InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Another Opens... ❯ The Hunt part 2 ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Another Opens...part two of ‘When a Door Closes...’

By Namiyo11

Chapter 1- The Hunt part 2
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Recap: Shocking events have occurred. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha are packmates. Kouga has escaped Ayami’s traps, and is even now running to bring Kagome, and by extension, her allies, to his territory to defeat the female wolf youkai, and take Kagome as mate afterwards. What happens now? Read on!
Kouga and his loyal ones paused to rest. No choice. A few hours...and they were off again. The wolf kept wishing for his shards back. He felt slow and sluggish without them even now, months after giving them to Kagome to finish Naraku, before he had to return to his people when word had reached him his place was challenged after his absences. Now, when they’d need all the boost they could get as they blew through into Inu territory...he missed them. Kouga could afford no delays.
It was almost a relief to encounter the lesser Inu youkai on sentry not far from the border between Inu and Lynx lands though, and having to dodge the first line of them. Inu were active, as he’d bet. That he’d give them credit on, but canines were tough. Even the domestic ones.
One of the massive Inu went running to his pack leader, breaking off from the watchers. After learning what was on his border, a plan was quickly put into action. Kouga himself, sighted with only two lesser wolves...unexpected. An opportunity. Or a precursor. He was a rather hands-on sort. Either way-Lord Yotogi had a duty here.
“Koumyou,” he greeted the black brindled lesser Inu he’d chosen with a fond scruffle. Koumyou howled his greeting, his wedge shaped head turned up to regard him. This one was one of the bravest. Determined, loyal. The Clan’s lesser youkai cousins were larger than normal Inu...smarter, faster, with the strong pack instincts and loyalty of their mortal counterparts. Not all packs used them. In their territory, they were indispensable partners though. And at times like this, he was grateful for them.

Koumyou would find them. Give the warning. If the wolves were coming, in force with Dokueki as suspected, if this was the invasion and assault begun...it might be the only word to survive the pack. Their job-would be to warn, delay and give the rest of the Clan time to prepare and defend. His pack knew this, and would act as one to serve the Clan, no matter the cost. Honor demanded no less from them. The Inu Clan had honor, as a monk had observed, a prickly honor, but honor nonetheless. Bravery was a trait of theirs...
“Sesshomaru. Supreme pack leader, find him, or find his packmate. Deliver this, and return,” he told the Inu, placing a hastily written scroll around his neck with their pack symbol...and there was a protest.
Leaving when the pack was endangered went against their nature.
“Go!” Yotogi growled, showing dominance. He was pack leader here, master. The big Inu...obeyed. Yotogi didn’t watch as he left, but turned towards his packmates.

“Ready yourselves. We move now,” he ordered, and his people grimly did as he bid them.
They would place their ambush...and do what they could, lure them in. And take as many with them as possible in the worst case scenario. He turned into a full Inu...and led them out from the holding Yotogi wasn’t sure he’d see again.
***
Kouga and the others ran on. They were deep into the Inu lands, and assumed it was as usual. They would be permitted passage after Yotogi came and questioned them...if he caught them. Wolves didn’t take Inu seriously. Domesticated, the lot of them. Weak and human-like.
They made a mistake thinking that.
The second, unexpected line of lesser Inu, farther in...didn’t back off. Were coursing them. Yotogi’s pets...growling challenge.
“Alright mutts, we’re heading through, don’t try and stop us,” he told them, making a fist as they were brought to bay in a small clearing. The Goraishi would make quick work of them...
Until the wind shifted. Until the unpleasant sensation of being suddenly aimed at made his spine prickle.
“Never call Inu mutts...Lord Kouga,” Yotogi commented, as his packmates held drawn bows trained on the wolves from their vantage in the trees and behind cover. Kouga stared at the full Inu who looked at him coldly, the fighters at his back, who lacked Yotogi‘s ability to change form. He’d never thought much of Yotogi. Clever maybe, but not the sort to stand and fight. But this Yotogi-was radiating enough menace to make his jaw tighten, along with his fist. Damn it. He only had two of his own at his back. He smelled the smoldering of suddenly lit firepots, filled with hot coals, along with anger, fear, and dozens of Inu. All hidden, downwind and ready to strike! Ambush! Why now?? Bluff, he decided.
“Get out of my way! I’ve got business, and not with you. We’re passing through. That’s it, and don’t get in our way,” Kouga said, teeth baring as Hakkaku and Ginta moved slightly to ready themselves to fight...and watched unhappily as several bowmen shifted aim to follow.
Bows with traditional hi-ya, the non magical kind, were somewhat effective against Dokueki...even if they weren’t the now legendary Hamayami, able to take them with a few shots, to provide protection with the barriers usually reserved for a youkai’s traditional opponents, Monks and Priests of various sorts. Enough of them, with harriers, and fewer Inu had to risk their lives to slay the youkai serpents. But there were wounded and some were lost in nearly every engagement without the support of the premier pack. Every Inu there had lost packmates...kindred. Friends and family. Reared orphaned young and comforted bereft mates during the cruel winter and spring after the Dokueki had come. There was no mercy in their eyes. They’d come ready for proverbial bear...and treed a deer instead. Easy pickings. Inu weren’t scavengers, but they didn’t turn away an easy hunt.
“No wolf crosses my lands these days. Scavengers! Keepers of Naraku’s trash! He, at least, was honest in his darkness,” Yotogi spat, no mean trick in his natural form, rage in his eyes as he lifted his head to give the signal to fire.

“What the hell are you talking about, Yotogi?! You’re crazy!” Kouga gaped, shocked. The Inu saw it...shock that cracked the armor of impassive concealment a leader learned to don.
Yotogi’s curiosity. His need to know things...saved the wolves in that moment. He wanted to hear this...but his eye and nose were trained on the low wolves. They’d tell him what he needed to know. Kouga was a leader, he’d show nothing he didn’t wish seen, but the two low ones were readable. And Yotogi prided himself on his ability to read such things.
“You deny you work with Naraku's serpent Dokueki? Amusing, if it weren’t pathetic. I’d thought more of you, Kouga. Die with dignity at least.” Kouga was outraged.

“WORK WITH THEM??” the ambushers were confused at the reactions. Wolves, in their experience, didn’t all yell the same thing at the same time...and in the exact same tone of moral outrage. Wolves had no morals, no honor. Scavengers fit only for weak prey. The bows didn’t waver.


“You’re crazy!” Hakkaku managed, as Ginta nearly fell over in shocked horror.

“We fight those-Dokueki bastard spawn, Yotogi! Who the hell do you think-” Kouga started, and Yotogi cut him off. This was his land, he was asking the questions.

“Dokueki reeking of wolf, without fear or blood. No scouts or requests or aid sought. No signs of a wolf youkai anywhere, save with the creatures. Explain it, if you can,” he said with the look of someone who was sure they had their prey cornered...and was toying with it. Sesshomaru would wish to know the causes, needed every scrap of knowledge...if nothing else, he had to delay them. There was no sign of Dokueki or more wolves with them, but they could’ve been scouting, he had to consider that. Keep them in play as long as he could...he had to.

“You idiots!! You dare question me and accuse us? I take this up with Sesshomaru alone! You want a war, Inu? Keep spreading these lies, and you’ll get one!” he growled. 'A war they couldn’t afford', said a little voice in his head.

“What lies? You are the fool.” At that...Kouga did the same thing Yotogi did, eyeing the lower ranked Inu with him...and he didn’t like what he was seeing. They really thought his people were doing this. And there was enough weaponry trained on them at the moment to turn them into charred mush.
“You fell for her damned tricks! It’s not me, it’s not our packs! It’s Ayami. She’s the enemy.”

“Blame your mate? Pathetic indeed,” Yotogi snarled, and Kouga spat.

“MATE?? What are you people playing at?” he choked. Kouga knew he was dealing with madmen now...and no wolf likes to be cornered. They had no intention of listening. This pack was poised to spring, on their leader’s order or not. An Inu would likely stand and fight-but they weren’t Inu. Wolves were opportunistic, pragmatic hunters...not guards. Wolves had honor...but not the same stubborn sort as Inu.
He gave his packmates a signal. They broke and ran for it. Arrows thudded into the ground and smoldered as they fled, there was a yelp from Ginta as one landed in his shoulder. Another whistled past Kouga’s head, and he used the Gorashi. Lesser ones went down, never to rise, as did a few of the others as they broke for it, Wolves were fast, durable runners...and they had to try.
Yotogi loped after, pacing them with the lesser ones while his pack held position, awaiting the Dokueki they were sure were coming. Some of their brethren were already combing for markers and scent trails warning of any more of the enemy along the border, but this was his prey now. But he’d run to his Lord’s keep and back in the last few days, he was weary, and even youkai had limits. Inu didn’t run like Wolves did.


He managed to harry them nearly to the edge of his territory before he collapsed in exhaustion. Yotogi wasn’t Lord Inutaisho, or Sesshomaru in the days before his arm was lost, able to run such distances easily...and his weary loyal inu crowded around their pack leader. The Wolves escaped, one wounded, but loose...he’d failed. All he could do now was close the trap behind them, raise the alert. Hope Koumyou reached help in time. Hope Kouga-told the truth. The kind of youkai that rose to lead packs...didn't enjoy the sensation of having to hope.
In many ways...Kouga wished for the same thing. He had to reach help, and fast. Ginta was hurt, and they couldn’t afford to stop and tend it the right way. The wolf had pulled it free, and was in pain, it bled and had to be staunched to keep from leaving too much of a trail, but they dared not leave him behind. Time to set priorities.

Kagome first, he decided. She was likely their only ally now, and had her strange medicines. Fire arrows would leave a bad injury, he knew it, and couldn’t afford to take any loss for granted these days. Especially Ginta. Then Sesshomaru. The Inu would pay for their actions...for the insults, for the lies. He’d start at the top and carve his way down. Yotogi had clearly fallen for her tricks, and he’d thought the Inu smarter than that. It didn't bode well for the trip home...
Then Ayami.
Ayami...she had another crime on her soul. Wasn’t it enough she’d turned on her own kind? As he ran, he saw the shape of her plan, or at least the shadowed corners of it, and shivered as some of the seeming contradictions came together. The bitch had learned too well from Naraku. Time was running out. All his hopes had to rest on the shoulders of his woman...and her group. He hated that fact.
As for Koumyou...he ran, following a faint scent trail to the keep, then he would make contact and head out to find his quarry as usual. He'd find them...or break his heart trying.
Author’s notes- Short chapter, I know! My apologies. Things heat up again soon. A couple of notes on the lesser Inu. It seems logical to me to have some sort of Inu youkai that weren’t the same as the more human-like ones, much like the wolves all around Kouga and company, so I invented some. I know there’s no intimation that the wolves are say...youkai of some sort, but why not? How better to send messages, or guard a region, or hunt? Working dogs with a twist. They’re based loosely on the real life Kai Inu, the native Japanese breed also once called a Deerhound. Gotta love the internet. Mine are larger, smarter, but with the same appearance, strong pack instinct and some of the same habits. Koumyou means clever, a good name for a dog I think. Thanks for reading!-Namiyo