Mirror Mirror - Ayame's Tale

Chapter 4: It all Depends

By

Archerelf

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'He saw me. He saw me…'

The familiar moonlight only seemed to be a passing glance. Adrenaline and fear passed through Ayame's very soul. She could hardly breathe. She could hear Kouga's footsteps. She had the advantage of a head start, and she intended to use it. He would never purposely catch up. Hiding behind a massive tree, Ayame stopped to catch her breath.

She was soaked.

She was wearing only a thin shirt, made practically see through from the water.

She was being pursued by the wolf demon who had a bone to pick with her.

She was responsible for almost everything that had happened.

Oh crap…

By now Ayame was shivering and frightened. She must have over-exhurted herself. She tentatively stretched out a hand. The world around it seemed to blur and her eyes fluttered like a butterfly's wings.

From an outsiders perspective the scene would look like a tiny female demon was trying to move a tree. She was pressed up against, eyes closed and water dripping down her frail body. Her hair gave off sheets of water and they cascaded down her back and neck.

For the final time that night, the green of her iris's fluttered open and closed and she lost consciousness of exhaustion.

To be fair, Ayame had been running all day. From Kouga, from demons, from herself…

Her body gave way. She slumped in a huddled position on the grass, looking completely vulnerable. One hand lay dormant across her stomach and her shirt seemed a little suggestively placed.

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Kouga saw her as she started to run. He silently cursed again.

'This girl is always running!' he thought as he pursued. He didn't want to catch her, he just wanted her to slow down enough so that he would be able to talk to him without being kicked.

She had fire, no one could doubt that, and loyalty. Sometimes too much of both can be bad.

' she can't be in too good of a shape though..'

"She hasn't rested since yesterday night. Why hasn't she stopped yet?" Kouga demanded of the wind. The moon shone, his only torch to see her by. The grass shone with the water she had left behind. He thought back to her song…who was she talking about? Kouga knelt down on the ground as he saw something familiar. It was the other flower he had give her…but this time it wasn't thrown away idly. As his claws touched the light purple petals, Kouga heard a small thud.

'oh no..'

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To the untrained eye, unconsciousness is like sleeping. The eyes are closed, breathing is normal and the body is resting for whatever reason. But when that tiny thud echoed in the ears of a wolf demon, holding a flower, that thud drops a hole in your chest and forms a cavern in your stomach.

Kouga abandoned the flower and ran, with the help of the jewel shards, to her aid.

Her skin was clammy, wet and cold and she was shivering. The night air christened the sky with a breeze, gradually getting cooler as the night progressed.

She would freeze soon.

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The village near the waterfalls had fallen into a stupor of dazed and confused actions after the demon attack. People were injured, food and bedding supplies were low and now Ayame was gone. Presumably she was going after Kouga. The guard around the entrance of the village, hidden by the waterfall had been doubled. The men had returned, upon smelling the blood of their kin. Ginta was mourning the death of his cubs with his wife, both silently weeping as the sun had set. He wouldn't sleep well for a long time. A very long time.

The guards stiffened as they smelled a creature approach. 100 yards….it was a wolf…no two wolves. 50 yards…it was Kouga and one other…10 yards…they bowed and passed aside as Kouga strode forward, carrying the unconscious girl in his arms. As tribe leader, Kouga had the privilege of his own rooms, adorned with furs from various hunts. A small fire was kept going in a corner. His small and humble bed was covered in a king's ransom of furs and remained messy from a lack of womanly care. Kouga was never one for neatness. Nor did he really care. The cold of the room was evident even with a fire. Kouga gently laid Ayame on the bed and covered her thin body with furs. She was his responsibility after all.

Kouga stalked across the room and knelt down by the fire. It was almost out and at a very weak stage. He wasn't surprised. With all of the activity going on that day, he couldn't blame anyone for not refueling it. Nor did he really care, again. As the flames grew to their measured proportions Kouga leapt across the room to Ayame. His warm hand touched her forehead.

Kouga was shocked. He had never felt anyone so cold in his life

"Why did you run? Why did you have to run, Ayame?" Kouga frowned.

"Why aren't you getting any warmer?"

Kouga's frown deepened. He tried layering more blankets on top of her. He tried moving a branch of the fire closer. Nothing. Nothing would warm her adequately.

Kouga massaged his temples and looked back at her. Her skin had taken on a deathly white glow. Any colder and she would put herself into a comatose state...possibly worse.

Finally Kouga did the only thing he could think of, sort of throwing her directly into the fire.

He got into bed and wrapped his arms around her.

She had seemed to be doing better than she currently was when he was carrying her. Skin on skin. She still seemed damp from the water of the pond and her skin seemed that of a ghost. Freezing…his hand found hers. Pure ice.

But her effect on him was just as powerful as his heat on hers. She lulled him to sleep. He didn't want to let go…

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The first peaks of dawn poked through the cave and hit Ayame's face directly. She woke up to find three things. One: she was nearly naked. Two: she was back home. Three: Kouga was holding her hostage in his sleeping arms.

Not that she didn't like it. His musky scent covered her and the surrounding blankets like a shield.

Ayame blanched…

' if anyone finds out about this I'm dead…everyone knows that I like him. It would just seem like desperation..'

Ayame smiled sadly.

' I have to fix things..'

She gently untangled herself from Kouga's sleeping form. He let out a low growl that mingled with a whine. He seemed to like it too.

Ayame sighed. She didn't want to leave either but she had to fix what she had done. Starting with Kagome.

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Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head. He smelled…wolf!

Getting up from his position on the bed, ignoring Kagome, who was cooking, Inuyasha stood outside the door of the hut and drew Tetsusaiga.

He saw red. Not the emotion, but the color. Her hair stuck out a mile away.

"What are you doing here, you stupid wolf?"

"Inuyasha….SIT BOY!"

With the crash of the half demon into the ground Kagome greeted Ayame again.

"Sorry about him...He doesn't really like wolves…thinks they're all like Kouga.."

Ayame stared down at the ground.

"I'm sorry Kagome, my temper got the best of me."

Kagome looked down at her, nearly laughing at the comical sight. There lay Inuyasha, close to unconscious, who was close to 6 feet under the ground. And there Ayame stood, looking like a sad school girl, begging for her mother to forgive her. Unspilled tears threatened to well up and soil her cheeks. Kagome sighed again.

"Come on Ayame, we're going for a walk."

The girl tagged at her heels.

"Have you ever heard of the priestess Kikyo?"

Ayame shook her head no. Kagome sighed again.

"Might as well sit down."

Ayame listened in amazement in the next hour as Kagome described her relationship with Inuyasha and Kikyo. Ayame was amazed. They were practically the same. Their same feelings, about how there was that one person who could utterly destroy your life and that same person who could lift you up to breathe the higher air. The same person who made you feel alive could cut your wings and keep falling from grace.

Kouga…he was her angel.

"Kagome what should I do? Talking to Kouga is like talking to a rock. A Cute rock. Who also abandoned his tribe…who does have redeeming qualities…who can be incredibly stupid…:"

Kagome put her finger over Ayame's lips to stop the madness.

"I know how hard it is to love someone else when they love another. Inuyasha loved Kikyo and it really hurt. Its like having a trench in your heart. And trenches go real deep."

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Gone. Her scent lingered on the sheets but she was gone. Kouga awoke to a beaming sun but one bouncy, red haired wolf was missing. One who, without his help would have frozen, one who, without his help…..might have been better off…especially how he had treated her.

Kouga momentarily brushed it off and growled.

Hey she had deserved it! This girl was anything but helpless. He'd seen her fend off demons, hunt and wrestle, things Kagome would never have done… Ayame was rustic but when she had passed out in his arms...she had been so fragile, and for the first time in her life, actually helpless. And he couldn't stand it.

Kouga walked outside and lifted his head to the air. She had left a faint path leading towards the village where Kagome was.

Kouga groaned again.

"Now what is she doing? She better not be hurt again." He took off towards the mingling scents

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Inuyasha stood up from his crater and cracked his neck. She always insisted on sitting the heck out of him. His nose perked up again.

Another wolf, what do they multiply like rabbits?

Growling slightly Inuyasha drew his sword.

Kouga stopped just short of it.

"where are they? Kagome and...Ayame!"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.

"Shut up you stupid wolf! the only reason your girlfriend here isn't a mile away is because Kagome is helping her. But if either of you do anything to hurt her, I'll kill you."

"I'd never hurt Kagome you dumb mutt!"

"Then don't be stupid and don't do anything to hurt Ayame ether. That would kill Kagome. And when she's in pain I tend to hurt the cause of it."

"you stupid mutt! I don't want to hurt either of em."

"Then stay away from Kagome. In case you hadn't noticed, she choose me!"

"No way mutt face! Kagome is my woman!"

"Does she bear your mating mark? Why did she walk away in disgust after a certain stupid wolf decided to kiss her? Think about it.."

Kouga was having one of those life-flashing-before-your-eyes moment. She was forever gone…

Inuyasha pointed his sword west.

"They're over there. But I'm going to protect Kagome."

He turned his red back and stalked off.

"She doesn't love me…"

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