Chapter Eleven-Second Home

"You can share my bed, if you want to." Kyoko offered when they returned to Kouga's den.

"She'll have her own bed, Kyoko. But that was very nice of you." Achika told her daughter. She looked over at Saraku now. "Come. I will show to your sleeping pallet."

"Thank goodness. It's way past my bedtime." She told her. "Lord Sesshoumaru would've been very upset with me for being up this late."

"I suppose he would." She replied. Her mate raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. "Perhaps it would better if we left Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru unmentioned." She added to Saraku.

"Alright." The young child curled up on the pile of furs that was to be her personal bed for a while. "Thank you for having me,Achika."

"It is alright." Kouga replied for his mate. He knelt beside her. "If you need anything, Ginta is there." He pointed towards the entrance. "And if you need one of us, just tell Kyoko. We're moving her bed right now to be next to yours."

"Yes, Kouga." Saraku replied, her tiredness becoming more evident.

"Sleep now. In the morning, we will have fresh meat for breakfast. How does that sound?"

"Better than what I would've with Inu- I mean with them." She admitted with a yawn, as she laid down now. Moments later, the girl slept.

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Kouga watched his newest charge for a few minutes, before returning to his resting place with Achika. "She will be at home here. I can feel it."

"Of course. We have no conflict within our den. Children can only take so much, Kouga."

"Yes, that is true. I wonder if they will figure out I have her again." Kouga couldn't have cared less whether Inuyasha or his brother came for Saraku again. At the moment, he held a grudge towards them both as a father himself, for allowing her to have run away again. "She'll be safer here at any rate." He muttered softly.

"That she is. Do you see how protective of her Kyoko has already become? The girl is four years older than her, and Kyoko knows better than she does about things here."

"That is because Kyoko was taught from the beginning, Achika. Human parents raised Saraku for seven years before they were slaughtered by demons. They had no knowledge of this world, or demons. Between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, I believe she knows more than she first did, but you cannot replace demon upbringing." Achika was making him think though. What if I started teaching her myself? Surely she could always use more training in fighting.

He expressed his thinking to Achika who thought it was a wonderful idea. "She needs to see what it is like, to have a real father figure teach her."

"Yes. I thought as much." Kouga replied, pulling his mate closer. "In the morning, I will ask her and see if she agrees to it. I will not force her."

"Good." Achika gave him a good night kiss, just before falling asleep with her head on his chest.

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"We looked for her all night!" Inuyasha told Miroku. "Did you three have any better luck?"

"No we didn't. I'm sorry, Inuyasha." Sango replied, caressing a fussy Chibi gently. "Come now, Chibi. It is alright…"

"Damn! I hope nothing happened to her…." Inuyasha muttered. "I can just imagine what Naraku would do to her if he caught her again…"

"I'm sure he wouldn't do anything with her. He has her jewel shard." Kagome replied calmly. "The worst that happened is she ran into him and he slaughtered her." She kept a straight face as Inuyasha growled, kicking a tree.

"This is all Sesshoumaru's fault!" The hanyou raged.

"How is it Sesshoumaru's fault? Saraku warned you he'd come if we didn't let her go." Sango pointed out. "I understand why you didn't want her to go, but she was his."

"Not you too!" Inuyasha fumed at the ex-demon slayer. "How would you like it if someone just up and took her?" He pointed to Chibi.

"That is different." Miroku defended their child. "Chibi had a family to begin with. Saraku did not."

"Enough of this!" Kagome scowled. "We're not helping her by fighting among ourselves! That's what made her runaway to begin with! I'm going to look for wood for the fire. You guys stay here." She left to do so without waiting for a reply.

Inuyasha stared after his mate, having the distinct impression she knew exactly where Saraku was. Well,I'm going to find out! He left to follow Kagome.