Title: The Miko and the Wolf Prince: A Feudal Fairytale
Universe: Alternate, before Inuyasha and Kikyo meet
Pairings: Kouga and Kagome. Later: Inuyasha and Kikyo, Miroku and Sango, (adult) Shippo and Rin, Sesshomaru and Kagura.

Inuyasha (C) of Rumiko Takahashi

Kagome Higurashi was just your average teenage high-school student. She didn't make extraordinary grades, but she didn't make the worst, either. Kagome wasn't the type to party all the time, but neither did she use all of her extra time to study. Two things about Kagome were different than everyone else, though. For one, she had never been kissed; truth be told, she had never had a real boyfriend. For another, Kagome was from a shrine, and as such, was a miko. Kagome wasn't too excited about her so-called 'legacy' of miko powers. In fact, she didn't think she had any, much to her grandfather's dismay. Oh no, Kagome just wanted to be normal. And so she was. Until her sixteenth birthday...

Kagome's cat Buyo had run away from Souta, Kagome's brother. Souta had checked everywhere except for the old well house, which he considered too creepy to even think about venturing into. Kagome, harassed by Souta, finally stepped into the old building to look for the missing feline. After she had located the cat, she heard a creaking sound coming from the well. Looking around, she felt a shiver run down her spine. But nothing was out of place. Except for a strange tingle in her side, everything seemed normal. A few minutes later, however, Kagome realized this had been a serious error in thought. The well, which had been sealed by a cover and multiple sutras, exploded outward, scaring the hell out of Kagome and blowing her back a bit. Just as she was about to scream for Souta, she felt arms surrounding her tightly and yanking her backwards. As darkness clouded her vision from lack of oxygen, she saw a beautiful blue light surrounding her. A throbbing started in her side, the same spot that had been tingling before...

Just when Kagome thought she was a goner, whoever or whatever had been holding her dropped her unceremoniously on the ground. Almost afraid to see what had happened, Kagome opened one eye. Her eyes opened wide at the beauty of her surroundings. "Well, Toto, I guess we're not in Kansas anymore," she thought. The forest around her was so lush and green, it couldn't possibly have been anywhere near her home. Everything there was concrete and skyscrapers. Even the parks weren't this amazing.

The next thing Kagome knew, she was hanging by her neck and looking at a creature that couldn't possibly be real. It had the torso of a woman, the body of a centipede, and six arms. Before the bewildered girl could draw a breath to scream, the thing holding her shook her like a doll. "Where is it? Where's the Jewel? I know you have it; I can can sense it. Give it to me and I'll let you live, girl." When Kagome didn't answer, the thing shook her again.

Kagome saw one of the four free arms rise up to hit her; out of instinct, she threw up her own arms. Right before the arm connected to her skin, a pink light flashed and Kagome was dropped by the screaming thing. "W-what are you?" Kagome asked.

When the creature stopped screaming, she smiled evilly. "I'm Mistress Centipede, and you have something I want!" With that, Mistress Centipede launched herself at Kagome. Kagome drew a breath and screamed as loud as she could until she was cut off by the centipede woman slapping her and sending her flying across the clearing they were in. She landed with a thud and groaned pitifully. Through the roaring in her ears, she heard Mistress Centipede coming towards her, but she couldn't make herself move. Just when she thought she was going to run over by the thing's many legs, a roar of anger cut through the air. Kagome glanced up to see a man wearing furs and armor attacking her own attacker. The newcomer kicked the giant half-centipede woman, then drew a sword and cut off her head before she could get back up.

Kagome stared in shock at her savior. "He just...cut off her head. Where am I and what is going on?" Kagome thought a bit hysterically. When the man turned to Kagome, she cringed backward as best she could. There was blood on his face, but he was grinning like a maniac. Sensing her distress, he walked slowly and cautiously to her.

"Are you okay, girl?" he asked gently. When she didn't answer, he frowned and crouched down beside her. "Hey, girl. Can you hear me? Helloooo," he said, waving a hand in front of her face.

Kagome jumped a bit and blinked a few times. "Who are you? Where am I?" she asked, a bit dazed.

The man grinned and sat up a bit straighter. "My name's Kouga. What's yours?"

Kagome blinked up at him. "I'm Kagome. Where am I?" she asked again.

Kouga looked confused. "You don't know? We're a little ways west of Edo. What are you doing out here? Everyone knows youkai are the worst through these woods than anywhere else."

Kagome went pale. "Y-youkai? Edo? Oh, what is going on?"

Kouga looked even more confused. "Kagome, I'm taking you to see Lady Kikyo. She's the miko of the village; maybe she can help you out." Kouga stood up and help his hand out to Kagome. Hesitantly, she took the man's hand. He pulled her up to her feet and swept her up into his arms bridal style.

Sputtering, Kagome asked, "W-what are you doing? P-put me down!"

Still grinning, Kouga told her, "It's a long walk to Edo, Kagome. I was just trying to help a pretty lady out, since you're already hurt."

Kagome crossed her arms and huffed. "I can walk! Put me down, NOW!"

Kouga winced. "Watch your volume, please. Wolves have sensitive hearing, and I'd like to keep mine intact for a while to come."

Kagome stilled as the implications of his words sank in. She looked up at him with fearful eyes. "W-wolves? You're a wolf youkai?"

"Yeah, I am. But I'm not like that Mistress Centipede. I'm a good guy, if you overlook and fangs and claws. ...And the tail," he said with a wink. Kagome peered over his shoulder to see if he truly had a tail. When he heard her gasp, Kouga swished his tail for extra effect.

Kagome settled back into his arms with a sigh. "Great. This is weirder than Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz mixed together. He has a tail! I wonder if it wags when he's happy..." She broke into giggles, making Kouga look at her strangely. He shook his head as he stepped out of the trees and onto a road. A couple yards away was the village Kouga had told Kagome about. As they walked through the village, the people called out to Kouga, welcoming him back and asking if Kagome was his new mate. Those questions made Kagome blush, which reinforced the idea to the villagers. Finally, Kagome saw a small hut at the bottom of a set of stairs. A set of stairs that looked very familiar. Kagome shook her head. This was just too crazy.

Kouga came to a stop outside the hut and called for Lady Kikyo. A miko stepped out of the hut with her head turned down a little. When she looked up, both of the women gasped. The person they were looking at could very well have been her sister, maybe even a twin! "Lady Kikyo, this is Kagome. I found her in the woods by the old well. She was attacked by Mistress Centipede. I took care of it, though."

Lady Kikyo looked at Kagome, still in Kouga's arms. "I see. Come along, into the house. I'll mix up a salve for Kagome-san's bruises." Turning back, Lady Kikyo walked into her home. As Kouga stepped into the hut, Kikyo ordered him to put Kagome on a tatami mat she had rolled out. Kagome was just thankful to finally be out of the stranger's close embrace.

Kikyo moved over to Kagome and began to check her injuries. She as relieved to find that none of them were serious. When she had been checked over, Kikyo gave Kagome some tea made from herbs that would help the girl sleep. As the girl slipped into a dreamless sleep, Kikyo turned to Kouga. "You said she was being attacked by Mistress Centipede? That's strange. I thought that youkai was killed years ago and the bones thrown down the old well."

"Well, Lady Kikyo, Mistress Centipede kept demanding a jewel. Do you know what she meant? Kagome wasn't wearing any jewelry that I could see."

Kikyo frowned. "Surely not that jewel. It hasn't been seen since a few years after Midoriko-sama died."

Kouga's eyes widened. "The Shikon Jewel? You think that's what the centipede wanted? But...I didn't sense any kind of power from her like I do when I'm around you or little Kaede. Even that idiot monk makes my youki spike. Wouldn't the jewel cause a much bigger reaction if I was near it?"

"I'm not sure." Kikyo nodded to herself and turned to Kouga. "I need you to run an errand for me, Kouga-san. I need you to run to the taijiya village north of here. The headman there should know more about the jewel. It was entrusted to them soon after Midoriko-sama's death. If you can, bring one of them here. I would like to speak to someone in person."

Kouga nodded. Glancing at Kagome, he felt his stomach twist when he saw how banged up she was. Kouga shook his head and turned to leave. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Lady Kikyo."

As soon as he stepped outside, Kouga took off toward the north in a cloud of dust. Three hours later, he arrived at the gates of the famous village. He approached the gates with caution, moving slowly and trying to be as non-threatening as he could be. The effect was sort of ruined by the nervous swishing of his tail. A guard soon spotted him and demanded to know what his business was. When he told the guard who he was and that Lady Kikyo had sent him, the startled man nearly fell off the wall. Kouga was granted permission soon after that.

He was told to wait in a small hut at the edge of the little village. He didn't mind. He wanted these humans to trust him. Ever since that little girl... Kouga shook his head. He wasn't going to think morose thoughts like those while he waited for the headman. A few minutes later, his waiting was rewarded by the headman entering the hut. A young girl followed close behind him.

The headman stepped up to Kouga and held out his hand. "Welcome to our village, Kouga. My name is Akira. This is my daughter, Sango. I hear Lady Kikyo sent you on an errand. What can we help you with?"

Kouga blinked in quiet shock. "Uh...oh, yeah. I rescued a young girl today from a youkai calling itself Mistress Centipede, who was demanding that the girl hand over a jewel. Lady Kikyo said that Mistress Centipede was killed many years ago and the bones were dropped down an old well near her village. Lady Kikyo thinks that the youkai was talking about the Shikon Jewel, and she asked me to come here and find out what you know about the jewel's whereabouts. She also requested that one of your family return with me to her village. She wants to talk face-to-face, I guess."

Akira nodded slowly. Sango turned to her father. "Father, you don't think... What if it truly is the jewel?"

Akira lowered himself to sit on the floor. After a few moment's hesitation, Sango and Kouga followed suit. "Let me tell you a story, Kouga. This is about a powerful miko and her attempt to cleanse the world of dishonorable youkai like Mistress Centipede...

Many years ago, there was a very powerful miko named Midoriko. She was the most powerful miko our land had ever seen. As well as being a powerful miko, she was a very accomplished warrior. For years she traveled across Japan, taking care of the sick, treating the wounded, and purifying youkai who were attacking humans. She became more powerful as the years passed, and she found herself being attacked by more and more youkai. Near the end of her life, a horde of very powerful youkai banded together to finally be rid of the miko who was such a danger and a nuisance to them. For seven days and seven nights, the battle between good and evil raged. Neither side stopped, not even to eat or sleep.

By the morning of the eight day, the youkai believed that Midoriko was blessed by the kamis themselves to hold them off so long without collapsing like a normal human would have. However, Midoriko was nearly at the end of her powers. She had used her miko powers to keep her going, as well as purifying the youkai, and she was nearly drained. Slowly, as her strength dwindled down, a plan formed in Midoriko's mind. As the three remaining youkai fused together to form a grotesque monster with massive jaws and claws, Midoriko stilled. She stood her ground on the battlefield and watched as the youkai came closer, and then closer still. Finally, the thing snatched her up into its jaws. Just as it was about to close its jaws and kill her, Midoriko enacted her plan. With her remaining powers, she drew the youkai's three souls, along with her own, into her heart. The youkai were too powerful to purify when fused together, so Midoriko captured them and trapped them inside her own heart. The four souls raged inside the miko's heart, causing the Shikon Jewel, or Jewel of Four Souls, to be thrust from her body.

The remains of Midoriko and the youkai are still here, in this very village. If you like, we can take you to see them."

Kouga was in awe of the story he had been told. He'd always wondered about the Shikon Jewel and how it had come to be, but he had never imagined anything quite like what Akira had said. Kouga blinked when he heard about the remains. He nodded when Sango asked if he wanted to go see the result of such a monumental battle.

Sango glanced at Kouga as they walked through the village to Midoriko's Cave. He looked like he was thinking hard about something. "There's the cave up ahead. There's a barrier at the entrance. Father thinks it was one of Midoriko's final acts, to keep anyone with ill will away from the jewel. If your intentions for entering the cave aren't pure, you won't be able to enter. So far, no one from our village has been denied entrance.

Kouga gulped. "Were any of them youkai?"

Sango looked surprised. "I forgot about that. It should be okay. My neko companion goes in there with me all the time."

Kouga wasn't convinced. As they approached the barrier, he felt the miko powers brush his skin, leaving a tingling sensation behind. "My intentions are pure. I want to see the woman who helped make Japan safer all those years ago. I want to see her final moment, frozen in time, so that I can pass on the knowledge of such a powerful miko to Lady Kikyo and Kagome."

Kouga took a step toward the barrier. The tingles on his skin got sharper, then softened to feather-light touches. Sango smiled. "You have been granted access to Midoriko's Cave, Kouga. Be grateful. Not many youkai get this honor."

As they ventured deeper into the cave, Kouga glanced around with awe. The cave walls were lined with a glowing moss that lit their way. Imbedded in the walls were shining gems that reflected the light from the moss. Finally, the tunnel they were walking through opened up into a large room. In the center of the room, larger than Kouga had imagined, was the youkai from the story. And at the very top of the frozen mass of wriggling youkai, trapped in huge jaws with very large teeth, was Midoriko herself. She was much more beautiful than Kouga had thought she would be. Her face was small and pixie-like, yet held such a look of wisdom and sacrifice. The star on her forehead caught his attention. "What's that mark on her forehead, Sango?"

"That's her mark of power. She's one of the only miko ever to have such a large mark. Some say the kamis kissed her there, leaving the mark of their approval for all to see. Once, a miko requested to see this place. She said that the mark forms over time as a miko's power grows. Most miko never get much more than a small dot. Midoriko has the largest mark of any miko I've ever heard of."

The two stayed in the cave for an hour or two. Finally, Sango became hungry and left to get some food. Kouga stayed behind for just a few minutes, wanting to keep the image of this magnificent battle in his mind forever. Kouga bowed respectfully and whispered, "Thank you, Midoriko-sama, for allowing me the honor of being here." Kouga thought he felt the whispered touches of the miko's barrier brush against his face like fingers. He smiled as he left the cave.

Akira was waiting for him when he exited the cave. "Kouga, Sango is going to accompany you to Lady Kikyo's village. She knows as much about the jewel as I do, maybe more, so she'll be of help to her. Keep my daughter safe, boy," Akira warned with a hard look in his eye.

Kouga grinned. "She'll be safe, Akira-san. I promise. I can be back to Lady Kikyo's village by nightfall, so Sango won't be in any danger."

"She better be," Akira warned.

Within the next twenty minutes, Sango was ready to leave. She was a bit wary when Kouga asked her to climb onto his back. She did as he asked and barely held back a shriek when Kouga burst into action. When Sango opened her eyes, she gasped. It looked like they were in a tornado! Kouga was moving so fast, Sango was sure they'd reach Edo in a few hours, instead of the two or three days it took to walk there.

Kouga grinned when he heard Sango gasp. He just loved to show off, especially to pretty women. Thinking about pretty women made Kouga think of Kagome. Hoping to get back before she awoke, Kouga pushed himself to go even faster.

While Kouga was on his errand, Kikyo bustled around her hut, tidying up and getting things ready for the taijiya and for Kagome to have a place to sleep. About an hour after Kouga left, Kagome woke up for a few minutes. She mumbled something about a math test, then drifted back asleep. Kikyo shook her head and smiled at the girl. After a few more hours, a villager ran to her hut. He had heard a woman screaming just a few minutes ago. He was worried she was being attacked by a youkai. Kikyo grabbed her bow and arrows and followed the man to where he had heard the screams. Around the time they got there, Kikyo saw a cloud of dust moving swiftly towards them.

The man yelped. "There! That's it!"

Kikyo smiled kindly at the man. "That is Kouga-san. He runs very fast."

The man scratched his head. "Are you sure, Lady Kikyo? I've never seen him move that fast."

Kikyo laughed a bit. "Yes, I'm sure. I've seen him running like that a few times."

"But what about the screaming I heard?"

"That was most likely the taijiya I requested to come back with Kouga-san. I'm sure she's not used to moving so quickly."

By the end of her sentence, Kouga had stopped in front of them. "Lady Kikyo, this is Sango. She's the daughter of the headman at the taijiya village. Sango, this is Lady Kikyo. She's the one who asked that you come back with me. Is Kagome awake yet, Lady Kikyo?"

"Not yet, Kouga-san. Why don't you let the taijiya walk for a while and go on ahead of us?"

When the taijiya nodded vigorously, looking a bit green at the thought of more running, Kouga set her gently on the ground. "See you when you get there!" he yelled as he took off again.

Sango stood hunched over with her hands on her knees. "Was the ride so tough?" Kikyo asked.

Sango nodded. "It was like he couldn't go fast enough. We almost had to stop a few times, before I got sick. I don't think I'll be riding on his back when I go home. I'd rather walk."

Kikyo laughed. "I understand. So tell me, what do you know of the jewel?"

"I know how it came into being, and how it left this world."

Kikyo gasped. "What happened to it? I thought it couldn't be destroyed."

Sango sighed sadly. "My mother was a bit of a miko. Her powers weren't great, but she kept the jewel purified. However, she died after giving birth to my brother, Kohaku. When she was cremated, my father placed the jewel with her body. When the fire finally went out, the jewel was gone. Father said she took it with her to the other side to keep it safe."

Kikyo thought about what Sango had said. It made sense for the jewel to leave the earth with its protector, but how had Kagome gotten it, if she had it at all? Clearing her thoughts, Kikyo turned to Sango. "Let's get back to my home before Kouga does any damage."

Sango giggled and followed after her. "How did Kouga end up here? Is he your mate?"

Kikyo laughed. "Goodness, no. I healed him when I found him hurt a few years ago. He had been kicked out of his tribe for killing a young girl. He mainly helps the villagers, trying to redeem himself for what was never his fault to begin with." At Sango's questioning look, Kikyo continued. "One of the feral wolves that live with Kouga's tribe had been bitten by a rabid squirrel. It attacked the little girl, but the tribe's elders said that Kouga, as the leader, should have taken care of the wolf to begin with. They blamed it all on him, when it wasn't completely his fault. Now, Kouga can't go home, or even step into the eastern lands. He would be killed on sight."

Sango sighed. "How sad. I can't imagine never being able to go home."

Kikyo and Sango talked more while they walked back to the village, and got there around ten minutes later. When Kikyo stepped into her hut, she saw that Kouga was helping Kagome sit up. Then she noticed that Kouga's hand was a bit too far up on the girl's torso. "Kouga! Remove your hand from there!"

Kouga looked down at the offending hand. He blushed and moved it down. "Sorry, Lady Kikyo. I didn't mean to, honest."

Kikyo sighed. "How is Kagome, Kouga-san?"

"She woke up and asked for a drink, but now she won't talk."

Kikyo hurried to Kagome. "Is the pushy youkai too much for you?"

While Kouga protested the slur against him, Kagome was shaking her head. It wasn't the youkai that bothered her. It was the whole situation. She had hoped that everything had just been a dream. When she awoke to Kouga standing over her, she had known it wasn't. "What am I going to do?" she thought anxiously.

Kouga was looking at her with a lightly worried look on his face. "Are you okay, Kagome? Am I too much?"

Kagome hesitated, then shook her head. She turned to look at Kikyo, her eyes pleading. Kikyo understood what Kagome was trying to convey to her. "Kouga-san, will you make sure we have enough wood and meat for tonight?"

Kouga looked at Kagome, then sighed. "Sure, Kikyo-san."

After Kouga left the hut, Kagome silently thanked Kikyo. After clearing her throat a few times, she hesitantly asked, "W-what year is this?"

Kikyo glanced at Kagome in surprise. "It's 1532. What year are you from?"

Kagome let out a choked laugh. "I'm from 2009. How did you know about me?"

It was Kikyo's turn to laugh. "Your clothes, for one. Your manner of speech. Your confusion about youkai. I had heard about the well retaining some of the youki from the bones of youkai thrown into it, but I never truly thought time travel would result from it. Do you know what the Shikon no Tama is, Kagome?"

Kagome looked surprised. "Well, I've heard of it, and my Gramps sells imitations of it, but I don't really know what it is. Why?"

"I believe the Shikon no Tama may be inside of you. Sango, could you come here for a second?"

When Sango saw Kagome, she nearly fainted. "She looks just like...my mom."

Kikyo nodded. "I thought as much. I believe Kagome is the reincarnation of your mother, Sango. That explains why the jewel is housed in her body. She is its protector."

Kagome's eyes were wide as could be. "I'm...what? A reincarnation? But that's crazy! I'm my own person, not somebody else!"

Kikyo smiled. "We are all reincarnations, Kagome. Our souls keep returning to the earth, and will do so until we complete our goals in this life and move on to the next."

Kagome shook her head. "No. This is just too bizarre. I have to get home!"

Kikyo's expression softened. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I don't know how we can get you back to your own time."

Kagome's eyes filled with tears. "You mean...I can never go home? I'll never see...my family again?" Sobs wracked her body as Kikyo's words sank in.

Kouga burst into the hut a few seconds later, eyes wide and looking for Kagome. "What happened? Is she okay?"

Kikyo bit back a smile at Kouga's protectiveness. "I informed Kagome-san that we don't know how to get her home. She's understandably upset."

Kouga looked at Kagome, wanting to wrap his arms around her and comfort her. Kikyo glanced at the sobbing girl. "You can ask, Kouga-san, but don't get upset if her answer isn't what you want." With that said, the miko walked outside with Sango.

Kouga stared after Kikyo with a stupefied look on his face. It never failed; she always knew what he was thinking. Shaking his head, he walked over to Kagome. He knelt down beside her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Kagome-san? Would it be okay...if I hugged you?"

Kagome paused in her weeping to look up at Kouga's earnest expression. She nodded and burst into tears again as Kouga wrapped his muscled arms around her slender form. With no thought in mind about the impropriety, Kouga sank down onto the floor and pulled Kagome into his lap. Kagome wrapped her arms around Kouga's neck and buried her face into his chest. For Kouga, there wasn't much to be aroused about. Sure Kagome was beautiful and currently sitting in his lap, but she was genuinely distressed. He was more focused on comforting her than anything. For Kagome, rational thought was gone. It didn't matter that this man was only an acquaintance of a few hours. All that mattered was that he was comforting her, no questions asked.

Slowly, her sobs quieted and her tears slowed. The two sat in silence for a few minutes while Kagome pulled herself together and Kouga savored the feeling of her in his arms. Finally, Kagome looked up at him with wide brown eyes and smiled. Kouga felt his heart jump and his breath catch at her beauty. Slowly, he smiled back. Pressing an impulsive kiss to her forehead, he stood with her in his arms. Once he gained his balance, he lowered Kagome to the ground. She stood wavering for a few moments, then stood up straight as she regained her own balance. Looking down at her, Kouga smiled at how small she seemed. Granted he wasn't all that tall, but he still towered over Kagome head and shoulders. For all her lack of height, though, she had long legs which were shown off by her indecently short green skirt.

Kagome looked up at the man who had saved her and then comforted her. "Thank you, Kouga-san."

Kouga dragged his eyes from Kagome's legs to her eyes. "For what?" he asked, trying to keep his eyes from wandering down again.

"For saving me. I never would've made it away from that y-youkai if not for you," Kagome explained, stuttering a bit over the implications of the new word.

Kouga looked at Kagome. "I'm a youkai, too, Kagome. Not all of us are bad," he finished with a grin, showing off his fangs.

Kagome smiled a bit. She had a sudden thought and looked away self-consciously. "Kouga-san, could...could I...touch your tail?" she asked, blushing as red as Kikyo's hakama.

The wolf grinned. "Well, see, Kagome. That's usually a privilege reserved for a wolf's mate. However, I think I can bend the usual rules a bit for you."

Kagome smiled, still blushing, and walked closer to Kouga. Obediently, he turned a bit and waved his tail around to make her smile. Kagome reached out hesitantly and let her fingertips graze the fur. When Kouga made no movement, she stepped closer and ran her fingers through the soft fur. She gasped when the tail wrapped around her hand.

Kouga looked up at her. "Sorry about that. It felt good, and sometimes it's like the thing has a mind of its own."

Kagome giggled and stroked the tail a bit before stepping back. Kouga whined, causing her to giggle again. Kouga blushed and smiled shyly, exposing one of his fangs and giving him a feral look.

Feeling suddenly apprehensive, the girl from the future turned away and walked over to the fire burning in the middle of the hut. She sat down and stared into the flames. "Kouga-san, what if I can't get back home?"

Kouga walked slowly over to the listless girl and sat down across from her. "I don't know, Kagome. You could live here and help Lady Kikyo. She could even teach you about being a miko."

Kagome looked sharply at the youkai. "How did you know I have miko powers?" she asked in a near whisper.

Kouga looked surprised. "Your reiki reacts with my youki. That's how I knew where you were when that centipede youkai was attacking. Your reiki was spiking and making my youki go crazy."

After a few seconds, the suspicion in her eyes faded and she turned back to the fire. "I'll never see Mom again, or Grandpa, or Souta. None of my friends, not even stupid Hojo!" She suddenly smiled. "At least now I don't have to keep making things up to turn him down," she said softly.

The poor wolf youkai across the fire from Kagome was confused. He didn't know who these people were, but he did know that he didn't like this Hojo person. The grudging affection he heard in Kagome's voice was enough to spark his jealousy. Which, realistically, he had no reason to be feeling. She may have been allowed to pet his tail, but she wasn't his mate. He barely knew her! These thoughts did little to do away with the possessiveness coursing through the wolf, however.

The two lapsed into silence. Kagome was thinking about her home and everything she would miss, while Kouga was wondering why he felt so possessive about the girl in front of him. Before long, Kikyo walked into the hut with Sango. Although she had seen the resemblance once before, the taijiya still took a step back when she saw Kagome's face. The resemblance was uncanny. The girl could've been her mom's twin! They had the same facial structure, same eyes, hair, even the fact that her ears were slightly asymmetrical. Shaking her head, she took a seat between Kouga and Kagome.

Kikyo looked between Kagome and Kouga, feeling satisfied by what she saw; it didn't appear anything had happened while she and Sango were gone. She then looked to Kagome. "Kagome-san, I would like to examine you, to see if I can sense the Jewel anywhere in your body."

The teenager nodded and stood. Kikyo led her to a futon behind a screen and asked her to remove her outer clothes, leaving her in only her underwear and bra. "Did anything strange happen when Mistress Centipede attacked you? Any pains or tingling areas?" Kikyo asked as her hands lit up with her pink reiki.

Kagome thought for a moment. "Yes. My side over here was tingling and it actually hurt when the youkai was touching me," she said, placing a hand over the said area.

Kikyo looked surprised. She hadn't expected the girl to have such a strong reaction to the Shikon that it would hurt her when a youkai touched her. "Well," Kikyo thought with a smile, "an evil youkai. She seems to have no trouble with Kouga-san's touch." Passing her glowing hand over the spot Kagome had pointed out, she gasped. She felt the Jewel! It was there, in Kagome's side, pulsing with the girl's powers and actually absorbing most of the reiki Kagome had. "Kagome, would you like to have this Jewel removed? If it is left where it is, it will continue to block your reiki, and the reaction to being touched by an evil youkai will worsen. If it is removed, your miko powers will increase exponentially, but youkai will begin to chase after you to obtain it."

After thinking about it for a few minutes, Kagome asked Kikyo to remove the Shikon. "Besides," she explained, "since my powers will increase, I'll be able to protect the Jewel from harm." Kikyo reluctantly agreed, feeling that having the Jewel inside of Kagome would keep it - and her - safer.

After gathering all that she needed, she asked Kouga and Sango to hold Kagome down, since the impromptu surgery would be done without anything to dull the pain for the girl. Sango carefully placed her hands over Kagome's legs; Kouga very cautiously placed his hands on Kagome's shoulders. Glancing down at Kagome, he saw her looking up at him worriedly. He smiled and winked at her. She smiled a bit in return, then moved her hand up to grasp his. He squeezed her fingers and held tightly to her hand.

Kikyo used her reiki to sterilize and sharpen Kouga's dagger, which she was going to cut into Kagome's side with. Kagome's hand tightened on Kouga's as Kikyo placed the blade on her skin. Sango's grip on Kagome's ankles tightened as Kagome started to draw her legs toward her. Kikyo paused and felt the spot again. "Kouga, could you lift her up a bit, please?" she asked.

Kouga helped Kagome sit up and scooted behind her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tightly to him. Kagome's arms came up around his as she braced for the pain. The first incision made Kagome gasp as tears sprang to her eyes. Kouga's arms tightened a bit and he let his head drop to her shoulder, nuzzling her and comforting her the only way her knew how. Kikyo extended her powers to the Jewel, then latched onto it and slowly pulled. After a few minutes of agonizing pain as the Jewel was pulled through her side, Kagome fell back against Kouga, exhausted from the strain. Kikyo held the small orb in her hand, wondering at how such a small thing could be so powerful.

Kouga lifted the unconscious little miko into his arms and carried her to the pallet that Kikyo had set up for her. After laying her down, he covered her up and sat down beside her to watch over her. Kikyo and Sango washed the Jewel off and placed it into a pouch that was supposed to suppress reiki. Kikyo then placed the pouch in the sleeping Kagome's hand.

"I hope you know what you are doing, Kagome. I would very much hate to see you hurt," she thought as the girl rolled over towards Kouga's prone form.

Kagome slept on, cushioned in her dreams by muscled arms and a sleek brown tail. "Kouga," she murmured in her sleep. The wolf youkai smiled and lightly grasped Kagome's small hand, grinning outright when she held tightly. "This is gonna be a helluva ride, but I'm willing to go anywhere for you, Kagome."

And so begins my new fic. Inuyasha will probably make an appearance within the next chapter or two. Lemme know whatcha think. ;)