A/N: THIS IS THE 2nd OF TWO UPDATES! I believe that chapter 25 was never sent out to those of you with subscriptions to this story b/c I never got an email verification of chapter 25 which I posted yesterday. So if you haven't read Kouga 2 you probably should...

Disc: I don't own him.

Chapter Review: (this chapter has no Mrs. H in it b/c I felt I had to wrap some things up with the feudal era gang. Kouga 2 had Mrs. H development. Family names are reviewed there.) Last chapter: Inuyasha drugged himself because he's afraid of losing control with Kagome because of the mating season that Myoga warned him about. He orverdid it a little though and his body rejected the poisons at a most inopportune moment, right when Kouga decided to sweep in and steal Kagome. Kagome was left to make a stand for herself and her right to choose mates. Eki, Naraku's lizard demon spy, is following the Shard-hunters and reporting on their status.

Discussion

It was a cold mountain river that they camped near that night. The evening was humid. Dew collected on the grass and made the rocks alongside the river slippery. The water was shockingly cold, setting Sango and Kagome to shivering when they ducked their heads below the surface.

Whether it was because of the cold or because of recent events, something had put a wedge between Sango and Kagome's normal ease of conversation. The girls smiled with one another, commented on casual things such as the chill of the water, or the beauty of the night and the pleasant warmth of the day, but they didn't start talking properly for quite some time.

By the time a subject was broached tentatively, by Sango, both girls were almost done with the bath and they were shivering feverishly.

"S-s-s-so, Kagome." Sango paused, trying to master her breathing as well as to check for peeping toms. She stood a short ways out of the water, using one hand to cover her breasts, and then splashed a little, trying to warm up. "H-h-how have y-you been?"

Kagome avoided Sango's gaze. She wasn't sure how to respond to the demon slayer. Although they were close friends and Sango was well-aware of Kagome's feelings for Inuyasha, she wasn't sure what to say to her about the most recent events. It went without saying that Sango and Miroku and even the two demons knew that their relationship had changed dramatically. They had moved from years of denial into a slow acceptance and at last the final step of physical consummation.

It was the physical part of it that Kagome was uncomfortable sharing. "I…" she let her voice trail away, though her teeth continued to chatter with shivering.

Sango lowered herself back into the water, wincing as the chill took hold of her again. "Are you h-happy?" she asked simplifying things for her.

"It's new." Kagome blurted. When she closed her eyes she felt her stomach knotting up as she let a few memories rush over her. Yes, she was happy when Inuyasha held her in his arms, and yet it also stressed her because it was new and untested and she was far, far away from home.

The remembered pain of the closed well, of her lost family—her mother, Souta, Gramps, even Buyo—it burned and ached within her. She made a whimpering sound and suddenly some of her shivering wasn't cold induced.

There was a slurry of water and Sango was there beside her, holding onto her shoulders. "Shhh—it's okay, Kagome. Inuyasha l-loves y-y-you a lot. D-demons aren't l-l-letches l-like M-Miroku."

That drew a small laugh from Kagome. She rested the tip of her chin and her nose onto Sango's shoulder, drawn by the heat of her friend's body. "It's n-not that. I j-just…"

"Let's g-get out of this w-water, kay?" Sango smiled at her and led her out of the water carefully, guiding her around the slippery stones on the bank. They listened acutely as they gathered up their clothes, trying to catch Miroku at his usual lechery if they could.

"Is Inuyasha at the camp?"

Kagome sighed. "Yes, and Miroku is too."

Sango grinned, though her teeth were still chattering. "I l-like this link. You always know w-where they are now."

"Yes," Kagome smiled genuinely with that, "It's been wonderful."

"Is it equal now? Before I know Inuyasha used to block you out…"

"He's trying to hide something from me right now," she grumbled, "But it's much better than it was." Kagome pulled on a thick robe that the miners from their last stop had donated to them. Without being able to go home and wash and repair her normal clothes from the 21st century, Kagome was beginning to find holes and stains in them that she couldn't fix. Out of a desire to preserve them for simple memory value she'd resolved to wear whatever the people of the time wore. Despite how she felt inwardly, and how she'd been raised, if she was going to be stuck living out the rest of her life with them she might as well start dressing the same way.

Sango too was now mostly dressed. She combed through her hair with her fingertips and twisted it, squeezing out the extra water. "At least you and Inuyasha are feeling better now." she scowled and turned her face away. The moonlight missed her face, painting it in shadow and hiding the slayer's expression from Kagome. "You used to get sick at the same time as one other without reason; we were all very worried about you. Miroku actually went to research it while we were at temple visiting Master Saishi."

Kagome's interest was piqued. "What did he find?" there was something that Inuyasha wasn't telling her…was it possible that Sango knew about it?

"Well, not too much really. But I suppose you know already that the link lets you share things? Including the illnesses. He was sick today…"

"I felt it, yes." Kagome responded to the unspoken question. "I don't know what was wrong with him." she scowled at the ground, still thinking about it.

"The only other thing he said he found of interest was youkai mating seasons." Sango threw the young miko a skittish, embarrassed glance and then cleared her throat. "We're probably in it right about now. Inuyoukai mate at about this time of—"

"Mating season?" Kagome blurted, staring wide eyed.

Sango bit her lip and looked away, as if suddenly fascinated by the bland darkness of the forest around them. The mountains heaped up on each other in the distance, coated with milky light from the moon above. "Yeah, I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner…"

Kagome said nothing. She stared at the ground, at her feet in the sandals they'd also acquired for her at the miners' camp. The moonlight made all the tiny pebbles on the ground cast long shadows. She remembered the night before, Inuyasha's inability to control himself, to stop when she'd asked it of him. "Mating season…" she murmured.

Somewhere, when she thought of it herself, Kagome could feel the first inescapable tendrils of longing stirring within her own body. Inuyasha, always tuned to their link, felt her response and snapped to attention. It was as if he were listening and observing, but not sharing. He was carefully trying to control the thoughts and feelings that crossed over to her. It took up most of his energy though, and despite his efforts Kagome could feel inklings the hanyou's restlessness and lust.

"There was also something else Miroku heard, later, after the snake demon…" (A/N: Sango is trying to tell her about Miroku's rumor from the prostitute Mikata, about Naraku's plan.)

Kagome heard her friend's words but didn't process them; in fact she had no interest in them at all. Her thoughts were with Inuyasha, dwelling on the thought of a mating season. Was that what had drawn them together in the first place? She felt a small, but growing ripple of fear pass through her.

"Sango?" she asked, interrupting Sango's other words without hearing them. "Is that the only reason he…" she hated the fear and weakness in her voice; she sounded like a whimpering, frightened child.

The demon slayer sighed heavily and tied back her long, wet hair. She stepped in to walk beside Kagome, taking her hand and squeezing it as she did so. "He choose the link, Kagome. He choose it. And I wouldn't worry about it. Inuyasha hasn't been like I imagined he would be. He isn't even comparable to Miroku yet!" She chuckled darkly, "You've never seen youkai in mating season before! They don't do much else! Inuyasha hasn't been bad at all."

Back in the camp Inuyasha sensed that the girls were finished bathing. He stirred from his slouched position against a massive pine tree and leapt up into its branches, hiding amidst the needles like a cat.

Miroku blinked blearily, stirring out of his dozing at the sound of Inuyasha's movement. He gazed around the fire, shielding his eyes from its glow and took in the sight of Shippo and Kilala, nuzzled against each other and nodding off. There was no sign of Inuyasha or Sango and Kagome. The monk sighed and pushed himself to his feet. "Inuyasha?"

"What!" the single, irritated word came out much louder than Inuyasha had intended. He flicked his ears and felt his skin prickling all over his body. Kagome was coming closer and she was trying to peek into the link, trying to probe him. In spite of his best efforts the miko was cracking the link and Inuyasha's own fragile control over his own body.

"Oh, there you are." Miroku leaned on his staff, yawning and relaxed.

Inuyasha glowered at him, amber eyes alight and feral. How he wished he was calm like the monk, not fighting against a never-ending sexual tension. His clawed fingers cut into the pine tree's branch until sticky sap seeped out and coated his hands.

"Why are you sulking now, Inuyasha?" this came from a sleepy Shippo, curled beside Kilala who had waken up enough now to groom herself much like a housecat.

"Shut up runt."

"You didn't eat anything." Miroku observed, sounding slightly alarmed now.

"Feh." Inuyasha was fast running out of patience to deal with their questions.

"You should eat. You can't grow up big and strong without food!" Shippo sat up, standing in a bipedal position and stretching as he likely anticipated Kagome and Sango's arrival back from their baths. He gazed back down the path where Kagome and Sango had disappeared earlier and then started babbling again, "I helped Kagome and Sango make the stew tonight! Sango cut the rabbit's guts out and Kagome taught me what spices to put in to make it taste good! Papa used to eat his raw."

Inuyasha fidgeted, listening to the kit. The smell of the stew had been and was still enticing, and he knew he was hungry after being sick earlier in the day, but other needs drove him before food these days. He'd tried to eat, but the food had been bland to his taste buds, and his stomach wasn't appreciative. Inuyasha had actually caught the rabbit immediately after they'd stopped to make camp that evening. The careful concentration and violence had been a nice, pleasant release. It was great entertainment for the hanyou to imagine that the helpless, furry little rabbit was actually Kouga, meeting his most deserved fate at Inuyasha's claws…

He wondered if eating it raw right after having caught it would've pleased his palate more than the spiced stew.

And then his musings disappeared as he felt Kagome knocking at their link again. He cringed, ears flattening, but was unable to keep her thoughts from piercing his mind: Inuyasha? Where are you?

When he looked up he froze, muscles tense. Kagome and Sango were walking up the path together, their hair still wet and dripping. The water must've been cold, they were shivering together. Sango appeared pleased enough, but Kagome lagged behind as they approached the fire—she was scanning the place, looking for him.

He took in the kimono she was wearing, blue now instead of green like the first one, and dug his claws deeper into the pine tree. The bark crunched, a few flakes fell down to the ground. To his surprise, and secret delight, Kagome noticed that tiny movement and swiftly looked toward the tree, searching for him. It didn't take her long to catch sight of his amber eyes reflecting the firelight even high in the branches of the pine.

Inuyasha? What are you doing up there?

He ignored her concern, instead consumed by a silent but overwhelming pride in her, in them both. He remembered Myoga's words earlier: "I can't predict all the changes that will occur, Master, but for example, Lady Kagome may now be able to wield a few of Tetsusaiga's attacks, with training of course. She might grow stronger, as well. Her senses may begin to compete with yours." Would she have been able to see him before?

He struggled to control himself as the young women settled around the fire.

Sango had come into the camp and taken a seat beside Miroku. She made a move to grab a bowl from Kagome's bag, but Miroku motioned gently with one hand, stopping her. The monk, having already eaten while the women were out bathing, reached into the bag for the bowl himself and began scooping some of the stew into it. When he was finished he passed it to Sango, smiling warmly.

"Houshi-sama, thank you." she ducked her head in an embarrassed bow, "You shouldn't have."

"Nonsense Lady Sango, it is my honor to be at your service." There was a gleam of something not-so-honorable in his eyes that made Sango scoot away from him slightly. "You know I am willing to be of service to you in any way you should desire. Any way…"

"Hentai." Sango scoffed, though his lechery was fast forgotten as she took in the smell of the warm stew. After the cold river it was very much a welcome treat. She twisted around and searched swiftly for Kagome, only to see that the other girl was making no effort to get food of her own. Instead Kagome was sitting beside the fire, Kilala on one side, Shippo on the other, but the miko had eyes only for the pine tree. "Kagome?"

Surprised, Kagome turned back and blinked at the demon slayer. "What? Sango?"

"Aren't you hungry?" she tipped her head to one side and hoped that Kagome was able to read more into those three words, things like: "Don't worry about Inuyasha, he's always going to be difficult." And: "Are you okay?"

"Oh, I—"

At that moment several things happened that drowned out Kagome's response. Firstly Miroku finally lost control and reached out one hand—the non-cursed left one this time—and slid it over the bump of Sango's hip and down toward one of her butt cheeks. Sango screeched with surprise and elbowed the perverted priest in the face. It was a miracle that she didn't spill the bowl of stew as she punished him.

The second thing was Inuyasha at last losing the internal battle he'd been fighting for control. He slipped out of the pine tree and took a spot beside the fire while Sango and Miroku scuffled. Kagome wouldn't have noticed his reappearance if not for the fact that the hanyou also opened the link again and at last shared his mind fully with hers once more.

You're going to eat that stew, wench.

Kagome jerked her head around and stared across the fire at him. Her surprised expression faded quickly as she felt the open link and Inuyasha's continued conflict.

Why didn't you tell me there was a mating season, Inuyasha? I would've understood. It's okay…

He recoiled physically from her words, frowning. How did you…?

"Inuyasha! You're out of the tree!" Shippo exclaimed, grinning widely. "Will you eat our stew now? Kagome and Sango and me all made it!"

"You haven't eaten anything either?" Sango asked; her attention at last turned from beating the perverted monk. Miroku, meanwhile, was still trying to regain his dignity, straightening his robes and rubbing his nose and cheek where Sango had clobbered him.

"Feh, like it matters." Suddenly he was regretting coming down from the tree. The attention he was getting embarrassed him, and he didn't have the brainpower at the moment to deal with them. He had eyes and a mind only for Kagome…why couldn't the others just disappear?

Sango was already scooping out two more bowls of stew. One she passed to Kagome and the other she offered to Inuyasha. "You both should eat…"

"I'm not hungry!" Inuyasha snarled. He threw Kagome what appeared, on the surface, to be an angry glare. "Let Kagome have mine." Kouga said something, didn't he? That lousy, good for nothing piece of wolf shit…

"No, you were sick earlier today Inuyasha, you should be starving now." Kagome took both bowls from Sango's hand, keeping one and then passing the other over toward the grouchy hanyou. No, Sango told me about it. Why wouldn't you tell me about it? There's more you're not telling me, isn't there?

She could sense it in the shadowy corners of his mind, something he didn't want to tell her about the link, about them, or about the mating season. She could understand his embarrassment about the mating season because it left him out of control of his own actions, but there was something else, something deeper he didn't want her to know…

The hanyou's ears flattened, the amber eyes narrowed to slits. He crossed his arms over his broad chest, taking up his classic position. Underneath this, which Kagome normally would've thought was just stubbornness; the link revealed to her that Inuyasha was frustrated, panicked, and fighting for control. "I don't want the fucking stew!" It's nothing that you need to worry about!

The stew hovered in the air, still in Kagome's hand and unclaimed.

"I'll eat some more!" Shippo made his move, leaping forward and pawing at the bowl.

Inuyasha made a barking noise, stopping Shippo in his tracks and snatching the bowl out of Kagome's hand. He slurped the stew in one gulp, all the while wearing a very unhappy scowl—and not letting go of Kagome's arm either.

"You're acting rather peculiar, Inuyasha, are you alright?" Miroku asked, tentatively. His eyebrows had lifted high into his forehead with surprise. Sango mirrored the monk's expression almost perfectly.

"Feh." Was the only answer he gave them before the bowl of stew silenced him.

The spices in the stew, aromatic and pleasant to human taste buds, only irritated Inuyasha now. Normally hunger made him quick to eat this stew they made, spices and all, but every sense was heightened to the point of pain with nightfall and Kagome's presence. The stuff nearly gagged him sliding down his throat, and once in his stomach it sat there like a blob of lard.

I think it is something to worry about. Why won't you just come clean with me? What is there to hide! Kagome's mind pressed in on his, searching, but Inuyasha threw her a snarl that made her withdraw. Shippo whimpered at the sound and hurried out of range to hide behind Kagome. He stumbled over Kilala in his haste, making the fire cat growl and also leave her spot, heading for the relative safety of Sango's lap.

"It's been a long day," Sango started carefully, looking between Inuyasha and Kagome, "Maybe we should all try to get some sleep?"

"I don't see you eating, bitch." Inuyasha's glaring hadn't ceased. Stop pushing me!

Kagome's face hardened, but wordlessly she began to shovel chunks of the thick stew into her mouth. She could sense his irritation and also the violent, lusty animal rising inside him—and accompanying it was his shame. That she knew about it now only embarrassed him more. Control was an important thing for Inuyasha, and he handled his embarrassment about the subject by using anger. If he was a big enough jerk Kagome would forget about the embarrassing matter and Inuyasha could go on suffering alone rather than facing the problem.

Too bad Kagome was onto this childish strategy.

She tore her arm free of his grasp—despite his angry glares and harsh words he was still holding onto the arm that had passed him the stew like it was a lifeline—and seemingly ignored his rude comment. But as she ate the stew and listened to the others start talking normally again, she half closed her side of their link and sent Inuyasha a firm warning.

This isn't over Inuyasha.

For his part the hanyou appeared thoroughly miserable after that.

The lizard demon waited outside their camp, upside down on the limb of a small sapling. He smelled the water from the river clinging to the human females after their bath, the rabbit meat and spices inside the stew, the ash of the fire. But aside from those things he could also take in and sense the energies within the group. It was brooding and dark currently, waiting for the spark to set it off burning.

It was really several energies. The male and female essences were in conflict, but Eki knew that this fight would be solved by their union. It was, after all, mainly powered by a mating tension.

The higher youkai were in their season. It was in their nature to crave blood, violence, and sex. But the half demon and the human, although linked with the same bond as true youkai might share, were not governed by it in the same way. If the hanyou had truly been possessed of the youkai's mating instinct, he would have lost all other thought, dragged his human mate into the woods, and forced himself on her until the instinct was at last satisfied. In full youkai couples the drive would've possessed both male and female, making the experience a normal, natural, even enjoyable event.

But with one of the individuals being merely human it had the potential to become ruthless, painful, ugly, perhaps even deadly…

Luckily nature was not so cruel. It had weakened the mating energies that controlled the hanyou, leaving him vulnerable but still sane. The human female, the miko, was possessed of the same energy by way of the link. It was an almost fair and equal arrangement, one with every likelihood of succeeding.

In Eki's mind the link danced with grace and power, uniting the lovers as a whole. It was particularly strong and easy to read in the nighttimes because it had an added goal now: to bring the couple together physically for the production of offspring.

The lizard flicked out his tongue and reached out psychically to his master. They share the mating energy. The link is powerful and mature. They are strongly bound. But with the season they are weakened by the tension. The hanyou can do little else but fight his own instincts.

His master responded swiftly: It is too soon. Mating season will only heighten the hanyou's rage and his defense. He is not as weak as we need him to be.

Eki hissed and waddled further out along the sapling's branch, weighing it down. A sleeping dragonfly at the edge of the leaves ahead of him stirred slightly, fluttering its wings. Too late it saw the danger—the lizard demon's tongue rushing out and the sticky tip catching hold—it was dragged in to be crunched between Eki's small but powerful jaws.

What must I look for, Master?

It is a young union; the miko will balk as the mating season wanes. You must be alert Eki, it may be a short rift between them. You must be ready for it when it comes.

Yes, Master.

The lizard dropped to the ground below the sapling and scurried away, further into the darkness.

At last, by the end of the next day, the Shard-hunters had reached Kaede's village again. The tension within the small group, mainly between Inuyasha and Kagome, was overwhelming. It separated the band of travelers into three distinct groups. Inuyasha in the lead, stubborn, alone, and miserable. Kagome in the middle often accompanied by a boisterous Shippo. And following up the rear were Sango, Miroku, and Kilala, all pondering the mixed up miko and hanyou.

Kaede welcomed them in eagerly, sharing her food and her hearth and any further Shard rumors she'd heard of while they'd been gone. In turn Miroku and Sango explained their trip to see the Great Saishi.

"I never did understand exactly what was said, I'm afraid." Sango admitted. She was sipping at some of Kaede's tea, a rare treat that the Shard-hunters were able to enjoy. "He said that the magic in the Bone Eater's Well no longer has the magic that possessed it before because time has disrupted it." Sango's face twisted with confusion, "Kagome seemed to understand what he was saying, but I'm afraid I never did."

"Hmmn." Kaede hummed low in the back of her throat. "The well connects our two worlds." She looked over at Kagome and asked, "Kagome child, how many years have passed between our world and your world?"

Kagome, appearing depressed and melancholy again with the topic of the well and its failed magic, didn't even lift her eyes to look at Kaede. "About 500 years. In my time Japan is open with the rest of the world and there aren't any samurai anymore."

"He said even he could not fight this force? This…time?" for Kaede using the word time in a way other than a measurement was very much foreign. How could minutes clog a magical well?

"I believe it was not so much time that was the problem as destiny." Miroku suggested, head bowed and eyes closed, a signature position for a monk trying to think very carefully. "The Bone Eater's Well brought Lady Kagome through time to come here and free Inuyasha from his imprisonment on the tree. It's not a force anyone can fight, as I'm sure you know, Lady Kaede."

At this the aforementioned hanyou scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest uncomfortably.

"…And now it won't let you go back through, why?" Shippo asked quietly, peeking up at Kagome from inside her lap.

"Master Saishi said that it was because Lady Kagome belongs here now. It will be closed until she finds her purpose here." Again Miroku spoke without opening his eyes. In fact the entire group avoided looking at each other suddenly. Only Shippo continued to stare at Kagome until big fat tears welled in his little green eyes.

"If I don't find it," Kagome murmured, staring at the dim coals in Kaede's hearth, "Saishi said I'll die."

Inuyasha looked up sharply, ears pricked. "Like hell you will!" The others turned to look at him, startled out of their borderline misery. He scowled back at them defiantly, "That stupid monk was an idiot. We haven't tried that damned well in weeks—it could work again."

Miroku thumped his staff with one hand, "Inuyasha may be right. It is possible for Master Saishi to be wrong. And there is no reason for us to despair. Kagome's destiny may simply be to collect the rest of the Shikon Jewel. It would make sense."

Kaede's old, wrinkled face was set in a worried scowl. She reached over and laid a hand on Kagome's shoulder. "Are ye alright, child?"

"I'm fine." Kagome offered the old priestess a weak smile, but couldn't quite bring herself to look the other woman in the eye.

Across the room in his standard aloof position, Inuyasha's ears drooped pathetically.

"We will try the well tomorrow, child. Tonight I believe sleep is best." She bowed to them, thanking them for their company and they in turn thanked her for her usual hospitality—only Inuyasha remained distant and silent.

As the other Shard-hunters began unrolling futons and preparing to bed down for the night, Kagome finally looked up and realized that Inuyasha had vanished, slipping outside of the hut when no one had been watching. She touched briefly on the link only to find it full of the usual turmoil.

Hesitantly Kagome tried to open the link up to him, exposing herself. Inuyasha?

The hanyou responded swiftly but wordlessly, bombarding her mind with longing and fear, desperation and anxiety. Her own stomach twisted with a similar mass of emotion. Some were for the fear of the well, of the way it cut her off from her family and her time period, other emotions rose out of frustration that Inuyasha refused to open up completely to her. Still more came from her own intense desire to be with him, without worry or care. She could forget the other miseries, if only he were with her…

"Kagome?"

Sango's voice drew the young miko out of her thoughts with a jolt. She stared at the demon slayer with wide, startled eyes like a doe.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine." She tried to smile but her facial muscles quivered with the effort. Her eyes lost their focus for a moment as she felt Inuyasha nudging her mind again, encouraging a reaction out of her. Heat rose up and seemed to cover her face. Her ears burned.

The world around her came sharply back into focus when Shippo pushed his way into her sleeping bag, walking on all fours like a dog. He used his nose to push back the covers and curled into a tiny ball, using his fluffy brown-red tail to cover his face. "Sleepy 'Gome." He yawned, "Sleepy, sleepy."

"Try not to worry." Sango's face as she spoke was wrenched this way and that with concern, "I'm sure everything will be fine for you Kagome. Whether you find your way back home again or not…" Sango bit her lip, as if silencing herself as she realized that was probably not the right thing to say. In the end she scooted forward and hugged her friend good night.

The lights were extinguished in the hut, darkness descended. Shippo started to snore quietly in her sleeping bag. The beads around Miroku's cursed hand jangled as he rolled over on his futon. Kagome took in their sleeping forms, surprised at how sharp her vision was that night almost immediately after the lights were put out.

Inuyasha reacted to this thought, pushing himself deeper into her mind as if embracing it. She could feel nuances of his emotions: his fear of losing control and displeasing her physically and at the same time the frantic need he had to be at her side, especially with the topic of the well being so prominent. The fear of losing her was also deeply ingrained in his thoughts, a wide, gaping fear that loomed larger than anything else.

There was a sound at the door. Kagome looked at it expectantly, knowing exactly who was crouched on the other side. It was her hanyou, unable to stay away from her though he had tried. Without the distractions of the daylight and the conversations of the evening, Inuyasha was vulnerable to the call of the mating season. Only illness the night before had allowed him the control to keep his distance then—today he had been grouchy and aloof but otherwise healthy.

He was not in the mood for sleeping.

Kagome…it was almost a plea, though exactly for what she wasn't sure. Did he want her to force him to stay away, as she had when she'd purified him? Or was he simply calling her out to him…? His thoughts didn't tell her, they were desperate and incoherent.

And in spite of her better judgment, Kagome could feel her own desire blooming. The well had left her stranded from her family, her mother, from her society with its rules, sanctions, and norms. Here, in the feudal era, she was as good as an orphan. There were no Higurashis. There was only the Shard-hunters and Inuyasha.

The call from the hanyou had changed, the tone in his mind had as well. It was deeper now, touching hold of something primitive and suddenly very needy deep inside her. It caressed her, sheltered her, completing her in a way she'd never imagined was possible. Kagome. My mate…

At last she gave up resisting it and returned the call. Inuyasha. My mate…

As if she'd given him permission of some kind, Inuyasha lifted the drape over the entrance to the hut and ducked into the room. A few of the Shard-hunters stirred, moaning and yawning at his appearance, but they spoke nothing coherent. If they understood what was happening they didn't try to stop it. The hanyou slipped silently to Kagome's sleeping bag and touched her face with chilled, trembling fingers.

Carefully, so as not to wake Shippo, Kagome pulled herself out of the sleeping bag until she was level with Inuyasha, and then she leaned into him with a first frantic kiss. He was cold wherever she touched him and that bothered her, she wanted him to be warm and comfortable. His body was shaking, his breathing ragged. The struggle within him for control was immense, even when it seemed he was already in over his head.

He was fighting his own mating season, his own instincts and driving needs, to try and please her. This knowledge only inspired more admiration of the hanyou and, coupled with her own intense desire, squashed the last of Kagome's better judgment, the last of her reservations.

She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight as he scooped her up and slipped out of the hut and into the nighttime.

well guys, 2 updates on this story in 2 days. I hope I did it right, it felt off when I was writing them. I'm not too proud of them, compared with the snake venom chapters, the temple, Saishi, and Kikyo chapters...psh, I have my doubts. I've had writer's block for a long time now, and this is the first I've written in a while. I do hope it suffices. Please, if it's not too much to ask, leave me a review and tell me if I'm up to par. :-) and THANK YOU all for sticking by me.