There once was an author named BattleJoy
Who felt she should write about a dog boy
Who belonged to a woman
Way of in Japan
I can only watch, and buy all of the new toys.

(Yeah, it's a crappy limerick but if you haven't noticed, I'm crappy at disclaimers in general.)

Sorry readers for the lateness of this chapter. My computer is down and dead. Really dead.

Luckily, I had this chapter on disk, which is a miracle because I never have anything on disk. The last few chapters will be slow in coming. I apologize.

~*~*~

She was late and he was impatient.

"Where the hell could she be? She's the one that gets nearly rabid whenever I'm a second late. And here it's nearly sundown!" Kouga paced back and forth, half annoyed and angry, and half worried.

"Well, if she has the right to fetch me then I have every damned right to get her!" Kouga declared and then set out.

~*~*~

Sesshoumaru was supposed to return early the next morning. So Kagura had worked with Rin's dancing lessons most of the afternoon. Not that Kagura was trying to fulfill her obligation and get out of there. She just thought it would be a nice surprise for the demonlord.

In the preceding weeks, Kagura had found herself being increasingly relaxed around the dog youkai. Sure, she was always comfortable around Sesshoumaru and they had always treated each other somewhat as equals (Well as close as Sesshoumaru could allow with his arrogance issues) but her defensive nature was finally beginning to fade away. Though still extremely laconic in nature, Sesshoumaru had found that conversation with Kagura and her differing attitude a pleasant change of pace and had started to converse with her daily during their travels about everything from the weather to the strange outcome of the final battle with Naraku.

Unfortunately, the dancing lessons weren't progressing as fast as she hoped so she could surprise Sesshoumaru the next day. The problem wasn't that Rin wasn't trying. The problem was that Rin was probably trying too hard.

"Okay. You sweep your arm like this while side stepping." Kagura demonstrated, graceful despite trying to keep time with off-tempo (and off-key) Jaken's singing.

A determined Rin mimicked Kagura's movement, swinging her arm and then stepping. "Like this?"

"Close." Kagura lied. Rin was still too tensed. "Feet together and loosen up a bit. Not so stiff. Pretend you're a sapling bending in the wind. Like this."

Unbeknown to the two females, Sesshoumaru had finished his errand and walked out of the forest line. Gesturing to Jaken to quit his croaking,, he took a seat beneath a tree. Rin and Kagura stopped and turned to see why Jaken stopped singing.

"Rin, come and sit down. Kagura, could you please continue?" Sesshoumaru leaned back to watch. Rin happily ran over to sit by her lord.

Kagura just nodded in return. Taking a deep breath, Kagura stood there for a couple of seconds, trying to calm the thundering of the heart within her chest. Not it was the first time she danced for anyone. She had done it dozens of time for Naraku when he's get moody about a failed plot or about his remaining twisted human desire for Kikyou. Kanna would quietly sit by, the only true audience, since Naraku would also take the opportunity those quiet, rainy nights to get completely drunk and he liked annoying Kagura by making her dance for him. But this time was different, without any resentment and with a bit of actual excitement.

Kagura closed her eyes and hummed the tune to herself as she began to slowly twirl and dance.

Rin sat by Sesshoumaru's side as commanded. Sesshoumaru didn't have a smile. Only the eternally, neutral expression that usually was there graced his features. But Rin could see a small light glow within his eyes as he watched the wind dancer, obviously pleased. He was in such a good mood, that he didn't seemed to mind at all that Rin leaned and cuddled into his side. He even absently placed his hand on her head and stroked her hair as if she was a puppy. Rin sighed, in childish bliss. She loved it when Sesshoumaru was happy.

Nearby, Jaken grumbled to himself as he leaned against his staff. The wind youkai did have some innate talent, Jaken thought grudgingly. With some formal training, she'd would rival any dancer in any court, human or youkai. Sesshoumaru-sama seemed to be enjoying himself. Yet Jaken looked at his lord with mixed feelings.

On one hand, Kagura was Naraku's detachment. The despised hanyou might have been dead, but surely his spawn was unworthy of the Great Sesshoumaru-sama! (then again was anyone worthy of him *sigh*) Plus she was little too uppity and quick tempered, by Jaken's standards. Sesshoumaru should have a sweet tongued and high-born lady to quench his desires instead of a loud mouthed, hanyou-tainted shrew. Jaken still wondered why Sesshoumaru hadn't destroyed or at least cast her out the first time she dared question him.

Then again, Jaken was still wondering why he kept the human whelp too.

On the other hand, it was almost worrying exactly how dignified and uninterested in girls (or anyone in that matter) Sesshoumaru was at times. Jaken knew that gentlemen routinely indulged in dalliances throughout their youth (and even into old age, as long as some discretion was learned.) Even human-youkai matings were met with a waggled finger and a wink in most youkai tribes. One just had to make sure there was no resulting hanyou and if there was, it never survived to adulthood or received an inheritance. But poor Sesshoumaru-sama had suffered so much from the embarrassment of his father openly falling in love with a human and accepting the hanyou brat, that Sesshoumaru-sama had eschewed any such mistakes. Maybe it was good if he relaxed just a little bit. A youkai female, not from his lands, probably had the right mixture of sowing his wild oats while not being too shameful.

Hopefully, Sesshoumaru would finally bed her, tire of her and get back on the only pursuit worthy of his lord: Power! If things went well, he wouldn't become too attached and have her travel with them very long. Maybe Sesshoumaru-sama would be generous that a small manor and an allowance given to her.

Maybe, if the gods were kind and Sesshoumaru-sama stopped indulging in odd fancies, she would keep the human child, as well!

Suddenly, Jaken's hopeful musings were interrupted as he heard some rustling coming from the bushes behind him. Jaken waddled into the middle of the bushes, poking around with his staff.

"Who goes th- UMPH! *Kanonk.*"

Kouga hugged the unconscious toad-like demon to his chest, covering his mouth in case he woke up. But Kouga doubted it. He also doubted if Jaken knew who had knocked him out since had come from behind Jaken. Kouga was a master hunter and sometimes that required some stealth. You couldn't resolve all situations by running out and kicking some butt after all. (But you can try!^_^)

Kouga had seen dancing girls before. Several years before, Kouga and his friend had ambushed a bandit party that was killing and scaring the game in their territory. So Kouga suddenly had on his hand several dozen suits of armor and clothing with some easily rinsed out bloodstains. Add to that the fact his bud, Hibana, was turning 150 that day and they were all bored. This resulted in the whole group of adolescent wolf-youkai boys dressing up like humans to go to a tea house.

The trip didn't turn out well. Not only were the fake mustaches all of them used itchy, (they had to pass for adults as well as humans) the fare wasn't very good. The 'tea' that they heard was so good turned out to be just bitter boiled plant water. Humans seem to prefer mostly food based off rice of all things, which didn't suit a wolf's palate. The other drink, 'sake', was horrible tasting but did make them pretty good after they had a choice between that and the tea. It did cause them all to get ill in the morning though, which was a real pain when the local constable came along to make them pay for the damages they all caused when they were still tipsy. (Actually they were drunk. Really, really drunk.)

But the real reason they were there in the first place was to see the dancing girls and geishas. It's hard to just fool around when all the girls you knew were either related to you or are best-friends with your female cousins. But the human girls all turned out disappointing. With their round faces coated in layers of thick paint, and screechy giggles that would set anyone's teeth on edge, Kouga had thought they were too annoying for words. Plus none of the other guys got giggled over being the cutest country bumpkin the girls had ever seen. As for the dancing, Kouga hadn't seen anything special about their twirling and overly enthusiastic sweeping arm movements.

But that experience didn't compare with Kagura's dancing. Graceful and beautiful didn't seem adequate ways to describe the way she swirled or the slight sway of her hips or the fluidity of her gestures. Every step, gesture, and demure smile she gave seemed imbued with coy invitation. Unfortunately, Kouga knew none of them were directed towards him.

It was directed at the pale, stately dog demon lord sitting several dozen yards upwind from Kouga's hiding place. What was the big deal about a stupid dog, anyway? Wolves were much better.

Sesshoumaru glanced back at Kouga's hiding place, feeling as if he was being watched. But then he went back to focus back on Kagura's finale. Kagura spun as small leaves, and flower petals from the field circled around here picturesquely.

Sesshoumaru raised from his seat and went up to Kagura (and stood way too close to her, in Kouga's opinion.) "Your movements were lovely, graceful, and very pleasing."

Kagura opened her fan and smiled demurely behind it, feeling immensely flattered. "Sesshoumaru, you are too kind."

Sesshoumaru's lip quirked slightly as he felt compelled to add, as he reached out to brush the back of her hand with his fingertips. "Now if only your tongue was the same way."

Kagura looked away, feigning offense that belied her smile. "My tongue's pleasing enough, when I need it to be."

Kouga growled from his vantage point in the bushes nearby. Wolf ears were just as sensitive as dog ears. "Not for him it better not be!!" He growled, somehow for once getting the innuendo that the others had missed. Then he flattened himself to the ground when he saw Sesshoumaru look suspiciously in his direction. Kouga cursed. He hated having to sneak around like this. But most of all, he hated having to see her making a fool of herself, chasing after the stupid mutt.

~*~*~

"Are you ready? " Kagura said nearly skipping into the glen. " I thought of a new variation for our duel."

In the months that had followed since there duels started, they had truly morphed into games for the two youkai. Mostly play but with the slight edge of danger because Kagura would get upset if Kouga pulled any punches and her wind blade would suddenly get edges.

"I was playing this game with Rin the other day, where you try and get by a blindfolded player." Kagura couldn't help but laugh at the remembered image of Jaken tripping onto his face as he tried to catch Rin. It seemed a fun game and Kagura wanted to try it with someone she didn't mind tackling her.

But Kouga wasn't quite in the mood, still upset over what he thought was Kagura's disgusting display in front of Sesshoumaru.

"Hmph. I don't want to." Kouga folded his arm and closed his eyes not even looking at Kagura. He tried to will himself not to feel apprehensive or appear nervous when he peeked to see that Kagura was going out of his peripheral vison as she circled around him. Finally he couldn't stand it anymore and he turned his head to look at what she was doing. "Let's duel another day- Kagura, wha- Hey!" Kouga panicked as Kagura slipped a strip of fabric over his head.

Scrambling to his feet and suddenly on guard, Kouga glared at Kagura. "You wanted to choke me to death!"

"No, idiot. It's just a ordinary, dark colored scarf Sesshoumaru gave me. Like I would choke you instead of slitting your throat." Kagura sighed at the confused look Kouga gave her. "For a blindfold? For today's duel? Remember?"

"I told you I'm calling off the duel today!" Kouga clenched his fists.

"Why? You don't have anywhere to be." Kagura said, walking calmly up to him and held out the scarf. "And neither do I. Now be a good boy put the damned blindfold on."

"No, I said NO! I won't put it on!"

"Then I'll put it on you, you big baby." Kagura sidestepped behind Kouga and yanked out his headband and hairtie.

"Yeowch! Get your claws out of my hair, harpy!"

"Nothing but a big baby." Kagura muttered as she smoothed and combed his hair back with her fingers. Kouga sucked in his breath as he felt her tuck some hair behind his pointy ears, also absently stroking them. Then she firmly tightened the blindfold around his head and positioned it so he wouldn't see.

"So hag, what am I supposed to be doing?" Kouga said sourly.

"Catching me, dumbass," she whispered in his ear then stepped back. A swoosh of air alerted Kouga to the fact that she was on her feather-boat and airborne.

"That's no fair, Kagura! You should have a handicap too!" Kouga yelled out to the sky. If he was going to play her stupid game, then at least he could get some concessions so he wouldn't feel like such a weakling.

"Life isn't fair, but if you insist . . . how 'bout this? I have to be within 50ft of you at all times."

"5."

"You've got to be kidding me. 40."

"10."

"Come on, I need some space from your stench. 30?"

Kouga remained unmoved. "15."

"20."

"Fine. 20."

"Well? Where am I?" Kouga heard her say and felt a swift wind brush past him. Disconcerted, and trying to focus his other senses on his target, he groped around for Kagura. It really was a surprise how much he did depend on his keen sight. Before he would have bet that hearing and scent would enough. But now he found them somewhat inadequate to her fast darting.

Still, he was starting to get the hang of it despite Kagura's childish swooping in and pushing him.

Kouga felt a tug on his tail. He spun and only got the elusive touch of the silk on her sleeve. "Oh you were close that time!" she chuckled as she flew out of range.

As fun as this was, Kagura knew Kouga would get lucky soon enough. Then she got an idea, which would also make it even more fun. She had to admit her idea was a bit naughty but they were close dueling partners so she didn't see any reason Kouga would be take it badly.

With a couple well placed windblades, the straps on his shoulder and the hidden straps on the sides holding Kouga's armor were sliced clean through. The two main pieces of Kouga's breastplate fell off him, leaving Kouga open to be hit by a cold blast of air, and the even colder realization that she could have ripped away all protection from him at any time she wanted to.

The slight clink of his armor alerted Kouga to the fact that his armor was being moved. Kouga would be damned if he'd let Kagura completely take it. He chased after his armor that was being whisked away, until he felt a force hook his ankle, causing him to trip.

Kouga spat out the grass in his mouth. "Give me back my armor!" He yelled at the sky impotently, irritated at feeling so vulnerable.

Kouga bent over to pick up and feel around for his armor, not knowing that Kagura already used her wind powers to whisk it away. He could feel his cheek burning with a full blush as he felt something gently run up the back of his thigh. Straightening up, Kouga spun around paranoidly. "Kagura! Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" Kagura's voice whispered in his ear as Kouga felt the soft texture of a feather tickle a path along his collar bone. Kouga jumped forward snatching at thin air. "Not even close, Kouga-kun."

Kouga shivered as he felt another caress go up his spine, making his skin feel oddly hot and ultra-sensitized. He was torn between feeling completely exposed and being thankful that his torso was bare to the faint, cooling breeze swirling around him.

Confused by her sudden change in tactics and even more frightened at the reaction in his body that was starting, Kouga barked out, "Stop it!" , spinning around and grasping at a woosh of wind.

"Stop what?" Kagura laughed, not knowing why he was getting so red-faced. It really was amazing. Smack him across the back of the head and he wouldn't blink but just a gentle stroke and fear was radiating from him in waves.

Kouga growled. How dare she try to sound all innocent when she was the one swirling a feather around his nipples? "This isn't funny!"

"Yes it is!" Kagura laughed as she watched him attempt to bat away the feather tracing the edge of his ear rim and lobe.

Kouga dodged and leaped in the direction he hoped Kagura was. She had to be in arm's reach if she was able to tease like this. She couldn't fly faster than he could leap, then how was she able to outmaneuver him? Kouga faked to the left and then leaped to the right with no result. He felt a whoosh of air up his front so he reached out his arm and swung all the way around, snatching at open air. This when on for several minutes.

Cursing her and himself for looking so foolish attacking randomly, Kouga stood still and tried to will himself to concentrate and figure out how she was doing it.

Of course she wasn't making it easy on him by playfully running her feather down his abs. Kouga was really starting to become thankful that his leather kilt was so heavy. Then again her scent was so close, he was starting to wish his tribe wore the baggy concealing pants that many other warrior tribes wore.

Little did Kouga know that he was nowhere close to catching Kagura. She was at the boundaries of the agreed upon distance, 20ft. She was using her wind powers to distort Kouga's senses further by carrying her youki, the scent or aura that youkai emitted, to his nose and the sound of her chuckles and whispers direct to his ears. The feather that was teasing his skin in such a traumatizing blend of torture and eroticism was being controlled by the wind from her fan.

"Oh? So you are just going to stand there and pout? Maybe I should find a way to make you smile."Kagura said. After all, everyone's ticklish somewhere, she reasoned, as she focused on the delicate, sensitive skin of his sides under his armpits.

Kouga's breath caught as the feather brushed the back of his knee, then directly up the inside of his thigh.

"Exactly what are you trying to make happy!" Kouga yelped, as he panicked, back pedaling rapidly. The hard level ground of the field ended abruptly, and Kouga couldn't keep his footing on the soft sides of the riverbank and went tumbling into it.

Kagura began laughing her head off, at the sight of a wet Kouga sputtering as he climbed onto the shore.

Secretly Kouga was a bit relieved at the dunk in the cold river, which resolved the problem he was having. Of course he wasn't going to let Kagura know that. Plus he was still upset with her toying with him. Ripping the blindfold off, Kouga growled at his tormentor. "The game is done for today!"

"Quitting already?"

"You were the one that lead me into the river!"

"So you're whining over a lil water. Well, I can fix that." Kagura just leaned back on her hovering feather and flicked her wrist a couple times.

Kouga was bombarded by a vortex of hot air. Startled at first, Kouga then relaxed and basked in the warm heat of the winds, drying every droplet from his hair, pelt and frame. That is, until Kouga felt a gust of wind going up a certain place.

"Hey! Watch it!" Kouga blushed, as he tried his best to keep his pelt kilt down.

"Sorry for trying to do a thorough job." Kagura tried to sound innocently offended, but also having a hard time holding a straight face. Something about Kouga's honest face just made giggles bubble up in her. "Okay, you're now dry. Put the blindfold on."

Kouga didn't know if he could endure another session with Kagura. Well, actually he knew he could, but he didn't want to risk Kagura finding out his exact reactions. "Maybe we should quit for today. It's getting pretty late."

"Aw. But I can go another round!" Kagura laughed, then her voice turned sly. "I thought you guys liked to brag about your stamina."

"I can go another round!" Kouga protested, instantly taking the bait. Kagura smirked. Any reference to his male pride was always staunchly defended.

Kouga's angry face instantly turned his usual confident smirk as a thought hit him. "Then put the blindfold on and-"

"What do you mean 'put the blindfold on'?"

"It's your turn." Kouga got up and advanced on the Wind User and the chase began.

~*~*~

A/N I know that 'geisha' is an incorrect term and came along later. But Miroku uses the term in the CN version in reference to the girls in the tea house. So there.

This time on omake:

The Possible Scene if Kagura got Blindfolded
(A/N I wrote this but decided the chapter ended better without it.)
~*~*
"Hey not so tight!"

"I'm just making sure you don't cheat." Kouga pulled the ends of the scarf tightly into a knot.

"You know how much that hurts me to hear you to don't trust me." Kagura sarcastically said. "Okay, it seems secure. I'm ready to start. 1, 2, 3..." Kagura counted off Kouga's ten-second head start, while Kouga began to circle her. "9, 10! Ready or not, here I come!"

Kagura began to grope around for Kouga while he easily dodged out of the way.

"Now for the fun!" Kouga chuckled to himself. He was going to get her back for all she did to him that afternoon. "I'm going to-."

Kouga froze as he realized his dilemma. Kagura was shameless during their fight earlier. But Kouga knew he couldn't reciprocate her actions. The mere thought of stripping her down and gently caressesing her body was causing Kouga to blush (and his mind to wander.) He was already confused about their relationship. This wasn't helping. "I definitely can't do the nipple swirly thing," he muttered before the mental image of that transfixed him.

Meanwhile, Kagura was tensed and waiting for Kouga to try something. Kouga just continued to say out of reach, thinking about what would be adequate payback.

"Stop pussyfooting around and do something, " she growled, as she got more impatient, edgy, and jumpy with each second Kouga stalled.

"He probably going to try something lame like push me into a puddle." Kagura thought impatiently. "Whatever he does I hope he does it quickly."

But Kouga was still trying to think of something. "I can't just push her, that would be lame. Unless I do something more like… push her into that puddle!" Kouga spotted a nice puddle on a short distance away on a washed-out old road.

Kouga lured Kagura toward the puddle by mostly making too much noise and other obvious mistakes. Kagura knew she was being led into a trap but it was better than standing around waiting for Kouga to think of something.

Finally, Kouga got her into position. Quietly, Kouga came from behind and pushed her into the waiting mud puddle. Pushed off balance but still on-guard enough to reflexively act, Kagura grabbed Kouga and pulled him down with her. Of course, she wasn't originally planning on Kouga landing on her.

Roughly pushing her off her, Kagura sat up. The mud was watery and slick and coated everything instantly.

"Ugh! I can't believe you!" Kagura limply raised her arms and looked down at her poor ruin kimono. It used to look so pretty. "So you have any idea how hard it is to get stains out of silk. It's impossible! You bastard!"

Kouga grinned at the miserable looking wind-user. He wasn't originally planning on getting muddy himself but it was still worth it. It was even worth the handfuls of mud she started to hurl at his face.

"I knew only you would do something this childish!" Kagura as she continued to throw mud at Kouga, who was unfazed and now flinging mud back.

There. Chapter and extras are FINISHED! Please review and tell me my tribulations weren't in vain.

Do you know how hard it is to be suggestively playful without having things skip down the lemon-yellow brick road to a Harlequin novel?

"She suddenly was caught in the clear blue of his eyes, even more apparent against the dark smudges of mud against his tanned skin. Suddenly, she had to have him.

"His few remaining clothing was little barrier against a female youkai who knew what she wanted. Neither was the inappropriateness of their location. All that mattered was way their bodies met and obeyed the savage nature of their blood as they…"

ACK! Not in this story!