Story takes place somewhere after Kikyo's death and Koga's goodbye.

Chapter 1.

"A cave! Over here!"

Shippo's high-pitched voice came from a distance. Kagome stirred her eyes and spotted the tiny fox demon waving his hands in the woods. She took a better hold of the barely conscious hanyou who was leaning on her.

"Hang in there", she said. "Shippo found a place for us to rest."

Inuyasha didn't say a word. The yookai they had been fighting had took the strength away from them all. Kirara was following behind carrying Sango and the unconscious Miroku.

"Kagome", said Shippo in a tiny voice as they appeared at the cave. "Are they going to be alright?"

"I'm sure they are", Kagome assured. "Inuyasha is strong. Sango's leg is going to be fine and I have some antidote for Miroku."

She placed Inuyasha on the ground and he immediately laid down, turning to face the cold stone wall of the cave. As if to not show them how much he was in pain. Kagome looked at him with a sad expression. She was sure she had never ever seen him in such a bad condition.

Kagome walked over to Kirara and helped Sango to the ground, as well as Miroku.

Inuyasha, Kagome thought. You've been acting distant ever since Kikyo died. And now this... When will things settle down between the two of us?

Of course all Kagome wanted right now was for the hanyou to get better. But she couldn't help but feel pain when she thought how things had been between her and Inuyasha lately. Inuyasha had been avoiding her. Unintentional or not, his behavior made Kagome reconsider her place in this world.

No, she thought, I have no right to go there... I have a duty here. I belong here. At least for as long as we have the quest, I belong here...

"Ah!" came a voice from behind Kagome. She turned around and saw Miroku breathing heavily, holding his cursed hand.

"Miroku!" Kagome acknowledged and ran to him. She opened her bag and took the antidote. "Here, swallow this", she said. Miroku took the antidote that Kagome had brought form her time and thanked her.

Kagome took a look at Sango. She was leaning against the wall of the cave, breathing heavily, not making eye contact with anyone. She looked so pained it made Kagome feel guilty. Sango had come to her rescue after all, and due to that she got hit in the shin by the yookai, thus getting a broken bone.

"Oh Sango", Kagome whispered. She knew what she needed for her. She gave her some painkillers and told Shippo to look after them all.

"I'm off to getting some water for us all", Kagome explained. "And I need to get some herbs, my medicine is running out. Also, I'll be getting some branches to help Sango with her leg."

Shippo looked at her and nodded. "I will protect them."

Kagome smiled sadly. She was about to leave when Inuyasha called her name.

"What is it?" Kagome asked quietly.

"Nettle", he whispered, his voice hoarse. "It's something that I know makes me heal faster."

She promised she would find lot of it, and with that Kagome walked off.

The evening air was chilly. Kagome let out a tiny cry every now and then. Things had never been this serious before. How was it possible that they suddenly had to fight a youkai so powerful that it alone got them all almost killed? It was poisonous, strong. So poisonous even the hanyou Inuyasha couldn't take it. Miroku's Kazaana was out of question.

But even the evil isn't invincible. The youkai had become tired of the battle and Kagome, being the only one who wasn't too badly hurt, finally managed to shoot one of her purifing arrows which made the youkai run off half dead.

Kagome wasn't all that fine, though. She was extremely tired. The battle had lasted for a long time. When the youkai had fled Kagome helped Sango and Miroku on Kirara's back and helped Inuyasha walk all the way to the cave that Shippo found.

And now, without a moment of rest, she was walking in the forest, looking for the nettle Inuyasha was talking about. And the sticks, and water.

Kagome knew there was a river somewhere close by, with the stream heading away from some huge mountains in the distance. She recalled how they had been sitting by that lovely river, Sango trying to catch some fish and Inuyasha telling her how pathetic she was at it. Kagome had to sit him right there and then, straigh in the river, after noticing how furious Sango had become after his little comment. Soon after the youkai had attacked.

Shivering at the events of today, she headed towards the river.

She gave a little yelp. Her arm was hurting. She felt like she didn't even want to look at it. If it was a bad injury she would start feeling nauseated. But she couldn't help but look.

It isn't that bad, she lied to herself. I need to be strong now, with everyone else incapable of doing anything.

Some nasty blood was speading out of the wound. Kagome had to kneel down for a while.

"No way", she cried to herself. "I need to move. I need to keep walking."

She got up and felt her vision go blurry and her ears were ringing. She knew she had to lie down for a while to avoid passing out. She knelt down on the ground holding her head that was spinning.

"Why am I this weak", she said, tears pouring out of her eyes. "They need me more than I need this rest. I won't allow my body to betray me. No, I won't betray my friends."

She sighed and was about to get up again until she heard a voice behind her.

"Kagome?"

Her legs stopped carrying her weight her and she found herself sitting on the ground. Someone walked in front of her and knelt down on her.

"K... Koga?" Kagome whispered. "What are you doing here?"

Koga looked at Kagome with mild panic. "Kagome, are you alright?"

"I thought you said farewell-"

"I needed to see you", the wolf youkai admitted. "But we'll talk about it later! What happened to you? Where is the rest of your pack? Kagome?"

Kagome felt embarrassed. She didn't like this situation at all.

"They are... They need my help, I..." she managed to say.

"That mutt... I'd kill him for this..." he muttered to himself.

"Koga", Kagome whispered. "Can you... water, they need..."

"I don't understand", Koga said. "But one thing I know for sure. You are not fine. Kagome... I'll take care of you."

Kagome opened the eyes that she hadn't realized she had closed in the first place. She looked at Koga straight in the eye. "What do you mean?"

Koga stared at her back in a very intense way. "Let me take care of you. My pack isn't that far away. Why won't I take you there until you are fine."

"B-but..."

"You'll meet all your friends... Ginta, Hakkaku", Koga pressed on.

But I want Inuyasha, Kagome thought. I want back to Inuyasha... "They will worry", she said. "Inuyasha will worry."

Anger flashed in Koga's eyes at the mention of Inuyasha's name. "That mutt is nowhere close, now is he? Let me just take you. I'll take care of you, Kagome, I promise."

Kagome was confused. What did he mean Inuyasha is not close by?

Koga seemed to notice Kagome's confusion. "Well", he said, staring at her with that intense stare, "I can't catch that stink of his anywhere here. Come on, Kagome. Only for a few ours, at least. Then I'll return you back here."

Koga was strange, but Kagome, being extremely exhausted, didn't notice anything at all, and with her heart full of trust for the old friend, she nodded for the sign for Koga to pick her up and take her away.

End of chapter 1.

Okay so Koga will be such a monster in this story. I already feel bad, I love him in the manga/anime!

I have estimated the story to continue for about 10 chapters, just for you to know.

I appreciate all kinds of reviews.