DISCLAIMER: Me no own.

¤¤ Thick Throaty Molasses ¤¤

¤ By: Telpelindewen ¤

¤¤ recap ¤¤.

Kouga was toweling his long black hair. He had tried multiple times to flirt around with Kagome, but Inuyasha had snagged her away. He saw something behind one of the brushes behind the big tree by the rocks. He went over and picked it up toweling his hair at the same time. It was another keystone light.

"Damn punks." He whispered and then chucked it in his bad so he could trash it later. He turned back towards his friends making a ruckus and they all headed back towards the barns and house.

"Four more days til I kick your butt dog breath!" Kouga yelled ahead.

"If I'm a dog then you're a pussy!" Inuyasha yelled back and jogged to jump on the atv behind Kagome.

¤ Chapter Fourteen ¤

Naraku woke up on the day of the competition in bliss. He rolled over, stretched out of his temporary made bed in the barn and started to laugh.

The hands downstairs at the neighbors farm raised their heads from feeding the chickens in the coop listening to a weird cackling sound.

"What the hell?"

"Dunno, someone should put that creature out of it's misery." They ignored the weird sounds coming from the barn and continued to spread the grainy feed out.

Naraku came into view from the barn and let another mirth escape his lips before he noticed the two hands just a few yards away.

He paused acting embarrassed, "Sorry, competition nerves, ya know." He continued to walk towards the house where breakfast was surely over.

The two hands looked at each other when he turned his back and one made a cookoo swirling notion with his hand. The other one chuckled and they continued on.

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Rin was bouncing excitedly on her seat in the truck. They had three vehicles full of fun heading towards the next competition. Sango and Miroku were sitting with Houjo and Bankotsu in the truck in the lead, Seseshoumaru and Rin were with Kouga and Kohaku in another, and the truck driving the horse trailer was Inuyasha and Kagome. Jakotsu and Kaede had decided to stay at the ranch keeping an eye on things. They had brought two geldings, one for Miroku to ride in the calf roping competition and one for Kohaku who was entering his first round by himself. There was another mare in the back for Sango to try out some barrel racing for fun.

Sesshoumaru and Rin were along for the ride. As he listened to Kouga sing off-tune to some country lyrics he wondered why he stuck around these people, but then Rin pecked his bare shoulder with her lips and he remembered why. He tipped her chin up gently with his one hand and kissed her on the lips before turning back to the window to ignore Kouga. Sesshoumaru placed his hand in Rin's; she folded them both on her lap against her stomach.

Inuyasha and Kagome had the truck to themselves since they were carting the horses behind them. There was a small video monitor in the front of the truck so they could see what was going on in the trailer behind them, and behind the trailer for traffic. Kagome had her one hand out the window feeling the breeze as Inuyasha drove. He had the same country music playing lower then the truck in front of them.

He hadn't heard anything about Kikyo as of late, or if she was even in this competition. Sesshoumaru had picked up his bronco draw in the county store for the competition. He wasn't riding a stallion nearly as tough as last time. The bronc was called Flapjack, and he was a spotted black. Inuyasha had met him once before, he was a horse which a long time ago had thrown Kikyo in the dirt. He liked the horse just for the sake of that.

Inuyasha looked down at the gear shift when he felt Kagome's hand cover his. Her thumb rubbed over his knuckle. When he looked at her she blushed and looked back out the window at the passing fields and countryside. He smirked that she could still blush after the passion they had shared in private.

The night before they had been kissing in the tack room - mid tack cleaning session Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and caught her face within his hands - when Miroku had walked in on them. Miroku sniggering ducked when Inuyasha threw a curry comb at him after he told them to get a room, repeating Inuyasha's words from a few days before. Kagome was too embarrassed to speak. Inuyasha turned his hand a bit on the shifter so he could squeeze her hand gently in return.

They pulled into the parking lot. They all got out and stretched, Inuyasha smirked at the annoyance apparent on his brothers face. Rin jumped from the back of the truck and climbed onto Sesshoumaru's back, who didn't even flinch as he started to cart her off. They smelled the wafting drifts of home cooked pies, popcorn, cotton candy, and other treats. There was a mill of people even this early in the competition. This event wasn't as large as the last one, but they always ended it with a round of fireworks during the closing barbeque anyway.

They all started off in the direction of the tents, while three of them pulled off the horses backwards from the trailer. The horses steadily backed off the trailer and waited for their next instructions from the hands.

Not a one of them noticing the dark hatted cowboy leaning against the trailer nearby. He was smirking as he saw the Shikon No Tama ranch's trailer pull up; he rounded the corner towards the lady who would be waiting for him near the back of the tents.

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The day was starting off wonderfully. Kagome and Inuyasha were watching most of the events with Sango and Miroku in the stand of the central ring. Many folks had approached Inuyasha to shake his hand on beating Kikyo at the previous competition and asking if he'd be showing state wide or just staying local.

Sango and Rin came trotting back over to the group who was sitting in the bottom row of some benches in the stands so they could hold the horses at the same time. The horses were attentively glancing around and chomping on whatever grass they could reach, glad to be in each others company. Inuyasha would have to grab his saddle soon. The bronc saddle riding would start in about a half hour. They wanted to make the event earlier considering the heat was blistering.

Rin piped up quickly, "I entered us in the couples race." Sesshoumaru sweat dropped.

"Who is us, and what is a couples race?" Kagome asked.

"It starts in five minutes. I entered me and Sessie, Miroku and Sango, and Kagome and Inuyasha." She beamed at their frowning faces.

"Yes but what the heck is it?"

Sesshoumaru took the time to answer, "A piggyback race. Boys on the bottom, first one to reach the finish gets to bring home 500 and a puppy from the puppy tent." They all sweat dropped.

Sango said in Rin's direction, "You did this for the puppy didn't you..." She just smiled and dreamt of a cute puppy to snuggle in her arms.

"I figured a puppy would make a great new addition to our family and better for when the baby is born." They all dropped their eyes in shock at Rin's stomach which she patted quietly. The girls ran over and hugged Rin while the males clapped Sesshoumaru on the back at the announcement of Rin's pregnancy. He hadn't realized she was going to give the news out so soon and he had a slight tint of pink to his cheeks.

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The 'couples race' was hilarious. Sango was the most intense out of all of the couples, realizing she had Miroku at her mercy. She didn't hesitate to use a riding crop, from Inuyasha, on Miroku's derriere. Sesshoumaru was incredibly speedy and would have creamed the whole competition, except he was a bit paranoid now with his woman being pregnant and didn't want to jostle her too much. So he only won the race by a slight amount. Even though the small female bounced up and down on his back yelling at him to hurry up. Two other couples tripped and fell laughing during the race, and one couple came close to beating Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha and Kagome were having too much fun playing tricks with Miroku and Sango, ignoring the fact that both couples were losing, they kept bumping into each other trying to force them off balance.

They all panted at the finish line, Rin smiling happy as she picked up her new small shepard puppy. It was white and fluffy to Sesshoumaru's dismay.

"It's totally going to be called Fluffy, I guarentee it." Whispered Kouga to Bankotsu who smirked at this.

"Oh you are absolutely a Fluffy." Rin cooed to the pup. The sniggered at Sesshoumaru's famous nickname among them for the dog, but then whistled with ignorance when Sesshoumaru snarled at them.

"Don't think I didn't hear that." He glared and then walked off with his new white attachment.

Later on in the day Inuyasha rode hard. Flapjack was an easier ride. He grasped the rope in his one hand and bucked with the forward motion of the horse at the same time as his bucks. He had been speculated to win in one of the medal positions by the reporters around televising the event. He was glad though when it was over because he was a little distracted by the events of the day, having Kagome watching him, him becoming a future uncle, and the disappearance of the annoying Kikyo.

Kagome loved, even though she worried, when Inuyasha rode. The wild and disarray of his aura when he landed always made her heart flutter. He looked ruthless and it excited her. His golden eyes when he rode were always so focused. He always looked in her direction afterwards, something she could get used to easily, the way he looked at her made her knees weak. She blushed.

When he came back towards the group he smirked, fang sticking past his lip at her. She leaned over while the other hands weren't paying attention and whispered, "You keep looking at me like that and I won't be able to stay standing."

"Like what?" He asked slyly. She snorted. Her hair tumbled beneath her hat, he loved the long waves that poured down her back.

"Down boy." She chuckled.

Inuyasha held Kagome's hand as the score board finished with the last of the rounds for bronc riding. They all whooped. He had won first.

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A few hours later they were walking out the horses after most of the events were finished. They had filled up on sweets and gave the horses their treats as well. A few ladies had come towards Miroku, obvious past lovers, and Miroku sweat dropped as each time Sango barged over to them once they came near.

"I never realized how hot headed Sango could be." Kagome whispered between Miroku and Inuyasha as Sango gave a piece of her mind to one of the girls still trying to have a chat with the cowboy.

"God I love her." Miroku said but ignored the shocked looks from the other two and dreamily walked off as the other woman with Sango stormed off, giving up.

They would have pondered things aloud except then they heard from overhead...

"Inuyasha Takahasi please report to the judging tent." A voice called over the loud speaker. They all looked at Inuyasha with questioning glances.

When he entered there was an official standing with a clipboard and a pierced look of disappointment. He pointed to a chair by the desk for Inuyasha to sit in. There were a few monitors around the desk showing the events of the day on the screens. "We've received an anonymous tip that you have cheated on your recent ride within the bronco rounds."

"What?!" He asked completely confused.

"We're trying to confirm that tip right now, so don't get too uptight. We're reviewing the videos." There were two men rewinding videos from captures of the earlier events trying to even find Inuyasha's round.

"And WHAT exactly was the claim?" He asked bitterly. He couldn't wait to tell Kagome and the others about this bullshit.

"That you switched hands mid ride." Inuyasha's eyes couldn't have bulged out of his head any further. What this man was telling him was completely illegal in the rounds of bucking broncos riding. One hand and one hand only could remain on the rope at all times. How a huge claim such as this could be said was insane, and even if it had happened how a thousand people watching the round could have missed it was unheard of.

"I did not cheat! This is bull shit! If such a claim was true how to you think all those people in the stands could have missed something that big!" Inuyasha got out of the chair to stalk angrily around questioning the stupidity of the man with the clipboard.

"We're not sure, that's why we're checking. We're just doing our job Mr. Takahasi."

"Who made that tip?"

"I'm sorry sir we can't give out that informat..."

"I SAID WHO DAMNIT?!" Inuyasha slammed his hand on the desk.

The man paused and then looked at the other two men who shrugged, "A Naraku Rachnid."

It took a moment, not recognizing the name at first. But he knew the first name well enoguh and it made him emit a low growl from the back of his throat. Inuyasha's anger disappeared immediately replaced with fear and understanding. "Oh my god, Kagome."

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"Kagome could you go get the sweat scrapper? I left it in the red grooming bin in the trailer." Sango asked as she was hosing off the mare after her most recent event. Miroku was picking up some food from one of the stands nearby, she had no idea what the rest were up to.

Kagome was impatient to see what was up with Inuyasha but he told her to remain back with the crew while he went to see what was up. Kagome was impatient to see what was up with Inuyasha but he told her to remain back with the crew while he went to see what was up.

"Sure no problem; I'll be right back." She vaulted off the high fence railing that she had been sitting on and headed back towards the trailer in the trailer lot with the rest of the trucks.

There was a hunter green truck blocking the back of the trailer. Kagome glared at it in annoyance, the drivers seat was empty and it was turned off. The dumb ass must have thought parking behind them would make a good spot.

Kagome headed towards the side door of the trailer and pulled the keys from her pocket. She found the right key and then opened the door, leaning inside the high trailer looking for the tool Sango had requested. She found it with a triumphing smile and turned smack dab into a broad chest. His hands grasped her shoulders as she lost her balance and grinned up to thank one of her friends who had helped her.

But suddenly Kagome stifled a scream when one of those hands wrapped around her mouth.

The sun which had been blocking her view disappeared behind the figures head and a most familiar haunting voice whispered,

"Happy anniversary baby."

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Kohaku pranced back to the trailer excited that he had seen one of the girls from school he had been crushing on at the event. She had seen his exciting ride and his winning third place. He was on his way back to the trailer to deposit his winnings in the back of the truck seat. But when he approached the horse trailer he saw the door was ajar and some keys laying on the ground.

There was some grinding gravel and a sound of squealing breaks as a hunter green truck peeled out of the event lot and away from the competition. Kohaku recognized the truck and wondered why that man was in a hurry.

He picked up the keys and pocketed them after he shut the trailer door and headed back towards the event.