Here goes, what happened to Kouga?

Chapter 7, Healing wounds

Ayame ran towards Kaede's house, with tears in her eyes. She had an awful feeling that Kouga hadn't survived. Then she suddenly saw a figure trying to get up from under a big timber.

"Kouga!"

He opened his eyes and saw her. She was crying and kneeled next to him, pushing the timber away. It took some time and after that she was very tired.

"Kouga… I thought you…" She panted, still crying.

"I-I'm okay… just a bit tired." He managed to answer.

"Can you stand up? We have to get away. They're trying to slack the fire but it may take time and…" Ayame started.

Kouga carefully sat up, and Ayame saw he was injured. He had a big bruise on his back and that made it hard to breathe for him.

"C'mon, I'll help you." Ayame said and pulled him up.

"I can stand on my own feet!" He snapped.

"No you can't." Ayame said seriously. "You're injured."

Suddenly Inuyasha ran to them. Ayame was very relieved, and she knew Kagome had told him to go to help. But Kouga didn't seem to be very eager to accept his help.

"Inuyasha, can you carry Kouga away?" She asked.

"Humph! If it wasn't so serious fire, I would…" Inuyasha started.

"Just do it before we die here!" Ayame snapped, and helped Kouga onto Inuyasha's back.

Then they ran together to the others. The villagers were trying to slack the fire, Kagome was with Kaede, Miroku and Sango. Inuyasha put Kouga down and saw he had lost consciousness.

"That damned Bankotsu…" Inuyasha mumbled. "I will kill him next time!"

"How's Kouga-kun?" Kagome asked.

"He's unconscious and he has a bruise on his back." Ayame answered and kneeled next to Kouga.

"He will be okay." Huffed Inuyasha. "He's a youkai. Is everybody else alright?"

"Yeah. But Miroku and Sango are still unconscious." Shippou answered.

"The medicine will make them feel better soon. I'm only worried about our village…" Kaede mumbled.

They all looked towards the village. The fire had already slacked, but almost all the houses had burnt down. The villagers were crying near them.

"We just have to build a new village." Said Inuyasha. "It's all we can now do."

"Take those three into that shrine, which isn't burnt down. They'll be safe there." Said Kaede, pointing at a shrine on a top of the hill.

"I won't carry that wimpy wolf again. Kirara can carry him and Sango, I'll take Miroku." Decided Inuyasha and lift Miroku onto his back.

Ayame stood up as Inuyasha and Kirara left. "Well will we start re-building immediately?"

"Yes. Those poor villagers can sleep in the caves nearby until we get the village built. It will be hard work though." Kaede said.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's tell the villagers to get women, children and injured persons into the caves and ask for help of all who can." Said Kagome happily.

Kaede nodded, and Ayame smiled. Even thought Kouga loved Kagome, Ayame still had started to think about her as a friend. And she was very happy because of that.

Inuyasha came back, and they all started to cut down trees. Soon Miroku came too, he had recovered consciousness. He told that Kouga was awake too, but he had to rest because of the bruise on his back. Sango was sleeping peacefully.

Until the night, they had cut down almost as much trees as they needed. The villagers returned to the caves with Kaede, the others went back to the shrine. Sango was awake too when they arrived there.

"Are you two okay?" Kagome asked.

"Fine." Kouga and Sango answered at the same time.

"Keh, this takes too long! After we're done with that village we go kill Kagemaru!" Inuyasha huffed.

Next chappy: searching for help