Disclaimer : I went to the spot where all the Inuyasha characters were. They were all running around trying to catch a butterfly. They all seemed so happy that I couldn't bring myself to kidnap them. So I still don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters.
Notes to my reviewers:
Captured Moon : I knew you'd like that chapter. I know you (along with everyone else) are wondering about Kouga being good or bad, so I'll let you know. Kouga is ... umm (how should I put this?) Kouga is bad, but in a good way. I know that doesn't make any sense, sorry.
CrazyOtaku04: What a small world. It's fanfiction.net that sustains me till every Saturday too.
Kat14 : OMG, I love your suggestion
InuYasha grls : I've never thought about it before, but I really do love writing this story. I guess that's why some of my chapters are really long. A couple of times I actually had to tell myself to stop. I love your motto and I'm going to follow it from now on.
Chapter Sixteen : Kagome's Hiding Spot
Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, and Shippo sat down in the middle of the room so they could eat the soup that Kaede had made for them. Inuyasha tried to sit next to Kagome, but Shippo was already on one side and Sango was sitting comfortably on the other.
"Damn." He mumbled then sat down next to Miroku, so he was at least facing Kagome.
Kaede filled up seven bowls with her soup and passed them around. Kagome was the one who ended up with a second bowl in her hand. She glanced around at everyone while they ate, then finally asked. "Where's Kouga?"
Inuyasha ignored the question and continued eating, he could care less about where Kouga was. It was Sango who answered her. "I think he's outside."
Kagome stood up and took Kouga's bowl outside. When she stepped into the sun, she saw Kouga sitting by the same tree he had been under that morning.
"Kouga." She called out.
Kouga looked over at Kagome as she started walking towards him. When she reached him she kneeled down next to him and handed him the bowl of soup.
"No thanks." He pushed the bowl away.
"Don't you need to eat?"
He wrinkled his nose a little bit, "Not human food."
Kagome frowned. "You could have at least tried it." She stood up and started to walk away from him.
Kouga could tell he made Kagome mad, so he mentally slapped himself. "Wait." He yelled out. He stood up and grabbed Kagome's arm. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry, for what?"
"For making you mad."
Kagome looked at the spot on her arm that Kouga was holding then back up at his face. "What kind of food do you eat?"
"Why do you want to know?"
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Kouga. If you're going to be in our group, even for a few days, we need to know what kind of food you eat."
"I go out and hunt while everyone is sleeping, you don't need to feed me."
Kagome brushed Kouga's hand away then started walking back to Kaede's house. "You know," she said to Kouga with out turning around or looking at him "nobody forced you to stay with us, you can leave anytime you want."
Kouga smiled as Kagome disappeared into the house. She was a very high spirited girl.
Kagome stepped into Kaede's house and let out a sigh. For some reason, Kouga seemed to wear out her nerves faster then Inuyasha usually did. She sat down and leaned on the wall and closed her eyes.
"Are you alright?" Shippo asked. Kagome opened her eyes and saw that everyone was looking at her.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"You look tired." Sango said.
"I'm not tired I'm annoyed." Kagome replied.
"Who annoyed you?" Most eyes fell on Inuyasha.
"What did I do!" Inuyasha exclaimed.
"Inuyasha didn't do anything. Kouga annoyed me." She started to rub her templates.xxx Later On In The Day xxx
Shippo suggested to them earlier that it would be nice to walk around, take in the sounds, the sunlight, and the smells of the outdoors, that kind of thing. The entire group, including Kouga, walked down to the river played games there for a while.
Kouga hadn't participated in there game of tag, he thought it was stupid. Inuyasha was the one who won it, but he had to argue with Shippo over his title. Shippo said it wasn't a real win, considering that Inuyasha was faster then everyone else. But Inuyasha kept saying that it wasn't his fault he was built with better legs then everyone else.
"So you don't like my legs." Kagome said, pretending to sound hurt, while running her hand along her bare leg.
Inuyasha's mouth fell open a little bit. "Y-your legs look," he gave a fake cough, "just fine." His face turned a little red and Kagome couldn't help laughing.
"Hey Kouga!" Sango yelled out. "Do you want to play a round of tag. I'm sure you would actually give Inuyasha a run for his money."
Inuyasha growled. "I could catch Kouga with one arm tied behind my back."
"Yeah, sure mutt. You go on believing that."
"Last time I checked," Kagome interrupted the two of them, "the jewel shards were taken out of your legs. You're not as fast as you used to be."
Kouga looked down at his legs, he had forgotten that they took the jewels out of his legs. He would have Kagome give them back to him as soon as she was his mate. "I don't want to play such a stupid game anyway."
"I know another game we could play." Shippo said. "Hide and seek. We'll all hide and Kouga can try to find us."
"What do you say Kouga." Sango said.
"No. I'm not the type that plays games."
Kagome put her hands on her hips and looked up at Kouga. "If you're going to be in our group, then at least act like you want to be."
Kouga stared down at her. "Fine. How do I play?"
"You close your eyes, count to a certain number, then try to find us."
"Ok. What number do I count to?"
"100" Shippo yelled out.
"Fine." He closed his eyes and started to count while everyone silently walked away. "One."
"Two."
"Three."
xxx A While Later xxx
"Ninety eight."
"Ninety nine"
"One hundred."
When he was done counting he jumped out of the tree and started sniffing the air. It was easy to place their scents. The closest was Sango, Kouga started to run in the direction her scent was coming from.
He found everyone easily. First was Sango, then Shippo, then Miroku, and then Inuyasha. He had saved Kagome for last. The others huddled around each other and tried to think of new spots while Kouga jumped form tree to tree sniffing for Kagome.
He found her hiding inside a tree that had fallen over. She was covering her mouth, to muffle the sound of her breathing, but when she saw Kouga she knew that it was pointless.
Kouga pulled her out of the log. "Found you." He said with a smile.
"Am I the first one you found?"
"No, you're the last."
"Last? How did you find everyone so quick?"
He tapped his nose, "I could smell everyone."
"Smell?" Kagome looked off in the distance, away from Kouga, she had to think of some way to hide her scent. What was it Inuyasha said I smelt like.
"What's wrong?" Kouga asked.
Kagome shook herself out of her thoughts. "Nothing, I was just thinking."
Kouga looked down at Kagome's face, he liked the look she got when she was concentrating. He leaned down in an attempt to kiss her, but Kagome saw what he was trying to do and took a few steps back.
"Kouga." She said. "T-the others will want to know where I am."
"You're right." He turned away from Kagome to hide his embarrassment from the rejection.
Kagome and Kouga walked together to the spot where the other ones were. "Ok." Kouga yelled "I found everyone."
"I could have found everyone quicker." Inuyasha said.
Do those two always compete with each other Sango thought to herself.
"Fine." Shippo said "You can be the next seeker. Count to 100."
Inuyasha sat on the ground in his dog position and closed his eyes, "One."
"Two."
"Three."
xxx A While Later xxx
"Fifty eight."
"Fifty nine."
"Sixty."
Inuyasha opened his eyes. He didn't see any point to going all the way to one hundred. He figured that everyone was already hidden.
He found Miroku hiding in the same broken tree that Kagome had been in earlier. Sango was found with Shippo behind some giant rocks, and Kouga was up in a tree. The only one who Inuyasha couldn't find was Kagome.
"Can't you smell her?" Miroku asked.
Inuyasha sniffed the air, but he couldn't. For some reason, he couldn't pick up her scent. "No. I can't"
"You must have a weak nose." Kouga laughed. He then took a big whiff of the air, and was surprised to come up with nothing.
Everyone tried yelling out Kagome's name, saying things like the game is over now' or we'd like to go back to Kaede's house now'. Kouga even added in Inuyasha is to stupid to find you.' But he was hit on the back of the head.
A short distance away Kagome had fallen asleep in her hiding spot, so she didn't hear everyone calling her name.
"Does this mean she won?" Kouga asked.
"I guess so."
The entire group looked around for her for a little while. Miroku and Sango searched while Inuyasha, Shippo, and Kouga used their noses. But they still couldn't find her. "Maybe, she's already back at Kaede's house." Miroku suggested.
"Do you want to go back?"
"Yeah." Everyone agreed and they headed for Kaede's house.
Kagome didn't open her eyes until it was dark out. Shit! She thought Everyone is probably worried about me. She got up and started running towards Kaede's house. She thought of all the things that would happen when she got there. Either everyone would be worried sick or everyone would be really mad at her. But when she set foot in Kaede's house, something happened that she didn't expect.
Everyone clapped.
"Wow, Kagome." Shippo said "You must be the best hide and seek player ever."
"Why didn't you come out when we called you?" Sango asked.
"I'm sorry, I fell asleep." She sat down next to Inuyasha.
"How did you hide your scent?" Kouga asked.
Kagome looked between Kouga and Inuyasha, "You two couldn't smell me?"
The both shook their heads. Kagome smiled, "I guess my idea worked."
"What idea."
"When Kouga told me he was able to smell me, I tried thinking of a way to hide my scent."
"How did you?"
Kagome opened her mouth to answer, but closed it quickly. "I don't know if I should tell you. After all, it's my secret."
Inuyasha frowned, he really wanted to know how Kagome was able to hide her scent. I'll just ask her later he thought.
Kaede handed everyone plates of food. Kouga was about to turn his down, but he remembered what Kagome told him and decided that he could, at least, try the it. It wasn't the best thing he had ever tasted, but it also wasn't the worst.
Even though Kagome slept most of the day, she was still tired. She stood up and walked to the base of the tree and sat down to wait for Inuyasha. He came out and sat down next to her instead of just jumping into the tree.
"Kagome, are you sure you want to sleep in the tree?"
"Yeah. Why do you ask?"
"I'm just worried you'll fall again."
"As long as I got to be with you, a fall would be worth it."
Inuyasha stood up and lifted Kagome into the air, then he jumped onto his favorite branch in the tree. He brought Kagome onto his lap and kissed her. Her lips parted giving him access to enter her mouth. His tongue brushed against hers. When they parted for air Kagome smiled and rested her head against his neck.
They were both silent for a little while, until Inuyasha said, "I remember what I needed to ask you."
She lifted her head up, "What?"
"Lady Lei, told me to ask you about the voice in your head."
Kagome's eyes grew wide, "How did she know about that?"
"Lei knows a lot of stuff, so do you want to tell me about the voice in your head."
Kagome took in a deep breath, then slowly told Inuyasha the whole story. Everything from the time she first heard it to the time her feet felt the need to follow it. The only part she left out, was the fact that she thought it was Kikyou's voice.
"When was the last time you heard it?" Inuyasha asked when she was done with her story.
"Yesterday."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"I told Kaede."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Kagome looked away from Inuyasha, she hated keeping things from him, so now she felt guilty. "I don't think hearing voices in your head is a good thing. I thought you would think I was going insane."
She leaned down and rested her head against his chest, she was getting really tired. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and listened to her breathing. When it grew steady he could tell that she had fallen asleep. He kissed the top of her head and eventually fell asleep too.
xxx Meanwhile With Kikyou xxx
Kikyou paced her bedroom. She couldn't sleep. Kouga seemed to be taking his merry time, so she was starting to get worried that he would tell everyone their plan. She sat down on a chair and decided to contact him.
She closed her eyes and pressed her finger to her forehead. "Kouga."
Nothing.
"Kouga!"
What? he responded
"What is taking so long?"
They won't leave until the day after tomorrow
"Why not."
They want to leave after Kagome's birthday.
"Do they suspect you?"
I don't think so. They think I'll be leading them to a demon with a jewel shard.
Kikyou laughed, that wasn't as far off from the truth as they all thought. "Hurry up. I m getting tired of waiting."
Kouga broke the contact they had, so Kikyou was left with silence. She stood up and moved the window. She looked up at the sky and noticed that the moon was almost gone. Inuyasha will be human soon she thought.
Then a little bit of pain shot threw her heart. She remembered when she wanted Inuyasha to use the jewel to become full human, so they could be together. But she pushed that memory out of her mind. There is not point in dwelling on the past.
xxx Morning At Kaede's House xxx
Kagome opened her eyes when she felt the warn sun on her skin. Inuyasha was still asleep. She didn't want to wake him up, so she carefully pulled herself out of his arms. It wasn't an easy task. She almost dislocated her shoulder in the process.
When she was free from him, she started to climb down the tree. The morning dew made the bark wet, and she slipped and nearly fell. She held onto the tree as tightly as she could and tried to think of the best way to get this done.
"Do you need help?" She heard someone ask.
She looked down and saw that Kouga was standing a few feet away from the tree. "Yeah."
"Jump, and I'll catch you."
Kagome gave him a yeah right' look, but knew that she had no choice. After a lot of reassurance from Kouga, that he wouldn't drop her, she shut her eyes and let go of the tree.
"See, that wasn't so bad." He said as soon as she landed in his arms.
"Thanks." Kagome said. She had to move out of Kouga's arms when he didn't show any sign of putting her down. With one last glance at Inuyasha, she started to walk to Kaede's house.
"Don't'!" Kouga yelled out.
"Don't' what?" Kagome turned around and faced him.
"Don't go in there."
"Why?"
"They told me to make sure that you don't go in there until later."
"Why?"
"They're wrapping their presents for you."
Kagome blushed. She didn't think everyone would make such a big deal about her birthday.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Inuyasha opened his eyes and looked down at Kagome and Kouga. He didn't like them being alone like that, but he promised Kagome that he wouldn't be jealous, so he didn't make any sounds or movements to show that he was awake.
"How old will you be?"
"16."
"Oh."
"So, what do I do while I'm waiting."
Kouga shrugged. "What do you usually do when you're bored?"
Kagome tried to think, "Most of the time we're busy fighting demons or traveling, so I don't get bored."
Shippo appeared at the door of Kaede's house "Kagome, it's alright to come in now."
Kagome smiled at Shippo and walked into the house. Kouga started to follow, but he stopped and turned when he heard something behind him. Inuyasha had jumped down from the tree.
"Where you awake the whole time?" he asked
"Yeah." Inuyasha started to walk towards Kaede's house. "I was a little surprised."
"At what?"
"The conversation you had with Kagome."
"What was wrong with it."
"Nothing. It sounded like you actually tried to learn new things about her."
Kouga smiled. "Is there something wrong with that?"
Inuyasha didn't answer. In all reality there wasn't anything wrong with it, but he still didn't trust Kouga.
"Last night, I thought about what you said," Kouga continued. "It really is pointless trying to make someone your mate when you hardly know anything about them. So I'm finding out more about her."
Inuyasha growled a little bit, but didn't cause a big argument, they were only a few feet away from the door.
When they walked in Inuyasha saw Kagome standing at one end of the room. She was leaning against the wall with her hands behind her back. She smiled at Inuyasha when he looked over at her.
Inuyasha tilted his head. He thought Kagome look so beautiful with a smile on his face, and he was trying to freeze that image in his mind.
"Kagome." Sango said "Could you take Shippo to the river?"
"Why?" Kagome didn't mind, but she wanted to know why.
"It's going to be a hot day, I think Shippo might want to go swimming or something."
Shippo looked up at Sango "I do?" Inuyasha hit him on the back of the head "I-I mean I do. Kagome would you take me to the river?"
Kagome rolled her eyes "Alright." She grabbed a swimsuit from her backpack and followed Shippo out the door.
Once they were gone everyone sat together and started to think of plans for the little party the were planning for Kagome.
"Kouga," Inuyasha said "you were talking to her last, did it sound like she knew what was going on."
"She knows you guys got her presents, but I don't think she knows about a party."
"Good."
xxx Meanwhile With Kagome And Shippo xxx
Kagome shook her head as they walked away from the house. "I wonder what my party will be like."
Shippo was shocked "You knew."
"It wasn't that hard to figure out."
"Do you still want to go swimming."
"I already have a bathing suit."
The two of them started running towards the river. Shippo jumped in first and swam around while Kagome went somewhere to change. Her bikini was solid red, and she felt a little naked in it, but she didn't care that much.
The water was actually warm, it felt really good against her skin. She swam around with Shippo for a little while then got out of the water. She rested on the grass and soaked up the sun while she watched Shippo swim.
"Kagome." She turned around and saw that Inuyasha was standing behind her.
"Hi Inuyasha." She laughed at the way his mouth was handing open, he had never seen a girl in a bikini before. "Are we allowed to go back now, or are you guys still planning my party."
Inuyasha shook his head. "Damn, I thought we had you fooled."
"Nope."
He sat down next to her. "Well, they're not done planning yet. I got kicked out."
"Why?"
"They were deciding what food to cook, and I kept suggesting ramen."
Kagome started laughing.
"Inuyasha! Inuyasha!" Shippo yelled out "Are you going to go swimming."
"No."
"Why not?" Kagome said.
"I don't want too."
Kagome sighed and stood up, she thought that if she went back into the water, then maybe Inuyasha would too. But she was wrong. She swam around for a little while, but Inuyasha just watched from the spot where he sat.
Sango walked up to Inuyasha. "You guys can come back now."
"Ok."
Eventually putting Inuyasha out of her mind, Kagome swam down to the river bed. She was able to hold her breath long enough to run her fingers along the sand and rocks. She was about to go back to the surface when she saw something shiny.
She reached down and grabbed it then headed up for some air. When her head was out of the water Kagome looked at the object in her hand. It was a gold necklace. She took a deep breath, it was so beautiful. She slipped it on her neck and happily got out of the water.
"Hi Sango." She waved when she saw Sango talking to Inuyasha.
Kagome got dressed then walked back to the spot Inuyasha was sitting. "Kagome." Sango said "Where did you get that necklace?"
Inuyasha looked of at the gold chain around her neck.
"I found it at the bottom of the river. Isn't it pretty."
Inuyasha stood up and touched the necklace. In the back of his mind he was complaining. The necklace was supposed to be his gift for Kagome, he figured nobody would look for a present at the bottom of the river.
"Damn it." He mumbled.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'll be right back." He said then jumped off into the woods. He was going to go to the next town over and find Kagome a new gift.
"What was that about?" Sango asked.
"I have no idea."
Shippo, Kagome, and Sango walked back to Kaede's house while talking about random things. They found Miroku sitting outside waiting for them. "What took you so long?"
"We were having a good time." Kagome said back.
Miroku laughed and walked up to her, his smile went away when he saw the necklace around Kagome's neck. "What are you doing with that, I thought Inuyasha would give it to you tomorrow."
"What?"
"That's the necklace Inuyasha said he got as a present for you. Did he give it to you early?"
Kagome slapped her forehead. "Oh. Poor Inuyasha. That's why he was upset."
xxx The Next Village With Inuyasha xxx
Inuyasha walked from little store to store. He wanted to find the perfect thing for Kagome. At least I know she liked my other gifts he thought, trying to look on the bright side.
But this time he wanted to get something for Kagome that would set his gift apart from the others. Something thoughtful, but he didn't have any ideas. He kept looking around for a while till he finally saw something that he knew Kagome would love.
xxx End Of Chapter Sixteen xxx
I hope you guys liked it. Is it just me, or does it seem like I've been putting Kagome's birthday celebration off. Oh well, it will be in the next chapter.
I want 4 reviews please. (My birthday is in a few days, so if someone could say 'Happy Birthday' to me in a review, I would be really happy.)
- Can any of you guys guess where Kagome hid? I'll tell everyone the answer in the next chapter. I just wanted to see if any of you guys already figured it out.
Lots of love Daydreamer62386