InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Is This Right? ❯ Encounter ( Chapter 14 )

Kouga grinned, "You would have been a good cub, thanks kid."

"My name is Shippou not kid and as soon as you heal have to hurry to Kagome before the others get there."

Kouga got back on his feet and Shippou helped him the best he could to the spring.

Chapter 14: Encounter

"Kagome-san, Rin feel much better. Can Rin go play now? Please?" the excited ward begged while jumping around the spacious room trying to gain Kagome's attention.

Kagome, who was sitting in an old armchair far off in a corner, was broken out of her trail of thought, "Huh? Oh, what would you like Rin-chan?"

"Rin feel better, so Rin wanna play!" the young girl exclaimed now tugging at Kagome's dark blue kimono.

Kagome reached out, felt Rin's forehead and gave a forced smile, "Well you seem well enough. So where would you like to play?"

Overjoyed with Kagome's decision, she enthusiastically grabbed her hand, pulled her off the ancient armchair and headed out the thick wooden doorway chattering, "The garden! Rin misses the flowers and the birds in the garden!"

Rin dragged the weary miko all the way to the garden that held no barrier from the widespread forest.

"You can sit here Kagome-san," Rin said pointing to the stone bench that Kagome sat on only days ago, "Rin will be back with some fresh flowers... for you!"

Kagome nodded nonchalantly and the rejuvenated child happily skipped away unaware of any woeful thoughts streaming thought the miko's mind.

"5 days," Kagome whispered looking at her bare pale feet, "5 days have passed since Sesshoumaru told me that they were close and still no sign of anyone. I despise Inuyasha yet I am more anxious than ever for him to retrieve me.

"And Shippou...Oh Shippou, I am sorry for just leaving you... how could I have been so selfish!"

She fell silent, her lip quivered and she cried softly damning every salty tear, that trickled down her flushed cheeks, for her self inflicted distraught.

For the last 5 days Kagome had not been herself, she stayed silent, remained unfocused and every waking day she regretted leaving her companions behind especially her adopted musuko, Shippou, she never thought of what kind of effect she would have on the young kitsune.

Wiping away her tears she looked to see where Rin was but saw nothing, only the wind dancing across the stray grass and scattered flowers.

She immediately stood up and spun wildly around crying out, "Rin-chan! Rin-chan, where are you?"

A high pitched scream coming from the open forest pierced Kagome's ears putting her in sudden panic. "Rin-chan! I'm coming!" she wailed while running at such a rapid pace that she nearly tripped over her own feet.

A humored chuckle replaced the shrill scream, Kagome began to breathe slightly easier and reassured herself that the chuckle meant was okay.

Unsatisfied curiosity led her to continue toward Rin's unexpected outbursts.

"Rin remembers you know, you are Kagome-san's little friend... Rin don't remember you though." Kagome heard Rin say from behind an immeasurably vast tree trunk.

Slowly peeking around the trunk Kagome spoke, "Rin-chan who are you sp-sp-speak- Shippou!" she concluded in total shock. Rin stood before her with a puzzled grin and Shippou was too stunned to even react. Though Kagome neglected to acknowledge the unrecognizable Kouga, who was leaning against the large trunk with a sly grin on his face.

"Shippou-chan!" she exclaimed, her vision suddenly blurred from the massive amount of tears promising to shed. Shippou's face already damp with tears, cried out, "Okaasan!" and leapt into her arms for a tight warm embrace.

Glued together, tears being their bond. They held each other for what seemed decades to the bystanders but felt like time froze to them, just for them. Mother and Son.

"Oh, Shippou-chan I missed you so much! I'm so sorry for leaving you, please forgive me." she sobbed while holding him at arms length. All Shippou sis was nod and eagerly reach out to be pulled in close to her again. She did just that.

'Look at her, what a great mother she will make to our cubs!' Kouga thought, inwardly smiling like a fool at the sentimental moment.

Rin, who was still confused on why they were crying, stepped forward and placed a hand lightly on Kagome's shoulder. "Why is Kagome-san crying?" she asked innocently.

Kagome looked up over her shoulder at Rin with a weak but honest smile, "I'm crying because I'm happy Rin-chan." The young ward accepted the response with an understanding all her own.

Kagome carefully stood up cradling the kitsune in her arms and softly whispered, "Where are the others Shippou?"

The kitsune looked away over her forearm ashamed to tell her he left them. The wolf youkai prince saved him from giving an explanation.

Ahem, Kouga cleared his throat finding it a good time to cut in, "Kagome, I alone accompanied your cub to come rescue you from your kidnapper."

When Kagome turned to Kouga finally noticing his presence, he expected a warm embracing welcome just as the kitsune received but her only response was a sharp gasp and timid step back. His heart sank bitterly at her unexpected reaction, "You do remember me, don't you Kagome?"

She carefully studied the sculpted figure before her, he had a dignified stance and had a brown fur on his shoulders, left are and around his face, with a scruffy tail. Large pointy ears protruded through his black lengthy hair that hung loosely over his face to the bass of his chest armor that was cracked in chipped, leaving his identity unknown to Kagome.

She could tell by his apparel that he's a wolf youkai, 'He has a slight resemblance to Kouga but Kouga has jew-' she cut her thought short when she caught a glimpse of the three acute scars, one on each of his legs and another on his right forearm.

"He did take your shards... are you okay?" she asked her fear diminished when she came to the conclusion that he was in fact Kouga.

His features immediately brightened, "I knew you couldn't have forgotten me," he positioned himself directly in front of her and clutched her hands tightly, "Your beautiful face is what gave me the will to survive. Now I know we were destined to be together, two years have passed and you still keep me in your thoughts."

Kagome blushed unintentionally and felt incredibly uncomfortable. 'You would think that after 2 years he would get a clue.'

She steadily slipped out of Kouga's grasp and busied her hands with the kitsune's fluffy tail. Shippou sensed her sudden discomfort and decided to bring attention back to him.

"Your okay right? Sesshoumaru hasn't hurt you or anything right?" Shippou asked with concern.

Kagome looked down at him, "No, he hasn't hurt me, now tell me why aren't the others here"

Shippou then had no other choice, he had to tell her and he did. He began with how he felt and how weird Inuyasha acted when she first left. Then he ended with how he found Kouga and ended up there.

"So, your saying that Inuyasha acted like he hardly cared when I left?" Kagome asked wanting to clarify one of her worst fears.

Shippou nodded.

Only a single tear ran down Kagome's cheek.

She could admit that it hurt seeing Inuyasha with some other person and it hurt even worse when he made it clear that he didn't need her when they were done jewel collecting. But the worst pain to suffer was truly knowing that he doesn't care at all for her. Yeah she left him to go with Sesshoumaru to somehow gain revenge but no matter how angry or sad he made her she could never stop caring.

Deep down the urge for revenge was a mere kid act to get attention.

"Please don't cry Kagome-san. Rin doesn't think your crying because your happy anymore." The little girl spoke out while tugging on her kimono.

"Ok Rin-chan," she said with a sniff, "we should go tell Sesshoumaru about you being here. I hope he doesn't mind a few more house guests." She concluded with a forced smile.

"Wait!" Kouga barked, "What do you mean by house guests? This guy kidnapped you and your talkin' about him like he's just having you over for a visit."

The tone he used startled her, she had been used to everyone's soft voices in the the fortress, it seemed that the small Rin had felt the same way because she had taken a strong hold of Kagome's right leg.

"Kouga-kun, please refrain from yelling and I wasn't kidnapped so yes, you can say that I'm here for a visit."

"So Inuyasha wasn't lying when he said you left us willingly?" Shippou questioned.

"Yes, and I'm sorry I left you the way I did. I didn't think about how I would effect you or the others."

"It's ok Okaasan. We're together again so don't be sad anymore, please." the kitsune pleaded, not taking comfort in being responsible for her revived despair.

Another wary smile covered her lips, then she took hold of Rin's hand.

"Come on let's go."


Authors Note: Ha! I live and so does this fic surprisingly. I have gotten so many emails and reviews for me to update but I would huddle into a corner and cower like a bald monkey...sorry I have lost my mind since I last updated this. LOL. Look forward to more fics and more updates and better writing skills. Looking back at some of my chapters I think... DAMN I SUCKED!...Now when I look at my most recent fics I see the evolution. Hopefully you all will too!

I thank everyone for the reviews and pushing email, contrary to popular belief they actually work...imagine that...LOL. I promise to update something soon!

Riomi