The forest was drenched in a morning dew that slowly dried under the light heat of the sun. Kagome picked up the remaining herbs in the clearing and then began to move to the next.

Winter was coming. She could feel it in the air. She figured now would be a good time to restock on herbs instead of being in a rush just days before, grabbing whatever she could see. But, since she was early, she would be able to pick out the good from the bad, and the village would have a good head start.

"Kagome?! Which one is burdock and which one is rosemary?"

Kagome turned to look at what Sango meant. She saw her kneeling in front of a bush all the way across the clearing. She walked up to her and looked over Sango's shoulder.

"That's rosemary and…" Kagome paused, her eyes sharpening. "Sango, those are weeds."

Sango began to flush in embarrassment. "Oh…"

"It's fine," Kagome reassured the demon slayer. "I might not be here to help you one day, or worse, I could be the one hurt. You want to be able to save me, right?"

"I do, but…I didn't think it'd be this hard…"

"It'll get easier." Kagome tried to ease Sango's worries, but she still seemed overwhelmed by the vast amount of herbs. She gave the demon slayer a miniscule pat on the back and she stood.

Sango's growing stomach was revealed, a few more inches larger than it had been. Kagome asked, "What do you plan to name this one?"

Sango looked up thoughtfully into the cloudless sky. "I'm leaving it to Miroku. I think he's anticipating a boy."

Kagome nodded her same innocent, sweet smile, in agreement. After a moment of comfortable silence, Kagome, picking up her baskets of herbs and ailments, said, "I think we should head back before the sun begins to set and prepare something to eat."

"Good idea," Sango went.

"Glad these herbs are great for stew. We just won't tell Kaede we dipped into the supply, 'kay?"

Sango burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter, Kagome following. A little after they caught their breath, they made their short way back to the village.

When Kagome parted ways with Sango and walked into Kaede's small hut, she was surprised to find Inuyasha there, sitting across from her.

"Aye! Great, Kagome, ye have brought the herbs." Kagome placed her baskets down and sat on the ground with the rest of them.

"What's going on?"

Inuyasha looked angry. At what? Kagome was unsure. She passed with her worried gaze and his face softened a bit.

"Inuyasha," Kaede began, "believes he caught Naraku's scent near Mount Hidekimaru."

Kagome's face contorted. She had hoped she would never hear that name again. It disgusted her. And scared her.

"M-maybe it was just something similar…"

"No, it wasn't," Inuyasha said as calmly as he could. "There is nothing like his stench."

Kagome nodded. The hut was silent for a moment, before she stood, wiping of her Miku tresses, and said in her most cheerful tone, "I'm going to go start on dinner, Inuyasha. Be home before it gets cold."

Ever since Naraku's mention, she felt eyes traveling her body. She wanted to hide, or to be locking in Inuyasha's warm embrace. She thought the Naraku business was over, but apparently, it wasn't. She would say that Inuyasha was just paranoid, but she didn't want to insult him. He never doubted her on her miku powers, so why should she doubt him on his demon ones?

Kagome and Inuyasha's hut was at the far end of the village, as was Sango and Miroku's. As she neared the hut, she heard but faintly, sobbing.

Kagome stopped dead in her tracks.

She turned to the forest surrounding the village, pinpointing the sound.

She didn't truly know how vulnerable she was.

Kagome pushed her way into her hut, grabbed her bow and quiver filled to the brim with arrows, and she raced into the Forest of Inuyasha.

The sound got louder and louder, seeming to taunt her and lead her in every direction beside up. She finally, out of breath, parked in a clearing.

There was a child on the ground, on his knees. A little boy with bland brown hair. Kagome walked up to him with no hesitation. She put her hand on his shoulder. "Shh… It's okay."

He stopped his heart-wrenching sobs and turned toward her, revealing a demonic face. Kagome gasped, taken aback by his cracked and bleeding skin and soulless black eyes. And then, his whole body crumbled to dust.

Kagome stood, lifting her bow, but as she reached to rip a bow from her quiver, she was yanked backwards.

Someone had grabbed her quiver and yanked her backwards until she was pressing back on a tree, the bark digging into her kimono. The latch that strapped her quiver to her body was pressing tightly against her chest.

Tentacles. Very familiar tentacles. They grabbed each of her wrists and pulled them away from her body, her ankles, too.

"No!" She screeched. "Inu—"

Her mouth was covered. She struggled to breathe until finally, her vision went gray.