Contact
InuYasha sniffed the ground for the fourth time, impatience purging through his demeanor. 'No scent....Damn!' He pounded a fist into the dirt, encouraging a small amount a blood from his knuckles. Kagome stood idly by, observing his anger as he began to pace.
"InuYasha, can't we..."
"Be quiet." He ordered sternly, sniffing the air. "Great."
"What is it, InuYasha?" Sango stepped up to Kagome's side, her boomerang over her shoulder.
"The scent of a...." As if on cue, the prince appeared from the brush, leapfrogging over the hanyou's shoulders. "...wolf..." Kouga barely managed a greeting before the interrogation. "What do you want?" Narrowed golden eyes met blue with the same intensity.
"You obviously have a problem. I just figured I could help." Kouga shrugged. Kagome smiled, stepping in from the side.
"Thanks, Kouga. We could really..."
"Don't need it. Go home." The hanyou put his hands on his hips, tapping his thumb on the hilt of Tetsusaiga. The wolf glanced at the sword then back to the defiant glare directed at him.
"Fine." Was the only reply before he stalked away from the group. Kagome furrowed her brow, moving swiftly to grab the hanyou by the ear.
"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" He shrieked, pulling against her grip.
"What's wrong with you?! He only wants to help!" She shoved him away, crossing her arms over her chest. InuYasha vigorously rubbed at the throbbing triangle, his bottom lip stuck out slightly in a childish pout.
"I just...I said no!"
"Quit being so difficult!"
"NO!"
"Let him come!"
"NO!"
"InuYasha..."
"NO!"
"Sit!"
'BAM!'
InuYasha mumbled and whined into the dirt while Kagome moved to stop Kouga. "Wait! Look, Kouga, we could really use your help. We don't even know what we're up against." The wolf smiled at her sincerity, rubbing her arm as he accepted. InuYasha pushed against the holding spell, grinding his teeth.
"Do you have to touch her?!!!"
While the others sat by the fire indulging in stories and jokes, InuYasha sulked in a nearby tree, not going unnoticed by Kagome. Kouga, as usual, stayed as close as allowed to the young miko, infuriating the hanyou that much more. "That...mangy, no good wolf!"
"Hey, InuYasha! Come down and eat!" Kagome called, waving a small wooden bowl full of food. "It's rabbit!" She received blunt 'Keh' followed by the rustling of leaves as he jumped down on the opposite side. Kagome circled the trunk, sighing at the empty area behind. "That stubborn little...." Sitting the bowl on an exposed root, she stomped through the bushes in search of her victim. "InuYasha! InuYasha!" Silence. She kneeled down at the edge of the river, shuddering at just the sight of the cold water. Standing and turning, she cupped her hands beside her mouth. "InuYasha!" Gold shined just below the surface, silver emerging without sound. Kagome yelped as water surrounded her, taking her completely off guard. She came up with an eruption of coughs and sputters, wiping her eyes before narrowing them at the laughing hanyou. "You jerk!" His laughter faded into a smile as he pulled her closer. "It's cold!"
"Wimp!" Kagome attempted to look insulted, trying to find warmth in the equally wet hanyou. "You mad?"
"Couldn't be if I tried." She giggled.
"Damn." She met his smile, reaching a trembling hand to trace her thumb across his bottom lip. "Kouga sure was being friendly." She let her arm fall limply back into the water.
'Sure knows how to ruin a moment.' "InuYasha, will you give it a rest?! There's nothing there, so why worry about it?!" She shook her head as she waded away. 'Men!' A gasp forced from her lips as his arm snaked around her abdomen. The water rippled around her as she was forced to face him. "InuYasha?"
"Do I always have to piss you off to get near you?"
"Funny. That's just what I was thinking." She teased, wiggling out of his grip to swim into the deeper water. InuYasha smirked, more than happy to give chase. She laughed as he pulled her against him, spinning once in the cool water. Both smiles faded into seriousness, mere inches separating them. "InuYasha..." She breathed, meeting his lips. She made quick work of removing his kimono, tossing the wet fabric to the shore. The white haori was next with ease. She raised her arm invitingly as he followed suit. His lips brushed her collar bone, moving up for his tongue to lap against her pulse. Kagome grabbed both sides of his head, forcing his lips to crush against her own. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he waded quickly to land, falling to the ground still connected. Her wet jeans were peeled off and tossed to the side, leaving her in only her undergarments. "I needed to wash my clothes anyway." She laughed.
"Why don't you get rid of those things?"
"Because they're all I've got!"
"You could wear a kimono..."
"InuYasha....shut up." She flipped him onto his back, tugging at the sash at his waist.
"You sure you're ready?"
"I said shut up." She began to get agitated with the difficult belt, glaring at him as he folded his arms behind his head. Without warning, he bolted up, ears twitching wildly.
"Damn!" He swore, grabbing his haori.
"What is it?" Kagome followed the nod of his head to the bubbling water. Purple light illuminated the surface seconds before the serpent emerged. Kagome screamed, scampering to grab his discarded kimono.
"Damn! Damn! Damn!" The hanyou stood and popped his neck before unsheathing Tetsusaiga. "You got bad timin', worm!"
" I bring a message from my master." It hissed, swaying toward the pair. "That girl's life is to end tonight!"
"You gotta go through me first!"
"If you insist, hanyou!"
Kagome watched the battle ensue, tightening the oversized shirt around her midsection. The long sleeves made it fairly difficult to gather her own clothing. InuYasha ran through the shallow water, leaping with Tetsusaiga raised. The snake vanished, leaving the hanyou to hit the water. 'Damn, he's fast! Where'd he....' Kagome looked up as it appeared in front of her, its giant fangs swiftly coming in for the kill.
"Kagome!!!!"
"They sure have been gone a long time." Shippo tapped his fingers against the dirt, each tap causing his friends' eyebrows to twitch.
"We know, Shippo." Sango breathed.
"I wonder what they're doin'."
"Don't worry about it, Shippo." Miroku added.
"Maybe I should go check it out!"
"Shut up, Shippo!!!"
Her eyes snapped open as she was roughly released from her savior's grip. She met amber eyes, but not those of her beloved hanyou.
"Are you okay?" The younger girl asked, falling in front of the miko. She knew this girl, just the younger version.
"Yeah...I'm fine, but....how?" She met gazes with the demon Lord for a second time. "Why?" He stayed silent with his emotionless expression, turning away. Kagome leaned over the embankment, surveying the ongoing battle. InuYasha seemed to be winning, cuts and punctures covering the snakes scaly body.
"Where's Kagome, you slimy son of a..." The tail caught his abdomen, slinging him into a nearby boulder. Blood splattered the rocky surface, his head pouring as he fell limply into the shallow depths.
"You will never know, hanyou. First, you then I will find the girl." It's mouth opened fully, slowly descending onto the unconscious hanyou.
"InuYasha, no!" She sat up, twisting around desperately. "You have to...where'd he go?" She returned to the battle, fighting the urge to close her eyes as venomous saliva dripped onto InuYasha's back. The poisonous whip appeared from nowhere, leaving a bloody streak across the snake's eye. Sesshomaru landed in a crouch, glaring at the demon with a sadistic smirk.
"You have no business here!" It protested, slithering to the side. The demon Lord stood, flexing his claws on both hands.
"Both?!" Kagome exclaimed, her eyes widening. "Great! Not only is he back, he's regenerated!"
"I need to speak with my brother. I cannot allow you to kill him."
"You can speak with him in Hell!" The snake dove forward, Sesshomaru merely raising an eyebrow.
"You had your chance." Spinning out of harm's way, he outstretched a hand, his poisonous claws catching its jaw. Kagome shielded her ears from its shriek of pain, watching both slimy halves fall into the water. She wasted no time in running from her perch. Sesshomaru watched with interest as she fell at his brother's side.
"InuYasha! InuYasha, open your eyes!" She was rewarded with an unconscious moan. "He's alive." She breathed, pressing the sleeve of the kimono to his head. Sesshomaru made no attempt to move her as he reached for InuYasha, only glaring at the bewildered girl.
"Let's get to your camp. We have much to discuss."
Her eyebrows raised as he walked away, InuYasha hanging limply from his shoulder. She picked up the Tetsusaiga and swallowed hard before falling in line behind the girl and henchman. 'Oh, boy. This is gonna be good.'
