Chapter 3

July 5, 2006

Author's Note: Alright, I know this is early, but I hope it will make you happy. I am updating today because I will be out of town, and will have no computer on Friday. Please enjoy, and leave me a review!

Myst

iNuQTpIe: Yes, you were correct, but I didn't want to give it away too soon. Thank you for the review, I hope you enjoy chapter three as well.

Catbuddy: Well, more chapters will slowly be added on, so I hope to make this even better for you. Thank you for your review, hope you enjoy chapter three, and please let me know! It was also great getting your reviews from my other fics, and I thank you for those as well.

Disclaimer: I own none of the Inu characters, but the others are mine. Don't sue or steal, please, thanks.

We both stand just inside the line of trees around Koga's tribe's den. There are many wolves playing in the river outside the den, but the ouji is not out. "Let's go into the den." Inu-Yasha whispers. I nod and we move silently further up stream. We easily get past the playing youkai and greet the two guards standing in the shade of the entrance to the den.

"We'd like to see Koga-sama." I say standing up straight.

"Koga-sama is not here, miko." The youkai replies, giving Inu-Yasha a once over. My mate's hands clenching at his sides is the only sign that he notices.

"Nurro, what's going on?" Koga's voice echoes from inside the den. The guard who was speaking to us turns as the ouji appears from the darkness.

"Koga-sama." Nurro bows deeply. Koga waves the guards words away.

"Did someone ask for…" the ouji stops and stares into my eyes. "…me?" He finishes almost silently. "Kagome…Inu-Yasha…?" His crystal blue eyes swing to my mate.

"Koga-sama—"

"Go get Mayoka." Koga cuts Nurro off.

"But—"

"Now, Nurro." The ouji snaps. The other youkai bows again and rushes into the den. Koga's eyes turn back to me. "How are you?" His hand reaches out to me and I smile as I meet him halfway.

"Hey, Koga-sama." I greet him. He laughs and pulls me into a hug. I cringe inside at Inu-Yasha's low growl.

"No need to be so formal." He pulls me back slightly, his fangs glistening in a wide smile. "How have you been? The mutt been treating you alright?"

"Koga—"

"Watch it, wolf." Inu-Yasha growls.

"I see you haven't changed." The ouji grins back, not putting any of the venom in his words as Inu-Yasha does.

"Why you…"

"We are not here for a visit." I put in in order to keep the inevitable fight from happening. The youkai's eyes turn to me, his smile fading only slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean—"

"Kagome-san!" A female's voice cuts off my explanation. Pounding feet greet our ears as the three of us turn to see a beautiful young woman running toward the den from the riverbed. It can't be…

"Mayoka…?" I whisper. The woman laughs as she tackles me in a hug. I am knocked backward into Inu-Yasha's chest from the surprise. Time seems to slow as the woman's long hair settles around her body again and her black eyes lift to stare into me.

"I'm so glad to see you, Kagome-san." The woman who looks a lot like Mayoka whispers excitedly. I blink once before turning to look at Koga. He smiles at me with his arms crossed over his chest and nods. My attention lowers again to Mayoka. Her happiness has faded. "Don't you remember me, Kagome-san?"

"Of course I do." I say with a smile and hug her in return. "You've just grown so much, I almost didn't recognize you." I laugh at the words. "How's life with the wolf tribe?" I ask pulling back.

"It's good. Otousan has taken good care of me." She turns to look at Koga.

"That's good." I nod and turn to look up at Inu-Yasha just behind me.

"Mayoka!" A male voice calls. Again our attention is drawn to someone running up the river toward the den. Mayoka turns toward him and waves.

"Hey Hinote!" The woman shouts. The youkai seems to speed up at her voice. I watch slightly amused as this Hinote reaches her and picks her up to spin her in a circle. "Kagome-san, this is Hinote, my fiancé." Mayoka introduces the youkai when he sets her down again. He licks her cheek in a show of affection, and it reminds me of Inu-Yasha when we were a new couple. But then Yui's terror filled face flashes in front of my eyes.

"Nice to meet you." I feel Inu-Yasha's hand rest on my waist at the change in my body. I rest my own hand over his in assurance that I was ok. "Koga, like I said, Inu-Yasha and I are not here to catch up." I turn to the ouji seriously. I can instantly feel the tension grow around us.

"Maybe we should go inside." Koga says tightly. I nod and reach out to grab and hold Inu-Yasha's hand. He squeezes my hand softly before we follow Koga, Mayoka, and Hinote into the den.

((The Ending of a Beginning))

Inu-Yasha and I quickly run through the events that had gone on over the last four days. Koga, Mayoka, and Hinote sit silently through it all, and even a few minutes after my mate and I fall silent. Inu-Yasha is the first to speak this time.

"So we ask for your help." I can hear the strain in his voice; asking his greatest rival for help is not something Inu-Yasha does often.

"Please, Koga." I add. The ouji sighs and shakes his head. I watch as Mayoka moves her arms from Hinote to wrap around the ouji

"Otou, we are talking about Kagome-san and Inu-Yasha's daughter." She stares intently at him for a second before turning to Inu-Yasha and I. "I will go with you."

"Mayoka!" Koga snaps.

"No, Otousan, I am grown now, I can make my own choices. I will help Kagome-san." Her fierce eyes turn back to the older youkai.

"This Arashi is powerful if he can beat Kagome and Inu-Yasha." Koga continued to argue.

"Then he will have one more fight on his hands."

"Mayoka, I appreciate your intentions, but Koga is right. Arashi is too powerful, you would be better off staying here." I cut in softly. Hurt is hidden in her eyes as she turns back to me.

"Kagome-san, you came here asking for help, is mine not good enough?"

"No one said that, whelp—"

"Inu-Yasha!" Koga and I both snap at the hanyou.

"—But just one more human isn't enough. If the wolves will not help, don't be willing to give up your life so easily." Inu-Yasha goes on as if neither one of us had spoken. Mayoka and the hanyou have a stare down before her eyes fill with tears and she abruptly stands up. She silently leaves the den, Hinote rushing after her. I turn from the girl as she vanishes.

"So what do you say, Koga? Will you help us get our daughter back?" I ask the ouji. He is silent for a minute.

"Of course I will help you, Kagome." He lifts his smiling face to me once more. "We shall leave at sunrise." He adds. I smile back and look quickly at Inu-Yasha who is close to smiling.

"Thank you, Koga." I lean forward and pull him into another hug. "But we do have one more thing to do before the sun sets. We shall meet you here in the morning, just after dawn." I inform him. He nods.

"Of course." Inu-Yasha and I get to our feet at the ouji's words. Just before we leave the den, Koga's voice comes to us again. I turn to look back at him. "Don't tell Mayoka. I don't want her in danger." He whispers.

"Of course." I nod and follow Inu-Yasha out into the sunlight once again.

((The Ending of a Beginning))

Hokori meets Inu-Yasha and I a few yards into the woods surrounding Koga's den. He greets us with a purr and brushes his head against my shoulder. I rub his head in response. "He said he would help, now to go to the Taijiya village." The neko nods and all three of us turn to look toward the southeast. "Let's go." I say and jump onto Hokori's back. He takes off at a run, Inu-Yasha keeping pace at our side.

One down, one to go.

Hang in there Yui, we're on our way.