Child of the Sky

Chapter 21

"Kagome"

firefox369

Words: 1,859

The moment Chief Powhatan walked into Kekata's hut both Kekata and Pocahontas knew that Kocoum would leave. He was a warrior and, first and foremost, a commander. What they hadn't expected, however, was to see Skychild charging out after him demanding to know the direction in which he'd gone. Her breathing was fast and her skin sickly, but she fought against Kekata and the Chieftain and tried to look for Kocoum anyway. It was only when her weak body exhausted itself that she gave up her struggling. Their efforts to prevent her from reopening her wounds weren't for naught, and she was dragged into bed and told to rest without the need to re-bandage her shoulder.

That night though, after she was certain that Kekata had fallen asleep and the fire had reduced to a pile of smoldering embers, Kagome quietly rolled out of bed and crept out of the hut. She was more than just a little disappointed when Kocoum wasn't in his home, and opted to wander the village and the surrounding area instead of doing the smart thing and returning to her little cot. She'd not taken two steps into the forest when a large, familiar hand grabbed her wrist.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Kagome spun and smiled mischievously even under the force of Kocoum's disapproving stare.

"I knew you were watching me" she mused and his glare softened.

"That's not the point" he sighed, running a frustrated hand through his long bangs. "Why are you out so late? You should be resting."

"You should be resting, too. You have no shift tonight" Kagome retorted accusingly, prodding his chest with a few well placed pokes.

"I'm preparing for departure."

"No. You're preparing for death."

Kocoum hesitated. "Perhaps. There is a chance that the upcoming days will be my last."

Kagome frowned. "I don't think I've seen a dumber man in all my life. Who told you I wanted you to go off and start a war while I was all scared-like? Who said I wanted you to die for me? You jump to all of these random conclusions about everything and-"

Without warning, Kocoum grabbed her waist and pulled her close, pressing her body flush against his own and burying his nose in her hair. He breathed in her flowery scent and memorized it.

"Skychild, if I don't return-"

"You will come back."

"If I don't return, forget about me."

Despite her stubbornness, he could feel her arms returning his embrace. The small squeeze she gave him was the only answer he needed.

"This war's because of me. I should be fighting alongside you."

Kocoum returned her squeeze, but did not argue against her. Instead he loosened his hold on her just enough to lean down and bump his forehead against hers.

"Tell me your name."

"You know my name" she mumbled gloomily.

"Your real name."

The young miko instantly sobered and looked into his eyes, letting go of him and instead wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Kagome," she said, "my name is Kagome."

"Kagome" he repeated and she nodded, blushing at the sound of her birth name rolling off his tongue. Kocoum seemed to notice and carefully moved a hand to the back of her head, curling his fingers into her silky hair. "I think Skychild is a more fitting name for you."

The small, teasing lift at the corners of his mouth seemed to steal away all of her problems.

"Why do you say that?" she inquired, her eyes fluttering shut when he placed a kiss on her brow. She quite liked this atmosphere between them. Too much time had passed between their last decent conversation and now. They could continue they're argument regarding the battle for just a little while, right? In fact, she'd make sure of it. Pushing away the thoughts of war for just a moment, she smiled and blinked up at him.

"You're still a child yet, both mentally and spiritually."

She frowned and smacked his chest. "Oi! I'm a holy woman where I'm from, boy."

Kocoum raised a delicate brow, seemingly skeptical over her statement, but bent over to place a kiss on her nose. The young miko giggled before moving to stand on her toes and place a shy kiss on his cheek.

"Well, should a holy woman like you be wandering about so late at night?"

Kagome smirked. "There aren't any men around, so I'll be alright."

The clear look of disapproval in his gaze made her laugh.

"Though if there is a man, he's an ornery fool. I'll still be alright" she teased.

"Now where did you learn to speak like that?" he chastised, brushing his lips against her forehead, her nose, the corner of her mouth...

"Does it really matter? Besides, if you're so determined to flaunt your masculinity then don't give me these flowery butterfly kisses. Kiss me properly."

As if her words were the magic that led to his undoing, Kocoum crushed her body to his and tilted her head back to press his lips against her own, greedily swallowing her surprised squeak. She returned the kiss, arching her back and pulling his head down as much as she could without aggravating her wound. Kocoum nipped her bottom lip none to gently, then licked it with his soothing tongue, and the young miko couldn't stop the small moan that parted her lips. In return, Kocoum slid his tongue into her mouth and completely dominated her as well as he dominated the battlefield. Suddenly, Kagome forgot how to do the very basic of her bodily functions and her legs collapsed from under her. The kiss was broken, and if not for Kocoum's strong arm around her waist, she would have fallen to her knees.

"Is that all?" Kocoum taunted, lifting her and trapping her between a tree trunk and his muscular body. He took in the sight of her swollen lips, the way her chest heaved with her pants, and the pleasured daze of her hazy eyes for just a moment, and then his lips were on her neck leaving love marks on her throat and collarbone.

She could only moan in reply. His hands were roaming, skimming over every part of her body as he committed to each curve a place in his memories. Her arms were around his shoulders, her hands tangled in his hair, her throat bared, and his name tumbling incoherently off her tongue, and then his mouth was again on hers. He pinned her against the tree, the rough bark digging uncomfortably into her back, but she didn't care. All her focus was on the way he was pressed against her, the way his large hands wrapped around her thighs as he held her, and the way he strained his neck to continue that hungry kiss. She circled her legs around his waist and grasped each side of his face with her hot hands.

Kami-sama. Not one person in the village would believe her if she told him that Kocoum was so passionate a lover. Where had he even learned to do half the things he was doing to her?

When she lowered her head more to deepen the kiss he denied her and instead broke it. His mouth found the shell of her ear and the shivers that ran down her spine held her complaints at bay. After a short nibble on her lobe, he once again kissed down the nape of her neck and sucked on the skin just above her breast. Her fingers tangled in his hair and she moaned once more.

Knowing he wouldn't be able to stop himself if he continued, Kocoum slowly pulled Kagome away from the tree and set her down before dropping to his knees in front of her. He grit his teeth and swallowed thickly as he tried to reign in his rampaging hormones, panting heavily.

"Kocoum" Kagome whispered, nudging his chin so he looked straight into her eyes. She smiled and kissed him, this time gently and modestly. Once she'd pulled away the young man sighed and slumped against her. Kagome accepted and held him, encircling his shoulders in her arms.

"I'm coming with you, right?" she asked, gingerly leaning back on the tree she'd been pinned against just moments before.

Kocoum groaned. "Skychild."

"Kagome" the miko corrected teasingly.

"Must we talk about this now?"

"Yes."

Kocoum shifted to sit beside her, leaving the warm comfort of her arms. The look he gave her made her fidget uncomfortably.

"I won't be in the way. I can heal people!" she tried, and he glanced at her shoulder skeptically.

"Clearly."

"Well, maybe not anything this big. I haven't had enough practice yet, but I can fix little scrapes and bruises" she reasoned. This time he looked at her in disbelief and she smiled encouragingly. Maybe she had him.

"Men lose limbs in wars. Little scrapes and bruises are the least of our worries."

Darn. Maybe she didn't have him convinced.

"I can handle a bow."

"You haven't shot an arrow in months" he refuted.

"I can be in the front with you?"

"No."

"I'm sure if I show off my flashy powers they'll just run away screaming."

"They're trying to kill you."

"So? They're trying to kill you, too, and you're not about to hesitate before trying to kill them. I need to be there to make sure no one on either side gets hurt."

Kocoum looked anything but pleased. "You can barely protect yourself. How are you going to protect two armies? How are you going to put a war at a standstill? Our men may be willing to follow you, but the survivors of the villages that were pillaged will not."

The miko pouted. "I'll figure something out."

"You can't come with, Skychild."

"Kagome," she corrected again, "and I will come with no matter what you and the Chief and all of the other men-"

His lips were on hers, swallowing her words and muffling her voice. It was a brief kiss, but Kagome was left stammering nonetheless.

"What was that?" she demanded.

"I'm keeping you quiet."

"Hey! I-"

He kissed her again, this time longer and more passionately. Every time she opened her mouth to argue, he silenced her with his lips.

"Shhhh," he whispered between kisses, "you're giving me a headache."

"But this is really important. What if-"

He was on her once more, this time just as hungry and domineering as he was in their first tryst of the night, and Kagome found herself unable to think straight. His actions left her breathless. In moments even her frustration had faded and all she had left were the words she'd wanted to say, though they were meaningless now.

"I hate you" she breathed. She felt him laugh against her skin.

"I know you do, Kagome."