Chapter 6: FROM FRIEND TO ENEMY
Kouga's eyes may have been closed but he was alert and aware of everything. Inuyasha slept in his human form, cuddled up against him. Kouga smiled as he bent his head and took in the scent of Inuyasha.
'What is different about his scent?' he wondered as he stroked Inuyasha's hair.
"He never sleeps in that form." Sango stood in the doorway, clad in her full demon slayer gear and glaring at the wolf.
"I never knew that . . ." Kouga didn't even look up at her. "He was upset, so I stayed with him"
Sango was so torn about what to do. She wanted to scream at them, she was so angry that they hurt Kagome, but they looked so happy together and Inuyasha was actually sleeping.
'He must really trust Kouga,' she thought and decided to not be angry for the moment.
"We need to get an early start, and go look for Kagome," she said looking down at him
Without thinking, Kouga said, "We didn't know she was going to catch us." Then he looked up at Sango.
The look on her face went from calm to irritated in half a second. She snatched her boomerang up, ready to crack Kouga's head.
"Wait . . .wait I didn't mean it like that." Kouga held up his hands "I meant, I didn't mean to hurt her," he stated. "Inuyasha's my mate because of her, and I have every right to be with him," he finished as an after thought.
Sango lowered her weapon, her eyes still flashing slightly.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you both about. You wouldn't need Inuyasha unless it is mating season . . . unless something else is going on . . ."
Kouga knew he'd have to tell the truth sooner or later, but he didn't want anyone to think that he was with Inuyasha just because of the bond. He cared about the hanyou and was starting to have some emotions, real emotions for him. He had even decided that his mate was more important than his pack and was going to stay with Inuyasha.
"It's true I didn't have to come for him, and at first it was because I needed to, but now its because I want to. I care about him. A lot. I'm even starting to . . . develop feelings for him." Kouga admitted.
Sango was shocked, to say the least, at his confession of deep affection for Inuyasha but she still had questions.
"Why did you need to see him?"
Kouga looked down to his lap surprised that Inuyasha was still asleep and sighed, "Because . . . .I'm bonded to him." He looked up and saw the shock in her eyes.
"The same day he became my mate I became bonded to him. I swallowed a lot of his blood, causing me to be bonded to him . . . If I'm not able to touch him at least every three days, I'll get depressed, go crazy, and search him out, forcing him to mate with me." Kouga watched the emotions play across Sango's face.
"I can feel all of his emotions. If we complete the bond we will both become stronger and can go longer without touching each other so much, but the down side to completing it is the uncontrolled need to be with your mate."
Sango couldn't say anything. She thought only Inuyasha was affected by this mess.
"Does he know?" she asked pointing to Inuyasha.
"No, not yet. I wanted to get to know him before I told him. I can't take him to the den because my pack won't accept him. So, if he wants me too . . ."
Everything went silent and a light breeze filled the air. Golden rays peeked over the hills and the sun began to rise slowly. A glowing light surrounded the sleeping hanyou's body as his hair turned from raven black to silver. Ears emerged from the thickness of his bangs . . .
". . . I'll leave my pack to be with him," Kouga finished, not noticing Inuyasha's transformation
"You'll do what?" Inuyasha said, his autumn eyes looking up at the wolf demon.
Kouga gazed at Inuyasha as he got up from his lap and sat up straight
'How much did he hear?' Kouga thought.
"You don't understand . . . I want to be with you and . . ." he was cut off by Shippou and Miroku.
"Did Kagome come back?" Shippou asked as he hurried out of the hut, sniffing around.
"Kagome didn't come back?" Inuyasha asked, worry weaving its way into his tone.
"No . . . she ran into the forest and we lost her," Sango explained, looking at Kouga with raised eyebrows, silently asking him to tell Inuyasha about the bond.
"She was really mad at me this time," Inuyasha murmured as he held his head down in shame. He snapped it back up, and covered his mouth with his hand. He groaned and quickly stood up. Kouga started to feel ill too, and he also stood up, asking Inuyasha, "What's wrong?"
Inuyasha couldn't even answer. He bolted to the bushes at the edge of the village vomiting. Sango and Miroku ran after Inuyasha checking to see if he was ok. Kouga watched them all run off, wishing he couldn't feel the horrible feeling of Inuyasha throwing up.
When Inuyasha returned, he looked like hell. He was groaning and dragging his feet. Sango and Miroku followed closely behind him, asking if he was alright.
"I'm fine," he said, as he looked at Kouga. Inuyasha slowly straightened up; to show everyone he was fine.
"Let's start looking for Kagome," he suggested, hoping everyone would quit fussing over him.
Sango was about to speak when Miroku said, "We thought you could go to the well, and see if she went back to her time." Miroku completely forgot about Inuyasha being ill.
Kouga's eyebrows shot up. "What are you talking about? Her time?" he inquired in confusion.
Everyone eyed Miroku, looked at Kouga then back to Miroku. Inuyasha turned to face Kouga, he wanted to hurry and go look for Kagome so he said, "It's the old bone eaters well."
"Inuyasha!" Sango exclaimed elbowing him in the side.
He glared at her.
"I just want to hurry and find Kagome."
Kouga still looked confused, but Inuyasha didn't give him a chance to ask any questions.
"Kouga we'll tell you everything on the way. Lets go," Inuyasha stated and started running in the direction of the well.
Sango and Miroku followed Inuyasha, explaining everything they could about the well and Kagome's time to Kouga. Once they got to the there they looked around for Kagome.
"So, you're telling me that this well is some sort of time portal or something to Kagome's world?" Kouga asked disbelievingly.
"Yeah, and every time she and I fight, she runs back to her time to get away from me," Inuyasha replied, stopping and looking into the well. "I don't smell her scent anywhere," he added, concerned and afraid they wouldn't find Kagome.
"Go see if she went back home anyway," Sango insisted.
"Fine. I'll be right back," Inuyasha grumped some, as he jumped into the well, and disappeared into a blue light.
Kouga gasped, "He vanished?" He was stunned to see that they were telling the truth about the well.
"He'll be back," Sango reassured him, then glanced at Miroku. "If Inuyasha doesn't find her there, where should we look?"
"We should go back to the forest, and start from there," Miroku offered.
"I can go get some of my men to help, the more of us looking, the faster we'll find her," Kouga piped in.
They talked about places to look while waiting for Inuyasha to return. Before too much longer, the half demon jumped over the edge of the well, disappointed.
"She didn't go home. She hasn't been home in over a month." Inuyasha looked worried that something had happened to her. He started to feel guilty and sad.
"This is all my fault," he moaned, his head dropping and his ears flattening to his skull.
"It's not your fault, so stop thinking that," Kouga stated sternly. "I'll go to my den and get help, you guys start looking in the forest." He tried to reassure Inuyasha, as he felt everything his mate was feeling. "Don't worry we'll find her," Kouga added.
Inuyasha nodded a quiet thank-you to Kouga. Then he, Sango, and Miroku started walking back to the village, as Kouga headed for his den.
At Kouga's den
Kouga was greeted by angry and worried council members as soon as he entered the den.
"Where have you been? We have a festival and a mating ceremony to prepare for!" Naoko demanded.
"I had more important things to take care of," Kouga answered back.
"What is more important than the Ceremony?" Reizo asked, folding his arms and narrowing his eyes. Silence ensued as the council scrutinized him and raising his irritation. Finally, it shattered with what was spoken next.
"You haven't brought back the human to become your mate as you promised . . . tomorrow is the festival . . . so we'll be choosing a mate for you," Naoko said firmly.
"I told you before, I'll do what's required of me. Kagome's missing, and I have come to get some men to help find her," Kouga ground out, his fists clenched as he answered both questions at once.
"The human is not our concern. We'll not waste time or energy on such foolishness," Reizo snapped at him, a scowl crossing the wolf demon's features.
Kouga growled, ready to explode, but Chiyo's small hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Kouga," she stated in a clear voice, a glare landing on the council members, "come with me." The males were upsetting her nephew, and she dared them to say something to her. Then she pulled Kouga into her room, leaving the men behind.
"I heard the girl is lost," she began. "Why do you allow yourself to care so much for her?" She paused then asked, "She is a priestess. She is human. Why all of this concern?" Chiyo expressed her concern to him.
"Yes, she's a priestess, and she's human. She's also in need of help. I can't turn my back on her. She's . . . my friend," Kouga said.
Chiyo blinked, shock crossing her features. "Your friend! Are you telling me all the times you ran off to see her you never made it past being her friend?" she voiced out.
"Oba, things got complicated," he whined to her.
Chiyo narrowed her eyes at him. "You better tell me what is going on. NOW!" she growled, causing Kouga to jump.
"Oba . . . I don't know how to tell you. I don't want you to be disappointed in me . . ." He paused then lowered his head. "I'm going to leave the pack."
"What? What could cause you to want to do such a thing?" she demanded. "Kouga, no human is worth leaving your pack or your family."
Kouga sighed and his shoulders slumped. "I wouldn't be leaving for Kagome." He kept his head down. "I'd be leaving for Inuyasha," he whispered
Chiyo couldn't believe what she just heard. "Why . . .why would you do that?" Then she froze as she watched him sink to the ground with his knees to his chest, and his head on his knees.
She quickly lowered herself down beside him and wrapped her arms around him, cradling him close. "Please, Kouga . . . please tell me what happened," she begged.
Kouga leaned into her arms for a while then began to tell her everything that had been happening between him and Inuyasha, from when Kagome "sat" him and how he'd been trying to cope since then. She was stunned to say the least, but now she really disliked Kagome for putting Kouga in his current situation.
"When I caught you trying to sneak in here last week, had you just come from seeing him?" she inquired.
"Yeah . . . The worst thing about it all is that Kagome caught us together last night. She ran off, now we can't find her," Kouga murmured as he pulled himself from her arms. "I need Shijo, Hakkaku, Ginta, and anyone else willing to help me look for her."
Chiyo could care less if Kagome was lost or found, her main concern was Kouga and his mate.
"Kouga, your first priority is your mate, who you are bonded to. Not some jealous human girl," she snapped him. "You have mated with a hanyou you're also bonded to." She looked at him hoping he would get the hint.
"But . . ." Kouga started Chiyo cut him off.
"Don't 'but' me. Kouga, you should know by now how the bond works. It doesn't matter if he's male, or that it wasn't mating season. You need to bring him here to see Aboshi."
Kouga looked confused. "Why?" With so much on his mind, he was not thinking straight.
She licked her lips. "You're bonded to him. You mated with him. He could be carrying your pups," she said, shaking her head at her nephew.
Kouga looked at her strange. Then it all started coming back to him. 'The bond, Inuyasha's sickness, all the hanyou's crazy mixed up emotions, the pain in his stomach'
"I . . . I forgot about," he whispered but didn't finish.
He jumped up, pulling his aunt with him. "What am I going to do? The council won't accept him," he stated, panicking some.
"Who says they won't? Reizo was also born from a male hanyou and Lord Iwazumi of the East. Both his parents died before you were born," she informed him. Kouga's eyes almost popped out of his head at that.
"They will not turn him away if he's your mate. They definitely will not turn him away if he's carrying your pups," she told him.
"I didn't think you would take this, this well. You always called him half-breed," Kouga said.
"What was I suppose to call him? You acted like you hated him, and you called him worse names than that," she shrugged. "I will accept anyone you truly love and who loves you in return."
"I never said I love him," Kouga tried to argue.
"Right, you were going to leave your pack and family for a man you still hate," she smirked, winking at him.
Kouga smiled and hugged her. "Oba, I gotta go tell Inuyasha the news, and bring him back here. Can you tell Shinjo and the others to meet me in the old priestess village, to help find Kagome?" he asked, grinning.
"Yes . . . yes, I'll tell them. Now hurry, go get your mate and bring him home," she smiled back and let him go.
He ignored all the questions and outbursts from the council as he dashed for the main entrance, then bolted out the cave to go get his pregnant mate.
At the village
Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku searched for hours before they finally decided to go back to the village to rest and eat.
Inuyasha was so tired, he had started to nod off while they were eating. Sango thought it would be a good time to talk to him.
"Inuyasha," she called out gently. He opened his eyes to look at her. "I know you're tired but I need to talk to you," she told him
Miroku looked at them and listened as Sango continued, "You've been sick the past few days, and now you're falling asleep while we're eating. That isn't normal for you."
"So . . . what's your point?" he asked tiredly.
"I think I know what's wrong with you," Sango began, "so I know this is going to sound crazy, but I think you're . . ." She was cut off by the cry of "Kagome's back!" from outside.
They all turned to look at the door and Miroku stood up.
Inuyasha whispered, "Kagome?"
Sango got up and followed Miroku as he walked out of the hut. Inuyasha sat on the ground for a few seconds then he too stood and followed them out.
When they got outside they watched Shippou run and jump into Kagome's arms. Kagome was a little dirty but other than that she looked perfectly fine. She stood in the center of the village, dressed in a priestess outfit similar to Kikyo's and with a bow at her side. Kagome's face was expressionless, as she held Shippou in her arms, and watched Sango and Miroku approach her.
"Kagome!" Shippou cried out again. "Where have you been?"
Kagome didn't answer him.
"Kagome," Sango said as she looked her. "We were so worried about you. Where did you go?"
Still no answer.
"Kagome, we looked every where for you . . . are you ok?" Miroku inquired.
Kagome watched them all and let a slow smile come to her lips.
"Yes. I'm fine. I just need time to think about things." Then she looked around them, and watched as Inuyasha approached.
"Kagome," Inuyasha murmured as he walked up to her. Kagome stared at him. Anger and jealousy stabbed at her heart.
'Your eyes are my eyes,' ran through Kagome's mind. She shook her head and smiled at Inuyasha.
"Yes, Inuyasha?" She spoke with no emotion, even though a smile plastered itself on her face. She handed Shippou to Miroku.
"Um . . . about last night," Inuyasha started. "I didn't mean to hurt you, it's just that . . . I… um . ..I'm Kouga's mate," he stuttered, hoping she would understand.
"What do you expect me to say about that. You still went to be with him, when I was here waiting for you. Tell me why is that?" she sneered.
"I couldn't help it. When he came for me I just . . . needed him," he tried to explain somewhat lamely.
"You tried to blame being bit and marked on me then you kept your relationship with him a secret from me. Why would you do that!" Kagome yelled
"It is your fault," Inuyasha said, annoyed that she had yelled at him. "You made him do this to me." He pulled his collar down to show her his mark.
"How dare you blame that on me! Just because you were lonely and couldn't touch me, you went to the first person who put their hands on you!" she spat.
"I didn't ask to be his mate. I didn't even want to be his mate. It was a mistake. I didn't mean to hurt you Kagome." He tried to apologize again.
Kagome listened to what he said . 'Your ears are my ears,' echoed in her mind.. She looked around and became more angry at the hanyou.
"You didn't have to go running off to him. We could have found a way to remove it. So it's your fault, not mine. Remember all the times you couldn't touch me? Guess what, you can touch me now. See?" she yelled as she pushed Inuyasha causing him to stumble back.
"I'm really sorry, Kagome. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to hurt you. You're my best friend . . . I'm so sorry," he murmured, practically begging for forgiveness.
Kagome heard the word "friend" from Inuyasha's mouth. 'Your voice is my voice,' came the words again, and she glared at him.
"Well, it's nice to know that I'm only your friend. I think I should let you know that you never really meant anything to me. I only needed you on this journey to help find the jewel, and get it back," she declared, every word dripping with venom.
"What?" He knew she was hurt, but surely she couldn't mean that. "We've spent a lot of time together and I consider you my best friend," he told her.
"Well, I never thought of us as friends. Fiends don't lie or hurt each other."
Her words hurt his heart but he tried again. He had to make her see that she had meant something to him and still did. "Kagome, I know I hurt you and I know that you're angry at me, but I still care about you a lot. I truly am sorry that I hurt you."
"Look, we will never be friends. I am the most powerful miko around, I can't go around befriending demons. Or half breeds for that matter. Sure, I may have had a little crush on you, but now you mean absolutely nothing to me. Go be with that lying wolf. I think you two deserve each other. I'm way too good for any of you," she told him coldly.
Finally Sango spoke up, unable to contain her irritation anymore. "Kagome, I know they hurt you, but you don't have to be so hateful to Inuyasha. He is your friend and he does care for you. It really isn't his fault this happened to him," she said, feeling sympathy for Inuyasha. The hanyou had a crushed expression on his face.
"Sango, I am a priestess. I am supposed to stay away from demons and keep evil away from this village. You, being a demon slayer, should slay them. Not become their friends. Some slayer you are," Kagome scoffed.
"Why you," Sango tried to go after her, but Miroku stopped her by grabbing her arm.
"Sango, let it go." Miroku said
"NO, MIROKU!" she shouted. Miroku pulled her arm getting her attention.
"She's hurt. We should leave her alone for a little while," the monk stated, trying to be reasonable about the whole situation, though he, too, felt that Kagome's words had been out of line.
"Fine," Sango snarled through gritted teeth, and glared at the miko.
Kagome watched Inuyasha with evil eyes the entire time she and Sango had talked. Inuyasha didn't know what to say, his heart was breaking.
"Kagome, I . . ." he began but felt and heard Kouga coming.
"Inuyasha, I need to talk to you," Kouga said as he approached the group.
Kagome's cold brown eyes stared at Kouga with a menacing glare. 'Your hands are my hands,' ran through her mind, and she turned to Sango.
"Sango . . . Let me show you how to do your job," Kagome said in a harsh tone as she pulled an arrow from her back and quickly loaded it in its bow. She pulled back on the bowstring aiming at Kouga.
"What the hell are you doing?" Sango questioned with Miroku's hand still on her arm. She watched Kagome with anger and fear.
"Kagome . . . No . . . don't do it!" Miroku cried out, watching Kagome as realization dawned on him as to what she was going to do.
"Silence, you letch!" Kagome shouted.
Kouga stopped walking and looked at Kagome as she aimed her bow and arrow at him.
Inuyasha turned to look at him then back to Kagome.
"Kagome, what . . ." Inuyasha whispered and started to back up towards Kouga.
"What the hell is going on?" Inuyasha heard Kouga ask from behind him
"Die, you demon filth!" Kagome yelled and letting the arrow fly.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion from that point on. Kouga's eyes grew wide and he braced himself for the impact.
"NO!" someone cried out.
Suddenly Kouga felt two hands on his shoulders pushing him down to the ground. He watched Inuyasha's face contort in pain and he felt the sting in his back, as the arrow went straight through Inuyasha's chest. Inuyasha was thrown forward on to the ground, face first making him land next to Kouga.
Inuyasha's blood pooled beneath him as the end of the arrow stuck out of his back.
Kouga rushed to Inuyasha's side, ignoring the pain in his back. He tried to pull the arrow out, but the blue light stung his hand.
Kouga's heart was racing as he turned Inuyasha's body over. The wolf sat on his knees and rested his mate's head in his lap. He could hear the screams and commotion around him.
"Inuyasha," Kouga whimpered, his throat went dry as his eyes swelled with tears, and he stroked the fallen hanyou's cheeks. "Inuyasha?" he murmured again as a lone tear trailed down his cheek. Golden eyes slowly opened.
"Hurts," Inuyasha coughed out, and blood began to leak down the side of his mouth.
"I'm going to take you to the den," Kouga soothed. "You're going to be ok," he added as he put a weak smile on his face. The tear dropped off from his chin onto Inuyasha's cheek
"Hurts," Inuyasha said quietly again. "Don't cry."
Kouga didn't say anything. He watched as Inuyasha struggled to breathe.
"Hang in there. I'm taking you home." He placed one arm under Inuyasha's knees and the other around his back, careful not to touch the arrow. Then he stood and looked at Kagome.
Miroku had wrestled the bow out of Kagome's hand, and put a spirit ward around her to slow her down. Sango ran over to Kouga and Inuyasha.
Kouga's eyes started to turn blood red.
"Kouga!" Sango yelled, resting a hand on the wolf's shoulder. "Kouga, you need to get Inuyasha out of here."
Kouga bared his fangs and growled.
"KOUGA! CALM DOWN! INUYASHA NEEDS HELP! HE NEEDS YOU!" Sango yelled again.
He looked at Sango and his growling ceased. His eyes slowly turned from red to purple then back to blue.
"Go. Take him away from here. He needs you," Sango pleaded
Kouga didn't reply. Instead, he turned and started running towards his den with Inuyasha in his arms.
Kouga's den
Once Kouga got into the opening of the den, he howled . "Help! Help me! Chiyo. I need you!"
Chiyo hurried out . . .the only time Kouga used her name was when he was in trouble or mad. And from his tone, it sounded like both.
The rest of the pack all came running out behind her, to Kouga's howls.
"Kouga," Chiyo said looking at the bloody half demon in his arms. "What happened?"
"Kagome shot him!" Kouga cried out.
Hakkaku and Ginta both gasped. "Why?" they asked, confusion lighting their eyes. They had always thought of Kagome as a pack sister, due to Kouga's claim on her.
"It was an accident, she was aiming for me. Please help him," Kouga begged.
"Why would you bring that half breed here? Why would you think we would help him?" Naoko asked, heat in his tone.
"I have no time for your questions. Get Aboshi now." Kouga sobbed out.
Everyone wanted to ask questions. They watched as Kouga cried, and pleaded for help.
"Bring him to me," a voice said from behind the crowd. Aboshi, the healer, was a tall grey haired wolf. She watched the distress in Kouga's face and decided to help, she could ask questions later.
"Follow me my prince," she said slowly.
Kouga followed her, along with most of the pack, to the room at the end of the den. He lowered Inuyasha down to the pelts and made sure Inuyasha was on his side, so the arrow wouldn't hurt him anymore.
Aboshi felt around the arrow. Then she moved her hands to Inuyasha's stomach. She stopped and looked up at Kouga. "He is with pups," she stated. Gasps and whispers echoed through the whole room as she continued to speak. "I will not be able to remove this arrow. A priestess must remove it. He has lost a lot of blood. I do not think he, or the pups, will survive."
Kouga panicked, and grabbed Inuyasha's hand. "Please, Inuyasha. Please don't leave me," Kouga whimpered, not caring who heard. "You have to fight. Please!"
Inuyasha fought to open his eyes and smiled at Kouga.
Kouga felt a soft squeeze on his hand and tears ran freely down his face.
"We're going to be parents," Kouga choked out between sobs. "So you gotta pull through this."
Inuyasha started to shake and cough again. "I don't (cough) hate (cough) you. And we can (cough) do everything again," he choked out.
Kouga leaned his forehead against Inuyasha's and felt Inuyasha's hand loosen in his. His golden eyes faded into a light grey and slowly closed, the warmth in his body began to fade and his heart beats became slower and slower
"Inuyasha . . ." Kouga whispered as a flood of tears ran down his cheeks. "I . . . I love you . . ."
Inuyasha inhaled one last breath of air and seconds later, his body stopped moving . . .