AN: Well, that only took me more than a month to update. But it's summerrrrrrrr, I got involved in reading fanfics, watching anime, playing video games (I finally got a 3DS!) that crap. I might have forgotten to write. Maybe. BUT I LIVE. FORGIVE MEH *bows*.

The Wolf's Dog

Journey

*Kagome*

The forest looked like a bulldozer had come through and paid no heed to the plants whose livelihood it tore away. Trees wrecked, sap oozing into puddles on the torn dirt. Grass ripped up by the roots and strewn around like birdseed. A trail of fallen branches led away into the forest, all of them scarred with claw marks. She knew who had done that. Inuyasha. Oh god, I'm so sorry I did this to you. She hadn't realized that she crossed the mutilated clearing until her feet crunched on leaves, driving her to a halt. Am I ready to do this? Yes, what I did was unforgivable, but I might be able to find my peace of mind. I'll carry on. Now she was in full control of herself, feet pounding the ground, not caring as countless branches clutched at her clothes and scratched at her face. I will find you. I will make this right.

*Inuyasha*

He could smell her. She was close, so close. What is she doing here? Didn't she scream at me and tell me she didn't need the help of a demon? He couldn't confront her, not now. He still had to convince himself that life might have something worth living for…maybe. He let his feet take him wherever they would.

*Kagome*

Without even seeing him, she knew that he was running. Running away from her. The soles of her feet ached from hitting rocks and sticks, but she pushed onward, she had to make things right. She broke out of the trees, into a clearing with a simply massive tree toppled over in the middle. The tree was decimated. Over a thousand years of life ripped away from it with a pair of sharp claws. On the other side of the clearing deep, angry footprints led away from her. She followed them through the woods, winding deeper into a place she didn't know.

Sunlight began to worm its way through the thick branches above her as the trees thinned, hinting to a break from entangling vines and underbrush. Sure enough, the trees suddenly disappeared, leaving her in a now familiar part of the woods. Their tree. High up in the top branches, she could see a scrap of red.

"Inuyasha," she whispered, then cleared her throat.

"Inuyasha," she quietly called. Her voice shook. "Come down, I just want to talk. I'm so sorry."

"Keh! You better be fucking sorry!" came his snarled reply. "You do understand that I've never had any friends before? 200 years and I've never been able to open up to someone. You were the first I ever trusted. AND I WON'T MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE. GONE AND REVEALED YOUR TRAITOROUS FACE AT LAST. THEY'RE ALL THE SAME. EVERY STINGLE HUMAN IS THE SAME!"

"Inuyasha! I-I, I don't know what came over me, but I'm truly sorry. I was just way to homesick and mad and, oh, I don't know! It wasn't what I really thought!" Kagome blinked back tears before continuing. "I've never really had any friends in my world. All they care about is who is dating who and who had sex with who. I've always been different. But here, I felt like I finally belong somewhere. I would never want to leave that. I'd never want to leave you and Kouga."

"Damn wolf," Inuyasha muttered, looking rather uncomfortable with all the emotion hanging in the air. He scratched at his ear and looked away sheepishly. "I'm sorry I said all of those things. I've never been good with people. But, I guess it's okay if you stay." His fingers scratched at the tree branch he was perched on for a second before he launched himself into the air and landed in front of her. There was an awkward silence as Kagome stared at his familiar silver ears twitching in the faint breeze, and Inuyasha stared at his feet as he shuffled them in the dirt.

"Well, I guess we have to go tell Kouga who you are and why I'm back," Kagome said awkwardly. Inuyasha's ears pinned back at the mention of the wolf-demon, and a small growl rose up out of his throat.

"I don't trust that wolf. Always being so possessive about you," Inuyasha muttered.

"Inuyasha, he's just trying to protect me. From what I don't know, but he is." Despite her reassurances, Inuyasha's ears stayed back as he looked up at her and quit growling.

"Still don't trust him."

"Let's just go!"

"No."

"Inuyasha…"

"No."

Kagome expertly flipped a random stick off the ground into her hand with her foot. "You were saying?" Her stick was pointed at a place where Inuyasha would very, very much prefer not to be hit. He gulped and edged away from her.

"You know, I don't think spending so much time with those wolves was very good for you…" he whispered, ears now flat against his skull with fear. "Let's get going then." He carefully pushed her stick to the ground and set off to where his nose told him Kouga was. Kagome gave him an amused glance and followed him.

*Kagome*

The area around Kouga was more worn from incessant pacing than damaged from frustration like the place where Inuyasha had run from her. He was too busy muttering and wearing a path in the grass to do much in the way of noticing her and Inuyasha.

"Um, Kouga?" she called hesitantly. He didn't hear her.

"Who…annoying…dog…lost…idiot…" she could catch snatches of his words.

"Kouga," she snapped. Kouga dug his feet into the ground to stop, and his head whipped around 180 degrees to stare at her like she was undead or something.

"Kouga. I wasn't going to leave anyways. I was just catching up with my idiotic family," she said exasperatedly. "I kind of ran away from them too. I don't think they'll take kindly to my running away. Most likely I'm here to stay this time."

Kouga seemed to consider it for a second before scratching his head uncomfortably, reminding Kagome so much of Inuyasha she had to suppress a giggle

"Who the hell is that though?" Kouga asked, pointing rudely at Inuyasha.

"This is my friend, Kouga. Please don't kill him."

"Hey! I could beat that stupid wolf in a second!" Inuyasha growled.

"I'd like to see you try, mutt!" In a flash, Inuyasha and Kouga were crouched and circling each other.

"Um…guys? We kind of have another problem…" Kagome called out.

"What is it?" Inuyasha responded, never taking his eyes of Kouga.

"There's a huge demon right behind me."

"WHAT." Both demons in front of her turned to stare at the huge, black panther-like thing behind her.

"Um…how did that get there?" Inuyasha asked.

"Maybe it crept up on us when you two were fighting?" Kagome said innocently.

"I'll take care of it." Inuyasha and Kouga said at once. In an instant they were back to locking glares and ignoring the world around them. Kagome sighed, boys. I'll just do it myself then. Her eyes flitted around the small clearing for a weapon, and landed on the sword belted to Kouga's waist. She grinned and crept over behind Kouga, he won't mind if I just-, her fingers closed on the grip, -take this, she slowly pulled it out of the sheath with light fingers. Wow, he didn't notice. You would think he would notice if I stole his sword.

The panther-demon growled as Kagome faced it, trying to remember all the sword fighting tips Kouga had given her in the past few months. Keep your stance wide, center of gravity low, don't let the enemy get behind y-

The panther-demon sprung with no warning, rushing through the air with lethal intent, claws slashing. Kagome sprung to the side, and used the demon's momentum against him as she hacked at his face.

"Kagome!" It appeared that Inuyasha and Kouga had finally stopped fighting each other and realized that Kagome was being attacked. She just flashed them a smile as the panther-demon writhed on the ground in front of her, one eyeball a useless mess. Kagome shuddered as the demon heaved itself up from the ground, sending a fresh wave of blood falling from its ruined eye.

So…hungry… a small female voice growled in the back of her mind. Kagome shook her head to clear it from small strange thought-voices as the panther-demon panted in front of Kagome, swaying on its feet. The voice echoed in her mind again, must…eat…OH MY POOR FOREST…ALL GONE…everything…kill…

The panther-demon's eyes hardened, and it started circling Kagome. For the first time, Kagome saw that beneath oily, dirty fur, the demon's bones stuck out. Was that you? Kagome thought, remembering the small, starved voice from a few seconds before.

"Um, are you hungry?" she whispered to the demon. Off to the side, Inuyasha and Kouga tensed, ready to jump in and save her if the demon attacked.

"Kagome…it can't understand you. It's best to just kill it and let it out of its misery," Inuyasha called

Girl…what?…hunger…eat…

"Shh Inuyasha, can't you hear it? It's hungry." Kagome said quietly, before diverting her attention back to the demon. "I could get you something…"She dropped Kouga's sword off to the side. The panther-demon stopped and stared.

Girl…hear…help?…food?…

"Kagome! It's dangerous! Don't throw the sword away! Of course we can't hear it! It's a lesser demon, not humanoid enough to speak."

Kagome ignored Kouga and Inuyasha's protests and focused on the panther-demon. "Yes, I can hear you, and help you. I'm sorry about your eye." she said, holding her hands out in a placating gesture.

Suddenly realization rushed into her head in the form of an opportune memory, Ahhh, the Sacred Jewel! The centipede-demon-woman had said when Kagome had first fallen own the well. Then there had been the purple light, supposedly coming from the "Sacred Jewel," that had disintegrated the demon after she tried to touch Kagome. This Sacred Jewel thing…. Is it letting me speak to the demon?

Slowly, Kagome approached the starving panther, keeping her hands out to show she had nothing to attack with. The demon growled and remained crouched and wary, but she looked curious too. Even crouched, the demon was easily a foot taller than her, at full height it must be close to seven feet tall. Despite the demon's frightening size, an instinct was urging Kagome to go up to the demon's head and place her palms by the eye that Kagome had ruined. The demon flinched back at first, but Kagome soothed her with soft words and put the lightest of touches around the fur matted with blood.

She closed her eyes, tapping into a reserve of power she hadn't known she had. As she began to release a slow, steady stream a soft purple aura began to glow around her, channeling into the panther's eye. The panther relaxed and leaned into Kagome's touch as the power began to gently rearrange the parts of the eye, knitting ruined flesh back together and restoring function. As the eyelid slowly repaired itself, the panther-demon's eye began to move sluggishly, reacquainting itself with its own movements and capabilities. When all once-ruined flesh was repaired, Kagome shut away her reserve of power once again, noting that the healing had barely made a dent in it.

The panther and Kagome opened their eyes at the exact same time, beautiful, clear gold meeting deep, rich blue1. The panther purred and nuzzled Kagome's face in thanks, giving her a rough lick from chin to forehead.

Thank…food?…hunger…

"Yeah, we'll get you some food," Kagome laughed, realizing that Kouga and Inuyasha were right behind her, pestering her with questions. There was a distant longing in Inuyasha's eyes, like nothing she'd ever seen from him before. Kouga was just amazed and kept saying what an asset she would be in battle.

*Inuyasha*

That had been the aura of the Sacred Jewel. He could feel it like he had before he was sealed to the tree. That which would have made him full demon, immortal, powerful. Now in Kagome. He couldn't kill her to get it. Well, he could, but it would haunt him the rest of his immortal, powerful years. It was better just to wait it out and see what happened. Maybe eventually he could get it.

Kagome was now talking to her new friend, the panther-demon, now dubbed Absol2, apparently a name from a game she played back when she was in the future. Absol's forest had been destroyed by humans, and she had been wandering the forest by Kouga's temporary hideout for a month or so. However, all the wildlife had ran from her and she had been slowly starving to death. She'd had a will for vengeance, but Kagome showed her that not all humans were bad.

The Sacred Jewel. He'd waited so long in vain, but now he had another chance. Thank the gods above.

*Kagome*

Absol wasn't originally bad. She had loved the humans in the small village besides her mountain forest like they were her family, warning them of fires in the forest, storms approaching over the mountains, earthquakes that she knew would come after she felt the earth shifting. However, the humans hadn't understood the deep connection a bound demon feels with the place it's bound to.

They had ruthlessly cut down trees for their buildings, burned huge parts of the forest to grow crops, diverted the life-giving river to water these same crops, and slowly killed Absol. At first she had protested, keeping the people from destroying her home and self, but they found ways around her, all the while reassuring her that it would grow back after they were done with it. It wouldn't have. Trees take about 10 years to grow to maturity, and the river had run through the core of the forest where trees would have grown, feeding them and bringing them nutrients from the high mountains where no trees could grow. The river was gone, running through empty sectors of forest to feed crops.

Eventually, Absol had lost the strength to fight as her forest was destroyed. She was finally forced to sever the connection to her forest, something bound demons almost never did, for it ended in an empty, deranged mind, and a permanent loss of home. With time, the dementia over losing a huge part of yourself could be healed, but never fixed, and demons typically travel the world in a kind of haze.

Absol was strong. She had endured most of herself being killed off and discarded like trash, and was back in full force with a desire to help the humans understand, instead of a desire to kill them off. Kagome was in awe of her. Not only strength of mind, but of body. When properly fed and washed, Absol was a sleek black creature with silky fur and huge, sharp claws and pearly fangs.

"Hey Absol, you know how you want to help people understand? You could travel with us, and, you know, at any village we found, we could try and teach them. I don't think these humans are very educated about demons, and most demons probably aren't that educated about humans." Kagome proposed.

Demons…look down…humans…humans…fear…demons…teach?...respect?

"Yeah. I suppose we would have to teach them to respect each other."

Absol…go…teach respect…

"Sure Absol! We'd love to have you with us!" Kagome looked over to Inuyasha, who was currently ignoring a pestering Kouga. "Boys! Absol's going to join us as we travel."

"That thing's coming?" Kouga complained.

"Sure, don't care," Inuyasha said distractedly.

Later that night, Kouga's pack had hesitantly accepted the new additions to their traveling group and was setting off to their usual home. Inuyasha had come out of his thought-haze and was complaining about the stink of "stupid wolves". Absol was just happy to play with the forest animals and surprise the pack by jumping off a tree down onto the ground in front of them with a smash and a roar. You would think that after a few hundred times, that would get old, but the pack still reacted with the same panicked reactions and Absol still laughed uproariously in Kagome's head. And Inuyasha was still complaining about the smell.

This journey might actually be…horrible.

1: I've decided to go with the manga appearance (even though I've never read it) in which Kagome's eyes are blue, because the manga is the original

2: Pokémon #359 Absol: Disaster Pokémon

"It appears from deep in the mountains to warn people about upcoming disasters it has sensed with its horn." -Pokémon Black 2 National Pokédex

X3 I'm such a nerd. I just thought that it kind of fit (except for the horn part), you know, because Absol was nice to the humans before they destroyed her forest. And I wanted to make a Pokémon reference.

Oh, and I don't own Pokémon btw.

(comment response thingy)

Bad speller: Why thank you *bows*. I do appreciate the praise. And the epicness.

Megan: *gasp* is that you? I do believe you have reviewed before! Wow the first chapter huh, it was so short. But interesting I guess, and flashbacky.

Guest: And…here is your update! Wow, it's been over a month. What have I been doing? (video games *whispers guiltily* they steal your life)

AN: I would love it if you would perchance, follow? Fave? Review? Just a suggestion though…;)