Chapter 1

ATTENTION!
(To my wonderful readers! Here is the beginning of the 4th installment of the Wolf and Miko fanfic series. I must go ahead and tell you, there are afew gaps in this. I had an idea of another story, one that would be about the time between this story and the last one; sort of a Wolf and Miko 3.5, as you will. However, that would be entirely with Koga and Kagome separated for the winter. While I may go back and add this, I want to continue on with them reunited and everyone doing their part to take Naraku down. So, without further ado, and if you will humor the slight gaps in the plot, HERE IS THE FIRST CHAPTER!)

Game of Cat and Wolf

Pain was all that filled the darkness. Pain and hunger. The hunger to track, to catch, to kill. The hunger of the hunt. It was a near constant for Koga lately, especially in his sleep.

In his dreams he saw his enemy, wreathed in white baboon fur. But, he wasn't grinning with that smug satisfaction. Oh, no.

Koga felt the warmth of his hellish blood dripping from his claws, tasted the filth of it on his tongue. It was dizzying, sickening, satisfying. He wanted Naraku dead!

But, those were only half the visions that filled his head at night. There were also the dreams of pursuit. Of tracking down the female that constantly alluded him. The little bitch that had tricked and out-smarted him all winter, sending him in circles over and over again.

Those dreams were satisfying too. In those, Koga wrapped his clawed fist about her fragile human neck and squeezed till she begged for mercy. She'd claw and kick to escape him but nothing would save her from his retaliation.

It was because of her he'd lost Kagome!

Whether Koga acknowledged the exaggeration in that or not didn't matter. He needed someone to blame. Naraku wasn't there; hadn't been all winter. So, the little human taijiya would be the perfect vessel for Koga's wrath. And, he would have it.

She knew where Kagome was. She had to. There was no-other reason why she kept up with this constant game with him.

She was clever, he'd give her that. Not every human could survive the mountain snows of winter, not to mention avoid an ookami pack on the constant hunt. But, that wouldn't save her once he got his hands on her. He'd have his answers, one way or the other.

The last of his dreams were the real torture, however. Visions of Kagome brought both a soothing warmth and a stabbing pain to the Alpha's heart. The scenarios shifted and changed with the wind itself. Sometimes she was smiling and sitting beside him, as if the past months had been nothing but a bad dream. Sometimes she was reaching for him, begging him to save her from the creeping shadow trying to swallow her whole. And, sometimes, all he saw was her back as she ran from him without even a backward-glance.

He knew he called for her in those dreams. The confusion and hurt piercing through him like a well-placed spear.

She'd left. Why? Why would she leave him right when he needed her the most? Had she been in danger? Was she scared? Did she think he was dead?

The possibilities had the Alpha grinding his teeth with frustration. He needed to find her. She could be hurt or scared or hiding from that bastard. And, he was stuck up in these mountain snows.

"Koga! Koga!"

The call had the Alpha freezing as he lay on his pile of furs. This had better be good. Even his betas knew better than to interrupt him when he was alone, nowadays.

"We got her," Hakkaku informed from the cave's mouth.

That brought Koga to attention as he rose upright with a predatory calm, turning glowing blue eyes towards the door.

"She's here," the hunter quickly added. "We got her."

Taking a lingering inhale through his nose, Koga's eyes gleamed with satisfaction when the familiar irritating scent hit his senses. He finally had her and she wasn't getting away.

With the speed and grace expected of him, Koga rose to his feet and stalked from his cave. It was time to end this.

SSS

Sango knew it was useless to struggle. The clawed hands dragging her bound arms were gripping her like a coiled snake. They weren't taking any chances with her.

And, they shouldn't. She'd proven to the ookami tribe too many times she was an enemy to be reckoned with. Although, even she would admit, the stakes had been a little close for comfort a few times the last few months.

What had started out as a simple mission that should have lasted a few days, had turned into a life or death struggle of survival for the whole winter. She'd barely been able send word to the hoshi of her progress without having to escape the ookami tribe's clutches.

And, it was all that Alpha's fault!

The stubborn male refused to fall for her tricks and trails that showed Kagome was lost to him. Every indication was brushed aside and when he realized she was still about, he became even more relentless into catching her.

Koga was convinced Sango knew where Kagome was. He wasn't wrong but there was no way she'd tell him. The priestess had been adamant in that the ookami Alpha wasn't to be a part of this. He'd paid enough of a price.

Too bad, Koga couldn't see that.

For months, the two of them had skirted around each-other. Nearly escaping and evading direct contact. It had been a simple but effective strategy. Sango always stayed exactly where the Alpha refused to look. The previous den.

While being with the tribe, the young taijiya had heard grumbles from the other hunters of how different the new den was to the old one. The waterfall covering the entrance had been a particularly interesting detail to her. The very trait they had used to defend themselves from the Birds of Paradise would be the protection that kept her safe through the winter.

Unfortunately, she didn't count on one of the warriors growing nostalgic. And, of all people, it had to be Ginta.

The hunter had been like a male processed, determined to do right by his Alpha and get the answers Koga apparently wanted. Who knew the quiet hunter could have a vicious streak.

But, Sango supposed that was fair enough. The male had been through a lot lately and he did have to prove himself to the position of beta all over again. And, that was why Sango was currently being dragged down tunnel after dark tunnel only to be dropped unceremoniously onto the rough-stone floor.

Grunting in irritation, she turned carefully onto her side as she propped herself upright.

"Good to see you too, Ginta," she muttered wryly.

The hunter remained silent as he glared accusingly down at her. It was obvious he wasn't in the mood to talk. If only the Alpha felt that way.

The echoing stride of strong steps made their way down an adjoining tunnel. The pace was slow, confident, and predatory.

Sango knew those steps. She'd never forget them.

Reflexively, she swallowed the lump in her throat as she steeled herself for what was to come. She'd prepared all her life for this possibility.

A taijiya was trained to withstand torture. Not all yokai were mindless beasts. But, the ookami were a terrifying mixture of the two. Dealing with them could be like have an argument with a fellow warrior but when instincts kicked in, they were wolves; plain and simple. Nothing could stop them when they went wild. And, Sango was about to come face to face with the worst of them.

The imposing shadow of the Alpha in question waited in the mouth of the cave, causing Sango to lift her head higher in defiance. If she was going to die, it would be in a way to make her people proud. She wouldn't beg or cry. She'd face death like the hunter she was.

Koga's steps were soft against the crumbling stone of the cave floor, thick tail swishing back and forth in an unhurried ease. He was calm. Too calm.

Whether that meant he was cocky or not, Sango couldn't tell. He had an arrogant streak a mile wide but lately….he was more careful, more controlled. He didn't just assume victory anymore. And, that was dangerous.

Crouching low in front of her, the Alpha level glowing blue eyes on Sango with an intensity that made her resist the urge to cringe.

"I have only one question for you," the male growled in a warning tone that dared her to defy him. "And, you will answer it."

Sango gritted her teeth against his gall. If Koga thought she'd break that easy, he hadn't seen anything yet.

However, the Alpha's next words had her stunned speechless.

"Who is Naraku?"