Copy
Chapter three

Kagura sat in the hut with Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Inu-yasha. She felt a little uncomfortable with the surrounding presences and the ever growing dread that someone would tell that she was not Kagome and was in fact out to kill Inu-yasha and later the rest of them.

"Kagome?" Kagura didn't turn around and continued to eat her food. "Kagome?" nothing. "Kagome!"

Kagura stared at her food, and ate silently. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to see the demon exterminator, Sango she believed the name was. "What?"

"Kagome," Kagura mentally cursed, she'd forgotten that she'd need to answer to that name, "are you sure you're fine?"

"Yes, I only got a little bump on the head when dropped by the youkai," Kagura said and then smiled to try and show her normality.

"Are you sure?" the monk said in concern, "I sense no evil youkai presence on you."

"I," Kagura thought quickly, "I purified it, it died and then it dropped me."

"Feh, leave it to the wench to purify something when in midair," Inu-yasha snorted from his corner.

"Kagome," the fox whined, "You shouldn't let Inu-yasha talk to you like that!" Kagura looked at the fox curiously. He looked back at her. "You should sit him!" he said cheerfully. Kagura saw an amused fire flash in the small youkai's eyes at the thought of 'sitting' Inu-yasha.

Kagura hesitated, she wasn't aware what this 'sit him' was and didn't feel she should risk it. She looked at the fox and then the hanyou before smiling sweetly, "Now why would I do a thing like that?"

Silence greeted her remark and she felt that she'd done something wrong. She felt herself shiver from the looks the others were giving her and she looked around sheepishly. "What?"

"I really don't think you're well, Kagome-Chan," the youkai huntress said and grabbed Kagura's hand. "You're hands are clammy, too. You should get some sleep, you've had a big day."

"I suppose so," Kagura said softly and stood. She smiled at Inu-yasha before going to the back room of the hut and falling onto the futon.


It was night when she opened her eyes and was surprised to see a pair of golden eyes looking down on her. Sitting up she rubbed her eyes and looked at the hanyou. "What are you doing?"

The hanyou blushed, "Feh, nothing."

Kagura smiled and looked at the hanyou for a long time.

"Fine, I was making sure you were safe," he mumbled and blushed again.

Kagura decided to pull the charm. Scooting over she rested her head on his shoulder, "Thank you, Inu-yasha."

"Feh..."

Kagome watched sadly, unable to sleep. Inu-yasha had been watching her in 'her' sleep. He had occasionally brushed some hair from her eyes, trailed his claw along her cheek, touched her cheek, lean down and inhale her hair, and on one occasion she'd even seen him lay a kiss on her forehead. Did he always do that when she was sleeping? Did he often sit beside her and watch over her? Or was this only today?

She watched as 'she' awoke and they had a conversation, where the hanyou denied doing anything and then admitting that he was making sure she was safe. She felt touched that he was doing such a thing for her. And then Kagura started snuggling up to Inu-yasha and talking to him. She felt a twinge of jealousy and wondered if Inu-yasha had ever felt this way when she was with Kouga. That made her feel guilty for all the times she'd denied Inu-yasha.

Kikyo watched the emotions fly by Kagome's face like an open book and she chuckled softly. "You care deeply for Inu-yasha don't you?"

Kagome looked at Kikyo for a long time, their gazes locked. Finally, Kagome looked away and sighed, "Yes, I do."

"You care more for him then even I, it seems," Kikyo said so softly that Kagome almost didn't hear. But when she did, she nearly fell from the bindings holding her.

"What?!"

"You heard me," Kikyo said sadly, "You love Inu-yasha more than I ever have and ever will."

Kagome was silent and looked at the ground. She felt silly in the kimono she now wore, Kagura having stolen her school uniform.

Kikyo gazed at the mirror at Inu-yasha with 'Kagome' for a long time. She looked so alone and so sad it was almost unbearable. She felt sympathy for the lost Miko and she felt regret for her, not being able to live her life as she should of.

"And it appears," she said, startling Kagome from her thoughts, "That he loves you more than me."

"That's not true," Kagome said defensively, "He's willing to die for you. Go to hell for you. Do anything for you! He wouldn't deny you anything!"

Kikyo turned to look at Kagome with a cold stare before standing. "How little you know."

Kagome watched her walk towards the door and leave. "I shall get you you're food."

And then she was gone.

Kagura was about to doze off before she felt her eyes snap open and her vision blur.

'Kagura,' said a voice from within her. She looked around, expecting the speaker of the voice to be behind her.

'Who's there?'

'It is I, Naraku,' the voice chuckled and then turned dark, 'now is the time. You need to kill the hanyou tonight, when no one can stop you.'

Kagura looked out the window at the sleeping hanyou and nodded, knowing that Naraku could see her. 'So be it.'

Inu-yasha's ears perked up as he heard footsteps approach him. Cracking an eye open, he watched as Kagome tripped over a root. Sighing, he jumped down and caught her before she hit the ground. He regarded the fact that she was still wearing her sleeping kimono and had bow and arrows thrown across her back.

"Wench, what are you doing out here?" he asked softly and helped Kagome stand, wrapping a protective arm around her waist.

Kagome smiled and looked up at her, "Hello, Inu-yasha."

She began to walk and he followed her. They walked in silence until they came to the God tree. She looked at the tree for a long time, her hand running down the bark. Finally, she turned to look at him and smiled. "Its pretty, huh?"

"I guess," Inu-yasha said softly and watched her with a loving expression.

She smiled at him and giggled, "You're so cute sometimes."

He blinked and then blushed. Her walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her, "You're so stupid sometimes."

He felt her smile against his neck. "I know."


Kagome looked with wide eyes as Kagura embraced Inu-yasha at the God tree. She felt her insides tumble and turn inside her, Naraku had just left informing her that Inu-yasha was to die on this eve. Tears ran down her face as she struggled to free herself from the thorny binds. Cuts appeared all over her body and she felt herself being drained of blood.

The door opened and she looked up to see Kikyo.

She looked at her slowly before standing next to her, "You should relax, it will be over soon."

"NO! Inu-yasha's going to die! I won't let him!" Kagome shrieked and struggled some more. An electrical charge ran through her and she screamed in pain.

"Naraku has enhanced your bounds," Kikyo said sadly, "Please, stay still."

Kagome obliged but couldn't help but feel like she was betraying Inu-yasha by not struggling.

Inu-yasha stood with Kagome in his arms for a long time, his body relaxed and at ease as he found comfort in inhaling her scent.

"Inu-yasha," Kagome whispered and she felts something press against his stomach. He blinked and looked down, just in time to see a knife dig into his stomach. With a gasp of pain he staggered away.

"K-Kagome?"

Kagome smirked and withdrew the knife. "Inu-yasha," she smirked and licked the blood on his knife, "you're life ends tonight."

She threw the knife aside and drew her bow with an arrow knocked against the string.

Inu-yasha stared in disbelief as he felt his heart clench. The arrow was pointed straight at him, and he couldn't move. Kagome was going to kill him.

What had he done?