Title: With Time Comes Changes
Summary: Lies, Deceit, Betrayal, Love. With half the jewel in her hand and Naraku possessing the other half, the gang goes through some changes. The final battle is near, but what happens after that?
Pairing: Kouga and Kagome.
Author's Note: Some of the characters in this story are from another movie/anime.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA OR PRINCESS MONONOKE.
***CHAPTER START***
Moro came to sit by Kouga. Coming almost four feet taller than his 5'10 self. She had saw the whole thing and couldn't help but be amazed herself. "This priestess is powerful. Very powerful." Moro stated. "In my hundreds of years that I have walked these lands, I have only seen one being this powerful. Lady Priestess Midoriko."
Loyalty. It was one characteristic a wolf possessed. If anyone said they have never heard of a loyal wolf, they were wrong. They regard their pack above all others. Always caring, always affectionate, always loyal. Would sacrifice their lives for a pack mate in a heart beat. When wolves mate, they mate for life. Protecting their own til their last breath, going out of their way to please their life mate. Wolf demons, like their animal counterparts, were no different.
Kouga had not left her side the three days she was she lay unconscious. He moved her from the cold, hard wood table to his bed where Shippo lay. He figured since the kit was so precious to his woman he ought to have them close to each other. Strange this priestess was. Even when she was passed out. When Kouga had laid her next to Shippo, her powers flared and wrapped around Shippo in a loving way Kouga could tell. Then the odd thing happened that made Kouga's heart want to jump out of his chest. Her powers had wrapped around him again. It felt warm, loving. Kouga smiled at the memory. Maybe he still had a chance. Maybe everything would turn out just right and Kagome would accept his claim on her. She had denied him for the last 4 years, but maybe, just maybe this might be the year it would change. He did know one thing for sure though, InuYasha was going to get a beating of a life time for letting his woman get injured. An even bigger one for letting the fox kit get injured too.
Coming back to reality after hearing a whimper, Kouga looked over to the fox kit who had woken up the morning before. Shippo was trying to each for a cup on the table when he stretched too far and the wound on his back stung. Walking over to him, Kouga gave him reassuring pat on the head and moved the cup closer. It was late afternoon of day three since Kagome and Shippo had been there. The wolf walked over to the sleeping priestess and sat down at the edge of the bed. He let the back of his hand rest on her forehead searching for any sign of a fever.
Shippo took a drink of water then sat the cup down. He looked over and Kouga and asked, "When do you think she will wake up?"
Kouga sighed, "I don't little kit."
Shippo looked at Kagome. Even though he hasn't told her yet, Kagome always felt motherly to him. Like she was meant to be his mother. He loved her like one and through his eyes, she was the meaning of a mother. Shippo had tried to get up the courage to ask her to be his mom, but every time he thought he did, he just couldn't form the words. She cared more about him than anyone else did. Taught him how to read and write. Even taught him some math and science, which he loved the science part. He, like Kagome, was afraid of what was going to happen after the final battle. Who would take care of him? Who would love him like she did? Sango and Miroku would take him in only out of respect for Kagome. They wouldn't give him the love that he wanted, that Kagome gave him.
The fox kit shook his head of those thoughts, mindful of his wound Shippo was thankful that Kouga didn't ask what happen to them. It was too painful of a memory for the fox kit to talk about. Seeming to understand this, Kouga didn't even hint around about what had happened that fateful day. Nevertheless, Kouga would get his answers. Hearing a knock at his den's shoji door, Kouga barked for the visitor to come in. It was Gero, the old wolf demon who tended to Kagome and Shippo. Gero bowed slighty in respect to Kouga, "I'm just here to see how both are faring." Kouga nodded his head then turned him attention back to Kagome. Gero walked in and slid the door shut. "Kit, I need you lay down for me please. On your back so I can see your wound."
Getting slowly up from the chair, Shippo walked over to Kouga's bed and tried to climb onto the bed, but it was too tall for his little arms to reach. As he tried, Shippo strained himself and felt another pull at his wound. A whimper left his lips and this did not go unnoticed by the wolf leader. Bending down at the waist from his sitting position, Kouga gently picked up the kit under his arms and sat him on the bed. Shippo gave Kouga a appreciative smile. Rubbing the fox kit's furry head, Kouga gave Shippo a goofy grin showing off one of his sharp fangs.
Amazed by his reactions to the kit, Gero looked on at his leader with even more admiration. He had known Kouga since he was a pup, in fact, Gero was the healer who helped Kouga's mother give birth to him. He had stayed at Kouga's side when the young wolf was announced leader of the eastern tribe after the former leader was disbanded and removed from his position for neglecting his pack. As it turns out, the former leader was influenced by the Jewel of Four Souls and soon found his death at the hands of Mistress Centipede when he tried to take it from her. Kouga fought for the position and won. The tribe he was left was in shambles. Gero, along with Ginta and Hakkaka, left the main tribe to restart building the Wolf Demon Tribe's eastern territory tribe. Helping him and guiding him. Building up his pack from the disaster it was before he was named leader, Kouga took the role with pride and confidence.
Gero took the bandages from Shippo's back wound and gave it a look over. It had healed considerably, but was still sensitive to the fox kit. Getting some salve from the vial he cared, the old wolf demon rubbed some over Shippo's healing wound and covered it back up. "Your healing just fine kit." Shippo sighed in relief and slowly sat up. He pulled the white haori that Kouga had one of his pack members buy from a local village back on and thanked the graying wolf.
Gero had already been by earlier and checked on Kagome when Shippo was taking a nap so there was no need to look at them again. He bowed to his leader and walked out of the den as Ginta and Hakkaku were about to knock on the shoji door. The twin wolves walked in with the ancient wolf Moro trailing behind them. Gero stood to the side and looked quizzically at Ginta. The sight was something to laugh at. Ginta was hunched over with a yellow tote on his back.
"Ya could have taken the damn thing. Shared the load a little," Ginta barked, raising his voice with the last part.
Hakkaku gave his brother a goofy smile, "She handed that thing to you. Not me. So you had to carry it."
Ginta sat the over sized yellow tote on the ground next to Kouga's bed, but the weight of it made a loud thump. Moro went to stand on the other side of the bed that Kouga was not sitting at. She placed her muzzle on the bed next to Kagome's hand and gave it a lick.
"Will you two quite down? And what the hell is that thing?" Kouga gestured to the bag.
Shippo squeaked in happiness, "That's Kagome's bag. The one she brings stuff back from her time in." With all eyes suddenly averting toward him, Shippo realized he just told them Kagome's secret and it made him whimper in shame.
***CHAPTER END***
