The next morning the group was on its way again. Kagome had explained to the others about Inuyasha's conditions and they had agreed not to question his actions anymore. Although that was supposed to make the hanyou stop snapping at everything they said and better his mood, it didn't. He was talking calmly only with Kagome and only when the others couldn't hear them. The rest of the time he was silent and didn't stop glaring at everybody and everything.
Before they had started traveling this morning, he had noticed something strange in Miroku and Sango's behavior. They seemed kind of mysterious and wanted to take Kagome as far away from him as possible, but of course he hadn't allowed them that. It was obvious that they were suspecting what he was hiding and he had absolutely no intention of letting them tell Kagome. And that was the reason he acted so aggressive toward them and kept the schoolgirl away from them.
"Inuyasha, I sense a Shikon shard." Kagome's voice took him out of his thoughts, as they were crossing a large clearing in a thick forest. "It must be Kouga-kun's." as soon as she had finished talking the familiar whirlwind appeared and they all stopped.
"What's up, guys?" Kouga asked grinning, but didn't go to Kagome like he usually did. He was still cautions of Inuyasha and who could blame him?
"Hi, Kouga-kun." the schoolgirl smiled at him and the hanyou let her off of his back. "What are you doing here?"
"I was gonna ask you the same thing." the wolf demon scratched the top of his head. "You're in my tribe's lands…"
"That's none of your business, fleabag." Inuyasha snarled and placed one hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt.
"Inuyasha," Kagome rolled her eyes and held his hand. "We are going to Naraku's castle…"
"Kagome!" the hanyou yelled at her.
Kouga's eyes widened and since he couldn't get a proper answer from the currently fighting boy and girl in front of him, he looked at Miroku and Sango. They nodded their yes and the wolf demon turned his attention back to Kagome and Inuyasha. He knew that it was impossible to make them stop fighting, but he knew that sooner or later Kagome would win and they would tell him everything.
"Oh, come on, Inuyasha." the girl said getting a little irritated. "Don't you think Kouga-kun deserves to know?"
"No, he doesn't!" the hanyou snapped at her.
"Kagome-sama is ri…" Miroku started but was interrupted by Sango's tug on his left sleeve and Inuyasha's glare.
"Nobody asked you." he snarled and turned back to Kouga. "And you better give us that shard."
"No way, dog-face!" the wolf demon yelled and prepared to attack.
"We'll see that!" Inuyasha smirked and drew out his sword.
"Sit." was the word that stopped him from jumping at Kouga. Happy to have made him shut up Kagome walked to the wolf demon, leaving the hanyou to curse on the ground.
"You've always been the most reasonable here, Kagome." Kouga smiled at her.
"Thank you, Kouga-kun." the girl smiled back and the two would have stayed silent and staring at each other, if Miroku hadn't cleared his throat to remind them what they were there for.
"Uh, w-what were you saying about Naraku's castle?" the wolf demon asked a little embarrassed.
"Inuyasha knows where it is." Kagome explained quickly. "It's a long story." she said when she saw the unbelieving look that Kouga was giving her.
"Oh…" he nodded. "So, where is it?"
"Inuyasha doesn't want to tell us." Shippo said angrily, jumping on Kagome's left shoulder.
"Sit." she said when she saw that the effect of the spell was wearing off and that the hanyou was trying to get up, and he crashed to the ground again. "You can travel with us if you want…"
"Kagome-chan, I don't think Inuyasha would…" Sango said hesitantly.
Later that day the familiar whirlwind was whirling next to the running hanyou. Yes, the group was off again and Kouga was traveling with them. It hadn't been so easy to convince Inuyasha to take him with them, but after a few more sits and a kiss on the hanyou's cheek everything was settled.
While they ran, Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk at his good acting. He knew that Sesshoumaru was already following, so he had to find Kouga too. He had purposely entered the wolf demon's lands and had pretended to not want him with them only to fool his friends. And we can't forget the kiss he received from Kagome – the look on Kouga's face was priceless.
"C'mon, dog-butt, can't you go any faster?" the wolf demon teased, but Inuyasha ignored him.
"You want to show him how fast we can be?" the hanyou asked Kagome loud enough so that only she could hear him. The slight nod and the way she tightened her grip on him was enough for him.
Before Kouga could understand what was happening, Inuyasha lined up with Kirara and after telling his friends that he was going to wait for them at the foot of the mountain up ahead, he was again running at top speed. The wolf demon tried desperately to catch up with him but all he could do was to stay in range to hear Kagome's laugh.
The others laughed too and the fact that Inuyasha was actually having fun gave them hope. It meant that if the shouki crystal was still in his body, as they thought, its dark power wasn't affecting him that much. Finally tired of chasing the hanyou and Kagome, Kouga reunited with the rest of the group, but not before pretending to have hurt his leg.
"I haven't seen him run so fast, Sesshoumaru-sama." Jaken said from his place on Ah-Un's back.
'Me too.' the dog demon thought, as he was flying ahead of the two-headed demon.
"Aren't we going to stop for the night, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin yawned from behind Jaken and leaned herself on his back.
"Be quiet…and get off of me… Stupid girl…" the green demon snapped at her and tried to push her off of him, but a small stone hit his head. "I'm sorry…" he whined and left the girl alone.
'I wish to see Naraku's face when he learns how strong Inuyasha has gotten…' Sesshoumaru thought and smirked. 'I wonder if he knows just how much energy my brother absorbs from him through their connection.'
Naraku was on the balcony of his dark room. He was high in the mountain and was looking down at the forest below. His castle was inside the mountain and only the room in which he usually stayed was outside the rocks. After some time he lost patience and started walking back and forth, the wooden floor creaking under his feet. He was obviously waiting for someone and the absence of that person was making him extremely nervous.
Suddenly, as if feeling something, he stopped and looked at the sky – Hakudoshi was flying toward him. The boy landed in front of his master and canceled his barrier, then bowed slightly before speaking to the impatient Naraku.
"Inuyasha and Kagome will soon be at the foot of the mountain." Hakudoshi said rather indifferently and that mad his master to frown and grit his teeth in anger. "His friends aren't far behind. Only Sesshoumaru and his companions are following him closely."
'So that son of a bitch is bringing his brother with him.' Naraku thought and the fact that he could feel Kouga's Shikon shard closing enraged him even more. 'He is gathering all my enemies…'
"Naraku," Hakudoshi's voice shook him out of his thoughts and he looked at him in question. "What are your orders?"
"Meet up with Kohaku and wait for me." the evil hanyou said and after nodding the boy flew away.
'The baby is hidden – I cannot be harmed.' Naraku thought and smirked to himself. 'He thinks he can kill me that easily?' he laughed out loud. 'All my enemies in one place – I will enjoy killing them all!'
TBC