"In simple terms, when you mated with Inuyasha and he bit you, he released some of himself into you, Kagome." Kaede explained. "Marking you as his mate means that you two became one, and, in your case, becoming one meant absorbing some of his demonic power."

"But did I have to get ears?" I sighed, touching them for the fiftieth time. "They're cute and everything, but what will people think?"

"Of all the things to worry about, you choose to worry about freaking ears?" Inuyasha fumed. "I'd be more concerned with the fact that now you're a half demon and less concerned with what you look like."

"Well, it is rather different Inuyasha," Sango interjected, reaching over to touch Kagome's ears. "I mean, it's something she'll have to get used to."

"Yeah Inuyasha, you could try to be a little more sympathetic. It's not like I was informed that this was going to happen," I said, glaring at him.

"Don't look at me! It's not like I was aware of this either," Inuyasha said, glaring back. "Had I known I would've warned you." He quieted, lowering his head until his bangs covered his eyes.

"Inuyasha," I said quietly, getting up and moving next to him. "I would have said yes anyway," I smiled, resting my head on his chest.

"Either way, the two of ya are bonded together," Kaede said, while Inuyasha slid a hand around my waist. "Together until the day he dies."

"Inuyasha, stop yelling! It's not gonna make me get the hang of this any faster!" I fumed as I tried to jump from tree limb to tree limb. I stopped, kneeling on a limb.

"You're not concentrating enough! You're more focused on how pretty the tree is than jumping to it!" He bellowed, landing next to me.

"Well, this is harder than it looks," I gulped, looking down. "I could slip and die you know!" I gripped the tree branch.

"I'm not gonna let you die," he said, rolling his eyes. "If you've lived this long battling demons, then you're not gonna die falling out of some dumb tree."

"You'll catch me if I fall?" I asked, looking him the eyes.

"I promise; I'll catch you if you fall."

"Okay." I took a deep breath and closed my eyes like he instructed.

Just think about where you want go and your surroundings. Let your instincts tell you where to land. Listen to everything, the wind, the leaves, anything that moves. Smell the air. Pick up all the different scents. Then, when everything flows, just…jump!

I threw myself forward with my new strength. Everything felt like it was going in slow motion. I felt the wind swirling and blowing around me. I could hear the birds flying, the leaves blowing; I could even hear Inuyasha's intake of breaths as I jumped. I could smell the wood of the tree getting stronger as I got closer.

My eyes flew open and I gracefully landed on the tree branch with a small thud. Standing up, I turned around and smiled at Inuyasha 15 feet away.

"You coming?" I asked playfully, turning around and taking another jump.

"Hmph, one little jump and she thinks she's a professional," he muttered under his breath before jumping on my previous tree branch and following me deeper into the forest.

"Mmmm, that was the best ramen yet Kagome!" Inuyasha exclaimed, resting against a rock and placing his hands on his stomach.

Sighing, I shook my head, "I don't understand why you like the ramen over my cooking. It's just noodles mixed with hot water, nothing special."

"Well whatever it is, it's the best!"

"Oh, Inuyasha," I sighed picking up the bowls and placing them by the fire.

"Kagome, come lay with me," he said, holding out his arm for me.

"Okay," I answered, quietly crawling to him and settling myself in the crook of his arm. Lying there, we both stared at the stars. I loved being this close to him; he was always so warm, being there made me feel safe. I could already feel my eyes getting heavy and my thoughts blurring. I started dozing off when Inuyasha whispered in my ear.

"I'm sorry Kagome."

"For what?" I asked rubbing my eyes and sitting up.

"For making you give everything up."

"You didn't make me give anything up," Confusion entered my mind. What does he think I gave up? I wondered tilting my head to look at him.

"You gave up your family for me... You gave up a normal life for me… You gave up looking human for me… How is that nothing?" He gazed into the sky. I carefully grabbed his face in my hands. Pulling his face down and making his eyes meet mine, I smiled.

"Inuyasha, that's nothing compared to having you for the rest of my life." Before he could respond, I covered his lips with mine, holding his face in place so he wouldn't pull away.

He almost instantly pressed his lips against mine and placed his hands on my lower back. Our tongues tangled together and our hands explored each others bodies. His hands found their way to my ass where he gave a couple of good squeezes, and then worked up to my thighs and stomach. One hand continued upward where it found its place on my breast.

My hands worked over his stomach, feeling his abs and then going up to his neck where I tangled my hands in his hair. I felt myself started to warm up and I could smell my own arousal. I could feel the heat from his swelling cock on my thighs. His scent was unbearably delicious. I never wanted someone so much before; I never wanted him so badly before. I pressed myself against him with everything I had and gripped his hair harder.

Just when I thought I was going to tear his clothes off with my claws, he pulled away.

"Kagome," he said, breathing heavily.

"Inuyasha?" I responded.

"We should go back to the hut," he said, smiling.