The wolf king walked through the twisting tunnels of the mountain. Lit torches were placed on the cave walls radiating the only source of light.
He didn't need them, along with most of his tribe, since they were able to see in the dark. They were mostly placed to help aid the elderly wolves who's eyes were aging.
And now they were going to aid the human girl who was trailing behind him as well.
The kings thoughts wondered off remembering what the girl said back at the cave entrance just moments ago. He felt the tips of his pointed ears turn red and his tail flick wildly.
He felt her eyes staring at him causing him to turn to face her, he was slightly taken aback by just how close they were to one another. So close that he could feel the puff of air leave her little nose and the sound of her heart beat quickening within her breasts.
"Kagome?" He questioned, slightly worried that her heartbeat seemed to be beating more rapidly now that their eyes have met.
Her face immediately flushed with embarrassment. And she quickly turned away from him, eyes wide darting around the cave, landing on everything besides him.
Oh?
He smirked, a chuckle ready to escape his lips with a flirtatious remark.
But, before he could say anything, he heard her say softly, "Your eyes Koga. They're really beautiful."
He felt his body burn up in that instant; his face aflame with his tail sticking straight up in the air in surprise.
He could feel the tribe staring at them intently, staring at their king as he stumbled over on what words to say to the human girl.
He knew they all heard her.
And almost as if the gods had answered his unspoken prayers, splashes of the waterfall breaking apart from behind him as Hakkaku and the rest of the search party wondered inside the gathering cave. Turning everyone's attention from the two of them to the long awaited tribesmen and pups.
"Koga, where are we going?" He heard the miko ask from behind him, breaking him from his thoughts.
He didn't tell her where they were going earlier. He just grabbed her small hand in his and pulled her away from the reuniting packmates. Leaving the cave entrance behind and taking her through the dark passageways of the mountain.
Her hand...
His eyes quickly glanced down at their still intertwined fingers.
It almost seemed natural to him to be holding her hand like this.
"Koga?"
"To my chambers." He said, his hand still not letting go.
"Your chambers?"
"Yes, for you to get cleaned and dressed into an new kimono."
"I look that bad?" she softly giggled.
He immediately stopped, her little form almost running into his broad back.
Glancing back, Koga took in her appearance.
Her black hair was disheveled and wet from the rain; sticking to her face. Her kimono was soaked clinging to every perfect curve of her body while the torn fabric of both arm sleeves revealed creamy unmarked arms. The bright red of her hakama was dirty with mud smeared on her knees.
Yet, no matter what appearance she had, she'd always seemed enchanting to him.
With a smirk he said, "No matter how dirty you look, you will always look beautiful to me, Kagome."
He watched as a variety of emotions played across her face. First shock, embarrassment, realization and then frustration fell on her features. With puff of her chest she pouted, "You could have just said I looked beautiful, Koga."
He sniggered, pulling her along as he made his way to the entrance of his private chambers.
He pulled back the fur pelt from the entrance of his room, gently pushing Kagome inside.
Before entering himself he grabbed a lit torch from the wall outside his room and entered.
The room was dark, the only source of light was the torch in his clawed hand.
"That was a surprisingly long walk to get here." She stated.
"I like my privacy."
He walked around the room lighting the torches on the cave walls and the candles placed away in carved out shelves.
Her eyes slowly adjusting to the light of the room, taking in everything around her.
She curiously scanned the dozen of fur pelts, silks and pillows that laid on the floor for his bed, to the weapons and tapestries that decoratively hung on the walls. Her finger tips gliding across a large chest as she walked further into the room, her eyes taking everything in.
"Looks homey."
He smirked, "Glad you like it."
He honestly never would have thought that Kagome, of all people would be standing here in his private room. But, here she was walking around going from one area of the room to the other inspecting everything with interest.
"What's this?" She asked, pointing to the worn out blue tapestry that hung on the wall. It had silver glistening threads stitched into it creating the moon with floating figures of wolves descending down from it.
"It's supposed to represent our Moon Mother and her descendants leaving her. Their making their way down to Earth."
Kagomes lightly touched one of the wolves, "It's beautiful."
"Thank you. Now follow me, I'm going to show you how to get to the hot spring."
Kagome twirled around in disbelief. "Hot spring? In the mountains?"
"Yes, they've been here way before I got here. There's four in total within this mountain. I'm going to take you to my personal one."
He would have just taken her to local gathering hot springs that the tribe used, but the idea of one his men accidentally walking upon her naked form didn't exactly sit well with him.
"Come on, Kagome."
He guided her around a large boulder to a connected hidden room.
Her eyes squinted to see through the darkness.
"Stay here." Koga told Kagome as he walked around the spring lighting the lanterns placed decoratively on the floor.
He heard the gasp of excitement leave her lips as he lit the last one.
Her eyes scanned over the marvelous scene before her. The glow from the lanterns illuminated against the large stones placed around the spring as the welcoming steam from the warm watery depths danced in the air.
"Whenever you are here in my mountains, you can use this hot spring as much as you wish." Koga said as he walked past the awestruck girl making his way back to the main part of his room. "I will be right back. I have something for you."
He walked past his bed to a chest tucked away in the corner of his room. Crouching to his knees he flipping the lid open his eyes glancing over the treasures of gold, silver, jewelry and fabrics thrown inside. His hands dug inside its confines till he pulled out a kimono.
The kimono was a light gray with intricate stitchings of white plum blossoms in the sparkling colors of silver and blue threads with a white obi to match. The kimono was some what plain, but beautiful, a prize he got when he and his men stumbled upon human bandits in his lands.
He kept the kimono as a gift for Ayame for when he would next see her.
He frowned slightly as guilt overtook him.
He havent thought of his intended in days...
He started to remember the auburn haired beauty with sparkling emerald eyes and the light dusting of freckles that covered her face and body; often reminding him of the clusters of stars in the sky.
He was supposed to be in the northern lands at this time.
To see her and to discuss tribal matters with the new leader, Aoki.
But, plans immediately changed when the pups went missing.
Koga immediately became irritated at the thought of Ayames cousin, Aoki, who took over his grandfathers rule after his passing, making him the new leader of the northern mountain.
He's such a prick...
That man made it almost unbearable visiting those northern mountains. Pestering Koga relentlessly on when will he finally take his cousin as his rightful mate, as his Queen.
He understood the reason behind it; the want for peace between the two territories was wanted from everyone. Koga also saught Aoki for support in claiming the rest of the northern lands together - making the north and east one strong joining.
And then there was Ayame, always waiting for him with eager eyes.
He remembered the tribal gathering between the north and the east taking place in this very mountain a few years ago.
Her grandfather who was still alive at that time, the previous northern mountain leader offered his precious granddaughter to him once again with the promises of titles, land and peace amongst the eastern and northern tribes.
He remembered the elder council members of his own tribe whispering behind him urgently to accept the treaty of peace and power.
He remembered how Ayames eyes sparkled with hope and want as she sat anxiously next to her grandfather awaiting his answer.
He remembered feeling the pressure from everyone around him weighing him down to the point where it was almost to hard to breathe...
And then in that moment he remembered the smiling miko who broke his heart and chose another.
"I accept." Koga said sternly.
Everyone around him howled with excitement; howls echoing off the mountain could be heard from miles away.
He did not partake in everyone's excitment.
He sighed running a hand through his dark hair, his eyes glancing down at the kimono in his hands.
He wasn't doing anything wrong, but why did he feel so goddamn guilty to be around Kagome now that Ayame has reawakened in his thoughts.
He remembered Kagomes sleeping form up against him the night before, how he held her body close to his carrying her to his mountain, the way his hand felt holding hers just moments ago and how his body heated when she was near...
That's why...
"Wolf King"
A voice cackled his title from the entrance of his chambers, breaking him away from his guilty thoughts.
He rolled his eyes not even bothering to face the owner of it.
"Yuriko, I dont remember giving you permission to enter my chambers."
"I've lived in this mountain long before you came here, King. I've watched as the ancestors of this tribe from thousands of years ago carve out this very room with their bare hands and I've seen the countless leaders who once slumbered in here. I will go as I please within this mountain."
She's so infuriating.
Standing now with one hand holding the kimono while other began kneading the temples of his head with his fingers tips; trying to relief the sudden pain of an headache forming.
He turned around to face the tribals shaman and healer.
"What do you want?" He asked, annoyance etched into his voice.
Her back was uncomfortably hunched forward, dark gray hair cascading over her shoulders in braids decorated with bones, feathers, leather and beads. A wrinkly clawed hand grasped a wooden staff tightly to aid her while she walked. The bones and bells from the top of the staff jingled as it met the cave floor; dragging her old withering body towards him.
"The distraction," she glowered at the wolf king. "Where is she?"
"The distraction?"
"Yes, I smell her all over you."
She was standing a few feet away from him, blind eyes glaring behind wrinkled slits. "The whole room smells of her."
"Who? Kag-"
And as if on que, a splash of water could be heard behind the bolder that slightly blocked the entrance to the far off room. The musical sound of humming could be heard throughout the kings chambers mixed with the playful pitter patter of splashing water.
"You dirty-"
Before Koga could react, the old woman held her wooden staff up high and with a sudden unexpected quickness and strength she brought it down with such force painfully colliding against the top of Kogas head with a loud crack.
"What the fuck? You crazy fuc-"
CRACK
The staff once again smashed against the top of his skull. He bit his tongue on purpose, to keep the painful welp that was about to escape his lips. His mouth soon filled up with blood from his fangs slicing through the skin.
If he was human, his skull would have definitely shattered from the impact.
The old woman went in for another quick smack as she lifted her staff for the third time.
Not allowing her another chance, he grabbed the staff with his hand blocking the hit. His eyes tinting red, "Enough." He growled.
Yuriko used to punish him as a pup when he misbehaved. But, he was no longer a pup. He was no longer just some tribal leader either. He was her King now; and he was furious.
Koga growled menacingly at the old woman before him, releasing her wooden staff before he crushed it.
"You know better." She glared, not backing down.
"Know better?"
"Bringing another woman to your bed chambers, King. It would be one thing if you werent claimed by another, but you are. And to an important demoness at that."
Ayame..
He felt his eyes return to their normal shade of blue, his anger slowly disappearing from his body.
"Kagome isn't just some woman, Yuriko. She's an alley to this tribe and a trustworthy friend of mine. She's saved this pack a number of times in battle, including just recently putting herself in danger for the safety Taka and Kai."
"She's a distraction, wolf king."
Koga rolled his eyes and walked past her withered form to his bed. He sat down upon the furs and silks, hand rubbing against his head where the staff hit.
"What are you talking about, you old hag."
The sound of beads, bones and bells hitting each other rang throughout the room as she walked towards her king, her old gray form now standing before him.
"She distracted you in the past from your purpose on destroying that half breed, Naraku. You've even gotten hurt multiple times due to protecting her on the battlefield. Don't let her distract you again and ruin this treaty we've all worked so hard for with the Northern mountain tribe, Lunar King."
"Dont call me that." Koga now glared up at the old woman, holding her blind gaze to his. "I don't want that title. I dont want that responsibility."
"To late King, you followed the prophecy as soon as you regained the stolen lands from the Southern King he so desperately tried to take over. You're fate is set in stone."
"You don't know that.."
"My King, may I enter?" A soft voice was heard from behind the pelt covered entrance, interrupting the heated discussion that was taking place.
"YES!" Koga shouted, "PLEASE ENTER!"
Koga silently rejoiced welcoming whoever into his chambers, hopefully stopping the old hag from talking about Kagome, peace treaties and pointless prophecies.
A woman pulled back the pelt from the doorway.
Her amber eyes widened with surprise as she entered the room, "Lady Yuriko? You're here too?"
"I was just leaving."
"Are you heading to the infirmary? Taka is there waiting with his mother.. I was actually going to go and look for you after I was done speaking to our King."
"I will head there now." She said as shuffled her old barefeet towards the entrance.
With a sudden quickness that shocked both Koga and the demoness, the old woman whipped her head around, eyes glaring.
"Get rid of the woman, King. She is no longer aloud in your private chambers. We don't want rumors to reach the North of you taking a human to your bed; upsetting your future mate."
And with the swish of her cape made of wolf furs, she left the room.
Both demons remained silent until they could no longer hear the shuffle of her feet against the rocky floor and the clanking of her staff.
The demoness whistled in amusement, arms crossing her chest, eyes locking on to Kogas. "She was really angry. What did you do this time?"
The sudden humming of the human girl filled the room once again causing the demonesses eyebrow to lift in surprise.
"Oh.. I guess it was that."
"It's not what you think, Tomoe." Koga glared up at his friend.
"The human girl that has all the wolves tongues wagging with gossip.. has somehow managed to make her way into the Kings personal springs?"
Koga groaned, his hand rubbing his scalp more forcefully.
"She hit you with that staff of hers again, didn't she?" Tomoe asked.
"Yeah, one day I'm going to break it."
Tomoe sniggered, "You should be used to the beatings by now."
She remembered how all the pups, including her recieved beatings from old Lady Yuriko when they misbehaved and caused trouble within the caves. But, Koga always got the most since he was the leader of the shenanigans.
"You would think I would be."
The light humming from Kagome continued to bounce off the walls of the room.
Tomoe pulled on one of her tight untamed curls in thought, "I guess I should prepare a room for her."
"Please do."
"How long is she staying?"
Koga shrugged, "When the rain has cleared and I'm able to take her back to her village."
"Lady Yuriko actually predicted this morning that the rain isn't suppose to stop for a few days... a gift from the gods for the dry land she preached, but in your case maybe a curse." She sniggered.
Koga groaned.
"I always wanted to meet her."
"Kagome? Why?"
"Mmhmm." Her eyes catching Kogas questioning ones. "Ginta and Hakaku always talked about her beauty, the warriors praised her power and bravery on the battlefield, I've heard countless tales about her adventures," Tomoes eyes twinkled with delight "But, most of all I want to see the mortal who has gotten my friend so smitten all these years."
He growled. He was just so fucking irritated.
"That was a long time ago."
"Mmmm was it?"
"Didnt you need to speak to me about something?"
"Oh! The tribe wishes to hold a celebration tonight thanking the gods for the safe return of the pups." With a sly smile, Tomoe continued, "And of course for the visit of Sister Kagome."
"Good." Koga stood, shoving the kimono into Tomoes unexpected hands, passing her stunned form as he made his way to the entrance of his room. "Give that to her to wear for tonight."
"Hey! Where are you going?!"
"To hunt with my men for tonight's feast."
Koga would use the need to hunt for tonight's festivities as an excuse to escape the mountain, especially to get away from that old lingering hag Yuriko.
"What about her?" Tomoe questioned, referring to the human girl bathing in his springs.
"You're going to watch her for me."
"I'm not babysitting! Hey! Are you listening to me?!"
Koga exited his chamber, the pelt of fur falling behind him, slightly blocking sound of curses from Tomoe and the ever so soft humming from the human girl.