I do not own Inuyasha or anything else mentioned in this Fic.
Somewhere in Japan, during the Feudal Era, Kagome and Inuyasha were glaring at each other from across the fire.
Kagome had cooked dinner a little earlier that evening. It was simple. A couple of small, roasted rabbits, with rice balls and tea. It was a great dinner all in all, considering they were in the middle of no where.
But, of course, Inuyasha found something wrong with it.
'Rabbit's to chewy, he said. The tea's to hot, he said. The rice balls aren't sticky enough, they don't hold together, he said. OH WHAT A JEEERRRKKK!!'
Kagome sipped her tea angrily while Inuyasha's leg bounced with agitation.
Sango went to say something, but Inuyasha's head snapped to the right.
"Mangy Wolf," was all that Kagome could make out. Her heart lightened a bit. Every time Kouga came around he found a way to make her feel a little bit better. Whether its just saying everything is okay, or bringing her a flower to just be nice.
Inuyasha's one leg bounce turned to both legs, and a low, continuous growl ripped out of his throat.
Soon Kouga's whirlwind appeared to the east and Kagome smiled. Inuyasha-of course-jumped up and rested his right hand on Tesusaiga. Kouga came to a stop a couple feet in front of Kagome and smiled at her.
She saw the warmness in his smile and loving glint in his eyes.
"Yo, Kagome!! How are ya??"
Kagome stood up and approached Kouga. She went to give him a quick hug, but was stopped when Inuyasha pushed her back, causing her to fall.
"Don't touch her you mangy WOLF!"
Kouga went to say something, but realized that Kagome had fallen down do to what Inuyasha did. He pushed past Inuyasha and gave Kagome his hand.
"Kagome? Are you okay??"
Kagome took his hand appreciatively and dusted off her skirt once she was on her feet again.
"Yeah, Kouga. Thanks."
Kouga nodded and then watched as Kagome pushed Inuyasha in the chest.
"WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU!? YOU PUSHED ME DOWN!! NOW MY BUTT HURTS!! THANKS A LOT!! ALL I WAS DOING WAS GIVING HIM A HUG!!! YOU SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THAT!!! AND THEN YOU DON'T EVEN TRY TO HELP ME UP!! YOU JEERRKK!!!"
Kouga had to hold his lips shut to stop himself from bursting into laughter. He knew that right now was not the time for comedy.
So he went up to Kagome and grabbed her hand. Kagome almost had sparks flying off her body at that point, but stopped when Kouga appeared in front of her.
"Hey Kagome, why don't you just let me court you?? Then you could get away from that mutt and be happy. I would ever push you down like that, well not on purpose. But I would at least help you up."
Kagome smiled at him, but as soon as she went to answer her hands were forced out of his.
"NO WAY!! NEVER!! NOT GONNA HAPPEN WOLF-BOY!!"
Kagome pushed Inuyasha out of the way and then her smile returned.
"Kouga, that would be nice. But i don't think it would work out."
Kouga smiled, wagging his tail, causing Kagome to giggle.
"How about you let me do something to earn courting you. Like a challenge."
"Umm, I guess that would be fair. But i get to pick the challenge."
Inuyasha got up from his place on the ground and then let his ears twitch in disapproval.
"But Kagome-"
Kagome glowered at him and then raised her index finger.
"Oh no!"
"Inuyasha, sit boy!!"
Inuyasha hit the ground with a hard thud and an "aarnnnhh!!"
Kouga smiled and then picked her hands back up.
"So Kagome, what is it that you want me to do? Anything!! I'll do it!!"
Kagome placed an index finger on her chin, and then pointed to a tree.
"Okay I got it. For the bet or challenge or whatever you wanna call it, I say that if you can catch just a regular arrow that I fire at that tree, in one shot, you can court me. And I'll come back with you to the den. And I promise to actually try."
Kouga's eyes widened up and his tail wagging accelerated.
"All right!! I'm up for it. Give me your best shot Kagome!!"
Kouga ran in front of a tree and then readied himself as Kagome notched an arrow.
"Okay, Kouga! Ya ready!?"
Kouga nodded. Kagome took a deep breath and then let go. It seemed to play in slow motion and the arrow arched a bit and the flew toward Kouga.
Kouga lifted his hand a bit and the watched the as the arrow flew right into his grasp. Again his hand only moved slightly, but it tightened around the arrow enough to keep it in his clawed hand.
After the slow motion ended everyone stared in shock as Kouga looked at his hand, and a smile-a genuine smile-came to his face.
"I got it!! Look Kagome!! I got it!!"
Kagome was speechless. Sango couldn't even believe what was happening, Kirara who was one her shoulder just stared at the show boating Kouga. Inuyasha was growling profusely, and his face was priceless. Miroku the whole time was trying not to laugh at Inuyasha's face, and Shippou was of course asleep.
Finally Kagome came out of her little not talking stage and looked back and forth between the approaching Kouga, and the still priceless faced Inuyasha.
"Well, Kagome, it would seem that Kouga won the bet. I guess you have to go with him."
Kagome stared at the smiling Kouga and then nodded.
"Yeah, I guess so."
Kagome went over and grabbed her yellow bag that she always had. It was worn and torn, but it was still here favorite bag.
Kagome walked slowly towards the smirking Kouga. She hadn't expected him actually win, but there wasn't anything she could do about it. She was Kouga's, well at least for now. That's what she thought, though.
Inuyasha couldn't even fathom what had just happened. He saw it all, it was true. But he didn't want it to be real. Finally, once he saw Kagome walking towards Kouga with her he found his voice and realized what was happening.
He got to his feet and then ran over between Kouga and Kagome. He was facing Kagome with anger showing in his honey orbs. But there was something else there. Something around hurt, or sorrow.
"Kagome, what are you doing?!?"
Kagome looked at him and then hugged him quickly.
"Inuyasha. I made a bet. I am a woman of my word and I am not backing out of this. Good bye Inuyasha. I will try to come visit."
Then Kagome turned to Sango and Miroku. Then she planted a kiss on Miroku's cheek and gave Sango a long meaningful hug.
"Bye, you guys. I'll miss ya."
Then Kagome turned to Kouga, took a deep breath, and then quickly walked over to them.
"Well Kouga, I'm ready. Let's go before it gets to dark out to see."
Kouga smiled down at her and then scooped her up, throwing her over his shoulder.
"Alright, Kagome, hold on."
And with that, everyone was left with a little whirlwind of leaves. Kouga and Kagome could be seen off in the distance already, so far away.
"Man. I'm gonna miss her," sad a very sad looking Sango.
Miroku placed a hand on her should and then took a step closer.
"I know how you feel, Sango, I think we all will," he said while slightly-trying to be unnoticeable-pointing towards Inuyasha.
Sango nodded and then took Shippou off of her shoulder.
"I wonder how Shippou will take it. I hope he isn't to heart broken when he wakes up."
Miroku simply nodded and then laid down. He could better think in the mornings.
---With Kagome and Kouga---
Kagome was very uncomfortable on Kouga's shoulder. She felt like a big piece of meat on her perch.
She kept bouncing causing her to get nauseous and then she felt really dizzy.
Kouga smelling her distress stopped and then put her gently on her feet. Her face was flushed white, her eyes had dark circles under them and she was loosing her balance easily.
"Er, Kagome, are you alright?"
Kagome looked at him, gave a small smile, which quickly disappeared. She ran behind a near by shrub with great speed. Kouga went to go see what was going on, but then he heard gagging sounds and some sort of liquid hitting the ground.
He knew that sound and didn't know what to do. He never had to deal with a woman throwing up, much less the girl of his dreams.
"K-Kagome, are you okay?"
Kagome's head popped out of the bush and she wiped a white goo from her lip. She hosted herself from her spot and then walked over to a stream. She then cupped some water and squished it around in her mouth.
After spitting that water out and washing her face she smiled at Kouga.
"Oh, wow. I feel way better now!! Good thing you set me down in time or I might have….."
Kagome let her thought drift off there and watched as Kouga stared at her intently. Finally he seemed to come out of his own galaxy and walked up to her.
He kneeled down and put a hand on her forehead.
"Kagome, are you sick?"
Kagome smiled and then removed his hand from her head. She didn't notice that Kouga entwined their fingers as she let their hands fall to the ground beside them.
"Yeah Kouga, I guess that riding over your shoulder like that made me a little motion sicl. I'm fine now. Thanks, ya know for asking," Kagome's oh so beautiful smile came with her words.
Kouga smiled at her and then helped her up.
"Kagome, if you were feeling bad, why didn't you just tell me to stop. I would have ut you on my back, or even carried you in my arms."
Kagome sighed still not noticing that they were holding hands.
"I don't know. I guess I thought that it might bother you. I didn't want to get you angry over something like that. Sorry."
Kouga heard sadness in her words and used a clawed finger to very carefully-so not to cut her- raise her chin so she would look at him.
"Kagome,*sigh* I'm not like him. I wouldn't get mad over that. I was worried that you were sick. If I hadn't of sensed you weren't alright you might have, well I wont say. But what I'm trying to say is that, I want you to tell me if something's wrong. I don't want anything happening that you don't want to happen."
Kagome nodded, trying to hold back the newly born tears. Kouga went to bend down so Kagome could climb on his back, but she didn't get on. Kouga stood and looked over his shoulder to a nervous looking Kagome.
"What's the matter Kagome?"
Kagome pushed her two index fingers together-trying to procrastinate- and looked over to Kouga.
"Well, I was kinda wondering if you would carry me in your arms instead. I really don't like being carried on peoples backs either. I only let Inuyasha do it because he doesn't like carrying me in his arms. He said that the only person he honestly liked to do that with was Kikyo."
Kouga heard her voice show a little more sadness at the end. So he scooped her up with an 'eep' on her end. He felt her rest her head against his chest, curl her legs in a little, and let her hands rest in her lap.
"Comfortable," asked a Kouga with a smirk showing his magnificent fangs. It was weird that he had such white teeth when he ate meat with blood that should stain other peoples teeth.
"Very much, thank you."
Kouga nodded to her and then sped off again. This ride was much better. Kagome didn't bounce around anymore. She was safely held against Kouga's sculpted chest and her head rested near his heart.
She heard his heartbeat, it was slow even though they were running at an incredible speed. She moved her head so that she could see into Kouga's eyes, but still hear the beat. He looked down on her and smiled. The beat became faster much faster.
'So I make him nervous? That's weird. He doesn't seem like that type of guy. He seems like he'd be one of those smooth talking guys. The ones that are so confident. I wonder why he's so nervous.'
Kagome smiled back at him, showing her equally white teeth. She had a great dentist.
Kouga winked at her and then began to jump up the side of a tall mountain. Kagome knew where he was going now. She recognized the huge water fall when he got to the top.
Even though Kagome had been there before, every time she had been, it was even more beautiful that before.
"Beautiful," whispered Kagome as Kouga set her down on boulder.
Kouga heard what she said and then put an arm around her shoulder.
"It is, isn't it? Ya know, I found this place. I was scouting this area one say and I stumbled upon it. I wasn't the leader then, but when I did become leader, I moved us here. It's a lot safer than our old home."
Kagome nodded making a mental note to ask him where he lived before, and then hopped off the boulder. Kouga followed her enthusiastically and she found his hand around her hip soon. She then made another note to ask him about this courtship. In human courtship, they weren't suppose to touch, but maybe the wolf demon's was different. She wouldn't object to anything, she made a bet and lost. She wouldn't back out.
Kouga and Kagome waved to the guards who were currently Ginta and Hakakku. They made their way into the main cave. Many wolves were sitting down, some where walking about, talking to other wolves. All of them looked very skinny.
"Kouga, why are they all so skinny?"
Kouga raised an eyebrow at her observation. He was hoping that she wouldn't notice. But alas she did. He sighed and then pointed to the woods. (By the way, I forgot to mention that winter is just about to end. There was snow, but its all gone now. Its warming up quickly though.)
"Well the winter makes all the big game hibernate. So we haven't had much to eat this winter. The animals in the surrounding forest should come out soon though, but we've already had one die from starvation…."
Kagome's breath caught in her throat and she hit Kouga in the arm.
"Hey! What'd I do??"
He was genuinely confused with her. She pointed to the rest of the pack and then glared at him.
"HELLOO!? They're all starving here?? God, I've got to cook for them!! Now, I need a big cooking pot, and some ingredients. And-"
Kouga cut her off.
"Kagome, wait a minute. You have to what?? And cooking pot? We don't have anything."
Kagome stopped rummaging through her bag and pointed to a bundle of money in her hand.
"I have money, just take me to a village and I will get everything we need."
Kouga nodded and did as he was told. Everyone stared at the two as they left. If was so strange how their leader took orders from a girl. And a human girl at that.
---About 4 Hours Later After Kagome got done cooking---
Kagome prepared stew in a huge caldron that almost stood up to her chest. She knew that the wolves wouldn't eat it unless it had some sort of meat, so she asked what they had, and it turned out that they had a couple of fresh rabbits.
Kagome added the rabbit and smiled as she checked the taste.
"Great," said a very proud Kagome.
Kouga who had been watching her with great interest from a high rock perch, jumped down and walked over to Kagome.
"Kagome, what is this stuff??"
Kagome smiled and then took one of the bowls in a pile. She scooped out some of the stew from the caldron and handed it to Kouga.
"It's called stew, it's good, trust me. Just try it. I promise that you'll like it."
Kouga looked at her for a second and then shrugged.
"Fine, I trust you."
Kouga lifted the bowl to his lips and slurped in some of the juice. He got a chunk of carrot and rabbit in as well. He chewed it and the smiled at Kagome. He poured the rest into his mouth and swallowed it happily.
After he was done, he handed the bowl back to Kagome.
"Wow, Kagome, that really was great. I like it a lot. I've never had those vegetables though, it was good anyway. Can I have more??"
Kagome smiled but then tapped him on the nose.
"Nope, sorry, the rest of the tribes gotta eat. After everyone gets some, you can have more. Now go gather everyone."
Kouga smirked and then pulled her into a hug.
Kagome was surprised at first, but then she felt his warm, the way he held her, how he wasn't stiff, or unwelcoming. Kagome smiled into his chest and then pushed him back.
"Kouga, what was that for??"
Kouga smiled and then kissed her quickly on the cheek.
"Well the hug was for being so nice, but the kiss was because I love you so much."
Kagome smiled and then shooed him like he was a dog. ( no pun intended about the whole canine thing.)
"Thank you, now go and gather everyone before it gets cold. I don't wasn't to have to reheat it."
Kouga laughed whole heartedly and then ran to get the others.
After a couple of minutes, everyone came out. Kagome smiled at everyone as they lined up to get a meal.
She handed everyone a bowl, saying hey, or how are you to the ones she knew. To the ones she didn't she just smiled and said I hope you like it to a lot of them.
Kouga stood by her and nodded when he received nervous looks. He was assuring them it was good.
Everyone seemed to dig in at the same time and a lot of barks and happy voices were heard.
Kagome smiled to herself and then to Kouga. She was so happy that she could help, and that everyone appreciated what she did. Unlike a certain half demon.
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Ok so this took a really long time to write. But anyway. I hope you liked it. Review plz. I want at least mmmmm im thinking about 3,4,5 idk somewhere in that range. But hey don't stop there, keep goin leave a lot!!