InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Batsu ❯ Revelations and New Worries ( Chapter 3 )

“W-what?” Kouga blinked in disbelief. Suddenly, he felt numb, like he'd just entered a bad dream.

 

“The hanyou is pregnant,” AoiAme repeated. They stared at each for several moments. Kouga felt his knees weakening but he refused to allow himself to fall. It couldn't be possible. Inuyasha was a male, a half-demon, born of a human mother, if rumours about him were true. His human blood should have made it so that he couldn't get pregnant. It just couldn't be possible.

 

Finally, Kouga found his voice and managed to squeak out, “How is that possible, AoiAme?”

 

“In all honesty?” she snapped, her voice lowering. “Because you violated him as punishment for a crime he didn't commit.”

 

“What?!”

 

“You heard me,” came her soft growl. “I'd explain it in detail to you but right now, I can't. I need to talk to the Council. Go in and sit with him. Touch him, though, and I swear I'll skin you alive, Kouga.”

 

Having said what she needed to, the healer breezed by him, leaving him standing there in shocked silence.

 

* * *

 

“Damn him!” Kagome fumed, her fists clenched to her sides. “Where could he have gotten off to?”

 

It had been several days since Inuyasha had chased after Naraku's poisonous insects, telling them to stay behind, and stating that it could possibly be a trap. He could handle it on his own. They'd let him go, expecting him to return. He was, after all, a half-demon and quite capable of taking care of himself. But that had been several days ago. The hanyou had not returned, as expected, and had caused their small group no small amount of concern. Then they'd found the remains of what appeared to be Naraku's castle. Dead bodies of wolf youkai littered the ground, dried blood everywhere, but there was no sign of Inuyasha. Shippou had crinkled his nose at the overwhelming stench of death.

 

At first, they had thought that Naraku had captured their friend, but, after a few hours of discussion, they ruled the possibility out. With the signs around the castle, there had been a fight but not with Naraku. Battles with Naraku ended up in complete annihilation of all life, both plant and animal. Grass, flowers, and tree still grew, and birds chirped. Whoever had battled the hanyou had probably ended up severely injured then retreated. Then Shippou had stated that a lot of the blood belonged to Inuyasha and had pointed to a trail of blood leading away from the castle. Somewhere out there, Inuyasha was injured.

 

`But he should have returned to us after that,' the young miko had tried to reason. `Was he hurt that seriously? If he was, then how was he able to leave the area? Did someone take him to care for him? Was it Kikyou?'

 

A thousand ideas played in her mind, and all of them came back to Kikyou. Kikyou had to have found him. She was the only one who would take care of the hanyou. Sesshomaru would have relished in his death, and gloated about how weak the half-demon was to even be injured that seriously.

 

Yet, Kagome couldn't exactly see Kikyou tending to the silver-haired male's wounds. She wanted to go to hell with her. His death would ensure that. But Inuyasha wouldn't let her drag him into hell. Not yet, anyway. Not until Naraku had been defeated.

 

Kagome let out a growl of frustration. Thinking in circles was getting her nowhere and she knew it. Once again, she vowed to herself to give Inuyasha the sitting of his life for making her and their friends worry like this. Then she glanced up, seeing Miroku and Sango ahead of her, the taijiya close to the ground in an effort to track the elusive hanyou. Kirara kept her nose to the ground, as did Shippou.

 

`Can't think like this,' she told herself. `We have to find Inuyasha first . . .'

 

She scurried after her friends to catch up, unaware of where Inuyasha's trail was leading them.

 

* * *

 

Naraku smirked as he watched the miko's frustration grow. Thanks to Kanna, another of his incarnations, and to his poisonous insects, he could watch anyone and everyone whenever he wanted to. The girl's frustration pleased him greatly, delicious ideas coming to him. If only she knew who Inuyasha had fought and what had happened to the hanyou. That was the show he really wanted to see, especially after Kagura had come back, bearing the news of what had transpired between Kouga and Inuyasha.

 

At first, when she'd come back unscathed and empty-handed, he'd been angry. Very angry. But ultimately she'd done the right thing by leaving when she did. Kouga had been more than enraged and crushed when she'd told him the truth. She'd seen it in his eyes, and he'd seen it when one of the insects had flown over the wolves' territory. With the sacred jewel shards still in his legs, he could still be manipulated by him, and Naraku knew it. However, in the meantime, he'd sit back and bide his time. Good things came to those who waited, after all. And he could wait. He had all the time in the world.

 

* * *

 

Kouga let out a weary sigh as he sat in AoiAme's cave. Guilt and remorse had once again yanked at his heart as he watched Inuyasha sleep, and he had to avert his eyes. The hanyou still cried out in his sleep, begging and pleading for him to stop, and proclaiming his innocence. Yet, there wasn't much Kouga could do for the hanyou while he slept, and he hated the helpless feeling that he had. If he could have taken it all back . . .

`But I can't,' he growled at himself. `There is no taking it back. No matter how much I wish for it.' His gazed settled on the hanyou once more.

 

Most of Inuyasha's physical injuries were still healing, the linens wrapped around his torso no longer staining crimson. His wrists were still bandaged, and there were still some visible scratches on his face, but they, too, would be healed in the next few days. The youkai blood that flowed through him would see to that. Nothing would heal the mental, emotional, and spiritual wounds Kouga had inflicted on the half-demon, though, and Kouga knew it. He'd been harsh, his rage having taken him to a whole different level of attack. All hanyous were sensitive about their mixed heritage, never asking to be born of ningen and youkai parents. Kouga knew that but had never really cared. Hanyous were both human and youkai yet neither, caught in some strange in-between state. To him, they were taints to any bloodline and weaklings, something to be eradicated.

 

Inuyasha, however, had been no weakling. Brash and arrogant, perhaps, but no weakling. Even with three jewel shards, Kouga had been hard-pressed to battle the hanyou, the only thing that allowed him to escape being the enhanced speed from the jewel shards . . . then he'd fallen into Naraku's trap. They'd both fallen into Naraku's trap. And it had resulted with Inuyasha in his current condition, and Kouga's position teetering on a very delicate blade.

 

`He didn't even try to fight back at full strength. Hell, he didn't try fighting back at all. He was on the defensive,' Kouga moaned as he thought back to their last fight and began to analyze Inuyasha's actions. `He knew more about what was going than what I did, but I didn't even bother to listen. I'm supposed to be the leader of my tribe, the reasonable one. He was more reasonable than what I was! I let my rage get the better of me . . . I broke him of his spirit, made it sound like he was beneath me . . . when it's really the other way around . . . Now his life's been destroyed even more, thanks to me. Kami, I'm such an idiot!'

 

There were still many things that Kouga didn't fully know or understand about the nature of youkai. He knew that, when a youkai or hanyou had been punished wrongly for a crime, their innocence was proclaimed by their tears. Their tears of blood. And they would continue to shed tears of blood until the wrong had been corrected. But a male becoming pregnant, especially a male, still baffled him. The older youkai understood it better than he did, and so did those who had been trained as healers. He needed AoiAme to return to explain it to him in more detail.

 

As he waited for the healer to return and thought about it, the cold realization hit Kouga. Inuyasha was pregnant. With his pups. He was going to be a father and he certainly didn't want to be. Sure, he had thought about it - he'd eventually need an heir to take his place someday - but he still considered pups to be a nuisance. They were not a responsibility he was ready for.

 

The scent of blood brought him out of his thoughts, and Kouga glanced at Inuyasha. Bloody tears streamed down the hanyou's cheeks, marking the deathly pale skin crimson. Quietly, he moved towards Inuyasha to wipe the tears away. If AoiAme wanted to skin him for that then he'd let her, but he wasn't about to allow his tribe to be attacked simply because a passing youkai smelled the blood of a hanyou. Grabbing a piece of linen, Kouga immersed it into some warm water then proceeded to wipe the hanyou's tears away.

`I'm going to be a father . . . Inuyasha's carrying my pups . . .' he then took a deep breath, his determination setting in. Those two facts had settled in. They were things he couldn't change. Just like he couldn't change the fact that he'd violated the half-demon. He knew it, his decision coming without a second thought. He wasn't one to shirk his responsibilities. Inuyasha was responsibility and so were the pups.

 

`I'll protect him. No matter what the Council decides, I'll protect him. It's my fault he's in this condition anyway. It's the least I can do for him.' He leaned over the hanyou, the warm cloth staining pink the moment it touched Inuyasha's cheek.

 

The moment Kouga touched him Inuyasha's eyes flew open. Letting out a terrified yelp, he immediately skittered away . . . or tried to at least. His wrists gave out on him, and sent him crashing back to the ground. And his injuries still didn't stop him from backing away. Propped up on his elbows, Inuyasha pushed himself away.

 

“D-don't,” he whimpered. “I d-didn't . . . Please . . .”

 

“Shhhh . . . it's okay, Inuyasha,” Kouga soothed, keeping his hands open and fighting back the torrent of emotions that had surged through him. “I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just . . . trying to help you . . . That's all.”

 

He reached out to the hanyou once more. Immediately, Inuyasha shrank away from him, letting out another pained whimper.

 

“What's going on?” AoiAme's voice demanded, her scent coming up behind him. She stopped next to him, but Kouga didn't bother to look up at her. All he could see were Inuyasha's shattered eyes. The life was leaving the hanyou. Because of him.

 

“He woke up,” Kouga mumbled, falling back. He felt more than he saw AoiAme's burning gaze. Then she sighed softly.

 

“Give me the cloth, Kouga. I'll take care of him. The Council's come to their decision.”

 

The cloth left his hand as AoiAme pulled it away. She gave him a gentle nudge. With the same numb feet that had carried him in, Kouga exited her cave and headed for the audience chamber, his tail dragging between his legs.

 

* * *

 

AoiAme's eyes followed her leader as he left her cave before they went back to the hanyou laying on her floor, the scent of his blood becoming thicker and stronger. She felt bad for Kouga, she truly did. If she'd come across the same scene that he had, she knew she'd have reacted the same way. She dipped the cloth back into the water and began to wipe away the hanyou's tears. His entire body trembled as she cleaned him.

 

“It's all right, sweet one,” AoiAme murmured. “You are safe. No one will hurt you here. Not even Kouga. He's been watching over you, you know. He's been that worried. You've given us both quite the scare.”

 

“Why would he worry about me?” he choked out. “I'm just a pathetic, worthless half-breed that no one wants.”

 

“Enough of that kind of talk,” she reprimanded gently. “I don't want to hear that coming from you ever again.”

 

“But it's . . .”

 

“I said enough,” AoiAme stated firmly, pressing a finger to his lips. “I don't want to hear you say such things about yourself ever again. As for Kouga . . . yes, he's worried about you. That's why he brought you here. He knows he's done you wrong and he's trying to correct it.”

 

“It's too late for that . . .” the hanyou whispered before curling in on himself, and breaking down.

 

* * *

 

Kouga sat before the elders, his head lowered once more. When AoiAme told him that they'd come to a decision, he'd braced himself. They knew the truth. They knew about the pup.

 

`This is it,' he took a deep breath. `I have to live with whatever they decide.'

 

“Are you ready to hear our decision, Kouga?” one of them finally inquired.

 

“Hai,” he nodded. “I am ready.”

 

“Very well then. Given the circumstances surrounding this . . . situation, we have found that we cannot fault you for your actions. We can't say we wouldn't have done differently. You will remain on as our pack leader . . .”

 

Relief washed over Kouga and he felt himself relaxing some. Then the elder continued.

 

“That, however, doesn't mean we haven't decided upon a punishment for you. Your actions against the hanyou, though we understand them, were uncalled for and unjust. As leader, you have an obligation to hear out those who may have insulted our tribe, no matter how much you dislike said person. You had a responsibility to bring him to us so that we could have decided a more suitable punishment. You did not act in a responsible manner befitting your status or that represented our tribe honourably, something you do not deny, ne?”

 

“Hai,” he murmured. “I do not deny it.”

 

“We thought as much. Now . . . it has come to our attention that you have not claimed a mate as of yet . . .”

 

“I have too claimed a mate,” Kouga blurted out, finally raising his head. “Kagome is . . .”

 

“A human female and a miko no less. While we agree that her ability to detect the fragments of the sacred jewel is useful, we also realize that it is her responsibility, once the jewel nears its completion, is to protect it from youkai such as ourselves. Pups from her will not benefit the pack. She has also stated that she has no desire to become your mate, expressing more of an interest in the hanyou instead. Your claim on her is nothing more than wishful thinking, Kouga.”

 

Kouga lowered his head. As much as he hated to admit it, the elders were right. Kagome's responsibilities as a miko prevented her from being a suitable mate and she had denied his claim on her in front of several of his tribesmen.

 

“As I was saying,” the older male continued, “it has come to our attention that you do not have a mate. As our leader, you should have chosen one by now. Since you have not, we have taken the liberty of choosing one for you. We have already sent a message into the northern mountains, asking for the ancient one's granddaughter, Ayame. On the next night of the full moon, you will revoke your claim on the miko in front of the tribe then be mated with Ayame. An heir is expected after the next mating season . . .”

 

“Wait a minute,” Kouga interjected, lifting his head once more. Dread had filled him for a reason he couldn't identify. He didn't like the way the elders had skirted around the topic of his heir. “What about the pup Inuyasha carries? I know AoiAme told you he was carrying it.”

 

“It will be killed,” came the cool statement. “We've already sent AoiAme's trainees into the field to gather the necessary ingredients. Once they return, she will administer the potion that will terminate its life.”

 

“What?!” Kouga exploded, rising to his feet. “No such thing will happen!”

 

“This is our decision,” another elder stated. “This is the decision you must live by.”

 

“I will not,” he stated defiantly. “Not if it means ending the life of my pup.”

 

“Kouga . . .”

 

“No! I will not allow it, I will not allow another life to be destroyed!” the blue-eyed wolf all but shouted. Then he took a deep breath. “That pup is my responsibility. Just as Inuyasha is my responsibility. I will not revoke my claim on Kagome if it means that pup's life. And, if I have to, I'll take Inuyasha as my mate just to ensure that.” He then met each hard stare. “We'll both leave here . . . and you'll have to find a new leader. I will not remain on as leader if it means the life of another innocent.”

 

The elders just gazed at him, surprise evident in their eyes. Finally, the first elder who had spoken, Gekido, nodded, as if satisfied by some answer only he had known the question to.

 

“So be it. The pup shall live.”

 

“Gekido! It'll be an abomination! A disgrace to our tribe if we allow it to live.”

 

“That,” Gekido stated as he rose to his feet, “is not our decision. Our leader has decided to take responsibility for the pup's welfare and for the hanyou's. His actions are the reason for this meeting, anyway.” Wizened eyes landed on Kouga. “Our decision about your mate, however, still stands. On the night of the next full moon, you will revoke your claim on Kagome and take Ayame as your mate. Understood, Kouga?”

 

“Hai,” he nodded mutely. “Understood.”