A/N: chapters are becoming harder and harder to turn out.. and for that I apologize.. I'm terrible with motivation. However I feel I haven't been able to write this as well as I had first envisioned it due to very little editing and basically letting the filter between brain and hands switch off just to get the general gist of the story down before i forgot it... depending on how we go in the next few chapters... if i can get through them... I may be taking the story down and starting over... fleshing it out and not rushing it as much as I have been... maybe even using prompts to entice the muse into working up some inspiration for me...

Anyways, thanks for your tolerance! On with the show!

One day out from Edo, under the midday sun, Kagome suddenly and quite obviously stiffened in her tracks, InuYasha soon following suit as he scented the cause of Kagome's behavior on the breeze, A low growl of warning escaping his chest as he spun and ran to the side of the road, pulling Kagome behind him as Kouga's telltale whirlwind burst through the trees.

Hani had scented him too and noticed InuYasha and Kagome's reactions to his approach.. making her feel incredibly uneasy and causing her youkai blood to start bubbling it's way to the surface in defence.

Kouga was about to grasp Kagome's hand after ducking around InuYasha until a feral snarl ripped through the air and claws struck out at his hand. He looked down and saw what appeared to be a smaller version of InuYasha, Baring it's fangs and brandishing it's claws at him, all the while the gutteral, feral growling bubbled from it's chest as eyes flashed red and markings pulsed to life on the small face.

Leave Mama alone... came the snarling warning, actually making Kouga back up a few steps in shock before looking down at the marks on his hand and then back at the cause of them

"M..Mama?" he shounded shocked, looking between Kagome, InuYasha and the barely contained child as she stood at InuYasha's side, grabbing a fistful of his Hakamas and trying to breathe deeply.

InuYasha nearly fell over laughing at the expression Kouga was wearing, "You look pretty stupid there ya mangy wolf.. never had a kid stand up to you befrore have you? Well... not a hanyou kid anyway.." he added, smiling pointedly at Shippo remembering the stories that Kagome had told him of their first encounter with the wolf demon tribe.

Kouga looked at InuYasha with a dumbfounded expression before finally regaining his composure. "Damn mutt.. What are you playing at?"

Hani growled louder, twin sicle markings becoming a nearly fully present attribute to her skin as they pulsed darker and darker at the outside edge of her eyes.

InuYasha looked down at Hani, laying one hand on her head and stroking a clawtip behind one flattened ear as he lowered himself onto his haunches. He was a little shocked himself at how close she really was to losing herself to her youkai blood and perhaps just a little envious of her control thus far. "Hani.." he said in low tones so kouga couldn't hear, however she ignored him and merely glared at Kouga harder, InuYasha growled deep in his throat, demanding that she listen to him.

Hani reluctantly pried her eyes away from Kouga and towards InuYasha, I don't like him.. she growled simply, InuYasha smiled at that, happy to have someone share his view on Kouga before she continued in a louder growl, not really caring if the arrogant and presumtuous wolf heard or not. makes mama and papa nervous...

InuYasha would have fallen over in shock if it weren't for the fact that Hani was so on edge and needed to be talked down. Its okay, Pup... I won't let him touch mama.. he growled, trying to soothe her unease before turning to Kouga, "You'd better not touch Kagome, ya flea bitten wolf.." Kouga was about to retort with one of his spiels about Kagome being his woman but InuYasha cut him off, "Hani has been alone her entire life, no one has taught her about control and I think her youkai blood is the only reason she's alive today... Kagome is the closest thing she's ever had to a mother and you're trying to take that away from her.. her blood has awakened to your threat.. So if you intend to keep all of your limbs intact I suggest you move away from Kagome right now.

Able to see the child's markings come to full existance, Kouga wisely stepped back and sat himself down on a rock so he wouldn't fall down in shock. 'Mama and Papa.. there's no way that.. No.. Dogbreath has already said that Kagome is the closest thing she's had to a mother... but where did she come from?' he came out of his troubled musings when InuYasha growled again, demanding the attention of the child again.

He's a baka for trying but he is a persistant baka... if he tries it he's gonna get beaten. Calm down, pup. InuYasha's eyes were locked on to Hani's and she instinctively dropped her gaze to avoid a challenge, making InuYasha smile to himself as he stood up, looking over at Kouga with a smirk as he felt Hani's aura diminish back down to some semblance of normal.

Kagome watched the whole event with wide eyes, Kouga had been taken completely by surprise by Hani and frankly so had she. Possessiveness and protection really did run deep in the blood of inus! "Kouga.. was there any reason for your visit today?" she finally said, raising her gaze from the back of Hani's head, where InuYasha's hand still rested, to Kouga on the rock, "Because if there isn't it's probaby a good idea for you to leave so that Hani can settle down."

Kouga stood and brushed himself off, glancing between InuYasha and Hani before looking at Kagome, "It was nothing really.. Just wanted to check in on you." he said with a casual wave, dismissing the still frowning pair of Hanyous. "I'll give it some time before I come again, and don't worry mutt, I won't sneak up on you next time.." he called over his shouder as he turned to leave, the whirlwind kicking up from his feet and dissappearing back in the direction he came from.

"Well... that was relatively painless..." Shippo stated in awe as he watched Kouga leave from Miroku's shoulder.

"Indeed, though it could have easily gone bad had Kouga insisted on getting closer to Kagome.." Miroku mused, he could also feel Hani's demonic energy building to dangerous levels before InuYasha calmed her down.

"Damn wolf.." InuYasha's grumbling broke through everyone's thoughts at that moment, "There's no way we're going to travel far with Hani wound up like this..." he sighed and looked around them, seeming to be listening for something, "There it is.. come on, there's a stream over this way, well make camp for the night and set out again in the morning.."

AN: Okay i've decided after three weeks of fighting this chapter that I WILL be redoing the entire story.. PACING myself... i'll leave this story up for you guys though and if anyone has any suggestions to a title for the revamped story feel free to drop me a line!