Chapter Three: Pain

"How is she doing?" a voice questioned.

"Still unconscious, she hasn't budged."

Sango kneeled down, her arm in a tightly bound sling. Shippo had remained attentive to the young miko, small tears falling from his eyes every now and then. There was no question how much everyone cared for Kagome. Silence accompanied her as the group watched and waited. It wasn't fair that such horrible things could happen to her. Sango reached out for her hand as she thought of the events from the previous day. Inuyasha was... no longer Inuyasha. Had the demon he now was truly blackened his soul? They had all heard legends of the sacred jewel, the evil it could bring, but never had Sango imagined that the fate would fall onto Inuyasha.

Sango averted her eyes to the next person, Miroku. He was leaning against the hut wall, arms crossed over his chest. She was thankful that he had only taken on minimal wounds, only needing one bandage to wrap his torso from a gash. He caught Sango's eye and smiled wearily. Sango smiled back, deciding to take a spot next to him. He lowered his arm, taking her hand in his automatically. Between the worry for Kagome's health and of Inuyasha, Miroku was able to ease her tension at least for a few moments.

"You should get some rest, Sango."

"I can't, I have to be awake when she gets up."

"Kagome will be alright, but you need to relax and sleep. I can keep an eye on her," Miroku assured.

"I just don't understand how this came to be," Sango whispered.

"It would seem that Inuyasha gave into a great darkness, one greater than he could have imagined, or maybe he just didn't care anymore."

"This must be terrible for Kagome, she loved him dearly."

Miroku nodded and gazed down at the young priestess. He knew of Kagome's feelings for Inuyasha and that he had not returned them to her in the end. Having already suffer that heartbreak, it must have been even more devastating to see Inuyasha as a full fledged demon. He couldn't ignore the fact that Inuyasha was now just as dangerous ad the demons they used to battle together. How would they handle the situation? Miroku shook his head and slumped his shoulders. He squeezed Sango's hand tightly, feeling more and more protective of her. He had not been able to propose to her yet, but he vowed to protect her nevertheless, and he would always do that until the day that he died.

Kagome's eyes slowly opened as she felt sunlight pouring into the hut. Her mind was hazy as she attempted to regain full consciousness. Thanksfully, she was alone, free to think. Inuyasha had attacked her and her friends. Inuyasha was a monster now. Inuyasha was nothing like the half demon she once loved. More importantly, Inuyasha needed to be stopped, but how? The pain in her body told her that he was stronger than ever. Kagome brought her hands to her face and sobbed softly to herself.

This was all too much for her to comprehend. She hadn't even been back in the Feudal Era very long! Why did this have to happen? Why? The questions wouldn't stop, and she knew that it was all her fault. She had allowed Inuyasha to take the sacred jewel and had not thought of any of the consequences. She had been foolish to think it would be better in his hands than any other demon. In actuality, it had turned out to be quite the opposite.

"My lady."

Kagome quickly wiped her face and looked towards the doorway.

"I am glad you're up, but you're upset."

"I'm such an idiot," Kagome replied, quietly.

"No, you're not," Miroku said while sitting beside her.

"I'm the one who let him take the jewel, now look at him."

"I don't think any of us anticipated his decision to go down this path. He was bitter and angry before he fled with the Shikon jewel, one can only think that caused evil to absorb his soul."

"What do we do now?" Kagome asked, lost and confused.

"I don't know, Lady Kagome. Can we pretend we never saw him like this? Can we ignore the obvious danger he brings?"

"No. We have to stop him..."

"You're still healing, Kagome. I want you to regain your strength while Sango and I find out what our old friend has been up to."

"How long will you be?"

"Not sure, but we're going back to the village we encountered him in and go from there."

Kagome sighed and nodded, knowing there wasn't much she could do in her current condition. Her other friends joined soon enough and helped her to eat. Sango was dressed in her armor and had a look of pure determination on her face. She was prepared to get on the track of Inuyasha and learn of what other things people may have heard of him. It had been months since he had left them and Sango had no idea of what to expect. She had been trained to find and kill demons from a young age and had not forgotten those lessons. If it came down to it, and Inuyasha would become too far gone for saving, Sango was prepared to do the necessary things.

"You are stronger than you think."

"I'm not, I've never been."

Kagome watched the woman she was reincarnated from, Kikyo, who had decided to make a rare appearance. Kagome had been out looking for Inuyasha, who had disappeared during the day and not come back. Being that it was the night of the full moon, she was worried. It was then that she had noticed the soul collector's lingering nearby. Reluctantly, she had followed them. Kikyo had never been particularly fond of Kagome, but she didn't share the same cold attitude. Kagome admired the priestess Kikyo was when she was truly alive.

"I will be present in your final battle with Naraku," Kikyo said. "After that, my clay body will no longer be of use to me and I will no longer be one with this world."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kagome asked.

"I do not want you meeting the fate I did, do not be foolish and allow the jewel in undeserving hands when it is complete. You are strong and you are my reincarnate. Do well, do not be afraid."

Without another word, her soul collector's swarmed around her body and carried her into the sky. Kagome couldn't understand why Kikyo would bother speaking to her at all. What did it matter to her what Kagome had to deal with? The young girl continued to ponder it as she walked back to the hut she and her friends had made their own. Forgetting all about Inuyasha, she managed to lay down and slip into slumber.

It was night again and Miroku and Sango had not yet returned. Kagome was sitting outside on a hill that overlooked the village, after craving some much needed fresh air. She had managed to doze off in the grass and had another memory slip into her dreams. Thinking about Kikyo was not something she cared to do. In fact, Kagome had a small place pinch of resentment towards the dead miko, ever since Inuyasha hat left. Still, Kagome knew she could not blame Kikyo for Inuyasha's feelings or actions. Kagome tried to shake her head of the thought and instead turned her eyes up to the sky.

What if she had never decided to come back to the Feudal Era? She would have eventually moved on from the life she had grown to know and would've started a new one. Maybe she would have successfully become a herbalist or something to help the good of the people. Kagome knew she couldn't leave now. She had to take responsibility for the chaos she had caused. Kagome only hoped that she and her friends could manage to do it.

Kagome allowed herself to enjoy the night's wind a few more minutes before struggling to her feet. It was late, Shippo was sound asleep, as were most of the villagers, and it was time for her to get some rest as well. Her body still ached, but she was feeling better than when the day started. As she started down the hill, the sound of a twig cracking caught her attention. Kagome paused mid step and turned. Her eyes brushed over the forest, seeing nothing but darkness and trees. She waited another second, then continued towards the village. She huffed to herself as she struggled and then froze once more, another twig cracking.

"Who goes there?" Kagome demanded, now regretting not bringing her bow.

As Kagome wheeled around, she saw a brown blur rush towards her, causing her to yelp in surprise. Suddenly she felt herself no longer in contact with the ground and moving at a fast speed. She looked up in horror at the one who had captured her and gasped.

"Koga!"

"That's my name!"

"Will ya slow down? My body isn't in the greatest condition right now!"

"Oh, sorry, I just got excited when I caught your scent, I couldn't wait to see you. I haven't seen you in ages!"

Kagome chuckled to herself, he was really talking as fast as he had been running, but she was glad when he did as she requested and slowed down. He had done her a favor and taken her close enough to the village where she could walk to the hut. When he set her back on the ground, Kagome turned to him and got a good look. He was still the same handsome wolf demon, only a little more muscular than before. She felt slightly embarassed that she looked a mess in front of him, but she knew he wouldn't mind. Koga had always shown her a time of affection she had never received from anyone else, even though she had never shared the same feelings for him.

"So, explain yourself," Koga pushed.

"I've only been back a couple of days," Kagome said. "And well, it hasn't been good."

"What happened? You're hurt?"

Koga gazed intently into Kagome's face and studied her body movements, he already knew something had taken a toll on her body by the way she stood. He motioned for her to sit down in the grass and he did the same once she looked comfortable. Kagome hesitated, but eventually told Koga about Inuyasha. She was nervous to bring it up around him, being that the two never got along. It didn't take very long to finish explaining about him turning into a full fledged demon, but the silence after that seemed to drag on. Kagome watched Koga as he stood up immediately, his hands balled into tight fists, head lowered.

"Koga, please-"

"That dog is gonna pay. I'm gonna kill him!" Koga exclaimed darkly.

"Please, Koga, I don't want you to get hurt or involved."

"Look at you, you can barely walk properly, who are you to say if I'll get hurt?"

Kagome could hear the anger in his voice, and she couldn't blame him.

"I'm sorry, Kagome... I don't mean to yell. I just... you're my woman! No matter what! I have to protect you," Koga declared.

"That's very kind of you but we still don't know much of what he's been up to in his demon form or where he's been, we just want to figure that out before making any moves. I really don't want you to have to deal with this, Koga."

"Kagome, I care about you greatly, I've never stopped. Ever since I first laid eyes on you and kidnapped you, I knew I needed you in my life. I know you feel differently, but I'm a wolf and I'm an alpha, meaning I HAVE to protect what is mine. I have to be there for you, Kagome."

"I do love you, Koga, maybe in a different way but nevertheless, I don't want you to do anything. Please. I don't know what we're up against and I'd rather be prepared the next time around then have you end up like me," Kagome said carefully.

Koga growled to himself, but glanced over his shoulder at her. She looked so small and weak compared to him. She was small, but he knew she wasn't weak. Still, if the dog was as strong as she said he was, she would also need a lot more power behind her. Her friends were only human, none of them could face a truly great demon. They had enough problems with Naraku, and he was only a half demon. Even Koga knew of the greatness of Inuyasha's father and even his brother, they were none to be messed with lightly. Koga remained with Kagome for a while longer, letting her talk to him of her time and things he knew nothing about, before slipping off into the night. He wouldn't make a move on Inuyasha, but he was going to get his own eyes and ears on the filthy dog.

Sorry for the wait, to anyone who has been reading my story. Please review and give me your thoughts on what I've got so far. I'm trying to rush it along to the juicy part, but I don't want to go too fast either. I'm ready for some KagsxKoga romance!

P.S. I'll be letting you guys know when there are lemons approaching! c: