How Will I Know

Disclaimer: Ekonika is writing two stories at the moment, and is under incredible creativeness stress. Otherwise this would have been up sooner. She needs Ideas for her other one, like: a purpose for four people (just met each other) to go on a long journey. Anyway, I don't own InuYasha.

Chapter 26: Getaway

InuYasha spent the next day walking in circles and stretching, and soon felt good as new. However, when he set out, a dull pain crept over his muscles, making them numb and unable to move without risk of breaking something, so InuYasha sat and played with blades of grass, irritated. When the numbness wore off he ambled back to the waterside and got a drink, being forced to sit again. He decided to wade into the water and scrub as much of his scent off as he could so Kouga wouldn't suspect him when Kagome disappeared. He stripped off his clothes and began scrubbing.

After that was done, he climbed out of the water and sat by Kagome's pack, to pick up more of her scent. He pulled a large stick out of the water and began to carve it with his claws. As more and more of the wood was chipped away it began to take the shape of a horse bow. InuYasha took out some leather from Kagome's pack and tore it into strips before placing them in the water. He continued to carve, satisfied with his work so far.

Kagome and Enkou were walking along, with about five other wolves (Kouga: They're the best of all of them, you'll be safe, definitely. I have to patrol the borders again.) and Kagome searched for breakfast. After a short meal of some berries, she returned to the scrub-area between the hills and forest and practiced running silently around bushes and concealing herself in scant foliage.

After about an hour she was skilled, although not great at it. The wolves could still track her, but any regular human couldn't. After she leapt from the bushes and took off running, jewel shard glowing in her neck, the five wolves and Enkou chased after her. She did this a few more times throughout the day, but mostly practiced her 'sneaking away' skills.

After noon, Kouga was able to assist her in hunting. In this way, she learned what he looked for when tracking something, or someone. Also, he was able to show her much of the landscape. After a two hour trek up the cliffs (she learned how to scale a cliff: when she slipped Kouga caught her and smiled politely, she smiled back. he did her the favor of climbing beside her, not above… ::shivers:: Kouga and his 'skirt'…) Kagome sat with Kouga for five minutes, Enkou in between them. Kagome turned towards Kouga and smiled sweetly.

"Kouga, could Enkou and I go off and explore around the cliff? I'm sure footed now, and I know how to land." Kouga grinned at her, and she could predict his answer.

"Please Kouga? Just for a few minutes, for a short run. Enkou wouldn't let anything happen to me; you know how powerful he is. He could probably do well in a fight with InuYasha, if he still lived, that is." Kouga seemed close to swayed, and Kagome took a deep breath. She leaned toward him across Enkou and asked really really nicely.

"Please?" Kouga's eyes went blank as her scent drifted to him, and he nodded.

"Yes, just be back by sunset." He leaned toward her face, inches from his own. Kagome jumped up grinning, followed by Enkou, and she thanked him. Kouga stuttered in his recovery, and by the time he realized he authorized her departure, she was sliding down the cliff with Enkou at her side. He watched carefully, pondering her persuasive skills.

Dam# she's good… I can't wait for the day… but for now I suppose I should just get back to Ginta and Hakkaku. She left me completely stupefied… He stood and began running towards the greater part of his pack. Kagome… Tomorrow night, I'll ask you to be my mate again.

Kagome skidded down the cliff with Enkou, and they pulled up at a small ledge, proudly watching the few rocks they'd knocked out of the way turn into a landslide into the river and be swept downstream. They shared a glance before running sideways along the sheer face of the cliff. Kagome slipped once, but recovered her footing a few feet down and kept running.

After a few more minutes of practicing along the cliff face, Kagome leapt off it and towards the ground, thirty feet away. Enkou ran straight down along the cliff beside her, and when she came down Enkou swerved and she landed with a soft thump upon his back. He looked back at her with one golden eye and sped up on the level ground. Kagome tangled her hands in his thick mane and held on tight with her thighs. They raced the mile back to Kouga's cave, and when they arrived a breathless Kagome slid off a panting Enkou. They walked in, Kagome's hand on Enkou's shoulder and his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.

The wolves in the cave lifted their heads and grinned upon seeing the two. Kouga and the rest entered soon after with a rabbit. Kagome lit the fire and cooked it, making small servings for everyone. This was a new system for the wolf pack: everyone getting food. Normally Kouga got his fill, then it went by rank, usually only bones left for the least dominant ones. They all ate a bite of meat, contenting themselves with it, and went to their respective corners. When Kagome lay upon her bed, Enkou joining her, Kouga approached and sat in front of her legs. Kagome pretended to sleep and rolled away, causing him to slip. After a silence, she heard him stand and walk to his own bed.

InuYasha?

Yeah?

InuYasha appeared again, and he smiled, holding one hand behind his back.

"What do you have?" Kagome asked, curious. Enkou cocked his head to the side next to her. InuYasha's grin widened as he revealed his project. Kagome ran over to him and picked it up after kissing his cheek. She turned the bow over in her hands and saw a small inscription. It said 'Kagome Higurashi'. She grinned at InuYasha again, and he told her to turn it over and look at the caption on the other side.

It was tiny, and she had to squint to read it, but it said 'love, InuYasha'. Kagome smiled when she saw it, and examined the craftsmanship. The leather that covered it was damp still. When she questioned, InuYasha explained it would shrink as it dried and would fit the bow well and make it more powerful. The string was white, and seemed yarn-like when she touched it. She warmed the bow before drawing the string back to her cheek, and it bent perfectly smooth.

Enkou wagged his tail at the gift, and InuYasha noticed him for the first time it seemed. He pulled extra leather out of his pocket and tossed it to Enkou, who gnawed on it, content. Kagome threw her arms around InuYasha, nuzzling her head into his chest. He froze up, and his skin seemed to heat up to Kagome. He hugged her back, and she felt his heart pound. She looked up.

"What's wrong? Your heart raced for a second." InuYasha wrapped one arm around her shoulder and hugged her, looking away.

"Nothing… just you surprised me for a second. I'm fine." He wrapped his other arm around her and lifted her into his arms, spinning her so she was cradled in his powerful grasp. Kagome giggled and placed her arms around his chest in a kind hug. InuYasha's eyes, when she looked, were full of a strange kind of flame, different from Enkou, or any she'd seen before. It made her body heat up and her heart speed up, and she realized she felt the emotion that his gaze held.

She looked down suddenly as he did, both identifying the strange racing of the blood through their veins. InuYasha set Kagome down awkwardly, resisting the strong urge to kiss her.

"So, do you have the exact plans for your getaway yet?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head as he watched the floor.

"Yeah, I'll ask to go with Enkou on an herb expedition towards the south. There's a large rock cliff there, I'll meet you a couple miles from there next to the little four-foot waterfall. All you have to do is follow the pond's tributary upstream for a few miles, and you'll come to it. I'll be there about noon; I want to run with the pack again once. It's fun." InuYasha sighed and placed his hand on her shoulder. It was still warm through her shirt, and sweaty. Kagome looked at her own hands and found they weren't much better.

"InuYasha, don't worry. I'd never leave you for Kouga, at least not of my own will, as Kouga's shown."

"Why aren't you upset at him though? He did try to kill me with a plant. You're too kind by nature, Kagome. You didn't even really bear a grudge against Kikyo before, either."

"Well, I figured if you were happy with Kikyo I'd be alright with her for your sake, and Kouga is a friend, and he's just following his instincts. I won't blame anyone for following his instincts. Even you, because don't think I haven't noticed your dog-half. I know you try and fight off some instincts, like now for example." InuYasha jumped when she turned upon his instincts, and denied it, halfheartedly.

"Kagome, that's stupid. Why would I deny my own instincts?"

"Good question, why do you resist? And just what are they?" InuYasha shook his head and put a finger over her lips.

"This is getting too out of hand. I do have a personal life, and you can't be all of it." InuYasha laughed and wrapped his arms around her, making up for the disappointment in his lack of a good answer.

Kagome gave up and shoved InuYasha over so he lay out on his back. The only reason it worked is because he wasn't expecting it. Anyway, she sat next to him and smoothed his shirt out on his chest before placing her head there.

"I'll bring your Haiori back, too. You must miss it."

"Not that much; I've done without it before, but it would be nice to have it back I suppose, especially if we have to do anything with fire soon." He pressed his lips to the top of her head. Enkou finished with the scrap leather and approached InuYasha and Kagome. He nosed Kagome's arm and reminded her that they needed to get back. She reluctantly sat up followed by a scowling InuYasha.

When Kagome stood and faced Enkou, InuYasha wrapped his arms around her waist and licked her cheek. Kagome was so stunned that it took her a second to react. Shivers ran up and down her back and her legs turned to jelly. InuYasha laughed and smiled at his talent and held her up until she stood on her own feet again. She spun and looked at him, her eyes sort of dazed, so he kissed her nose quickly before waving.

"See you tomorrow, sweet." He took the bow from her senseless hand and vanished with a smile. Kagome leaned to one side, oddly but happily dazed. Enkou shoved her upright with his mass and she concentrated on returning to the cave.

Soon it was dawn, and Kagome and InuYasha arose, miles apart, with one goal in mind each: InuYasha-to get to the rendezvous point, Kagome: Look for breakfast with JUST Enkou. InuYasha sniffed his arm and it smelled only like Kagome still; there was no trace of his own scent. That would be good, especially if Kouga found them, which he probably eventually would. He wouldn't be as likely to attack if he didn't smell InuYasha.

Kagome rose to her feet, brushing the dirt off her days-old uniform. She quickly spotted Kouga at the cave's entrance, going out.

"Kouga!" He stopped and his head appeared back around the corner.

"Yes?"

"Could Enkou and I head out to get breakfast? We'll be back in a few hours. Please? Pretty please, Kouga?" Kagome could tell he was reluctant, and unconvinced. She sighed inwardly as she approached him, going to use the proximity tactic again. He swiveled to face her as she approached and held out a hand, which she appeared to take unreluctantly.

"Will you keep good care of yourself? I know Enkou will be with you, but I'm still reluctant to let you out of my sight, because you're so beautiful." Kagome blushed at the sudden praise, and looked straight into Kouga's eyes to prove her will.

"Enkou and I will stay very safe, so would you please let me go practice what you have taught me of hunting? I think it would be best I know how to hunt for… the future." Kagome said, trying to make it seem like she was planning on staying. Kouga suddenly pulled her arm gently, but hard enough to make her follow, and brought his face within an inch of hers.

"Alright. You can go, if you'd grace my lips with your presence." (A/n- sorry, this is incredibly horrid of me to write, I think I must go cut off my own fingers now, or become acquainted with the inner toilet. Or throw a knife at my line-using Kouga. Such sappiness! Guys, if any guys are reading this… the secret to picking up girls is to NOT use lines, or at least use something original… you get points for originality. Ok, done grieving.)

Kagome caught her breath, which Kouga took as an ok. His lips pressed onto hers for an instant before Kagome pulled away, fighting really hard to not slap him, and heating the air around her face by the intense flush. She forced a smile which Kouga seemed to accept, and he left. As soon as he did, Kagome watched him leave the valley by scaling the cliffs, and pulled water out of the waterfall to wash her face off. Enkou laughed silently as Kagome continued to blush and rinse her mouth.

When this was done, Kagome exited the cave closely followed by Enkou, and ran lightly, pretending to race him. When she entered the forest, she sharply changed direction and ran one way for a while. She stopped to eat some roots and shoots, then vanished. All traces of her passage were covered or nonexistent. She had used some wild lavender to cover her passage, and traveled in the branches of the forest trees.

If Kagome snapped a branch, she would change direction, and slowly curve back around. Enkou traveled on the ground, not always in sight, but if Kagome called for him he would appear in an instant. They traveled in this manner for a while, and an hour before noon, right when she was supposed to be back by, they reached the top of the cliff, with two miles to go and a Wolf demon who could travel incredibly fast soon to be after them. It was sprinting time.

Kagome jumped down the cliff, picking up momentum and creating a rockslide. She began working her legs, trying to keep her momentum under control. She and Enkou had discussed this already, since Kagome's legs obviously couldn't take the pressure of a 90 degree abrupt change. Enkou dashed down the cliff as Kagome leapt away from it, and he did the same trick, catching her at the bottom and picking up speed.

Enkou ran as far as he could at that speed, which was only a mile, so Kagome climbed off and they continued their breakneck pace across scrubland, leaping and dodging at their incredible speed. InuYasha stood at the meager waterfall, sensing her approach. A few seconds later, she came tearing into sight along the river, Enkou beside her, and InuYasha felt the need to move, quickly.

He turned so he faced the same way as the two charging blurs, and began bounding, making no tracks. They soon caught up with him, and Kagome shouted to run for cover of the trees, so they did, leaving absolutely no tracks by bounding off rocks, not dirt. When they reached a forested area, InuYasha grabbed Kagome by the arm and sniffed her, lingering on her stomach.

"You smell like Kouga." He accused.

"I had to get away with just Enkou, so he… said I could go, if… I… kissed him." InuYasha held her by the shoulders as they stood on a tree branch. He met her gaze, and pulled her to him.

"Thanks for making that sacrifice to come back to me." Kagome wondered if he was being sarcastic, and pulled away to look at him. InuYasha looked into her eyes and grinned.

"You washed your face off in the waterfall… (he chuckles)… Enkou told me. Don't worry; I know it was a sacrifice for you. Now, remember what I was saving for later two nights ago?" InuYasha cupped Kagome's cheek in his hand and bent towards her. He paused a moment as she panted and her heart raced from the run. Kagome blushed, still feeling guilty about that morning. InuYasha recognized this, and backed up again.

"Do you need to bathe again? You seem tired from that run." He said, thinking quickly to give her more time to recover and to 'cleanse herself' of the wolf. Kagome smiled at him, thankful, and passed him his Haiori that she'd worn. InuYasha passed Kagome her backpack and sniffed the haiori, before wrinkling his nose and holding it away from himself.

"This smells like filthy wolves." He said, and passed it back to Kagome. "If you wouldn't mind?" Kagome took it and nodded, agreeing to wash it along with herself. InuYasha lifted her and began running, Enkou following at a brisk trot. He watched InuYasha with contempt for his speed. InuYasha grinned sarcastically back before speeding up. He looked down at Kagome in his arms.

"Should we stop at the next place we get to, or further downstream?"

"Anywhere's fine, I just need a quick scrub, then we can probably get Shippou tonight or tomorrow and find Miroku and Sango tomorrow for sure." InuYasha nodded and bounded sharply to his right, clearing the trees and coming to a flat calm stretch of river. He and Enkou settled themselves on opposite sides, one upstream, one downstream, as guards. (They were only about 30 feet away from each other, across the ten-foot river, so definitely close to Kagome. I did the math… 14.142 feet, or about a basketball hoop laid out on the ground.)

Kagome hesitated for an instant before opening her pack and pulling out a towel and a clean set of clothes. She stripped down and began scrubbing herself, as well as InuYasha's haiori. InuYasha and Enkou occasionally glanced at her (mostly InuYasha), but generally looked around for danger. (Enkou had nothing to really look at. Seeing as he's a wolf and is species-straight.) After she finished InuYasha's haiori, she shook it until it was merely damp, slightly dripping, and set it on the grass on the riverbank. Kagome returned to the water and sat in the middle, where her head was just above the water, and washed her face again, and a third time, before ducking under and washing her hair by facing the slow current. She finished, and climbed out of the water and dried herself, InuYasha watching through one eye, (the perv. ) before putting on a new outfit.

When her bath was done, InuYasha approached her and handed her the finished bow. Kagome examined it again shortly; the leather had dried, and she put a straight stick into it (to not waste an arrow) and shot it. It flew twice as far as her last bow could've thrown it. Kagome thanked InuYasha again and slung her backpack over her back. She lifted his haiori and wrung it out, then shook it to dispel the wrinkles. She handed it to InuYasha.

"Now it's especially fireproof." She joked, and InuYasha pulled on the damp garment, grateful for the coolness in the warmer weather. "So, off to monk Mushin's!" Kagome said, and the three marched off.

"Wait a minute! Wait just a darn minute here!" –yells me. "InuYasha, you go kiss Kagome right now, you! She and the readers have been waiting for that kiss for two fan fiction days! Go, now! Get!" I pull out a stick and prod him towards her

"Okay, I'm going, get outta this story, author! Sheesh, you're a bitc-"

"InuYasha! No language, GO!"

InuYasha walked next to Kagome. He glared for some reason at the sky (), then took a deep breath, focusing on Kagome. Enkou grinned to himself and slipped into the bushes alongside the path.

"Kagome." She was calm now, and didn't feel ashamed of having let Kouga kiss her anymore. That's good; I love hearing her pulse speed up on its own.

"Hm?" She spun to face him, hopeful. InuYasha held his arms out, and Kagome walked into them, tucking her head under his jaw. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and locked behind his neck. Kagome felt the same warmth run through her as before, and she looked up at InuYasha, and he looked down at her for a breathless second, until his lips crashed into her own.

Kagome's legs turned to jelly as before, and InuYasha pulled her closer into the hug as she maneuvered her hands behind his head, tangling them in his hair and pulling his lips closer to hers if possible. The warmth intensified and Kagome felt a burning heat where her body came in contact with InuYasha's; her hands, the small of her back where his palms had slipped under her backpack, and her thighs, chest, and stomach pressed to his.

InuYasha pulled away for a breath, and Kagome didn't even open her eyes as she pulled him back to her. InuYasha was surprised, but compliant, and enjoying this as much as she was. A few minutes later, when both had gotten enough to break apart and fully catch their breaths, Kagome grinned and leaned against InuYasha, who wrapped his arm around her. After another minute, InuYasha held out his hand and took Kagome's, lacing his fingers through hers. He gave a polite squeeze, which she returned, and they smiled at each other. InuYasha placed another kiss on her lips, only a few seconds this time, and his lips pressed gently over hers, turning her whole body to mush this time. He chuckled as Kagome's legs gave out, and lifted her into his arms, proceeding down the path.

Giggle… well, I can't wait for the next chapter, but my mind's so boggled by this one that I think it'll be a while afore I can think straightish again. Well, please review! All reviews appreciated, and… a recommendation. There's a fanfiction, where Kagome and InuYasha switch bodies, and… well, see for yourself. (Demon-dog) writes it, and I can't think of the exact name at the moment, but I'm sure you'll figure it out. It's great, read it! As well as, for Zutara fans, (Catch Me When I Fall) by (Contessa Claire). Just get rid of the parenthesis in the search. Good morning/evening/night, readers! (Also, in the disclaimer, I do need ideas for that story)

Kouga looked around his home. It was mid day, and Kagome wasn't back yet. He'd give her a few more minutes, then he'd track her. He wasn't particularly concerned; she'd probably just stopped for lunch somewhere. He looked around her bed, and it was tidy… there was no sign of InuYasha's haiori, so he thought maybe she'd gone to bury it, but that was soon removed from his mind as minutes went by. She wasn't back ten minutes later, and he set out to find her, a whirlwind in his wake.