How.

That was all the young hanyou could think.

Inuyasha sat on the edge of a spring of water, staring at himself in confusion.

Except it wasn't the "self" he had grown accustom to seeing. It was his other self, the self that was only supposed to appear during the night of a new moon.

"So why now?" Inuyasha tugged at his ebony hair, as if it would fall off, and reveal his normal white locks.

Inuyasha stood, backing away from his reflection before shaking his head and stomping away in an angry confusion. "I don't understand!"

Inuyasha stormed into the village, the villagers staring at him, unfamiliar with his new appearance. He stopped in front of Lady Kaede's house. After letting out a loud, agitated sigh he walked inside.

"Kaede!" Inuyasha called, looking around for the miko.

The elderly woman looked up at Inuyasha from her place on the floor where she was grounding herbs, her one eye widening in surprise, "That you Inuyasha?"

"Damn right it's me." Inuyasha growled, plopping down with his legs crossed, "I need your help."

"Would it be about why ye look like a human?" Kaede guessed, turning to face the now raven haired man.

"I would have guessed that was obvious." He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms in an irritated manner.

"When did this happen?" The miko asked curiously, her eyes looking over Inuyasha uncertainly.

"Got me." The hanyou huffed, "Was feeling funny for the past week. Then I wake up to find myself looking like this!" Inuyasha pointed at himself in disgust.

"Strange…" Kaede mumbled, standing up and traveling over to Inuaysha, "Ye think it has anything to do with Kagome leaving?"

Inuyasha felt a pang of grief in his chest, remembering how the girl had left after the defeated Naraku. It had been months, and still no sign of her returning.

"You know what…" Inuyasha sighed, rubbing his head not wanting to talk about that topic, "I'll figure it out myself."

Kaede watched as Inuyasha stood to leave, worriedly she asked, "Are ye sure?"

"Positive." Without another word he left, contemplating what could have caused such a change in his body.

Sure, he had been feeling off for the past week. As if his strength was slowly draining away. He had assumed it was because he might have been getting a cold or maybe it was the sudden lack of traveling and fighting.

But this? Never would he have guessed this would happen…He suddenly felt venerable, defenseless, and weak.

He shook himself of that though, hating the idea of being "weak". He looked around, becoming aware of his surroundings; he was at the spring again. He looked down, his reflection stared back at him through the crystal clear water. "Not mine…" He thought with a glare, kicking sand and rubble into the water, distorting his reflection.

When the water cleared he gasped. Not only did he see his own reflection, but someone else's as well.

Inuyasha spun around, glaring at the demon standing before him.

"Kouga." Inuyasha growled.

Kouga cocked his head to the side curiously, "How do you know me?"

"Don't play dumb mongrel!" Inuyasha snapped, cracking his hand before realizing that his de-clawed fingers would serve him little good against the wolf demon leader.

Kouga's eyes widened, "Inuyasha?" He stared at Inuyasha for a moment before his face broke out in a smirk, seeming to understand.

"Wipe that look off your face before I do it for you, flea bag." Inuyasha snarled inching sideways.

Kouga scoffed, "Like you could do anything in that state pup."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to retort but closed it, realizing he could say little in his defense. Instead he settled for a glare that could have sent any demon to his knees. But not this one, not Kouga.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha growled, steeping around Kouga, not liking the feel of water behind him and a demon in front.

The wolf leader followed him with his eyes, his smirk widening, "I was just hunting."

"So why bother with me then?" Inuyasha challenged.

Kouga shrugged, walking towards Inuyasha, "Thought you were a woman."

"I do not look like a woman!" Inuyasha barked angrily. To his irritation, he stepped back reflexively at Kouga's sudden approach.

Kouga grinned wider as he continued his advance, feeling the sudden dominance he had over the now human hanyou, "Are you scared, Inuyasha?"

"No." Inuyasha said with a small note of uncertainty. He glanced behind him as his back bumped up against a tree. When turned to face Kouga again, the demon was only a few inches away, his face inclined awfully close.

"Are you sure?" Kouga snickered, as Inuyasha's eyes widened in fear.

"Y-yes…" Inuyasha put his hands on Kouga's chest, pushing him back with all his strength. "Back off."

Kouga barely moved, before he grabbed Inuyasha's wrists, pinning them against the tree, "You should be afraid." Kouga chuckled, while Inuyasha tried to pull free.

"Let go bastard!" Inuyasha thrashed around, trying to free himself from Kouga's iron grip.

When Inuyasha felt Kouga's teeth at his throat, he froze his heart beat escalating in fear that he refused to show on his face.

Kouga chuckled darkly, closing his mouth then brushing his tongue against Inuyasha's neck, "You are afraid." Kouga pulled away, letting Inuyasha's wrists go, and then looked down at him with a knowing expression, "And I have a hunch as to why you became human."

Inuyasha grabbed the front of Kouga's shirt angrily, "Tell me right now!"

Kouga shrugged, playing with a strand of Inuyasha's hair, which Inuyasha noticed was no longer black but white. He released Kouga and ran back to the water.

His eyes widened. He was normal again. White hair, yellow eyes, dog ears, the whole package. But then right before his eye's he returned to his human form. The hanyou looked back at Kouga in amazement "…How?"

Kouga shrugged, "It's just a hunch, but maybe your demon blood probably went into hibernation. Not being needed after so much time of constant use, and shut down. Not feeling any threats. Not feeling any other demons."

"So…" Inuyasha mumbled, his brow creasing, "You're the reason?"

"Maybe." Kouga shrugged with a smirk, "Maybe it was just my threatening you. But it was an empty threat, so it's possible it wasn't enough to permanently awaken your demon side."

Inuyasha stared at the demon leader, crossing his arms under his sleeves as he thought.

"Inuyasha…" Kouga whispered standing in front of the hanyou once again. Inuyasha jumped in surprise, as Kouga grabbed his arms pulling him flush against his chest.

"What the hell!" Inuyasha growled shoving at Kouga.

"I can't stay now…but I'll be coming to check up on you. To see if my theory was correct." Kouga whispered in Inuyasha's ear, before releasing him abruptly and running off into the forest.

Inuyasha stared after the man in confusion, before beginning his return to the village, muttering something along the lines of "stupid wolf."