Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Or the song

Dark Wanderer

By: Mika Saito

Chapter 2- Nerve

Walk straight, for a final solution.

Walk straight, don't you be so cold.

Walk straight, with a clear resolution.

I'll state my case and never turn.

Nerve by: Soilwork

Kagome closed her eyes. She could almost see what Inuyasha's reaction would have been. He'd be pissed, without a doubt. If he wasn't angry with her for disappearing then he'd be angry with her for taking the jewel shards with her.

A pissed of Inuyasha. That was something she saw almost everyday it seemed. That wasn't the side of him she wanted to see. No one wants to see the one they love being angry, especially not when it's directed at ones self.

Sighing she stood up. She'd wasted too much time just sitting there staring at the grass. With each passing moment Inuyasha could be growing closer. The thought sent a thrill of happiness through Kagome's body. She quickly suppressed it. Even if she was in love with him, he wasn't in love with her. He was too busy being in love with a corpse to even see her, let alone reciprocate her feelings.

"Enough of that," she chided herself, stretching her sore muscles. A couple hours spent doing nothing but running was hard on an unfit body. Good thing she'd been working on that for the past few months. It hadn't affected her as much as she thought it would have.

"I'm going to get that wench!" Inuyasha growled, clenching his fists.

"Calm down, Inuyasha. I'm sure Kagome has a good reason," Miroku said placidly, attempting to calm the hanyou down.

"I don't care! Those are my Jewel shards!" The silver haired hanyou yelled in response before storming out of the room.

"Should we go after Kagome?" Shippou questioned worriedly.

"I don't know Shippou. We don't know why Kagome left in the first place… she might have done it just to get away from us…" Sango replied sadly.

"But… she wouldn't do that… would she?" The young fox demon asked, tears already sliding down his cheeks.

"I don't know Shippou," was her response.

Kagome sighed as she darted behind another tree, attempting to stay hidden. Claws ripped through the tree.

"Dammit," she muttered under her breath, ducking to avoid a rather large splinter from the tree.

"The Jewel shards! Give them to me!" The demon roared, his gnarly, ugly hand reaching out as if he expected Kagome to hand them over without question.

"No!" She growled, throwing herself behind another tree. The demon let out an angry roar, easily knocking down the tree Kagome had ducked behind. Kagome stood behind it, bow and arrow held in hand- the arrow already notched and ready to fly.

"I don't need… Inuyasha's protection!" She yelled, releasing the arrow.

The demon fell with a deafening thud.

"Did you hear that?" Sango asked, body tensing at the familiar sound of a demon nearby.

"Yeah," Inuyasha agreed, drawing his sword. "Let's go."

Kirara transformed into her larger form as Inuyasha took off running. Sango, Miroku, and Shippou climbed onto her back and followed Inuyasha's retreating form.

The group burst through the last row of trees into a clearing. A demon lay dead in the middle of the clearing, an arrow sticking out of its throat.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha gasped, finally picking up on the other scent that clung to the area.

"What!?" Miroku asked, surprised.

"Kagome was just here…" Inuyasha murmured.

"What direction did she go in?" Sango asked, jumping onto Kirara's back.

Inuyasha sniffed around a moment, covering the circumference of the clearing before answering.

"West," he sniffed again, "she's gone to the west from here," he growled. The moment the words were out of his mouth he took off running, tearing through the trees in a westerly direction without waiting for everyone else.

"Kirara!" Sango called as Miroku and Shippou jumped on Kirara's back behind her. Kirara growled and surged forward, using her powerful muscles to charge after Inuyasha.

"KAGOME!!" Inuyasha yelled as he ran through the trees, desperately trying to catch up to the fleeing Miko. He couldn't see her yet, but he could smell her- he was slowly catching up.

Damn it! Kagome cursed silently at herself as she darted through the trees, trying to increase the distance between her and Inuyasha. The demon had chased her, continually pushing her closer to Kaede's village without her realizing it- she'd been too focused on staying uninjured.

"KAGOME!" Inuyasha's yell reached her ears. Still faint- but slowly getting louder.

Damn it! I gotta get away somehow…. But how? She looked around as she ran, anxiously trying to find some escape. None. She saw nothing.

"Kagome…. What are you doing here?" Kouga's voice cut into her hurried thoughts.

"Kouga!" My savior, the faint thought drifted through her mind before she could stop it. I'm not some damsel in distress, she chided herself. He can help me though… she grinned at the wolf demon who was keeping pace with her. "You think you could help a lady out?" She asked.

"Depends… help with what?" He looked a little shocked.

"I'm trying to get away from Inuyasha… but obviously he's faster than I am," she motioned with her hands. "You think you could help me get away?"

"Heh, if it involves getting back at that mutt, then hell yeah I'll help!" Kouga grinned, fangs flashing at her. Without a warning he scooped her up in his arms, cradling her against his chest, and took off running. With the use of his speed Kagome got away from Inuyasha with ease.

"Thank you, Kouga," Kagome grinned thankfully at the wolf demon as she dusted herself off.

"No problem. I'd do anything for you Kagome… you are my woman," he looped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

"Kouga," Kagome growled, "let me go! I'm not your property!" She clawed him across the cheek, drawing blood.

Kouga was silent, shocked. His hand drifted up to his cheek, feeling the warm blood sliding down his skin.

"You love Inuyasha, don't you?" Kouga asked suddenly, looking sad.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Kagome asked sarcastically, having not looked at him. When she looked at him she sighed.

"I don't love him, Kouga, and even if I did he's in love with Kikyou," he looked at her, a hopeful look in his eyes. "I don't love you either though. I'm not in love with anyone," she insisted.

"I see," he sounded sad. "I'll still protect you, Kagome. One day your feelings might change, one day you may love me. Until then, I'll protect you."

"Thank you, Kouga, but I don't need your protection any more than I need Inuyasha's protection," Kagome said coldly. "If I needed anyone's protection or help I would have stayed with Inuyasha," with that she turned and walked away. Kouga watched her go, a slight inkling as to what she was doing growing at the edge of his mind.

AN: This chapter took longer to get up than I thought it would... I hope everyone enjoyed, if so review and let me know which parts you liked best.

The next chapter is about half way done, so hopefully that will be up soon.