(This is a long chapter and I'm sorry to say there's only a little more left to the story. There won't be more then 10 chapters, maybe only 8 or 9, I haven't decided yet. Once again, I'm sorry everyone)

Chapter 7

THE NEXT DAY

It was spring and the snow was gone, but nonetheless it was still chilly. The pack had to find food so they all went to the clearing where they had hunted last time. There were 6 deer, 2 were fawns. Spring had brought new kill for the wolves who all smiled at the huge herd. Just like last time they all crept so they were on both sides of them the only difference was that they had a new wolf Astra. Inuyasha leapt at a tall, healthy doe who bucked and reared when he clung to her side and bit down really hard. Sango and Miroku joined in and together they killed the doe in no time.

The others had taken down a small buck. Kagome watched, enjoying the sight of them killing deer, then all of a sudden one of the fawns came running in her direction in hopes of getting away from the wolves. Kagome crouched so it wouldn't see her then right when it was about 7 feet from her she leapt, tackling it to the ground. Inuyasha and the others watched amazed that she was actually killing her first prey. She held the fawn's neck in her jaws, and although it still moved she was able to hold onto it. Her teeth aren't nearly as sharp as the wolves so she finally had to claw it's side to make it stop moving then she bit down hard into it's neck and it died. She smiled then carried it over to them, the fawn was just a bit smaller then she was.

"Great job Kagome! Congratulations on your first kill! You must be happy." Sango said happily hopping all around. Kagome dropped it on the ground and said, "Yeah I am. It looks so easy watching you guys but actually doing it alone is hard. Especially for a dog, you guys have sharp teeth so it kills them faster. For a little guy he put up a pretty good fight." Said Kagome smiling widely. "Well you did great! I killed my first prey with someone and it was a fawn smaller then that one and it was hard work. You killed it faster then we killed our small one, nice job." Inuyasha said smiling at her.

Everyone went to their eating, Inuyasha walked over to where Kagome sat looking at her first kill in awe. "Mind if I join you?" He asked her politely. She looked up at him and smiled, "Actually I wanted you to join me. This is way too much for me to eat." "Ok. I'll help you eat it." He said sitting down as Kagome smiled at him and took her first bite out of it. Inuyasha started soon afterwards.

After they were done and done washing in the river Kagome and Inuyasha sat alone by a tree in the shade talking. "You did really great. I'm very impressed. If you'd like you can help me kill a doe or buck next time." Said Inuyasha licking her muzzle to show that she had done well. She smiled at him and licked his muzzle in return, "I'd like that very much." He smiled at her but their moment together was soon interrupted by the pack before. Sick'm walked out of the trees and stood only about 30 feet away from Inuyasha and Kagome. "Well if it isn't Inuyasha and the dog. Has your wound healed my pretty? Even if it did you won't have to feel anymore pain for long for I intend to kill you myself sense no other one of my wolves can." Said Sick'm. "Not while I'm alive." Growled Inuyasha. "Oh I forgot all about you. Fine I'll take you down first then once your dead that dog will die." Said Sick'm.

"We'll see about that." Said Inuyasha charging at him biting and snapping and clawing at him. Sick'm did just the same but Sick'm was much bigger and after about 5 minutes Inuyasha was panting and bloody all over. Sick'm clawed him in the shoulder causing him to fall, Sick'm was bloody too, and weak but had enough strength to keep standing. "Now for you to die." Said Sick'm raising his outstretched paw. Right as it was falling Kagome came out of nowhere and took the blow in her side but it didn't do very much. "What?" Said Sick'm very surprised. "Ka…Ka…Kagome." Inuyasha said the best that he could, he was surprised as well.

He was sure he was going to die, he never expected Kagome to come to the rescue. "You will not kill him, not while I'm alive." Growled Kagome repeating what Inuyasha had said about her. She crouched down and clawed at his stomach, he cried out in pain as she struck again and again. She ran to his side and grabbed his neck in her jaws and said, "This is for hurting my mate." Inuyasha heard her say this and his jaw dropped open, 'She just said that I'm her mate. She must want to be my mate. That's why she did this, she wants to be my mate, Kagome…' She bit down as hard as she could in his neck and he died instantly. Kagome let go and backed off surprised, she had actually killed him.

She then remembered Inuyasha and ran to his side and cried, "Inuyasha! Are you gonna live?" "Kagome, uh for you I will." He said smiling at her. She lied down next to him and put her head in his fur and cried. "Please don't cry Kagome, not over me. I'll be ok. Please don't cry." He said touching her paw with his. She stopped and looked into his eyes, which were full of care and something she wasn't used to. "Inuyasha if you're going to live then we're gonna have to get you back to the cave." She said. He nodded the let his head fall down to the ground. "Sango, Miroku! I need some help." She yelled to them.

Rumiko, Tai, Sango, and Miroku all ran over to her. "I'm so sorry, I was in shock and now my baby's hurt. Thank you Kagome if it weren't for you he would be dead I wouldn't have him anymore." Said Rumiko weeping over him. Kagome nudged Inuyasha and said, "Inuyasha we're gonna get you back to the cave, just hang tight." He didn't reply so she quickly went around him and pushed on his side and got him to stand.

'Please don't die Inuyasha I love you, don't leave me. I love you, and if you heard me I want to be your mate, please don't go.' She thought making tears well up in her eyes, a tear fell on Inuyasha and he said, "Don't cry, please don't cry." "Inuyasha!" She said in surprise. Miroku moved to Inuyasha's other side and steadied him. Then together Kagome and Miroku walked Inuyasha to the cave with the others not far behind. They lay him on his patch then Rumiko said, "We'll leave you alone with him. We'll go fetch the meat, we won't be back for awhile." And with that they all left.

She lay down next to him and looked for the worst cut then licked it. "Kagome-" "You don't have to talk, it might hurt." Interrupted Kagome. "I don't care, Kagome uh why did you do that for me. You know could've got hurt for me. You could have been killed." Said Inuyasha rather well. She stopped licking his cuts and looked at him, "You heard what I said didn't you (he nodded), well I guess when you said "not while I'm alive" I knew you cared about me a lot and wanted me and only me. So I guess once you said that I knew right then I cared about you too and didn't want you to die so I risked my life to keep you alive and I'd do it anytime, anywhere, in anyway."

"Kagome…You put your life in danger for me then you said, '...my mate'. What did you mean by that?" Inuyasha asked her. " Inuyasha, I guess that after being here for so long and then after what happened with you fighting for me I guess that I've learned to like you much more now in fact I-Inuyasha I love you. I really do." She said then leaned down and touched his nose with hers. He was in shock for she had just told him what he had been waiting for all his life and now she was kissing him what more could he ask for. Kagome broke the kiss then looked longingly at him.

"Kagome, I love you too. I always have ever since I saw you in the human territory. Kagome if had to go back and choose a female all over again I'd pick you and only you. You're the only one for me. You've made me so happy, I've always wanted to hear that, all my life." Said Inuyasha licking her muzzle. "Inuyasha I will be your mate. I want to, I really do. I want you to be happy and not be alone anymore. I want to be the one to have your pups. I will be the mate you've always wanted, if you still want me to that is?" Said Kagome.

Inuyasha's heart was beating rapidly, his desire for her to say that was now finally complete. He didn't need to answer that, he touched his nose with her's she blushed then he broke away soon after and said, "Of course I do, I wouldn't have brought you here in the first place if I didn't. Kagome you don't know how much I've wanted to hear that from you, thank you. I don't feel alone anymore." She smiled at him and said, "I'm glad." Inuyasha wrapped his tail around hers ( it just shows that they love each other) then placed his paw on hers and licked her muzzle. "I love you, so much. I'm so happy, and its all because of you, thank you." He whispered into her ear then he licked it.

She smiled then said, "Well if you don't get healed up fast you won't be ready by the time mating season arrives. I'll help." She bent down and licked his wounds and he licked the one on her side that she received for defending him. After awhile laid down next him then he took his paw and wrapped it around her and pulled her closer so now Inuyasha was on his side with Kagome's back against his stomach, his paw was around her and their tails were wrapped around one another. Then they smiled at each other and went to sleep.