Kagome was trying to sleep. Next to her on her sleeping bag, Shippou was snoring away. But an annoying sound kept keeping her awake. The rustling was going to make her crazy! Heaving a sigh of frustration Kagome sat up and looked into the tree above her.

"InuYasha," Kagome hissed, knowing he would hear her. "What's going on? I can't sleep with all the noise you are making!"

The branches parted, and the firelight partially lit the hanyous golden eyes and silver hair. He had an irritated expression on his face, his mouth in a twisted line. Suddenly he started to scratch at his side with his back foot.

"I itch like hell," InuYasha grumbled. "I think something is biting me."

'Well,' Kagome thought with a rueful smile, 'I'm not getting any sleep tonight if I don't help him.'

"OW!" InuYasha said loudly. "Goddamnit!"

As Kagome watched in growing trepidation, the branches began to shake really hard as InuYasha began to scratch himself fiercely. He was so annoyed, he did not notice what a commotion he was making….or that he was slipping.

"InuYasha, watch –." Was all Kagome managed to say as InuYasha came crashing out of the tree directly on top of her and Shippo.

In a moment Kagome had pushed Shippo out of harms way – the kitsune just rolled over and fell back to sleep. Putting up her arms, it was lame protection from the hanyou that landed directly on top of her and knocked the wind out of her. She tried to get her breath back as she stared nose to nose with a red faced, still scratching hanyou.

"Get off me and I will help you with your itching!" Kagome grated out, and gave him a feeble push.

InuYasha leaped off Kagome sheepishly, and she went and got calomine lotion from her backpack. Then she instructed InuYasha to take off his suikan and kosode. His back was covered in large, angry bites and welts from his scratching. She dabbed him with the lotion and he sighed in relief.

But the next day, as they got ready to leave camp, InuYasha started itching again. And this time so did Shippou and Kirara….

"Something is biting me!" Shippou whined, scratching his ribs.

Next to him, Kirara mewled as she scratched her ear.

"I'd say some kind of tiny insect that loves the taste of Youkai blood has got our friends in its grip," Miroku said

Kagome decided on a plan to combat what was biting her friends.

"I need to go back to the well," Kagome said. "Be back soon!"

When she returned she made InuYasha and Shippou strip down to their fundoshis and get in the river with a disgruntled Kirara. She squeezed the white soap from the bottle on to the itchy threesome.

"What is that?" Sango asked.

"Tick and flea soap….for pets," Kagome said with a smile.

"Great!" InuYasha said. "I'm no damn pet Kagome!"

"Just shut up and scrub!" Kagome replied, and everyone laughed.