Chapter V: The Ogre
Kanesa laughed, as Kouga ran her through the forest in his tornado. She wrapped her arms tighter around Kouga's neck as he jumped from the ground into the trees, ricocheting from branch to branch.
"You may be Kagome's sister, but you're nothing like her. She hates it whenever I carry her and run this fast" Kouga smiled.
Kanesa looked at him, "How could she hate it? This is great! Kagome's never been quite the thrill-seeker" she said.
After about half and hour of running, Kouga decided it was time for a break, and rested near a small lake. He placed Kanesa down softly, and walked over to the lake. He knelt down, cupped his hands into the water, drank one handful, and splashing another in his face. Kanesa joined him at his side, and took a drink. Kouga glanced over at her and smiled. He dipped his hand into the lake again, and splashed Kanesa. She laughed, and splashed Kouga back. They continued their little fight, until Kanesa got up and ran into the forest. Kouga ran after her.
She stopped every now and then to let Kouga catch up to her. But one moment, when she stopped, she didn't see Kouga behind her. She looked around, having no idea where he was. Suddenly, Kouga came up from behind her, and gently took her into his arms, giving her a gentle bear hug from behind. She laughed some more as Kouga lifted her up and walked around with her. He released her finally, and she stumbled around, falling into Kouga's arms. He looked at her, smiling; she looked back at him. They looked into each other's eyes for a long while. But suddenly, Kouga sniffed; his eyes to the trees.
"What is it?" Kanesa asked.
But her question was quickly answered. There was an explosion from the trees behind them. Kouga grabbed Kanesa into his arms, and jumped to the safety of a nearby tree branch. He put her down, and looked to see what had caused the explosion, taking a protective step in front of Kanesa. A large, green ogre with beaming red eyes stared at them. Kanesa grabbed Kouga's arm from behind him, "What in the world is that?" she asked, frightened. She hadn't encountered a demon like this while with Inuyasha.
Kouga glared at it, "It's a forest demon."
The ogre stared back at Kouga; it narrowed its eyes, "You, wolf, you have jewel shards, give them to me!" it shouted.
"Keh! In your dreams ugly!" Kouga shouted back.
The ogre roared, heaving its massive hand towards Kouga. He kicked the massive hand, and leapt from the tree branch towards the ogre. He did a front flip in the air, and kicked the ogre square in between its eyes. He jumped off the ogre's head, and kicked it in the middle of its chest. Kouga jumped to the forest floor, looking up at the ogre. It stood, motionless, and fell face first to the floor, in front of Kouga. Kanesa clapped her hands, and jumped up and down on the tree branch, "Yay Kouga!"
Kouga looked back at her, smiling. But he stopped, noticing a bright light shining from the ogre. Kouga looked back at it, his eyes widened, "Oh no!"
The demon exploded, sending its remnants everywhere. Kouga leapt to Kanesa and wrapped his arms around her, blocking her from the explosion. He wasn't quick enough to jump to another safe place. The force of the explosion sent the two flying. Kouga landed on his back on the forest floor, and slid for a good five feet. After they had stopped, Kouga rolled over, so Kanesa was underneath him. Kouga lifted himself up onto his hands and knees, looking back at where the demon once lay; there was now a huge crater.
"What just happened?" Kanesa asked, sitting herself up and wrapping her arms securely around Kouga's neck, still underneath Kouga.
"Forest demons explode after they're killed. It's almost like a last attack before they die. Awful creatures they are…"
Kouga looked back at Kanesa, to make sure she was all right, but his face was inches from hers when he turned to face her. Her arms were still firmly around his neck. He stared at her, and she stared back. Kouga's looked deeply into her bright brown eyes. There was something in her eyes that he couldn't look away from. They made him feel comfortable, safe and secure. Kanesa looked into his deep blue eyes again, like when she had first met him. But instead of feeling nervous, she felt safe, and comfortable. She smiled. She pulled Kouga to her, and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you" she said softly into his ear.
Kouga smiled, and sat down, taking Kanesa into his arms. He embraced her tightly, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and her waist. She pulled herself back and looked back into his eyes, their arms still wrapped around each others. Kouga couldn't restrain himself. He pushed himself forward to kiss her. She stopped him, putting a finger to his lips. Kouga looked at her finger, then at her.
"Not here" she said softly.
Koura smiled, picker her up gently, and sped off towards his den. Ginta and Hakaku had just caught up when Kouga ran off. They moaned, gasping for breath. They looked over and saw the huge crater the ogre had made. They looked at each other, "What just happened here?"
Kouga slowed down as they neared the lake. Still carrying Kanesa in his arms, he walked over the the waterfall, and slipped in behind it into a large den. He placed her down gently, still holding onto her waist, she smiled at him.
They walked into the den, and the other wolves and wolf demons eyed Kanesa as they walked deeper into the den.
"Who's that girl? That's not Kagome" one demon asked.
"I don't know, but she has a similar scent as Kagome" said another.
Kouga and Kanesa reached the very end of the den. There was a hay shawl hanging from a large hole in the den's wall; it acted as a door. Kouga looked at Kanesa, grinning, and nodded his head towards the hay shawl. She smiled, tapped his nose with the tip of her index finger and walked towards the shawl. Before she walked inside, she smiled at Kouga, and closed the shawl. Kouga grinned, licking his fangs.
Before he followed Kanesa, Ginta and Hakaku slumped behind him. He looked down at them, not saying anything. Ginta looked up at him, "Kouga… what… why is Kanesa going into your den?" he asked.
Kouga looked back at the shawl and then back at Ginta and Hakaku, "Kanesa and I are turning in for the night. I want no disturbances tonight. Do you both understand me?" he ordered.
Ginta and Hakaku stood straight up and saluted, "Yes sir!" they shouted.
"Tell the rest of the pack as well" he ordered again, and walked inside.
Ginta and Hakaku looked at each other, and back at Kouga's shawl.
Kouga found Kanesa wandering around his den. It was almost the size of a modern day classroom; about a quarter size of the entire den. Kanesa didn't see or hear Kouga walk in. She walked around lightly; her hands stretched down behind her back, her fingers entwined with themselves. She walked out to a small cliff at the end of the den. She looked out at the forest underneath her and ahead of her. A small river broke through the middle of the green trees. She saw a flock of birds fly out of the tree tops.
Kouga slowly crept up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and resting his head on her shoulder. He pulled her closer to him. Kanesa smiled, holding Kouga's hand with her left, and rested her right hand on his cheek, rubbing it.
"It's so beautiful here Kouga. I can't believe it" she said softly.
"I know, but it's much more beautiful with you here" he whispered into her ear.
She giggled, and turned herself around to face him. Kouga looked down at her, resting his hands on the small of her back. She rested her hands on his chest. The moon was above them, casting a soft white light onto them. Kanesa raised herself to Kouga's face, resting her cheek on his. Kouga closed his eyes, and pulled Kanesa closer.
Kanesa pulled herself down again and looked at Kouga, "I'm a bit tired. I think I have to go to sleep. I can barely keep my eyes open" she said sleepily.
Kouga nodded, and walked her back inside. He pointed out a large mat of hay and wolf pelts near another large hole in the wall of the den. It was like a window.
"You can sleep in my bed tonight. I can set up one of my own in another den" he offered.
Kanesa tried to turn down the offer, saying that Kouga deserved to sleep in his own bed, but Kouga refused, insisting that Kanesa sleep in a comfortable bed. Finally, she agreed.
Before Kouga left her for the night, Kanesa hugged him and gave him a kiss on his cheek, "Good night Kouga. Thank you for everything."
Kouga blushed a bit, bade her good night, and left. Kanesa wandered over to the bed. She removed her shoes, and crawled under the wolf pelts. They were surprisingly comfortable. They were warm and soft. She pulled the pelts up over her shoulders, underneath her nose. She sniffed it, it held Kouga's scent. She smiled, closing her eyes slowly. She thought about Kouga, before she finally fell asleep.