I know most of my chapters aren't that long, so I tried to make up for it with this one. It's not that much longer, but considering what time it is right now, I'd say it's plenty long! Anyway...
Disclaimer: Omega and this particular plot are mine. The rest...nope. Not a bit.
A quick note before we start: I'm going to be pretty much following Kagome and Omega from now on, but we might pop in on Inuyasha and Kikyo from time to time to see if he's come to his senses yet.
"Kouga!" Kagome yelled. "What did you do that for? She was helping me, not hurting me. Leave her alone."
"She has to learn to listen." Kouga said in a reasonable voice. "She has to remember her place. You'll understand. Now Kagome, I have something to tell you." He looked at her, then over at Omega. "I'm going to have to leave for awhile. It shouldn't be long. Maybe a week. You probably would have come, but I can't risk it in you current condition. Omega," he continued, "is going to stay here, to care for you. I'm going to take about five others with me."
He stopped at the doorway, then, without turning around, added one more thing. "Remember Omega, I'm releasing you from your other duties, but only because from now on, her well being is your life." He left. In the silence that followed, both could hear Kouga giving instructions to the others and the sound of a stampede that could only have been Kouga and the other five leaving.
Kagome watched sadly as Omega hesitantly rose from where she'd been kicked. Omega's face was expressionless, but Kagome could tell she was scared. Omega looked so young for a moment that Kagome was forcibly reminded of Shippou. She started to get up to go over to her, but her ankle began to protest the movement and Kagome sighed, frustrated at not being able mobile enough to move even a few feet.
'Jeez I broke it bad!' she thought to herself, looking at her bandaged leg. 'Maybe I ought to go home.'
"You should have cold water on that." Omega spoke up softly. "There's a small stream of cold water nearby. I'll take you if you wish." The suggestion was a good one and Kagome nodded. She did want to put something cold on her foot and she also wanted to se if Omega would be a little more open and friendly away from of everyone else.
Omega scooped her up, being very careful of Kagome's foot. When they entered the main cave, some of the others turned to comment, but as they realized she was carrying Kagome let them go without saying anything.
Omega didn't run, but walked slowly. Kagome worried the was too heavy for the girl. "You don't' have to carry me, you know." Kagome said. "If you'll cut me a branch, I can use it as a crutch to support myself."
"No," Omega shook her head. "Kouga would want me to carry you, and anyway you aren't too heavy," she added as though reading Kagome's thoughts.
The stream wasn't far, luckily. It wasn't large, just barely big enough for a person to put one foot on each bank without doing the splits. As Kagome sat on the back soaking her foot, Omega knelt nearby as though awaiting further instruction. As promised, the stream was very cold. After a while, when she felt her toes going numb, she took out her foot and tried to wrap it again.
"May I?" Omega came over and, looking to Kagome who nodded, expertly re-wrapped the ankle.
"So now what do you want to do?" Kagome asked. Omega looked startled at being asked her opinion, but quickly recovered.
"There's a hot spring not too far from the cave, (A/N: Of course.) if you want to bathe before dinner."
"Um, sure," Kagome grinned, secretly hoping it would not be anything raw.
Kagome insisted on walking this time and only leaning lightly on Omega for support. The going was very slow and they didn't arrive at the hot spring until nearly an hour later. By then, Kagome felt hot and dirty so the thought of the cleansing water was more than welcome. She floated over the water contentedly. Looking up, she saw Omega seated cross-legged on the shore, her eyes respectfully lowered.
"Omega!" Kagome called. "Come on, can't you swim?"
"I can."
"The what are you doing? The water's great!"
"You want me to come in with you?" Omega's eyes were wide. "B-but I'm never supposed to swim with the clan."
"Why not?" Kagome was getting tired of this. She was just a kid. Why was Omega treated this way?
"Because, well, it's like being the omega in a pack."
Kagome came closer so they wouldn't have to shout. "Wait, I thought Omega was your name."
"It's kind of like a name and a title." Omega took a deep breath. Apparently, she wasn't used to talking too much. "in a wolf pack, there are what you would call rankings. The head male, the leader, is known as the Alpha male. His mate is the alpha female. The next two are the beta male and female. Then there's the rest of the pack. Th last is the omega. It's the wolf that's least aggressive and tends to be female. It will eat last, stays a little way away from the rest of the pack, and sometimes the aggression of other pack members is taken out on it. " Omega paused and drew a shaky breath. "my mother...foresaw that my life would not be easy and named me after the wolf who would accept that burden."
"But you shouldn't have to have that burden!" Kagome burst out. "It's not right. Didn't your mother realize she'd be making it harder for you when she named you that?"
"at least I'm part of the pack now. Father insisted I stay with the clan. Kouga always listened to him, if not to Mother."
"Kouga...hang on a minute here. Kouga's your brother isn't he?"
Omega looked up at Kagome. Could she trust her? She wasn't supposed to tell, but Kagome'd been a whole lot nicer than anyone else. She could tell her, but maybe she wouldn't tell her everything. Not yet.
"Yes, he's my brother, but please, don't tell him I told you. It's not really talked about."
"Ok." Kagome felt like asking more questions, but managed to hold back. Omega was starting to squirm like a child caught breaking the rules. 'this is probably the most she's talked to someone whose descent to her in years.' Kagome thought with a jolt. Now, back to the original point...
"Well, do you want to come swimming or not?" Omega blinked, then nodded shyly. She slipped out of her clothes, then practically ran into the water.
Kagome watched in shock as Omega swam around the spring, grinning from ear to ear. Th e difference between shy, quiet Omega and happy omega was astounding. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only reason for Kagome's disbelief. Omega had so many bruises along her upper arms and back that she looked like a speckled Easter egg. 'I know even Souta gets a bunch of bruises playing with his friends, but man! Well, I guess it's no wonder,' she thought bitterly, 'If she's pushed around like when Kouga kicked her earlier. Well I guess I won't go home right away after all. Not until I've had a few words with Kouga anyway.'
* * * *
Alright ladies and gents, now that you've met Omega a bit more, I think it's safe to say she needs a new name. Eventually she gets tired of being called Omega, which is rather demeaning, so she asks for a new name. If anyone out there has an idea for a name, send it to me, along with a translation. I'll pick my favorite once I get to that point. Feel free to send in as many names as you want, but don't forge the translation. Thanks!
Disclaimer: Omega and this particular plot are mine. The rest...nope. Not a bit.
A quick note before we start: I'm going to be pretty much following Kagome and Omega from now on, but we might pop in on Inuyasha and Kikyo from time to time to see if he's come to his senses yet.
"Kouga!" Kagome yelled. "What did you do that for? She was helping me, not hurting me. Leave her alone."
"She has to learn to listen." Kouga said in a reasonable voice. "She has to remember her place. You'll understand. Now Kagome, I have something to tell you." He looked at her, then over at Omega. "I'm going to have to leave for awhile. It shouldn't be long. Maybe a week. You probably would have come, but I can't risk it in you current condition. Omega," he continued, "is going to stay here, to care for you. I'm going to take about five others with me."
He stopped at the doorway, then, without turning around, added one more thing. "Remember Omega, I'm releasing you from your other duties, but only because from now on, her well being is your life." He left. In the silence that followed, both could hear Kouga giving instructions to the others and the sound of a stampede that could only have been Kouga and the other five leaving.
Kagome watched sadly as Omega hesitantly rose from where she'd been kicked. Omega's face was expressionless, but Kagome could tell she was scared. Omega looked so young for a moment that Kagome was forcibly reminded of Shippou. She started to get up to go over to her, but her ankle began to protest the movement and Kagome sighed, frustrated at not being able mobile enough to move even a few feet.
'Jeez I broke it bad!' she thought to herself, looking at her bandaged leg. 'Maybe I ought to go home.'
"You should have cold water on that." Omega spoke up softly. "There's a small stream of cold water nearby. I'll take you if you wish." The suggestion was a good one and Kagome nodded. She did want to put something cold on her foot and she also wanted to se if Omega would be a little more open and friendly away from of everyone else.
Omega scooped her up, being very careful of Kagome's foot. When they entered the main cave, some of the others turned to comment, but as they realized she was carrying Kagome let them go without saying anything.
Omega didn't run, but walked slowly. Kagome worried the was too heavy for the girl. "You don't' have to carry me, you know." Kagome said. "If you'll cut me a branch, I can use it as a crutch to support myself."
"No," Omega shook her head. "Kouga would want me to carry you, and anyway you aren't too heavy," she added as though reading Kagome's thoughts.
The stream wasn't far, luckily. It wasn't large, just barely big enough for a person to put one foot on each bank without doing the splits. As Kagome sat on the back soaking her foot, Omega knelt nearby as though awaiting further instruction. As promised, the stream was very cold. After a while, when she felt her toes going numb, she took out her foot and tried to wrap it again.
"May I?" Omega came over and, looking to Kagome who nodded, expertly re-wrapped the ankle.
"So now what do you want to do?" Kagome asked. Omega looked startled at being asked her opinion, but quickly recovered.
"There's a hot spring not too far from the cave, (A/N: Of course.) if you want to bathe before dinner."
"Um, sure," Kagome grinned, secretly hoping it would not be anything raw.
Kagome insisted on walking this time and only leaning lightly on Omega for support. The going was very slow and they didn't arrive at the hot spring until nearly an hour later. By then, Kagome felt hot and dirty so the thought of the cleansing water was more than welcome. She floated over the water contentedly. Looking up, she saw Omega seated cross-legged on the shore, her eyes respectfully lowered.
"Omega!" Kagome called. "Come on, can't you swim?"
"I can."
"The what are you doing? The water's great!"
"You want me to come in with you?" Omega's eyes were wide. "B-but I'm never supposed to swim with the clan."
"Why not?" Kagome was getting tired of this. She was just a kid. Why was Omega treated this way?
"Because, well, it's like being the omega in a pack."
Kagome came closer so they wouldn't have to shout. "Wait, I thought Omega was your name."
"It's kind of like a name and a title." Omega took a deep breath. Apparently, she wasn't used to talking too much. "in a wolf pack, there are what you would call rankings. The head male, the leader, is known as the Alpha male. His mate is the alpha female. The next two are the beta male and female. Then there's the rest of the pack. Th last is the omega. It's the wolf that's least aggressive and tends to be female. It will eat last, stays a little way away from the rest of the pack, and sometimes the aggression of other pack members is taken out on it. " Omega paused and drew a shaky breath. "my mother...foresaw that my life would not be easy and named me after the wolf who would accept that burden."
"But you shouldn't have to have that burden!" Kagome burst out. "It's not right. Didn't your mother realize she'd be making it harder for you when she named you that?"
"at least I'm part of the pack now. Father insisted I stay with the clan. Kouga always listened to him, if not to Mother."
"Kouga...hang on a minute here. Kouga's your brother isn't he?"
Omega looked up at Kagome. Could she trust her? She wasn't supposed to tell, but Kagome'd been a whole lot nicer than anyone else. She could tell her, but maybe she wouldn't tell her everything. Not yet.
"Yes, he's my brother, but please, don't tell him I told you. It's not really talked about."
"Ok." Kagome felt like asking more questions, but managed to hold back. Omega was starting to squirm like a child caught breaking the rules. 'this is probably the most she's talked to someone whose descent to her in years.' Kagome thought with a jolt. Now, back to the original point...
"Well, do you want to come swimming or not?" Omega blinked, then nodded shyly. She slipped out of her clothes, then practically ran into the water.
Kagome watched in shock as Omega swam around the spring, grinning from ear to ear. Th e difference between shy, quiet Omega and happy omega was astounding. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only reason for Kagome's disbelief. Omega had so many bruises along her upper arms and back that she looked like a speckled Easter egg. 'I know even Souta gets a bunch of bruises playing with his friends, but man! Well, I guess it's no wonder,' she thought bitterly, 'If she's pushed around like when Kouga kicked her earlier. Well I guess I won't go home right away after all. Not until I've had a few words with Kouga anyway.'
* * * *
Alright ladies and gents, now that you've met Omega a bit more, I think it's safe to say she needs a new name. Eventually she gets tired of being called Omega, which is rather demeaning, so she asks for a new name. If anyone out there has an idea for a name, send it to me, along with a translation. I'll pick my favorite once I get to that point. Feel free to send in as many names as you want, but don't forge the translation. Thanks!