Chapter 4: His Lover, Her Rival
Kira was franticly trying hard to keep up with Koga. There was no way she was going to be mocked like this. Far behind her Ginta and Hakkaku were panting hard; Hakkaku tripped over himself. Their new companion, Hikaru, who had told them that morning she was going to travel with them, was even farther still, strolling along and setting leaves that fell off the trees on fire.
"I'm telling you, Naraku's near-by!" Koga had growled earlier. Kira raised her head to sniff the air. Bull. I don't smell anything. It didn't matter though. Right now, all she was concerned about was proving herself as strong if not stronger than Koga. And sadly, tripping over a root, she was not doing well.
All of the sudden, she stopped. And sniffed. There was a stench in the air. Something she had smelled before was coming from the East direction. Looking ahead, Koga seemed to get a wiff too. He grinned. Oh man... this is so not Naraku...
Koga went running. Again. Nothing new.
As Kira came upon the scene, she heard a guy yelling, Koga shouting profanities, a girl's voice say "Sit Boy" and then a "thud".
Now she realized that the scent she smelled was a girl and a dog. Or looking at the ears and human skin, a half-breed demon dog.
Koga was holding the hand of a young girl, looking about 16 or so, who was wearing funny white and green short kimono. She had long dark brown hair and brown eyes. Sitting next to them, cursing under his breath, was a dog demon, with long white hair and dog ears, wearing a bright red kimono. Kira noticed that he was clutching the hilt of a very dirty looking sword that was attached to his side.
Koga seemed to know this weird pair.
Kira for some reason couldn't bring herself to go over there. Instead, she hid behind a tree and peaked her head out.
"Inuyasha, Kagome's looking very pale. You quite obviously haven't been taking care of her," Koga shot out. The dog-demon, now deamed as Inuyasha, looked like he was about to beat Koga's head in.
"Kagome, I was nearby and I smelled your sweet scent, and couldn't help but come and see you."
The girl, AKA Kagome, was looking flattered and flustered at the same time. She was trying to grasp her hand back, but Koga was holding on to it tightly. She looked around and then stopped, looking right in Kira's direction. Koga and Inuyasha followed her gaze.
Kira tried to hide herself best as she could, but Kagome came over to the tree she was hiding in. Koga followed.
"Didn't think you were the shy type," he called up the tree. Kira just sneered and stuck her tounge out at him. "I didn't want to ruin your romance!" Kira shot back. She was pleased when Koga looked flustered.
Loser.
"Koga, you know this demon?" Kagome asked. Kira decided to be the answerer here.
"I'm Kira. I'm a wolf-demon like Koga, I just came from a different tribe. He, umm..., kinda' saved me from a demon attack." The past-tense word, "came", felt sticky on her tounge. Who was this girl anyway?
"Pleased to meet you! I'm Kagome. And this is Inuyasha!" the girl replied with almost too much energy. The boy walked up to them. He's very handsome... I bet he's...
"Are you two mates?" Kira accidentally spat out. Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other and jumped away from each other.
"No!" Koga shouted out. "Inuyasha's just a mutt I let her hang around her. Kagome's my future mate."
"Koga..." Kagome warned.
"Oh," was all Kira could manage.
"We're not really," Kagome protested to Kira later at the late night campfire.
"Oh, so Inuyasha's your mate."
"I'm not anyone's mate! And stop using that word!" But then Kagome seemed to fade off into deep thought. She likes Inuyasha though, I can tell.
Everyone had caught up, and now they were all eating a strange substance from Kagome's world called "Ramen". Kira had found her new facorite food. It was Heaven.
I don't like Kagome very much. How can he like this hussy? What's she got that makes her so great? How... Kira broke her chopstick in half by accident. Wait. What am I thinking? This is messed up! I can't think like this...
"Hikaru. I never got to know you... where do you come from?"
"I dont' know..." Hikaru started nervously. "I just... I don't remember much. I've always drifted from family to family, taking shelter wherever I could afford it. It's hard though. Not many people trust demons anymore. It's why I want jewel shards. So I can figure more about my past and not have to deal with the assholes who hate our kind." This was not a good day for chopsticks. Another pair snapped in the hands of Hikaru.
"It's why I feel bad for him." She pointed towards Inuyasha. "He's half-demon, isn't he Kagome?"
Kagome nodded sadly.
"What do you mean?" Kira asked. She had never experienced any abondonment before. She had never really traveled long enough to ever have to have any communication with humans, until now.
"Well, because he's half human, the demons don't accept him, and because he's half demon, human's aren't very fond of him either."
"But," Kagome cut in, "because of both sides, he can do so much more than anyone I know."
"Depressing..." Kira said outloud. Kagome and Hakaru both looked up and noticed that Kira was looking over at Koga.
"Inuyasha, for the last time, you better keep your paws offa' Kagome or I'm gonna' hunt you down..." Koga was on rampage again and it continued to get worse as Inuyasha lept up and started chasing Koga around.
"Today's the day I slit you open wolf!"
"Kagome, he really likes you, doesn't he?"
"I don't know. I think he just acts like it more than he really does... Kira?" Kagome questioned.
"Huh?"
"You have a thing for Koga, don'tcha'?" She grinned slyly.
"I do not! I swear I don't! I only veiw him as a way to find Naraku!" Kira protested.
"Right..."
"I don't!"
Later that night, Koga and Hikaru were put on watch, while the other's slept. Hikaru had been glaring at Koga all night, and now when she spoke, the tone was icy.
"Koga?"
"Yeah?"
"You need to chill around Kagome, exspecially when Kira's around."
"Huh?"
"She's begginning to be attracted to you. You're hurting her by acting like a goddammed floozy around Kagome."
"Why should I care? I've only known her for three days! I only dragged her along 'cause I owe it to her father."
"That's just it you idiot. She has no one else but you now. Your her only comrad. You are her family now. It's how she views it. I know, she does."
"Hmph."
"Besides," Hikaru made a face, "Kagome likes Inuyasha. I can tell you that, and I've only talked to her once."
Then she turned and muttered under her breath "Dipshit".
"I heard that."
"Well, you need to think about others beside yourself! Do you know what it's like to have no family assole?"
"Never cared."
"Augh!" Hikaru flicked her thumb under her forfinger, and as if she had lit a 21st-century lighter, a small flame appeared onto her thumb. Keeping Koga distracted with dialouge, she started holding the flame under Koga's tail.
"So, I heard about your pack. Great leadership skills. They can all walk in a straight line in the Underworld now."
"You don't know what happened!" Koga was getting very mad now.
"Yes, I do. You couldn't keep them in line, so after sending the people you valued as family into a demon's trap, you went after them yourself, only to lose a few jewel shards. Oh, and your family. But, hey, you never cared, have you?"
Koga was silent and turned back to watch. Listening, he heard a slight sizzle. "What in the world?" he muttered.
All of the sudden: "Is something burning?"
Kira was up and running now. Something was cooking. Breakfast.
Koga looked around. Hikaru was trying her hardest to look innocent. Koga peared behind him.
"Nagaghghgh!!!!" He lept up and quickly found out that if he wasn't going to act quickly, the term "asshole" wasn't going to be able to be used towards himself anymore.
Kira tried to look concerend, but decided it was too early in the morning to care and dramatically slept on.
