A/N: It's not much, but I was kinda focused on my longer stuff lately, so I didn't make many Barks.
Besides, is there anyone interested in reading the sequel to New Work (Barks ch 49) before it's posted and sharing their opinion about it? If you do let me know.

A Treasure

Kagome sighed as she exited the well. It was much easier to climb a rope ladder than vines and roots. She adjusted her backpack and started to walk towards the village, surprised that no one was greeting her.

Usually Inuyasha would drag her from home, but today he hadn't waited for her. Kagome frowned, remembering her mother telling her that yes, she had seen Inuyasha, she had talked to him and had given him a pack of ramen so he could make it for himself. But then Inuyasha had ran away. According to her mother mere minutes before Kagome had returned home.

Kagome stopped when she felt a familiar youki nearby and she put her back down to investigate. Stealthily she made her way through the forest and came to a small meadow, one of Inuyasha's favorite places.

The hanyou was there, digging a hole. Before Kagome's stunned eyes the hanyou examined the depth of his hole and took something out of his robe. The future-born miko blinked in shock when she saw a colorful square that looked suspiciously like a ramen package. The hanyou threw it in the hole and started to cover it carefully with dirt.

"Um..." Kagome realized that she shouldn't probably see it. Inuyasha was rather touchy when it came to his canine behaviors, probably ashamed to act like an animal in front of his human friends. The hanyou looked at her and his ears twitched. But, to her surprise, he didn't start yelling at her, flustered that she witnessed another of his dog compulsions

"A minute," he said, resuming his work. "And don't think about spilling my secret to anyone, wench."

"Uh... Of course," Kagome promised. The tone of her voice had to make him realize that she was confused and unsure of the situation,l because as soon as he was done he wiped his hands and stood up.

"This is my treasure meadow," he said. "People bury treasures. in your time too, right?"

"...Ramen?"

"I have different priorities than others," he shrugged nonchalantly. "You can't eat gold and jewels"

He had a point. From his perspective food was much more valuable than wealth, after all he had spent all his childhood on the brink of starvation. Most humans wouldn't want to sell him anything even if he had money, so he never learned its value. She smiled at him.

"I understand," she said and started to walk towards her backpack. "But now come, I have some special treats for you in my bag. I'll give you them if you carry it to Kaede's."