InuYasha Fan Fiction / Wolf's Rain Fan Fiction ❯ Promises Under the Moon ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

Promises Under the Moon

Chapter Two

Tsume could feel his abdominal muscles clenching. The smell of the food in the bag on his shoulder was driving him insane, but he would wait to eat until he could share with the rest of his pack.

Unlike Hige he would never eat before the rest of his pack. That was simply the way things were. You were equal within the pack and never took advantage of the trust inherent with such a group.

"We could take a break and you could put something into that angry stomach of yours," Kagome suggested with slight smirk lifting the corner of mouth.

Tsume cast her an annoyed glare but kept walking. Just because a human couldn't ignore the pains of hunger or mortality didn't mean that a wolf couldn't. He was better than that. A little hunger would not delay his return to his family.

The silence that followed between the two was a refreshing change for Tsume when the human didn't press the issue of eating. She had accepting his choice and moved on. His unlikely pack was composed of some rather loud mouthed, constantly yakking individuals. This human miko was at least able to hold her tongue.

However, as much as Tsume hated to be the one to break the silence and change his mind he could foresee no alternative. He had no desire to appear weak, but it had been nearly a week since his last meal.

He was a strong wolf, but even the strongest of characters had to know their own limitations. "We will rest here and for a few moments. I know your weak human body can not endure the same that my superior species can." Tsume replied. He walked to a nearby bench in the park that they were passing through.

Soon they would be outside of the realm of normal civilization and on the journey for the Holy Grail so to speak for wolf kind. He removed some of the bread and a few slices of ham from the bag on his shoulder. The food was amazing and he closed his eyes to fully enjoy the taste.

He was so overwhelmed by the sensation of having something tangible in his stomach that he failed to register that the human woman had sat beside him on the bench. "It's beautiful isn't it?" Kagome began conversationally.

Tsume opened his eyes slowly and tried to follow her gaze. She was staring at the rising sun. He shrugged and continued to indulge himself in his make-shift sandwich. He would only eat a small portion. His pack members would understand. "It happens every morning."

Kagome sighed sadly and shook her head at her mysterious companion. "It may happen every day but do you take the time to enjoy and appreciate it?"

Tsume shrugged as he closed back up the bag with the perishable goods. "Life is too short to waste watching the sun rise. It is a certainty that doesn't need to be witnessed. Whether you see it with your own eyes the sun will still rise."

Kagome stood as well, a frown etched across her features. "Are you saying that you fail to see the point of enjoying something if it is a certainty? Where does that lead you in enjoying something is uncertain?"

"I don't have time to waste talking philosophy with you human," Tsume snapped as he began leading the way away from the park. His brothers were close now. Perhaps another forty minutes of brisk walking would reunite them.

"Do you make time to enjoy anything in life?" Kagome asked, a little more gently this time.

Tsume stopped walking and if Kagome hadn't been paying more attention would have walked past him. He turned to her, a serious expression on his face. "I have spent my entire life just trying to survive, seeking to have fun has never really been a priority when I had to think of where I was going sleep the next day or eat the next day."

Kagome nodded her head and kept walking, Tsume walked alongside her as they continued one their way. "That's not a healthy lifestyle. You're going to have to learn how to live your life properly. If you don't then your life will not be worth living." Kagome explained to him wisely.

Tsume was stunned by the sound of ancient wisdom in her tones.

"Woman, do you really know where Paradise is?" Tsume asked, keeping his eyes straight in front of him and doing an upstanding performance of acting his usual nonchalant self.

Kagome fought the nostalgic sense within her that wanted to smile warmly at the wolf male beside her. His attitude was a cross between her dear friend Inuyasha with his harsh quality and Sesshoumaru with his superiority complex. "Why? Are you afraid of the uncertainty that will haunt you if you place your trust in me?"

He paused and ran her words through his mind before replying. Without looking at her and walking much faster, hoping to end the trek as soon as possible he replied. "I trust no one."

"Then perhaps when this is all said and done you will learn how to trust." Kagome replied completely undeterred with his demeanor. She kept pace with him easily enough. He was actually rather slow compared to her Kouga-kun. Granted, most times that she traveled with Kouga he was holding her in his arms.

Remembering how the wolf prince could never seem to get enough at her, Kagome's eyes lit up with a spark of warmth and love. A solitaire tear leaked from her eye and trailed down her cheek.

Tsume could smell the salt. His frustration was mounting. As if dealing the Toboe who constantly attacked his self-preserving attitudes wasn't enough now this miko was doing so and at a much great level of intensity. She didn't have the innocent optimism that the young wolf had. No, Kagome had the optimism of one who had lost everything and yet still found joy. He was baffled. "What's wrong with you now?" Tsume demanded.

Kagome tried to gather her thoughts. She was actually surprised that the white haired man asked such a question. He seemed more of the type to ignore others when they were suffering unless it directly affected him.

"I was just wondering what you knew about Kouga. I haven't seen him in a long time and I haven't heard anything from him since I've returned, unless you count the message engraved in the tree." Kagome replied.

Tsume could see the outline of his camp in the distance. They were about ten minutes away from the destination now. "He is the king of wolves and the leader of Paradise. That is assuming Paradise actually exists." He replied.

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"Do you think he'll be back soon?" The innocent voice of Toboe asked his pack. He had not been able to sleep. Tsume was the closest thing he had to a father and whenever he wasn't around he was always afraid that he wouldn't return.

The prospect of being abandoned did not sit well the youth. His amethyst eyes watered at the idea of losing his quazi-guardian. If it hadn't been for Tsume then the red wolf would have simply led an existence as some sort of pet. He was no dog. Tsume had taught him that.

Hige's stomach growled deeply. "Stop worrying. He said he'd back. Besides he probably just got delayed trying to find out about that stupid rumor you told him about. So if he's late it's your fault." Hunger always made Hige's teasing of the younger boy worst. He was such an easy target and made things more tolerable.

"Stop it both of you." Kiba told them, cerulean eyes flashing in aggravation. He had been pacing for hours now. Cheza was sleeping soundly and his empty stomach was preventing him from even attempting to find slumber.

"Do you think he'll come back?" Toboe asked in a quiet voice.

Hige rolled his amber eyes. "Stop your belly aching. He could have left your sorry ass countless times but he's always come back before."

Toboe suddenly sat up from his position on the thick carpet of grass and took off from camp. Kiba watched him detachedly he sensed Tsume's return along with that of a powerful female. Perhaps there was some truth to the rumors.

A sense of hope snaked its way into Kiba's heart. He had always dreamed of finding Paradise. It had been the one objective in his life that kept him going. Without that dream he would have no purpose and would wander aimlessly in the thick of the forests with some of the other wolves who had lost their sense of selves and succumbed to the base animalistic instincts.

Kiba was now leader of his own make-shift pack. He had always been a loner but now he was a member of a family. They depended on him and trusted him. He didn't want to disappoint them or himself. His gaze fell upon Cheza. It was both a blessing and a curse that she had entered his life. She helped keep their pack together, serving as a glue to keep the different personalities from destroying one another.

Kiba was no fool. He knew the nature of her existence. A flower-maiden has but a short lifespan. He could see it with his own eyes, she was withering before him slowly but surely.

"Where is he going?" Hige asked, distracting Kiba from his musings.

"It would appear that Tsume has returned with food and a friend," Kiba's soft spoken words replied.

Toboe ran as quickly as he possibly could. His run took the form of his four legged wolf morphology. He skidded to a halt in front of Tsume and a strange woman. She was looking at him with such kindness as she reached down and scratched him behind his ears.

The pup tilted his head under the sensations. This was what he loved about living as a pet. He needed affection and he certainly wouldn't be getting it from any of the individuals he generally associated with.

Tsume's hand reached out and grabbed Kagome's wrist. His fingers encircles her delicate bones as he pulled her hand away from the young wolf who was embarrassing himself with his blissful whimperings.

"He is not some dog for you to pet." Tsume admonished as he dropped her wrist as if burned by the contact with her.

Kagome frowned at him. "Of course he's not a dog, but he didn't seem to mind the attention." Her frown intensified before a knowing smirk replaced it. Tsume didn't like the look she was giving him. "Jealous?"

Toboe watched the exchange in fascination. He had never seen anyone other than Kiba stand up to Tsume. This strange woman seemed to be doing a good job of it though.

"Who are you?" Toboe asked as he allowed his humanoid appearance to dominate.

Kagome looked at the young boy and felt another familiar pang in her chest. He reminded her of Shippo with that blazing red hair and innocent wide eyes. She wondered if he was as obsessed with candy as her kitsune. "I am Kagome, the one your wolf friends told you about."

Toboe's face broke into a wide smile. "You're going to help us find Paradise?"

Kagome nodded and was surprised when the little wolf wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her stomach as he squeezed her as tight as he could. "Thank you," he whispered. He just knew that this woman would keep his family together.

Kagome rest her hand upon the boy's back, between his shoulder blades gently. Tsume was frowning at them both but didn't comment. "What's your name and could you guide us back to the camp?"

Toboe brightened and nodded his head. "I'm Toboe, follow me!" Eagerly he led the pair back to the others. He could smell the food Tsume carried but the excitement of meeting Kagome took precedence over such a mundane thing as food.

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His fist shattered the rocky interface that was before him. His frustration was mounting like never before. He knew five centuries had passed. All the times before he had foolishly hoped she would return to him sooner.

But he knew for certain that this was her time. Inuyasha had shared with him everything he could remember about her time after she had left them. The two of them had formed a bond at the loss of the one they both loved.

In the end, Inuyasha bore Kouga no ill will. He was glad that Kagome could have an untainted love such as the wolf's. Inuyasha's own love for her would forever have a shadow cast over it from his former relationship with her incarnate.

Kouga was bored out of his mind. It was fun to be the King of Wolves. But, it wasn't fun when you didn't have a queen to vent to and his advisors were only good to certain extent.

What Kouga longed for was someone he could confide in while the massaged his back. He wanted someone he could curl his tail around and hold to against his heart as he slept. He wanted to have someone he would dream about and then wake up with the object of that dream in his arms.

That someone had a name.

Kouga had never been a patient individual. His speed was a testament to that aspect of his personality. He was constantly rushing into things. He didn't care to wait around. But for her he would wait forever. He practically had.

The last two centuries had been especially difficult. The elders of his tribes had been on his case trying to push their granddaughters at him to mate. He adamantly refused. To say they were not pleased would be an understatement.

Another boulder was crushed under the impact of his fist. He watched in fascination as the blood caused from the jagged edges of rock ripping into his flesh healed over. If only the longing in his heart and very soul could be soothed away so easily.

He didn't want to wait for her to find him.

Kouga shattered another stone before making his decision.

Whether his subjects liked it or not he was going to find his mate. He had waited five centuries but he didn't think he could last another month at this rate.

He was the king after all so it wasn't like any one could stop him.

TBC

A/N WoW! The response for this story is astounding. I really had no idea I would capture so much interest with this plot. Kouga is my favorite character from IY so have no fear that I would ever make him unhappy in a fiction. Tsume is my favorite character in WR. I'll do my best to keep everyone in character so the development of this fic will really revolve around my interpretation on how everyone would react to one another and the various situations.

I have lots of stories going on, but if you review for the rest of this fiction like you did for the first chapter this story will come to you much faster!

Happy 4th of July!