Disclaimer (sung to the tune of Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone):

Oh why, oh why can't this manga be mine?

Oh why, oh why can't it be?

But I guess I'll have to be satisfied,

With driving the characters crazy!

Chapter 1: Fleeing from Danger:

She ran.

Hard and fast. She flew over fallen logs and large jagged branches, desperately flying, fleeing away from her pursuers. She had to get away! They couldn't find her! She ran blindly, dodging the moving shadows of her mind, running, running…

OOMPH

She had run straight into a branch when she turned to look over her shoulder to see if anyone was still following her. Dazed she sat up and looked around. No one. She sighed with relief. They had lost her. She was safe. Wearily she got up and leaned on a nearby tree, panting heavily, her chest heaving as she gulped the air in, trying to relieve the pain in her legs and stomach.

She froze as a quiet chuckle echoed through the woods. There, stepping from behind a tree that had kept him hidden from her view, was her would-be-captor, still wearing that disgusting baboon hide. Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened in fear as he pulled out his sword.

"Why don't you co-operate and come back with me? Prince Kouga is anxious to see you return safely" he drawled and then emitted a distasteful snicker.

"You mean he wants me to come back so that you and your jerk prince can force me into marrying him!" she spat.

"Force you! He would never do that! Now, myself, on the other hand, well, I suggest that you don't push me towards doing something that you would regret." He leered at her suggestively, fingering his sword.

"Don't you dare! I'd rather die!" Now she was shouting, unaware of how tentacles were appearing around her.

"That can be arranged!" With the last word, he grabbed her arms and legs with his tentacles. She screamed and struggled against him as he slowly moved closer, his sword glittering in the palely yellow light filtering through the trees surrounding them. She struggled harder and as a last resort, she bit the tentacle holding her right hand. It worked. He howled and the tentacle let her go. She immediately grabbed her dagger from her belt and started stabbing the tentacles that surrounded her body. They released her and she dropped to the ground. Once more, she ran.

Where should I go? I need a place to hide. She panted, taking in deep breathes as she ran from the demon behind her. There's got to be a place to hide! Oh Kagome, what are you going to do now? It was all well when I escaped from the castle! She dodged a jagged branch that was lying in front of her. There! She spotted a cave hidden behind a clump of bushes and skidded to a halt. She dived into the cave just in time to avoid her pursuer's glare. Luckily the wind was blowing towards her so it was unlikely that he would smell her out.

"Damn her! Where is that girl! I need her to complete my plans!" Naraku screeched in frustration before stomping off away from where she was hiding.

She let out a tremendous sigh and lowered her hands from her face. She had not known that she had been holding her breathe until she let it out. Then came the growling. She turned around slowly, her eyes growing wary, as she glimpsed the thing behind her. It was a hanyou, a half demon, half human creature. Its silvery hair was fanned out on its back and its golden eyes glared at her. Two furry, silver ears poked out from under his hair. His? Yes. No doubt it's a he. She inwardly sighed. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Well I didn't come here to be eaten. She took a few hesitant steps backwards before twirling around and fleeing once more.

The thing was coming after her, she was sure of it. She ran even harder. She knew that hanyous could run faster than any other creature and she wondered why he had not caught up with her yet. Could he be curious?

WHAM

She tripped over a gnarled root and fell hard into the dirt. Shit! He is going to catch me now. A hand grabbed her hair and yanked her up. Her breath caught in her throat as she realised who it was.

"You!"

"Yes, me. Did you miss me?" Naraku brought her to her feet, still holding onto her hair.

"Let go of me, you pervert!" She struggled to get away, one hand clutching her hair, the other trying to pull his hand away.

"Not now, not ever. You not going to get away this time bitch!" he made her scream as he yanked on her hair one more time and started to pull her away.

"Let her go!" came a voice from beyond the trees. She gasped as her saviour was revealed when he stepped out from behind the trees. The hanyou! What is he doing here? Why is he saving me?

"Well, well. If it isn't little Inuyasha! How nice of you to going us!" Leering, Naraku turned to face him and spat at the dirt in front of the hanyou.

"Let her go! Or would you prefer that I make you?" He shouted back, grabbing his sword. Inuyasha! Hmmm. Interesting name. I did not see that sword before, thought Kagome, Maybe he had it but I couldn't see it.

The hanyou, Inuyasha now had his sword in his grip and was circling Naraku. Naraku thrust Kagome towards a boulder, where she hit her head and was knocked halfway into unconsciousness.

"There. Now she can't run away while I deal with you." He sneered and attacked Inuyasha. They parried and thrust their swords at each other, each trying to unbalance the other. To a very dizzy, paralysed Kagome, it was like they were performing a dance. Both had elegant movements but Kagome found herself admiring Inuyasha. He moves so gracefully, I…What is wrong with you girl? You should be trying to escape! She tried to get up but her legs wouldn't listen. Her head was still reeling.

"Hah!" said Inuyasha as he twirled his sword around Nakaru's and yanked his opponent's sword from his grasp. The sword flew a metre away and thudded into the dirt. Both were breathing heavily as Inuyasha pointed his sword at Naraku's throat.

"Now leave, and don't come back" Inuyasha said, slowly regaining his breath.

"You may have won this time, but next time, I will be the one pointing a sword at you!" Naraku sneered, before bounding off into the trees. Inuyasha sighed and re-sheathed his sword before turning to the girl.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, reaching out his hand to help her up.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just a little dizzy" She staggered and fell once more and he reached out to catch her.

"Thank you…" she said before falling unconscious.

Wordlessly, he picked her up and began carrying her back to his cave.