Chapter 1: The Journey Begins

"Kouga, I don't get it." Kouga rolled his sky-blue eyes and looked to his friend, a younger man with a tall, distinctive mohawk, "What don't you understand this time idiot?"

The boy stutters and shakes in place as he looks up at the impressive youth, long black hair swept up in a long ponytail swaying in the breeze as he stared back down at him, "W...Well, Kagome told you y...yesterday that if...if she saw you around h...her house again, sh...she was going to...to throw the used water on you."

Kouga nods, tapping his foot in impatience, "Yeah, so?"

The other man's eyes dart a bit, obviously wishing he were elsewhere, but too frightened to move, "W...Well then, wh...what are we d...doing hiding in her b...bushes?"

Kouga again rolls his eyes "Because, moron, she just SAID that 'cause she ACTUALLY wants me."

This statement leaves the man beside him totally confused, only able to get out a baffled and blinking, "Huh?"

Kouga sighs before continuing, as if telling a five-year-old why a stone rolled when pushed, "You see, women love to play hard-to-get. The harder she plays, the more she wants me, get it?" (A.N. Lol, isn't that Kouga's logic for you?)

"Oh..." is all the young man says in reply, obviously not completely convinced.

"So," Kouga continues, "we're going to wait here until she comes out to go to the field to pick those herbs she always does for her grandpa around this time. Then, I'll use my ultimate move to make her my woman once and for all."

"But Kouga," the other man asks before he can stop himself "didn't you use your ultimate move YESTERDAY?"

Luckily for him, Kouga doesn't hear a word of it, as his prize steps out of her home, flips some of her long black hair over her shoulder absently, simple yellow sundress floating in the breeze before turning and heading for the field at a brisk pace. His prize. In his mind, his woman. Kouga quickly catches up and walks alongside her for a moment before pulling her to him by looping an arm around her shoulders, effectively slowing her down, much to her chagrin, "Congratulations Kagome. I've decided that you're good enough to be my woman."

Kagome sighs and lifts his hand off her shoulder, dropping it behind her before speeding up again, obviously used to this, "Thanks but no thanks Kouga. I'm no one's 'woman' and I certainly don't belong to YOU."

Kouga seems not perturbed in the least, smirking cockily, "Now Kagome, don't be like that. We belong together!"

"Oh really?" Kagome replies dryly, raising an eyebrow, "How so?"

Kouga smiles widely before speaking, chest puffing out a bit, he'd obviously practiced for this particular question "Simple Kagome. It's all because of nature. The best belong with the best. I'm the strongest man in the village, and your beauty is as strong as...well...me."

Kagome sighs inwardly, she'd honestly thought that maybe he'd thought of something at least slightly more poetic. She should've realized that would taken a miracle. "Kouga, we're human beings, not animals! I think we're above 'The strongest survive' philosophy."

Kouga looks at her blankly, blinking, "Phil who?"

Kagome sighs frustratedly, shaking her head, "Nevermind Kouga. My answer is no. Always HAS been, always WILL be. When I am 'someone's' it will be for love, not because they think that nature says I have to."

Kouga growls at this, turning from happy to confused to angry in a matter of moments, "No matter what you say Kagome, you are mine. My woman. And I'll prove it to you if it takes me every last breath in my body." With that he spins on his heel and stomps off, lackey close behind, still stammering and trying to calm the raging young man.

After a couple of minutes and no sign of a return from Kouga, Kagome breathes a sigh of relief. She was always half-afraid that one day he was going to just take her. She honestly believed he is a good person deep down, just...not used to not getting his way. And when it came to her, that meant he was dangerous. Not in the good, cool way that made girls swoon so often either. Because she did NOT like him that much...or at all for that matter.

Kagome looks up to the sun's position before hurriedly moving toward the field. She didn't have very much time to get what she needs to. She quickly gathers what she needs before rushing back home, noticing Kouga and his usual tag-a-long hiding in the bushes. She inwardly sighs, too bad Grandpa had already thrown out the used water for the day. Oh well, it would have to wait until tomorrow. She goes inside and calls, "Grandpa! I'm back! We're in luck, I was able to find everything!"

The old man appears slowly from the basement, hands behind his back, droopy mustache swaying slightly as he walked, looking very old and wise, unless you noticed the mischievous glint that never seemed to leave his eyes. "Very good Kagome, and not a moment too soon. Come."

He moves back down the stairs into the basement and Kagome follows close behind. The basement is dark and a bit musty from old age and much use, but Kagome had practically grown up down here, so to her it's cozy and warm. "Hey Kagome! Took you long enough! The stuff was about to boil over!" calls a small boy of about ten, seated on a nearby counter next to an open fire.

Kagome puts her basket down, smiling at him before ruffling his hair a bit, "Well Souta, if you would had come with me it would have gone faster."

Grandpa Higurashi grabs various herbs out of the basket and throws them into the boiling pot, which was held over the fire by a sturdy rod that protrudes from the nearby wall, while saying "I saw that hooligan take off after you left today, if he bothers you again, tell me and I'll deal with it."

Kagome rolls her eyes, "Kouga isn't anything that I can't deal with on my own Grandpa, don't worry about it."

Souta jumps up, eyes shining with righteous anger, "Yeah! And I'll stick next to you from now on! So that Kouga better stay away! I'll knock his block off!"

Kagome shakes her head "Oh no you won't, Kouga's bad enough, I don't need you starting fights with...Grandpa! The pot's boiling over!"

With that everyone flies into action to save the concoction. Kagome moves the rod off the fire while Grandpa clamps the lid on and Souta dives a bowl underneath to catch the liquid that was running down the side. Kagome sets the pot down with a relieved sigh and wipes her brow of the sweat that had come from the sudden work and the heat. "Honestly Grandpa! You should pay more attention! All this for one little vial of that medicine you thought up of and you don't even act like it's important!" she reprimands the old man with her hands on her hips.

He winces before frowning,"Don't talk like that to your Grandfather! You show respect for you elders, haven't I taught you anything in your life?"

Kagome crosses her arms, growling right back, "I'll show you respect when you start acting your age!"

The old man huffs and turns to the pot, doing various things that to the untrained eye (including that of the authoress) make no sense while his grandchildren look on. As the process ends and the small vial is filled, Souta voices a complaint, "Grandpa, how come I can't come with you to this doctor thing? I wanna see if all doctors are crazy like you." A comment that earns him a slap in the back of the head by Kagome.

He glares at her, nursing his head as their grandpa explains for what seemed like the fiftieth time "Because Souta, you would be bored to tears after the first five minutes. Besides, a house needs a man to stay behind to make sure nothing goes wrong, and when I'm gone, you're the only man around. I'm going to be counting on you."

Kagome rolls her eyes at the testosterone-driven statement. She corks the vial and puts it in his old worn leather bag, saying, "Oh yeah, well 'Mr. Man-of-the-House', if you don't get going soon you're going to be late."

Grandpa Higurashi grumbles as Souta giggles, then rushes to get their horse, Hojo, ready (A.N. Lol, don't worry, I'm not degrading Hojo to being a beast of burden, it'll become clear later on in the story, trust me). Kagome helps heft her grandfather up into the saddle before smirking as he rights himself. He looks down at the two saying, "Remember you two, stay out of trouble. Souta, in before dark, probably earlier, because it looks like a storm's coming in. Kagome..."

Kagome interrupts, sighing impatiently, "I know Grandpa, now get going! I don't want you getting caught in the storm anymore than you want us getting caught!"

He nods before galloping off, a trail of dust marking his path. As Kagome watches him disappear into the surrounding forest, she feels strangely excited, like she was watching a new chapter of her life unfold. She shivers in anticipation before shaking the feeling off and going inside to get a shawl before finishing her chores, unaware as the wheels of her destiny start to turn with the rumble that resembles the thunder in the distance.