A/N: I would like to say that I have this fic on also, my s/n is Hieiskoi14 just so you know!
Disclaimer: I don't own any Inuyasha characters! I just use them for mine and other peoples enjoyment!
Koharu lifted the bucket of water away from the well and walked towards the storage hut behind the restaurant that she worked in. She whipped her brow and looked back at the small hut restaurant. 'I wish Miro-kun was here.' She thought sadly, tears forming into her eyes. Last she saw him, she was 14 years of age, now she was 16 and he was still no where to be found.
"Koharu you wench! Bring in some rice!" Called a very mean and gruff male voice.
"Yes Master Taki!" She yelled back, grabbing a bucket filled with rice. "Koharu do this, Koharu do that!" She sneered under her breath as she brought the rice into the story. "Here Master Taki!" She said, putting on a cheerful face as he took it from her. Master Taki was a very old man, reaching into his 50's. He had no hair to speak of and was very fat. He was the owner of Taki's Foods and Goods, the restaurant that Miroku and the others had brought her to after the oil merchants son had taking a liking to her and she had fled.
"Koharu, go wait on some tables." Koharu almost yelled in protest. That was Jason's, a boy from the continent, job! "Now, Koharu!"
"Yes Master Taki!" Koharu grumbled as searching into her work clothes for her writing pad. She grabbed and ink pen and walked over to the first table. "Hello sir. May I be of service?" The man leered up at her and she had to resist the urge to barf. She never thought she was anything special really. Her hair had grown longer now, and for some reason she always had to have it perfect. She constantly was washing and brushing it just to get it to shine. She was taller now, about 5'5" tall and had grown a woman's figure, but other then that, she was nothing.
"Hey there pretty. How about you and me go around the back for some fun?" He said, wiggling his eye brows. Koharu blushed and picked up the water pail the was on his table and dumped it all over him. "You bitch!" He cried as he jumped up. Koharu gasped and winced at her actions; she forgot to keep her short fuse in check again.
"What is going on here!?" Master Taki said, coming out from the back room. "Koharu you brat! What did you do!?" He yelled. Koharu opened her mouth to explain, but the man beat her to it.
"This little slut was making moves on me! When I refused, she dumped water all over me!" He lied, pointing an accusing finger at Koharu. She glared angrily at him and had the urge to pounce on him. "Well, what are you going to do? You should lock her up!" Koharu gasped and looked at her Master.
"Alright, if that is what you wish." Master Take said, giving a bow. He moved to grab Koharu, but she dodged and ran out the door, away from them. She ran into the woods and didn't stop there, she just kept running, tears in her eyes. 'Miro-kun please find me! Save me please!' She slowed down and whipped the tears from her eyes and found that she was in the mountain area. 'Oh no! The wolves live in the mountains! What will I do?' She turned to leave, but bumped into someone's chest and fell to the ground. She stared up at the man.
"Hello there, pretty thing. What are you doing this far into wolf country? You lost?" The demon wolf asked. He was tall and had a weird gray hair with black in the middle.
"I, ah, you're not going to eat me are you?" She squeaked, trying to back away. Ginta looked down at her like she had grown two heads.
"I don't eat human! Sister Kagome would be very mad if I did. Well, are you lost, girl?" Koharu sighed and stood up, dusting herself off as she glanced back at the wolf demon.
"I um, yeah I'm lost. I was wrongly accused of something so I ran away. I didn't realize I had gone this far though." Koharu suddenly realized just how exhausted she was. "Do you know where I can stay, demon?"
"You can stay with us! Kouga's on his way to see Inuyasha and Sister Kagome! I'm Ginta by the way."
"Did you say Inuyasha?" Koharu said, remembering the name of Inuyasha's traveling companion. Ginta nodded. "Does a monk travel with him? A monk by the name of Miroku?"
"Ah, yeah I think there's a monk in their group, but I do not know his name." Koharu smiled brightly.
"I'm Koharu! Do you think you could let me travel with you to see this monk?" Ginta smiled and nodded his head.
"Sure! But you'll have to ask Kouga. We're camping right over here for the night, but we'll be leaving as soon as the sun starts to rise." Ginta turned and motioned for her to follow him, which she did. She noticed for the first time that there was a deer over the demons shoulder. "Sorry about the deer, I was out hunting." Ginta said casually. "So, why do you want to see this Miroku guy?" Koharu just shrugged and Ginta left it alone. Soon, they were upon a small cave. "Hey Kouga! I found a friend of Sister Kagome! She wants to come with us to see her." Another wolf demon came to the entrance of the cave. He had long black hair pulled into a ponytail, and wore wolf armor.
"A friend of Kagome's you say?" Kouga walked over to her. "What's your name, girl?" Koharu shook her head for a second, trying to get rid of the fear that had griped her.
"I'm Koharu." She said with hesitation. Kouga smiled at her.
"No need to be afraid, Koharu! We move pretty fast though, I'll have to carry you." Kouga snorted and shook his head. "Come on in, we'll cook you something. You look like skin and bones, girl." Koharu nodded and silently followed the wolf demon into his lair. 'I wonder, is this a good idea? Demons are savage creatures. How do I know they wont decide to eat me?' Koharu suddenly thought, shaking a little as she sat down by the cave wall. "Hey, Hakkaku!" Koharu saw yet another wolf demon, this one with spiked hair. "Think you can get some fire wood? She might get cold." Koharu was shocked by the kind words of the demon and she gazed at him again. He had sat down and was skinning the deer with much care.
"Will you throw away this skin?" Koharu asked as she scooted closer to Kouga. He grunted and shook his head no. "What will you do with it?" Kouga sighed and turned eyes on her for a second before turning back to the deer.
"We use every part of the deer, to respect it for giving it's life to feed us. The skin we can make into blankets or teething toys for pups, the bones into weapons, and then we eat the meat." Koharu nodded in understanding and looked up when she felt someone enter the gave. Hakkaku kneeled down in the middle and made a fire for her.
"Thank you, Hakkaku-kun." She thanks, bowing her head. 'These demons are nicer to me then Master Taki ever was.' She thought with surprise as she moved to sit closer to the fire. She pulled her knees to her chest and stared at the fire for a few minutes before someone sat by her. She looked and saw Kouga again. He placed some meat on a stick close to the fire to cook, and then took a bite out of his non cooked meat.
"So, what were you doing in the woods?" Koharu sighed as she looked back into the fire.
"I was working at a restaurant when a man came onto me. I dumped water onto his head and he told them that I was coming onto him and when he said no I lost me temper and that he wanted me locked up. So, I ran away." Kouga snorted as he took another bite out of his food.
"Humans, so stupid. Lying for the dumbest of reasons. No offense." He said after a second, realizing he insulted her. Koharu just shook her head and reached for the meat. "Hey, not yet, girl. I can still smell that it'll hurt you if you eat if now." He took it from her and placed it back by the fire, turning it so the other side was by the fire. "Give it a few more minutes." Koharu nodded and sat there quiet for a few minutes. Then she looked quickly at Kouga. He turned towards her and she blushed.
"I want to thank you…for taking care of me." She said softly, looking back at the ground.
"You make it sound like no one's ever cared for you before." Kouga said with a laugh. He stopped laughing once he noticed the sad look on her face. "Koharu, hasn't anyone ever cared for you?" She shook her head and almost started to cry.
"Miroku, the monk who travels with Kagome, he was the first and, beside you guys, the only. He showed me such kindness when we first met." She said with a choked voice. "I haven't seen him in almost 3 years time. I wish he has not forgotten me." Kouga winced.
"Hey wait! Don't cry, please don't cry." He said. "I'm sure he hasn't forgotten you, Koharu!" Kouga hated it when women cried. "Here, look your foods done." He took the stick and handed it to her. She sniffled a bit and took it from him. She took a small bite out of it and found that she rather liked the tasted of deer meat.
"Sorry about that." She said quietly. After she finished the meat she found herself tired. She leaned back against the cave wall and drifted slowly into a peaceful sleep.
A/N: This is only the first chapter so what do you think? Please please please review!
