InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Leiko ❯ Yamainu, the Wolf Youkai ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three

Yamainu, the Wolf Youkai

 

Her rescuer had long brown hair, wolf ears, a long brown tail, claws, and fangs. The human man shot out of the water sputtering and cursing. He grabbed his bow and arrow and aimed it at the wolf youkai. A low, rumbling growl came from deep in his throat. Leiko rubbed her throat where the arrow had been. The youkai continued to glare at the human that had attacked her. He never even spared her a glance.

“It's not nice to attack a lady.” the youkai growled.

“Bah!” spat the man. “Your woman is no lady! She's a monster!”

Leiko shot to her feet in indignation. How dare that no good human insult her like that! He'd already stated two very preposterous accusations against her. Leiko flexed her fingers and growled lowly. She'd show this fool what it meant to fell pain. As she stepped forward the wolf youkai's soft chuckle made her sensitive ears twitch. Leiko couldn't really find any humor in their situation as of yet but she knew that she would later. She caught the scent of blood in the air once more. Her eyes traveled down to the youkai's arm and she saw a large chunk missing from it. Her stomach gave a terrible lurch when she saw the sinew and muscles bunch when he clenched his fists.

The man's anger gave way to a slight hint if fear as the hanyou and youkai stood before him. His hands began to tremble and the bow hit the ground with a clatter. The wolf youkai chuckled evilly as he glared at the man. Did he really mean to kill him? Leiko glanced from youkai to human. One was scared to death and the other was making a game out of it. For a moment she seriously considered jumping between the two men, but before she could make any decisions the wolf youkai leapt at the human. Leiko closed her eyes to avoid seeing the slaughter. When the man yelped in fright she opened her eyes very slowly.

The youkai had the man by the throat and was holding him a foot above the ground. Leiko tried not to laugh at the way the human kept kicking his legs trying in vain to reach the ground again. She put her hand over her mouth to keep the laughter in her throat.

“Don't set foot on my territory again.” the youkai said in a low voice. “If you come after any of my pack again I'll rip your throat out. Do we understand one another?”

“Yes, Yamainu.” the man whimpered.

It seemed to Leiko that the human wanted more than anything to wet his pants. Her laughter was bubbling up inside her but she swallowed hard to stop herself. The wolf youkai, Yamainu, flung the man away from him in disgust. The human scrambled to his feet and bolted into the forest. For the first time Yamainu turned to face Leiko. His deep brown eyes danced with wild laughter.

“You can laugh now, hanyou.” he said.

Leiko began to laugh so hard that she bent over double grabbing her sides. She'd never seen anyone so scared before in her whole life. When Inuyasha would tell her stories of how the humans had feared him when he'd become a full demon she'd picture them very vividly cowering before a great dog youkai. What she'd just seen was far better than anything she'd ever imagined.

She stopped after a while and looked up into those brown eyes that held nothing but anger only a few moments before. All the while he remained silent, his eyes roving up and down her body. Leiko's pale silver eyes narrowed in anger when she realize what he was doing. First that rat of a human and now this wolf youkai. This wasn't even funny anymore. This Yamainu was staring at her as if he'd never seen a hanyou before.

“What?!” she demanded angrily.

“I was only thinking about what that idiot human said.” Yamainu replied. When she looked at him in confusion he added, “When he said you were my woman.”

“So?”

Yamainu chuckled again. “No woman of mine would be out at this time of day to steal from anyone. She'd be too busy warming my bed.”

Leiko's anger burst forth like an animal final freed after so long of being a captive to some ignorant fool. She leapt at the youkai and planted a punch on the side of his face. Yamainu stumbled backwards a few steps, rubbing his face. Leiko continued to glare at him. When he began to laugh at her the anger reached its boiling point. Again she dove at him. This time, however, he caught hold of her wrists.

“Tsk, tsk.” he said. “Is that any way to treat a man who saved your life? As a matter of fact, it's not nice to attack your lover.”

Leiko struggled to free herself from him. “Let me go! You're not my damned lover, you mangy wolf!”

Yamainu let her go abruptly causing her to fall backwards onto the ground. He smiled evilly down at her. Leiko rose to her feet and began to dust herself off. Irritation and anger were written all over her face in big, bold capitalized letters. Yamainu laughed softly and turned on his heels.

“You're welcome to come back to my pack's den if you want, hanyou.” Yamainu offered looking over his shoulder smiling.

“My name is Leiko, you arrogant jerk.” she said. “I'll pass on the offer.”

Yamainu shrugged with indifference. “If you say so.”

He was gone in a cloud of dust. Leiko looked around her and sighed heavily. Who was she kidding? There was no way she was going to be able to survive in the Feudal Era without someone's help. That stupid youkai was the only person she'd met so far that hadn't tried to kill her. Leiko ran her hand down her face and sighed in frustration. There was no other option.

She began to run after Yamainu. Within minutes she caught up enough with him to see him on the edge of the horizon. Leiko decided to stay as far back as possible until they reached the den. In what seemed like only a few measly minutes to Leiko they reached a raging waterfall atop a large mountain. She hid on the nearby grassy ledge as Yamainu entered the cave beyond. Leiko hit the ground noiselessly and slithered to the edge of the ledge .

As she moved forward slowly someone grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. Whoever they were, they were strong. Her captor picked her up off the ground and carried her into the cave Yamainu had just entered. Inside the cave smelled horrible. Five wolves and two youkais looked at her and her captor. Leiko groaned as she was thrown to the ground.

“Intruder, Kouga.” the man said.

“A woman?” Kouga asked raising a questioning eyebrow.

Leiko looked up at the wolf pack leader. When she did many of the men began to murmur with excitement. The youkai before her gasped in surprise. He flung himself on her and embraced her. Leiko pushed him away angrily.

“Get off me, you mangy wolf!” she shouted.

“Kagome, when did you become a youkai?” Kouga asked.

“What?!” Leiko demanded. “You think I'm...” Her voice trailed off when Kouga pressed a finger to her lips.

“That mutt face must've hurt you pretty badly.” Kouga said. “Don't worry Kagome I'll take care of you now.”

Leiko bit down on the finger he'd pressed to her lips. Kouga let out an ear shattering scream and pulled his finger away from her. He rubbed his injured finger, very confused by her actions. His Kagome had never been so violent before. What had gotten into her? From a nearby ledge someone began to chuckle with evil satisfaction. Leiko knew that laugh. She looked up at Yamainu. Her first impulse was to jump onto the ledge where he lay and pummel him.

“That's not Kagome.” Yamainu laughed. “That's her daughter, Leiko. She came out of the Bone Eater's Well.”

Kouga turned to Yamainu and then to Leiko. “So you're the child of the mutt face?” he asked.

“My father isn't a mutt face!” Leiko growled and advanced on Kouga, claws poised to strike.

Yamainu leapt from his ledge and stood between her and his leader. A slight smile played at the corners of his lips. Leiko didn't smile back. All she wanted was something to eat and to go to sleep. Everyone was silent as the two stared at each other. Kouga looked from one to the other. The girl who was Kagome's daughter made his heart pound hard in his chest. She would be his if that little arrogant cub hadn't claimed her.

“So we meet again, my love.” Yamainu said with a tiny wink.

Leiko cocked an eyebrow at him. When she saw where he was heading she gave a mental sigh. This seemed to be the only way she was going to keep that moron Kouga off of her and keep those other mangy wolves at bay. Leiko flung her arms around Yamainu's neck and buried her face into his long brown hair.

“Yamainu,” she said in a low whisper so only he could hear. “Keep them off of me.”

“Deal.” he replied in the same low voice. Then in a louder voice he said, “Stay away from her! If any of you try and touch her you'll pay with your life. Is that clear?!”

Kouga snorted in amusement.

Yamainu, still holding Leiko to him, whirled on his leader. “That means you too, Kouga.” he warned.

Leiko was thankful that her smile was hidden by Yamainu's hair or else they surely would have known the two were lying. Kouga crossed his arms over his chest while he glared at the arrogant boy and the young woman he'd snatched up. Yamainu scooped Leiko into his arms and leapt back to his ledge. He put her down on his bed then turned back to look at the glowering members of his pack. They actually thought that Leiko was his woman. Twice in one day she'd been considered his.

Yamainu smiled to himself. He finally had something Kouga hadn't tainted. He'd have to keep it that way, too. Yamainu turned back to Leiko. She was curled into a tight ball and was sleeping silently. Yamainu shed the brown coat he wore over a black tunic and covered Leiko. He knew they'd have to get her some better clothes if she was going to stay with the wolf pack. With a heavy sigh he curled up beside the woman he'd claimed as his. He wrapped a protective arm around her and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Leiko had felt him wrap his arm around her but didn't pull away. She'd have to suffer such treatment if she was going to make those idiots believe she belonged to Yamainu. Leiko rolled over and snuggled against him. It wasn't so bad to have someone beside her while she slept. After all it could've been worse. She could've had to sleep with Kouga. Leiko shuddered at the thought. Soon Leiko was asleep, her last conscious thought being that she was going have to keep her guard up when it came to Yamainu the wolf youkai.