A: Don't you dare restart it!
K: All right
A: back for some more story. Um. Here's the story. Sesshomaru will be here for awhile so please refer to reviews if you need anything. Sesshomaru, take it away.
S: See you later, Lady Alex. Now if anyone dares to flame her, you have to go through me.
K: And me!
S: And him. Now on with the story.
More
Kouga ran through the lyrics to find their hidden meaning. (I love you. You loved me. I'll stalk you until you love me again.) It reminded Kouga of how he had treated Kagome.
"I was obsessed with winning her."
"Who's there?" Tasha reached for her cloak.
Kouga sat stiff. Maybe she won't find me.
"I know you're there."
But then again being called a pervert is better than guilt. Kouga jumped down as two hands emerged from the darkness and grabbed Tasha around the waist. The man was tall obese and ugly.
"Ah, a fine woman for me. You'll make a fine bride."
"Let her go!"
"Kouga!" Tasha relaxed in the man's grip.
"Take a step and she dies!"
"Fine." Kouga leapt into the air and looked as intimidating as possible. The man released the maiden and ran. He gracefully landed in front of Tasha. She looked at him skeptically.
"What? He didn't say anything about jumping. How do you know my name?"
"I read it in your palm. What are you doing here? I didn't even scream."
Kouga opened his mouth but nothing came out.
"Hey, you still need to pay me."
"Weren't you scared of me yesterday?"
"That was before I found out you were a Peeping Tom."
"If it's any consultation I didn't see anything. Why does the town treat you like an outcast?"
"My mother fell in love."
"That is bad, how?"
"She was the village priestess."
"Oh."
"I don't know if I'm half miko though. I haven't shown any signs."
"That explains some."
"Turn around please."
"Why?"
She gestured to the cloak clutched around her. He abruptly turned.
"So, where are you from?"
"My clan and I live in the mountains slightly northeast of here."
"Isn't that where all those bird demon live?"
"Yeah, but we've killed enough of them that they leave us alone."
"You're that strong?" A slight giggle was heard in her voice.
"Yep." She came around to face him fully dressed. "Can I walk you back to town?"
"Okay." She picked up her things and walked beside him.
"So why are you so friendly now?"
"There's something about you."
"For all you know I could be acting like a friend to get close to you to get close to someone to kill 'em."
"You are Kouga, Prince of the Wolf Tribe. I don't think you're out to get revenge." They stepped up to her house on the outskirts of the village.
"Instead of paying you in money I could pay you in work."
"How so?"
"I'll fix your house."
"You have experience?"
"I know how to build a house."
"Fine. Will you need any materials?"
"Nope."
"Good luck." Tasha entered the house. The sun was nearly up and Kouga set out somewhere very fast.
"Do you like rain?" Kouga had returned with everything needed.
"Why?"
Kouga easily stuck his head through a hole in the roof.
"Oh. Well I like gentle rain fall but I hate storms." She began picking up her few possessions.
"The inside doesn't look bad." He pulled his head out and began to work.
"It was my parents'. They liked it clean."
"So you grew up here?"
"Yeah. When I was little Mom tried to get me to play with the other kids. Their parents would pull them away. That was before Mom and Dad were taken away."
"What happened?"
"When I was eight my parents were kidnapped by Naraku's army. I found out they were dead on my sixteenth birthday. I've been reading palms since then. It's been four years. Listen to me. I'm rambling on."
"I don't think so. It's nice to have someone to talk to."
"Okay, Your Majesty. How has your life been?"
"Well my parents had me when they were getting old."
"Demons get old?"
"Well they had lived for like a thousand years."
"Ah."
"They died from some disease so the rest of the females of my clan took care of me. Some of the males taught me how to hunt and stuff. I eventually inherited the throne. About four years ago I met a group of people that were really nice. You'd like 'em." He began on the walls. "Anyway, they were after Naraku. I thought I had fallen in love with one of them."
"Thought?"
"She chose Dog Breath over me. That was after we killed Naraku." He walked inside to work on the floor.
"Finally! How long has he been dead?"
"Two days."
"Yes!" She was so happy she hugged him. After ten seconds she let go and backed away. "Sorry." She turned around and began washing dishes.
"It's okay. I understand." Both finished in silence.
"Wow." She marveled at his work. "It looks like a house."
"Thanks, I think."
"You're welcome to stay. I don't have much to offer."
"Your hospitality is enough. I'll be right back (he seems to say that a lot)." The sun had already begun to set by the time he got back. The elderly wolf followed.
"Miaka somehow knows you so she came along." He set down two dead rabbits and some vegetables.
"I'm not exactly a big fan of dead animals."
"Don't worry. Could you fix the vegetables?"
"Gladly." Tasha scooped up the vegetables, three bowls, and a knife and set out for the nearby stream.
Kouga quickly separated the meat from the rest of the rabbit. He then started a fire in the pit and roasted all the fat off. Miaka pulled the other rabbit off to the side for herself.
Tasha returned with the vegetables. She set one of the bowls in front of Kouga and one in front of Miaka. She sat down on the other side of the fire.
"I don't bite . . . hard." The last word was obviously sarcastic.
Tasha giggled. "I'm over here for your sake. Let's just say with the right incentive I'll bite your head off."
"Suit yourself. Here." He offered her a small piece of rabbit.
"This is good."
"Thanks. You learn some things when raised by women. Speaking of women . . ."
"What?"
"It's nothing."
"You can tell me."
"Some of my comrades have gotten on my case about taking a mate."
"You thought it was that one girl. You weren't ready for what she told you. See," She swallowed, "you embrace every little feeling and force it to grow. You need to loosen up and go with the flow."
"Why do I feel like I know you?"
Tasha shrugged. "I know Miaka. After my parents were kidnapped her pack took me in. Some of her comrades, mostly kin, died when we tried to save them."
"That's why she sat in front of you yesterday."
"Yep."
"I feel like things are only going to get more complicated."
"They are." She scooter over next to him and held his palm in her hands. "See this line?"
"Yeah."
"It tells how complicated things are going. As you see it gets pretty jagged."
"How did you learn to do this?"
"I don't know. I just started."
Sounds like a miko. Tasha let go of his hand and he stared into her beautiful twin orbs.
"What?"
He blinked.
"You're staring at me."
"Oh, sorry."
"You're the first guy to stare at my eyes though."
"I thought you said you were an outcast."
"That doesn't keep them away. It just draws them closer."
"I can see why."
"Hm?"
"Nothing."
"Whatever." She stretched and yawned. Miaka had already fallen asleep. "I'm going to bed. Please put out the fire before you do."
"Why do you trust me so much?"
"Why do you trust me?" She wadded up her cloak to use as a pillow and quickly fell asleep.
Kouga sat there and stared into the fire for what seemed like hours. He made up his mind.
Figures. Tasha opened her eyes to find both friends gone. She looked out the window. The sun was almost up. She could hear sounds from the waking town.
"Shit! How did I sleep in?" She quickly slid on her cloak and headed outside. Kouga stood there with Miaka next to him and a short stout man. Wait he had a tail. He was a demon.
"Is this the girl you were talking about?" The demon asked.
"Yes. Tasha this is Tailor. He makes clothes. He owes me a favor."
"Hello." Before she could say anything else Tailor was walking around her taking measurements.
He mumbled, "I don't understand why the lord would want to make clothes for a human." Miaka growled and the demon quickly shut his mouth.
Tasha giggled. "Outdone by an aging wolf."
"Can you do it Tailor?" Kouga asked.
"Of course. What would you like?"
"I need a cloak like the one she has on only made of fur. She needs a kimono too, and how about a another outfit like the one she has on?"
"Right away." The small demon scurried into the forest.
"I can't accept this."
"Why not?"
"I still owe you for fixing my house."
"Tasha, think of it as a birthday present."
"A very expensive one! Wait how do you know when my birthday is?"
"Like you said. It's on the Natal day like your name."
Tasha felt so stupid. Her big mouth would not stay shut! "Open mouth insert foot."
"Open mouth wider insert other foot."
The finished in unison, "that is after taking your head out of your ass." They busted up laughing.
"Ahem."
"Done, Tailor?"
"Yes, sir." The demon handed Kouga the clothes. "May I leave now?"
"Yes."
"Thank you." He left. Kouga started handing Tasha her knew clothes.
"The cloak is so soft and warm."
"It should stand any weather."
"My new traveling outfit seems durable."
"This should look grand on you."
"It's beautiful." The Kimono was purple with gold embroidery. "I can't thank you enough."
Somehow just seeing her happy was enough. She was intelligent and more beautiful than any demoness he'd ever seen. Was he falling for a human?