Hey guys! Here I am again with a new chapter. I really enjoyed writing this one, as you can see it's probably the longest chapter of this story so far!

Devilgirl4: Thank you! And sure, I'm still writing it and don't plan on stopping anytime soon. ;)

Stephanie: Here's your more! :P

Kagome, Katsumi and some other females ran as fast as they could till they reached the riverside. The children were all seated on the ground, hugging each other or their own legs in fright. They cried and ran back to their mothers as soon as they saw them. They all took the pups back to the main cave. The rocks had stopped falling now and some of the females made a barrier with themselves, preventing anyone to enter the cave. They would stay there until the fight was over.

"Alright." Katsumi yelled to the rest of the females. "Everyone get their katanas. Our men will be needing our help tonight." The females immediately obeyed. They ran back into their den to get their weapons.

"What about me?" Kagome asked, but Katsumi had already left to get her own sword as well. That's when she spotted Ginta and Hakkaku, who had both just killed one of the demons. "Hey boys! Come over here a bit!" She shouted and they came. "I need a katana too. I want to fight with them, but I have no weapon."

"I have an idea. Wait here with her Ginta." With that Hakkaku ran into the caves. He quickly returned with a bow and a bunch of arrows. "You're not one to wield a sword Kagome. I've seen you in battle a couple of times, you're thing is the bow."

Ginta nodded. "What a brilliant idea Hakkaku! You never miss your target, Kagome. Go on, use it."

They held it out to her but she was reluctant in taking it. "But I don't have my powers anymore… I can't use my purifying arrow… And besides, I could only use a bow so well back then because of Kikyou's powers that were granted to me by the shikon jewel." She sighed. "I can't do any of those things now. I'm useless with this." She said, her voice fille with sadness.

"Please Kagome, just try it."

"We believe in you."

She took the bow in her hands and put the arrows on her back. 'I sure hope this works. I don't want to be useless or a burden for these people ….' She took an arrow and played it on the bow. She could see the many demons flying around, fighting brutally with the male wolf demons. She saw Kouga, fighting off three of them at once. She could see two of them he could handle, but he was having trouble with the third one.

"This one's for Kouga!" She yelled and, after aiming, shot the arrow.

Kagome, Ginta, Hakkaku and the females who had arrived with heir katanas watched anxiously as the arrows pierced the demon right in the eye.

"Yeah, go Kagome!" Katsumi said, running up to her and hugging her. The other females joined her in a group hug.

The priestess still couldn't believe she had hit. 'It was probably a lucky shot.' She thought, so she decided to try again as the females now ran into the battlefield. She aimed at the same demon, now with an arrow sticking out of its eye. It was still after Kouga. She shot the arrow, now aiming at its huge open mouth. And… she hit, just as the Bird of Paradise was about to take a bite off of Kouga's left arm, killing it instantly.

"Hey Kagome!" He shouted, only now noticing she was helping him out. "Nice one!" Now with only two of them fighting against him, Kouga slashed at them with Goraishi, killing both with one swing.

She blushed, proud of herself.

"See sis'? We told you didn't we?" Hakkaku said, smiling.

"You don't need any stinking dead priestess powers or spiritual power. You've got your own power, your talent." Ginta said, patting her on the back before returning to battle with Hakkaku.

Kagome stood and watched the battle for a moment. The tribe was greatly outnumbered, but some of the wolves were taking on two demons at once, which helped a lot their chances of winning. She stayed were she was, a good distance from the Birds of Paradise and began shooting the ones who were giving the wolves more trouble. She was amazed at her skill. She hadn't touched a bow since they defeated Naraku years ago. She believed blindly that, without the help of Kikyou's spirit or the jewel, she was completely useless in battle. She had never thought that, just like Ginta said, she had acquired her own talent.

The battle went on for hours. The night sky was tainted with blood, both of the enemy and of some wolf demons. Every time Kagome ran out of arrows she would ask one of the women standing guard by the main cave to get her some more. She was a great help to the pack, taking down the Birds on the battlefield and killing the ones who wanted to come after the pups.

When the last Bird of Paradise was shot by Kagome and slashed into two by another wolf demons they all yelled out in glee. They had won. And even better, they hadn't lost that many companions. A few yes, but not nearly as much than the last war.

The pups came out of the cave and ran to their father's and mother's arms. They all hugged each other and thanked the gods they were alright.

Thankfully, none of the pups were orphaned. For those who lost their father, their mother had survived and vice versa.

Kagome sat down on the grass and watched the families reuniting. It was beautiful. Katsumi soon sat down beside her.

"It's a relief isn't it? We managed to win." She said.

The priestess wondered why she was with her. It was more than obvious that she should go after her mate to celebrate. Or mourn him if he had died, which Kagome doubted was the case. "Katsumi, I don't mean to be rude, but aren't you supposed to be with your mate?"

At first she stared blankly at the girl and then she began to laugh. "Oh Kagome. You haven't noticed have you?"

"Noticed what?" Kagome asked confused.

"I'm not mated dear." She said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Now that she thought of it, she hadn't ever met Katsumi's mate. She laughed along with the female wolf demon.

"Uhm, sis, I'm sorry to interrupt but…" Ginta said, waling over to them with a horribly sad face.

"Oh no, what's wrong Ginta?" Kagome asked, already thinking the worst. "Has something happened to Hakkaku?" For Ginta to be with such an expression, she was sure something was wrong with his best friend.

But to her surprise, he said no. "It's not Hakkaku. Hakkaku's fine…"

'Oh no… Please no…' She begged mentally.

"It's Kouga…"

Katsumi looked at her with concerned eyes. "Oh Kagome…"

"Is he… dead?" She asked.

"No. But he's fatally wounded… And none of our females are able to cure him…" he paused. "We fear for his life, Kagome…"

She immediately got up. "Take me to him. Now." She had spent the past years learning with Lady Kaede. She knew a lot of medicinal herbs. Maybe she could take care of Kouga… "Gather the females Katsumi, and then come after me. I'm gonna need all the help I can get."

Ginta took her over to the field where Kouga was injured. Many men were gathered around him, trying to help him in some way. A few females were there to, but they had all given up.

She knelt down beside him. She could see the huge cut on his body, coming from the top of his chest down to his abdomen in a crossed line. In was a very deep cut. They had already removed his chest plate, leaving only with his fur pelt. There was blood all over his body and furs.

"Oh Kouga…" She whispered to him and his eyes opened weakly.

"K-Kagome…" He tried to get up but she pushed him gently back to the ground.

"Shhh. Stay still. You're seriously injured, you mustn't move." She examined the wound, being careful not to cause him much pain, and then she called over Katsumi and the other females who had just arrived. She told them exactly what she would need and where they could find it, describing the shape and colors of the plants so it would be easier for them to find them. "Please hurry. I'm not sure how longer he can take it."

"Kagome…" Kouga called her again. Ginta and Hakkaku were also knelt down beside him. "You helped me a lot… Thank you."

The girl felt the warmth of tear invade her eyes. She couldn't bare him talking this way, as if he was leaving her forever.

"You were very brave…" He went on. "You risked yourself for our tribe, as if we were your family…"

"But you are Kouga. I see the tribe as my new home… Am I wrong to think so?"

"No, of course not Kagome… The thought just makes me extremely happy…" He said with a smile. "But please don't cry…" He wiped away a few tears that were rolling down her cheeks. "Don't ruin your beautiful face with tears…"

But she couldn't help it. The more he spoke to her, the more she cried. The females were taking quite a while to return and she wasn't even sure she could save him.

"Please forgive me if I fail." She asked him, the tears flowing like rivers down her fragile frame.

"I have nothing to forgive you for… You have so much for me already…" He said, but then coughed up some blood, startling them all and making Kagome even more desperate.

Finally, when the ingredients arrived, Kagome whispered a prayer and began tending to his wound. She saw him wince at the pain. She had nothing to use to ease the pain, he would have to endure it.

Since Kouga was a demon, after she cared for the cut with the special herbs, his body began to react positively. He stopped wincing, which meant the pain was ceasing.

The sky was full of dark clouds now and it didn't take much till rain began to fall. With the water now falling on them, Kagome took some furs Hakkaku had given her and cleaned Kouga of the blood.

"Kagome…" he said smiling, already feeling a lot better.

"Yes, Kouga?" She answered. Her crying slowly stopping.

"Thank you for saving me." He took her hand in his and kissed it gently.

She smiled but knew that he would have to rest for a few days until his body finished healing. "Boys," She said to Ginta and Hakkaku. "Take him to his cave and don't let him move much. He needs to rest."

They did as she said and, as soon as Kouga was safe and sound on his fur bed, all the wolves of the tribe went over to Kagome. They hugged her and thanked her and finally treated her as one of their own.

There you go guys! Aren't you all relieved? Don't forget to review and give me feedback! See you all later. :)