> Chapter 6: Dogs and Cats

InuYasha growled deeply as he slid his clawed fingers up her thigh. He was pleased to hear the sigh that escaped her lips at his ministrations. Slowly running a claw down her body, from neck to navel, InuYasha sliced through her clothes and revealed the beauty beneath. Lowering his lips to her belly, he ran his tongue back up her torso, retracing the path of his finger. Falling upon her neck, he began to lightly play at the flesh there with his fangs and tongue.

"InuYasha…"

Her breathy utterance of his name egged him on. Wrapping his hands around the back of her thighs, he lifted; she in turn wrapped her arms and legs around him. He carried her to the bed and laid her down, lowering himself on top of her. Her hands moved under his shirt and over his chest, pulling the shirt over his head. He captured her lips in a fierce kiss. When he pulled away, her mouth descended upon his shoulder, moving up his neck. She stretched up and leaned over his ear, lightly tracing the furry appendage with her tongue.

"I love you InuYasha."

"Kagome, I…"

InuYasha's eyes flew open with a gasp.

It was just a dream.

Looking down next to him, he registered what might have brought on another one of these all too frequent dreams.

Or rather who.

Kagome lay curled up next to him, her face buried in the front of his robes. He brought up the hand that encircled her waist and brushed the hair away from her face.

She was beautiful, precious, someone to be protected, honored and cherished. Unfortunately she would never be his.

InuYasha watched as Kagome stirred in his arms. Stretching, she pressed the full length of her body along his. He had to suppress a moan when she shifted, rubbing against him.

Kagome could feel the tendrils of consciousness trying to pull her from the warm arms of slumber. As she succumbed to waking, she attempted to cling to the warmth that seemed to envelope her.

"Are you planning on spending the whole day in my robes, or just the morning?"

Opening her eyes, Kagome lifted her head to meet amber pools of gold.

"How long have you been awake?"

"Only a few moments."

Kagome glanced down as she noticed something… different.

"InuYasha… What… um, why…"

InuYasha looked down at what Kagome was talking about. Blushing, he removed his legs that had been wrapped around hers.

"Uh, sorry… youkai habit."

Removing his arms from around her, InuYasha moved off the futon and stood.

"So… where do you think we should start today?"

Kagome sat up and stretched. InuYasha examined the ceiling.

"I don't know about you, but first things first I'm going to check out those bathing pools."

InuYasha crossed his arms over his chest and keh-ed. Fighting the urge to straight out stare at her was getting frustratingly hard.

"Stupid girl, do you ever think about anything other than bathing?"

Kagome crossed her arms and glared at the hanyou.

And here I thought he was being so cute today.

"Do you ever think about bathing?"

InuYasha raised a rather surprised eyebrow at the girl. Kagome grabbed her bag from the corner of the room and stalked out the door.

……………………………………………………

"Jerk."

Kagome grumbled to herself as she disrobed. Stepping into the warm water of the bathing pool, she let out a moan of pleasure as the water soothed her tense muscles.

"And here I thought today just might actually be pleasant."

Picking up her shampoo, she squirted a small amount in her palm, and then began to work it into her hair.

I've never slept better in my life! And what about the way his legs were wrapped around mine? A youkai habit, huh? I wonder if it means anything.

Stepping under the waterfall, she began to rinse out her hair.

…………………………………………………….

InuYasha moved along the perimeter of the estate, searching for an exit or a clue, or even just a small animal he could kill for lunch.

I can't believe the way I was acting. I've been close to her before. Well, maybe not that close. Wow she was beautiful. Why do I always have to ruin things with my mouth? There are some many other things I could do with it; pleasant things… Whoa! Don't go there buddy.

InuYasha paused. He could have sworn he heard a movement in the trees. Sniffing the air, he picked up on a scent. Turning back the way he came, he followed it.

Moving along the rooftops, he realized the figure was headed towards the bathing pools.

Kagome!

………………………………………………………

Kagome stepped out of the pool, squeezing the excess water from her raven locks, and released another sigh of pleasure. There was little in this world or hers that she enjoyed more than bathing. What's not to like about bathing? It's relaxing, luxurious, productive, and…

What the…

Kagome leaned back against the stone and listened. She could have sworn she heard footsteps.

Inuyasha.

"Sit!"

"What the-"

"Ahhh!"

- Slam -

Kagome looked up into… amber eyes?

"What the hell was that for woman!"

InuYasha growled at the girl pinned beneath him.

"You were spying on me you pervert!"

"What! No I wasn't! I was chasing a…"

Kagome and InuYasha paused in their argument when they were interrupted by a light, female laugh. Looking up, they saw that the laughter belonged to a figure sitting in a tree, just above the bathing pools.

She looked about the same age as InuYasha, with dark wine colored hair and green eyes. The tips of her ears were delicately pointed, and out of the bottom of her green yukata was a swaying black tail. When she spoke, her voice was bright and cheery, though mocking and dripping with distain.

"Oh how cute, the little hanyou found a playmate. I should warn you though, humans are fragile, especially the females, so play nice with her or she'll break."

InuYasha growled, barring his fangs at the newcomer. The girl hopped from the tree, landing a few feet away from them.

"Play nice puppy. I was only giving you some friendly advice."

Kagome whispered up at the hanyou who was currently gouging deep wounds into the ground next to her head.

"InuYasha, what is she?"

InuYasha's reply was a barely decipherable growl.

"A demon, a black cat demon."

Leaning over and resting her hands on her knees, the cat demon smiled teasingly at the couple.

"Aw, good boy! Can you roll over and play fetch too?"

"Why you little…"

Feeling the subduing spell lift, InuYasha sprang up and lunged at the cat, swiping at her with his claws. He barely missed her as she sprang out of the way at the last second. InuYasha chased her to the border of the estate. The cat leapt up and back, landing in a tree just outside the border. InuYasha slammed into the barrier. The demon's mocking laughter rang through the air again.

"Oh this is rich! You're stuck! You stupid dog, you don't know how to get out of here, do you?"

InuYasha growled up at the cat in the tree, flexing his claws.

"Wench, if you know how to get us out of here, tell me now before I rip you apart."

"Hmm…"

The cat tapped her chin as if she were considering it.

"No, I don't think I will. I think I'll keep you in there as my pet. Good little mutt."

InuYasha roared, slashing at the border futilely.

"Come down here and fight me you little hair ball coughing mouse chaser!"

The cat jumped from the tree, landing behind InuYasha.

"If you're not going to play nice, then go chase your own tail, you flea bitten bone muncher."

She stuck her tongue out at him and ran off through the estate. Dodging and jumping, through around and over the buildings. InuYasha chased after her, slashing whenever he got close, but missing every time.

When they approached the courtyard in front of the main building, the cat spun on her heel, turned around and headed straight for InuYasha, leaping into the air, she sprang from his head (effectively knocking him to the dirt) and flipped in the air, landing behind him.

"InuYasha!"

Kagome, now dressed (in her pervious outfit), ran into the clearing, right into the back of the cat. Turning around, hands on hips, the cat glared at Kagome.

"Hello! Rude much? Watch where you're going."

"Um, sorry…"

"Kagome, run!"

InuYasha ran towards the two.

The cat eyed the approaching hanyou, eyed the human in front of her, and then smirked mischievously. Grabbing Kagome by the arm, she lifted her up and sprang to the top of one of the nearby buildings.

"Ok puppy, if you won't play nicely, then your little girlfriend will be my new toy."

Kagome stared at her wide eyed.

'I don't like the sound of that…'

"What!"

InuYasha stopped rushing towards them and crossed his arms, sticking his nose in the air. He knew where she was going with this and he knew he had to act fast.

"Girlfriend? What are you talking about?"

"Oh don't try to play smart with me mutt. I saw you two by the bathing pools."

"What you saw was this little pervert trying to attack me. The little wench has it bad for me and wont take no for an answer. So if you want her as a playmate; please, take her off my hands."

"What! You jerk! You're the pervert who was spying on me!"

"See what I mean? The girl's delusional."

The cat looked from InuYasha, Kagome and back again. Ok, now she was confused, and their arguing was giving her a headache.

"Ok, ok! Shut up! I don't care anymore, take the wench. And because I just want you two to leave me alone, I'll give you a clue. Not that it'll help you much you stupid little dog."

InuYasha growled, but caught the squirming, kicking Kagome when she was thrown at him and held her bridal style.

"The secret to getting out of here is in the poem that's engraved on the gate. Figure out what the poem's telling you and you'll know how to get out of here. Now if you'll excuse me, you two have bored me long enough."

The cat flipped off into the forest and disappeared.

"InuYasha put me down!"

InuYasha set Kagome on her feet and she stepped away from him.

"How could you say those things InuYasha? You're such a jerk."

InuYasha was relieved that Kagome was ok, but was frustrated he had missed the chance to hurt the annoying kitten.

"Crazy wench, what were you thinking running up like that? You just and to interfere and let that stupid cat get away."

"Sorry for trying to help, I was worried about you."

"Gods you're so annoying! All you ever do is get in the way and get on my nerves."

"InuYasha, sit."

- Slam -

InuYasha looked up from eating dirt in just enough time to see Kagome's departing rear end.

"Ugh."

InuYasha dropped his head back into the soil and tried to think of a way to get is foot out of his mouth again.

…………………………………………………….

InuYasha followed Kagome into the room they had shared the night before and shut the door behind him. Kagome was once again not speaking to him. She was in the corner, rummaging through her pack. He barely caught the candy bar she threw at him before it smacked him in the face. He sat in the opposite corner, by the door, munching on his dinner while he watched Kagome move around the room. When he realized that he was actually watching her butt move around the room, he attempted to avert his eyes.

Kagome pulled her bottle of after bath baby oil from her bag and poured a bit into her palm. Bracing her foot against the small vanity, she began to rub it into the skin of her legs.

InuYasha had never understood the phrase 'It felt like I swallowed my heart' until then. At first he tried to avoid starring at her, but the woman was asking for it! His eyes followed her hands as they moved up her smooth legs, leaving a slick, shimmering trail behind. He clenched his claws in his robes to hold back when she began to coat her arms, stomach and chest.

'Gods, is she trying to kill me? She is, isn't she? I am so going to die right here, right now. My heart is going to burst out of my chest and I'm going to die.'

Returning the bottle of oil back to her bag, Kagome laid down on the bed, facing away from InuYasha. Her scent permeating the room, InuYasha rose from his spot and moved over to Kagome. He was about to touch her shoulder, to make some kind of attempt at reconciliation, (yeah, making "peace" was exactly what was on his mind) when he realized that he had no idea what to say. Sighing, he instead stood and moved towards the door. When he tried to open it, he found that once again it wouldn't move.

Aw damn not again.

"Um, Kagome? The door won't open again."

Kagome turned around from the wall. InuYasha didn't miss her quickly wiping at her eyes before she faced him.

Why am I such a…

"Again? I don't understand how did you get it to open last time?"

InuYasha thought about it for a moment.

"I… I don't know. Last time it just, worked again."

Kagome eyed him with a raised brow.

"It just worked? Doors don't just stop and start working again."

Standing from the futon, Kagome walked over to him and the door. InuYasha has to clench his claws in his robes again; her scent was so strong and alluring. Kagome tried the door herself and it wouldn't budge. She looked up at InuYasha, unknowingly putting herself almost right under his nose.

"Well, maybe it's the same… thing that's holding us in this place. What was the cat's clue again?"

Kagome raised her eyebrow questioningly again when InuYasha didn't respond. His eyes were unfocused and he had a rather silly look on his face.

"InuYasha, Inuyasha! Are you listening to me?"

InuYasha snapped out of it, crossing his arms and sticking his nose in the air, trying to play off the blush coloring his cheeks.

"Keh, she said something about the poem on the gate. I don't know I was busy worrying about you."

Kagome cocked her head to the side, registering what he just said.

"You were worried about me?"

"Yeah, who knows what the annoying little fluff ball would have done to you?"

Kagome smiled as she watched InuYasha realize what he had just admitted to. Deciding to stop his obvious torture there, Kagome changed the subject back to what they were previously talking about.

"Ok, the poem from the gate, huh? What did it say again?"

"Something about telling something or other… I think."

InuYasha scratched his head in thought. A light bulb when on in Kagome's head.

"The poem said, 'Come here with a secret untold, their very freedom they have sold,' When we stopped talking to each other, we weren't telling the truth. The less we communicate, the more we're confined."

"Why would someone make a trap like that?"

Kagome thought about it some more. Frankly, she couldn't come up with any reason why someone would do this.

"I don't know, but let's try the door?"

InuYasha grabbed the frame of the door and gave it a tug, it wouldn't budge.

"Your theory was wrong."

Kagome thought about it. Her theory made sense, what was she missing?

"InuYasha, I stopped talking to you because you were being a jerk to me. Why did you say the things you did earlier?"

InuYasha thought about it, he wasn't sure he wanted to tell Kagome. If her theory was right, how much did he have to tell her for the room to let them leave?

"I… I was frustrated and… worried about you. I took it out on you I know. I didn't mean what I said, I…I'm…"

InuYasha swallowed.

"I'm sorry."

Kagome smiled, wrapping her arms around InuYasha's neck.

"I forgive you InuYasha. Thank you for worrying about me."

"Keh."

InuYasha swallowed hard. Kagome was on her tiptoes, leaning completely against InuYasha, and he could feel every inch of her. Her hair, her fragrant hair was directly under his nose. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his nose into her soft raven waves of silk. Taking a deep breath, he pressed her further against himself, completely enveloping her within his robes.

Kagome swallowed hard. She was never more pleased or confused. This is what she had always wanted, had dreamed of even. But she didn't understand what was going on and that made it hard for her to enjoy.

"InuYasha…"

InuYasha came to his senses. Releasing Kagome he took a step back.

"Um, did you still need me to keep you warm tonight?"

"Uh… yeah, I'd really like that."

………………………………………………………..

Sorry about last chapter where I accidentally called Rin, Kagome. I also made another mistake; I just don't remember what it was right now. Thanks to who pointed it out for me.