A/N- hello all my faithful readers I am so sorry for the late update my mother board on my pc fried out on me and I just got it back today .. So to make up for lost time I will be posting 5 chapters for you all as always enjoy =)
Dawn reached the village of Edo much like it did every day for the villagers. They woke and began to mill around the village some heading to the fields for the day, others changing spots with the night watch to protect the village.
In a hut by the tree line two daiyoukai stirred to wakefulness, they both took a moment to stretch out their stiff muscles than began to check over their pack. All the rest of the pack still lay sleeping and the Dais were sure they would remain so for some time yet. The energy taken for the marking the night before was rough on the dais much less what their new pack had gone through.
Toga met Aoihi's eyes "Go and hunt I will stay with the pack till you are back."
As much as Aoihi didn't want to be bossed around when it came down to it he knew he wasn't as strong as Toga and that technically made him second alpha rather than first. Aoihi nodded back at Toga and disentangled himself from his pups, a warm smile spread on his face as he heard them whimper at the loss of his heat. He watched as they snuggled closer in to each other as he stood and made his way to the door.
Toga knew he was being slightly unfair to the other Dai but at the same time he couldn't help it. Aoihi's bond to the pack as a whole was stronger than Toga's was, and he needed this time to bring them closer to him as well. As pack it would be a huge comfort to them to wake and find him there to greet them. It was a minor step Toga knew but it was still a step. He was sure his bond to his new female pup was stronger than Aoihi's but he needed the bond with the other two pups as well as Kagome to become stronger.
He sat up and rested his chin on one hand observing his new pack. While it was an odd ball pack it didn't make the instincts connected to them any less. Toga was really looking forward to his new pack and raising the pups he knew he did a bad job with the first two pups he had. He counted himself lucky that the kami had granted him a second chance at a pack. It's not that he couldn't fix his old pack he was sure he could but it would take a lot of time to bring his two older pups back to his side. He smiled to himself time was something he now had plenty of. Toga watched as the pack slowly began to stir.
Kohaku was the first to allow his eyes to flutter open. He felt so warm and comfortable he tried to fight his waking body. Toga let a chuckle out as he watched the boy try to fight his body from wakening it was cute to watch. Toga wondered if his blood pups had ever felt the desire not to wake when comforted by pack.
The chuckle of Toga brought Kohaku fully awake and he blinked over at the inu dai. A small smile was on his lips as he greeted one of his alphas. "Good morning Toga." he said in a soft voice so as not to wake the rest of the pack.
Toga smiled back at the sleepy pup "Good morning pup."
Kohaku felt warmth engulf him at the dai's words it was a comfort to know that this powerful youki saw him as his own pup. Kohaku slowly wiggled his way out of the blankets and the grip of both Shippo and Kagome. He watched as they quickly curled around each other as he left his spot and giggled at their unconscious antics.
Kohaku made his way around the bedding to Toga and kneeled beside him. Slowly as not to draw to much attention he leaned in and nuzzled under Toga's chin in greeting. Toga's smile only widened at the pup's behavior as he turned his head and brushed his cheek to the pups.
Sitting back on his heals Kohaku asked "Where is Aoihi this morning?"
Toga's smiled never dimmed "He is out hunting for breakfast, would you please start the fire in the other room so it is ready when he returns." Kohaku nodded he liked to feel useful and he had a feeling Toga was quick to pick up on that notion. Kohoku left the sleeping room and quickly went about setting the fire up.
Not long after Kohaku left the room the next little pack mate began to wake. Rin woke quickly not fighting her body as Kohaku had tried she sat right up. A beaming smile greeted Toga and he noticed as he looked her over that her once dark chocolate eyes now had light amber streaks in them. It baffled him for a moment the only way that could be is if she had youki blood in her veins the marking would have made the blood active.
Pushing his thoughts off for later thought he smiled at the freshly woken pup. "Good morning little one how are you feeling?" he asked in a caring tone.
Rin jumped up and hugged Toga tightly around the neck "Good morning Toga-sama" she said as she nuzzled his chin.
Toga once more brushed his cheek to the pups as she made herself comfortable in his lap. "Did you notice your marks?" he asked looking at her wrists and ankles.
Rin quickly looked down and squealed in delight at the sight that greeted her. She beamed back at Toga "Wow they are so pretty is it only my wrist and ankles that have marks?"
Toga chuckled at her excitement "Well I don't know little one why don't you go to the other sleeping room and find out." he suggested with a smirk. And just like that the little ball of energy bounced off his lap and ran off to the other room.
The squeal that Rin had let out jostled Shippo from his sleep. He blinked his eyes several times to clear the blur that seemed to be there. As his eyes came in to focus he saw his mother's sleeping face close to his. He inhaled greedily taking in her scent he noticed that he seemed to smell all the little undertones that he had never noticed before. A slight frown marred his face he didn't remember much of the marking only the pain and then the darkness.
He looked up from his mother's face to see Toga sitting just beside her. "Good morning Toga" he said.
Toga's smile softened at the confused look on the kits face he was going to need to explain what happen to him. "Good morning my kit how do you feel today."
Shippo got a thoughtful look on his face really he felt fine. "I'm ok I think." Shippo stated in a confused voice, "What happen I don't really remember much but the pain of the marking." he asked.
Toga patted the spot next to him "Come kit I'll explain what happen."
Shippo gently disentangled himself from his mother all the while a small smile on his face. He made his way to Toga and sat down next to him after greeting him the same way the other pups had. Toga turned to his new kit his eyes soft much like his tone "When I marked you my youki forced yours to mature at an accelerated rate. When your father passed, you were neglected the youki you needed to grow at a normal rate." he paused to see if the kit would have any questions for him.
At seeing no questions in the boy's eyes he continued "With our bond your youki is now at the proper level it would be for a kit your age, this would have accord at a slower rate without my marking you as pack."
Shippo nodded slowly to what was now his other alpha, though it was odd to have two alphas in a pack Shippo didn't seem to be bothered by it at all. "So what you're saying is that I'm where I should have been to begin with right?" he asked still slightly confused.
Toga once more smiled at the kit he really was a sharp boy "Yes that is precisely right."
Shippo again nodded and looked around the room "Where is everyone?" he looked back to Toga.
"Your father is out hunting, Kohaku is in the other room getting the fire started and dear little Rin is in the other sleeping room looking at her marks." he said with a pride in his voice. Shippo didn't miss the pride in the inu's voice it seem he really care for his new pack.
Shippo looked to his mother once more "Is she ok is it normal for her to still be sleeping?" he asked the concern evident in his voice and in his eyes.
Toga patted the kit in a comforting manner on the back "She is simply tired the marking of an alpha female can take a lot out of the person being marked, and she is human to some degree. So yes my kit it is normal."
Shippo was slightly shocked that Toga had called him his kit but it quickly passed as it somehow felt very normal to him. He smiled at Toga and once more nuzzled under his chin "I'm going to see if Kaede would like to join us for breakfast will you let mother know where I have gone so she doesn't worry?" he asked.
Toga nodded and squeezed Shippo's shoulder once as the kit stood to make his way out the door. Shortly after the kit left Toga noticed his last pack mate begin to stir. A part of him was almost nervous about her waking he was hopeful that she would greet him as warmly as she did Aoihi.
Kagome slowly came aware of the world around her, she stretched her arms far above her head working out the slight kink she had in her back. As her eyes fluttered open she was greeted by silver hair and golden eyes. A small blush made it to her cheeks as she recalled the marking the night before. She couldn't believe she had rubbed her cheek on his thigh she could only imagine what he thought of her now.
Smiling softly at him she said "Morning". Her smile was retuned by the dai and he slowly leaned down to nuzzle her neck just under her ear. Kagome's breath caught in her throat for a brief second before she returned the gesture with a small lick under his ear.
Toga's heart fluttered at her greeting he sat back up right slowly watching as the blush on her cheeks darkened. "Good morning Kagome how are you feeling this morning?" he asked his voice slightly deeper than normal.
Kagome sat up bracing her weight on her arms behind her and beamed a smile at him "Fine, to be honest I feel like I have more energy than I normally do is that normal after a pack bond?" she asked slight concern in her voice.
Toga chuckled at her "Perfectly normal dear." .
Toga explained to her where everyone was, and they had idle chit chat till they were interrupted by a very excited little girl. Rin had ran in to the room and jumped on her mother when she heard her voice from the other room. Going on and on about her new marks and where she had them. Kagome smiled at her little girl the whole time rubbing calming circles on her back.
Kohaku soon made his presents known in the room as he came and hugged Kagome tightly. Kagome returned the hug with equal favor and began chatting with her pups as well as Toga. Shippo soon arrived back at the hut with Kaede in tow and greeted his mother as well. The group made their way to the main room of the hut still ideally chatting waiting for Aoihi to return with whatever would be for breakfast.
They didn't have to wait long as Aoihi walked in to the hut with several large fish and a few rabbits in his hands. He had cleaned them before returning and handed them off to Kohaku who quickly went about setting them over the fire to begin cooking.
Kagome had almost jumped up when Aoihi had walked in she waited till he had passed off the morning meal than jumped him with a big hug. Aoihi's throaty laugh filled the hut at her actions "Well good morning dear one." he said still chuckling at her.
Kagome blushed slightly but greeted him all the same. She lick under his ear ever so slightly and leaned back to smile at him. "Good morning Aoihi." she beamed.
Aoihi rubbed her back softly and sat her down walking with her back to her spot beside Toga. A smile firmly on his lips the whole time as his beast purred in his mind at how his new alpha female had greeted him.