Disclaimer: This story is based on "Inuyasha," copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi. No infringement of copyright intended or implied.

Koga's Return

"You—let—her—go?"

The wolves quailed under the onslaught of their leader's rage. The four-feet tucked their tails between their legs, lowering their heads, and their ears. The two-feet cringed, hunching their shoulders, looking away.

"And none of you tried to stop her?" he shouted. "Did you all forget she's pregnant? She's supposed to stay here, where it's safe! And you let her go!"

A stir at the back caught Koga's attention. He scowled as a tall, lanky woman with grizzled hair and a ridge of scars on one bare shoulder pushed her way forward. "Why didn't you stop her, Sentashi?"

She halted a few lengths away, crossing her arms as she met his gaze with golden eyes. "I'm her sire's aunt, not her keeper," she replied. "And with all due respect, pack leader, stop barking like a fool dog."

Koga stiffened and glowered. The tension in the cave ratcheted higher as he growled. "Fool, you say?"

"Fool. A male wolf protects his bitch, he doesn't try to control her. Ayame is barely pupped, and it will be moon quarters before the pups grow big enough to affect her speed or agility. She's more than capable of leading a pack of wolves and youkai to check out one human and a nekomata."

"A taijiya," he corrected her.

"Taijiya," she corrected, unruffled. "Who, according to Hakkaku, said he has no intention of attacking the wolf pack. And surely, you're not saying we should be afraid of the cat?"

Koga breathed hard, struggling to rein in his temper, and the triggering fear. His Ayame was pregnant with his pups. The pack had lost so many: any risk to the pups; any risk to their dam, his mate—his mate! He wanted to keep Ayame safe, keep her away from danger, which meant keeping her in the caves.

But, as he glared at the older bitch, he grudgingly admitted to himself that keeping Ayame confined to the caves would never work. She wasn't that kind of bitch. She was an alpha bitch, she made up her own mind, and would only show throat when absolutely necessary.

He forced his stance to relax. "I'll discuss Ayame's decision with Ayame, when I catch up with her," he said.

Tails came up, and breaths blew out, and a nervous Kemur blurted, "You're going after her?"

Koga unleashed his glare again. "No. I'm going out to meet this human who says he wants to train with us. You have a problem with that?"

From the way he hastily backed away, it was clear that Kemur wouldn't be a threat to his pack leader position for a long time. If ever. Feeling slightly mollified, Koga let his gaze slide briefly back to the old bitch. Sentashi smiled slightly and inclined her head, acknowledging his dominance.

He wasn't fooled; however. Sentashi was more to Ayame than just her great-aunt, after all.

Sensei was how Ayame had introduced her, when the packs united.

Author's Note: This was written for the prompt "Onslaught", and posted to the LiveJournal community "Inuyasha's FanFiction: A Drabble Community." It was posted originally on July 15, 2012. It won the contest. (8/25/2012)