CHAPTER 10

Inuyasha had to jump out of the way to avoid being plowed over by the cat demon who was running madly out of the house. As she ran by he noticed how angry she looked. She dashed past him and into the woods without a sideways glance.

I wonder where she's going? he thought. If her friend is hurt so badly shouldn't she be here with him until he gets better? An inner voice probbed him forward. I think I'd better follow her.

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Mearle's mind filled with hatered and an uncontrolable rage. The only think on her mind was killing the liar who had given her the poison herb. As she ran her body got bigger, until she was in her giant cat form. Suddenly the woods opened and she was in the front garden area of the man's castle. She spotted Kagura.

The woman who brought me to him! She must have known all along what he was going to do! Mearle began to stalk up on the woman who appeared to be fan dancing. I'm going to kill her too!

The cat let out a loud roar.

Kagura looked up just in time to see a giant cat pounce on her.

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Naraku heard a loud scream coming from the garden and ran outside to investigate. Once outside he found a huge cat demon the color of fire holding Kagura by the throat with its teeth.

"What the?" he said running forward. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

The cat saw her prey and dropped the woman. She went into a pounce position. "You tricked me!" she screamed. "You lied to me so I would get you those shards! You didn't care about my friend at all!"

"Why should I?" he demanded. "Are you that wench who was here ealier? I see you've been cursed."

The cat pounced.

"Let's see how hard you fight if that was lifted!"

A bright light flashed and enveloped the cat. As it got bright the feline got smaller. When the light vanished it fell.

Mearle landed on the ground on all fours. She was suddenly aware she was back to her normal size. Though she tried she couldn't get bigger again.

"What's wrong, girl?" Naraku said, smirking. "Having some size problems?"

"Not that I can't handle," she replied, reaching behind herself and pulling out a bow and arrows. "I have other ways to kill you!"

"I'd like to see you try it!"

Meartle threaded an arrow into her bow and shot it at the man. He easily dodged it by dashing out of the way. The arrow pierced the door of the castle and caused an explosion.

Naraku pounced at her, knocking the bow out of her hands. She kicked him away and pulled out another arrow.

"I may not have my bow but I can still kill you with this!" she screamed, rushing back at him.

The instant she thrust the arrow at his heart he grabbed her wrist and pulled her arm into the air. "I highly doubt you'll be killing anyone," he taunted. He fingered the jewel on her necklase. "I'd like to finish collecting my end of the bargine now."

"I gave you my end of the bargine!" she screamed, putting a hand protectively over her necklase. "I gave you those shards and you gave me poison! You said you would help me!"

"I didn't really care about your friend," he taunted. "I only care abut getting my sacred jewel shards from any source I can."

"I won't let you get away with it!"

"That's what the people in your village told me fifty years ago."

Mearle stared at him, her puple shrinking drastically. "What? What did you say?"

"I'm the one who put the curse on everyone in your village."

"You..."

"I see you're the last. You're the only one I lifted the curse from."

"How dare you!" she screamed in anger. "How dare you curse my village!"

"They deserved it," he tried to justify himself. "They wouldn't help me."

"You no good-"

"Now there's no need for that," he chided her. "You should be thanking me. After all, I broke your curse."

She glared at him, saying nothing.

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By then Inuyasha had arrived. He had followed Mearle the best he could, but had a hard than usual time because his sense of smell was like that of any humans. When he arrived he found Naraku holding Mearle by the arm. He was grinning evily at the cat girl.

Inuyasha stared at them deciding what to do. I have to help her, he thought. If I don't he's going to kill her. He pulled out Tetsusaiga even though he knew it wouln't do much good since he was stuck in his human form. I have to try. Even though it won't get bigger maybe I can still use it.

He ran forward. "Hey, Naraku!" he shouted.

The man looked at him.

"Why don't you pick on someone who matches your strength?"

Naraku noticed Inuyasha's black hair and smirked. "Matches my strength? I don't think so. It looks like my little car friend here got to you."

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks. "What?" he asked.

The evil demon pulled the cat girl in front of him. "This girl here has the ability to turn half demons into humans," he explained.

Inuyasha stared at the cat gril in disbelief. "She does? You do?"

Mearle looked away and nodded. "I do," she admitted. "I'm sorry."

"You did this to me?" he asked.

She nodded again but refused to look at him.

"You see," Naraku said. "She's the one who made you human. Why would you want to help her?"

"Because I helped his brother!" she shouted.

"WHAT?" Inuyasha gasped.

"I've been trying to save your brother's life, hanyou," she replied. "I tried to get help from this man but he gave me poison! Sesshoumaru might die!"

"What the...?"

"But Inuyasha I thought you wanted your brother dead," Naraku taunted.

Mearle stared at Inuyasha in horror. "You want your brother dead!"

"He's always trying to kill me!" Inuyasha shouted at her.

"Maybe he has a reason."

"He hates humans. I'm half human. He thinks I have weak blood because of it!"

"You two shouldn't be trying to kill each other!" she shot back.

"I'm doing you a favor, Inuyasha," Naraku spoke up. "I'm killing your brother for you."

Mearle angrily kicked Naraku between the legs. When he fell back she started stabbing at him with her arrow. "You! You and him! You both hate him! Why should you hate him!"

"He doesn't care about anyone," Inuyasha answered her question.

"He cares about me! He saved my life! He saved the life of a little human girl who was kind to him! Maybe that's all he wanted! Some kindness!"

Naraku pushed her away from him. He got up, clutching a bloody wound. "Don't think I'll forget that, kitten!" he snarled.

The suddenly he was gone. The castle, the sidewalk, the garden, even the injured Kagura. Evreything had vanished as if it had never been there.

Mearle looked around the clearing. "I'm glad your gone," she muttered.

Inuyasha coughed.

She looked at him. He noticed her eyes held a hateful glare.

"What did I do?" he asked.

She ran at him, her claws extended.

"What are you do-AAHHHHHH!"

She slashed at him. He out up his hands to protect himself. He flet pain then something returning to his body. He fell on his back.

Slowly he removed his arms. The cat demon loomed over him. "Look at yourself," she instructed.

He glanced at his hands. His claws were back. He saw some of his hair and it was once again white.

"I've returned your blood," she said as she began to walk away. "We'd better get back to my house and see how Kikyo and your brother are doing."

Slowly he got up and followed her, way too surprised to say anything.

A/N

Don't ask. I wrote this two years ago and am only finishing it because it bugs me. I'd forgotten what I'd written since then so it might be a little confusing.