InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Knight Errant ❯ Chapter Seventeen ( Chapter 17 )

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. Kiyoshi, Tomoe, Aikiko, and Sashiko are mine, and I hope you enjoy them as they are encountered. This chapter is dedicated to Ryo-chan wolfgirl who gave me my review number 90 at FF! Thanks for sticking with me!

 

 

 

“Lord Sesshoumaru, we meet at last. Please allow me to offer you a mutually beneficial proposition before you slay me out of hand.”

 

 

 

Jaken's shrill voice came loudly before Sesshoumaru could decide to resume his attack or not, it was of course impossible to tell from his expression just what the chill Inu-youkai intended to do.

 

 

 

“You cretin! What makes you think that Lord Sesshoumaru is interested in anything you have to propose to him! Lord Sesshoumaru, allow me to take care of this with my Staff of Two Heads!”

 

 

 

Sesshoumaru flexed his long elegant fingers in a fashion that seemed utterly casual but produced a sharp cracking of his knuckles that gave a far greater threat of violence than the histrionics of Jaken. What was the most eerie about this was that his expression never changed from one of utmost boredom, nor did the glint in his golden eyes ever sharpen. He looked at best bored though the baboon furred individual in front of him knew better than to ever think that Sesshoumaru was like those bored and indolent fools that he had taken advantage of in both ningen and youkai nobility. This was not one of those fools, this was the son of the Great Dog General, the eldest son of the Inu no Taishou. To say that his reputation had preceded him was a vast understatement.

 

 

 

The figure before Sesshoumaru seemed crouched, standing oddly shorter than the height he expected from the way the form had been moving through the trees to avoid his attacks and the posture made Sesshoumaru seem even taller and more dominant in comparison. Perhaps it was a good thing then that even with all his powers that Sesshoumaru was not a mind reader or the meeting would have ended there with the furred figure laying at his feet with a snapped neck at best.

 

 

 

Naraku loathed Sesshoumaru. He hated that he was tall and fine, he hated that he was powerful. But above all he hated him because he had by birthright what Naraku wanted. Sesshoumaru had been born as a full blooded youkai and his perfection was no more in Naraku's opinion than an accident of birth. If there was a way that he could figure out to take what the son of the Great Dog had he would do it without hesitation and if he could ever catch Sesshoumaru unawares it would not go well for him. Yet none of that virulent hate showed in the mocking smooth solicitous tones of his voice.

 

 

 

“I know that you seek to take what the half-demon InuYasha wields. Perhaps this will be of some assistance to you. Take it as my gift and all I ask in return is that you kill InuYasha when you take your prize.”

 

 

 

From within the white fur robe his hand emerged and in it he held forth a limb, the arm of a fallen samurai still encased in armor that was exquisite in its craftsmanship. Jaken squawked his outrage and Sesshoumaru's lips thinned almost imperceptibly in a frown. This Naraku must have somehow overheard his conversation with Jaken about the suitability of his last borrowed arm though why he felt that this arm was a better substitute … why dawned on him just as Jaken shook his fist at the robed figure. He could not handle the Tessaiga because he was a full youkai and were it not for InuYasha's human blood he wouldn't be able to either. This arm would give Sesshoumaru the edge he needed, would allow him to handle the sword and show his damned younger half brother its true power.

 

 

 

For Sesshoumaru knew what it would take to unleash the Wind Scar, the stroke that could kill one hundred demons with a single swing, unlike InuYasha who simply used the sword to protect the human wench that traveled with him. Sesshoumaru snorted almost imperceptibly at the thought, that one of the three most powerful swords ever forged lay in the hands of his incompetent half brother was a bigger joke than he could ever make up. He would show his brother what true power was, and then he would kill him and move on.

 

 

 

He held up his hand to silence Jaken and he took the offered limb from the robed figure and examined it. There was a strange glow coming from the end of the arm and he raised a silver brow at his strange benefactor in a silent command for an explanation. Naraku told him that he had placed a shard of the Shikon Jewel in the arm which would make it compatible for a longer period of time and make it of greater use for Sesshoumaru. A slight nod and then Sesshoumaru took the bait and attached the arm. He knew the area his brother was last seen in and he felt that it would be easy enough to find him and do what he had always wanted to do.

 

 

 

As he turned to leave the figure stopped him and offered a further gift, a strange round shaped hive and told Sesshoumaru that there was a human holy man that was traveling with InuYasha that the hive would be of use against. Before the figure could leap off into the trees Sesshoumaru stopped him.

 

 

 

“I would know the name of one that I deal with.”

 

 

 

“I am called … Naraku.”

 

 

 

Of course he wanted to have the name so that if he were betrayed that he would know who to seek. It never occurred to Sesshoumaru that Naraku would lie to him, for did not all know the consequences of wasting his time? It also never occurred to Sesshoumaru to seek out more information on this Naraku though later he would regret doing so. Now, he had one thing on his mind. By the time the moon was full he would have the Tessaiga in his hands at last and his half brother would finally be settled in a grave, his stain upon his father's bloodline finally cleansed.

 

 

 

“Kagome, be careful!”

 

 

 

Kagome let out a long suffering sigh. It had been bad enough when it was just Kouga being overprotective and coddling of her but now for some reason InuYasha had gotten into doing it as well. She turned back towards him with her hand up and something in her expression made him flatten his ears and a slightly distressed look came into his golden eyes. At that she inwardly relented, he looked so ready to be rejected that she just lowered her hand and caught his in her own instead and began dragging him down the hillside she had been traveling down. She'd seen some berry vines down at the bottom and figured that they would be a good addition to the den stores though honestly she'd also suddenly developed quite a craving for them as well.

 

 

 

It would be correct to say that her smirk once they had gotten to the bottom intact was smug, though her laughter at his grumbling was as sweet as always. She saw Sashiko farther down from them gathering mushrooms and waved to her friend who waved back, Sashiko being more than pleased that Kagome was helping contribute to the Pack's well being. It was one more thing that cemented her as the proper mate for their leader, and made Sashiko think of her as Yourouzoku in her heart and soul if not by her birth. Kagome was good for them all because she made Kouga a better leader. It was obvious that her influence and presence in his life had made him more of a far thinker, he had already begun doing things that would help the pack not only survive but thrive and make it stronger to meet whatever challenges might come their way over time.

 

 

 

It made her very proud to be a member of his tribe and a loyal follower of his, and Sashiko held out high hopes that once Kagome birthed his first cub that she would stay at the Den for far more of her time than she would be away. She assumed like many of the pack that Kagome was from the human village that lay near the Forest of the Wolves and so she expected that Kagome might want to visit there and see her family if they should still be alive of course, and while she had to admit she liked InuYasha perhaps it would be for the best if Kagome stopped traveling with him and just stayed home. Home being the Den of course, and Sashiko found herself nodding as she filled her basket with edible mushrooms. Yes, that would be for the best, though short trips with him for those Shard hunts might be all right too.

 

 

 

She sighed a little then as she looked up at Kagome gathering berries with InuYasha guarding her even then. She knew deep in her heart that perhaps those trips would not end until all the shards were gathered up for good or ill and that it must be necessary that they are gathered up or Kouga would never have allowed Kagome to go in the first place. Searching for them could be dangerous business as she had learned herself first hand in those few instances that the pack had gotten some for Kagome's return. The demons that used those Shards to gain power were rarely good in the first place and with the darkness of the power they were granted they were a blight in the areas they inhabited and traveled through on their often rampaging trip to gather even more of the pieces for themselves.

 

 

 

Sashiko was one of the few that were aware that Kouga himself possessed two of those Shards. They were untainted however and did him no harm but she could not help but wonder if in the future they might prove to be his downfall or in some other fashion prove that they were more curse than blessing. That thought made her worry her lip with her sharp teeth and she did not notice that Kagome had come up to her until she spoke softly and placed a hand on her shoulder.

 

 

 

“Sashiko, what's wrong?”

 

 

 

The she wolf demon started and then laughed a bit at herself though her hands shook a little where she held the basket. She looked up and had meant to tell her friend that it was nothing when her gaze met the warmth of Kagome's chocolate eyes and she simply and quietly told her what had been bothering her. She worried for Kagome when she traveled after the shards, and she worried about what they might do to Kouga. Kagome gave her full basket of berries to InuYasha to take back up to the Den and then she slipped her arm through Sashiko's to walk with her. She wasn't sure how she could alleviate her friend's worries other than to listen to her and hope that together they could see that it was not so dire as was imagined.

 

 

 

The problem of course being that at the heart of it Sashiko was right. It was sometimes very dangerous but Kagome had a skilled protector in her friend InuYasha and she trusted him. As far as the Shards Kouga had, Kagome could do little more than assure Sashiko that as long as Kouga's heart was pure the shards would not become tainted and she could never see Kouga falling to the despair that it would take to have that worst case happen. Kouga was strong and in Kagome's eyes nearly perfect after all and her pure faith in him simply would not let her see a way that despair could take her beloved mate.

 

 

 

Kouga did not have it in him to quit or let himself fail, he would simply do what needed to be done for his family and his pack. This was not to say that there was not darkness in him, because after all Kouga was a demon and demons were often darker than humans could dream of being. But it did not mean that Kouga or any other demon was evil by nature. Kagome believed that demons like humans chose their own paths in life and that while there could be some that were controlled or bespelled that in the end each bore within themselves the seeds of good and evil, redemption and damnation, and it only remained to be seen which they would water and which would bear fruit.

 

 

 

Kagome sighed gently as she walked with Sashiko and wished that she could say more to comfort her friend and ease her worries. But since words failed her she simply turned and gave her a sisterly embrace, stopping their forward motion to do so. She kissed her cheek and smiled at her, the warmth of her shining in her eyes as she did so.

 

 

 

“I have to believe that things will be fine, Sashiko. I will keep believing for us all if I have to.”

 

 

 

She felt so much love then, for Kouga, for the tribe that had become her second family, she could scarcely contain it all in her heart, yet her heart seemed to simply grow then to take it all in. Sashiko smiled back at her and walked with her back to the den, and neither of them noticed a flash of red disappearing up ahead of them around the bend of the path once they had made it up the hill again. That flash of red of course belonged to InuYasha and his fire rat fur robes. Heart pounding a bit at the fear that they'd see him and realize what he'd been doing he rushed ahead so that he could be back at the Den before they were and with enough time to make it seem as if he'd left far sooner than he had.

 

 

 

He'd known of course that the wolves worried every time that he left with Kagome on another hunt for a Jewel Shard. He hadn't really meant to eavesdrop on the conversation between Sashiko and Kagome but when he'd heard his name mentioned he couldn't help himself. Pride swelled in his chest as he deposited the full basket of berries with one of the wolf demon females and told her it was from Kagome before making himself a bit scarcer. He found a good ledge to lounge on that gave him a fine view of the valley below and reflected upon what he'd overheard. Kagome had told Sashiko that he would never let anything happen to her and that she trusted him not just with her own life but with that of her unborn cub. She trusted him completely and was not afraid to let that be known.

 

 

 

Oh true, that she had said other things. Things meant to reassure Sashiko and things about Kouga and her faith in him. But to InuYasha those were not the things that truly mattered. What mattered to him was that she had not hesitated for an instant in telling her friend that she was protected and by whom. It did not change the way things were of course. She was still mated to Kouga and was still this very moment carrying his cub. She loved Kouga with all her heart … save for the small piece that InuYasha knew was his. He knew that it was the love that she gave to all her friends of course but his portion was greater because he was her best friend. She had shown him her faith in him and her affections were genuine, he would forever be loyal to her because of that.

 

 

 

Kagome made him more than he was. Kagome did not look at him and see half-demon or half-breed or a dozen other slanderous names he'd been called in the course of his life. To her he was InuYasha, her best friend and her defender, the one she relied on to protect her and he would rather spend his life as nothing more than that than to be nothing to her. Because of her he would never again be a rejected nothing. There were full demons now that looked upon him with respect that was not wary or dependent on his brother or father's reputations, full demons that did not despise him and it meant more to InuYasha than he could ever put into words.

 

 

 

Once upon a time he had wanted the Shikon Jewel for the rumor that it would grant its possessor a wish. A real wish that would give the holder what he or she desired. He did not then think upon the other things said about the Shikon Jewel, that it brought nothing but darkness and heartache, disaster to those that desired its power. It had in fact brought about the loss to darkness of one of the priestesses that had trained with Kikyou herself, a strong priestess named Tsubaki who had felt that she should have been given the honor of protecting the Shikon Jewel instead of her younger compatriot. Who knew, InuYasha mused. Perhaps Tsubaki was right and she should have been given the Jewel, but from what he'd heard about her after her leaving the Shrine she trained in perhaps all she could have given the Jewel was her own darkness.

 

 

 

He'd wanted it to become a full demon like his brother, a demon that his great father would have been proud to call son. But now, after traveling with Kagome he felt that perhaps his wish had changed. She liked him as he was. Exactly as he was in fact, and he wondered if those feelings would change if he should use the Jewel and wish for what he had always wanted. What would Kagome think of him as a full demon? He had already thought about this from his own viewpoint, thinking about if he would love Kagome even as a full demon and the answer of course had been yes. He shouldn't care so much about how the mate of another demon felt about him. He knew instinctively that he shouldn't and that were it to become common knowledge that he felt this way that somehow it could be used against him.

 

 

 

He shouldn't care and it shouldn't matter but it did. Looking forward he knew that should he ever love another enough to want to mate with them while Kagome was alive that whoever it was would have to meet with Kagome's approval as well. She trusted him and he would trust her instincts on matters of the heart. She would not want him to be without companionship should he choose it but she might see something he would miss in the personality or soul of that nebulous maybe woman. He doubted that she would be a ningen since how likely would it be that he would find another with the qualities that had attracted him to first Kikyou then Kagome? He snorted at the thought, a half-annoyed expression on his face and of course that was when Kouga found him.

 

 

 

He had wanted to ask him why he wasn't with Kagome first of course. He'd seen her back at the den without the hanyou, and he wondered if they had argued though he didn't want to ask Kagome herself. She was being a bit moody with him right now though he couldn't for the life of him figure out why. He had been doing everything for her from serving her meals to carrying anything she thought to try and pick up, and why if she'd have let him he would have carried her everywhere too … and of course it hit him about then why she was so annoyed with him. His woman liked to do things on her own, to prove she was strong and capable and worthy of being his mate and here he had been eroding her independence by over coddling and protecting her. He supposed that she hadn't just outright told him so because she hadn't wanted to hurt his feelings and that made a half-annoyed expression cross his own handsome features.

 

 

 

If anyone would have seen how alike their expressions were at that moment they most likely would have laughed. And of course now that he was actually here in front of InuYasha he'd quite forgotten what he'd wanted to ask him in the first place. InuYasha blinked at him as he stood there, expectant look on his face now which slowly degenerated back into a half-annoyed expression until the golden eyed boy blurted out sharply.

 

 

 

“What!”

 

 

 

That snapped Kouga out of his seeming daze and he looked around quickly to make sure he wouldn't be over heard before he asked the first thing that came into his head then.

 

 

 

“Was … did Kagome … well, I mean, did she seem … moody to you this morning?”

 

 

 

InuYasha blinked again, confusion writ large on his face as he thought over what Kouga had asked. That was certainly not what he'd expected at all when the wolf Prince had come stomping up to him.

 

 

 

“Uh … well no more than usual I guess.”

 

 

 

This was true enough even though it didn't really give Kouga any insight or detail into what that might really mean, or any help about what his problem was. Kagome lived her life in the storm of her emotions and that was just how she was. One good thing about this was that you pretty much always knew where you stood with her because while she would never deliberately hurt someone's feelings she would not be so shy about sharing what was bothering her. The problem being that now due to her pregnancy that her body was going through changes that influenced her emotional state and she herself might not even be aware of how that was affecting the males around her.

 

 

 

At least the two males closest to her, Kouga and InuYasha were affected. Ginta, Hakkaku and the other males of the tribe seemed to be having an easier time of it and of course the females of the tribe were especially pleased that she was bearing cub. It was times like this that Kouga wished his own father were alive to consult on the matter. Oh there were other fathers in this tribe he could have spoken with, but they just didn't seem to hold the elevated level of wisdom that Kaiji would have had. It was funny. He hadn't thought of his father in years, even before he'd been sealed to the tree by Kikyou. He had never felt he needed to prove anything to his father while he'd been alive, nor had he felt seriously driven to exceed the power his father had. He someday would, Kouga knew that in his heart now with a calm certainty.

 

 

 

His father could have been a Tai-youkai if he'd have cared enough to do it. Kouga would be because his tribe would need a leader that strong someday. It was as simple as that to him. He had been born a Prince but unlike his father he would find a way to unlock the power within him and the path to that was his love for his mate. He had not after all forgotten that dream he'd had where something had taken her. He still was not one much to believe in the prophetic power of his own dreams but there had just been something about that one which had stuck with him. Someday someone or something would make the mistake of its life and take his mate and if they did they would get far more than they bargained for.

 

 

 

He cleared his throat, muttering an `okay' and InuYasha `feh'd' in return. Well that had certainly been productive enough for a conversation between the two of them. Secretly Kouga still thought that InuYasha harbored feelings for his mate though he'd never spoken of that suspicion to anyone but InuYasha that one day at the Bone Eater's Well. It wasn't as if he could blame him entirely, he had seen how her approval and friendship had changed the half-demon and for the better. As long as the dog didn't get it into his head to try and supplant him things would be fine. At least Kouga knew that the Inu hanyou would never allow anything to happen to Kagome.

 

 

 

He didn't notice the strange look InuYasha gave him as he simply wandered away from him. Perhaps he should have just picked a fight with the half demon which was always a good way to work off some steam and clear his head but by the time that occurred to him Kouga was well down the path away from InuYasha. He really needed to get focused but it was so hard with Kagome's scent teasing at his senses and as if the thought summoned her she was there before him. She turned as if she had sensed him coming up behind her and smiled, her chocolate eyes warm and she was suddenly there with her arms around his waist and looking up at him with a laugh which made those warm eyes sparkle. He smiled down at her before suddenly swinging her up in his arms and moving towards the den. Ah yes, time to chase them all out since it was such a glorious day and the fresh air would do his wolves a world of good.

 

 

 

Her laughter as she was carried lit his heart and his own deep chuckle joined it to echo off of the walls of the den. Later on, after he had loved her often and well and she was nestled against his side sleeping contentedly he would think about that well of power that lay untapped within, the strength of yokai that would make him a Tai-youkai if he connected with it. He had almost done so once already. That had happened when Sango had attacked them at the clearing and threatened Kagome, when he had gathered up his power and had almost shifted into his demonic alter form. He had never in his life done so though he had always felt that it was possible for him. He carefully examined just how he had felt in those fleeting moments and knew then as he lay warm in the den with his mate at his side that it was only a matter of time.

 

 

 

He could do it. Kouga, Prince of the Yourouzoku really would be a Tai-youkai of his kind as he had intimated to Kagome's mother that he might. He allowed his intense blue eyes to close then and turned so that he could curl his body around Kagome's and let sleep take him. She had told him more than once that she had dreamed about their cub and that because of those dreams she knew that their cub would be a boy, so as he dropped into sleep he almost wistfully wondered if he might share that dream with her.

 

 

 

Five days later Kouga was wondering just how he'd gotten himself into this. How could he have thought that InuYasha would just have left it alone when he'd idly brought up the fight with Sango and asked InuYasha if he remembered anything different about himself during that fight. InuYasha flicked an ear in pretended disinterest but then he owned up to the truth, that he had in fact seen the shadows gather around Kouga for one and how they had made his fingers into razor claws that could most likely have sliced off Sango's head for another. Kouga was a bit surprised that it had been visible to him but then InuYasha did after all have strong demon blood in his veins. Kouga had made his mistake then and confided in InuYasha, telling him that he was on the verge of tapping into his total power, of becoming a Tai-youkai.

 

 

 

InuYasha had shuffled his bare feet a bit, and then looked up with a wicked grin, light glinting in his golden eyes. Without warning the hanyou launched himself at Kouga and tackled him to the ground and from there the fight was on. Kouga was astonished at first then pissed, but after that he had begun to enjoy the fight. InuYasha wasn't holding back and soon neither was the Yourouzoku Prince. Finally he'd gotten InuYasha pinned to the ground and grinned down at him in sure victory when the hanyou had whispered to him.

 

 

 

“Now imagine that some demon has Kagome by the throat right now!”

 

 

 

Kouga's senses were in overdrive from the fight, his adrenaline high and the thought of some demon touching his mate and harming her drove him over the edge. He leapt back from InuYasha with a snarl and let fury wash over him. The whites of his rich blue eyes vanished and they lit from within with his yokai even as ribbons of shadow from all around the clearing curled around his lean muscular form. An invisible wind rose around him which made his ebon hair float and tore the headband from his forehead even as he growled, the sound deep as an earthquake. Kouga could feel a strange shifting of the bones of his face, an ache within his human seeming body as the shadows continued to add bulk to him.

 

 

 

His perceptions of the clearing he was in altered as he suddenly seemed to be standing tall above the trees surrounding it and he noted with vague surprise that he was on all fours. Not just all fours but all four paws! He looked down at InuYasha then, who was staring up at him with that same wicked grin as before and laughing because he'd done something clever. He really had, Kouga reflected in amazement at it. InuYasha had figured out how to get Kouga's change to happen and inside Kouga felt the deeply rooted connections to his full oasis of inner yokai become wide open and complete. He threw back his head and howled, and from the surrounding forest there came an answer from the throats of wolves and Yourouzoku alike that he reveled in. They heard him, knew him for not only who he was as Prince Kouga but what he was, a Yourouzoku Tai-youkai.

 

 

 

It was around then that Kagome had come tearing into the clearing, grim determination on her face and just ahead of a pursuing Sashiko. They had been back at the den when Kagome had suddenly paled and rushed outside, Kouga's name on her lips. Somehow she had known that something had happened within her Prince even before his triumphant howl had echoed across the land. Nearly winded when she came upon the clearing she took it all in with wide chocolate eyes. InuYasha, looking proud and smug standing at the feet of the most massive wolf she had ever seen. He was almost as big as Sesshoumaru when he was in the form of the demonic white dog, his fur was black as night and thick, especially in the almost lion-like mane around his neck and shoulders that made him look positively majestic and royal. His eyes were blue, a shade she had only ever seen in Kouga and her heart knew who he was even as her brain struggled to catch up with it.

 

 

 

He took in a great breath, the gust of his exhale making Kagome's long dark hair stream out behind her as he lowered his head to her level. His Mate, and her scent calmed his demonic nature, letting him take control of the transformation and allowing him to change back into the form he'd been born into. He stood before her then, his dark hair loose and mantled around his shoulders much the way his mane had while in his other form and she ran to him and let him enclose her in his arms. There was still the wildness of shadow around him, the inner taste of him now forever enriched by his transformation and Kagome gasped a little at what her priestess senses showed her now. More than ever he was a force to be reckoned with though she felt no fear of him. He was her love, and her Mate and she knew he would always love and protect her.

 

 

 

“My dearest.”

 

 

 

She whispered to him as he held her, letting him know that she was not afraid of his changes or what he might be capable of now. A rush of almost giddiness swept through Kouga then and he swung around in a wide circle while holding her to him. She finally began to laugh as well though she did make him slow down claiming that he was making her dizzy. He set her down with an almost abashed look though the blue of his eyes glinted with almost boyish glee. He was so mature mostly that sometimes even Kagome forgot that he was still just a boy by demonic standards so she treasured the moments in which he was boyish and free all the more for how rare they were. She murmured to him how amazing that he was, and she smiled at InuYasha in praise for how clever he had been in helping her mate.

 

 

 

Tomorrow they would be traveling back to Kaede's village to meet up with Miroku once more and search for more Shards, but tonight Kagome intended to make the most of her time with Kouga. They sat quietly around the central fire and watched the cubs play, Shippou leading them in one last game before it was time to sleep and Kouga smiled to see the expression in Kagome's eyes as he knew she was seeing their own cub already playing amongst them. She had asked him earlier that day what he wanted to name their son, and he had given it some thought but he wanted to know what the boy was called in dreams. She had told him that she had never heard his name in her dreams of him but Kouga felt that it would come and when she knew, he would know.

 

 

 

He reached over and caressed her cheek with his knuckles, a gentle and lazy motion that made the corners of his lips twitch into a smile as he watched her eyes warm with her love of him. So many moments he was blessed with, Kouga mused. Moments just like this that he would remember for the rest of his long life and each one would be more than answer enough to the question if loving Kagome were worth the sacrifices he might be called upon to make. No matter what he would be asked to give Kouga knew that he would always answer yes and always he would know his Mate was worth whatever price he paid. That surety of purpose shone in his blue eyes then and he wondered what it looked like to Kagome because her own expression changed to one infinitely tender regarding him.

 

 

 

Kagome herself had realized in that moment that whether it was fate, karma, or the heavenly powers themselves that had brought her to Kouga that she was thankful to them for it. He completed her and she him, and she felt blessed to be so loved and so thoroughly adored. Nothing could ruin that moment of perfect clarity, not even the sounds of the cubs and Shippou at play or InuYasha's `feh' when one of the littlest cubs climbed into his lap only to turn and growl menacingly at the other cubs that had been chasing him in a game of tag. Her hand reached up and took his, palm meeting palm as she laced her fingers with his and that intimate touch opened all of her priestess senses to him. She heard the sound deep within her soul of a double heartbeat, his own strong with yokai twining with her own gentle and steady beat to bring them into perfect synch.

 

 

 

She had only felt this deep connection with him in the past while they were in the throes of passion, and a delicate pink blush stained her cheeks as her gaze met his and she knew he felt what she was feeling, his knowing smile making her avert her gaze demurely. Kouga was having none of that however and his free hand lifted to rest fingers under her chin, lifting her face so he could kiss her softly. Playfully he dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose after he pulled back from the first kiss and her dreamy sigh of contentment made him smirk in his usual way.

 

 

 

Had Kouga only known the danger that was awaiting InuYasha and Kagome after they left Kaede's village to search for the next shard of the shattered jewel he would have forbade them both from leaving the Den. As it was he could not shake the sudden sense of disquiet that came over him that next morning as he watched Kagome turn and wave from the path that led down towards the forest, her smile full of her love of him and those pack members that had turned out to bid their leader's mate farewell. It wasn't enough to make him run after her and make up an excuse to stay one more day, but as the day wore on into afternoon he began doubting that he had made the right choice when he had lifted his own hand to wave back to her.

 

 

 

Ginta had been surprisingly the first to call him on it, Hakkaku standing near-by and almost nonchalantly but in obvious support of his friend as he confronted their Prince, the new Tai-youkai, and more importantly the best friend either of them had … besides the other of course.

 

 

 

“Kouga … why'd you let `nee-chan go when even we can tell you didn't want to?”

 

 

 

Kouga had growled almost absently then, making Ginta cringe a little but he straightened and stood firm until Kouga answered him.

 

 

 

“I had to, she made a promise. A promise important to her, and she's right, those things have to be gathered up.”

 

 

 

He paused, then added almost grudgingly, like an afterthought.

 

 

 

“But I can't shake the feeling something is going to happen.”

 

 

 

He wasn't sure then who was the most surprised between him or Hakkaku when Ginta nodded firmly and then pushed at Kouga's shoulder.

 

 

 

“Then you better get after `nee-chan, and we're coming too. Koichi can watch the Den, Sashiko won't let him get away with any nonsense either.”

 

 

 

A wolfish grin suddenly lit Kouga's face and he spun, speeding down the path his mate had taken that morning with the tornado that heralded his passage quickly fading into the distance as his two followers stood there blinking before they too started running.

 

 

 

“Hey Kouga! Wait up!”

 

 

 

It was a good thing they had already talked to Sashiko earlier when they'd seen their Prince yearning to go or the pack would have been left wondering just what had happened to their leader. The females of course found it romantic that he was worried and the males were of the opinion that he should have just kept her there anyway, and besides there weren't any major threats to the pack right now that needed their Prince's powerful attention. The word was already spreading fast in the youkai community that Kouga had become a Tai-youkai, and while there would be those that would deliberately come to challenge him because of it that would take awhile yet and the knowledge that he was that powerful would keep many lesser youkai away that might have tried to take over pack territory and lands.

 

 

 

The trip to get Miroku had been completely uneventful, a nice change of pace for both of them though Kagome had not as yet been subjected to several physical discomforts she had been warned about due to her pregnancy, which she had fully expected to have had by now. She'd had no real morning sickness, just a weak thread of vague nausea each morning when she woke that went away as soon as she ate, and she certainly did not feel dizzy or tired as they walked along. She had however noticed many of her senses growing sharper, including that inner sense that told her of approaching youkai. To Kagome this seemed useful so she made no real mention of it even as she chattered away to the patiently listening InuYasha as they walked.

 

 

 

They had decided to allow Sango to travel with them when Miroku suggested it, she had fully recovered from her physical wounds and even InuYasha could see the wisdom of traveling with someone as trained as she was in fighting demons. It did not hurt that she as well shared the goal Miroku had of stopping Naraku and InuYasha welcomed the extra set of eyes to help guard Kagome. He was both surprised and relieved that Kiyoshi was not waiting for them as well but he was sure that with his luck the neko youkai would certainly soon be among them once more. Miroku told him that soon after they had left with Shippou that Kiyoshi took Tomoe away into hiding once more and had said he would return though thankfully he had not as yet.

 

 

 

Despite their similar goals it seemed that Miroku had still not been able to quite set aside his natural dislike for Kiyoshi and that too was fine with InuYasha. He might grudgingly like the little hanyou girl that was his daughter but Kiyoshi … as a cat he just set InuYasha on edge and of course it didn't help that Kagome liked him. The group consulted with Kaede before they left, choosing not to spend the night there as they wanted to pursue a new rumor of a jewel shard towards the north. Because they had not tarried Kouga missed stopping them at the village, and while frustration had him wanting to be sharp with the old priestess when he spoke to her that evening he was polite. She had sensed the changes in Kouga which surprised him, Kaede was not that powerful which made him in turn realize how powerful he himself must now be.

 

 

 

He took pity on Ginta and Hakkaku, waiting for them at the edge of the village, lounging against a fence post as they came up to him, panting and out of breath. He let them rest a while and eat bowls of broth Kaede brought out, all the while facing north because that was where he had been told his mate was going. He would be with her soon, and then he could bury that feeling of disquiet and unease that was riding him even now as he seemed so relaxed despite being so tense. He finally just took off, leaving his pack mates scrambling to give Kaede their empty bowls so they could take off after him, a half smile touching the one-eyed priestess' wrinkled face. The dust of their passing soon settled and it was as if they had never been there.

 

 

 

Kagome had decided that it might be nice to stay at an inn that evening rather than sleeping out under the stars and the way she asked so winsomely made it very hard to refuse her. They entered the village near a mountainside late in the day, dusk coloring the land and muting the colors of the scenery. There were still a fair amount of people walking about the streets and it was fairly easy to get directions to the largest and most expensive inn there was to be had. InuYasha rolled his eyes as Miroku began his usual line about sensing a dark presence that loomed over the establishment and under the innkeeper's thankful gaze the houshi set his sutras carefully on the lintels of the door, proclaiming the building cleansed and safe.

 

 

 

They had barely finished their evening meal when Kagome rose and began pacing restlessly near the door to their shared room. She growled under her breath when Sango softly questioned Miroku, asking the houshi if he sensed something that might be bothering Kagome, as if she wasn't able to just hear them talk! InuYasha came up and rested his cheek on the point of her shoulder in a rather endearing fashion and she huffed, unable to put into words what was riling her up, but she knew it was something. Something was wrong, and if she could just figure out what, she could do something about it. She idly reached her hand up and scratched InuYasha's ears before she realized she had done it, Miroku's clearing his throat the sound that brought her back to herself.

 

 

 

Moments later a booming voice rolled over the village, a sinister voice which held a note of arrogance and darkness, grating over all their senses. Miroku did not even need to state that he sensed a demonic aura then, they all sensed it as they rushed out of the inn to stand in defensive postures in the courtyard, looking up at the gigantic ogre youkai which had to be the owner of the voice.

 

 

 

“Brother to Sesshoumaru, show yourself and seal your fate!”

 

 

 

AN: Another new chapter! I hope I did justice to Kouga's transformation and that you liked the path I took to get him there. Next chapter, enter once more Sesshoumaru!