Wow… so many reviews so fast! I'm stunned. Thrilled. Ready to write more!

Looks like this mini-monster will be twelve to thirteen chapters long. I can't promise to update so quickly in the future as I *do* have a full-time job that needs my attention. But I promise to try :-)

Chapter Three

"I need to take a piss."

Miroku snorted a laugh at his companion's lack of tact. "It is late, we should probably eat some dinner and get some sleep."

Inuyasha nodded and sauntered over to a bush. "I'd keep going but I don't expect you to be able to keep up."

"Yes, because I'm just human, right? I got news for you Inuyasha -- another week and you'll be just as 'weak' as me."

The hanyou looked up from his primary occupation to see the last quarter of the moon shining down on him. He grunted his dissatisfaction and replaced his clothing. "Yeah well, as long as I can take care of my family business before then, I don't care."

"Speaking of business --" Miroku glanced quickly at the hanyou, judging his mood to be neutral. "-- might we take a moment to speak of Lady Kagome?"

"What about her?"

Miroku piled some kindling into a small pyre and walked toward a tree to grab some twigs. "I'm no expert in demon relationships," he began carefully, "but I'm told that intent claims are rather serious."

Inuyasha, who'd been chopping branches for their campfire, froze at Miroku's words. "Who said I claimed Kagome?"

"You forget, we travel with an expert demon exterminator."

"Sango."

"Yes. Lady Sango was more than a little concerned by that little 'love scratch' you left on Kagome."

"Keh!" Lifting Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha resumed chopping firewood. "She was asking for it, baiting me like that."

Raising an eyebrow in disbelief, Miroku took a seat beside his handiwork and watched the hanyou's labors. "Funny, I never saw you purposely injure her before; and the two of you fight just about every day."

He'd finally chopped enough firewood for the night, but Inuyasha continued to chop away, eagerly avoiding the houshi and his nosy questions.

Miroku was having none of it. "Well?"

Inuyasha growled. "I didn't mean to do it."

"So you don't want to mate with Kagome."

"No. Well, not exactly."

"Because you know if you don't want her, then I might consider --"

Quick as lightning Miroku found himself nose to nose with a very irate inuhanyou. "You might consider WHAT, Bouzou?"

"So you do care for the girl."

Inuyasha tamped down his anger and sat back. "Of course I care about her. I wouldn't be so protective of her if I didn't care."

"Then why deny your claim on her?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm not sure taking Kagome as a mate would be the best thing for her." He pushed some of the firewood he'd chopped onto the fire and reached into his haori for one of the magical firesticks Kagome brought from her world. Striking it onto the rough surface of its container, he set the pile of wood ablaze and then leaned back onto his forearms to admire his achievement.

"Because of Kikyou?"

Kami, would the damned houshi never give up? "No, not Kikyou. She's not even a viable option. She's dead."

"Then because she comes from another world?"

"Baka, is this going to be the topic of conversation for the entire night? If it is, warn me now so that I can leave."

Miroku sighed in defeat. "All right, but just answer me one more question?" When Inuyasha remained still, he took it as assent. "Are you going to let this go on until you do something you regret? Your desires won't simply disappear with time, you know."

"I won't hurt Kagome," Inuyasha answered, a fire from within burning in his eyes. "I'll never hurt Kagome."

* * * * *

Sango yawned and felt her eyes getting heavy. "Kagome-chan, I think we may have to stop for the night after all."

"Hai. I'm a little tired myself."

The tajiya noticed a small cluster of lights in the distance and directed Kirara to follow them. "That should be a village over there. Let's see if they would be so kind as to put us up for the night."

The people of the village were more than gracious, providing the two ladies with a small meal and a room in which to lay their sleeping bags. As Kagome pulled her bedroll from her bag, a dozen pink and red valentines flew out around the room.

"What is this?" Sango tentatively reached for the nearest paper. "Bee mine?"

Kagome blushed and laughed. "It's a valentine. Remember that holiday I told you about?" When Sango nodded she continued. "The stores sell these silly little cards for people to give each other. Most of them are pretty corny, like that one. Some of them are actually kinda sweet."

"Your people have such strange courting rituals," Sango breathed as she picked up another card. After looking to Kagome for approval, she read it. "Roses are red, violets are blue, you have a cute ass and I'd like to date you." Sango's eyes widened as large as the full moon.

"Ha ha, I think I know who gave me that one. Don't worry, it's just a joke."

"You may want to hide those from Inuyasha," Sango noted.

Kagome gathered the wayward cards and stuffed them back into her backpack. "Why? It's not like Inuyasha wants me to be his girlfriend or anything. He has Kikyou, right?"

"Inuyasha has always been jealous of other men, you know that."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well it's hardly fair considering he's not exactly committed to me."

Sango had to literally bite her tongue. Kagome didn't understand what the mark on her arm represented, and it wasn't her place to tell. "Perhaps, or maybe he just isn't ready to tell you his feelings. Inuyasha has had to grow up quickly. Maybe he's just waiting for the right time to commit to you."

"Or maybe he's just waiting for Kikyou to come back to him for longer than twenty minutes," Kagome snorted. She shook her head in self-disgust. "I shouldn't have said that."

Sango yawned again, prompting a light laugh from Kagome. "Yes, I agree. Let's go to sleep so we can get started early."

"Good night, Kagome-chan."

"Night Sango-chan."