InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Truth About Cats and Dogs ❯ Koga's Intervention ( Chapter 6 )

Recap: Sesshomaru was having a run of bad luck, and declared Kirara was the cause of it all. Meanwhile, Kirara and the others set off in search of Naraku and the Sacred Jewel.

 

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Chapter 6 - Koga's Intervention

 

“Um, Sango?” Inuyasha whispered, moving closer to Sango to walk directly alongside her.

 

“What is it, Inuyasha?” she asked.

 

“What's eating Kirara?” he asked, nodding his head towards Kirara.

 

Sango turned her head to her friend, who was in front of the group, walking deftly on her feet and hands, sniffing the ground as she went.

 

“I smell dog!” Kirara said suddenly, straightening up abruptly to stand on just her two feet.

 

Sango stumbled to a halt, almost walking right into Kirara's back.

 

“What?” Sango asked her.

 

“Coming this way…” Kirara said quietly, bending her knees to lower herself into a defensive stance. “And moving very, very fast…”

 

“Hey,” Inuyasha began. “I smell-”

 

But before Inuyasha could finish his sentence, he was knocked of his feet by a whirlwind, which dissolved to reveal Koga.

 

“Hey, dog-breath,” Koga said, smirking down at Inuyasha's crumpled form by his feet. “Kagome…”

 

Koga made his way over to Kagome, taking her hands in his.

 

“I hope that mutt has been taking good care of you, Kagome,” he said.

 

“Ugh,” Kirara grunted, rolling her eyes.

 

Koga turned his head towards her at the gesture, narrowing his eyes as he caught sight of her.

 

“Hey, what smells like cat around here?” he asked.

 

Kirara quirked an eyebrow at him, to which he smiled.

 

“Oh, it's you,” he added. “Hey, ya mangy mutt, what are you doing travelling with a cat demon?”

 

“I have always travelled with Inuyasha,” Kirara answered Koga. “It's just that I can now take a human form.”

 

Koga nodded disinterestedly before turning back to Kagome.

 

“So anyway, Kagome,” he began. “I was-”

 

“Look Koga, we're in a hurry, we don't have time for this!” Kirara interrupted him. “Now either hand over those shards of the Shikon Jewel you have, or get out of our way!”

 

Koga dropped Kagome's hands, approaching Kirara, who straightened her back and raised her chin as he neared.

 

“And what if I refuse to hand over my shards, and I refuse to move?” Koga growled at her.

 

“First of all, they are not “your” shards,” Kirara replied indignantly. “And secondly, if you do refuse to comply, you must prepare yourself for a fight.”

 

“What are you doing, Kirara?” Kagome hissed.

 

“Kill him, Kirara!” Inuyasha said as he stood up. “And get those shards off of him!”

 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome yelped.

 

“I'm not gonna fight you!” Koga sneered, eying Kirara over. “I wouldn't feel right fighting a stupid girl like you!”

 

Kirara narrowed her eyes, swiping her hand at Koga's face. Koga staggered back as Kirara slapped him hard across the face, touching a hand to his cheek.

 

“How do you feel about it now, dog?” Kirara growled as he met her eyes.

 

“I'm not a dog, I'm a wolf!” Koga snapped. “And I hate cats!”

 

Koga swung a fist at Kirara, but she deftly leapt out of the way, spinning around to land a heel kick to the back of Koga's knees. Koga buckled under her attack, and Kirara pounced at him, grabbing him into a sleeper-hold.

 

“I sense something is amiss with Kirara,” Miroku commented as the struggle continued between the wolf demon and the fire-cat demon.

 

“I think she's still upset over Sesshomaru,” Sango said quietly.

 

“She's crazy!” Kagome said loudly.

 

“She's scary!” Shippo whimpered, leaping up onto Kagome's shoulder and hiding behind a curtain of her hair.

 

“Get him, Kirara!” Inuyasha cheered.

 

The others turned to Inuyasha, all sweat-dropping as they found him sat perched on a rock, eagerly munching his way through a box of popcorn as he watched the battle before them.

 

“Inuyasha, stop them!” Kagome yelled at him.

 

“No way, Kirara's winning!” Inuyasha yelled back.

 

“Um… Sango?” Miroku began nervously.

 

“Kirara!” Sango yelped, as she saw that Kirara had fully transformed into her fire-cat form, and had her fangs sunk into Koga's right leg.

 

“Get off of me, ya stinking cat!” Koga yelled, tugging at his leg as he tried to free himself.

 

“What is wrong with her?” Kagome demanded, rounding on Sango.

 

“I don't know…” Sango quietly replied. “I think something must have-”

 

Sango stopped talking abruptly as Koga leapt up, kicking his left leg into the back of Kirara's head. She instinctively opened her jaws, releasing his right leg. Stunned from the blow, Kirara was unable to stop Koga from leaping to his feet and clenching his hands together, slamming his fists into the middle of her spine. Howling from the blow, Kirara returned to her human form, kicking Koga in the jaw as he bent over her.

 

“Damn you, dog!” she growled, struggling to her feet as he staggered away from her.

 

“I'm not a dog!” he growled back at her.

 

Kirara hissed at him, the vicious look on her face causing even Sango to flinch. Upon seeing Kirara's unadulterated rage, Inuyasha finished the box of popcorn and got to his feet, making his way over to the battling duo.

 

“Hey, knock it off, you two!” he said, holding up one hand up in front of Kirara and one in front of Koga.

 

“What are you doing, Inutrasha?” Koga sneered.

 

“Yes Inuyasha, what are you doing?” Kirara added. “I know how much you hate that dog too! Let me kill him, and we can take back the shards of the Shikon Jewel!”

 

“He's not a dog, he's a wolf,” Inuyasha pointed out.

 

“Wolf, dog, fox, they're all the same to me!” Kirara snarled.

 

Shippo squealed in fear, ducking down behind Kagome's head.

 

“Sango?” Inuyasha said, turning to Sango.

 

“Oh, right,” Sango said, nodding her head.

 

Sango lunged forwards, grabbing Kirara by the elbow. Despite a cry of protest from her demon friend, Sango pulled Kirara back, pulling her out of earshot of the others.

 

“What's gotten into you, Kirara?” Sango whispered to her.

 

“I hate that dog!” Kirara whispered in reply. “I hate all dogs!”

 

“Do you hate Inuyasha?” Sango asked cautiously.

 

“Of course not!”

 

“But Inuyasha is a dog.”

 

“Yes, but…”

 

Sango eyed Kirara over carefully, before looking over Kirara's shoulder at the others.

 

“We won't be long,” she called to Inuyasha.

 

“Where are we going?” Kirara asked Sango.

 

“Somewhere where we can talk,” Sango quietly replied.

 

“But I-hey!”

 

Sango grabbed Kirara's elbow again and dragged her from the path to a large rock a suitable distance from the others, sitting down and forcing Kirara to do the same by her side.

 

“What happened to you yesterday, Kirara?” Sango asked her.

 

“Nothing,” Kirara stubbornly replied, crossing her arms and adopting a scowl.

 

“You had blood on your claws and you said you hurt Sesshomaru,” Sango pressed.

 

“Like I said, it was nothing,” Kirara stubbornly replied.

 

“I assume then that cat demons and dog demons hate each other,” Sango concluded.

 

“The truth about cats and dogs is that we are ancient enemies,” Kirara replied.

 

“Oh, I see,” Sango said, relieved that Kirara was talking calmly and sensibly at last.

 

“And it's all because the dirty dogs are too stupid to realise that we cats are the superior demons!” Kirara added childishly.

 

Sango sighed in despair.

 

“Kirara, Sesshomaru is a very strong demon,” she began. “And it's nothing to be ashamed of.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Kirara snapped, turning her head to glare at Sango indignantly. “Why would I be ashamed? I was the one who hurt him, not the other way around!”

 

“But you were scared of him, right?” Sango asked softly.

 

“I fear no-one!” Kirara boldly replied, standing abruptly and thumping a fist against her armour-covered chest. “I am a warrior!”

 

“Yes, you told me that already,” Sango politely reminded her. “But we all get frightened sometimes, it's nothing to be ashamed of, even if you are a warrior. I'm a demon-slayer, and I still get a little afraid when I'm fighting a very powerful foe.”

 

Kirara sat down hard next to Sango, hanging her head, a defeated look on her face.

 

“You were afraid, weren't you?” Sango asked, placing a hand on Kirara's shoulder. “I thought you might have been. It's okay Kirara, I won't tell the others.”

 

“I wasn't afraid,” Kirara softly replied. “I was absolutely terrified. I couldn't even move. His fangs were longer than my entire body. I've never felt that afraid of an enemy before, and I fought a lot of large and intimidating demons alongside Priestess Midoriko.”

 

Sango nodded her understanding.

 

“Maybe it was just because he was a dog, or maybe it was just because he was so big, but I couldn't control my fear,” Kirara continued. “And I hate him so much!”

 

Kirara punched a fist into her palm, groaning in frustration.

 

“What did he say to you to upset you so?” Sango asked gently.

 

“He called me filthy and lowly, and he insulted Inuyasha for travelling with me,” Kirara answered. “And he said I was of no consequence, and not worthy of his attention.”

 

“I see,” Sango replied, nodding her head again. “You know, Kagome told me that Sesshomaru was very rude to her too when he first met her, so you are not alone.”

 

“I feel like a failure, Sango,” Kirara sighed. “I ran away from a fight. I have never fled from battle before, but to do it now, when I have all my powers back, and to flee from a dog demon…”

 

Kirara groaned in despair, burying her face in her hands.

 

“Oh Kirara,” Sango said softly, curling an arm around Kirara's shoulders. “And I don't really know if this will make you fell any better, but Inuyasha has told us all that he wants to kill Sesshomaru himself, so it's probably just as well that you didn't fight him last night.”

 

Kirara merely sighed in response.

 

Meanwhile, Koga had sat down on the ground, with Kagome at his side, tending to his injured leg, and Inuyasha standing behind him, pulling faces at his back.

 

“So that demon is the same fire-cat you travelled with before?” Koga asked Kagome.

 

“Yes,” Kagome replied. “She was under a spell, and now the spell has been broken.”

 

“Wow,” Ginta muttered.

 

“Weird,” Hakkaku added.

 

“Hey, when did you two get here?” Inuyasha yelled, waving a fist at Koga's two allies.

 

“Kagome, I don't think you're safe with that crazy cat around,” Koga continued. “I think it's time you started travelling with me.”

 

“Dream on, flea-bag!” Inuyasha snarled at the back of Koga's head.

 

“I can't travel with you, Koga,” Kagome said as she finished cleaning his wounds. “But you and Ginta and Hakkaku could travel with us, if you like.”

 

“Hey!” Inuyasha yelled at Kagome.

 

“Yeah, I guess we could,” Koga agreed. “That way I can keep an eye on dog-boy and cat-girl.”

 

“You…” Inuyasha growled, waving a fist at Koga's head.

 

“Koga, have you seen or heard anything that might help us track Naraku?” Miroku asked, hoping to change the mood of the group.

 

“Nah, I was hoping that Kagome might have sensed the jewel, or that your pet dog might have managed to sniff him out,” Koga replied.

 

“Pet dog?” Inuyasha snapped.

 

“Koga, would you like some potato chips?” Kagome asked sweetly.

 

“What's a potato chip?” Ginta asked her.

 

“Here, you can all have a bag each,” Kagome replied, handing a bag to Koga, one to Ginta and one to Hakkaku.

 

“That's mine!” Inuyasha complained, snatching Hakkaku's bag from him.

 

“Hey!” Hakkaku said, frowning at Inuyasha.

 

“And that's mine!” Inuyasha continued, snatching Ginta's bag. “And that's mine too!”

 

Inuyasha made to grab Koga's bag, but Koga quickly snatched it out of his reach.

 

“Hand it over, ya wimpy wolf!” Inuyasha demanded, reaching with his other hand.

 

“No way, mutt!” Koga replied, passing the bag from hand to hand as Inuyasha tried in vain to grab onto it.

 

“Would you two grow up?” Shippo said, standing up confidently with his hands on his hips.

 

“Shut-up, Shippo!” Inuyasha snapped, punching Shippo in the head.

 

“Inuyasha, sit!” Kagome yelled.

 

Koga and Inuyasha both cried out in shock as Inuyasha was sent hurtling to the ground, colliding with Koga on his way.

 

“I've had it with you, dog-boy!” Koga moaned, shoving Inuyasha off of him and standing up.

 

Ginta and Hakkaku obediently stood at Koga's side, their four wolves watching them keenly from a distance.

 

“I'm not hanging around here with such a pathetic dog and such a crazy cat!” Koga said decisively. “I'm sorry Kagome, but I'm going to look for Naraku on my own. As soon as I've finished with him though, I promise I'll come back and make you my woman, Kagome.”

 

“You mean just like how you promised you would make me your woman, Koga?” a voice squealed.

 

“Ah damn…” Koga grumbled.

 

“Ha!” Inuyasha said brightly, pushing himself up from the ground. “Perfect timing!”

 

“Koga, why do you keep running away from me all the time?” Ayame asked as she joined the group.

 

“Ayame, I thought you were going back to your grandfather in the mountains,” Koga replied, hoping to steer his way around the subject of his broken promise to the young wolf demon.

 

“I was,” Ayame agreed.

 

Koga waited for her to continue, screwing up his face in frustration when she did not.

 

“So what happened?” he asked. “Why did you come back?”

 

“Well, I've been thinking,” she explained. “And I've decided that although we don't need to be together for the sake of our tribes, I think we should be together because you promised!”

 

Koga groaned, but Inuyasha began to laugh again.

 

“You're pathetic, Koga!” Inuyasha sneered.

 

“Koga, can't you remember promising to be with Ayame at all?” Kagome asked Koga.

 

“No,” he lied, avoiding her eyes awkwardly. “I don't remember anything. Maybe she's thinking about some other wolf demon.”

 

“Koga…” Ayame whimpered, her eyes becoming large and pitiful as she looked up at him.

 

“Sorry Ayame, I have to avenge the deaths of my brothers,” Koga replied firmly. “I have to find Naraku and destroy him. Ginta, Hakkaku, let's go.”

 

Koga took a step forwards, wincing in pain as put more weight onto his bitten leg.

 

“Koga, you're hurt!” Ayame wailed, her eyed dropping to the four puncture-wounds left by Kirara's fangs.

 

“It's nothing,” Koga assured her, despite the fact that his face was contorted in pain and his voice was strained.

 

“Who did this to you, Koga?” Ayame asked.

 

“A crazy cat,” Koga grumbled, casting a sideward glance at Kirara, who was still sat on the rock next to Sango.

 

“Her?” Ayame asked, pointing over at Kirara. “She did this to you? Then I shall avenge you!”

 

“What?” Koga muttered, watching Ayame as she walked past him. “Hey, where are you going now? What are you doing? Ayame!”

 

“Gee, Kirara sure has made a lot of enemies,” Shippo commented as Ayame stormed over to the fire-cat. “Since she got her human-form back, she's never been out of a fight with someone!”

 

“Cat demon, did you hurt my Koga?” Ayame demanded, stopping before Kirara.

 

Sango groaned quietly, a small part of her wondering if things might have been easier if Kirara had just stayed as a cat.

 

“Yes I did,” Kirara replied honestly, standing up in front of Ayame.

 

Ayame faltered for a moment as she saw just how tall Kirara was, but a glance over her shoulder told her that Koga was still watching her, and so she summoned up every ounce of courage within her soul and stood up as tall as she could in front of Kirara.

 

“Then I have no choice but to fight you,” Ayame announced.

 

“I will not fight you,” Kirara quietly replied.

 

“Good,” Sango said, standing up.

 

“Stay out of this, mortal!” Ayame warned her, holding up one hand to halt her progress. “You will fight me, cat demon!”

 

“No, I will not,” Kirara said again, her voice still hushed. “But I will help you, if you like.”

 

“What?” Ayame echoed, her tough expression falling into one of confusion. “What do you mean? I don't need any help! Especially not from the likes of you!”

 

A sly smile briefly lifted the corners of Kirara's mouth before she hurriedly suppressed it again.

 

“You will fight me!” Ayame yelled at her.

 

“I will not fight you,” Kirara loudly replied. “Not here.”

 

Kirara leapt backwards, over the rock she had just been sat upon.

 

“We will settle this in another location,” she said.

 

“Kirara, what are you doing?” Sango hissed at her.

 

“Trust me,” Kirara whispered back, winking at her.

 

“As much as I would like to trust you, I-”

 

“So be it, cat!” Ayame shouted out, interrupting Sango. “Choose your location!”

 

“Right this way…” Kirara said, before spinning around and running off.

 

Ayame hurried after her, leaving Sango behind to sigh in despair.

 

Kirara strategically led Ayame into a small wooded area, out of sight of the others, before she stopped running. Once there, she turned around and waited for Ayame to join her, smiling at the worried yet determined expression on Ayame's face.

 

“I didn't bring you here to fight you, Ayame,” Kirara began. “I want to help you.”

 

“Help me?” Ayame repeated suspiciously. “But I already told you, I don't need your help!”

 

“Maybe not, but I would like to offer you my help regardless,” Kirara insisted. “I am willing to let you leave here alone, and return to the others to tell them of your victory over me.”

 

“I… I don't understand…” Ayame said.

 

“Koga is searching for Naraku,” Kirara explained. “If you can prove that you are strong, he will let you travel with him.”

 

“And I can prove that by defeating you.”

 

“Yes, exactly. I will let you leave here soon, and you can tell Koga how you defeated me.”

 

“You will pretend I defeated you? I don't understand why you would do such a thing.”

 

“Because I promised a friend many, many years ago that I would help those who were true of heart. I was trapped under a spell for a long time, and I learned that helping others is important to me. And I want to help you now.”

 

“And you seek nothing in return?”

 

“My reward is in being of service to you. And of course, if Koga takes you for his mate, he will cease pestering my group, and we can concentrate our efforts on finding Naraku and completing the Shikon Jewel once more.”

 

Ayame nodded slowly, but still looked sceptical.

 

“So what should we do?” she asked.

 

Kirara smiled, walking closer to Ayame to share her plan with her.

 

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Next Chapter: Ayame and Kirara put Kirara's plan into action, but will it work? Koga reacts and Kirara makes a shocking discovery. Chapter 7 - Ayame's Victory.