Chapter 4

Walking into his apartment, Inuyasha exhaled deeply, the door slamming behind of him. Riding over from Sesshomaru's office had allowed his thoughts free range, bringing him to a boil for what Sesshomaru had said…and done. Why hadn't Sesshomaru told him of Kagome's birth? I can be trusted; he sulked inwardly as he reached for some left-over take-out from the fridge.

"Of course he would know, but why didn't I" he cursed himself for never paying attention while Kagome talked about the Modern Era while they were mated, but what reason had there been to listen as she wished her past away while never being able to return. It had nothing to do with their life.

Sighing, he threw away the empty container and jumped over his couch. Sinking into the soft cushions, he breathed deeply, allowing the air to fill his nostrils, wishing that he was able to grasp her scent like he had earlier, a scent that he hadn't been able to be soothed by in centuries. He smiled, thinking of the sight of her, rushing around the corner to school, always late, he thought as he allowed sleep to take him.

Inuyasha walked through the woods, having already entered Kouga's land, he knew that either Kouga, or one of his two lackeys that followed him around, would be there to greet him. The eerie silence of the forest quickened his legs, it should never be this quiet in the middle of the day, he thought as he broke through the forest into the mountain clearing of the wolf dens, the rushing of a waterfall broke the silence that had caused a chill in Inuyasha.

Looking around the cliff face all the wolf caves seemed to be empty except for the one on the very top, which was Kouga's home. It seemed to be bustling with wolf demons rushing in and out, a lot carrying furs covered in blood, jumping from cave to cave, Inuyasha made his way up the mountain. With each leap the smell of death became stronger and stronger, mingled slightly with the scent of tears; the over-powering smell of blood became foremost as he reached Kouga's shelter.

Looking around for someone he could remember, he noticed Ginta hunched over in a corner, crouching with his head between his knees. Inuyasha slipped his hand over his nose, the smell of the shelter causing him to fight his gag reflex and he didn't know if he could make it.

"Ginta, what's going on" Inuyasha asked, crouching next to the wolf demon.

"Ayame…" Ginta stuttered, covering his face with his hands, "the pups…there's so much blood" he shook his head, sinking further into himself. Inuyasha moved further into the shelter, knowing he would find an answer if he found the problem. It became difficult however; the whole pack had fit into one shelter where they typically spread into several among the mountain. The hustle of so many people in one place had made finding anything confusing, finally he decided to follow the one lead he could, dropping his hand to the side; he began to follow the scent of blood.

After a few minutes of searching he was found an area that was partitioned, it had spots of blood leading around it from where people had been walking in it out, following the path, he walked around the wall, he fought his urge to gag as his eyes fell on Ayame, there was a bowl beneath her, collecting the blood that fell down from the cot she was on, it overflowed, blood pulled slowly towards Inuyasha before slipping between a crack in the cave floor.

Ayame's eyes were closed, she hadn't died yet but soon the loss of blood would claim her life, her chest slowly rising and falling with each breath, each one more difficult than the former. Her hand was outstretched, Kouga's face cradled inside of her palm. Inuyasha coughed to let his presence be known.

"Mutt face…" Inuyasha walked over to his rival.

"What happened Kouga" Kouga shook his head, mouthing 'not here' as he stood up.

"Hakkaku, please sit with Ayame for me" Kouga walked out, Hakkaku squatted next to Ayame, taker her still outstretched hand between his own.

"Kouga, why didn't you tell Kagome you and Ayame were expecting? She would have wanted to be here, maybe she could have helped" Inuyasha started as he caught up with Kouga, Kouga held up a hand to stop Inuyasha before he continued more.

"Inuyasha, I've lost at least three pups and soon my mate, give me a moment" Inuyasha looked away as Kouga tilted his head back, tears streaming as he began to mourn his lost mate and pups. Inuyasha stood silently, watching as Kouga rose two fingers.

"Maybe" he paused as his voice broke, "maybe there are two pups that are alive" he murmured, "the first child was when the bleeding started, as the child was being born…I thought Ayame…I thought she was dying there. All I could feel was despair, it spread to my pack; each new pup came out still born, it was heart breaking. I didn't even know if the first pup was alive, then the shrill cry of the last pup, I had hope, maybe one babe, hopefully two had lived. But they took her away too" Inuyasha stared at his feet as Kouga tilted his head back once more, this time letting loose a low howl that built with his torment, Inuyasha's ear twitched as the piercing howls of the rest of Kouga's pack filled the air.

"I just want to know if there's anything to fight for"

Inuyasha grunted as he fell off of his couch, he groaned, grounding his palm against his forehead. Grabbing a bottle of scotch, he headed to his bedroom. Hoping the alcohol would lead to a night of dreamless sleep.