Before I die

Nope..Sorry people this is not a new chr. Br. But This is a warning message. If people don't review, I WON'T update! I know I'm being mean and maybe I'm just spoiled now but I'm used to getting at least a few reviews. You need to submit at least ONE MORE review before I will update.

Those of you who did review...THANK YOU!

Oh yeah..MAJOR KUDOS going out to Sanoslilrebelgurl (AGAIN!) Because she is the BEST beta in the world! YAY!

NOW REVIEW!

Before I die

by
Goijh

Disclaimer: Too tired to be creative...All characters of Inuyasha Series beling to Rumiko Takahashi...

AN: Sorry for not updating sooner. I just got back from surgery. I'll respond to reviewers hopefully in my next chapter...

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!

And A HUGE THANK YOU to Sanoslilrebelgurl! THANK YOU! She's my beta and because my stupid computer isn't cooperating with me lately she spellchecked the entire chapter! So this is probably the first chapter that I have without spelling errors or anything. Once again THANK YOU (I promised I'd give an extra shout out! lol! ^_^)

And on with the fic....

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Chapter Eleven
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"Ugh..." Miroku moaned as he sat straight. His head was pounding like never before. Sango had never hit him this hard before. He must have given her one hell of a grope. He smirked at the thought as he pictured the shocked expression on her face and the resounding slap that was always sure to follow. For some reason though, his cheek didn't burn...And he couldn't remember touching Sango either.

But that was the only explanation for why he was unconscious right?

Slowly he opened his eyes, as if he were afraid of what he might see. Kaede was in a corner grinding herbs while Shippo stood in a almost defensive like stance. Sango on the other hand was leaned against the wall opposite of Miroku and was gazing at him with slight concern in her eyes. She had heard his soft groan of pain when he stirred and was wondering if he was okay.

Miroku watched as her eyes appraised his situation. Her mouth opened to say something but quickly shut again when a hushed thumping sound came from the corner. Miroku turned to look towards Shippo to see if maybe he had fallen somehow, but the kitsune, as well as Kaede, were standing and staring at something across the hut. Miroku hesitantly moved his gaze so that it rested on Sango. She too was glaring in the same direction as the pup and old woman.
Miroku's eyes continued to wander over the wall and past the corner until they landed on a slightly shadowed figure. Someone was in the corner. Their tail flipping like a cat's, softly hitting the floor with each motion. The person turned to meet his eyes as they felt everyone's stares upon them. The monk gasped as he realized who it was.

"KOUGA!?" he yelled.

Both Shippo and Kouga flinched at the loud noise. Shippo turned accusing eyes to the newly awakened houshi, but the wolf just made a "Hmph!" like noise and turned his head away. He was growing tired of waiting with these people, but the more tired he became, the more determined her grew to fulfill his original mission.

Miroku's head throbbed slightly, breaking his shock filled stare from Kouga, and dutifully returning him to his thoughts. Now the memory came running back.

He had gone to the hut.

Kagome had not been there.

He had gone to leave.

He ran into something.

Something hit him...HARD!

Miroku turned angry eyes to the youkai that sat away from all the other occupants of the small hut. His mouth opened and the only words that he could think of came tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"You hit me!" he cried out in a voice very similar to a child's before he goes to whine to his mother about it.

Everyone in the room groaned and rolled their eyes. Shippo turned and faced the idiot monk, deciding to seize the opportunity to do something he had been wanting to for a while.

"Thank you captain obvious!" shouted the tiny kitsune. He smirked proudly at his accomplishment in using the phrase correctly. He had heard Kagome use it a few times when arguing with Inuyasha and had finally asked her to explain it to him. He thought it suited the situation quite well. The others apparently did not.

His words were met with anotchorchorus of groans and rolling eyeballs.
Kouga huffed and turned back to the wall, which he could probably sketch perfectly with his eyes closed as he had been staring at it for over an hour. If Kagome did not return SOON he could not be held responsible for the massacre that occurred in her absence.

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The trees were flying past her as a blur as Kagome clung to Inuyasha's back. She loved riding him. As she thought this, a becoming blush spread across her cheeks. Yep she loved riding him, in more ways than one. She giggled into his perked up ear and leaned forward, embracing him tightly.

Inuyasha tried to glance curiously over his shoulder at the passenger on his back. He also tried to keep his head looking straight forward though so obviously he did not succeed in the former. In the past five minutes of this trip Kagome had been giggling, embracing him, then releasing him only to restart the entire process. Curiosity as to why coupled with the fact that her scent of arousal was spiking dangerously every time was driving him crazy! It was definitely testing the control that, before this day, he had never doubted. Now with Kagome as his mate, he was either completely losing it, or that control he thought he had, had in fact been nonexistent.

Growling deep in his chest so that it made barely any noise at all, Inuyasha picked up the pace. They were almost at the village. He just needed to make it about another five minutes. While He had been in thought, Kagome had released him. Now she was giggling again and clenching him so that her body was pressing into his. Inuyasha groaned aloud. 'Damn woman!' he cursed mentally.

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Shippo sighed heavily. When would Kagome be back? He was getting REALLY bored of guarding Kouga. Especially because no one appreciated his catchy phrases or antics. And it was getting worse now that the monk was awake. He kept trying to grope Sango, who would in turn smack him. One smack sent the houshi flying across the room to sprawl at Kouga's feet. For some reason or another, Kouga yelped and ran using his enhanced shard speed to the other side of the hut where he crouched behind Kaede. At first no one could figure this out, but then, simultaneously, everyone (except of course Miroku) remembered what he had said about the other man groping him and broke out laughing.

A very indignant Kouga "Humph"ed and slinked (is that a word? If not, I have just officially made it one! So there!) back to the corner he had previously been in, once of course Miroku had vacated it, and went back to staring at the wall.
Shippo sighed again and shifted his feet restlessly. He still had no idea what Kouga wanted. All he knew was that it had to do with his okaasan and that was making him very uneasy. The kitsune let out a low rumble when Kouga looked his way, that everyone imagined to be his growl. Kouga smirked at the 'intimidating' noise, but conceded to look away. He as getting pretty damn tired of the wall!

Suddenly both of the youkai shot their heads up and sniffed the air. Before anyone could ask what they were searching for, they had speed out of the confines of the wooden structure, leaving their friends literally rocking on their feet and Miroku a perfect opportunity to exercise his lechery.

WHACK!

SLAP! and

"HENTAI!" were the last sounds that the youkai’s heard as they raced towards the forest.
Kouga gulped in a breath of air, inhaling deeply, expecting it to be Kagome's strong and soothing scent. What met his nose caused him to choke and dig his heels into the ground, bringing him to a rough halt. He fell to his knees, partially from shock, partially to catch his breath from choking. 'It can't be...' he thought as he delicately raised his nose to the wind again.
Growling possessively he took off at a faster speed, passing a bewildered Shippo on his way. Rage driving him to the extent of his agility, Kouga raced blindly, following the scent that was making his eyes blaze crimson. He knew that Inuyasha cared for Kagome and that Kagome cared for him...but....

'But what?' his mind taunted him as he continued on his way. 'You hurt her. You tried to force yourself upon her! You know that you no longer deserve even her forgiveness! Why would she ever want to be a pitiful MONSTERS mate?!?' Kouga stopped dead in his tracks once again.

"Monster..." he whispered softly to the breeze. Was that truly what he was? He found himself staring at his hands, unshed tears glistening in his eyes. He was a monster. He was an abomination. He deserved to suffer! Just like...

Just like Kagome deserved to be happy.

Kouga threw himself upon the ground and furiously wiped the offending moisture from his eyes before it had a chance to spill. Then he made a shallow cut on his arm, knowing that otherwise the hanyou would smell the salty water among other emotions rolling off of him in waves. He knew that the scent would momentarily overwhelm the mangy mutt's senses for at least a couple moments.

Long enough for him to accomplish his task.

Not bothering to stand he waited, setting a calm, emotionless mask upon his face to hide the turmoil within. They would be there soon.

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The wind was blowing from behind them, rendering Inuyasha incapable of detecting anything before them. That was why Kagome was the first to know that Kouga was ne. A . A familiar tingling sensation tugged at her mind. The miko gasped audibly and tightened her grip upon her mate's shoulders. Inuyasha immediately slowed to almost a stop when he sensed her distress.

"Kagome?" he questioned tentatively.

Kagome turned her head slightly to the side and gazed out into the woods. Then she returned her eyes to meet Inuyasha's worried stare. One word was all that she needed to utter.

"Kouga..." she whispered.

Inuyasha growled ferociously. How dare that wolf be so audacious as to come to HIS domain! Especially after what he did to HIS mate. Unconsciously Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and lengthened his claws. It was time for that bastard to get what was coming to him. W
Without a word to Kagome, the hanyou took off in the direction that she had stared. Now that they were going in a slig dif different angle, the wind was not affecting his senses so drastically. The wolf youkai was close. Inuyasha smirked cruelly as rage boiled inside of him, all the wolf's proximity meant was that he was going to die a little sooner.

Kagome clung to Inuyasha for her life. She had no idea that he could go this fast. She buried her face into his hair, she knew that his eyes were probably flashing crimson now, just like they had been the day that he had fought the possessed Kouga. His youkai senses in rage were practically overwhelming Tetsusaiga's binding power upon them. They were threatening to break loose at any moment and Inuyasha's fury was still growing with each bound he made, coming closer and closer to his now sworn enemy.

It was only a minute or so before they reached Kouga. He was sitting on the ground, staring absently into a tree, as if by watching it intently he could make it move. Or so it appeared. But Kagome had the odd impression that he didn't even know the tree was there.
Inuyasha quickly, although somehow gently, dropped Kagome to the ground and unsheathed Tetsusaiga, which immediately transformed. Kagome could sense its quickened pulse from where she sat on the ground, straining to control Inuyasha's youkai side. The hanyou paid it no heed though.

"Kouga!" he snarled viciously.

Kouga however did not spare the enraged demon a glance. He instead allowed his eyes to fall upon Kagome's startled form. The scent of fear was drowning him.

Her fear.

Fear of him.

Inuyasha's snarls broke Kouga out of his temporary stupor. He knew that the hanyou was struggling to keep control. Trying with all his might to not rip the youkai prince before him apart in front of Kagome. He could tell that he was losing the internal battle.

Kouga stood slowly, making sure to keep from meeting Inuyasha crimson glare and averting his eyes from Kagoo aso as not to anger the hanyou further. Without a word he bent and slit open his right calf, pulling out the remaining shard, and then he opened his arm, taking out the last. Silently he placed them on the ground, still keeping his eyes down cast. This was his offering to show his apology towards Inuyasha. He knew that normally the price would be his life or the life of his own mate, but as he had a pack that depended on him and none of the latter, this would have to do. Then he took off his armortribtribute to Inuyasha's dominance, and laid his katana at the hanyou's feet to show that he would never again, in any way, attempt to harm Inuyasha or those of his 'pack.'

Not a word had been spoken.

Kouga slowly began to back away. His eyes on the ground the entire time. He didn't need to sniff the air now that they were here to affirm his earlier fears. He had smelled it when they were still miles away. Kagome's was Inuyasha's mate now. And she was still covered in tuskyusky scent of their coupling.

She was happy.

When Kouga was twenty feet away he stood upright to leave. He bowed once to Inuyasha, and then turned to Kagome. Slowing the bow a little more, he dared to raise his eyes to meet her own. For a brief second he met their eyes locked.

"I'm sorry Kagome..." he mouthed, not daring to speak the simple words allowed.

Then he turned and ran.

But before he did Kagome caught a glance of something glistening in the setting sun's last rays. She inhaled sharply at the sight. He had tears in his eyes.

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Shippo ran with all his might. He was fast for a kitsune his age, but he couldn't even run a quarter of the speed that Kouga could with his jewel shards. Thus when the fox smelled Kouga's blood on the wind, he rightfully assumed that Inuyasha had slaughtered him.

As he grew closer though, he could not sense a scent of death. The smell of Kouga's freshly spilt blood though grew stronger. Inuyasha must have been taking his time, wanting to cause as much pain as possible to the wolf before he allowed him to die. But still the death scent did not come.

Shippo finally reached the wooded area where they were. He wrinkled his nose for a moment in disgust as he caught a whiff of sex eminent on his mother and, he shuddered slightly as he had still not come to terms with it, father. So it took a couple seconds for the kitsune to notice Kouga backing away from them and the pile of his possessions laying on the ground before them.

Shippo caught his breath as he saw the shards, as well as Kouga's prized armor, laying in the heap. It was a very valuable offering. The pile was probably worth much more than the youkai's life. Shippo had seen Inuyasha's scarlet glare though and only hoped that all these items and their symbolic significance would be enough to abate the inu's rage for now, so that he would not lose control and go on a blood- lusting massacre.

Shippo's unspoken prayers were seemingly answered as Inuyasha's eyes flickered back to a normal amber a few times before finally remaining the slightly less subtle shade. He took this as his cue to run to his mother.

"OKAASAN!" a high pitched voice cried as a rusty ball of fur hurled through the clearing towards this distressed and confused girl, still sitting on the ground. Before the blur could reach its intended destination of Kagome's arms though Inuyasha caught it with a single hand.

Shippo tried not to tremble in fear as he gazed up into his father's stern eyes. What was Inuyasha going to do with him? Kagome also watched the scene that was unfolding before her, unsure if she should be worried about Shippo or just let Inuyasha do whatever. She didn't know yet that the kitsune now regarded Inuyasha as his father and Inuyasha, the kit as his pup, due to Kagome's mating with him. Instinct though told her that her kit would be alright.

Alright that is until Inuyasha flipped him over and rapped him sharply on the head.
Kagome felt all her hesitation drain away and her fear was replaced with anger as she jumped to her feet and stormed over to her mate.

"Inuyasha!" she began, preparing to yell his favorite word, but unable to do so until she was sure that her pup was safe. She reached out to snatch Shippo away from him but was stopped when suddenly Inuyasha made a shallow cut on the kit's forearm andimilimilar one on his own. Then he
touched them, allowing their blood to mingle.

Shippo and Inuyasha closed their eyes tightly at the uncomfortable feeling that was coursing through their veins. Kagome just stood dumbstruck. She had no idea what was going on but for some reason she could not bring herself to stop it. As quickly as it had begun, it ended. Shippd Ind Inuyasha slowly pulled apart, the cuts on their arms oozing thick blood, not the kind that should normally come from such a cut.

They were panting heavily. Kagome found herself running over to them and laying her hands on their shoulders. Somehow she knew that they were fine though and the wound was supposed to heal on its own so she made no move to heal them.

When they had at last caught their breath, Shippo stared at Inuyasha awestruck. He opened his small mouth as if to ask a question, but while it hung there, not a sound came out. Inuyasha smirked at him. "There! Now you can't play around with my possessive nature like that!" he said triumphantly as he handed Shippo to Kagome (He's referring to the events that lead to their argument in chapter 8). Sure enough Inuyasha didn't growl when Shippo began to snuggle closer and closer to Kagome's chest. The kitsune looked like he had just had his favorite toy taken away from him.

Kagome on the other hand was bewildered, What had they just done. For some reason she was proud of them, but she had no idea what had occurred. Finally curiosity won her over. "Inuyasha? What did you do?" she asked slowly.

Inuyasha looked at her for a moment as of she was stupid but when she shot him a malignant glare he seemed to remember something. "I claimed Shippo as my pup." he announced to her, looking a little smug that he had been able to do so. Shippo, despite the fact that he thought of Inuyasha as less than father material, was beaming. He was thrilled that now he had a mother and a father! A father who he respected and even grudgingly loved no less. He was not going to let Inuyasha know that though.

"Okaasan...!" he whined. "Why'd you have to pick Inuyasha!" he cried trying his best to sound like it was the worst thing on the world. Kagome laughed, she could see how happy the kitsune really was. Inuyasha could too but decided to just "Feh." and look away with his arms crossed. Shippo did his best imitation of an Inuyasha and, smirking, "Feh"d and crossed his arms, turning his head in the other direction.

Kagome burst out laughing.

The boys turned to each other and scowled. Shippo stuck out his tongue and Inuyasha began to chase him, shouting curses at the kitsune as he used illusions to evade the faster hanyou. Kagome leaned against a tree and laughed softly. She could tell right away that this was going to be an interesting family, but one that she would always love with all her heart.

After a couple minutes of watching though she rolled her eyes. Enough was enough. She went over to the pile of Kouga's possessions and with a sad look on her face picked up the two shards. She fused them with the others that hung around her neck and then picked up the katana and armor. Sighing as she turned she sat Inuyasha to break up the fight with Shippo and held out her free arm to the kitsune.

When Inuyasha's subduing spell finally wore off she and Shippo mounted his back.
"Now lets see if we can make it to the village without anymore distractions." Kagome said. "Okay?"

Both the youkai nodded in agreement and they were off.

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Author's note:
Okay I know that this just got really awful towards the end but I had a sudden mood swing and just didn't feel like writing it well. I just wanted to get it over with. I may go back and improve it later but for right now this is fine. It gets the important details across and that's all that I wanted.


PEOPLE! I AM SERIOUS! IF YOU DON'T REVIEW...I WON'T UPDATE! Thank you though to those of you who did review! ^_^