InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Calling Your Name ❯ Coming to Terms, Part I ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: Dog-boy, little Rins, and Wolf-boy don't belong to me…I could cry cuz of that, but I'll be brave this once! Oh yeh, Creed, Human Clay, or “With Arms Wide Open” aren't mine either.

 

*****

 

Coming to Terms, Part I

-Jasmine Fields-

 

 

 

*****

 

Thud.

 

Thump, thump…

 

Thump, stumble; thump, thump; thump, thud…

 

Through the vegetation and underbrush he ran easily the impromptu pre-determined course - a race against time, of sorts.

 

Swish, swish; swish, swash; swash, swish…

 

He had headed straight back to the pack's den upon accidentally receiving the message from the shriek of a little girl's announcing in the near-by region the dog's scent he was tracking while out on a mission to the west.

 

Of course, the distress the girl seemed to be in caused his interest to pique and wouldn't go away when he swore he heard a snort and half-cackle upon entrance into the domain. That had, most certainly caught his attention.

 

Thump, thud; swish, swash; riff, riff; riff, thump…

 

He'd been gone almost half the year and hadn't been aware - of anything really...

 

//Well I just heard the news today//

 

“Hurry up wolf-boy or you'll be late!”

 

Riff, riff; riffle-riff; riff, swash…

 

He hadn't said as much…

 

…but the dog had been a welcome greeting after so many years of wanderlust over the countryside - what with no true threat, per say, against his clan. It nearly drove him over the edge of sanity trying to figure out, during those years, what to do with the rest of his life now that his tribe was avenged.

 

//Seems my life is gonna change//

 

“Shut-up mutt! I heard ya' the first time!”

 

Swish, swash; riff, whish; whish, swish…

 

Thonk.

 

Using the wind currents to his advantage, onward he trekked lost in his own bemusement. He cracked a toothy grin that had been suppressed earlier in their sibling-like banter.

 

“What are you doing here, stupid?”

 

“Hey, you flea-infested wolf! I live here! You'll be lucky if Sesshoumaru let's you out of here alive!”

 

“Sesshoumaru? Oh yeh, your high and almighty brother.”

 

“He ain't totally my brother - only half!”

 

“Hnn. What ever turd! Anyway, what gives? I know that look. Don't deny it! It means you know something, dog-breath! I'll shred you apart if you don't give it up. What - ?”

 

He hadn't had a chance to finish his greeting…

 

//I'll close my eyes//

 

Thistle-thump; thump-tump; thump…

 

Twish.

 

//Begin to pray…//

 

“I just met up with some of your puny wolf-followers and they told me that Ayame's litter is on the way right now.”

 

“Ayame?”

 

“I suggest you return home to your new cubs, wolf.”

 

He had been stunned silent.

 

//Then tears of joy stream down my face//

 

Thwish, thwish…

 

His speed increased.

 

Thwish, riff…

 

//With arms wide open//

//Under the sublime….//

 

Amazed… awed… annoyed that he clearly had no knowledge of these events prior to his departure - not even a suggestion...

 

It really hadn't been an intension to abandon the she-wolf demon to the era's fortunes alone to take on this burden.

 

//Well I don't know if I'm ready//

 

Thud, thud, thud, thump.

 

Hearing a snicker, he turned toward the source of the sound that befell his ears.

 

“Don't trip over your own tail, Kouga. Wouldn't want Kagome yelling at my ass for not making sure you were okay.”

 

//To be the man I have to be//

 

Kagome - oh her. He knew he loved her; but this - wasn't she gone beyond that enchanted well now, anyway?

 

Thump, thump.

 

//I'll take a breath//

 

Ayame, you better be okay.

 

Swearing, though not angry, he realized his poor assessment over the situation.

 

//I'll take her by my side//

 

This was different…

 

He would do his best to protect her… and he would… after all, he had done so in the past… his Ayame. He'd keep his promise to her.

 

Thump, thump, thump.

 

It was funny how her safety had never been part of the equation before all - this.

 

//And stammeron…we've created life//

 

As a matter of fact, there was little to no doubt in his own mind that he was on the verge of going a little psychotic, if it weren't for the assistance that damn rival dog kept focusing him from turning so inwardly that he forgot what he was doing.

 

He had to see her… make sure she was okay…

 

//With arms wide open….//

 

Please… please be okay.

 

“We're close now. I can smell it.”

 

Snapping free from his private thoughts, he almost woofed and silently slapped him self for such a lapse into foolishness.

 

//Welcome to this place//

//I'll show you everything//

 

Riff, thwish; riff, thwish…

 

Thump, thud.

 

Finally, they returned to the den.

 

“Looks like you're just in time ya' mangy wolf.”

 

//With arms wide open//

//Now everything has changed//

 

“Don't even think about it Inuyasha.”

 

He warned with a growl intended to threaten and ward off any potential cause of harm - even if he was kind of an ally and friend.

 

//I'll show you love//

//I'll show you everything…//

 

Wide-eyed and wistful, he sucked in breath and stared at the cub-demon wonders outstretched and newly cleaned, laying on the floor of the cave nearest to the still panting white wolf-demoness.

 

“Those are m-my c-cubs?”

 

Thump, tump, thud.

 

“Kouga, you've returned.” A soft lilted voice, barely above a whisper, reached his sensitive ears.

 

//If I had just one wish//

 

Cross-eyed, he knelt down sniffing each of the four cubs and started stroking behind their ears and under their chins. Sniffing back, the cubs heartily growled their appreciation and nipped at his raw earthy fingers.

 

Tump, tump, thump.

 

//Only one demand//

 

Ears twitching, Inuyasha held his tongue, observing and watching as Kouga acted on his male instincts and surprising father-like inhibitions. Stepping back, he him self sniffed and nearly sneezed when the scents from the litter reached his nose and his olfactory senses started kicking in to overdrive.

 

Thud, tump, thump.

 

//I hope he's not like me//

 

Ayame, green eyes brimmed with laughter and joyous tears cooed over her four little ones…

 

“Kouga”

 

“Hnn?”

 

“They look just like you.”

 

Grinning, he glanced down, blue eyes bright and sparkling, willing him self to commit this memory of their tiny bodies for all time as he reached out to curl his arms around them in a protective stance.

 

“I'll be…”

 

//I hope he understands//

 

Thud, thud; thud, thud.

 

His hands were rough, he knew. They always had been - with the wild adventures he lived through roaming the land and finding his fate in being a prince leader…

 

//That he can take this life//

//And hold it by the hand//

 

Thump, thump, thump.

 

Today, he was a king ruling the world.

 

Thump, thump, thump.

 

//And he can free the world//

//With arms wide open…//

 

Thump.

 

Not one to be blatantly ignored for so long, Inuyasha, simultaneously struck dumb and mute eventually found his voice.

 

“So, when do you think they'll open their eyes?”

 

Thwish…thump.