Chapter Twenty-Nine

Kagome looked at Parker, "Would you repeat that?" She didn't know what had gotten into him, she had to have heard him wrong. He wasn't going to pull 'your pregnant card' on her...but it seems like he really was.

"I think I should go back to the other village to gather our belongings and Bai's as well...alone..." He paused, his ears drooping a bit when he saw the cold look she was giving him. He just wanted to protect her.

"It can be dangerous now that you are with cubs..." He trailed off as Kagome took a deep breath in, but he continued talking not knowing he was digging his own grave, "You stay behind and see if there is another male that..."

Kagome cut him off there, "You want me to find another male while you are away because I am now pregnant?" She really didn't understand what was going through this man's head. Did he hit it on something when he was out hunting? Or are all men in this world stupid?

"Another mate would be good now that you are going to have cubs...someone to be here for you and them while I am out hunting or the other way around." Parker tried to reason with her. This kind of situation was normal in this world, but he knew that it wasn't for her. The two hadn't talked about her getting another mate...but now was the perfect time for that.

"If...and only if I decide to have another mate, it is my choice...and I wouldn't do it for protection. I would do it because I loved them and wanted them. I don't want to be with someone just for protection or because people think I should have more than one mate." Kagome told Parker. She only would mate for love, nothing else.

"I am done talking about this. I am disappointed that you would suggest such a thing..." Her voice lowered as she shook her head, "Why don't you go out and hunt for a while...I need time alone."

Kagome turned her back and went over to where the herbs were sitting to be divided so she could hang some of them up to dry. She ignored Parker as he said something to her, her mind going a mile a minute at the words he said.

She kept her gaze on what she was doing but she could hear a sigh and then the door closing. Kagome took a deep breath, setting the herb buddle down and looked at the door with sad eyes. She knew that he meant well, but it still hurt a bit. She would talk to him more later after she had cooled off, thinking of a better way to explain her feelings when she had a clear head.

Time must have gotten away from her because she heard a firm knock on the door, and quickly made to answer the door. Standing there with a few items of fabric was Shuu. He looked a bit uncomfortable but gave her a small smile in greeting.

"Good morning." Shuu greeted as he smiled down at the female before him.

Kagome gave a smile in return, "Let me grab a few things and I will come out and we can talk as I repair your things. Just give me a minute?" She saw Shuu nod and move away from the front door, standing off to the side and waiting for her.

Kagome went and found her small bone needle as well as leather cords she was going to use. She had plenty of them from stocking up on them. She was glad she did. She made her way back outside.

"Now let's get those fixed up." Kagome smiled as she moved to the grass area and sat down, setting the leather and needle down, holding her hands out so Shuu would give her the items of clothing.

Shuu handed her the clothes and moved a few feet away so there was room between the two before sitting down as well, his eyes following her every movement.

Kagome opened the clothing and saw what needed to be fixed, it wasn't that bad and wouldn't take too long to be done, "They aren't that bad. It shouldn't take too long to fix them."

Shuu nodded, his ears twitching a bit as he watched her work. He hadn't had anyone mend his clothing since he was a pup, and having someone he liked doing it made his heart beat faster. He hadn't found any females where he felt drawn too, sure there had been offers before...but he never took them.

He wanted someone that wasn't selfish and vain like a lot of the females he had encountered. Shuu knew that would be a hard thing to find and almost gave up until he saw Kagome standing on the branch with the sun hitting the gold pieces of her outfit. She had taken his breath away and walked away with his heart after the brief conversation they had.

He had been so stunned he hadn't been able to talk much to her, but now he could learn more about her as they sat here. He hoped that she would get to know him and want him as a mate. Shuu would have to think of good ways to court her.

"Thank you again for fixing them. I could have done it but sewing is not my strong suit." Shuu spoke up, as he watched Kagome make quick work on fixing the worn clothing.

Kagome gave a hum, "It isn't a problem you did help me carry a bunch of things home. I appreciate it. My hands had started to go numb from them." She lagged seeing the look on his face when she said that.

"I could have made it home, but it would have taken me a lot longer without the help.."She grinned seeing the blush come to the wolf's face. He was sweet, he wasn't as pushy as the other males seemed to be, but he still held himself like a warrior.

"Was your mate not around to help?" Shuu inquired as he tried to get information on who her mate could be. He was curious if he had been acquainted with them or not.

"Yes, he would have but I had gotten done shopping with his mother early and decided to go home on my own. He would have helped if he had been around." Kagome said, finishing the first article of clothing and going on to the second.

Shuu eyes dimmed a bit at the mention of her mate, he knew he existed but to see her light up at the mere mention of him... he hoped that one day she would feel the same for him.

Sensing his drop in mood Kagome arched an eyebrow at him, it was easy to see he was more emotional then the rest of the males she had met. It was a bit refreshing compared to the other males that had begun approaching her.

"So, how has your day been so far?" She would try to steer the conversation back into neutral territory, no point talking about her in-laws to someone who didn't know them.

Shuu blinked, a light flush on his cheeks, she wanted to know about him, how his day had been going! Most females never bothered to ask, always wanting to talk about themselves and what they wanted or did for the day.

"Ah. Well, I helped Bart hunt for Rosa, it seems she's with pups so he's excited. It's his first litter." He smiled recalling the proud smile Bart had on his lips as Rosa told everyone she was expecting.

Kagome giggled, pausing her work to clap her hands happily. "Oh! I'm so glad! When you see her again please tell her I'd love to chat with her once I get back." She picked up her project and began to sew again, missing the flash of fear and panic on his face.

"Y-you're going somewhere?" He swallowed thickly, trying to calm his beating heart.

Kagome nodded, her mind preoccupied with making a list of questions to ask Rosa once they returned, it would be nice to have someone who had bared leopard cubs before. Sure, she was a very accomplished midwife...for humans... Yes, she had helped bare hanyou and demons alike but they were not beasts...she was worried and she knew having someone to talk with about it would put her at ease.

Feeling Shuu shift made her blink out of her thoughts, a light flush dusting her cheeks at being caught daydreaming. "Ah, yes. My mate and I are going back to our old village to gather the last few of our things. We're also grabbing a friend's things for them. We want to get back before the rainy season hits, but we still have a day or two more of preparation so I won't really be free until after we get back."

Shuu nodded, wondering why her mate would allow her to follow him on such a hard journey yet it wasn't his place to say anything. Didn't Bart tend to carry around Rosa? Having never had a mate he could assume that it was the need to be close to their mate that made them always want to touch and be around them and he couldn't wait for the day that he would be able to do so.

Even so, the thought of her being gone for so long made his heart ache, he shoved it down and instead decided to focus on the here and now and the fact that he was sitting with his chosen female and they were just enjoying each other's company. They easily fell into a conversation hopping from topic to topic, it was so very easy to just be with her.

He hoped there would one day be a day when this would be his normal everyday life.