Ch.4
“Canis Lupus Flirtis”

Day 1

Inuyasha hadn’t slept all night. He just wasn’t able to sleep at night while he was trapped in the raccoon’s body. By morning, he was sound asleep. He didn’t know how he could possibly adjust to these odd hours. He tried waking up in the afternoon and staying awake until nightfall, slowly becoming diurnal again. His plan failed pathetically. As much as he hated to do it, he’d have to travel by night. Now, if only he knew where he was going…

The group traveled north. How they would make it 3000 miles in 7 days was unknown. Plentiku wasn’t much help either. She had no idea where she was going.

“Try using your nose.” Kagome suggested.

“What for?” Plentiku asked.

“To sniff around. You must know the scent of your own territory. And Inuyasha’s nose is really strong.”

Plentiku thought for a moment, then shrugged. “Whatever.”

She put her nose to the air and took a big whiff. The group waited eagerly.

“Well?” Sango asked. “Smell anything?”

“I smell…” Plentiku sniffed again. “I smell…wolf?”

The group exchanged looks.

“Wolf?” Everyone said at once.

Suddenly, a cyclone appeared from far away. It was among them within seconds. It dispersed, leaving Koga in its place.

“Hey, Kagome, my sweet. How are you today?”

“Umm…I’m okay, I guess.”

“You guess?” Koga turned to Inuyasha. “This mutt-face been upsetting you?”

Plentiku didn’t really notice that the insult was directed at her. Koga walked up to her.

“Hey! Didn’t you hear me, mutt? I asked you if you’ve been bothering my Kagome!”

Plentiku put her hands on her hips.

“I know you’re not talking to me like that!” She said angrily, gesticulating with her head.

Koga raised an eyebrow. He turned to Kagome. “Did you sit him a little too hard this morning, Kagome?”

Kagome sighed. “No. It’s really hard to explain, and we really don’t have the time.”

“Yeah!” Plentiku cut in. “So, beat it!”

Koga turned to yell at the obnoxious hanyou when he noticed Inuyasha’s eyes. They were brown. Koga gasped. He turned back to Kagome and grabbed her hands.

“Well, my love, I must cut this visit short. I assure you, you will see me again.” He stopped and turned back to Inuyasha. Koga smiled. “Very, very soon.”

“Uh-huh.” Kagome murmured.

Koga then looked at Inuyasha. “See ya around, mutt-face.”

That said, the wolf demon took off.

Plentiku rolled her eyes. “He’s worried about me being a mutt? He should be worrying about that furry skirt he’s wearing. Creepy.”

Koga smiled to himself as he ran through the forest.

I can’t believe this! Inuyasha is nowhere around! That body may have belonged to him, but it was definitely occupied by a woman! Oh, this is rich!

Ginta and Hakaku trotted through the woods, panting.

“Wait, Koga!” Ginta called out, exhausted.

“Forget it. He’s way too far ahead to hear us, now.” Hakaku sighed.

A whirlwind zoomed past them, knocking the two wolves into each other. Koga appeared on a tree branch above them. He seemed oddly happy.

“Umm…Koga? Are you alright?” Ginta asked.

“Oh, I’m better then alright!”

“What happened? Did you find Naraku?” Hakaku asked.

Koga shook his head. “Nope. Even better.”

By nightfall, Inuyasha was wide-awake. He knew now it was time to try to find his friends. Kiachi watched as Inuyasha tried to sneak out of the tree.

“Where are you going, Plentiku?”

“My name is not Plentiku, Dammit! My name is Inuyasha, and I’m going to go find my friends.”

Kiachi rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Bring me back a loaf of bread.”

Inuyasha growled. “I’m not coming back!”

Kiachi rolled over onto his stomach, facing Inuyasha. “What is your major malfunction today? You’re not yourself. On your period or something?”

Inuyasha growled. He wasn’t sure why, but he took that remark very offensively. Now he knew how Kagome felt.

“Leave me alone, rat-boy.” Inuyasha slid down the tree the rest of the way. He looked back up at Kiachi. “Hey, rodent. Which way is south?”

Kiachi jumped onto Inuyasha’s shoulder. “You’re really leaving? But, why?”

“I told you. I’m not who you think I am. I have to get back to my own body.”

Kiachi looked deep into Plentiku’s eyes. He gasped when he saw they were a golden amber color.

“You…you’re really not Plentiku.”

Inuyasha shook his head. Kiachi growled and slapped Inuyasha’s hands. He jumped on a tree stump.

“You pervert! You were molesting Plentiku! How dare you! Touch her again and I’ll…”

Inuyasha cocked his tail back and cracked Kiachi in the face, sending the woodrat flying into a tree.

“Make it easy for me and show me which direction south is! The sooner I find my friends, the sooner you’ll get Plentiku back.” Inuyasha shouted.

Kiachi grunted. “Fine. But it’s going to take us at least 3 weeks to get to them on foot.”

“Who cares? As long as I find them.”

Kiachi pointed over Inuyasha’s shoulder. “That way.” He said sadly.

Inuyasha turned and walked away. He stopped and looked at Kiachi.

“You coming or not, beaver?”

Kiachi growled and followed reluctantly.

Ginta and Hakaku sat quietly in a bush watching the group rest for the night.

“So, why are we here again?” Hakaku asked.

“Don’t you remember? Koga sent us to listen and see where they are going.”

“Oh, right. Why was that?”

Ginta rolled his eyes. “Don’t you ever pay attention? He wants to get to Inuyasha before they do. I’m not sure why, though.”

“Maybe he wants to use the girl’s body as a ransom to get Kagome?” Hakaku thought.

“Maybe. Shh…they’re talking.”

Kagome and Plentiku sat down away from the others. Plentiku sighed. She was a little tired. She’d been running back and forth into the forest to go to the bathroom. She rubbed her eyes.

“Oh, man. This guy has a bladder the size of a walnut. I can mark every tree we pass going east.” She said, flipping back Inuyasha’s hair. Kagome couldn’t help but giggle. It was weird to see Inuyasha act so girly. Even Ginta and Hakaku chuckled from the bush. Soon, Kagome’s curiosity got the better of her.

“So, you go to the bathroom a lot, huh?” She asked, touching the subject gently.

“Well, yeah.” Plentiku answered suspiciously.

Kagome looked at the ground and fiddled with a pebble. “So, you’ve probably seen it.”

“Yeah…of course.” Plentiku answered.

“Where is she going with this?” Ginta asked.

“I…I don’t know.” Hakaku mumbled.

Kagome nodded. She looked up at Plentiku with a very crude smile.

“Can I see it?”

Plentiku leapt up. “Kagome! That is, like, so lecherous!”

“Oh, come on.” Kagome pushed, licking her back teeth. “I’ve never seen one before.”

Plentiku looked around. “Well, okay.”

Hakaku and Ginta said nothing, but just sat in the bush, their jaws hanging open.