"Konichi!" Migomi yelled as she ran around the shrine, a wooden staff in one hand, in search of the elder but instead, as she ran into a room, she spotted Hemaru looking out a window. "Oh, Hemaru," Migomi said surprised.

Hemaru turned to see who was calling him then smiled once he saw Migomi. "Yes?"

"Have you seen Konichi anywhere?"

"Yes, he's in that room." Hemaru pointed to a door in the corner. "Why do you ask?"

"I need to talk to him," Migomi said, staring at the door and tightening her grip on the groves of her staff.

Hemaru looked at Migomi sadly. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

"Why do you say that?" Migomi asked.

"You have your mother's rod with you and you normally only take that hunting," Hemaru sighed, "and it's far too early in the morning for that."

"Who said that I wasn't going out to catch the early prey?" Migomi asked, forcing a smile.

"Migomi," Hemaru looked down at the floor with a lowered voice, "you know well enough that I won't believe that."

"Migomi looked out the window that Hemaru was found looking out. "I can't hide anything from you, can I?" she smiled.

"Hemaru sent a smile back, "I have you to thank for that." He sighed sadly. "And I can't beg you to stay if you really have to leave."

"Can you tell–?"

"Yes," Hemaru interrupted, "I'll inform everyone and, don't worry; I'll protect the village for you."

Migomi smiled at Hemaru, "I know you will do well, I raised you well."

Hemaru gave Migomi a hug. "You've been the closest thing to a mother to me," he said, still embracing Migomi, "and I'll always love you for that." He let her go. "To add to that, you have done plenty for this village; you need a break." He paused for a second then asked, "Do you still need to talk to Konichi?"

Migomi looked at the room door that Konichi was aid to occupy. She shook her head, "No, I don't." She paused for awhile, "Can you tell him when he wakes up that I'm leaving on a journey and I promise that I'll come back. He should know why."

"I will," Hemaru said.

She smiled, "that's if he hasn't heard our conversation," then all of a sudden, tears started to form in her eyes, but turned to look out the window. "Thank you," she told Hemaru.

"Are you crying?" Hemaru asked.

"Why would I be?" Migomi answered, stiffly. "You know I don't cry." Knowing that Hemaru didn't believe her, she grabbed her foster son's hand and squeezed it tightly. "I'll miss you."

Hemaru pulled Migomi close and gave her a hug. "I'll miss you too mother," he smiled.

"Hey," Kagome cheerfully said, "why don't we tell scary stories or sing some songs?"

Inu-yasha looked at her with a disbelieving look. "Are you okay?" he asked her. "Are you catching a fever or something?"

"I'm fine," Kagome growled. "It was just a suggestion."

"You can't blame her for asking," Miroku said. "It's not very fun sitting around a fire doing absolutely nothing. We should do something."

"Like what?" Kagome asked quickly, giving Miroku a suspicious glare that was late accompanied by Sango's.

"Well," Miroku grinned and Sango and Kagome both slapped him on the back of his head. "Pervert," they mumbled.

Inu-Yasha and Shippo watched and laughed as Miroku cried in pain and Kagome and Sango began a conversation about the faults of men.

Suddenly, Miroku became silent as he spotted a strange shadow passing through a set of trees. "Did any of you see that?"

Inu-Yasha and Shippo gave Miroku a puzzled look. "Maybe they hit him too hard," Shippo whispered to Inu-Yasha who nodded in agreement.

"I heard that," Miroku said annoyed, "but I'm serious. I saw something move."

"Miroku looked at the area where he saw the figure knowing that he wasn't just seeing things.

"Hmm…" Migomi thought as she peered over the boulder she was hiding behind. "This isn't good," she mumbled as the monk she met in the village looked away from the direction she was in. She could not risk continuing the path for fear of detection but she also knew that this was the quickest way to her destination and going another way will only take twice as long.

"I guess we should get some sleep now," she heard the girl with the giant boomerang say.

"You guys go ahead," the dog demon said, "I'll keep watch.

There were various yawns coming from different people in the group and the snapping of leaves as they set to lay for sleep.

"Wonderful," Migomi groaned in her head then gave a look of awkward disappointment at the tree across from her. "Maybe I should get a little rest," she yawned silently, closing her eyes, "just until the dog falls asleep." The next thing she knew, something was being jabbed into the side of her rib.

"It's Naraku!" she heard a little boy scream.

"No," a girl said, "It's Migomi."

"Damn," Migomi thought, finally realizing that she overslept and that it was daytime. "Play dead," was the first thing she could think of.

"Is she alive?" a little boy's voice asked.

"No," the girl said, "she's still breathing. She's just asleep."

"Damn it!" Migomi screamed in her head.

"What is she doing here?" she heard the dog demon ask.

Migomi heard movement as if someone as getting up and took this as her time to flee so she quickly jumped behind a tree, leaving nothing but the wind to indicate her movement.

"Maybe we should wake her… she's gone!" another girl screamed.

"She disappeared," she heard the monk say.

Not waiting for another discovery, Migomi dashed through the trees that outlined the path.