Time passed and Kouga had been happy for a while. Yet winter hit and it turned out of the a rather harsh one as well. This began Kouga's change which transferred to the rest of the pack. He was on edge and snapped easily. Not even the elders which had returned could approach him with confidence. Snowy storms this season were common. He paced and he growled at everyone that drew near. Now even Ayame dared approach him now. Such fear only few half way through the winter...

Kouga snarled and scratched at the rock in front of his den. When it started, he was worked up into such a rage that he could no longer stay in his other form. Every morning he was this vicious wolf. His speech also had left as soon as it started. They had placed a rock to keep him in after the fourth time he had attacked Ayame when she drew near. The elders had pressured her to finished the act yet every time he attacked. This time he had put her in the healers den. Still that didn't calm his rage. Kouga bashed against the hard surface in hopes of breaking in.

No one knew why suddenly their leader could jump from the extremes. Yet they did feed off of it. The elders observed as the entire pack, although were not attacking, were snapping and growling. He smirked as he could hear the elders talk of possibly locking down the entire pack. They were thinking that it was some disease that was spreading. Still he needed to get out. Everything be damned he needed to be by her side. He had journeyed to her in his sleep and he had seen their travels. She had strayed from villages completely and to make their hardships worse, Kagome had given birth. Outside of the pack, the winter was hellish and they had already been struggling. He viciously scratched at the rock once more before he huffed and backed away. Then he charged and pounded his entire body into the rock. Nothing. He heaved and sat as he glared at it. They weren't going to keep him here forever. The entire pack was fighting together. Eventually, they were going to go on the attack. Even now his demon was starting to stir. Something was calling him to leave and go somewhere. He didn't know this foreign call but it was a siren that made all the questions in his head go mute. All that was left was the clarity that he needed to leave this cave. His eyes snapped at every glittering thread as they searched for a way out. If anything it drove him even further to escape. Or even just allow these wispy threads to leave. Like they were a living beings.

He whimpered and walked to his bed as he curled up and watched the hard surface of the rock. Finally, he closed his eyes and went to sleep wishing only to once again be able to be with them in his sleep. Something that had stopped shortly after the birth.

Ayame's eyes snapped about at every shadow that moved. This was crazy but she could swear she could feel that damned woman there. Carefully, she got up and walked out of the healer's den. It was late at night and no one was out really. Yet she could feel her. Then everything went still and not the good kind of a still either. The kind that just let you know that something was building. She gulped and as she went to take one more step outside, she gasped as a burst of ice blasted her right back into the den. Ayame shivered as she got up from the ground. With a growl she asked,"I though we made it clear you were banished from the lands?"

There wasn't a response though. Somehow it made it worse for Ayame. There was no scent, there was no voice, there was nothing to give this feeling a solid form. She could hear the crackling of growing ice though. This had to be Kagome, but there was nothing that told her where the woman was. Now she searched for growing ice. It wasn't anywhere in the den. So she once again approached the outside of the outside of the den. Only as she reached the edge a sharp pain shot form her foot. She yelped and jumped back to see what was there. It looked like just a normal stone floor though. She tested it gently again. The pain still shot at her foot through. Like thousands of needles all ready to strike. She brought up her foot to inspect it, finding it glittering slightly. Though she couldn't see them, she knew now that there really were thousands of needles lining her exit from the cave. With a snarl she charged through the pain and out into the open. Cold clear night plain.

Then the icy blast pushed against her back and made her fly across the ground. The girl once again jumped to her feet and looked behind her. There was nothing. Finally, she actually did hear the bitch's voice. It was chuckling at her. She practically hissed at it as she snapped,"What's so funny?!" It was echoing, so she wasn't here but near. More voices joined in; the elders questioning the situation now, Kouga's pack whispering of her trick, and she could even swear she heard Kouga's own growl somewhere in there. She started walking slowly and cautiously back to her den. Ayame froze and focused her gaze on the shape of a misty dark figure standing on a hill. It's gaze wasn't on her though, instead it stared to the fire pit. She had the feeling it wasn't that it didn't notice her. Merely that it was so disgusted with her that it refused to look upon her. Ayame growled at it but was quickly silenced when she felt the air rumble around her. She quickly retreated back to the den.

Kagome chuckled as she and Jaxis sat inside their caravan. She cooed at her baby girl which Jaxis was currently playing with. It warmed her heart to see them both bonding. Especially when her heart was still aching for Kouga to be here with them. She could still remember when seeing Jaxis' bright blue eye used to make her heart stop in fear. Now it was out of hope that everything had been a nightmare. Jaxis looked to her and asked happily,"Hey Mom, what element do you think will come to her first?" After a bit of thinking Kagome said,"I don't know. Maybe wind will come to her like it did you. We'll just have to wait and see. Or maybe ice since she was born in Winter? That might be interesting, eh?"

"What season was I born in?"

"Spring."

"Was it particularly windy that day I was born?"

They both laughed as she said playing with her little girl's hand,"I suppose it was a bit windy." They fell into a silence but she could feel it grow cold. Then she sighed and said,"Don't keep you mind closed from me. It makes me worried."

"I just miss Dad."

Kagome gazed out the only window in their little caravan and said,"Me too... We'll be with him again in due time. Just stay strong for me, alright?" Jaxis bitterly nodded and focused back on his sister. Kagome tucked them both in and left the caravan to round to the front. She had a cloak wrapped tightly around her body as she walked to renew the spell on the ox which pilled their caravan. Making it feel nothing but Summer's warmth. With a smirk she turned and said,"I can only image how much trouble you would be in if anyone knew that you were here." Out from the brush came two wolves, Ginta and Hakkaku. They smiled sheepishly as they approached her and Ginta replied,"Kouga's been on the rampage as of lately so everyone is sort of more focused on him. They don't really notice anyone leaving the cave." She sighed and said,"Still. I can only imagine the trouble you two would get into if anyone found out that you had snuck out and did not chase off someone you know is banned from these lands."

Hakkaku was the one to reply this time with a scoff,"Yeah, banned from someone who had no right to be banning anyone. The elder's call was wrong. Ayame didn't have the right to fight for the position. Not only that but she put you in that condition before the fight. There was nothing about this that was fair... Though the elders are questioning their call now. From what I heard, Ayame's refusing to mark Kouga?"

"Is she now?"

"Though I could swear i've seen her bite him at least a hundred times now... Still I've never seen a mark on him... So I guess by their rules he's still on the market?"

"Seems a bit off that you've come this way to make small talk about the den drama."

They both presented her with bloody bags. Her heart melted as she said,"You guys-"

"We really just want you to come back."

She grabbed the bags which held meat. Then they continued,"We got a bit, they won't miss it. Hell we'll even hunt to replace it so it will be like we never even took it in the first place... So how is everything." Kagome chuckled again and said,"Well I think i'm doing pretty good for a woman who gave birth not too long ago." They were both a bit surprised but she had a idea that they could only guess that. Then she continued,"It's gonna take a bit more time but i'm thinking Ayame's got some trouble coming to her in the Spring."

"Anything we can do to make that sooner?"

Her eyes caught theirs. They looked at her with such sorrow and desperation. Also there was admiration and joy at seeing her alive. She thought for a moment and said,"Spring... But... I want to know if you guys will be able to do a little favor for me. Maybe it will help Kouga, maybe not."

"What is it?"

It was the early hours of morning when Kouga's eyes snapped open to see the rock budged a bit open to make a small opening. A small blanket was pushed inside but the opening remained. It was members of his own pack. Kouga curiously walked over and sniffed the blanket. His eyes went wide opened as he looked at the smiling but straining faces. Ginta then grunted out as he helped to keep the opening clear,"Spring...Also name?" At first he was confused, but then he smiled and he was calmed enough to reply in a soft voice.

(So sorry again for the long wait. I had a few things that I needed to take care of. Anyway thank you guys for the support. As a little fun thing, give me ideas for a name for the little newborn girl. See you in the next chapter.)