Chapter 3: Kagome's Confession

When dawn came, Koga lifted Kagome to her feet and ordered, "Stop crying." She obeyed, hiccuping, and still crying inwardly. As soon as she stopped, he said, "I'll be back in a minute. Stay here."

She waited until he had gone from her sight, then started crying again. "InuYasha, please be alive, I love you." she whispered to the wind.

InuYasha's ears perked. He had heard Kagome's voice. He was once again a half-demon, and he was never gladder to see his transformation than now. Ripping the net and ropes to shreds with his claws, he leaped up to see half of Koga's pack waiting for him. "You had better not try to stop me," InuYasha said quietly. "I don't want to have to kill you." Their response was to grab him by the arms and haul him out of the cave.

Kagome heard and saw InuYasha leave the cave. "InuYasha!" she cried. He turned to look at her, and seeing her, stopped dead in his tracks and refused to budge.

Kagome began shoving her way through the wolf pack, desperate to reach InuYasha. When she made it through them all, she threw herself at InuYasha and hugged him hard. "I was so scared," she told him. "Koga said that the pack had killed you."

InuYasha looked down at her with a quirked eyebrow. "Do you believe that I would let that wolf and his pack get to me? I need to stay alive for you, Kagome." They hugged until someone sliced through the pack and yanked them apart.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, embracing my woman?" Koga snarled. InuYasha narrowed his eyes and growled, "She's not you woman!" but Koga had already turned away and was talking to Kagome. "If I ever see you touching that mutt again, I'll feed you to the wolves."

InuYasha snarled and leaped at Koga. "Don't you dare say that to her!" Koga jumped nimbly out of InuYasha's way and punched him in the eye. In a flash, InuYasha had Tetsusaiga out and had lashed out. He got Koga across the leg, leaving a huge cut on his thigh.

Koga's sword came out also, and they parried, each trying to land blows that would finish the other off.

Kagome watching in horror as InuYasha, with cuts all over his arms and chest, lunged forward to slice open Koga's chest. He missed, and pulled back for another attack. Without thinking, Kagome jumped between the two to stop them just as InuYasha lunged forward again. Tetsusaiga went through Kagome's stomach and back as if it were butter.