Chapter 10:
'I killed them.' Katsume thought as she stared into the fresh fire.
Rin was gently working on a couple scratched she had recieved while fighting the rogues.
"I'm a monster." Katsume stated.
"What?" Rin said brokenly, "No. You are not... Katsume you are not a monster!"
"But, I can't control it! This beast..." Katsume started.
"You will learn over time." Sesshomaru entered the den.
"I thought you said I couldn't transform." Katsume said, tears welling in her eyes.
"I thought you couldn't. You never did before, something triggered it somehow." Sesshomaru said, but he was confused himself.
"Is Kaito ok?" Katsume asked.
"They will heal with time." Sesshomaru said.
"I need to see him." Katsume said and began to stand, but Rin coaxed her down.
"You need to rest, Kat. This has taken a lot of energy from you." Rin said.
Katsume gave in, laying her head against Rin's shoulder, slowly beginning to find sleep.
Kaito tried once more to stand, and he was shaky and in a lot of pain, but he made it.
Sesshomaru had stayed to help them, but Kaito immediately told him to go help Katsume. He could feel her pain, her fear.
Kaito made it a couple steps before laying back down into the snow. He just needed some rest.
Kaito awoke the next day, he lay in a field, he sun warming his skin.
"Kaito!" Kaito heard Katsume call to him.
He sat up, watching her run towards him.
When she reached him, his arms went around her waist, lifting her up, and spinning her once before lowering her.
Her arms went around him, burrying her nose against his neck.
"Katsume." He whispered her full name in peace.
...
Kaito awoke, finding himself laying in the snow in his dog form.
He slowly stood, his wounds were slowly healing.
He looked around, noticing Akira and Akito curled together, asleep.
They were ok.
Kaito left, heading to the den, laying out in front of it like he always did.
It was clear, he loved her. Even if Sesshomaru told him not to.
The truth was, he had always loved her.
After a few days, Kaito and the other's wounds were nearly healed.
The snow was beginning to melt, making the grass wet, and mud puddles everywhere.
Katsume finally managed to sneak away from her parents to find Kaito.
Ever since she transformed, Sesshomaru was explaining, the beast.
She couldn't find the will to listen, she hadn't seen much of Kaito since... That night.
Katsume ran through the woods, searching for Kaito's scent.
Soon, she saw him, wandering aimlessly around.
"Kaito!" She called.
His head shot up, surprise read on his face.
He looked healed, like the Kaito she knew.
She ran into his ars, her arms going around the back of his neck, while his reasted on the middle of her back.
He sighed, half from relief, but also pain.
"Sorry!" Katsume backed away from him.
Kaito suddenly grabbed her arm, pulling her back up to him, "How are you doing?"
"I should ask you the same question." Katsume said.
She looked up into his soft golden eyes, finding herself lost in them again.
Kaito didn't answer, simply staring back into hers.
His face soon neared hers.
Katsume remained still, she wasn't denying this any longer.
Then, Kaito's lips pressed against hers, soft and gentle.
Katsume rested a hand against his cheek, kissing him back.
All was right with the world.
They rendered themselves breathless.
Katsume being the first who pulled away to breathe.
"I love you." She whispered.
Kaito kissed her once more, "I love you too, Kat."
Sesshomaru watched in the distance as Kaito kissed Katsume.
"I love you." Were Katsume's words to him.
Sesshomaru sighed, she had said that first, which made him feel hopeless.
He couldn't stop Katsume from being happy.
Sighing, he left them, returning to the den.
"Did you find her?" Rin asked.
"Yeah." Sesshomaru said.
"Well?" Rin asked.
"Our daughter is in love." Sesshomaru said.
Rin's eyes soon held shock and confusion, "With who?"
"... Kaito." He said hestitantly.
"Oh." Rin said, almost in a tone of understanding.
"That may be what caused the transformation, she wanted to protect him." Sesshomaru said before thinking. She has someone to protect.