Hey everybody! No, I didn't disappear... I'm officially ready to get this fic back on track. So, you know the drill, I don't own Inuyasha, and... thank everyone for all the reviews. One day I'll get good enough so that I can respond to every comment...

Love ya all... MeAgain

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"KOGA! PUT ME DOWN NOW!"

Kagome was furious at her captor, who had just come out of the Enchanted Forest with her, his prize, hoisted over his shoulder.

Koga got a hurt look and placed her on the ground. "Kagome, I had no idea you didn't like it when I kidnapped you! According to Hojo, you really liked it."

"I said no such thing," she said, crossing her arms. How could Hojo have said something like that?

"Well, maybe I'm exaggerating, but only a little bit. Besides, don't you like the part where Dog boy trails right after me and tries to rescue you?" Koga asked.

Kagome bristled. She was quite annoyed with Koga at the moment, even though she considered his sentiments to be true. She DID like it when Inuyasha came to rescue her. But usually, he was right on Koga's heels. She looked around and didn't see any sign of him. She would have run through the forest if she knew she could get away from Koga, but she knew he was too fast for her.

"Koga, listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you that way, it's just... you scared me. Could we please go back now? Plus, you left Hojo back there! Him and Inuyasha wouldn't get along left to their own devices. They NEED us to moderate, Koga. C'mon. Please!" Kagome was trying to persuade Koga, but he wouldn't be moved.

"Dear Kagome, I think that Hojo was dumped down the well by Dog boy, unless you missed that little spectacle. He's home by now, I'd think," He said, as if it were obvious.

"Oh..." Kagome said. She didn't know that Inuyasha had actually thrown Hojo into the well. Not really a very nice thing to do in her opinion, even if he was jealous. He should have known from that kiss that she didn't think about anyone else, least of all Hojo. "Well then. I know I can't run from you, because you're too fast, so I'll just... stay with you for now, I guess," Kagome sighed. At least until Inuyasha comes to get me...

"Good! That's what I like to hear. I'm not sure why Dog boy hasn't come to get you yet, but maybe he finally realizes that you and me... are meant to be together, Kagome." He grabbed her in a bone-crushing hug.

"Ugh. . . Koga. Please let me go before you kill me-OOF!" Kagome was let go of and fell onto the ground. She then realized where she was. She was only a few acres away from where Miroku, Sango, and Shippo were camping. If only I could convince Koga to walk that way. . .

Koga helped her up from the ground and put his arm around her shoulder. "It's you and me from now on, Kagome! We'll live with the wolf pack, and oh! It'll be wonderful!"

"Uh, Koga, what about Hojo? I mean, now that he's your 'brother' and all that. . . what's going to happen?" Kagome was trying to escape the grasp of his arm, but couldn't do it.

"Well, if he ever returns that is, he will of course be welcomed with open arms. He is, after all, the reincarnation of the best wolf demon there ever was . . . me, of course!" Kagome could make out Koga's grin in the quickening darkness.

Kagome almost tossed her cookies after Koga's self-absorbed sentiments, but kept her calm. Well, at least I know what his major weakness is. Himself! He just can't shut up about himself! "Well, Koga, since, uh, you're so good looking, perhaps we could just. . . go get some water from this little river I know of about a few acres from here!" She pointed her finger toward where the campsite was.

It made no sense whatsoever, but it seemed to work.

"What a good idea, Kagome. No wonder you're my woman!" Koga let go of her finally and began to walk in the direction she indicated.

Kagome was overcome with the feminist movement. "Koga, I would appreciate it if you didn't call me your 'woman.' As highly amusing it is, I must please ask you to stop."

"Okay, whatever you say. Now where exactly is this river you've been talking about?" Koga asked, not really hearing her.

He'll never stop calling you that, she thought. "It's this way. Now follow me."

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Hojo was very sore. He felt disoriented and wondered where it was that he had been resting. Then he remembered getting tossed into the well. I must be in the Higurashi well, he thought. He looked up, and heard multiple curses outside of the well. Hojo furrowed his eyebrows. Surely I'm not still in the Feudal Era?

Suddenly, Inuyasha's face appeared at the top of the well, looking down at him. Hojo rubbed his eyes, and said, "I-Inuyasha? What happened? Why am I not in Kagome's well? In MY time?"

Inuyasha laughed, but was clearly not amused. "Heh. Well, it seems that when I put you into the well, you didn't go through. Like you SHOULD have. And since you've gone and ruined everything, Koga's run off with Kagome. Again."

"Really? He kidnapped her again? And left me here?"

Inuyasha walked away, forcing Hojo to have to climb out of the well in order to hear what he was saying. "Well, he probably assumed that you had gone back to your time. Where you belong. Then he went and stole MY Kagome- er. . . Kagome. . . from me."

Hojo sighed as he hoisted himself out. It appeared that all of them had feelings for Kagome, and it was some sort of battle for her heart or something. All he knew is that he probably was in last place in the race.

"Listen, Inuyasha, I want to help you get Kagome back. So tell me what I can do, and I'll help you," Hojo said. This is hard to let Inuyasha just. . . have her. But I guess I don't stand a chance.

Inuyasha crossed his arms, wondering what Hojo was up to. He seemed like a simpleton on the outside, that much was for sure. But internally he was probably scheming to get Kagome for himself. But at least Kagome KISSED me, he thought smugly. He smiled despite himself, and allowed a small laugh.

Hojo looked around, wondering what was funny. "Is there something wrong, Inuyasha? I can't pinpoint what it is you're laughing at!"

What a doof, Inuyasha thought. "I was just... never mind. Let's go!"

Inuyasha knelt down. "Um... what is it that you're doing on the ground there, Inuyasha?" Hojo asked in a particularly ditzy voice.

Inuyasha grunted. "Well, I'm obviously NOT doing this for my health!" Hojo still hadn't caught on. "Do I hafta hoist you over my shoulder? Get ON!"

It finally dawned on Hojo that he was supposed to climb onto Inuyasha's back. Once on, he felt sort of weird. Wasn't this the sort of thing that only girls did, allow the guy to carry them? He was sure that he'd be okay with walking, and was just about to say something...

That is, of course, before Inuyasha took of into the forest at a breakneck speed.

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"Soooo... Koga! What is it you use on your tail to make it so... shiny?" Kagome wasn't even trying to flatter Koga. She was actually wondering what it was that made his hair so beautiful. There obviously wasn't any shampoo in the Feudal Era. And his hair was so beautiful.

It was only an added bonus that Koga was distracted while Kagome led him toward the area where the rest had set up camp. Kagome never thought she'd be asking anyone in the feudal era for beauty secrets. Although, she did wonder what Sesshomaru did to HIS hair that made it so lovely and feminine...(but that's another story.)

"Well... Kagome, that's a secret that only us wolves know. Once you and I have taken the special ceremony of devotion, we'll have plenty of time to share our secrets with one another!"

Koga absentmindedly brushed his hair back with his claw, making Kagome's stomach lurch. I know Koga's not a real physical threat, but he sure could end up hurting the relationship I have with Inuyasha! And Hojo as well!

As she thought, she sensed Miroku and Sango's presence close. She had no idea what it was she planned on doing. She just wished that Inuyasha was there to help her.

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Hojo was holding on for dear life. Inuyasha had only been running for about thirty seconds, and already they were halfway through the forest. Suddenly, however, Inuyasha abruptly stopped, and let Hojo off his back.

"Hold it a sec, Hojo. I have a stupid question to ask you," Inuyasha said, looking down at Hojo, who was on the ground holding his head.

"There's no such thing as a 'stupid question', Inuyasha," said Hojo, becoming slightly annoyed at how he was being treated.

"Oh, really? What exactly are your intentions for Kagome, then?" Inuyasha asked, crossing his arms in his regular fashion.

"Never mind. That IS a stupid question," Hojo said, hoisting himself off of the ground. For a split second, Inuyasha thought that Hojo would challenge him to a fight, but it never happened. "My 'intentions' for Kagome are nonexistent. She obviously is torn between you and Koga-"

Inuyasha turned red at the thought of Kagome being torn between him and that wolf breath excuse for a demon.

"Inuyasha! I'm kidding! Perhaps that wasn't such a good idea..." he trailed off as Inuyasha gave him a condescending look. "She obviously likes you! She's never really talked about you before-"

"Ah- HAH! I knew you were lying before!"

"But that's not the point. I saw you and her, and it looked good. I know I wouldn't have a chance up against someone as... brave as you. I'm just the reincarnation of a silly and delusional wolf!" Hojo said, crossing his arms as well.

"NOW you're talking my language!" Inuyasha said, patting Hojo on the back. "Hop back on. Let's go find Kagome."

Hojo got back on, but before Inuyasha began running again, he looked back at Hojo, on his back. "You're not so bad, y'know?"

Hojo smiled. "You're only saying that because I handed you Kagome... and because I think Koga's something of a dork."

"Whatever a dork is, I'm sure Koga is one! Let's go, Hojo." And off they sped, getting nearer and nearer to Kagome's scent.

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Kagome had no idea what she was going to do once she found Miroku, Sango and Shippo. Oh, great, I forgot the small matter of actually formulating a plan! How the heck are Miroku and them supposed to know that Koga has kidnapped me? Koga had strayed a few yards away from her, probably looking for the river Kagome had made up.

"Kagome, darling, I see no river about us! Looks like we'll just have to set up camp right here!" Koga stretched out his arm around her shoulders. She shuddered involuntarily. He was so creepy!

"Koga, I've only been uh, missing for ten minutes now! Don't you think that settling down now will give Inuyasha a better chance of finding me?"

Koga squeezed her tighter to his side. "You are SO smart, Kagome. We'll look a little bit more, but soon... we should... set up camp."

The smile on Koga's face wasn't too reassuring. "Aheheheh," Kagome faked, only glad that they were somewhere around the gang.

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"Okay, Miroku, the fire's ready!"

Sango kneeled next to the fire she had just made, proud of her efforts. She had just about given up on making a fire by herself, when she finally sparked something. Poor Shippo had already conked out a few yards away, sleeping peacefully next to Kirara.

"Miroku? Where are you?" Sango looked around her, trying to locate the lecher. She looked to where Shippo and Kirara had lain a minute ago, and spotted them several yards further away, out of earshot, but still in the glow of the fire. Someone had moved them away...

"Miroku?"

"I'm here, Sango."

Miroku's voice came from behind her. She turned to find him propped up against the tree. He had that "I'm Miroku, and I'm about to say something serious even though it won't be serious and is just really perverted" face on. His arms were crossed, and his staff lay on the ground only a few feet away. Sango did not like the looks of this.

"Miroku... what are you doing?"

"Seducing you."

Sango held back a laugh. Although he often made amorous attempts to gain her affection, this was the first time he had made an actual effort. "You aren't going to- what is it Kagome called it? Oh yeah, sexually harass me, are you?"

Miroku slunk forward, putting his hands in a steeple of concentration, and bringing them to his mouth. "Dear Sango... I was simply jesting with you when I made that comment. I have no plans to seduce you. But, I will have you know... that my intentions for you are nothing but pure. It's plain and simple to see... well... I would like to talk with you right now, here. By this lovely fire you have built."

Sango looked at him warily. "Well, okay... but if you put so much as one finger on my posterior, so help me Kami, I'll knock you sideways into next year."

"I am aware that you can do this... you, Sango, brave. Beautiful. Such sadness in your soul... I wish you could bare your soul to me."

At this point, Miroku was holding on to both her hands. She had become momentarily mesmerized by the lull of his rich and smooth voice, but quickly snapped out of it. "Yeah, right. I'm sure that's ALL you want me to bare."

Miroku looked into her eyes, the fire reflected in his, and she almost felt violated by the intimacy of the gaze. "Sango... Please. Take me seriously on this. I know before I've... perhaps, tried to connect with you, in ways that you've found unpleasing-"

"If you mean the part where your hand connects with my butt, then yeah. It's unpleasing." She half-heartedly tried to tug her hands out of his firm yet gentle grasp. But a part of her didn't want to let go. She knew that Miroku really did care for her welfare deep down, and it made her feel safe to know that he was there, in all of his perverted glory.

He gave her another look that told her she shouldn't have said interrupted him, and she abruptly closed her mouth. "Oh, Miroku, I'm sorry. I thought for a moment you were trying to... I don't know, make a move on me. How can I make it up to you?"

"Just... let me know that you care, too, dear Sango." She suddenly gave him a hug, letting herself sink into the softness of his monk garb. She sighed heavily, and Miroku felt her internal pain momentarily. He had not been expecting her to do that.

"Sango! I- there's something that I wanted to ask you," he said, daring to sniff her head. He momentarily cast a glance over to Shippo and Kirara, who were still sleeping peacefully.

"Y-yes Miroku?" Sango asked, feeling her face turn red as she eased off from their embrace, but she still remained in his arms.

He opened his mouth, and looked to the sky momentarily. It was then that Sango felt the hand, hovering. She decided to wait until contact was made before she prematurely slapped him.

"..."

"..."

"Sango-"

"WHAT ALREADY?" Sango yelled, becoming both nervous and anxious to hear what is it he had to say. Then, the hand made contact.

"Willyoubearmychildren?"

It was the slap that could be heard across the countryside.

"Do you gain PLEASURE from feeling my hand burn on your face?"

"Do you want me to answer that, Sango?"

"NO, NOT REALLY!"

Sango was about to rip into Miroku again, when he suddenly grabbed her arm, which had been coming back for another slap. "Shhh. Someone's approaching."

Sango was seething with not only anger, but also embarrassment. Just how many girls has this pervert weaseled into his own way before? But she too, also heard the noises nearby. She momentarily reverted back to "ready to kick some ass" mode, and grabbed her boomerang.

Miroku pulled her toward some bushes a few yards away, but she would have none of it. "If you think I'm going into the bushes with YOU, after what YOU did to ME, you're more crazy than I thought," she loudly whispered.

"Oh, c'mon! Live a little! Maybe it's two people about to 'do it.'"

"Oh, grow up."

"Shhh! Here they come!"

Sure enough, Sango could make out a figure stumble through the brush, into the clearing just beyond the bushes. She could make out a short skirt, and dark hair. "Hey Miroku, it's okay! It's Kagome!" She was about to yell Kagome over, but Miroku cupped his hand over her mouth, much to her displeasure.

"Shhh. She's not alone."

"Well, of course she's not alone. Inuyasha's with her!"

"No, I can't sense Inuyasha. It's someone else... someone more demonic."

"How do you know that?"

"Practice. I'm very experienced."

"I'll just bet you are, you son of a bi-"

"Look. Here comes someone else!"

Sango bit her tongue and turned back to Kagome, who was fifteen yards away or so. A figure emerged from the brush from behind her, and it definitely wasn't Inuyasha. Miroku gave her a look that clearly read as "See, I told you." Sango turned back to the scene in front of her, and heard the voice of the other figure, the voice that identified himself as Koga.

"Well, Kagome. We've been looking a little more, and..."

"Just a minute, Koga, I can hear the river! It's VERY near to here! Just one more... minute..." Kagome was rifling through the bushes that circled the clearing she stood in, obviously looking for something. She was making her way closer and closer to where Miroku and Sango crouched.

"Kagome, I hear no river. And if I'm not mistaken, you're obviously searching for something else that you haven't told me about."

Kagome pushed the two bushes hiding Sango and Miroku out of the way, revealing their hiding spot. Kagome let out a laugh of shocked surprise, and Sango put out her hand to cover Kagome's mouth. "Shhh... don't let him know we're here," she said, letting her hand off of Kagome's mouth. Kagome nodded and turned back around to Koga, standing right in front of the bush where Miroku sat.

"Heh, Koga, you're so smart! I haven't been entirely honest with you, you see, I thought I sensed a jewel shard! And I wanted to get it before anyone els-AHHHH!" Kagome's face turned bright red, and her hands flew to her butt. A hand had snaked its way through the bush behind her, and had rested on her posterior.

Koga's ears perked up. "What's wrong, Kagome? Are there mischievous spirits disturbing your aura?"

Kagome's hair began to stand on end as her hands were lightly massaged by someone else's. "Yes, Koga... and those mischievous spirits had best STOP IT because my AURA has been disturbed enough today, THANK YOU VERY MUCH."

Sango slapped Miroku again, for he had gone in for her, as well. She began to yell from the bushes, giving herself away. "Your appetite for lechery is SIMPLY INSATIABLE, YOU DIRTY MONK!"

Koga hurried over to the bushes, and brushed them back to reveal a very red-faced yet happy Miroku, and a seething Sango.

"Sir, what are you doing to this lady? I must- HEY! You're Kagome's friends! Look, Kagome, it's your friends!" Koga was pointing to the comical pair, sitting on the ground, their hair very strewn with the brush.

Kagome realized that Koga wasn't going to beat them up, so she did the only thing she could think of. "Haha...hah... So they are... Koga, you never fail to amaze me."

"Kagome, this Monk appears to have been harassing your lady friend... what is it?" he asked, pulling Sango to her feet.

"It's Sango," said a very flattered Sango, appreciating the chivalrous attention being lavished by Koga.

"Sango, was this Monk bothering you?"

Sango gave a loud, sarcastic laugh. "Why, not only was he bothering me, he was bothering Kagome too, through the bushes."

Suddenly, Koga became very angry. "Is this true, Monk?"

Kagome started toward Koga. "Koga, don't worry about it. It's in his nature to be that way! He means nothing by it..."

"Kagome, that's no way to look at it. You, Monk, have been disrespectful to MY woman and her friend. I challenge you to a fight."

Kagome moved toward Sango. "He calls Miroku disrespectful and then calls me his 'woman' non-stop... yeah, I guess that's a fair trade-off," she sarcastically remarked under her breath.

Miroku looked up at Koga, extremely passive toward the whole situation. "Wolf, if that is what you wish..."

Suddenly Miroku got up, and began to run off into the forest. "INUYASHA! HEEEELP!"

Koga sped off after Miroku, not even bothering to throw Kagome or Sango over his shoulder for the ride. They both looked at each other and shrugged.

Kagome sighed. "I can't believe, after everything that's happened in the past hour or so, that he didn't throw me over his shoulder and take me with him! And poor Miroku... Koga'll trash him."

"He'll turn up in one piece... probably," Sango said, pulling Kagome toward the campfire, so Kagome could finally sit down after a night of exhaustion.