There she stood before him even more beautiful then from what he remembered.

Raven locks cascaded down to her hips. Her pale skin giving off an iridescent glow from the moon above. Red plump lips slightly opened as her eyebrows rose with surprise.

Before he knew it he was making his way towards her. Eyes taking in every detail, quickly noticing the the torn kimono sleeve.
Squinting he tried to see if she was injured.

"Kagome, what hap-"

His sentence never finished, as Kagome came bounding towards him, arms spread wide encircling his waist. Her face hidden underneath black hair as she mumbled into his chest.
"I'm so sorry Koga! I had no idea that was you." She rushed the words. "It's so dark out and I can't see very well.. I was just going off your demonic energy."

Taken aback by how close she was to him, he stumbled over his words, "It-it's o-okay! Don't worry about it."

She pulled back from his chest, just enough to look up at his face.
Her beautiful smile spread across her rosey cheeks. Round hazel eyes with peridot specks twinkled up at him. "I'm so happy to see you again Koga."

Those words made his tail sway happily behind him.

He watched as her face that once was full of happiness turned serious. Quickly grasping his hand within hers, she dragged him through the trees.

"Kag-"

"I have to show you something very important!"

She was pulling him with all her might it seemed. Dragging him through the overgrown shrubbery and thick tree trunks of the old forest. His eyes every so often glancing down to her small delicate hand holding onto his calloused one.

She pulled him into a clearing. A little fire burning in a makeshift pit with sticks of rabbit meat cooking around it.

He then felt his heart skip a beat once his azure eyes landed on the two sleeping forms before him.

They're here.
Both Taka and Kai.
Alive.

Taka slept soundlessly leaning against a tree trunk. While Kai laid sprawled out on the forest floor next to him, snoring.

Koga started walking towards to the sleeping pups. Constantly blinking his eyes to make sure he wasn't imagining it.

He felt a warm hand lightly touch his arm causing him to stop in his tracks.

"Please don't wake them. They finally fell asleep not so long ago. They need their rest, especially Taka."

Kogas eyes shifted to the pup, quickly scanning over his little form. He immediately noticed the white bindings wrapped around his head and leg.

"What the hell happened?" He growled.

"They were attacked by a bear demon." Kagome said softly. "I just happened to be nearby and was able to save them in time."

His eyes hardened slightly.

He should have been there.

"Thank you for everything that you have done. My pack and I are once again in your debt."

"Oh Koga, don't wor-"

"Why can't I smell them?"

He didnt mean to interrupt her.
But the fact that he couldn't smell the pups before him bothered him so much.
He could smell Kagomes calming fragrance, the cooked rabbit meat and the smell of disgusting medicine in the air, but not them.

"OH!"

She quickly walked around him to a satchel that laid on the ground near the boys, rummaging through its confines.

He watched her as she dug intently.

"It's because of these!" She held up pieces of paper, with writings on them. Most of them had the word "vanish" written upon them.

Taking the papers from her hands he looked at them. "Talismans?"

"You know about them?"

"I've heard stories of them, but never actually seen one till now."
He knew monks and priestesses carried these papers around with words written upon them.
He also knew if a powerful monk or priestess used them in certain situations, such as in battle, they could do serious damage against a demon.

"Vanish?"

"You can read?"

Usually demons, just like most humans of this time didn't know how to read. Unless you were of noble birth.

"A little." He lied. Eyes darting from the two pups sleeping to the papers in his hand.

Kagome giggled. "Obviously you can still see them. The only thing that vanished from your senses was their scents and their demonic energy."

His eyes widened as he looked at the miko infront of him still kneeling on the ground.

This was the reason why him and his pack couldn't pick up their scent.

His eyes darted to the sleeping boys, scanning every detail of them until he finally took notice of the talisman papers slightly tucked away in their fur arm bands.

"You gave them the talismans?"

"Yes!" She beamed up at him. "I had to. For some reason they were attracting other demons. I managed to save them from the bear when I first ran into them, but we were soon attacked by rat demons afterwards."

"Because they give off weak demonic energy.." now he understood. The fact they were mere pups and gave off weak energy.. they were perfect prey for any strong demon. A easy meal.

"Yeah that's what I figured," she sighed looking back at the boys. "Luckily Kaede and Miroku relentlessly trained me on how to use talismans. If they hadn't we'd probably have a harder time in the forest."

"I'm sorry." Koga mumbled as he handed the talismans back to the miko.

"For what?"

"That you had to go through all of this." He eyes went to ripped kimono sleeve.

"Oh, dont worry about it." She said softly, a warm smile spreading across her lips. "Besides, their really fun to be around."

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breathe of air. He felt the weight of stress and worry slightly lift off his tired shoulders. He can now finally relax a little.

"You hungry, King Koga?"

His eyes snapped open with shock.

Watching as the miko make her way towards the firepit. He could see her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"You know about that?"

"I was told countless stories about heroic King Koga and how he took over the eastern lands."

Koga groaned, "please don't call me that."

He honestly hated the title.

He understood why his tribes called him by his title - a sign of respect for their powerful ruler. But, for him it was getting old fast. He remembered telling Ginta and Hakkaku countless times to drop the title when speaking with him, especially in private. But his closest friends continued, making Koga think they were not calling him it out respect anymore, but for the pure enjoyment watching him getting annoyed.

And now she was also addressing him by that title now too.

He walked over to the nearby tree and plopped on the ground, his back leaning against the rough bark.

So embarrassing.

Kagome walked over with two sticks of cooked rabbit meat in her hand. Much to his distaste he could smell that they were cooked well done.

"Why? I like it." She gracefully sat next to him, legs spread out in front of her. Her little sandled feet swaying back and forth happily.
"And I noticed you traded your fur headband in for that silver crown." She held out the two sticks of rabbit meat for him to take. "I like that too." she smiled warmly.

He felt his cheeks heat up, thanking the gods that it was dark enough that she couldn't see.

"Oh I'm not that hungry..."

The truth was.. he was.
Extremely hungry.

Having skipped out on dinner earlier.
But, he never really liked the taste of cooked meat... especially well done meat.

The edges of Kagomes smile turned down slightly.
"Oh you sure?" Her eyes left his as she looked at the sticks of meat in her hands. "And I cooked these too..."

Ugh.

Koga carefully grabbed the stick from her hand. Her eyes following his movements.

He looked at the meat before him, trying his best to make sure his face didn't show any distaste - not wanting to upset her.
He brought the meat up to his mouth, ripping it off the bone with his fangs.
He began chewing the overcooked meat in his mouth.
A smile plastered on his sharp fearures as he looked down at her waiting eyes.

"Is it good?" She asked. Hazel eyes sparkling with hope.

He grudgingly gulped down the meat.

"Mmmhhhmmm." He smiled awkwardly.

He watched as a smile stretched from ear to ear. "When you're done eating that one you can have this one too!"
She waved the stick in her hand.

"Yo-you don't want that one? I'm sure you're hungry as well."

"Nope! I ate earlier with the boys." She smiled looking up at him, "I'm just glad we had extras so you could have some too!"

Great.

"Me too..."

Kagome chattered endlessly about the pups and how they were so brave against the giant bear demon.
Then the topic soon switched over about him as she ecstatically started talking about the stories the two boys told her about him and his wild adventures.
After every tale she told he could feel his left eye twitch with annoyance.
Some tales were true, others were overly exaggerated.

He couldn't wait to get back to the cave so he could punish the hell out of the two pups.

Plucking off the last bit of meat from the bone, he tossed the stick towards the fire pit.
His stomach slightly upset.

His eyes glanced at the boys sleeping. His mind immediately thinking of the worried mothers back at the cave.
"Hey Kagome, how about we wake them up and start to head back to the mountain? Their mothers are wor-"

He felt her head plop on his shoulder.
Stiffened by the unexpected contact, he looked down at the sleeping miko next to him.
Her red lips slightly opened as she breathed heavily, clearly in a deep sleep.
He carefully reached up and pulled a strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear.

I didn't notice how tired she was, He thought sadly.

He leaned his head back against the trunk his eyes now concentrating on the dwindling fire flames.

A few extra hours away shouldn't hurt..

His own eyes started to get heavy with sleep.

Right when he was about to doze off, the miko stirred next to him.
His eyes immediately cracked open with surprise as she moved her body even closer to him, her breasts pressed up against his arm, her face snuggling into his shoulder.

A dark blush stained his cheeks.

His eyes darted from her to the charred wood in the fire pit. Watching as gray smoke danced in swirls, evaporating into the air.

Looks like this going to be another sleepless night...