"I still can't believe how much that guy paid us." Brent looked at the small bag Miroku held.

"Well he is the Lord of a castle, and we did get rid of the Demon that was ailing him." The Monk simply smiled as the jingle of the coins was heard. "This should last us quite a while."

As soon as the morning had come the group set off almost immediately from the castle. But Miroku, ever the businessman, made sure to collect the payment that was promised to them. And it was quite a hefty sum; they would have no monetary issues for some time.

It had been several hours since they left the castle and already had found themselves nearing the base of nearby mountains. The day was gorgeous and bright with the sun shining high in the sky.

"Think we'll make any headway today with our little search?" Brent asked as little Shippo sat on his shoulder.

"Who knows? We could be heading in the wrong direction." Inuyasha put rather bluntly.

"Surely there's someone we could ask who would know something." Shippo chimed in.

"Hey Inuyasha, do you you think Myoga would know anything that could help?" Kagome asked.

"Hmmmm...He might know something. But you know him, he only shows up when he wants to.

"Who is Myoga and why can't we find him?" Brent looked around at them all with vigor.

"He's Inuyasha's servant, of sorts, and tends to run away whenever there's danger." Sango said from up front as Kirara walked at her side.

"Oh, well that's wonderful. Nothing like a helpful coward..."

Brent rolled his eyes at the news. Why couldn't the one person who could possibly have some helpful information show up now? Kagome saw his expression and tried to cheer him up as they continued trekking ahead. The sound of a river made itself known among their chatter. As they approached a ravine they could see the fast moving water below.

"Geez...I wouldn't want to go tubing down that river...I'll stick to the one back home!" Brent peered down the long drop and raised a brow.

On the opposite side of the river a devious smile was hidden among trees. Setsuko was watching the group carefully; with her gaze focusing on Brent most of the time. Her hands clenched into fists as her teeth bared a malicious smile. Jumping from her perch she moved back, deeper into the woods, and approached a band of followers. It was a large group of smaller, imp-like Demons; gray in color with tiny horns and sharp claws, all of them showing off their small fangs with wicked grins.

"They're nearby, so allow me to explain this once more. I do not care what you do to the others, just separate the human in the red shirt with the bite marks from them and leave him alive. He is the one I am after. Is that understood?" Setsuko gave her underlings a hard, stern look.

The band of Demon Imps all nodded, growled and yipped in unison, signaling their understanding. Setsuko smiled devilishly again and pointed in the direction of Brent and the others.

"Go!"

With her arm outstretched and stiff as a board pointing away from her, she watched as the massive group of Imps ran through the woods to their assigned target; all of them we sneering and jumping around with glee.

Setsuko could almost taste the human's blood now. She was becoming increasingly anxious and looking forward to watching the life drain from his eyes. Though she still hadn't decided on whether or not she was going to take her time with him to make him suffer, or strip him of life quickly. Vicious thoughts coursed through her mind. Should she tear his heart out, or slowly skin him? What about biting his jugular and watching the blood pour from his neck? There were so many things she would relish doing to the human who killed her older sibling. And each one made her smile a little more twisted. What made her even happier was that her arm was completely reformed. The level of patience she maintained as she recuperated helped her heal and grow it back faster than she had anticipated. It was a requirement, in her mind, that she maintains this mindset and not become reckless like her brother always was. Success would only be achieved this way; failure was not an option for her.

Inuyasha, Brent, and the others had just crossed a wooden bridge they had come across a short way upstream. Brent had been iffy at first, questioning the integrity of the bridge, but all was well as they passed over it safely; even though Inuyasha pushed Brent onto the bridge to get him moving.

"I suppose we could cut through this forest. There may be another village on the other side of it." Sango suggested as they stopped a moment.

"Well let's figure it out quick, we're burning daylight." Remarked Inuyasha.

"Guys?" Brent tried to get their attention as he gazed into the woods.

"Why not just follow the river? Where there's flowing water there's bound to be civilization." Kagome added.

"Guys!"

"I like Kagome's plan. Besides, the sound of the river-"

"HEY!!!" Brent finally yelled and got everyone to look over his way.

Inuyasha was just about to scold him until he saw all the beady eyes starting at them from the edge of the trees. Not a second was wasted as he withdrew his Tetsaiga and readied it with a snarl.

"They wreak of Demon...There's a ton of them-AGH!"

Nobody had taken notice to look to the sides, as a second group flanked them and started to jump up onto whoever they could latch onto. Inuyasha was their first victim, or so they thought. Immediately he flung them off his back and arm, following up with a few swings from his massive sword. As the other tiny Imps tried to jump on the others, Sango swung her weapon and Miroku deflected with his staff, the group in the forest began to advance.

"I'll handle this!" Kagome nocked an arrow, took aim, and fired at the large group coming from the forest. The shot missed entirely as the Imps dodged off to the sides. Setsuko had been sure to inform the Imps of her abilities after her near-death experience.

Brent withdrew his Tanto and drew an arm in front of Kagome. "Move back!" He yelled as he backed up with her toward Kirara, now in her large form and roaring, and Shippo, who was trying his best to look brave.

Kagome nocked another arrow, but just as she aimed at the crowd they all dispersed to the sides. A loud roar echoed from behind Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku. They turned around to see Imps jumping all over Kirara, Shippo using his Foxfire to try and ward them off, Kagome kicking and throwing off Imps from herself, and Brent trying to help the large feline. The three of them rushed over as fast as they could. Inuyasha rushed straight for Kagome and with just a couple swipes from his free hand, his claws utterly destroyed the Imps that clung to the teenage girl. Brent was still desperately trying to help Kirara, punching and stabbing whatever he could, provided they were slow enough for him to catch them. Things became all too serious when everyone heard Shippo shout and fall off Kirara. One of the Imps had hit him hard across the head and knocked him out cold. Several of the Imps were carrying him toward the river.

"ENOUGH OF THIS! WIND SCAR!" Inuyasha took a mighty swing at another incoming group. What Brent saw actually made him stop and gawk. A great wave of, what looked like white light, shot forth from Inuyasha's sword and struck the group of Imps. Every last one had been completely obliterated. Nothing was left but long streaks of ripped up ground where the blast had gone.

"SHIPPO!" Everyone turned and looked as Kagome shouted. The Imps were nearing the drop down to the river as they held the Fox Demon over their heads. Brent ducked under several Imps as he ran forward to help Shippo.

"Inuyasha! Get the rest of these guys!" Brent called back.

"You don't need to tell me twice! NNRAH!" The Tetsaiga swung through the air as it was swung with one hand, while Inuyasha's free hand swiped with its devastating claws.

The Imps that were carrying Shippo were nearing the ledge that dropped into the raging river. Grass was kicked up with every step as Brent sprinted with all his strength. A stream of light passed right by him as Kagome fired an arrow and destroyed a couple of the Imps. The second Brent reached them he reared back his right foot and kicked two of the Imps straight over the ledge, and into the water below. Shippo fell to the ground, still unconscious, and Brent quickly went to scoop him up.

"BRENT WATCH OUT!"

Kagome yelled hoping to warn him in time of a group of the tiny Demons rushing him. An arrow was ready to fire, but with how they where situated, she would hit Brent and Shippo. Brent turned and saw the group just as he picked up the little Fox Demon and was quickly overwhelmed. He tried his best to swipe and cut them down with his Tanto, but a couple of them grabbed his arm as he was dragged toward the river.

Setsuko was watching from the forest's edge and saw what her minions were about to do, and she started to panic.

"NO YOU DIMWITS! DON'T THROW HIM INTO THE RIVER!"

The Lizard Demon took a great leap out of the forest and rushed toward the river, but she was far too late.

"BRENT NO!"

"OUTTA MY WAY!"

Inuyasha tried to move past the swarm that was around him, but realized he was too late as they all heard Brent shout. The Imps had just shoved him, and Shippo, over the ledge. A loud splash was heard over the fighting. Setsuko had jumped to the other side of the river as to avoid Brent's cumbersome allies. Her eyes darted frantically across the water surface, searching for a sign of the human.

"YOU! YOU'RE DEAD LIZARD DEMON!"

Setsuko looked up to see the white haired half-demon charging toward her, leap into the air, and raise his sword. As he landed, his massive sword struck nothing but earth as she deftly avoided him.

"GET BRENT! I'M TAKING HER DOWN!" Inuyasha yelled to the others as he chased after Setsuko. The two of them disappeared from sight shortly after Inuyasha took chase.

Try as Kagome, Sango, and Miroku might, the Imps were doing a good job of slowing them down. After finally getting some ground, Miroku used his Wind Tunnel on a good portion of the annoying assaulters. Any that were remaining witnessed this awesome power and began to run away, but were quickly cut down as Sango and Kagome teamed up to wipe them out. Streams of light and a massive boomerang soared through the air and ended their existence quickly. Kirara was already prepared to get into the air; kneeled down waiting for two riders. Sango and Kagome both climbed on as Miroku took off running along the ledge.

"Kirara go lower!" Sango ordered to which the large feline obeyed. Kirara sank down to the surface of the river, and the two girls on her back looked around frantically for any sign of their friends.

"The current is too strong! With how long it took us to get away from those Demons, the two of them could be far beyond here!" Miroku yelled down into the ravine.

"We have to try! Maybe they caught hold of something!" Kagome yelled back.

Truth be told, that was nothing more than a hopeful thought. There was not a single thing that could have prevented the water from carrying them downstream. It seemed like hours had past as they frantically searched, and the problem only grew worse as they reach a fork in the river.

"Oh no! Which way do we go?!" Kagome's gaze switched between the two paths before them.

"She got away again!"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome and the others looked toward the other side to see their strongest member arrive.

"Where's Brent and Shippo?" He asked as he looked around.

"That's just it! We don't know! The current has swept them away and we don't know which way to look!" Sango yelled.

"You guys take the left! I'll go right!"

Inuyasha didn't waste a second as he hastily took off; following the river down the right fork. Miroku, Sango and Kagome all sped down the left fork as fast as they could.

Inuyasha now saw what Brent was trying to say. Setsuko was definitely cunning; using others to cause a distraction while she tried to go in for the kill. He could only hope that Brent and Shippo were unharmed. If anything happened to either of them, especially after having given his word to his new ally to protect him, he would never be able to forgive himself. Inuyasha's gaze never left the water, and his nose kept searching for their scents as he sped along with the river.

            A great distance down the river, where the water is pleasantly calm, a band of three Demons were arguing with each other. Each Demon was different; one was similar to a bat with nasty pointed fangs, and the other two seemed to be brothers. The brotherly pair had horns on their heads, and had a deep brown tint to their skin. The bat was black all over, and had a pair of fierce blood-red eyes. As they were arguing, causing a gratuitous amount of noise, the bat glanced over at the river when he saw something in the corner of his eye.

            "Hey...what's that over there? That's...that's a human!" The bat demon pointed between the pair of brothers causing them to stop bickering. As they all gazed upon the floating body it washed up on the bank, and that's when they noticed the human was holding what looked like a child. They all rushed over with devious grins.

            "Are they dead?"

            "Certainly looks like it..."

            "I want the human...I'm so hungry..."

            "You had the last one all to yourself you greedy-"

            "Enough you two! I'm sick of hearing-"

            The bat demon was interrupted when a spluttering cough came from the strangely dressed human. Brent's eyes popped open as he spat up water. Shippo himself came to in the same manner. While he was wrapped in Brent's left arm, Brent had somehow managed to keep a hold of his Tanto in his right hand.

            "You OK little man?" A few more coughs escape Brent.

            "Yeah...I'm-WAAAAAH!" Shippo looked up and immediately saw the three Demons staring down at them, all grinning widely.

            "Shippo what's...oh..." Brent turned over as he let go of Shippo; who immediately climbed onto his back to try to hide.

            The bat was the first to greet them as he stepped closer menacingly. "Hello human...Would you care to join us for lunch?"