Life with Koga

Chapter 9

By Alicia Maxwell

"So Rem… you really are a mother now huh?" I looked off at the sunset.  I've gotta tell you- it scares me to think about that- you as a mother."

"What's so funny?" Rem demanded when she noticed I was giggling.

"You… your entire life you've been trying to escape becoming a woman… then you get married and have kids," I laughed.

"Hey, you aren't one to talk.  You wanted to escape too," Rem protested.

"I didn't oppose it as much as you.  Besides, I'm happy with my compensation," I smiled, "Forty-two kids and a loving husband- what more could a girl want?  Are you happy Rem?"

"Of course.  Why wouldn't I be?" Rem watched her feet as she swung them up and down.

"Yume looks too much like her dad and Kaijimaru looks like neither of you that's why.  You have nobody who looks like you," I said.

"True but Kaijimaru takes after my father.  Besides, you already had about twenty kids before you had a single one that looked like you didn't you?"

"Yes.  Boy… it's hard to believe I've been here this long….  It feels like a mere instant has passed since the day I had that talk with Koga," I sighed.  "And yet… I'd be satisfied if the world ended this very instant."

"You're pathetic… sappy and pathetic," Rem said sternly, and then she chuckled, "why'd I ever hang out with you?"

"Maybe you felt bad for me," I joked.  "I am human after all."

"Not anymore," Rem sniffed.  "You smell of demon now… and your face hasn't changed a bit.  You're a demon again."

"I've been waiting to hear that for longer than I can remember."

"I can imagine."

"Okay girls!  I hate to break up the reunion but it's time my woman comes home!" Koga came out onto the porch.  "Come Alicia!"

"I'm not a pet!  I don't come when called!" I argued.

"Leave her alone Koga," Rem spoke up.  "She can do as she pleases."

"I draw the line at disobeying my orders by walking fifty miles alone while six months pregnant to go visit some twisted freaks!"

"Koga! Hold your tongue! Speak too much and even I might consider cutting it out," I growled.

"Alicia?" Koga blinked, a tad shocked.

"As I have said before," I spoke defiantly, "Rem is my friend, no matter what you think of her or Sesshomaru.  I defend her honor as I would my own."

Koga stood awestruck for a second and then he twitched slightly.  Next thing I knew, his arms were around me in a tight embrace and his chin was laying on my shoulder.  "Alicia… I was worried about you.  You just disappeared into the woods.  Come back home now, please?"

I looked at Koga and then at Rem.  Rem nodded softly and I spoke.  "Rem, I promise to come visit again sometime soon.  Come visit me sometime okay?"

"Sure thing.  Goodbye," Rem said as Koga and I walked off the porch and headed back home.  It was a long journey and it took us over three hours to get back to the den.  By then, the moon was well past risen and its light made the waterfall glow.

"It's so pretty," I murmured.  "Hey Koga… why don't we go for a swim?"

"A swim?  You're joking right?  It's like twenty degrees out!"

"You don't know Fahrenheit temperature measurements so don't pretend that you do," I said.  "Besides, the air temperature is at least forty.  The water is probably warmer too," I headed off for the spring I typically bathed in.

"Hey wait up!" Koga rushed to catch up.

When we reached the spring, I discarded all my clothes with the exception of my bathing suit.  Koga discarded most of his clothes as well, leaving only a pair of shorts on.  Then we got into the nice warm water together and enjoyed a nice long swim, after which we dressed and headed back toward the den.

The next day, during the early afternoon, Koga and I were walking around to all the guard posts to make sure nobody slacked off.  That's when we spotted our second oldest son Heroki coming toward us in a panic.  He barely acknowledged my presence before tearing his father off to the side and whispering to him.  Koga nodded occasionally as he listened to our son.  Before Heroki passed me again with no acknowledgement of my presence, I heard Koga tell him, "I'll talk to your mother about it."

"What did he want?" I asked.

"Let me put it this way- how do you feel about being a grandparent in the next three to four years?" Koga asked.

"Great… just great… I only get to spend twenty minutes with Rem, I'm sick to my stomach, I'm carrying six children, and now my second eldest son has a girlfriend!"

"Heroki says he's not the only one.  Kuro's got himself a girlfriend too."

"No, no, no!  I can't stand all this at once!"