Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha. sigh

Chapter 31: Kouga's Den

The next day InuYasha was the first to wake. Kagome was still nuzzled against his chest, though she had wrapped herself in his haori out of modesty. He really couldn't believe that Kagome was finally his. Looking down upon her sleeping so soundly in his arms; she had chosen him above all others. It was completely unheard of. A hanyou and a miko: mates. InuYasha carefully lowered Kagome to her sleeping bag; he didn't want to wake her. He was in no hurry to get to Kouga's den, so he was going to let Kagome sleep as long as she wanted, but he had to get up and move a bit. He settled for pulling on his white undershirt, sense Kagome had his haori. After fishing and building a fire to cook, he settled down against a tree and closed his eyes.

"Got ya!" Kagome jumped out from behind the tree and latched onto InuYasha's ears. He jerked himself to his feet, making Kagome fall to her butt. "What did you do that for baka!" she rubbed her sore spot.

"What were you doing sneaking up on me? I thought you were still asleep." He picked her up and sat back down, pulling Kagome into his lap. She automatically raised her hands to his ears and started rubbing. To her surprise instead of jerking away like he normally did, InuYasha leaned into her touch.

"I knew you liked getting your ears rubbed."

"Like I have a choice. You have a way of getting what you want, wench, whether I like it or not."

Kagome thought. "And since I'm yours now, that makes you mine."

"Not how it works. You're MINE. End of story."

"Great. You're not going to be all possessive around Kouga when we get to his den, are you?" she rolled her eyes, already knowing the answer.

"As I've said…"

"Alright, alright, I got it. If he even looks at me wrong you'll tear him limb from limb." She sighed. "And I bet now you're gonna be even more possessive around everyone else too, right?"

"Keh. I'm not possessive."

"Okay. So you're gonna be more jealous, then."

"I don't get jealous!"

"Sure you don't, InuYasha." She patted his head. "I'm hungry, are those fish finished yet?"

InuYasha got up and tested the fish. "Yep. Here you go." He threw one toward her. Kagome caught it and started eating. When they had both finished Kagome got up and put out their fire. But InuYasha wasn't ready to go…yet. He snuck up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back.

"InuYasha!" she grabbed his hands with hers, trying to pry them loose. InuYasha cackled at her futile attempts.

InuYasha lowered his mouth and nipped at her ear, swaying side to side with the rest of her body. He turned her around, capturing her lips with his, nibbling on her bottom lip before moving his lips further down. He stopped again at her neck, nibbling and kissing what now belonged to him. InuYasha wanted to know everything about her; what she loved and hated, what made her gasp and sigh with pleasure, what made her giggle and what made her squeal with delight like she did so often.

InuYasha continued down, nuzzling at the collar of Kagome's kimono. She let out a small moan, and he couldn't help but laugh. InuYasha had already learned what that moan meant, and Kagome had learned that with the aggressive hanyou she had to ask for what she wanted. He raised his head and gazed at her before lowering his lips to hers. He licked her bottom lip, asking for entrance and she more than willingly obliged. Kagome loved what InuYasha was able to do to her, making her weak in her knees and feel like she had everything she ever wanted.

He finally pulled back, taking time to rub his nose against hers. She tried to recapture his lips, only to be met with a growl. Kagome pulled away and crossed her arms in a pout. InuYasha laughed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. After a few minutes Kagome stood.

"We should be going now. I really want to get to Kouga's before night fall."

InuYasha growled even louder. "Kouga…"

"All we're going to do is thank him, InuYasha. It's not like he's going to do anything rash while we're there."

InuYasha didn't even seem to hear her. He was still growling as he lifted Kagome onto his back and headed off to Kouga's den.

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"Ayame!Akina and Kigai are calling for you! Ayame! What am I suppose to do with them? AYAME!" Kouga stepped out of the den with two little pups in his arms. On the right, a small black-haired girl with her father's looks and her mother's attitude. She had her claws reaching out into the air, wailing loudly. Only two months old and Akina already had Kouga wrapped around her finger. Held to the left was Kouga's son, Kigai. He had red hair like his mother, but it was shorter, only down to the top of his neck. He had his ears covered with one hand. His sister's wailing was starting to make him angry, and he was desperately trying to shut her up, reaching with his other clawed hand letting out a cute little growl. Kouga pulled Kigai as far away from Akina as he could to keep a fight from breaking out between the siblings.

"Kouga!"

"Kagome? Kagome! What are you doing here?"

Kagome ran up to Kouga, a little surprised by the twins he was holding. Akina looked up and reached out her arms. Kagome looked to Kouga, who nodded his permission. She picked up the child and cradled her in her arms. Akina stopped crying almost instantly, and her brother settled also.

"Ayame left them with me a few hours ago. I couldn't get her to stop crying." He sighed in relief. Then sniffed, turning up his nose. "So the mutt finally did it, he made you his mate after all."

Kagome blushed. "Umhm."

"Well, where is he? I'm sure he has something to say."

"Keh! You bet I do! If those pups are yours, then than means you and Ayame were already mates last time you and I met. And you were still after Kagome!"

"Hush up, mutt face. I only did that because I knew it would get on your nerves. How was I supposed to know she was going to jump in the middle of our fight?"

"Why you…" Kouga held up Kigai, reminding InuYasha of the pup's presence.

"InuYasha, settle down." Kagome rubbed Akina's ear. She cooed in response and grabbed hold of one of Kagome's fingers. "Their so cute! What are their names?"

"This little guy is Kigai. And Otousan's little girl you have is named Akina."

"And where's Ayame?"

"I have no idea. She asked me to watch these two for awhile then took off without another word. She's been gone for a couple of hours. I would go after her but I can't take these two with me."

"I'm sure she'll be back soon, but if you really want to go look for her, I can watch these two."

"Nah, I don't that's a good idea Kagome."

"Why not?"

InuYasha stepped in front of her. "Because you're my mate now. Youkai aren't too trusting when it comes to pups, even if it is just you." He sniffed at Akina, but also kept his distance.

"Well, maybe InuYasha can go looking for Ayame." InuYasha gave her a quick glance. "…or not." She sighed. "I guess I'll have to get use to this."

"Kagome?"

"Ayame!" she handed Akina to Kouga and raced over to meet Ayame. They hugged and walked back over to Kouga.

"Where have you been! Akina was crying and Kigai was clawing at everyone, and I had no idea where you went off to!" He handed the two over to their mother.

"Um hum. That's right. Now, try putting up with that for two months straight and let's see how well you do, cause that's what I've been doing with hardly any help from you! Now go fix something to eat, I'm sure Kagome and InuYasha are hungry from traveling." She turned to Kagome.

"InuYasha, why don't you help Kouga. I'm going to talk with Ayame for awhile."

"Why do I have to help the mangy wolf?"

"InuYasha, please?" she pouted. InuYasha sighed and lowered his ears. He turned and stormed after Kouga, leaving Kagome and Ayame alone with the twins. Kagome took Kigai from his mother's arms.

"Careful. His fangs are coming in."

"Already?"

"Yes. Wolf-youkai get their fangs in a few months after being born. It has to be that way if they want to survive." Kagome nodded. "So, You and InuYasha?"

"Um hum."

"I'm glad to see that the jewel worked. Kouga won't say it, but he was really worried when you left. He wanted to follow you and make sure everything went okay, but with me having the twins he was held back."

"I can't believe I didn't notice you were pregnant when I was here. I guess I wasn't really paying that much attention." Kigai reached up and grabbed hold of Kagome's hair. Ayame reached over and loosened his grip.

"I'm sure you did. What are you two doing down here in the first place?"

"I wanted to thank Kouga for giving me his jewel shards. I wouldn't have been able to bring InuYasha back if it wasn't for him." Akina was asleep in her mother's arms, and Kigai was well on his way to sleep too.

"Let's lay these two down in the den." Kagome nodded and followed Ayame into her den, laying the pups down in their straw beds. "Kouga shouldn't be too long. We can go ahead and build a fire." She started a fire outside the den and the two waited for their mates to return. It wasn't too much later that the sounds of an angry hanyou and youkai were heard coming out of the forest.

"What do you mean the last one didn't count! I'm the one who caught it!" InuYasha was seen first, in his arms were four huge rabbits. Kouga followed, holding three good sized rabbits of his own.

"You heard me. I'm the one who found it, and I would have had it if you would have stayed out of my way, mutt!" they both started skinning the rabbits.

"Kouga, that's way too much for just the four of us."

"What are you talking about? It's the mutt who got too much."

"Alright, that's it." He dropped the rabbits and pull out Tetsusaiga. "Let's settle this thing once and for all wolf."

"Fine with me." He flexed his claws. Ayame came up behind him and slapped the back of his head. He turned around and faced her. "What did you do that for, Ayame!"

"Quit being such a jerk!"

"Keh! We see who controls who in your pack!"

"InuYasha, sit boy!" THUMP

"Wench!"

Kagome and Ayame giggled. Kouga was rubbing his head, and InuYasha was just pealing himself off the ground. "Now," Ayame stated, "finish cooking those and no more fighting." The two men grumbled, but obeyed.

After they finished eating, Kagome told Kouga why they were there. She thanked him for handing over his shards and for letting them stay for the night at their den. He set aside a place for her and InuYasha in the far corner, away from him, Ayame and the pups. It wasn't as soft as the bed InuYasha had made her back at the hut, but she was grateful that she didn't have to sleep outside again tonight, and that InuYasha was going to be there with her. Kouga was reluctant to allow him to stay in the den, but Ayame 'talked' him into it. Kagome grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her. InuYasha gave his 'keh' in response, but silently sighed his contentment. Soon they were both asleep.

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Kagome ran down the stairs, out the doors of the shrine, and into the well house. She jumped through the well and landed on the other side. Something wasn't right. She sensed something…something familiar yet she couldn't remember. She knew she had to get to InuYasha, somehow he could keep her safe. "InuYasha!" There was no reply. She looked into the branches of Goshinboku, but the tree had disappeared, along with everything else. Kagome was in a void, a dark void where the sound of her footsteps echoed with every step she took.

"Miko." A deep voice surrounded her.

"What do you want?" she turned, looking in every direction for where the voice might be coming from.

"So I have found you miko. It won't be long. No, I'll have my revenge. I'll have your powers as my own soon enough."

"Who are you! What do you want?"

"That hanyou defeated me out of luck the first time. I was caught off guard when he was able to transform. But now, I will not let my defenses down so easily. This time I will succeed. I will have her powers as my own!" The voice ranted on, as if it didn't even notice Kagome was listening in.

He eyes went wide with realization. "Suoh… He-he's still alive! He's the one I've been sensing!"

"InuYasha!" she sat up straight. InuYasha came up with her.

"What! What is it!"

"InuYasha Suoh is alive! I know he is, I can sense him! He-he was in my dreams InuYasha, he knows where I am now, and he's coming here! He's coming after us!" Tears streamed down her face. She knew it sounded strange to the hanyou, but she also knew that it wasn't just an ordinary dream. Suoh was there, seeking her out, and he had found her. That's what her new found powers were telling her. They were warning her that Suoh's threat still continued, and she wasn't out of danger yet.

"Shhh. Kagome, it was just a dream. Suoh's dead, he's not coming back."

"No, InuYasha! I can sense him! He's still alive! Please, just listen…" she all of a sudden doubled-over in pain. The headache had returned, fiercer than ever. It streamed down her back until every inch of her screamed in agony. She panicked. That what all this was about! She was sensing Suoh. He was still alive and still trying to steal her powers. But how was that possible? InuYasha had killed him, Kagome was sure of that. Why hadn't she been able to sense this before? How was he still able to attack her like this when he was no where around her? Could he really still be connected to her? And if so, how long would it take before he stole all her powers? How long can she survive his onslaught?

"Kagome? Kagome!" she started shaking in his arms. He knew she was panicking, and the panic was hurting her more than whatever was attacking her. InuYasha did everything he could think of; he rubbed the side of her face with the back his hand, he cradled her like you would a child having a nightmare, he pressed his forehead against hers hoping against hope that she would soon calm.

"He's coming, InuYasha…" she broke out into uncontrollable sobs.

"Kagome,…I killed him, he's not…" the look on her face was enough. He had no choice but to believe her with the fear and pain projected through her eyes. Kagome's eyes could never lie to him. He pulled her as close as he could, trying to calm his mate down. "Shhh. It's gonna be okay, Kagome. I'll be here." He nuzzled her cheek, holding her tight. Her tense muscles loosened in his arms. "Are you feeling okay now?"

She nodded. The pain had brushed away just as fast as it had come. "Tired." She stated, closing her eyes.

"Alright," he laid her down, "I'll stay up and keep watch. Nobody's gonna hurt you Kagome." Soon she was back to sleep. InuYasha brushed back her hair and listened to her breathing. I killed Suoh. He can't be alive. He looked back to Kagome. But she seemed so sure. She was scared out of her wits. What if he is still alive, and he is coming after Kagome? He decided he would have to find a place for Kagome to stay. Back in the village with the monk, just somewhere she'd be safe while he tracked down Suoh, if he was still alive then he wouldn't be for very long.

A/N: Oh, the fluffiness! Hope you enjoyed! And I know, I know, you finally found out what was wrong with Kagome! Suoh is back, and somehow still connected to Kagome and still taking her powers from her. Her new miko powers were fighting back without her knowing, but the resistance has been causing her great pain. Poor Kagome. I've put her through so much already…

Glossary: Otousan- Father

Awards, YAY!

Award for mentioning the 'special' hug : ali (anon) , beanie7101 , Irathernotsay (anon) , Inuyasha-craverDivineRoseKeeperultimateromantic

Award for mentioning 'fluff' more than once in the last review: Fu Fu's the nameI AM EOWYN

Award just because she wanted one: Preetygirl09