InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pack Law ❯ Proving Her Worth ( Chapter 21 )

Pack Law

 

Chapter 21: Proving Her Worth

 

`This is worse than any math test!' Kagome fidgeted, unable to sit still.

 

Looking rather intimidating in her dark blue uniform, Arata paced steadily around the room, barraging Kagome with question after question. InuYasha, Tsukiyoshi, Hitomu, Sarah, Dai, Ayame and Kouga all sat along the wall, staring at the miko while she answered. Sometimes slowly, sometimes confidently… the audience was almost more distracting than Arata's relentless pacing.

 

Not even a full day after InuYasha and Arata made themselves known, Arata began quizzing the girl, checking to see what she'd learned and what she had left to practice. The Taisho Council would be in only three days, she told Kagome, which meant very few days to get things down.

 

Kagome had her face buried in her hands as she tried to recall the answer to the most recent question. Her stress put InuYasha on edge; he glared at Arata for all he was worth. For her part, the youkai simply raised an eyebrow in response. “If this minor level of stress bugs you, you'll be a nervous wreck at the Taisho Council. You being on edge will influence the Council negatively, InuYasha; it seems as though you do not have faith in her. Do you wish to jeopardize Kagome's chances?”

 

InuYasha glared harder.

 

“And you, miko, do you have a response yet?”

 

“Ah… the beta takes over in times of- of great need for a pack, flock or pride. The beta enforces his Taisho's rules and takes command if necessary. T-this is only when…” Kagome racked her brain, feeling every eye in the room on her, “w-when… if the current Taisho does not have a son… or daughter… of age. If they do, the beta acts as… as an advisor to the new Taisho and his… or her… b-beta?”

 

“Are you asking me or telling me?”

 

Kagome lifted her head, stung by the hostility in Arata's voice. “I'm telling you.”

 

The youkai stared down at the miko, who met her gaze and refused to look away. `If you are accepted by the Taisho Council, you will become InuYasha's equal. That puts you above everybody else in the den, except Father and Mother,' Tsukiyoshi had told Kagome one day. `This means if somebody other than them meets your gaze, you must face them head-on. It is not in your nature to be antagonistic, Kagome, but this is something you must not fail to do. It is a matter of pride.'

 

After a full minute, Arata looked away with a wan smile on her face. “You've got guts, I'll give you that.”

 

InuYasha snorted. “More beauty than brains in that head of hers…” he muttered, flushing a moment later when he realized what he had said. He whirled to face Hitomu, who had a grin very reminiscent of his father on his face.

“Say anything,” InuYasha growled, “and I will make damn sure your family line ends with you…”

 

Kouga rolled his eyes. “Five centuries, mutt, and you still can't admit to what the rest of us already know?” He turned to face the miko, “You sure you don't wanna stay here with us? I may be taken… but Dai could use a powerful mate…”

 

Kagome buried her face back in her hands as Sarah was just able to bite off a tiny growl of her own. Tsukiyoshi and Arata snickered at the teasing.

 

“This is why I've never looked for a mate,” Arata said to the younger inu youkai, “It's just another thing for your enemies to use against you.” Tsukiyoshi nodded his agreement.

 

Hitomu chuckled. “You sound so much like Uncle Sesshomaru when you say that… I seem to remember hearing he had similar thoughts until he met Aunt Tomomi…”

 

Arata growled, grasping Hitomu by the front of his shirt and dragging him close enough that he was reflected in her eyes. “Do not ever compare me to that pompous, poofed-up, holier-than-thou windbag… or you won't have to worry about your family curse rushing up to claim you.” Hitomu's eyes widened as he gulped. Arata continued in a low voice, “I will rip off your arm and beat you with it until you are dead.” The cowed teen nodded empathetically, twisting his head away from her in a sign of submission. Pacified, Arata released him.

 

Tsukiyoshi shook his head at his beta-to-be slowly. “You should have known better than to compare Aratakoumyou to father. She's never really appreciated the familial connections, you know that.”

 

Hitomu grinned. “Yeah. But isn't she beautiful when she's angry?” Arata, who overheard the comment, rolled her eyes and snorted, turning instead to see how InuYasha would handle Kouga's insinuation that Kagome should stay State-side.

 

Seeing the situation dissolve into the chaos that normally surrounded them, Kagome grinned… then grimaced, as she saw a very familiar look on InuYasha's face. She didn't want him to tear into Kouga… but…

 

`I will not subdue him this time!' she insisted stubbornly. Hitomu had taken the time to describe just how the hanyou had seen her use of the spell in the past; he'd taken it as Kagome aligning herself with the ookami, embarrassed him with a show of her power over him. She didn't want to give that image now… not when things looked like they might actually be going right for a change.

 

`If only they would stop acting like animals! Kouga only does it to get a rise out of InuYasha, why can't he see that?' Taking a deep breath, she walked up behind InuYasha, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, Kouga, but I won't be staying here.” She ached to tell him that she was meant to stay with InuYasha, that one day they would be together and darn him for even thinking otherwise… but with the way the hanyou's attitude had swung back and forth regarding her, she just wasn't brave enough to breach that particular topic.

 

She had to admit she was surprised when InuYasha failed to shake off her touch; instead, he wrapped an arm around her, swinging her around as he pulled her closer and buried his nose in her hair. Kagome flushed at the closeness but was unwilling to give it up, no matter how embarrassed she was. She'd missed this… the safety of his arms, his masculine, woodsy scent, the way he made her feel protected and special during those few moments when he deigned to show the tiniest bit of affection…

 

Kagome was sure InuYasha was giving Kouga a cocky smirk, but buried her face in his shirt, refusing to look. She didn't want to see; she didn't want to be mad at him anymore.

 

“Ya'll best get ta bed… be daylight soon `nuff.” Dai broke though the noise. “Ya'll wanna wake up wit' the sun. Yash, yer beta and his mate called, they'll be landin' `round noonish tomorrow.”

 

InuYasha nodded stiffly, eyes still narrowed at the younger youkai. A part of his brain reminded him that being angry at Dai was foolish; his rival's son had done nothing to raise InuYasha's suspicions about his intentions towards Kagome. A bigger part of his mind didn't care, recalling Kagome in his embrace at the bowling alley and remembering the times he'd rushed to her side after she exhausted herself practicing her miko powers. `You,' InuYasha swore mentally, now resorted to glaring and growling quietly at Dai, `are one dead motherfucking ookami if you ever lay a hand on Kagome again…'

 

Kagome lifted her head, alerted to InuYasha's bad attitude by the growling that rumbled through his chest and into her. She tugged on one of his forelocks, drawing his gaze away from the hated ookami. “Are you going to stand here growling all night or do I get to actually go to bed?” She continued, “I'm tired, darn it, and I want to be awake when Sango and Miroku get here.”

 

Narrowing his eyes at the miko, InuYasha apparently decided she really was tired and needed sleep and muttered a “keh,” sweeping her up bridal-style and sniffing out the room she'd been staying in.

 

**********

 

A few hours later, Kagome had yet to fall asleep. She lay in the dark room, peering through hooded eyes at InuYasha. As if her hanyou from the past had once again come forward in time, he sat scrunched up under the wall, Tetsusaiga within arm's reach, ears twitching at the sounds filtering in the window from outside. She studied the steady rise and fall of his chest, the calm expression on his face, wondering if he had actually fallen asleep.

 

Moonlight shimmered off his hair, drawing her attention to his ears. `That's right. He'll be human soon… the new moon is only a few days away.' As she shifted in the bed, sitting up and flipping off her covers, one swiveled around to point directly at her. `That's kind of unnerving… it's like I'm being watched, even with his eyes closed.'

 

“Baka wench,” InuYasha muttered without opening his eyes, “I thought you were tired. Ain't you gonna fall asleep before sunrise?”

 

Kagome bit her lip, feeling somewhat like a child getting caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “I… j-just…” She shifted a bit, staring at her socks before clearing her throat. “I've missed you,” she admitted quietly.

 

A soft shuffling was the only warning before she lifted her head and found herself swimming in intense, molten gold. `Too close…' Kagome could feel her heart hammering in her chest, could feel his warmth, felt his breath in puffs across her lips, knew her eyes had widened as heat crept up her cheeks.

 

InuYasha let out a snort, lifting an eyebrow, amused at the miko's reaction to his proximity. “Keh… what're you so twitchy about?” A smirk crossing his face, he advanced slowly, smirk widening as she scrambled backward on the bed. Kagome squeaked as she hit the wall with a `thump', trapped between a hanyou with unknown intentions and unyielding wood. `What happened to my shy hanyou?' she wondered, answering her own question, `Obviously… h-he grew up!'

 

Close… so close, and yet still seeming so far away… InuYasha leant in until his lips were just brushing hers. “I missed you too, wench.” Then he was holding her, kissing her, claws scraping gently across the back of her head and the small of her back, kissing her as though he was afraid she'd disappear if he didn't. Caught off guard, Kagome gasped; he took advantage and deepened the kiss, letting loose a rumble of male pride as she softened against him and responded in kind.

 

She was drowning… lost in InuYasha, in the feelings he drew from her, taking and giving and making her tremble at the force, the strength she always knew was there but had never truly experienced. Unlike the night that seemed so long ago, he held his youki in check, dominating her with his touch rather than his aura. Kisses in the past never seemed to evoke emotions like this one did… All too soon, she broke away, the need for oxygen stronger than her need for him.

 

Shuddering slightly, InuYasha pressed his forehead against hers. “Did you mean it?”

 

“W-what?” Confused, Kagome blinked, unable to grasp what he was talking about. “When I said I missed you?”

 

InuYasha shook his head. “No. What you said last night.”

 

`That's unfair… he can't kiss me like that and expect me to think clearly afterwards…' Kagome made a feeble attempt to think back to the night before. The heavy weight of the man in front of her made it rather difficult to focus on anything else. Seeing the bemusement in her eyes, InuYasha took the initiative. “You kinda said it was sorta my fault the jewel broke, `cuz I left you alone.” His ears drooped at the memory of the anger in her voice.

 

Kagome's breath hitched. `That's right. I spilled my guts to Hitomu and everybody - InuYasha heard all of that.' She worried her lip as she tried to formulate how to approach InuYasha. `Well, they say honesty is the best policy.'

 

“I guess… I-I don't really know where all that came from, you know?” She chanced looking up, wanted him to see the sincerity in her eyes. She wasn't prepared for the look of pain on his face, though; the InuYasha she'd come to know had never been so open with his emotions. It cut through her like a knife. “I just…” Kagome sighed, trying to recall all she had said and force it into words that would make sense. “I guess… I was tired of always being the one blamed for things. I-it seemed like… like everything was my fault. And I know I'm the one who broke the jewel… but you were supposed to protect me, weren't you?” Before he could respond, she plowed forward, “Either way, it doesn't matter. I… I'm glad things turned out the way they did.” Her voice dropped a few notches as she admitted, “I wouldn't trade the last year for anything. Even if I did get hurt a bit, even if some of it… well, a lot of it… was scary and new and confusing.”

 

Daring to see how he was going to respond, she flicked her eyes up, peering at him through her bangs. He had pulled back, a rare, thoughtful look on his face. His left ear twitched, a movement Kagome had come to associate with his thinking over something big.

 

“I'm… Kagome…” InuYasha seemed to be grappling with something mentally. He sucked in a big breath, expelling it all at once. “I'm-sorry-I-kept-you-from-your-family-so-much-and-made-you-sad.̶ 1;

 

Kagome blinked, blue eyes reflecting her absolute shock at his sudden, rushed and completely unexpected apology. After a moment, she stifled a giggle. But her laughter wouldn't be contained, and bubbled up in her until she was clutching her stomach, gasping for breath and trying in vain to keep it down, aware of the other occupants with youkai hearing. Wiping tears from her eyes, she lifted her head again to look at InuYasha. The familiar, disgruntled expression he now bore almost sent her reeling with amusement again; she was proud to keep herself quiet.

 

“Keh! Figures. I apologize and you go off the fucking deep end.” He snorted, lifting his head haughtily. After a few moments of silence, he dropped his shoulders. “Just what the hell's so funny, anyway?”

 

Forcing herself to keep the laughter out of her voice, she smiled. “You're so much older now, and sometimes it confuses me… but just a minute ago, it was like you hadn't changed a bit. You still hate to apologize, don't you?”

 

InuYasha growled. “An alpha doesn't usually grovel, wench. You should be thankful!”

 

“Grovel?” Kagome bit her lip, trying to tamp down her amusement. “Is that what you thought that was? You could barely get a `sorry' out!”

 

“Feh.” Though he looked away, arms crossed, Kagome noticed his ears were still cocked in her direction. Both felt the weight of their time apart ease as they fell into old habits of bickering; neither angry, but both enjoying the verbal sparring. It had a familiarity that couldn't be denied, and each reveled in it as the silence stretched on.

 

“For what it's worth… I really am s-sorry.” This time, InuYasha spoke with such seriousness that Kagome couldn't be amused. “I was… I was a real ass to you. A lot. And I…” she realized how hard it was for him to say this, and opened her mouth to cut him off. She knew, even after it had happened…

 

“Don't,” he said, seeing her mouth open. “Just… j-just let me say this.” Kagome nodded. “I ain't good with words. You know that. But you… you deserve them. You deserve pretty words and some pansy-ass guy who'll give you shit. Not like the dumb shit I give you… all the damn cussing and putting you down.” He flushed, just barely visible in the moonlight, “But even if I know that… I-I-I…”

 

“I love you.” The words tumbled out of Kagome's mouth, much like InuYasha's original attempt at an apology.

 

And just like that, the silence smothered the room once more.

 

InuYasha's ears twitched, he blinked. Sure, he knew it. He'd heard her say it, flat-out, to Hitomu. Her body language said it when she snuggled up against him, when she would tend his injuries, when she forgave him for being a thick-headed baka. But she'd never actually said it out loud to him. Not like this.

 

Kagome buried her face in her hands. `Oh kami, how embarrassing!' She knew without a mirror that she was bright red. Her heart pounded in its chest, seemingly ready to leap out of her and wander off to do equally-embarrassing things. Kagome wished the bed and floor would just open up and swallow her whole.

 

InuYasha broke the silence as he moved to sit by the wall again. “Y-you… need sleep.” Kagome nodded, unable to do look up. She heard the way his voice cracked as he said that and knew he was avoiding responding to her. `He's too old for you now, Kagome! Get your head together!'

 

She rolled over, but never was able to fall asleep. InuYasha never spoke up.

 

**********

 

“Kagome! It's so good to see you!” Sango threw her arms around her little sister happily, ignoring the looks from fellow passengers as the girls began speaking of the past three weeks in rapid Japanese.

 

Hitomu lifted an eyebrow. “Yeah, nice to see you too, Mother.” His sarcasm was lost on Sango, who was thrilled to finally be re-united with Kagome. Again. With a bit of a smirk, Miroku clapped his hand on his son's shoulders.

 

“Don't worry about it too much, Hitomu. Your mother still loves you; she's just excited to see Kagome. Remember, they never really were able to spend time with each other on this side of time.”

 

Hitomu flushed. “I didn't say she didn't! But a little acknowledgement might be nice,” he grumbled. Tsukiyoshi chuckled at his beta's distress. Like his mother, Hitomu held the very idea of “family” in high regard. Having grown up in an inu youkai pack meant he had a certainly warped idea of how the word was defined, but it was still important to him. `Then again,' he thought, `Kagome is like Mother's sister. That she hasn't really spent any time with in centuries. So I guess it's not all that strange.' That thought settled him, though the teen rebelled slightly at the thought of Kagome as an “aunt”. He'd seen the way she looked at InuYasha but it still drove him nuts to know she preferred somebody who was well-known for putting her down and making her feel like crap.

 

“Have you been eating properly, Hitomu?” Sango finally turned her attention to her son, who stuck his tongue out impudently.

 

“No, mother, I've eaten nothing but dirt and drunk nothing but beer since I've been here,” he responded cheekily, with a humorous glint in his eye. Sango was caught off-guard by how much he resembled his father at that moment. Then his response registered and she raised an eyebrow.

 

“You get too cocky and I'll remind you of your position, young man…” Hitomu knew the threat was more of a promise and really didn't feel like spending hours training under his mother; she always worked him until the sweat dripped off him. It was great for the figure but time he could spend with a beautiful woman instead… “And stop thinking lecherous thoughts!” Sango's voice cut into a rapidly growing daydream. “I swear, you've got more of your father in you than we know what to do with.”

 

“I suppose you really can't beat him when you're his mother, can you, Sango?” Kagome giggled. “Then again, it never really worked on Miroku, so I guess you're out of luck.”

 

**********

 

Kouga rolled his eyes as InuYasha huffed, arms crossed, watching the women pile into one of the ranches many cars. Ayame blew her mate a kiss, and then proceeded to floor the pedal, laughing hysterically as they hit the road.

 

“C'mon, dog-breath. Don't get your panties in a twist. They'll be fine.”

 

InuYasha turned his angry glare on his formal rival, snorting. “Yeah, fine. Until some youkai comes sniffing around those jewel shards.”

 

“Do you doubt my wife's ability to keep her sister safe?” Miroku asked levelly, knowing InuYasha could hardly argue with the sentiments. Even as a human, Sango was considered the best hunter they had.

 

“It ain't like that, bouzo…” InuYasha's ancient nickname for Miroku stressed just how frustrated the hanyou was. Since Miroku had for the most part put aside that profession for his new job at the hospital specializing in youkai and human health, InuYasha had always been… well, not polite, but less grating. In fact, InuYasha's change in attitude had happened shortly after the well closed, when he had reluctantly begun tutelage under Sesshomaru to take his place as beta. He ran his hand through his hair agitatedly, “I just… I want this shit over.”

 

“I assume you're not just speaking of the Council?” Miroku questioned.

 

“Feh.”

 

Miroku rolled his eyes. “Five hundred years old and you're just as eloquent as the day we met.”

 

“This whole thing. Naraku… the jewel… everything.” InuYasha shifted under Miroku's intense stare, face growing stonier as Miroku's grin grew more lecherous.

 

“Something happened.” It wasn't a question.

 

`Fucking lecher's too fucking observant!' InuYasha did his best to maintain his stoic silence under Miroku's knowing gaze.

 

“Something dealing with Kagome.” InuYasha twitched but otherwise didn't respond.

 

“She loves him,” Kouga called out mockingly, dragging out the word “love” and sounding remarkably like an elementary school boy while he did so. “She said so last night.”

 

Miroku looked askance at InuYasha, whose face was growing steadily more and more tomato-colored with each second. It looked as though the hanyou was torn between taking off and beating Kouga within an inch of his life.

 

“I would think this would be a happy occasion for you, InuYasha?” Miroku questioned, wondering at the hanyou's silence. “Surely this doesn't come as a surprise to you.”

 

“Feh.” InuYasha shifted again. “It's one thing to… t-to assume. It's different actually hearing it. It seems too real. I thought I mighta scared her away being…”

 

“A bastard? Yourself?” Kouga offered, having heard the story of how InuYasha treated Kagome once they'd met in the future.

 

InuYasha growled. “Anyway, it makes me nervous. Things are too easy… Naraku's gonna strike soon and it's going to be dangerous. I don't want her in his sights.”

 

“Unfortunately, that will not happen, so long as Kagome holds her jewel shards. Don't worry over things you can't change. This Naraku will not strike until you least expect it, from what I've heard. And it will be less of a physical fight and more of a mind-fuck. Worry about things you can try to deal with,” Arata said, walking up from behind the guys. “Like me!” With that, she leapt at InuYasha, knocking him backwards of the porch and rolling to stand, claws at the ready.

 

“Damn it, Ara!” InuYasha came up cussing and growling, not having expected an attack from his sister. “What the fuck is wrong with you? Why aren't you with the girls?”

 

Arata shook her head, rolling her shoulders as her thick braid hit her back. “They're doing girly shit! Now get your fists up… or get my fists in your face!”

 

**********

 

“Get your hand away from my face!”

 

“You have something near your eye!”

 

“It's eye-mask! I'm paying good money for it to be there!”

 

Sarah stifled her giggles as Ayame and Sango went back and forth, at ease with each other through centuries of friendship. Kagome squirmed a bit, somewhat jealous that her sister seemed to be getting along so well with the wolf princess. A moment later, she was disgusted with herself for the feeling. `How can I be so shallow? I should be thankful that she had friends to rely on through the years.'

 

Shaking her head, Kagome focused on Sango, who had turned the topic of conversation to the Council as soon as the ladies working on their shoulders and backs had left the room.

 

“Do you think you're ready?”

 

Kagome worried her bottom lip. “I hope so.”

 

Ayame chimed in happily, “I'm sure you are! You're as knowledgeable as you can be! And that'll work really well in your favor!”

 

“I would feel better if I knew what to expect,” Kagome admitted.

 

“Well, you'll know several people there. Grampa Shippou, Gramma Shinju and me will be representing the kitsune. Kouga, Ayame and Dai will be there for the ookami. Uncle Sesshomaru, Aunt Tomomi and Arata will represent the inu packs. So you'll know at least a few of the members of the council.

 

Kagome cocked her head, confused. “You'll be there? And Arata? I thought InuYasha was Sesshomaru's beta.”

 

Sango nodded. “Well, yeah. But he's too close to the situation. I mean, you'd be his mate, right? So obviously he's going to say you're ready. So in cases like this, the Taisho calls a stand-in. Arata gets that position since she's been with the Pack almost as long as he has.” Kagome flushed at the word “mate”, trying to turn her head so nobody could see, but moving too slowly. “What happened?” Sango asked, worried, “Did that baka do something stupid again?”

 

Kagome shook her head quickly. “No! It's nothing like that. But… But I think I might have…”

 

The girls shared a look before turning back to the miko. “What did you do?” Sarah asked with a hushed voice.

 

“I… I t-told him…” Kagome buried her face in her hands, “I-told-him-I-love-him.” She admitted, just as quickly as she had said the words the night before.

 

The girls squealed.

 

“Oh that's fantastic!” Sango grinned, “Really?”

 

Ayame nodded, sporting a fangy grin. “We heard it. You guys are just a room over, you know!” The bit of information made Kagome blush brighter.

 

“B-but… he didn't say anything!” She cried, kicking her feet together in frustration. “He just told me I should get some sleep and then crawled off the bed and over to the window!”

 

Three pairs of eyes blinked at her before Kagome realized her slip and flushed even brighter than she had been.

 

“Kagome?” Sango asked, looking much like the cat who'd eaten the canary, “What was InuYasha doing in your bed?”

 

Ayame chortled. “You mean besides her?!” The miko cringed, flushing as the memory of the feelings behind the kisses they'd shared washed over her again.

 

“We were just talking! And… and he kissed me, too.”

 

Ayame wolf-whistled, making even Kagome giggle. “Ni-i-i-ice. I've heard he's absolute heaven in bed, you'll have to tell me!” This drew a raised eyebrow from Kagome.

 

“Well, you didn't expect him to wait forever, did you, Kagome?” Sango asked, not unkindly, but knowing what was going through the younger girl's mind. “After all… he thought-”

 

“I know darn well what he thought! He thought I abandoned him! Here I was minding my own business, in fact, being told by even him that I wouldn't go through!” Kagome's voice dropped to a hoarse whisper as tears prickled her eyes. “I didn't want to believe Miroku when he said the well would close. If I had, I would have gone through sooner. But then again, I didn't really know about the talismans you guys had, either, or that InuYasha was going to give me one.” Her voice hardened again, “Darn it! He's hot and then cold, ignoring me and then kissing me like… like…”

 

“Like he wants to have his way with you?” Sarah piped up slyly, grinning.

 

“Exactly! Ugh! He's so frustrating!” Taking a couple deep breaths, Kagome got herself under control once again. She wondered briefly why she'd been so easily agitated in the last month or so. It seemed like ever since high school had started, she'd been moody and too easily frustrated. It unsettled her; it wasn't the way she normally was. “But I love him anyway.”

 

“Don't worry about it so much, Kagome. InuYasha loves you, too. You probably just caught him off guard, you know? He's older but in many ways, he's still the gruff, irritable hanyou you remember,” Sango soothed.

 

Ayame agreed, adding, “And yes, he's had a few drunken jaunts here and there. But he never wanted anything really to do with them afterward; it was like he was embarrassed. I think deep down, nobody could compare to you.” She smiled. “You've worked too hard not to get your own Happily Ever After.”

 

**********

 

Kagome jiggled her leg nervously, tapping her ankle against the wooden floor in a staccato beat. Sango shot her a sympathetic look as she walked into the Council Meeting. Each of her Pack members were being interviewed by the Taishos now that she'd shown what she could do. That in and of itself had Kagome biting her nails; she had no way of knowing if what she had done was enough, and was quite positive it wasn't. Just figuring out what skills to show off had been nerve-wracking.

 

`I mean, really? What do I do? InuYasha always said I was useless; now it's my chance to prove him right, I guess…' Kagome trailed off, pacing agitatedly.

 

From his seat on the floor, Shippou piped up. “Well, you can subdue InuYasha! That's always good for a laugh.”

 

His mate, Shinju, rolled pearlescent eyes, though the smirk on her face betrayed her amusement. The two had arrived while the girls were at the spa. “Yeah, that'd go over real well with some of the more male-oriented groups. Kouga would laugh, sure. I'd find it hilarious, so would the swan flock. Heck, the Neko no Taisho would probably get a kick out of seeing an Inu slammed into the ground. But somehow I think her subduing him would give the wrong message.”

 

Miroku nodded his agreement. “I can just imagine how the dragon clans would take it.” The Chinese delegation was well-known for looking down on women. “They'd see it as the ultimate form of humiliation. No, you'll have to do something else, Kagome. You're the strongest miko I've ever met; perhaps you can do a bit of purification?”

 

Sango shook her head. “Somehow I doubt purifying the Council will really warm them up to her. Besides, youkai and miko are generally enemies as a rule, not to mention those who already oppose the inu packs. I'm pretty sure demonstrating we have the world's most powerful miko just itching to join up isn't going to ingratiate her with many people.”

 

Tsukiyoshi stepped into the conversation. “Well, not them. She's purified my poison before, she can do so again. It'll show her control over her powers, her ability to purify a specific type of youki without affecting others.”

 

“She can do great barriers, too, that protect even youkai,” Sarah chimed in. “Kagome, you really have to demonstrate that! And you can heal even youkai a little bit. I'll have Tsukiyoshi scratch me and use a little poison, so my healing powers won't kick in as quickly. Then you can show you can purify and heal at the same time, without hurting me.” Kagome opened her mouth to protest, “Oh, and don't think you can stop us. Tsukiyoshi's gonna hurt me whether you agree or not.” She shifted, as amber eyes narrowed on her, “Apparently he's less than impressed with realizing I put all his underwear in the deep freezer…”

 

Shippou snorted, pleased with his granddaughter's antics. “Just like we taught you, eh, Sarah? So yeah, Kagome, think of it this way. Sarah's like InuYasha - throwing herself into stupid, dangerous situations. Now you have to get her out of them!”

 

“Gee, thanks,” InuYasha said dryly from his corner, arms crossed and looking none-too-pleased with the comparison. “I'm glad you have such a high opinion of me, Shippou.”

 

Everything had gone as well as Kagome could have hoped. She didn't purify anybody or anything she didn't mean to, and her healing skills were on par with what they'd been when she left the Sengoku Jidai for the last time. Then she'd been interrogated, asked to recall things about the battle with Naraku and her own history. `I don't think many of them believed the story until now,' Kagome thought grumpily of the leader of the Dragon Youkai, who'd looked as though he wanted to smite her where she stood. `I didn't mean to break the jewel. Heck, I didn't even mean to go to the past! I was pulled there by dumb Mistress Centipede!'

 

Now, each Pack member with her was being questioned one-by-one, much as she had been. InuYasha had gone first; he emerged blushing and refusing to look anybody in the eye. Miroku went next, and came out smiling. Now was Sango's turn. Tsukiyoshi had told her earlier that he and others would give their opinions when the Council broke for conversation.

 

Kagome was so lost in thought she didn't hear Sango enter the side room until the woman was standing in front of her. “Are you okay, Kagome? You seem pale.” Kagome looked up, realized she'd been holding her breath, and let it out slowly. “Maybe you need some fresh air,” Sango suggested, hauling the girl to her feet. “Let's go outside while the Council breaks for discussion.”

 

Miroku and InuYasha fell into step with Sango and Kagome, stepping out of Kouga's huge farmhouse to enjoy the brisk night. The wind caressed Kagome's face, cooling the sweat on her brow as she raised her head to gaze at the stars. The view never got old. Just when she thought she'd be able to relax, a small pang shot through Kagome's body, originating in her chest. She gasped, looking around, wary. It was a familiar feeling… one she hadn't felt in months, though.

 

Two masculine arms snaked their way around her waist, pulling her backwards into a hard chest. “Oi, you okay?” InuYasha's voice was filled with concern. “You're trembling.”

 

`I hadn't even noticed,' Kagome thought. `Something feels… wrong.'

 

A/N:

 

Well, here's your reward for going so long in-between chapters; an extra-long chapter for an extra-long wait!

 

Bah. Stupid election, stupid work, stupid real-life… it's honestly one thing after another and it's getting really old really quickly! I can't wait to just curl up in a ball and take a few mental-health days… but that certainly won't happen until the end of the year. *pouts*

 

Extra thanks go to Phalon, the closest to a beta I've got, who's helped me build characters and tear down writer's block!

And thanks to Kryptoinuyasha for nominating “Pack Law” for Best AU/AR in the IYFG, and also to inuyashaloverr for seconding!

 

Remember - any questions, comments or concerns? I'd love to hear them!

 

A shout-out and my greatest thanks to those who stop by and leave me a review! Specifically -

CatLover260 - (*evil, evil grins* Sneaky? Meeeee? Hehehe…)

angel-up-above-heaven

Sovereignty

wbk - (I tell ya, everybody blames Kagome for the jewel, but what about InuYasha and his supposed protection, eh? *grins* Ki, huh? She's interesting…)

Deathmvp - (Oh, good, thank you! Staying in-character is really important to me when writing fanfiction. Stupid life… can't I just sit here and write all day?)

Ichigohime

Phalon - (Oh, Ki… she's certainly special, isn't she?)

KayAkuma - (Thank you! I'm glad you've liked what you've read so far. Welcome to the Pack.)

lunemoon - (Welcome to the pack of reviewers! It's quite an irritating problem, isn't it? As the story goes, we'll get a closer look at Kagome's thinking during the week… and how it affects her future decision-making!)

 

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

 

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)