Hey guys, sorry this took so long to update! Hope you can forgive me!!
Oh yeah, and Not mine! Sorry... You know if they were, I'd share... Maybe.
~~~~~~
Ch. 5 The Return of Kouga!
Kagome sighed as she rinsed her hair a final time. She still couldn't believe these hot springs had been nearby all this time, but then, she was usually busy trying to put up with an idiot hanyou half the time, so she hadn't really been focused on looking around. She moaned softly as she forced her body out of the steaming water and back to where her new kimono waited for her.
She smiled as she held it up, then went back to what she had been thinking about only moments ago in the spring. I wonder what I'm going to do now. What if the well sealed up again, and I'm stuck here?! Or, even worse, what if the well seals up again if I try to go back, and I'm stuck there?!
Everything came to a quick stop as she realized what she had just thought. Even worse...? Well, yeah, I guess I could see that, I mean, this was practically a second home to me, so why not? Besides, I hate the thought of leaving Shippou behind again. She sighed again, an echo of her earlier one, and quickly dressed herself in the soft kimono. She hurriedly gathered her things, including her discarded clothes, and made her way back towards Shippou's home.
When she came in sight of it, she couldn't help but stop and admire the structure. It was built slightly larger than the huts she was used to seeing, but not so large as to draw unwanted attention. She really liked this house, she thought, as she opened the door.
She set her stuff in one of the back corners, then turned around, wondering where Shippou could have gone. It was still pretty early in the morning, so he couldn't have gone too far... Wait. Didn't he mention something about today being the anniversary of when I left? Perhaps he went to the well...
And so, feeling quite refreshed, and delighted to be back to where she spent some of the best moments of her life, and made the best of friends, she headed towards where she thought her kitsune friend would be. She went to the Bone-Eater's Well.
~~*~~
Shippou smiled as he finished cleaning the deer. He knew Kouga usually ended up bringing something to eat, his pack always hunted as they traveled, but this deer could go towards them, and to Kagome, who would undoubtedly be hungry. He left the deer carcass behind his home, upwind so he wouldn't have to smell the blood on it. He sniffed around, noting Kagome's scent permeating the air. It was a fresh scent, meaning she had been here recently. Sniffing, he found that the scent went into his home, and back out again, then off towards... the well.
He felt his eyes widen and he looked in that direction, only to see the young miko relaxing against the well, her eyes closed in sleep. He smiled again, and went back to making a fire in order to cook their breakfast, deciding to let her sleep until the food was ready.
~~*~~
"Koshu! Where are you? This is not the time for your games!" The young wolf demon smiled and slipped farther into the foliage. If only there was some water nearby...
He and his father, Kouga, had been traveling with the pack to some stupid well, in the middle of a forest. Why would someone put a well in a forest, anyway? Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he decided he would leave a trail for them to follow, and he would wait at the stupid clearing for them. Besides, he knew better than to make his father too angry. When he did, he usually ended up finding himself face-to-face with his mother, Liana. She was a kind demon, but also made sure her child obeyed his parents.
Muttering darkly to himself, he crashed out of the underbrush, rolling right into his father's path.
"Koshu! What were you doing?" Kouga narrowed his eyes at his eldest son, an almost spitting image of himself long ago, when Kagome and Dog-Face had still been around. He hadn't seen either of them in 72 years. His face became sad as he remembered the kitsune's face when he had finally come upon the well the fox was guarding.
**
"What are you doing here?" The small kitsune cub leapt onto the side of the well, looking ready to defend it to his last breath.
"I'm looking for Kagome. I just heard about the idiot dog-turd choosing a dead miko over her, and I came to offer my condolences, and invite her to join my pack, where she should have been all this time." He watched as the fox-child's face became sad, and he had turned his back on the grown wolf-demon.
"Kagome's gone. She was sent home. By this damned well!" The boy had begun to cry then, leaping off the side of the well and shooting angry and pained glares at it.
"What do you mean, sent home?"
"She went back to her own time. She was forced to. She put the Shikon no Tama back together, and then she just faded away, and was sent home!" Now he was shooting the wolf prince angry glares as well. But now, the young man simply sighed.
"I understand. I will return in a month, in case she is able to find a way back to this era." And with those words, he had left the mourning kitsune, and went hunting, feeling the need to get the pain out of his mind and out of his heart.
**
"And thus began the tradition..." he whispered, recalling how he had begun to distance the times when he came to the well to look for Kagome. After a few years, he had given up, and chosen another mate. Now he came out of tradition, and out of mourning the loss of a friend. He sighed, then noticed his son's confused look.
"Um, father, do you mind if I run ahead? I really feel the need to run today, and since most of the pack can't keep up..." If there was anything Koshu knew about his dad, it was that their speed was his pride. He and his father loved to run, they loved to race, and Kouga had even told him once that he used to be much faster than he was now! When he had asked what happened, his father had become sad, like he looked now. He had only replied that he had given it up for an old friend.
At his father's nod, Koshu tore off in the direction of the well. His father had told him, in great detail, about the journey there, what the place itself looked and smelled like, and even about the kitsune who guarded it. He had huffed at his father, saying that a kitsune wouldn't put up much of a challenge. His father had merely laughed, and assured him that it would be unwise to underestimate this particular kitsune.
What's so special about a kitsune? Koshu thought as he raced towards the clearing he knew was only a little farther. It's not like they have any real skills other than their magic and illusions. I mean - But he was cut off as a scent reached his nose, along with the one his father had prepared him for.
Yes, there it was, the clearing. It did smell like kitsune strongly here. Kitsune, salt, the natural smell of the earth, a tint of magic, and... something else...
It smelled faintly of cherry blossoms and spring rain. He sniffed around, trying to figure out where the scent was coming from. His father had never mentioned this smell when he discussed the clearing with him!
He walked in a circle around the well, only to stop when he saw her. She was wearing a plain kimono of light blue silk, but he knew it was actually fine silk, and was probably soft to the touch. She had fair skin, and long, midnight-black tresses. Her pink lips were parted slightly to allow the air to come in and out as she slept, her chest rising and falling with each breath. His eyes widened as he sniffed at her, and also felt her with his other senses. Magic, purity, innocence, happiness, and many other emotions covered her. But the magic amazed him. She must be a powerful miko! But father said the miko of this area had died!
He stepped closer towards her, taking in her beautiful face, and her lovely body beneath the silk. He sniffed again, and, smelling no other demon's claim on her, decided that perhaps, even if she was a human, he might consider making her his mate. He knew father wouldn't care, he had almost taken a human mate once himself. He had heard about it. A beautiful miko, with the ability to sense Shikon jewel shards after it had been shattered.
Leaning slightly closer, he noticed her eyes were starting to flutter open, and immediately found himself gazing into blue-gray depths, which seemed to look deep into his soul, and bare her own in return. He went to smile at her, but before the corners of his mouth could twitch, her hand had already connected with his cheek, and sent him flying back a bit, a red handprint beginning to form.
Glaring angrily at the woman, he began to reconsider his decision to make her his mate. But he watched as she sat up, stretching and yawning, before looking at him and blinking a few times, taking in his appearance.
"Kouga??!?!?!?"
~~~~~
Hm. I wonder what's gonna happen when the REAL Kouga sees this! Or better yet, when Shippou finds out Koshu is considering making Kagome his mate!! Feel free to review! G'Night, all!
Oh yeah, and Not mine! Sorry... You know if they were, I'd share... Maybe.
~~~~~~
Ch. 5 The Return of Kouga!
Kagome sighed as she rinsed her hair a final time. She still couldn't believe these hot springs had been nearby all this time, but then, she was usually busy trying to put up with an idiot hanyou half the time, so she hadn't really been focused on looking around. She moaned softly as she forced her body out of the steaming water and back to where her new kimono waited for her.
She smiled as she held it up, then went back to what she had been thinking about only moments ago in the spring. I wonder what I'm going to do now. What if the well sealed up again, and I'm stuck here?! Or, even worse, what if the well seals up again if I try to go back, and I'm stuck there?!
Everything came to a quick stop as she realized what she had just thought. Even worse...? Well, yeah, I guess I could see that, I mean, this was practically a second home to me, so why not? Besides, I hate the thought of leaving Shippou behind again. She sighed again, an echo of her earlier one, and quickly dressed herself in the soft kimono. She hurriedly gathered her things, including her discarded clothes, and made her way back towards Shippou's home.
When she came in sight of it, she couldn't help but stop and admire the structure. It was built slightly larger than the huts she was used to seeing, but not so large as to draw unwanted attention. She really liked this house, she thought, as she opened the door.
She set her stuff in one of the back corners, then turned around, wondering where Shippou could have gone. It was still pretty early in the morning, so he couldn't have gone too far... Wait. Didn't he mention something about today being the anniversary of when I left? Perhaps he went to the well...
And so, feeling quite refreshed, and delighted to be back to where she spent some of the best moments of her life, and made the best of friends, she headed towards where she thought her kitsune friend would be. She went to the Bone-Eater's Well.
~~*~~
Shippou smiled as he finished cleaning the deer. He knew Kouga usually ended up bringing something to eat, his pack always hunted as they traveled, but this deer could go towards them, and to Kagome, who would undoubtedly be hungry. He left the deer carcass behind his home, upwind so he wouldn't have to smell the blood on it. He sniffed around, noting Kagome's scent permeating the air. It was a fresh scent, meaning she had been here recently. Sniffing, he found that the scent went into his home, and back out again, then off towards... the well.
He felt his eyes widen and he looked in that direction, only to see the young miko relaxing against the well, her eyes closed in sleep. He smiled again, and went back to making a fire in order to cook their breakfast, deciding to let her sleep until the food was ready.
~~*~~
"Koshu! Where are you? This is not the time for your games!" The young wolf demon smiled and slipped farther into the foliage. If only there was some water nearby...
He and his father, Kouga, had been traveling with the pack to some stupid well, in the middle of a forest. Why would someone put a well in a forest, anyway? Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he decided he would leave a trail for them to follow, and he would wait at the stupid clearing for them. Besides, he knew better than to make his father too angry. When he did, he usually ended up finding himself face-to-face with his mother, Liana. She was a kind demon, but also made sure her child obeyed his parents.
Muttering darkly to himself, he crashed out of the underbrush, rolling right into his father's path.
"Koshu! What were you doing?" Kouga narrowed his eyes at his eldest son, an almost spitting image of himself long ago, when Kagome and Dog-Face had still been around. He hadn't seen either of them in 72 years. His face became sad as he remembered the kitsune's face when he had finally come upon the well the fox was guarding.
**
"What are you doing here?" The small kitsune cub leapt onto the side of the well, looking ready to defend it to his last breath.
"I'm looking for Kagome. I just heard about the idiot dog-turd choosing a dead miko over her, and I came to offer my condolences, and invite her to join my pack, where she should have been all this time." He watched as the fox-child's face became sad, and he had turned his back on the grown wolf-demon.
"Kagome's gone. She was sent home. By this damned well!" The boy had begun to cry then, leaping off the side of the well and shooting angry and pained glares at it.
"What do you mean, sent home?"
"She went back to her own time. She was forced to. She put the Shikon no Tama back together, and then she just faded away, and was sent home!" Now he was shooting the wolf prince angry glares as well. But now, the young man simply sighed.
"I understand. I will return in a month, in case she is able to find a way back to this era." And with those words, he had left the mourning kitsune, and went hunting, feeling the need to get the pain out of his mind and out of his heart.
**
"And thus began the tradition..." he whispered, recalling how he had begun to distance the times when he came to the well to look for Kagome. After a few years, he had given up, and chosen another mate. Now he came out of tradition, and out of mourning the loss of a friend. He sighed, then noticed his son's confused look.
"Um, father, do you mind if I run ahead? I really feel the need to run today, and since most of the pack can't keep up..." If there was anything Koshu knew about his dad, it was that their speed was his pride. He and his father loved to run, they loved to race, and Kouga had even told him once that he used to be much faster than he was now! When he had asked what happened, his father had become sad, like he looked now. He had only replied that he had given it up for an old friend.
At his father's nod, Koshu tore off in the direction of the well. His father had told him, in great detail, about the journey there, what the place itself looked and smelled like, and even about the kitsune who guarded it. He had huffed at his father, saying that a kitsune wouldn't put up much of a challenge. His father had merely laughed, and assured him that it would be unwise to underestimate this particular kitsune.
What's so special about a kitsune? Koshu thought as he raced towards the clearing he knew was only a little farther. It's not like they have any real skills other than their magic and illusions. I mean - But he was cut off as a scent reached his nose, along with the one his father had prepared him for.
Yes, there it was, the clearing. It did smell like kitsune strongly here. Kitsune, salt, the natural smell of the earth, a tint of magic, and... something else...
It smelled faintly of cherry blossoms and spring rain. He sniffed around, trying to figure out where the scent was coming from. His father had never mentioned this smell when he discussed the clearing with him!
He walked in a circle around the well, only to stop when he saw her. She was wearing a plain kimono of light blue silk, but he knew it was actually fine silk, and was probably soft to the touch. She had fair skin, and long, midnight-black tresses. Her pink lips were parted slightly to allow the air to come in and out as she slept, her chest rising and falling with each breath. His eyes widened as he sniffed at her, and also felt her with his other senses. Magic, purity, innocence, happiness, and many other emotions covered her. But the magic amazed him. She must be a powerful miko! But father said the miko of this area had died!
He stepped closer towards her, taking in her beautiful face, and her lovely body beneath the silk. He sniffed again, and, smelling no other demon's claim on her, decided that perhaps, even if she was a human, he might consider making her his mate. He knew father wouldn't care, he had almost taken a human mate once himself. He had heard about it. A beautiful miko, with the ability to sense Shikon jewel shards after it had been shattered.
Leaning slightly closer, he noticed her eyes were starting to flutter open, and immediately found himself gazing into blue-gray depths, which seemed to look deep into his soul, and bare her own in return. He went to smile at her, but before the corners of his mouth could twitch, her hand had already connected with his cheek, and sent him flying back a bit, a red handprint beginning to form.
Glaring angrily at the woman, he began to reconsider his decision to make her his mate. But he watched as she sat up, stretching and yawning, before looking at him and blinking a few times, taking in his appearance.
"Kouga??!?!?!?"
~~~~~
Hm. I wonder what's gonna happen when the REAL Kouga sees this! Or better yet, when Shippou finds out Koshu is considering making Kagome his mate!! Feel free to review! G'Night, all!