His body was stiff from staying in the same position all night. Arms crossed over his broad chest while his back sat straight up against the tree trunk behind him.

He was to scared to move or touch the sleeping miko next to him, fearful that he might wake her from her deep slumber.

She on the other hand moved at least a dozen times during the night; constantly repositioning herself up against him.

He could feel the small puffs of warm breath hit his collar bone from her parted red lips. Her enticing aroma filled his nostrils, making this whole situation harder to endure.

His eyes remained closed all night, looking like he was asleep along with miko.
But in reality he was wide awake; filled with anxiousness and stress due his to current position with the girl.

His ear twitched when he heard the pups stir awake from the other side of the fire pit.

They were silent for while, probably in shock that they found their king here in their little camp when they awoke... Or maybe from the position he was currently in with the sleeping miko to his side.

Their King, the strongest warrior in all of the eastern lands, was now being used as a body pillow for a human girl.

"Don't do it, Kai" Taka whispered, worry clearly etched into his voice.

He heard a set of quiet footsteps shuffle towards him across the forest floor. The pup was holding his breathe; trying his best to sneak up on his King, but the loud beating of his nervous little heart was a dead giveaway.

He was close..

Maybe a foot away from Koga now.

I'm not playing this game...

Koga grudgingly remembered the game the pups constantly played with him back at the cave. Their King was always aware of his surroundings - always prepared for danger as a great warrior should be. And the pups would try to test his awareness; sneaking up on him at the most random times to catch him off guard to surprise him.

Koga didn't like playing the game.

But, he's never lost to them either.

"You're lucky she's here right now, pup. Because I would have punished the shit out of both you last night when I first arrived here." Koga lifted a eyelid at the gawking boy in front of him, his form completely still with shock.

Obviously he was unaware his King had been up... All night.

"Oh no" Taka whispered, clearly in panic.

Kogas eyes glared at Kai; expecting to see him cower in fear just like his friend, but instead a sly smile appeared across his features.

"King Koga" he said with amusement "Did you sleep well last night?" Mischievous eyes darted between the King and the sleeping girl.

Koga growled, making Kagome slightly stir in her deep sleep.

He immediately went still from her movements, eyes glancing at the girl in worry that he might have unintentionally awoke.

"Pfft" Taka held a hand up to his face covering the laugh from escaping his lips.

"Watch it." Koga warned.

He was in no mood for childish games. He was exhausted, his stomach was slightly upset from the overcooked rabbit meat from the night before and his patience was thinning... fast.

The boy clearly didn't heed his warning as he started to pucker his lips up at Koga mimicking the look of kissing.

"Kai.. stop you're going to make our punishment worse." Taka pleaded.

"Listen to your friend, pup"

This kid was always a pain in the ass.

He could remember countless times as this pup stirred up trouble within the caves.

"Oh?" His eyebrow quirked upwards "I don't think Sister Kagome will let you do anything to us." His tongue darted out between his lips in a mocking manner.

"Why you little -"

"Mmm Koga?" Kagome mumbled sitting up, little fists rising to her eyes, rubbing the sleep away.

She probably could have slept more.. Koga thought sadly.

"Sister Kagome!"

Kai ran over to her waking form. She sheepishly smiled up at him, running her slender fingers through her disheveled morning hair trying to make herself look presentable.

"Good morning, Kai. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, did you?" His eyes once again darted between the King and miko playfully.

I'm about to take only one pup back to mountain, Kouga thought, giving Kai an annoyed look.

"Yes I did! I haven't slept that well in a long time." Kagome said, her eyes shifting to Kogas stiff form, "You sleep okay? I'm sorry, it looks like I slept on your shoulder all night.." she smiled apologetically.

Koga cleared his throat and lied, "It's fine. I didnt even notice to be honest."

Kagome smiled, standing up from her spot next Koga, her hands stretching up towards the sky. She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath of forest air, humming happily.

She didn't notice Kai once again making kissing faces at Koga.

You little...

"Taka, how are you feeling? Does your injury hurt still?" She made her way to the sitting boy on the other side of the fire pit.

His eyes lit up with excitement as her attention was now devoted to him.

"I'm fine Sister! My injuries don't hurt as much anymore."

"That's good, I'm going to have to change your bandages and put more ointment on them though okay?"

Taka nodded with a frown. Obviously not looking forward to the green gooey part.

"Sister Kagome." Kai whined "I'm hungry, what happened to the rabbits from last night?" His little hands were picking up the discarded sticks with bone thrown near the firepit, eyes scanning them sadly.

"Oh Kouga ate them last night when he arrived. But, if your hungry I should still have some dry meat, berries and mushrooms in my satchel." Good thing the glutton in her told her to pack more food than was needed for her journey.

"Oooooooh" gray amused eyes locked back onto Kogas irritated ones.

The pack knew he didn't care for cooked meat at all...He never ate it.

Koga barred his fangs slightly at the boy, making sure Kagome didn't see. She was thankfully to busy humming a tune while unwrapping Takas injured leg.

"Oh! It looks so much better already." She stated ecstatically. "Kai can you hand me my satchel please."

Kais head shot up from the bag he was rummaging through, mouth full of dried meat and mushrooms.
He quickly lifted the bag up from the ground and brought it to the kneeling miko.

"Thank you."

She continued humming, as she pulled out a jar from her bag and a water skin. Taka instantly making a disgusted face at the jar.

Kai scanned his friends leg, "At least you don't see the bone anymore" he said, popping another mushroom into his mouth.

Curiously, Koga sat up from his spot, stretching his stiff muscles, bones cracking in the process.

He heard a tear of fabric.
His eyes watched as Ksome tore apart her kimono sleeve, shredding the torn fabric in strips.
She took one of the pieces of cloth and drenched it with water from the water skin she pulled out from her satchel.

This is why her kimono sleeve was torn...

And now her other sleeve was matching.

He felt bad.

He walked over to the scene as Kagome gently cleaned the wound with the drenched cloth, wipping away dried blood.

"Looks like you got your first battle wound pup." Koga leaned over inspecting the wound. The tissue and muscle were slowly regenerating.

"Look what I got King Koga!" Kai interjected, holding up his new sword for his King to see.

Kogas eyes scanned the sword within his little hands. "From the bear demon?"

"Yes!"

"Kagome did tell me how heroic you were up against the bear. How both of you were." His eyes shifted between the two pups.

"Both were so brave." Kagome stated with a smile. Now opening the the jar of ointment.

"You should be proud, pups." He knew not many would have survived an attack from a bear demon; not even some of his own warriors.

He squated down to meet their gazes. One hand reaching towards the injured boy, the other hand reaching to the boy grasping the sword. His calloused hands falling on top of their heads, roughly rubbing the hair on top. "I'm proud of the both of you."

The pups eyes lit up with admiration as they looked at Koga.

The King said he was proud.