Chapter One: Her Decision

It's a beautiful spring evening in the Feudal Era. The birds are singing and a cool breeze is blowing through the trees. A gorgeous day overall. Calm and serene. All except for a human girl and an angry hanyou arguing in the distance . . .

"What doesn't take much?" Said Kagome.

"Does it bother you that Koga said he loved me? Is that it? Don't tell me you're jealous." Inuyasha jumps up and looks down on the girl.

"Why would I be jealous of that jerk? I don't care!"

'Yeah, like, right!' She thought.

"Not that it's any of your business, but Koga's not my type, okay?"

"Keh! I wasn't askin'. I don't care what ya do. Just forget it. I don't wanna talk about it anymore, so just spare me." He turned from her and crossed his arms. Kagome sighed heavily and looks into the distance. Inuyasha suddenly said,

"So . . ."

"Hm?" She looked at him as he sat next to her like a dog as he always does.

"What exactly happened between you guys?" Kagome says (a little too sweetly),

"Inuyasha. . ." And takes a deep breath before screaming,

"WHAT'D YOU TAKE ME FOR ANYWAY? I HAVE SOME SELF RESPECT! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'D EVEN ASK ME THAT!" Inuyasha takes a step back, shocked from her sudden outburst, but quickly recovers.

"Huh? WELL YOU DON'T HAVE TO BITE MY HEAD OFF! I WAS JUST WONDERING!" Kagome stands up and yells in his face,

"YOU JERK! DON'T YOU GET ANYTHING?"

"IF I'M SUCH A JERK THEN STOP TAGGIN' ALONG 'N' GETTIN' IN THE WAY! I'M TIRED OF WASTING MY TIME RESCUING YOU!" Kagome's expression and tone relaxes drastically.

"I see." She turns to Sango.

"Sango?"

"Huh? What is it?"

"Can I borrow Kirara?" The fire cat hopped onto Sango's head.

"What're you gonna do?"

"Hm. She misses her wolf boy already." Said Inuyasha in a mocking tone. Kagome turns on him with anger in her eyes.

"I'M GOING BACK HOME STUPID! YOU HAPPY NOW? YOU'RE SUCH A JERK!" Her last word echoed for miles from the mountain top as Kagome flew away on Kirara's back.

"When she's angry she can be really scary." Said Shippo. Inuyasha was holding tightly to a rock as he cowered from the human girl's rage.

"I wasn't scared. GO BACK HOME AGAIN! SEE IF I CARE!" But Kagome had no intention of going home at all.

"Kirara, take me to the wolf den." The fire cat flew as fast as she could. She landed just within walking distance of the cave. Kagome got off and said,

"Thanks, Kirara. And please don't tell Inuyasha and the others I came here." Kirara growled her compliance and left. When she was gone, Kagome proceeded to approach the cave entrance. Before she entered however, she was spotted.

"HALT!" Rang a voice from above her. One of Koga's demons dropped down gracefully in front of her and his hard expression immediately softened.

"Sister! You've returned!" Kagome was a little shocked by his welcome.

"You're . . . Ginta. Right?"

"Yes! What brings you here? I thought you left with the hanyou and the other humans." Kagome wrung her hands and looked away.

"I- I came to see Koga." Sadness and concern washed over his face.

"Yes, of course. This way." As she followed him, Hakkaku crawled out of the small river that was only feet away from them.

"That was a dirty trick, you bastard! Where'd she come from?"

"She came to see Koga, fool!" They went through the waterfall and Ginta guided Kagome to Koga's room with Hakkaku trailing behind and led her inside. Without looking up or opening his eyes, Koga said,

"Ginta, Hakkaku, didn't I tell you not to disturb me?"

"Sorry, Koga," Said Ginta.

"But you have a visitor." He growled.

"This better be important or else - - Kagome!" He said as he looked up. Ginta and Hakkaku left to let Koga be alone with "his woman".

"Hi, Koga. I just came to see how you were doing."

"Much better now that you're here." He tried to stand only to be stopped by a sharp pain that shot through his right arm. He slumped back down. Kagome went and sat next to him.

"Koga, your wound. Why isn't it bandaged up?"

"I've had worse. I'll live." She looked at his red and swollen arm.

"Please, just let me bandage it for you." She pulled out her first-aid kit and went to work. First she cleaned it.

"Ah! That burns! What is that stuff?"

"Alcohol. It'll clean your wound and prevent infection."

"Why can't you just use water?" He complained.

"Because water is dirty. Now will you just let me take care of you?" He quieted instantly. She sure did have an attitude on her for being a human. And a female at that. But it didn't matter. She was his woman. He'd claimed her mere hours before.

She began to wrap his arm in a gauze wrap.

"That's a little loose, don't you think?" He said. She glared at the Ookami.

"Do you WANT me to cut off your circulation?" He laughed at her retort. For now. But later on such outbursts would not be looked upon so kindly. He loved Kagome sure enough, but he could not tolerate such behavior from his mate. He could tell that she had a strong spirit. It would prove to be fun breaking. He was so in his own thoughts, however, that he never felt the grin spread across his face or notice the way the human girl was now looking at him.

Kagome looked at Koga and would have been lying had she said the look on his face didn't concern her. The grin on his lips. She couldn't call it evil, yet it wasn't good either. It was hard to describe but it would probably be somewhere in between malicious and mischievous. And the look in his eyes. . . Those empty pools of blue. . . Was the unmistakable look of lust. Add two and two together and what it doesn't add up to is good. Not at all. Kagome wondered whether she would soon regret her decision.