InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Future Past ❯ Chapter 8: Kouga ( Chapter 8 )

Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

 

 

Chapter 8: Kouga

 

 

Kagome rode on Inuyasha's back the next morning so that they could talk. “Shippo, would you please ride with Kirara for a little while?”

 

“Do I have to?” asked Shippo. “Why can't I ride with you?”

 

Inuyasha growled at the fox-youkai, who had been a little too happy at Inuyasha's discomfiture last night. “Get going.”

 

Kohaku agreed to ride on Kirara so that they could push through and cover as much ground as possible. Sango was pleased that her little brother wanted to ride with her, and gladly made room between herself and Miroku, much to Miroku's disappointment. She motioned to Shippo. “You can sit with me, Ok?”

 

They raced through the countryside. Kagome laid her cheek on Inuyasha's shoulder. “I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I didn't mean to say the word. I just got so frustrated when you wouldn't listen to me, and I—it just slipped out! I feel awful. As soon as we get back to my time, I'll take the neckace off and you'll never have to worry about it again.”

 

Inuyasha snorted. “Like hell you will. I told you before, I'm keeping the neckace. I trust you—usually—and on the other side, I know you'll take it off any time I ask. It was my fault last night. I shouldn't have asked you to take it off here. You're right. We had agreed not to take it off in this time. It's just that, those kids got to me. I guess I lost my temper.”

 

Kagome patted the top of Inuyasha's head. “I know how frustrating it must be for you to have this tremendous power and not be able to show it. But we don't want Sesshomaru to find out about your ability to transform like he does. What if it changes history?”

 

“What if it does? We never had to worry about that before. We could have changed history a dozen times already without knowing it. Why should this time be different just `cause we know he doesn't know about my new ability in the future?”

 

“Do you really want to take that chance?”

 

Inuyasha didn't answer for a few seconds. The landscape whizzed by. Somewhere above them Kirara flew with the rest of their group, following Inuyasha's lead. Finally, he replied. “No.” he said. “It's just. . . I didn't want those hanyou boys to grow up thinking they were less than full youkai. I thought if I could show them. . . .”

 

Kagome understood. “I'm sure they will grow up just fine. You are a good role model, Inuyasha.”

 

“Well, I wish I could be sure I'd be around to watch them grow up,” he murmured.

 

“I know. But you left them with a good foundation, and we have good friends who will keep an eye on them,” Kagome said half-heartedly. They both lapsed into silence, thinking their own thoughts.

 

The next village was strictly a human settlement and, like the twins' village, it was small and fairly isolated. Still, the group decided not to take unnecessary chances and let Miroku, Kohaku and the women go in alone to ask for lodging. It was mainly for Sango's sake that they stopped at the village at all. Miroku and Inuyasha had decided between themselves that Sango needed shelter in her condition. They wisely decided not to tell her that, however.

 

Like before at the hot springs, Inuyasha and the two smaller youkai easily jumped the stockade fence and skirted around the lone sentry on his perch once it got dark. Kirara and Shippo darted through the door opening and snuggled up with Sango and Kagome respectively, while Inuyasha remained on the roof above, out of sight of the sentry on the opposite side. He had no problem keeping watch all night, and this was the absolute farthest he felt comfortable away from Kagome. He thumped his foot once on the roof just to let her know he was there.

 

Some time after midnight Kohaku joined him up on the roof. They sat in companionable silence for a while before Kohaku spoke. “There's a lot I don't know about you, isn't there, Lord Inuyasha?”

 

Inuyasha eyed him warily. “What do you mean?”

 

“I never guessed there were hanyou living among humans. Are there more such villages?”

 

“Yeah.” Inuyasha gazed out across the few houses in the village towards the mountains beyond. “On the coast, there's a fishing village that used to be plagued by a tribe of demon bats.” His eyes gleamed and he half-grinned, revealing one sharp fang. “Not any more. I took care of the bats. But there's a little girl, half bat-youkai, who lives with her human mother. She has a hard life, and the stupid villagers don't make it easy for the girl or her mother, but she's strong, and she'll make it.”

 

“And my sister knows about all these hanyou?”

 

“Yeah, we all do. Kagome says Miroku and Sango will help keep watch over them. I don't know what they can do other than that—the kids will have to figure it out pretty much on their own.”

 

Kohaku thought for a little while. “Lord Inuyasha, why do you keep talking as if you won't be here much longer?”

 

“Stop calling me that. I'm not `Lord' anything. And I'm not saying I won't be here—I'm saying I might not be here. I got a life, Ok?”

 

“Sure, I didn't mean anything by it, Lor—Inuyasha.”

 

“Hmph.” Inuyasha was finished talking. The conversation was on dangerous ground already. Kohaku was a little sharper than he had anticipated and he really didn't want to get into the reasons he might not be around in case it got back to Sesshomaru. The whole problem was Sesshomaru hadn't exactly said when he and Kagome disappeared. It could be next week, it could be next year, it could be twenty years from now. Time didn't mean that much to a demon who lived for centuries. But Inuyasha felt a nagging urge to tie up all his loose ends before he went back with Kagome, just in case this was the last time.

 

Eventually Kohaku got the hint and hopped back off the roof and went inside to sleep. Inuyasha stared unblinkingly at the mountains until the first few rays of the sun lightened the sky. Then he stood and jumped over the stockade in one bound. Kirara and Shippo scuttled across the village compound and scaled the same wall in seconds. They waited for the others in the woods.

 

 

The forest was eerily silent as they made their way steadily northward. Inuyasha occasionally scented youkai in the vicinity, but they never showed themselves. That alone was puzzling. Their group was by and large human, a tempting target for most youkai. Inuyasha didn't think he was that intimidating. He knew they were being watched. He didn't know why.

 

There were no more human villages, hadn't been for a while. They decided to make camp outdoors, having no other choice. Inuyasha used his claws to slash down some branches and made a crude shelter for the women. He built up the fire until he had it roaring. At first he'd hesitated, not wanting to advertise their presence to whatever youkai might be watching, but he figured that they could use the heat. Besides, the youkai already knew they were there.

 

Kagome cuddled up next to him by the blazing fire. It was her idea to come on this trip, and she was starting to feel a little guilty for dragging everyone out into the cold for what might, after all, be a wild goose chase. There was no sign of Kouga or his wolves.

 

“Maybe we should just go back,” she said. “Everybody's tired.”

 

“Who's tired?” asked Sango, guessing that Kagome was referring particularly to her. Why did they all think she was fragile just because she was pregnant? “I'm not tired. I'm happy to be doing something,” she added, glaring in mock anger at Miroku, who threw up his hands in surrender.

 

“I'm not tired either,” said Shippo. To prove it, he ran in circles around the perimeter of the camp until Inuyasha grabbed him by his tail and forcibly plunked him down next to Kagome. She smiled at the little kitsune. It looked like they would continue on their journey, then.

 

“Why do you suppose there are no traces of youkai in this area?” Miroku wondered aloud. Inuyasha didn't reply. If the youkai traces were too faint for these sensitive humans to notice, he wasn't going to point it out to them. He noticed Kirara hadn't reverted to her kitten form yet, however. She knew, too.

 

The fire was mesmerizing. Kagome felt herself nodding off. She looked over and saw that Sango was leaning heavily against Miroku's side. They ought to take the lean-to, she thought. She could sleep out here by the fire. She stood up to tell them when she suddenly felt the tingle of strange youki. “Inuyasha,” she hissed.

 

Both Inuyasha and Kirara were on alert, staring intently into the blackness beyond the flames. “Yeah, I know,” Inuyasha replied to Kagome's call. “Youkai.” His lips curved into a crooked smile. “Wolf youkai.” He raised his voice. “You might as well come out, Kouga,” he called. “I can smell you.”

 

Miroku woke up with a start. He reached around to help Sango stand. She slapped his hands away and stood up easily, all her senses alerted. Kohaku slowly sat up, face serious, but he made no move to stand.

 

Kouga, in the meantime, had dropped gracefully down into their midst from the trees. He grinned. “It's been a long time, mutt. Kagome, you look beautiful as ever.” He sank down in front of the fire, pulling Kagome down next to him with a companionable arm across her shoulders. Inuyasha growled, and Kouga just grinned wider. “So, I heard you were looking for me,” he said.

 

“After Naraku was destroyed, you disappeared. Nobody knew what happened to you and your wolves. I wanted to make sure you were all right,” explained Kagome as she gently removed Kouga's arm from her shoulders. Laughing, he let her.

 

“I'm fine. You and Inuyasha, huh? I can't say I'm surprised, but it took you long enough. I never saw somebody so dense as him.” Kouga looked deliberately at Inuyasha, who scowled.

 

Kagome blushed. Of course Kouga would have known immediately about her and Inuyasha. This was so embarrassing.

 

“Well, since you've come all this way, might as well come home with me and meet the family,” Kouga said. “Ayame can't wait to see you.”

 

Ayame! So he did marry her! Kagome found herself grinning too. She was ready to pack up camp right then and there, but Inuyasha put out his arm to stay her. He was right. It made more sense to break camp in the morning. Kouga promised to come back for them at first light. Once he had left, and the fire died down, Kagome finally slept, curled up in Inuyasha's lap. Inuyasha didn't sleep until Kirara butted him with her massive head, letting him know that she would be on watch. Then he closed his eyes and rested.

 

When Kagome woke up the next morning, the first thing she noticed was that Inuyasha was no longer next to her. Her eyes scanned the campsite until she saw him standing tensed a few feet away. She followed his line of sight and gasped. All around them were wolf-youkai, ringing their camp in a bizarre sort of honor guard, or conquering army. She asked Inuyasha, “Were they there all night?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

A few minutes later Kouga sauntered into the camp, just as the others were stirring. Kohaku's eyes widened as he noted the youkai soldiers all around them. Kouga looked Kohaku up and down, taking in his slayer outfit, his curved sickle. “He can't accompany us,” he said flatly. “He's a youkai exterminator.”

 

Sango had the exact same outfit on. She wondered why Kouga hadn't singled her out as well. She took in a breath to ask just that question when the wolf-demon looked right at her. “I know you,” he said to her. “I've fought with you before. You are welcome. He,” he jerked his head towards Kohaku, “is not. I remember him. Sometimes he fought against us, other times he fought with us. He can't be trusted.”

 

“Now wait a minute. . .” began Kagome, but Inuyasha waved her to silence.

 

“Smell him,” he said to Kouga.

 

Kouga looked suspiciously at Inuyasha, but he moved forward to sniff the boy. Startled, he pulled back. “He smells like youkai, and not just your hanyou stench, either.”

 

“He belongs to my brother's group,” said Inuyasha.

 

Kouga was incredulous. “Sesshomaru?” He sniffed the boy once more to make sure. “All right. If Sesshomaru trusts you, then I guess I can take a chance on you too. You can come. But I'm keeping my eye on you.”

 

Kohaku hadn't said a word all through the exchange. He nodded, and stooped to gather up his things.

 

Kouga and Ayame's settlement was built into the hillside. From the outside you couldn't tell it was there at all. Inside, it was obvious that a woman's touch had softened the den and made it cozy rather than cramped and smelly. Gone were the piles of gnawed bones. There were still furs for warmth, but they were clean and neatly placed rather than strewn randomly underfoot. It was quite an improvement over Kouga's old den, thought Kagome. Inuyasha still wrinkled his nose at the overpowering wolf odor which was barely noticeable to the humans.

 

On the side of the hill was an outdoor area which seemed just as much a part of the living quarters as the cave-like den. Ayame knelt there, spreading out a welcoming feast for her guests on a wide boulder that served as a table. She turned around as they arrived, revealing her swollen belly.

 

“Ayame!” Kagome hugged the wolf-youkai. “Congratulations! You look wonderful!” She dragged Sango over to see her. “Sango is having a baby too!”

 

The women left the males outside to enjoy the food while they talked about babies and motherhood and men, universal themes whether one was human or youkai. Kagome was just as happy to leave the feast. The wolf-youkai truly were not used to humans. The meat was raw, though thankfully not still moving. As she followed Ayame into the den, she glanced back to see Inuyasha and Shippo tearing into their portions with their bare hands, while Miroku and Kohaku tentatively poked at theirs with chopsticks they carried inside their shirts.

 

Ayame's baby was due in another month or so. Kagome clicked back on her fingers, counting. They certainly hadn't wasted any time. So much for Kouga's undying love for her, she thought, although to be honest, she'd known for quite a while that Kouga didn't really feel that way about her anymore. At first, it had been infatuation, and later he kept it up just to get a rise out of Inuyasha.

 

Sango sat next to the wolf-youkai. “May I?” she asked. Ayame nodded, smiling, and Sango put her hand on Ayame's belly to feel the baby kick. “He certainly is active,” she commented. “I can feel my little one, but he's not nearly as strong yet.”

 

Kagome gasped in wonder. “Ooh, let me try,” she said, putting one hand on Ayame's stomach, and the other on Sango's. Sure enough, Ayame's baby kicked so vigorously that not only could she feel the movement, she could also see it as the skin rippled underneath Ayame's clothing. After a few seconds she felt a faint fluttering under her other hand, too—the one on Sango's belly. It finally felt real to her that Sango was actually going to have a baby. Her eyes misted. If she stayed here, maybe she could have a baby too.

 

“Wouldn't it be wonderful if your kids grew up together?” she asked. “They would be about the same age. Sango, Ayame, promise me that you'll visit each other so that your kids can be friends.”

 

Ayame stared at Kagome, puzzled by her outburst. Sango, who knew Kagome's secret, understood her friend's wish, so she nodded. “I would like that,” she said. “That is, if Ayame's people will allow it.”

 

Ayame laughed. “I think they might allow it but I'd be afraid my child would try to eat yours, Sango. After all, he's a youkai baby, and until he's a little older, he will follow his instincts. Your human baby smells like food,” she said, trying to be kind but honest with her human friends.

 

Kagome looked horrified. Sango wasn't as surprised, however; having been raised in a youkai exterminator village, she knew a lot about youkai. “Well, then, we'll just have to keep a close watch on them, won't we?” she said lightly. “They'll learn. My child might be human, but he has the blood of slayers in his veins. He'll hold his own against your son, I'm sure of it.” Sango smiled. She didn't want Ayame to take her words as a threat—just as the truth.

 

“Who would have believed it?” murmured Ayame, patting her own stomach. “A youkai and a slayer—friends.” Her eyes shone and she reached across and clasped Sango's arm with her own in a firm hold. “Friends,” she repeated, referring to herself and Sango this time. “And when Kagome has her babies, they can be the bridge between our two terrors, right?” She laughed again to see the dubious look on Kagome's face.

 

But Kagome wasn't doubtful that she would have Inuyasha's children someday, or that they would indeed bridge the gap between humans and youkai. She doubted that she would be here to watch her children grow up alongside Sango's and Ayame's, much as she wished it could be so. Damn Sesshomaru! Why did he ever have to tell them that they disappeared from the past? Now she felt as if she had to somehow make his prophecy come true, whether she wanted it to or not.

 

 

Miroku put down his chopsticks, looking a little green. He rustled around in his sleeve and pulled out two granola bars he had salvaged from Kagome's bag. He unwrapped one and handed the other to a startled Kohaku. “Try it. It's good,” he told the boy. At least it erased the taste of the raw meat. Miroku shuddered to think what kind of animal had unwillingly supplied their meal. He couldn't tell. He supposed he could always ask Inuyasha, but the hanyou seemed rather occupied at the moment.

 

“Why are you up here in the mountains?” asked Inuyasha, in between mouthfuls of redder meat than he'd had in a long time. These wolves knew how to live.

 

“I promised Ayame,” replied Kouga. “This is her home territory. We needed to get back to the way we were before, get away from humans for a while. No offense,” he said to Miroku.

 

“None taken. I understand completely,” Miroku assured him. “Your wolves were being hunted, and you no longer attack humans. Quite a predicament, I can imagine.”

 

Kouga blinked, surprised. “Yeah.”

 

“I don't know how good it is to shut yourselves away like this,” said Inuyasha. He was trying to caution Kouga on what could happen to greater youkai who avoided all contact with humans. He didn't want to see them lose their anchor to this reality and slip away into spirit form like the youkai in his future territory had done. But of course, Kouga was being stubborn as usual.

 

“What's it to you?” Kouga growled.

 

Inuyasha rolled his eyes in exasperation. “I don't care what happens to you, stinking wolf,” he growled right back. “But you might think about your wife and your kid, or your people, for that matter. Did you ever wonder what happens to youkai who withdraw from the world? They disappear, you idiot!”

 

Kouga stood, leaning both hands on the stone `table' as he faced Inuyasha, and yelled back. “Who said we were withdrawing, jerk!”

 

At the sound of their raised voices, Ayame, Sango and Kagome came running back outside. Trust those two to start a fight. Miroku and Kohaku slowly backed away and even Shippo looked worried.

 

“Stop it, both of you!” commanded Ayame. Kouga immediately backed off although he still cast dark glances at Inuyasha. “While you two were busy shouting at each other, we women have come to an agreement. Kagome, Sango and I want to keep in touch so that our children can grow up to be friends. I have granted them free passage to and from our settlement, for themselves and for their children. Does that meet with your approval, husband?” she asked Kouga.

 

Kouga nodded and sat back down. Inuyasha cautiously sat down again too. The food was good. He could tell who was the true leader in this pack. He snickered, causing Kagome to frown at him. Hastily he wiped the smile off his face and glanced at her for approval, before he realized the irony of his actions. Who was he kidding? Women everywhere were the ones who were truly in charge.

 

“You should let the kid here have passage too,” he mumbled.

 

“I don't think so,” said Kouga. “I still don't trust him.”

 

“You're a fool, then,” said Inuyasha flatly. The women waited for the second explosion, but one look from Ayame quelled Kouga's outburst before it happened. Inuyasha continued. “He's Sesshomaru's scout. He has the ear of the Taiyoukai. You could use an ally like Kohaku. He's human and he's a slayer, but he works for youkai.”

 

“And that's supposed to make me trust him? Why is he betraying his own kind?”

 

Sango spoke up. “He's not betraying humans. He's seen too much. We all have. None of us believe humans are all good and youkai are all bad. Inuyasha taught us that.” She glanced at Inuyasha, sensing that he was about to object. “Youkai are different from humans. We don't always think the same way. That doesn't necessarily make them all enemies to be slain.”

 

Kohaku looked gratefully at his sister. She did understand him somewhat. It went much farther than that, he knew. He had much to atone for in his short life, and he had his own reasons for following Sesshomaru, not least of which was the little girl, Rin. But what Sango told the wolf-youkai was true enough, and enough for them to know. Either they would trust him or they wouldn't.

 

“Fine,” spat Kouga. “He has passage too. I'm not saying I want his help, I'm just saying he has passage, Ok?”

 

Kagome and Ayame exchanged glances and giggled.

 

 

Inuyasha refused to sleep inside the wolf den, so he and his group set up camp outside with another roaring fire to keep them warm. Kagome had packs of instant ramen noodles in her backpack, and they shared with Kouga and Ayame. The rest of the wolf pack had to fend for themselves, as there was only so much ramen to go around. Kagome wished she had something for the baby, but all she had left were some scarves and T-shirts that said `I (heart) NY.' She figured it was safe enough to give them to Ayame and Kouga, as the items would biodegrade over the next five hundred years.

 

Kagome felt lighter when they finally left Kouga's settlement. At least she knew they were safe. Now that Sango and Kohaku promised to keep in touch with the wolves, she knew their future was secure. Hopefully, the wolf-youkai would be some of the ones who survived into the twenty-first century.

 

When they got close to the village, Kagome tapped Inuyasha's shoulder. “Do you think we could go through the well just for tonight? I need to get something from my time.”

 

“Can't it wait?”

 

“No, not really. We could spend the night at my house and come back before sunset tomorrow.”

 

“Why so long?”

 

“I need to go shopping.”