brigurl:

Cute, but short. Thanx for updating though, the scene by the fire was quite entertaining, lol. I was extremely surprised that Koga would agree to help Kagome search for Inuyasha... unless he has some sort of ulterior motive?? (srry if my writing sounds weird, I just finished my 800 word Bk rpt, and Im still all proper English-y. lol)

Koga: Ulterior motive? Who, me...?

Haunt: No, no ulterior motive. How dare you question Koga! ;) But really, something will happen in this chapter that will change a lot...

Melia Nerine:

Well, you can't there! Points to computer Go. Write. glares Now.
And Inuyasha? Don't you think there might be a REASON why she's following you? shakes head Silly doggy. :P

Inuyasha: Reason? What do you mean?

Koga: Jeez, dog-breath, you are stupid. Even I can see it, but I don't like it.

Zarbok:

Very Good.

So she introduced the wolf to the wonderful world of Ramen (damn now she'll never get rid of him).

I wonder were our favorite Baka Hanyou has been up to and why doesn't he want Kagome following him.

To Inuyash: Kagome is right no one did ask you and you ran from her, so go get nutered or something, ya BAKA.

To surmize this is a good chapter and I hope you update soon.

Signed
Zarbok

Inuyasha: 'Neutered?' Whazzat?

Kagome: Uh, you don't wanna know, Inuyasha...

Terrasina Dragonwagon:

Aww. Inuyasha's such an idiot, isn't he? Men, honestly. Don't worry, Inuyasha, I still love you But really...
Anyway, update soon! I'm curious as to whether Koga's going to tell her Inuyasha was there or not...and of course I'm eager for more fluff. One can never have too much fluff.

Inuyasha: Who the hell are you and why do you love me?

Kagome: Wait...he was here?!

Yumi's Twin-Kagome:

I LOVE IT! Do You Think You Can Use HEAVEN By DJ Sammy, Simple & Clean By Utada Hikaru, Everywhere By Michelle Hariss?, Or 10 Miles By Vanessa ? ? Please?

Haunt: I'll see what I can do, but I dunno if any of those will fit the rest of the plot...

Inuyashasonly1:

I really like this story! Inu and kag love, lol its so sweet! But why is Inuyasha running away. . mph well Kagome has to find him soon, and than they confess their undying love for eachtother lol smiles ok so maybe it will be a "little" more complicated than that, oh well, update soon, cant wait!

Inuyasha: Undying love? Keh!

Haunt: Oh, it'll be way more complicated than just a confession.

Inuyasha:...You're going to torture me, aren't you?

Haunt: Yes. Prepare for your punishment for going to see Kikyo these last two years...

Inuyasha:..............

I got a lot of reviews!! :o Wow, thank you, everyone!

Japanese words: kakera: shards; ookami: wolf; youkai: demon; hanyou: half-demon; pyro-neko: fire cat; neko: cat; ai'shiteru: I love you

-.-.-

"Have you got his scent?" Kagome called down to the wolf. Koga ran along beneath her and Kirara, scenting the air and trying to track down the elusive hanyou.

"Yeah!" the ookami-youkai called back. "Follow me!"

Koga was considerably slower since he'd given up his kakera, but his nose was still good and those last two years of running around so much had honed the wolf's speed. Kagome nodded and the pyro-neko followed at a slight distance as her friend sped onward.

Where is he?! Why is he running away?

The miko had awoken to a pensive youkai. When she had asked what was wrong, Koga had just shaken his head and said that they should get moving if they were going to find the 'mutt.' She had, of course, berated him for calling Inuyasha a mutt, but had hopped on the neko and followed him anyway.

He's so much like Inuyasha. If I didn't already know who I belonged with, I'd be happy to be your mate, Koga-kun. I'm happy that you're helping me find him. It's so much easier this way.

The girl sighed, unfocused azure orbs glaring into the trees below. Where are you?!

-.-.-

The small group traveled for three days, following the inu-hanyou. Inuyasha continuously stayed just within their grasp and yet still out of it. Koga kept his silence; he had not yet revealed to the girl that Inuyasha visited each night to check on her.

On the third night, however...

"Where could he be?" the miko wondered, kneeling in front of the crackling flame. She stirred the ramen again, then, deciding that it was done, handed a steaming cup to Koga.

The wolf took the noodles and began to eat, all the while watching Kagome. Over the course of the search, the miko had been constantly growing more solitary and more withdrawn. The youkai understood now. Kagome loved the albino runt, whether he liked it or not. The question now was whether or not she should be informed of the hanyou's nightly visits.

Crumpling the plastic, Koga sighed and tossed the empty ramen cup into the darkness. "Kagome, I have to tell you something."

The girl looked up. "Hm?"

Sea-blue orbs flitted away for a moment, focusing upon Kirara, who lay in her kitten form near the blaze. "Inuyasha has been coming for a while now."

"What?" Koga looked up as Kagome leapt to her feet. "What do you mean, coming?"

"I mean, coming here. Every night. To check on you."

"Since when?"

"Since we first began looking for him."

For the first time since the journey had begun, the wolf saw something like joy, like hope, like blessed happiness flicker in the deep recesses of Kagome's cerulean optics. "W-well...then...we have to find him! Or...or I'll stay awake...and make sure he doesn't leave again!"

The ookami stood now. "Kagome, I dunno if dog-shit wants to be found...y'know? Because he told me not to tell you that he was here."

Silence settled thick, foreboding, over the group. The girl's gaze settled upon the flame again, and the gleam in her eyes, that small flicker of life, seemed to die away. "I..."

Koga waited. The pyro-neko watched with interest.

It took ten long, still minutes before Kagome spoke again. When she did, her voice was hopeful, and her blazing eyes flicked back to Koga's face. "Koga-kun, I can't leave him alone. I have to find out why he's running away. I can't...I can't live without him, Koga-kun. I'm glad that you helped me, but..." The ookami felt a shock of revelation as the miko stepped forward and kissed his cheek. "This is something that I have to continue alone, okay?"

There was a rustle in the brush. Koga whirled, startled, and a flash of red and white crossed his gaze before dead silence settled over the earth again. Stars glinted and winked in the sky, giving light to the bleak expanse of black. Glancing toward the miko, he realized that she had seen it too.

Inuyasha had been watching them.

-.-.-

A coldness settled in the miko's throat. It felt as if she had been laid bare, as if her bowels had been torn from her, leaving her empty and alone. Utterly alone. The expanse of darkness above was littered with glittering stars, but the girl could see no stars within her own night. She was floudering, her heart beating irregularly, a sob rising in her throat.

Inuyasha had seen. A mere kiss on the cheek, a kiss of 'thank you,' that was all it had been; but the hanyou couldn't have realized that.

"Kirara," Kagome whispered suddenly, voice a bitter shell of the vibrancy it had once held.

The pyro-neko mewed and sprang to her feet, transforming in a burst of flame.

The miko hoisted herself onto the furry back of her transport. Looking down at the ookami, she gave a small smile. "Koga-kun..."

Koga shook his head, and Kagome glimpsed a resonance of understanding within the recesses of his bright orbs. He understood. He knew. "I know, Kagome. Go find him."

The girl nodded and Kirara took off. Airborne, Kagome's tear-dashed gaze scanned the ground below.

"We have to find him, Kirara. Faster."

The neko gave a roar of assent and flew more rapidly, tails swishing.

Inuyasha...I didn't kiss him like that. I swear I didn't. It isn't like that. I don't love him. It was a kiss on the cheek. It was just to thank him for everything he's done.

Please...just listen to me and let me tell you what happened. I don't want to lose you.

Ai'shiteru, Inuyasha.