Chapter 3

Kagome realized that she hadn't actually learned the name of the boy she was talking to yet.

"Hey, I just realized, I never got your name. What's your name?" Kagome asks politely.

Inuyasha's ears flattened defiantly, his expression becoming guarded. He didn't like sharing personal information with strangers, especially when he was in a vulnerable position.

"Why the hell should I tell you my name? Who do you think you are, demanding to know my name like that?" InuYasha asks.

Kagome huffed, frustration building as Inuyasha refused to give his name. She crossed her arms, her eyes flashing with annoyance.

"Hey, I just want to know who I'm talking to, that's all. It's not like I'm asking you for your deepest secrets. Why are you being so stubborn about it?" Kagome said.

Inuyasha's ears drooped, his expression becoming defensive. He shifted against the ropes, his frustration evident.

"Because I don't even know your damn name, so why should I tell you mine?" InuYasha says.

Kagome couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. She had already told him her name, but it seemed he wasn't listening.

"Ugh, you really aren't paying attention, are you? I already told you my name earlier. It's Kagome, remember?" Kagome remind him.

Inuyasha's expression flickered, confusion briefly crossing his features. He hadn't been listening when she had told him her name, and the realization that he might have mistaken her for Kikyo at first.

"Wait... did you just say your name was...? Damn it, I wasn't paying just now. Say it again, slowly this time." InuYasha says.

Kagome let out an exasperated sigh as she repeated her name once more, her voice more deliberate and slow this time.

"Kagome. My name is Kagome. K-A-G-O-M-E. Got it this time?" Kagome told him.

Inuyasha listened intently to her repeating her name, and the realization slowly dawned on him that she wasn't Kikyo after all. He felt a mixture of relief and annoyance.

"Oh... right. Kagome. Yeah, I got it this time. No need to spell it out for me like I'm a damn child!" InuYasha said.

Kagome couldn't help but roll her eyes at his sarcastic remark. She was getting rather fed up with his rude and stubborn behavior.

"Well, maybe if you paid attention the first time, I wouldn't have had to spell it out for you like a child! But then again, you're acting like an over-grown kid yourself, stuck in that tree like a damsel in distress!" Kagome huffed.

Inuyasha bristled at Kagome's words, the insult to his pride cutting deep. His expression darkened, his ears flat.

"I'm not some damsel in distress, alright!? I'm just in a slight... inconvenience, that's all. And I sure as hell ain't acting like a kid! I'm probably more mature than you are, even in this state!" InuYasha declared.

Kagome couldn't help but scoff at Inuyasha's defensive answer. She raised an eyebrow and gave him a snarky look.

"Sure you are. Whatever helps you sleep at night. You've been stuck in that tree for years, and your whining and complaining, refusing to give me your name, and now you're resorting to insults. Real mature." Kagome says.

Inuyasha's sensitive nose picked up the distinctive smell of blood in the air, followed by the faint sounds of screams. His head perked up, his canine ears twitching.

"What the hell...!?" InuYasha whispered, looking around.

Kagome immediately tensed as she noticed Inuyasha's sharp reaction to the whatever he was sensing and smelling.

"What is it? Do you smell something?" Kagome asks.

Inuyasha's expression hardened as he inhaled again, his sense of smell allowing him to pinpoint the direction of the sounds.

"Yeah... blood. And screams. Coming from somewhere nearby. Sounds like someone's in danger." InuYasha said.

Kagome's eyes widened as she heard the urgency in Inuyasha's voice. She looked around, her concern growing for whoever might be in danger.

"Then we need to do something! We can't just sit here while someone's hurt or in danger! Come on, we have to find them!" Kagome suggested.

Inuyasha struggled against his bonds once more, his frustration evident as he growled under his breath.

"I can't do much with these damn ropes binding me like this! I'm practically a sitting duck up here! I can't even fend off whoever's coming, let alone save whoever's hurt out there." InuYasha spoke.

Kagome knew that Inuyasha was right. He was essentially helpless in his current state, unable to break free or fight.

"You're right... we need to get you out of those ropes first. Hold on, let me see if I can find a knife or something to cut them..." Kagome says.

Kagome began scouring the area, looking for anything sharp that could cut through the thick ropes.

As Kagome began to search for a tool to free Inuyasha, suddenly a demon appeared, its eyes fixed on her with malicious intent. Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head as he saw the danger she was in. His heart raced as he cried out.

"KAGOME! BEHIND YOU!" InuYasha yelled.

Kagome's heart skipped a beat as Inuyasha shouted her name. She whirled around just in time to see the demon bearing down on her, its dark figure appearing menacing in the dim light.

"AH!" Kagome grunted.

Reflexively, Kagome reached for a longbow she saw lying on the ground, fumbling to nock an arrow and take aim at the demon.

Inuyasha watched helplessly as the demon closed in on Kagome, every fiber of his being yearning to protect her. He tugged on the ropes, cursing his helplessness.

"Damn it! I can't do anything like this! Kagome, watch out!" InuYasha says.

Kagome's heart pounded in her chest as she quickly nocked an arrow, her hands trembling slightly. But before she could even draw back the bowstring, the demon lunged at her, its clawed hand stretching out toward her face.

Without hesitation, Kagome's instincts kicked in, and she let loose the arrow she had notched. It flew through the air, finding its mark in the demon's outstretched arm. The demon howled in pain, its attack faltering as it clutched its wounded limb.

Inuyasha watched as Kagome expertly shot her arrow, her quick reflexes and marksmanship saving her from the demon's attack.

"Good shot, Kagome!" InuYasha shouted, complementing her.

Inuyasha called out, a hint of pride in his voice. But the moment of relief was short-lived as he noticed the demon preparing to pounce on Kagome again, its injured arm not slowing it down for long.

Kagome had no time to relish in the brief sense of victory as the demon recovered from the wound and prepared to attack again. She quickly nocked another arrow, but her fingers fumbled with the trembling.

"Ah—! Darn it, come on..." Kagome said.

Kagome struggled to focus, her heart racing as the demon leaped towards her once more.

As Kagome desperately struggled to nock her arrow, Inuyasha realized that her efforts to defend herself were becoming increasingly futile. He had an idea and shouted to her over the approaching demon's roars.

"Kagome! Use your arrow to get me down from this tree instead!" InuYasha yelled.

Kagome's eyes widened upon hearing Inuyasha's command. She glanced at the arrow in her fingers, then up at Inuyasha suspended in the tree.

"But the ropes are thick! I don't know if I can get it to take you down..." Kagome said.

Despite the urgency of the situation, Inuyasha's tone grew impatient.

"You have to try! I'm a sitting duck tied up like this! I can't help you fend off the demons if I'm stuck up here!" InuYasha said.

Kagome's heart raced with the knowledge that Inuyasha was right. The demon was closing in, and she had to try. With a determined expression, she gripped the arrow tightly, positioning it to cut the thick ropes.

"I'll try... just hold still!" Kagome said.

Inuyasha nodded grimly, bracing himself as best he could against the ropes that restrained him. His eyes remained fixed on the approaching demon, his muscles tense as he waited for Kagome to act.

"Just hurry, damnit! I don't know how much longer my body can take!" InuYasha says.

Kagome took a deep breath, steadying herself as best she could with trembling hands. She brought the arrowhead to the ropes, sawing back and forth as hard as she could. The ropes creaked under the strain, but they were tough and unyielding. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she worked to sever the fibers.

"I'm trying..." Kagome said.

The tension in the ropes suddenly gave way, and InuYasha's arms and legs shot free. He landed heavily on the ground with a solid thump, his head swimming slightly from the sudden change in position.

"Damn, about time!" Inuyasha muttered, rising shakily to his feet. He looked at Kagome, a mix of gratitude and relief in his expression.

Kagome let out a soft gasp as the ropes gave way and Inuyasha dropped from the tree, landing with a thud. She rushed over to his side, her eyes scanning him for any injuries.

"Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself when you fell?" Kagome asks.

Inuyasha grunted, dusting himself off as he stood up. He shook his head, his pride bristling at her concern.

"I'm fine. It takes more than a fall to hurt me, woman. I'm a half demon, remember? I've been through worse than that." InuYasha says.

Inuyasha wasted no time in charging at the demon, his muscles coiled tight with the desire to protect Kagome. In a flash of movement, he tackled the demon to the ground, his claws and fangs bared in a fierce display.

The demon resisted but was no match for Inuyasha's strength and ferocity. With a final snarl, Inuyasha dispatched the demon with a swift and powerful blow.

Panting heavily, Inuyasha stood over the defeated demon, his eyes scanning the clearing for any further threats.

As the demon fled, Inuyasha turned his attention to the ground, his eyes locking onto a glint of something shimmering in the undergrowth.

"Looks like the demon dropped something..." InuYasha said.

He picked up the jewel shard ball, holding it up in the dim light to examine it closely.