The day passed the usual way, dull and boring for the most part since shards were as illusive as always so Sango and Miroku took to watching the dog demon and the neko exchange furtive glances at one another throughout the day, wondering just what had happened with the pair. Their manner seemed just like a certain other pair just a little while ago before Kagome and Inu started being out in the open with their shows of affection. But nothing seemed to happen until Shiori leapt off into the trees with Inu's fish again, the hanyou not missing a beat in following her.

Was that a smirk? Miroku wondered as Inuyasha drifted out of sight before giving him a good luck smile, seemed the hanyou was back to normal, well as normal as he could be.

Deep in the forest, Shiori soon found herself being thrown to the ground and rolled over onto her back as her wrists were then held down. Eyes half-wild with the hunt, the amber eyes of Inuyasha looked down at her, a rakish grin on his face.

"Got ya!" He said, sounding just like a child before leaning his head down to grab the fish back and snatched it away from her. Shiori giggled softly and smiled back at him while she tried to catch her breath. Inu released her and rolled off before jumping up into the tree, quickly eating his meal and then leaning his back against the tree without a word. Shiori was still for a few moments as she processed what had just happened, locking away some of the thoughts that had come with his being so close.

She rolled off her back, crouched then leapt up to the branch he was on. She sat down then started to lay herself out on her stomach over the branch as she always did before she felt his arms encircle her waist and pull her back into him. She couldn't suppress the excited little shiver at being close to him brought as she purred softly. Inu remained silent though as he rested his head on the top of her's, eyes closing as he felt at peace and sleepy. Shiori's ears pricked up curiously, wondering if he was going to stay still all night before even relaxed breathing met her ears, seemed he had drifted off already.

She started to doze off too but something soon brought her sharply alert once more. Inu had shifted his head and chomped down lightly on the tendon by her neck before staying still again. A flash of heat surged over her, causing a little gasp and a purr from the youkai as her ears went back in contentment. Shiori shivered at the feel of his warm breath on her neck and the prick of his teeth, he really was just a big puppy she thought to herself. It was quite hard to relax under though as she tried her best and failed. Soon though, his grip loosened and shivers ran down her spine as he started to lick her neck instead while she felt his purr-like rumble within against her. She bit her lip lightly to keep mostly quiet but she couldn't help purring.

"Mine…"

The hanyou said quietly, even though lost in dreams, he meant it. He wasn't going to waste his time anymore, he wasn't going to allow things to go wrong again, this time he would do it right and love her with everything he had.

After awhile, he became still and Shiori started to relax a bit, skin tingling from his touch and his arms around her. She was happier than she had ever been, glad the hanyou whom she wanted in her inner most thoughts for so long could be hers, even though it had taken an accidental kiss from Kagome's soul taking over to make her realize it. All those fights and stealing of his food were to keep his attention she realized now, all to win over him despite her not even knowing it back then.

The pair had spent most of the morning in the tree until Shippo's whines had managed to bring them down. Inu's ear pricked forward soon after.

"Shit, not now…."

But even as the words left his mouth, the whirlwind that was Kouga appeared in front of him, his attention on the last person Inu wanted it to be on though.

"Kagome? What happened to you?" He asked while leaning in close to Shiori to get a better whiff of the odd smell "Kagome" was giving off. He growled, two more answering his as Inu pulled "Kagome" closer and she growled at him too.

"Back off!" Inu yelled before calling Kouga all sorts of insults relating to the wolf's breed.

"What did you do to Kagome, Inukuso?" Kouga asked, calling Inu in kind as usual.

He was met with a slash across his face though as Shiori lashed out at him. He reeled back in shock, "Kagome" had never even yelled at him let alone hit him.

"Kagome?" He asked before putting a hand to his face.

"What are you? Brain-dead? I'm not Kagome, I'm Shiori! Have humans ever just poofed into nekos before?"

Shiori spat out at him, angered by how close this stranger was getting to her, bristling just as much as she could feel Inu doing from the close pressing hug he held her in.

"Shiori?" The wolf said with a blank stare for a few moments. Then in looking into the angry pair's faces, decided it was best to make a hasty retreat and was gone in another of the whirlwinds that he caused. It was better to retreat and re-group then deal with the angry pair in his mind. In the old days, things had been quieter, little fights with the hanyou until Kagome would sit him then Kouga could do as he wished but this was so different. "Kagome" had growled him and hurt him in more than just his body.