SNAP! Rang through the air. The tentacles charging Inuyasha speared him through.
�NO!� Came Kagome�s piercing scream. Naraku started to laugh like a maniac, when he stopped.
�What�?� Inuyasha started transforming, but this time, he knew himself. He turned into his true demon form, a silver dog demon, with radiant gold eyes.
�But, you are a HALF demon!� Naraku seemed very worried. One pure dog demon was trouble, but two�? A snarl issued from Inuyasha. Sesshomaru looked shocked, and worried. Both then lunged at the mass that was Naraku and started to mechanically rip him to shreds.
�Inuyasha, SIT BOY!� Kagome yelled. The demon fell to the ground to her close left.
�Sesshomaru, Kouga, get out of there!� Her dogged command came after. Both Sesshomaru and Kouga left.
�What? You think you are a match for me? You are Kikyo�s reincarnation aren�t you? What makes you think you stand a chance?� He laughed. Even though he sounded confided, a barrier went up.
�Inuyasha, I need you to break that barrier,� Her voice was odd, like someone talking into a tin can.
�But, Tetsegia is broken,� his demon markings hadn�t disappeared, but it was unmistakable that it was Inuyasha who was talking.
�You are the one with the power, it was never your sword. The sword was just a means of channeling it!� Her voice sounded desperate. Inuyasha sighed. He focused on the barrier. With a savage scream, he clawed at it, and it shattered. Like a perfect glass ornament hitting the floor.
�I love you Inuyasha,� and Kagome threw her arms at Naraku. A surge of power came from her small form, and engulfed Naraku.
�No!� The massive creature squirmed. Suddenly, the Shikon no Tama shone brightly.
�You will no longer kill or hurt anyone Naraku!� Kagome was impossible to gaze upon; the aura around her was so brilliant.
�Ka�go�me!� Inuyasha cried, and reached for his love. An explosion erupted, and sent Sesshomaru and Kouga flying. Kouga was impaled on an errant spear, and Sesshomaru was almost crucified on a near by tree. Kagura came back, wondering what that explosion had been. What she saw shocked her. There were corpses everywhere, the monk and slayer were still by each other, with the demon two tail close by, the pottery and human chunks were still scattered randomly around. All her sibling�s corpses lay scattered along with the corpse of Kohaku. Body parts littered the area. But, in the middle of all of this, was a stone statue. Naraku was holding up that Kagome person, while Inuyasha was grabbing her arm. Setting food on ground, she almost couldn�t believe what she saw. They were all stone. Then she heard a pained moan. Spinning around to see what could still be alive in this carnage, she saw Kouga.
�Silly wolf,� She walked over. He was near death. I�ll give his corpse to the wolf tribes she decided mentally. Then she saw Sesshomaru. Her heart nearly broke. There he was, tattered silks, white hair matted with blood and sweat, face streaked with all sorts of grime, pinned to a tree. His arms were stretched out, and his feet pinned side by side.
�No,� she whispered. He groaned and his eye twitched. Thank the Gods! She immediately got him down from the tree. His cloths were more shredded then she�d thought, and she blushed at how much of the youkai lord�s skin was showing. She unstuck Kouga from spear. She set both on her feather. Then she saw it. The Shikon no Tama glittered innocently. She snatched the jewel up. No more, no more of this death, she flew off, with the dog and wolf on her feather. She dropped them both off at the wolf dens, figuring they would take care of the dog lord. Then she set off, to go hide from the world�
* * * * * * * * * * * *
�Kouga? They�re back, and so is Ginta,� Hakkaku said, hidden from sight.
�Just, give me a minute,� Kouga whipped the tears from his face. His men had taken care of both him and Sesshomaru. That had happened only four months ago. He schooled him face into arrogant indifference, and readied himself for the political banter to come.
�Kouga-kun,� Danh said, and did a low sweeping bow. Khoa just stood there.
�I am sorry Kouga-kun,� Khoa said, reservation tingeing her voice. So Ginta had said that he�d taken his beating badly.
�I shouldn�t have provoked you,� He carelessly threw back. Khoa nodded and sat down.
�So what do you know of Kagura? Why are you here?� Kouga asked easily. Then, a low, ominous growl irrupted from Khoa. This shocked Kouga, he recognized that sound.
�Kagura the wind bitch slaughtered Khoa�s tribe, except for her,� Danh spat, �Because four months ago they refused to help her. Her tribe new of Naraku and his evil span, and recognized Kagura instantly. She slaughtered them, fearing that word would spread of her in those parts. Khoa was already heading here, to see what could be done for this tribe, when she heard the news. Then she heard another rumor. Kagura has the Shikon no Tama. That heightened her need to find you Kouga-kun. But Kagura found out about her. The witch found out about her knowledge, her abilities, and has been trying to slay her for three months now,� Danh looked pale with furry. Kouga was stunned by what he had heard. What did Danh men by Khoa�s abilities? Why had she been sent in the first place? Khoa spoke to Danh, and the kitsune instantly colored with a deep flush.
�Why were you originally sent?� Kouga couldn�t curb his curiosity.
�I� was sent to help stop� Naraku,� Khoa seethed, �But I was far from in time. I have seen were the battle was, and I have started my new mission. Naraku still lives Kouga-kun, if only in stone.� Silence. Still alive, if only in stone, does that mean Kagome� Kouga�s heart pattered.
�What is your new mission?� he tried to keep the hope out of his voice.
�To finish what the two purifying priestesses could not. It is now my goal to fully destroy the Shikon no Tama, Naraku, and to bring back those who have been pained by this,� She looked purposefully at Kouga, �You know she doesn�t love you Kouga. Her and Inuyasha are destined to be. Not you and Kagome.�
�How dare you!� Kouga cried out in shock. He knew, he had heard their declarations of love; he had seen the love in their eyes. But this, who did she think she was telling him that?
�If you still think you have a chance, then I might as well leave now,� She looked confused as to how to finish the rest of what she was going to say.
�Because only you, Kouga-kun, can help her finish her mission. She doesn�t know this land, and I won�t be able to travel with her much longer. It is coming to the time were I must return home. But this, mission, is very important. It could potentially bring back all the innocents lost, like Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango and everyone else killed by that demon. Also, her and the priestess Kagome can destroy Naraku. But there is much she must do before that happens. She needs your help Kouga,� Danh finished for Khoa. They exchanged looks of true friends, and waited. Kouga�s mind whirled. Bring back Kagome and kill Naraku? Surely this was a dream. And yet, how was she going to stop him?
�Ginta! Hakkaku!� He called them in, his mind made up.
�Yes, Kouga?� They both looked slightly nervous.
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