Final Decisions

Kagome felt her heart begin to patter heavily in her chest. She gently rushed her hands over the wolf pelt she wore and opened her eyes. The clan leaders would all be in attendance and yet she was worried about looking like a fool in front of her friends. After enough mental practice on what she would say, however, Kagome knew she needed to not worry herself any longer on the matter. Whatever happened, happened.

As she came to the mouth of the cave, Kagome could already hear Koga bickering and directing his pak to appropriate formation for the leaders. Kagome smiled to herself and hopped out and onto the ground. Her friends were sitting to the side observing the way the wolves worked. Once spotting her, Sango beckoned her to them.

"I just love how you look in that!" She giggled.

"Thank you," Kagome answered shyly.

"Looks like those guys are getting ready for battle," Miroku observed.

"They just honor their fellow clan leaders with great respect," Kagome explained.

"And waiting for you now!" Shippo chimed in.

Kagome turned and saw Koga watching her with arms crossed and a relaxed expression on his face. For some reason, her cheeks flushed at the sight of him and before she could even begin to think, Kagome found her feet guiding her to him. He reached out to her just as instinctively and pulled her into his arms. She breathed in his scent as she melted into him and sighed. She found temporary peace in his arms.

"How are you feeling?" he murmured into her ear.

"As good as I can be. How far are they?" Kagome asked.

"Can't you tell?" he smirked, pulling away.

Kagome's ears tweeked at the sound of cracking twigs and the scent of new wolves. Only seconds later did she find herself gazing at Hitoshi, the calmest of the three that Kagome had previously met.

"Friends," he greeted with a smile.

"It is good to see you," Koga said as he embraced him.

"And you as well. Hello, Kagome."

"Hello, how are you?" she asked politely after receiving her own hug.

"I am well, thank you."

Proper introductions between Kagome's friends and the clan leaders were made when everyone was seated around their dinner. Ayame, to no surprise, was not present.

"Lets get right to it," Keisuke said excitedly. "We get him while he's down! I have twenty wolves I can bring to a fight. What about you, Hitoshi?"

"Hm? Well, I suppose I have the same to offer, if a battle is truly on the horizon. Is this the path you wish to go on?" Hitoshi asked, eyes on Kagome.

"It's hardly up to me," she stammered nervously.

"Kagome, this is very much your battle," Koga said. "Feel free to weigh in on this."

"Um, you know about Lady Midoriko, how she gifted me... I think that I could... spare Inuyasha. If I could pull the blackened jewel from his chest and purify it, he will revert to his hanyou self."

Silence fell upon the group of wolves, calculation and thoughts behind their eyes.

"I know it's a long shot," Kagome said, barely audible.

"Is his life truly worthy? Is he deserving of redemption?" Hitoshi asked.

Kagome bit down on her lip. Inuyasha had caused considerable damage and death to numbers she could not count. He hurt her and her friends. He was different, the demon Inuyasha was nothing like the hanyou he had once been. The Inuyasha she knew had always been kinder than cruel, even when he refused to show it. Were they simply two halves of one whole? Or could Inuyasha indeed be saved? Would his soul be the same? Would it taking out the jewel turn him back into his old self? And would it be worth it?

"Kagome?"

"I... I can only hope he can be redeemed," she whispered.

"What say the rest of your friends?"

"We are hoping he can be saved, yes," Sango answered.

"If he can't be, if it comes to any of you having to-"

"I will do it," Kagome said firmly.

Koga looked at her, some unreadable question in his own eyes.

"I want to be the one to kill Inuyasha, if it must happen."

I apologize to anyone who was waiting for an update on this story! I took entirely too long and couldn't properly find a start to this chapter. I know it's short, but the next chapter I want to focus a bit more on Kagome and Koga!