Fated Existence

Chapter 5 – Dissed and Dismissed

Kagome watched the slumbering hanyou for a brief moment before setting down the ramen cup. Appreciate it while it lasts, dog-boy, she thought to herself as she headed back into the village. The sun had risen about an hour ago and she with it. Washing quickly, she'd begun breakfast for him, knowing the others wouldn't be up until after she'd taken it to him. Shippou had risen with her and while she'd taken him the ramen, the kit refilled the pot with water so she could make breakfast for everyone else. The routine was slightly new, but when one doesn't sleep well at night, waking with the dawn becomes habitual.

"Wonderful meal, Kagome-sama." Kaede commented as she handed her bowl to Sango to be washed. The others nodded their agreement and cleaned up the area for her. She simply smiled her thanks as she sat to the side, re-braiding her hair. It was always mussed in the mornings. There would be many more new routines incorporated into the old before the week was out. She frowned as she tied off the end of the braid with a strip of silver cloth and flicked it over her shoulder as she stood.

"Kouga." She replied to the questioning looks from the group before grabbing her katana from the corner and exiting the hut.

No doubt the wolf would want to know her whereabouts for the past few months and make another attempt to claim her as 'his' woman. Over the months she'd been away she had thought so long about that things that used to happen in the past, that she had realised many things that she hadn't seen before. She had always tried to be nice with her refusal of the wolf youkai, but unlike Hojou, who she had spoken to and cleared the waters with, Kouga had never listened. Once she had explained things, Hojou had understood that he didn't stand a chance, and although pained, backed off. Kouga had never taken her soft pushes away into account, refusing to see what she was trying to say, or even listen to it. Kagome had always stopped Inuyasha from fighting Kouga, but not out of feelings for the wolf; rather, it had been for fear of Inuyasha getting hurt.

She knew if given the chance, Kouga would hide her from Inuyasha and make good on his promise of making her his mate. Now she realized that Inuyasha wouldn't have been beaten by the wolf. If the hanyou could take on Sesshoumaru and Naraku, then Kouga was nothing. A good fight, certainly, but the wolf would never win. Still, she needed to solve this problem, since she'd been the one to let it fester. No doubt Inuyasha would smell him coming, but hopefully she'd fix this before he could get pissed and start a fight.

She met the whirlwind at the edge of the village, arms crossed over her chest as she waited for the usual attempt to grab her hands. He bounded to her and when he tried to grab her hands, he yelped and jumped back, rubbing his hands in pain. Her aura shimmered and crackled before disappearing. The shock on his face nearly got a chuckle out of her if not for the seriousness of the situation.

"Ka-Kagome?"

"I've told you before that I'm not your woman. I figured I needed a different way to tell you since you weren't listening," she said levelly, deciding to go straight to the point rather than beating around the bush. She hated doing it, but niceties had never worked with Kouga, and now she was determined; he needed to back off. She wanted to cut as many chords as she could with the Sengoku, and he was one of the first.

Kouga frowned. "What's mutt face been doing to you? You've been gone for months."

She sighed; still obstinate. The 'fleabag' could give 'dog-boy' a run for his money in stubbornness. "You're ignoring the point, Kouga. You're a good friend, but you constantly come here thinking to sweep me away and make me your mate. Not now, not ever. I belong to no one."

Kouga scoffed. "Course you're my woman! I just let that baka watch over you since it's too dangerous for you to come with me yet."

He'd begun to inch closer to her as he talked, thinking to get close enough to grab her and run. Kouga could smell the hanyou nearby, but Inuyasha had yet to actually show his face. Perhaps Inuyasha was finally giving up his attempts to keep the mortal. Kagome, on the other hand, was steadily getting angrier as she was continuously ignored and her friend insulted. As if shard hunting with Inuyasha isn't dangerous, she thought sarcastically.

"I'll give you one more warning, Kouga."

"Or what? You'll let that hanyou try to beat me before subduing him?" he sneered. "He's a pathetic weakling. You should let me kill him."

Inuyasha watched the argument from his hiding spot with the others, wondering why he wasn't just charging in to bash in that wolf's head. Part of him wanted to do just that, but the other part, the more demanding side, wanted to see what this 'new' Kagome would do. It didn't help having the houshi and taijiya holding him down; however, none of them were really prepared for her reaction. He wasn't sure which shocked him more; her loud snarling growl that reminded him of himself in a rage, or the drawing of her katana and attack upon the wolf.

Both actions were done simultaneously as she launched herself at the wolf, her aura crackling defensively as it prevented the wolf from getting within a few feet of her. She swung the katana at his chest, lightly grazing it and leaving a thin cut behind. Her actions were slower than Sango's, but it seemed the main effect of using her katana was to off balance Kouga. Before Kouga could recover from the shock that the timid miko had grown fangs, she'd brought the sword back down as she crouched, slicing at his legs. Two pink shards flew into the air and rolled into the dirt at Kagome's feet; she glared at him as she picked up the shards.

"You were warned, Kouga. I'm not your woman, I never was."

For once the wolf was utterly speechless as he scrambled back away from the miko. The look on Kouga's face was that of one resigned to accepting what had been unacceptable before. Inuyasha knew that the wolf most likely wouldn't be showing up to pursue Kagome anymore. She dropped the defensive aura as she approached the wolf prince and handed him back the shards.

"You're a good friend, Kouga, but let that be a lesson and a final warning. Friend or not, no one threatens one of my friends. Keep these safe," she pointed to the shards in his hand. "Until he defeats Naraku."

Kouga looked about as confused as Inuyasha was feeling when Kagome returned the shards. What the hell was the wench thinking? Without another word, the wolf raced away as fast as his injured legs could carry him.

She hated resorting to violence with Kouga, but no one attacked her friends, verbally or physically, and got away with it. His threat to kill Inuyasha had been the proverbial straw to break the camel's back. Even though the wolf and the hanyou had thrown insults and threats of the sort at each other, this time Kagome had clearly seen that Kouga had meant every breath he spoke. She knew she'd eventually run into him again, and hoped that by then he would allow her to apologize for her actions. She'd allowed her anger to take control of the situation and it eerily reminded her of when Inuyasha lost himself to his own inner demon. That wasn't who she was or even remotely wanted to be. She also realised that she had been lucky; her skill, even now, was nowhere near high enough to counter Kouga, had he decided to go ahead and fight her after he'd recovered from his shock. It was only that slim element of surprise that had won her this personal battle, but she knew she couldn't always count on that.

She'd known Inuyasha was hiding, but she'd never thought he'd just sit there and watch. Then again, maybe he wanted to see if the blade was more than just a decoration. She noticed Kaede's approach, equipped as usual with a bow and arrows. Apparently the woman thought to be of some assistance with Kouga if things had gone wrong. With a sly smile as an unusual idea came to her mind she asked to borrow the bow and snatched an arrow. She'd teach him to eavesdrop.

Seconds after her arrow hit the target, a trio of heads popped up; one indignantly crying, "Oi, Bitch!" She snickered and handed the bow back to Kaede before making her way to her friends.

"Shouldn't spy on people."

"Keh." Inuyasha pointedly looked at his two accomplices. "I wasn't the only one."

With a roll of her eyes she turned on her heel. "I'm ready to leave when you are."

"Keh! We haven't heard any shard rumours since you left. There's nowhere to go."

"That never stopped you before. I'm sure we'll get wind of something." She called over her shoulder before getting out of earshot.

Kagome paused outside Kaede's hut, frowning as she spotting Kikyo's shinidama-chuu over the forest. She still couldn't bring herself to hate the undead miko, even after learning the truth behind her resurrection. But no matter the reasons for Kikyo pushing the so called 'rules', Kagome believed she was at least to be given a chance to explain and perhaps earn a kinder fate. At least she'd managed to buy enough time to possibly fix things before Kikyo met her maker; so to speak. You have a lot to answer for, she thought as she slipped into the hut.

A/N:

I know the fight was a really short one and possibly hard to believe, but look at it this way.

Shock factor played heavily into why she won. I promise there is an in depth explanation in the sixth chapter.

Reviewers

MMorg

InuyashasLoveLorn(same here; methinks everyone is stuck with it lol)

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Sango Hiwatari (ditto)

Standard Disclaimer: Inuyasha is property of Rumiko Takahashi.

All other characters are mine unless otherwise mentioned.