Inuyasha growled and turned to the monk. �We have a long ways to go yet. We�ll never get there if we keep having to stop,� he complained.
�It�ll be dark soon,� Sango argued. �We�d have to stop then anyway and this is probably the best place to make camp for the night.�
�Fine,� the hanyou growled, flopping down on the ground. Sighing and mumbling to himself, Inuyasha built up a fire. While the others busied themselves with making camp, Inuyasha sat quietly and stared blankly into the bright flames. Kagome noticed how unusually reserved he seemed and frowned. Leaning closer to Miroku as the monk sat down, she whispered, �What�s wrong with Inuyasha? He�s really quiet.�
The monk shook his head. �I don�t know,� he whispered in reply. �But I�m concerned.�
Inuyasha�s ears flicked and he grumbled, �It isn�t as though I can�t hear you guys.� He stood and stomped away, calling back, �Nothing�s wrong with me. I�m fine!�
Sango frowned. �If this is fine, I don�t want to be around him when he�s upset,� she quipped.
�Maybe it�s the flowers,� Shippou offered.
�Flowers?� Kagome asked. Looking up, she could see that the trees above them were covered with pale pink blossoms.
�Why would flowers upset Inuyasha?� Miroku asked thoughtfully.
Shippou shook his head. �I don�t know, but he was muttering about their �stench� when you decided we should camp here,� the young kitsune replied.
Kagome stood up to follow the troubled hanyou but Sango caught her arm. �If something is upsetting Inuyasha,� she stated. �You should probably give him some space.�
Kagome sighed. �Maybe you�re right,� she mused, settling down beside her friends.
A short while later, everyone had laid down to get some sleep. Kagome, however, was too worried about Inuyasha to go to sleep. Although she was lying down, she was watching and listening for his return.
Just as the moon was rising overhead, Inuyasha returned and stirred the fire a little to keep it from going out. �You should sleep,� he said softly, locking eyes with Kagome. �I really am fine. You don�t have to worry about me.�
Kagome forced a smile; then closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep. A startled cry rent the night and woke everyone at the camp. Sango and Miroku immediately sprang into fighting positions, but Kagome realized that it was Inuyasha who had woken them.
Turning to him, she saw that he was sitting with his back pressed against a tree, panting and blushing furiously.
�I � Inuyasha?� she called.
�Sorry,� he replied harshly. �I just � It was nothing. Go back to sleep.�
�Bad dream?� Miroku asked, settling beside his troubled friend.
Inuyasha sighed deeply and covered his face with his hands. �It�s these damn flowers,� he muttered. �They remind me�of my mother.�
Kagome frowned. �Remembering her�isn�t pleasant for you?� she asked gently.
�Remembering my childhood isn�t pleasant for me,� Inuyasha snapped. �I�m not human, I�m not youkai � nobody accepted me.�
�It must have been hard on you,� Sango said softly.
Inuyasha sighed and shrugged. �Harder on her,� he replied sadly. �But she never complained and�she took really good care of me until she died. Then � then I was on my own.�
Miroku nodded sympathetically and said, �We can move if it would make it easier on you.�
Inuyasha scowled. �I�m fine,� he replied, shaking his head. �I just had a bad dream, I�ll live. Go back to sleep.�
Miroku sighed and shrugged at the others, who moved back to their bedrolls. Kagome went back to her own bedroll and then smiled slightly. Picking up the blankets, she walked over to Inuyasha and sat down beside him. �It�s a cold night,� she said softly. �Mind if I sit next to you?�
�Suit yourself,� the hanyou said noncommittally.
Kagome smiled and settled down beside him, so that she was leaned against him. A few moments later, she drifted back to sleep.
Inuyasha sighed and wrapped one arm around her slender shoulders. Inhaling deeply, all he could smell was the young woman in his arms. �Thank you, Kagome,� he whispered, before closing his eyes and falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.
End