It was full dark when they finally arrived. Exhaustion and hunger pulled at them, but before they could rest they had a duty to perform. The smell of water was a most welcome greeting, and they were drawing nearer to their goal. They followed the path that lead behind the waterfall, entering and immediately scanning the area for their prince. Growls and speech came at them; most of it was seeking the reason for their return. These two ignored it and continued further into the cave, still searching for their prince. They went to the far back, where prior to their partial exile, he was known to linger. But he was not here. Two pair of eyes looked to one another and made a decision; since Kouga was not here they would seek out his Seconds in Command, Ginta and Hakaku. They turned to exit and begin the search when they were stopped.

"What are you doing back? Kouga sent you to watch out for his mate's return. She had better have come back or the two of you …." the larger demon wolf ceased his reparation and turned. Ginta had come into the cave. The two ran to him and began to give their report. The smile that spread over Ginta's face was dazzling to say the least. This was what they had been waiting for! He turned and ran out the way he came. The two wolves that finally came back home, turned and walked further into the cave. They had to feed their hunger and then they would get some rest. When Kouga returned he would finally lift the spell placed on them and they would be able to retrieve their humanoid form. Not that they minded being in wolf form, but human form had its own set of advantages as well. Advantages they had missed.

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Kagome had returned home three times already, and each time she came back to the feudal era, she felt a little bit more restless. Learning to control her miko powers was very crucial if she wanted to stay around Inuyasha and Shippo. But with each return visit she began to ache to be out there with them, looking for the jewel shards. She was craving adventure, excitement, not the repetitious routine of meditation and other duties that are a miko's lot. She did ask, quite often, if Inuyasha and the others have ever stayed away for so long before. Kaede would tell her, that it wasn't uncommon for the group to stay away for up to a month. She had in fact told Kagome that they hadn't been back for two month's before Kagome arrived. So not to be impatient they would no doubt arrive any day now. At first this news had given her a reason to concentrate more, but with each telling she began to doubt that today would be the day they came.

Still she paid attention to everything Kaede taught her, even when there were times when she would drone on and on and on. The majority of her powers were now lassoed in. The chances of hurting her friends with them too minute to give it much thought. She had accomplished one of the things she wanted. Now what she wanted was the companionship of her friends. She would have to go home tomorrow and she so wanted to see the others before that. The uncertainty of their reaction to her return dimmed with each passing day. She had thought to set out herself and locate them, but it was when, with Kaede, they went to the river to pick some herb that grew near its banks that stopped that thought.

"Come childe let us pick some river moss needed to make some more salve." Kaede said.

Kagome didn't question, at least not out loud, and followed her to the river. Unlike most trips to gather herbs, Kaede had two others come with them. Kagome had seen these two several times and figured they were apprentices in training like her. Nothing out of the ordinary occurred for the most part. They gathered the plants they came for, if she held any reservations about returning to the location where she was so viciously attacked, she gave no sign. They had returned to the village and after hanging the herbs to dry Kagome gathered her things and informed Kaede she would return late tomorrow.

"Kagome, before ye head home, I want ye to take this tea with ye. It will help to soothe ye tonight should ye need it." Kaede handed her a large leaf tied with a thin black cord. Kagome took it and thanked her. She had wanted to protest, to say it wasn't necessary, but who was she kidding? If other two hadn't been there chances were that she would have curled up in ball of hysterics back at the river. It was her pride that kept her silent. She said her farewells and began her walk to the bone-eaters well.

She was ten feet away from it when she finally noticed him. There he was leaning against it, with his elbows resting on the edge of the well. His body posture said nonchalant, but she wondered if that was how he was really feeling. She didn't hesitate to approach him, he was were she needed to be. " I didn't expect to see you like this." she said to him. He shrugged his shoulder and slowly lifted his face to her. He had tried to school his face hide his feelings. He wasn't entirely unsuccessful. She had stopped walking towards him, as if her feelings were too overwhelming to allow her to do anything but feel them. They stared at one another, both wondering what to do next.

He lifted his body from the well and approached her. His walk was slow, steady, and still full of cockiness that seemed to be his trademark. His eyes were intent, searching her own for any signs of flight. She continued to just stand there observing him. He stopped an arms reach away from her.

"Kagome."

She said nothing in response. Her heartbeat's rhythm increased, she was nervous to be so near him. She had to remind herself that he wasn't going to hurt her. He wasn't the one who hurt her. She trusted him and had no reason to be afraid.

"I've missed seeing you." He fought the urge to reach out to her. He wanted to touch her, to make certain she was truly standing before him. He needed to know his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. That he wasn't seeing what he sought out so many times before. But he hesitated. He could see she was uneasy, could practically taste her hesitation on the air around her. A band of tightness stretched itself across his chest. She fears me. That band tightened a bit more.

"I've missed you too." she began.

He smiled, the shadows in his eyes dispersing. He lifted his hand and went to touch her face. She took a step back, shaking her head. "No! Please don't touch me."

"Kagome, I'm not going to hurt you." his throat tightens. This was one of the reactions he had expected. Even so, it was the one he wished he wouldn't see.

"I know. I mean, my mind knows but I …. I'm not really comfortable yet with people touching me."

" What? Why?" he was genuinely confused.

"I.. The scars.." she said lamely.

He looked at her again. Yes, he could see that she had scars on her face but they didn't hold any significant importance to him. Her body was covered in a cloth that only allowed him to see her fingers. Those didn't appear to be scarred. He couldn't understand what she was saying. Maybe they still hurt her when they're touched. Was all he could think of. Maybe the level of pain she felt on them was still too high for her to tolerate it.

"I see them Kagome. Is the skin around them still too sensitive to be touched? Is that what you mean?"

"Not exactly. Look I don't have time right now to talk. I have to go back home, but I'll be back. I promise I'll come back. It just that I have to go right now." She was being a coward and she knew it. She didn't try to talk herself into being brave. She couldn't even find the anger to fake into courage. She wasn't mad, she was scared a little. But she was scared of his emotions not of him.

"You've been gone for a long time. I've just seen you again and already you're leaving. I don't understand it, I'm not gonna pretend to. All I know is that I don't want you to go. My instincts are screaming for me to keep you here." he said. He didn't mean to sound possessive, okay maybe not so obvious, but it still came out that way.

Ah, there was that elusive anger showing itself. She had to go home and he was in her way. Her nostrils flared as she took a deep breath. "I SAID I'd come back! Now get out of my way, I have to take care of some things back home."

His pupils dilated, her hostility called to the beast in him. She moved to side step him and he blocked her path. She turned angry eyes to him. He gave her a crooked smile, his face full of arrogance. She couldn't bully her way past him; he could easily overpower her with his own speed and strength. She tried to get past him again and he copied her moves with his own. This is getting old fast. She thought. Well she now had another objective when she came back.

"Please let me pass." softening her eyes to look pleading, " I'll be here tomorrow just wait for me will you, ok?"

He looked at her and didn't try to keep the doubt from surfacing on his face. He crossed his arms in front of him and gave a small 'hump'.

"You know, I could always subdue you."

"Yeah right."

"I can. Just because you don't have it now doesn't mean I can't give you one too."

His eyes flicked down showing indecision briefly before looking back at her. "I know you haven't been around us for a while Kagome. But as much as you want to deny it, I'm NOT collared."

"If you don't move you WILL be."

Perspiration slowly began to bead on his face. Would she actually do it?

"I'm not asking again. Move." there was a definite note of finality to her voice then.

He quickly weighed his options. If there was one thing about her when she was pissed, it was when she focused that anger. He enjoyed watching her put dog-turd in his place. But did he really want to be on the receiving end of that particular spell with her anger level holding all the potential to leave him in a permanent ditch? Better yet, did he want her to be able to use it in front of said turd?

He moved aside. "I'll be waiting."

She smiled, enjoying this small victory over him. She spoke to him over her shoulder, " I really am glad to see you again Kouga." Then she was gone.

It's been brought up that maybe I've been ignoring Kouga. Fret not loyal readers, the spotlight will shine on him too!It's just that when I took that chunk of the story out, his thoughts got cut out too. (Dodging flying objects Imoshen quickly says) I'm now tweaking it so it can be reintroduced into the story. Thanks for pointing it out, I might have forgotten otherwise :)