Maybe it was the fact that it was early in the morning, or maybe because of the, oh I don't know, nightmare he had had, that made Inuyasha so tired. He walked silently as visions from the dream came back to him, making him shudder and scowl. He still remembered it vividly, but he didn't want to...

"Moron!" he mentally hit himself upside the head. "Kagome ain't comin back, so nothin like that could ever happen to her!" he hit himself in the forehead. He scowled at himself for being so stupid, and for letting his mind wander freely in his dreams. He sighed at his melancholy. His demeanor had changed so dramatically ever since the well had 'broken' in a sense. Once the irritable, yet somewhat kind, hanyou he was a totally different person... hanyou. You know what I mean. Now he was much more quiet, hardly talking to anyone and everyone. He couldn't have even brought himself to say goodbye to his friends before he had left. He felt empty and hollow, much like the dried-up well he had peered into several times in the past, waiting impatiently for the miko to return from her time. He had never really cared much about the jewel as their relationship had deepened itself. What he had really wanted was for her to return to him quickly as possible.

He had always hated being away from her.

And now, here he was. Standing in front of a large hot spring. He smiled slightly as he thought about how happy Kagome would have been to see it after such a long time of traveling. The smile vanished slowly as he remembered that the memories of her had started up all of these depressing thoughts. He sighed again, looking over the hot steaming water he felt all of the tense, sore muscles he had been ignoring screaming at him to submerge himself into the water. Gladly obeying he stripped off his hitoe and kosode, though he kept his hakama on. Carefully he pulled the Kotodama no Nenju over his head and placed them near his top clothing. Strangely enough after Kagome had left their powers had seemed to vanish along with the miko, but he had kept them none-the-less in spite of everything the old hag had told him. He smiled at the thought. Kaede. That old hag that had put the stupid beads on him in the first place. But still, he had a hidden respect for the old miko. Then his thoughts turned towards himself as he realized this. He had really grown up these last few years.

After a few more moments he hesitantly stepped into the water, savoring its warmth. Sitting down he pillowed his head in his hands as he leaned back into the water. He grunted in irritation as he felt water trickle into his ears, causing discomfort. Quickly he sat up and shook his head, attempting to get the water out.

"Hey mutt!"

He stopped abruptly until he realized who it was. Kouga. He groaned inwardly as he saw the wolf demon come into the clearing. Ignoring him completely, Inuyasha continued his task of draining his ears of the intruding liquid. "Go away Kouga." he said as he tilted his head to the side.

He smirked "Hey, that isn't any way to talk to an old friend now is it?" he asked as he submerged himself.

"You ain't any friend of mine." he said sourly as he relaxed a little. It's like he isn't even here to argue he thought oddly. "So, why are you here?" he asked suspiciously, while crossing his arms.

Kouga's face went from happy to depressed in an instant. He looked away and muttered so quietly that Inuyasha could barely hear his words. "I-I need help..." he trailed off. His gaze floated past Inuyasha, its blue intensity seeming to vanish. Inuyasha smelt a change in his scent, one that told of depression. Inuyasha surprised himself when he rested a hand on Kouga’s shoulder, an almost brotherly act. He reminded himself to burn his hand off later. "You see," Kouga began "After Kagome left, something happened with Ayame’s pack, so of course I came to help. Her pack had been attacked, and members had been disappearing one-by-one. We found the cause- a snake youkai that called himself 'Raiden', the little son-of-a-bitch was using the wolf blood to increase his powers."

Inuyasha sat back and listened, and his interest peeked when he heard "Snake demon?"

"Yah. Snake demon. Big and slithery?" he snickered "But anyways, we ran him off. That was about.... three years ago. But Ayame and I got closer, and married. Now we have two kids, but that's where the problem lies." Inuyasha turned to look at Kouga, who’s shoulders had slumped "That bastard! He kidnapped my children!" The startled hanyou gave a small gasp. The poor guy!

"W-why would he do that?" Inuyasha asked in a disbelieving tone.

"For a trade," he sighed "Unless I give up half of my packs blood, he'll kill them!" he gave a painful sigh "Some pack members have already agreed to do it if it becomes necessary. But I'm stuck Inuyasha! These are my children, and my pack! I can't choose... I won't." he looked wistfully into the sky that overhung, the early morning light shining through the tree-tops. "That's why I came here, Inuyasha. I need your help. Will you? Help me I mean."

"Yeah. If I see on of 'em, I'll get 'em for ya. I promise Kouga." Inuyasha replied. Kouga nodded and stood up to leave.

"Thanks mutt." he chuckled slightly, then in a twister, sped off into the distant trees.

~*~

"Mew!"

"Huh? Kirara?" Sango said as she turned towards the noise. From outside the small hut came a small scratching noise, asking permission to enter. "Kaede what is that?" she asked after a moment, while she stared at the hut’s entrance.

"Well Sango, please let them in." came Kaede’s voice from the back of the hut.

Sango only nodded, then opened the entrance. Outside was a small neko, similar to Kirara. Though its body was black, had blue rings around its tails and paws, and had sapphire blue eyes. In its mouth was a small piece of rolled-up paper. It gave a mew of thanks and came inside, mewing to Kirara in greeting before it made it’s way to Kaede. "Oh my! How you've grown!" Kaede said after catching a glimpse of the neko. She kneeled down in front of the small neko youkai, and gave her head a pat "So good to see you again Kihala.. is that for me?"

"Mew!"

"Why thank you child!" she smiled at the little neko, who dropped the small note into her palm. Her tails twitched and then she padded over to a bristling Kirara. She gave a mew of greeting, and Kirara stopped her bristling long enough to sniff at Kihala. Then she sat down and began to wash her paw.

"What is that Kaede?" Sango asked as she walked over, curious as to where the neko had given the old miko.

"Tis a note from my old friend, Kaiya." the old miko answered as she opened the letter. She began to read aloud:

"Well it looks like all we do is wait." Sango said, relieved. They had all been worried sick that night, praying she was okay after the sun began to rise. Thank the gods! Sango thought.

"Mommy! You wanna come pick sum flowers with us?" Mai said happily as she peeked her head in through the door, with Matsu right behind her. Her violet eyes glowed with happiness "Daddy said we were going to a BIG field of flowers!"

Sango beamed at her only daughter "Of course Mai." she stood up and bowed to Kaede "If you'll excuse me."

"Have fun." Kaede said happily as she began to write a response letter.

And with that said the Taijiya, monk, neko, and their children went off to the biggest field of flowers anyone would have lied their eyes on.