Chapter XI: Wolf's Fury

Kageromaru laughed and licked his blades as he stared at Kanesa's lifeless body. "She was quite a sport" he snickered.

Inuyasha and the others stared helplessly at Kanesa, ashamed of themselves, for not doing anything. Sango's eyes grew red and wet as she buried her face in her hands, sobbing. Miroku wrapped his arm over her shoulders. His eyes were closed as he bit his lower lip, trying to hold back his tears. Kagome and Inuyasha stood in front of them. Inuyasha's mouth was agape and his eyes wide open, devastated. Kagome, on the other hand, was speechless. Her eyes were opened as wide as they could go, but her mouth remained shut. She was too devastated to say anything. Her sister was dead. Her eyes swelled up with tears as she buried her face into Inuyasha's chest. Inuyasha held onto Kagome. He knew all too well what she was going through; the only difference was that she had lost someone that was far closer to her than he was with Kikyo.

Kikyo stopped in her tracks, and turned around and saw a dark aura surrounding a large castle some distance away from her. 'Something is going on in that old castle.' Her soul catchers floated around her, as if gesturing to her to go to the castle. "I do feel an odd feeling coming from that castle. Maybe we should investigate."

The only noise coming from the castle was the sound of Kagura's tornados. She held her fan above her head, smirking at Kageromaru's work. But she heard a small sound coming from within Kouga's twister. She peered inside and saw him standing limp, staring wide-eyed at Kanesa. She smiled, "Such a shame, isn't it, wolf? You really cared for her, didn't you?" she taunted.

Kouga closed his eyes and lowered his head. He was moaning loudly, almost as if he were in pain. He grabbed his head as his fingers twitched. "No… no… no…" he repeated over and over. Kagura was confused; she'd expected him to just fall to his knees crying. But soon, Kouga's repeating 'No's' went from a helpless whimper, to a furious howl, he began to growl. Kagura stared into her twister as she saw Kouga's body begin to pulse. His hair whipped in his face and she could see his fangs growing longer. The sharp nails on his fingers grew into enormous claws.

Kouga lifted his head sharply, but he wasn't crying anymore; Kouga was furious. Kagura took a step back from her twister, but kept her fan up, keeping the tornado stable. He glared at her over his shoulder. Kagura gasped; Kouga's eyes had gone from a soft blue to a terrible blood-shot, his pupils small. The whites of his eyes were now blood-red. He growled at her as he began to spin in the opposite direction to the tornado around him. His tornado generating from his jewel shards soon out grew the tornado imprisoning him, and it eventually it burst. Kagura was taken aback by this sudden outburst of power, that she lost control of her other tornado imprisoning Inuyasha and the others. Inuyasha looked around as their tornado disappeared and saw Kouga leaping from the ground.

Kagura was running backwards as Kouga came nearer. She lifted her hand to retrieve a feather from her hair, but she wasn't quick enough. Kouga pulled his fist back and struck her in her cheek. The force of his punch sent Kagura flying backwards and she collided with the building behind her. Kouga stood, breathing viciously with his fist hanging in front of him.

Inuyasha and Miroku had seen the entire thing and looked at each other. "What's happened to Kouga?" Miroku asked as he continued to hold Sango.

Inuyasha blinked and looked back at Kouga, still holding Kagome, "I don't know. But his speed was… unbelievable, even with the jewel shards in his legs. I've never seen him like this."

"You know what this reminds me of, though? Back when you were caught with the blood of Kouga's comrades. He thought you had killed them. He was furious, remember?" Miroku asked.

"Yeah, I remember. But this seems different. You're right, Kouga was mad back then, but now, he seems even more furious. Look at his eyes, they're red, almost like…" he stopped, horrified at what he thought.

"Almost like… a demon…"

Kouga glared over his shoulder and Juromaru and Kageromaru. The snarled as he dashed towards them. Juromaru and Kageromaru leapt out the way of a close collision with his claws. Kageromaru snickered, "We've tried this before, wolf. You may have been able to keep up with my movements before. There is no way you will be able to now."

Kouga growled at him as he leapt towards him, his hand outstretched. Kageromaru smirked again as he moved to fly away again, but something had stopped him. He looked down and saw Kouga's claws wrapped tightly around his small body. Kageromaru's eyes widened, "How… how were you able to catch me?" he screamed.

A sinister smile formed on Kouga's mouth, "Not even you can keep up with the true speed of the wolf demon tribe."

Kouga turned towards Juromaru and leapt towards him. But before Juromaru could make another move, Kouga was behind him. For the first time, Kouga saw emotion in Juromaru's face; the look of pure terror. With his free hand, Kouga drove his claws though Juromaru's back and into his torso. A piercing scream echoed through the castle as Kouga pulled his hand out, grasping the two jewel shards. Juromaru shrieked again as his flesh melted away. Kageromaru's eyes widened, "NO! Without Juromaru, I'm nothing!"

Kouga looked back at Kageromaru, tightening his grip on his small body. Kageromaru screamed as his flesh, too, melted away. Kouga released his grip as Kageromaru's bones fell to the ground, turned to dust, and flew away. The saimyosho didn't dare go near Kouga to retrieve their jewel shards.

Inuyasha and Miroku stared at Kouga, shocked. Sango and Kagome had too raised their heads to see the commotion and had witnessed Kouga's furious speed. Kagome stared at him, 'How did he do that?'

Kouga lowered his head, breathing more calmly. His hand dripped with Juromaru's blood as his walked slowly to Kanesa's body. The castle around them was slowly starting to disappear, as night fell upon them. Both Kagura and Kohaku were gone. While Kouga had torn apart Juromaru, she grabbed Kohaku and fled the scene to join Naraku.

Kouga stopped at Kanesa's side. He knelt down at her side with his head still lowered. His shoulders went up as he began to sob again. He gently rolled Kanesa to lie on her back. Her eyes were half-way open and her mouth was opened slightly. A small trickle of blood ran down the corner of her lips. "I couldn't save you…" he sobbed silently. He lifted his head and stared at her. His eyes had gone back to normal, but now, they were big and blue, with tears welling up inside of them. "I couldn't save you…" he said again, louder. Her stared at Kanesa's eyes, that soft brown and been completely drained; they were now a bleak grey. He couldn't stand to look at them. He shut her eyes and her mouth softly and rubbed the blood off of her face. A tear rolled down the side of his face as he shut his eyes. He shouted as he fell upon Kanesa's body. "Kanesa… please… forgive me…!" he sobbed, "I wasn't good enough! I'm sorry!" he shouted in Kanesa's collar.

Kagome released herself from Inuyasha and walked over to Kouga. She was still crying but didn't dare go nearer to her sister than Kouga was. Inuyasha ran to her side again and wrapped his arms around her. She shut her eyes tightly again as she continued to cry. Miroku and Sango had joined them, staring at Kanesa. Inuyasha watched Kouga; he had never seen him so upset. But he knew what he was going through. Inuyasha had lost a person he had loved. He wouldn't wish that pain on anyone, especially Kouga.

Kouga lifted himself off of Kanesa and held her face in his hand. He stared at her, "I'm so sorry Kanesa" he apologized again. With his bloodied hand, he placed the two jewel shards into her palm, and closed her hand. He laid himself back down on Kanesa again, his cheek resting on hers. "I'm so sorry Kanesa. I couldn't save you. I never even got to tell you while you were alive. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you." He lifted his head and kissed her cheek.

"I loved you."

Inuyasha watched as Kouga continued to cry. He couldn't bear to see him like this. Then he looked down at Kagome. She hadn't stopped crying, even for a minute. She was still buried in his chest, clutching his fire-rat kimono. He closed his eyes as he embraced her tighter. But suddenly, he smelt a familiar scent. He looked behind his shoulder and saw a white glow approaching them. His eyes widened when he saw who came into view.

Kikyo walked slowly towards them with her soul catchers dancing around her. Kagome lifted her head slightly from Inuyasha's chest to see her. Miroku and Sango too watched her. She walked right past Inuyasha and Kagome and stood behind Kouga. Inuyasha watched her, but didn't dare let go of Kagome. She was in a very fragile state, and he didn't want to make her feel worse.

Kikyo rested a hand on Kouga's back. He lifted himself up and look at her over his shoulder, "Who are you?"

Kikyo knelt down beside him and placed her hand on Kanesa's face, "This young girl. She has a similar feeling I get from Kagome. She is a similar reincarnation of me, isn't she?"

Kouga nodded, "Yes, she can use purifying arrows and sense the jewel shards. She's you."

"She's lovely."

Kouga nodded.

A soul catcher flew by and dropped a bright orb into Kikyo's hands. She looked at it, and then back at Kanesa. Kagome stared at the orb, then at Kikyo, "Is that…?"

Inuyasha gazed at the orb, "Kanesa's soul…"

Kouga stared at Kikyo, holding Kanesa's spirit. She held it gently, "This girl certainly was my reincarnation. Her spirit is very strong. If I absorbed this soul, it would certainly last me quite a while."

Kouga's eyes widened, but before he could say something, another voice spoke out before him.

"Kikyo, please!" Kagome shouted, releasing herself again from Inuyasha. "Kikyo, please, I can't live without my sister! She's everything I have! If I lost her, I don't know what I'd do… please Kikyo… spare her…"

Kikyo looked over at Kagome and closed her eyes. She grasped the orb gently again and placed it over Kanesa's chest. It rested there for a minute, but then sunk into Kanesa's chest. Kikyo stood and walked began to walk away. Kouga looked at Kanesa then back at Kikyo, "What did you do?" he shouted to her.

But suddenly, a bright light shined from Kanesa. It faded softly and Kanesa remained motionless for a minute. But suddenly, a small cough escaped her lips and her eyes closed tightly and flickered open. Kouga stared in disbelief as she slow lifted herself up. She looked around at everyone around her and down at her stomach. There was still a hole in her armor, but her skin had returned to normal. There was no trace of Kageromaru's fatal blow. It was as if she had never been injured at all.

"Welcome back to the World of the Living, Kanesa" Kikyo said, looking behind her with her soul catchers still dancing around her.

Kanesa felt her stomach and looked back at Kikyo, but when she did, she had disappeared. She looked back at Kouga, whose eyes were still wide. She stared at him, "Kouga…?"

Kouga smiled as Kanesa wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. He embraced her tightly as he lifted her up. "Kanesa, thank the gods. You're alive!"

Kanesa held onto Kouga as he kissed her cheek again. She smiled as he placed her down. She still held onto him as she raised herself to his ear, "I heard you" she whispered.

Kouga's eyes opened, "You did?" he asked, blushing.

Kanesa pushed herself away from him but still kept her arms wrapped around his neck. "Yes, it was the only voice I heard. And I feel the same way. Kouga, I love you."

Kouga smiled and pressed his lips firmly against Kanesa's. Kouga had never been so relieved in his life. He was back with his mate.