The sun rose with the usual freshness of a new day, but lacking the cheer that most often came with Kagome. Inuyasha had spent the night near the bone eater's well, pondering the schoolgirl's peculiar actions. Sango, Miroku, and Shippou remained with Kaede, waiting impatiently for his next move. He couldn't just sit here and mope about simply because Kagome was no longer with them. They were more than capable of chasing after Naraku without her. In a somewhat disheartened way, the hanyou made his way back to the village.

'Inuyasha!' cried Shippou as he spotted the only person for miles wearing a red haori. 'We were wondering where you had gone.'

'We? More like I, you prying sneak.'

'Still upset are you? Oh well. I figure you'll get over it soon enough. So, Kagome is madly in love with you're brother. Who cares? It's not as if you liked her anyway.'

'Why you-' Inuyasha proceeded to chase the little fox youkai around hoping for a chance to knock him upside the head. He had indeed been thinking about these possibilities and they worried him.

'He's just a child,' Miroku intervened. 'Let him alone.'

The hanyou stopped, his ears twitching in annoyance. 'If... I-' he spluttered. I give up!

'Inuyasha,' Kaede called through the crowd of early rising villagers. Inuyasha looked up. The priestess headed back into her home where she waited for the half demon to join her. When he did they sat in silence for a few moments. 'Inuyasha, I've decided,' she stood, 'that you won't be needing this,' she lifted the necklace that had burdened him for so long from his neck, 'for a while,' she sighed. 'It might be easier to bring Kagome back without it.'

Inuyasha blinked, then staring at the ground he asked, 'Could I at least carry it with me?'

'Sure.' Kaede smiled slightly, understanding how he must feel.

When Inuyasha appeared again in the sunlight, he received a few odd looks from his friends. 'What did Kaede want?' Shippou asked, the expressions on Sango's and Miroku's faces backing up this question. The hanyou did not answer. Instead he said, 'I am going to get Kagome.'

'But we've already tried-' Sango trailed off when Inuyasha continued on the path leading to the village's exit, seemingly ignoring her.

'We may be here for a while yet,' Miroku stated.

Inuyasha sighed at the silence that surrounded him. It evaporated a moment, then returned with a weight even heavier than before. I blame this all on her. If she hadn't run off... The half demon decided not to finish that thought. As fate would have it (as fate always does in stories), it wasn't long before Inuyasha stumbled upon a dying wolf demon.

'Well,' he said. 'It looks as if you're stupidity has finally taken its toll.'

'Go away, mutt-face. I didn't ask for your opinion. So, until I do, amuse yourself with your fingernails or something.'

'And what's that supposed to mean?'

'Just go!' Kouga started into a coughing fit.

Inuyasha stared down at the pathetic wolf demon, then crouched down beside him. This is for Kagome. 'You have a fever. If you want I can take you back to Kaede.'

Kouga didn't answer for a moment, then, 'If I had any other choice, I wouldn't accept help from you, mutt-face.'

'That name is getting old,' Inuyasha muttered as he helped Kouga to his feet.

'If you say so. What were you doing out here anyway?'

'None of your business.'

'If you're looking for Kagome, she's gone with your brother... west. You should be going after her, not humiliating me.'

'If I go, then you're coming.'

'No! I've my own battle to fight. I'm going to KILL that horse demon!'

'Unless I'm wrong and I'm not... you have gawked over Kagome forever. And what horse demon?'

'Shiyou. If you've heard of his whereabouts you had better as hell tell me.'

'I've never heard of a Shiyou.'

By night fall, the two had not gotten far. Inuyasha secretly hoped they would find Kagome tomorrow and that Sesshoumaru would not delay them long. Tomorrow, after all, was the night of the new moon. Maybe we could slow up a bit. That way we won't come across either of them until after the new moon has passed. Then again, if this Shiyou finds out Kouga isn't dead we'll be in for it.

Inuyasha nodded off, but was awakened a few hours later by the sound of Kouga's shallow breathing. The inu hanyou got slowly to his feet and rubbed his eyes. Next he wobbled into the trees in search of water and of food.

Inuyasha had a decent fire going in no more than an hour and Kouga, having smelled the cooked fish, opened his eyes. 'It's been days since I've eaten. Have you any water?'

'It's a wonder you're still alive,' Inuyasha mumbled. 'Apparently one can live on tenacity alone. Here.'

'Thank you.' It seemed to pain the wolf youkai to say it.

'Tell me, now, what happened.'

'It was Shiyou. He tells me off for attacking him with his back turned, then he goes and does the same thing. It was one blow to the head.' Kouga paused. 'THAT DAMN BEAST STILL HAS MY JEWEL SHARD!' he shouted.

'If you don't shut it, he'll hear you and come to finish you off.'

'What you can't fend off a mere horse demon?'

'That has nothing to do with it. And from the looks of it, you couldn't yourself.'

'He cheats!'

'It is a horse demon's trade mark. I thought you'd be used to such tactics already, seeing as how we've both had a number of battles with Naraku. He's no different.'

'When you meet him, trust me, you'll want to strangle him. Oh... and watch you're jewel shards.'

'Kagome has them all.'

'Have you considered that Sesshoumaru might try to obtain them?'

'No... but thanks. Now I've another thing to lose sleep over.'

'Is Kagome pulling your heartstrings?'

'Shut up!' Inuyasha quickly got to his feet and left Kouga to affront the trees.

Review? Kudasai. -puppy eyes-

Muahaha... ha... haha... Evil cliffies are fun... for me.