A Petal Down The River

By Rose

:.:The Grass Is Greener Here.:.:

As it were, I was wandering around aimlessly. I knew how it would go, I had played it out in my head. For hours I would run, going no real way and having no real motives, but I would never turn back around or even head in the slight direction of my tribe.

I wondered if Kouga would understand why I did this, or if he'd make up stupid excuses like 'That stupid bitch, always causing trouble'. It hurt to think of him as me doing this just to be troublesome, but sometimes the real motives of why we're doing things just have to be kept secret.

----x---- KOUGS Pov. ----x----

It was quite early when I awoke. The sun was barely coming over and everything was turning a soft shade of blue. Yes, today would be a great day to reign over the tribe.

I reached over to wrap my arms around my possession, when I noticed she was not there. Looking over my shoulder I noticed she wasn't behind me either. Taking a whiff of the air I began to notice she hadn't been here for hours.

"WHAT?" I yelled, jumping up. How could I have not heard her leave? When did she leave? Why? Stupid female!

I threw on what clothes of mine I could find and quickly left. Only a few of the tribesmen were up and they waved nicely but I didn't wave back. I had a stupid mate to catch.

---Ayame's---

I had traveled some odd miles, not really knowing how many but knowing I was going. I was free now, a mated demon on her own. I would never find love again, but Kouga could. Ayame was human-they didn't have the same mating rituals from what I could tell.

Humans always had lesser in everything, really. Except when it came to Kouga, then they were better.

I let out a sigh, and shook my head. I had managed to find a river, not too big but I could certainly bathe in it. I placed my feet forth into the muddy banks, and let them rest for a bit, leaning back onto the grassier bit and closing my eyes.

"Free," I spoke calmly, letting the wind carry the words away. It wasn't too much wind, however, but it was a nice brisk day. A perfect day to spend with the one you love…

"Damn it," I heard, and froze quickly. Kouga?... How could he have caught up that quickly? …

Wait…

Caught up? He wasn't supposed to follow me. I got up slowly, being in a ditch all he could do was smell me unless he looked down. Maybe he was looking for Kagome-had I unnaturally knowing followed her?

I crawled acrossed the bottom of the ditch, semi in the water and semi not. I had to be careful not to splash, though. If he found me down here he'd laugh, say he was out looking for Kagome and that I was worthless. I feared the tears that began welling up in my eyes, knowing that Kouga would smell them and instantly know where I was. My scent was everywhere, everywhere around here and for all he knows I left hours ago down stream. If I cried, though, he'd smell the tears.

And he'd laugh.

He'd laugh because I loved and he mated. He'd laugh because I wanted and he needed. He used me to become the tribe leader, and I gave it to him. How could I have? I could have taken the tribe on my own!

I didn't notice I had stopped walking, or that my head was bent, or that I was looking at a pair of masculine feet.

"AYAME!" The voice screeched in anger, and I felt everything on me tense. He'll say something mean, he'll hate me, he'll hurt me.

He'll kill me.

The air blew again, this time brushing both our hair to the side. I only looked at him for a second and I felt like crying. His face was a calm, serene look, but I knew what was behind it. Kagome was behind it. Always in his eyes could I see her, could I feel her when he touched me. I wasn't Ayame when he touched me, I was Kagome. I was someone else to him, and he wasn't even looking at me now, he was looking at her.

I bowed my head again, my feet muddy, my legs dirty, my hands covered in grass and stains and leaning along the side of the ditch. I felt the tears now, I felt them as they fell down my cheeks and onto the banks, but I never felt anything like this before.

So worthless, but so fulfilled.

It was a matter of seconds before I felt him, his whole aura surrounding me and hugging me, before he was the actual one hugging me.

"Oh, Ka-" He froze, and I tensed. Of course, he'd be thinking about her at a time like this.

"Ayame… I'm…" I felt him tense, him get angry. How dare he get angry! I pushed him away, stomping on his toe, and racing up the ditch side.