A/N: Short but here it is... finally up. The next will go straight to grown up Kouga and we'll see what happened to his father.
Cursed Gift
Prologue: Origins
A young youkai, who looked barely more than 16, ran swiftly across the forest despite how panicked he felt. It seemed the youkai was of the wolf race, judging by furs he wore and the wolf-like tail blowing in the wind behind him. Held tightly in the arms of the ookami, hidden from the world by many layers of fur that were wrapped around his small form, was what looked to be a newborn cub. For hours the youkai ran through the forest, seemingly running so fast that not even fatigue could catch up to him.
"Hold on my son we're almost there," the youkai said, his voice smooth yet slightly strained.
At last the forest came to an end, replaced by a mountain side reaching to what seemed to be the heavens above. The seemingly young wolf took a deep breath and the held the bundle of fur closer to his chest. Looking up he blinked owlishly, it seemed as though he was searching for something. Turning slightly blue he exhaled and jumped up, his feet hardly touching the ground before jumping higher up the mountain.
I think I can make it! I certainly hope so… my son's future depends on this! He smirked, his brown tinted gold eyes glinting like the stars he seemed to be reaching for.
Finally he reached the top. Steadying himself due to the lack of air, he placed a finger on his sleeping son's chest. Smiling in satisfaction he continued on his way until he reached a wall. Growling softly he pulled back a fist and slammed it into the wall, watching as the rock shattered to pieces. Shaking his hand the ookami entered the cave.
"Why have you come?" a heavenly voice asked.
"Please, Lady West help us!" he cried, bowing to an ethereal figure perched in a tree that appeared to be glowing.
"Why should I help you Genrou[1]? It is no concern of mine if you were exiled from your tribe." West replied, looking the wolf indifferently.
Genrou winced as if the words had been a physical blow, "Please Lady West! Help my son who has barely seen the world! He will be separated from not only his mother but his kin. They will have shunned him for a crime he did not commit!"
The fairy seemed to consider this before speaking, "Alright, I will help your son. Only because I hate to see the innocent punished when they are not at fault," she smiled somewhat cruelly, "Unless, of course, they are punished by me!"
"Thank you Lady West! You are truly glorious, but how shall you do it?" Genrou asked, looking up curiously.
"I will bestow upon your son the Dragon's Gift. This will give him the ability to produce the strongest of children. Tell this to your tribe and they will not be able to reject him. However this gift is for your son alone, it will not be used for your benefit. You, Genrou, are to remain exiled," West said sternly.
"Of course my lady, I would never go against you!"
"Good," West nodded and took the cub from his father's hands. She held him close before reaching up and taking a leaf from her tree. She then kissed it gently and placed it on the young cub's belly where the leaf dissolved. She looked back at Genrou with longing in her eyes, "Have you named him yet?"
Genrou blinked, "Uh, not yet Lady West."
"May I?" West asked, smiling kindly.
"Of course, anything her ladyship wishes!" Genrou replied, eyes wide.
West's smile widened as she turned to the sleeping wolf, caressing his raven hair, "From this day forward he shall be called Kouga. It was the name of a man I loved once."
"A fitting name my lady," Genrou praised, taking his son back from the fairy.
"It is isn't it? Go now and give your son the life he deserves," she pointed to the door.
"Thank you, thank you!" Genrou thanked before running out the door and to his former home.
"You say the Lady West gave him the gift to make super babies?" an anonymous wolf youkai asked.
"Yes, and if you don't believe me then you can go and ask her yourself!" Genrou replied, swatting a lock of his orange-brown hair away from his face.
"An ability such as this should be honoured! He will be our new prince!" another wolf cried.
"Yes, that is a perfect idea," one of the elders said, "It is done, Kouga will be our leader-to-be and Genrou shall be our leader!"
Genrou's smile fell as he remembered what the Lady West had told him. You, Genrou, are to remain exiled. He couldn't become the leader! It would go against her wishes! Then who knows what she would do. She might take away my son's gift! Genrou looked at the faces around him, the faces of the youkai he had grown up with, they were giving him hopeful looks and proud smiles. He knew it had hurt them to exile him; it had indeed hurt them more than it had hurt him. Could he turn away from them?
No. He would stay here and he would deal with what the Lady had to say, but he wouldn't, couldn't, leave them. The crime of mating with someone in much higher status without consent was unforgivable but here he was, and they were forgiving him.
Genrou smiled, "And what a leader I shall be!"
Yips and howls erupted from the tribe and caused the young cub to wake up to, blinking before he joined in with the howling as well. And that night they celebrated.
Lady West watched this entire event take place through a leaf. She frowned and blew on the leaf, which promptly disappeared. She sighed as her eyebrow twitched slightly. "So, he chose to go against my wishes, eh? Well that won't do at all."
But what could she do? Despite what Genrou thought she didn't have the power to take away the Dragon's Gift. But perhaps she could alter it…
West giggled, "It would be fun to see how a male would react to being in heat," she then frowned, "Oh I do hope he doesn't up end being a feminine boy. Of course he won't! He's a wolf and there's no such thing as a girly male wolf. So let's do this!"
Placing a finger on her left palm and waited for the leaf she had used on Kouga to appear. When it appeared the outline of the spot she had placed a kiss glowed golden. Smiling to herself she blew on it and watched as it made its journey to a certain wolf prince.
Genrou frowned worriedly as his son began to sneeze rapidly. Picking his son up he held him close, checking if he was cold. "Akina, love, could you check to see if Kouga is sick?" he asked, handing his son over to his mother.
Akina, a beautiful golden-brown haired blue-eyed female wolf, placed a hand on her son's forehead, "No he's perfectly fine."
"You can never be too careful," Genrou replied, raising an eyebrow at his mate's smirk.
But before either of them could say anything a wolf walked into the cave, "Sorry to bother you but a messenger is here, claiming that the Lord of the Western Lands[2] wishes to speak with you."
Genrou furrowed his brows, "What would the Lord of the Western Lands want with me?"
"We think it's about your son, Genrou."
"About my son? I wonder what he's up to…"
[1] Yes this is Tasuki's name from FY I think it means Phantasm Wolf or something
[2] Yeah does this guy have a name? I'm talking about Inuyasha's father, does he have a name or will I have to make one up?
