InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Knight Errant ❯ Chapter Six ( Chapter 6 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of the other inhabitants of the fine story of Rumiko's that we all know and love.

“It's about time you two got back, how far is it to those Birds and their Jewel Shards?”

Kagome wanted to be angry at him, she really did. But she knew that this was his way of just getting past what had happened and moving on towards the future, to let the upset fade and let them concentrate on the fight to come. They stopped at the village to let Kagome consult with Kaede, though it was more to let her recover a bit from her emotional turmoil. Kaede while wise in the ways of priestesses and thus able to help Kagome with her own newly awakened power, did not have the answers to the questions that Kagome really wanted answers to. But she listened, and that was important because as she often felt, sometimes it was enough to speak it all out in the open to order one's own thoughts and ideas. It was quite a dilemma that young Kagome had, and important decisions she would have to make. While it was rare for humans and youkai to mix, it did happen and Kaede promised to do what she could to find out about those instances. InuYasha was proof after all, even if he was not very forthcoming about his past.

That he was reticent with the tale made it almost alluring to Kagome, she wanted to know what his life had been like, and not just because he was her friend though that was a big part of it. A small part of her that grew each day wanted to know what his life as a half demon had been like because … she didn't want to think that far ahead, but what if? She was sure that Kouga had thought about it, because he talked about keeping her forever, loving her. So she wanted to know, and InuYasha was her closest source of that knowledge. She knew from him that demons rarely accepted half-demon blooded, Sesshoumaru was an excellent teacher of that lesson, but surely just as not all demons were like him in power surely there were some that did not feel the same way. After all, Kouga loved her, his wolves Ginta and Hakkaku accepted her and called her sister knowing full well she was human. InuYasha's father had by Myoga's own account loved his mother Izayoi with everything he had, giving his life to save her own. While tragic, that story gave her hope. It could work. If she decided that she did love him, if what she was feeling was love, there could be a life there for her.

In the meantime, she would learn all she could about the lives of those humans that loved demons and those demons that loved humans, and their children. Especially the children, because she wanted to know if they had special needs that human children did not. She was almost lost in those thoughts while they traveled, Kouga up ahead once more and InuYasha keeping pace with her. Every now and again she would pause to ask him a question or two in almost dreamy fashion, and while his answers were sometimes terse he did make the effort to at least try to answer her, and try not to sound exasperated or annoyed when he did. Her questions mattered to her, and if he wanted her to take him seriously when it came time he would have to work at it. Watching her as she listened to him, considered his words and what he didn't say, he knew once more that if he won, it would be more than worth it. Kagome filled a void that had been in his life for fifty years, and it was not just because Kaede believed she was Kikyou's reincarnation. Kikyou was different from Kagome; Kikyou had been burdened by her duty as the Priestess who guarded and purified the Sacred Jewel when she wanted nothing more to be an ordinary woman and Kagome was untainted by that sadness and responsibility. It did not make her less than Kikyou, nor did it make Kikyou's memory less with InuYasha, but the differences were what made Kagome beautiful to him.

He growled soft, but shook his head when he caught her looking at him, a concerned look on her face. She must have thought he sensed a threat, as she stepped closer to him and began to look nervously around. He covered up what had actually made him growl by telling her softly that there was a battlefield nearby. It was not a fresh battle, it had happened some seasons ago, and they had to cross it to get to where Kouga was leading them. She picked carefully through the bones and discarded armor and weapons, surprised that she was brave enough to do that though it wasn't doing much for her appetite. InuYasha stopped them about halfway through to take a lunch break, he'd become rather enamored of the instant ramen that she brought with her to travel with. She couldn't watch him as he devoured the noodles with relish, and she even passed her own untouched cup to him. They had a minor argument about his choice of picnic spots, to her it was to be expected that she'd not be hungry amidst what was basically a large open grave site. While they bickered a shadow fell upon them.

The voice was meant to be intimidating, though something about it almost made her want to giggle. It was so ridiculous, demanding that she hand over her Jewel Shards but she really didn't sense any danger from it. Suddenly there came the sound of someone digging in her backpack, the blurred motion of small arms and legs and a triumphant cry as a small child shaped figure held up her bottle of Shards. Almost politely the boy bowed to her, giving a speech about how he needed her Shards to avenge his father and that he could not have done it without her generosity. Before she could protest there came a poof of smoke and he vanished! She turned blinking to InuYasha, but he was already on it. Nearby a skull was creeping away, a skull with a rather suspicious bushy tail sticking out the back, and InuYasha felt that tail would make an excellent handle. He grabbed it, the skull went flying and he plucked the bottle of shards from the boy and handed them back to Kagome.

He gave the boy a glare, poking him in the chest lightly with a claw. He took a sniff, and declared rudely that what they had was a kitsune thief, and a fairly runty one at that. Kagome however, was enchanted. He was just so cute! She'd wanted to hold him next, after carefully putting away her bottle of Shards, and the boy had allowed it with a bit of a huff, though he secretly liked being hugged by the girl. She had an interesting scent, so unusual that it took the fox demon child a moment to sort it all out. There was InuYasha's scent of dog demon mixed with human, then a stronger more dominant scent of demon wolf, both overlay the natural scent of the girl, clean and sweet and tinged with priestess power. While InuYasha tapped his foot impatiently, the boy introduced himself as Shippou and with large sad brilliant green eyes turned to Kagome he told her his story. His father had been killed by some ruffian demons known as the Thunder Brothers, and he was set to avenge his death at their hands. The only problem was that he was so young and small that he needed the power of the Sacred Jewel Shards to make himself strong enough to face the deadly pair.

Kagome immediately wanted to help him despite that they were falling farther behind in trailing Kouga and they had a fight waiting for them when they got to the den, her heart was moved by the sadness that the fox kit felt. Though she had not told InuYasha or Kouga this, her own father's death had always affected her deeply and she could not help but be moved by Shippou's loss of his own father. It was part of her to be that way, it also made her feel sympathy for InuYasha's own loss of his father before he could ever know him. She could no more help being kind than InuYasha could help being gruff, though he was making her very annoyed with him at the moment, arguing that they could always come back to help the fox brat after they got the Shards from the Birds of Paradise. So annoyed was she that she simply picked Shippou back up from where she had set him down and grabbed her yellow backpack, marching off in the direction that the boy claimed the brothers had gone after slaying his father.

It took him a moment to realize she had abandoned him, as his rant wound down and he looked around, incredulous. She had left him! Snarling under his breath he leapt after her, he'd never hear the end of it from that mangy wolf if he let her go off and get hurt. Besides, this gave him the perfect opportunity to get himself in good with Kagome before Kouga returned to see where they went, right? Still muttering about the inconvenience of it all when they were supposed to be hunting Shards he missed the first battle. The younger brother Manten had engaged Kagome in combat, and she'd fired an arrow that had skinned the top of his head a little, merely a scratch though it had plucked out the hair that sparsely occupied that smooth rounded expanse. Angered out of a fantasy where he had grown a full head of hair and attracted many nubile lovers, he'd taken up Kagome to make a hair growing potion out of her. Shippou had run and hidden at her direction, though he followed close enough to find out where they had gone. Running back towards InuYasha it hadn't taken much to convince the hanyou to follow.

Shippou wondered just what made such a nice brave girl like Kagome travel with the inconsiderate half demon, especially when her scent made it clear that a full demon was at least also in her life. Even amidst the anxiety he felt for the coming battle he felt himself wanting to know why, to understand the story that he just knew was there. It helped to know that there was someone that actually cared enough to help a total stranger, a child that despite being a full demon did not have the power to accomplish what was needed on his own. So he vowed in his heart that somehow he would not only avenge his father, he would save Kagome as well. It showed his own bravery and strength of character, things that his father had surely taught him. Kitsunes were tricksters by nature, masters of illusion and deception, but that did not make them evil though they were at times capricious. But this one wee child had the heart of a hero, it was just a shame he did not have the body to go with it yet.

Kagome was not foolish, she knew that she was in deadly danger with the brother named Manten. He was not one to fall prey to flirtation, though she was sure she wouldn't have been able to put on a convincing performance there as Manten was indeed repulsive in his reptilian looks, and his elder brother Hiten despite his humanish and handsome looks was not interested in human women. All he was interested in were Jewel Shards and power as his immolation of the lovely snake youkai dancer he'd brought with him had proved. So she had blurted out in a rush something that would hopefully buy her enough time to allow InuYasha to come rescue her.

“You don't want to hurt me, I am the woman of the Prince of the Wolves, Kouga, and I am under the protection of Lord InuYasha, brother to Sesshoumaru, the Lord of the Western Lands. I am sure that when Lord InuYasha comes, he will trade you his Shards of the Sacred Jewel for my safety.”

Now Hiten was skeptical of her statement, though Manten did supply that she had on her the scent of wolf demon, dog demon, and kitsune when captured. It leant credence to her words, and Hiten was unsure enough about the relationship between Sesshoumaru and InuYasha to begin to wonder if he might not attract the attention of the chilly and powerful demon by meddling with someone under his brother's protection. Hiten could not comprehend not loving his own brother deeply, so he could not perhaps understand that Sesshoumaru hated his own brother. It made him pause to think, and then he nodded, having decided.

“You had better be right, girl. Or I will kill you without a second thought and deal with the consequences later on.”

The fight had been amazing. Despite an argument with InuYasha the plan went through well enough, it had been proof to Hiten that they had indeed known each other. Unfortunately for InuYasha the brothers were not alone. Many members of the Thunder Clan were there as well for the fight, and their allies such as they were added to the destruction. InuYasha fought well though he nearly lost Kagome to Manten. In the end he'd thrown his inheritance sword a great distance and impaled the younger Thunder Brother, killing him though not swiftly. Hiten had grieved, taking the Shards his brother had possessed and gaining the power of spitting lightning that had been Manten's, and telling InuYasha how foolish it was to fight over a woman, though revenge for a brother, that was a good reason to fight and kill. As they fought Kouga and his wolves had come in and joined the fray, viciously tearing through the remaining Thunder Clan members as they tried to stop them. As InuYasha witnessed his sheath call for Tessaiga, Kouga fought with viciousness spawned of frantic fear to get to Kagome. He was only about two hundred feet away when Hiten struck, his spit lightning engulfing Kagome and Shippou.

For a moment time seemed to stop for the Prince, the sights and sounds of the battle fading from view as all his blue eyes could see was Kagome's face. She had seen him. He knew she had seen him, her chocolate eyes had widened and he saw her lips form his name, calling for him to save her. He raised his gore soaked hands to the heavens and he howled with the anguish reserved for those that have lost their reason to live. He didn't see InuYasha kill Hiten, or that villain's last expiring words of incredulousness that he had been beaten by a half demon. He raced to that spot that he had last seen his woman standing, his features a rictus of grief. He fell to his knees as InuYasha came to his side, his brilliant beautiful Kagome stood there engulfed by a gentle blue light that greatly resembled fox-fire, in her arms was a young fox demon kit. Her voice came soft, so very gentle.

“Kouga, InuYasha, its okay. You fought well and hard and won in the end.”

Kouga moved to his feet, heart moved beyond words even in his loss, that his woman could speak to him before passing into the heavens, to try and ease his soul, and his voice was choked as he said her name softly. InuYasha on the other hand, was nearly frantic despite the reassuring words of his flea retainer Myoga. His clawed hand shot out and gripped her wrist, and he begged her not to leave him alone. Her reaction was not what either boy expected. Confusion shone on her face, she blinked, and the bluish fox-fire began to disperse around herself and Shippou. For a moment there hung an image in the air of an adult male Kitsune, handsome of face and russet haired, his vivid green eyes an adult version of Shippou's. At their feet lay the gruesome trophy of Manten's, his very pelt that had been used as a belt by the dead Thunder Brother. Kouga's eyes widened, and he bowed profoundly to the now fading spirit, because he knew what had happened even if InuYasha would not realize it until much later. The spirit of Shippou's father had reached from beyond the grave and protected his son from the death blow, and by consequence Kagome herself as well was saved. Kouga knew that he would never be able to thank the dead demon fox enough, but he hoped that the respect he showed would be accepted and understood.

InuYasha blushed and moved away, letting Kagome go and brushing Myoga from his shoulder, he turned so that he would not have to see Kouga gathering up Kagome in his arms and holding her tightly. Myoga would be spot on when he talked to Kagome later on, for the reason that InuYasha was so embarrassed was because he had let slip his feelings and revealed more than he was willing to admit in that instant in which he thought Kagome was dead. Kagome on the other hand was amazed to feel wetness on Kouga's cheek, and she pulled his head down so he could bury his face against her neck. She would hide the evidence of how he had reacted when he thought he'd lost her, moved to save his pride by the warmth that blossomed now in her heart. It was an amazing thing to realize that she mattered, not just to her friends and family back home, but to Kouga and InuYasha, even Shippou. She nudged her nose into the hair near Kouga's temple, closing her eyes as his arms tightened on her again.

“I … I told them that I was your woman, Kouga. I told them they better not hurt me, and I knew that you would come for me. I knew it in my heart.”

“You are my woman, Kagome. Even if you never accept me, I'll always come for you. I promise.”

It was hard for him to say it out loud, as if it could make his fears come true if he vocalized them. He felt himself shake just a little, at the force and profundity of his words because they were all true. Nothing was sadder or lonelier than love unrequited, and that was a hell that he would consign himself to if Kagome could not find it in her heart to love him in return. She sighed softly, her breath stirring his raven hair and she let her lips press gentle against his skin. There was still so much that she knew she needed to learn, things about demons and half demons and … yet in the face of his steadfastness and love, what other answer could there be for her? In her own time she was too young to even be considering what she was considering. But here, in the Feudal Era, she was more than old enough to marry, and even have children of her own by now. While she wanted to finish the quest to gather the Jewel Shards before she had children, a hot flush crept to her cheeks when she realized that she indeed wanted them, and she wanted Kouga to be their father.

Beautiful and handsome dark haired children with his blue eyes, maybe even with ears like InuYasha? Did this mean she'd already made her choice, even if she hadn't said it out loud? She was trembling, and Kouga could feel it as he held her. Was that a rejection of what he offered, was she afraid of him now because he hadn't been able to avert that blow that almost killed her? Her next words though, took away his breath.

“Teach me what it means to be your woman for real, Kouga.”

It wasn't saying that she loved him, but surely that meant she did accept him. He held her close and spun around with her, telling her she wouldn't be sorry. He would make her happy, no matter what. His woman. It meant so much to him, his dreams of fifty years ago of taking a mate and having cubs one step closer to becoming reality instead of hopeful wishes. So as they walked out of there he reached and took her hand, walking at her pace while the kitsune followed with InuYasha and his flea retainer. He started talking to her then, starting off with the word `someday' so that she wouldn't panic and think he expected so much out of her right away. He told her about the importance of the pack, the den, and that the Prince's woman is a large part of that life. She would be very good with her priestess power and as she was trained to heal in that role, she would help those of the pack that were injured fighting or who were in the trials of bearing cubs. While her cubs with him would be hanyou, they would be accepted by the tribe just as she would be, because they would be strong. He had not a shred of doubt in his voice when he told her that, because he knew she was strong in her own way just as he was in his. That made her heart warm and full, to know that not only did he love her, he felt she was not useless, not in the least. He had faith that she would be able to do her duties to the pack despite being born a human, his deep voice making it all the more real to her as her mind imagined it.

Holding cubs, his cubs and the cubs of the other females, the future of the tribe and knowing that her own while only half demon would be respected and strong, the image was so strong in her mind that her arms had come up to cross in front of her chest like she could feel them already. Shippou had seen that and taken it as an invitation to leap into her arms, cuddling as he listened to Kouga talk. The wolf Prince had given him a sidelong glance but seeing how pleased Kagome seemed to hold the kit he half smiled instead of growling. It was more proof to him that she would be a good mother to their cubs, seeing how kind she was to the orphaned Kitsune. Shippou was soon napping, lulled by the motion of Kagome walking and the deep sound of Kouga's voice as he spoke more to Kagome about youkai things. Sometimes he had to search for words, it really wasn't easy for him but he would look up to see the gentle acceptance of his Kagome and somehow he would find just what to say.

Soon they slowed a bit in their progress, to the point that InuYasha had trotted back to see what the hold up was. Kouga had explained that they were now in his territory, but as well they were in the hunting grounds of the Birds of Paradise and had to be wary. InuYasha scoffed, sure that they could take whatever came at them. They had one brief encounter with a pair of the strange looking demons, making short work of them between InuYasha and Kouga. Ginta and Hakkaku had rejoined them by then, staying back with Kagome and cheering Kouga on while the Prince took down the first wretched beast. She'd let them know that neither of the demons had a Shard, and she watched carefully how the creatures fought. They didn't seem too bright, though they attacked strongly and were agile enough neither was the match for Kouga in speed or InuYasha in agility. So while the pair fell in bloody chunks around the clearing that they'd fought in, Kagome looked towards Ginta and smiled.

“I think that we can do this. I think we can end the threat to our tribe.”

Kouga had heard her say it, and he felt such a wave of joy that he howled with delight. She had said our tribe, not your tribe, and he lifted her up to spin her around again before gently setting her down so that they could continue towards the den. It had taken Ginta and Hakkaku a moment to realize what had happened as well and the pair grinned at Kouga when he raced back to present Kagome with a single soft lavender colored bellflower. She exclaimed softly over it, tucking the stem behind her ear to wear it in her dark hair. InuYasha had snorted in seeming disgust though the way he held his mobile ears at half mast one that knew him could tell he was not as disinterested as he played at being. He had noticed the sudden shift Kagome had taken towards Kouga, how even her body language had changed when he was around. Before she had held a certain gentle aloofness, as if she were uncertain of either his true intentions or her own role with him, yet something had changed now. That aloofness was gone, whisked away as if it had never been and if InuYasha hadn't known by her scent that she was yet innocent he would have sworn that Kouga had already been with her.

It should not have been such a surprise to him. After all, the first thing he'd ever heard Kouga say was a sort of order that they help his injured woman. He had laid claim to her the moment she had awakened him from his fifty year ensorcelled sleep and it seemed that she accepted that claim. Almost he gave in to a sinking feeling of despair, but then a stray thought gave him a bit of peace. His plan could still succeed, it wasn't too late yet and the thought made his ears perk forward. The thought so cheered him that when Kagome glanced back when she stopped to pick up Shippou once more he actually smiled at her a little. Her return smile lit up those chocolate eyes, and she laughed softly when she fished a lollipop out of her bag to give to the Kitsune. He would refuse to believe that he didn't have a chance at all when she could still smile at him like that.

After a bit more traveling Kouga zipped back to them, so that he could be the one to escort Kagome up first to the den of the wolves, and the howls of the demon wolves and their kin rose in a strange wild chorus as he approached. The area that the den was located in was both lovely and wild with lush trees at the base of the path upwards into the hilly place that the den caves were, and come spring some of those trees would bloom with soft pink cherry blossoms. Kouga took her hand and smiled to her as he walked her up the path and his attention was solely on her, watching her reaction as she took in all the scenery of what would hopefully soon be her home. There was excitement in her expression as she looked around, smiles back to Ginta, Hakkaku, and InuYasha; Shippou was grinning from his vantage point in her arms, enjoying the sweet candy. He might have seemed unaware but the young kit's senses were working overtime, though he had no fear in him despite the overwhelming press of wolf demon scent and power in this area. Kouga could sense them watching him as he approached, bright eyes taking in the sight of him and the dark haired human girl that he was escorting. He stopped about half way up to announce to them in a loud voice filled with pride the words his heart had yearned to release, his head tipped back in a confident motion and his slightly cocky smile firmly in place, a hand lifted to catch the attention of the wolves that he knew were watching. He could almost smell the curiosity coming off of them in waves, all of them wanting to see the human girl that had won their Prince's heart and had been the subject of much conversation from the small snippets of information that Ginta had let `slip' each time he came home. Such slips served more than one purpose, they allowed the tribe to get used to the idea of a human woman living among them for instance, and the glowing terms he used made them all want to meet her too.

“Come my pack, and meet your sister Kagome! My woman has come home to meet you all!”

A/N: Next, confrontation with the leader of the Birds and a small confession from InuYasha!