InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Facets of the Living Jewel ❯ Alea iacta est ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters. Ms. Takahashi does.

 

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Inuyoukai[thoughts]

Inuhuman (thoughts)

`Thoughts'

 

 

Alea iacta est

By Licentia poetica

 

Shippo woke and immediately cowered into the folds of Kagome's sleeping bag.

 

`Something is wrong! What are those sounds?' Shippo's biological father, being a fox youkai and monogamous, had never mated again before his death and the young fox kit did not understand the Mate Call that Inuyasha was sending.

 

He burrowed into the fabric, inhaling his adoptive mother's scent to ease his fears. `I slept because Mama asked me to, but I wish I had gone with her instead!' The diminutive kitsune could not remember his mother because she had died when he was very young. After the loss of his father he had turned to Kagome and Inuyasha, but he only dared to call her `Mama' in his thoughts.

 

The sounds increased in volume and he crouched down, squeezing his eyes shut and shivering as the strong youki inherent in the vibrations pressed against his own.

 

`It makes me feel so funny. It's a warning, I can tell, but I wish Inuyasha was here. He's a baka but he's my alpha…he'd tell me what it is and protect me.' He fought constantly with the hanyou but it was a normal canine behavior to test the limits of the alpha male; he relied on Inuyasha for protection and leadership and they both knew it.

 

He hunkered down into the bedding as the youki increased and the air reverberated with subsonic vibrations. `What is it? My papa never made that sound but I feel like I should know what it means. It's scary!'

 

Fighting his instinctive reactions to remain in hiding, he clutched at his ears to try to diminish the sounds and sat up. `What should I do? Where's Mama? Where's Inuyasha?'

 

Finally gaining enough courage to open his eyes and test the air for scents, he swiveled his head to determine the origin of the sound. `Uh, oh…it's coming from the direction of the hot spring where Mama is!' He sprang to his feet and scampered over to the other occupant of the hut, ignoring the fact that she was nodding as she dozed and startling her awake by leaping into her lap.

 

“Kaede! Kaede, wake up!”

 

The old woman raised her aged hands in a warding gesture before completely waking and recognizing her diminutive attacker. “Shippo! Ye should be more careful around a miko, child.”

 

Shippo patted her cheek, his worried face inches from her own. “Kaede, we need to get Inuyasha! There's a youkai around and Kagome went to the hot spring by herself!”

 

“Hush, young one.” As she collected her thoughts she deftly rearranged his rumpled clothing, soothing the kit. “She has Kirara with her.” She cocked her head and her eyes became unfocused for a moment. “I sense youki but Inuyasha is nearby and he would not leave Kagome unprotected.” She frowned as the youki brushed against her senses. “Surely he would not…” she mumbled, “…that youki…but so strong.”

 

Shippo tugged at Kaede's gnarled hands. “No, Kaede! I can feel…it's something…can't you hear those sounds? It's a big youkai! And it's right where Kagome is!” He padded quickly toward the door, pulling the aged miko behind him.

 

“I tell thee, Shippo, I cannot hear these sounds you describe! We shall find Kagome, if that will comfort thee.”

 

He scuttled through the door and as Kaede followed he heard a slapping sound. The familiar scents of Miroku and Sango permeated the air; knowing what he would find he turned to see Sango and Miroku close together by the wall. Sango's back was to him and Miroku's face had a red handprint on it.

 

`Idiot.' Scampering toward the other members of his adopted family he cried out “Sango, Miroku! Something is wrong! I can feel vibrations and I hear sounds coming from over near the hot spring! Ma—Kagome is still there, right?” Sango turned to face him, her face beet red, but he cocked his head at her expression and gave her a perplexed look. “Why are you smiling, Sango? It's scary!”

 

The smile disappeared and Sango's face paled rapidly. She frowned at Shippo and asked seriously “What can you hear, Shippo?”

 

“It's really loud and low and…it's really powerful and it's over by the spring. Where Kagome is! We need to go and see if something is wrong!”

 

Sango paused and hesitantly glanced back at Miroku. His eyes were closed and one hand, the first and second fingers raised, was placed over his mouth in a gesture of prayer. `He looks like he's gathering spiritual power.' Mentally shrugging, she turned back to Shippo and Kaede. “I just left the spring and Inuyasha wanted to talk with Kagome. I'm not sure…” she hesitated and looked over in the direction of the spring, uncertain of the right actions in the face of Shippo's obvious fear. `I don't want the group to barge in on them while Kagome is so upset. What should we do?'

 

Miroku's voice broke in on her brown study. “Lovely Sango. Remember the pressure we felt in our recent sparring bout? It appeared as we moved closer to the path to the spring. Perhaps that pressure has something to do with the sounds Shippo is hearing.” Miroku quirked his eyebrows at her as she turned to face him and gave a short sigh of disappointment at her impassive expression. `At least my voice sounded calm and reasonable. She was responding to me, damnit! Now she is distant again.'

 

Sango was outwardly calm but Miroku's words reminded her of his actions immediately after the sparring bout. `I forgot about the headache I got near the trees. Miroku's kiss blew everything out of my head!' Unconsciously she stared at his lips and brought the fingers of one hand up to touch her own.

 

`Well, well.' Miroku began to grin as he noticed her distraction. “Lovely Sango?”

 

Sango gave a start and shook her head to clear it. As Miroku continued to grin she blushed and whipped around to address Kaede and Shippo. “Well, I guess we should go see what the matter is, but I don't think anything serious can happen while Inuyasha's there.” She narrowed her eyes and stared toward the spring. `I'm still reluctant to disturb them. The only one who can solve this and get Kagome smiling again is Inuyasha, but the baka is probably making her even more upset. Is he the one making the sounds Shippo is hearing?' Suddenly she paled at the implications of her thoughts.

 

Almost as if he heard her unvoiced concern Shippo tugged at Sango's hand. “What if Inuyasha's the youkai I hear?” he whispered. `It's my nightmare. My alpha turns full youkai and kills Mama and I'm too little to do anything about it.' He watched with increasing alarm as Sango exchanged worried glances with Miroku and Kaede.

 

Abruptly, the vibrations stopped.

 

“Wait…wait! The sounds have stopped! What do you think it means?” asked Shippo, even more frightened by the sudden stillness.

 

Miroku spoke into the heavy silence. “I think we need to go to the spring and make sure that Kagome and Inuyasha are all right. I am sure that no harm could come to Kagome while Inuyasha is with her and I sense no jyaki, but…” he stood up and began to walk toward the path, glancing over his shoulder at Sango. “I assume, since Inuyasha is there, that Kagome is decently attired?” he asked her.

 

Sango pressed her lips together. `Of course she is…as if you weren't hoping otherwise, hentai monk.' Her alarm at the thought that Inuyasha might have somehow succumbed to his youkai blood warred with her reluctance to disturb the pair. `But he had the Tessaiga with him! Surely he wouldn't harm Kagome, even if he did transform! There's something that I should be remembering about that pressure.'

 

Miroku hesitated as he noticed her hesitation. “Why are you reluctant to go there, Sango? What's wrong?”

 

She looked down at her feet, trying to recall the lessons about youkai that had been drilled into her from the first time she could hold a weapon. “I got the sense that they were finally going to talk to each other rather than yell this time.” She shook her head, unable to recall anything that would help her in this situation. Reluctantly, she stated “I guess we had better go, just to make sure that they're both all right.”

 

“Lady Kaede, do you wish to come with us or would you rather remain here?” Miroku courteously asked the old woman.

 

Kaede looked at each one of them keenly and gave a small chuckle. “I shall remain. My old bones are tired and I sense no evil.” She turned and went back into her home.

 

Somewhat reassured by her calm demeanor the three turned to the path and began to walk towards the spring.

 

“We should be cautious,” Sango whispered. “There's something about this…I feel like I'm forgetting something important, but I just can't remember.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kagome made her decision on which time path to take and as she turned her attention to it she felt a motionless rush as if the light path expanded to swallow her up. As the male voice stated “It is Time” she had the oddest sensation that she recognized it before she felt herself slip into a rush of sounds, smells, and touch. `I didn't even realize they weren't there until just now. I can hear Inuyasha breathing behind me and the sound of the wind in the trees. I can smell Kouga and Inuyasha and…me! I'm tingling where Inuyasha is holding me…he's keeping me safe from falling and he's so warm against my back.'

 

She studied Kouga's face for a moment but knew that the hanyou at her back had her heart. `I love Inuyasha as a hanyou and he was trying to show me something. I hurt him by my reactions when Kouga appeared but I know he'll never tell me why he's hurt. There was something about what he was doing to my shoulder and neck that was important to both Kouga and Inuyasha. Submitting? Oh, well.' Putting her own modern sensibilities aside she flipped her hair to the side, snuggled back under Inuyasha's chin, and bared her neck to him.

 

Inuyasha's arms stiffened in shock. `What the hell? Will I ever understand this woman?' As he saw the look of disbelief appear on Kouga's face below, he tightened his hold possessively around her waist and gave a low growl of approval. `Keh. She just told him who she belongs to.'

 

Kouga was incredibly confused. `She just said that she wasn't submitting and now she is! He swallowed hard, trying to understand as he jealously watched the two in the tree. “Kagome???”

 

Kagome opened her mouth but with a growl Inuyasha answered smugly “Like I told you, asshole, you're in the way! Now go away before I take the Tessaiga out and smash your mangy butt from here to your lair!”

 

“Inuyasha, stop it!” chided Kagome as she lifted her head and pulled away from Inuyasha, sending a confusing message to both males. “Look, Kouga. I like you, I really do! You're a friend, Kouga.” She smiled her best smile at him, hoping to appease him and absolutely unaware that she had completely baffled both males.

 

“Do you…are you…” Kouga blinked up at her, totally bewildered. `Does she even know what she's doing? She probably doesn't know Pack law and given the mutt-face's past behavior he doesn't know, either.' He sighed, his ego pacified by this rationalization, and at that moment Miroku, Sango, and Shippo appeared on the path.

 

Relief swirled through Kouga. `I can just leave. Dog turd can't do anything with them around and I'll wait for another day to claim Kagome. They aren't mated yet and if I have anything to say about it they won't ever be mated.' He smirked as he saw Inuyasha's eyes narrow in frustration and said jauntily “Kagome, I know you need to think about things and since you're safe with your friends I can leave you.” He ignored her intake of breath as he snarled a warning to the hanyou at her back. “You, mutt-face! Learn some Pack Law and stay away from my woman!”

 

Inuyasha snarled as his eyes reddened and his youki crackled in the air around him. “She's not your woman, little wolf!” The entire group below stepped back as the swirl of power made it clear that he was taking exception to the wolf's claim. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo looked up at him but he ignored them, concentrating on Kouga's face and stance.

 

[Kill him. Now.]

 

(We're holding Kagome. We have to keep her safe.)

 

`Damn. Is it that obvious that I don't know Pack Law? Does he have a claim?'

 

[No. She was submitting to us, not to the wolf, but she does not understand her actions. We must teach her our ways.]

 

Miroku glanced between Inuyasha and Kouga, noting the livid stripes that had appeared on his friend's face. `Gods, Kagome is with him and he looks like he's going to transform. We need to avoid this confrontation with Kouga and yet not lose the possibility of keeping him as an ally. After all, he does carry two of the shards.' Using an unctuous tone of voice that he knew the others would recognize as a sign of complete mistrust for the person he was speaking with, he said evenly “Kouga. It is pleasant to see you. Lady Kagome is safe with us and we thank you for your concern.”

 

Kagome had opened her mouth twice to try to say something and each time a male had interrupted her. She was livid. `Why is it that no male in this age will listen to a woman? As usual, Kouga is dismissing my statements and refusing to take no for an answer, Inuyasha is being a possessive baka, and Miroku is acting like he's my father. What do I have to do to get them to listen to me?' Before she could give them all a piece of her mind Kouga gave her a jaunty wave and sped off.

 

Sango, Miroku, and Shippo gazed up at Kagome and Inuyasha. Silence reigned in the forest as even the normal bird calls were absent.

 

Inuyasha growled low in his throat and began to grumble under his breath. `Just when I get the courage to show Kagome how I feel the damn wolf shows up and now the rest of my Pack, which I obviously don't know how to lead, are all staring up at us.'

 

[(`Damn!')]

 

`At least we're all three in agreement about something.'

 

Wordlessly he picked Kagome up and jumped from the tree. She gave a little scream on the way down, not expecting the action.

 

“Baka,” he said. “You're so afraid of heights! I won't drop you.” He set her on her feet, holding her just a little closer than usual. `If only we could have been alone just a few minutes longer.' She was looking up into his face but he looked over her head at the others and stepped back from her.

 

Kagome was trying to understand what had just taken place but as he looked away and stepped back she gave a mental sigh. `What just happened? How does he feel about me? I'm unsure about everything, but mostly about that experience with the time paths.' Biting her lip, she turned to her friends. “I have something that I have to tell you. It's very important.”

 

“Keh.” Inuyasha folded his arms and turned away, refusing to let them see his face. `Is she going to tell them about the Mate Call? She didn't make her intentions clear to either the wimpy wolf or me. Why did I even try?'

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Translations:

Alea iacta est. Latin; The die has been cast (Ceasar).

 

Jyaki: Japanese; evil youkai energy.