Chapter One

Lady Kasumi was sitting up in a field with the village children surrendering her. The wind was light with soft gusts. Lady Kasumi would close her eyes just as a gust of wind would come in, she would take a deep breath in and smell what the wind was sending her. No one else could pick up on the scent she could smell. No one else knew what she was doing. But she was still keeping tabs on the demon that threatened the village. The wind would also stop as soon as it got to Lady Kasumi. It seemed like the wind was being pulled towards her and the wind would be silent and expelled as soon as she took her breathe.  After her deep breathe she would stare off into the direction of the village.

The village children where playing with one another. Some of  the children were in big circled with there arms linked singing songs, and some of the older ones just sat on the ground playing with grass. One of the older child noticed that Lady Kasumi wasn't really paying attention to them as she usually did.

"Is something wrong?" Asked one of the kids.

Lady Kasumi attention was drawn back to the children quickly.  All of the children stopped laughing and playing together and they all stared at her. Lady Kasumi study the children faces, she sighed softly.

"You guys caught me. I've been lost in the wind" She said. The kids all looked at one another and then at lady Kasumi. The Children hadn't even noticed there was a soft wind until she mentioned it. A soft gust of wind came in and swept the field they were in.

"Do you guys want another story today?" She asked, the children gathered around her close and she begun to tell a story about the Bakeneko.

* * *

Rin and the others reached to the little village that Lady Kaede told them about.  They were in the village just to pick up some herbs from the monk in town and bring them back to Kaede that same day.  It was suppose to be a really simply job. Lady Kaede said there shouldn't be any problems because the village hasn't dealt with demons in 30 or more years. 

Rin got off of A-un and held onto there leash, she was ready to walk into the village. Kagome got off of Inuyasha, and Miroku got off of Kirara. Before they started to move, Inuyasha could smell a demon scent coming from the north west of the village. Inuyasha looked at Kagome and Miroku to see if either of them could sense it too. They all made eye contact with each other and Kagome and Miroku nodded at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha, Kagome and Miroku all moved away from Rin to talk privately amongest themselves.  Rin noticed they went to talk together and she gave them some space and looked at some bushes with A-un. They started to pick some berries. 

"Can you all sense this?" Kagome asked. 

Miroku nodded and same with Inuyasha. 

"I told the old hag this was a stupid idea" Inuyasha said. He looked frustrated and annoyed. All of the missions Kaede sent them on somehow always involve a demon of some kind. 

This usually wasn't an issues because Miroku and Kagome could look after themselves but Rin couldn't. Kaede hadn't taught Rin how to fight demons. Rin has only been learned how to blend and dry herbs, and how to be a human girl.

"Should we turn back?" Kagome asked.  She was also worried. "Kaede said this village never has problems with demons. So we could still go, get what we need and leave." She added.

Inuyasha and Miroku stood there quietly for a few minutes thinking to themselves. Until Miroku spoke up. "We could go to the village and get what we need. If the monk in town wants help, we could always offer our hand in removing the demon and get paid. Besides if anything goes wrong we do have Inuyasha and his might tetsusaige." 

"Why am I ALWAYS the solution?" Inuyasha asked angrily.  He let out an angry sigh. "Fine, we'll do this." Inuyasha did know that if it came down to it, anything he could fight would be brought down by his tetusaige. 

Kagome and Miroku and Inuyasha rejoined Rin, They told Rin they were going to still go, and Rin felt relieved. She was a bit scared that her mission would be canceled and she'd have to go back to Kaede empty handed.  She was fearful of Kaede would be upset with her, or Kaede would end up blaming herself.

As they walked towards the city and they got into the more farm land area they noticed the rice paddy fields were empty. No one was there,  no one was working the fields, no one was even taking a break. The fields looked abandon for the day. They saw tools stuck into the soil, like they were ready to be used,  but there was no one around, as they kept walking they noticed the signs of human life weren't there.  It was like everyone in the village just up and left. They entered the area that was closer to the monk's dwelling and they noticed there was people around.

The people where mumbling to each other about things, the others just thought it was village life that was being gossiped.  Inuyasha looked around and smelt the air and noticed there was no demon presents there. Everyone was human, and it puzzled him. Kagome just shook her head and thought maybe everyone was at a services with the monk and that's why no one was in the fields working. 

Kagome walked with Rin, Rin stopped a group of villagers and asked them where could she find the local monk.  The women looked at her, and then the group. The women seemed a little upset at first because there were demons with this young girl. But they decided it was best to talk to her. 

"Are you all just passerby?" One of the women asked. 

"Yes, we are ma'am" Rin responded. "I'm from a different village. I'm just carrying out a chore I was given by our Shrine maiden. Which is why I need to find the monk." Rin added. 

The women looked at Rin, They heisted before they spoke, but they ended up telling her where to go. Rin smiled and said thank you after she was given the directions to the Monk. "Thank you." Rin said. They were still displeased to see a demon with the young girl, but they did notice the humans and a monk with her so they trusted what they felt might be right. 

Rin, Kagome and the others walked towards the shrine where the monk was. As they got closer Rin got excited. "I'm almost there Lady Kaede, I'll be home soon." She thought to herself as they reached the shrine.  Once they got to the shire they walked through the gate. The area was small but it was a beautiful and peaceful area. They all looked around as Rin and A-un wondered forward into the court yard. 

The monk was watering some plants when he noticed the visitors. "Humans and demons and a little girl?" The monk thought to himself as he watched them look around. The Monk was studying them, he noticed there was a monk with them, a half demon and a women and a little girl. Plus to other demons. He wondered to himself if these people could maybe be of help.   The monk approached the group, and Rin noticed him. 

"Are you the monk for this village?" Rin asked. She felt a bit anxious as she asked and she thought it might have been a rude way to ask. But the Monk chuckled to himself. 

"I am" He said to Rin, he looked down on this little girl and noticed her curiosity.  Rin felt relief when she heard that, she also smiled at him.  "I need to ask you for something.." Rin said to the monk. 

The monk offered everyone to come inside so they could speak, he offered to make some tea for them to drink and he also told Rin he'd listen to her request and try and help her any way he could. The monk felt like he was a trust worthy person. And he also seem to have no problem with the demons at his shrine.  

The monk helped Rin find a spot for A-un where they could be outside. Rin asked if they could be a by a big tree so they could be shaded while they wanted for her to come out. The monk nodded and agreed to finding a spot where they could have some shade. He also offered to get a bowl of water for A-un to drink from. Rin felt happy with this offer and helped a-un feel comfortable, and she also made way for the big bowl to sit. So a-un to be able to drink while they waited. 

After looking after a-un they made there way into the monks house. The monk made tea and started to talk to his guests. He learnt a lot about the travelers and why they came to his village. Rin told him about how she needed some herbs Kaede wanted. She also told him about how she didn't like it when Kaede was harsh on herself for using things and not replacing them. The monk also started to talk to Inuyasha and Kagome and Miroke. 

"I have the herbs you need." He said. "But, I have a favor to ask you." The Monk said.

Inuyasha looked annoyed, and also tired. He thought to himself "This old guy is going to ask us to slay the demon isn't he? because his spell isn't working." 

"What is it?" Kagome asked softly.  

"If you do this task or not, I will still give you the herbs because the young girl needs them. But I was wondering if you all could go to the top of the hill. There will be a women up there, she's with the village children," He heisted a second. He didn't want to word it like this women was a problem. "When you get up there could you offer help to this women?" The monk asked.  

Inuyasha and the others look at each other. Inuyasha felt relieved that the monk wasn't asking them to get rid of a demon. He also felt like this was a fair trade. Just go up the hill and off the women some help with the brats, and Rin would get her herbs.  Inuyasha and the group agreed that they could go to the top of the hill where the women was to help her. The monk felt relieved, and he said thank you and he than excused himself from the room to go and get the herbs Rin asked for.

"What an odd request" Kagome said. 

"I was expecting something like kill the demon." Inuyasha responded. 

Rin reminded them that Kaede did say this village never had demon problems. So maybe this is how the village works. There is a demon threat and then the demon is purged from the world and the village goes back to normal.   

"Well it looks like you didn't need your tetsusagia after all, Inuyasha" Mirok added.  

The Monk re-entered the room with a bag of herbs. He offered them to Rin. Rin got the bag and she opened the bag and looked down to see the herbs. She took one out and looked at it. "It looks like exactly like what Kaede said" She thought to herself. She placed the herb back into the bag, and she then closed the bag and offered a thank you to the Monk. They left the monks house and Rin went out to go and get A-un from their slumber they had. She Put the herbs into the little basket Kaede had attached to the back of A-un. She than took A-un's leash and walked over to beside Inuyasha and the others.

"Now please go see the Lady" the monk asked. 

Kagome, Inuyasha, Mirok, Kirara, Rin and A-un left the temple and started to make there way into the direction of the hill where Lady Kasumi sat with the children.  

Lady Kasumi could sense there was a few demons in town and they were coming towards her, but she didn't smell the scent of blood or burning, in stand she smelt the scent of the monk. She sat ontop of the hill with the children still and just waited. As she sat there with the children one of the demon scents become more present and it started to smell like a scent she once knew. 

"This is somewhat like Sesshomaru's Fathers scent," She said to herself "But it also smells human."