Kouga, as he had said, was accompanying Rosaline back over the mountain as she headed back towards the village and her friends. She ran slightly ahead of him in wolf form, barking playfully as he tried to keep up with his energetic mate. Her nose was constantly twitching, taking in the scents around her, her tail wagging with excitement at being near her mate again. She barked and ran a little further ahead as Kouga caught the smell of trouble and leaped in front of her. "Stop!" he commanded and she obliged with a nervous whimper, pressing her shoulder against his leg. He growled, easing himself in front of her as she shifted forms.
"What is it?" She whispered.
"Shh!" he breathed gently. Rosaline twitched her nose, but somehow the wind had shifted away from them, as if propelled by an unseen force. Rosaline growled knowing immediately who their interloper was. Before she could warn her mate, a harsh wind sliced across their skin and Kouga put his arms around her to protect her before shoving her out of the way, lunging at Kagura with his own demon powers.
"Where's the half breed and your humans?" Kagura asked, dodging Kouga's attack. Rosaline lunged at her, her sharp wolf fangs locking onto Kagura's arm. She cried out in surprise and her blade sliced across Rosaline's back leg, causing Rosaline to lock her teeth in tighter, blood soaking her mouth and fangs. Kagura raked her blade across Rosaline's ribs and Kouga finally recovered enough to lunge at her, jerking Rosaline away and pushing her to the ground.
"Now stay out of the way!" he snapped at her. Rosaline stood on three legs and loped out of the way, her back leg and ribs bleeding. She hid behind the bushes and began to examine her wounds. She shifted slightly, running her tongue over the wound on her leg before turning to the one on her ribs, gasping as she realized that it stretched from her ribs across her abdomen, which was bleeding profusely. She bit her lip and gritted her teeth as she finally fully felt the pain.
"Kouga!" she cried and the wolf threw Kagura off of him and fell to her side.
"Rosaline!" he whispered and she absently brushed a thin line of his blood off of his cheek.
"The baby!" she gasped, biting her lip so hard against the pain that her bottom lip bled.
"Shhhhhh," he whispered, holding her close, pulling her in his lap.
"Umm, excuse me," Kagura snapped, her voice holding an irritated edge.
"Screw off!" Kouga growled and she rolled her eyes. Kouga kept his ears in tuned to Kagura, who had gotten bored and wandered off in search of someone else to bother. "Are you alright?"
"I…don't know," she panted, her hand covering the wound across her abdomen.
"Oh god!" Kouga whispered, as he lifted her up on his back, kissing her cheek comfortingly. I have to get her back to Kaede, he thought desperately. She'll be able to save them, both my mate and my daughter. "I love you Rosaline," he whispered comfortingly. "I love you so much. You're going to be fine, I promise."
Kouga couldn't remember running faster in his entire life as he was now, leaping over rocks and trekking down the mountain as fast and as carefully as he could, not wanting to put his mate and baby in any more danger then they already were. She had passed out awhile ago, but he knew she was still alive, feeling her warm breath on his cheek. He finally reached the village and he immediately sought out Kaede's scent. He bobbed into her house and she looked at him confused for a second before she saw Rosaline. "Oh god," she gasped. "Bring her over here," she said, clearing the table as Kouga slid her off his back and rested her on the table. Inuyasha entered the room, having caught Kouga's scent, and tilted his head, his amber eyes drifting from Kouga to Rosaline.
"What the hell happened?"
"Kagura delayed us," he said.
"Damn, she looks pretty bad. Is she going to be alright, Kaede?"
"I'm not sure. Both of you need to get out of here and leave me alone with her."
"She's pregnant," Kouga said quickly.
"Yes dear, I know. I'll do my best to save them both now leave." Kouga left reluctantly and Inuyasha led him to where the girls, Miroku, and Shippo were sitting outside.
"Kouga, you're bleeding," Kagome said, wiping his cheek with a cloth from her bag. "Where's Rosaline?" As Kagome tended to Kouga's wounded cheek and hand, Kouga told them about the fight with Kagura and Rosaline's injuries. "Is she going to be alright?" Kagome asked.
"I don't know," he whispered and Kagome placed a hand on his arm.
"Shhhhhh, it's going to be alright," she whispered comfortingly. Sango bit her lip and Shippo huddled nervously against Kouga's leg.
An hour later, Shippo had drifted to sleep against Kouga's leg and Kagome, Sango, and Miroku had wandered off leaving him and Inuyasha alone. Kouga was too worried about his mate to argue with the half-demon. Inuyasha seemed to be following the same train of thought. He suddenly wished the others hadn't wandered off. He wanted desperately for someone to break the silence. He was surprised to feel Inuyasha place a hand on his shoulder. "You alright?"
"Yeah," he replied softly. He smiled slightly at him, welcoming the tentative companionship as opposed to bickering. He didn't feel like bickering right now, not when his mate and his child's life hung in the balance. Inuyasha had drifted back into silence as had Kouga, both thinking about Rosaline. Though Inuyasha wouldn't admit it, he cared a lot for Rosaline, having grown so used to her over the last few months that he had begun to think of her as a sister of sorts. She amused him, even though he still maintained that he tolerated her strictly for Kagome's sake. The males sat in silence for a few more minutes before Kouga spoke again.
"Thanks for looking out for Rosaline since she found out she was pregnant." Inuyasha smirked.
"She's such a pain to keep out of trouble, let me tell you."
"I know. Trust me, I know." Both males chuckled.
"Are you going to sick around with her? I mean, she needs you now."
"You mean, if she makes it?" Kouga asked softly.
"She's gonna be fine. Quit worrying," Inuyasha growled. "She insists she's having a girl."
"I believe her. My mother knew I was male before I was born. It's a female thing. My father used to say that they were more sensitive to those kinds of things then males. And, to answer your question, I never plan on leaving her again." Kagome, Miroku, and Sango came back in the yard and looked to them pleadingly.
"We don't know anything yet," Inuyasha said before they could ask. Kagome sighed and snuggled against Inuyasha, who had reclined on his back, putting a comforting arm around her and kissing her forehead. "Easy, baby," he whispered comfortingly to her. Shippo had woken up, allowing Kagome to hold him. Sango was sitting next to Miroku, his arm around her as well. Kouga found himself wishing he could hold Rosaline. He had almost fallen asleep when his ears twitched as he heard Kaede's soft footsteps and the door creak open. Before they could ask, she answered.
"Rosaline's fine." Kouga sighed.
"What about the baby?" he asked.
"Your daughter is fine as well."
"Daughter?"
"Well, that's what Rosaline says and a mother always knows."
"So they're both fine?" Inuyasha asked.
"Yes. You can see her now, one or two at a time. We don't want to overwhelm her now. Kouga, come with me." Kouga obliged, following her inside the house. "Now, she's still sore and rather weak, so be gentle." Kaede led him back into the back room where he saw his sweet little mate asleep on the bed. Her shirt had been removed, leaving her only in the long white strip of cotton binding her breasts and her leg and abdomen were heavily bandaged. Her breathing was shallow. Kaede shut the door with a clack and he sat down on the corner of the bed. She opened her eyes and smiled.
"Hey," she whispered weakly.
"Hey yourself," he said easing into the bed next to her, being careful not to jar her. She snuggled in close to him, her hand resting lightly on his bare chest, her head resting on his shoulder. He gently touched her abdomen, feeling the smooth white bandage. She winced. "I'm sorry," he said gently, kissing her forehead. "How do you feel?"
"Like shit," she whispered and he chuckled, moving his arm around her to hold her close. "How's your cheek?" she said, running a finger over the band-aid Kagome had put on his cheek.
"I'm fine. Just so you know, Kaede's on your side when it comes to your declaration of our child's gender."
"A mother-"
"Always knows, I know, I know."