Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

Chapter 4

Hatred To You

With Sango fully healed, the, now, group of four began their journey towards Shinto. It was a rather quiet walk that day and it was raining quite heavily.

"How long till we get to Shinto?" Kagome asked breaking the silence as the rain fell heavily. She hugged her wet kimono closer to her body attempting to keep warm.

"It could take maybe three days if we keep up this pace," Miroku commented looking ahead at the mountains.

"Three days, huh?" Inuyasha murmured quietly.

"Are there any villages that we can rest between here and Shinto?" Kagome asked eyeing the rocky ground they were walking past. The land wasn't going to make a comfortable bed now that they were nearing the rocky mountains. "We will also need to camp near a good water source and have you noticed that there are hardly any forests near the mountains? We'll have no fire at night!"

"You almost make it sound as though you don't want to go to Shinto," Inuyasha said with an arched eyebrow.

"I don't want to die of starvation and dehydration here!" Kagome snapped. "Would you?"

"I'm a half demon, wench, so I wouldn't die of starvation in one day! You humans are so weak!"

"So you must be weak too since you're half human too, you know!"

"But I'm not as weak as you, bitch."

"What did you call me?" Kagome shrieked stopping in her path to face Inuyasha with a furious face.

Inuyasha almost flinched at her glare and the rage burning in her eyes before he reminded himself that he was a demon, well half anyway, and no human was going to bring him down. Inuyasha stood tall and glared down at Kagome.

"Are you deaf now, bitch?" Inuyasha drawled with a smirk, baring his white fangs.

Kagome was shaking with anger now but before she could pounce on Inuyasha and try to kill him, Miroku came out of nowhere and grabbed her arms, restraining her from the half demon.

"Calm down Kagome-sama!" Miroku yelled pulling Kagome back. For a girl, Kagome put up a good fight. "Control your anger!"

Inuyasha smirked at Kagome causing her to make a lunge at him but Miroku's grip was too strong and all Kagome could do was kick Inuyasha, and she managed to get his shins.

"Ow! You bitch!"

"Stop calling me that!" Kagome screamed.

She swung her legs again kicking Inuyasha in the torso. Before Inuyasha could attack Kagome, Sango grabbed him and pulled him back, with difficulty I might add. Sango was at least a head or two shorter than Inuyasha and he was certainly heavier than her. But somehow, the young youkai taijiya managed.

"Stop it you two!" Sango shouted.

"Not until that bastard says he's sorry!" Kagome replied loudly, her legs now kicking Miroku hoping that he would let go, which he didn't.

"For what?" Inuyasha snarled with equal viciousness. "You're mad at me because I'm telling the truth?"

"TRUTH!" Kagome shouted squirming out of Miroku's grip.

Kagome made a leap and tacked Inuyasha, causing him and Sango to fall to the ground. Kagome raised her hand and slapped Inuyasha across the cheek with a deafening slap.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Inuyasha said sitting up grabbing Kagome's wrists before she could slap him again.

"Because you're a jerk and you called me a bitch!"

Kagome raised her foot and stomped hard on Inuyasha's chest. He let go of her almost immediately and began to cough loudly. Kagome felt a slight pang of guilt as she got up, but she reminded herself that he was a half demon so whatever damage she did wouldn't be permanent.

Inuyasha glared at Kagome furiously, making Kagome's eyes widen in fear. Poked the bear, she thought before running off into the forest nearby. She could hear Miroku and Sango calling her but she ducked beneath the large branches and dove deeper into the dark forest.

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"That baka!" Inuyasha snarled sitting up. "Doesn't she know that the lands here are infested with demons? And she so wisely left her bow and arrows here!"

"Why, Inuyasha, it almost sounds as though you're worried of Kagome-sama!" Miroku said sounding amused.

"I am not worried about that bitch! It's her fault she ran in there weapon less!"

"You made her mad and you scared her," Sango pointed out. "If anyone one of us should go and get her, it should be you, Inuyasha," she added.

"Me!" Inuyasha yelped. "That wench is probably safe and she'll come back soon," he said hastily.

"Inuyasha, go get her," Sango snarled picking up her hiraikotsu and raising it.

Inuyasha took a step back, wondering how hard the female taijiya could hit. He had two choices then and there. The first was to see how hard Sango's hit would be and the second choice was to go fetch Kagome and not be injured should Sango's hit be hard.

"OK, OK, I'll go get that stupid wench," Inuyasha muttered running into the forest.

"Do you think it was safe letting him go after her, houshi-sama?" Sango asked watching Inuyasha's red haori envelop in the darkness of the forest.

"Probably," the monk replied sitting down on a nearby log. "Kagome-sama can put up a good fight if she wants to. Let us just pray to Kami that Inuyasha isn't in a killing mood."

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Kagome tripped over another stray branch on the forest bed. She fell to the hard ground with a grunt as her knees scraped on the slightly rocky ground. She picked herself up, ignoring the slight pain in her knees, and continued running.

Why am I running? she thought as she slipped down a steep hill side. Sure Inuyasha looked like he was about to murder me but I doubt he could do anything with a servant of Buddha there and a youkai taijiya. Plus my powers might have stopped him from advancing.

Kagome gave a short shriek as she landed not very gracefully and falling on her butt. She sat up rubbing her sore butt and looked up at the steep hill.

Oh great! Now how am I supposed to get back to everyone?

Furiously, Kagome began stomping around the forest trying to get back to her travelling companions. A rustle in the bushes behind her caused the girl to turn around with her eyes wide in fear.

Please let that be Inuyasha trying to trick me as some form of punishment for kicking him. Kami, if you're there, please let that be Inuyasha in that bush and not some scary youkai who likes to eat girls.

Kagome screamed as she saw two wide yellow eyes staring back at her and fangs stained with blood. She saw a scaled arm being raised as claws, also stained with blood, pulled the youkai out of the bush. Kagome turned around and began to run off, not wanting to see the youkai anymore.

This isn't the way I want to die! Kagome's mind screamed as she weaved through the trees. Sango-chan! Miroku-sama! Help me! Hell, even Inuyasha! Just please don't let me die here today.

Kagome's foot landed in a hole and she tripped, spraining her ankle in the process. She tumbled down another steep hill before landing on the ground. Her head fell back hard onto a rock. Pain shot through Kagome's body as she struggled to maintain consciousness. She could feel warm blood dripping down her neck. Kagome tried to sit up but a wave of pain forced her back down to the ground.

The girl looked up and saw two yellow eyes blinking at her. The fangs were spread into a smirk and the youkai began advancing.

"Oh kami, no," Kagome croaked her vision blurring.

The last thing Kagome saw before she fell unconscious was the dark tree tops above her and two yellow eyes advancing towards her.

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Urgh…why does my head hurt? Kami, I feel like I've drunk enough sake to make a heavy drinker drunk.

Kagome sat up slowly blinking. She placed her palm to her forward as she tried to blink away the blurriness. She looked up and saw Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango sleeping on the ground next to her.

Looking around, Kagome could see that they were in a small hut built for travellers to rest between their journeys between villages. It was a small hut and looked rather abandoned and dishevelled.

Kagome pushed a blanket off her and looked outside. It was night…

How did I get here? I thought that youkai was going to kill me. Was it Sango-chan that saved me? Miroku-sama? Or…Inuyasha?

Kagome gave a small smile at the thought that Inuyasha had come to save her. Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy after all.

"You're awake."

The sudden voice of someone who was awake besides her, caused Kagome to scrambled backwards in shock.

"I thought I was the only one awake," she murmured looking towards Inuyasha.

He had positioned himself against the wall, clutching his sword almost possessively. He still looked like he was slumbering at the way he was looking down at the ground, but Kagome knew better and knew he was wide awake.

"You woke me up with your scrambling," Inuyasha said sounding slightly irritated.

"Sorry," Kagome snapped. An awkward silence filled the wooden building before Kagome clear her throat, breaking the tension. "Was it you that saved me?" she asked timidly.

"What is it to you?"

"I owe my life to the one that saved me," she said quietly looking away from Inuyasha.

"Your life doesn't mean anything to me," Inuyasha said almost harshly.

Kagome blinked. So it was you, Inuyasha! You saved me…even though you hate me.

"Thank you for saving my life, though," Kagome said raising her fist to her mouth and smiling. "And even if my life doesn't mean much to you, I'm still grateful."

"Keh."

Kagome pursed her lips. Inuyasha was acting like a little kid! Couldn't he at least say something nice! Here she was, sinking low enough to say thanks to Inuyasha and he was kicking her further down.

"Do you hate me or something?" Kagome said crawling over to Inuyasha and pulling at one of his dog ears. She almost pulled back at the contact; she hadn't expected his ears to feel so furry or velvety.

"What the hell, woman!" Inuyasha roared trying to pull back but that only made Kagome tighten her grip. Miraculously, the monk and taijiya remained asleep.

"Do you hate me?" Kagome repeated through gritted teeth. "Because I have done nothing to you and you just decide to hate me? Where is the just reason behind that?"

"I just hate you, that's all!" Inuyasha snapped. "Is it wrong to hate someone just by how you feel around them?"

"You don't even know me!" Kagome said releasing Inuyasha's ear.

"Do you hate me?" Inuyasha retaliated with equal passion.

"The only reason I don't like you is because you hate me, for no reason either!" Kagome said standing up, forgetting her injuries.

Kagome gave a small hiss of pain as she tumbled to the ground but Inuyasha caught her before she could add more injuries to herself.

"I have my reasons for hating you," Inuyasha said quietly into the girl's ear. "You just wouldn't understand."

"Try me," Kagome said pulling herself away from Inuyasha.

The hanyou raised a sceptical eyebrow at her before shaking his head. "Go back to sleep. You need your rest."

Without another word, Inuyasha slumped back to the ground into his sleeping position. Kagome sighed and made her way back to her bed.

He hates me, but he won't tell me why. Why does he seem so familiar though? Kagome thought before sinking into a deep slumber.

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Kagome woke up a few hours later to the sounds of Sango making breakfast over a merry fire and Miroku watching her from a distance. Inuyasha had disappeared somewhere as far as Kagome could tell.

"Morning," Kagome said struggling to sit up.

"Good morning Kagome-chan!" Sango said smiling. "Would you like some rice? I also have some eggs here if you would like any."

"Arigato," Kagome said taking a bowl of rice with an egg placed on it. "Where is Inuyasha?"

"He said he wanted to take a walk," Miroku said taking a bowl from Sango. "How are you feeling now Kagome-sama?"

"Much better," Kagome said in between stuffing the rice into her mouth. "Starving though."

"You should be," Sango replied. "You've missed out on lunch and dinner yesterday. Plus your body must be exhausted. You received some pretty nasty injuries."

"Twisted ankle, bad bruises, and a head injury," Miroku counted. "Can you walk fine?"

"Sort of," Kagome said standing up and leaning her weight on her bad ankle before toppling to the ground. "OK, maybe not."

"Well, if we want to make it to Shinto within two days now, we'll have to get Inuyasha to carry Kagome-sama for us," Miroku said looking ever so amused.

"What?" a fourth voice roared leaping into the scene.

Inuyasha looked furious with his eyes glaring daggers into Miroku, as well as the large pile of fire wood he was holding.

"Now Inuyasha," Miroku said hastily scrambling behind Sango. "You were the reason why she got hurt in the first place."

"You want to say that again houshi!" Inuyasha shouted rolling up the sleeve of his haori. He raised a clenched fist at Miroku accompanied with a glare that would have made even the dead flinch in fear.

Kagome watched the two men argue with a smile. She honestly didn't mind if Inuyasha were to carry her. Truthfully, it was her fault that she got injured in the first place. Besides, with him carrying her would give her the perfect opportunity to give him reason to like her. Plus, she had to take advantage of a free ride.

"Fine! I'll carry the stupid wench! Just shut up about it already!" Inuyasha finally shouted knocking Miroku on the head. "At least we'll move faster now."

"Why are you in such a hurry to get to Shinto?" Sango asked throwing some water onto the fire.

While the men were fighting with Kagome watching amused, Sango had gone around and packed their belongings. They were now ready to head back onto the road.

"What the hell do you mean?" Inuyasha snapped ignoring the houshi allowing him to scramble away safely, while rubbing the bump on his head.

"You're the first one to go to bed at night and you're the first one up. You're also very handy with packing, though not today, but you always seem to be in a rush. If we weren't accompanying you, I would think that you would have run off by now."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Inuyasha replied turning around and crossing his arms. It was amazing how the hanyou now resembled a three-year-old boy who was just accused of stealing out of the cookie jar.

"You told me that you had unfinished business in Shinto," Kagome recalled.

"I do."

"And what's that 'unfinished business'?" Sango asked.

"What the hell is this? An interrogation?" Inuyasha snapped. "Let's just go. The faster we get out of here, the faster we get to Shinto."

Sango and Kagome exchanged glances before smiling. Even if Inuyasha wanted to deny it, he did want to get to Shinto and Kagome knew that why he wanted to go, she just couldn't remember it right then.

What business does he have in Shinto? Kagome's mind pondered as Inuyasha lifted her onto his back. Those that leave Shinto only go to join the war. What's his reasons for leaving Shinto? The way he says he has unfinished business makes me wonder what it is. Does it involve Kikyo? How do they know each other?

Kagome sighed and shook her head.

Or…does he know anything about Kikyo's death?

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Author's Note: Would you call that a cliffie? Oh well, at least Kagome's got some questions that will be answered later. Who thinks they can guess what's going to happen soon? Geez, at the rate I'm going this story might not last long.

I'm probably not going to be able to update for a while now. I have exams coming up soon and I really have to study since I'm doing really badly in maths and science. So I am apologizing in advance.

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