Chapter 7

Naraku's Return

The sabers started marching into the village. Villager's screamed and ran and some just stood still. One villager ran behind Inuyasha, and another behind Miroku. The sabers paid no attention to the scrambling people, they just kept walking straight towards Elli. "Kora!" Elli screamed, running to the leader of the pack. She hugged him tightly and then asked, "What are you doing here?" The saber started purring, growling, and making odd noises. The group had no idea what Kora was doing, but Elli could understand him perfectly. "What!" He started again. Once the saber had finished, Elli jumped to her feet. "He's back."

"Who's back?" Sango asked.

"Naraku."

"Oh, him again?" Inuyasha asked.

"He went back to the village to kill me because I stole this." She reached into her boot and pulled out a shard. "The reason Kagome couldn't see it was because it was wrapped in holy cloth."

"You have a shard of the Shikon Jewel!" Inuyasha asked, walking over to her.

"No. I have many. All in my boots."

"Why didn't you tell us!"

"I don't know, I just didn't."

"How did you purify them?" Kagome asked.

"The same way you do. Touching it. I have the same powers as you do, Kagome. I am also the reincarnation of a priestess."

"Why don't you carry arrows?"

"I don't need them. I have other weapons that are just as powerful."

"I see."

"How'd you get a shard from Naraku?"

"I saw where they were and when he least expected it, I reached in a pulled it out."

"Just like that?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yup."

"I could do that."

"Then why haven't you?"

"I went about it the wrong way, that's all."

"Oh, I see." She smiled. "Well, Naraku apparently really wants his shard back, so he's searching for me, intent on killing me. But I'm ready for him any time."

"That's good to know, since I sense jewel shards coming," Kagome said.

"As do I, but there's only two. Naraku has many more. And they're approaching rapidly as is the scent of a wolf. My bet is that it's Koga."Just as she said that, a large whirlwind of dirt came to the village and stopped. And there was Koga. "Hello, wolfboy."

"Hey, Elli, Kagome! I thought I'd drop in and say hello!"

"Aw, what else do you want, Koga!" Inuyasha asked.

"Nothing."

"Feh! That's a lie. What do you really want?"

"Hi, Elli!" He ran over to Elli and gave her a dead rat. Elli ate it quickly, thanking him.

"Hey!" Kagome yelled, hands on her hips. 'For once Koga passed me up!' she thought. 'That's not normal! Is it possible that he's got stronger feelings for her than me?' "What about me!" she said.

"I'm sorry, Kagome!" Koga ran over to her and pulled her aside. "Kagome, my dear, I'm so sorry to have to tell you this."

"What's that?" she looked into his beautiful baby blue eyes, searching.

"I don't quite understand it myself, but I'm in love with Elli now. I'm no longer in love with you, Kagome."

"Wha...!" Kagome didn't know what to say. She didn't love Koga, but she did like him and enjoy his presence. 'She stole him from me!' she thought. 'It's not like I loved him or anything, but it was kind of nice to hear someone always telling me they loved me! Inuyasha's too stubborn to even think of it!'

"I'm sorry, Kagome. I'm sure you're heart broken, but it's Elli that I love now. You'll still be my friend, won't you?"

"Well, yeah, Koga, but this is so sudden!"

"Oh no, you weren't about to tell me that you'd be my mate, were you?"

"As if! Oops, I mean, no, but it just seemed like this was really sudden."

"I don't get it either. I mean, as soon as I met her and saw what she was capable of, it was like I knew that this woman was the one I was meant to be with, meant to be around for the rest of my life. I wouldn't have to protect her as much as I would've with you, but that's good because I'll be able to do more."

"What are you getting at? I was a damper on you?"

"Of course not, Kagome! Don't think that! If a wolf demon is truly who you want, Ginta and Hakkaku are wonderful fighters and hunters, and very reliable!

"Ginta and Hakkaku?" 'Ginta and Hakkaku are my friends, not soon-to-be boyfriends! I... I... I don't want to be with them...' "I don't want to be with them, Koga. They're wonderful, but... my heart belongs to Inuyasha."

Inuyasha had been standing nearby and listening to them, snickering the whole time. But when he heard Kagome say his name, he stopped laughing and listened deeper, taking a step back because of what she had said.

"Still in love with that mutt? I should've figured. So then this isn't such a big deal?" Koga asked.

"You speak of him like he's a stupid guy unworthy of love."

"Well, yeah."

"That's not true. He's a great guy, and no one is unworthy of love. I'm happy that you've found Elli, and I'm happy that she's found you. It's obvious that she loves you in return, and you'd be great together. But Inuyasha IS who I love, and I don't need your approval. I want to be with him, but..."

Inuyasha listed closer. "But what?" Koga asked.

"But he's more in love with Kikyo than he'll ever be with me. It'd be a waste of time to actually be with him because he's a mess around her! I can't handle it when she comes around because he always hugs her and wants to be with her, to protect her."

"Kagome, I'm sorry," Inuyasha whispered to himself.

"If only he knew how I felt."

"Why don't you tell him?" Koga said.

"I just can't..."

"I see. Well, again I'm sorry, but I must go talk to Elli." Koga got up and walked over to Elli, leaving Kagome sitting there by herself, and Inuyasha a few feet away with his head hung down. Kagome looked at him. 'Why's he look so gloomy all of a sudden?' she thought.

"I didn't know..." he said quietly, but loud enough that Kagome could hear him. She got up and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Didn't know what, Inuyasha?"

"Huh!" He shot his head up and backed away. "I didn't say anything!"

"Okay, I'm sorry I asked."

"Don't be!" He moved away and ran off into the woods.

'Where is he going?' Kagome thought. She followed him into the woods, walking slowly until she saw him sitting on a rock talking to himself.

"I didn't even realize that what I was doing hurt Kagome so badly. I didn't know that being with Kikyo really hurt her, I thought she was just jealous."

'Jealous! Who's he calling jealous?' she thought.

"I still love Kikyo, I can't deny that. I'd tell Kagome if she asked me. But if only I had known that this hurt her so, I wouldn't have..."

'Wouldn't have what? What did you do!' she thought, tears welling up in her eyes.

"There's no way I can tell her. It'd be too hard. She'd never want to see me again."

'Just say it! What did you DO?'

"I can't tell her that every time she leaves I find Kikyo, and I'm with her. I can't tell her that. I'd never be able to face Kagome again. And it is every time she leaves. I'm always with Kikyo, talking with her, protecting her, doing everything with her."

'Even... Please don't say that you... and her...'

"I even spent the nights with her, alone in the woods. Kagome would kill me if she knew what we'd done."

'No, I thought he... I thought he was better than that...' Kagome sank to the ground, her hand to her heart, sobbing quietly. Inuyasha heard something.

"Who's there?" he called.

Kagome began to cry louder as she jumped up and ran out of the woods.

'Oh no...' "Kagome!" Inuyasha called, but she was already gone. "Did she hear all of that? What have I done..." Inuyasha ran back to the village to find Kagome.