Chapter Three
Maybe It's Not So Bad
That night, Kagome tossed and turned in her sleep. Kouga's ears twitched at every rustle and swish of cloth, but when Kagome began to whimper, he shot up and was by her side immediately. Laying on the floor beside her, Kouga grabbed her hand and brought it to his face, kissing the back of it gently and stroking his thumb over her fingers. She soon quieted, but wouldn't let go of his hand in her sleep. Smiling, Kouga settled in for a long night's sleep on the hard floor.
In the morning, Kagome was awakened by loud coughing and sneezing. Sitting up, She discovered Inuyasha and Shippo sitting beside the fire, wrapped in blankets and looking miserable. When she walked closer and sat down beside Kikyo, who was stirring soup over the fire, Shippo immediately hopped into her lap and curled up. Smiling down at the poor sick kit, she ran her fingers over his little body. Tendrils of pink reiki trailed from her fingertips and sank into the kit. Alarmed, Kagome looked to Kikyo for guidance. The older miko reassured her and said that her reiki was reacting to her own desire to make Shippo feel better. After that incident, Kagome got her first lesson in miko healing. It seemed to be something she was quite adept at.
"Kikyo, why am I so much better at healing than I was at shooting sacred arrows?" she asked.
Kikyo smiled. "Some miko are more adept at some things than others. I am quite proficient at healing, but I am best at binding or purification arrows. You must not favor one practice over the other. It will only hinder you. Try to succeed at every part of being a miko, so you may always have a slight advantage in any situation."
Feeling like she understood, Kagome continued to help Kikyo take care of their two sickly guests. For once, Inuyasha wasn't being a smartass. Being sick seemed to have curbed his tongue. An hour later, a loud commotion started up in the village, seeming to come closer and closer to Kikyo's door. A bloodied Kouga was ushered inside by Sango, also covered in blood. Kagome felt a bolt of fear run through her at the thought of Kouga being injured. She and Kikyo hurried forward and helped Kouga to the fire, where he promptly passed out. A bowl of water and a rag was used to clean the blood from his body. A cold knot formed in her stomach when she noticed how pale he was. "He must have lost a lot of blood for him to be this pale. And he still hasn't woken up."
Reaching his legs, Kagome discovered just what had caused him to lose so much blood. A deep gash had sliced into the side of his calf, almost to the bone. Automatically, reiki poured from her fingertips to repair the deep wound, not even giving the demon's regenerative abilities a chance to heal him. Before everyone's eyes, Kouga's leg was mended as the sides of the gash knit themselves back together under Kagome's ministrations. Within ten minutes, there was only a shiny red scar to show for what could have killed a lesser man. Looking up from her work, Kagome smiled when she saw that color had returned to his face. What she didn't realize was that all color had drained from her own. Sango, who had been sitting beside the young miko, caught her new friend when Kagome tipped over, the strain on her body and powers causing her to fall into unconsciousness.
While the demon and the miko were being tended to, Sango informed Kikyo that Kouga had lost his balance while chopping wood for their fire. His axe had swung down with gruesome accuracy, nearly taking the wolf's leg with it.
When Kagome came to, it was dark inside the hut. Turning her head, Kagome saw Kouga stretched out on a pallet beside her. When the lines of strain on his face deepened, Kagome tried to lift an arm to reach over and ease his pain. Alarm spread through her when she found that she was too weak to even lift a finger. A whimper of distress escaped her. A second later, Kikyo's hand was on her forehead, reiki washing over her and easing her alarm.
"You passed out from using too much reiki. It could have killed you if you had used much more. I understand why you healed him. Kouga is important to you. But you must always remain in control of yourself, even if your loved ones are in danger. If this had happened in the wilderness, you could have been killed by a youkai or bandits," Kikyo admonished softly.
Properly chastised, Kagome blushed in shame. Unable to stay awake any longer, her eyes fell closed and she once again entered the bliss of unconsciousness.
The next few days were spent mostly sleeping for her and Kouga. The wolf youkai was up and moving after two days, but still tired easily if he strained himself. Kagome was bedridden for another three days before she could even stand on her own, shaky though her legs were. Kouga was constantly by her side, making sure she didn't overwork herself and end up back at square one of recovery. In those days, Kagome and Kouga became closer than the futuristic girl could have imagined. She told him all about her life growing up on the shrine in the future, while he told her of his tribe and past. Kikyo and Sango could see a bond slowly but surely forming between the two.
Inuyasha and Shippo were slowly becoming fixtures in the village. Shippo made friends with most of the village children, while Inuyasha helped the men out and slowly earned their trust and respect. Inuyasha also learned not to disrespect Kikyo, or else he would end up in a reiki bubble and not be released until he apologized. Being a laughingstock of the village hastened those apologies. Inuyasha also took to following Kikyo when she ventured out of the village. He even helped in a few battles against youkai.
Things were slowly becoming routine for Kagome. Wake up, walk to the river for water, help Kikyo with breakfast, go for a walk with Kouga, lunch, pick herbs and miko lessons with Kikyo, then supper, and finally bed. Every night, Kouga slept just a tiny bit closer to the girl he was slowly but surely falling for. And Kagome was falling just as hard. She found herself searching for him with hungry eyes if he wasn't with her. She itched to hold his hand during their daily walks. She ached to sleep by his side, instead of separated by five feet of bare floor.
Kouga was just as bad. He found that he was unconsciously moving closer to her in his sleep. His fangs itched to tease the tender skin of her neck. His claws curled at the thought of her wrapped in nothing but his arms and tail. He desired her, yes. But it was so much more. Just seeing her smile made him feel like the luckiest guy in the world.
One morning, on their walk, Kouga broke the silent truce between them. Once they were out of sight and hearing of the village, he stopped abruptly, pulled her to him, and wrapped his arms tightly around her. Hearing and feeling her heart thunder in her chest, he smiled down at her. "Kagome, I told myself I'd take this slow and not rush you, but I've been dreaming of this since I first saw you." With that, he dipped his head down and brushed his lips across hers. When she made no moves to push him away, he deepened the kiss.
For Kagome, her first kiss was everything she'd ever dreamed it'd be. The world spun, her knees went weak. Her arms snaked around Kouga's neck, holding him closer to her as she kissed him back. Kouga let out a low growl, more like a rumbling purr, as his tongue teased Kagome's bottom lip. Her sharp inhale gave him permission, but he waited until her own tongue shyly brushed his. The rumbling in his chest grew deeper as he backed his little miko against a nearby tree and showed her just how great of a kisser he was. Jealousy darted through her at the thought of his kissing another woman, but his hand cupping her face and whispering her name between kisses blew it away like dust in the wind.
What felt like hours later, Kouga pulled away, his eyes heavy-lidded with desire. Kagome gasped for breath as she brought her hand up to touch her swollen lips. "W-wow, Kouga."
Smirking, he pulled her into his arms and laid his head on top of hers as her arms wrapped around his waist. "I know. I'm good like that," he said with a chuckle. Kagome poked him in the side.
"Kagome," he began hesitantly. She looked up at him, head cocked slightly to the side. "I want to court you. Formally."
Kagome was stunned. She knew he liked her, but to be courted by him? Sango had told her that wolf demons mated for life. Was she ready to be a wife (and possibly mother) at sixteen? Looking up at her wolf's earnest face, she realized. "I could do it. For him. I know I would be happy with him."
Smiling, she kissed his cheek. "Would you mind if we talked about it first?" Seeing his face drop a bit, she hurriedly added, "I'm not turning you down, Kouga. I'm just...scared. I'd like to know what to expect."
Understanding lit his eyes. With a whoop, he lifted his future mate into his arms and spun her around, making her giggle. Setting her back on her feet, he tugged her onto his back and took off for the village. Within minutes, he had Kagome sitting in Kikyo's hut as he ushered Sango and Kikyo inside. Turning to the two women, he grinned. "I've asked Kagome for her permission to formally court her. I need your help explaining what that entails. I've forgotten some of the smaller details."
Sango smiled and hugged the girl she was befriending. "If you don't mind, Lady Kikyo, I'll take Kagome aside and start on the bigger details, while you help Kouga-san remember the others."
Kikyo nodded her agreement and watched as the two girls walked outside. Glancing over at Kouga, she took in his dazed expression. "She will be good for you, Kouga. And to you. Keep in mind that she's innocent. Don't scare her with demands she can't comply with."
Kouga looked at his friend. "Kikyo, I would never hurt her. You know that. I know my past isn't squeaky clean, but you know the circumstances with that."
The miko nodded. "Soon, so will she. Tell her before you begin courting her, so she won't have any nasty surprises later on."
When the wolf nodded, she continued, "Now, on to other important matters. You are aware of the wolf youkai's mating rites? And of the trial period, correct? The only circumstances I can think of that would be of any importance to you and Kagome is the fact that, since she is human, she may acquire some of your characteristics and abilities. Years ago, a clan leader mated with a human woman from a small village. After the trial period and the mating ritual, she gained fangs, heightened senses, and longevity. I don't believe a miko has ever mated with a wolf youkai, however."
Kouga's heart jumped at the thought that Kagome would have a longer life span. Spending fifty or sixty years with her just wouldn't be enough for the wolf. As the two went over the rites that Kouga did remember, Sango and Kagome were sitting by the river.
"I told you before that wolves mate for life, right? Well, before they mate, there's a trial period of a month. A temporary mark is placed on your neck; the scent from the mark will tell other males that you're spoken for. During this time, you'll live with Kouga and basically do all that a mate does, with the exception of sex. That comes after the full mating. If a couple has sex during the trial period, the bond is broken and you have to start over. But, each time you redo the mark, it's more painful than the last, and after so many times, it can't be redone."
Looking relieved about the exclusion of sex, Kagome nodded and motioned for her friend to continue. "After the month is up, if the two of you still want to be mated, there are rites that you both have to go through. A one-week period of no contact between the two of you is first. Then, you repeat sacred vows handed down from generation to generation. An offering of blood is spilled into a small bowl, a bit from each of you, then shared between you. I know it sounds gross, but these are demon rites. With you being a miko, you two will have to share your power as well. A bit of reiki pushed into his wound, a bit of youki pushed into yours. Then, the actual mating. I'm sure I don't have to explain that part."
Kagome blushed and started to shake her head, but hesitated and asked, "Is that when he bites me?"
Sango replied, "Yes, it is. When you're both close, he'll sink his fangs into the juncture of your neck and shoulder. The fangs will be a bit longer and sharper than usual, due to the blood from the ritual bringing his baser youkai instincts out more."
A few more questions later, the two girls stood and brushed their clothes off. Before they were even five feet from the miko's home, Kouga came striding out. Flashing a smile at Sango, he gently grabbed Kagome's arm. "I have to talk to you about something important, Kagome."
The futuristic girl looked up at her almost-future-mate with confusion. "Are you changing your mind, Kouga?"
A pained look crossed his face. "No, I'm not, but you might after you hear what I have to say."
Still confused, Kagome followed Kouga outside the village to the tree where they first kissed. "Kagome, do you remember when we pulled Inuyasha onto the bridge from the river, when I said I was the former ookami prince? Well, I was banished from my lands for the murder of a young girl." A strangled gasp escaped Kagome's lips.
Sorrow weighing heavily on him, he continued. "She was about nine or ten, and lived in a village down the mountain. My pack had feral wolves, some that were born to a youkai couple, but didn't come out quite right, some that were just wild, natural wolves that followed us and became pack. One of the natural wolves was attacked by a rabid squirrel, and became rabid itself. Confused, it tried to make its way back to our caves, but went the wrong way, down the mountain instead. I was searching for the wolf, to put it down and keep it from attacking someone, when I heard screams. She...the girl was gone before I could get there to save her. The wolf had...it was bad. I killed the wolf there and then, but the little girl was already dead. And the elders deemed it my fault for not killing it sooner."
Kagome fought back tears, all the while noticing that Kouga's own eyes were red-rimmed and watery. "But, Kouga, it wasn't your fault."
A mirthless chuckle came from the youkai. "Try telling them that. They won't see it that way. I was the leader; it was my duty to protect the humans and lower beings around my lands. I failed. They gave my title to a cousin of mine, and said that I would be killed on sight if I returned. That was two years ago." Turning to Kagome, he asked quietly, "Will you still have me, Kagome, knowing my sins?"
Kagome wrapped her arms around her wolf, hugging him tightly to her. "Of course I will, Kouga. And I refuse to believe it was your fault. I'll tell those so-called elders so myself."
Kouga smiled as his woman defended him. "I'm going to love being your mate, Kagome."
The miko smiled. "I think I might just love being yours, Kouga."
The next few days were spent in a flurry of preparation. An old abandoned hut was being worked on to make it habitable for the couple during their two-month interlude. Women were cooking up a feast that would last for two days to celebrate. Even Inuyasha was helping, cutting down trees with his claws, helping the men build the hut. In a gesture that was not lost on Kikyo, he made a birdhouse for her. She smiled and placed it in front of her home.
The day before the ceremony, a carriage rolled into the village, straight through to the other side, and finally stopped in front of Kikyo's hut. Stepping outside, she was immediately on her guard. Inuyasha took his cue from her and stepped protectively to her. A quiet fell over the village as they waited to see what was going on. A child's voice came from the enclosed carriage. A woman's curt command, then the sound of flesh meeting flesh greeted everyone's ears. Finally, the door opened to reveal a finely dressed woman who closely resembled Kikyo, followed by a child who had an angry red print across her face.
Kikyo stood silently, poised for anything. "Mother," she finally acknowledged.
The woman who was Kikyo's mother looked around disdainfully. "So this is where you call home now, is it, daughter? A pity. We had such high hopes of you marrying a lord, until those pesky powers of yours emerged." Reminded of why she was there, she reached behind her to grasp the child's arm. "This is your sister, Kaede. We had hoped to have a normal child; however, she is miko, as well. She's yours now, to do as you please."
The haughty woman turned and made to step back into the carriage. Kaede's small hand grasped her gown. "P-please, mother. Don't l-leave me here!"
Another crack echoed through the village. "Unhand me, you filthy little creature. You are no daughter of mine. Begone!" And with that, the high-born woman swept herself into the carriage and signaled the driver to leave. Kaede was left, sobbing, in the middle of the road. Kikyo looked after her mother's carriage for a long moment, then turned her attention to her younger sister.
"Kaede, look at me," she said gently to the child.
The child sniffled and glanced up, not trusting that this woman was truly her sister. When Kikyo smiled and held her hand out, Kaede gasped. The older woman looked just like her father. "You really are my sister."
Kikyo smiled wider. "Yes, little one. I am your sister. Come, let us get you inside."
Kaede followed her newly found big sister into her hut. Inuyasha went to one of the villagers who had clothes for a child Kaede's size and got a simply kimono to replace the one she was wearing. When he brought the garment to Kikyo, she smiled her thanks and let her hand linger on his for a moment. The hanyou blushed and smiled. Turning back to her sister, Kikyo handed the child her new kimono. It was orange, with small black designs. Kaede took the cloth and changed, throwing the kimono she had worn down and grinding her heel into it.
Newly changed and in a new place, Kaede looked around curiously. Deciding she liked this place better than her parents' manor home, she smiled and took Kikyo's hand. She had a feeling she was going to like it here.
Omigod, that was hard to do. But as this is the longest out of any updates to stories I have written, I decided to finish it up and post it instead of trying to make it any longer. Hopefully soon it'll get into the Naraku part of things.
