Chapter Three

Howls in The Night

Kouga and Kagome sat together in the woods of his wolf tribe, under the shade of a tree. A misty breeze swept through Kagome's long hair, sitting with her knees tucked up under her chin. "A few days ago we had all stopped to rest before we set out to find the next shard," she began, "I just barely woke up when Shippo kept complaining about how hungry he was, so I went to go find him some granola from my bag. Me and Inuyasha got in an argument…"

"Inuyasha hugged me…" She said quietly, "And for that brief moment I thought he loved me, truly loved me. But, then…." She closed her eyes tight. "He called me Kikiyo." She didn't speak for the longest time, her dark eyes raging in sadness and anger. At Inuyasha, but most of all…Kikiyo. For so long she let herself believe that Inuyasha cared for her, maybe even loved her, but all that time…he had only had eyes for Kikiyo. Never for her.

"I thought that he loved me…" She whispered, hugging her legs closer as her hair spilled over her. "But Kikiyo…why her?" Her voice was heavy…with something looming at the edges of her voice. Kouga was shocked as he heard her tone seethed with disgust for Kikiyo. Her eyebrows furrowed together in frustration, her eyes gleaming in hurtfulness. "Damn that Kikiyo…damn Inuyasha."

Kagome felt her body quiver in anger. "Why does it have to be this way?" She shouted. She drove her fist into the ground, and Kouga flinched as he heard the bones in her hand crack under her strength.

"I hate him…" She whispered, and as suddenly as her anger had ignited it had vanished, and Kagome slumped into her knees, wrapping her arms around her legs. "I hate him, I hate him…"

One of the pups that had been sleeping soundly next to her whined sadly and nudged her arm with its head. Kagome made no move to see him and simply stared blankly into her legs. The pup licked her arm and backed away, lying down and watching her as he whined unhappily.

Kouga was stunned. How could Inuyasha do such a thing? How could he hurt the one person that cared for him most? He smoldered with anger, and wished he had been there to strangle his writhing, pathetic heart. As he looked at Kagome he could only feel a deep jealousy for that twit, Inuyasha. Kagome so willingly gave herself to him with all her heart. And yet Inuyasha took advantage of her, hurt her so many times…and Kagome still loved him. Kouga felt his heart searing with fire.

A single tear trailed down her cheek. Kagome showed no signs of emotion on her blank face. Kouga's hands clenched in bitter anger as he watched her, and made a silent vow to himself that Inuyasha would die for everything he had done to her.

He put a hand on her shoulder. "Kagome…"

She looked up at him; her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. She dropped her eyes to the ground again, ashamed of herself for not being able to look Kouga in the eye.

"It's not your fault, Kagome." He said gently, holding her closer.

"Yes it is…" she shook her head, "I'm so stupid…" She leaned into him, laying her head on his shoulder, her tears flowing freely down his arm. "Why does it have to be this way?" she whispered in a shaking voice.

Kouga's eyes went wide as she relaxed into him, bringing his arms around her. He loved how it felt to close his arms around her, the way her scent mixed with his, how soft her skin was. "Don't cry over Inuyasha, Kagome…" He said quietly, running his fingers through her dark hair, "he doesn't deserve your tears."

Kagome put her arms around him, letting herself be comforted by him for just this one time. Inside, her heart was dead to Inuyasha. In Kouga's strong arms she let herself forget what had happened, and simply relished in how safe and warm it felt to be with him.

They sat together for a long time, Kouga laying his head back on the trunk of the tree they sat beneath with his eyes closed. Kagome nuzzled her cheek in the brown fur that decorated his shoulder, her thoughts finally drifting to other things than her broken heart. "I just wish that I could tell Miroku, Sango, and Shippo that I'm okay. I'm sure they're worried about me." She said.

"I'll send some of my wolves to tell them you're here."

"Thank you, Kouga," She said, and her cheeks suddenly became red in embarrassment, realizing how close they were. She felt his fingers gently comb through her hair in comfort and she sat up quickly, feeling his arms fall around her stomach. "Kagome?"

"Um…I guess I should be getting back pretty soon, I, um, I'm not feeling that great." Stupid, stupid! Your so stupid Kagome! Her thoughts snapped at her, how could you let yourself do that!? She parted from him and quickly tried to stand up, but found that her legs had spent what little strength she had gained over night and nearly collapsed. Kouga caught her before she smacked into the ground by the waist. She looked up at him, his strong arms woven around her. His frosty blue eyes stared back at her, a bright gem before his tanned skin and dark hair. For a brief moment she caught herself gazing into those pools of sapphire, oddly wondering why a wolf demon would have such beautiful eyes. She nearly fell down again when she realized that she had been starring at him. He caught her a second time and lifted her up into his arms, "The poison has really weakened you, I don't think you'll be doing much more walking today." There was hint of amusement in his deep voice as he stood up with her in his arms; "It's best if you get some sleep before tonight."

"Why? Is something going on?" She asked.

He motioned for the pups to follow them and walked up the mountainside they had come from. "The Wolf Tribes are gathering tonight." His voice was tense. "All the tribes of the west are coming tonight to travel with us to East Rock."

"East Rock?"

"All the wolf tribes go there every three years. It's a river valley about 50 miles away from here."

"Oh…" Kagome had the itch to ask more, feeling this wasn't the entire truth. They came to his cave and he let her down on the bed of brown fur, "Kouga, what's going on?" She asked again, looking straight at him.

He stared her down defiantly for a few moments then shook his head with a heavy sigh. "The wolves of the west are coming here because I'm to be their future leader."

Kagome's eyes went wide. "Their leader? There must be over two-hundred wolves from around here!"

"These are desperate times, Kagome." Kouga sat down beside her, his eyes fixed on the floor in an intense gaze. "We'll be lucky if even half that many come."

She watched him closely, his eyes quivering in the shadows of the cave. An anxious feeling consumed him. "Naraku has killed most of them."

She gasped. "Naraku? But why?"

"Jewel Shards." He scoffed with a grim laugh. "That ravenous bastard will do anything to get his hands on more shards. Its only a matter of time before he gets to me." He lifted his watch from the floor with a proud snicker. "But I wont let him get to my tribe. It doesn't matter if I die. As long as he's dead before he can get to them."

"Kouga…"

'I wont stand by and watch him slaughter my family…not again." He was shaking now, clenching his fists in rage. "That murderous demon will die for what he has done!"

Kagome put a hand on his arm, "Kouga…. I'm so sorry."

His shaking died down…until at last he sat still and gaped into the darkness. "The wolves are coming because their leaders are all dead." He said after a long silence, "It makes me the solitary leader of every tribe in the west. I have to protect them all, I couldn't live with myself if any more of them died."

"Do the wolves think that you can protect them?" she asked softly.

"They have to. There's no one left."

Kagome looked sadly at Kouga, knowing he must be overwhelmed by the responsibility he would have to fulfill tonight. She tried to think of something, anything, comforting to say to him, but the only thing she could say was: "Kouga…I'm sorry."

He shook himself from his intense gaze, and looked to her with a weak smirk. "Kagome…please come with us."

She almost choked on her words, "Huh, come with you?" She could hardly believe it. "I couldn't! Kouga…I would only get in the way."

"Is that what Inuyasha tells you."

Kagome drew back in shock. "No, of course he…he…." She stopped mid sentence. A sick realization hit her.

"I'm not going to treat you like he does, Kagome…"

His voice was soft and gentle, and for a moment she was overwhelmed and speechless, never before hearing his voice so deep in concern.

"Please come with me, Kagome."

"I…I…don't know." She mumbled.

He stood up and brushed off his legs, "Ah, well…give it some thought." He looked down at her with a grin, seeming to return to the proud indestructible wolf demon that she thought she knew so well again…

"Its best you get some rest before the sun falls. We wolves can get pretty rowdy when we're all together." And he walked out of the cave, and left Kagome to her thick quilts of fur and the silence.

"Kouga…" she whispered. Even as he left, masking himself with that raw grin…she could see it in his eyes…they pleaded with her.

Kagome didn't know how or when it happened, but it suddenly seemed that she was growing to know Kouga much deeper than she once had.

Kagome startled awake, the sound of wolf howls filling the cave. She darted up and frantically cleared her eyes to see what was going on. It was dark outside, so she could see little but the short distance in front of her. She stood up irritably, glowering moodily at the rowdy wolves that felt the need to prance around and wake her up. She walked to the entrance of the cave and looked out, seeing heavy gray clouds in the sky, already a faint drizzle of rain pouring down. She closed her arms around her, an icy chill of wind running through the air.

She soon realized how many wolves were now at Kouga's den, many more than there had been that morning. Some were obviously from different clans, with different colors of fur, and strange markings on their backs.

"Its best you stay out of Master Kouga's den for the night, lady Kagome." A thick fur coat was blanketed around her, and she turned to see a spiky white haired human-wolf and his brotherly companion along side him, grinning at her. She grinned back, "Ginta and Hakkaku! Its good to see you again!"

They smiled even wider, "Come sit with us, lady Kagome! Its about to begin!" They took her by the arm and led her to a gathering at the foot of the hill of Kouga's den, finding a snug spot in lush green grass. Kagome brooded over the falling rain that seemed to be pouring heavier every minute, and used her fur blanket to drape over herself like a hood, not especially enjoying the smell of wet dog.

"What is that human doing here?" One wolf growled in the crowd close to her.

"Probably to be our feast tonight!" One chuckled scornfully, eyeing her up and down.

She huddled farther into her blanket, the feeling of being unwelcome suddenly tickling her nerves.

"What a disgusting human wench. She's not for eating, she's for decoration."

"She wouldn't make a very good meal, there's hardly any meat on those feeble bones. She's here for other purposes, heh heh!"

She sank further into her blanket.

"Hey! You leave lady Kagome alone!" Ginta barked and slugged the wolf in the face, teeth flying. Kagome had to put a hand over her mouth to muffle her ridiculous laughing at the sight.

A fight broke out between Ginta and Hakkaku and several other wolves, into a giant ball of mud slinging, brawling wolves. Kagome almost fell over laughing, along with all the other wolves around. When they were done they wiped off their hands and protectively sat next to Kagome, leaving a swelling group of wolves with plenty of bumps and bruises. "No one so much as looks at lady Kagome, you hear!" Hakkaku growled, shaking his fist. Most of the wolves just looked at each other with arched eyebrows, completely confused. Kagome shook her head with a smile. "Thanks."

They sat for a long time, watching more wolf clans dawn the hillside and join the circle, until it had grown to a tremendous gathering that she could hardly tell where it ended, and where it began. She spun around, and looked behind her. And there she saw Kouga. Hidden in the bushes and trees that arched near his den, he sat on a rock with his face down in his hands, his shoulders slumped, his hair loose from his usual ponytail. Kagome could only sit and stare, too afraid to see him.

More time passed, and no more wolves came over the hill, the sun sank farther under the mountains until it was completely dark, no stars or moon showing through the thick black clouds in the sky that heaved rain on top of them. But now, everyone was soaked through, the grass pooling in water and dirt sloshing into mud. Kagome tried to look back and see Kouga, but it was too dark to see anything. Where was he?

Just as the thought crossed her mind, someone jumped from their seat "Look!", and everyone turned.

Kagome gasped.

There was Kouga. He walked slowly, every movement he made like a tremor on the ground. He approached the circle of wolves, and none hesitated to move out of his way. Kagome was shocked at what she saw. No longer in his usual clothing, but a sarong of black silk draped around his hips that came to his knees. His hair was down, winding in the wind. The stench of blood cloaked the air, from the intricate designs painted all over his body, from his face to his ankles. All of it covered in blood.

Every wolf was silent. Waiting. Watching. Wondering if Kouga would be able to lead them all as one. Kagome held her breath.

He came to the center of the circle. His face masked in an emotionless stare. If he had been feeling anything of what she had seen him on the rock, then he showed no signs of it at all. "I know you come to me in a time of desperation." He began, his voice deep, carrying to the farthest ends of the circle. "There is no one left. So you all come to me hoping that I can lead you all together."

He bowed his head for a moment, his eyes closed tightly, before he raised it again, his eyes more powerful than ever before. "We have come together because Naraku has begun slaying our kind. Our brothers are gone. Tribes wiped out…"

Kagome reached for her Shikon Jewel, her heart pounding. "…When we gather at East Rock we will do whatever it takes to avenge our lost brothers! Naraku will die for what he has done to us!"

Wolves howled for Kouga from all directions, becoming a great cry of support. The rain came down harder, soaking everything it touched. The blood ran down Kouga's body, rippling over his muscles, washing over his eyes. "A force that cannot be broken; we shall stand together as one tribe of the West!"

All of the wolves joined in on a glorious howl, raving into the night for miles around. Kagome was astounded. Kouga had become the leader of ever wolf in the west, and never asked for it. He demanded it.

Kouga howled into the night alongside his new clan, arching his back to the moonless sky with blood washing down his skin and through his hair. In that very moment Kagome had made up her mind. He let his voice drain into silence, and Kagome jumped out of her seat, forgetting about all the wolves that gawked at her as she made her way to Kouga. She walked across the vast space between the wolves and him, her steps sure and confident with every stride. The wolves murmured to themselves as she passed, wondering if she was to be a sacrifice to their new leader, or if she had just gone completely insane. Lighting crashed in the sky, illuminating everything as she stopped at Kouga.

He turned to her.

"I'm coming with you!" She said in a hurry, smiling wide.

Kouga instantly smiled back and took her in his arms, embracing her tight. He spun her around with a magnificent howl and held her at his side by her waist, turning towards the gathering of wolves. The wolves howled with him, and the moon broke from the clouds, illuminating them both in a silver ray of brilliance.

Their howls echoed into the deepest reaches of the night. And as her and Kouga stood together, it was without question that she was far more than she seemed to be.