"From what I understand, yes, the elders think it is a good idea. They think I could make him a little more renown throughout the region."
Tena glanced at me from the pups on her lap.
"Kagome it is quite an honor to be mated to an alpha, let alone the elders having the idea before the couple has decided to be together." Well, there was that I offended her.
I hung my head, and sighed.
"Does that mean you won't let Tajik go with me?" She reached over and touched my shoulder, I looked into her eyes and I saw a happy expression.
"Tajik can go with you if he chooses, but Kagome I want you to tell me something first." I nodded.
"Anything." I answered happily.
"What are you afraid of?" I gasped, and took a moment to consider what she asked.
What was I afraid of? How was I going to explain that I didn't want to hinder Kouga? I don't even know what I was afraid of but I knew I had to get away for a while. I had to let the elders come up with another plan.
"Kagome?" I had sat there long enough that Tena was waiting for a response.
"Tena. I do not wish to offend you." Tena shook her head from side to side.
"Tell me." Tena's voice was strong, she wasn't going to take no for an answer.
"I care for the wolf pack, you all have been so nice, so generous to me. I care for Kouga, deeply I do care but mating is permanent and Kouga deserves a powerful demoness beside him." I hung my head, I couldn't bring myself to look at her. "The elders think that me being the priestess of the shikon jewel will bring the other tribes to his rule. I simply wished the jewel gone and it happened. I feel-" I sighed. "I feel as if I don't deserve all they claim I am."
Her voice was soft.
"Do you think that leaving will make you stronger? Make you better?"
"Well- no, I-"
"Make you a more powerful priestess then?" She was asking her questions faster and I detected a note of superiority.
"No-"
"Then what Kagome? What is the purpose of your trip?"
"I just need-"
"Do you wish to try and steal my mate?!" I sensed anger now in her tone.
"NO!"
"Then why? Why won't you stay here?" She was nearly shouting at me.
"Stop!" I am breathing heavy and my heart pounding. "Please Tena. Please-" I begged her between breaths.
"Fine. I trust my mate and I trust you. Leave but when you return, you will tell me exactly why you left. The whole story." The emotion was gone from her voice but she still held her air of superiority. I stood and turned to walk away. "And you will tell me exactly why it is you refuse Kouga."
I stopped walking and turned to her, she was smirking at me.
"He will make a fine mate, so your reason better be good." She turned to the pups. "Lunch time." They all walked past me and into the main cavern.
That's it, I had my permission, I was as good as gone. I turned and ran out through the cavern, avoiding looking at the wolves all standing about. I changed into my priestess outfit and threw my essentials in a small satchel made of wolf fur. I grabbed my bow and arrows as I ran out toward the main den. I quickly took the bag of food from Senna as I made my way out of the den.
Tajik was standing just outside the den with a long spear in his hands and a sword strapped to his hip. He smiled brightly as I approached.
"Tena says you wish to go on a trip." He motioned out to the woods. "Where to M'lady?"
I smiled and nodded, before walking off in the direction I wished to proceed. I was off, I needed to get away from all the issues facing me here.
Tajik and I walked in silence for the remainder of the day before setting up a camp. Tajik stayed up all night while I slept, and in the morning he slept while I searched the area for any new herbs. I stayed close enough that I could sense anything near Tajik.
Most of the herbs I found were some I had already obtained, perhaps I would find different ones the furthur we journeyed from the cave. Around noon Tajik awoke, I made lunch and then we continued our journey. We traveled until night fall where we once again made camp.
Our travels continued this way for a week, Tajik and I barely spoke and when we did it was simply pleasantries. After a week he seemed to tire of this.
"Lady Kagome why are we out here?" He sounded a bit annoyed.
"Tajik." I sighed. "What did Tena tell you?"
"Nothing! She said I should accompany you on your journey and to make sure nothing happened to you." he sounded exasperated.
"I overheard the elders talking before we left."
"Only gossiping wenches listen where they are not invited." He turned his head away from me and huffed.
"I know." I sounded like a small child confessing to breaking a window. "I listened in on a converstaion with Kouga and the elders. In that conversation they mentioned Kouga mating with me to strengthen the tribes standing within the other tribes."
He turned and stared at me blankly.
"So?" He was goading me into talking more, I sighed before continuing.
"They think that because I am the one that purified and destroyed the shikon jewel that the other tribes will agree to letting Kouga rule if he mates with me. They think that him mating with me shows his power."
"and?"
I looked at him, and he was staring at me waiting for more of the juicy details.
"Tajik, I am not a demoness I am a human. Kouga mating with me means that he will have to grieve for me one day."
"Did you consider that you may have to grieve over him?"
"huh?" I was confused.
"If he mates you-" He looked off at the sky while he was talking, almost like he was pondering. "The there will undoubtedly be someone who challenges his rule. If they succeed in the challenge it would mean Kouga is dead."
"Wait-"
"Kouga loves you, he has expressed it to you many times. It is only here recently that he stopped because you were clearly uncomfortable with it."
"But he is the one who said no." He looked at me a little shocked now. "When the elders mentioned it he adamantly refused to let it even be spoke of."
"Like I said Kagome, he figures you don't want him. He won't force it on you, you will have to express an interest first after refusing him so many times before."
"Tajik why wouldn't he want a demoness by his side? I am mortal and all his heirs would be half breed."
"Kouga decided long ago that you were the woman for him. Even if you refuse him he won't find another mate. He may bed a woman for children but he will never mate."
I was shocked, why? Clearly my shock was evident as Tajik looked at me and continued with his explanation.
"Kouga called you his woman and told you he loves you. He chose you as his mate, if you don't mate him he never will because wolves mate for life."
"Wolves mate for life." I echoed to myself. I had heard that before somewhere, maybe I overheard one of the younger wolves in discussion about mating.
The fire was starting to die down, so Tajik got up and placed a few more logs in so it would be warm all night.
"Thank you Tajik." He looked at me questioningly.
"What for?"
"For giving me something to think about." He smiled before nodding to my sleeping bag.
"Best to get some sleep, it is late." I walked over to my bag, climbed in and was asleep near instant.
I awoke sometime just a couple hours later, with water dripping on my face. It was raining. I laid there listening to the rain splatter on the leaves overhead. It was almost like listening to the rain on the roof at home. I laid there until I heard footsteps fast approaching, I quickly sat up and sensed the area around. I didn't detect anything evil, but I did detect Tajik was the footsteps I was hearing.
"Kagome! I found us a cave for the night." I quickly stood and draped my sleeping bag over my shoulders as he grabbed our bags. He bolted off in the direction he came, I was struggling to keep up.
Once we reached he cave I sensed another demonic aura, this one was inside the cave. I didn't sense anything evil about it, but it was demonic no doubt. I grabbed for Tajik and barely caught his wolf fur cloak.
"Wait!" He stopped and turned to me. "There is a demonic aura in there."
He chuckled as another voice piped in. Once again the voice I was so used to, the gravely but remarkable sweet voice of Kouga.
"I would think by now you could tell the difference between any old demon and me." He stepped out into the rain. He had clearly been in there a while as he was perfectly dry. "Come inside before you catch your death of cold." I smiled and made my way inside.
The cave was deceptively large and in an L shape. Around the corner to the left was a small fire and pallet of furs. He motioned for me to take the pallet and I did not argue, my sleeping bag was soaked and being in the rain had me cold. I shivered slightly.
"I didn't really think to bring you anything to cover with." Kouga said aloud. Tajik made his way the mouth of the cave and stayed there. Kouga moved over and sat next to me, he was warm and I almost instinctively turned my back against his side to absorb his warmth. He slid an arm around me and we sat there in a comfortable silence for a long time. I found that my nap was enough that I wasn't tired and I was honestly enjoying being in the company of Kouga.
"Why did you leave?" He asked into the cave, not really announced but just loud enough I could hear.
"I needed some fresh air."
"Needing fresh air is sitting outside for a while not being gone for a week." I could detect an undertone of anger.
"I was looking for some new herbs." I threw out the excuse I thought would have worked the best. He harumphed.
"Stop lying to me." he anger was much more prominent now. "I have been patient and understanding all I can be Kagome. Please talk to me."
"What do you wish for me to say?" I bit my lip to keep a shiver from breaking my sentence.
"Why did you leave, the truth." I sat there not really knowing what to say. "I had to find out from Senna that you took off! I looked everywhere and couldn't find you. I was worried."
"You don't have to worry about me Kouga. I am a priestess, I can defend myself."
I felt him stiffen, I knew I had hit a nerve.
"Then perhaps Tajik and I should head back the den we have responsibilities that are more pressing than watching over a priestess!"
"No wait!" I grabbed his arm as he started to stand up. "I'm sorry Kouga. I didn't mean to worry you." He sat back down and pulled me to look at him.
"I couldn't leave you out here alone, even if I wanted to." He spoke so quietly, I barely heard him over the pounding rain outside.
"Why?" I was genuinely curious, he knows I can defend myself and I did take off without telling him. He has every right to be furious with me, but instead he is worried for me.
"Don't you know?" He pulled me forward and against his chest, placing his nose in the junction of my neck and shoulder. I heard him whisper. "I love you Kagome."
I stiffened in his hold, he must have detected it because he released me.
"What's wrong Kagome? I have said it before, and you never reacted that way." He was looking into my eyes. I could tell my reaction hurt him.
"Kouga-" I found myself whispering. "Is it true that you chose me as your mate?"
His expression softened and I actually saw a sparkle in his eye I hadn't seen in a long time.
"I told you you were my woman, was that not clear?" He said with a chuckle while still trying to keep his voice down. "Why has this suddenly become a problem for you?"
I sighed.
"Kouga, why would you choose a human mate?"
He sat there for a minute pondering my question and I felt my stomach turn into knots and start to roll.
"It isn't really something we can choose. You just know when you see her or sometimes it takes talking to her." He gently touched my cheek with his hand and brushed a thumb over my cheekbone. "I knew from the moment I saw you that you are the one for me." I felt my cheeks burn red. "I love it when you blush."
"Kouga, why would you want to be with a human? You always made fun of Inuyasha for being half breed." He sat there looking at me, waiting for me to continue. "If we had any children they would be just like him."
"Yes, they would be half demons but I would never treat them any differently than I would a full blooded demon because they are part of my pack. My pack is my family Kagome."
"What about the rest-" Kouga put his index finger in front of my lips to silence me, he has a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.
"Wait. Does that mean you are considering it?" I heard a tinge of excitement in his voice.
"Well, I guess you could say that." I shyly answered.
His face lit up into a huge grin, as he jumped forward and wrapped me in a huge tight hug.
"Kagome that is all I could ever ask for!" He exclaimed. His hug was tight and reassuring, but it was also making it hard to breathe.
"um…..Kouga?" I managed to squeak out. "I can't...I can't really breathe."
He quickly released me, I took in a huge gasp of breath and panted for a few seconds.
"You will consider being with me?" He still had ahold of my shoulders and was looking at me with his eyes alight with joy.
"Yes, Kouga I will consider being with you."
He moved to pull me into a hug again but caught himself before I crashed into his chest. He gently placed my body against his and curled my head into his chest. He brought his hand up and tangled it in the back of my hair pulling me close.
"That's all I could ask for." He said it, it was muffled by my hair. "A chance is all I have ever wanted." I relaxed into his warmth, and felt my eyelids become heavy.
I yawned and his chest rumbled with a chuckle.
"Lay down." He gently commanded and I was tired enough to not argue.
I laid down on the furs and felt the chill of the room hit me, I shivered and started to curl upon myself, when I felt Kouga curl up behind me. He was spooning up against me, but his warmth was so nice I didn't care. I simply closed my eyes and fell right to sleep.