Toga walked along behind the two listing closely to what they were talking about. It was no surprise that the fox sought to claim Kagome as pack. The bond between the kit and her would be very hard to break and any father that loved their child would not seek to destroy such a thing.

That thought turned his thoughts to his own sons, from what he was gathering form Kagome his youngest never grew up as he should have in the care of Sesshomaru. Granted Inuyahsa was only half youki he would still need to know the customs and pack laws if he was ever to take a youki mate. Though from what he was seeing last night the boy had no desire to take a youki mate as he was quite taken with the other miko.

Turning his thoughts back to the two in front of him he wondered if his eldest was also going to try and claim Kagome as pack. She took in his pup as well and though Sesshomaru may deny that the human girl was his pup it was clear to anyone that watched him look at her.

He shook his head knowing that his pup would deny his beast even if it had made mention of the miko being pack to him now or not. Sesshomaru had a long know dislike for humans. It is shocking he claimed one as his pup but to claim a female of mating age as pack was a whole different story. With Sesshomaru being unmated it would make the miko alpha female and he could not see his eldest making a human alpha in his pack for any reason.

He grinned to himself yes the conversation between his eldest and the miko was sure to be entertaining to watch. He was brought out of his musings by the shocked voice of Kagome asking if she was now the foxes mate. A small growl worked its way up his throat and he quickly suppressed it, how ridicules the miko being the foxes mate.

Toga watched as Kagome looked Aoihi over from head to toe, again wanting to growl that she was looking at him in such a manner. Toga stopped walking at that feeling, what was going on, he didn't care if the miko was looking at the fox like she could eat him it wasn't his place to think anything of it. Yet it bothered him greatly on a level it should not.

"The fox is not the only one who can claim her as pack. Make our intentions know to her as well offer her pack status."

Toga growled at his beast "What do you want beast. We have no right to claim her as pack you know the laws we hardly know the girl." he stated plainly to his beast.

"We owe her a life debt do we not; a life of protection and leisure is the least we can offer to pay it back. That is reason enough and you know it."

"I will not claim her as pack for that reason I don't even know why I am back and I have no intentions at the moment past knowing the young woman that has helped my sons."

His beast growled but went back to his cage "Fine but when you change your mind it will be me laughing at you."

Toga sighed he wasn't sure he had anything to offer the woman other than what his beast said. If he did not wish to be Lord of the West again all he had was his small get away home with a little bit of land and that was only if his eldest was willing to let him have it. No there were many other decisions to be made before he decided on a way to pay the life debt he now owed to Kagome.

Toga looked ahead to see that the two walking ahead of him were farther than he thought. He would not run to catch up to them but he would quicken his pace slightly to make it seem like he did not fall behind.

He watched Kagome turn around to look at him "Come on Toga you'll get left behind if you keep up that pace."

He couldn't help the smirk that made its way to his face, so she thought he was slow did she. Deciding to make her a bit nervous he used his demon speed and stepped right up behind her as she turned back around.

Leaning down slightly to her ear he whispered "Better Kagome?"

She was so shocked she jumped forward tripping in the process. Toga made to catch her but he was distracted by his laughter at her reaction. Luckily Aoihi reached out and stopped her from falling flat on her face in front of both of the dais.

Kagome glared over her shoulder at the laughing inu at seeing his face alight with joy her anger slipped slightly. Looking over to see Aoihi also smiling it disappeared completely, she too found herself laughing at the little prank Touga pulled on her. Though it almost ended in embarrassment it was pretty funny and the striking smiles on both of the dais faces lightened her heart even knowing what was yet awaiting her at camp.

She stood up strait looking at Toga and slapped his shoulder playfully "You cannot do that to us mortals Touga your likely to give us a heart attack." there was still a slight laugh in her voice that took away any reprimand she may have meant.

Toga just grinned "Perhaps mortals that travel with youki should be more aware of their surroundings."

Kagome huffed at him "Have your laugh now Toga pay backs are a bitch" she stated with a mischievous look in her eyes.

Toga cocked his head to the side in a very doggish fashion, he was not use to the saying and he was sure at this moment that his meaning of bitch and hers were very different.

Laughter spilled from her lips at the look on Toga's face it was so funny to see him pull a dog move. Bringing her laughter back under control she smiled at him "Don't worry you'll understand later I promise." He accepted her answer with a nod and the three continued on their way to the stream.

Aoihi wanted to hit Toga at first for the prank he played on Kagome. She would have been terribly upset had she fallen in front of them, but at the same time he couldn't help but smile at it. It was just what was needed to lighten up the mood between the three and it seemed to work well.

The talk he and Kagome had had seemed to put her off slightly and he was thankful that her smile had returned again. At the warning words she sent Touga and the look on her face he was hoping that when she got him back he was there to see it. He was sure it would be worth more than the laugh that they had all had at her expense.

Back at camp the rest of the occupants begin to wake up. Inuyasha being one of the first, he jumped out of his tree and stretched looking around camp he began to panic slightly. He took in the missing occupants though he wondered where the fox and his father had gotten off to but the one that worried him was Kagome.

Looking around again to make sure he didn't miss her somewhere he heard his brother's voice. "The miko left with the fox and father to get water and fish for the camps morning meal." he stated in a bored voice.

Inuyasha looked over to his brother a little shocked not only by the fact that he spoke to him but because he took notice of where Kagome had gone. Nodding to acknowledge that he heard his brother he turned to start waking his pack.

He kicked Miroku in the foot and watched as he shot up shocked to be woken from his slumber. Rubbing his eyes Miroku look up to see Inuyasha staring at him "Good morning Inuyasha what can I do for you?" he asked.

Inuyasha grunted nodding to Sango "Wake her up we got things to do today." Miroku nodded and nudged Sango with a gentle hand bringing her to the waking world. Meanwhile Inuyasha crotched down by Kikyo and like Miroku nudged her with a gentle hand to wake her.

Across camp Sesshomaru took in the way the half breed went about waking his pack. He looked down to the children still sleeping soundly in the bag next to him. Looking up to see his brother walking in their direction he growled at him.

Not liking the idea of Inuyasha waking them in the same manner he woke the monk, he Sesshomaru would wake the pups. Inuyasha stopped in his place mid camp it seemed his brother was testy this morning and he was not about to push it with the full youki. Huffing and turning back around to his pack Inuyasha left the kids to sleep or be woken by Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru looked back down at the pups laying his hand gently on Rin's head he spoke to her "Rin it is time to wake."

Rin's eyes slid open groggily looking up to her lord and father she smiled a small smile. "Hai Sesshomaru-sama".

She sat up and looked around noticing her mother missing but her brothers still sleeping. She grinned as she thought of how to wake them up giggling at her idea she leaned over putting a hand on each of the stomachs and tickled them.

The boys woke up giggling and smiling, they slept so well that night. As they took in the camp they too noticed their mother missing. Looking to Rin for an answer she just shrugged her shoulders at them and continued to stand up and stretch. Shippo looked around for his father not seeing him he looked over to Sesshomaru for answers.

Sesshomaru hummed in the back of his throat at the look from the kit, "They left to get water and fish for the morning meal." was the only answer he supplied.

It seemed the kit was happy with that and jumped up to head over to the rest of his pack mates. Sesshomaru watched the pack interact with each other a strange tightness in his chest. He hadn't really had a pack since his father died. Yes he had Rin and Jaken and Ah-Uhn but he only claimed Rin as pack. He couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to truly have a full pack of his own.

He felt his beast stir in the back of his mind and the tightness in his chest became greater. He realized than that he was not only hurting himself but his beast as well by not taking and making a pack for them. His beast wined slightly at the sight of Inuyasha playing with the kit it longed for family for pack even if his logical side did not claim Inuyasha his beast took it for what it was his only living family.

As his beasts thoughts passed in his mind his thoughts turned to his sire. With his return he could take the western lands back from Sesshomaru as well as take alpha status back of the pack. He snarled lightly at that he was alpha he had earned it but if Toga chooses to take the title of lord back he would lose that.

So lost in his thoughts he didn't see his young ward kneel down next to him and put her small hand on his much larger one. "Sesshomaru-sama are you ok?"

He turned his head to her at her words, was the anger he was feeling that blatant on his face. Since when did his mask start to slip and crumble, still looking at his ward the little girl he called his own he had his answer. She was the one who started to melt the ice of his heart, for who could travel with such a loving being and not be affected by her. "Hmm" he intoned back to her. Taking that as an ok she bounced up and made her way over to be with Shippo.

The camp now fully awake began to talk amongst themselves mostly about the day's events or what they were going to do. Word of where Kagome and the other dais had run off to spread quickly stopping any and all from panicking at the missing trio.

The humans began cutting up the left-over meat from the kills last night making what looked and smelled to be a stew of some sort. Sango went to Kagome's bag pulling several items out that many of the camps occupants were staring out, it was not her place to explain them and so she would not. The questions and answers would have to wait till Kagome returned to camp.