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Fox Form

Makai

Kagome's POV

I could feel my breath catch in my throat as the sword was brought down. I screamed at the top of my lungs and willed against all hope that my stupid miko powers would do something. Anything. The sword was deflected against a flash of blue light...

I felt my knees buckle beneath before I collapsed to the ground. "W-what was that?" I whispered. I grinned, contradicting the action I should be taking in such a situation. Whatever I just did had bought Youko enough time to pierce Jiro's ass. "Pick up the shard now!" I croaked, grimacing at my hoarse voice. I forced my eyelids open long enough to see Youko do as I had bid. Guess even a kitsune like him will listen to a human when the situation calls for it. If I wasn't so weak and the situation wasn't so life threatening, I wouldn't have rubbed that bit of information in his face.

Well, I guess I can let it go for now. This was my last thought before falling into dreamland. I failed to notice when Youko had collapsed along with me, shards still clenched in his hand. We both slept, for how long, I didn't know.

Feudal Era

"It's only a matter of time before Inuyasha returns." murmured Miroku, rubbing his red hand print. "And only a matter of time before Lady Sango forgives me."

"Meow." snorted Kirara. Direct translation: As If.

"Really, I didn't mean for my hand to wander there." Miroku defended himself.

"Remember, my hand is cursed!"

"The real cursed body part of you is you mind." piped in Shippo, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "It's quite terrifying. Who knows what goes on in that perverted mind of yours."

"Shippo, I'm hurt." mourned Miroku. "How can you say such harsh words to me? My heart is deeply pierced by your un-thoughtful words. I don't think I can ever..."

"That's enough, monk." ordered Sango, bringing her boomerang down on Miroku's skull. Sango sighed in defeat before taking a seat and began polishing her weapon.

With Inuyasha

"Will...you...just...leave...me...alone, ya...mangy...wolf?" gasped out Inuyasha from the burden of carrying Kikyou and running for hours upon hours.

"Not until you tell me where my woman is!" yelled Kouga, throwing a punch at Inuyasha. Inuyasha pulled out Tetsusaiga from its sheath and swung it at Kouga.

"I'm not holding back anymore, wolf-breath!" growled Inuyasha, placing Kikyou on the ground.

"Did I ask you to, you damn mutt?" retorted Kouga. They engaged in a brutal battle before Inuyasha raised his sword to land the finishing blow...

Makai

Kagome slowly cracked her eyes open and scanned the area. Trees...plants...ashes... corpses...silver fox...dirt...more trees...more plants...more corpses. "Youko?" asked Kagome, when she couldn't spot Youko anywhere. Panic began to rise in Kagome as she stood up on wobbly legs.

"Youko!" Kagome called out again, this time a bit more urgently. "YOUKO!" Kagome all but yelled, before a low growl answered her. Kagome walked over towards the source of noise and stared at the silver fox. Concentrating on what little of her energy she had left, she felt the power of the Shikon under the fox's paw.

"Wait, Youko had the shard last...does that mean your Youko?" murmured Kagome, looking at fox, who still had his eyes closed. Kagome bent down and nudged the fox slightly but it did not respond. Kagome nudged it a bit harder before poking it in various areas. The fox snapped its eyes open in annoyance, revealing its all to familiar golden eyes.

"Youko, is that you?" asked Kagome with confused eyes. The fox growled in response.

"What happened..." murmured Kagome in confusing, before panic entered her eyes." Oh no, Jiro must have cursed you! Well, don't just sit there, lets go! We have to find a way to reverse the spell!" panicked Kagome, hefting the bloody fox up.

Feudal Era

Just as Inuyasha was about done saying "Kaze no Kiz..."

Bam (remember Kagome just said sit, even though it was unintentional)

Kouga blinked before placing his foot on top of Inuyasha's head and pushing it further into the soil. "Now tell me where my woman is!" growled Kouga. Kouga was barely able to dodge when an arrow filled with dark energy was aimed straight at his heart. Kouga looked to the source of the arrow to find the ever emotionless Kikyou.

"Leave Inuyasha alone." was Kikyou's cold command. "My reincarnation is never coming back."

"What do you mean?" demanded Kouga, red seeping into his blue eyes. (Is his eyes blue?)

"Just as I have said. She isn't coming back." repeated Kikyou in a deadpan voice.

"Then I'll just have to kill you..." snarled Kouga, charging at Kikyou with incredible speed. He raised his claws intending to rip the clay doll to shreds.

Makai

"Kuronue." cried out Kagome, when the castle finally came into view. "Please help

Youko, my healing abilities aren't working."

A black blur landed in front of Kagome, who was about to collapse under Youko's weight even though he was in his fox form. The silver fox was almost as large as Kagome herself, causing the act of carrying him back to his fortress quite a hard feat. His many tails were caked in mud, while blood continued to flow from his wounds.

Kuronue after quickly analyzing the situation, took Youko's weight off Kagome and bounded towards the castle. "I'll get him patched up, you go get yourself cleaned." Kuronue called back from over his shoulder.

Kagome quickly made her way to the indoor hot spring and disrobed. A female servant brought her a new kimono before excusing herself. Kagome quickly scrubbed the dirt and grim away from both her body and hair with tired arms before getting out of the hot spring. She messily tied on her kimono before racing towards Youko's chambers.

"Kuronue, how is he?" gasped out Kagome, stopping just short from toppling over Kuronue. Kuronue eyed Kagome's state of mess and quirked an eyebrow. Kagome ignored Kuronue's questioning gaze and looked down at Youko, who had stopped bleeding, but was wrapped in layers upon layers of white rolls of bandages. The fox glared heatedly at Kuronue, who only shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

Kagome kept herself from giggling at the fox that resembled a mummy. His legs and arms were wrapped tightly to his body. The only places not bandaged were his nose and one golden eye. "Well, this is the first time Youko has gotten himself into this condition." explained Kuronue. "I've never bandaged anyone before. We usually heal ourselves, but Youko is too weak to do that right now."

"It's all my fault." admitted Kagome, face falling into seriousness. The earlier trace of laughter leaving her face. "It's my fault Youko was cursed by Lord Jiro and turned into a fox. Now he can't even speak, not that it's a bad thing mind you, though I feel so responsible." Youko glared at Kagome with his only free golden eye in annoyance.

"Kagome, this isn't your fault." started Kuronue.

"Yes it is." argued Kagome. "He's been turned into a fox and, and, and he can't talk!"

"Kagome, Youko is a fox." cut in Kuronue, as Youko rolled his one eye.

"Oh." replied Kagome. "But, I made him mute!" whispered Kagome in regret. "I kinda miss his big, loud mouth and his stupid, meaningless advice. His advice was never something anyone should listen too, but they did provide entertainment."

"Of course foxes don't talk." interrupted Kuronue, before Youko injured himself further at Kagome's words. "Have you met a fox that talked?"

"Yea, I did." replied Kagome, looking at Youko. "Well, at least it use to talk...until now. It's just like my toy teddy bear. It used to talk too, until it broke."

"I'm sure Youko appreciates being compared to your broken 'companion' but I think we're getting off topic." murmured Kuronue. "Anyway, Youko will be back and talking before you know it. He just couldn't hold his humanoid form in his weakened condition. He'll be fine."

Youko scoffed, translating to "as if, do you call being wrapped like this fine?"

"Maybe...I should bandage Youko, he doesn't look to comfortable." suggested Kagome.

"Yea, that might be wise, though the mummy fox is one of a kind." sighed Kuronue in mock defeat. "Guess we can't have a mummy fox after all..."

Kagome giggled in response before gently peeling Kuronue's bandaging off Youko.

Kuronue quietly snuck out of the room to catch their dinner. "You know, you are quite

troublesome." stated Kagome in an admonishing tone.

Youko gave her a look that said your-one-to-talk-miss-I-have-to-run-away-in-the-middle-of-the-night.

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