Early the next morning, Sachiko knocked on the door to the suite of the Lord and Lady. Sesshoumaru came out in his sleeping hakama and was told that the neko youkai and wolf prince were waiting outside of the enchantments. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and allowed a hole in the enchantments that let the two youkai through. He shut it quickly. Nothing had gotten through that he did not want. Before Sachiko left, Sesshoumaru pulled him aside.
"Sachiko, check out the neko for signs he has been altered. If so, inform me, and me alone, immediately. Lady Kagome will be able to sense a change in the wolf prince, for she knows him well.
Sesshoumaru entered his quarters again, and woke Kagome with a kiss on her forehead and a light caress down her face. She opened her eyes with a smile.
"What is it?"
"Kouga is here, and waiting for us."
Kagome and Sesshoumaru dressed and donned their armor, which was second nature now, and hurried down to the formal receiving hall to see the wolf prince.
Kouga turned around when he felt the youki of the western lord, and the youki of another…but a youki like he had never felt before. He looked at the female, and his eyes widened. "Kagome?"
Kagome rushed over and gave Kouga a hug. She smiled at her friend. "Has it been so long, that you do not recognize me?"
"It is not that, and you know it," he said. "I never would have dreamed you would look so gorgeous as a taiyoukai, or even that you would mate with mutt-face's brother!"
Clearly, he had not heard of Inuyasha's death. Lord Sesshoumaru told him in a quiet voice. "The hanyou is dead."
Kouga's smile disappeared. He looked to Kagome and said, "I am sorry."
She gave him a small smile and told him, "He chose death over turning into a human. You have nothing to be sorry over."
The Lord and Lady went to sit, and the wolf prince followed. "You summoned me, Lady Kagome?"
"Please, Kouga, we have known each other too long for such formality. Call me Kagome."
He smiled, but again asked why she summoned him.
She eyed him with cautious eyes. "I have heard from Midoriko herself that the final battle draws near, and collecting the shards is the most important thing right now, and I have a request of you."
"You want my shards, right?" He asked, knowing deep down that this was why he was summoned.
"Yes, Kouga. I am sorry, but it would be better to give them to me than to have Kikyou kill you for them, or to have Naraku rip your body apart for them."
Kouga was surprised. "The dead miko has joined Naraku?"
"Yes. We also have some new allies. Do you remember Kanna and Kagura?"
"How could I not, she nearly killed me on many occasions!"
"Kagura is here in the castle now, and is our trusted ally. Kanna has been given a soul, and treats Kagura as a mother. I expect you to treat them with respect."
"Look, Kagura is a beautiful youkai, everyone can see that," he started, "But are you sure you can trust her?"
Lord Sesshoumaru looked at Lady Kagome. He answered for both of them. "Absolutely."
"Huh, if she is trustworthy, and even you trust her, than maybe I should go talk to her, see how she feels about wolves," he gave his old, fang-bearing grin.
Kagome looked at him, and said with a serious voice. "We must conclude our business first, Kouga."
He sighed. "Yeah, I know." He waved a hand over his legs, and the shards emerged. He took them and put them into Kagome's hands, where they instantly were purified. "Wow. That is something," he said with awe.
Kagome put the shards with the ones around her neck. "Thank you, Kouga."
"I knew that one day I would have to part with them. It is no big deal."
Kagome smiled. She put all of her jewel shards into her hands. "If you thought THAT was cool, watch this!" Her claws began to glow pink, and when she opened her hands again, there was one large, portion of the Shikon no Tama. Even Sesshoumaru took a breath. Kouga let out a low whistle. "That was something, indeed."
She put the shard into her bottle, and got up to give him a hug. He returned it, even though he saw the Lord of the West giving him a dirty look. He laughed. "So, when is breakfast?"
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Breakfast in the castle of the west was always a family affair. Kouga was shocked to see the two inuyoukai children at the table that addressed the Lord and Lady as mother and father. After closer examination, he determined them to be Rin and Shippou. He asked them how they came to be inuyoukai, and they both said that their mother had done it for them. Kouga was more and more impressed with Lady Kagome than he ever thought possible. Kouga made sure he was seated last so that he could sit next to Kagura. Kanna and Kohaku sat with the other children. The beauty of the wind youkai once again took Kouga aback. He complimented her on her daughter and her wise choice to leave Naraku, and Kagura told him that it was through the Lady of the West's magic that allowed her and Kanna and Kohaku to be free of Naraku. She kept stealing glances at Kouga the entire meal; he was very handsome, and he seemed quite taken by her. Kouga excused himself early, and asked Kagura to take a walk with him through the gardens.
Kagome and Sesshoumaru smiled at this. They thought the two would be a fine match. Both had a great fire in their spirit. They had also seen each one stealing glances at the other during the meal.
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Kagura guided Kouga through the gardens until they crossed a little bridge into a small pagoda, where they sat down close enough to touch, but tilted so they could look at each other.
"Kagura," Kouga began, "I have always admired your beauty and your powers before, but now, finding you have such a tender heart, and a determination to live a good life, I am astounded. I never thought you could be more beautiful to me, but you are."
Kagura blushed. "I am sorry for my past deeds against you, Lord Kouga."
Kouga laughed. "Please leave off the Lord. You will make me feel as stodgy as Sesshoumaru!"
While Kagura no longer felt that Lord Sesshoumaru was stodgy, she nodded her head. "Kouga, then, I would like to apologize for myself as well as for my daughter, Kanna."
"Kagura, I am a bit curious. Why do you call Kanna daughter? She is older than you, is she not?"
Kagura nodded. "When Lady Kagome gave Kanna a soul, she started crying because she remembered all those she had hurt, so the compassionate Lady Kagome left her with only pleasant memories. Those included Kohaku, freedom, and myself. When the child approached me, she gave me a hug, and asked if I was her mother. How could I refuse her?"
Kouga was shocked at how tenderhearted Kagura was. "You are indeed a great woman, Kagura." He progressed slowly. "How do you feel about wolves?"
"I love wolves, you are all so loyal, and social. I was born to be a youkai of the wind, but it gets lonely."
Kouga took Kagura's hands in his. "Would you return with me, see my pack, see if you can stand the wolves?"
Kagura blushed, but did not want to be misled. Her heart's return was too recent; she did not want it broken so soon. "Why do you want me to meet your pack?"
"If you like us, I would like to ask you to be my mate. You have fire, and you are compassionate. Those are good things to have in a mate. Do you want other children? Cubs of the wind and the wood would be powerful."
Kagura started crying, and threw her arms around Kouga. "Yes, I will accompany you, on one condition."
Kouga thought he knew what that was. "Yes, dear?"
"I must bring Kanna with me, and I would like to return here to see Lady Kagome and Lord Sesshoumaru's pups."
Kouga's eyes widened. "Pups!?"
Kagura smiled. "Could you not smell the life that has quickened inside of her?"
Kouga was so interested in the other changes that had happened to Kagome that he had not. He told Kagura this.
She laughed, but said in a serious tone, "The Lord, and most especially the Lady, have been so kind to us, I would do anything for them. If they need me to stay, I must, but otherwise, when do you want to leave?"
Kouga laughed, and hugged her again.
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A/N: Couldn't resist. Love Kouga, and am starting to love Kagura too. She deserves happiness!
