I hope you guys are all enjoying it so far!

IMPORTANT: Just so you all know Akahito didn't put the slits above Kagome's pupils. When he cast the curse on her the slits appeared.

Chapter 20: A Dog Demons Energy

As Inuyasha held Kagome in a tight embrace she could feel her heart sinking. The more he cared, the more it hurt her, because it hurt him. All she really wanted was for him to be happy. He had suffered enough in his life and it was time for him to suffer no more.

"Inuyasha." Kagome pulled away and looked into his eyes. "Where is the hidden forest?" She thought that finding the forest could mean finding a cure and she would try. There was no sense in just giving up, especially not at a time like this.

"The hidden forest?" Once he repeated it he immediately caught unto her plan. "I'll take you to it tomorrow. You need to rest." He stood up and this time when he helped her to her feet she stood and didn't fall. She was glad that it was only the beginning of the curse, or else her energy would be much less.

As the two walked in peace, no words were needed for them to understand how the other was feeling.

The next morning

Kagome felt extra tired and didn't want to move from her spot. She knew it was already late into the morning and they were supposed to already have left, but Inuyasha was waiting until she was ready. As much as she wanted to go she was just so tired.

So Kagome sat and thought. She thought about the day before when she found Shippo in her time. He explained he had fallen into the well after taking a quick glance in. He was frightened when he found out he wasn't in the feudal era anymore.

Shippo had seen Kagome and went to her. She told him it was her time and explained some things before jumping back through the well with him. When they were back in the feudal era Shippo handed her a jewel shard. She wondered where he had gotten it and he said he was wondering and stepped on it. Sure enough it was a real fragment.

Kagome continued to think about the event and pulled the shard from her pocket as she lie down and examined it. It looked real enough and she saw the glow, but she still wondered how it was so easy to find, yet no other demon had taken it, that is unless Shippo was the first to come across it, which meant it was recently put there.

Something about the shard made Kagome suspicious. She looked over and saw Inuyasha leaning against the wall staring into the fire with a foreign look in his eyes. Kaede was out doing her daily chores, like tending to her herds and crop, as well as helping the sick, injured, and elderly.

That brought Kagome to her next thought. Kaede had lived here her whole life and so had most of the other female villagers, yet they all did the same thing. They tended to crops, looked after their children, and cooked the meals. Would that be the fate Kagome would face if she were to stay in the feudal era?

She only had one other choice and that was to stay with her aunt and uncle and go to college. She could get a job there, but now that life seemed just as boring as the one the villagers lived. She didn't know what she would want to do with her life... that is if she lived longer than another month or so.

Once the jewel was complete there wasn't much of choice for Kagome. She didn't know what would happen though. She didn't know what Inuyasha would do with the jewel. The last thing she wanted was for him to become a full demon or human. She loved him the way he was, but she would stick by his side no matter what his choice, and not just because he was all she had, but because she loved him.

"Inuyasha?" She said softly. There was a slight weakness in her voice which surprised her. She didn't expect to be so weak already, she wondered how it would be by the end of the month.

Inuyasha looked over at Kagome and acknowledged the drowsiness in her voice. He stood up and made his way to her.

Once to her he leaned down at her side and she sat up.

"What?" His tone wasn't normal it was soft and concerned.

"What will happen if I stay here?"

"What do you mean?"

"If I stay in the feudal era will I end up like the other village women?" Kagome questioned. Inuyasha didn't really understand what she was trying to get at and so he didn't know how to answer her. "Will I have to always take care of crops and just cook and clean?"

"Where the hell did this come from?"

"I'm just wondering." She frowned and looked down. From his lack of answer she could only assume the answer was yes. To her that life would be boring and she wanted excitement. She was glad that they still had to search for the jewel shards, or else she'd be so completely bored.

"Are you ready to leave yet?" Inuyasha ignored her question.

"How far is it?" She asked realizing she had never asked.

"It's three weeks away."

"Three weeks!" Kagome yelled in disbelief.

"We'll have to hurry. Now come on and get ready."

Later

They were already two weeks into their travels. Kagome was on Inuyasha's back as he hopped/ran through the lands in search of the hidden forest. They couldn't have taken Kirara, because Sango and Miroku went off somewhere with her. They had a demon to exterminate and Inuyasha and Kagome had no time to waist.

Kagome was very weak at this point. She needed more sleep in the mornings and she was barely able to walk. Her breathing was more ragged.

"Inuyasha..." She took in a deep breathe for energy to speak. "Can we... get... water." She closed her eyes. She was already so tired.

"Hold on." Inuyasha ran to the nearest stream he could find and let Kagome off. She immediately dropped with a thud. She didn't stand when she got off like she usually did, she fell right away. "Kagome?" Inuyasha knelt down. She was on the ground taking in deep breaths and trying to focus her energy.

Inuyasha picked her up bridal style and brought her to the edge of the stream. He put her down and waited for her to get her drink.

Throughout their trip so far they talked little. It was better that way, because Kagome needed to spare her energy. Kagome had been getting really moody. It was another one of those side effects from the curse Inuyasha failed to mention. Kagome would yell at Inuyasha for no reason, but he ignored it knowing she really didn't mean most of what she said.

Inuyasha hated seeing Kagome in this condition. he felt helpless to help her. She was already at what seemed to be the final stages of the curse. She was supposed to have more energy, but it appeared that she was in the last week of the curse, which caused Inuyasha to worry. She could die any day. She was so weak.

Kagome leaned over and drank a hand for of water from the stream. She sighed. It felt good on her tired bones.

Inuyasha knelt down beside her and made sure she didn't fall into the stream as she drank. Within moments Kagome was leaning her head on Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Sleep.." she mumbled and passed out.

"No, Kagome. No time for sleep." Inuyasha tried to shake her awake, but found she didn't. "Kagome?" He strained his ears to hear her faint heart beat. She was dying. "No, Kagome.. come on you have to wake up." He began to panic on the inside wondering what he should do. Than something came to him. A memory.

Inuyasha used a claw to slice his wrist and was careful not to hit and vital veins.

"Come on Kagome." He opened her mouth and stuck his bloody wrist to it. "You need to drink." He remembered that his blood has energy. She could survive off of it until they found a cure.

The blood dripped into Kagome's mouth slowly. It took only moments for her breathing to even slightly. She fluttered her eyes open and saw what was going on. She shrieked and jumped away, whipping her mouth.

Kagome could feel tears welling in wonder, frustration, and in worry.

"What... were you doing...?" She asked hesitantly. Inuyasha frowned not really knowing how he should explain it.

He covered his arm with his haori.

"You were dying. I had to give you energy." he said simply.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Inuyasha sighed. He knew she wasn't going to make this easy for him.

"My blood contains energy, because I'm part demon. When you drunk it you gained some of my energy."

"How would you know that?" She asked suspiciously.

"My mother died from the curse of doom." He began causing a sorrowful gasp from Kagome, not just because she was probably going to suffer the same fate, but because she had caused Inuyasha to have to bring up such painful memories. "After she died Myoga had come by and explained everything that happened. He said she was supposed to die sooner, but her energy was sustained enough for her to continue living for a while longer."

"But didn't your father die long before your mother did?" Kagome asked.

"I never said he was the one who gave her the blood. My uncle did it?"

"Uncle?" Kagome never knew Inuyasha had any other family members.

"He died, but when he was living he protected my mother. After all it was one of my fathers dying wishes... when she was found to be cursed he did all he could to sustain her life using his own energy. I walked in on him when he was giving her blood and asked what he was doing so he told me... he said that a dog demons blood hold an extreme supply of energy. So when a human blood is mixed in with in they gain a small amount of energy." Inuyasha finished. He wasn't looking at Kagome he was watching the fish in the stream. He heard wobbly footsteps approach him and turned to see Kagome coming closer. She knelt beside him and placed her hands on the ground for support.

"Thank you Inuyasha." She kissed him on the cheek, causing a blush from the both of them.

"Feh. We should get going." He said. She moved so Kagome could get on his back and he made sure she was secure before jumping/running off to continue there journey.

"So how much farther is it?" Kagome asked as she nuzzled her face into Inuyasha hair to get comfortable.

"Another week." He replied.

"Are we stopping for the night?"

"No, we're not stopping today. We lost to much time at the stream. Sleep of you want."

"I guess you weren't lying when you said dog demons have an extreme supply of energy. It seems that goes for hanyou's too."

"I rarely sleep Kagome, you know that." he said seriously. "Besides I'm used to it."

"When are we going to stop next?"

"Stop asking questions and save your god damned energy already."

"It's hard to break a habit."

"Just get some sleep. We'll stop in the morning for breakfast." He could here Kagome moan sadly.

Inuyasha watched as the sunset and he traveled in the complete darkness of the night. There was silence. The creatures weren't out as they usual were, which caused Inuyasha to grow suspicious. He could feel a presence following him, but he couldn't catch their scent because it was down wind.

He quickened his pace a little more. He wasn't in the mood to stop and battle, plus he didn't want Kagome to be stressed any more than she already was right now. There was no time to waist and no time to stop.

By the time they would make it to the hidden forest Kagome would have only a week longer to survive. He imagined she would be almost immobile. The thought caused Inuyasha's anger to rise and his sorrow as well. He felt completely helpless to save her. This wasn't something he could use his sword and slash to a million pieces it was a curse. A death curse cast be a hate demon.

If Akahito were to be killed than the curse would automatically be lifted. There was a problem with that. Inuyasha had no way to kill the bastard of a hate demon. He could only hope that demons in the hidden forest would know of another way to lift the curse.

Although there was another problem with this. Would any of the demons actually be willing to give Inuyasha a cure or tell him what one might be. Inuyasha could always threaten them, but most of the demons from the hidden forest didn't cower under a threat from a half demon. Truth be told not many demons at all did. Of course Inuyasha knew he could destroy most of the demons in the hidden forest, but they wouldn't believe so to be true and would ignore his threats and warnings. They would challenge him to the point they would have to die or Inuyasha would, leaving them no time to plea for their lives and give Inuyasha the explanation he wanted.

A few days later

It was once again night fall and Kagome wasn't asleep she sat on Inuyasha's back tired and warn out. She wanted more sleep, but was concerned about Inuyasha. He hadn't had any sleep over the past few days and he wasn't even eating and that was because he didn't waist anytime. He took enough time to hunt for Kagome's food and that was all. He took no time for himself.

He seemed more determined than ever. Inuyasha's lack of sleep wasn't the original plan. They were supposed to stop each night for rest. Kagome got her rest, but Inuyasha did not.

"Inuyasha please can we stop?" Kagome pleaded.

"Why you already ate your dinner?"

"Just please?" She begged. "You haven't slept at all over the past few days and you haven't eaten anything either. You need your rest and I don't care how much energy you have left."

"Kagome stop worrying about me and worry about yourself. We'll be there in a little while."

"A little while? Didn't you say a weak?"

"We haven't stopped as much as I planned." He replied. (A/N: Well of course not. He hasn't stopped to get any sleep.) "Just another minute." Kagome looked out past Inuyasha and all she saw were blank plains.

"Inuyasha there's nothing there."

"Sure there is Kagome. You think they call it the hidden forest for some clever name?"

"So than were is it?" She asked sleepily.

"Just up ahead." He stopped abruptly and looked at the ground like he was searching for something. He knelt down and Kagome slid off his back. "Don't move." he ordered to her as he continued walked forward and searching the ground. At a point he knelt demon and traced the ground with his claw.

Than under his claw a blue small light glowed. He grinned having found his target. He scrapped the dirt aside and noticed the demons seal. (A/N: In this demons can make there own types of seals. I don't know if they can do it in on the show.)

Inuyasha ran his claw down the seal and felt it resist his presence, but Inuyasha overpowered the resistance and continued to slice it in half. Than it appeared.

"Inuyasha looked up and noticed a blue barrier. It dissipated and the forest appeared. The seal slowly began to reseal and the barrier began to once again form on the forest. Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and jumped into the forest before the barrier closer him out.

They had finally made it. He looked up and saw the glowing blue barrier overhead, while the rest of the forest was dark and quiet.

Too quiet. Inuyasha could tell he was being watched. Demons were examining their intruder and decided if he was a threat and is so what they should do to deal with him.

"Who dares to enter the hidden forest?" A stern voice asked from the shadows. Inuyasha placed Kagome demon. She sat up and he stood in front of her to protect her.

"My name is Inuyasha and I am need of answer." He replied with no fear.

"You are a half breed." A demon stepped out from the shadows with a smirk. He was green and appeared to be a lizard demon. He wore human looking armor and his eyes glowed an evil red.

"What of it?" Inuyasha growled.

"And you have the nerve to speak to me that way. You shall pay."

"No one will be paying until I get the answers I have come here for."

"Who is that?" a female voice asked. Another lizard demon stepped out beside the male one. She looked the same, just slightly more feminine. "Who is that human girl behind you?" She asked half amused. "I sense it.. that woman has been cursed with doom."

"Doom, you say?" The male lizard asked. The female one nodded and continued speaking.

"Is she the reason you are her? You wish to know a cure to save the human wench?"

"Is that so." The male demon snickered. "You don't actually believe any demon in this forest would help a human?"

"Not willingly no." Inuyasha replied.

"You gamble a fight with me than?" The male demon began. "You will surely die fighting me." The demon charged at Inuyasha. Inuyasha unsheathed Tetsusaiga. 'Good. Once I get rid of one demon one of the watching demons is bound to cower and give me the answer I am looking for.' Inuyasha thought.

Inuyasha taking time to think though was a mistake. The demon was a lot faster than he would have assumed and prepared to bite Inuyasha head off. Inuyasha was prepared for the worst, but it never came.

Inuyasha heard a the whistle of a speeding object and opened his eyes just in time to see the lizard dissipate into nothing more than ash.

He turned and looking at Kagome as she was stanced with her bow. She had been the one to shoot an arrow and kill the demon.

Inuyasha turned back to the female demon when he heard her laugh.

"So she is a miko than? How interesting." The female lizard laughed. "The only way to save the woman is to kill the demon who cast the curse. Judging from her condition she will die soon enough I would hurry and kill the demon who cast this curse. That is - of course - if you know who did it?"

"A hate demon did it."

"A hate demon? Good luck, you'll need it." With that the lizard woman disappeared. Inuyasha was surprised she too didn't try and attack Inuyasha. Than his surprise turned to worry as he took in the female demons words. 'The only way to save the woman is to kill the demon who cast the curse.'

"If that's the only way..." He turned to face Kagome in complete worry and fear. "No.." He had no way to kill Akahito... that meant he had no way to save Kagome. He wanted to break down and cry like a lost child, but stood brave and walked over to Kagome.

Over the past few days Kagome's breathing had steadily slowed and became more tattered. Inuyasha knelt directly in front her, staring at her face as if searching for an answer in her features. The next thing he knew Kagome was leaning against his chest for support breathing harder.

"Sorry..." She mumbled. "Just... so... weak."

"Kagome open your mouth." Inuyasha said. He needed to spare more time.

"No.."

"But.. Kagome you need more energy."

"Not if it takes your energy."

"Lets go. We have to find Akahito." Inuyasha picked Kagome up bridal stile and left the hidden forest. To leave he didn't need to unseal anything. He could just exit the barrier.

Once he was about 100 feet away from the hidden forest he stopped. All that was to be seen for miles was empty lands and sand. Almost like a desert.

He placed Kagome on the ground. She was passed out again. Inuyasha knew she would be mad at him for giving her more of his blood, but she needed more energy. Losing a little more energy wasn't going to harm Inuyasha. He was fine.

He cut his wrist and dripped the blood into Kagome's mouth once more and once more her eyes fluttered opened and she jumped back in surprise.

Well this is the longest chapter I've had in this fiction so far. I hope you liked it. The next chapter will get more interesting and the Inuyasha and Kagome fluff will also be soon. This fan fiction is 27 chapters for those who wanted to know.