Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha & Co.

Chapter 3: The Guardian Travels

About 2 days has passed since the attack, and they were already back on the road. By now it was nighttime and everyone was preparing to go to bed, and Inuyasha was a little nervous to say the least. He didn't particularly trust Roy, and he was worried if he was going to turn his enormous power on his pack. Inuyasha was up in his usual perch: in a tree, watching over his friends from above. Roy was already asleep, as Inuyasha could tell by his faint snoring. As if to add to his worries even more, his 'monthly gift' was due in about five more days. While he was pondering and juggling his thoughts around he faintly heard the shuffling of clothing and looked down to see Kagome getting out of her sleeping bag and coming towards his position.

"Hey, Inuyasha? I know you're awake. Can you come down here, please?' Kagome pleaded.

"Sure, whatever," Snorted the young man, landing beside the teenage woman.

"The night is beautiful, isn't it?" lazily questioned Kagome, looking up at the skies above.

"Not as beautiful as you," said Inuyasha, not realizing just what he had said. Kagome gasped, and looked away, face as red as a tomato. After allowing a few seconds to pass, his words finally sunk in and he turned towards Kagome.

"Kagome I'm-" Inuyasha tried to speak, but was cut off by the feeling of Kagome's warm lips against his own. After realizing what is happening, Inuyasha closed his eyes, pulled Kagome closer, and deepened the kiss. When the need for oxygen became too great, Kagome reluctantly pulled away, blushing like crazy and breathing heavily from the intimate action she had partaken in.

"Inuyasha, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" but she too, was cut off. But it was Inuyasha that had initiated the kiss this time. After being forced to end the kiss due to need of air, Kagome snuggled into Inuyasha's lap and acted like she was going to sleep.

"K-K-Kagome? What are you doing?" stammered Inuyasha, blushing like a madman.

Kagome simply replied with a nonchalant "Sleeping, what else?" and continued in her act. Sighing, Inuyasha simply let her have her way, not denying that he too wanted her in his lap. Together, they snuggled close together and slept throughout the night.

Inuyasha found himself awoken by the faint smell of eggs and the sound of small talk. Groggily, he opened his eyes, cursing himself at the burning sensation he felt in his eyes. When the pain subsided, he was greeted by the sight of Miroku getting slapped and Sango storming off to the opposite side of Miroku.

"Ah, I see that you are awake, my friend. Tell me, how was your sleep?" Roy questioned, but something was off about him. Something that wasn't there the previous days. It was almost as though he was, happy. Whatever it was, Inuyasha didn't like it all that much. He gave a quick reply and sat down beside Kagome, unknowingly making her blush.

After eating, it was time to start traveling again. As usual, the men were in the back and the girls were in the front. The only alteration, however, was that Roy was in the front with the girls.

"Hey, Kagome?" Roy said, grabbing her attention.

"What is it, Roy?" Kagome replied, turning to look at the newest member to their ragtag group. It was only then that she realized just how tall Roy really was. He looked to be about 14 years old, yet he was taller than she was! He looked about 5'9 and towered above her smaller, 5'6 frame!

"I think something's wrong with Inuyasha," he said.

"Hmm, how so?" Kagome wondered. 'This boy must be very observant, because he's only been here for a few days, and he can already tell when Inuyasha of all people is not feeling well!' she thought.

"Inuyasha is a half-demon, correct? If he shares the childhood as many other half-demons do, then he wouldn't have fallen asleep as deeply as he had last night. Trust me, I would know. I haven't always been as powerful as I am now," Roy stated, looking at her through his hood.

Blushing at the possibility of Roy seeing her and Inuyasha sleeping together, she tried to calm her nerves and answer him when Roy started coughing.

"Roy, are you okay? How are your wounds?" Kagome questioned, worried that his wounds have reopened and that he might be bleeding again, as minor as they were now though.

"No, no I'm fine. But I just smelled the most atrocious smell I've ever had the displeasure of smelling," was his gagging reply.

"What is it?" Kagome wondered.

"Wolf," was Inuyasha's reply through gritted teeth. He really didn't need Koga meddling around right now. Especially with the New Moon coming in 4 days and Roy still needing minor medical attention. Things just weren't going his way. Just as predicted, there was a small tornado heading their way.

"Hey Kag-" Koga never got to finish his sentence. One second he was about to hold Kagome's hand, then seeing and feeling a boot collide with his face the next.

"Friend or Foe?" Roy asked, pinning Koga down with his boot to Koga's face. Inuyasha, as well as Miroku, busted out into laughter at Koga's predicament, while Sango merely face palmed, and Kagome snickered and barely managed a "Friend" before she too, started to laugh. Using Koga's face as leverage, Roy jumped off and landed beside Kagome, no really liking this guy.

"You're lucky that you caught me by surprise, half-breed! You'd be dead if you-" Koga was once again cut off by Roy, but this time it wasn't his boot. It was that mysterious black bolt that was used on the deceased spider demon. Koga barely had any time to react as it came hurdling towards him, cutting open one of his legs and releasing his Jewel Shard. Roy grabbed the Jewel Shard and put it into his arm.

"The Shard! It's completely black now!" Kagome thought, worried that the Shard will make Roy insane and make him do something unthinkable.

'He's holding back. After what I saw with the spider demon, there's no way that Koga would still be alive right now if he wasn't,' Miroku thought. And just as he suspected, Roy was holding back.

Koga jumped backwards to avoid another bolt, and lost his footing on a loose rock, falling to the ground helplessly. Roy took this opportunity to finish the fight right then and there. He punched Koga back into the ground and stepped on his torso to prevent any further movement from the wolf.

"Be wary of who you pick a fight with, wolf. Unlike Inuyasha, I have no subjugation ties on me. Kagome may be able to save you from Inuyasha, but nobody can save you from me," Roy spat, "And I'm a hanyou. Not a half-breed." With that, he jumped off into the forest.

'Who the hell is that? There's no way he could've been that strong! It was probably just the jewel shard,' Koga thought. "Kagome, who was that? Why do you always have to have half-breeds with you all the time? You're MY woman, and I will not tolerate it!" Koga demanded. Apparently, this was a wrong move, because unexpectedly, Roy's black bolt was sent flying his way. Koga was sent flying and Kagome was left coughing at the dust that had gotten into her throat.

'Hn, looks like Roy never left. Smart, I'll give him that,' Inuyasha thought, but slightly worried that Koga was seriously injured. He was the one to kill Koga, not Roy. As Koga got up, he soon realized that Roy was one to be watched carefully. Saying his goodbyes, choosing his words carefully, and took off a bit miffed that he hadn't had any time to talk with his 'woman'. After Koga had left, Roy returned to Kagome's side.

"I don't like him," Roy blatantly stated, earning a raised eyebrow from the girls.

"Why don't you like him?" Kagome asked, wondering if it was just a guy thing.

"He smells bad," was his reply before continuing down the path.

"See? I'm not the only one who thinks he reeks," Inuyasha said as he passed Kagome, frozen in her spot in shock.

Hey guys, I bring you a longer chapter! Also, kudos to Wingcommander WhiteWolf for being my first (and so far, only) reviewer! C'mon guys! All you gotta do is press that pretty little button and the world shall be right.

Gir: DO IT! *noms on waffles*