DISCLAIMER: You know, if I owned Inuyasha, this :points below at story: would become "reality".

You've all made me so happy! Everyone's reviews were positive ones! I'm absolutely amazed that no one flamed, like the last time this story was up...:growls:...

Anyway, enjoy chapter 3!

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Chapter - - Off to Kaede's

She stopped. Was that…It was. The ogre. She walked all the way over to where they killed the ogre. 'Maybe a bird picked it up or something. Or maybe it's in my bag and I just didn't look hard enough. I should go back. Besides, it's dark and the others are probably worried about me.'

Actually, she didn't like being here alone, with a giant, dead, ogre.

She turned around and thought about running. But she stopped. Slowly, she faced the ogre again. Could it be? A-a shard. But Sango and Miroku said there was no shard.

Kagome took a deep breath and inched closer to the demon. Nothing happened. She smiled and shook her head. How stupid could she get? It was dead! A giant, dead, ogre! With a sigh, she picked up her pace and moved around the oni.

"Well, there's nothing here." She declared. "I should just-" She gasped. Kagome stood there horrorstruck and wide-eyed.

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Chapter 3 - Injuries

She couldn't believe her eyes. It was-it was…

She gulped.

There, before her, was a member of the Shichinintai. The one that thought InuYasha was "cute".

She held her breath. Maybe if she didn't move, he wouldn't see her.

Wait.

Was he asleep? He wasn't moving.

Kagome raised an eyebrow. She took a step closer.

A shard, she could see it! But, why wasn't he moving? Maybe he was hurt. Dead, perhaps?

'What do I do? If I come closer and he's... he might attack. I can't beat him by myself. But…what if he's hurt? I can't just leave him here to die!'

Kagome nodded as she reached a decision. She stepped closer and, seeing as he still wasn't moving, she kneeled down. "Hello?" She began but shut her mouth quickly.

She mentally slapped herself. Was she crazy? If he was only asleep, he could probably wake up and kill her right then and there. And if he was unconscious, she was talking to someone who couldn't even hear her.

With a shaky intake of breath, she put her hands on his shoulders and flipped him around. He was heavy, but not as heavy as InuYasha.

She gasped. He was hurt. And badly, too. There were mild cuts over his face, his kimono was cut to pieces and there were deep gashes all over his chest, his hair was dirty and tangled, dried blood blotched the corners of his mouth, and his right arm seemed to be broken.

"Who-what did this…?" She mumbled quietly to herself.

With out further hesitation, she stood, then crouched down and grabbed his shoulders. Slowly, she pulled him up and swung one arms over her shoulder.

"Now what…?" She panted. It was dark, cold, and he was heavy. InuYasha wasn't there to help, and neither was Kirrara. So it was up to her to take him somewhere safe. And the only place she could think of was Kaede's. But that was very far away.

With a shaky breath, she to a step forward. Then another and another. "Man, you're heavy."

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"Where's Kagome!"

"Calm down, InuYasha! She's outside with Sango." Kaede replied.

"Actually," Sango came through the door. "she's not. When I went to find Miroku, she went to find her medicine box. I asked her if she needed us to take her, but she said she could go herself. I though for sure she'd be back now." A worried look shadowed her profile.

"What! You let her go alone!" InuYasha stood and made for the door, but a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist.

"InuYasha! Ye are not healed yet!"

"Let me go, old woman!" InuYasha spat angrily.

Kaede frowned and tightened her hold. "InuYasha, she will be fine. Kagome is a strong girl. Besides, it is too dark to leave now. And ye will not be able to help Kagome if ye get into trouble, your wound will surely open."

The desired affect Kaede wished the speech would have on InuYasha took hold. He sat staring into the flames and pouted.

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"Okay, I need to rest." Kagome panted and carefully put the unconscious Shichinintai on the ground. She sat beside him and shivered. It was cold, nearing November. She was surprised it hadn't snowed yet. She looked over to the inanimate form. A smile graced her face as she remembered their fist meeting and how InuYasha's face reddened in anger, frustration, and embarrassment when he realized what the attacker meant when he said he and Miroku were cute.

Kagome was snapped out of her thoughts as a demon flew past her. She gasped. Her hand immediately went for her arrow. In a moment, the arrow was flying out at the demon, a pink glow surrounded it as it hit it in the chest, turning it to dust.

She gulped. Resting was not safe. With that conclusion, she picked up her injured enemy and made her way into the forest. 'A little while longer, and I'll be in InuYasha's Forest…' she thought hopefully.

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They all sat in silence for awhile. Miroku, with his eyes closed and his head against the wall, Shippou, nestled in a blanket by the fire, Sango, in the corner of the hut with Kirrara in her lap, and InuYasha, laying on the floor staring at the fire. Kaede was tending to his wound.

A rustle was heard from the corner of the room and all turned their attention to the now-standing demon slayer.

"I'm going to find Kagome. It's late, and she's probably in trouble."

"Sango-"

"Miroku, I'm taking Kirrara, it's fine."

She turned and left, with Kirrara following close behind.

Sango thought of Kagome as a sister. And like all her family, she wanted to protect her.

Kirrara transformed and Sango hopped on. "Let's go." and with a running start, Kirrara jumped up and ran on an invisible road.

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Kagome felt her knees begin to shake. The nights air was cold and damp, and the man she was dragging was getting heavier by the second. She knew that she'd have to be there soon, or her knees would surely give in.

"Hold on, just a little longer…" She urged herself to continue. They were already half way through InuYasha's forest.

Kagome's pace quickened as she heard a twig snapped. Only then did she notice, it was her who stepped on something. She closed her eyes. "Rest, just one more time…" She put her hand out on a nearby tree trunk and leaned on it ever so slightly.

'InuYasha…'

She was afraid of how she would be able to go on. About half a mile separated Kagome from the others, and she didn't know whether to keep going, or give up. Maybe she could do not.

What would she be giving up? This guy's life? She cringed. Life. It was something she treasured. Something that brought her to InuYasha. She never liked to leave something in need to fend for itself. And here was one of her enemies. Would she really be so cold-hearted as to leave him her in the cold woods? To let some demon find him? Eat him?

No.

Kagome wasn't like that. She could, but she wouldn't. To leave him and head to the hut alone would be wrong. Besides, she'd gotten him this far already, hadn't she? She couldn't just give up.

Kagome nodded. She would keep going. With him.

A strong gust of wind blew from the trees and hit the unconscious member of the Shichinintai, pushing him onto her. The wind vanished just as quick as it came and left Kagome, with her back pressed against the trunk of an old oak tree, under her fallen enemy.

She blushed. They were too close. And even if her wasn't conscious, she felt slightly uncomfortable.

With a deep breathe she pushed him away, gently, and swung his arm around her shoulder. And, once again, she walked her way over to Kaede's hut.

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"Kagome! Kagome!" Sango called out from her place in the night's sky. "Kagome? Where are you?" She whispered to herself.

Kirrara growled and turned her head.

"What's wrong, Kirrara?"

Again, she growled.

Sango looked over to the direction where Kirrara motioned. "Is it Kagome?"

Kirrara nodded and swiftly turned and dived into the mass of shadowed green pillows.

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"Am I crazy? What…made me think …I could do this…" Kagome breathed.

Her eyesight was getting blurry. She was tired, cold, and her legs ached. "I can't…"

Her eyes widened as she felt the body next to hers shift. Then she heard a groan. For a moment, the body stood, taking much pressure off of her, then it fell back down with a grunt, and drifted back into unconsciousness.

She sighed in relief. There's no way he would let her live if he woke up completely.

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Sango and Kirrara flew through the trees, quickly, but quietly, as not to wake the demons that slept in these parts of the forest.

Sango narrowed her eyes as she looked through the leaves for any signs of movement.

Her eyes widened. Was that her? Was it Kagome? "Kagome!" She yelled it out before she could stop herself.

The figure on the ground looked up and grinned evilly. It jumped in the air and dived, head first, toward the slayer.

Sango gasped. "Hiraikotsu!"

Her giant boomerang flew from her hands towards to demon, slashing it into two, and back to her.

The demon howled and stitched itself back together. It smirked. "Not today, slayer."

Sango gasped as the demon sent her flying to the forest floor.

Kirrara growled as she stood face to face with a slender, female, fox demon. Her long, auburn hair swayed back and forth as she slowly approached the cat demon.

"Hello there, kitty. Wanna play?" Her claws came out in a desperate attempt to slash Kirrara into pieces.

But before she could reach her, Kirrara dodged and came up behind the fox demon, scorching her back.

The injured kitsune howled in pain and rage.

Sango groaned as she pushed herself off the ground. Kirrara was battling the demon on her own. She reached back and grabbed her weapon. With one quick movement, she hurled it at her.

Kirrara sprayed the female fox demon with fire, just as the boomerang hit. She shrieked and vanished.

Sango sighed. She smiled and hugged Kirrara. "What would I do without you?"

Kirrara purred and together, they headed back to the others. "I don't know where she is, but Kaede was right, it's dark and dangerous out here at night."

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Kagome smiled. Her eyes widened and her heart leapt.

There was the hut! And it was only a few yards away.

She made it, she really did. And she managed to help save a life. She looked down at the male who was hanging off her shoulder like an ornament. She smiled. That smile vanished as she thought of InuYasha. First, she leaves without telling him, then she doesn't come back, and what would he say if she brought home one of their foes, and one who InuYasha feels uncomfortable around at that!

She gulped and quickened her pace, the smile replaced the frown and she felt less and less tired.

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InuYasha lay gazing into the fire, worry evident on his face. 'Kagome…'

His ears twitched, causing his head to turn to the door.

Something was outside, but what?

Could it be Sango? Did she find Kagome?

He shot up and made for the door. The others just looked at him. "InuYasha? What is it?" Miroku's face darkened.

Before he even touched it, the door swung open, revealing Kagome and a half-dead male hanging by her side.

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FINALLY! Jakotsu has arrived! Woo! The action begiiiiiiiiiins…NOW

Dragon