InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Leiko ❯ Efforts of the Angel ( Chapter 21 )

Chapter Twenty-One
Efforts of an Angel

 

Yamainu lay Leiko down and covered her with his coat. She opened her eyes slowly, smiling up at him. Leiko closed her eyes and fell asleep. Yamainu lay down beside her and fell asleep soon after her. Kari and Shadow curled up a few feet away to pass the night. Garou and Keiyo lay down near Yamainu and Leiko's feet. Sasuke leaned against a tree, dozing the minute he lay down. Satzuka smiled to herself and curled up with Sasuke. He opened one eye, looking down at her.

The night passed swiftly. When Leiko woke the next morning, Yamainu's arms were around her as always. It felt different laying there with him. She nuzzled into him, breathing in the scent of him. Yamainu's eyes opened slowly and he looked down at her. He hugged her closer, letting her hands slid up her back and under the scant clothing she wore. Leiko moved her hand under the black tunic that covered his tanned body.
 
He shivered beneath her gentle touch and moaned in her ear. Leiko moved her mouth to his neck and kissed the tanned flesh lightly. It sent more shivers down the wolf youkai's body. Yamainu pulled her closer and wrapped his leg around her. When he moved to place his body over hers, Leiko tensed. Yamainu stopped kissing her neck and lay back down beside her.
 
"I'm sorry..." he said softly.
 
Leiko gave a little nod. "It's okay, Yamainu." she whispered.
From the remaining shadows, Kari and Shadow watched the hanyou and youkai. Kari didn't blush as any other woman might have at such a scene. Shadow gave a little snort. Kari smiled softly as she wathed Yamainu stopped in mid-kiss. Keiyo had been right all along. The wolf hanyou had seen it that night of the new moon when they'd stumbled upon them alone in the camp site.
 
Kari looked away from the two of them and allowed them what little privacy they ever got. Her red eyes landed on the sleeping forms of Sasuke and Satzuka. Sasuke looked ready to bolt the moment he woke up. Kari shook her head slightly.
 
"If any two people need help," Shadow said. "It's them two."
 
Kari nodded agreement. "We could do that." she said.
 
Yamainu rose from the spot he shared with Leiko. Kari watched the wolf youkai go and smiled slightly in Leiko's direction. The hanyou lay with her bright silver eyes closed. Her body's tauntness gave away that she was really awake. Yamainu returned half an hour later with a good catch of fish flung over his shoulder.
 
Sasuke's eyes flittered open. When he felt the extra weight on him, he wrapped his arms around the person. He looked down and saw Satzuka leaning on him. Sasuke quickly scrambled out from under her and sat a few feet away. Satzuka woke with a cry when she hit the ground.She shot up, rubbing her head.
 
"Hey!" she cried. "That wasn't very nice!"
 
"Keep it down." Yamainu hissed. "Keiyo's still sleeping."
 
Satzuka began to pout. She'd been thrown to the ground and then fussed at. These men weren't normal if they treated her in such a way. No man had ever moved away from her and no man ever fussed at her for complaining. Leiko lifted her head slightly off of the ground and looked over at the young priestess. She smiled slightly at the pouting the girl was doing.

Kari picked up a few dead branches and piled them up. She snapped her fingers and a glowing flame burst to life. Yamainu placed the fish on sticks and began roasting them. As he watched them cook, he remembered the first day he'd met Leiko. A smile touched his lips as his brown eyes wandered to her.
 
"So," Sasuke said suddenly. "What are we going to do?"
 
"What do you mean?" Yamainu asked, turning the fish once more.
 
Kari looked over at Leiko. "Are we staying here for the day and another night or are we moving on?"
 
Leiko was still too weak to do much of anything. If they met a Soul they would be in deep shit. Yamainu looked over at Leiko. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was steady. It was hard for him to tell if she was sleeping or not. Garou and Keiyo woke when they smelled the cooking fish. Garou sat near his misstress and yawned mightly.
 
"We should stay here." he said.
 
Satzuka, still pouting over the incidents of the morning, looked at the wolf in question.  

"Why should we listen to you?" she demanded. "You're just a mangy wolf."
 
Leiko shot up suddenly. Her eyes burned with an angry rage. "What'd you call him?!" she demanded.
 
Keiyo and Kari grabbed her and pushed her down. Leiko lay there, glaring up at the clear blue sky. Satzuka had shrank back in fear when the hanyou had suddenly shot off of the ground. Kari and Keiyo looked at one another.

 

"She's not as weak as we thought." Sasuke said smiling.
 
Yamainu took the fish away from the fire and handed the sticks to everyone. He gave Leiko's to Keiyo while he propped the hanyou against a tree. Leiko took the fish that the little cougar youkai gave her and ate it hungrily.
 
As the day passed, everyone relaxed and napped often. Leiko lay awake most of the day. Yamainu watched her while she watched the passing clouds. He saw tears roll down from the corners of her eyes often. She was thinking of her sister and how she could have saved her. Now the only hope she had of rescuing her was to get all four Souls back as soon as possible.
At sun set, Yamainu and Sasuke went fishing once more. When they returned near moonrise, Kari had gotten another fire going. Yamainu got the fish cooking once more. As the moon crawled higher in the sky, Kari smiled. When it was over the eastern horizion, Kari's hair changed to red and she grew her wings back.
 
"An angel." Leiko said smiling.
 
"Yep." Kari said. "And now that I'm an angel, I can give you your strength back."
 
Kari lay her hands on Leiko's body. A white light came from her hands and moved along Leiko's body. When it had covered her whole body, Leiko sat up. She smiled at her friend, glad to be back to normal.
 
"Garou!" Leiko called.
 
She searched for the wolf but he was no where to be found. Leiko rose to her feet and moved to the shadows near the edge of the forest. She saw a lump silhouetted against a tree. It moved back as she moved closer to it. Leiko's hand shot out and she grabbed hold of the figure. She threw it into the firelight and stared at it.
 
"Hello!" Satzuka said, smiling at the handsome young man who lay at Leiko's feet.  

"Would you consider letting me bear your child?"
 
Leiko shot her an angry look. "Who are you?!" she demanded of the young man.
 
He rose to his knees and looked up at her. His eyes were a deep amber, his hair was jet black, and his skin was very tanned. Leiko looked down at him for a long moment. The young man took her hand in his and touched it to his forehead.
 
"It's me, Garou." he said.
 
Leiko stared down at the young man in disbelief.
 
"Garou's a wolf." Satzuka said stupidly.
 
The young man whirled on her. "I am a wolf you twit." he growled.
 
When he bared his teeth at her, they say that they were fangs. Leiko lay her hand on Garou's shoulder and he relaxed. Yamainu stared at the wolf in disbelief. He'd wondered where he'd gone that full moon night a week after he'd joined the pack.
 
"Hey, Satzuka," Kari whispered in the priestess's ear. "Don't you find Sasuke attractive?"
 
"Well, yeah." she replied.

 

"Then why don't you go hang on him?" Shadow asked.
 
Satzuka looked over at Sasuke. He'd taken up Yamainu's job of turning the roasting fish. Her eyes took on a sort of dreamy look as she watched the young samurai. Sasuke looked up at her for a moment and saw her eyes gleaming. He quickly looked back down at the fish. Satzuka strolled over to the fire and stood behind him.
 
"What're you doing, Saskue?" she asked.

"Cooking the fish." he said.

 

Satzuka smiled. "That sounds dull."

 

"Uh...I guess...It might be." he stammered.

 

She was begining to creep him out. Suddenly, Satzuka lauched herself onto him. She looked up with her eyes overflowing with tears.

 

"Oh Sasuke!" she cried. "Would you consider allowing me to bear your child?"

 

Sasuke pulled away from her and stared down at her. The others were staring at him.

 

Sasuke blushed and turned on his heel. With one final look at Satzuka, the samurai disappeared into the forest.