AUTHORS NOTE: From now until the end of the story I will be writing shortened chapters so bear with me.

Chapter 9: Journey into the Thunder Mountains (People do not be mad with me for the beginning of the chapter everything will change *hint* *hint* as you will read on)

"What is it," asked Yashi as he looked at the confused look on Kagome's face.

"I.are you sure you don't know how you got this," Kagome asked.

"Pretty sure. I was just fishing and then my neck started hurting," Yashi answered.

Kagome looked up into his eyes. 'How could this be,' she asked herself.

"You know it might taste better if the fish weren't burnt," Kouga said.

Kagome jumped at the sound of his voice and swung around to met his heavy gaze. Yashi pulled on his shirt quickly to avoid looks from Kouga.

"I missed you Kagome," Kouga said as he put a strong arm around her waist. Hesitantly she relaxed into it aware that Yashi was watching. "I hope you weren't hitting on my woman," Kouga said giving Yashi a playful punch in the arm.

Yashi gave a quick glance at Kagome's bowed face then back to Kouga. "Don't worry I wasn't," Yashi said giving a fake smile.

"Where is everybody," Kagome asked peeling herself away from Kouga's arms and looking around.

"They stayed behind, Sango is to weak to move," Kouga said crossing his arms and sitting down.

Sitting down Yashi looked up into the hurt expression on Kagome's face as she served him his fish. Never did she look up to meet his gaze. 'His woman?' Yashi thought to himself, 'last time I checked she wasn't his.' Eating his fish slowly he watched how Kouga stroked Kagome's back gently. Every gesture that he did made Yashi's bite mark turn hot and start to tingle with jealousy.

Kagome could feel her own bite mark tingle to his jealousy. 'So I guess it is true.but how can it be?' Kagome thought to herself as she absently rubbed her shoulder. ~~~~~~~~~Kagome looked up at the approaching mountains, their size engulfed her.

"Their so big," Kagome said.

"Hai. It should take us about two days to reach our destination," Kouga said walking to the junction between the two mountains that stood in front of them.

"Shouldn't we have seen more of Sesshoumaru by now," Yashi asked following Kouga.

"What that wimpy dog? I doubt he even knows what direction we went in," Kouga said giving a haughty smile.

~~~~~~~~~The rocks were steep and jagged going up through the junction, every step needed careful precision or else it meant your life. Yashi stumbled on the rocks as his breathing became short and shallow.

Kagome hugged Kouga's back tightly as the cold wind blew through her hair and pierced at her lungs.

Kouga gave a smug smile as he felt her grip tighten around him. "It's ok we'll be stopping soon," Kouga said warming her arms with his hands.

~~~~~~~~~Night came quickly, turning everything a bitter cold. Kagome sat near the fire warming her shivering body.

"You know I could have sworn there was a hot spring around here somewhere," Kouga said entering the camp and sitting down next to Kagome.

Yashi smelt the air daintily. "It's over there," Yashi said pointing to a gap between some rocks.

"How would you know," Kouga said giving him a questioning look.

"Because.well go look for yourself," Yashi said.

Kouga gave him a cryptic look before getting up to see for himself. Turning the bend Kouga saw what he had been looking for the past hour. There in front of him laid the steaming water of the hot spring.

"How did you know that was there," Kouga asked walking over to Yashi.

"I gave an educated guess," Yashi lied. Kouga blinked a couple times before turning to Kagome and said, "I'm going in would you like to join me."

Kagome gave Yashi a tentative look before looking back at Kouga. "I think I'll pass tonight," Kagome said.

"How about you," Kouga said turning to Yashi.

"I think I'll go in later," Yashi said looking at kagome.

"Suit yourselves," Kouga said walking off towards the hot spring.

~~~~~~~~Yashi opened his eyes slowly and looked up into the sky. The night was still young and the stars glittered in the sky. Sitting up he looked around the fire at the sleeping faces of Kouga and Kagome. Silently he got up and walked towards the hot spring. Making sure a boulder blocked him he stripped himself of all his clothing. The water was hot and made his body tingle as he walked into the water.

Kagome watched Yashi get up from his mat and walk to the hot spring. Carefully getting up so not to wake Kouga from his deep sleep she walked to the hot tub. Reaching the boulder where Yashi had undressed himself she walked up to the waters edge. She looked at Yashi who stood in water up to his waist, his back facing her.

"May I join you," Kagome asked.

Yashi turned around slowly. Kagome stood in front of him seductively peeling her kimono off to reveal her naked body. Yashi watched her body move as she slowly walked into the water. Yashi stood there his mouth hung open, his breathing heavy.
~~~~~READ: Ok people guess what time it's for!!! (Lindsay blinks *hint* *hint*) I know you people didn't like the beginning but don't worry I wouldn't make it a Kouga/ Kagome fic.