered around Uma uncertainly, as though awaiting more orders. They made no move to attack the miko who had destroyed their companions.

"Arigatou, Kagome-sama!" Minoru cried, finally breaking the silence. He looked back the way the arrow had come from, and frowned. "Kagome-sama?"

Shippo glanced briefly in that direction as well. There was no one there. But he knew Kagome's voice better than any other. The miko who had come to their aid sounded calm, not full of fire and determination.

It's her.

He shook off the thought, and turned his attention back to Uma, over their heads. The battle was far from over. He still needed to get the villagers away from the horse demon, and to Sesshoumaru's stronghold.

As he tipped his head up, he suddenly had to dive to the side. What was left of the horde flew straight for his face. He heard Minoru and Higure shouting in alarm as they, too, attempted to dodge the attack. Claws raked at their flesh and hair, and teeth tried to catch any little hold.

"I—Can't—See!" Shippo shouted, lashing out with his long nails to try and seize any passing youkai. Half-blinded, he dared not throw any foxfire, for fear he would hit friend instead of foe. He felt blood coming from a cut on his forehead, and something hot pierce just below an eye.

"Shippo-kun!"

"That's it!"

He leapt straight up, as far as he could, straight through the little demons. At the peak of his jump, he looked about him for the source of his name. He spotted the villagers, still crouched in their tight circle, though more blood decorated their white faces. The broken figure of a man sprawled several feet away, not far from the dead woman.

Uma, laughing, spun in the air, and came galloping straight for them.

"Damn it!" Shippo shouted as he fell back through the cloud of demons, and hit the ground. "He's coming back around!"

A swing of Minoru's spear sliced two demons into four pieces. "Go! We've got this!"

Shippo burst into a run, aiming for the villagers.

Injured Juro rose up, his spear shaking in his arms as he tried to skewer Uma through the heart. The horse demon swerved around, causing Juro to stumble. His spear slipped. Uma's hand reached, once more, for him.

"Iie!"

Iva pushed her brother quickly out of the way, and it was her throat that Uma caught, instead of Juro's.

"Iva!" Higure shouted from behind Shippo. "Iie, you bastard!"

He ran from beside Minoru, grabbing one of the three remaining arrows and slinging it onto the bow. He managed to pull it back and aim while still moving. Unfortunately, Uma spotted him, and instead of trying to flee, sped down on him.

The arrow grazed his back, and then his free fingers were around Higure's neck. He shouted with laughter, and turned to climb into the sky again, a victim dangling from each hand.

"Minoru! Shippo! We need your help!"

Kohaku stumbled into view, carrying Keiko, the left side of whose dress was drenched in blood. Minoru slashed through the last of the minor youkai, then raced to his sister. Shippo gave her one apologetic look, even though he knew she could not see him, and turned to run for Uma.

The horse demon was rising quickly. Shippo got as close to directly under him as he could, gathered all his strength into his little legs, and leapt, once more, as high as he could.

His fingers managed to close on Uma's tail.

"Shippo!" someone shouted from below. "Nani—?"

He did not look down. Instead he held as tight as he could to the wiry black hair, and began to climb, hand over hand, up Uma's tail.

It did not take Uma long to notice something was wrong. He gave a pained grunt as his hindquarters suddenly found themselves carrying a lot more weight. He threw an angry glance over his shoulder, and growled at the sight of the kitsune hanging off his tail.

"Get off!"

A hoof landed a hard blow to Shippo's gut, forcing the air from his lungs so quickly he couldn't even curse with the pain. He blinked away the stars suddenly filling his vision, and pulled himself up the length of another hand. He managed to dodge the next kick, though the hoof scraped against the side of his head, and clipped his already wounded ear.

"Get off me, you filthy kitsune!"

"Shut…up!" Shippo managed to groan as he reached the top of the tail. He reached over the large rear of the horse with his right hand, and dug his long nails into the black fur and flesh. Uma shouted in pain as Shippo used this hold to drag himself up the rest of the way onto his enemy's back.

And now what am I going to do?!?

Roaring with anger, Uma rolled in the air in an attempt to dislodge his undesired rider. Shippo grabbed two handfuls of hair, tightened his legs, and held on tight. As Uma righted himself, Shippo remained astride his back.

"Get off me, or I'll drop them!" Uma shouted, holding his arms out to his sides. Iva and Higure both kicked their legs wildly, though neither could speak a word.

"Drop them, and you lose the only thing keeping me from shoving a bunch of foxfire in your face!" Shippo shot back. He noticed that they had left the rest of their party behind as the enraged Uma raced across the sky. From where he sat, he caught a brief glimpse of Inuyasha and Kagome below, nearly back to back as they battled two youkai at once.

No help from that quarter…Hey, there's Souten! She's busy too. Sasayaki…what happened to her hand? Never mind that! What do I do about my problem?!?

Luckily, Uma had stopped going up, and was merely going forward. He, too, seemed to notice they were at a stalemate.

"Alright, look!" Shippo hollered. "Why don't you put these two down, and then we can kill each other properly?"

"That's stupid!"

"Hey, it's the best idea I've got!"

Uma shook his head. "No deal, kitsune!"

"We're going down, one way or another, Uma!"

"Really? What are you going to do?"

Shippo never got a chance to answer. He saw Higure move, as fast as his father. His hand darted to the last two arrows in his quiver. He pulled out one. The strange, golden end flared with sudden heat, then was driven into Uma's shoulder.

"Ah!" the youkai roared. He flung out one arm, and released Higure.

"Iie!"

Shippo lunged sideways, both hands reaching for the other young man. He came nowhere close, and Higure started to plummet.

Think, think, think!

Shippo ripped the arrow free of Uma's shoulder, only to raise it high, and plunge it into the beast's great, black horse's neck, just behind the human head. He forced it in halfway to the fletching, and Uma's head was forced downward with it.

"I said, go down! NOW!"

He threw more weight behind the arrow. Uma had no choice but to aim for the ground, as fast as he could.

They galloped for the ground at a speed that would kill them if they hit, in an increasingly tighter spiral. Shippo kept the arrow forcing the beast down, even as they came abreast Higure's falling body. The young man was smart, and Iva was brave. Even as she must surely be losing consciousness from lack of air, she thrust out an arm, and Higure caught her hand.

Wait for it, Shippo told himself as the ground approached at a dizzying speed, wait, wait, NOW!

He tore the arrow from the back of Uma's neck.

The horse pulled up, his hooves skimming the ground as Higure released Iva's hand. He hit the ground with a hard thump. Shippo threw himself sideways, slashing wildly at Uma's arm that held Iva. The horse demon seemed only too pleased to rid himself of the troublesome ningen. Shippo fell to the forest floor, where he was joined a second later by Iva.

"Oh," Higure groaned, sitting up and rubbing his shoulder. "Damn, that hurt. Shippo, are you okay?"

"Hai. Iva? Iva!"

Shippo crawled forward, and looked down into the brave mortal woman's face. She was breathing, and the blue was receding from her cheeks and lips. Her lashes fluttered and her mouth moved, then she lay still.

"How is she?" Higure demanded, dragging himself to his feet.

"Unconscious, but she'll live." Shippo pulled the neck of her dress down, and winced. "She'll have some colorful bruises for awhile, too."

"Higure! Shippo!"

The crashing of the brush brought their heads around in surprise.

Minoru came into view, cradling Keiko in his arms. Smoke rose from her wounded shoulder, which he had sealed closed, it appeared, with fire. She hung listlessly, still completely out.

Kohaku came up hard behind him, with the cluster of villagers. Two men were helping Juro, who barely raised his head enough to see his sister's sprawled body. He opened his lips, but could not speak.

"She's alive!" Shippo assured him. "But so is Uma, so we need to—!"

"You forgot two!"

Two small bundles fell from the sky. Everyone ducked and dodged. They hit the ground with a cushioned thud, rolled over, and lay still. One look sent the villagers into screams of horror.

They were the heads of the dead man and woman.

"I have had enough of this bastard," Higure growled. "Back into your positions! Someone lift Iva! Minoru, keep Keiko safe!"

There was a frightening gleam in Higure's eyes, that of a man about to do battle for his home. He would kill anything that threatened them again.

And I'll help, Shippo told himself.

Aloud, he shouted at the villagers, "Down! Everybody down!"

Kohaku took up the cry, holding Minoru's spear instead of his strange weapon. "Children on the ground! Women down! Men—He's coming!"

Uma turned in the sky, and came back down for them.

Shippo began to call up the foxfire as Kohaku lunged forward to meet the youkai in a move both insane and brilliant. Uma, not expecting this complete disregard of his enemy for his own safety, did not think to dodge. The spear caught him full in the chest, and sank in deep.

Uma reared up, and tried to charge into the sky. It was too late. Shippo had given himself the time to turn the blue-green flames into brilliant, crackling azure. He threw them with all his might as the last of the golden, burning arrows left Higure's bow.

The arrow embedded itself into the flesh of Uma's throat, just beneath his head. Then the blue flames caught him. The youkai tried to scream, but could do nothing but thrash in agony as the arrow, too, burst into flames.

"Burn, you son of a bitch," Higure snarled, his eyes no longer deep violet, but flaming and golden and full of wrath. Shippo, joining him in his anger, wondered if his eyes looked the same.

Uma managed to climb several feet into the air, still struggling, his hands grasping wildly for the arrow. His thick fingers closed around the shaft, but when he pulled, the flaming arrow began to tear away the flesh of his throat as well. Panicked, he let it go, and made his last bid for freedom.

"Iie! You die now!" Shippo hissed.

The horse's neck, with its ugly human face, arched back in silent agony. Then the entire black body crumbled, as the fight, and the life, left it.

Uma fell to the ground, and was still.

The villagers gave a collective ragged gasp of relief.

"Higure," Minoru whispered, moving forward, "here, take Keiko."

His brother did not argue, though he looked somewhat surprised. "Why? What are you…?"

They all watched as he took the spear back from Kohaku. Then he walked to the still corpse of the youkai, raised his spear high, and thrust the golden point down into Uma's head.

A hoof kicked, then nothing.

"What are you doing?!?" Kohaku asked, blinking in his surprise.

"Making sure. Alright, let's go."

"The road is that way," Shippo said, gesturing with his elbow. "We should stick to the trees, but go along beside it."

"Men, don't put away your weapons!" Higure ordered. "Don't relax! We aren't through this yet!"

"I'll meet you at the stronghold," Kohaku told them, beginning back the way they had come.

"Where are you going?" Shippo shouted after him.

"I have to get my own villagers! I sent them this way, they should be around here somewhere…"

He disappeared back into the trees.

Minoru said, as he took the hand of the child who had run with Iva, "He helped Keiko kill a youkai, saved Keiko, carried her to someone who could fix her, then helped us kill Uma. He really is pretty amazing."

Shippo saw Higure's mouth fix into a deep scowl.

"Shut up and let's move, already."