Pure Breed: Chapter 1

Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango and Kagome were swiftly making their way through a thick forest, in the direction of a shard.

"Damn Kagome," complained Inuyasha "how many bricks did you put in that pack of yours?"

"We can stop here if you like. We won't get to the shard before dark anyway, so I don't see the harm in making camp a little early." the priestess replied, annoyed by his complaining.

"Besides, there's a hot-spring right over there, so this would be a good spot."

"I agree entirely, Lady Kagome." was Miroku's immediate response, his intentions obvious. "This place would work perfectly."

"We'll make it a little to the east. I don't want to give the pervert an excuse to see either of us nude, Kagome." Sango intervened. "I can't believe you'd forget something like that Kagome."

"Hey gimme a break. I've been sick." Kagome had, for once, actually been sick for the last three days. She had a high fever, but knowing what Inuyasha's reaction would be to her returning to modern times, she had decided to settle for staying in Kaede's until she recovered, especially since she had just re-stocked a week earlier, and had aspirins and such to speed her recovery.

"Bull." was Inuyasha's response, as they arrived at a clearing and began to build a fire. "You were so faking it."

"Didn't you see the thermometer? My fever was 102 at its lowest point."

"Feh. I don't trust those weird devices from your time. I bet that thermometer thing says whatever you tell it to." was Inuyasha's argument.

"Does not." said Kagome.

"Does too."

"Does not."

"Does too."

A good, strong 'sit' won the argument in Kagome's favor. Sango had gone off to bathe in the hot-springs, and Miroku had just got the fire started.

"Lady Kagome, where are those sweet smelling bars from your time?" inquired the monk, searching Kagome's backpack.

"If you mean the soaps, they're at the bottom. But if you're going to take those to Sango, you better pray she lets you live." Kagome answered.

"Taken care of. I do that everyday in the morning, just in case. Thank you for your concern." Miroku reassured her as he headed for the hot-spring. Inuyasha got up from where he was sitting and sat back down next to Kagome. Inuyasha broke a few moments silence by saying:

"500 coppers say Miroku gets slapped at least five times."

"Shame on you Inuyasha! How can you bet on your friend's relationship problems? ...You're on." Kagome responded. After several minutes, Kagome drifted off to sleep on Inuyahsa's shoulder. Convinced she was asleep, Inuyasha put his arm around her.

"Kagome," he sighed dreamily to himself. "I love you so much. If only I could tell if you felt the same way…"

"Do my ears deceive me?" Shippo yelled, coming down from the tree he was hiding in, the same one Inuyasha and Kagome were leaning against. He perched on Inuyasha's head and continued. "Did you just confess your love for Kagome?" Shippo asked, grinning triumphantly, already knowing the answer of course. "Won't she be in for a pleasant surprise when she wakes up?"

"If you breathe a word of this to anybody-" Inuyasha began to threaten, but was cut off by Shippo's taunting. The little kitsune leapt off the pissed hanyou's head and began to prance around, chanting.

"Kagome and Inuyasha stittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. First comes-Wahhhhh!" Shippo began to wail in pain as a huge bump formed on his head. Inuyasha shut him up the same way he always did. "I guess I'll tell Kagome what you said. I might've been willing to keep it secret, but not anymore."

"No!" Inuyasha pleaded. "I'm sorry for hitting you! I'm sorry for all the times I've hit you! I'll do anything you like, just please, don't tell anyone!" Inuyasha groveled, knowing the young fox had him right where he wanted him, and that there was no way out.

"It's alright." was Shippo's response. "You're apologies and pathetic groveling was a bribe enough." Inuyasha resisted the temptation to hit him again; keeping in mind Shippo now knew his deepest and darkest secret.