The next morning Kagome awoke with the sun as she usually did and stretched the sleepiness out of her limbs. That disturbed Shippou who had been sleeping upside-down at the foot of her bed. He whimpered and rolled over to the foot of Sango's bed and curled up nest to Kira-ra. Sango was still sleeping soundly. If I had fought as much as she had yesterday, I'd be that tired too. She thought and walked over to the curtain separating their room from the rest of the hut. Inuyasha was hunched over, snoring soundly in a corner and Miroku was wrapped around his blanket, holding it close to him. A step further into the room and Kagome nearly tripped over Kouga who had in fact slept in the door way. All three were sleeping as deeply as Sango had been. She shook her head. I'm the only one who isn't tired. I really need to practice with my arrows. Maybe then I can help out more in battle. I shouldn't have to always rely on Miroku and Sango to protect me. And I can't rely on Inuyasha anymore. He proved that yesterday. And Kouga... I don't know about him. I should still pitch in more. That decided she tiptoed over to the wall and gently picked up her bow and sack of arrows. Still tip-toeing, she crossed the room and walked outside.

A few weeks ago she had set up a small piece of paper like a bulls-eye on a tree not to far from the village. She hadn't used it but it was there so she might as well. The wind blew her hair as she walked and she breathed in the clean morning smell. I'm really gonna miss this when I go back home. With all the pollution, my world could never smell this clean. She smiled as she walked paying attention to the leaves in the trees and the stones in the dirt road. She wandered off the path and across the small field to the tree. The bulls-eye was still there, though the red ink had run a little from the rainstorm the week before. Measuring out roughly 20, 50, and a 100 feet from her target, she set her first arrow at 20 and let it fly. It hit almost directly in the center. Nine more arrows hit the same way and she collected them, and moved back to the 50 mark. Again, she shot ten arrows, though only eight made it within the center. Thinking that that was still a good average, she collected her arrows and walked back to the 100 foot mark. This time though, only five made it in so she retrieved her arrows and tried again. She focused solely on the target, her eyes were narrow and her mind was concentrating only on it. Back and forth she went, shooting and retrieving, completely losing track of time. Finally though, all ten arrows made it to the center and she smiled, proud of herself. Loud clapping and a whistle from her right startled her and she turned to see Kouga sitting against a tree.

"You are an excellent shot Kagome. Any smart man would be proud to have you at his side. Perhaps that's why dog-boy doesn't appreciate you." He stood, stretched, and walked over to her.

" Kouga? How long have you been there?"

" I followed you when you got up. That mutt's smell was over-whelming in that small room." She sighed and shook her head, shoving her arrows back in her pack.

" I should be heading back now. The others will be waking up soon and I should help Kaede make breakfast."

" If you cook as well as you shoot, you truly are a woman worthy of no man. Accept for maybe me of course." Kouga smirked and stood looking at her, an eyebrow raised. She shook her head again and walked past him but he put out his arm and stopped her.

" What is it that keeps you loyal to that mutt, but won't let you even look at me? I would treat you as a woman deserves Kagome."

" Kouga, it's... it's not just Inuyasha, it's a lot of things okay?"

" Like what? What could be greater than my love for you?" She snorted at his use of 'love' but only smiled softly at him.

" I'll tell you some other time Kouga." He nodded sharply.

" Very well. As long as I will know." With that he released her and followed her as she walked back to the village. Well, he's certainty more attentive than Inuyasha is. She thought as the hut came into view. Sure enough, everyone was up and they looked worried. Inuyasha was sniffing the air and Miroku and Sango seemed to be at high alert. Fearing a demon, Kagome and Kouga ran the rest of the way back. Sango spotted her first.

" Kagome! There you are! Are you okay?" Kagome didn't have time to answer as the others soon grouped around her. Inuyasha though first confronted Kouga.

" All right you flea-bag! What did you do to her this time?"

" Do? What are you talking about you stupid mutt?"

" You know exactly what I'm talking about. The last time you were around you ran off with Kagome and didn't come back. Now we all wake up and you two are gone again?" Kouga's look of confusion quickly turned to realization and he smirked. Kagome too had figured out what Inuyasha was thinking about and blushed a deep red.

" Inuyasha! All we were..." Kouga interrupted her though.

" Shush Kagome. You don't have to tell that dog-face anything. Nothing we did was wrong. And it certainly isn't any of his business." With that he walked away and sat down in front of the fire pit. Everyone turned their attention to Kagome who was blushing furiously.

" What's that flea-bag talking about Kagome?!" Inuyasha shouted.

" Kagome, you and Kouga didn't..." Sango asked.

" It's okay to give us details of your love Kagome." Miroku stated and she turned to him and growled.

" There is no love! I don't know what Kouga is talking about, but all I did was go for a walk in the woods. He followed me and we came back." Flames were surrounding her by now and they all backed off as she stomped down to the river to wash. Hastily, Sango and Shippou followed her and Inuyasha and Miroku went to sit and stare at Kouga.

" You see that Kouga? Kagome'd never be caught dead with the likes of you." A few seconds of silence went by and Kouga answered.

" Or maybe she just doesn't want you to know about it." Inuyasha's eyes widened and he growled. He hopped up, torn between running after Kagome and challenging Kouga on the spot. Finally, he ran off toward the river and Kouga laughed.

" Stupid mutt." Miroku looked at him in shock.

" You mean, nothing happened?"

" Of course not. My woman has more decency than that. Though she did make me a promise.

" A promise? A promise to what?" Kouga just smiled smugly and Miroku gasped and slid closer. " You seem to know these things, how would I go about getting a promise out of Sango?" Kouga looked at him confused but a loud shout from the river startled them both.

" INUYASHA!!! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SSSSSSSIIIIIIIT!!!!" A very loud crash could be heard as a mushroom cloud of dirt rose above the forest. Miroku shook his head.

" How lucky to be Inuyasha."

" Lucky? That baka mutt just got squashed lower than his IQ."

" But what did he see that made him get squashed?" Miroku asked back and Kouga's eyes widened in amazement. He stood to run down there himself but was stopped by Miroku.

" There are better times my friend. Be patient. Now, about this promise..."

Kagome fumed as she stomped further down the river, towel clamped firmly to her body. That Inuyasha! He's as bad as Miroku! She sighed heavily and stopped near a small pool they often used. She dropped her towel and walked into the water, enjoying it's brisk temperature. Needing to relax a little, she sat against a rock and closed her eyes, remembering the few minutes past.

Kagome stormed down to the river and started to take off her shoes and socks. Steps behind her signaled the approach of Sango and Shippou. She sighed.

" Um... Kagome?"

" Yeah Sango?"

" Are you sure you're okay?"

" Yeah. I'm fine Sango."

" So, where did you guys go Kagome?" Shippou asked, hopping up onto a rock.

" I wanted to be more useful in battle so I went out to practice with my bow. Kouga followed me and when I found out, I started home."

" That's all?"

" That's all. I don't know what Kouga was thinking when he said what he did."

" He probably just wanted to make Inuyasha jealous."

" Probably. I'm glad Inuyasha believed what I said though. He'd of followed us down here other wise." Sighing, Kagome slipped out of her skirt and top and took a step toward the water. She never made it as a loud thud behind sounded out. She spun and her jaw dropped at the approaching figure of Inuyasha who was talking even before he had registered what he was seeing.

" Kagome! How could you go off with that flea-bag..." He trailed off as the scene in front of him registered in his brain. He didn't even have time to gulp before Kagome yelled out.

" INUYASHA!!! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SSSSSSSIIIIIIIT!!!!" He crashed to the dirt so hard that a large puff of dust blew up around him. In the cloud Kagome stormed off.

Now Kagome sat quietly in the water. That blasted Inuyasha! Who does he think he is? Accusing me of running off with Kouga! What does he think I am? I should run off just to make Inuyasha even madder. She humphed and ripples of water waved out. Who am I kidding? Trading one stubborn demon for another? I'd be in the same position if I went with Kouga. She stood and started to dry herself off. She was getting pruny and aside from that she was hungry too.