downed either, be it by demons or by the ravages of time. She had just shown a couple of kids some herbs when the friends arrived.
Kaede sent the children away when she saw that Sango was injured and probably needed more urgent help than the children were being taught."What happened to them? Had another demon appeared? Come in first."
They entered the simple, small hut and sat down by the fireplace. Miroku told Kaede what had happened while the priestess was treating Sango's wound. Shippo threw in an addition every now and then, but Inuyasha was silent. He couldn't figure out where to put the redhead. What was she? Actually, he shouldn't care.
He had other thoughts that seemed more important to him and before he could be addressed he got up.
"I'm staying out tonight," he said curtly and left the hut.
Nobody said anything, because everyone knew that Inuyasha missed Kagome and that this could put him in a bad mood.

Hojo said goodbye to Kagome. It was always very difficult for him to walk, but if he stayed with her again that night, they wouldn't sleep again and then he would actually fall asleep during the lecture.In any case, love could distract from the important things in life, either you thought incessantly about your loved one or you couldn't keep yourself awake during the day just because you didn't sleep at night.
Kagome felt the same way, only that her thoughts occasionally wandered to Inuyasha. How could she forget him completely?
She went to the shrine after Hojo left, opened the door and went down the wooden stairs to the fountain. Sighing, she looked inside, although she couldn't see anything because it was already dark and everything in the fountain was black.
Inuyasha, how are you doing. I'm so sorry to leave you behind But you can be sure that I miss you But you know that I can't stay with you I wish you a good night.
She breathed a kiss on her fingers in the well and went back out and into the house.
Her family was already in bed, so Kagome decided to go to bed too.
She put on her nightgown and snuggled under the covers.She thought of Inuyasha and Hojo, thought about the past and wondered what the future might bring her.
Then she fell asleep.

Something creaked and she woke up in the middle of the night.
Kagome wasn't sure if she was dreaming. She got up and went to her window to look out. Maybe Inuyasha had come? Somehow she hoped so.
It was all dark and quiet. With a short shrug, she turned around and wanted to go back to bed. But she froze.
A small creature was sitting on her bed. It reminded her of a goblin with bluish skin, pointy ears and dark, thick hair, but wore clothes similar to Shippo. It also reminded a little of Shippo.
"Where are you from all of a sudden?", Kagome wanted to know and at the same time wondered why she acted as if she knew the little one.
"From the well. I was hoping you would help me."
"What should I help you with and who are you anyway?"
"I'm called Kuroi here.I'm looking for the gatekeeper and with your help it would be easier. "
Kagome didn't quite understand what this Kuroi meant.
"Gatekeeper? What kind of gatekeeper?"
"She just disappeared since something bad happened to us."
"You? What happened to that?"
Kagome couldn't have known that this bad thing had nothing to do with Inuyashas or their world, but she feared it.
The little one didn't want to say anything more but looked at her pleadingly.
"You can also go through the gates. You can help me. Please. My people are in danger."
Of course, Kagome could hardly say no, but she considered the whole thing.
Who was this gatekeeper? Why did this being speak to them and what kind of people they were. Because he didn't seem to belong to the demons, even if he looked almost like that, with the big black eyes and the bluish skin. The head looked a little larger to the rest of the body and therefore seemed somehow knobbly.
"All right.", Kagome sighed, took a piece of paper and a pen and wrote something down.This note, in which she explained where she was going and asked Hojo to calm down, she put on her mother's table and packed her most important things.
She loved her mother for being so understanding and for not restricting Kagome even then, but letting her decide for herself what she wanted or had to do.