Kagome gasped sharply, dropping the arrow in her hands. Sesshomaru turned to her quickly.
"Kagome?" he asked.
"Miss?" asked the shopkeeper.
Kagome placed her hand over her heart.
'Why does it suddenly hurt so much? It even hurts to breath.'
She picked up the arrow.
"Sorry. Just a chill," she said.
Suddenly she remembered something both Kikyo and Kaede had told her. Never ignore your instincts. Kagome turned to the shopkeeper.
"I'll take these arrows please," she said sweetly.
After she received her purchase she ran from the store with Sesshomaru beside her. He was holding back his speed to stay in step with her.
"What is it?" he demanded.
Kagome leapt over a metal bar separating the sidewalk from the street and ran across the street.
"I just have this feeling about Inuyasha. Like he's hurt or in danger. But it's weird. Why would Inuyasha need my help. He has Kikyo," she said.
They reached her home and she threw off her shoes, running in.
"Mom! I have to go back tonight," she declared, taking the stairs two at a time to get to her room.
She slammed the door closed behind her and looked around for her miko robes.
"Mom! Where is it?" she yelled.
"Your shrine robes? I folded them on the foot of your bed. Sota went in your room maybe he knocked them on the floor," her mom called from downstairs.
Kagome sighed impatiently and began adding her new arrows to her quiver. The feeling she had felt in the store came back again. Kagome's head throbbed and a strange darkness surrounded her room.
"Hello Kagome," Naraku's dark voice greeted as a strange miasma filled the room. Kagome readied her bow, holding her breath.
"Relax. It is scentless. Even Inuyasha isn't affected by it," Naraku assured her.
Slowly Kagome released her breath. He wasn't lying.
"Why are you here?" she demanded.
Naraku chuckled.
"To make sure you're coming back," he replied still laughing.
"I am. And I'm going to take you down," she declared.
Naraku smiled evilly.
"I look forward to it Kagome," he whispered, vanishing.
And with him went the miasma and the darkness. Kagome's miko robes were waiting on her bed. Kagome's hands turned into fists.
"Get ready Naraku. I'm after you," she declared.
Koga stared at the sky, Naraku's scent as well as that damn mutt reached his nose. His jewel shards began to turn black.
"Come out Naraku!" he yelled, taking a few steps away from his den.
From one of Naraku's clouds of miasma, Yori smiled. Beside her was an unconscious Inuyasha.
"He wants me to come out so I will," she declared, leaping to the ground.
Koga backed up.
"Kagome?"
His nose twitched.
"No. You're not Kagome. Look like her but you don't smell like her," Koga declared.
Yori laughed.
"Smart wolf. Too bad Inutrasha didn't figure that out. Now I've come for your jewel shards. Hand them over," she ordered.
"Over my dead body," Koga replied.
Yori giggled.
"What's so funny!?" Koga yelled.
Yori smiled at him.
"You. And when I told you to hand over your shards, it wasn't a request," she said as a horde of demons surrounded her. "It was an order."
Kagome held tight to Kirara's fur as they flew over the rocky terrain. Kagome could feel Koga's shards. They were slightly tainted but still in his possession. Jaken was wailing in fear at their current speed. Kagome stood, balancing herself on Kirara's back as best she could.
"KOGA!" she yelled.
"KOGA!"
Yori turned at the voice.
"Damn girl," she spat, leaving her demons and retreating to the clouds.
Koga glanced up as Kagome flew over the hill with Kirara.
"Koga!" she greeted.
Koga ran to her and caught her as she jumped off Kirara.
"Thanks. If it weren't for you that wench would have probably eaten me alive," he joked. Kagome smiled.
"Wolf isn't as appetizing as you think," she teased punching his shoulder lightly.
Koga smiled at her.
"Sure. And how would you know?" he taunted.
Kagome hit him again.
"Are you okay though?" she asked.
"Yeah," he replied.
He looked at Kagome sadly.
"Hey, wait here for a sec," he ordered, running back to his den.
"Um. Okay," Kagome said.
Kirara transformed back and Jaken fell to the ground.
"Ow," he grumbled rubbing his butt.
Koga came back and held up two shards. His hand was covered in blood.
"Take these. They're safer with you," he said, placing them in her hand.
Kagome looked at his legs. Both were bleeding.
"These are your shards," she realized.
Koga sighed.
"Kagome. I just... I lost my pack...my right and left hand and my mate. I just want to be left alone right now. Which means no Naraku. I'll fight him if I have to but if he doesn't come asking for trouble then why should I go looking?"
With that, Koga turned and went back to his den.
"Come Kagome. We should get going," Jaken said turning to go.
Kagome stared at the shards in her hand.
'Even Koga is giving up? Is the fight against Naraku really not important enough to anybody?' she wondered.
Kagome's hand closed around the shards and she stomped into Koga's den.
"Listen Koga! I could always count on you. That's why I gave you these shards. I know you've lost a lot. And it's not all because of Naraku but he started a war Koga! A war. And I need all the support I can get because this rests on my shoulders right now. Inuyasha's missing, Sango and the rest of Kaede's village are only human and Shippo's just a kid. I can't rely fully on humans and a demon kit. I need you too Koga," she said.
Koga stared at her.
"I'm sorry Kagome. But I can't," he whispered.
Kagome bit her trembling lip.
"Kagome. I'm a defeated wolf. I lost you to Inuyasha and then I lost Ayame. And my cub. I only live to keep their grave safe. As soon as I know I did that right,then I'll move on to my own grave," he declared.
Kagome gulped.
"Fine Koga. I see how that makes sense," she said calmly, turning on her heel.
Kirara ran to her as she exited the cave.
"Mew?" said the small cat.
Kagome picked her up.
"It's nothing to worry about Kirara. We need to get going," she said.
Sesshomaru and Jaken were waiting. Kagome stopped and turned toward the den.
"I've lost people too Koga. People like my father and even more. I'm still fighting," she said, walking after Sesshomaru and Jaken.
Kikyo sprinted through the village.
"Inuyasha!" she called.
She looked around frantically. The half breed was nowhere to be found. Kikyo took a deep breath.
"He's probably off sulking," Sango remarked, joining the undead priestess.
"Why?" Kikyo demanded.
Sango let out a sigh.
"He couldn't pass through the well and Sesshomaru could. Another thing he finds his brother can do that he can't," she explained.
Kikyo turned away.
"That's not true. Inuyasha can do everything his brother can do only Inuyasha does them better," Kikyo objected.
Sango shook her head.
"Kikyo. Inuyasha has his limits. At least with you. With Kagome that sentence ,as childish as it sounded, was true. Inuyasha can do much better than Sesshomaru. But not with you," Sango admitted.
Kikyo froze and her face shadowed.
"W...what are you saying?" Kikyo asked, at a loss of words.
Sango planted herself right in front of the priestess.
"Kikyo...you love him but Naraku's back. You have to realize that. Every time Inuyasha leaves the village you panic. I know you ordered him not to leave or you'd kill yourself. Wake up! This is prewar! And we need Inuyasha!" Sango snapped.
"How dare you say that! That's a lie!" Kikyo screamed.
Sango lowered her eyes darkly.
"I don't talk shit, I state facts. The sooner you stop holding him back, the sooner Naraku will be gone," she declared, walking past Kikyo coldly.
Kikyo spun, preparing her bow. She aimed straight for Sango.
"Go ahead. But what will you tell my family?" Sango asked.
Kikyo's eyes widened a bit as she wondered how she would explain killing the demon slayer who was now a mother. If she fired the arrow. Kikyo lowered her bow.
"Forgive me. I lost my temper," she said, turning on her heel and running away.
Sango watched her go.
"Oh Kagome. You belong here. Not her," she whispered.
