Sanctuary

Author's Note: Lol I just wanna say thank you again for the reviews and I'd like to answer Mistress Fluffy's question: yes, Kouga WAS in love with Kagome for a while, but as the story continues, you'll see why. That was a funny review though! Lol Egads! SesshouMaru sounds soooo cool in the anime!

Disclaimer's Note: Hey! No matter how many times I wish I owned InuYasha and co. I don't.

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InuYasha walked slowly with Kikyou through his forest. He never really knew why his brother let him keep it.

IYoung SesshouMaru was angry at everything and everyone. His mother had left during the night and he had blamed everything that was human. Including himself. He knew his half brother had a temper but after witnessing him cutting an ancient tree into toothpicks, he decided never to make him mad ever.

"Damn ningen and their selfishness!"

That tore InuYasha up. Being a hanyou, he was half ningen and since his mother was one, he never liked SesshouMaru's way of expressing his thoughts about them. He wasn't very sensitive.

" Oniisan?"

SesshouMaru growled. "What?!" After an awkward moment of silence, SesshouMaru composed himself. "Don't call me that again. What?"

" Why are you so mad?"

SesshouMaru shook his head and sighed leaving a bewildered InuYasha alone. " Its nothing. It doesn't matter"

" I heard mama say that you're the next Lord of the Western Lands… isn't that cool?"

SesshouMaru only scoffed. He didn't want to become one of them. One of those stiff snobs who only cared about power and … heirs. His look softened as he turned around to face his half brother. " It's a huge responsibility."

InuYasha nodded. " Can I have the forest… since you have all the west?"

SesshouMaru eyed his brother and sighed in defeat. Hanyou or not, his brother was still his brother. "Sure" /I

InuYasha sighed. 'What happened? When did we fall apart?' He sighed and looked at the woman beside him. He felt that feeling in his stomach again as he smelled her. He had a promise to keep. And by the gods… he would fulfill it. Someday.

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Kagome stood stiffly before the well before giving up and sitting on its edge. 'Should I go? I-I don't belong here' She felt hopeless and helpless. She reached her neck only to find skin. Alarmed, she panicked and began to search the ground.

"NO!"

She fell on her knees and hugged herself. 'No' Tears flowed from her eyes and stained her cheeks. She had that necklace since she could remember. She felt strongly about it. She felt better when she held it. She remembered happy times and felt peaceful when she had it on.

"Kagome?"

She turned and saw Shippou with a worried look on his face. " What's wrong?"

Wiping her eyes, she shook her head. 'I have to be strong. If not for myself, for my pup'. "Nothing, mosuko… nothing at all"

Shippou was surprised that Kagome had called him her child, but figured that something was wrong, and just shrugged it off.

" InuYasha's back" he stated calmly. "He's at Kaede-baba's hut… he says he has something important to say."

Kagome nodded at him. " Okay, I'll come in a bit. I just need to get a bit of fresh air, okay?"

Shippou nodded, but couldn't shake off feeling worried. As he bounded off, he looked back at her just in case. She waved at him and watched as his small profile disappeared through the forest.

" Why do you insist on hiding?"

Sighing, she turned around to find Kouga. She sat there confused as he looked at her with a genuine look of worry. She laughed inwardly as he reminded her of a protective oniisan.

" I do not hide! I just needed some space, for your information," Kagome said lightly. She turned away and started walking but Kouga caught her wrist and pulled her back.

"I'm serious Kagome-imouto-chan. I worry about you sometimes… You can confide in me you know…" he said

Kagome smiled. " What happened?" she asked. " Last time we met you and InuYasha were fighting because he wouldn't let me go with you and now… you're acting like you're my oniisan"

Kouga laughed sheepishly. " Well… I-I" he sighed and took her hands in his. " My otousan just gave me… startling news, is all"

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Back in Kaede's hut, InuYasha sat patiently with Kikyou in his arms. Kaede eyed her older sister warily.

" Do you fear me, Kaede?" Kikyou asked.

Kaede looked away sadly. 'Ye are nae my sister. She passed on 50 years ago… Ye are merely a body made of clay' she thought

Kikyou felt… saddened by her younger sister's actions. " Kaede, look at me…" Kaede did. " I am still the Kikyou you once knew…"

" No you arent"

InuYasha huffed angrily. "Finally!" He was about to continue when Kagome cut him off. " As I said. You aren't the same Kikyou. You're merely a copy of what she used to be"

InuYasha growled. " You'd know!"

Kagome flinched at his words. ' NO! I am Kagome! I am nobody's copy!' At that thought, her body glowed a light blue hue that surprised most everyone but Kouga. They all took a step back from her as she tried to calm herself.

Kouga laid his hand on her shoulder and for a brief moment, she was calmed. Though it was brief, it was long enough for her to regain her composure.

" Excuse me, I have to go relieve myself of some built up tension"

With that, Kagome took her backpack and headed for the farthest hot spring. She wanted to be away from InuYasha as possible. Sango, sensing her frustration, followed in pursuit.

"Come on Shippou, you're coming too!" Kagome said sweetly.

Before InuYasha could protest, Kouga's foot was on his back and he lay unconscious on the floor. ( with swirly eyes. Lol)

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Answers to some questions asked in reviews:

Q: How is youkai adoption different from ningen adoption?

A: well, at least in my story, Shippou is still a kit a child and has to have some parental scent that lets other youkais know he's a child and that his mother is somewhere right? But his mom and dad have been killed due to the thunder brothers. So, in order for him to be adopted, the adoptive mother's blood has to mingle with his so that youkais will know that he's that person's child.

Q: Is SesshouMaru and Kagome going to meet in the near future?

A: Yes. In the next chapter

Q: Will InuYasha regret taking Kikyou's side?

A: I personally do not like that miko. So yes, Inu will find out his mistake. But long after everyone finds out that Kagome is a youkai-hime.

Author's Note: woohoo! Another chapter!

Glossary

Musoko: my child

Ningen: human

Okasan: mother

Oniisan: older brother

Otousan: father

Hime: princess