Disclaimer: I do NOT own InuYasha.
"What the hell!" Jessabelle screamed, not caring for once if she cursed. Actually, the girl cussed whenever she felt angered or threatened. Honestly, how could she not? She was being trailed by Naraku's demon, its lengthy purple tentacles trying to reach around her waist. She screamed as its slimy skin collided with her, her miko energy surrounded her hands and she pressed them to the demon. The creature answered with a scream of agony, kicking her off with a great force.
Jessabelle felt her back hit the tree with thud. She groaned in pain, pulling herself into a loose sitting position. The demon roared over her, furious. She glared at it, not daring to back down. "Come at me, you stupid demon!"
The resonating sound echoed throughout the clearing. Jessabelle held a hand to her cheek, feeling the redness already building there. The demon held its tentacle high, smirking. "Think twice before you speak, miko."
"You're just a weakling. Kill me off already," Jessabelle taunted, seeing no reason not to provoke it.
The ugly follower of Naraku gritted his teeth, hissing lightly. "Miko, do you wish for your death?"
The priestess turned her nose up with a scoff. "As if you could kill me."
With a growl the demon lunged at her, and Jessabelle braced herself, ready for the pain that was sure to come. She waited...and waited. Finally she opened her eyes, realizing that it never would come. In front of her stood a tan man, his dark brown hair pulled into a ponytail and his pelts hanging around him. She didn't even have to look at his face to know who it was.
"Leave the miko alone," Koga growled, his eyes narrowing.
"You protect the priestess, wolf?" the demon questioned, coking his head to the side.
"I will protect anyone set on killing you," Koga answered, snarling. With that he shoved his hand through the demon's abdomen. The monster gasped, taking its last breath before slumping over as Koga pulled his arm back to his body. The demon fell to the ground with a sound similar to the one Jessabelle had made upon impact with the tree.
Koga turned around then, his bright blue eyes staring down at Jessabelle as he frowned deeply. "Are you alright?"
She nodded, getting to her feet warily and wincing from the large, painful bruises forming on her back. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"You don't look fine," Koga accused, watching as she cringed.
"I'm fine," Jessabelle insisted. She didn't know what the wolf demon was going to do, and she didn't want to know.
The wolf demon took a dip sniff of the air. "Do you travel with Kagome?"
She nodded. Just what she needed, a change in subject. "Yes, I do."
Koga grinned widely. "Then you can show me where she is."
Jessabelle giggled. "Yeah, of course." Kagome would be so peeved! Jessabelle couldn't wait to see what would play out in front of her.
Koga caught her amused expression. "What has you so excited."
Jessabelle laughed loudly. "I can't wait to see how annoyed Kagome is when I bring you back to camp."
"Hey..." Koga trailed off.
"My name's Jessabelle, Koga," she informed him.
"Okay. Jessabelle, why would she? She's my woman!" Koga exclaimed, the emotions of pride and excitement written on his face.
"You know she loves InuYasha," the miko supplied, glancing at him sadly.
Koga seemed to project his misery. "Yeah, it's just I...wait, how do you know my name?"
Jessabelle blanched. What was she going to tell him? "Uh...Kagome mentioned you. I guess the description just kind of clicked."
Koga narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but said nothing further than, "Sometimes I wish that mutt-face would just go off with Kikyo."
Jessabelle gasped as she gaped at the youkai. "Why would you say such a thing! That would break Kagome's heart."
Koga sighed. "But maybe then she'd pick me over the hanyou."
Jessabelle breathed out in realization, but she had to tell the demon how it was. Her eyes now brimmed with tears. She whispered, "Koga, she will never choose you."
Koga turned to the miko, his mood instantly shadowing at her somber expression. "I know." He reached his hand out, his clawed fingers against her face as he wiped her tears away. "It's fine. Just don't cry."
Jessabelle felt herself go stiff in shock, and nodded abruptly. Koga stepped away from her then. "Let's just take you back to camp, okay? I'll go then."
"You can still talk to her, Koga. You can be her friend," Jessabelle suggested.
Koga nodded, responding quietly and softly, "I'll do that."
With that the two walked into camp. Sango lied on the ground, her eyes closed tightly shut. Blood was smeared across her arms and body, the bleeding coming from a long gash in her abdomen. Miroku was propped against a tree, currently unconscious from sucking in too much poison. Shippo and Kirara sat next to Kagome as she bandaged InuYasha's wound, which happened to be another hole in his middle. Kagome herself looked bruised and scratched, but otherwise okay. Unlike the others, she could fight from a distance. Jazline slept near the fire, recovering from the hit to the head she'd taken when she'd gone unconscious during her vision.
"You guys," Jessabelle announced as she limped into the clearing.
Kagome looked up, InuYasha following her example. The two stared at Koga as he propped up the wounded miko, a grim aura surrounding him.
"Jessabelle!" Kagome screamed, running to her and helping her stand. "What happened."
"Oh, you know, just another minion of Naraku," she told her priestess friend.
Kagome pulled her next to InuYasha and sat her down. "I'll treat you next."
Jessabelle nodded, opening her mouth and looking over Kagome's shoulder to call to Koga. That's when she saw him slip into the forest's shadows.
