InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Facets of the Living Jewel ❯ Caro putridas es! ( Chapter 39 )

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

 

[Inudemon]

(Inuhuman)

`Inuyasha or others'

 

 

Caro putridas es!

By Licentia poetica

 

Kouga sat patiently, using his well honed predator skills to lie in wait for Kagome. He had been almost healed by the time Midoriko had finished bandaging him, so he used the same technique that Inuyasha had: when the strange child appeared, he used the momentary distraction of Midoriko and Yourei Taisei to cover the ripping sounds of his blood impregnated bandages. He faded into the forest, leaving the material, knowing that his smell would linger in the area and confuse his scent for trackers.

 

`It won't confuse them for long, but with my speed I don't need much time.'

 

When Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru arrived with Kagome, he tensed, eyes wary and senses on high alert. He smiled as the two males both protected Kagome from the small child.

 

`Idiots! What danger can a little girl like that be? Oh well, it's making it easier for me.' He smelled Kagome's mated scent and nearly growled out loud, but instead gathered his muscles for a spring. `He must have forced her, after all the times she's shown me that she places me first. Damn hanyou! I'd kill him, but I can't fight all of them together.'

 

He had just tensed to leap when he had to conceal his presence again as the neko demon brought the rest of Inuyasha's traveling companions. `Shit! How am I going to get her away now!'

 

He almost laughed as the group conveniently arranged itself away from Kagome, all of them watching the strange child and paying no attention to the forest behind them. He saw Inuyasha glance backwards, and as the hanyou turned toward the child again he took his chance.

 

In one silent leap he was at Kagome's side. She looked at him, startled, but he clamped a hand over her mouth and crushed her against his chest as he took another great leap in the direction of his lair. Swinging her over his shoulder, he ran at his top speed, aiming toward a river where he could hide their scents from pursuit.

 

For a few seconds there was what sounded like muffled cursing, then Kagome yelled “Kouga! Let go of me!”

 

“No, Kagome. I don't mind that he took you! I'll accept you anyway, and we'll just forget that it ever happened. I know you didn't want to be with him.”

 

She began to struggle in his hold, so he held her tighter as he came to the river and jumped in. She stilled for a moment, and he began to feel an uncomfortable prickling against his shoulder and arms. It became steadily worse as he ran up the shallows on the other side of the river. Finally, he reached a stand of trees and stopped, glancing down at his arm to see what was causing the pain.

 

She was covered in a pulsing blue barrier, and it was gradually getting stronger.

 

“Kagome!” He released her, gently standing her on her feet. “How did…what? Who conjured a barrier around you?”

 

“I did, you…you baka!” The barrier faded and he could see that there was anger in her eyes. “How many times do I have to tell you, Kouga!” She leaned toward him, fury apparent in every inch of her tense body. “I don't want you! You are not my mate! I chose Inuyasha!”

 

He froze. If that was the case, he had just seriously violated Pack Law, and his life was forfeit. `This doesn't make sense. Maybe I need to reason with her.'

 

“Kagome. I don't understand. Whenever I visited, you were glad to see me. You always smiled, even though I could tell you were nervous, and you would “sit” the dog-turd.”

 

“Don't call him that,” she spat at him. He huffed a breath, confused, trying to make sense of her behavior.

 

She glared at him as he put a hand to the back of his neck, rotating his shoulder as if it pained him.

 

“You humiliated him in front of me! And you didn't defend him when I showed him who was alpha! You healed my wounds in front of him, you took care of me in front of him, and you protected me from him, even when I wasn't injured. Those are all things a female does to show her preference. You don't…you never wanted me?”

 

Kagome blushed and the barrier completely dissipated. She hung her head, for the first time realizing that Inuyasha's anger at her treatment of Kouga was justified and that she had inadvertently led Kouga to believe she cared for him. She had never known that she was showing a preference. `All those times Inuyasha got angry. He must have felt just like I did whenever I saw him with Kikyou.'

 

She tried to make amends. “I'm not…Kouga, I'm human. I didn't realize…I didn't mean to…I never cared…” She brought her hands forward in a gesture of futility.

 

He turned from her, his hands clenching and unclenching into fists. “You never cared?” His voice was low and angry.

 

She closed her eyes, knowing that she had done some terrible damage without realizing it. “I never did, not in the way you want me to.”

 

“When I first took you to the lair, you accepted the meat I offered you, even though you didn't eat it. You slapped me, you challenged me to show you my worth, and after I made my intentions clear you allowed me to touch you and carry you to the battle with the Gokuraku-chou. You protected my Pack and protected me from the dog-turd when I got injured. Then…all your actions, all along…they meant nothing to you?” His voice was deeper, more threatening.

 

“I thought I could escape if I got you to take me outside. I…I needed the shards. I didn't…” her voice trailed away as he turned back to her. The anger on his face transformed its normal handsome features into a fierce predator's grimace. His blue eyes were pulsing red, and she suddenly remembered his Pack's reaction when she had first slapped him.

 

“The shards.” His voice was an enraged growl. She backed up, realizing that she was alone in the forest with an angry wolf youkai, and that she had underestimated him, badly.

 

“You played me, you fucking human.” His hand swept up and struck her across the face before she could react. She staggered with the blow, falling onto the leaf-littered floor in a daze. “I risked my Pack for you. I held off finding an alpha female for you. Now I've violated Pack Law. Well, I'm dead already, so what's to keep me from making sure that the mutt doesn't have his bitch around to make more damn dogs?”

 

She tried to clear the ringing from her head as he pulled her up off the ground with one hand, holding her by her shirt and shaking her like a rag doll.

 

`Find your center, Kagome. Make the barrier!' But she could not calm herself enough to find her focus points.

 

Her shirt ripped and he grabbed at her, his claws leaving gouges in her skin.

 

She gasped his name, her tone pleading. “Kouga…please…”

 

“Quiet, human. I'll teach you to play with wolves.” He backhanded her again, and she landed face first on the ground, dazed and bleeding from her mouth and nose. As blackness closed in around her vision, she desperately tried to fight off unconsciousness and sought the mind meld with Inuyasha.

 

`Inuyasha! Inuyasha, help!'

 

She felt his strength and anger across the meld.

 

`I'm coming, Kagome. Hang on, I'm almost there.'

 

She sent a visual memory of her location, and felt him share his power and rage with her. She let go of the meld, but his power stayed with her. It allowed her to twist around and face her attacker.

 

In his anger, he had turned into his wolf form.

 

She crawled backwards from him, frightened. He had always seemed so gentle, almost stupid sometimes in his pursuit of her, that she had discounted his true nature. His youkai appearance was huge: a brindled black, heavily muscled wolf with the striking blue eyes of his humanoid form. He lowered his head and growled harshly at her, his slavering mouth a scant few feet from her body. He stalked her as she backed away, his movements stiff with anger, his teeth bared in a snarl.

 

He struck at her, teeth flashing inches from her face as she rolled away from him in panic. She leaped to her feet, but had run only two steps when she felt his teeth grab her from behind, his fangs sinking into her shoulders and hips. She screamed in agony, and her last conscious thought as he shook her like a leaf was `It's my own fault!'

 

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

Sesshoumaru scented the air, knowing that his brother's demon blood had gained control of his body. In Inu, he growled “Is this wise, Inuyasha? Will you be able to turn back, once the scent of blood calls you?”

 

The demon turned on him, snarling.

 

“She is my mate. He has violated the Mate Right, and Pack Law. Do not think that you can prevent me from taking his life.”

 

Sesshoumaru growled, his hackles rising. He projected his youki into his next words in order to press his will on the hanyou. “This Sesshoumaru claims his life as well, Inuyasha.”

 

“By what right? If you fight for me, I reject your offerand claim Mate Right. If you fight for Rin, you should not have agreed to leave her to my Pack. She is no longer under your protection, but mine.”

 

Sesshoumaru blinked and growled low, but knew he was trapped within the Law. He had not counted on Inuyasha's youki being as strong as his own. `I have given up Rin. I cannot protect her any longer.' The pain in his chest came again, forcing him to say words that should not have been spoken by the Inu no Taisho to a subordinate.

 

“This Sesshoumaru would hunt with you.” He kept his voice calm and detached, but Inuyasha flicked an ear at him and he knew that his youki had resonated in the request. `Damn. He grows more familiar with unspoken messages.'

 

`Agreed, but I am first in the huntand you will give up the right to kill him.'

 

Sesshoumaru growled, but nodded. “This Sesshoumaru will not kill him now.” He offered a conciliatory statement to acknowledge his temporary loss of status. “I will help you track.”

 

Inuyasha turned to Miroku, who was staring at him in undisguised horror, Shippo hiding behind his legs and Sango at his side. “Inuyasha! Gods, Kagome is not here to stop the transformation!”

 

He growled, and let the hanyou back into control. Miroku's eyes widened as his appearance changed.

 

“Shove it, monk. Stay here with your ma…Sango and Shippo. Protect them.” He turned to Midoriko. “We'll be back with Kagome soon.” He ignored the gasp from Miroku and Sango as he pushed aside his hair for a moment, running his clawed hand from his forehead to the back of his neck in a gesture of irritation.

 

The demon took control again. He turned to Sesshoumaru, and signaled the beginning of the hunt.

 

He gave the hunt cry, a long, low moan, as he found the scent trail and began to run, Sesshoumaru pacing next to him. They were out of sight of the group in moments, the brothers easily matching Kouga's shard-enhanced speed.

 

Miroku turned to Sango. “Did you see what I saw?

 

She swallowed and nodded. “In the center of his forehead...”

 

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

It was almost too easy to follow the trail; Kagome's scent pulled him like a magnet.

 

(Will he take her?)

 

[I do not know. She has our scent, and she will not consent.]

 

`She's never understood that she was giving him the wrong messages.'

 

The brothers came to the river, both pausing to scent the air as the trail vanished. Sesshoumaru gave a low whine, indicating that he would head downstream, and moved quickly away. Inuyasha ran upstream.

 

He froze for a moment as he felt Kagome's mind meld. `Inuyasha! Inuyasha, help!'

 

He answered her, projecting his strength across the connection. `I'm coming, Kagome. Hang on, I'm almost there.'

 

He saw through her eyes and memory for one moment, and knew he didn't have far to go. He leaped in the air, willing her to have his strength and voicing the hunt cry. He sprang through the forest and came upon Kouga in wolf form, shaking Kagome in his fangs.

 

He roared a challenge and swept forward, landing on Kouga's head and slashing his dagger-length claws across one eye.

 

Howling, Kouga released Kagome and clawed at his head, trying to dislodge Inuyasha while his ruined eye spurted blood across the still form of the woman. Inuyasha leaped from the bloody head, drawing Kouga away from Kagome's bleeding body.

 

“If you've killed her hell won't save you from me.”

 

The wolf snarled and leaped at him. He dodged to the side and slashed his claws down Kouga's flank as the wolf's momentum carried him past, laughing at the howl of pain as the blood lust laid claim to him. He flexed his bloody claws and began to stalk the injured wolf.

 

`Stay in control, or I'm taking you out of this.'

 

[He will pay. I will drink his blood.]

 

He leaped at Kouga again, landing on the wolf's back and raking the talons of both hands across his back, down the hip, and into the hamstring muscles, cutting the tendons and laming Kouga on that side. The smell of blood and the howl of agony as the wolf twisted away brought a smile to his face.

 

`Think of Kagome and our Pack. Stay in control.'

 

“You have violated my Mate Right, wolf. Die!”

 

He leaped in the air, aiming for the wolf's neck, but fell short of his target as Kouga morphed back into his humanoid form, knowing that the size of the wolf was a hindrance in this battle. The Goraishi appeared on his hand.

 

They circled around each other, looking for an opening, Kouga's eye, flank, and thigh dripping blood.

 

“So she chose you, asshole? Too bad you won't be around long enough to enjoy it!” Kouga leaped in and swiped the Goraishi at Inuyasha, the arcs of lightning catching him on the thigh as he jumped away.

 

Inuyasha shook the sting out of his leg. `We need to fight together. We need to use the Tetsusaiga!'

 

[I can take this wolf. I have no need of the Tetsusaiga.]

 

(You're the one who said we were stronger together. He's got a new weapon!)

 

“Sankon Tetsusou!” Inuyasha's claws hacked a chunk out of Kouga's shoulder before he could leap away on his uninjured leg, but in turn the Goraishi sliced long furrows out of Inuyasha's back and flank.

 

Inuyasha grunted in pain. “So, wolf, you fight with a new weapon.”

 

“Yeah. This is the Goraishi, and it holds the power of my ancestors.” Kouga was panting hard, beginning to stagger from loss of blood.

 

“You hold the weapon awkwardly. It is a power that you do not understand.”

 

“Who cares? I understand enough, enough to kill you with it.”

 

The two males circled, each bloody, each wary of the other, each hating the other.

 

“Sankon Tetsusou!” Another feint, another piece of Kouga missing, this time from the front of his injured thigh as he tried to use his speed to leap away from the Inudemon's swift strike, but the battle was taking too long.

 

`We need to fight together and get rid of him, fast. Kagome is bleeding!'

 

[Iwant to kill him.]

 

(You said that it is our power working together that makes us strong. We need to hurry!)

 

Kouga struck again with the power of Goraishi, only this time some of the lightning bolts went wide, a few striking near Kagome's still, unconscious form.

 

Inuyasha had avoided all the bolts, but Kagome was in danger. The demon relented. [Take back control.We will work together.]

 

(About time, baka.)

 

`Quiet, both of you.'

 

Inuyasha slid the Tetsusaiga out of its saya, the sound of the transforming fang a menacing hiss in the quiet of the forest near the battle. “I don't have time for you, asshole. I need to get my mate to a healer,” he snarled.

 

Kouga laughed, an angry sound, and released the Goraishi's power in Kagome's direction. Inuyasha sprang in front of her and used the Dragon-scale Tetsusaiga to absorb the lightning strikes before they had a chance to harm Kagome. He felt the Senki purify the youki and gritted his teeth. `Damn Naraku!'

 

He taunted Kouga. “What's the matter, wolf? Your aim isn't very good. I thought I was your target?”

 

The Goraishi crackled to life again, spitting shards of lightning directly at him. He threw up Tetsusaiga in Dragon-scale form, and the Senki purified the youki as Tetsusaiga absorbed it. Dashing forward, he caught the Goraishi with a two handed parry above his head as Kouga brought the clawed weapon down to slash at his face. Kouga placed his free hand behind his wrist, adding pressure and his own youki to the power of his ancestors, seeking to break the blade. The lightning of the Goraishi began to rain sparks down into Inuyasha's eyes.

 

He felt the force of the youki slam into Dragon-scale Tetsusaiga, and the Senki purified the power, but slowly the energy of the dead wolf youkai began to overwhelm it.

It began as a wisp of energy leaving the blade, but with increasing speed more of the Senki began to unravel from the sword. Finally, in an explosion of raw power, the Senki blew apart in the straining male's faces. They were both thrown back by the detonation, Inuyasha managing to stay on his feet by using Tetsusaiga to anchor himself, carving a long furrow in the ground. The injured Kouga fell on his back and slid into the base of a tree. He groaned and struggled to push himself to his feet, but the Goraishi disappeared from his hand and he fell again, passing out.

 

Seeing that Kouga was out of the battle for the moment, Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga and ran to Kagome. Sesshoumaru was holding her with his good arm.

 

“When did you get here?” he asked him in Inu.

 

“You voiced the hunt call. This Sesshoumaru came. Your mate is gravely injured.”

 

All thoughts of Kouga left him as he saw the blood and bruises on Kagome's pale face and the blood dripping from numerous wounds in her body. Giving a whine, he gently pulled her from Sesshoumaru's grasp, pulling her close to his chest. She was barely breathing and he could feel her heart stuttering, the beat irregular and weak. Blood pooled on the ground underneath her. He looked from her face to Sesshoumaru's, tried to speak, then shook his head. Cradling her unconscious form tightly against his body, he ran for Kaede's hut.

 

Sesshoumaru stood and watched him go. `He is completely unaware of the other issues at stake here. He leaves loose ends. Baka hanyou.' He stared at the ground, remembering the touch of Inuyasha's hand on his shoulder. `He acknowledged the bond. I will protect him, even if he is an idiot.'

 

He stalked over to the unconscious Kouga, glaring at the wolf demon. Unsheathing Tenseiga, he slapped the wolf in the face with the flat of the blade until he responded. As Kouga shook his head, trying to focus, Sesshoumaru stepped on his neck, holding his head to the side with the pressure of his foot and placing Tenseiga on the skin above the carotid artery.

 

“You will give this Sesshoumaru the shards that his brother seeks. Now.”

 

“How can I? You have me pinned.” Kouga's words were slurred and weak.

 

Sesshoumaru growled, a deep and threatening sound, and placed the blade of Tenseiga against Kouga's groin. “This Sesshoumaru has given his word to his brother not to kill you now.” He gave the wolf a feral smile. “That does not mean this Sesshoumaru cannot leave you in agony, without the ability to ever be an alpha male again. Give this Sesshoumaru the shards, and do not move more than necessary, or the Tenseiga might slip.” He gave a dig with the point of the katana to emphasize his words.

 

Kouga painfully moved his uninjured leg up and grasped a portion of his calf muscle, popping a shard out of the flesh. He had to pull the other leg up with his hand, and slowly repeated the same action on that calf. He held the shards up towards Sesshoumaru, growling, but he was beaten and he knew it.

 

`Now, Inuyasha. Now that I must help you, I have no other hand with which to grasp your prize, and it is your doing.'

 

“Place the shards on the ground, as far away from you as possible.”

 

He watched, never moving the Tenseiga from its strategic location, as Kouga complied with his request. He leaned down, baring his fangs.

 

“Know this, wolf. Today you are saved from death, but if this Sesshoumaru catches your scent anywhere near his lands again he will hunt you down, and no promise will save you.”

 

He took a long step to the side, standing over the shards, and thrust Tenseiga into the ground. As Kouga struggled, trying to regain his feet, Sesshoumaru backhanded him across the face, knocking him back to the forest floor.

 

“Coward. You attacked an untrained human woman, with no fangs or claws or youki to challenge you. This Sesshoumaru should have castrated you. You are not fit to be alpha, even in your pitiful Pack.”

 

Sesshoumaru sheathed the Tenseiga, then reached quickly down with a scrap of cloth and picked up the shards, tucking them into the front flap of his kimono. Kouga shot a look full of hatred at the Inu no Taisho, but could barely move due to his injuries and loss of blood. Sesshoumaru uttered a deep growl of warning before turning his back and leaving at a measured pace, informing Kouga by his actions that he considered the wolf demon beneath his notice, absolutely no threat.

 

He stalked away, following Inuyasha's scent to the village, keeping his pace even until he was out of Kouga's sight and scent. There was the faintest scent of a bear youkai on the breeze. He thought of warning it off, but there were more important issues.

 

`I may not have the satisfaction of killing him. There is still the rip to deal with, and the miko…'

 

For the first time in his life, he hurried. Inuyasha's mate had been dying as he held her, and she was the only one that Midoriko felt could close the time rip that endangered his Packs. `I hope the ancient miko can heal her. After what happened with Rin, I never want to use the Tenseiga on a human again.'

 

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

Translation: Caro putridas es! Latin; You're dead meat!

 

A/N: Ah, but Kouga didn't die…yet. I often wonder if Ms. Takahashi realizes that Kagome's behavior toward Kouga, when looked at through a biologist's eyes, is showing a definite preference for Kouga over Inuyasha (the posturing and smiles when he's present, all the things mentioned above by Kouga). I wonder if she's secretly laughing at all the fans who blame Inuyasha for his actions with Kikyou while dismissing the interactions of Kouga and Kagome. And just to forestall the flames: remember, those of you who think Kouga would never attack Kagome: a wolf is NOT a tame or domesticated animal, and even dogs can be vicious when provoked.

 

Japanese:

Gokuraku-chou: paradise birds (youkai)

Sankon Tetsusou: Iron cleaver, soul reaver

Seishou: spirit, energy

 

 

Review thanks:

 

First of all, congratulations to one of my faithful R&Rs, JediK1! She got married! Hope your honeymoon was great!

 

FF: yoyo person, Photographing Poetry (thanks, but I'm just happy with the nominations. I'm up against some tough competition, so…), mcleigh1979 (we'll find out why Kanna is there…perhaps…she's a strange little thing), The Painted Lady (Kouga's beat up…but Kagome forgot that he was a wolf demon), Archangel Gabrielle, Moomoogirl1 (yeah, I think there'll be at least 50 chapters, but I'm not sure), jcnkitten, Lady Niltiak, JediK1 (Mrs. JediK1!)

 

AS: Tweakles06

 

MM:

Tara222: *blush* Wow. That is a compliment, to put me on par with Sueric and Silent Sky. They're both great at this stuff! Thank you!

 

Inuyashaloverr: Hi again! I missed you! As you can see, I think everyone underestimates what Kouga is really capable of doing…I'm probably going to get some major flames for this chapter, though…

 

melf: And you thought the last cliffy was bad…how about this one? I wonder why Sesshy doesn't want to revive another human…

 

Mysic_Rose: They didn't notice Kouga because he's a good predator. Inuyasha knew he was there, but Kanna distracted him (though I don't think it was her intent to help Kouga). The Kai-wolves are back at their new lair, having done what Inuyasha Pack Leader asked them to do. They'll be back in the next chapter, I promise.

 

Sesshy81: Well, Inuyasha almost killed Kouga, but Kagome is more important to him. I wonder whether that bear demon is hungry...

 

firebird234: Kouga most definitely got his behind, well, shredded.

 

jessbit: I love you, too, as one of my loyal R&Rs (R&Rers? Hhmmm) Kanna will be around for a while. I don't trust her, either, the little soul-sucking, creepy, Naraku-generated…whatever she is. But maybe she's just…misunderstood.

 

FieryFaerie: Whee! Thank you for your nomination (I'm assuming it was for Inu/Kags, not Mir/San?), your kind comments, and I appreciate your faith in me. Just for you, because you think I'm dragging things out: a fast ending.

 

Kagome died in Inuyasha's arms before he got her to Kaede's. He begged Sesshoumaru to bring her back with the Tenseiga, but for some obscure reason known only to himself, the Inu no Taisho refused. Losing control of his demon, Inuyasha killed Sesshoumaru, went back and shredded the bear demon that was eating Kouga's remains, pulverized said remains until only bits were left, then tore through the countryside destroying anything and everything in his path. Kaede, the Kai-wolves, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, Midoriko: not one was spared from his blood lust. Yourei Taisei finally killed Inuyasha, but not before receiving several mortal wounds. He succumbed as well. Without the youki and miko power to hold it back, the time rip escaped its boundaries and is in the process of destroying the world. It's coming to get you! It's destroyed your home town! It's destroying your front door! It's in your room! It's...

 

Boy, I've really got to watch the chocolate, and just in case you were wondering, that's not my story. Seriously, thank you all for your support, and trust me. There's a reason why I've done each chapter…and I think it's made a nice diversion for some of you, anyway. It's sure been a fun ride for me, though it's closer to the end now.