Disclaimer: Ah, what the heck. You all should know it by now.

Scroll 9: Cats and Dogs

Kouga's eyes widened. "It's you!"

All eyes turned on the tiger.

"You know him?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Maybe," Karoru replied coolly.

"You're the one who stole my Jewel shard!" Kouga stated angrily. "Give it back!"

"The shard is mine, wolf boy. Go and find some easier demon to challenge."

The wolf demon glared furiously at her. "Easier! Hah! I can take you down anytime, cat!"

Karoru leaped off the roof and landed in front of Inuyasha. "Would you care to prove it?"

Kouga dropped into a crouch in response. "Gladly!"

"Wait!" Kagome quickly placed herself between the two of them. "Stop fighting! It's not gonna get us anywhere!"

"Maybe if you come with me, Kagome, I'll reconsider tearing your little friend to pieces!" he said. "You can help me find more Jewel shards!" He also had a sly smirk on his face.

Inuyasha obviously noticed it. "She's not going anywhere with you!" Inuyasha stated, drawing his Tetsusaiga. "Don't you dare touch her!"

"How did Karoru manage to steal your Jewel shard in the first place?" Miroku wondered aloud.

"I fought him, of course," she said. "I followed my senses to his tribe's mountain. The same way I found my other shards. Simple enough." Her green gaze shifted back to the wolf demon. "I must've done some damage if it's taken you this long to find me. It's been nineteen moons."

"Yeah right!" Kouga growled dangerously. "You deliberately covered your trail after you fled my mountain like a scared little kitten! You knew I was gonna come after you, coward!"

Karoru merely shrugged off the insults. "At least I fled with one more Jewel shard up my sleeve." She smiled. "And of course, I also had to come for those Jewels in your legs."

The others looked down at the wolf demon's calves, and Kagome confirmed that he indeed still have his other two shards.

"She's got a point, you know!" Shippo said, watching the event through the window with Kaede.

"You shut up!" Kouga shouted menacingly, making the little kitsune cringe.

Everyone's attention was averted when Kagome suddenly gasped and took off down the path. Three men had appeared in the direction of the forest, two of them supporting the third between them. As Miroku hurried after the girl, Karoru gazed over at Kaede, who had lifted the curtain of the doorway slightly to get a better look rather than continue to observe from the window.

"Lady Kaede, please boil some water and gather a few herbs."

The old miko nodded without comment and disappeared from sight.

"Tch. Why bother? They're just humans," Kouga stated.

Karoru ignored the demon and started down the path after Miroku.

"This could be interesting," said Inuyasha, resheathing the Tetsusaiga.

"What do you mean by that?" the other asked, his temper still raging.

"See their uniforms?" The hanyou pointed a claw at the men. "They look informative. Could be another village under attack. Gives me more butt to kick."

Ginta and Hakkaku exchanged glances.

"Do you think we should stay, Kouga?" the latter asked inquisitively.

Kouga shrugged. "I guess we can. I can get me another Jewel shard."

"Feh! Just stay out of my way!"

"Heh! In your dreams, muttface!"

The hanyou's hand moved quickly back on his sword hilt, but before he could draw the Tetsusaige again, Kagome called him over to help.

The three men were moved into Kaede's hut and taken care of. Inuyasha was correct. They were soldiers from a castle and had news to bring. Everyone listened intently as they began.

"We're basically under siege," one started after a deep, heavy sigh. "The young lord fell in love with a beautiful woman who turned out to be a demon."

"The castle's been chaotic ever since," another said. "The demon called up a horde of reptilian monsters and had the castle surrounded."

"What did you do with the demon inside the castle?" Miroku interrogated thoughtfully.

"The lord had her killed," the third answered, a few shallow cuts on his hands being cleaned, "but it seems there is another demon controlling the horde. Perhaps her mate."

"We were sent to recruit help," one said, "but so far we've found no one willing to risk their lives for us."

"We will," Kagome declared immediately, ever helpful.

The three men stared at her incredulously.

"You will?" one asked.

"Why not?" Miroku said. "There could be Jewel shards involved, and it gives us something to do."

"That's it, then," Karoru announced. "We'll leave this afternoon."

Inuyasha: That stupid wolf pup is coming with us!

Why not? It could be amusing.

Miroku: Is it me or has everyone forgotten Sango?

Mmm, some people probably thought of her. But don't worry. She won't be forgotten.

Inuyasha: But why the heck does KOUGA have to come with us!

:silent moment :- --Um...so...what's up with the weather today?Anyone notice...