Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

Thank you all for the reviews I loved them!

Sorry it's taken a long time for me to get this one out but this is a really important chapter and I wanted it to go the right way and with life and writers block getting in the way it was a little hard to get it out. Thank you to all of those who wanted me to continue and I promise to try and get things out quicker than this and again sorry it's taken me so long. ~ Midnight

Previously:

"When the sun sets and the moon rises," said Kagome. "That's when the fun begins."

Chapter 20- the Festival

At Kagome's smile Sango was a little worried and was about to ask why she was smiling like that when the was a flurry of movement. It was so sudden that Sango had to shake her head and blink several times to make sure what she was seeing was really there. Where once there was only Kagome and her family and Shun and his father, there was now more than about fifteen adults all crowding around Kagome's father.

"Lord Rao, what was that?" asked one man that had pure black hair with no other hued highlights, the demon pointed ears and when she looked down she saw he had a sleek black-panther tail and he had pale yet vivid green eyes. "What was that power surge?" There were others that had surrounded them and they nodded their heads at the question the other man posed. As Sango studied the others she noticed that there were Shadow Demon foxes, dragons, various cats, and other Shadow Demons. One woman looked a lot like the girl named Izumi that they had met earlier that week. Maybe that's her mom, Sango thought.

"Everything is fine Yoshiro," said Rao as he clamed down the Panther tribe leader.

"Fine? Everything is fine you say? Whatever that was made the barrier waver!" As Yoshiro and the others were demanding to know what had happened Rin appeared in the doorway. Sango was one of the first to notice her. Now that she seemed better Sango noticed how beautiful she was. She's changed so much, Sango thought. It's not like she wasn't beautiful before but like Ayame and Kagome there was just something extra from when she changed. Before long Sango noticed that the voices had died down and everything was silent. As she looked back toward the adults all of them had a look of shock and awe as they stared at the doorway.

"No way," said the woman who looked like Izumi. "That's not possible." She was the only one to speak up. Rin gave shy, sad smile and said, "Hey, I'm back." As soon as the words left her mouth she was smothered by the adults who swarmed to hug her and to just make sure she was really real. Rao, Midoriko, Kazu, Shun, Ayame and Kagome just smiled at the display that the other Chieftains were causing. The first one to pull away was the man Rao had called Yoshiro. He looked to Rao with a question in his eyes, and like how Kagome somehow always knows your questions, he answered the unasked question.

"Jiro and Tsubaki both used a blood seal so it ended up lasting for fourteen years." Not just Yoshiro seemed shocked by this revelation but the rest of the Chieftains as well. They had believed in theory that it was possible to make a blood seal last twice as long if used by two people at the same time but now they had proof, but to them the price paid was too high.

"Well," started the woman that had her arms still around Rin, "at least she's finally home and she's safe." All the others nodded their heads at the woman's comment. As things started to calm down in through the door came Ryoko and Izumi and they were followed by a number of guys, some who looked like them and others who didn't. When they saw Rin they all stopped in their tracks. All of their mouths were hanging open in shock.

"NO WAY!" screamed Ryoko loud enough to almost break glass but it certainly made those with sensitive ears cringe just a little. "You're alive!" she said pointing at Rin. Rin smiled at the shocked group of people and just nodded. They were all dumbfounded. "And," started Rin. "I met both you and Izumi earlier this week," as she said those words both Izumi and Ryoko looked closer at her to try and figure out where. "I mean come on I was with both Kagome, Ayame and Shun when we finally met back up, and you didn't recognize me? That hurts just a little," she said with a fake wounded look but she also had a huge grin on her face. At her comment it finally clicked for both Ryoko and Izumi on where they had seen her.

"You're one of Kagome and Ayame's new roommates. Rin, right?" said Izumi. Rin nodded still smiling at them all. "Oh, God," chocked Ryoko as she flew at Rin and they collided and ended up on the floor. "I'm so glad you're alive and finally home." Rin who was flat on her back under the other girl just hugged her tight. Ryoko and Izumi had been really close to Rina before she had disappeared and her supposed death had hurt them more than they had let the adults know. Rin could feel the drops of tears that were rolling down Ryoko's face as she cried happy tears and she also saw the unshed tears in Izumi's eyes when she looked up at the taller girl. Then Izumi turned to Kagome for an answer as to how this was all possible. Kagome explained about the blood seal that had been used. Both girls were shocked about what had happened but were also happy that their old friend was home where she belonged.

Ryoko finally got off Rin as she started to stand she noticed the guys that were standing behind Izumi. She recognized some of them, as Ryoko and Izumi's brothers but there were a couple that she couldn't quite place. Anyway Ryoko and Izumi's brothers each got a hug from Rin as a welcome home thing. All Shadow Demons were kind of touchy and had no real problem showing affection unlike most demons and humans who were usually more reserved. Rin noticed that not all of Ryoko or Izumi's brothers were there. Both Ryoko and Izumi had ten brothers each (0.o) and there were maybe two for each girl there. As the last brother hugged her she turned toward the other boys whom she couldn't quite place that was until the boy with ink black eyes and ink black hair smiled.

"Tarou?" she questioned and she turned to the other three boys and she started to recognize whom they were. "Ryota?" she asked pointedly at the boy with pale blue eyes and black hair with a light blue hue, who nodded at her question. "Takumi?" she said of the young man with red eyes and purple black hair who just smirked at her and inclined his head. "Ken?" she said to the last one who nodded his green black head whose amethysts eyes shined brightly just like his smile as he looked back at her. "Oh my God, I hardly recognized you guys!" All four young men smiled at Rin's comment and were proud that they didn't look 10 anymore. They were all about 6' 1" in height with muscular yet lean builds. They were sons of the Shadow Dragon clan Chief with Takumi as oldest then the twins Ryota and Tarou, and lastly Ken. They were between 24-22 years old making them some of the oldest, excluding Izumi and Ryoko's older brothers, of that generation.

"How ya doing shorty?" said Takumi with a smirk. Besides the coloring the boys looked identical and like younger versions of their father, Ryuuki Matsushita, leader of the Shadow Dragon tribe. "I'm good Taku," replied Rin using the name she used to call him by when they were kids. He just smiled and then hugged her just as his brothers did after him. The last one to hug her was Tarou who whispered, "Welcome home," into her ear, which made her smile. Everyone was smiling when suddenly Midoriko let out a yell, which made everyone turn toward her.

"You all need to start getting ready!" she yelled. At her words everyone turned toward the clock on the wall and noticed that nightfall was only a couple hours away and it was going to take a little while for the girls to get totally ready and they still had preparations that needed to be done. So all the guys left to finish up with the set up and the girls followed Midoriko as she led them to this huge room and told them to get dressed. Both Sango and Rin looked at Kagome wondering what her mom had meant by bringing them back there as well. It's not like we're the performers, thought Sango thinking of Kagome, Ayame, Izumi and Ryoko. We aren't really participating, are we?

"You aren't dancing or anything like that," said Kagome. Sango hadn't noticed she had voiced her question. "But we do have the dresses for you guys to wear and all the stuff that goes with it like, jewelry and other such things. It's a lot of fun." Kagome moved toward a door and opened to reveal a closet full of clothes, something that looked like belts, jewelry and in all different colors and styles.

Kagome went in and started to grab some clothes off their hangers. She grabbed two skirts, one short and black and one long and dark pink and handed both to Sango. Next she grabbed two skirts again this time a short purple one and a long gold one and handed these to Rin. She then grabbed four short white ones and handed one to Ayame, then Ryoko and finally Izumi and put the last one aside for herself. She then went back in a grabbed four long skirts in different colors. She handed the dark green one to Ayame, a dark red one to Ryoko and a dark teal one to Izumi and the dark blue one she put with her shorter white one. She went back in again and came out with what looked like tops for all of them. The tops were in varying colors, dark pink for Sango, gold for Rin, dark green for Ayame, dark red for Ryoko, dark teal for Izumi and dark blue for Kagome.

Sango looked at the top with confusion. It was very minuscule. It seemed like a halter sort of top but the part that went around her neck was a silver chain that connected to a metal belt that went around the back, that had corresponding colored stones where the chain connected, and the cloth it's self looked like it would barely cover her chest. When she looked up her eyes were wide but the others seemed unfazed by the tiny top. I hope this isn't it, thought Sango as she once again saw Kagome go back into the closet, this time she came out with metal belts and what looked like chocker necklaces with long chains that looked like part of it might go over their shoulders. The chocker part also had the corresponding color that matched the rest of the clothes they had been handed. When Kagome went back into the closet again Sango started to wonder how much stuff they had to put on. This time she came out with different colored wraps of dark pink, gold, purple, dark red, dark teal, dark green, white and dark blue. Some of the wraps had what looked like shimmering stars woven into the fabric. Again when Kagome went back into the closet that seemed to hold endless things she came out with a drawer and when they looked inside they saw metal arm bands and metal wrist cuffs and when Sango thought that Kagome was going to go back into the closet again she just went to turn off the light and closed the door.

"Okay lets start getting ready," said Kagome as she headed to her pile of clothes. Sango just looked at hers then back at everyone else with wide eyes that held a silent plea. Kagome saw Sango's panicked face and couldn't help but let out a little laugh. "I'll help you get ready Sango. I guess it's a little different if you're not used to it." So started the primping.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

The guys had been walking around the dense forest for some time now and they felt utterly lost. "Urgh!" yelled Inuyasha as they went past a tree he swore they had passed earlier. "We're going in circles!"

"No we're not man," said Koga a little uncertainly. "It just seems that way." The others all looked at him and just glared. Then suddenly they heard laughter and started to head toward the noise. They stopped within the tree line but they were able to see a large field that had several men both young and old working there. They seemed to be making a large bonfire pyre in the middle of the field. They could tell they were demons due to the pointed ears but not what kind. Some had tails, some didn't and all had black hair with varying hues of other colors. Suddenly it looked like they were spotted when one of the younger ones turned toward where they were hidden and all the guys jumped behind a tree and tried to mold their bodies to the shape of the tree trunks. Miroku was the one to try and peer around the tree to see if they were found out to which he received glares from the other guys, but he noticed that the person that had turned their way had turned back again and was headed in the opposite direction. He looked back at the others with a look that portrayed a 'we're clear' directive.

"Why don't we wait here and observe what they are doing?" asked Riku. The others all nodded and then Koga looked up into the tall trees and bunched his legs to jump. He was followed by the others who all found places for them to sit comfortably while they waited.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Sango was looking down at herself then back up at the others and then back down at her. "This can't be all, can it?" she asked. The others looked at her with smirks on their faces and just nodded. Sango made a whimpering sound in her throat and looked back down at herself. Suddenly they heard a wolf whistle from the doorway. All the girls turned to look at who it was and were not too surprised to see Shun, Takumi and 2 others that Sango hadn't met yet.

One of they guys looked almost like a younger version of the man that Rao had called Yoshiro, with his ink black hair and tail with the same pale green eyes. The other one was a little strange, his hair was mostly black with what seemed like deliberate white strips running through his hair and his tail matched his hair as well and his eyes were like fire. All four of the guys were smirking at them. They only had on white hakama pants with no tops or shoes, they did however have chokers like the girls did but for some reason that escaped Sango they didn't look too girly that maybe they were altered just enough that they didn't look too similar and they also had solid arm bands on along with wrist cuffs. It seemed like the two that Sango didn't know noticed her and both sent her smoldering looks. The one with the striped hair walked up to her and grabbed her hand as he bowed to kiss her hand. He looked up from her hand and said, "I am Taichi, son of the Tiger Chieftain of the Tiger Tribe and who might you be?"

"Uh… umm… My… My name is Sango Karyuudo," she could feel her cheeks getting hot as her face turned red from her blush.

"Sango… A beautiful name for a beautiful woman…" he was interrupted as he was hit upside the head by the darker haired boy who said, "Leave her be you womanizer." He then turned to Sango whose hand had been released when Taichi had ben hit. "Ignore the womanizer. You're one of Kagome and Ayame's new roommates?" Sango nodded her head even though she wasn't entirely sure that it had been a question. "Well it's nice to met you. I'm Kaito of the Panther tribe my father is also the chieftain of our tribe." The others were looking at the interaction between the three and Kagome, Ayame and Rin looked like they were holding in laughter.

"Cad a cheapann tú a bheadh Miroku dhéanamh má chonaic sé é seo? (What do you think Miroku would do if he saw this?)" Kagome asked. Rin thought about it for a second because she knew Miroku and Sango's relationship the best out of the three. "Bheadh sé anchúinse agus mé díreach tar smaoineamh iarracht faoi agus a mharú ar an dá cheann eile, agus b'fhéidir fiú faoi ghlas Sango go díreach do bheart maith. (He would freak and I think just about try and kill the other two and maybe even lock Sango up just for good measure.)," she replied. This time all the girls laughed. They got strange looks from Sango, Kaito and Taichi.

"Either way," started Kagome. "What are you two doing here?" Both guys looked at each other then to Shun and Takumi then finally their eyes landed on Rin and both their faces broke out in true smiles of happiness. "We wanted to see if what those two dunderheads said was true," said Kaito. "We're glad it is," finished Taichi. Both guys walked over to Rin and both glomped her in a huge hug. She hugged them back and when she pulled back she had tears in her eyes, which worried everyone in the room.

"Rin, what's wrong?" asked a concerned Kagome as she laid her hand on Rin's shoulder. Rin sniffled a little but shook her head.

"I'm just so happy," she said. "I've been so alone for the last fourteen years. I felt for the longest time that I wasn't loved and that was why my family wasn't looking for me but within less than a day I found my family and so many other people that love me and mourned for me and are just happy to have me back." The others were looking at her with varying degrees of emotion. "When I was younger, right after Mom and Dad died, I watched as others were adopted and my life just became harder and harder." Rin gave a sad smile. "I think that was way I did so well in school and graduated a year early. I spent almost all my time anywhere but the home that I was sent to so mostly that meant school. I finally found people that cared about me," she said as she looked to Sango who had tears in her eyes, "but it still felt like there was something missing or that it was going to be taken away from me. I'm just so glad to be home," she finished as sent a brilliantly bright smile at everyone. All the girls had tears in their eyes and then everyone looked at one another then back at Rin and before she knew it everyone was smothering her as they gave her a huge group hug. And that's what Midoriko saw when she went to get them. She just had a serine smile on her face as she looked at the younger generation. She cleared her throat to get their attention and when they all turned toward her she said, "It's time."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

The guys were getting bored. They couldn't even talk in fear of being overheard so they had to stay silent and for some of them that was done with great hardship. They had been up in the trees for a while when they finally felt more people heading toward the field and the sun was just starting to set. As they watched they saw more and more people show up and the majority of them were demons of some sort.

"Can any of you guess what type of demons they are?" Miroku whispered. They all looked at him like he was crazy for even speaking but when none of the people below in the field looked up toward them they relaxed a bit and shook their heads 'no'. They turned back to the group of demons when they heard drums beating and watched as the large group of people started to sit down in a circle with some distance between them and the pyre. They seemed to have left a path from the trees to the center and the guys could see a smaller group of people walking down that path and they split into two groups going down one side or the other. They all started to sit once they reached their desired spots. Once they were all seated another group of people came down this path. This smaller group was made up of two men, one tall with his long hair tied up in a high ponytail that reached to just above his knees, the other was a little shorter but not by much and he had his hair in a braid that went down his back to just past his hips. Koga was a little shocked by his look because he seemed to have some armor that resembled the armor that the wolves wear. That's not possible, he thought. There're no black wolves, maybe just another furred animal type demon. Then they noticed two young kids one boy who looked like the taller of the two men and a girl who looked a little like the other man. Then they saw three women; one seemed older than the other two especially by the way she was dressed as it was more conservatively than the two younger women. She seemed to be wearing old warrior priestess robes and she stood proudly next to the taller of the two men. However it was the clothing of the two younger women that caught the guys' attention.

The taller of the two girls had on a long curve hugging dark pink skirt underneath a shorter, also curve hugging, black one. She had a very minuscule top that matched the color of the longer skirt with a metal belt right under her bust. Her other accessories consisted of a necklace that had a chocker component as well as, armbands, a metal head band and dark pink wraps that seemed to connect to her upper armbands. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail and the other girl's hair was down with a really low hair tie. The shorter girl also had on the same type of clothes but in different colors. Her longer skirt was golden with a purple shorter skirt but other than color their clothes were practically identical. The guys suddenly started when they heard Sesshomaru growling and they all looked at him as if her had lost his ever-loving mind. Why am I irritated when I see that smaller girl showing off so much of her skin to these buffoons? Sesshomaru thought. He never made another sound but the others were afraid of the dark aura he was emitting and his cold as ice glare sent shivers down their spines. Suddenly the drums stopped and the taller of the last two men stood next to the pyre, he looked to the rapidly setting sun then back to the gathered demons.

"Tonight we celebrate the lives of our loved ones," he started in a loud booming voice. "The lives lost and the lives we still have today. We remember their lives not their deaths and what they left behind. Be it memory or their children," as he said the last thing he looked toward the girl in gold and purple. The sun was almost completely set when he brought his hand up and a white fire erupted in his hand. "Let Tá Comóradh Biotáille (A Commemoration of Spirits) begin!" As he said his final words the sun set and the world was covered in darkness for a split second before he threw the fireball at the pyre and it erupted in flames.

As soon as the pyre was lit the guys noticed four girls and four guys around the pyre that hadn't been there before; they faced away from the fire and toward the group. The girls were clothed much like the other two girls earlier in colors of dark blue, dark green, dark teal, and dark red with a shorter white skirt on each girl. The guys were in only white hakamas with bare chests. The eight demons didn't move when suddenly drums sounded and their eyes shot open. The drumbeat was slow at first and the dancer's bodies moved accordingly but as the tempo of the drums increased so did their movements.

The female's movements entrapped Inuyasha, Koga, Sesshomaru, Miroku, Riku and Takeshi. Their bodies moved fluidly and as if the music possessed their bodies. There were no vocal just the beating of the drums then suddenly the music seemed to making it's climax and with all the drummers hitting the same note all at once ended this one song. All the dancers bowed to the crowd before the girl in the dark blue and white looked over to the instrument players and nodded her head. The music started up again and in accompany of the drums was a flute and other instruments. As it started the girl in the blue stood tall and began to sing…

As you go through life you'll see

There is so much that we

Don't understand

As Kagome sang she moved around the circle almost like she was still dancing.

And the only thing we know

Is things don't always go

The way we planned

But you'll see every day

That we'll never turn away

When it seems all your dreams come undone

We will stand by your side

Filled with hope and filled with pride

We are more than we are

We are one

Ayame, Shun, Izumi, Ryoko, Takumi, Taichi and Kaito started singing as well but it was in a strange language that the guys had never heard before and it was the same words over and over again.

Even those who are gone

Are with us as we go on

Your journey has only begun

Kagome looked to Rin as she sang this verse so that she knew that her parents were always with her no matter what.

Tears of pain, tears of joy

One thing nothing can destroy

Is our pride, deep inside

We are one

We are one, you and I

We are like the earth and sky

One family under the moon

Kagome looked to the rest of the Clan as she finished her song.

All the wisdom to lead

All the courage that you need

You will find when you see

We are one

"My family and friends," Kagome started. "As my father has said we are here tonight to honor the memory of our dead so that we will never forget them and the sacrifices they made." She looked toward Rin who had tears in her eyes but she also saw that Sango had her arm around the girl. "But even more so than our pervious celebrations this one is especially joyous as we welcome home one of our own who has been gone from us for too long." Whispers started up in the clan as they had heard rumors of Rina's return but half of them didn't believe it to be true. They all looked toward the girls who had followed their lord into the clearing and upon seeing Rin and many remembering what Tsubaki had looked like at that age, knew that the rumors were true; Rina was alive and had returned to them. "Let us welcome her home like only we can." Kagome's hands started to glow a pale and dark blue and as the light gathered in her hands she threw the light up into the night sky and watched as they became fireworks that spread across the night sky.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

As the guys watched the celebration really start they all looked at each other and when Koga jerked his head, indicating that they move away so that they could talk, the others followed. Unbeknownst to them they had been noticed by one of Izumi's brothers, who, along with some of his other brothers, followed them. Once they felt like they were far enough away they stopped.

"What the hell?" Takeshi said. "They don't seem like the kind of people that would attack for no reason. But I don't think I've ever even seen a clan like this or even heard of one like this for that matter." The others all nodded their heads utterly confused.

"Koga," Sesshomaru said.

"Yeah," he responded.

"Is what happened just know correlate to any of the stories that you've ever heard tell of?" Koga nodded his head.

"Yes and that's what's bothering me."

"What do you mean?" Riku asked.

"I already told Inuyasha and Miroku about the two most prevailing theories and one of those is out the window." Riku raised a questioning brow at Koga's statement. "One of those theories was that these demons were beyond hideous and so hide from the world." All the guys snorted at that one because they themselves saw the beauty that those demons held.

"What was the other one?" asked Takeshi.

"The other one is that they were very powerful yet wanted to have nothing to do with the outside world and so claimed this land as theirs and closed themselves off. It's also said that some of their higher ranks came to my grandfather about 50 years ago and told him that if any of his wolves wondered into their territory they became fair game." All the of guys eyes grew big, well except Sesshomaru who just lifted his right brow in a questioning manner, as the implications of what Koga had just said.

"So what you are saying," said Takeshi. "Is that if these people find out that they have outsiders on their turf, we're screwed." Koga grimly nodded his head.

"Let's head back before they find out then," said Inuyasha when suddenly they felt a large demonic presence.

"Too late."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Hey Izumi?" asked Hideaki, Ryoko's oldest brother.

"Hmmm?"

"Do you know where your brothers took off to?"

"What do you mean?" she asked a little concerned.

Hideaki scratched the back of his head and said, "I saw all your brothers head out to the forest not too long after Kagome finished speaking and I was just wondering if perhaps you knew why."

"Why do you care?" Ryoko asked as she walked up to them closely followed by the others.

"Nothing much I just wanted to talk with Kouki about something."

"And this something couldn't have waited till Monday?" Kagome questioned.

"It can," he said slowly. "You know what I'll just wait till Monday then." He walked off back toward Ryoko's other nine brothers.

"You think something's off don't you?" questioned Ayame of Kagome, who nodded her head. But after a while she just shrugged her shoulders and plastered a big smile on her face and said, "You know what who cares." Ayame was looking at her sister as if she had grown a second head. This is so not the Kagome who always has to find out all the secrets that are going around, thought Ayame. "Let's just go enjoy the night and maybe Sango can dance with Taichi," Kagome suggested which brought out a blush on the slayer's face. "Or maybe Kaito…"

"Kagome!" Sango screamed. Which made the other girls smile as they saw their friend run after their other friend ready to thrash her.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

As the girls were having a blast the guys were not in the same joyous mood. They don't know how it was possible for them to get surrounded by ten demons without a single one of them noticing. But the proof was there as they were surrounded by ten unknown demons.

"Hey, Kouki," said one of them.

"What?" answered the one who had said 'too late'.

"What should we do with these trespassers?" asked another one.

"I say we throw them into the pyre," suggested one.

"No, we should let the savage ones have a go at them," suggested another. Of course they were making all of this up. They would do nothing of the sort. Worst case scenario they would knock them out and put them back on their side of the barrier. But they were having fun scaring the hell out of them anyways.

They guys were really starting to get worried and were looking for a way to escape. They found no gaps in their circle and knew that they couldn't fly out because of the barrier. Their eyes kept darting around hoping that they might find just a moment of weakness.

"Nah," said the one they had called Kouki. "I have an even better idea." The guys looked at him and noticed that he and the other nine demons that surrounded them looked similar like they were related.

"What is it?" asked another.

"How about this, trespassers," Kouki said. "We'll give you a five minute head-start to get back to your side of the barrier. If you don't make it there… well you'll find out if you don't know won't you." It looked to them as if Sesshomaru took offense to the five-minute head start as an insult to his abilities as a demon. When it looked like Sesshomaru was going to say something that was going to get them killed Inuyasha jumped on him and covered his mouth with his hand and whispered, "Don't say anything about the five-minute head start. We don't know these lands and they do," he said indicating the strange demons. "We may need those five minutes to get us all across." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at his brother then looked at the others and let out a sigh and relaxed. Inuyasha took that as a sign he wasn't going to start something.

"Do we have a deal?" the demon asked.

"How do we know you'll keep your end of the deal?" asked Sesshomaru. Inuyasha jerked his head toward his brother and face-palmed at his too proud brother. The other demons didn't seem to take offense though. They just seemed to look at each other and smirk then looked back at them.

"You have our word on our honor of being a demon," said all ten demons at once. Sesshomaru looked at them then nodded his head accepting that they would hold to their end of the deal.

"Your destination is that way," pointed one of the demons, northward. "Make it there and through the barrier in five minutes or less and we won't even chase you but if you don't the game begins." He indicated with his hand for the other demons to make a path in the direction they needed to go. "Your head start, starts… NOW!"

They were all off like a shot with only one looking back to make sure just incase. He was amazed to see that they were all gathered in a group and instead of waiting there they went back in the direction they had all came from.

They were never going to chase us were they? Miroku thought, but he didn't want to take any chances so he just ran. They made it to the barrier and through it in less than five minutes but as soon as they were through the barrier seemed to strengthen even more so than what it had been before and there was no way they were going to be able to get back through.

"At least we made it," commented Koga. "So those rumors were true." The others were nodding their heads in agreement, all except for Miroku.

"I don't think so," he said. They all looked at him as if he was crazy. "I looked back and not to long after we started running they turned around a started walking back toward where that field was. I don't think they ever had any intention to chase us, just scare us so that we'd leave." They all looked at him then back toward the border and all said, "Maybe."

XxXx

FINALLY! I'm finished! I wrote this chapter like five separate times and I finally like this one! I know it's been a long time and I am terribly to all of those who wrote reviews asking to get it out. I am truly sorry it's taken me so long. Any way some more disclaimers here- the song Kagome sings is not mine and it's called 'We are One' from the Lion King 2 soundtrack (I took some pieces out and changed some words but the song still belongs to them). And for those who might wonder where the drum beat might be from, I got that inspiration from 'Nara' by E.S. Posthumus. Also if you want to see what the girl's festival garb is go to deviantART and type in RSRIAK Festival2 and it should pop up, if it doesn't let me know and I can try and figure a way to create a link with my fanfiction page.

Again thank you for the reviews and let me know how you liked this chapter and believe it or not your reviews do help me get chapters out faster, without them who knows how long it might have taken. So please read and review I love to read them. ~Midnight