InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Small Moments ❯ A New Chapter ( Chapter 6 )

They were ready to leave. There was nothing left for them here, and enough of Sango's strength had returned that she could handle herself without assistance. She was still reluctant to leave.

She perched on a handy outcrop of rock and stared forlornly at the small bundle at her feet. It contained everything she owned. Her entire life, or what was left of it, in such a small packagec there was no longer any home to return to, even if she wanted to. The village was empty, her family and friends dead and gone.

And, for all that, she was not truly alone. She was fortunate enough to have found new companions, a group of kind strangers that shared her quest. She glanced up at the four of them; they graciously pretended to be patient, as if they were waiting of their own accord, and not for her sake.

She should have known the peace and quiet wouldn't last long with Inuyasha and Kagome around. Sango watched, happy for the distraction, as the other girl scanned the horizon. "Even after all this, we have no idea where to find Naraku," she commented, breaking through the awkward silence, though she did not sound nearly as forlorn as her words might imply. Sango envied her optimism.

"Sango," Inuyasha cut in, "don't you remember anything about where that castle was?"

She had told them all that she remembered, and resented the implication that she had not. Her voice was harsh when she responded. "If I remembered, I would already be on my way there to take Naraku's head."

"Maybe we shouldn't be looking for the castle in the first place," Miroku suggested.

"Then what should we be looking for?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Shikon shards. If we collect them, Naraku will come to us."

Sango knew the truth of that well: she had unwittingly brought a Shikon shard back to her village, without realizing just what dangers it could bring, and Naraku had destroyed the entire village to obtain it. If they managed to get even one shard, he would be unable to resist hunting them down to take it from them.

"Sango... is that okay with you, too?" The monk had approached so smoothly that she did not hear him until he was crouching beside her. She had not expected them to take her feelings into consideration, but the look of honest concern on his face soothed her frayed temper. He was certainly good at smoothing ruffled feathers. "I know you want to get your revenge as soon as possible, but..."

"It's annoying," she agreed, "but there isn't much else we can do right now."

"I understand how you feel."

Moved by his compassion as much as the intensity of his stare, all she could manage for a moment was a quiet, "Houshi-samac" Followed shortly by, "What do you think you're doing?"

Frowning in distaste, she pried away the hand that had insinuated itself against her thigh.

Houshi-sama, indeed.

Perhaps Kagome hadn't been entirely wrong after all.