"Who's this?" Kagome peered at him with intense curiosity. She smiled broadly and bowed. "Higurashi Kagome, pleased to meet you."
Koga looked her up an down, sniffed her hair (much to Inuyasha's displeasure) and nodded to himself. "I'm Koga, the fastest wolf demon around!"
Inuyasha rolled his eyes in annoyance. Kagome giggled. "How do you know you're the fastest?"
"I just am," he puffed out his chest with pride.
"Are you faster than Inuyasha?" she looked back to him and smiled. "Or does that not count?"
"Pfft," he doubled over with laughter. "A hanyou? Ha! Anybody full-blooded demon could whip this pup!"
Inuyasha's face heated with irritation. He was about to snap back a sly remark but Kagome quickly grabbed his empty hand, pulling him closer to her. He blinked with surprise and stared at their intertwined fingers. Kagome paid no heed and away went her cheerful demeanor. Koga was still laughing, unaware of the atmosphere change.
"Is that what you think?" Kagome replied curtly. "That a hanyou is inferior?"
"Hahaha, of course!"
She narrowed her eyes in disgust and pulled Inuyasha away with her, holding back her scowl beneath her frown. It always displeased her when people only saw what was outside, never bothering to check what kind of person they might be. Inuyasha was her good friend and had never showed otherwise. What she didn't understand was why the townspeople still treated him like an outsider; he was like any other village boy. Inuyasha just looked a little different, but inside he was a good person. And Kagome was glad she got to know that.
"Hey! You're not really friends with this - "
"Don't say it!" Kagome shouted back over her shoulder. "He's Inuyasha and that's all that matters to me!"
Koga gaped at her. "B-but I'm a full-blooded demon! Not some human-blood mutt!"
Kagome stopped in her tracks, bristling with anger. "If you haven't noticed: I am human. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that."