InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Enemy Mine ❯ Chapter 9 ( Chapter 9 )

 

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha. Those are the property of one Rumiko Takahashi. I thank her whole-heartedly for giving us such an amazing manga/anime to read/watch.

PLEASE NOTE. Once again, the formatting of my chapter has been lost when uploaded to Mediaminer.org. I have added spaces between the paragraphs manually since the indenting is not showing up. I am working from a Mac OS9.1, and apparently my older computer is not compatible with MM.org's coding. I apologize for any inconvenience. Again, this is not something under my own control.

 

Enemy Mine - Chapter 9

By Urd-chan

 

Kagura stirred, her mind still groggy from sleep. She felt a pressure around her chest, and a warm moistness on the back of her neck.

“No,” Kouga mumbled as the wind user tried to pull away from his embrace. He wrapped his arms more firmly around her and nuzzled her neck.

Kagura began to relax against her mate, but stiffened when she caught the acrid hint of smoke in the air. It was faint, but unmistakable. Something was burning.

“There's a fire,” she mumbled as she fought her way out of the wolf youkai's grasp.

Kouga sat up and sniffed the air. “Good, it looks like they got an early start.”

“Early start on what?”

“We can't very well leave that many dead birds scattered around the base of the mountain. Who knows what they would attract.”

Kagura nodded and wrinkled her nose. The burning smell had an undertone that was irritating to her senses, and it was getting stronger.

Kouga noticed her reaction. “Damn birds really stink, don't they?” He stretched his arms before he dropped one across her shoulders and pulled her against him. “Be glad the fighters are taking care of things now. If we left those fucking birds out to rot, we wouldn't be able to live here with all the stink.”

The wind user glanced at Kouga, fighting the urge to snuggle against him.

“I'm still mad at you,” she snorted as she crossed her arms and twisted to face away from the wolf youkai.

“Hey, don't be like this,” Kouga mumbled as he brushed her hair aside and kissed the back of her neck.

“Damn it, Kouga,” Kagura stammered as Kouga's lips moved along the line of her shoulder.

“You can't stay mad at me,” he chuckled as he gently grasped her shoulders and turned her to face him. “I told you last night, you're the only mate I've ever had. You're the only one I want.”

Kagura looked away from Kouga. She didn't understand why she was reacting the way she was. Something inside her told her he was telling her the truth, but her raging emotions only confused her. For a moment she tensed her muscles, preparing to again pull away from him.

“Kagura.” Kouga's voice was soft and full of emotion. One look told the wind user that her mate was sad, and it was her reaction that was causing that sadness.

“Kouga,” she whispered as she dropped her head. All desire to flee drained from her and she found herself throwing herself into his strong arms.

“I'm sorry,” the wolf youkai said softly. “I swear, you're the only mate I've ever had. It just never occurred to me to tell you about…”

His words were cut off by Kagura's lips against his. The wind user slid her arms around him as she deepened her kiss. “I'm sorry,” she whispered as she clung to him.

“I was so scared,” Kouga said in a husky voice as he gathered his mate onto his lap. “For a moment there, I really thought I had lost you.”

She snuggled against him and buried her face against his bare chest. “I don't understand what's going on inside me.”

“I'd say you were jealous,” he said with a soft chuckle. “I didn't think you were the jealous type.”

“Jealous?” Kagura looked up at him with a confused expression. “I don't understand.”

“You really are new at this, aren't you?” Kouga studied his mate, realizing for the first time just how young she really was when it came to emotions. “I forget that you're not as old as you look. I guess we'll just have to learn how to deal with your growing pains.”

The wind user opened her mouth to respond, but her words were cut off by an exceptionally passionate kiss from the wolf youkai. He pressed her gently back onto the furs of their bed as his lips and tongue began to explore her mouth. Kagura moaned as Kouga pushed her kimono away from one breast and began to massage it with his hand. Her back arched instinctively as he dropped his mouth to her tingling nipple. He began to tease the tip with his tongue, bringing the deep pink point to full erection.

“Damn it,” Kouga growled as he pulled away from Kagura.

The wind user's look of confusion turned to one of frustration as she caught the sound that had stopped Kouga. Ginta and Hakkaku were talking with a third man outside the den, and by the sound of their voices, were approaching the door.

“Yo! Kouga!” Ginta called from outside the den. He planted his feet firmly on the hard stone outside, refusing to enter without Kouga's permission. His recent experiences when entering without invitation left him nervous about his leader's quarters.

“What the hell do you want?” Kouga barked from inside the den. He appeared at the door a moment later, looking none too happy at the intrusion.

“Sorry for the interruption, Kouga, but you did say to meet here at sunup.” Ohkami laughed sheepishly. “We can always come back later.”

“Like that would make any difference now,” his leader growled. “You've already interrupted, so you might as well finish.”

Ginta and Hakkaku stood back from the others, obviously worried that they had made Kouga angry.

“What's going on?” Kagura appeared at the door of the den. She had put a second kimono over the one she had slept in and put her hair up in its usual topknot. She stood next to Kouga with an air of confidence that belied the mood from only moments before.

“Sorry, Kagura,” Ohkami said with a slight nod. “We didn't mean to intrude, but Kouga gave us orders yesterday to meet him here this morning.”

The wind user nodded in return before turning to her mate. “You don't plan on having everyone stand here in the doorway, do you?”

Kouga looked at Kagura in surprise. Her demeanor was calm and elegant, more than fitting for the mate of the tribe's leader. But, it was unlike the Kagura he knew so intimately. The wind user smiled knowingly at his look of confusion.

“Don't worry,” she whispered as he walked into the den by her side. “I fully expect you to make up for it tonight.”

Kouga slapped her backside lightly and grinned. “Don't worry, you'll be more than compensated.”

The others gathered around the low table just inside the entrance of the den. Ohkami sat on Kouga's left while Kagura took her place on his right. Ginta and Hakkaku sat nervously on mats across from the others.

Ohkami spent several moments going over the details of the previous day. Their raid on the youkai birds had been a complete success and the tribe had only suffered a few relatively minor injuries among its fighters. The men had spent the better part of the night disposing of the enemy's remains. First, trenches had been dug and the bird youkai's bodies dropped into them. Fires were lit to burn the carcasses, and when the fires burned down, the dirt that had been taken out of the trenches would be used to refill them.

“The only thing we can't get rid of easily is the blood,” Ohkami explained. “We can only hope for a heavy rain sometime soon to wash that away.”

Kagura furrowed her brow and stood silently, ignoring Kouga's unspoken question as she walked to the doorway. She paused just outside the den and lifted her face to the breeze that rose up the face of the mountain. The stench of burning flesh and feathers was almost unbearable to her youkai senses, but she concentrated, finding the subtle underlying scents that came in on the breeze. The wind user turned her gaze to the horizon, looking past the billowing black clouds of smoke and soot that rose from the forest below. There, in the distance - so far off as to be almost unnoticeable - she could see a faint line of clouds. The early morning sun cast an orange glow on the otherwise gray clouds. Kagura turned her face into the breeze again and smiled slightly to herself before turning and re-entering the den.

“We should have rain by nightfall,” she announced as she resumed her position next to Kouga.

“Are you sure?” Ohkami glanced between Kagura and Kouga.

“As long as the wind doesn't shift, it will rain.” She glanced out of the corner of her eye at Kouga, who was smiling and nodding. “It's hard to catch the scent over that of those damned birds, but it's there. We'll have rain.”

“Kagura is a wind user,” Kouga said as he reached over and took his mate's hand. “I think if anyone could tell if it was going to rain, it would be her.”

“Well, that's real good news,” Ohkami said with a chuckle. “Looks like we won't have to put up with this stink for much longer.”

“Yo, Kouga,” Ginta started nervously. “We're scheduled to help with the cleanup down there, and we're going to be late if we don't get going soon.”

The wolf youkai waved his hand towards his two underlings. “Go ahead,” he said in dismissal as he turned his attention to the fighter sitting by his side.

Ginta and Hakkaku nodded as they stood up. “Right, Kouga,” Hakkaku said with a grin as he turned and dashed out the door after his partner.

“I wonder sometimes if those two could do anything without each other, “ the leader of the wolf tribe laughed.

“That's going to make it very hard for them to find mates,” Ohkami returned with a smile.

“Oh, I wouldn't worry too much about that,” came a feminine voice from the doorway. Ruka walked into Kouga's den, her arms laden with food for the others. On her heel was Mihoshi. The young woman glanced over her shoulder to the door, seeming to forget her duties for a moment over something that had caught her attention.

Ruka jerked her head in the direction of Mihoshi and smiled. “Oh, I don't think Ginta is going to have any problems finding a suitable mate.”

Mihoshi continued to be oblivious to the others. She took a blind step forward and nearly tripped over Ohkami's extended leg.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered as she turned her attention to the others. She quickly set the bowls she carried on the low table and looked at Ruka. “Did you need me for anything else?”

“No, Mihoshi. You can go.” Ruka shook her head at the retreating figure of the young woman who had accompanied her to Kouga's den. “As you can see,” she said with a knowing grin as she turned to the others, “Ginta at least isn't going to have any problems finding a mate.”

“Ginta and Mihoshi?” Kouga asked in an incredulous voice. “You are kidding us, aren't you?”

“You haven't seen the way those two have been looking at each other lately. I'd guess that they'll have an announcement for us in the very near future.”

Ohkami glanced at Kouga. “Well, if our industrious leader here can find a mate, I guess anything's possible.”

Kouga lobbed a piece of fruit at the other male. “You keep that up and I'll just have to make sure nobody is going to want you.”

Kagura looked on in confusion. The lighthearted bantering between the two men seemed out of character, but for some reason it made her happy to see Kouga laughing. The stress and strain of years of dealing with the intruding bird youkai had taken their toll on the tribe. Naturally their leader had felt the bulk of that stress. Now that the threat was gone, the others felt able to relax.

“So, what's on the agenda for today?” Ruka placed the food she carried on the table and sat across from the others.

“Actually,” Ohkami said with a knowing look at Kouga, “I had an idea.”

His leader looked at him suspiciously. “For some reason I don't like the look in your eyes,” he grumbled.

“Well, since most of the fighters are busy with garbage duty, I won't really be able to hold the regular training this morning.” Ohkami shifted position, reclining back on the hard floor of the den. His expression was full of mischief.

“You obviously have something specific in mind,” Kouga started.

Ohkami sat up and leaned on the table, studying his leader's expression. “Well, we have some new recruits who could use a little one-on-one training to start them off on the right foot.”

“New recruits?” Kouga said in a low growl. “Just who are these new recruits?”

“Well, it seems to me that after yesterday that one of our best fighters has absolutely no idea how to defend themselves up close.”

“And, just who is this fighter?”

Ohkami's gaze skimmed over the table and stopped on Kagura.

“No!” Kouga jumped to his feet. “Damn it, Ohkami, I'm not going to have Kagura training like one of the men!”

“It makes sense, Kouga,” Ruka interjected. “After all, she is one of the fighters now, and it seems that if she's going to fight with the men, she needs to know how to fight.”

“I said no,” Kouga repeated. “I'm not going to have my mate training with the men.”

“And, what happens if Jurai decides to go after her again?” Ruka narrowed her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. “Things might not turn out the way they did yesterday.”

Kouga glared at his friend before dropping his eyes. “Damn it, Ruka. Why do you have to be right all the time?”

“Someone has to keep you centered,” she said in a gentle voice. “I know you want to protect Kagura, but as long as she's fighting with the rest of us, she needs to learn how to attack and defend up close.”

“Shit. I don't like this…” Kouga turned suddenly and studied Ruka. “What the hell do you mean, `as long as she's fighting with the rest of us'?”

“Um, Kouga, I'd like you to meet the other new recruit,” Ohkami said nervously.

“Hell, no! I'm not going to have Ruka out there, risking herself with the fighters.”

“Kouga, I'm not going to take no for an answer,” Ruka said sternly. “I've sat back and watched everyone else defend my home for too long. It's my turn.”

“Ruka, we already lost Tsuzuki. If anything happened to you, think about what it would mean to Reiya.”

“Nothing's going to happen to me,” Ruka assured her friend.

“You can't be sure of that,” Kouga snapped. He turned to Kagura, looking for support. The wind user shrugged.

“She's right, you know.” Kagura closed her eyes and lowered her head. “Yesterday, when I ran into Jurai in the woods, I felt trapped. Hell, I've never been so scared in my life.”

Kouga reached out and took his mate's hand gently, but remained silent.

“I've never seen anyone look like that. His eyes…” the wind user's voice trailed off as a shudder shook her body.

The wolf youkai squeezed her hand. “I swear, I'd have killed him if he did anything to you.”

Kagura's forehead wrinkled as she squeezed her eyes tightly. The vision of Jurai's hate-filled stare refused to be pushed from her mind.

“Naraku did horrible things, but even he never had that kind of look. Jurai was enjoying my fear.”

“If it makes you feel any better,” Ohkami interjected, “I honestly don't think he was really planning on hurting you, Kagura. He was just trying to scare you.”

“Well, he did a fucking good job,” Kagura snapped.

“I'm not so sure,” Ruka said softly. “If you had asked me a few moons ago, I would have agreed with you, but lately, Jurai has just not been himself. I'm not sure he would have stopped with just scaring her.”

Kouga glanced at Ohkami, reading the agreement in his face. As much as he hated to admit it, his head fighter just might have turned into just the type of monster the others saw him as.

“I've known Jurai my whole life,” Kouga mumbled. “I've seen him do some stupid things, but he's never had anything but the good of the tribe in mind.”

“People change,” Ruka said softly. “I've known him as long as you have, Kouga, and I can say without reservation that the Jurai we are seeing now isn't the same man he used to be.”

“Damn it,” Kouga rasped. “So, what the hell are we supposed to do? I can't very well just take him off his duties. If we're right about him, that would just make matters worse.”

Ohkami stood and started pacing. “I think some of his followers are getting a bit worried about the way he's acting. If things keep going like this, he's not even going to have them backing him up.”

“And, of course, Madoka is right there to edge him on. She knows exactly what she's doing.” Kouga pounded his fist against the low table. “Damn it! We finally get rid of those fucking bird youkai, and now we have to deal with an enemy inside the tribe. Why can't we just live in peace?”

“It's all because of me,” Kagura said in a monotone voice. “If I just had never come here, Jurai wouldn't be doing this.”

“I doubt it. Jurai is using your being here as an excuse, but if you weren't here, I'm sure he'd have found something else to use.” Ohkami smiled warmly at the wind user. “If you weren't here, Kagura, I can't even imagine what fatalities we would have had from those damned birds.”

Ruka moved to sit next to her friend, giving the wind user an unexpected hug. “We're glad you're here,” she said with a smile. “Besides, someone has to keep this stubborn idiot in line, and you seem to be doing a good job of it.” Ruka waved her hand to indicate Kouga.

“Thanks,” he grumbled in response. His expression was unreadable as he studied his mate and his friend. He smiled suddenly. “At least I know I can find peace in my own den.”

Kagura shifted, unsure how to react to the unexpected show of affection by Ruka. She glanced nervously at Kouga, relaxing when she saw the look on his face. This is what it's like to have friends, she thought to herself. She found herself visualizing Inuyasha and the others. She had felt a pang of something she didn't understand when she saw that group together. Despite everything that was going on with Naraku, they found time to be together - laughing, talking, and sometimes just being with each other. No words. Just a closeness that she couldn't explain. She remembered feeling an odd warmth in her chest when she watched them.

Something told her she should return Ruka's hug, but she froze, unable to respond. She fidgeted nervously in Ruka's embrace, relieved when the wolf youkai released her.

“Sorry,” Ruka whispered. “I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.”

Uncomfortable? Kagura found herself realizing that she had actually liked the brief physical contact. It was different than what she shared with Kouga, and she silently chastised herself for not responding to Ruka's hug.

“So, should we get back to the matter at hand?” Ohkami interrupted. “We have the rest of the morning free. I'm ready to start training these two.”

Kouga shook his head and opened his mouth. The words caught in his throat when he looked at the others. Despite his objection to having the females train as fighters, one thing was certain. At the very least, they needed to be able to defend themselves. It wasn't something the tribe had to worry about in the past, but with the diminished number of fighters, and the increased risk of problems coming from inside the tribe, it all made sense.

“I'll agree to let them train,” he said as he looked from Kagura to Ruka. “But, I'm not ready to let Ruka fight with the others.”

“It's my right…” the female wolf youkai started.

“And your first duty is to Reiya,” Kouga reminded her. “She's already lost her father. I'm not about to let her mother get taken from her, too.”

“It's a start,” Ohkami murmured to Ruka, who glared at Kouga.

“Oh, and don't try to argue with me about it, Ruka,” the wolf youkai leader said sternly. “For now, you can train. Maybe in time, if I think you're able to handle the duty, I might allow you to take on some light duty. But, the decision will be mine, and mine alone.” He glanced sidelong at Ohkami, warning him with his expression to keep his opinions to himself.

Ohkami nodded. “Of course, Kouga. You are the tribe's leader, and your word is law. I'm just grateful that you're allowing me to train these two as I feel they should be trained.”

“So, what's first?” Ruka stood and looked questioningly at the others.

“We teach you basic self-defense,” Kouga interjected before Ohkami could speak. “Nothing more.”

“And, Kagura,” Ohkami said in an apologetic tone. “I'd like to suggest that you let Ruka find you something more appropriate to train in.”

“I'm not going to wear dead animals,” Kagura snarled. “I'm fine with what I have on.”

“I'm going to have to disagree with you, Kagura,” Ohkami explained. “You need more freedom of movement.” He paused as Kagura glared at him. “You also need to wear something that won't give your enemy the advantage.”

“What the hell do you mean by that?” the wind user snapped.

“It would be very easy to trip you up with your own clothing, or get a grip on the length of fabric.”

“I'll be fine,” Kagura demanded.

“Even so, I'm not going to be able to let you train with your kimono like that.” Ohkami looked at Ruka, giving her an unspoken command as he moved to stand next to the wind user. The female wolf youkai joined him, smiling at her friend.

“We'll just have to make a few minor adjustments to the way you wear your kimono,” she explained to her friend as she dropped to her knees.

Before Kagura could object, her friend had grabbed the bottom edge of her under kimono and torn off a narrow strip of the fabric. She stood and moved to stand behind Kagura.

“Hold still,” she instructed as she gathered Kagura's loose sleeves to her shoulder and fed the torn piece of cloth through them, effectively tying them off her arms.

“That's better,” Ohkami commented. “But there's still the length.”

“Don't you even try to tear any more off my clothing,” Kagura warned.

“Oh, I don't need to tear anything,” the fighter explained as he bent over and reached through the space between the wind user's ankles. He firmly grasped the back hems of her kimonos and drew them forward, bringing his hand and the fabric in its grasp up to the sash at her waist. “There,” he said as he wrapped the bottom edge of the kimono around the sash and tucked the end in. “That should make it easier to move around.”

“What the hell?” Kagura fumed as she stared down at her bare legs. Her kimono resembled a pair of loose pants that ended at the knees. “If you think I'm going outside dressed like this…”

“It's necessary if you're going to train properly.” Ohkami shrugged his shoulders. “Of course, if you want to leave your kimono loose, it would only take me a minute to show you exactly why it's not a good idea for fighting.”

“I'd listen to him if I were you,” Kouga explained. “Besides, I like to look at your legs.”

The wind user spun around and aimed her fist at her mate. He blocked it easily and grabbed her wrist, pulling her close enough for him to give her a quick kiss.

“Oh, and that reminds me, Kouga,” Ohkami started. “I think it would be better if I work with Kagura. I have a feeling you'd have too many distractions if I partner her with you.”

Kouga studied his friend. I'm not the only one who would be distracted if I partner with Kagura, he thought to himself. It would leave Ohkami to partner with Ruka, and it didn't take a genius to notice the fighter's attraction to the young female.

“So, where are we going to do this?”

Ohkami inclined his head towards the den door. “There should be plenty of room right outside your den. Remember, this is first-stage training, after all.”

“Don't think we're not going to be able to handle this,” Ruka laughed. “Remember, Kouga, you, Tsuzuki, and I used to do a lot of sparring when we were younger.”

“So, you think I can't take you?” he challenged in return.

“Maybe it would be better if I partner you with Kouga, after all,” Ohkami whispered to Kagura. His voice held a hint of mischief as he bowed and extended one arm, indicating that Kagura should proceed him to the door. “It's like sibling rivalry with those two,” he explained quietly as Kagura passed him.

The wind user watched as Kouga and Ruka continued their banter as they exited the den. The hint of a smile caught the corner of her mouth. For a reason she couldn't explain, she was enjoying watching her mate's antics with her friend. Kouga turned and caught her eye, winking at Kagura before leading Ruka to one side of the open area outside his den.

“Maybe Kagura should watch for a bit,” Ohkami suggested as he lowered himself to the ground, sitting in a crossed leg position as he patted the hard earth beside him. “Come over here and sit,” he directed the wind user, who moved to stand at the spot.

“I'll stand.” Kagura turned her attention to the two sparring partners who had taken positions facing each other. Their friendly banter continued as Kouga planted his feet and faced Ruka.

“Now, watch,” Kouga instructed Kagura before turning to face his sparring partner. The wolf youkai planted his feet and hunched slightly forward, nodding to Ruka to get into position.

Before the wind user could figure out how he did it, Kouga had spun around and swept Ruka's feet out from under her, sending her tumbling towards the ground. The young female managed to stop her fall and sprang to her feet, sending a punch at Kouga that he only narrowly avoided.

The two continued to fight, each time just barely missing their goals. Finally, when both Kouga and Ruka had started to breathe hard and the glimmer of sweat highlighted their foreheads, the leader of the wolf youkai managed to make a successful sweep of his partner's legs and sent her crashing to the ground.

“You got me,” Ruka said breathlessly as she stood and brushed herself off. “It's been a while, Kouga, but don't think I'm not going to be able to get it back.”

“Oh, I don't doubt you will,” Kouga said with a grunt. “I didn't realize just how out of shape I had gotten. Guess I relied on the shards for too long.”

Ohkami stood and walked towards his friends. “If you're out of shape, Kouga, then the rest of the fighters really have to start working to get into shape.”

“I'm the leader of the tribe,” Kouga said with a shrug. “I have to be able to outfight the others.”

“You could still take any fighter in the tribe,” Ohkami observed. “You're just used to having the extra power of the shards. You are definitely not out of shape.”

Kouga and Ruka exchanged bows before moving to where the wind user stood. Kouga brushed his mate's ear with his lips as he whispered to her. “Just be careful. I don't want you getting hurt.”

Kagura shook her head. “Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself.”

Ohkami motioned for her to join him in the middle of the clearing, waiting for the wind user to join him before he started giving her instructions.

“Yo, Kouga,” the fighter shouted. “Come out here and let me demonstrate on you.”

“Yeah, Kouga,” Ruka laughed. “Let's see Ohkami kick your backside.”

“You mean, like I just did yours?” the tribe's leader grunted as he moved to Kagura's side.

“Since Kagura has never learned one-on-one fighting, maybe it would be better for us to show her some moves - in slow motion, of course.”

Kouga nodded and walked to the center of the training area. He waited for Ohkami to join him, and the two men talked quietly for a few moments before taking fighting stances.

“Watch and I'll explain the different moves,” Ohkami instructed before moving in on his leader.

The two men took turns demonstrating moves on each other, taking turns being the attacker as they described everything they were doing to their newest fighter. Kagura watched in silence, her eyes following every move as the fighters moved through basic moves. One would attack while the other countered, each time making sure that the wind user understood just what they were doing. After a short while, Ohkami stood back and bowed to Kouga.

“So, do you think you understand?” the head fighter asked Kagura.

“I can do it,” she insisted as she moved to join him.

Kouga paused and lifted his mate's chin, studying her eyes for a moment before moving his lips to hers. He kissed her hard before releasing her chin and tilting his head slightly. “I meant it when I said I don't want you to get hurt.”

“Then, let me train. I need to do this.”

Kouga nodded and gave Kagura a second, brief kiss before walking to where Ruka stood.

“So, are you ready?” Ohkami asked as he faced the wind user.

Kagura nodded silently and positioned herself facing him, copying his stance and studying his expression.

Ohkami moved quickly towards Kagura, surprising her with his speed, but managing to avoid the brunt of his punch. She reeled backwards, spinning around and returning the punch. Ohkami easily deflected Kagura's hit, only to be surprised by a second throw with her other hand. The wolf youkai jumped back, letting the wind user's fist breeze by his jaw. He saw her stagger, going off-balance with her double attack. He moved in, sweeping at her feet and sending her falling backwards before he realized that her leg had caught his, sending him crashing down on top of her. They landed hard, the breath knocked out of them by the impact.

Kouga ran forward. “Damn it, Ohkami, I don't want Kagura getting hurt.”

He stopped short, a look of confusion on his face when he saw Kagura smiling beneath Ohkami.

“You thought you could get away,” the wind user laughed unexpectedly as her partner rolled off her and shook his head.

“Damn it,” he chuckled. “For someone who hasn't been trained, Kagura's got some great counter moves.”

“And you didn't want to teach us,” Ruka laughed from her position on the side.

Kouga reached down and offered Kagura his hand, pulling her up to stand beside him. “Are you hurt?”

The wind user brushed the dust off her backside before reaching up and pushing a wisp of hair away from her face. “You worry too much,” she drawled as she turned to Ohkami. “I'm ready.”

Kagura and Ohkami continued to spar, pausing occasionally for the wind user to ask a question about a move. Kouga and Ruka watched closely from the side, helping with suggestions and comments as Ohkami and Kagura continued the training.

The four continued with the training through the morning, oblivious to the curious stares of others who passed near the make-shift training area. Several of the younger wolf youkai perched on rocks and watched the spectacle of three wolf youkai and one wind user taking turns sparring with each other.

The sun moved overhead, shortening their shadows as the small group began to show signs of their exertions. Finally, Kouga held up one hand, instructing the others to pause.

“That's about enough for the first day,” he panted lightly. “Let's see just how successful this training really is.” He nodded at Ohkami and led Kagura to the middle of the open area.

Ohkami moved quietly and took a position just behind Kagura.

“So, you're by yourself and someone attacks you from behind…” Kouga moved back as he spoke.

Ohkami quickly grabbed Kagura from behind, twisting one arm behind her back while he snaked his second arm across her neck. The wind user narrowed her eyes, but made no attempt to break free.

“What do you do to get away?” Kouga watched closely as the wind user remained passive. Didn't she learn anything today? he thought to himself.

Suddenly Kagura twisted in Ohkami's grasp, slipping from his hold and turning. Her movement failed to shake the wolf youkai's grip on her arm, but it was now extended between them instead of being forced up against her back.

Kagura pulled suddenly with her captured wrist while her other arm swung wide and contacted with the side of Ohkami's head. She followed with a sweep of one leg, bringing it around to impact with the back of her opponent's knees. He stumbled, but managed to catch his balance before falling. His moment of hesitation was enough for Kagura to break free. She planted herself in front of him, taking the fighting position she had practiced all morning with the others.

A loud clapping erupted from the sidelines as the future fighters of the tribe failed to contain their excitement. Several of the children cheered, enjoying the free show in front of them.

“Guess that's our cue,” Kouga laughed as he stepped between Kagura and Ohkami. “We already know what you can do once you reach this point,” he explained as he studied his mate's face. “Just remind me never to sneak up on you from behind.”

“That was excellent,” Ohkami said as he bowed to Kagura. “Seems we have a natural fighter here, Kouga.”

Kouga grunted, still not comfortable with the idea of his mate training to be a fighter. But, he had to admit, despite his reservations, that both Kagura and Ruka had made excellent progress in their first training session.

“Maybe we need to start working one-on-one with some of the other fighters,” he suggested.

Ohkami nodded. “It does seem to help. I doubt most of the men really would need this type of attention, but as new fighters join the ranks, it would make sense.”

Ruka looked down at her clothing and then let her eyes travel across her companions. “Well, since we seem to be done, I'd like to get cleaned up. I'm on food duty in a bit and I don't want to show up covered in dirt.”

“Go ahead,” Kouga agreed.

“You coming, Kagura?” Ruka asked. “I just need to get some clean clothing from my den. I'll meet you back here.” The young female turned and sprinted off.

“I should get clean clothing, too,” Kagura agreed as she quickly retreated to Kouga's den - her den, she had to remind herself. The concept of home was not something she had known before coming to Kouga's village. She paused and surveyed the interior of the den, suddenly feeling a lump in her throat when her vision stopped on the bed. It was her bed - hers and Kouga's - and she found herself wishing it was already night, and that she was curled up on the furs with her mate's arms wrapped around her. His body was strong and warm, and she smiled when she remembered his scent. Home. For the first time in her life, she had one.

“Aren't you coming”? Ruka's voice came from the doorway.

Kagura quickly grabbed two kimonos and headed out into the sunlight to join the female wolf youkai.

“I had to get these,” she explained as she held the garments towards her friend.

“We won't be long,” Ruka promised as she headed to the path that led to the river.

“What?” Kouga asked in surprise as Kagura stopped by him and suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck. She buried her face against his shoulder, inhaling deeply as she whispered inaudibly against him.

The wind user pulled back and looked at him. For a moment she appeared wistful, gazing at Kouga's confused look. “Thank you,” she whispered again as she turned and walked quickly to catch up with Ruka.

“What the hell was that all about?” Kouga asked of nobody.

“You're a lucky man,” Ohkami said as he patted Kouga's back.

“Uh?”

“Never mind,” the wolf youkai chuckled. “Just the ramblings of a lonely bachelor.”

Kouga opened his mouth to speak, but closed it when he saw his friend's expression. Ohkami had continued to watch the retreating figures of Kagura and Ruka.

 

Kagura and Ruka finished bathing quickly and returned to the open area outside the den. There was no sign of Kouga or Ohkami, but Mihoshi was sitting on a large rock near the den's entrance. She stood and approached the other women.

“Kouga gave me a message for you,” she said in a friendly voice. “He and Ohkami went down to check on the progress at the base of the mountain. They should be back before sunset.”

Ruka smiled and nodded. “Well, that leaves us free to help with other duties.” She tugged lightly on the wind user's hand, leading her towards the center of the wolf youkai village.

Kagura followed hesitantly, uncertain of where her friend was leading her. “Where are we going?”

“The best way for the other women to get to know you is for you to help with some of the other duties of the tribe. You're a fighter, but that doesn't mean you can't help with other things.”

Mihoshi caught up with the others. “Everyone is expected to help where and when they can. It's part of being in a tribe.”

“And, it's even more important for you to help,” Ruka explained. “You are the head female of the tribe now, and you have to set a good example.”

“Damn, it, Ruka,” Kagura complained. “What the hell am I supposed to do there? Just what are these duties anyway?”

Ruka laughed and shrugged. “Whatever needs to be done at the time, mostly, but right now we'll probably be helping with preparing food for the others.”

“Preparing food? You've got to be fucking joking,” the wind user snarled.

“No, I'm not joking,” Ruka said in a suddenly serious voice. “We survive by working together. Anyone who is able to work is expected to do their share. It's the way of the tribe.”

“Don't worry,” Mihoshi giggled. “You can't be any worse at it than I am. I'm not the most coordinated member of the tribe.”

Ruka laughed loudly. “I won't argue with you about that. But, you really are getting better with more experience.”

“I'm trying,” the young female said wistfully. “After all, none of the males are going to want a klutz like me for a mate.”

“Oh, I don't know about that,” Ruka said knowingly. “I couldn't help but notice that a particular male has been watching you very closely lately.”

Mihoshi blushed. “Do you really think he's interested?”

“I'd say he's more than interested, and if you don't believe me, just look over there.” Ruka inclined her head to indicate a male wolf youkai looking their way.

“Ginta?” Kagura said in surprise when she followed Mihoshi's gaze with her own.

The male wolf youkai started walking their way, trying to appear casual but failing miserably when his foot caught on a broken patch of rock and he nearly tripped. He mumbled something inaudible before covering the remaining distance to his goal.

“Be nice, ladies,” Ruka whispered as she turned to smile at Ginta's approach.

“Hey, Ruka. Kagura.” Ginta's eyes were focused on Mihoshi as he greeted the others.

“Hey, Ginta,” Ruka laughed.

“What?” The male looked at Ruka in confusion. “I'm sorry. I didn't catch that.”

“Never mind,” Ruka said with a shake of her head. “You'll have to excuse us, but Kagura and I were just on our way to help with the food.”

“That's nice,” Ginta said as he turned to Mihoshi. “Um, were you going, too?”

The young female shook her head. “I helped with the morning meal, so I'm done for the day.” She blushed and dropped her eyes to her hands, which she twisted together nervously.

“Sorry we can't stay to talk,” Ruka said lightly, “but Kagura and I really need to get going.”

“Oh, okay,” Ginta said. From his expression it was obvious that he had only half-heard what Ruka said.

“Come on,” Ruka whispered to Kagura as she tugged at her friend's hand and led her away from the nervous couple.

Ginta and Mihoshi didn't even notice the others leaving.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kagura continued to follow Ruka hesitantly, unsure of just what she would be expected to do, but mostly worried about the reaction she would get from the other females. Her only real contact with the rest of the tribe had been limited, and even that was mostly with the males.

“I really don't think this is such a good idea,” she growled lightly to Ruka.

“It's all right, Kagura,” her friend said with a gentle smile. “You're part of the tribe now, and the others are sure to accept you, in time.” She paused and turned to the wind user. “There's no changing the past, but what you've done for the tribe since you came here isn't going to be forgotten, either. Just don't worry so much.”

“Easy for you to say,” Kagura said with a sigh. “I'm used to being alone.”

“Well, you'll just have to get used to not being alone,” her friend said as she placed her hand on Kagura's shoulder. “You have an entire tribe now.”

Kagura opened her mouth to speak, but closed it without saying anything. Ruka's self-confidence was hard to ignore, and she followed her friend wordlessly to where the other females were already busy.

A number of women were scattered around a circular clearing. A large fire burned in a pit in the middle, with several spits positioned over the crackling flames. Kagura watched silently as some of the females slid large wood stakes through the carcasses of several large deer and lifted them to place them over the cooking pit. Several other women appeared to be busy cleaning additional deer for roasting.

Kagura closed her eyes and turned away. “Do they have to do that?” Her stomach suddenly felt queasy and she put one hand to her mouth.

“Are you all right?” Ruka asked in a concerned voice. “You look like you're not feeling very good.”
The wind user simply shook her head. “I don't eat meat.”

“I noticed. I'm sure we can find something else for you to help with,” she said in a reassuring voice.

She gripped Kagura's elbow gently and led her around a rocky outcropping. Beyond was a second area where a number of females were busy taking care of some of the tribe's children. “Those with children are expected to help, too, so we take turns caring for each other's kids. It's a good way for women without children of their own to learn how to take care of children, too.” She smiled and winked at Kagura.

“I don't know anything about children…” Kagura started. She was interrupted by when a young girl practically launched herself into the wind user's arms.

“Kagura!” Reiya said happily before jumping down and running to her mother's waiting arms.

Ruka returned the child's hug and smiled at Kagura. “I love spending time here,” she explained as she allowed her daughter to lead her to where a number of other children were playing quietly. “I don't like to be away from Reiya any more than I have to.”

Kagura stood to the side, watching as Ruka greeted the other children and spoke with the females who were supervising the youngsters.

“What the hell is she doing here?” an accusing voice asked.

The wind user turned to see Madoka walking towards her. Kagura froze, unsure how to deal with the approaching female. Her instincts put her on alert, preparing her for the possibility of having to defend herself.

“Madoka,” Ruka said roughly. “As you well know, Kagura is head female of the tribe, and you are expected to treat her with respect!”

“I'll give her the respect she deserves,” Madoka snarled, “which is none.”

Ruka motioned for the other females in the clearing to take the children out of earshot. She was not looking forward to dealing with the jealous wolf youkai who stood before her. Madoka clenched and unclenched her hands as she narrowed her eyes at Kagura.

“This is the last time I am going to say this,” Ruka said in a threatening tone of voice. “You will show Kagura respect. If you are going to be part of this tribe, you will live by its rules.”

“Are you threatening me with banishment?” Madoka said in an incredulous voice. “You are hardly in the position to…”

“No, I'm not in the position to banish you,” Ruka agreed, “but Kouga is. You can be sure that anything you do from this moment on will be reported to him.”

From this moment on? Kagura looked on in confusion, needing a moment to realize that Ruka was giving Madoka the chance to stand down without punishment, as long as she stopped immediately.

“You expect me to just stand here while this fucking bitch takes over my tribe?”

“First of all, it's our tribe - you aren't the only member of it, remember. Secondly, and this is for everyone's information…” Ruka turned and made of point of looking at each of the females remaining in the clearing. “What happened in the past is just that…past. Most of you only have partial information about what happened, so I'm going to fill in the gaps for you. After that, you are all expected to treat Kagura like a member of this tribe.”

Ruka continued despite Madoka's protests, explaining how Kagura had been controlled by Naraku, and that the fighters who had died had been in battle, and knew the risks. She paused for a moment before continuing.

“If it hadn't been for Kagura, Kouga would probably not have survived the trip back to the tribe after his battle with Naraku. And, since she's been here, she has done more than anyone else in the tribe to protect our people.”

“Yeah, we know,” Madoka said in a sarcastic tone of voice. “She saved your kid, so of course, you're going to stick up for her.”

“Maybe I should order you to go down to the base of the mountain and see the results of yesterday's battle. The bird youkai that have been terrorizing our tribe are gone - dead and soon to be buried. We could have never done it without Kagura's help.”

“And, just what's in this for you, Ruka?” Madoka demanded.

“The same thing that's in it for everyone. The peace and safety of our tribe.”

“Are the bird youkai really gone for good?” one of the other women asked hesitantly from the edge of the clearing.

“Thanks to Kagura, their numbers had already been reduced so that when the fighters attacked yesterday, we were able to wipe them out.”

Several of the women exclaimed in excitement. Madoka turned and glared at them.

“That still doesn't take away what she did to our men.”

“Damn it, Madoka, haven't you heard anything I've said?” Ruka turned and gave Kagura a warning glance, worried that she would be pushed too far by the insolent young woman who seemed to be baiting the wind user.

Kagura stood silently, her expression impossible to read as she listened to the argument between the two other females. Her face remained passive as Madoka spun and pointed an accusing finger in her direction.

“And, of course, Kagura's just a coward, letting you fight her battles for her,” the wolf youkai snarled as she planted herself in front of her intended target.

“Stop it, Madoka,” a soft voice said from the edge of the clearing. A female who Kagura had not seen before stepped forward. A young girl child clung to her skirt, looking like she was ready to cry. “That's enough!”

“Stay out of this, Umi,” Madoka snapped.

“I will not,” the young mother said as she stroked her daughter's hair. “My son was killed by one of those damned birds, and I have spent every day since he died worrying that my little girl would be taken from me, too.”

Ruka sighed and turned towards the unexpected speaker. “You don't have to worry any more, Umi. The birds are gone.”

“I heard things from some of the men this morning, but it all seemed too good to be true,” Umi said as she looked at her daughter. The little girl looked up at her mother and smiled. The woman turned to Kagura, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “Thank you,” she whispered as her shoulders started to shake.

“It's all right,” Ruka assured her as she moved towards the crying woman. Ruka slid her arm across Umi's shoulders and hugged her gently. “Your daughter will be safe now.”

“It doesn't change the fact that Kagura's a murderer,” Madoka said as she glared at the wind user.

“Just shut up, Madoka,” Ruka ordered. “Don't think I don't know what's really going on here.”

“What the hell do you mean by that?”

“You had your sights set on landing Kouga for yourself. You thought if you became Kouga's mate you would be the head female for the tribe. All you've ever been interested in is power, and you blame Kagura for ruining your plans.”

“That's a damned lie,” Madoka shouted. “I've never…”

“There isn't a member of this tribe who doesn't know just what type of woman you are,” Ruka continued. “You can't have Kouga, so you went after the second in command. Just what are you planning, Madoka?”

Madoka mumbled something inaudible under her breath as she glared at Ruka.

“If you think I'm just going to stand here and listen to your damned lies,” the angry youkai said in a threatening tone of voice, “you have another thing coming!”

“What are you going to do, Madoka? Call me out? Challenge me?” Ruka shook her head and signaled Umi to move her daughter away.

Madoka hissed. “If that's what it's going to take.”

“Oh, you're not going to call me out, Madoka,” Ruka said knowingly. “That's not your style, after all. No, you have your plans laid out, and are just waiting for Jurai to do your dirty work for you.”

“Why, you…BITCH!” Madoka took a wild swing at her accuser. A look of surprise replaced her anger as her feet were swept effectively from beneath her. She turned her head and glared at Kagura, who had moved forward soundlessly and now stood over the prone youkai. The wind user's arms were folded casually across her chest.

“What do you know,” she said in an almost monotone voice. “It really works.”

Ruka fought to maintain her composure, finding the moment to be extremely funny. Madoka sputtered and rolled to her feet, taking in the small gathering of female youkai who had come to the clearing while she argued with Ruka. Even in her anger, her reason was intact and she turned to face Kagura.

“This isn't over, bitch,” she said as she brushed the dust from her furs.

“Yes it is,” Ruka countered. “Even you aren't stupid enough to attack the tribe's head female in front of all these witnesses.”

Madoka narrowed her eyes and turned to survey the faces of the women circling the clearing. They were mostly young mothers with whom she had very little contact. A baby being held by one female began to cry.

“Take care of your kid,” Madoka said with an artificial sweetness in her voice. “Just hope this murdering bitch doesn't kill your brat while you sleep.”

Madoka turned and walked quickly from the clearing, making sure she held her head high and shoulders back. She made a silent vow to pay the wind user back for embarrassing her in front of the others.

Ruka and Kagura watched the retreating figure, only turning to face the others when Madoka was out of sight.

“What was that all about?” one woman asked.

Ruka shook her head. “I'd say not to worry about it, but I have a feeling this is just the beginning.”

Umi stepped forward, her daughter looking shyly up at the others from behind her skirt. “Madoka attacked Ruka,” she explained.

“Let's just leave that here,” Ruka suggested. “There's no need for you to get involved.”

The female with the crying baby bounced the child lightly in her arms. She turned to face Ruka. “What about what Madoka just said? Should we be worried?”

“Kagura is part of the tribe, now,” Ruka said softly. “And, she's Kouga's mate. She's not going to do anything to hurt anyone in the tribe.”

“Look, Ruka,” another female said. “I trust you…normally… but you can't blame us for being concerned.”

Before Ruka could respond, Reiya appeared in the center of the clearing and ran to the wind user. “Kagura's my friend,” she said bluntly. “Stop saying bad things about her!”

Kagura looked down in surprise at the child. “Reiya,” she whispered as she looked up at the child's mother.

Ruka smiled. “Would I allow my own daughter to be around her if I didn't honestly feel she can be trusted?”

A low rumbling came from among the gathered women as they whispered among themselves.

“I trust Ruka's judgment,” Umi said as she stepped forward. “We grew up together, and in all the years I've known her, she's never done anything to make me question her.”

Several women nodded in agreement.

“Perhaps we should get back to work,” Umi suggested as she lifted her daughter in her arms. The girl wrapped her arms around her mothers neck and kissed her cheek.

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Ruka agreed. She turned to Kagura and smiled while inwardly sighing. The situation had been defused for the moment, but there was no doubt in the wolf youkai's mind that Madoka would continue to cause problems for the wind user.

Umi smiled shyly at Kagura before turning and walking to where several children waited. Some of the gathered women began to leave, returning to the duties they were in the middle of when Madoka's voice had drawn them away.

“Well, I'll call that a victory,” Ruka said softly to Kagura as she indicated that the wind user should follow her.

“Victory?” Kagura's brow wrinkled in her confusion.

“I was afraid Madoka would have swayed more of the women to her way of thinking,” Ruka said in a whisper. “There is one thing you'll learn about mothers, and it's that they will always put the well-being of their children first. That's what I was hoping for, actually.”

“I don't understand…” Again, Kagura's expression was one of confusion.

“What you did to help rid the tribe of the bird youkai made our village safer for the children. These women aren't going to forget that.”

The wind user passed her gaze across the gathered women, who had returned to their child care duties. Umi had her own daughter and several other children gathered around her. She appeared to be telling them a story. The young mother with the crying baby had finally managed to rock her child to sleep and was helping feed a different baby. Each woman was busy with various duties involving the children.

“All the women with children take turns helping care for each other's children. That way we are free to work and know that our children are being taken care of.” Ruka motioned Kagura to follow her around the perimeter of the clearing, pausing at each of the women to explain what they were each doing to the wind user. Kagura continued to look confused and nervous.

“Of course, it's also a good way for women without children of their own to learn how to be good mothers,” Ruka said with a smile and a wink. Her meaning was lost on the wind user, who had moved away from the others and stood near the center of the clearing.

“Kagura!” Reiya was holding one of the babies as she approached the wind user. “Do you want to hold him?”

Ruka's smile faded when she saw the look of horror on Kagura's face.

“No,” the wind user gasped as she turned and fled. Ruka quickly instructed her daughter to watch the baby and then proceeded to follow the path Kagura had taken. She found the wind user leaning against the stone wall just outside of her den.

“What the hell was that about?” Ruka asked in confusion.

“I won't,” Kagura gasped. “You can't seriously think I'm going to hold one of those fucking things!” Her face was flushed and she was breathing heavily.

“Kagura,” her friend said softly as she placed her hand lightly on the wind user's arm. Kagura shook off the gesture. The look in her eyes was nothing short of terror as she turned to face Ruka.

“No!”

The wolf youkai stood by quietly, uncertain of what to do. She jumped back in surprise when Kagura pulled a feather from her hair. The wind user was airborne before Ruka could react, and she watched in silence as the oversized feather carrying Kagura flew out of sight.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Kouga!” Ruka's frantic voice caught his attention as he and Ohkami came into view on the path that led to the base of the mountain.

Kouga broke into a sprint and skidded to a stop in a cloud of dust by Ruka. “What?”

“Kagura,” Ruka gasped. “She's gone!”

“What the hell do you mean, gone?” Kouga looked around for a moment before racing to his den. He reappeared at the doorway a moment later. “Where the hell did she go?”

“I'm sorry, Kouga,” Ruka said with a shaky voice. “I don't know what happened. She was upset, and before I knew what she was doing, she just took off.”

“Upset?”

“Well, Madoka was trying to stir up trouble earlier, but everything seemed all right after that.”

“It had to be something,” Kouga grumbled. “Kagura wouldn't just leave like that. She's my mate, damn it!”

“After Madoka left, I was showing her around the child care area. She didn't seem very interested, but she wasn't acting upset or anything.”

“You took her there?”

“I didn't see anything wrong, Kouga. I mean, after all, one of these days you and she are going to want to have children.”

“Tell me exactly what happened right before she got upset,” Kouga demanded.

“Right before?” Ruka shook her head and paused, trying to remember the events of the afternoon. “Oh, Reiya brought one of the babies for Kagura to hold.”

“Damn it!” Kouga hissed.

“I don't understand. Why would she get so upset about that?”

“Kagura,” he whispered as he looked into the sky above them. He returned his eyes to Ruka. “Naraku's baby,” he said as if it was enough to explain things. He dropped his face into his hands and pressed his palms against his eyes for a moment before continuing in a monotone voice. “Naraku made Kagura watch his fucking baby.”

“Naraku had a baby?”

“It was another one of his detachments, except this one was different. He was more a part of Naraku.”

Kouga called out to one of the fighters who was stationed nearby. “Go get Ginta and Hakkaku,” he ordered. “Tell them it's an emergency!” The man nodded and sprinted off to look for Kouga's sidekicks.

“I'm sorry,” Ruka repeated. “I didn't know.”

“There's no way for you to have known,” Kouga said in a low voice. “Just do me a favor and wait here. I'm going to look for her, but I don't want her to come back to an empty den.”

“Of course, Kouga,” Ruka said in a reassuring voice. “I really am sorry. I didn't know.”
“Don't worry about it,” the leader of the wolf youkai said as he turned to watch Ginta and Hakkaku approach. “I'm going to look for her. It'll be all right,” he said with a false cheerfulness.

“Yo, Kouga,” Ginta said with a hint of annoyance in his voice. “We're supposed to be off duty!”

“You can take some time off later. Right now, I need your help.” He quickly explained the situation to his subordinates. “I need someone I can trust to help look for her.”

“Sure thing, Kouga,” Ginta said as he glanced at Hakkaku. His partner nodded in agreement. “We'll help find her.”

“Ruka, you'll stay here?” Kouga asked in confirmation.

“Don't worry, Kouga. I won't leave until both you and Kagura are back home safely.”

“What direction did she take off in?” Kouga followed Ruka's pointing finger and nodded. “That's the direction I'm going in, then. You two go the opposite direction,” he instructed Ginta and Hakkaku.

“Don't worry, “ Hakkaku said as he and Ginta watched Kouga race away.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kouga searched everywhere, trying to find any fresh trace of Kagura's scent. The wind user had been to many of the places he checked, but the scent was old, indicating too much passage of time. He couldn't find any indication that she had been around that day, so he widened his search. After a while he returned to his den, hoping to find that the wind user had returned.

“Nothing,” Ruka said with a concerned look. “I'm sure she'll show up.”

“What am I going to do if she doesn't come back?” Kouga's voice was tight with repressed emotion.

“You really do love her, don't you,” Ruka said softly.

“Of course, damn it. I wouldn't have taken her as my mate if I didn't.”

“She won't be able to stay away, Kouga,” Ruka said with a sad smile. “She's too much in love with you, you know.”

“I've got to find her…” Kouga's voice faded, his words almost inaudible as he turned and ran to continue his search.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The afternoon wore on. Kouga and the others checked back with Ruka periodically, only to receive the same news. Kagura hadn't returned. Kouga's voice became hoarse from calling for his mate, and he became increasingly worried that the wind user really had left for good.

He returned to his den after the sun had fully set, the frustration of his failed search obvious in the way he carried himself. His feet dragged in the dust of the mountaintop as he walked slowly towards his den.

Ruka greeted him at the door with a smile. “She's back,” she said softly, stopping him before he could enter the den. “Please, go easy on her. She's still rather upset.”

Kouga pushed past his friend wordlessly and rushed into his den. Kagura stood near their bed. She didn't turn at his entrance.

“Damn it, Kagura,” Kouga rasped as he rushed to her and pulled her to him. She remained passive in his embrace.

“I can't, Kouga,” she whispered. “I can't have one of those things inside me.”

“It's all right, Kagura,” he mumbled as he tilted her face to look at him. His moist lips covered hers as he tightened his hold on her.

“You want children,” she continued. “You should have taken a different mate.”

“Damn it, Kagura. I don't care if we don't have kids. I don't want to lose you.” He kissed her again, feeling her begin to relax against him.

“You must hate me.”

“Am I acting like I hate you?” Kouga gently lifted his mate into his arms and carried her to their bed. He placed her gently on the furs and dropped down to lie next to her. Kagura turned to him and buried her face against his shoulder.

“It's not fair to you,” she said in a shaky voice.

“Enough,” Kouga murmured as he nuzzled her neck. “Just promise me you won't ever take off like that again.”

“Kouga…”

“Damn it, Kagura. Promise me!”

The wind user relaxed against him, letting her body mold to his as he wrapped his arms and legs around her.

“You're not going to stop bugging me until I do, are you?”

“You've got that right!”

Kagura sighed and snaked her arms around his neck. “I think you're going to regret it.”

“Kagura…” he said in a stern voice.

“All right, then I promise,” the wind user said as she cuddled against him. “I still think you're going to regret it. And, I promise I won't be mad when you decide you want a different mate.”

“I told you before, you're the only mate I'll ever have.”

Kouga reached one hand to Kagura's hair, releasing it from the tie that held her top knot. He began stroking her loose hair as he murmured in her ear. The wind user began to relax, finally forcing the image of Naraku's lavender-haired baby out of her mind.

The sound of wind whistled through the cave, bringing with it the dampness of the promised rain. Within moments, the sound of raindrops striking stone resounded in the open area of the den. Kouga and Kagura remained as they were, wrapped silently in each other's arms as the storm gathered strength outside the safety of their den.

The wolf youkai continued to stroke his mate's hair, mumbling reassuring words in her ear as she relaxed in their shared warmth. Kouga pulled a fur over them as Kagura's breathing slowed, becoming soft and steady as she fell asleep in his arms. Kouga remained awake for a time, listening to the steady beat of the rain as he pictured Kagura holding a baby - their baby - in her arms. He was disappointed in the turn of events, but knew that he couldn't force his mate to bear his children. He could only hope that she would change her mind in time.

Kouga fell asleep to dream of a den full of their children.