Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, the television series or the graphic novels.

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Chapter Eight

The Pack

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"Jaken."

"Yes, milord?"

"Make sure Rin is asleep."

"...Yes, milord."

Sesshomaru watched the toad demon walk reluctantly toward the edgeof the clearing to pause by the side of the small human girl. He'd come to consider her a daughter, almost, although he wouldn't admit it to anyone under threat of pain or torture, not even to himself.

He stood and walked out of the clearing he'd been staying in, not stopping when Jaken questioned after him in concern.

Damn that wench.

To be defeated in battle by a mortal girl. He had never been so insulted. And all because of that cocky wolf youkai.

Mock Sesshomaru, will he?

That smug, over-confident young demon that had thrown himself, foolishly, into the path of one of the most powerful youkai in Japan and dared to mock him. He'd killed the bastard, ripped his limbs apart. Watched the little fuck's blood spill out onto the ground in front of him... And he'd enjoyed it. But then the others had come. So loyal they were to their pack members. Annoyingly loyal.

"So this is the Sesshomaru I've heard so much about, eh...? Is it true that your father mated with a human bitch?"

Sesshomaru scowled. He'd thought the same things, bitterly, to himself, so many times, but hearing it from another youkai somehow made it all the more painful.

I'll have my revenge. On that wench, and on the entire pack. No one mocks Sesshomaru and lives to tell the tale.

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"Tell me again why she's here?" The wolf demon demanded, annoyed, glancing at the sleeping girl in their den out of the corner of his eye.

"She saved my life," Kouga informed him dully, staring out through the opening of their cave, watching the waterfall pound down heavily on the rocks below. "I owed her."

His pack member eyed him doubtfully, but decided not to push the subject. Kouga had been acting strange ever since they'd found him with the human girl. Surely, he hadn't developed real feelings for her, had he? She'd been in heat when they came across the two, and he must have only been reacting to the scent. That must have been it.

"If you're sure," The demon replied, then leapt out to join the rest of his pack in the hunt, glancing back at his leader uncertainly.

Kouga watched him emotionlessly until he was completely out of sight, then turned slowly to gaze at Amaya, who was sleeping peacefully with her head tilted to the side and her chest gently rising and falling.

I don't care for her, do I?

Of course not. Kagome was to be his mate. Not this girl that he hardly knew, who could hardly even be compared to Kagome.

Of course not.

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"So what does this one do, Amaya-san?"

Amaya smiled up sweetly at Akahito. The wolf demon was so curious about all this, it was really adorable. Almost funny. She'd started to think of the full-grown youkai as a child, almost. "It helps increase circulation, if applied to wounds properly."

What am I doing here?

The question had been growing in her mind ever since she had arrived. Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippou... They must be worried sick. But somehow, Amaya just couldn't get herself to want to leave. She'd been frightened at first, being defenseless among all of these men, but they had been kind towards her for her stay, and eventually, she had warmed up to them.

Besides, they can't even trace InuYasha's scent because of all that rain.

But that wasn't the real reason, and Amaya knew it. In the past, she wouldn't have let something so trivial stop her from completing a goal. So why...?

Kouga.

No. Not him. That had been a mistake, simply put. She didn't love him, didn't even like him, not in that way.

Do I?

"Amaya-san?"

She started and turned swiftly to face a confused-looking Akahito. "Ah, sorry, Akahito... I must have spaced out."

The demon smiled and looked away, pretending to examine a nearby herb. Of course, she had been thinking of Kouga. He wasn't blind, and he'd seen the looks that his pack leader and Amaya had given eachother when they thought no one was looking.

So Kouga has found a new woman to become obsessed with... Good thing, too. Kagome doesn't care one thing about him, and it's about time he moved on.

Akahito inspected the human girl closely. Yes, she was strong, gentle but firm, loving, but not afraid to stand and fight. She would make a worthy mate for Kouga.

"Something wrong, Akahito?" Amaya asked absently, running a hand through her hair as she walked.

"Nothing," He replied pleasantly, a small smile forming on his face. "Nothing at all."

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"Kouga-san!"

Kouga couldn't repress a small smile as he turned to face Amaya, who had just returned to his den with Akahito. Why did the sight of her face have the power to make him feel the way he felt...? Kagome had never made him feel that way...

No. He wasn't allowed to think that. Kagome was his mate, and Amaya was just... Just a distraction. That was all she would ever be.

"Hello," He said formally.

Amaya looked slightly disappointed at the tone in his voice, and her eyes drifted to the ground.

"Something wrong?" Kouga asked coolly, turning his back to her and stumbling over toward the back of the cave in an attempt to look busy, as though he had no time for her.

"No, nothing," Amaya said softly, blinking in confusion. Well, it wasn't as though she really cared about him or anything. Right? Of course...

Back at the cave, he'd looked as though he wanted to kiss her. Why would he have if he didn't care for her? And, as much as she hated to admit it, Amaya had sort of wanted to be kissed.

"Kouga-san," She stated, an unreadable expression on her face. "I think I should be getting back to my friends now." The only way to get over this foolishness was to leave Kouga now.
Kouga looked back at her, startled. A slightly hurt look flashed in his eyes, but it was gone soon enough. "Fine," He said coldly. "Akahito will take you... Immediately."

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InuYasha stopped and sniffed at the air suddenly, alerting Kagome, who almost fell off of his back from the sudden stop. "What's wrong?" She asked, not without a little annoyance.

"I don't believe it," the hanyou muttered under his breath, then growled softly.

Kagome didn't have time to ask anything else before a strange wolf youkai, carrying Amaya on his back, dashed into the clearing before them. Kirara came to a stop just by them, growling deep in her throat.

"This your stop?" Akahito asked mildly, bending down to let Amaya clamber off of his back.

"Thank you," She said softly, giving him a gentle smile.

"What the HELL?!" InuYasha demanded, dropping Kagome off of his back and stomping forward to grab Amaya by the front of her clothing. "We thought you were kidnapped by my bastard of a brother and you were messin' around with that idiot wolf demon..."

"I think... I must be going now," Akahito commented nervously, waiting for a nod from Amaya before he took off.

"InuYasha, put her down. Now." Kagome demanded.

"Mind your own damn business."

"Sit."

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Author's note: Eh... Sorry about this chapter, it's not as good as I wanted it to be... Oh well.

Have been having writer's-block-type illness recently. Next chapter will be better.

faerystrangeme

Thank you, and I will try to keep up the work... I apologize for chapter seven not being as exciting, but I really wanted to do at least one chapter without Amaya in it... Don't ask. =) Heehee... Amaya will be in the next chapter much more, and I hope to be able to put more action-ish-stuff into it.

K-chan

Thanksyou. [Bows] I'm still not sure whether or not to pair up Sango and Miroku and/or InuYasha and Kagome... [Backs away from K-chan a little] Although I fear mauling from the resident InuYasha and Kagome fanfiction lover... Eheh. There will be IY/K and S/M fanfictions in the near future. Many... Many fics. Beware of the fluffiness. [Twitch]

Angela

Thankees! [Grin] I wonder how many different kinds of ways I can say 'thanks' in the reviewer responses. Oh well! I appreciates the praise very much so!