Rosaline was finally asleep against Kouga's chest, finally able to rest next to her mate. She woke to his smile, his kisses and his sapphire eyes. He kissed her gently and she shifted against him, kissing his neck, which, as little as she was, that was the only part of him she could reach. She felt his arms tighten around her and she closed her eyes again, sniffing deeply, taking in the scents carried by the wind, among them, the scents of Inuyasha and Miroku. Kouga could smell them as well and they stood up, grouping for their cloths. "I'll help you look for them," Kouga said gently and Rosaline giggled.
"I know. I knew you wouldn't let me go off by myself." He laughed at that, smiling lovingly at her. Rosaline shifted forms, landing on four legs, wagging her fluffy white tail, putting her nose to the wind, and chasing the shifts of the wind. "They'd be heading towards the village," she barked.
"Do you know how to get there?"
"No, but I can follow Inuyasha's scent," she said, flinging herself forward and leaping over a bush. Kouga followed protectively close behind her, landing on the other side of the bush, and running after her. He had learned long ago that it wasn't necessary to sniff around when Rosaline was chasing a scent. She was faster and a better hunter and all he had to do was follow her bushy white tail through the trees and brush.
He heard her bark up ahead and quickened his pace, hearing her human voice and two familiar male voices. "Rosaline, what the hell are you doing up here?" Inuyasha growled. "You're supposed to stay with the females,"
"Oh, they're fine, Inuyasha. Rachel's with them and they can take care of themselves." Kouga came up behind her and he had Inuyasha shared a mutual glare and growl before Rosaline growled them into silence. Inuyasha had vowed to tolerate Kouga's presence, for Rosaline's sake. Kouga had done the same. Miroku laughed nervously, breaking the tense silence.
"So, they're heading towards the village?" He asked. Rosaline nodded with a impatient growl.
"We should go, guys," she said irritated. Miroku nodded in agreement, wanting to see Sango again, wanting to be sure she was alright. It didn't matter what Rosaline said. He wouldn't be satisfied she was alright until he saw her himself. Rosaline had shifted forms again and was bobbing around his legs, feeling playful. She tugged at Inuyasha's sleeve, forever trying to entice him to play.
"Will you get off, you runt!" Inuyasha cuffed her on the rear, causing her to yelp with surprise and Kouga to growl warningly. Undaunted, she nipped at his fingers and he rolled his eyes. "Why don't you play with Miroku? He actually likes you," He said softly, so not to invoke Kouga's protective retaliation, which he knew would come if he felt that Rosaline was threatened. Inuyasha sniffed indignantly at her, and caught her familiar honeysuckle scent laced with something he didn't recognize. He gave her another sniff, trying to find the source of the chemical change in her body but she gave him a growl, demanding he quit sniffing her. Inuyasha tilted his head, knowing he had smelled that scent before. He wracked his brain, trying to remember where he had smelled that scent before.
Kouga smiled, watching Inuyasha and Rosaline argue over which way to go. Rosaline remembered the village being in a valley, so she maintained they should cross over the mountains. Inuyasha maintained that they were already in the valley the village was located and it was just on the other side of the woods. Kouga turned to Miroku, grinning amusedly. "How about you and I head into the mountains and leave these two alpha dogs to hash it out?"
"Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll kill each other," Miroku said, tiredly, having grown used to the pair's constant bickering.
"Why do you always take her side?" Inuyasha growled in Kouga's direction.
"Two reasons, mutt. Number one, because she's my mate, and number two, because she's right. I can smell Kagome and Sango in this direction. Are we leaving or what?" Rosaline gave Inuyasha a triumphant smirk and he growled. She shifted forms and bolted towards the mountains, the others following in her wake.
"Kagome!" Rosaline barked loudly as they descended into the valley and she saw her little cub.
"Rosaline! Inuyasha! Guys!" Rosaline licked her outstretched hand as Kagome hugged her, Sango ruffled the fur on her muzzle, and Shippo snuggled against her warm belly. He sniffed Rosaline and vaguely noted that she smelled different but didn't think much about it. They had all been so worried about her since she had left. She had bowled Kagome over, licking her face and wagging her tail harder. Rachel had joined the tail wagging fest, licking her sister's muzzle. Rosaline also noticed Icarus standing near her sister, wagging his red tail. Rosaline cocked her head, confused.
"He decided to come so he could look out for us," Rachel whimpered. Icarus nuzzled her and licked her nose.