Inquiring Minds

The rains had passed in the south, the storm drifting to the north with its dark clouds and howling winds, leaving behind the freshness of the newly sodden earth and the clean breezes that drifted through the damp of the forest to bring with it scents of life stirring in the aftermath. But it was on this sweet breeze that another scent was carried as well, only one that was dark and repulsive.

"Naraku."

Kouga would have known that scent anywhere, would know it for the rest of his life after what that monster had stolen from him. But he also knew that there was a softness to this scent; the scent of a woman, and he knew it could be no other than the wind witch who had been the hand of the filthy beast that had massacred his pack.

Leaving from his den so quickly that the others couldn't dream of keeping up, Kouga had set out to face the villain. He wrapped himself in the thrashing winds of his power, intending to intercept the wind witch before she could reach his home. As he closed in on her though, he began to detect another scent as well. At first he had thought that the witch had simply been in battle with the hanyou and gotten his scent on her, but a blazing flash of red descending from above him in the distance quickly ruled out that possibility.

Kouga brought himself to a stop, justifiably wary of the presence of both Inuyasha and Kagura.

"Yo, mutt-face" he called out to the hanyou. "What gives? You switch sides or somethin'?"

"Keh, like I was ever on your side, wolf-turd," Inuyasha growled as he landed in front of the wolf. He shrugged his shoulders impassively. "But apparently I'm supposed to come and give you a message."

Kouga's attention was ripped promptly from the hanyou as Naraku's wind witch lowered herself down to the ground near to him. "I don't listen to anything that associates with Naraku's spawn," he bit out heatedly.

Inuyasha followed the wolf's gaze to Kagura's landing behind him. "She's nothing," he told the wolf evenly, smirking at the wicked glare sent towards him by the witch. "Just Kagome's new pet."

"Watch yourself, hanyou." Kagura warned menacingly.

"Or what?" he challenged. "I don't think you're in any position to be threatening me. You know, I could always hand you over to Kouga as a bargaining chip for his pack's cooperation."

"Hold on just one minute!" Kouga was pissed. Here Naraku's filthy incarnation was standing right in front of him and no one was fighting, and Inuyasha was standing there bickering with the witch as though there was absolutely nothing weird, sick, or twisted with the very idea….which there so was…and the damned mutt hadn't even brought HIS woman to see him. "What are you doing here Baka-yasha? Last time I checked, neither me or my pack owed anything to you."

"Is your memory a little fuzzy there, flea-bag?" Inuyasha taunted. "I seem to recall hauling your scruffy ass out of Mt. Hakurei."

"Oh, please." Kouga crossed his arms over his chest stiffly. "I could have gotten out of that without your help. Besides, it was me that saved your hanyou, or should I say human, self from that witch you're hanging all over."

"Why you!" Inuyasha fumed. "You'll regret opening your big mouth, 'cause I'm gonna make sure you can never use it again!"

Both males tensed in ready anger, prepared to work off their aggravations on the other with an eagerness that sparked through the air in an unruly current. A stiff wind blew between them, swirling in angry vibrations and tossing a scattering of rain-heavy leaves to skirt through the clearing in which they stood.

Their eyes locked in hard determination, each waited for the other to make the first move.

"What is it with males and fighting?" Kagura's irritated voice sounded out as she stepped forward and positioned herself between the two. She leveled a cool, calculating gaze on the wolf to judge his reaction to her presence. She was not stupid, and was well aware of the danger the wolf presented her. But, seeing the confliction that seemed to settle on him, she smirked. "Now, if you really need to know whose is bigger, I suggest an unbiased judge." Her eyes shifted to land on the hanyou, a flicker of amusement shining in the fuchsia depths. "So, how's about it, puppy? I don't have all day."

"You're one sick, twisted, bitch," Inuyasha barked out in rebut.

Bringing her fan up to tap lightly against her jaw, Kagura reflected for a moment on the matter. "Well," she drawled out slowly. "Inquiring minds do want to know."

"You ain't gonna be living long enough to find out!"

Whipping around to face the rapidly approaching wolf, Kagura braced herself for the coming impact. But it was an impact that would never come.

The high keen of claws ripping across steel shrieked through the clearing, and as the dust settled, the wind witch was amazed find that it was Inuyasha who had stayed off the wolf's attack in her defense.

"What the fuck, mutt-face!" Kouga barked out angrily as he leapt back from the hanyou's blade and reset his stance. "So now you're protecting Naraku's filthy incarnates?"

"Feh, as if!" Inuyasha replied as he tracked the wolf's movements with both his eyes and the set of his body and blade. "I just don't wanna be listening to Kagome's whining if I come back and tell her her new pet met with a grizzly fate." Arrogantly lifting one hand from the hilt of his sword, Inuyasha brushed his hair back over his shoulder with a haughty toss. "You know her," he continued as he reset his stance against his opponent, "she'd probably make me dig some stupid grave or something and then cry over it for a week."

"Would you quit talking about me like I'm not here!" Kagura demanded angrily.

Shooting a scathing look at the wind witch over his shoulder, Inuyasha scowled. "Would you shut your face for just one minute! In case you haven't noticed, I'm kinda in the middle of something here!"

Using the hanyou's distraction to his advantage, Kouga took his opportunity to break past Inuyasha's defenses. In a hail of wind and speed, he shot forwards, landing a hard blow against the mutt's jaw just as he turned towards the attack. Inuyasha was thrown sprawling backwards, landing hard in the dirt at the feet of the wind witch.

Still tensed and ready, Kouga took a moment to check on the witch's position. He was shocked to find that she hadn't moved. She hadn't even reached for her weapon. She held her position, watching guardedly for his movements, but not taking any of her own. Something was way off with this situation, Kouga decided. Since when did Inuyasha give a flying fuck what happened to Kagura, let alone protect her? And where in the hell was his Kagome?

"You bastard." Inuyasha was lifting himself from the devastated ground he had crashed into. His movements were slow and jerky, his body still having not healed from its previous damage; but he would loose face now, not in front of that mangy wolf or the blasted witch that had managed to distract him from the fight. He brought himself to his feet. Though still slightly shaken, he lifted his blade and set his stance anew. "You fight like a girl," he taunted the wolf. "Can't even hit me when I'm facing you. What a coward. I don't know what Sesshomaru's thinking asking you to fight with us."

"I'll show you who's the coward!"

Angry, flustered, and just having had enough of the hanyou's taunts, Kouga threw all caution to the winds and lunged at the hanyou in a full blown attack. But before he could move within striking range, before the hanyou even had time to lift his blade in his own defense, Kouga's senses alerted him to a new threat. Bringing his attack to an abrupt halt, Kouga skidded to a stop just before the ground in his path erupted with a massive explosion. Dirt and debris flew high into the air, clouding the whole clearing with a dusty haze.

The seconds ticked past, and, slowly, a figure began to take shape through the screen of dust. Kouga found himself locked in the piercing golden stare of his opponent, only it was no longer Inuyasha he was facing. Standing before him now was a bird of gold and fire. His wings spread to their full glory and intimidating size, were pools of lava that were cut and shaped by the stark lines of shimmering gold. Even through the murky haze of the aftermath of his attack, the eagle's bright colors shone brilliantly.

"If you two pups are'sa done playin' around, I be t'inkin' it time to talk business."

The bird's rich voice filled the air, carried thickly across the clearing to reach the wolf's ears; a smooth baritone, uncut by the flow of his words even as they were manipulated to his heavy accent. But still his voice was one of command, one to be listened to. Kouga knew this. Everything about the strange bird spoke to him of status; from his rich, extravagant clothing to his easy, relaxed stance to his calm, measured words. This youkai was one of the courts, one of the high council.

Straightening himself from his aggressive stance, not willing to risk an action against the council even though he held the rights within his own lands, Kouga addressed the bird. "You are trespassing, bird. You enter the Dens of the South with no invitation and no welcome. Leave now before you regret crossing me."

"Patience, pup," Tagwin chided with a low chuckle. "It ain'ta me dat's gots a message fors ya. You be takin' heed of Yash's words. He comes wit' a message from the Western House."

"That mutt?" Kouga laughed loudly, his hands coming up to grip his sides in an attempt to contain his mirth as he swung his gaze over to Inuyasha. "You think you're something special don't you, mutt-face? What? Because you've got that big sword your daddy left you, you think you can just waltz into the youkai courts and swing your way into a chair? Shit me! That's the funniest thing I've heard in a century!"

"You want funny?" Inuyasha asked darkly as he stepped towards the laughing wolf, the blade of his sword lifted threateningly. "How's about I see how far I can ram my sword up your ass and then we'll talk funny."

His laughter dying on his lips, Kouga cocked his head slightly to regard the hanyou. "You can't be serious?" he finally managed to ask.

"What? Just because I'm hanyou, you think that I don't have a place in youkai society?"

Taken back by the hanyou's sudden seriousness, Kouga shook his head slightly to clear away his confusion. "It just isn't possible," he answered slowly as he worked his way through his tumbling thoughts. Inuyasha was serious, perhaps even more serious than he had ever seen him. Just what was he trying to pull in going against the council? What was the Western Lord thinking in allowing a hanyou into his service, even if it was his own brother? It just didn't make any sense. "The council forbids any action by those of impure blood. It's not like I really care or anything, but that's just the way things are. You can't go taking on the entire council, mutt-face. That's insanity!"

"Keh," the hanyou scoffed. "What? You scared or something? Afraid of biting off more than you can chew?"

"Me? Oh hell no! I ain't getting involved in this! You're on your own dog-boy!"

"On my own." Inuyasha laughed bitterly.

He had always been on his own, and for a long time he had thought that he always would be. It had been her that had changed that all for him, and if she was willing to give so much of herself to make him, a hanyou, an outcast, a disgrace and a monster, feel as though he had a home, feel as though he could be loved, that he was worth someone's love; then he would make sure that she would never be cast aside as he had been. Neither she nor her child would suffer in the ways he had suffered.

Stepping closer to Kouga, Inuyasha brought his steady golden gaze to lock onto the crystal indigo of the wolf's. "I don't care what happens to me. I'm going to fight for Kagome. It's her life that's on the line, hers and her child's. If we don't fight, they will kill her." Taking in a deep breath, Inuyasha squared his shoulders, standing tall and proud in front of the leader of the Southern wolf den. "Kouga, I have been sent by Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western House, to request the aid of the Southern dens in the upcoming war. Fight with us. Fight for Kagome. Fight for a new order and a new future."

Pausing to give to wolf a chance to reply, Inuyasha's right eye began to twitch in annoyance when the damn wolf just kept staring at him as though he had sprouted a second head. "Snap out of it!" he hollered, waving his hands in front of the wolf's dazed face. Kouga blinked and refocused, and Inuyasha sighed. "So," he pressed, "are you gonna fight, or what?"

"Her…her…child?" Kouga stammered in disbelief. "Kagome's pregnant? But…but…how?"

"Aren't you a little old to be needing lessons on the birds and the bees?" Kagura commented dryly from the sidelines.

"Aren't you just an evil bitch spawned from a half-man that likes pretending to be a demon?" Kouga snapped back angrily as he regained himself from his momentary shock. He wheeled back to face Inuyasha. "How the hell did you let this happen, Inu-baka?" he roared. "Kagome's my woman!"

Inuyasha waved dismissively, the wolf's claim over Kagome not irking him nearly as much now as it used to. "You're gonna have to take that one up with my old man, because it looks to me like he got to her first."

"Your what?" Kouga's face drew tight in confusion. "Isn't your father dead? Like…really dead? Like…before I was born kind of dead?"

"Don't ask me," Inuyasha replied with a slight shake of his head. "I've been trying to think about it as little as possible."

"Well, that shouldn't be too hard for you, hanyou."

Growling in aggravation, Inuyasha spun around to face Kagura. "I thought I told you to shut up!"

"And since when have I listened to you?" she replied defensively.

Inuyasha bristled, his hackles rising as he stepped towards the witch. "I've had about all I can take of your attitude, witch," he bit out through clenched teeth. "If you don't wanna listen, then maybe it's about time I put you in your place."

"Now, now, Yash, my boy." Tagwin stepped in before things could escalate beyond control. He rested a steadying arm around the hanyou's shoulders and steered him away from his path towards the wind witch. "Now ain't da time fors a lover's quarrel."

"Fuck you, you worthless pigeon!" Inuyasha roared in fury over the insinuation. He began thrashing wildly in the eagle's hold, finally breaking his way free from the others strong grip and finding the room to spin away. A low, angry growl was ripping deep in his throat as he stared down the smirking bird, but it was the roaring laughter of the wolf prince that was the last straw.

Wheeling on the wolf, in one swift motion his fist connected hard with the side of Kouga's face. But even the sight of the mangy wolf staggering backwards from the force of his blow wasn't enough to alleviate any of Inuyasha's anger or frustrations. With a string of profanities as his exiting remarks, he pushed himself off from the ground and took to the trees. He needed some time to himself, away from annoying squawking birds, worthless smelly wolves, and heartless evil witches who, apparently, weren't so heartless anymore and who even seemed capable of blushing when embarrassed…a blush that matched the soft pink of her eyes and which made her look…

Inuyasha shook his head furiously, trying frantically to rid himself of the image of the wind witch that had caught his eye the instant before he had left her company. "No fucking way!" he told himself sternly. There was just no way he would allow himself to think of the witch as anything but for a…a…a… "Well, shit." He couldn't figure out exactly what she was.

She had been his enemy, but only because Naraku had controlled her heart and forced her hand. But now, now she had a heart beating in her chest that was beyond Naraku's control, a heart born of the false body that gave Kikyo's sprit form and touched with the purity of Kagome's hand to give it life. But that still left the question: what was she?

A nuisance, he decided. That's what she was. A nuisance that he didn't need mudding up his life right now. He had enough problems to deal with. The last thing he needed was another female to make his life a living hell. He already had one that wanted to drag him there and one that was likely to get him sent there, he didn't need one to give him a live preview.

"Damn women," he cursed under his breath as he leapt to another tree branch. "They're gong to be the death of me."

But, even knowing his statement was likely the truth, Inuyasha couldn't seem to find the error in it. After all, his own father had given his life to save his mother and himself, and no matter what Inuyasha would say about his father, or what he wouldn't say, he had always thought that there was no greater love than to risk one's life for another.

Coming to a stop at the peak of a towering pine, Inuyasha took a moment to watch the reddening of the sky as the sun began its descent towards the horizon. The clods that had brought such a furious storm only hours before were now nothing but a memory being burned away by the setting sun. The storm had passed, he realized, and a new dawn was coming. The night, as always, would be dark and filled with shadows of sorrow and remorse, with pain and with suffering; but, he promised himself, he would fight to see the dawning of the new day.

And from where he stood, the dawn promised to be a bright one.

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Many apologies for taking so long to update. I'm afraid I've spoiled you all with my fast updating schedule, so no I feel bad when it takes more than a week to get another chapter out. Unfortunately, that's the way the cookie crumbles. I do have a life outside of fanfiction (not much of one, but hey, it's mine) so every once in a while even Shadows need a break.

So, until next time

Shadow