My New Dog?

CH.1

My New Dog
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The little girl clenched her mother's hand, tightly, as they walked towards the store.

"Are you all right, Kagome? We don't have to do this if you don't want to," her mother tried, subconsciously putting a hand over her plump stomach.

The five year old shook her head, burying her chin in her little pink scarf, "No, I can do this."

The woman smiled down, adoringly at her daughter. They approached the large glass door. Mama opened it, allowing her daughter to walk in first. Kagome walked in, timidly. The girl stopped, her brown, chocolate eyes widened at what she saw.

So this is what a pet store looked like.

The girl couldn't help, but suppress a giggle. She smiled as she looked at all of the cages filled with hamsters, and gerbils, and mice, and rats, and who knows what else kind of fluffy rodents. Then the girl's eyes scanned over the large glass tanks filled with water and, of course, gold fish. The small child laughed, seeing one of the fish who swam, making weird faces.

Little did she know that two patient, golden eyes watched her.

Then Kagome moved over to the cats. Kagome never was too fond of cats, then again she had never had a cat, so how could she possible be so certain of her dislike towards them. Come to think of it, she had never even had a pet before.

Kagome now turned around to see a small little clear like wall. Inside was filled with small, round tummy puppies. They yipped and played, not giving a care in the world, let alone, noticing the little girl who looked at them. That was, all of them, except for one.

Kagome tilted her head to the side, mimicked by the small dog. He was white, with short fur and golden eyes. She walked over to him, making his ears perked up. The little girl reached over the small wall and picked up the little puppy. He began to wag his tail and happily licked her cheek, making the girl laugh.

Kagome looked over at her mother, who had been watching her the entire time, with a loving smile. Mama smiled, understanding her daughter's silent request.

Kagome slowly opened her eyes. She sat up and stretched, smiling down at the warmth at her feet. She petted the large white dog, "Good morning, Inuyasha," she smiled.

The said dog wagged his tail at the normal greeting. Kagome always was so use to waking up with him right beside her. He was always there for her, through thick and thin. Twelve years had passed, and even though that made Inuyasha a very old dog, he didn't seem to act like it in the least. In fact, he acted like a teenager, well, at least to Kagome he did.

Inuyasha was always by her side. Never did he ever leave her. Sure, he'd play with Souta and beg Mama for some scraps during dinner, and time and again, he'd let Grandpa scratch his ears, most of the time, though, he'd try to avoid the old man, but he'd always be the closest to Kagome. He was her best friend. Kagome… Never was very good at making friends, having Inuyasha at night and in the morning, weekends, and of course occasional holiday breaks or summer, was all she needed to be content with what she had. The girl smiled at her best friend.

Her eyes suddenly widened, "I'm going to be late!" She quickly got out of bed and began to throw her school uniform onto her bed. "Inuyasha," she said, looking down at the dog next to her, already, "how does some breakfast sound to you?"

The dog wagged his tail, as if that meant yes.

Kagome quickly threw off her pajamas and put on her uniform. "Don't look," she scolded the dog. Kagome always said that to him whenever she changed, even though she knew, he was a dog… and she was a human.

After a quick breakfast meal Kagome was off. "Bye, Inuyasha! I'll be back!"

He dog watched her through the window, he made a small whine as if he was missing her already.

Mama chuckled, "That's puppy love, for you." She soon went back to work in the kitchen. Today was Friday, the day right before Kagome's birthday. She would be turning seventeen tomorrow. The woman sighed through her nose, where had the time gone?

Kagome sighed as she sat down in the cafeteria. Lunch time meant one very important thing to Kagome. School was half over. Then she could go back home, take a bath and play with Inuyasha. Strange, how she had come to grow so close to him.

"This seat taken?"

Kagome looked up to see a young boy, perhaps about her age. "O-oh, um, no, go ahead."

"Thank you," he nodded, sitting close to her, a little too close for Kagome's liking. "I'm Hojo," he smiled kindly at her.

"I'm Kagome," the girl awkwardly smiled. Just then the bell rang, she quickly stood up.

"Wait," she heard Hojo yell to her. Kagome stopped and looked at him, making the boy grow a shade of red, "W-what's your number?"

Kagome smiled at him and said just before she left, " Sorry, but I don't have a cell phone."

Kagome exhaled with pure happiness as she trudged home. Finally, the weekend was here for sure.

"I'm home," the girl called out. "Inuyasha! Mama!"

The large fat cat yawned, comfortably laying in his stomach. "Hi, Buyo," she greeted. Inuyasha and the cat seemed to get along, after

Souta, her little brother was old enough, he wanted to get another pet. Mama had agreed to a cat, thus, another addition to the small family.

Kagome walked upstairs. "Inuyasha?" Where was that dog? Kagome saw the happy animal sleeping soundly in her room. His ears soon perked up to see his loving master smile at him. The dog suddenly got up, instead of greeting her he walked right out of the room.

"Inuyasha?" The dog completely ignored her. Strange, for him, that is.

Sighing, Kagome got her things ready for a bath, she really needed a good soaking after today, finally, the week was over!

Kagome brushed her wet hair. Inuyasha sleeked into her room and laid down at her feet.

"So, you've decided to join me?" Kagome asked in a teasing tone.

The dog huffed as if he was exhausted. "Inuyasha?" What was wrong with him? Why was he acting like this? Could he be sick?

Kagome gasped at the terrible thought. "Inuyasha?" The girl was quickly on her knees, holding the large dog in her arms. "Are you okay?" Kagome suddenly stopped embracing him and looked down at what she felt around his neck. The girl easily took it off him, "A rosary?" It had black beads and every fifth one, there was a white like fang. The girl set it on her dresser, "How did that get on you?" The dog now began to wag his tail.

Kagome let go of a breath of air she hadn't realized that she had been holding. He was fine. Thank the kami.

"Good night, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered to the dog who was next to her. She rubbed one of his pointed ears, like she always did. The dog lazily licked her palm, before plopping his head back onto her stomach.

Kagome woke up to an empty bed. Inuyasha, at the moment, was probably just starting breakfast, and by the sound that her stomach was making, at the moment, she probably should do just the same.

"Good morning!" Kagome cheered. But there was something very wrong. The house, on such a usual busy morning was unnaturally quiet.

Kagome could hear some voices in the back yard.

"Mama?" The girl saw Souta, Mama, and even Grandpa all yelling the same thing over and over again.

"Inuyasha!"

Kagome's eyes widened. No, he- he couldn't be- "Mama?"

The woman turned to look at her daughter.

"I-is he- Inuyasha I mean- did he-"

"I'm not sure dear," Mama said, sadly.

"Are you sure you don't want to come look for him with us?" Gramps asked.

Kagome nodded, "When he comes home, I don't want him to think that we've abandoned him."

The old man smiled at his granddaughter. Such faith.

Kagome walked up the shrine steps slowly. The young girl looked up at the large tree that sat in the middle of the yard.

"Gishinboku," she whispered.

Kagome slowly went down to her knees, covered her face, and simply began to cry.

"Hey, what's the matter?"

"I'm sorry, sir," Kagome said, not wanting to look up at the person who stood behind her, not even bothering to see who it was, "The Shrine's closed for the day. You'll have to come back tomorrow."

"Why's that?"

Kagome answered, gaining her bearings, "It's just not a good time, right now."

"Why? What's going on?"

Kagome turned around, keeping her head down. She bit her bottom lip. Did this guy have to ask so many bloody questions? Couldn't he just take a hint?

Then Kagome looked at his feet, her eyes widened. Where were his shoes? Kagome felt herself wanting to answer his question, "Well- uh- you see we had lost a very important family member today."

"Ah," he responded, knowingly, "a death."

Kagome found that insinuation strangely funny as she chuckled, shaking her head, still staring at his dirty bare feet, "Not exactly."

"Then what do you mean?"

"My best friend is gone. You, see, when I was little I was never really good at making friends. He was my best friend."

"Inuyasha?"

Kagome nodded, "Yeah, that was his name. He was the best. You know sometimes I'd even-" The sudden hammer of realization her dead on. "How did you know his name?"

The girl slowly looked up to see a young man, perhaps about her age, maybe a year older, with long white-silver hair. And their atop his head were two pointed white ears that twitched now and then. He had golden eyes that looked piercingly at her.

"Do I have to spell it out for you, Kagome?"

To Be Continued...

A.N.- Cliff hanger! Duhn, DuhN, DUHN!