~Forest and Sky~
by Paw85
Ch 19 – Let the festivities begin!
"Whaddya mean, 'she's not here'!?" a dismayed Takeshi burst at Kouga!
"Exactly what I said: she's not here," the eastern alpha stated matter-of-factly, completely unfazed.
It was no mystery whether the western alpha would be bothered by Kagome's absence. Kouga would have been legitimately surprised if he wasn't bothered at least a little.
Ryuji rolled his eyes behind his leader and several other western pack members did the same. They had been regaled by tales of Takeshi's "Little Flower" many times over the last few moons. The pack were glad when he came back to lead as it stabilized everyone...but every day had a story about his "most amazing", "goddess-like" or "angelic" intended. Most of the stories got repeated on a seemingly endless loop. Some regarded their leader as having lost his mind. Others wondered if his precious "Little Flower" had worked some kind of magic spell on him or some other trickery. Many of the unmated females resented the human girl deeply. How a filthy human woman had caught their alpha's fancy when they could not, was infuriating. None of them had any chance at all at mating the most eligible bachelor in their pack with her in the picture! Others in the pack simply despised her due to her humanity and that she wouldn't be able to bear strong, full-blooded demon cubs to strengthen the pack. Somehow, Takeshi completely missed all of the negativity towards his adorable intended...well...almost his intended. Kagome had not accepted nor appreciated any of his advances and wanted to be friends first. Maybe he needed to court her as a human man would? He had hoped that this festive occasion could be a catalyst for their love story. If she didn't like the direct approach, he could try making her jealous by flirting with other females. Or they could watch the moon together at the height of the festival? He would howl for her into the night, loud and strong. Towards the end of the night, he would present her a gift that he had arranged before traveling to the east. Since it was winter, he was sure she could make good use of her own midnight black furry cape. She would be so impressed by him that she would come around for sure!...Except, no plan could work now with her being gone! He was sure Kouga did this to spite him!
"A single human milling around a few hundred wolves is a terrible idea," Kouga sighed.
Had this idiot really not run through the logistics of how much Kagome's safety was endangered by staying in the den during the festival? This is one of those times that Kouga seriously wondered how this guy got be a leader of anything or anyone.
"Nonsense! I would look after her, brother," Takeshi recovered after a few long seconds of silence, "she would be as safe as anyone could be at my side. No harm would possibly be able to come to her."
"Uh-huh...and how would you plan to do that with the other packs coming to join the festival?" Kouga cocked an eyebrow at him, "We may say we can control our men but this den is a big place with a lot of secret, dark spots that it would be all too easy to kill her. Not to mention the other half of the youkai coming here won't be under our direct control. They would have no reason at all to leave her alone."
Takeshi listened and nodded as Kouga went along. How could he have been so stupid? His Little Flower would be in great danger if she stayed here during the festival! If he or Kouga were to be at her side throughout all of the festivities, it would mean that they couldn't really enjoy anything and there was still the chance that somebody could get her alone and hurt her. It really was best to send her away until events concluded.
"Good thinking, brother," Takeshi flashed Kouga a fangy smile and a thumbs up, "I cannot have my Little Flower be at such risk."
'She's not your "Little Flower", dumbass,' both Kouga and beast growled under their breath.
It was bad enough that he was most likely in for some sleepless nights but he was probably going to have to listen to this asshole go on and on about her too wasn't he? What if he carried on about her in front of the other packs coming to visit? Kouga was almost 100% certain that Takeshi would do just that. What would they think of that? More importantly...what would they think of him for taking extra measures to keep a human slave safe?
'Focus!' he reminded himself, 'Focus. If they have a problem with it, I'll deal with it then.'
"Ginta! Hakkaku! Show our brothers and sisters to their quarters," Kouga called over his shoulder, "Come in and relax. The others will be here soon enough," he offered to Takeshi.
The western pack filed inside to find their temporary quarters for the duration of the festival.
Kouga patted himself on the back for sending Kagome away a week prior to the west's arrival. Her scent would have substantially dulled by then. The blizzard bought a few more days for evidence of her to dissipate. By this day, anyone would be hard pressed to scent her. And the more wolves arrived, the further buried her scent would get. The plan was coming together nicely. If Takeshi kept his big mouth shut, the other packs may go blissfully unaware a human lived here at all.
It was mid-afternoon when eastern scouts heralded the arrival of more guests. These wolves came clad in furs of reddish-brown, were lithe in build with lean muscle and wore lighter armor than the west or the east. They walked lightly on their feet with grace; barely making any noise. Most were armed with a bows, knives, fisticuffs or some combination of the three. Some additionally had light satchels for numerous odds and ends or small tomes. Their eyes were sharp and clear; able to read any situation at the drop of the hat for danger. Both men and women had their hair styled in elaborate designs with colorful cloth, beads and claws.
At the front strode a man with fair skin, long flowing white hair tied in a low ponytail and violet scrutinizing irises.
"Well met, gentlemen," a soft yet serious voice greeted the alphas.
"Iori! You made it!" Takeshi walked up heartily and slapped the newcomer on the back!
"Gasp! Cough! Easy on my robes, you oaf," Iori swatted him away, "have you no care for how delicate and expensive they are?"
The man known as Iori stood up straight again and dusted off his fine silk, cream kimono that depicted cranes and bamboo on it. He made sure to check over his solid charcoal grey hakama pants for wrinkles and sage green belt for filth. A simple head-wrap of forest green sat comfortably atop his white crown. Completing his outfit were a pair of fine leather black boots and a light chest plate adorned with the traditional burnt sienna fur of the south. A golden circlet glittered underneath his bangs and one single shimmering amethyst jewel, beads and small feather hung from the tie that fastened his hair.
"Welcome to my den, brothers and sisters of the south," Kouga offered his hand in greeting, which Iori clasped it in return.
"I had expected you to arrive later," Kouga continued.
"Yes, yes, a blizzard just blew through but one can always find a way to soldier on," Iori replied with his signature fake smile.
Kouga knew that calculating look. The southern alpha was always plotting something and that something often turned out to be nasty in the end. That scheming, sharp mind is how a smaller wolf like Iori, standing at a mere 5'8'' and decidedly lesser in brute strength than the other alphas, seized leadership in his tribe. He wasn't very strong but his wily ways and agility made him a formidable opponent in battle. Those same wily ways were always well-informed about the world. His tribe lived in some or the deepest forests of the south and were adept at information reconnaissance. Rumors said that his forces were stationed all over Japan, feeding him information. It was with use of this intel that he often won battles without lifting a finger via blackmail. He saw no reason to sully his hands in the gore and barbaric nature of war if he could simply conclude matters with the right information. A very dangerous man, indeed.
"I hope you have tea prepared," Iori walked past Kouga, "I could use a quiet respite."
The rest of his tribe followed just as quietly and gracefully as before.
"Heh, he hasn't changed at all," Takeshi watched the group go.
'Arrogant little prick...' Kouga thought with narrowed eyes, also watching them leave.
Kouga didn't like or get along with any of the alphas at all. Each was his own challenge to get along with. Takeshi was the simplest case being a bumbling idiot. All Kouga had to do was go along with whatever he had to say. Kouga was more careful of his words and actions whenever Iori was around. The twerp's discerning eye always managed to find the slightest thing amiss. Neither of them compared the alpha of the north though. That guy was a different story...
Kouga was sure that the northern tribe would arrive by sundown. A blizzard would not have stopped them in the least but they were the pack furthest from the eastern den. They probably marched through the blizzard since they were so used to living in harsh elements.
'They will be here soon enough and we'll be able to start this damn thing,' Kouga walked back to the den, scaled the cliffs easily and entered the dining cave through the icy cold waterfall.
As if right on cue, the northern wolves soldiered in when the sun dipped below the snowy horizon. They walked with power, purpose and weight, draped in immaculate white furs that put fresh fallen snow to shame. Members of the northern tribe were stockier in build than their brethren that lived in more temperate regions. Their skin had darkened and toughened from exposure to the elements. Men and women alike wore heavy, full chestplates with white shoulder pads of fur and matching kilts with fur lined boots. The snows were so harsh in the north that it demanded heavier dress and extra layers of furs. Some wore furry capes with a nasty club slung on the back. Others carried axes or some kind of claw weapon attached to their belts. If any pack was known for specializing in melee style fighting, it was the northern pack.
Stalking at the front was the largest alpha of the wolf youkai pack in its entirety. He stood a full foot taller than Kouga, body rippled with muscle underneath wind-burnt skin and a heavy chestplate worn from battle. Messy, dark brown hair crashed down his back covering some of a well used steel axe and coal black eyes sat underneath heavy, bushy eyebrows. A pair of bloody tiger claws were fastened to his thick leather belt at his waist underneath a snow white cape. His jaw was strong and his expression expressed nothing less than a scowl that could pierce through the most confident of men.
"Ah, Suou, welcome to the eastern den," Kouga extended his hand in greeting.
He made sure to wear his best steely expression. One of the most important parts of the Lunar Festival was making a statement of one's power and strength. Showing the slightest bit of weakness in front of a wolf like this would most likely end in a challenge. Kouga wanted to avoid any confrontation with Suou if possible. The eastern alpha was faster and more agile by far but fighting Suou was like trying to move a small mountain. It was immensely difficult to break his strong foundation and Kouga didn't like his chances in an all-out fight with him.
Suou grasped his extended hand tight inside his weathered grip and shook without so much as a word. Afterwards, he and his men continued onward to join everyone else in the dining cave. He was a unique case of an alpha in that receiving no verbal response was a good thing.
"Sheesh, still the overly talkative type," Takeshi hummed.
Kouga ignored him while he made for the dining cave.
"Uh-Oi! Don't just leave me here!" Takeshi jogged to catch up with him.
Freezing, pale moonlight bathed the eastern den that now had several roaring fires dotting its doorstep. With four packs of wolves, each at least 100 or so strong, the dining cave couldn't hold everyone. The various members milled about easily with each other. There were stories to tell, friendly squabbles to settle and passionate encounters to arrange. The packs got together like this only once a year so there was a lot to savor and share. There was a certain electricity in the air as mated and unmated wolves alike eagerly sought out an exotic beauty or handsome warrior. As much as the festival was a time of sharing, it was also a time of infidelity. Fights often broke throughout the event and afterwards. It was the thing the alphas dreaded most about the occasion. Most of the time, the mated or courting pairs only wanted to make a point but there would be the occasional dispute that was serious enough to warrant an alpha's intervention.
"Brothers and sisters!" Kouga's booming voice echoed off into the wintery night from the rocks in front of the gushing waterfall, "Now that we are all here, it is time to officially open this year's Lunar Festival!"
A chorus of raucous cheers erupted from the crowd!
"Eat, drink and relax! What's mine is yours, providing nobody tries to kill each other!" he added in hopes to have this headache of a celebration run smoothly.
Several snickered at the last comment about killing each other; even though it was said with all seriousness.
Kouga knew there was no way to totally guarantee against fights escalating that far but he at least put the idea out there. It would be a pain to have to deal with those. He would rather relax, drink himself into a stupor and get through this stupid thing.
Sleeping at night was starting to become an issue once again with Kagome's extended absence. Maybe with enough alcohol, he could get enough sleep to get through this.
Takeshi was unknowingly making Kouga's inner turmoil more difficult. The bastard simply wouldn't shut up about his "Little Flower". It really was too much to hope for that he would keep his damn mouth shut about her. Somehow, this fueled the desires of many women to get his attention and look their way. He was only too happy to enjoy their company and reciprocated their flirty gestures.
Kouga eyed their display from across the the fire, only mildly interested in the food. He and the other alphas traditionally shared a meal together on the first night of the festival as a show of respect and camaraderie. Suou was chomping heartily into the hind leg of a large stag. After a few bites, he would take a few swigs out of a large mug of saké and then returned to tearing into more meat. Iori sat on a silk seating cushion he had brought from home, calmly eating nicely sliced meat with a pair of chopsticks. Next to him was a delicate, porcelain tea cup with jasmine tea and a decorative, cast iron tea kettle with more tea when he desired another cup. Takeshi had a plate of food and plenty of drink but he was more interested in telling anyone who would listen about his beautiful intended.
The women now clung to him as if he were a hot commodity about to be lost.
'She probably wouldn't like that...' Kouga pondered as he watched them fawn over the alpha of the west.
Kagome struck him as naive enough to believe in one partner for life.
"Ugh, enough already!" Iori made his displeasure known, "Who is this 'Little Flower' that merits such praise?"
"Who is she? Why, she is the most beautiful angel that this world has ever seen!" Takeshi excitedly explained, "She has fought in wars, is strong, saved many with her healing skills and saved my life!"
"Oh? Is that so?," Iori arched a delicate brow in barely noticeable curiosity, "If she is so amazing, then, where is this paragon of demoness?" the southern alpha asked as he poured another cup of his favorite tea.
"Demoness? Oh, no, no, she's human," Takeshi finally took a drink out of his mug.
"What!?" all of the women chorused together in complete shock and utter dismay!
Iori was caught mid-swallow and struggled to get his tea down before coughing several times in similar surprise!
"Cough! Cough! W-What!? Did you just say that this girl is human!?" he gaped at Takeshi in alarm!
Suou had stopped eating and looked towards the western alpha with a mildly raised brow!
Kouga sat in his own surprise at seeing Iori's usual demeanor of bored superiority and Suou's cold indifference effectively shattered by Takeshi's last statement.
"Yeah," Takeshi answered simply with a nod and a smile.
Iori blinked at him a few times in disbelief before regaining composure.
"Hah-hah, alright, I admit it, you got me going for a moment," Iori poured a new cup of tea since his last cup spilled over the cave floor.
"I'm serious!" Takeshi insisted.
Iori took a sip from his cup before responding, "You wish to throw your lot in with a human female that can't give you strong, full-blood youkai heirs and will die before you know it? Did you take a blow to the head?"
Kouga barely managed to hold in a chortle. Iori's sharp tongue strikes again.
"No! I've just found someone really special is all," Takeshi replied, "Don't you worry, girls, there's still plenty of me to go around!" he smiled at the women around him.
Suou said nothing and resumed eating his meal.
"Hm, whatever," Iori shrugged off his words, "It's not my business whom you consort with."
"Kouga sent her away before the festival," Takeshi grumbled in annoyance.
"Ah, so this girl is your slave? The east has never taken slaves before. Why the change of heart?" Iori turned his sharp, violet gaze to the alpha of the east.
"Meh, she's somewhat intelligent and is good at seeing to my needs," Kouga shrugged his shoulders.
He hoped that would be enough to satisfy Iori's insufferable need to know everything.
"My! I didn't know you and Takeshi shared similar...tastes..." a saccharine smile played across Iori's lips.
"Not those kinds of needs..." Kouga responded flatly.
Just because Takeshi was into human women with flowing raven hair, creamy, soft skin, good skills in healing, smelled amazing and is fun to annoy didn't mean he had any liking for them!
"Humans can be good for grunt work; providing they have at least some semblance of a brain," Iori hummed, "and are a source of easy food when needed."
The southern pack had a long history of keeping human slaves. They were usually tasked with gathering various odds and ends in the forest, mending torn furs or cleaning for various purposes. Every once in awhile, a slave would go missing only to be found eaten by a member of the pack too lazy to hunt.
Kouga's eye drifted over to Takeshi and his cooing harem again. He thought again that Kagome wouldn't like that in mate. She probably wanted a strong, faithful provider that would give her children and grow old with her. Takeshi, if his feelings had any substance to them, would do at least some of that but he apparently wasn't faithful in nature and he wouldn't grow old for several more hundreds of years yet. She would die very soon and he would simply go on to his next choice. Would he cheat on her while she's alive? He could see her being crushed at the prospect and his beast began to growl in disapproval.
'Relax,' Kouga mentally waved him off, 'that won't happen because she doesn't like him anyway. Plus, she is determined to carry out her promise to serve us for life.'
When his beast wasn't showing signs of calming down, Kouga added, 'Remember whose bed she's sharing each night.'
That seemed to do the trick as the growling faded and hackles smoothed down again. The beast settled with a low sigh.
Kouga already knew what he was thinking: she does share their bed...but not tonight and not for some time yet. The thought allowed a similar sigh to pass his lips into the real world.
"Something on your mind?" Iori eyed him from over his tea.
"Oh, I have'ta decide which female to bed tonight and there's so many willing choices," Kouga feigned a sigh of resignation, "it's hard being popular."
Iori went back to his tea; seemingly bored by his answer.
It was no secret that that the eastern alpha was highly desired among the unmated females. All of the pack alphas had their pick of willing bitches. Suou simply dragged one off when he fancied it. Iori never seemed taken by any of the women and instead preferred to read. Takeshi usually had a harem that he entertained.
Kouga was a man of quality over quantity. His goal, aside from the obvious, was to make his partner scream in ecstasy all night long. This accomplished two things: it made other women jealous like nothing else and more drawn to him and, sometimes, that dragged females lusting after any other men towards him. It was an indirect cock-block and a direct shot to other males' egos. Not to mention it further embraced the fact of how powerful and virile he was.
Being a successful alpha was a delicate balance of timely demonstrations of various forms of power. For most of the year, Kouga assured his alpha position via successful battles, tactics and providing well for his people. During the Lunar Festival, he established his male superiority and gained favor with the women. Engaging in sparring matches and emerging victorious would also score points all around from his pack and others. He learned long ago about this power management from observing the previous eastern leader and made it work for him.
He could sense many heated gazes around him from wanting females. Some of the ones ogling Takeshi glanced at him every now and then. One or two seemed to be second guessing whom they wanted to spend a passionate rendezvous with. Females from the visiting packs had an unspoken war with the east's ladies.
The eastern women have been preparing for this occasion for many reasons. Some wanted to drink and laugh with company they haven't seen in a year. Others wanted to exchange crafts or stories. Many of them preened themselves to the very height of their natural beauty to catch their alpha's eye. He was the lofty, unobtainable prize that they all sought. They knew it was only during this festival that he considered looking for someone to rut with. Each one hoped not only to catch his attention but to coax him into marking them as his mate. Those lucky enough to sleep with him enjoyed bragging rights for weeks after the festival concluded. Despite their apparent good fortune in the past, they tried even harder the next year to see if they could entice him once more. Anytime his gaze wandered their way, they would arc their backs and tussle their hair that was adorned with ribbons and fangs.
Kouga had already seen them all during his scans of the room and found himself unimpressed. His beast merely snorted in boredom as he lay caged inside their shared mind-space.
What was wrong with him? Why did none of the bitches watching him with smoldering eyes instill any excitement? Was it because he had slept with most of them multiple times? There were some new, fresher faces that had recently entered into adulthood but they just weren't doing it for him either.
Instead, his mind wondered if Kagome made it through the blizzard okay. Did she pack enough furs to stay warm? Enough food? Did she find shelter? Where did she go afterward? How far away would she travel from his den? What if she had gotten kidnapped again? He would never know until it was too late...
Whine... his beast moaned quietly.
"Distracted again, are we?" Iori's unwanted opinion brought him back to the present.
"The choices can't be all that difficult. Just pick one and go with it," he added as he flipped through a small book.
"Meh, not feeling it," Kouga rose, suddenly wanting to go back to his room.
Before he could figure out any reason as to why, he was already out of the dining cave.
Discerning violet eyes and several pairs of disappointed female gazes followed his exit.
Something was up with Kouga and Iori was determined to find out what.
Kouga walked quickly into his room and made sure to lock the door behind him. Then, he stripped in seconds flat and made a beeline for his personal hot spring. He hopped in and broke the surface after several moments spent underwater. He waded over to the rocky bench at the rim of the pool and ran a hand over his face, growling in agitation.
What the fuck was wrong with him? This first night of the festival really hadn't gone according to plan. He just tipped off gods knew how many people with his odd behavior and disinterest. No doubt that prick, Iori, was already on to him. Being under his scrutiny was the last thing he needed. Why did he feel the unexpected urge to return to his room? There was nothing in here to do except try to futilely sleep!
He re-entered his room several minutes later, none the wiser to why he was here and not out there partying with the rest. The room was dark, still and cold. Was it always this way before Kagome? Maybe he was so focused on his goals that he never stopped to think about it. The darkness didn't affect his vision. He could see everything perfectly as if it were daytime down to the smallest pebble. The hearth had no fire. The bed was as he left it earlier today. Some bones were starting to pile up in one corner of the room. The space was big, empty and he couldn't explain why any of this registered as a bother.
He sat on her side of the bed, nude as water droplets ran down his masculine frame.
None of this made a lick of sense. There was an...emptiness...that filled his chest and made him feel...alone.
Wait...that was how he liked it wasn't it? He always preferred to be alone or have his wolf with him. Why was tonight any different? He could do whatever the hell he wanted when he wanted. He could walk around his room naked again if he felt like it. This time without her should feel freeing! This was his chance to get back to his wolf demon roots and feel like an indomitable, terrifying alpha again! Now was his long-awaited opportunity to further his plans of conquest, dominion and to become the most feared in all of Japan!
Maybe is was because he had spent the grand majority of his time over the past several moons worrying about Kagome. Having a human slave...servant...or...whatever, was a lot more time intensive than he ever thought it would be. In fact, he didn't expect her to last a month. At the start, he thought it would be a simple matter of telling everyone not to kill her, providing a safe place for her to sleep and then leave her to her own devices. In general, that is what happened but there was also the times she got hurt, sick or abducted. Human life seemed so fragile and uncertain that he couldn't just leave her completely alone. Even when he did manage to force himself to let her go alone to someplace, all he did was fret about her wellbeing. It distracted him from leading his people and, more importantly, from his grand plans of war and territory expansion.
Was it all worth it just so his pack had a dedicated healer? Those cubs of hers that follow her around may have learned enough by now to take over the post. There would be no more worrying about her welfare among his pack, Takeshi would probably forget about her eventually, especially if Kouga ensured she was off somewhere very, very, veeeeeeerrrryyy far away.
As he continued to work through the puzzle in his mind, images began to flood in about her. He could hear her bantering with him, being defiant, laughing brightly, doting on Hayate and her adopted cubs. Most of all, he relived that really odd feeling that she unknowingly brought him. Holding her close during these cold nights brought a sort of comfort he never knew existed until recently. It was warm, calm and seemed to make it easier to breath. He didn't have to have his guard up around her because she had no desire to unseat him from his place of power nor did she throw herself at him hoping to be his mate. She wielded holy power and yet she never used it on him once in all of the time she had been in his den. Somewhere deep down; he wanted those nights back. He couldn't put his finger on what this feeling was but...he wanted more of it.
The great alpha sighed in resignation as the realization hit: he had grown attached to her.
It could no longer be classified as a fondness. She had become too prominent in his life for that word to delude him any further about his connection to her. What was worse is that his beast was even more attached to her. The furball insisted that she stay at the den during the festival in their shared mind-space up until she disappeared into the snowy woods. Kouga still believed that it was best to have her away during this period but he underestimated how much of a struggle it was going to be for him. Hearing his inner wolf's lamenting sigh made things worse. How did a stubborn little brat like her get a powerful wolf demon like himself wrapped around her finger? Was there no hope of recovering his older self? How did he lose against her?
'No!' he looked up at the empty hearth, a fiery determination suddenly burst to light in his chest!
He couldn't let things go on like this. Everything he had worked so damn hard for would be all for naught! There was so much he wanted to accomplish and fear to spread! The great alpha of the east would not be taken down by one human girl!Not as long as he had anything to say about it!
There had to be a way out of this confusing mess. There just had to be some way to...to... detox his mind of her influence! "How" was the real question though. Did he not try hard enough to be 'normal' so far? Was that it?
Kouga cupped his chin in his hand as he sat on his decadent silk sheets. Could it be as simple as trying harder? It did take effort to get so wrapped up in her. Maybe it took similar effort to get 'unwrapped'? He nodded in affirmation to himself and slid into bed.
Tomorrow, he would dig deeper within and force himself to recall and relive who he used to be!
Another brisk, snowy morning greeted the packs at the eastern den. Cold rays of the winter sun danced among the glitter of the fresh fallen snow from last night. The waters of the falls gushed over the ledge as per always. Some of the edges of the mighty waterfall had frozen over and some of those surfaces gathered over the fringe of the rocky boundary to form long icicles.
The dining cave was packed with passed out wolves that partied long into the night in a raucous, alcohol induced fervor. Others somehow ambled to a guest room or slipped away early for a night of passion. The den was definitely over capacity with everyone taking shelter inside from the elements.
Kouga stood at the entry to the dining cave; taking in the sight of everyone snoring away on furs strewn all over the floor. He hadn't drank as much as the rest and went to sleep at his usual time, thus he awoke with the sun as per usual. There were several wolves that fell asleep on each other via a shoulder, stomach or thigh. A bunch of old fire pits that had burned out over the course of the night dotted the floor. Some of them had managed to find additional furs to sleep under like a blanket. Half drank mugs were everywhere and so were innumerable morsels of food. Some were half eaten and others were gnawed down to the bone. It was all a very normal thing to expect during the Lunar Festival. He suspected none of them would be awake until midday or so. Some might sleep until late afternoon or early evening and wake up just in time for night 2 to start the same cycle all over again.
'She would think this is worse than a pig sty,' Kouga chuckled to himself.
Looking around, he didn't see any of the higher ranking wolves. The alphas would have retired to their own guest rooms, more than likely with female company. Betas like Ryuji would have done the same in their own guest rooms. His own betas were probably out in the dining cave, buried in the mess of furs and limbs. Both of them were very social and enjoyed gatherings like these to the fullest.
If Kouga looked closely, he could pick out each beta. Ginta was sprawled out on a fur with some empty mugs and rolls of parchment strewn about. No doubt he put some people to sleep with how long he could go on and on about strategy. Hakkaku snored peacefully on the lap of one of the northern bitches. He was probably trying to entice her but Kouga doubted he succeeded. As icy and stoic as the males of the north were, females were very similar. Northern pack women were a sort of unspoken trophy to most of the males of all packs because they were challenging to get in bed with. They were a different type of prey to hunt and the men enjoyed every second of it. From what he could see, Hakkaku had gotten into a fight last night (probably over the female, whose leg he slept on). There were bound to be plenty of squabbles over tests of strength and claiming rights to pursue a chosen partner.
"Up already, I see," Iori suddenly appeared on his right with a steaming cup of tea in his hands, "you didn't miss much aside from the usual debauchery...though it is unlike you to leave so early..." he trailed off in purposeful innuendo.
Up not even five minutes and he was already dealing with an asshole...Well, then...
PUNCH! "Eeyahhh!..." CRASH!
Iori suddenly went sailing into a nearby wall courtesy of a strong right hook from the alpha of the east!
It was several moments of stunned pain before Iori slowly peeled off of the wall that he had made a sizable dent in.
"What on Earth was that for!?" he rose up shakily to his feet.
The unexpected punch and impact had rattled more than his mind.
"'Cuz you're annoying," Kouga responded flatly, "Want to go a round?" he narrowed his eyes in challenge with a lopsided grin of confidence.
"Ugh, I think not this time. You have caught me in an unusual mood of mercy. I advise you use it well," he did his best to stand up straight and tall as he dusted himself off.
"Heh, you're bleeding," Kouga gestured to Iori's now stained kimono.
"Wha-" Iori blinked, "Gasp! You heathen!" he pointed angrily at Kouga, "This kimono was very expensive, I'll have you know! Grr...count your blessings because a wardrobe change saves your hide for now," he stomped off in a huff, "I will not have my family's good name tarnished by appearing before others in this state of dress. You are lucky that nobody saw that..."
Kouga watched him leave, entertained and satisfied that whatever the little jerk might have thought he had over him was sufficiently laid to rest. Kouga had learned over the years that each rival alpha needed different approaches to ensure his place of power was secure. In Iori's case; the best way was to give him nothing that he could use as blackmail. He bet that the twerp already identified Kagome being useful as a strategic pawn to use against the western alpha. (Thankfully, the fool had not been very specific about her appearance so Iori wouldn't know whom to hold over his head...yet) Takeshi and Suou were similar in that they only needed a good fight. Things were even better with them if Kouga won the scuffle. He could defeat Takeshi most of the time and he often tied with Suou. Through the use of these techniques, Kouga maintained balance of power in his den and on his lands.
Ah, now that was a great way to start his day!
The crisp winter morning air washed over Kouga's face as he jumped up some ledges outside the entrance to his den. All was quiet save for the falls of water, winds blowing through the trees or the occasional bird chirping. The sky was clear as crystal with rolling blankets of sparkling powder below.
'She would probably think this is beautiful or some shit,' he hummed as he looked around.
He supposed the winter scenery looked sort of nice as he focused in on some details like the light catching the icicles or how flawless the snow looked. Being a demonic entity, he had seen snow many, many times over during his years of living. He grew up in the snows of the north for years. Back then, the snow was only good for treating his frequent wounds. The bitter cold of it was helpful for treating swollen limbs. He never had the time or interest to appreciate his surroundings as a cub. It was far more important to keep tabs on his father's mood or keeping out of his sight all together.
The memory still left him feeling colder than the surrounding winter. He shut it down, as he always had done.
His gaze was drawn, then, to some of the men wandering around the den perimeter. They were members of the eastern night guard. Borders still needed to be guarded; even during celebrations. Otherwise, an enemy could infiltrate his territory unseen.
"Oi, you two!" Kouga called out as he jumped gracefully to their location in a couple of bounds.
"Ah!/ Lord Kouga, Sir!" they suddenly straightened up with rapt attention to whatever their leader had to say.
Kouga ignored the stuffy 'Lord' part and went right into his new orders for them, "You two have been guarding the den all night...how about a little fun?" he smiled predatorily at them.
The tall lanky teenager looked down at his shorter partner, "Fun?" they queried together.
"Yeah, 'fun'," Kouga nodded, puzzled as to why they were at a loss.
It was a few moments before the short one gasped in excitement, "D'ya mean it! Thank you, Sir!"
"Wha-?" the teenager looked at him now more confused than ever.
"We won't let 'ya down, Sir!" the shorter one bowed and dashed off, dragging the lanky teen with him at all speed!
"Hey! Hey! What's going on?!" the teen protested as he was dragged through the snow behind his shorter accomplice!
"Have ya forgotten what 'fun' is, ya dumbshit?" the older one bit over his shoulder before they disappeared in the snowy wood in a flurry of powder!
Kouga grinned at their retreating forms, deeply satisfied to start feeling like his normal self before all of this human drama. It was just as he had figured out the previous night: all he had to do was try harder!
With all of that settled, he set out into the snow-capped landscape to find some prime hunting game. It may be winter but he had excellent hunting skills. He would track a few choice targets and bring them back as prizes to the den for another night of partying. This would serve to score bonus points with the east's guests and inspire the hunting parties to up their game.
He tore through the frozen landscape, smooth as anything. No movement was wasted as he expertly navigated the snowy terrain. The crisp morning air ripped through his onyx hair as he reached the higher end of his speed. Already, he had a promising scent to follow and he tracked it myopically like the apex predator that he was! All complicated and messy thoughts fell behind him like the snow he dashed through, completely forgotten. His senses were clear and his mind was sharp. He couldn't remember the last time that he felt so free! So like his natural self! Ferocity uncaged!
Stirrings could heard from the dining cave around midday. A lot of the wolves would still be asleep for a few hours yet but some were beginning to rise with a groan. Hangovers were a constant during wolf youkai holidays. Some made it a contest of strength to see how much a wolf could drink before feeling the regret. The last wolf standing, or the last one to fall over really, often won some coin or at least bragging rights.
Those of the healing trade would have had a remedy to lessen the severity of a hangover...except none of the men and women would have been caught dead looking for said remedy. It was a matter of youkai pride to be able to hold as much liquor as you could drink. The unlucky souls that overestimated their drinking ability often became the butt of many jokes the following day. Sometimes, those jokes turned into arguments and then into scuffles. It was all in good fun and apart of the socializing aspect of the Lunar festival so nobody paid it much mind. In fact, when these squabbles would break out, others would gather to watch and see how it played out. One funny thing about these disputes is that they could be magnetic. One male swings and misses his target just to hit an innocent bystander...who then jumps into the fray and then the fight would snowball to consume more and more wolves. There was one year where almost the whole dining cave of the eastern den was absorbed into a giant brawl that began with a dispute between two men over which male was taller. Later that day, the same two would be laughing loudly as they raised their mugs in cheer around a fire. It was all apart of wolf demon life.
Somewhere in the afternoon, one of the early risers suddenly found themselves squashed underneath a large black bear's body!
"Ooompphh! What the hell!?" he manged to squeak out before the bear was being lifted off of him by other wolves.
"Nice prize, isn't it?" stride a very proud Kouga, "You two," he directed his gaze to the eastern men helping up the wolf who got crushed, "follow my trail and bring back all of my kills. Take a few more men with you."
The two immediately dashed off while recruiting more help. Since it was their leader that handled this hunt, there were bound to be several kills to locate and bring back to the den. Thanks to his strength and speed, he could hunt on his own and feed most of the pack. There were many more mouths to feed due to the festival so there would be even more prizes to bring back from small game like rabbits to larger prey such as bears, stags or boars. It was also a silent challenge for them to do better. If he could have an excellent hunt like this on his own, they should be able to do as well or better since they were dispatched in teams of 5 youkai along with several animal wolves. Kouga smirked cockily at his men's retreating backs. Showing up his men like this was another management tool in his alpha toolbox. He knew wolves, especially male wolves, usually rose to a given challenge to prove their usefulness to the pack as a whole and to impress a future mate. It served to make better provisions for his pack, put himself even higher on a pedestal as alpha ruling over the rest, encouraged new mating pairs to form and also brought a higher chance of new cubs from the established pairs next spring, thereby increasing pack ranks. This technique served many purposes indeed.
Several females watched the whole thing from the cliffs of the den. They swooned at his show of strength and ability to provide. Watching his muscles flex underneath that flawless sun-kissed skin only served to make them drool. Being one of the most eligible bachelor's didn't hurt either. On top of it all was the fact that he was wolf demon royalty with a very old, noble bloodline that stretched back further than anyone could remember. He never liked his "regal title" but the grand majority of wolf kind knew of his heritage.
The women sometimes speculated amongst themselves on what on the gods' green earth could he possibly be looking for in a mate? He had slept with many over the decades but he never entered into a courtship with anyone, let alone marked a bitch as his own. This is why the unmated females did absolutely everything to make themselves look the slightest bit more appealing. They could not understand how despite all of the things they did to heighten their beauty and flirtation techniques that he simply would not choose someone to court. Since he was alpha and of noble heritage, he would have to sire strong cubs to continue the bloodline at some point. The way things were going, it would be many hundreds years longer before it was a matter on his mind. They still did everything they could to increase their appeal every Lunar Festival though. All just for that one sliver of a chance of a possibility that he may suddenly chose a bride. Why couldn't he just select someone? It was as infuriating as it was exhilarating. If he didn't pick somebody this time, then, they still had a chance.
Giggle"Don't bother, girls," a confident female spoke from behind the crowd, "he will be mine by the end of the festival."
All of the girls regarded this newcomer with a mix of confusion and/or disdain. Who did this bitch think she was laying claim to Kouga like that?
The glares of the crowd only served to make her giggle again and smile wider. She had been watching the eastern alpha since she was a cub. As she got older, she started to see patterns in his behavior. It became clearer with each passing year what was important to him. None of the other women hoping to catch his eye seemed to notice these things. She would use them to snare the ookami prince and it would be all too easy.
"Heh, stirring up things already, I see," Takeshi jumped down the waterfall cliffs to join Kouga on the valley floor.
The western alpha took a big stretch and cracked several places in his back, "Nice bear."
"It should be a nice centerpiece on the table tonight," Kouga affirmed.
"What happened to you last night? You left kinda early didn't you?" Taekshi cracked his neck.
'Crap,' Kouga mentally swallowed as his beast's ears perked up.
He didn't think Takeshi would notice or care if he retired early.
"Like I told that twerp, Iori, I wasn't feeling it," Kouga shrugged.
"Ah! So the wounds on his face and blood on that damn expensive kimono were your doing, eh?" he asked before throwing back his head in laughter that echoed throughout the snowscape, "That is priceless!"
"Eh, asshole deserved it!" Kouga joined in!
"If you hadn't punched him, I would have in Little Flower's honor!" Takeshi wiped a tear from his eye.
'Damn!' Kouga mentally cursed.
Voices bounce off the valley very well, especially in winter. Many wolves may have heard Takeshi's careless statement just now! He couldn't have anyone thinking he cared one iota about Kagome!
"I socked him simply because he is annoying," Kouga amended, "You could still punch him out for her if you want. Maybe stain another kimono?" he finished with an evil smile.
"True! I might do that," Takeshi smiled as he waved at the females watching from above.
Kouga breathed a light sigh of relief. People can speculate all they want over Takeshi being smitten with a human but at least any suspicion was thrown off of him for now. What she looked like wouldn't remain secret for long though. The eastern pack ignored her so much that they probably wouldn't have made much note of her appearance. Most of the western pack had at least glimpsed her during the wildcat battle. Their females in particular would have an accurate account of what she looks like out of sheer jealousy and hatred. If anything spread faster than wildfire; it was gossip or scandal. Kagome's time of remaining as a faceless human was short. It wouldn't surprise him if Iori knew exactly whom to look for by the end of the festival. The next time the south had an issue with the west, the bastard would send his minions to abduct and/or kill her. What the fuck was he supposed to do to keep her safe? He was grateful more than ever that he had the insight to send her off before everyone got here. The work was never-ending when it came to keeping her safe.
'Wouldn't it be better to set her free?' he wondered to his inner beast
At first, the large wolf still trapped in psychological bonds stared at his humanoid half as if he had grown another head before a series of low growls began rumbling in his chest.
Kouga couldn't hear him as he was lost in thought.
No matter what he thought or felt...would it fix everything if he let her go? It is true that she may get targeted by the wildcats again and Takeshi may seek her out. She was always going to be at risk. She always has been at risk since before he met her. The strength he had seen from her up to now was likely a result of that lingering possibility of danger. Whether it was illness, injury or outright murder...she would always be vulnerable to fate.
'Urghh! Focus! Focus, damn it! Think of how fucking amazing it felt to tear through the woods, punching that twerp's face in, showing up my hunting party and sending some men off to for a raid!,' Kouga scolded himself.
This festival was about him getting back to his youkai self! His rightful self!
'Wondering about her won't solve anything...focus,' he mentally affirmed.
"I will steal her from you, brother," Takeshi's voice suddenly entered his consciousness.
"One way or the other; Little Flower will be mine," he looked at Kouga, emerald eyes glinting in all seriousness.
"Tch, she can barely stand to be around you without needing to hide," Kouga shrugged his shoulders as his beast began to struggle against his chains.
"She's not going anywhere" Kouga met his gaze, "she will serve me until she dies," he finished with a tone of finality.
"We shall see. Eventually, she will come around to prefer me and accept my proposal of courtship. As soon as that happens, I will spirit her away," Takeshi answered back.
Kouga could feel him exerting his youki as a silent challenge. He was all too happy to answer him in kind.
"Seriously; why do you want her so bad?" Kouga asked softly with a hint of danger, "You have spent all of a few hours with her and that's all you needed to decide she will be your mate? If you set aside all of her looks, healing ability and battle skill...what's left? You barely know anything about her."
Did Takeshi know that she preferred rabbit and venison for meat? Or that she was a late riser? That she was good at sewing? How fun it was to annoy her? Did he know anything about that she seemed to find joy in the silliest, most mundane things like a sunset, falling rain or a bird in the branches? Or that she is training two wolf youkai apprentices to heal and that they follow her most everywhere? Had this idiot any clue about the time she got kidnapped, or when she got sick or how broken up she was about her mother passing? The bastard knew nothing and yet he was so damn certain that she would be his! She would die in the near future, couldn't bear him full-blooded youkai cubs and would cause no end of scandal even after she was long gone. It didn't make a lick of sense for him to pursue her so hard.
"Heh, I know everything I need to know," Takeshi grinned, "and my beast can't wait to mark her as ours..."
KA-POW! Takeshi went sailing over the valley floor into a snowy heap!
"That's not gonna happen..." Kouga growled dangerously, blue eyes hardening into ice, as he stalked over to the western alpha.
Takeshi sat up in a momentary daze. He had not been expecting to be taking a right hook to the face!
'Well, looks like I hit a nerve...' he rubbed his badly bruised jaw.
Maybe Kouga was more invested in Kagome than he was letting on...The eastern alpha didn't show any sexual interest in her from what he could tell. Possessive, obviously, but that seemed to be it. So, why was he just as determined to keep her as Takeshi was to take her away?
"What's it to you if I claim her?" Takeshi got to his feet and spat out some blood, "Keeping a human around probably isn't easy...and nobody here is gonna ensure she's provided for or give her children. I'm doing 'ya a favor by taking her off your hands."
"She belongs to me and I will do with her as I will," Kouga was now mere couple of feet from Takeshi's face.
"Hm, well, let's put it to a bet, shall we?" Takeshi smiled evilly, "We battle once a day at a time of my choosing until the festival is over. The wolf with the most victories wins. When I succeed, she leaves with me as soon as she returns from wherever you sent her."
"And when you lose?" Kouga growled lowly as he held back his beast in their shared mind-space.
"Oh, I'm confident that I will be victorious considering the prize at stake..." Takeshi drawled just as lowly, "but if you somehow win...I will release my claim on her...Deal?" he extended a hand to seal the agreement.
At this, his beast stopped dead in his snarling tracks with ears snapping forward. If they win, then this asshole would take a hike and leave Kagome alone!
"On one condition," Kouga looked Takeshi dead in the eye with a steely glare, "Nobody finds out what these battles are for. Anybody asks, you make up some shit. Leave her out of this."
"Of course. Wouldn't want my Little Flower to get hurt. Do we have a deal?" he waved his extended hand a bit, looking for a decision.
"Deal," Kouga grasped his hand and they shook on it, youki flaring on both sides in psychological battle.
"Right! Who's up for some food? I'm starving!" Takeshi strode back to the dining cave with a big, jovial smile on his face as if nothing had happened.
Kouga watched him go, certain that he would win this wager. He had been itching for awhile now to pummel this son of a bitch into the ground. This would be a great opportunity to kick his ass under innocent cover of the festival being a time where brawls were common. They would settle this once and for all. Nobody was going to take Kagome away from him.