Disclaimer: People are really stupid if they need reassurance that I- a poorer than dirt student- don't actually own Inuyasha. Besides, why do people put these up, did someone actually get sued?

Chapter 10

Zara looked up from her comfortable position in Kagome's arms. The girl had insisted that she carry her after Zara stumbled for the third time.

At first Zara had been a little apprehensive about trusting the girl, but she was given no choice when Kagome grabbed her, and continued walking.

Surprisingly, Zara found she could relax while Kagome carried her, and she rather enjoyed no longer having to walk.

Inuyasha had come back to where they were walking several times, abandoning his task of searching for the lake, and offered to carry her.

Kagome refused each time, while Zara watching the two interact which each other through half-closed eyelids.

It was obvious the demon cared for her, but it was also obvious that he hid it well beneath a cool facade and an arrogant attitude.

His concern for her was genuine and although she had only known him for a short time, she immediately began to like this Inuyasha.

When, once again, the half-demon had left them to head for the front of the group once more, Zara twisted her head to look at Kagome.

"You care for him don't you?" She asked, her musical voice rising and falling.

"Of course I care for him, he's one of my best friends!"

"You know what I mean!" Zara prodded teasingly. She was rewarded for her efforts when Kagome looked toward Inuyasha and blushed a deep crimson.

"I knew it!" Zara shrieked loudly, causing Sango and Miroku to leave off their conversation and glance back at them.

"I knew it." She hissed again, this time more quietly.

"Is it really that obvious?"

"Only to me." Zara answered truthfully. "I think your companions suspect as well, although they've known you for much longer."

"Does he know?" She asked quietly.

"Of course not! Men are such dunces! You could walk up to him, kiss him smack on the lips, declare your undying love for him, and he might not even give you the time of day." She pouted slightly. "Well- they're not all like that..."

"By chance were you lovely ladies talking about me?" Miroku and Sango had fallen back to walk beside Kagome and Zara. Although they didn't know this at the time, they had only caught the end of Zara's tirade.

Kagome blushed and said rather loudly, "No!"

"Shhh!" Inuyasha hissed, turning around to discover the others were farther behind him than he may have liked. Only Kaede had managed to keep up with him. (A/N: I know I haven't written much about Kaede in this fanfic. I don't have anything against her, I actually rather like her- I just don't know how she's going to fit into all this yet.)

With an annoyed growl, he waited impatiently until a blushing Kagome, a simpering Miroku, an exasperated Sango, and a highly amused Zara caught up to him.

"Quit falling behind!" He snapped rather rudely, and was as shocked as everyone else when Zara burst into laughter.

"I'm sorry!" She managed between fits of laughter, "It was just... your face when you said that..."

She dissolved into giggles once again, and this time Kagome joined her. When Inuyasha glared, she merely continued to laugh until both girls had tapered off into silence.

Then Miroku started to laugh, followed closely by Sango, which started Zara and Kagome off again.

"What is so funny?" Inuyasha demanded, his anger blunted by the fact that they were all still laughing.

Almost against his will, a small smile appeared on his face as he watched them, just before he scooped up Kagome and continued toward the scent of water.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelped, brushing the tears from her eyes with one hand and hanging on to him with the other, still managing to clutch Zara, "Put me down!"

"No." He said shortly.

"I can walk on my own! Now let me down!"

"Apparently you can't, if your little fit back there was any indication."

"Fit? Fit?! That was laughing in case you didn't know. Maybe you should try it sometime Mr. Grumpybones."

"Well excuse me for breathing!" He snapped, setting her back on her feet.

Kagome fumed silently for a moment before smiling wickedly.

"SIT!"

Inuyasha slammed face-first into the dirt, creating a huge crater where he'd landed. He got up growling menacingly, but Kagome merely pointed a finger at him.

"You deserved it."

Zara slipped from her arms as a full-blown shouting match erupted between the two, punctuated only by the occasional "SIT!" from Kagome and the slam as Inuyasha was rammed into the dirt.

She looked around with a sigh, seeing only forest in every direction she turned. Where was the lake from her vision?

Sango and Miroku finally crested the hill that Inuyasha had helped them up long before. Seeing the shouting match, they looked at each other wearing identical expressions of resignation. Without another word spoken between them, they began to set up camp, each knowing from long experience that Inuyasha would pout the rest of the night and nothing would be done.

Zara watched them silently, noticing the way they seemed to communicate with each other without speaking. It was interesting to watch, but possibly the most interesting this was the way the monk looked at her when she wasn't watching him. An expression of complete longing and utter devotion.

Much the way Inuyasha looks at Kagome. Zara thought with a mental grin. (A/N: Much as I love Miroku and Sango this is not a MirXSan fanfic. Besides, I would have no idea how to deal with their emotions- I'm already having enough trouble with the InuXKag part of this story!)

Zara noticed with a start that the yelling had stopped, and she cautiously ventured a glance in that direction to see Kagome walking away, leaving Inuyasha in an immense crater- looking rather battered and bruised.

She responded with a quiet giggle, watching as Inuyasha picked himself up and stomped away to sit and lick his wounds. (A/N: Not really! Just a figure of speech. Do demons actually do that?)

Kagome joined the others in making camp, her anger vanishing as she worked. Zara vanished into her tent as soon as it was set up, presumably to meditate. Kagome and the others laid their sleeping bags around the fire as usual.

Despite the fact that she was tired, Kagome found she couldn't sleep, knowing Inuyasha was still awake, and probably mad at her.

She found herself wishing Shippo was here. When the little kitsune slept with her, she could usual push the aggravation thoughts out of her mind and focus on falling asleep.

Annoyed with herself for bothering to care about that arrogant dog-demon, she shut her eyes tightly and flipped to her side, determined not to let it bother her.

A few minutes later, she stood with a resigned sigh, knowing she wouldn't get a wink of sleep until she knew where he was and if he was okay.

She gathered up her bow and arrows and walked into the forest, making a slow circle around the camp, knowing he wouldn't go too far away.

Just far enough to make me worry. She thought sadly.

Hearing a noise, she pulled an arrow from her quiver, setting it against the bow, but keeping it down by her side, ready to yank up and fire in case of attack.

The bushes behind her rustled again, and she took careful aim.

Whatever it was burst out of hiding and without thinking about it, she let the arrow fly.

"KAGOME!" An all too familiar voice yelled.

Kagome winced. The arrow had pinned the half-demon against a tree- but unlike Kikyo's arrow, Kagome didn't actually pierce Inuyasha, the arrow had only caught his sleeve.

"YOU COULD HAVE KILLED ME!"

"I wasn't aiming for your heart- if I had been you would be dead." She said with a confidence she didn't feel. Inwardly, she was cringing, knowing that she had just brought up some painful memories.

Yanking the arrow out of his sleeve, he shook it in her face and demanded, "What are you doing out here so late anyway?"

"I was... I was just..." At a loss for words, she snatched the arrow from his hand and returned it to her quiver. "Just... never mind!"

With a noise of frustration she turned and stomped back toward the camp. Inuyasha followed her with a vaguely suspicious look on his face.

"Were you actually worried about me?" He prodded, a self-satisfied smirk on is face.

"No!" Kagome yelped angrily. "I just didn't want you to get lost because then we wouldn't ever find the ring."

"Face it Kagome." He said, grinning even more broadly now that he realized she was stammering. "You were actually worried about me for once." (A/N: Who thinks that Inuyasha is starting to act like Miroku and Kagome like Sango? I don't know... To me it seems like Inuyasha's getting obnoxious and Kagome's getting defensive. Ring any bells?)

"Fine!" She finally said, turning to poke him in the chest. "So what? Can't I worry about your well-being once in a while?" She turned back to continue toward camp, muttering something about demons who thought too highly of themselves.

She got about four steps, before Inuyasha grabbed her and pulled her toward him. She froze in his arms, not really sure what was going on.

"Inu... yasha?" She finally ventured timidly.

"Kagome... Just don't. Stop thinking for a moment- okay?"

Kagome wasn't really sure what he meant, but the feel of his arms around her was so right, she could feel her bones starting to melt.

She sagged against him, allowing him to hold her, and just tried to forget that some day soon one of them was going to die.

OOOOO

Miroku nudged Sango from their hiding place in the bushes. "I knew he would make the first move!" He hissed excitedly. "You owe me one kiss! That was the deal!"

Sango groaned, but not loudly enough that the two people on the other side of the bush could hear. "Kagome- how could you do this to me?"

Miroku leaned in toward her. "And I think I'll collect on that promise right now." Sango's eyes widened, but before she could react, he had given her a quick peck on the lips.

"Now was that so bad?"

That was it? Sango caught herself wondering and mentally berated herself for thinking it.

"Let's go monk. Before they see us."

The two crept off into the darkness, cautiously making their way back to camp.

OOOOO

Author's Note: I couldn't resist adding in that little wager! I guess this is turning out to be more of a MirXSan fanfic than I originally thought. Oh well... I won't ever get very deep into that, just a few things here or there. Cute though wasn't it? Although this chapter really didn't accomplish anything, it did give you a little insight into what's been going on with our characters.

Also, I'm going on a two week long vacation starting tomorrow- sorry! I wanted to get this chapter out before I left. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me! I'll try to gain excess to a computer to check reviews, but that's about all I'll be able to do. No writing!

Thanks to my reviewers- here's my responses: Dark Inu Fan & CrimsonEnchantress (Do you two compare notes or something? It's kind of eerie how you both seem to comment on the same things... I know that my constant changing from third person to first and back again is confusing, but bear with me- I'm doing the best I can!), Angeloflight (Thanks for the compliment! It's nice to hear somone say I'm doing a good job once in a while.), and wolf enchantress 340 (Ooo... Bummer. Sorry about the new rules! That's gotta' suck! At least I know you didn't stop reading!)

...muse is crying sadly as I pack... Come on! It's only for two weeks! You'll survive! ...crying intensifies... Give me a break! You're not even around most of the time- you won't even notice I'm gone! ...keeps crying... Oh good lord... Save me...

MysteryMaiden7