InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A New Friend; Or A New Foe? ❯ The Shard ( Chapter 3 )

"This way!" Kagome shouted. "I sense a shard this way!" She pointed to the left, off the path and into the thick undergrowth of the forest.

Inu Yasha, who had been leaping through the trees, landed next to Kagome and carefully sniffed the air. "Yeah," he said. "The smell of youkai is strong." He cracked his knuckles and grinned. "But it won't be when I'm done with it." He ran ahead, eager to sink his claws into the youkai.

"We should be careful," said Sango. "We don't know what kind of youkai we'll be facing, and with Shikon shards, it's bound to be powerful." She maneuvered her hiraikotsu into a position that would allow her to use it at a moment's notice.

"Also, Inu Yasha is still injured, no matter how much he may deny it." Kagome said worriedly.

"And with his ego, he won't stop fighting until he either has the shards, or he is dead." Shippou piped up from his seat in the basket on Kagome's bike. He sighed and shrugged. "Sometimes Inu Yasha can be so stubborn."

"We'd better go," said Miroku. "We shouldn't leave Inu Yasha alone."

"Right," said Sango. "Kirara, let's go."

Flamed engulfed Kirara as she transformed, growing larger and more ferocious. She roared, her long white fangs gleaming in the moonlight.

"Kirara!" Sango yelled.

Kirara ran towards Sango, the flames on her feet propelling her into the air. Sango leapt onto her back, pulling Miroku on behind her. They chased after Inu Yasha, Kagome and Shippou bringing up the rear.

A light appeared in the woods, growing larger and brighter the closer they got. They burst into a small clearing surrounded by shrubs and trees. A thick blanket of moss covered the forest floor. In the middle of the clearing a small fire burned. It seemed like a perfectly ordinary campsite. Inu Yasha was at the edge of the clearing, furiously sniffing the ground.

"What is it, Inu Yasha?" Miroku asked. He went over to Inu Yasha and looked down at the patch of moss he was sniffing.

Inu Yasha sat up. "The scent of youkai is fresh. This is where it slept." He scratched his head with one clawed finger. "But it's weird. I can't tell anything else about the youkai no matter how hard I try."

Shippou ran over. "What do you mean; you can't tell anything about the youkai? Did your nose break or something?"

*Wham!* Inu Yasha punched Shippou hard in the head. "Owww! What'd I do this time?!" he cried as he clutched at the large lump that was rapidly sprouting through his chestnut hair.

"You were being stupid." Inu Yasha growled.

"He does have a point, though," Miroku said. "How is it you are unable to determine anything other than the youkai's rest area?"

"I don't know. I can just tell that the ground over there smells different, and is slightly crushed. It's as if the scent's been hidden, or somethin'" Inu Yasha said.

Kagome, who had been rubbing Shippou's injured head, suddenly sat up, almost dropping the little kitsune. "Guys? I sense the shard- and it's coming this way!"

Suddenly an angry voice rang out.

"What the hell are you doing in my nest?!"

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