Chapter 4

"Like the Phoenix"

"Damn it all to hell!" Inu Yasha jumped up and down in frustration.

The other members of his group looked at him in silence. They had been searching this area for Kagome for almost three hours now, Inu Yasha hadn't been joking. She seemed to have gone around in circles. No destination in mind. The wind picked up, stirring the hair of the Taijiya that stood with her head lowered. Worried about her lost friend. Sango looked up suddenly. Her gaze fixed on Inu Yasha.

"Inu Yasha?" She said.

"What?!" He yelled, he wasn't in any mood for talking.

Sango ignored this and turned. She pointed to the east. A bright moon hung in the now dark sky.

"I think we should go that way." She said.

"What for?"

Sango turned back to Inu Yasha, her face was very serious.

"Because, Kagome is that way." She said.

Inu Yasha stared blankly at her. Then his eyes narrowed.

"What makes you think that?" He asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Sango took a deep breath. It wasn't easy to be patient with Inu Yasha.

"I can feel it Okay! I know she's that way."

Shippo jumped up onto Sango's shoulder. His big green eyes still red from his crying.

"If mama's that way then lets go!" he said.

Miroku nodded his agreement.

"Yes, the quicker we find Kagome-sama, the quicker we can make sure she is alright."

Sango nodded. They took off, heading east. Inu Yasha stood there for a moment watching his companions run off. He shook himself back to reality.

"Hey wait!" he called as he ran to catch up.

'Kagome-chan, ' Sango thought, 'Wait for us. We'll find you!'

Sango turned her worried gaze to the star filled sky.

--Back in the cave--

The dragoness approached Kagome slowly. Her prismatic eye's fixed on Kagome's own smoky blue ones. Though she had no intention of hurting Kagome, the Miko took a step back. Elisana stopped. She could sense that Kagome was more than a little frightened.

"You do not have to be afraid." She said.

Her multi-toned voice seemed to wrap around Kagome's heart, like a comforting blanket of warmth. Kagome swallowed the knot that had risen in her throat.

"Why did you have me brought here?" she asked a bit squeakily.

Elisana smiled at her, her eyes softening a bit.

"To protect you." She said.

She approached Kagome again. This time closing the distance between them quickly. She now stood directly in front of Kagome. Elisana looked down at her. She was easily a head taller. Kagome looked up. Meeting Elisana's gaze.

"What are you supposed to protect me from?" Kagome asked.

Elisana's eyes became serious. Her smile faded.

"From everything, and everyone." She replied.

Kagome looked at her confused.

"But, why would you need to protect me?" she asked.

Elisana's eyes softened again. Gently she laid a clawed hand on Kagome's chest, over her heart. Kagome jumped slightly from the touch. Her chest felt warm, and her skin tingled slightly.

"Already your heart has been wounded by an idiot Hanyo who understands nothing about your feelings for him." Elisana said softly.

Kagome's eyes teared at the though of Inu Yasha. She had managed to keep him from her mind most of the night, and now the dragoness had to remind her. Kagome lowered her head, so the dragoness could not see her tears. Elisana knew however, she could smell them. Gently she lifted her hand from Kagome's chest.

'This little Miko, ' Elisana thought, 'She has such a kind heart. Why would anyone want to hurt such a sweet girl?'

"Kagome," Elisana said, "Do not waist your tears on a Hanyo that does not deserve them."

Elisana placed her hand gently on top of Kagome's head. Ruffling her ebony hair. This girl was still just a child, it was unfair that she had to suffer this much. Kagome sniffled and slowly looked back up at Elisana, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Elisana?" she said softly. The dragoness looked down at the girl.

"Yes?"

"Um, can I ask you something?" Kagome said.

Elisana smiled. She knew what Kagome wanted to ask her.

"You can ask me anything you want Kagome." Elisana said.

Kagome smiled up at her just as a rumbling sound could be heard from her stomach. Kagome looked down at her stomach, her face red as a cherry. Elisana only laughed.

"Let's wait for the questions until after you've had something to eat." Elisana said.

Kagome blushed a deeper red and nodded.

"Come along, let's get you some food." Kagome turned to follow Elisana.

'She is really nice, ' Kagome thought to herself, 'But, I wonder why she wants to protect me.'

--Elsewhere --

Kikyo sat beneath the wide spread branches of the sacred tree. Her eyes were closed and her hands were clasped tightly in front of her. A slight pink glow came from between her fingers. Slowly Kikyo opened her chocolate eyes and looked down at her hands. She unlaced her fingers and looked down into her palm. There rested an arrow head. It was blood red and seemed to be made of some kind of crystal. It glowed slightly, a dark malevolent glow. Kikyo smiled as she carefully attached the arrow head to one of the arrow shafts that she carried. Holding out her new arrow, Kikyo looked it over.

"Even Elisana can't protect that little brat from this." She said.

Now all she had to do was find a way to reach her. Kikyo laughed as her soul collectors appeared, dropping bright bluish white orbs of light that she absorbed into her body of dirt and bones.

--Back with the Inu group--

Inu Yasha and the others stood over a cliff. Looking down into an enormous gorge, only to see swirling fog, to thick to see through.