Chapter 11

Clarity

This was more perfect than he could ever imagine.

All morning, Miroku had been trying to figure out how he could best introduce Sango to his affections but, judging by how she was constantly rebuffing his flirtations, it was obvious he was being far too subtle. However, the ideal scene by the lake was perfect.

Lady Kagome had left the clearing and the ookami males were currently splashing about in the water, looking for food. Even the kit was out of sight!

Taking a deep breath, Miroku turned to give the focus of his affections the most charming smile he could manage. Unfortunately, he found the spot she had been previously occupying completely empty.

Blinking in confusion, the hoshi tried zipped his gaze one way then the other. Where had she gone?

What he saw had his mouth suddenly run dry!

Barely a handful of feet away from him, the back of Sango's kimono started to slowly drop down her back, causing a lump to lodge itself in the stunned hoshi's throat. Apparently, Sango had caught his hints better than he thought.

However, before Miroku had the chance to try and spot a more private area to proceed, he spotted the tight under-armor she always wore, just in case.

Turning her head to throw a grin over her shoulder, Sango tied the base of her kimono about her waist.

"Thought I'd show those two how we humans catch fish," she said with a wink, causing a strange warmth to spread across Miroku's face. "Just rest here and I'll be back in a bit."

The smile Sango gave was staggering to the hoshi. So much so, he forgot to tell her he was perfectly capable of catching his own fish. However, the sight of her walking calmly into the cool water and bending over once it nearly reached her knees to dangle her open hands in the lake caused all thought to immediately leave his head.

Sunlight danced across the lake's surface, framing her lithe form in light. Grace and strength showed in every stretch of lean muscle and the gentle slope of her shapely hips ending in the curve of her smooth neck. Water dimpled and lapped against her calves and winked in shining dots in her bound hair.

Swallowing low, Miroku propped himself back on a palm in the young grass, enjoying the view. Perhaps there was an advantage to her believing him more fragile than he was.

The soft padding of footsteps went unnoticed by the young hoshi as he smiled indulgently. However, when the young miko he had lived with through the winter sat beside him with all the precision of meditation, he couldn't help but glance towards her in confusion.

Something was wrong.

Steady, amethyst eyes shifted with a sharp observance as they took in the subdued slump in Kagome's shoulders. This was possibly a problem.

"Is everything alright?" Miroku asked, cocking a dark brow.

The smile the priestess gave was undoubtedly meant to reassure. However, the over-brightness of it only caused Miroku's defenses to rise in preparation.

"Everything's fine," Kagome replied glibly.

Miroku sighed to himself. Kagome wouldn't unburden herself easily and normally Miroku was willing to let her sort through her problems on her own. However, the gem currently hidden in a small pouch around her neck changed everything. The Shikon jewel fed off of dark feelings, both yokai and human.

"Lady Kagome, I understand you wish the privacy of your own thoughts," he tried calmly. "But, please do remember the burden you carry and what it means."

At first, Miroku wondered if he had baited a bear best left alone with how Kagome visibly bristled beside him. However, she then quickly shook her head in acceptance, fingering the pouch resting peacefully under her haori.

"It's…. complicated," she replied. "But, completely understandable. And, I don't know how to fix it."

Miroku didn't need to think too hard to know the young priestess was dealing with troubles from the ookami. You had to be blind to not notice how the hunter, Ginta, avoided her like the plague. Apparently, whatever the problem was, it had come out.

"Is it….a danger to you?" Miroku asked carefully. "Or to any of the others?"

"No," Kagome quickly defended. "No, it's nothing like that. It's….personal."

The admission caused Miroku to sit up straighter at attention. This was unexpected.

"Does this mean your heart isn't engaged with the Alpha, after all?" he asked.

The look of strangled horror on Kagome's face answered for him.

Before she had a chance to bite his head off, Miroku quickly raised his hand to stave her off.

"Forgive me," he replied. "I misunderstood."

Thankfully, Kagome seemed inclined to accept the apology. Miroku was grateful for that but the lack of fight in her had him concerned. She almost appeared….defeated.

"While I don't know what the problem is," he replied carefully. "It is possible this is something that you can't fix. Or, more simply, doesn't need fixing."

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked quickly.

"Some things just need time," Miroku answered with a slight shrug. "If he was willing to tell you what was wrong, perhaps he'll be willing to let the problem settle within him. In the meantime, be patient and focus on what needs to be done."

Miroku supposed the advice did sound a bit cavalier but, frankly, if Kagome clouded her mind with worries and doubt, it would cause the evil within the Jewel to thrive. She needed to be kept centered, focused.

Otherwise, who knew what they could be dealing with?

SSS

Kagome wasn't sure if she agreed with Miroku. The hurt of Ginta's admission still struck her hard in her heart. She was possibly losing a good friend, afterall. But, there was a point in the hoshi's wisdom. She couldn't dwell on pain, now.

Besides, there was no magic thing that would just appear and fix everything. And, she certainly didn't want to cause trouble between the hunter and his Alpha. That would be selfish.

She just needed to stay focused on what was important, and hope Ginta would be alright.

A sudden yell and the chaotic splashing of water snapped Kagome from her thoughts and caused her to look across the lake to the two figures apparently struggling with something in the water.

"What in the—"

Rising to her feet, Kagome strode towards the water's edge to spy the two figures were Koga and Hakkaku wrestling with something between them as they tried to grapple with it to shore.

Sango, however, wasn't having the same problem. She was still bent over in the calmer shallow water, throwing a frustrated glare towards the two ookami making waves in their tussling.

If it wasn't for the fact Kagome had no idea what was going on, she'd probably laugh at the absurdity of the whole scenario. But, they'd been taken by surprise before and she didn't want that to be the case again.

When Koga managed to get a foot onto the grassy shore of the lake, Kagome quickly rushed over to see if she could be of any help. However, no sooner had she made it to his side, when a large wet tail-fin suddenly reared back and smacked sharply against Koga's leg, causing him to completely lose balance.

Everything happened all at once. It was so quick, Kagome barely had the time to register the rebellious fish stuck between the two hunters was diving back towards the water before Koga's calloused hand suddenly wrapped about her arm, blindly.

It was most-likely him trying to save his balance but, unfortunately, Kagome was neither prepared nor stable enough to do any good. The end result was Kagome at the bottom of a pile of ookami, soaking wet with cold lake-water.

Blinking up in stunned surprise, Kagome tried to grasp how this had happened when the weight on top of her shifted and she was staring right into bright blue eyes.

Apparently, the tumble had taken Koga by surprise as well because he was blinking in bewilderment, as if trying to understand his current position. Which was right smack dab right on top of her.

The realization must have hit them both at the same time because, while Kagome could feel her face warming in mild embarrassment, she also spotted a slight blushing across Koga's nose. However, Kagome also noticed Koga didn't move to get off her. And, she didn't feel inclined to make him.

In fact, the warm weight over her had her shivering in enjoyment. Or, was that the cold water? It was hard to tell. Still, she couldn't help but give a shy smile up at Koga's pleased expression.

Unfortunately, it wasn't just them in this situation.

Frantic sputtering and thrashing legs and arms on either side of the two had Koga and Kagome immediately turn with a surprised yelp, bringing Kagome on top and Koga covered nearly head to toe in the cold water.

Gaze zipping to the side, Kagome watched as a sopping wet Hakkaku stumbled to the shore, swallowing mouthful after mouthful of air. Apparently, the poor hunter had landed at the very bottom of the pile and been stuck under-water. And, neither Kagome nor Koga had even noticed.

A sudden shifting under her had Kagome looking quickly down to see Koga sprawled out under her, chest vibrating with barely contained laughter. When her eyes locked on his own, the merriment at their situation obvious in his blue eyes, Kagome couldn't help but snort in amusement as well.

She had no doubt they had to look absolutely ridiculous.

As if her reaction was all the permission he needed, Koga's hidden chuckle suddenly rose into a full-out laugh, rich tone dancing through the air and causing Kagome to stare in warm awe at the ease in it. Unable to resist, she joined in his humor and felt the tension tightening in her shoulders to loosen and drift away on the wind.

Koga's pleased smile caused her face to warm again before he sat himself up and lifted Kagome to set her on the grass beside him.

"Guess I needed a bath, anyway," he said in mild amusement, eyes heating as they stayed locked with Kagome's.

Kagome swallowed in nervous pleasure before flicking a dripping lock over her shoulder.

"You definitely will now," she replied lightly. "This isn't a river or a spring, after all."

"Guess I'll have to keep an eye out for one, now," Koga offered, a knowing grin spreading in wicked enjoyment. "I seem to recall liking the last time I caught my woman in a spring."

Embarrassed horror turned Kagome's face bright red. Shame on him! He knows that was also the last time she'd ended up under him and he was teasing her with it. However,….

"If I recall, that was in the Northern den," she responded with a lofty gleam in her brown eyes. "And, you ran away."

"I had to hunt," Koga countered. "Came back a hero and claimed you as my reward."

Kagome cocked a dark brow. "That's how you remember it?" she teased, drily.

"That's how I always will," Koga whispered low, brushing his nose across her own.

"And, besides," he continued softly. "You screamed. I had to save my ears somehow."

Before Kagome had a chance to scold Koga for his merciless teasing, the sudden pale face of a fish dangling in the air was shoved in her face.

"Ha!" Sango cheered, holding about three fish between both her hands mid-air. "Looks like the human way of fishing will feed us this time."

Kagome didn't know what to say to her friend's beaming face. But, the low growling of frustration from Koga had her covering her mouth to smother the giggle bubbling up her throat.

Looked like it was time to eat. Yes, focus was definitely needed.

SSS

The distant buzzing was barely discernable on the whipping wind outside his room.

Naraku resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he extended the arm more of his winged minions were currently reattaching to his shoulder.

He supposed to was about time the spy he sent out returned. Though, he had to admit, it was sooner than he initially expected. Either way, whatever the insect had to show him, it had to be worth it.

Lifting the other repaired arm, Naraku barely cracked the nearby window beside him moments before the lone saimyosho zipped into the mostly bare room. Provided you didn't count the sweeping insect nest that spread through the abandoned castle he'd taken as his own years ago.

It was the perfect place to hide, to wait and observe. Like an owl in a tree, waiting on its prey to run by. In the meantime, he just needed to let his body return to what it once was. If these damned insects would just work a little faster.

"Well?" he asked impatiently as the insect perched itself by his ear.

The constant clicking and rushed clattering was practically indiscernible to the human ear. Luckily, Naraku was no such thing. The near whirring was enough to bring an intrigued smile to his perfectly restored face.

"So, she's going back," he mused with a dark chuckle. "Interesting."

He then immediately picked up the little spy and lighted him back towards the window.

"I have a message for you to give," he replied with a smirk. "And, be sure to tell her this will very much be worth her while."