Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 32: Discovery

"Inuyasha?!" Yuki called, just as the half-demon broke through the trees with Kagome on his back.

"Yuki?" Inuyasha asked, equally surprised before his ears flattened to his head and he glared over Yuki's shoulder. "Sesshomaru."

"Little brother." Sesshomaru greeted back disdainfully, just as Miroku, Sango, and Shippo arrived as well.

"Huh, Yuki?" Sango asked, surprised, while Miroku wondered: "And Sesshomaru?"

"What are you doing here, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha snarled, letting Kagome down as his hand drifted to Tetsusaiga's hilt.

"The same thing I would guess you are here for, little brother." Sesshomaru replied mockingly. "Unless you are a fool."

Yuki glared at Sesshomaru, his attitude reminding her of her anger against him, while Inuyasha snapped: "What did you say?!"

"Inuyasha." Kagome cut in, frowning. "I can sense it. The sacred jewel shard is coming closer!"

"What?!" He asked, turning to look, just as Yuki heard something coming from the far side of the field.

"Over there!" She called sharply, turning to look as she drew her swords.

The others all tensed as well, Sango holding Hiraikotsu at the ready while Miroku raised his staff. Inuyasha had his hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt, and Sesshomaru remained tall though his eyes were narrowed and he was ready to spring into action at the slightest signal.

Yuki frowned as a small figure appeared from the trees. She appeared to be a child, albeit an extremely pale one – with her white hair, skin, and clothes, she looked almost like a ghost. Her eyes certainly were like one, dead and expressionless as she stared at them, carrying only a simple round mirror in her hands.

"Kanna." Inuyasha growled, eyes narrowing, and Yuki asked tersely: "You know her?"

"Yeah – she's one of Naraku's incarnations." Inuyasha spat. "Watch out for her mirror; that's her weapon and she can take your soul with it."

"You mean it was her and not Naraku you smelt, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, and Inuyasha nodded as he answered with a scowl: "Must've been. It's weird though, I could have sworn it was him."

"I thought it was him, too." Yuki said as she glanced briefly at Sesshomaru.

He remained impassive, and she scowled before looking back at the child-like demon who had yet to speak.

Yuki's eyes narrowed as she examined the girl, when another scent joined them. She bared her teeth in distaste, just as Inuyasha bristled and he called as he drew his Tetsusaiga: "Come out, Kagura! We know you're there too!"

"My, my, Inuyasha. So impatient."

Kagura appeared from the trees as well, and Kagome gasped while both Inuyasha and Yuki's eyes widened in shock.

Sesshomaru frowned, examining the scene as Kagura stood beside Kanna, a strange, mortal woman in her grasp. The woman was older than most of them, at least physically - possibly in her late twenties or early thirties – and had likely once been quite the beauty with her thick dark hair, big chocolate brown eyes and pink, cherub lips, but Kagome wondered why she looked familiar.

Sesshomaru, however, narrowed his eyes, recognizing the striking similarity at once as the woman struggled in Kagura's grip, though she seemed unable to speak due to the demoness's tight grasp around her neck, cutting off her breathing just enough to prevent speech.

"Who's that?" Kagome wondered, and Miroku shouted: "Release that woman at once, Kagura!"

"Yeah, don't be such a coward!" Shippo agreed as the group hesitated, unwilling to attack in case they accidentally hit the woman instead as she struggled, reaching towards them pleadingly.