Kagome woke up with a start, it was early in the morning and her group of friends had yet to awaken. it was then that she realized what had woken her up in the first place. "Inuyasha, I sense a Jewel shard!" she didn't see him at first, but as soon as she mention a shard of the jewel his group has hunted vigilantly for so long he jumped down, almost silently, from a nearby tree. "Alright you lazy asses, you heard her, Get up and let's go." he yelled as he shifted Tessaiga as his side. Within a few short minuets they were off in the direction Kagome said she sensed the tainted shard.

"Are you sure its this way?" Inuyasha asked, jumping from tree limb to tree limb, as Kagome rode on his back. "Yes, I'm positive." She said in a determined manner. Her miko powers have improved greatly since the time her group first got together and it always sightly irritates her when Inuyasha doubts her abilities. She could now erect barriers without purifying the contents within. Songo was teaching her in the ways of self-defense and hand-to-hand combat when they had spare time or returned to the village for one reason or another. Miroku has taught her how to meditate and every night after the camp has settled they will go to the far corner of the camp to meditate and work with her miko energy.

As they entered a small meadow Kagome could see the demon, that appeared of ogre descent, with its back facing them and the object of their attention embedded into its stomach. as she hopped down off Inuyasha a small breeze greeted her and the smell it carried with it made her want to vomit. Blood, so much that if Kagome could smell it then everyone else could too.

"He must have recently attacked a nearby village," Songo said, pulling on her demon slayer mask "they wouldn't have had a chance against him while he has a shard." she and Miroku swiftly dismounted Kirara. Kagome notched an arrow as everyone formed their fighting stance.

"Kagome, where is the shard?" Inuyasha asked, drawing his sword and covering his nose with the sleeve of his robe to block the smell offending his nose. Before she could answer him a green whip appeared, as if out of thin air, and slashed the demon in half. Then, with the appearance of red and white silk, Sesshomaru dropped gracefully and landed a few feet from the fresh corpse, already being eaten way by the poison, his silver-white hair fanning out slightly 'Why did he just help us?' Kagome wondered to herself as she lowered her bow.

"Miko, retrieve the jewel, I have matters of which I must speak with you." his deep and naturally menacing voice sending unwanted shivers down her spine. It took her a few seconds to realize he was talking to her 'Duh, you're the only miko here!' she scolded her stupidity. "Oh, yes Lord Sess-" she started to say, but was rudely interrupted by an aggravating hanyou.

"She is not doing anything you say, bastard!" pointing his sword at his half-brother. Kagome's eye twitched with irritation

"Inuyasha... SIT!" she walked past the shallow Inuyasha shaped hole.

"He just helped us and you have the nerve to try attacking him? stupid Inuyasha." Shippo commented atop Kirara. Kagome made her way to the dead demon 'oh Kami I hate this part' she thought as she closed her eyes in disgust and reached into the innards. quickly locating the shard, she let a sound of success escape her, pulling it out she quickly closed her hand around it and poured her purification powers into the corrupted fragment. Remembered Inuyashas actions mere moments before she hoped Sesshomaru wasn't too angry at him. She turned to find him in the same spot with the normal look of boredom he always had. She bowed deeply " Please forgive Inuyasha for his behavior." Inuyasha, who was just then being released from the incantation, angrily walked over to the two as Kagome straightened.

"Oi, wench, you listen to me not him!" he yelled at Kagome, not knowing how close he was coming to meeting the Earth once more

"What is it you wish you speak with me about, Lord Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha shoved his hands into the sleeves of his robe and glared at Kagome "Don't ignore me, bitch." That was it, this was too strange of a situation for Inuyasha to be acting like a child with bad vocabulary. She was tired of him trying to boss her around like she should do his every bidding. " I am not a bitch! SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT, SIIIIIIIT!" With Inuyasha down Kagome turned to Sesshomaru only to see a smirk of amusement on his normally stoic face, but it quickly disappeared and Kagome could feel the waves of seriousness coming from the demon Lord in front of her

"Rin, my ward, has fallen ill and my healer is unable to find what is wrong with her."