~*~Here's my Holiday gift for you all: a new chapter! I'm updating all my stories for you readers as a thank you. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!~*~

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Deep chocolate colored eyes opened to a dark room. Something that felt oddly like hay or straw was beneath her as she slowly picked up her head. 'Where the heck am I?!? A cave?!?'

Looking around, Kagome saw many people… wait, they all had tails and were wearing very very odd clothing. They were also currently looking at her. One smiled. "Oh? Hi there, Kagome-sis. I'll go tell Kouga you're awake now." With that, the… man ran off.

'Kagome… sis?!? I'm not related to him, am I? Oh, my head hurts.'

Suddenly, that same tingle feeling was back as she saw that man from before walk in. "So, you're finally awake. I was getting worried for a moment there. What happened, Kagome?" Distant eyes looked into Kouga's blue ones, which he noticed right away. "Are you alright? You look as if you've never seen me before."

"You… you mean we've met? How do you know me? Where am I?"

Hearing that caused the wolf demon to back off a bit as his eyes opened wide in shock. 'She doesn't know me? What the hell did that mutt-face do to her?!?!?' Looking at her intently, Kouga responded. "What did Inu Yasha do to you?"

After blinking a bit, Kagome replied, "You know Inu Yasha? Do you know where I can find him? And you didn't answer my question. Who are you?"

Sighing, Kouga sat beside her. "I'm Kouga, leader of the Wolf Youkai tribe."

"Wolf… youkai??"

"That's right. We've known each other for awhile now. You're currently here with my clan where I thought you would be safe. You fainted out by that tree near the well." Kouga's mind was running a mile a minute. 'What the hell happened to her?'

Looking around, Kagome felt frightened yet safe at the same time. It wasn't the safe feeling she felt when she was with Inu Yasha, telling her she had to get out of there. Snapping out of her thoughts, she looked at… Kouga, realizing he was talking. "What?"

"I said what happened to you?"

"Oh, well, I'm not really sure. They didn't tell me what happened. All I know is I woke up in the hospital and there were these strange people around me. They said they knew me and were my friends. I felt I could trust them."

Kouga didn't concentrate on that weird word she used. "Them?"

"Hai. Sango-chan, Miroku-sama, Shippou-chan, Inu Yasha… There was this other woman named Kaede as well. Then there was my family I guess."

Thinking about this, Kouga realized Kagome had lost all her memories, causing her to not know anything. "Kagome, where are the others?" He had a few questions he had to get from them.

The raven haired girl looked down. "I don't know. All I know is I went into the well house and then suddenly I'm here and… where is here anyway?"

As Kouga was about to answer, a loud cry was heard not too far off. Kagome jumped up and instinctively ran out of the cave, not bothering to turn around when Kouga called to her. 'For some reason, I feel I have to go there.' Running with all her strength, Kagome raced into the forest, Kouga not too far behind her.

~

The gang had eventually begun following Inu Yasha's nose as they traveled throughout the forest, trying to trace Kouga's footsteps. 'Stupid wimpy wolf. If he hurt Kagome in anyway, I'm gonna kill him!'

Sango sighed as she slapped Miroku's hand away. "Not now, monk. I don't have the patience for your groping."

Acting as though he didn't hear her, Miroku leaned in a bit. "What do you think he'll do if he finds her with Kouga?"

"Kill him, most likely. If you think about it, he probably helped her. I mean, Kagome-chan has no memories what so ever. What would happen if a demon attacked her? She wouldn't know what to do."

"Where are the shards anyway?"

"When Kagome-chan's mother was given her things, they were in her pocket. Mrs. Higurashi put them in Kagome-chan's room."

"Makes sense to keep them out of this Era. Who knows what would be after her if she was wandering around aimlessly with them around her neck?"

"Would you two shut up?!? I need to concentrate!"

"Gomen. I keep forgetting your dog-ness."

"What was that, Monk?!?!"

"Nothing!"

"Thought so." With that, Inu Yasha's nose went back into the dirt as he picked up Kagome's scent again, still mixed with Kouga's. 'Stupid wolf…' Something new hit his nose at that moment. 'Blood. It's not Kagome's, but there's still a lot of it.' Knowing Kagome would be furious if he didn't help out, which he hated doing but only did to stop her whining, he sighed and took off in the direction the blood was, leaving Miroku and Sango to stare at him. Without hesitation, they ran after their hanyou friend.

They soon arrived at a village which was under attack by a large youkai, what type they could not tell. Popping his knuckles, Inu Yasha ran full speed at the demon and prepared his attack. "Sankontetsu!"

The youkai heard them come and quickly dodged out of the way, swinging his tail and hitting Inu Yasha across the area. The hanyou flew until his body smacked into the trunk of a tree, splitting it in two. The demon laughed. "Oh? A hanyou? You think you can defeat me?"

"Hiraikotsu!" A large boomerang flew at the demon, but he just jumped out of the way, causing the thing to chop a few trees down. After catching the boomerang, Sango glared at the demon. Before she could react, its tail smacked into her, sending her flying.

"Sango?!?" Miroku watched in horror as the youkai exterminator was sent into the air, deep within the forest, her cry sounding out and into his ears. With that, Miroku faced the demon. "Kazaana!" Unleashing his wind tunnel, Miroku faced off with the demon, who merely smacked the ground, causing the monk to only pick up stones and dirt. A buzzing noise was heard moments later. 'The poison insects! Naraku's doing.' Closing off the kazaana, he looked over to see Inu Yasha standing and holding the Tetsusaiga.

"I don't have time for you. Just die already! Kaze no Kizu!" The demon simply looked over and quickly moved out of the way, sending its tail towards the hanyou. Suddenly, something pink flew by and hit the demon, causing it great pains. 'An arrow?' Everyone looked over to where the pink glow came from to find a raven haired woman standing with a bow in her hand, another arrow ready.

"Kagome?"

"Inu Yasha! There's something pink glowing from its tail! Closer to the body."

'A Shikon no Tama shard!' With that, Inu Yasha raced forward and attempted to slice the demon apart. Another arrow was fired and he realized the demon was attempting to swat at him again. He continued to charge and was about to make contact with the demon when it sent its tail out once again… Only issue with this was it wasn't sent after Inu Yasha, but at…

"KAGOME!!!!!"

The girl realized this too late and was struck hard with the tail, sending her flying just like her other female friend. Enraged, Inu Yasha chopped up the demon and, without picking up the shard, raced after the woman who had fallen.

After searching for a few moments, he found her lying against a tree, her eyes closed as red was surrounding her. "No, no Kagome, wake up!" Inu Yasha ran up and knelt beside her, gently shaking her to get her to open her eyes. "Kagome? Come on, Kagome. You have to wake up! Kagome!!!"

He could hear a gasp and knew Sango was behind him, probably leaning on Miroku's shoulder. He didn't care at the moment. His eyes were burning with salt as tears were beginning to form. "Come on, Kagome. Don't die on me now. Kagome!"

Deep brown eyes remained covered by lids as the red pool slowly began to grow.

~*~Ooooh! Another cliffy. Will she survive this time? What happened to Kouga? And if the insects were there, what about Naraku? –insert evil smile- Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Ja ne!~*~