Inuyasha: Girl Lost In Time

Chapter 29: The Water God

We sit upon a tall cliff overlooking a village a flood has partially drowned. Inuyasha sits on a boulder, Sango sits on a small incline on the cliff with Kirara at her side and Miroku and I stand while we wait for Shippo to return from investigating. My fingers gingerly play with the strap of Midoriko's sword that is tied to my back. We found a sheathe to hold it in, that is just a tad too big, but enough to keep the blade from cutting me as I carry it, in the last village we came from.

"I guess even a large castle can be difficult to find, especially when we don't have any directions or landmarks to go by," Miroku sighs.

"Come on, Sango. You gotta be fully recovered by now." Inuyasha says. "You wanna hunt down that Naraku creep, too, right? You could show some enthusiasm for my offer! We know a lot more about Naraku than you do! Plus...You're alone now. You've got nothing to lose from tagging along with us."

"He's right. Let's take it one step at a time and focus on gathering the jewel shards. We won't have to chase Naraku. If we keep collecting shards, he'll eventually come to us." Miroku agrees, but when he turns towards Sango, he receives a very serious expression from the demon hunter. It doesn't stop him from kneeling down in front of her and continuing, "I know you must be hungry for revenge but you must be patient."

"I see." Sango mumbles.

"Believe me. I understand how you feel."

"Thank you. But monk, must you stroke my legs while you talk!" I glance down at Sango's lap and notice the monk was indeed stroking her leg with his left hand, at which she pinches at the top of now. He blushes brightly and nods, removing his hand from her grip.

Frowning, I shake my head. He could have waited till she was fully recovered before he flirts with her.

"Miroku try to control yourself, will ya?"

From the cliff's edge, we spot Shippo's pink round mass hovering from next to the cliff. He floats over the land until he's a few feet away from Inuyasha and I, and pops himself midair, returning to his normal form.

"Tell us, what were you able to see, Shippo?" Inuyasha asks. He's relaxed on the boulder he sits on, his arms crossed, and one leg dangling along the edge.

"There's a huge lake just over that hill to the North. A huge shrine is right in the middle of it."

"Is it Naraku's castle?" Inuyasha questions fervently, throwing his hands to the sides of the boulder, and leaning in towards Shippo.

Rolling my eyes, I sigh. I already know the answer. We would have most likely have sensed something by now if it were Naraku. Or at least, I would have. With the amount of shards he has, I would have heard them crying out to me or sensed their presence. But nothing. Yet Inuyasha and Miroku were sure on trying; desperate to get a hold of our enemy that has caused them so much tragedy already.

Shippo shakes his head slowly and sighs, "I don't think so but it'd be a good place to check out to rest."

I look over to Inuyasha, who watches me, and we both nod in unison. "Let's go check it out then." I state.

-***-

We look over a decimated landscape within the village surroundings. The land is moist and barren of trees, huts and other scenery, except for a large uprooted tree dead in the center. Several of the village men are working out amid the area, digging, moving rocks and some sitting there crying. Something traumatic must have happened here recently. It is a good sized area to have been destroyed. And by a flood from the looks of it from where I could see from the cliff.