Disclaimer: See chapter one.

A/N: Okay, on with chapter three. Not too many review on chapter two, but since there weren't any bad ones either, I'm going to go with the idea that it was generally good. I'm going to shoot for having chapter four up by the end of the week, so there should be too long between the updates. It might even be earlier, so be sure to check back. Okay, enjoy chapter three.

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Chapter Three: Revelations

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The cave had long since been swallowed in darkness. The occasional flash of lightening from the still raging storm illuminated parts of the cave, but rarely reached to where Ayame sat as she kept watch over Kouga. She'd lost track of how much time had past, but it couldn't have been too long. It had gotten colder too. The little shift she wore was thin enough that it was comfortable to wear under her armor, but it did little to hinder the cold now. She contemplated putting her armor back on, but the thought of putting wet leather against her now dry skin just made her colder.

She'd been running over what had happened at the meeting with the other leaders in her head and still could not understand what had changed in them. She wondered if things would have gone differently if her grandfather had been well enough to make the meeting. He is so strong and wise, would he have been able to open the other's eyes.

"Ayame," whispered a voice to her left. She turned her head, but even with her eyes she couldn't see his face.

"Yes, Kouga, I'm here," she replied softly.

"I know, I just wondered if you were awake." Her eyes narrowed and she wished he could see the glare she was giving him.

"You think I would let my guard down when we are in danger! You think I am not smart enough to know that we are still being hunted! You think…" Her anger started to fizzle out when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"You know that is not what I meant," he said calmly. "I know you are capable and intelligent and …cold."

"A leader is supposed to keep emotion out of decisions, of course I am cold," she shot back slightly perturbed by his comment.

"No, I mean you are freezing," he corrected. "Did you give me your cloak, is that what this is?" She couldn't see him gesture to 'it', but she knew he must be referring to the cloak she had given to him.

"You had a fever and it was the only thing I could think of to get you warm," she explained. She was suddenly grabbed and pulled right up against Kouga as he wrapped his arm around her and began rubbing some heat back into her arm. She also felt the cloak land over her legs. "But Kouga you're still hurt," she protested.

"I'm much better now. Besides you silly girl, if you sat there much longer you'd be the one with the fever." His voice was gentle, but she could hear the admonishment in it.

"You're right," she said quietly, "I am a silly girl. That's all I am. I'm not fit to be a leader." She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" asked Kouga. "You are going to be a great leader. Your grandfather-"

"My grandfather is my grandfather," she interrupted, "He supports me out the love he has for his grandchild."

"That is not true and you know it," replied Kouga.

"Do I? I couldn't even negotiate peace with Takeo and Ryoku, what makes you think I'll be a good leader?" She was complaining too. A good leader didn't complain. A good leader always stayed strong. She knew that it was in part because of exhaustion, but she also knew that the fears she was feeling were real.

"Those two never had any desire for peace," he replied. "Your decision was the right one for the circumstance and I'm sure your grandfather would agree." His voice was so calm and soothing that she wanted to believe him, but the doubt was still there.

"I just wanted to prove that I could be a good leader to Grandfather and … to you." She hung her head and let her tears fall freely. Kouga would never love her for being a weak leader.

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"Me?" asked Kouga, "Why me?" Her words had shocked him. Ayame had always seemed so confident and strong, he would have never guessed that she had these doubts about herself.

"It's nothing," she replied softly, "I guess I am just tired is all." She tried to pull away from him, but he held her.

"Wait, Ayame talk to me." Kouga had pushed her away in the past, but now there was no need to. He wanted to help her, to comfort her, to… To what? Does she even still want you now? He thought back to how cold she was the other night when he had asked about the promise he had made all those years ago. 'A leader has to be cold' her words from moments ago echoed in his ears. "You've never needed to prove anything to me, or your grandfather for that matter."

"But I wanted to show you that I wasn't a little girl anymore," she replied and shifted at the same time bringing her bosom into contact with his bare chest. He was quite aware of the fact that she was no longer a little girl. "I wanted to show you that I could be a great leader just like you and Grandpa because maybe then you would want…want to be with me." Her voice dropped to almost inaudible levels as she finished her statement, but he had heard her loud and clear.

"Ayame," he said softly, "Even though I am not as powerful as I was, if you still want me I will keep my promise to you."

"Kouga I knew you before you came to possess those shards and I admired and respected you as a leader even then." Her voice was gentle now and he could hear the sincerity in her words. "It wasn't the shards that made you a great leader." Kouga was taken aback by her words, but only had a moment to think on them before she continued. "But, I don't want you to marry me just because of a promise made to sooth a little girl's fears. I want you to be with me for the woman I've become." She had raised her voice and he wished he could see her face. She probably looked rather angry at that moment and she always looked particularly beautiful when she was mad. But, even though she was mad he could hear the uncertainty in her voice. So that was why she was acting the way she was, to impress him and here he'd thought she no longer saw him as being worthy of her. Man was I wrong.

He had been sincere in his words earlier. She had no need to impress him. While he agreed that she was inexperienced as a leader, he had no doubts that she would be a great one. But, did he love her? Could he give her what she wanted?

"Ayame," he said almost without sound. He couldn't find the words to express how he felt. He didn't really know how he felt. So instead he sent a seeking hand into the darkness and gently felt for her face. He could feel her breath on his skin, so it wasn't a hard task. She slightly gasped with surprise as his hand made contact, but she did not pull away. Her cheeks were wet with recently shed tears. He brushed away a few of the remaining drops with his thumb. "Ayame I don't-" he started to say.

"Don't Kouga," she interrupted as she pulled away. "Don't say it it'll just hurt more. I understand…I'm just not what you want," she said softly. Her words, and the tears he could hear that she was trying to hide, pierced his heart. How could she think she was not what he wanted? She was intelligent, fearless, beautiful and so much more. A man would be a fool not to want to be with a woman like her…So what is my problem? The realization that suddenly dawned on him brought a smile to his face. Ayame was what he wanted. The whole time he'd been telling himself he would only marry her because of his promise it had been a lie. He would be happy with her, he wanted to protect her, and he had fallen in love with her.

"Ayame wait I'm not agreeing to marry you just because of the promise. I – OW." He'd leaned forward to try and pull her back to him and when he shifted it agitated his wounded leg. "Ah damn that hurt."

"Are you okay?" asked Ayame obviously worried and apparently forgetting she was mad at him.

"Yeah, my leg was just protesting being moved," he explained.

"As it should," scolded Ayame as she turned to push him back against the wall. "You shouldn't be moving. What were you trying to do?" Kouga took the opportunity to trap her hands beneath his left hand and once again cup her face with his right.

"This," he said softy and then guided her lips to his.

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Ayame felt his lips meet hers and melted into him. It was heaven. She pressed up against him wanting to share so much more with him, but he gently broke the kiss and stroked her lips with his thumb.

"Not here," he said gently, "Not now. When we get out of this mess we'll do this right. We'll have your grandfather bless our union properly." Ayame let out a small whimper, but she had to agree with him and she loved him all the more for it. "Now get some sleep. We've got to figure a way out of this mess with Takeo and Ryoku tomorrow."

"Do you have any idea why they would be acting that way?" she asked as she rested her head against his chest.

"No, but I don't think Takeo really agrees with what is going on. It was almost like he was being forced to answer the way he did." He was silent for a moment, but she could tell he wasn't done. "It could be that Ryoku is bullying him into to this, but then I don't understand why Ryoku decided it needed to be taken this far. It could be…" He voice trailed off and he remained silent.

"It could be what?" she asked raising her head slightly.

"Nothing," he replied. "It was a passing thought, but it couldn't be right. Get some sleep, I'll keep watch."

She could tell what ever it was that he was thinking about was still bothering him, but he was not going to discuss it. Could it have something to do with that strange smell he had detected earlier? Her thoughts began to dim as the sound of his rhythmic breathing and the falling rain started to put her to sleep. Kouga was right. She needed to get some rest. Then tomorrow they would figure out how to save her tribe … together.

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Kouga could see the light starting to peek into the cave. It had stopped raining about an hour earlier, but he didn't wake Ayame. Instead he let her sleep, all the while gazing at her and hoping that things would work out for the best. He had wanted to take her last night, and it took everything he had to put a stop to it, especially when she seemed so willing. But, he couldn't do that to her. If something happened to him during this fight he wanted her to still be able to find another, and having her virtue still in tact would aid with that.

More than ever, the thought of her with someone else did not sit well with him, but he had to continue what Ayame started regardless of their interlude last night. They needed to think of the tribes first, which meant that Ayame had to be safe. If it came to it Kouga would protect her at all costs, including his life.

He traced the contours of her face with his fingers and brushed her now very fluffy hair out of her eyes. She was no longer a child, but she was still very young. This whole ordeal was going to take a toll on her, and he hoped he would be there to help her see it through to the end.

A noise from outside brought Kouga out of his thoughts and forced him to focus on their current predicament. He gently slipped his arm out from under Ayame and leaned her carefully against the cave wall. He quietly made his way to the cave's entrance, his leg stiff and protesting the movement, and carefully peeked around the large stone that had caused them so many problems the night before.

There was nothing initially, but the wind carried the sounds of distant voices to his sharp ears, and in moments two wolf demons exited the forest. They were still a good distance away, but he could hear them bickering about something, and from the looks of their armor they were members of the Western tribe. Kouga thought for a moment that since there were only two of them he could deal with them, but as he shifted his weight his still healing wound reminded him that he might be at a disadvantage.

He watched them as they approached the rock face for a minute more while he tried to determine the best course of action. If they were thorough in their search they would find the entrance to Ayame's little hide-away in no time. He turned to go wake Ayame, but paused as pieces of their argument became clearer.

"I'm telling you Ryoku's lost it," shouted one.

"You got a death wish or something?" questioned the other, " If he hears you talking like that you're as good as dead, and he'd probably kill me for being with you, so would you just shut up about it!"

"All I'm saying is that this war he's got planned is pointless. He just hasn't been the same since that damn kid showed up."

"Look," shot back the other, "he's the boss, so we do what he says and right now we are supposed to be looking for the brat and Kouga. Now go check over there while I search the other side." Kouga ducked slightly when the wolf demon pointed to his general direction. Damn, looks like we are going to have company he thought as he made his way back to Ayame. Who was this kid they were talking about, and why would a child have any effect on Ryoku?

He knelt down next to Ayame and gently shook her. She opened her eyes, but he could tell she did so reluctantly. However, the look on his face must have told her that something was wrong because she quickly sat up straight and looked around the cave. She looked like she was going to ask him what was happening, but he placed a shushing finger to his lips and motioned for her to put her armor back on as he did the same. When she was finished he motioned her close to him.

"There are two of Ryoku's men outside the cave and one of them will be examining the front of the cave shortly," he whispered into her ear. "Is there another way out of here?" Ayame leaned back, apparently lost in memories, as the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard outside the cave's entrance.

"What the…" the voice trailed off, but Kouga could tell that the wolf must be examining the rock that was clearly shifted. Even with the rain, the mud had not filled in the small gorge shifting it had placed in the earth. He turned his attention back to Ayame who leaned in close to him.

"There was, but it might be blocked now like the entrance was," she whispered back. Kouga weighed fighting versus trying to run, and while he would rather fight, he knew that with his leg still healing and Ayame as exhausted as she was they would have a hard fight.

"We'll have to risk it," he replied in hushed tones, "lead the way."

She stood and quietly made her way farther into the cave with him close behind. The low ceiling only seemed to get lower as they went and in no time they were crawling on hands and knees. Kouga, his thigh aching as they went, followed and hoped Ayame knew where she was going because he had gotten completely turned around. A few times she would pause and in the completely dark tunnel that meant that Kouga's head would collide with her back side. He would mumble a hushed apology, but she appeared to be too caught up in finding their way out to care as she muttered to herself about which direction to go.

Kouga was starting to wonder if maybe they should have chanced the encounter when his nose picked up the smell of fresh air and small beam of light entered his line of sight. The small vein in the rock they had been crawling through finally opened up into a little pocket, but it was only big enough for them to kneel side by side.

"It looks like there was a rock slide here too," explained Ayame as she examined the area where the light was coming in, "but I think we can move these rocks enough to get out." She began to move them slowly testing each one and then handing them to Kouga. He tried to place them to the sides, but the limited space meant that he was soon placing them in the passage behind them and blocking their only way out. The minor rock slides that Ayame was causing kept him on edge, but he had faith she knew what she was doing. Gradually, the hole became bigger and the light in the cave increase and Kogua breathed a sigh of relief… despite his faith.

Once it was big enough to crawl through Ayame scooted to the side as far as possible and motioned for Kouga to look through the hole. Doing so, he could see that the network had led them to the far left of where they had originally entered and closer to the edge of the forest. As he searched the clearing and base of the cliff face for their pursuers he began to think that perhaps they had already moved on until both emerged from the cave where he and Ayame had stayed the previous night.

They appeared to be arguing again, but this time he could tell it was about them. The pair must have picked up their scent in the cave. The question now was whether or not they thought he and Ayame were still hiding in the caves somewhere or had already moved on. For now they were safe hiding where they were, but they couldn't hide there forever. They had to get back to the Elder and warn him about what was going on.

"They are still here," he whispered back to Ayame, "but, I don't think they know we are."

"So what are we going to do?" That's a good question he thought as he surveyed the area one more time. They could make a run for it, but the possibility of being seen and a chase following discovery did not sit well with him. Then movement at the other cave's entrance caught his attention. One of the men was heading off into the forest as the other called out orders. Orders, that Kouga wished he could hear. The remaining man stood leaning against the boulder for a moment and then headed back inside the cave.

"Quick, follow me," called Kouga as he darted out of the cave and headed towards the forest. He kept an eye on the other cave's entrance until they were both under the cover of the trees, but the other man didn't reemerge. "It looks like one of them may have gone to either report their findings or to get back up. The other is currently in the cave," he explained as they continued through the forest. "Now the only problem is that we need to circle around the area to get back to where we need to be."

"The chance of us running into more of Takeo and Ryoku's men is fairly high then," supplied Ayame.

"Exactly," replied Kouga as he stopped and turned to her.

"Well then this should be fun," she said with a smile, "I think it's your turn to lead." Kouga shook his head and grinned. It seemed as though she had gotten her usual spirit back after last night's breakdown. Well, that is one thing to be grateful for at least.

"Alright," he replied, "stay close."

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Ayame stayed as close as physically possible without getting in the way. They were moving as quickly and as quietly as they were able to, but it still seemed to be taking forever. She may have put on a brave face, but she was still worried about getting out of this situation. They had a couple of close calls already, but had managed to avoid being spotted. It seemed that Takeo and Ryoku must have been informed as to their possible whereabouts because the number of patrols in the area seemed to continue to increase.

They had finally made their way north of the caves, but they were still a good half a day away from the safety of the Elder's cave. And, at the rate they were going it might take longer. Consumed by her thoughts, she was startled when Kouga suddenly grabbed her and hugged her to him as he ducked into some dense shrubbery. It wasn't the best cover, but Ayame soon realized why Kouga had chosen it. They were down wind, which helped, but it would not stop the other wolf demons from picking up their scent if they happened to pass right by them. But, the plants that they were now hiding in produced one of these worst smelling flowers she had ever come across.

The reasons for their need to hide came running by in short order. A pack of four wolf demons looked like they were in a hurry to get somewhere and didn't even pause as they passed their hiding place. As soon as the coast was clear the pair quickly extricated themselves from the fowl smelling bush.

"It is going to take forever to get this smell off of me," she joked as they continued to run towards their goal.

"Heh, and with any luck those men won't think it odd that those flowers are following them," he joked back.

They kept up their pace for another hour or so before they both needed to rest. Ayame slid down to the ground as she rested against a tree. Kouga remained standing with his ears and eyes alert for any trouble.

"You should let me look at your leg," said Ayame as her eyes landed on the makeshift bandage that used to be her legging now decorating Kouga's thigh.

"It's fine," he replied while still scanning the area, "besides we don't really have time for that." He was lying about it being fine. She could smell the fresh blood and see the faint red tint appearing on the white fur bandage. They needed to treat it properly soon or it was never going to completely heal. Even demons had their limitations.

"Here let me just readjust the bandage then," she said as she stood to walk over to him. She hadn't walked more than two steps before he put a halting hand up and signaled for her not to speak. She stopped and listened as well. It was faint, but the sound of approaching footsteps was definitely there.

Kouga lurched forward, grabbed Ayame's hand and continued around behind the tree that Ayame had been leaning on just as their resting spot was filled with demons. Kouga pressed his back up against the tree and held tight to Ayame.

"Any sign of them?"

"Nothing yet. But if Keiji and Mieko are right then they can't be far."

Ayame silently cursed at the fact that they had been discovered this morning, but there was nothing to be done about it. Now they had to get out of this mess. The demons were still discussing search plans when she noticed that one of the wolves they had with them started making his way towards them. A moment later he began growling in their general direction.

"Run," commanded Kouga as they both sprung into action. With the other demons alerted to their presence there was no other choice. It seemed to take a minute for their pursuers to catch on, but soon enough cries to give chase could be heard behind them.

They ran as fast as their legs would carry them and Ayame hoped that Kouga knew where they were going, or at least had some kind of plan to get them out of this. They couldn't keep this pace up for very long, especially not with Kouga's leg injured as it was. One thing was for sure though…they needed help.

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A/N: Wheee, fluff! Okay, hope it wasn't too fluffy…I try not to be overly fluffy, but it just kind of seemed like the situation worked. Not too much of a cliff hanger I hope.

Please review.