Oh no…doom.

*****

Scarlet

Part 11

*****

"I'm not—" she wouldn't listen to one word I said.  I would have thought she was deaf, but I knew for a fact that she wasn't.  Something about her, though…it was off.  Strange.

"You must have been searching for me, for so long!  Trying to get back to the baby and me."  She looked so touched, as though I had really spent the last two years looking for her instead of hiding for her and everything our relationship meant.  "Don't worry.  I took care of him, he's fine, now.  Ginta wanted to take your place, but I wouldn't let him do that.  I left, and I swore I wouldn't come back without you.  And I brought him!" she still had her arms tight around me, so I could barely move, but I could see she was wearing a holster on her back, and inside, I had no doubt that her child was sleeping.  But what was she talking about?  She ran away?  From Ginta?  Why would she do that?  I thought that the two of them had been sneaking around behind my back.  Ginta had all but admitted that he was sleeping with her right out, and I had left knowing that it was the only way we'd all be happy.  But here she was, telling me how she'd run away from Ginta like she wanted nothing to do with him and was carting their baby along for the ride.

"I don't know who…" and then I decided, what the hell?  She wasn't listening to a damn thing I said, and she wasn't going to let me go.  I might as well get my curiosity satisfied before I was able to escape her once and for all.  "Can I see him?"

"Jinkou?  Oh, he's sleeping right now, but when he wakes up, I'll let you hold him, because he's your baby.  Our baby.  I made a miracle, making him exist.  The heir to both of our tribes.  It's wonderful, isn't it?  Life is really perfect now!"  She seemed…stupid.  Not like she had always been a scholar, but right now, it was like all the common sense and shrewdness she had possessed before, all those things that actually made me respect her as a leader…they were strangely missing.  Maybe she was just excited.

"Um…" I didn't really know what to say, so I went back to the kimonos.  "Sir?  Could I have this green one?" I waved to the man, who was haggling with another customer in the open-air market, and he waved to me to indicate he'd be right there.

"For me?" Ayame's eyes went wide and liquid.  "You don't have to!"

"It's not for you." I growled, impatient with her childish behavior.  "I don't even know who you are.  This is for my ma…wife."

"But that's who I am!" Ayame laughed as though I had just made a wonderful joke.  "Should I try it on after this?  It will go with the bracelet you got me!" she let go of me then, clutching at the kimono and waving the jade-inlaid bracelet at me.  And I felt all the blood drain from my face.

"I…never bought you that."  And this time it wasn't a lie.  What was wrong with her?  Something serious, that was for sure.  Maybe she'd been hit in the head really hard?  Or maybe drugged?  But she didn't smell like alcohol, and I couldn't see any injuries.  I decided that Ginta would be searching for her, and hoped that he was either in the town or back at the caves, where I could find him easily enough.  This was getting complicated.  I couldn't just waltz into the wolf tribe territory with her.  Everyone would recognize me…unless.  "Come on." I paid the owner what he asked, snatched up my purchase, and nearly dragged Ayame away.

"Where are we going?" she wanted to know, sounding as excited and innocent as a five year old.

"I need a haircut."  Kagura would have a fit.  She loved my hair.  But it was the only way, I knew.  "And then we're going on a trip."

"Yay!  A trip!" she giggled and I heard the bundle stirring strangely, so I reached in to pull out the baby, not really trusting Ayame to hold it properly.  She was being…odd.  And what I saw in the holster almost made me stop breathing.  There was no baby in there, and especially not a two-year-old.  There was, however, a young wolf cub.  A regular wolf, of course.  Not a youkai.  What was going on?  "Oh, isn't he sweet?" Ayame did not seemed shocked when I pulled the "baby" out of its holster, looking at it in confusion.  "He looks just like you!"

----------

"This is just such a lovely house you keep.  What was your name again?" Ayame was excitedly sipping at tea and munching on rice cakes Kagura had prepared for her when I brought her home and explained the situation.  My hair was short, cropped close to my head, and it felt strange.  I was still waiting for the inevitable explosion.  I had brought home a strange woman who had once been the one thing that kept Kagura and I apart, and she was toting a wolf cub that she insisted was our child, and that everyone should call him Jinkou.  Kagura had taken this in over the course of a five-minute introduction, her face grim, but a false smile of politeness forced on her tight lips.  She had then stood, walked to the kitchen, and prepared a light tea for Ayame and I to snack on.  As soon as Ayame began eating, I wolfed down my share and asked Kagura to step aside with me.  We were still in the same room as her, though.  I don't think either of us trusted her alone for longer than five seconds.  Possibly ten.

"Kagura." My mate was not a happy woman at the moment.  "I killed all your kin."

"Oh, really?" she beamed at us.  "Have you met Kouga?  He's my mate!"

"Yeah, I think we've met." She gave me a level stare before lowering her voice.  "I'm going to stab you."

"I couldn't do anything about it." I hissed at her urgently.  "She wouldn't leave me alone, and I know Ginta's got to be looking for her.  He was nowhere in town, so I'm gonna have to take her back to the mountains.  What did you want me to do?  Bash her upside the head and leave her to whoever found her?"  Kagura did not answer, but her face said that she did not think that was such a bad idea at all.  "I'm really sorry, Kags, but at least you know I won't touch her."

"No, you wouldn't.  She's like a two year old.  What happened to her?  Was she always this…cracked?" Kagura asked, and we both looked up, to where Ayame was pulling a flower out of Kagura's centerpiece vase and singing little songs to it.  "And what is the deal with the wolf?"

"I have no idea.  I was hoping Ginta could tell me." I explained, pressing the paper wrapped kimono into her hands.  She still hadn't taken it from me.  "Here, this is the reason I went to town in the first place.  Sorry to have gotten sidetracked."

"I can't believe you cut your hair off, either." She was grumbling as she opened the paper and her eyes lit up.  "Oh…this is so beautiful…Kouga, why did you buy this?  You didn't need—"

"I wanted to." I pressed a discreet kiss to her cheek, hoping Ayame wouldn't see.  I did not want to deal with that at the moment.  Though she'd probably pretend not to see it.  "Take care of Yumeko and yourself while I'm gone?  And this one…" I kissed my fingers and pressed them to her stomach.  "I'll be back before you know it."

"Fine." She relented at that.  "I can't believe you're being so nice about this.  If Ginta found me wandering around totally cracked with an animal baby, he'd just leave me to myself.  You really are such a good man, you know that?" she leaned in and whispered in my ear.  "I love you."

"I know." I winked at her and hugged her tightly before returning to Ayame.  "Ayame, finish up.  It's time for a walk."

"Okay!  Can Jinkou come?" I rolled my eyes.  This was going to be the most annoying errand ever.

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So, I had a rough idea of how to return Ayame, but once I got close to the mountains, I realized that if she had run away in the first place, I couldn't just leave her in the middle of the hills and hope that someone would find her.  So I led her up as far as I dared to go, even in my disguise, which now also included a false beard I had purchased from an odds and ends shop on the way and a kasa that obscured my face even more, shading my eyes and covering my already shortened hair.  I thought it made me look positively human if I just kept my hands hidden, since the hat rode over the tops of my ears, keeping the points hidden from anyone who might happen to see me.  After we had gotten rather close, I decided to just keep her in one spot for a while, positive that a patrol would eventually spot her and get her.  Now, this didn't seem like a very safe plan, so I lurked in the shadows after telling her we were stopping for lunch and letting her play in the grass and the flowers as I slipped away.  From where I stood, I had a good view of her, and I knew that if she decided to wander off, I could come back out and set her down again.

I didn't have to wait long before a young scout came by and left a couple regular wolves to watch out for her while he went to grab Ginta, who, it seemed, had indeed been looking for her.  Now, at this point I could have left, but something in me hesitated, and I wondered if he might bring the child, my false heir, so that I might get a look at the boy.  And when he came racing into sight, looking like he hadn't slept in days for the worry of the situation, he was indeed toting a cub-child on his back.  I strained for a better look as he admonished her for running off.

"Ayame!" his stern, but relieved voice was clear from where I stood.  "I was worried sick!  What were you thinking to just run off like that?  You could have been hurt!  Think of Jinkou!"

"I did!  I took him with me." She produced the little wolf she had been toting around, and while it only seemed amusing to me, Ginta looked heartbroken at the revelation.  He lunged forward and hugged her tight, while she blinked in disbelief at his reaction.  "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…nothing, I guess." He was tired, you could hear it in his voice.  It must have been exhausting, watching Ayame deteriorate despite all that he cared for her, taking care of Jinkou nearly on his own, and at the same time having the leadership dumped on his shoulders.  Much as I had hated him, that had been a long time ago, and now I knew that I often felt thankful that he had taken my place, giving me the joy and freedom I could never have with Ayame.  And I pitied him.

"Mama!" the little voice was too adorable, and being a father myself, I couldn't resist leaning a bit, trying to see the little child scrabbling out of Ginta's grip and leaping into Ayame's lap.  Smooth, black hair, well-kempt, tiny boots and furs covering his toddler's body, claws, fangs, and a face that I felt I had seen before.  The shock of it was so great that I almost fell over from where I was leaning forward in the foliage.  Smooth, pale skin, elegant chin, pointed ears, tiny fangs, and to top it all off, the one thing that I couldn't have mistaken.  Those eyes.  Scarlet.  Like great pools of blood, mocking me, the person who had so often admired those features in my mate's face.  Kagura.  This baby looked just like her.  Even Yumeko didn't show such a strong resemblance, since she looked largely like a miniature version of me with more feminine features.  "You back?"

"It's my baby!" she squealed happily, and the spell was broken.  The child was so similar to Kagura, I couldn't even begin to think how it had been the product of Ginta and Ayame.  That was when I had a horrible thought.  "Jinkou, you're such a good boy!"

"He missed you." Ginta told her, a smile playing on his lips at the near-normalcy of the situation.  It would have seemed like they were a family, like they were normal, like Ayame had nothing wrong with her.  If they hadn't been holding a child that looked so clearly like Kagura.

Like his mother.  Just like her.

That was what Ginta had said.  And yet, if that was true, that could only mean that Kagura was the mother.  But how could that be?

Kagura gave up something she loved for something she always wanted most,

Can she get it back?

I do not think so.

Could…this…

"I found Kouga!" Ayame was telling her adventure to Ginta, her face cheerful.  The scout did not look surprised or even curious, and it was obvious to Kouga that his secret was safe.  Ayame was clearly insane, and it seemed that the wolves all knew it.  "He brought me here and we were just having a lunch with our baby."  She was not even confused by the fact that at the time, her baby had been a wolf cub and was now an actual little boy.  Kouga really did feel sorry for them, but right now he was too concentrated on trying to see Jinkou closer.  Ginta was sending Ayame back with the scout, and then…

"Kouga?" he spoke quietly, doubtful, but still curious.  He knew that I was still alive and well.  I leapt from my spot, confronting him as swiftly as if that had been my original intent.  "You found her?"

"That kid…" I was still stuck on Jinkou.  "He looks like…like…"

"I know.  I can explain, but you have to promise not to freak out." Ginta sighed deeply, looking very upset and worried.  "I just…thanks for bringing her back."

"The kid.  What's up with that?" I was not to be deterred.  "He looks just like her."

"Kagura?" he arched an eyebrow.  "Yeah, well, he would.  He's hers."

"How…when did you…" I wanted to kill him.  I wanted to stab him.  I wanted to run away from him.  This couldn't be possible.

"When she left, she was coming to finish what she had started with us." Ginta scratched the back of his head, obviously not wanting to meet my eyes.  "See…she…well, it happened when Ayame was still almost normal.  I had noticed that she was a bit…odd, but no one else really paid attention enough to see what was going on inside her head.  Seeing Kagura…listening to her story…that was what broke her, I think.  Knowing that you really could fall in love, and that you had fallen for the one person she thought for sure you would always hate.  She came to us, saying that she had agreed to be your consort only a week ago, and that…well, she said that if we didn't pay her handsomely, then we weren't getting a kid.  But then…see…something happened.  Ayame was starting to believe she was pregnant, when in reality, it was Kagura.  I had to bribe the healer not to say anything.  And then things got more complicated.  I knew what was going on.  I knew you were in love with that…thing.  So when she told us that she had finally gotten pregnant, I told her that she had better not let you know.  Because…well, I thought…I wanted you out of here, and I knew that if this went on, Ayame would go so crazy…I thought that if you left, I could make her better.  Especially if she had a baby to watch out for.  So I told Kagura that the new plan was to get rid of you, and to keep the baby, but that I didn't want you knowing about it until I had the details worked out.  She went crazy, said that there was no way I would be allowed to kill you, that she'd run away, and there'd be no baby for anyone.  So we made a deal.  You lived, but you couldn't know about the kid.  And when she finally had it…she said to keep the money, that she didn't even want it anymore.  That she just wanted to be with you, and that it was stupid of her to make such a deal, but that she had to try and honor her word, after all.  I tried to pay her, I tried to, but she wouldn't take it, and she knew that if we didn't have a baby when Ayame came out of isolation, it would be a huge deal, so we kept it.  He's ours, but he's really yours.  Don't…try to take him.  It's the closest I can ever come to getting Ayame to see the world around her, when she's with that baby."

"She…gave it to you?" I couldn't believe this story.  It was ludicrous.  And yet, I had seen the kid.  It all fit.

something she loved

And she couldn't get it back.  Of course not.  Even though I was gone, I felt a vague loyalty to the wolf tribe.  And I had to pity them, Ayame and Ginta.  I hated to admit it, but I couldn't just take away the heir and run off like that.  But how could I let this happen?

"Please, don't get mad." Ginta looked terrified, and for some reason I thought that if I just killed him, that would solve everything.  He'd been the fucking mastermind behind this plan.  And no matter how good his intentions were, he was pissing me off.  He'd stolen my kid, gone behind my back dealing with the one person I thought I could trust, taken over my leadership, and now…now…what else could I do?

"I'll kill you!" I ran at him, but before I even got close, he disappeared.  If I were smart, I would have stopped there.  I would have turned around and gone back home where I had a kid and a mate and another baby on the way.  I would have put this stupid mess behind me, even if it stung to the core, even if I felt like everyone I had ever loved was betraying me, and it was somehow all his fault.  He had led me right into this trap, and fuck Ayame, and fuck how she felt and what was wrong with her, and fuck the line of heirs, I was fucking pissed off.

"Kouga!  Go back!" Ginta's voice reached me from somewhere nearby, but I was blind with rage, I couldn't see anything as I tore toward it.  I could catch him without any shards in my legs, I knew that I still had speed against him, even if I hadn't used it in two years.  I had to be faster.  I had to be.  I had to kill him.  "Please!"

Begging wouldn't do him any good.  I let out a wordless growl and lunged toward where I was sure he was waiting to die, but I found myself in a clearing full of wolves, some of which I'd grown up with.  They didn't recognize me.  Why would they?  All they saw was a crazy human chasing after their leader.  And they attacked.

I had long prided myself on my speed and prowess.  You may be born to leadership, but anyone can challenge it once you take the top spot, so I had always been the best fighter in the tribe.  But I hadn't been there for two years.  I hadn't had reason to fight, to train, to do any of that.  I was slower.  I was weaker.  And there were thirty wolves ripping into me.  I think I got a few good hits in.  I could hear Ginta yelling for them to stop, but it all faded into a blur of blood and noise and darkness into silence.

And then it didn't hurt anymore.

All I could see was her eyes, bright, scarlet, laughing, mocking, killing, loving.

Everything.

*****

The End (Of Part 11, That Is)