InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Together Forever ❯ Duty of the Wolfen Miko ( Chapter 30 )

Chapter Thirty: Duty of the Wolfen Miko

"Ares, what was with that village?" Kagome asked as they walked down the dirt pat, away from the village of youkai and ningen that they had left Miroku, Sango, and Kirara to get a jewel shard in. Ares gazed at her calmly, showing no emotion, and then turned to look ahead again. Kagome almost thought she wouldn't answer and but was slightly startled when she did.

"Long ago, when Inutaisho-sama was alive, before either Sesshoumaru-sama or Inuyasha were thought of, when Inutaisho-sama had first become Lord of the West, there was an outbreak of fighting among the ningen and youkai. Some youkai packs were in agreement to not hurt certain ningen villages and when the small war of ningen and youkai broke out they merged their packs into the villages with the agreement to live in peace and protect each other. This did not sit well with some youkai and since it began to affect the four lands after some time the four Taiyoukai met. It was agreed that a small part of land would be set aside between all the lands boundaries for the youkai-ningen villages, but it was also agreed that the strongest Taiyoukai would govern those bits of land. So, there was a great tournament between the Lords and Inutaisho-sama proved to be the strongest, as such, it was by his will that the youkai-ningen villages be left in peace. And since Sesshoumaru-sama has become the Lord of the West, he has kept it that way in a tradition of sorts and he has left the laws of his father, and a few of his own, over them," She paused. "However; about four years ago, a great youkai-ningen war broke out and within a year ended. Many packs were devastated and some villages completely destroyed. My own pack…suffered greatly….not many were left alive…" she trailed off, her eyes closing to banish memories from that time.

Inuyasha listened to their talk carefully, his ears perking at his fathers name then flattening at Sesshoumaru's. "Come on, we're almost there." He said suddenly, grabbing Kagome and bounding off. Ares followed, holding the sleeping Shippo in her arms, after giving a nod to the trees.

"Told you she would feel us." Anna muttered. "I know, I didn't say she wouldn't." Lia replied, frowning. "C'mon, we gotta go, we've got a job to do." Kinjya reminded them, taking off back towards the village Lia came from, smirking as she thought about a certain wolf she and Anna had trailed for a bit. Kouga, yes, that's what his name is. He had best watch himself. She shook her head and moved on, the others following her, Anna cursing under her breath at Lia who had pulled her tail.

Ares sighed, sitting in the small garden of the inn, basking in the light of the sun, taking note that only a few more hours remained before the light gave way to dark. A small smirk came to her lips as she remembered the looks upon the faces of her three companions when they found the village they now resided in for the moment was actually that of both human and youkai living peacefully together as one. She reclined against a small tree, growling suddenly as her thoughts drifted to a certain male ookami youkai that her mind seemed set upon pulling into her line of thought at nearly every waking moment. Huffing in defeat against her own mind she reclined further, closing weary eyes, letting herself view him without any previous 'incidents' in mind.

He was tall, at least almost two heads taller than she, taller than Inuyasha, yet shorter than Sesshoumaru-sama. His eyes, now that she took time to think of it, were an enticing shade of blue, their gaze seemingly pulling at her senses, so strong, yet they shined with a spirit unlike any she had seen in many youkai before him. She admitted grudgingly that they were indeed beautiful eyes. His hair which was long yet tamed and pulled into a high tail was not a bad look upon him as it would have been with others. A strong jaw, set upon a boyishly handsome face, quiet pleasing to the eye in fact. A small red flush rose to scald her cheeks as her thoughts slipped to his body. His legs, which one could see easily were toned and strong, his tail was sleek and of good length, enough that it could be wrapped around a slim waist of a female. Her flush deepened at the thought and her own tail, which she usually kept hidden under her clothes, wrapped around her waist, slipped out of a small slit in the back of her dress, the end twitching slightly. His chest, though partly covered was indeed without doubt strong and hard, and she remembered with another twitch of her tail, the feel of strong muscled abs against her body when he fought her, which in turn led her to admit that his arms as well were indeed strong and used in battle. 'And perhaps other things, perhaps he is even well endowed.' Her mind murmured, making the young girls eyes snap open, slightly darkened with some new emotion.

Oh gods....I....I'm attracted to him! No, no, no, no, no! I can't be, I mean he…….. he's such an arrogant, hot, sexy, and muscled- NO! I am not thinking of such things! Absolutely not! I'm an alpha female, I must think of my mission and my pack. Throughout the tirade within her mind she had stormed back into the inn, grabbed her bag, redressed, and tied her sword, Shinsei, to her hip with a belt-like sash. As Ares made her way out she was stopped by Kagome, the young miko's soft blue eyes filled with worry for her friend.

"I've got to go." "Why, is something wrong?" Ares shook her head. "No, you see since I'm the alpha of my pack I have certain duties to fulfill, but I am also the miko of our gods, and as such I have certain duties to fulfill. When Sango, Miroku, and Kirara get back I want you guys to go on ahead of me; I'll catch up later." A small frown crossed Kagome's features and her brows knit, making Ares smile. "I promise that I'll catch up, you guys will do fine without me for a bit." "Alright, just, be careful." "I will." Ares replied, giving the miko a hug before moving on, only to be stopped as she entered the forest by none other than Inuyasha.

"You'd better not make us slowed down to much." It was a gruff comment, yet an underlying of playfulness was there if one took the time to look closely. She smiled at him, giving his shoulder a light squeeze. "I won't. You guys be careful." He nodded in reply, leaving her then to return to his mate and pup. "Inuyasha.........arigato." "Feh." She smiled as his form disappeared from view, shaking her head with a small smile upon her lips as she began to run; going far from the villages and the people that dwelled there.

Kouga moved silently through the woods, cursing, in his mind, yet again, his thoughts still on that girl, that Ares. Ginta and Hakkaku followed after him at a distance, flanked by around a dozen wolves. The birds sang sweetly, the wind whispered through the trees, and the sunlight danced through the small patches of the forest tree tops, a bright ray of light catching the figures moving within the darkened depths of the humid forest, the wind offering its gentle and cool caress every now and then. After a moment Kouga paused near an open field of wild herbs and flowers, the weeds growing up and around the great trees that grew high, the one he chose to sit below seemingly reaching for the sky with the bare and sun aged branches at the very top.

"We'll rest here." Kouga called to the others with him as they finally caught up with him, Hakkaku and Ginta sitting under the shade of another tree, passing a flask of water between them, the wolves laying between them and Kouga, a few at Kouga's feet, whining at him in worry. He didn't pay them any heed, to lost in his thoughts to care for much else other than the vexing girl that seemed not only to consume his thoughts but haunt his dreams too, as of late.

"It's getting late; I want to get at least nearly halfway to the village before nightfall." The wolves raised their heads, regarding Kouga with fierce yet calm eyes, his two fellow youkai moving to stand as he had done. "Kouga," Ginta began quietly as Hakkaku moved to start down the path, "that girl you told us about, won't she be with sister Kagome?" Kouga nodded once, a small scowl marring his shadowed face. "What about it?" He mumbled crossly after a moments silence, crossing his arms over his chest as he thought, walking a bit ahead of the others. "Uh, it's nothing, just wondered." Ginta replied quickly, chuckling nervously as he dodged Kouga's question. Kouga stared at him a moment longer, turning as Ginta began to turn a pale shade of red, deciding to answer him, to some degree at least. "We're going there to check on Kagome and see if they've heard anything new. Plus, I need to let them, as well as the villages, know about the soul stealer with a jewel shard; it supposedly headed their way. And yes, I do believe Ares will be there, last I heard she was still with them," he added a moment later, "Not that it really matters."

Liar. His mind chided, and he frowned again. You want to see her again. Something about her, it calls to you, don't deny it. He growled, angered at his own train of thoughts and the way he was beginning to reluctantly admit that something about Ares stuck him as strange, and the fact that her smell seemed to linger with him; haunting him. His dreams, had of late, been consumed by her; he would see her doing simple things; caring for members of his pack, which struck him as strange, once even he had dreamed of seducing her, taking her as his own, waking up breathing heavily; her scent lingering and the feel of his fangs piercing soft flesh, and the echoing cries of her pleasure as he took her burning in his mind. He wondered idly if she thought of him, shaking his head as he brushed the stray thought away before it could grow.

Ares finally reached the place she had been searching for, an enclosed clearing guarded on one side by a small river and all around great tress as old as some of her gods standing in defiance of the elements; refusing to give way to anything. She sighed, her duty weighing heavily upon her mind. As she set her pack near the base of a tree she let her thoughts stray to that of her duties to her pack and as the miko of the Wolfen, the mighty race of wolves called both god and kin to the ookami; both the animal and youkai. She had been born with the mark of the Wolfen miko and now she was the highest of mikos for the Wolfen, raised since she was a child to serve them and to protect her pack.

The Wolfen were a mighty race of wolves, both in the true form of an ookami and that of a human form as well. No one truly knew much of them, at least not how to describe their race; and so they, being the strongest of the ookami, and said to be a kind of youkai god, they were worshiped; and their worshipers given their protection. Ares herself had in her service, as a miko, two Wolfen who were at this moment most likely trying to reach their mistress.

Ares moved to the center of the clearing; she stood there, silent and still, waiting for her call. The wind blew and the skies that were once only near dusk began to grow dark and the clouds seemed to disperse into nothingness. The only light now that of the moon and the stars that shone with a brilliance to rival that of the great fires of the temples of all the gods. She felt it then, in this stillness of being; the pull of warmth at her senses and the feeling of power sweeping over all that was. And only one thought dared to dance across her still and tranquil mind; it's time.

Hakkaku stopped, Ginta bumping into him, a reprimand on the tip of his tongue before he felt it; the energy of a very strong being and the gentle scent of lavender and honey that seemed to dance in the wind, teasing all the senses. Kouga had already caught the scent, his brows drawn low as he followed it, his companions following close behind. The ookami growled softly; not in hostility but curiosity, and spread out. Their fierce eyes sparkling in their intent to find the creature that belonged to the lovely scent and power that made the spirits rise and drawn to it. And why they wondered why many of the spirits were that of ookami; both animal and youkai.

Kouga and those with him stopped, eyes wide and transfixed upon what lay before them, their blood heating at the site, yet non so much as Kouga's whose very body went rigid, his heart drumming in his ears as his breathing became shaky, his legs seeming to fill with a dead weight, starring unblinkingly at the creature before him that he realized, with an intake of a shaky and labored breath, to be Ares. A wolf whined slightly, seemingly speaking with Kouga and he nodded, eyes still on Ares, murmuring softly, with a catch in his suddenly husky and deep voice, "Yeah, that's Ares." "Damn." Was all his companions could manage to say, shifting their weight slightly as they saw flames burst from the air, moving, as though withering from the very heat they made, in an exotic show of their passion to burn. A voice seemed to float over them, unheard by the girl who stood still as death as the flames grew, "And so, it begins."

The flames roared lowly, almost like a growl as they moved, waiting for their calling to be fulfilled, the light from them, like eyes, turning to the girl that stood in the middle of them, the flames licking at her flesh, hair, and the cloth of her dress, yet not burning either. Her lavender hair was let loose, falling in silky straight strands to brush against her ankles, her tail free now; ending just a inch or two lower than her knees, her feet bare, though her ankles, like her wrists, were decorated with charms that clinked and jingled as she moved. She wore a black skirt with slits up to her nicely curved hips, which though loose and free about her legs, reaching down to her ankles, clung to her hips like a second skin, trimmed in markings in the color of the palest of amethysts, the words that of her mothers people. Her top was black and sleeveless stopping a few inches above her hips, cut low in both the front and back, dipping to reveal the tops her breast, the well of her cleavage and the middle of her back, it wrapped around her, tied with a small sash under her breasts. Her neck was adorned with a chain of silver baring the kanji of her name. One could clearly see the dip that lead to the apex of her thighs, two slim streaks of lilac wrapping around from the base of her tail and down the dip seemingly accentuating what the cloth of her skirt hid. The same kind of markings accentuated the swell of her breasts, wrapping around the tops of her shoulders, stopping at the center of her collar bone, having came from the center of her shoulder blades; stopping just short of touching, and only a fraction of an inch under those two points there upon her chest was the mark of her faith; the mark of the Wolfen priestess; a white wolf's head with a nine pointed black star, blood red eyes boring into space. Her face bore one streak of lilac on each cheek, her usual star marking still upon her forehead; her eyes shaded with a pale blue-purple color, trimmed in black, the black drawn out in slightly curved lines to draw attention to the eyes. She swayed slightly, eyes opening as she felt the call of her power, her blood calling for her to fulfill its duty as both alpha female of her tribe and as a miko to the Wolfen.

She began to move; seduction to the eye and a fire to the desire of both man and women. She moved with such a supple grace that she seemed to float across the ground rather than dance. Her hips swayed and rolled, dipping nearly to the ground before rising again, arching as she moved to a rhythm within her. Though as one listened; the sound of beating drums could be heard, only by the ears of youkai, in the distance, the pace of them matching her beat for movement. More flames seemed to grow from the air, dancing in a swirling mass around her ankles, lapping at her yet not burning; seemingly deeming the exotic beauty before them to precious to harm. The flames leaped and twirled, bowing when the wind blew, and then leaping up again to dance with her. Though the flames where only mere inches from the ground they did not burn anything beneath them. "Hi…." At the call of their name the twirling mass of fire leaped and twirled, roaring at the strong wind, refusing to bow as their mistress called. "Hikari…." They glowed brighter at her command, warding off the darkness of the night. The flames that burned red like rage seemed to surge, anticipating their call. "Kurai…." They bowed then leaped, dancing in their exotic path of glinting heat, dimming to near nothingness though they still burned; casting a crimson glow upon the shadows creeping nearer as the night grew darker.

She closed her eyes once more, letting the now near deafening beating of the drums consume her, chanting in a breathless voice as heat seemed to race through her blood, making her knees feel weak, though she moved still, and her breath to come slightly choked. "Gods of long days past….." She struggled for a breath, twirling, her hands reaching out, fingers seemingly dancing like the flames, her hair flying in her wake; the wind blowing with a sudden burst of strength though the flames did not falter, gasping out the rest, "I call to thee, come forth and be as you once were……" She choked, her eyes brimming with tears of pain as she pushed her body to move. "My gods, my kin; those who have walked before me…." She cried out, the tears slipping down her unnaturally pale cheeks, her body still moving even as the pain became horrendous. "Those who are, those who were, and those who will be…I call to thee; those called kin to the gods and kin to the ookami youkai; the mighty Wolfen!" The fires leaped with anger and glowed with hostility as the wind blew harshly, with biting cold, its howl through the tress shaking the earth. She fell to her knees, almost falling forward onto her face before she caught herself with her hands. She shook and dripped with a cold sweat, as though she had woken from a nightmare, and her breathing was labored, her body glowed with an unnatural light and in the distance many great howls were let loose, the glow fading from her as the last one ended.

A figure clad in silver came forward, kneeling down before her, red eyes glowing as he reached out a long elegant hand to cup her chin, forcing her to look up at him. She whimpered, struggling to move away as he grabbed her, drawing her into his embrace. "No…." It was a desperate whimpered plea, which fell upon deaf ears. The man tightened his hold, red eyes, much like that of a wolf taking her in intently. "Ares." Her name fell sweetly from his velvet lips, deep and filled with a husky tint of want. She curled upon herself and tried to struggle away, though her body felt like lead, her limbs tingling with numbness, her breath coming still labored, as she cried out against the feel of one of his hands tracing the length of her bare leg, ankle to hip.

"Please, let me go…." He chuckled at her whimper, two others dressed in crimson and black moving from the shadows to join them in the center of the clearing, growling as the flames leapt at them; roaring their anger at the ones who threatened their mistress. Kouga seemed to be drawn out of a daze, shaking his head, a low nearly inaudible growl spilling from his lips as he saw Ares struggle within the mans hold, the other two kneeling down, one reaching out to stoke a pale cheek, the other gently kissing the back of her hands. His wolves watched him with unsure eyes, Ginta and Hakkaku backing away some as Kouga's body shook, though they moved forward as they heard Ares cry out and jerk away from the men, escaping their hold, only to scoot away with a weak mewl of protest as they drew near, her eyes changing to that of the look of a wild animal when its cornered by the great hunter as her back met with a large tree, stopping her escape.

"Come now little one, you do want your people safe, do you not?" The first man, bathed in silver cooed with twisted mirth. Crystal tears welled within violet eyes and she nodded, both in agreement and defeat. "Good girl." "Let us finish this then." The other two cooed with that same twisted mirth, their voices husky and deep, making a shiver of fear and disgust trail its way down her spine. The first smirked at her, his fangs glinting in the moonlight as the others two each took a wrist into their hands, turning it over and biting into the delicate flesh, the warm blood spilling upon their greedy tongues that lapped and vied to catch each precious drop of the life fluid. The silver clad man pulled her closer, licking a trail of warm wetness down her neck, over the pulse point, down to the junction of her neck and shoulder, pausing to caress it with tenderness before he moved down once more, stopping his assault just above the cloth that covered her left breast, sinking his fangs into the flesh with a growl, enjoying her cry of pain as she withered beneath the added pain of the other two's biting and licking of her bleeding and aching wrists.

A howl of pure rage echoed within the woods and Kouga surged towards the three who, though reluctantly, backed away from Ares, leaving her panting and bleeding in a huddled heap at the trees base, to dodge his attack. His pack mates soon joined him, lashing out at the men till they retreated; blood still dripping from their fangs and staining their lips a brilliant shade of red.

Hakkaku turned and made his way to the wolves that had drawn in around Ares, a few of them whimpering to her in worry. With a soft sound of worry they all drew back, letting him kneel down before her, and he gently took one of her arms into his hands, looking over her wrist wound. She whimpered, her body shaking lightly. "Kai……Rei………help me……" She murmured her shaking stilling and he brushed a stray strand of hair from her face and checked her pulse; sighing in relief that it was normal. "Is she ok?" Hakkaku turned to Ginta, shaking his head. "Yes and no; it seems that she isn't to hurt but, it looks like these wounds aren't going to heal as fast as they should." "Then we'll take her back to our pack." Both men turned to Kouga with unsure eyes. "Kina can help her better than anyone else." With that Kouga bent down, grabbing the unconscious Ares under her knees and around her shoulders, pulling her up against his chest, cradling her like a child. "I'll run ahead, you guys hurry, ok?" He received two nods and quiet purr-like growls in answer and with that he nodded to them all, pulling Ares closer and taking off at top speed back towards his pack, glancing down at the still bleeding girl in his arms. Just hold on Ares, hold on.

Kouga reached his pack in record time, glaring up at the darkness of the night as he moved towards his room. He laid her down gently on his bed, barking orders over his shoulders for Kina to be brought to him ready to assist an injured female and for the elders to meet him in the counsel room in an hour. Within moments of his command a woman with gray hair streaked with black and gentle ebony eyes stormed in, a bag of herbs and a bag of cloths and ointment in each hand, two girls with light brown eyes and hair to match hers following her, each baring blankets and clothes only a few steps behind her. She stopped, her gaze falling on the pair in the room.

"Who is this girl, hmmm, Kouga?" She asked, settling down with her ointments and cloths, the girls quickly ushering Kouga towards the door. "Her names Ares, take good care of her, she's the hime of another pack. I'll be back in an hour or so but if she wakes have word sent to me." With that he was pushed out the door, a small click signifying that the screen had been shut and he was to leave. He knew that Kina and her daughters would do as he asked though he shook his head as he made his way to the counsel room where he knew that the elders, though instructed to be there in an hour, were already waiting for him, murmuring under his breath, "This is gonna be a long night."

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Jade: Well, it's like 5:34 A.M. in the morning and I'm ready to fall over and sleep. I'll see you all next chapter, ok? REVIEW or die! ^.^ *hands out pocky*

Special Thanks: Thanks soooo much to: essie, MyogaM34, everyone else who's reviewed, and a HUGE Special Thanks to: My muse and good friend KagomeReborn. She's the one making me update!

Note: I will state this now; The Suaru in the fic isn't me, I just like the name!

Kinjya belongs to my friend Koga, Anna to my friend Anna-chan, and Lia and Sae to AngelofDaimonds so ask them if you wanna use them. Suaru, Rath, Ares, Kenji, and others that will come in later belong to me or one of my friends; I'll let you know, so ask before using them!

Question for the reviewers: Ok, I'm thinking that after this fic is done I might do a fic of how Sesshoumaru and Suaru got together, sound good? Anyone want something like that? Let me know in a review or email to Suaru_chan@yahoo.com , thanks! Also, if anyone would like to chat about anything or ask me something directly feel free to IM SuaruChan or ElvenMiko, I'll be more than happy to speak with you!

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Me:

- : - Translations - : - Koi - Love :: Koibito - Lover :: Koishii - Beloved :: Oniisan - Big brother ::: Miko - Priestess :: Youkai - demon :: Kitsune - fox :: Ai shiteru - I love you :: Kami - God :: Nani - what :: Gomen - Sorry :: Arigato - Thank you :: Kawaii - cute :: Kowaii- Scary :: Nee- chan: Big sister:: Taijiya - youkai exterminator :: Houshi - priest/monk :: hentai - pervert :: ako - my child ::: domo - thanks ::: Kaze no Kizu - wound of the wind (I think) :: Sore wa himitsu desu - It's a secret :: Reisho - Thunder :: Kage - shadow :: Shinju - pearl :: Sango - Coral :: Kohaku - Amber :: Hoshi - Star :: Inu - dog :: Inuyasha - dog demon/damon :: Sesshoumaru - (the) killing perfection :: Iie - no :: Imouto - little sister :: Shizu kani - shut up :: Ichi - one :: ookami - wolf :: Tora - tiger :: Nasake - Mercy :: Onna - Girl :: Ouji - Prince :: Nushi - Master :: Sureibu - Slave :: Itoshii - Darling :: Itai - Ow (I think) (That's all for now.)