One chapter is all I can do right now. My computer still isn't fixed but, I updated anyway. I won't upload another chapter for a few weeks but hang in there.

Kotori Susayski: Hope you had a great Christmas too! Thanks for voting!

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Oh, and I've decided not change my pen name. I just can't, since I'm kinda used to it now. Sorry to disappoint anyone who wanted me to but, I don't really feel like it. You understand right?

Again, thank for the reviews! Enjoy!

A Painful Goodbye

The great horse beneath her surged with power, carrying Kagome and her father over the ground at an alarming rate. Muscles clenched and relaxed, flexing with a smooth, supple motion.

All Kagome could hear was the pounding of the stallion's hooves and the howls of the wolf demons behind her. She couldn't concentrate on her task; keeping herself and her father on the horse's rocking back.

It was exhausting. After using all that energy distracting the demons, the stuff she had left couldn't suffice for the strain she was putting on herself at this moment. It was hard, too hard.

The stallion kept dodging in between trees, making it very hard for its passengers to stay on board. He was going at a very high speed, driven only by the urge to live, to escape from the demons that weren't very far behind. It was because of this that the stallion was being too reckless, because all he cared about was his well being, not the two people's on his back.

Kagome knew the horse must feel this way and didn't really blame it. The only thing she blamed was her stupid choice to sprint away from the safety of her friends. Her own carelessness of not noting where she was going. Her own weakness, her own human weakness.

The only thing she was good at was leading the group to Naraku's hidden castle.

That was basically it.

' No, I am not weak. Maybe I was before but not now, not after what I've done, and what I've experienced. What I've put up with. I am not weak and I will fight, even if it kills me.'

Confident, Kagome dug her heels into the stallion's side, reminding him that the people on his back actually were alive. Without any other signal, the already charging horse leapt into overdrive, putting on even more speed.

Kagome lent further over the horse's back, keeping a firm grip around her father's waist. It wasn't really for his support but more for hers, since he probably had more energy than she did. It was really all she could do at the moment.

Then she felt her seat shift slightly as the horse moved under her, dodging a pack of dense trees at a speed common sense denied possible.

The stallion kept moving, shifting from one lead to the next, always correcting his balance.

Kagome knew that at the moment, she was leaning dangerously to one side, prone to falling over if the horse jerked in the opposite direction.

This time, fate wasn't exactly on her side.

Another tree loomed and the horse dodged, barely jerking out of the way of another one. To accompany this, the horse had to jump a fallen tree at an angle, dislodging any grip Kagome had on its back.

She slipped, arms coming loose from her lack of energy. The horse moved away, her father looking back and shouting her name. Then she hit the ground, all the air in her lungs going out with a whoosh. She rolled over several times, finally stopping when her tumbling body came into contact with a tree trunk.

Kagome lay there, dazed and disorientated. All she could see was a momentary blackness.

Then her senses came back, along with a stiffness amongst her limbs. She moved every inch of her body slowly, making sure everything was intact and operational.

After a few moments of moving herself around, Kagome discovered that she wasn't broken or anything, just very sore.

A branch snapped behind her and something growled, causing her to slowly turn her head around. What she met was the menacing eyes of the wolf demons, staring hungrily at her.

But, the one thing the youkai were looking for wasn't there. Instead of pain, they saw defiance, hatred and determination. Among those emotions was a deep and painful love, winding its way into their minds like a hissing python.

One wolf demon stepped up and glared at her with one malevolent eye. It growled, deep and guttural, baring its fangs for her to get a good look.

Kagome inwardly gulped, but held back the desire to flinch. ' I am not a coward. I will not give into my fear. I will not let my emotions get the better of me!'

Gathering her courage, Kagome stared it back in the eye, glaring just as equally. She wasn't afraid to die, not anymore. Not when she would die for what she believed was right. It was the honourable thing to do.

So now, she was glaring death in the eye, without so much as a flinch of fear.

The demons were taken aback by her fearlessness. Then again, just another reason to kill her. It was a disgrace to have a weak, human girl glaring at them without even a flinch. It was simply infuriating.

Just as they were about to pounce, a shadow stepped out of the darkness. " Stop. She's mine."

The wolf demons let out a whimper and lowered their heads, backing away as the figure stepped closer.

Kagome felt a twinge of fear knot her stomach when she saw who it was. " K-kouga?"

He smirked, looming over her, blue eyes dancing with malice. " Well hello dearest, fancy meeting you here."

She didn't answer.

" I was supposed to deal with your father but I never expected the next person on my agenda to fall right into my hands. You're quite the helpful little one aren't you?"

Kagome looked won and closed her eyes, suppressing the urge to lunge at him, knowing it wouldn't do her any good. " I should have known. . .I should have been more careful."

" Yes, you should have but, you did me a favour so, I appreciate it."

She didn't look at him. ' At least I made a diversion for my friends. Oh kami, please let them be all right.'

A rough hand grabbed her arm and pulled her up. She was jerked around so she was face to face with the man she despised so much.

A whimper escaped her parted lips but she stifled it, taking on a glare. " I never wanted to help you. I should have known you would have something to do with this. I should have known right away that it was you."

He chuckled. " Saying it won't help you." He turned her around roughly and pushed her onward, grinning as she stumbled. " Now, why don't we go find your father. It will be all the more pleasing for him to die in the presence of his daughter."

Kagome, clenched her fists, anger rolling off her in great waves. " You're evil and cruel."

" Life isn't fair. That's the way the world works." His voice held a mixture of malice and triumph, mixed with something she could not decipher. Yet, it angered her profoundly.

Eyes blazing and fists clenched, Kagome spun on her heel, causing him to stop suddenly and back away. " No guilt. No remorse! No regret! I hear none of these in your voice! You have done terrible things to the people around you. For what? For land and power!"

Kouga stepped towards her, a thunderous expression on his face. " Watch your mouth girl! Regard your betters with respect."

Kagome stared back with an equally frightening expression. " You are one to talk about respect. What respect should I give you when you have done nothing but evil deeds? Your actions have ruined lives and even taken them. Yet, you still go on, believing the future ahead is bright and peaceful. Well, guess what, it isn't that simple! Getting what you want through violence will only lead to suffering."

He glared at her long and hard, something unreadable swimming in his icy blue eyes. " You have breathed your last, wench." He fastened a hand around her throat and lifted her into the air, his other hand resting on her abdomen, ready to rend her limb from limb. " You will die now."

Kagome didn't gulp or even blink. She suppressed the urge to cry and held his gaze in hers. " Shame on you Kouga. You said you loved me once but that was a lie. Just like everything else you said. You have gotten what you want through trickery and deceit. Your honour has gone, along with the good man you once were. Shame on you."

His expression did not change, but the negative emotions in his eyes recoiled as softer ones leaked into the blue depths.

Understanding.

Regret.

Confusion.

Sorrow.

Longing.

She could see it, she could feel it. Her words had stirred something in his heart, something that had been locked away. It was like his soul was being unveiled after years of solitude in darkness.

But as quickly as she saw it, it was gone. A tide if something sinister returned to his eye, causing his glare to return and his grip on her throat tighten. His aura however, did something strange. Instead of filling with malice, it shrank, as if cowering from something. Then, her senses were clogged with evil. Burning, searing evil.

Kagome looked back at his face and saw his skin had paled somewhat, taught from strain. Sweat was starting to break out on his forehead, becoming a glistening sheet of moisture in the darkness.

He was fighting something. But what?

Then, his struggle was over and his face went blank, void of any emotion. He dug his claws into her stomach, tearing through her dress and her skin, letting a stream of warm liquid ooze out of the wound. " Now wench," he declared, voice sounding unnatural. " Die."

" Kagome!"

Thunder resonated through her ears and Kouga dropped her. A horse neighed shrilly near her, followed by an irritated growl. Then, she heard fading hoof beats and the thud of a body beside her. She felt warm liquid on her finger tips and sat up, looking down in confusion. What she saw made her blood run cold.

There lay her father, eyes gazing at her, unseeing and unfocussed. Blood dripped down from a deep wound in his chest, starting to pool around his still, lifeless body.

Kagome let out a cry and pressed her hands to his face, checking for any sign of life in him.

There was none.

The last remnants of warmth were fading from his body. He was dead; gone forever. He wasn't coming back, ever.

Her throat tightened and tears spilled down her cheeks. She cried silently, chest heaving. Her sobs were unheard, but her pain was evident.

She looked up through bleary eyes at Kouga, who had his bloodied claw raised.

" If you wish to kill me, go ahead," Kagome mumbled, jaw clenched in fury.

When he didn't move, she nearly exploded, crying as she screamed at him. " Kill me you bastard! Kill a poor girl with nothing left to live for! Strike me down! End my life!"

His fist came down and clipped the side of her head, sending her crashing to the ground.

" I'm sorry, Kagome," Kouga said quietly.

Those few words he uttered didn't reach her ears, for the world had already faded from memory.

That is all I can do for now. I will try to update as soon as I can but that won't be for a few weeks.

Peace Out and I love you guys:D