InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Genuine Desires : Koga's Story ❯ Imprudent Misconceptions ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter Seven

Imprudent Misconceptions

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Koga blinked into the darkness, his gaze falling upon the dying fire. Pushing himself up, he clumsily stood on his feet, narrowing his eyes as he tried to focus out into the forest, centering on an aura that he knew, but yet it was carefully eluding him all the same. She was pretty far away. He doubt that he'd be able to get to her before the sun rose.

But he'd be damned if he didn't try.

Anger welled within him. What was she doing, so far out of the security of InuYasha's forest? What was she thinking? Pushing himself to move just a little faster, he vaulted off of the forest floor, using the strength of the branches of nearby trees to give him acceleration, and he frowned. Suddenly a youki flicked past him, and he stumbled slightly.

Standing rigid, seconds ticked by as he flexed his claws, waiting for the youkai to make its move. It circled him cautiously, waiting, watching, and he could sense it's discomfort. He realized that Kagome had managed to injure it, and it was, in fact, fleeing. “You're lucky she didn't kill you,” He called out into the forest. With a snort of disgust, he turned and continued on his way.

The youkai waited for a moment, and continued on its presumed path.

Koga didn't think twice about it. His priority was getting to Kagome, and finding out just why the hell InuYasha wasn't with her . . .

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`Damn it,' InuYasha snarled viciously as he sprinted, the agonizing need to see Kagome turning into something far more desperate. Something in him screamed that something was wrong from the very moment he had opened his eyes. He hadn't needed to say anything to Miroku. With a simple glance, the man had climbed onto Kirara and was ready to go.

They had been called out to take care of a nest of rat youkai who had become rather bothersome in a village not too far away from where they resided. The problem had taken three whole days to resolve, and Miroku had opted to rest before heading directly home after taking a nasty bite from one of them. InuYasha hadn't complained more than his usual commentary about how weak humans were, but he stayed, nonetheless.

It wasn't until he had awoken in the middle of the night, the hair on his neck standing on end and the panic that flashed through him that he started back home. But it wasn't too long after that the panic abruptly vanished, and he was left behind with a hollow ache, an empty feeling, as if a part of him had been ripped asunder.

It was then he realized that the emotions flowing through him, they were Kagome's.

The metallic taste of fear worked its way into his throat, and he tried unsuccessfully to push it down. His ears flattened and he muttered a low whine as he pushed just a little faster, desperation causing him to dig his claws into the palms of his hands as he ran. He thought that it would be safer if he left Kagome behind with Sango. They were both able to defend themselves, and she hadn't wanted to leave the village unattended, even for a couple of days . . .

`Kagome, please be alright . . .'

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Sango worried her lip as she tightened the strap that held the giant boomerang she used as a weapon to her back. She had awoken to a dozen panicked villagers claiming that Kagome had taken off into the forest a little while ago with her weapon. Although she didn't think that it would be a problem for Kagome to take a walk, it worried her that she waited until the middle of the night.

`Don't try to blow the situation out as nothing,' She chided herself, jamming her sword into the waistband of her taijiya pants. She sighed and scrunched her shoulders, heading out of the hut with a frown of worry. She knew she should be worried---panicking, even. For Kagome to take off was completely uncharacteristic of her. And the fact that she hadn't awoken Sango left a bitter taste in the woman's mouth.

`How long has it been?' She thought idly as she pushed past a thick row of bushes on her way out of the village. The safe light of the fire slowly began to fade behind her, and she felt her senses kick in through the darkness. Years of training under these exact circumstances had prepared her for any given situation, and she had been thankful for it. A familiar pang of sadness hit her hard at the thought of her fallen village that were massacred by the evil hanyou, Naraku. If it wasn't for them, she wouldn't have survived to be here today; to marry Miroku, and finding as good a friend as Kagome, and even InuYasha . . .

She sidestepped an old rotten log and pushed forward, quickening her step as determination set in. She righted the boomerang on her back and broke out into a sprint, holding onto it slightly so that it didn't off balance her, and she darted around fallen obstacles, large broken trees and branches, and ignoring the small nocturnal animals and lesser youkai that darted out of her way.

She skid to a stop as a rush of energy flowed over her, and her skin erupted in goose bumps. She stared into the direction that it came, narrowing her eyes as the area erupted in a soft pink light before slowly fading, and she took off in that direction instinctively.

`Kagome. I'm coming.'

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`Smells . . . delicious . . .'

Kagome's eyes popped open, and she groaned against the soft sunlight falling against her. She turned her head slightly and covered her eyes with her forearms, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to remember just why she was laying on the forest floor.

“Are you awake?”

Removing her arm, she turned towards the voice, eyes locking with familiar brown eyes darkened with concern. “Koga?”

He sighed and nodded, using a stick to poke the fire. It snared back to life abruptly and he pulled another stick from it, holding a large chunk of meat that had been cooked thoroughly, almost charred. With a wince, he pulled the other stick, and inspected it. Seemingly satisfied, he held it out to her. “Here. Sit up and eat this.”

Slowly she sat up, biting back a groan as her body protested the movement and reached for it. The smell made her stomach coil painfully, and she took a small bite and chewed slowly, staring at him all of the while.

The various scratches and bruises that had covered his face weeks ago had mostly vanished, and his skin was starting to regain it's healthy bronze color. He had put back on some of the weight he had lost, but the sad, lost look in his eye still remained, and she knew that he hadn't finished healing, not really.

“So,” He said abruptly, shooting her a calculating glance. “Just what the hell are you doing all the way out here?”

She shrugged. “I . . . don't really know. I sensed something, and before I knew it, I ended up outside of the village, and then . . .”

“And way outside of InuYasha's forest, too. Lucky I'm the one that found you.”

She flushed and grimaced, likely realizing that InuYasha was going to blow an ass gasket once he found her. She sighed and set the stick aside, drawing her knees up to her chest and laying her chin onto them. “I . . . I was stupid. I should have waited for him.”

“It wasn't stupid.” He growled, angry that she was second guessing herself. “You were protecting the village. Nothin' stupid `bout it.”

She didn't say anything else, staring into the fire with a faraway look in her eyes that he didn't recognize. He sighed, poked his stick with his food back into the ground and reached for hers, doing the same.

She blinked at him, and then broke into a small smile. InuYasha had taught them this; leaving out food that they hadn't eaten. Although he had only shared with her that when he was younger, people leaving scraps of food behind was the only thing he could eat in long periods of times, Koga had accepted the ritual of sorts and practiced it religiously. Funny, how in five years they went from bitter rivals, to best friends of sorts . . .

Standing up, he stretched his hand out towards her, and she took it. With a slight tug he pulled her easily to her feet. She stumbled slightly and he caught her, steadying her on her feet with a scowl. “You'll stay with me until you're healthy enough to make the trip back,” He said, leaving no room for argument.

She sighed and nodded.

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`I haven't seen him in two days,' Ayame thought idly as she twisted a lock of hair on one of her fingers. Sitting on top of the stone wall that separated her from the waters on the other side, she kicked her feet lazily and sighed.

She hadn't seen him since Kai had found them together. It wasn't that she was avoiding him, no; it was just that she didn't have the courage to face him. After Han had dished out to her about Kai taking a visit to the cave, she had been mortified, and didn't have the courage to face him. But now, there was nothing she wanted to do more than see him . . .

“If she seeks me, I'll go to her,” He had told Kai in full confidence. Her cheeks warmed, and she shook her head, trying to shake her girlish thoughts. He hadn't meant it that way, she knew. But it had to mean something, right?

She dipped her feet into the icy water and shivered. She hadn't had a chance to talk to Kai about what he had done. But deep down, she knew that she wasn't going to, either. In the law of youkai, what Kai had done wasn't anything out of the normal. No, she was in the wrong for spending so much time with a male other than her betrothed---her soon-to-be husband. He had every right to tell Koga to back off, no matter how much she didn't like it.

`But we're friends,' She thought stubbornly, slamming her feet in the water and causing water to splash on her upper leg. `Friends have a right to spend time together.'

`Is that what you believe, doll? You're just going to pretend that's all there is? What about Koga, huh? What about after the wedding? Do you even understand what's going to happen? Do you even care?'

She flinched. `Of . . . of course I do.'

Her youkai sighed and remained quiet, and Ayame was left alone to her thoughts. After the wedding, he would still be with her, wouldn't he? He would still be Koga, her hero . . . her friend.

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`I hate the rain,' Han thought sourly as she wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly.

This was all Ayame's idea. Once the storm started, she had pleaded; begged for Han to come with her, to make sure that Koga was alright. Han hadn't been able to refuse, and grabbing her and her friend a fur pelt that would only give minimal protection against the onslaught of rain, she had followed her friend out of the village, towards the cave that Koga occupied just on the outskirts. But the rain had intensified, and by the time they reached it, they both were drenched. And then the thunder and lightning started, and if there was anything she hated the most in the world, it was that.

Ayame shot her an apologetic grin and tossed the fur to the ground, and it hit the floor with a hard smacking sound. Han followed suit and mumbled something under her breath, crouching low and deciding to start a fire. Ayame hadn't left the mouth of the cave; Han figured if she wanted to freeze, she could, and it would be all her fault anyway . . .

But her conscious wouldn't let up, and she sighed. “You aren't going to be able to see anything. Come and warm up.”

She heard Ayame sigh and shuffle over just as she got the fire going, and she grabbed the fur pelts, laying them out on one side to dry, and then sitting on the other side, next to Han. She drew her knees up and wrapped her arm around them, staring into the fire. Her lips were pressed together in a tight line, and her brow was wrinkled with worry.

“You don't think he'd . . .”

Han winced. She had thought that he had taken off. But from the agonized look on her friends face, she wasn't going to admit as much. Ayame sighed dejectedly and dug her face into her arms. But Han shrugged, and recalling the incident with Koga and Kai, she smiled sadly. “He didn't take off, baka. He probably just went for a walk or something, and you just kept missing him.”

“I would have went with him,” She said, and whether she was talking about for the walk, or something Han didn't know---and maybe she didn't want to know, either.

Harsh breathing echoed throughout the cave, and with a squeak of surprise, Ayame jumped to her feet and whirled around. Han stood up to, and came face to face with Koga. He tightened his hold on the human girl that he held in his arms, possessively, as if he was protecting her. He looked down at her fiercely, and Ayame squeaked a sound of distress. Han reached out and laid her hand on her arm, not liking the way that seconds ago she was wet and clammy, and now, her skin was warm to the touch.

“Chill out,” She muttered softly, and Ayame relaxed.

Koga looked at them for a moment and brushed past them, laying the girl on the floor close to the fire. He brushed her hair out of her face delicately, and then he stood back up, turning towards them both. His eyes stayed glue to Hans. “What are you doing here?”

Han glanced at Ayame thinking she was going to answer, but instead her friend turned away, staring at the floor. Han sighed. “We came looking for you.” She answered tightly.

She thought she saw him wince, but she couldn't be sure. The dim light from the dying fire played tricks with her eyes. She could have been mistaken that she had seen a look of remorse on his features for a split second. She thought she had seen the desire to call out to Ayame when she suddenly dashed off into the rain. And she maybe, just maybe she was going crazy when he turned away from her; as if he was trying to hide the emotion she thought she had seen. He waved his hand towards the mouth of the cave, but she didn't miss the tightness, the stiffness in the gesture. With a nod, she turned on her heel and took off after Ayame.

Maybe she hadn't been mistaken, after all . . .

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“Damn it!”

Miroku sighed as he looked up into the sky, blinking against the down pour of rain that pounded against his face. They had been able to travel a good distance, but now, going any further would be foolish, they both knew that. But because of the rain, InuYasha wouldn't be able to track Kagome. “Calm down,” He said quietly. “We aren't in the safety of your forest anymore.”

He looked like he wanted to snap off something, but instead he scoffed and sank down on the wet floor, under the slight protection of the large tree they had taken cover under. Kirara mewed in anguish and he scooped her off of the floor, muttering an apology to her as he stared out into the distance. The longer it rained the less chance of finding Kagome, and the less chance of finding Kagome . . .

`This was foolish, even for her,' He thought, feeling the rare emotion of anger towards Kagome. She had always been a sensible girl, but sometimes she didn't think everything through, he knew that. But this time, the risk was much greater, and the danger that much more real. She knew that she herself, was priceless, indispensible, to be protected, no matter what. But whether or not she had the Shikon No Tama imbedded into her heart, it wouldn't matter. She was Kagome---a sister, a dear friend. He would fight just as hard as InuYasha for her, and kami help the bastard that started this, in the first place . . .

The savage desire to see Sango, to hold her close to his heart hit him hard, and he sighed. InuYasha had fallen quiet, something that he didn't do very often, and Miroku's worry spiked up a notch.

“I . . . I failed her, again.”

Miroku didn't comment, thinking back to the time where InuYasha had believed he had failed Kagome the first time. It was part of the reason that she, herself, was fundamentally the Shikon No Tama. He had been inconsolable when they first began to search for her. In actuality, he hadn't actually failed her, but the bond between InuYasha and Kagome was impenetrable, and he believed without a shadow of a doubt that if he had in fact failed her Kagome had never held it against him, but the bond between them had grown, and Miroku had let things be.

And just in this case, InuYasha hadn't failed Kagome. It was foolish for him to think that he would be able to protect her at any given moment. But his fierceness for her safety, his love for her, was something that couldn't be rivaled, and something Miroku had grown to respect.

He sank down on the floor next to his friend, and laid a hand on his shoulder. “We'll find her, InuYasha.” He told him softly. “Just hold up, until then.”

InuYasha scoffed. “Keh, as if! I'm not a pathetic human like you, you know.”

Miroku smiled. It was thin, and strained, but it was a smile nonetheless, something he desperately needed. InuYasha saw and grinned stiffly himself. “Yeah, I know.”

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“Can I help you?”

Sango started and whirled to her feet, not hearing the intruder approaching her from behind because of the rough onslaught of rain. Drawing her sword slowly, she leveled it in front of her, and scowled. “Who are you?”

The youkai held his hands up and took a step back. “I didn't come to hurt you,” He told her quickly. “I don't feed on humans.”

“Either way, tell me what your business here is.”

The man eyed her incredulously and shrugged. “I don't believe I owe you that explanation. You are far from the safety of the hanyou's forest. You are in my territory.” He scoffed. “I just came to offer assistance. Surely it isn't safe for a woman---a human, no less---to be traveling in these conditions, no?”

Sango restrained from showing the flare of emotion on her face. She bristled on the inside at the man's smug response; but she hadn't realized that she was indeed out of the forest she had been so familiar with. The rain had dampened her senses, and in her desperation to find Kagome, she hadn't noticed. Sheathing her sword, she swung her wet hair out of her face and blinked the rain out of her eyes. “Have you seen a miko in this area?”

The man blinked. “Miko, you say?”

Sango nodded and folded her arms across her chest. “Yes. Wearing strange clothing? A bow and arrows?”

The man thought for a moment and shook his head. “No, I haven't. But I can ask my companions, if you would come with me.” He sensed the instant she grew tense, could see her distrust radiating around her. “I assure you, we are a harmless lot. Just old friends traveling together.”

“Thanks, but no thanks,” She said tersely. She turned on her heel, and without a second glance, disappeared into the forest, hidden by the rain.

`Interesting,' the man thought, rubbing his chin. `Could it be the miko?'

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A/N

Enjoy!!! Sorry about the delay, we just uploaded Microsoft 07', and for some reason the files wouldn't upload. Piece of crap if you ask me . . . old one was working just fine. (LOL)