A/N: A quick thank you to Okami Pup, CARTOON-ANIMELOVER78, and Makimashi Misao F.D.S.S.L.A, Fairy Flame Key, BrujitaLuna, Sweetly Staring, and sunshinestar16 for informing me of the coding error when I previously uploaded this chapter. Definitely a lesson learned for the next time I upload anything. Thank you guys for taking an interest and taking the time out to read my story. It truly fills me with joy and I appreciate it beyond words. I hope you enjoy it and cotinue to bear with me and follow this story as it and I progress and evolve. Don't forget to review!

Sango looked at the young kit and it broke her heart. Shippo was nothing but a shell, he gave Kikyo a run for her money. It was as if he completely clocked out from the world. He never speaks, he no longer reacts to anything, he barely eats. He ran on instinct alone. If the instinct for survival for kits wasn't so strong, she was sure he would have withered away a long time ago. It saddened her, they couldn't afford to lose another precious member. If they didn't find Kagome and soon, who knows how much longer the kit had left. Rin was such a precious little girl, so much like Kagome. She never left Shippo's side if she could help it. She always made sure that he ate or drank something, and continuously prattled on to him so that he wouldn't be alone. It's bad enough he felt that way. She was his constant companion and deep inside, she thought that Shippo was grateful for it.

"Taijiya." The daiyoukai broke her out of her internal musings.

"Hai Lord Sesshomaru?"

"There is a river twenty yards west." She nodded her acquiescence to the unspoken suggestion. She looked to Miroku who smiled in answer to her silent plea.

"What are we stopping for?"

"The children need a break and frankly so do we."

"Fret not Inuyasha. We won't be gone long."

"Since when do you guys take orders from this bastard?"

"Do you not know basic grammar Inuyasha? There was no command made." Inuyasha glared at the daiyoukai whose attention was elsewhere among the trees.

"Just hurry your asses back. We ain't got all day." He looked to Kikyo who seemed a bit fatigued herself. "You alright?"

"I'm fine Inuyasha."

"Do ya need to...you know?"

"No." With that she stepped away from him and seated herself under the shade of a medium sized tree, gazing at the daiyoukai across from her whom had also seated himself beneath a rather large tree to accommodate his size. She didn't need to refuel, so to speak, just yet but it was taking increasing amounts of souls to fuel her body the longer she walked the earth. The young souls just weren't cutting it anymore. Thus far she had only absorbed the souls of young maidens to fuel herself, but what would happen if she were to absorb the souls of youkai? Would she become stronger? Would she become tainted? Could it alter her spirit and turn her into a dark miko or even a sorceress? Jyaki was a fickle thing, but the possibilities were endless. The question that remained to be answered was would the benefits outweigh the costs?

Inuyasha was at a loss with what to do with himself. He wanted to keep going so they could hurry and find the shards. The quicker they found the shards the quicker they could end all of this and he could fulfill his duty to Kikyo and begin the rest of their lives together. It was obvious to him that Kagome wasn't dead. If she was, Kikyo would have her complete soul and more than likely not be made of clay. The latter he wasn't too sure about. Urasue's magic was unknown to any but her, so the actual effects of the spell in completion is unknown. Who knew what road her body, and soul for that matter, would take should it reach completion, but rest assured, it will be done. Unfortunately, in doing so, he would lose the only person that had ever accepted him for who and what he is. Even Kikyo wanted him to become human. Sometimes when he was around her, he felt a fog in his mind, like he knew what he was doing but couldn't completely control what he was doing. It grows thicker with each passing day. The only time he felt any reprieve is when she would lose herself in her own mind, as she was doing now. He didn't want to think about it though, the truth could, and more than likely would, destroy him. Just like it may have done to Kagome. That night was a blur to him, the fog was thick that night. He couldn't remember much of what occurred. He remembered that Kagome wanted to speak to him, but after that it gets fuzzy. The more he tried to remember what transpired, the fuzzier it got. It would eventually reveal itself to him, but it drove him insane trying to figure it out. Did he really want Kagome gone from this world? Or was it just Kikyo's influence? If anyone deserved to live it would be her. Kagome basically gave up her life and future for this journey. It's because of her that everyone has been able to heal and prosper as we have. To grow as people and become something we never could have thought of. Sango was right, without her I'm nothing. Without her we are nothing.

"Lady Sango?"

"Yes Rin?" they sat at the banks of the river, dipping their feet into the water to cool off and relax. It was obvious Rin wanted to ask her something, but was unsure of how to continue. "What is it Rin?"

"Whatever you have to say Rin, there will be no repercussions from Lady Sang or I. We would never harm you. You are safe with us and anything spoken between us will stay between us unless you wish it otherwise or it pertains to your wellbeing. We wouldn't want Lord Sesshomaru to go all angry demon because you were hurt in some way and we didn't tell him." That made her giggle.

"Silly Master Miroku, Lord Sesshomaru would know there was something wrong with Rin before she did!" That made them all burst into giggles, for that was just plain truth. Once the moment passed, she became just a bit somber and looked to Shippo, sadness filling her eyes because she missed her friend. The hollowness in his eyes hardened her resolve.

"What happened to Lady Kagome? Why did she leave Shippo?" The two adults were at a loss for words. They thought she had decided to let go of where Kagome was and just focus on interacting with Shippo. They looked to one another for answers to tell the little girl, but nothing but the truth would suffice.

"W-Well we don't know where she is Rin. Only Inuyasha can answer that and even then I'm not sure he knows himself."

"We don't think she left us willingly or without just cause. We can only hope that she is safe from harm and will return to us one day."

"Do you think she…"Tears started to form in the young girl's eyes. Kagome's absence was taking a toll on everyone.

"No no, we don't think that at all. We would know if she did."

"Do you think we'll ever find her?"

"We can't answer that question either honey. We can only hope that she will, even if only for Shippo's sake." They all looked to the kitsune whom seemed to be falling asleep, his eyes slowly falling closed.

"Guess that's our cue to go back to the others ne?"

"Indeed my sweet Sango. Come little Rin, would you like a piggy back ride?"

"What's a piggy back ride?"

"Uh...it's like riding on AhUn but you'll be riding on my back instead."

"Okay!" Miroku stooped down to make his back more easily accessible for the little one as she eagerly climbed on. She squealed in excitement as he rose to his full height. Some happiness is better than none, no matter how fleeting.

Her chest ached in a way that was eerily familiar. Her chest felt tight and her heart felt like it was being squeezed. She lost track of how long she was in the forest, but it seemed that she was needed elsewhere now. Something, or someone, needed her. She looked around her, trying to find which way would lead to whatever it was that required her presence. She decided to head north, it was as good a start as any. She gazed into the shadows behind her, "Will you forever lurk in my shadow, or will you come and join me?"