For the record (ahem): I do not own, in whole or in part, any part of the Inuyasha franchise. Nor do I own any of the characters from said franchise that is used forthwith. The following story is solely based on the ramblings of a college student at a boring job and is not to be taken or believed as part of the true Inuyasha saga. Those being said, please enjoy my first attempt at fan fiction. Feel free to critique ad nauseum. (Whew!)

Chapter Three – A Happy Circumstance for Some

Kouga awoke in a daze of pain. What on earth happened just then? I was actually getting somewhere in that fight and then... wham! I fell to the ground.

Inuyasha's face came into view overhead, looking down on Kouga with an obvious smile on his face. "You just wouldn't listen to anyone, would ya?"

Kouga tried to sit up and tell Inuyasha to stuff it, but found that his arms were so shaky that he couldn't even prop himself up. Knowing Inuyasha wouldn't be any help, he just lay there, waiting to heal on his own, feeling mortified. "Inuyasha, leave me be. I was doing fine until I was distracted."

Inuyasha crossed his hands in front of his chest. "Oh yeah? From what I saw it was more like you were still standing until Sesshomaru had had enough."

Without realizing that anyone else was standing near him, a hand slipped under his shoulder and another helped him into a sitting position. Kouga looked to his side; it was the houshi. He jerked his arm out of Miroku's grasp, but did nothing else, as he was grateful someone helped him stand.

"What distracted you, Kouga?" said Miroku, taking the wolf's words at face value.

"It was... the..." I have no idea what distracted me. So he thought of the first thing he could. "It was Kagome not being there. I realized that she left. Probably out of concern for my well being."

At those words, Inuyasha's smile turned into a snicker. "Right, sure. Is that why you pushed her to the ground to get to Sesshomaru? Out of the need for her to be there?"

Kouga turned red in the face, having forgotten that he did indeed force Kagome out of the way.

"She left shortly after that. I think she was upset at both you and Lord Sesshomaru for ignoring her," said the monk in a more dignified manner.

Shippo jumped up into Kouga's lap, which would have made him ache if the kitsune wasn't so small. "Yeah. You hurt Kagome. I'm afraid I am going to have to teach you some manners." He grabbed a fistful of Kouga's shirt and brought their faces close together.

"Ya' wanna mess with me, runt?" Kouga said in a fierce growl, even though he felt like at this moment the little kit could beat him.

Miroku wisely plucked Shippo off of Kouga and set him down on the other side, where he couldn't attack Kouga again. "Now is not the time for petty arguments."

"Yeah, whatever..." muttered Kouga.

"Oh, now you're going to listen to reason?" Inuyasha blasted at Kouga. He was still upset at the way he handled Kagome earlier.

"Shut up, hanyou."

"What about when Kagome practically begged the two of you to stop fighting. But you listen to a stupid monk?"

"Go away, puppy. You wouldn't understand matters of the heart."

"Feh! Neither would you."

Kouga barely ground out the next couple of words, he was so angry with Inuyasha. "Why don't you try out your newfound philosophy on your bother? As I recall, he was fighting against her wishes as well."

That quietened Inuyasha for a moment. Kouga barely heard the next words. "I can't. To the victor go the spoils."

Kouga shot up, ignoring the pain emanating from every muscle in his body. He looked around. He saw lots of villagers staring at him as if he had lost his mind. He saw Inuyasha, Miroku and the annoying little cub. But where were Sesshomaru and Kagome? "Where is he? We are not finished here?" He couldn't' bare to think of his Kagome in that dog's arms...

Inuyasha came up close to him, pressing his clawed finger dead center on to Kouga's chest. "Where do you think he is? You made him crazy with your taunting. And now he has won her."

The wolf's face drained of all color. "You mean he is... with my Kag..."

Inuyasha laughed. "She's not yours anymore."

"Why aren't you doing something about it? As I recall, the last time I saw you, you were all but claiming Kagome as yours. Now your brother walks in here and you just let her go?"

Inuyasha had the good grace to blush. "I just want Kagome happy. And I know damned good and well that she would not be happy with you. But she says she is happy with him. I have to believe that."

Kouga haltingly stumbled past Inuyasha. "Yeah. You keep telling yourself that. You let her go without a fight. You coward." And he left Inuyasha to his thoughts.

Ayame knocked Gintu on the head. "Where is he? I haven't been able to find Kouga all day."

"I said I don't know...Ow! Stop that!" She thunked the hairbrained sidekick of Kouga's again, more out of her own frustration than anyhing else. Of course Gintu would have told her where Kouga is if he knew. He is terrible at keeping secrets.

"Where is your partner in crime then?"

Gintu blocked his head with both of his hands. "He's down by the river, attempting to catch fish with his hands like Kouga does. Go hit him for a while."

Ayame sighed and ran to the river. And there he was, just as Gintu predicted, knee deep in the river, soaked to the bone, and nary a fish in sight. "Have you seen Kouga?"

Without looking up from the river he said "Not since daybreak."

A-ha! Now we're getting somewhere. "Where did he go?"

Finally he looked up at Ayame, with a sneer on his face. "Oh no. I tell you, you get mad, I get bruised. I'm not stupid you know." He turned back to the water and lunged at a large carp. As the carp swam effortlessly between his legs, he ended face up in the river.

"Yeah, you're not stupid. You're insane!" Ayame digested his words for a moment. Why would I get upset about where Kouga went? Unless he went to see HER. "Please don't tell me he went to see that Kagome."

He laughed. "Okay. I won't tell you."

She moaned and plopped right down on the bank of the river. "Why does he persist in taking her for a mate? I mean, she is a miko, for crying out loud."

"Ah, but he has been hearing some very disturbing rumors lately."

Her interest was peaked. Anything that involved information to get Kouga away from Kagome was good news to her. "What?"

Too tempted by gossip to fish anymore, he quickly hauled himself out of the water and situated himself beside Ayame. "That she has already taken a mate."

"She and Inuyasha finally got together? It's about time. Finally I can make Kouga see..."

The shaking of his head stilled her words. "I didn't say Inuyasha. We have heard rumors from the nearest village, which came from Inuyasha's village, that she was kidnapped by Lord Sesshomaru. And that he has kept her with him for the past several days."

Her eyes widened in shock. "You mean that that stuffy old inu youkai finally decided to take a mate, and it was her? I thought he hated humans."

"That is why the rumors spread so quickly. As soon as Kouga heard that Sesshomaru and Kagome were back in Inuyasha's village, he took off."

Ayame mentally digested the information for a moment. If Kouga thinks of Kagome as his woman, and rumor has it that she is someone else's woman, wouldn't that mean that Kouga... "Do you think that he went there to challenge Sesshomaru?"

He nodded vigorously. "That is exactly what I think."

"That's ridiculous. He'll be killed. Sesshomaru is much older and more skilled that Kouga and he has that Tokijin..." Without another breath wasted on words, Ayame leaped up and ran in the direction of Inuyasha's forest.

I can't go another step. Kouga turned his head as far as he could to the side – which wasn't very far – to see if he had been followed. When he saw the coast was clear, he slumped against the nearest tree, too tired to even prop himself up in a more dignified pose. His legs gave way beneath him and his head hit the tree with a dull thud. Kouga's head was propped up enough to assess the damage to his abdomen.

Sesshomaru had managed to make some very deep slices into his ribcage. They were healing, but there were so many of them that it would be at least a full day before he could run without pain. A few more days before they started to completely fade from his body. He had turned into a feral monster after touched Kagome. All I did was move Kagome aside, and he acted as if I tried to steal something. Kouga gave his head a shake. No. The monk said that I pushed her to the ground. He is extremely possessive of her. I have never known him to be possessive of anything.

Kouga smiled at that thought. At least not anything animated. That damned sword he keeps by his side seems to be the only thing that mattered to him. Or at least it was. He threw that sword to the ground as if it were useless. It was as if he wanted to tear me limb from limb with his bare hands. When he delved deeper into that thought, an image floated through his mind that made his blood curdle. An image of Kagome in Sesshomaru's arms.

He remembered what Inuyasha had said. To the victor go the spoils. She is his now. He's probably already claimed her. Why didn't I do that sooner? Inuyasha wouldn't really have been able to stop me if I wanted to...

He jerked his head up at the direction that thought was going. But the pain in his neck made him wince and place it back against the tree. "Of course I wanted to. Kagome is my woman."

"You mean she was yours. She is his now." Ayame came out of the forest, directly ahead of Kouga.

Kouga noticed that she had a rather wicked grin on her face. He wanted to react to what she said, but he had never been so glad to see a friendly face before.

Ayame sat down beside the crestfallen wolf-prince, helping him sit in a more dignified position. "Now will you listen to reason?"

He rubbed his nose, which was threatening to bleed again. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I think it is high time you grew up and became serious about who you take as a mate."

He harrumphed at that. "I suppose that you think you know everything."

"Apparently I know more than you do."

"What do you know?"

"I know that you never really wanted Kagome."

"I did too." His voice was a lot more gruff than he meant it to be. But, he had never been beaten so soundly. He was attacked without mercy, and he knew that he deserved it.

A light and tingly chuckle escaped her lips. "You did not. You just met a pretty girl and flirted."

"Did not," he grumbled through clenched teeth.

She went on as if he didn't say anything. "I mean, you are a wolf, after all. It is in your nature to enjoy the thrill of the chase. But, if you had actually had her as a mate, you would not have been happy."

Kouga straightened up a little, his ire rankled beyond measure. Did she actually say I am being a baby? Her? "Ayame, you know nothing about love. I love Kagome. She is he only one..."

Ayame sighed and leaned back against the same tree he leaned on. This is going to be harder than I thought. He is like a little boy, refusing to change his mind, even in the face of utter defeat. "Kouga, stop it. When are you going to grow up? I cannot wait to meet the man you could be." She got up and began the long walk back to the den. I guess that he isn't ready for a mate. I thought that he would be after someone taught him a lesson in humility.

Not ready to finish the fight that she started, Kouga tried to get up. But he soon found that he was still simply too exhausted to follow her. So, he decided to try sympathy instead. "So that's it?"

She didn't even turn around. "That's it."

"You are just going to leave me here to suffer?"

"Yes," she said.

But he did notice that she stopped. I knew she wouldn't leave me in pain. "I can't move another step. If you leave me here, I will be..." he really didn't want to say the next word, but knew that he needed to give her incentive to stay "vulnerable."

She turned. "Are you putting me on? Or are you really that hurt?"

He raised his arms away from his body, revealing the tangled and bloody clothes he was wearing. She had failed to notice that he was that badly hurt, so intent she had been on making sure he learned his lesson. How could I have been so blind? Of course he's hurt. Kouga isn't the type to sit around and mope. "Oh, Kami! I didn't know. Forgive me."

He smiled as she immediately ran to his side, gently seating herself beside him and inspecting the damage. Although he was tired, the wounds had pretty much closed up and were on their way to healing. There really was nothing she could do here now... except try to make him more comfortable and pad his ego a little.

As she tutted and fussed over his torn clothes and scarring, Kouga took this time to inspect his nurse. She has a light touch. And her hair smells like the forest on a warm summer day. She cradled his head with her hand and used the other to push him into a more comfortable position against the tree. He felt her fingers flitting gently over his chest and sighed. I could get used to this treatment. Almost as if she heard his thoughts, she looked up and smiled at him. In response, Kouga flashed his trademark toothy grin, and her hand slipped off his chest, accidentally raking her claws along the fresh scars of his torso.

He winced involuntarily and she immediately moved her hand away. "Kami, I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

Kouga grabbed her hand and placed it back on her chest. "It was nothing. Please, continue."

Ayame was suddenly nervous at his quick change in attitude. "Continue what? There is nothing I can do here. I am no healer."

"I think you want to be." No response. "I think you want to heal my heart, don't you?" He smiled at that thought. Maybe that isn't such a bad idea.

She huffed at his words, trying to muster her self-esteem as a shield. "What do you mean?"

"You said yourself that I needed to start looking seriously for a mate." The hand that was holding hers gave a little squeeze.

"Yeah, so?"

"So, if I were truly serious, I would need to find someone to..." he paused for a moment as his free hand glided over her bare shoulder "replenish the clan."

Ayame's heart skipped a beat. "True."

"Wouldn't that make you the most likely choice?" Again he flashed his electric smile.

She couldn't take it if he were merely getting back at her for taunting him. She jerked her hand from his. "That's not funny."

Kouga sat up, forgetting about his pain for the moment. "I wasn't kidding."

She refused to look him in the eye. "Sure. Five minutes ago Kagome was the only girl for you. Suddenly I'm so perfect?"

He blinked, amazed at how fast his mind had completely changed from craving Kagome to wanting Ayame. "Yes."

"Right. I am so far from perfect..."

He grabbed both of her hands, forcing her to look him in the eye. "What's wrong with you? You are more perfect than I could ever hope to be. Why do you waste your time on me?"

Her mouth went dry. "I... don't... know." She couldn't breathe.

"I know." He pulled her closer, putting her arms around his neck. "I know exactly why you keep trying to make me a better wolf." His mouth was less than an inch from hers. "I can smell it. You love me, don't you?"

She had completely lost the ability to talk. How many times have I dreamed that he would actually hold me like this? Now that I have this chance, I can't even speak!

As his arms circled his waist and pulled her down to his waiting mouth, she just barely heard the words he whispered. "I do too."

Coming Soon – Chapter Four – Bittersweet Lullaby

Rin and Shippo get to know each other, and he gets to play the hero when Rin is hurt. And things go from bad to worse when a demon spirit takes notice of the power hidden within her soul.