Chapter X: Fresh Beginnings

"Curse the gods," Kouga groaned, sitting up. The room spun wildly, and he grabbed his head. Sunlight beat in from the lodge doorway, casting harsh rays into the eyes of men sprawled at odd angles across the floor. Empty jugs lay strewn everywhere, and the room stunk of alcohol.

A low moan sounded at Kouga's right, and he turned to see Toushi stir.

"Why are there never clouds on post-drink mornings?" the man muttered, shielding his face with an arm. "It couldn't be dark and raining just once?"

Kouga felt too sick to nod. "Anyone else hate nice weather right now?" His voice came out as a croak.

Half-hearted fingers rose from every conscious man in the lodge.

A deep groan sounded from the corner. "I'm never going to challenge a youkai when it comes to ale again," Eichiro said, bracing a hand against the wall as he sat up.

"Who knew he was a bottomless pit?" Toushi answered from under his elbow. "Deceptive for a skinny bastard."

"Skinny?" Kouga could hardly muster offense. "Are you kidding? I've got shoulders that go for miles."

"Yeah, okay," Teru mumbled, his face to the floor, a hand lying in a sticky pool of dried ale. "I think I've swallowed dirt."

Joining the conversation, Umi flopped over onto his back. "Don't worry, it'll help soak up the alcohol poisoning," he lifted his head. "Hey. Wasn't I wearing pants?"

Teru spit out a mouthful of brown. "You threw them by the door when you showed us what you were going to do when Rika returned," the young man shook his head. "So much more than I ever wanted to see of you."

"Goddamn exhibitionist," Toushi agreed, risking a move of his arm. "Gah! It burns!"

"What, the sun, or the memory of Umi without pants?" Eichiro joked, wincing at the effort and cradling his face in a large palm.

Kouga raised his hand to shake a finger, but it thumped to the ground in protest. "You know who we have to blame for this, don't you?" He asked, staring at the mutinous limb dumbly.

"Eichiro – for making the best watered-down piss known to man?"

The headman sent a curse to Teru, who was content continuing his commentary eating floor.

"Women," Toushi grumbled, rolling towards the wall.

"Exactly!" Kouga nodded and paled as the room swung. "We're all here because of them."

Teru finally pushed himself from the ground, sniffing his ale-covered hand suspiciously. "Would it have killed Yukami to meet us after we returned? I looked so tough covered in boar blood."

"Yeah, it hid your sissy face," Umi stared up at the ceiling of the lodge, his own slightly green.

"Laugh it up, man-with-no-pants."

"I owe you a punch in the shoulder," Umi groaned. "Remind me when I don't feel like projecting my insides everywhere," his eyes fluttered closed.

"It's not fair that Sen got to go home while I was sent away," Eichiro muttered. "Akina is so biased."

"She was probably worried you'd drunkenly bump into a wall, and the hut would cave in. Freakish ox of a man."

Eichiro glared over with a baleful eye. "When I regain feeling in my legs Toushi, I'm kicking you across the lodge."

"That'd be progress. I plan on lying here all day. I've got no one waiting for me at home."

Kouga frowned, remembering the events of last night. "I wish I hadn't made Kagome cry—."

A chorus of voices filled the air.

"Don't start that again!"

"We heard… for hours."

"You are the biggest wimp ever."

Kouga scowled. "You can't call me that! What happened to being scared of me? I'm a youkai remember? A soulless, evil demon!"

"You're a wife-whipped wuss," Toushi managed, his nose pressed against the planks of the lodge wall. "Hey, that was pretty good. Go me, being all clever barely conscious."

"I think I liked it better when you hated me."

The man frowned. "Keep talking near my ear, and I'll work my way back to it."

Akina handed Kagome hunks of deer, and she quickly placed them on a fashioned grill over the fire. The two women were covered in blood up to their elbows, and Akina turned back to continue supervising the butcher of yesterday's hunt.

Despite her late stage of pregnancy, Itsumi was on her knees, gutting a second deer; Reina and Yukami were helping hold the carcass as she worked, and both sweated from the effort. The task was so consuming that only Kagome noticed the string of men start to stumble from the hunting lodge, all in various states of undress, lumbering down the steps with bent heads and loud groans.

She tapped Akina's shoulder and motioned with her chin to the parade. The headwoman wiped her forehead, smearing red across it as she looked up. Anger sparked her features as she saw Eichiro emerge, shielding his eyes from the hot sun.

"Unbelievable," she muttered, before bursting into a yell that carried across the square. "Where have you been?" She called.

The man raised his head, searching for her voice.

"Over here!"

Eichiro spotted his wife and gave a weak wave.

Akina frowned. "Look at you! You're still filthy!" Her hands found her hips, and a look passed between Reina and Yukami; their fearless leader was out for retribution.

"All of you go wash up in the river, and then come give us a hand. We need your help preparing for the feast tonight."

"Oh come on Akina," Eichiro started. "We're in rough shape—."

"Whose fault is that?!"

He fell silent.

"Get going!"

The headman's usual loud boom came out as a suffering whine. "Can't you heat us some water?"

The woman's eye twitched. "You must still be drunk. We've been here since the sun broke," Akina swept an arm back to her crew skinning and preparing meat. "We're tired and sick of the smell of warming animal."

"But—."

"And half the men of Enomoto are hungover!"

Eichiro hiked his thumb back to a man clutching his stomach. "Not all of us. Gouki's doing pretty well."

"RIVER. NOW!"

Eichiro motioned, and his comrades dragged themselves away, grumbling complaints as they went.

Kouga was the last to appear in the lodge doorway, and his eyes found Kagome's instantly. As he staggered from the hut, she saw pain in his face that came from more than too much alcohol. She turned away to examine the cooking meat, feeling his gaze burn into her back.

Akina watched the exchange, handing Kagome another batch of deer. "Everything okay?"

She nodded absently and arranged the new strips on the grill.

"I thought I heard raised voices last night…."

"You didn't," Kagome stared at the fire, moving one of the pieces a little to the left with a long forked stick.

"We're here if you want to talk," Itsumi offered, handing organs to Yukami. The fair-haired woman made a face as she received a pile of intestines and quickly placed the coil in a nearby pot of water.

"We're fine."

"Your husband doesn't look it," Akina said gently.

"He had too much to drink."

"I know but—."

Poking at the sizzling meat, Kagome angrily admitted, "He brought it on himself."

Continuing to pry the carcass open, Reina asked, "Rough fight?"

Kagome ducked her head sheepishly. "Our first actually."

Akina cut up larger chunks. "You'll have more. Some will last for days."

Reina glanced up from her work to give Kagome a supportive smile. "Don't get discouraged. Men can be fools who say and do foolish things," her eyes glinted with knowing. "It doesn't mean they don't care."

Yukami started to add her own smile when Itsumi handed her a pair of lungs. She paled and rushed to set them aside.

"Do you ever feel like they just don't get it though?" Kagome stopped poking the grill. "Kouga outright lied to me. Why would he think he needed to?"

"He was probably jealous about some perceived something – one can never tell with them – and feeling protective," Akina said simply. "Eichiro always tries keeping things from me, but I just make him listen to Mika's chatter until he breaks."

"Besides," Itsumi added. "When you make up, he'll work extra hard to please you in other ways," she rubbed her round stomach. "How do you think I got like this?"

Kagome forced a half-hearted smile and started flipping the meat, knowing they were trying to be helpful, but also knowing their comfort was for a newlywed, someone who couldn't possibly stay mad for long.

As last night's fight had reminded her, she and Kouga weren't married, or mated, or… anything. He owed her nothing, and had no reason to 'make up' – and she wasn't ready to let him. He hadn't trusted her enough to tell her about the hanyou, and she wasn't in a forgiving mood.

"Gods, this water's cold!"

"Stop shouting," Umi watched Teru dip his foot into the river balefully. "Get in here already."

Teru glared at his friend and plunked a leg down. Water swept above his calf, and displeasure burst out on his face. "Mother of—!" His curse pierced into the trees.

Hunters already in the stream flinched.

"You noisy son of a—."

"I'm going to throttle your scrawny—."

"I owe you two punches in the arm!"

Kouga came up beside Teru and walked straight into the river, sitting down until the icy water reached his chest. Beginning to wash his arms, he ignored the looks of shock from men whose lips were turning blue.

"You see how much of a sissy you are?" Umi grumbled. "Kouga came in without any epic dramatics!"

Teru scowled and lowered his second leg. "Only cause he's upset about seeing Kagome!"

"True," Umi conceded, giving the silent youkai a wide berth. The other men followed suit and began scrubbing off blood, dirt, and crusted ale as the swift water rushed over them.

Kouga accepted the space, brooding by himself and rubbing his chest as he stared off at some invisible point beneath the river.

"Hey," Toushi approached and offered over some soap root.

Kouga took the crushed powder absently and began lathering it in his hands.

"Are you going to talk to her after this?"

He shrugged.

"Moping is definitely easier," Toushi shrugged. "I see you're getting in the practice."

"Shut up."

The other man rolled his eyes and dunked under the water, coming up sputtering and wiping his face with shaking hands. "I j-just felt my heart spasm!"

Kouga brought the lather to his neck, scrubbing furiously. His claws caught on Kagome's ribbon binding his ponytail, and he tore it off, watching detachedly as it drowned in the fast current. Free, his hair curtained the sides of his face, providing a blissful partition from the voices around him. Laughter and jokes began floating between the men, and Kouga closed his eyes, plunging into the river. The cold felt like a punch in the stomach, but he steeled himself against it, staying under as he rubbed his face and choked down the image of Kagome turning her back on him. Rising to the surface, he saw Toushi still at his side, hopping in the water to keep warm.

"My ability to procreate is shrinking up into my body," the hunter grumbled, grabbing his crotch.

Kouga cracked a smile. "Sounds like it wasn't getting much use anyway."

Toushi pushed him with his free hand. "Go back to moping Youkai."

"Is this you trying to make me feel better?"

"Are you kidding? I loathe your existence," he cringed and jumped away. "I think my foot just touched a rock coated in ice."

Kouga succumbed to the man's attempts at distraction. "Give me one of your angry glares. You know you want to."

"Mouthy jerk," he huffed. "A few pints together, and you're ready to skip around holding hands."

"You like it," Kouga shoved him back. "You're too lazy to keep hating me. It takes too much effort to stare down someone who's not even paying attention."

"Not paying attention?" Toushi cocked a brow, doubt bending his features. "Tell me you didn't kiss Kagome like a teenager yesterday just to show me up and piss me off."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah right," he splashed a handful of water in Kouga's direction. "I was doing you a favor and didn't even know it."

"Whatever."

The two traded curses and insults like small talk, and the rest of the men looked on, surprise mingling with their smiles.

"Go figure," Umi cocked his head to the side as Toushi elbowed the youkai in the ribs.

"The magical power of Eichiro's ale," Teru gingerly lowered himself to his knees, breathing in short, pained bursts.

"Unlikeliest pair ever," Eichiro worked soap into his hair, trying to rid his scalp of rabbit. "So you think Toushi will be in agreement then? It's only been two days…."

The two hunters nodded, just as Kouga ducked down and spit a mouthful of water into Toushi's eyes. The man howled as if struck by acid, swearing loudly before retaliating, bending with gritted teeth and spewing back the favor.

"Looks like he'll fit right in," Umi scoured his arm, lifting it to his nose for inspection. "Ugh. I think I smell worse."

Teru's teeth chattered as he began to wash. "Too… cold… to comment…."

The women had finished butchering both deer by the time the men returned, and were struggling to mount the boar on a large spit. The group, red from fire and sun, gave a collective cry as Yukami's hold gave way, sending the animal crashing to the ground. The girl's face crumpled in embarrassment, and she pulled her light hair back into a careless bun, shoving her sleeves up in preparation for another try.

Akina stopped her as she caught sight of the hunters, looking more sober and nearly presentable. "Hold on."

Kagome turned instinctively to find Kouga, who walked beside a short man she didn't recognize. The youkai held a palm out expectantly, and the hunter dug in his pocket, handing him a pitiful piece of twine. Grabbing up his wet hair, Kouga slung it into a ponytail as they neared, not bothering to break his stride.

"Ladies!" Eichiro's cheerful disposition was back. "Need a hand?"

Akina nodded. "Several."

She began pointing to different stations, and the men moved to help. Kagome replaced her hands under the boar and sighed in relief as two sets of strong arms joined her.

Pulling her face from the beast's side, she smiled at the newcomers. "Thanks."

The man to her right returned the smile. "You're welcome Kagome."

She drew back. "You know me?"

"Of course."

"Kouga speaks of nothing else," the second said, his grin growing at her blush. "I'm Umi."

Cheeks burning from more than embarrassment, Kagome managed, "Nice to meet you." If Kouga had talked about her last night, no doubt copious amounts of alcohol had allowed him to embellish their fight. She flushed darker at the thought.

Reading her mind, the first hunter added, "Don't worry. Even inebriated, all he did was gush," he stared at her as Sen first had, struck by traits both seen and innate. "We've been eager to meet the legendary woman he's so taken with," his eyes smiled as much as his mouth. "My name's Teru by the way," he withdrew his arm from under the boar and shook her hand enthusiastically. "I'm the guy you would've married had you met me first."

Umi rolled his eyes.

"Weren't you the one covered in dirt from the hunting lodge floor this morning?" Kagome recovered, laughing.

"All rumors, I assure you," he winked. "At least I made out better than Umi here," he hiked a thumb to the other man. "He was the one struggling into pants."

Kagome heard a loud sigh from her left and laughed again. "Maybe I have made a mistake."

Teru beamed.

Appearing beside the boar, Akina interrupted introductions. "Kagome?" She leaned down and cupped a hand to her mouth. "Would you come here a second?"

Kagome let go in surprise as the headwoman motioned her over. "Sure," she rose to her feet, dusting her knees. "I'll be right back," she called over her shoulder.

As the two women moved off, Umi hit Teru's arm and frowned. "For pity's sake," he hissed under his breath. "Weren't you there last night? She and Kouga had a huge fight. Now is NOT the time to be turning on your ridiculous attempts at charm."

"I'm just being friendly," Teru shrugged. "Damn, she's pretty up close though."

Umi exhaled loudly. "I can't take you anywhere."

The other man continued to smile. "I hope she accepts Eichiro's offer."

"You mean her and Kouga?"

Teru gave an exaggerated, dreamy sigh. "Who?"

A pair of blue eyes watched Akina and Kagome walk away. Kouga had followed Eichiro to where the rabbits were about to be made into stew, standing with the headman as he half-listened to Eika explain how she wanted them to stir.

Even with youkai hearing, he couldn't make out the conversation passing between the two women; Akina was taking care to keep her voice low. She gestured with her hands, and Kagome frowned, refusing something with a shake of her head.

The headwoman nodded and spun her around, pointing in his direction. He saw the word 'go' on her lips, and watched as Kagome reluctantly dragged her feet toward the stew pots.

His heart sped up as she approached, and he was grateful her senses weren't keen enough to hear its pound.

Stopping meters away, she said flatly, "Akina wants us to go for a walk. Come on."

Kouga took in her tone and wiped sweaty palms off on his pants. "Why?"

Kagome shrugged. "She says we should enjoy the feast tonight."

From behind, Kouga felt an elbow jab his side.

"Get going," Eichiro said. "I can manage Eika's maniacal stew rules."

The old woman glared at her chief, but kept silent, excusing him with a careless flick of her wrist.

Kouga gave an appreciative smile and walked forward, closing the distance between them.

Kagome turned without another word and marched for the village outskirts. He lengthened his strides to reach her side, and she glanced back from the corner of her eye, speeding up. He frowned and walked faster, watching her knuckles go white as she curled them into fists.

Her pace quickened.

He matched it.

Kagome scowled and broke into a run. Kouga shook his head and surged forward, coming abreast of her. "Still upset, huh?"

"I never realized how quick you were at nuance."

"I have a feeling Akina didn't have us go for this 'walk' to argue more."

"We're jogging right now. When we walk, we'll stop."

Grabbing her arm, he pulled her to an abrupt halt. "Then I'd like us to walk," he said softly.

Kagome ripped her elbow from his grasp. "That makes one of us."

Kouga's stomach sank at the rejection, and he struggled to keep his tone mild through its weight. "You can't be like this forever," he managed.

She resumed walking. "Watch me."

Kouga reached for her again, but caught only air. Sighing, he ran up next to her. "You know, you were the one who recanted our kiss and called whatever this is," he swung a finger between them. "A mistake."

"After you lied to me," Kagome said between breaths. "Repeatedly."

"I was just trying to protect you."

"You were protecting yourself from something you felt threatened by."

"I was not."

Skepticism flickered across her face. "I still know you better than you think."

Kouga exhaled in exasperation. "If you did, you'd know how much I want to make up."

"Oh?" Her eyebrow arched. "If that's the case, then there's a phrase commonly used."

He conceded a nod. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Sorry about what? Not apologizing?"

"No," he kept hold of his patience. "I never meant to lie, and I shouldn't have tried hiding the hanyou from you. You're my best friend. You deserve more trust than that."

"Your only friend," Kagome sped up.

Kouga stopped, refusing to budge. "The only one I can't stand having mad at me."

She looked back over her shoulder. "Is that why you got so drunk you never came back last night?"

His jaw fell. "You told me not to come back."

Kagome paused mid-step and turned. "I didn't mean it."

"What?" Confusion splayed across his face. "How was I supposed to know?"

A small smile rose to her mouth, tinged with something Kouga swore looked like sadness. "How could you not…?"

Bewilderment washed over him, and he lifted his hands in a silent appeal for clarification.

Kagome's smile turned sympathetic, and she held an arm out behind her. "It doesn't matter. Now you do. Come here," she wiggled her fingers expectantly.

Kouga rushed over, taking the offered hand. As his palm closed in hers, his confusion thickened. "Are you still mad?"

"Very."

He looked down at their entwined fingers. "Then why—?"

"Would you like me to let go?"

He shook his head so hard whiplash seemed imminent.

They walked in silence, leaving Enomoto's boundaries and heading for the forest. Birds called through the trees, small rodents scurried for cover as they passed, and the sun dripped down through the canopy, lighting up leaves at their feet. Kagome led him deeper, and Kouga followed a pace behind, unsure if being next to her would cause another angry sprint. They wound through old trunks, sunlight floating among them, and a criss-cross network of branches cast shadowed shapes on their shoulders as they moved past. Kouga tried to hide his thrill at her proximity, but a hopeful grin broke across his face as he stared from his vantage point. Beams danced through the girl's hair, and his breath caught at the way they shone on the curled ends hanging down her back. It was just like yesterday morning emerging from Eichiro's hut. Those first steps seemed so long ago.

Her palm was small over his as they held hands, and he glanced at her arm, admiring the shift of strength as she pulled. Kagome absently tucked hair back from her face, and Kouga caught the tip of a rounded ear peeking out, bright red from too much sun.

Feeling his gaze, she looked back. "What?" Her tone had lost its harsh edge.

Taking in the smudge of dirt by her chin and the beginnings of freckles on her nose, Kouga smiled, "Just looking."

"Oh?" Hair spilled into her eyes, and she brushed the rich darkness away with an annoyed swipe.

Itching to touch it, he stretched a claw out. "I've never told you…," he fingered a lock already falling back. "I don't know why."

Kagome stopped, tensing as his knuckles brushed her cheek. "What?"

"You're beautiful."

She huffed in disbelief. "You've got nothing to compare me to. All the women you've met are either taken or five years old."

Kouga ran a thumb down her face, staring intensely and abandoning the playful, harmless looks of yesterday. "You're incomparable."

Her cheeks reddened from more than sun. "Another of your one-liners?"

Leaning close, he whispered, "I was hoping to be more charming than that," his lips brushed her left eyebrow. "I'm sorry I hurt you last night," his words tickled her skin. "And I meant it when I kissed you."

The forest stilled, holding in an exhale.

Kagome closed her eyes, and he tried to figure out if she was savoring his admittance, or thinking about how to let him down gently. After a long pause, she nodded. "So did I."

His heart leapt. "Will you forgive me?"

"It takes two to argue Kouga. You haven't heard my apology."

"I don't need it," he said quickly.

"You do," Kagome reached for his hand, drawing it down to her chest. "I'm sorry I pushed you into talking. I should have trusted you more than that."

"It's okay."

Shaking her head, she sighed, "No, it's not. I didn't mean to get so angry, and I'm sorry I called you a liar."

"Well…," he fidgeted in momentary discomfort. "I did lie…."

"That wasn't it," she said. "I got upset because I didn't understand your worry," Kagome idly traced the beginnings of post-drink shadow along his jaw. "You thought you'd lose me if I knew about the hanyou?" She searched his face. "How could you think I'd rush off to find him?"

"I figured—."

Her finger found his mouth, and she tapped it against his lips. "I thought it was obvious Kouga," her voice dropped lower, full of admission. "I thought you could see how plainly I felt," she leaned in and lifted her heels from the forest floor. Her hand withdrew, and she moved her mouth inches from his, letting her breath come soft and warm.

With their faces close, the once-prince struggled to find his voice. "S-See what?"

She smiled. "Every person I should remember is right here. The only thing I want to know is you," hovering near, she let her words sink in.

Kouga felt their meaning explode in his head and gasped.

"I love you," Kagome whispered against him. "Whether I used to or not doesn't matter. I do."

Kouga reeled as his warning from yesterday burned up and turned to ash; the forest fell away, suffused in warm light. She loved him. Not the hanyou. Him.

His words to Toushi echoed throughout his body, reverberating off his insides. You'll take her to a new place and create a new life, away from him. You'll swallow your lie, and eventually it becomes as good as truth.

"Me?" He wanted to hear it again.

"Hopelessly," Kagome closed her eyes and kissed him, tickling air into his mouth.

Kouga lowered his head so she wouldn't have to stand on tip-toe and realized he was tasting something sweeter than strawberries this time. Maybe the lie really was true.

Kagome parted her lips, willing him to deepen the contact, and he obliged with pleasure, flicking his tongue past her teeth. Exploring, he thought he might fly apart as her tongue tentatively sought his. Kouga reached for the back of her head, burying his hand in her hair, and a noise rose in her throat as she pushed herself closer.

Clawed fingers at her waist slipped under the thin top Akina had lent her for the feast, grazing her back with the same unsure shyness as the first morning in Enomoto. Kagome's tongue grew bolder, and Kouga dropped his other hand, hungrily running both against her sides, creeping around her hips to the front.

A breeze blew through the trees, a great sigh of relief, stirring leaves in a chorus of applause.

The wind broached Kouga's drowning senses, and he wrenched himself away, withdrawing arms from her shirt reluctantly. Kagome gave a sound of protest, nipping his lower lip in a more wolf-like reaction than she realized.

Her show of displeasure was almost too much. Breathing heavily, he looked down at her; want sparked her eyes as her fingers curled against his shirt.

He tried for a slow, deep inhale, managing one only shaking and shallow.

"Kouga?" Kagome ventured.

"Why should it be a lie?" He asked huskily.

She tilted her head in confusion. "A lie?"

Kouga cleared his throat, pained at how the light fell on her shoulders. "Would you…."

The breeze came again and lifted a tucked curl from her ear.

"Ever consider…."

His throat locked as she slipped it back in place.

Kagome waited for him to continue, soon realizing he was content to stare at some unseen point by her ear.

She coughed into her fist. "Kouga?"

He blinked.

The wind around them picked up, ripping leaves from nearby trees. They swirled overhead in unexpected freedom, raining down in dancing bits of green, and Kouga knew what he wanted from this world forever. Whatever title, whatever past, he knew.

"Be my wife Kagome."