InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Seemingly Insignificant ❯ The Wolf Lieutenant ( Chapter 3 )

3: The Wolf Lieutenant

 

The Wolf Lieutenant.

 

That's what I was called: a generalised name for the breed of worshipping lackey that I was, a name so commonly used that all I knew was that I was Ginta: one of Kouga's helpers, his followers, his devotees. I didn't know what I had been before Kouga came into my life, had no clue what I would have been, because without helping and following the leader of the Wolf Tribe, there was… nothing. There was no way we could survive; no reason for my presence on this Earth.

 

I accepted that as a fact of life; vanity was dangerous, and not to mention useless. The egoistical nature of the other wolf demons disgust me… if they had at least a mite of common sense, of which Kouga has in abundance, then our population would not dwindle; our kind would not be mocked by the other demons. Kouga, with powers enhanced through the Sacred Jewel Shards, was the epitome of what it meant to be an important member of a Wolf Tribe as old and strong as ours. He was more than a guiding light; a leader.

 

He was a God.

 

He had saved and breathed hope back into not only mine and Hakaku's lives, but also into countless other wolves'- more times than I could hope to count in my lifetime. We all looked up to him- the lone star in a rapidly polluting sky. Then here was where the ultimate question arose:

 

Shouldn't we give something back for all that he had done for us? For me?

 

Shouldn't I give something back?

 

It was no secret that I could never hope to help him with my comparatively feeble powers… hell, I couldn't even keep up with his speed! Or his intelligence, for that matter. My eyes glazed as a ray of light burst through the murky swamp of my despair.

 

There was one thing I could do…

 

“Ginta!”

 

The sharp voice of my leader broke through my thoughts, and I scrambled into attention, ignoring the rancid stench of the rotting meat I had forgotten while in my reverie. Kouga's eyes narrowed. “Seriously, Ginta,” he said derisively, rolling his blue eyes, “If you were any slower, you would be walking backwards.”

 

I lowered my head in shame at his jibe; his piercing gaze softened and he turned to face the horizon. “Okay, men,” he said to me and Hakaku after a long breath. “Meal time is over; let's get working on finding Naraku's vile stench again.”

 

“But, Kouga…” Hakaku protested. “We haven't finished eating our meal… Ginta's not even touched his!”

 

Kouga shrugged. “That's your problem then,” he said, and hunched his shoulders slightly in preparation to leave. Hakaku opened his mouth again, but I glared him down. Kouga was right, of course. We couldn't waste time because my forgetfulness and inefficiency, while every moment Naraku could be getting farther and farther away from us!

 

Soon, Kouga disappeared in a dusty whirlwind, and we were panting after him. The exertion prevented me from talking, but it gave me time to think. The dust of the shrub-dotted wasteland through which we were racing entered our eyes, and while Hakaku blinked his eyes furiously to get rid of the dust mites, I was unmoved- used to it, from my childhood.

 

Memories of that flooded my head, and my mind seemed to be transported to a place above the regular, automatic exercise my body was doing, as if it was a silent, distracted spectator of mine and Hakaku's exertions. Soon, I wasn't seeing myself and Hakaku anymore, but a small wolf-demon boy, with white messy hair and a black streak running through it, standing alone in the middle of an enormous village centre.

 

Me.

 

Grim villagers surrounded me in a big circle in the village centre, the men's lips set in white lines, and the women's shapely lips and made-up eyes forming perfect spheres signifying surprise and wonder. Children were not present.

 

The oldest man in the gathering stepped forward to stand in front of me, his eyes, bright with wisdom, shining against his wasted, wrinkled face. With some difficulty, he got to his knees, so that our eye levels met.

 

“Tell me, boy,” he said, in a tone that was neither conceding or harsh, “Why did you do it?”

 

Why did they always have to ask it that way? I did not do anything; it was something done to me.

 

The younger boy in my memory, that was me, opened his mouth. “I have not done anything, sir,” I said. “I am merely the first demon to possess the powers of the Magus.”

 

The old man started; he nearly fell on his rear, but I held out an arm and caught him. He shook it off, shaking, scrambling to his feet. “M-Magus?” he stammered in fear.

 

I could understand his trepidation, even then. Maguses were rare; people even more powerful and fearsome than the strongest priest or priestess of all time. I, as a cub, was adopted by a Magus, who, despite the fact that I was a demon, taught me all she knew. I had spent a lot of my childhood with her, and that was why I could tolerate humans a lot more than my short-tempered companions. But she died within a few decades of me joining her, and I was immediately brought under the villagers' unrelenting scrutiny, thanks to a rather recent, and accidental display of my powers.

 

The old man withdrew into the now excitedly jabbering crowd, and reached into a faded leather bag at his side. He brought out a fistful of some strange, shimmering powder, and gestured violently toward me, releasing his fist. A cloud of that powder surrounded me choking me, stinging me, even more than the dry sands among which the village was situated.

 

“Be gone, wolf!” They shouted in unison. “Be gone! May your demonic Magus influence never re-enter this pristine village again! Run!”

 

And run I did, as far away as I could, clawing at my face to get rid of the magic dust, as unchecked tears mingled with it, creating congealed colourful patterns down my cheeks. I was thoroughly disgusted with humans and their pendulum-like mind frames and superstitious nature. I vowed never to go back, or to use my Magus powers again.

 

After that I was left to tend to myself in the cruel, cruel, world outside- all alone, without the sure protection of my Magus powers. It had been a rough life…

 

“Hey, Ginta!”

 

The familiar voice of Hakaku and his restraining hand on my shoulder stopped me in the nick of time, just before I smashed into Kouga, who had stopped. “I'm so sorry, Kouga,” I blurted. “I…” I averted my eyes, too embarrassed to tell him that my childhood memories were coming back to me. He was the one who got me out of that nightmare, after all.

 

“It's okay,” Kouga said dismissively, and raised his face to the air, sniffing. “Damn!” he growled. “Still no sign of Naraku!”

 

We stared on reverently as he continued moving about and sniffing, trying to catch the scent of the elusive Naraku. Kouga had become obsessed with capturing Naraku, of late. The main reason, of course, was to avenge the deaths of kin, but the other, more secret reason I knew, was to impress Lady Kagome. I was awed by the true love and affection he held for the young human priestess, that feeling quickly masking any sort of the lingering grief in my chest. I was not the Demon Magus anymore.

 

I was the Wolf Lieutenant.

 

But still, maybe I could connect both to Kouga's benefit… it would be a dangerous risk, but I was willing to try anything, if it would satisfy and please Kouga.

 

My debt to Kouga, you see, was much more than the others'. I owed more than my life to him- I owed my sanity, my sensibility, my sense of honour, and my fighting skills. My life was happy and satisfactory now, and I wanted him to feel the same way.

 

I made up my mind.

 

I would use my Magus skills to bring Lady Kagome to him.

 

I threw my mind back to the last time the full moon had graced the sky, and I realised that that very night was going to be a full-moon night- perfect for my plans! Kouga, who had found me in the depths of the darkness of the Northern Woods, barely clinging onto life; who watched me and helped me grow up with him, who believed in me, who elevated me to the honourable status of being his lieutenant… I would please him; repay at least part of my debt to him.

 

It was the least I could do.

 

Kouga saw the red orb of the sun setting, and sighed. “A disappointment… a whole day wasted… no gain… no clue…” He shook his head, looked around, before pointing to a damp, small cave a little distance ahead. “Let's rest there for tonight,” he said. “Tomorrow we'll try again; if it's fruitless, we'll just have to rejoin the pack.”

 

Hakaku and I agreed immediately with this course of plan. I remembered distinctly my counterpart in another tribe teasing mine and Hakaku's ready acceptance of whatever Kouga said. Questioning occasionally is the sign of an intelligent deputy, he had said. But how could you question God, I had retorted.

 

Answer?

 

You can't. Never. Especially a God like Kouga.

 

We entered the cave and spread crude mattresses of leaves and caked dirt. Hakaku, completely exhausted, quickly stamped out his own bed and fell on it, curling himself into a sleeping position. Kouga did the same in a more dignified manner. I lowered myself onto my mattress as well, eyes slightly open, nose and ears perked up. Soon Kouga's and Hakaku's breathing grew soft and rhythmical- they were finally asleep.

 

I got to my feet in a nimble movement, trying to make the least sound as possible. Fortunately, Hakaku's snores covered the slight rustle of my feet against the leaves. I tip-toed out of the cave, and into the outside. The splendorous light of the full-moon bathed the surrounding landscape in a silent, silvery aura, every inanimate thing seemingly coming to life as life itself slept, in the shimmering moon light.

 

I soon got over my awe at this scenic beauty, and reached into the small pouch, made of ox hide, that I carried with me for emergencies. I drew out a small wooden object, round and unremarkable-looking. I sat down cross-legged on the ground and turned it over, tracing with a clawed finger the symbol carved there.

 

Throwing my mind back to what the old Magus had taught me, my lips formed complicated incantations as I closed my eyes, still tracing the ancient Magus symbol. My mind's eyes spread over the land; it passed a dizzying array of coloured lights that were souls, before settling on an unusually bright one, that was the young priestess. She was asleep, and therefore very vulnerable. I smirked. And the half-demon couldn't interfere, either… the only danger was the young monk, who possessed spiritual powers, but he didn't seem to be in the immediate vicinity, much to my relief.

 

I stretched out my arm, covering her with the invisible blanket of my power, a dozen miles away. Concentrating even harder, I lifted her up slowly, excruciatingly slowly- centimetre by centimetre. But even that sort of exertion had my strong demon body sweating profusely, and pain beginning to blossom behind my eyes. I knew that if I proceeded to carry her all the way here, it would kill me, but… I was willing to take the risk. Let me die as a martyr, rather than as an indebted, ungrateful, mangy wolf.

 

That thought only strengthening my resolve, I increased my concentration manifold, my chanting louder, until…

 

…until a hand, tipped with claws, fell on my shoulder.

 

That brought me out of my trance with a start, and I rose to my feet and swirled around, in a shocked, clumsy movement. The smell was sufficient to confirm the identity of the intruder before I could even see him.

 

It was Kouga.

 

I stood paralysed for a few moments, disjointed thoughts ricocheting inside my head. How did he know? What does he know? My plans are ruined… I despaired silently, all the while staring into Kouga's calm blue eyes. I finally got the courage to stammer, “Ko-K-Kouga…?”

 

“Ginta,” he answered in an even tone. “What are you doing here?”

 

I stuffed the small magic instrument back into my pouch. “Nothing,” I muttered, but I knew Kouga would not believe me by any long shot, for the smell of guilt was radiating off me in waves.

 

“I thought you had given up that human nonsense,” Kouga said, his brow creasing slightly.

 

I gulped. “Of course, I have… I … just… I…”

 

My leader's gaze softened, and a small smile graced his lips. The moon, on the sky behind him, seemed to form a halo around his head, only reaffirming my belief that Kouga was a God. “I can bring Kagome myself, Ginta,” he said softly. “Don't lose your life for me- you… you have much more to do in life.” His smile grew wider. “Come in and sleep, now.”

 

With that, he turned and walked back to the cave, leaving me in a surprised and awed daze. At the entrance, however, he paused and turned to see me, the smile now morphed into a full-fledged grin.

 

“Don't lose who you are now,” he said. “You will always be my loyal and trusted Lieutenant.” With that, he disappeared into the cave.

 

Loyal and trusted… My chest swelled with pride. I had had Kouga finally praise me! Of course, I will never make the same mistake again: never, for another one, lose my present identity, the identity that gave me such contentment, awe and satisfaction. I will always be his loyal servant, his ready aide.

 

His Wolf Lieutenant.