Chapter 14

Dangerous Game

Koga rubbed his brow as he listened to the kitsune yammer on for what had to be the third time in the last handful of minutes. By the Ancestors, the kid could talk.

"And, if we don't do something quick—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Koga snarled as he stood, his tail lashing back and forth in agitation behind him. "I heard you the first times."

"Well, then…." the kit stammered, seeming to suddenly find his current footing. "What do we do about it?"

"We don't do anything," Koga countered, flashing bright blue eyes in warning at the little kitsune. "If you saw the hunter go to the North, the damage is already done."

"But, but, but….."

Koga fought the urge to sigh as he looked down at the fidgeting kit. Shipo looked so frustrated and flushed, Koga couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for the little guy. It wasn't his fault one of the tribe had betrayed his Alpha, afterall. Still, the sting of that wound was almost as painful as the remnant pulsing in his chest.

Did this mean there were others who doubted him? Who would abandon him? The possibility was enough to set Koga's teeth on edge.

"And, after you went through all the trouble to honor the sneaking bastard," Hakkaku muttered, shaking his head. "We could have just as easily left him out in the snow to freeze and they wouldn't have been any wiser."

"Are we still returning Taro's bones to the Northern tribe?" asked Ayumu, who was gradually starting to become more and more necessary to Koga's mind.

A part of him was even wondering if the pup was capable of one day taking Ginta's place in the pack. But, that was another problem for another time.

"Of course, we are," Koga stated with a chuff. "There's no point in hiding it. Our Northern brothers will be demanding his bones soon. I can guarantee it!"

The room was so quiet, you could hear a pup pant as Koga waited for the others to fully grasp what this could mean. There was no denying, the hunter wasn't looking out for them, even if the coward believed he was protecting the rest of the pack. No, this was as good as an assassination attempt. The Northern tribe would deem Koga unworthy and decide to "fix" the problem. And, in the aftermath of that well-intentioned help, who was to say the Eastern Tribe would still be there?

This traitor didn't just put Koga at risk, but the whole pack was at stake!

"How long ago was this?" Koga asked, snapping Shipo from whatever horrors that seemed to occupy his young mind. "When did you see this?"

"Maybe half a day," Shipo replied guiltily.

Koga nodded. "Then, they know. The Council won't wait to hear what he has to say. And, they're no-doubt already scheming on how to use this to their advantage."

"So, we've lost?" Ayumu asked, ears drooping slightly.

"We've lost the element of surprise," Koga countered. "They will make the first move….and we will let them."

"What?" Hakkaku demanded. "Why?"

"Because they think they're so clever," Koga huffed as he crossed his arms. "They think they will be able to use our secret to gain the upper-hand and take us by surprise."

"But, we know," Ayumu replied.

"Yes," Koga agreed, "we do."

"Forewarned is forearmed," Shipo gasped as realization brightened his green gaze. "We can prepare for it."

Koga grunted in agreement.

"So, we play dumb," Hakkaku added.

"Shouldn't be too hard for you, eh?" Ayumu jeered with a smirk, causing Hakkaku's face to turn bright red.

"Up yours!" the beta snapped, taking a half-hearted swing at the laughing scout.

"So, we just sit and wait?" Shipo asked, eyes locked on Koga in curious concentration.

Koga nodded. "Until they come to us. We wait for their move then we can make our own."

"Well, that's well and good but—"

"You heard your Alpha's word," Jiro declared from the cave's entrance, cutting Ayumu off. "That's all you need. All any of us need."

Koga stiffened as he prepared for whatever rant the old wolf planned to rain on him. Jiro had never believed in pulling his punches and this…..this was bound to be worth a damned-good one.

"Go find something else to do," Koga ordered, sending a warning look towards the others before they scampered off.

Truth be told, Koga expected the old hunter to not pass up the chance of an audience but, thankfully, Jiro didn't stop them. In fact, he kept his gaze locked on Koga like he almost wanted to dare his Alpha to walk away from him.

Koga wasn't going anywhere.

"Well?" he asked once everything was calm. "Got something to say?"

Jiro scratched his nose and sniffed. "Yeah," he answered before turning on his foot and walking out. "Follow me."

There were many paths that could have taken but….honestly, Koga wasn't expecting that. Alright, if the old man wants to play the mentor, then that was fine with him.

Taking a deep breath, Koga fell in step behind the old hunter.

SSS

This was a bad idea. This was a really, really, REALLY bad idea.

Kagome knew this. She just knew it was. But, unfortunately, there was also no-other way to silence the questions in her head; the wondering, the worrying, it had been driving her crazy all day.

That was why she was currently pacing outside Miroku's room, trying to work up even the smallest bit of courage to actually go inside.

This was a bad idea…..but one she had to do.

Gripping the frame of the door, she carefully slid it open as she slipped into the dark room. Everything was quiet and still, nothing but darkness all around her.

That is….nothing but the quiet steady breathing coming from the pallet against the back of the room.

Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat as she tried to steady her pounding heart. She could do this. She could do this. She could…..

A sudden hitch in Miroku's breathing caused Kagome to snatch her hand away with a sudden freezing terror.

This….. was a really bad idea.

As quick as she could, Kagome spun on her heel and was back out the door before she had the chance to blink. This…. was going to be harder than she thought.