Authors Note: This is a fic from way back when I first started watching Inuyasha. I lost it, found it again, wrote a bit more, then lost it again. Obviously, I have found and decided to post it just for fun. It doesn't really follow the storyline of Inuyasha at all but that's okay right?
Discaimer: Soooo not mine. Nuff' said.
" Claws of Blood!!!" Inuyasha screamed out, slashing through one of a hundred wriggling arms of Naraku's latest demon attack. Kagome turned to see Inuyasha land gently on his feet. But the battle was far from over. In less than a second, he had sprung up from the ground and was slashing through yet another arm. Kagome raised up her bow and shot at the demon. The arrow screamed through the air and split a massive hunk of demon flesh coming down right above Sango. With a quick nod of thanks, Sango slung her boomerang at the poisonous insects flying overhead. With them in the area, Miroku's wind tunnel was useless so he had resorted to slashing through the insects and the giant demon beast with his staff and sacred spells. Kagome ducked back down behind the fallen tree under which she and Shippou had taken shelter. She set another arrow to her bow and peaked over the top of the trunk. A little to her right and closer to her were Sango, Kira-ra, and Miroku. They were fighting the insects and trestles of the demon that stretched too far in Kagome's direction searching for the few Shikon shards she held. Farther out into battle was Inuyasha. He was jumping in and out of the monster trying to swipe at the cursed puppet in it's center. Guiding him not to far away, was Kikyo. Kagome felt a sharp pain in her heart at just the sight of the miko. Knowing that Kikyo, not herself, was Inuyasha's choice had been difficult enough to accept. But with Kikyo joining them more and more frequently in battles, Kagome found that she often couldn't even sleep at night. She watched as Kikyo, protected by her soul stealers, told Inuyasha where to slice. But, being half-dead, her aim was a little off, and she couldn't help if the creature was too thick.
" Kagome! Snap out of it! Inuyasha needs your help! That Kikyo can't find the puppet fast enough and I don't think Sango and Miroku can hold much longer!" Kagome snapped her head down to the frightened Shippou and looked back up and Sango and Miroku. Shippou was right. Like Inuyasha, they were all injured and tiring quickly. There seemed to be a never ending supply of insects and the demon's arms just kept growing back. Sango was bleeding from her arm, Miroku's robe was slashed and torn and Kira-ra was covered in demon blood. Inuyasha was too tiring. He still hadn't healed completely from the last battle.
" Okay Shippou. Stay here. I'm gonna go help Inuyasha." Shippou nodded and Kagome took a deep breath. Here goes nothing She thought and jumped the tree.
" Kagome! What are you doing?" Sango yelled at her.
" Cover me Sango! Inuyasha needs help finding the puppet!" Sango nodded and she and Miroku changed the direction of their attacks keeping the insects from following her. Kagome ran as fast as she could across the battlefield. She leapt over chunks of the demon and stopped a few yards from Inuyasha. " Inuyasha! The puppet, it's just to your right! About a foot inside!" Inuyasha looked down at her and nodded. He raised his claw to strike but was stopped as Kikyo shouted out to him.
" No Inuyasha! That isn't where it is! It's beneath you!" Inuyasha almost stopped in midair. Kagome looked over at Kikyo angrily.
" Don't listen to her Inuyasha! It's to your right!"
" Who will you believe Inuyasha? Me, or a second generation soul from another time?" Kagome growled and watched with a pained heart and Inuyasha turned to follow Kikyo's directions. But the seconds he had taken to decide had cost him and the demon flung him to the side. Inuyasha hit hard but was up in a flash ready to strike. Kagome was running to his side before she even knew what she was doing. She stopped halfway to him though. What am I doing? He has chosen Kikyo, he doesn't need me She watched as Inuyasha jumped above the beast, preparing to strike.
" Look out Kagome!" Miroku screamed and she looked up. One of the demon's huge appendages was coming down at her. So huge was it, that Kikyo too was in it's path.
" Kikyo!" She heard Inuyasha yell and watched in almost slow motion as Inuyasha flew to Kikyo's side, slashing above her to stop the mighty arm. He saved her. She thought. He saved her and she's not even flesh and blood. Just bones and dirt and borrowed souls. Kagome's heart dropped and she squeezed her eyes shut tight, waiting for the crushing blow. But it never came. She heard a loud yell, not unlike Inuyasha's battle cry and felt the demon's blood shower over her. She opened her eyes and stared up at Kouga.
" Kouga? What are you doing here?" She asked and he gave her a smirk.
" Saving my woman of course. But we can catch up later. Where's that puppet? Obviously dog-boy here can't kill this thing. It's a job for a real demon. Not a half-ling." Kagome's first impulse was to smack him for calling her 'his woman' but out of the side of her eye she saw Inuyasha fuming beside Kikyo. That's right. I almost died because he followed her advice. She looked back up at Kouga.
" It's just below the right eye." Kouga grinned.
" All right. Watch this dog-boy! This is how it's done!" Kouga sped off and up a tree using his momentum to fly into the air. He turned mid-leap and aimed one of his claws exactly where Kagome told him.
" Hey!" Inuyasha yelled out in fury, leaping after him. " I don't need any stupid wolf telling me how to kill a demon!" Inuyasha jumped up and too aimed his claws, but where Kikyo had told him. There was a huge flash of light as the two hit the demon at the same time. The demon exploded from the impact and showered thick black blood everywhere. Kagome closed her eyes and ducked her head until the shower had stopped. She looked quickly to where the demon had been. In it's place were a very dirty Kouga and Inuyasha, staring at each other face to face. Each had a claw out to the side, the puppet floating in mid air between them. Kagome held her breath and watched as the puppet split in half, towards Kouga. Ha! She thought triumphantly I knew I was right! Kouga smirked.
" Looks like my woman knew what she was talking about." He snickered and turned from Inuyasha, walking back over to Kagome. Inuyasha growled.
" Don't you walk away from me you flea-bag!" Kouga paid him no mind and Kagome almost smirked as Inuyasha turned to Kikyo. " Kikyo, What happened?" She looked at him blankly.
" The presence of my soul not within my body has thrown me off. Besides, had you used your sword, you would've hit it anyway." With that she and her soul-stealers turned and flew away and Inuyasha snorted. Kagome stopped staring as Kouga approached her.
" Why not come with me Kagome? I can protect you much better then that mutt can. If I hadn't shown up, he would've let you die." Kagome ducked her head and held back tears. Yeah, I know she thought.
" Kagome!" Shippou shouted, running over and jumping into her arms. " Are you okay? That stupid Inuyasha didn't let you get hurt did he?" Inuyasha growled again and fumed in the backround.
" No Shippou, I'm okay." Sango and Miroku too came to her side.
" I must say this Kouga. Though we've had our differences in the past, you did just save Kagome's life. How is it that you came to be in this area?" Kouga grinned.
"I'll tell you later. Right now, I could go for a good cleaning. If I stay covered in this stuff to long, I'll start to smell as bad as dog-breath over there." Inuyasha growled again and his face turned red.
" That is a good idea. Why don't we head back to the village. Kaede can tend to our wounds and we can rest up before going out." Sango slung her boomerang over her shoulder and stood waiting for a response.
" No way! Don't be a bunch of sissy's! This is one of Naraku's demons! That means he could be close!" Inuyasha yelled and Kagome sighed. This was a conversation they had had many times in the past.
" Inuyasha. Even if we do find Naraku right now, none of us are in any shape to fight him. That includes you too. Look at yourself. You have cuts everywhere. Can you really fight Naraku at your best like that?"
" Listen to her dog-breath if you have any sense. You're a crappy enough fighter even when you're in full health. You wouldn't stand a chance against Naraku like you are now. He slaughtered my entire pack with no trouble at all. Do you really think he wouldn't have it was easy with you?" Kagome looked up at Kouga in surprise. That was the last thing she had expected him to say. He used to be just as impatient as Inuyasha and would've agreed that they needed to leave now. I guess having most of his pack slaughtered made him grow up She thought. Kouga looked down at her and smirked. " Besides, I could use the time to catch up with my woman. It's been to long since we've spoken last Kagome." She blushed furiously and turned from him.
" I'm not your woman Kouga!"
" Sure you are. I've claimed you. You're mine." She growled under her breath and impulsively said what she normally did when angered by a stubborn demon.
" Sit." Inuyasha crashed to the ground and Kouga broke out into laughter. So did Shippou.
" What the hell did you do that for!? What did I do!?" Inuyasha demanded as he stood up.
" I'm so sorry Inuyasha. I'm just used to saying that when I get upset. It's usually you who upsets me so..." She left off and Inuyasha growled.
" Feh. Stupid girl. Don't apologize, just don't do it again."
" Stupid girl!? Inuyasha, I take it back. I'm not sorry, In fact...SIT!" He crashed to the ground again and she started walking away even before he had managed to upright himself. A laughing Kouga, Shippou, and a snickering Miroku and Sango followed her.
" Ha! See? I told you my woman had good sense. She certainly put you in your place mutt!" Inuyasha snarled.
" Shut up you flea-bag! You too Shippou! Before I turn you both into bits!"
So angry was Kagome that she didn't even contradict Kouga's 'my woman' comment. Stupid girl? Who does he think he's talking to? If it weren't for me Kikyo would have gotten him killed. He's such a jerk. She stomped down the trail. Maybe it was good thing Kouga had shown up. Aside from saving her life, it provided a wonderful distraction form having to think about Kikyo and Inuyasha. But try as she did, she just couldn't get that image of Inuyasha running to Kikyo's side out of her mind.