Kouga'aeagleforever, thank you for the email. I'm sorry I haven't had time to post as I normally would. Yeah I found the plot line! Okay beautifulcherryblossom asked to know what the new Shippo looks like after his change. Well, I always try and fill requests so if you look at my profile page when the next chapter is put up( hopefully late Friday night or if not early Monday morning) , you will get your wish. . . I will have changed the pic I had of Kouga with Shippo. This is only temporary; I think I'll leave it a week or two…. Not so much sugar in your cup of coffee hamster! (Running over to switch cups) On with the story…

He shuffled his feet as he walked. The people outside didn't pay him any mind as he passed by them. Normally, he would have a smile on his face for them but not today. Today he felt doom coming to take him away. Well, not him precisely, but rather her. He didn't want her to go, but he did encourage her to do this so by what rights did he have to complain? He didn't want to scare her away by rushing into anything. It was amazing in itself that their friendship has come this far. But it wasn't enough for him, although at one time it had been. He neared the steps to her family shrine and he thought back to all the good times they have shared together these past weeks. His smile was slowly warming on his face. Even if she never again spared him another thought, she did want him with her during those times.

He questioned why he was having such melancholy thoughts. And that feeling of impending doom resurfaced. No doubt something bad was going to happen today. And it was directly connected to the relationship between himself and Kagome. When he reached the final step of the shrine, he hesitated. Before him lay the Higurashi home, but off slightly to the back lay the shrine. He stared at it, trying to will the understanding on why it continues to pull at his attention. And failed miserably.

Hojo continued on his way. Whatever it was that kept kicking off his instincts will have to wait. Until he knew what it was he had no way of knowing how to deal with it properly. So why spend all that energy worrying about it? Refocusing his mind on Kagome and their day together he approached the door and knocked.

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Shippo continued to walk towards the well trying to at least pin down one of his emotions. They keep spinning and swirling, intermingling with one another so much that he shook his head attempting to stop the madness in his mind.

He was angry at being left and forgotten.

Saddened by pain Kagome must have gone through.

Jealous that he could not travel and be by her side.

Scared of what could have happened if Kouga hadn't been willing to jump in the well.

What if no one had found her until she had died? Alone with no one to help ease her in her final moments.

Horror, that was the emotion this thought provoked.

Understanding that maybe she hadn't come back because she couldn't.

In any case, the fact was that Kagome had come back and that she left again.

Why wouldn't she wait for us?

He was determined to be here waiting for her when she came through the well. Even though he knew it was highly likely she wouldn't know who he is at first glance, he also knew that he could do a much better job of convincing her of who he was. Afterall, he held first hand accounts of many a story told in spring baths between Sango, Kagome, and himself as silent observer. He could just use one of those to persuade her.

He arrived and the well and looked into its depths. Leaning into in he wished Kagome had waited for them to return. Those two fighting over her had given him a headache and he wanted her to be there to shut them both up. A shadow of his mischievous smile spread on his face. It did make him feel better, planning tricks to play on Inuyasha in his mind. Shippo lifted his head and turned, then walked over to one of the nearby trees. Reaching it he sat and continued to think on how best to approach Kagome again. Reaching into the fur vest he wore he pulled out an old drawing he had done. On its page was the caricature of Kagome as a cat standing up against the dog one of Inuyasha, defending the wolf, Kouga. If only this situation had been the same as that one. Inuyasha had made Kagome made by accusing her of falling in love with Kouga. To say she took offense at that was putting it mildly. He smiled thinking on how he finally with Kaede's help, convinced Inuyasha to go back and apologize. That small bit of conspiracy between him and the old miko still made him feel better. It was one of the reasons he carried the picture around.

The scent of wolf and dog came to his nose drew him from his musing. Kouga naturally reached the well first, followed closely by Inuyasha. Shippo got up and walked up to them ready to question if Inuyasha was going to get Kagome and bring her back. Apparently this was the reason both of them had come. Kouga came to keep Inuyasha from doing it.

Why wouldn't he want Inuyasha to go get Kagome? He wondered. Something wasn't right with this. Normally Kouga would be impatient to be near Kagome, much like Inuyasha. So why was he trying to stop just that from happening? Shippo focused his attention more closely at the wolf prince. He obviously held some knowledge concerning Kagome and wasn't sharing it. He began to growl, quietly at first, since his young mind was still processing his suspicions. Then as he watched Kouga actually restrain Inuyasha in order to keep him from jumping into the well, his growl got louder. It would clearly take some time for the two of them to hear him over their own bickering so he turned it up a notch. This finally gave him the effect he desired.

"Oiy, what's your problem Shippo?" Inuyasha asked. Kouga merely looked to him, with hands still holding Inuyasha back a few feet from the well.

"Why won't you let him go get Kagome?" Shippo directed his question to Kouga.

The prince said nothing but gave a heavier look to Shippo. Inuyasha looked back and forth between the two of them. He was confused at first, then realized why Shippo was asking that.

"Baka, why are you doing this?" the hanyo asked as well.

Kouga looked first at one, then at the other. If Inuyasha had been the only one around when that question was voiced he would have answered honestly. But Inuyasha wasn't alone, and he didn't want to hurt the kitsune anymore than what he already had been. He didn't miss the look of betrayal in the kitsune's eyes when he announced that Kagome had returned already.

It was ironically because of the kitsune that he said, " She said she didn't want you to go after her, dog-shit. She wanted me to keep you from doing it. You pestered her enough in the past, never leaving her enough time to take care of matters of her own in her time. So, I'm here to make sure she gets that. Unlike you, who only wants to use her for her ability to sense the jewel shards; I want her for herself and am willing to give her air so she can breathe. No wonder she took so long to come back, and why she didn't wait for you come back either."

Inuyasha fist connected with his jaw in a painful manner. He thrust his own fist at the hanyo and felt the satisfying grate of knuckle on flesh. It was the feel of Shippo's arms going to pin his back that took him by surprise. He kicked back but it was too late. Inuyasha had taken the moment's hesitation to ram his fist into his solar plexus, effectively knocking the air from his lungs. He fell forward already released by the kitsune, and sucked air heavily into his lungs. Kouga turned a very dangerously aggressive face to Shippo.

"Why the FUCK did you interfere for?!"

Shippo shook his head sadly. Letting out a careful sigh he said, "You should have at least told me. I know how to keep secrets you know."

"Tell you?" Kouga's voice holding sarcastic disbelief. "She has been coming and going for over a month. Don't accuse me of withholding information BRAT. If your little band of shard hunters had come back to the pack den once in a while you would have discovered it for yourselves!"

He did have a point, Shippo mentally agreed. "Well it doesn't really matter now does it? Inuyasha's already gone and knowing him will be back with Kagome before nightfall."

Kouga had momentarily pushed the hanyo from his mind. Focusing his attention instead at the kitsune. DAMN IT! The hanyo had used the opportunity to jump in the well. Just perfect. He had no choice but to wait for them to return to this era now. He turned hostile eyes to the kitsune again.

"You better hope, BRAT, that dog-shit doesn't do anything to make matters worse for Kagome. And that she actually comes back. With that idiot going to fetch her, she might just decide to never come back at all."

Kouga meant his words to cut. And they did. Shippo flinched and then his eyes began to widen with disbelief. Drawing on the power of the shards in his legs, Kouga ran behind the kitsune. Kicking him once in the back of the legs then punching him in the face. Shippo hadn't been prepared for it, and the punch to his face almost knocked him out completely.

"Don't ever interfere in a battle for a mate again, Shippo. If you do it again, I won't let you go with a simple warning, I will kill you." Kouga said his voice a tiny bit softer than it had been before.