InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Forgotten Life ❯ Taki Iwaya ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 3: Taki Iwaya (Waterfall Grotto)
A/N: *That's probably not the correct translation…I just looked it up in a dictionary and picked words…please correct me if you know the translation*
 
Song featured in this chapter is “Every Heart” by BoA. The lyrics I used can be found here: http://furinkan.com/iycompanion/music/index.html
 
Kumiko walked next to Kouga through the forest, deep in her own thoughts. She desperately wanted to remember everything. Her first meeting with Kouga, the day Inuyasha brought her to the den, and everything that occurred there afterwards. She had suspicions that there were things Kouga wasn't saying and questions Ginta and Hakkaku wouldn't answer. Suddenly, her stomach grumbled loudly. Kouga stopped and smirked at her before scooping her into his arms. Caught off guard, Kumiko squealed and wrapped her arms around his neck. Before she knew what was happening, she was sped off at a lightening fast speed. She could see the cyclone left in their wake over Kouga's shoulder.
 
“I'll get you home faster,” Kouga said without realizing its full meaning.
 
“Home…” Kumiko repeated softly and allowed herself a smile.
 
Kouga let her down after they crossed the river. He sent her to the den with Ginta and Hakkaku to start a fire, while he caught some fish for dinner. Kouga returned to the den with five fish, ready to cook. Kumiko put the fish on sticks around the fire. Ginta and Hakkaku rose to go out and hunt their own dinner, but Kouga stopped them.
 
“I caught enough for all of us, you can stay” Kouga told them.
 
Ginta and Hakkaku looked at each other, but shrugged and sat back down.
 
A while later, as they began to eat, Kouga said, “After dinner, you guys are on guard duty at the den. Kumiko…would you join me for a walk then?”
 
“Sure…” Kumiko said, fighting down a blush.
 
After dinner, Kouga and Kumiko left Ginta and Hakkaku at the fire just outside the den and headed toward the river. They walked in silence along the river until they came to a waterfall. Kumiko remembered Ginta scaring Hakkaku as he slept during guard duty, but this time was different. She remembered being here, on this bank, laughing and waving at Ginta as Hakkaku fell into the river as though she had conspired on the plot. Kouga snapped her out of her memory as he gathered her in his arms and leapt up to the grassy outcrop she remembered Hakkaku falling off of. Kouga sat her on a rock and then sat down himself. She was about to tell Kouga about her memory when another thought came into her head.
 
“My Lord…” she started, very properly, “what was going to happen this morning if I hadn't had lost my memory?”
 
Kouga sighed, “I was going to start training you.”
 
“Training me?” Kumiko repeated.
 
“To fight…to defend yourself and our tribe.”
 
“Oh…” Kumiko frowned as she digested his words, then, suddenly, her eyes brightened as she thought of a way to make him happy again, “My Lord…will you train me still?”
 
Kouga smiled and turned to her, “You…you want me to train you…even after losing your memories?”
 
“Yes, I would like that.”
 
“Then I will train you” he smiled and stood up.
 
Kumiko bounced up off the rock, “That's wonderful!” she beamed and without thinking, she kissed his cheek.
 
She started towards the river, but Kouga was quicker and grabbed her hand, spinning her back towards him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently.
 
The world slipped away into nothingness. It was only Kouga's lips pressed against hers that she felt and the sound of the beautiful waterfall behind her that she heard. He was warm and in his kiss she felt his growing love for her, his longing. She reached a hand up to cup his cheek and whined softly. She felt his fangs graze across her lower lip as he broke the kiss. She looked up at him through heavy lashes and he was grinning down at her. A tear slipped down her cheek and he pulled her into a tight embrace.
 
“I'm sorry, Kumiko…what's wrong?” he pleaded.
 
“I just wish I could remember everything,” Kumiko sobbed.
 
Kumiko finally managed to get a hold of herself as Kouga stroked her hair and whispered soft nonsense into her ear. She had hardly noticed that he had sat them down in the cool grass and pulled her into his lap. She looked up at him and he was frowning. She reached up to stroke his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into her palm.
 
“I wish I could help you,” he finally said.
 
“Oh, but you can…just help me remember” she responded.
 
“Ok…how do I do that?”
 
“Just answer my questions and teach me about the ways of the wolf tribe”
 
“Ok”
 
“Have we kissed before, my Lord?”
 
“Yes, a few times”
 
“Were we in love?”
 
“I don't really know, I like to think something was sparking between us” he replied, looking past her toward the waterfall.
 
“I like it here” Kumiko said to change the subject.
 
Kouga sighed, “I used to take you up here every night.”
 
“What did we do all day?” Kumiko asked, now curious since she had finally got Kouga to talk.
 
“Go for walks around the territory or I'd take you for a run on my back…a lot of times we just sat around and talked” Kouga answered, “but we should get back to the den, you have to get up early to start your training.”
 
Kumiko smiled and stood up. Kouga swiftly scooped her into his arms and leapt off of the outcrop, onto the opposite bank. He let her down gently and she suddenly remembered her memory from before.
 
“My Lord…” she began, but was interrupted.
 
“Kouga…” he corrected.
 
“Kouga” she smiled, “I remembered something…I was standing here laughing as Ginta scared Hakkaku because he was sleeping on guard duty and he fell into the water.”
 
“That's good…I remember you telling me about that…those bakas are always sleeping on guard duty. There's not really anything to guard against anymore. If a demon did come into my territory, they wouldn't come close to my den anyway!” he said with a laugh, “hop on…I'll get you home faster.”
 
Kumiko climbed onto Kouga's back and held on tight as he took off towards the den. She smiled and a blush crept to her cheeks as she remembered Kouga's kiss, hoping there would be many more to come. They quickly reached the den and Kouga sat her down. He held out his arm to her and she took it gladly.
 
Inside the den, most of the tribe was sleeping or bedding down for the night. They headed down the tunnel in the back of the cave that led to their chambers. Kouga stopped when they got to the split. He faced Kumiko and she caught a hint of pink dusting his cheeks in the dim torchlight.
 
“You used to sing to me at night…” Kouga began, “would you sing to me tonight?”
 
“Of course” Kumiko smiled as he led her down the left tunnel to his chamber.
 
Kouga's room was even larger than hers. In the center lay a huge bed of furs. There were some bones scattered about, but mostly the rest was undecorated. Kouga hung his armor and sword on the wall by the doorway. He, then, made his way over to the giant bed and lay down. He patted the fur next to him in a gesture for her to come and sit. She sat down next to him and her brow furrowed as she thought of something to sing. His great blue eyes looked up at her expectantly. Suddenly, it came to her and she began to sing.
 
Ikutsu namida o nagashitara
every heart
sunao ni nareru darou
Dare ni omoi tsutaetara
every heart
kokoro mita sareru no darou
 
nagai nagai yoru ni obieteita
Tooi hoshi ni inotteta
 
meguru meguru toki no naka de
Bokutachi wa ai o sagashiteiru
Tsuyoku tsuyoku naritai kara
kyou mo takaisora miageteiru
 
Kouga laid his head in her lap as she sang. Without thinking, she untied his hair and headband. She stroked his hair and he closed his eyes.
 
donna egao ni deaetara
every heart
yume wo fumidasereruyo
hitowa
kanashimi no mukou ni
every heart
shiawase ukabete nemuru
 
itsuka itsuka subete no tamashii ga
yasuraka ni nareru youni
 
meguru meguru toki no naka de
boku tachi wa ikite nanika wo shiru
toki ni warai shugoshi naite
kyou mo mada aruki tsuzukete iku
 
osanai kioku no kata sumi ni
atatakai basho ga aru soushi
hoshi tachi ga hanasu mirai ga
itsumo kagayaite ita
so shine
 
meguru meguru toki no naka de
Bokutachi wa ai o sagashiteiru
Tsuyoku tsuyoku naritai kara
kyou mo takaisora miageteiru
 
meguru meguru toki no naka de
boku tachi wa ikite nanika wo shiru
toki ni warai shugoshi naite
kyou mo mada aruki tsuzukete iku
 
Kumiko looked down at Kouga as she finished her song. He looked to be asleep, so she carefully laid his head down onto the bed. She got up and went over to the wall and blew out the torch.
 
“Stay…” Kouga whispered in the darkness.
 
Kumiko smiled and crawled over to the bed. She curled up in the crook of his arm and laid her head on his chest. Kouga smiled and wrapped his outstretched arm around her shoulders. With his free left hand, he covered her with the fur blankets. A low rumbling sounded involuntarily from deep in his throat. The rumbling soothed Kumiko and she found sleep quickly.