Captivity

Chapter: Slave Traders

Rating: T for violence, language and some suggestiveness

Author's notes: A new character appears, but she's from the main land and no one can understand her, what is Kouga going to do with her and what will happen when he runs into Kagome, on her own? Underlined words are English, you'll see what I mean.

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She was mortified.

They had strung her up like a piece of beef and gagged her. Her wrists were bound to her elbows, behind her back and her ankles were bound to her thighs and they had hoisted her up over the counter at the shacks entrance. She was wearing only her flimsy underwear.

They had used ropes blessed by priestesses to tie the demons and herbs to subdue them even further, but this girl strung up and dangling like a side of beef was no full blooded demon. She was a wolf hanyou, and most likely the last of her clan from the mainland. Her hair was short around her head, but she had a long braid of it, which was disheveled and falling around her. Flat against her head were two velvety, black wolf's ears and tucked between her legs, like a dog that had just been kicked in the ribs, was a bushy, tangled, black wolf's tail. She whimpered around her gag and tightened her tail between her legs.

She knew where she was; it was called Japan. She was from England and knew that her people were dealing weapons and what have you in this land, but she was a lowly half-breed who was raised with the demons of her clan, she didn't know this language. She looked at the people who were crowding the stand of the merchant who had acquired her.

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"Come round folks! Come see the Western Hanyou!" he smacked his large white fan on the counter and hollered.

The people were stunned to see her and the strange white undergarments she was wearing.

"She doesn't speak the tongue, but she is certainly good age for work and strong to use in your fields, or perhaps you have other… Carnal needs for this lovely young Half Demon!!" He made a big show of it and spun her around on her rope, then grabbed her, with her rump facing the crowd and pried her tail up, showing her rear.

She growled and struggled but it was useless, the ropes were too strong and the incense burning nearby was weakening her.

The crowd lessened, but spectators still came to look at her. They were impressed with her fair skin and bright, round green eyes. She was certainly ample of bosom, but the man was asking to high a price for a half-breed.

Suddenly people were panicking and running, dragging slaves and quickly clutching their baskets of merchandise.

"Wolves!! Wolves! Run for it!" people were yelling and warning each other.

The hanyou perked up and looked all around; surely she would be saved or at least given a chance to escape on her own.

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Kouga stormed into the encampment of slave traders and merchants, wind blowing all around him, fists clenched and fangs barred. He snarled out at the people around him, sending them into a panic.

Ginta and Hakaku were just arriving and were breathless again, somewhat spoiling the intimidating image.

"Don't breath in any incense, you idiots!" Kouga warned them as he began scenting the air. He could smell it, a half-breed and a wolf and full-blooded wolf demon a little further away.

Maybe he would leave the hanyou to… he sniffed again… her fate. He thought of Kagome. Certainly she would never leave anyone, hanyou or otherwise to such a fate as this.

He stormed towards the male wolf demon first and kicked over the incense burner, toeing some sand over it and telling Ginta to untie the man and quickly heading to the female.

He was confronted by the Owner of said Hanyou.

"I won't let you steal my property, you wild dog!" the skinny man brandished a broom and a stick of incense at the proud wolf leader.

"Pathetic." Kouga kicked both out the mans hands and grabbed him by the front of his kimono, "Let her go, now. Or I'll break you in two." He snarled lowly.

"I won't! Such a rare commodity from the west comes only so often!" the man grabbed Kouga's fist and attempted to pry himself free.

Kouga simply ignored him and threw him easily at the wall of the shop, knocking the man out and cracking a few ribs. He walked to the Hanyou calmly, who's ears were flat against her skull and her tial was straight down. Her fangs were barred slightly and her eyes were wide with fright.

"What's the matter with you?" Kouga asked her, reaching for the rope the was holding her to the ceiling.

She looked confused.

"Can't you fucking speak?!" he barked at her, his deep voice harsh.

She winced at his tone and began struggling with her hands.

"Please don't hurt me!" she pleaded suddenly, looking wildly at him. She didn't know why she was struck with fear at the sight of this male that she couldn't even understand.

"What the hell are speaking?" he paused to look at her, before severing the rope and throwing her over his shoulder. He looked around and spotted some kimonos hanging nearby and grabbed a couple. The least he could do was clothe the foreigner. He hopped down from the counter and saw that his minions were carrying the weakened wolf demon with them, then quickly shot off with the hanyou over his shoulder.

Ginta and Hakaku would just have to catch up.

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Kouga finally stopped at a stream and set the hanyou down, gently. He knelt in front of her and began untying her wrists, keeping eye contact with her. Even though she was being very fearful, she was not being subordinate; she had even lifted her ears and pointed them forwards, clearly trying to show some dominance.

He chuckled at the sight of her, in her alluring garments and bound ankles.

Wait.

Alluring? Certainly not.

Right?

He moved to untie her ankles and she watched his hands intently, her tail flicking a little in the grass. She was rubbing her wrists and trying to keep her knees as tightly shut as she could.

He tossed the rope aside and handed her a purple kimono.

"I've never…uhm…I don't know how to wear this.." she said slowly, looking up at him pleadingly.

He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow at her.

She bit her lower lip and stood, holding the kimono in her hands and she gestured at him to help her.

He raised both his eyebrows as understanding dawned on him.

"Kimono." He said, gently, and he let it unfold and began putting it on her, he took the sash and went to put it around her waist, "Obi." He told her as fastened it around her waist.

Her hips were pronounced and the front was very open, the bottom of the kimono only barely reached her knees. She still felt very underdressed.

Kouga rested his hands on her shoulders and looked at her. He wanted to know her name, but how would he ask her?

He put his hand on his chest and said firmly and clearly, "Kouga"

She pointed her finger at herself, clearly understanding him and said, softly, "Ella."

"Ella." It rolled off his tongue, though it was a little awkward to pronounce correctly. He liked it, simple and easy to remember.

The moment was interrupted by a loud rustling in the bushes and Kouga took up a defensive stance in front of the hanyou. She was still too weak from the incense and ropes to fight on her own, if she even knew how.

"Kouga!" Kagome came bursting through the bushes, all smiles, with a grumbling Inuyasha behind her.

She stopped immediately when she noticed the scantily clad girl behind him. Inuyasha immediately looked over the wolf's shoulder and began sniffing the air.

"Uh, did we come at a bad time?" Kagome asked meekly, scratching her head.

"She's a wolf half-breed…" Inuyasha stepped closer to her and she looked over Kouga's shoulder, intrigued.

"Don't come any closer mutt." Kouga barked at him and Ella shrank back, sensing the hostility and smelling the anger coming from the male in front of her. But she wanted to see this other half-breed, who smelled like just like a dog.

"I'll do as I please, unless you two were in the middle of something." He said snidely, walking closer, "You don't see a wolf Hanyou everyday, here."

"This hanyou isn't from here. She's from the mainland, if you really half to know, puppy." Kouga stood with his hands on his hips and Ella could tell he was calming down. She was beginning to wonder what the word "Hanyou" meant. The two kept saying it. She decided to step around Kouga, her curiosity getting the better of her and she stepped towards Inuyasha, who stepped around her, sniffing the air, ears twitching. She gave a few small sniffs and perked her ears forward.

To Kagome, it was like watching a bigger dog greet a new, little dog that wouldn't hesitate to snap at any moment. She couldn't help but sense the tenseness coming from Kouga, though. She wanted to know who this girl was to him and she had to admit that she felt a little…jealous.

Inuyasha and Ella had began coming closer to each other, inspecting one another's features and Kagome burst into laughter as the young hanyou grabbed Inuyasha's ears and stroked them, earning her a sputtering cursing Inuyasha.

She had no idea what he was saying, so she cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow, much as she had seen Kouga do before.

"She must be from England," Kagome was saying to Kouga, "She obviously doesn't speak Japanese, maybe I can talk to her." She stepped towards Ella, who jumped back and growled a little. Kagome simply smiled.

"My name is Kagome. What's yours?" she asked her.

Ella was shocked, the girl was speaking English, "My name is Ella. I'm from the wolf clan in London. How do you know English?" Ella asked her quickly, glad to be able to speak to someone at last.

"I'm learning it in school. Why are you here?" she asked slowly.

"I was taken! My clan was slaughtered and they took only a few of us and they were going to sell me back there! Kouga saved me, from god knows what they were going to do." Her eyes were wide and frantic and she began breathing fast.

Kagome was startled to hear this and she told Kouga what Ella had said. He was angered that humans in her homeland had the audacity to attack Demons.

Kagome couldn't talk to Ella very much as she hadn't been present for many of her English classes, but she gave herself a mental note to help teach Ella Japanese and she taught Kouga a few basic English words.

"Well, Kouga, since it's getting so late, Can we make camp with you and Ella?"

He choked on his saliva and began coughing, Ella rushing to his side and patting his back, hard. His eyes were watering, but he wouldn't send her off so late, besides, Ginta and Hakaku would be arriving shortly.

"I…suppose so." He said reluctantly.

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Tell me what you think, please, I would love some reviews and comments about how you like it and Ella.