The First Step

Koga stood with his hands placed firmly on his hips. He stared distantly, listening to the wind blow and the birds chirp. His tail swished side to side and his foot lightly pet over the ground. He could hear the whirling of wind and turned his head slightly. A few moments later his clan members showed, Ginta and Hakkaku. Those idiots were happier than he had ever seen when he told him of Kagome and the plans for her to be joining them.

"Koga, there you are!" Ginta exclaimed.
"Bout time you slow pokes showed up," he said.
"Ah, it's all Hakkaku's fault. He's trying to redecorate the cave!"
"Baka! That's the least of our worries. We have to focus on taking Inuyasha out."

The two nodded, grasping the severity of the situation. Truthfully, Koga held mixed feelings. He wanted nothing more than to beat that dog faced punk up, but like this? He still had strong feelings for Kagome and seeing her now only increased them. He knew that she must have love for the mutt still, that was probably the only reason she had cared to do something. Why else would she have returned from her time? Not for him, that was obvious. He had to let go of that silly crush he had. He had to help her and that was it.

"Ginta! Hakkaku, hello!"

Her sweet voiced chimed from behind them and the two monkeys bounced off towards her in no time. They pinched at her ears but hugged her affectionately. She couldn't help but smile at their excitement. They hadn't forgotten her nickname of "Sister". They were goodhearted and Kagome enjoyed being around them, she needed to know that others were as pure as she tried to be. If anything, they were quite earnest.

Her friends gathered behind her, all looking solemn. They too would be traveling, doing their best to prevent other villages from being attacked and also giving them word of the danger of Inuyasha. Although they parted, they were all certain they would see each other again. No one doubted that. Sango hugged Kagome tightly and looked over at Koga.

"I know you'll take care of her, so I won't remind you to. Just know how much we love her," Sango said.
"Hai, woman. She'll be taken care of, don't you worry."

Koga heeded her words and did not let them slip his mind. He knew he wasn't the only one who loved Kagome and that was something he found comfort in. Over her shoulder was her bow and arrows and in her arms a bag full of personal items, most likely.

"Well, you be careful," Miroku said, pulling her in for a hug.
"You too. Take care of Sango and Shippo," Kagome smiled.
"I will, Lady Kagome. Build your strength up."

She smiled tearfully and turned to her new companions. Koga glanced over her friends, then turned and headed towards the den. In the end, they had all sat down and discussed how to handle Kagome's sudden transformation. Her friends were thrown by surprise, but they all seemed to trust in their sacred priestess. The humans would travel to other human villages and do their work there, while Kagome would learn how to master her wolf counterpart.

Koga allowed his two lackies to bounce off ahead of him before his whirlwind consumed his body. He glanced over at Kagome to see her face full of anxiety. Naturally, she was nervous. Before moving any further, he stopped to help with her first lesson.
"The running is the easiest part," Koga said with a smile.
"I'm not gonna be able to keep up with you all," Kagome replied.
"Hey, don't doubt yourself. As a mere human you wouldn't have, but you have youkai in you now. You're part wolf, which means speed is the easiest part for you.

Kagome still didn't feel completely confident in herself, but she trusted Koga and knew that he wouldn't lead her astray. He motioned to her to follow him and quickly flew off into the forest, giving her no choice but to attempt to catch up with him. The young miko didn't waste another moment. Her feet hit the ground running and she found that it indeed was easy to grasp. She was faster than when she had left Midoriko's cave. She pushed forward with her body and gracefully increased her speed. Her breath caught in her chest and she inched forward even more in speed.

"Sister! You doing alright?!" Hakkaku called.
"Right on your tail," she grinned.

They were traveling to the rest of his pack where they'd do further planning from there. Koga was one of the great wolf leaders and would have to lead in discussion with the other three main tribes. Kagome hoped that her opinion would be valid to them. She knew that hanyous were not particularly valued among youkai, they were seen as weak and useless. Inuyasha had often made it clear how his childhood was and carried those memories within him as he grew older and continued to face the same discrimination. She had felt bad for him, but had been gifted by Midoriko and would treat it as a blessing.

The company traveled eastward with only two stops to let Kagome rest. She was quick, but it was still her first day and she needed to pace herself. Koga could easily read the determination she held in her expression. She would go a long way with that attitude. Ginta and Hakkaku were complaining from their laziness, as usual. He snapped at them and they stopped their whining immediately.

"Lighten up, will ya?" Kagome teased.
"They've got to learn how to behave, I'm not being too hard on them."
"If you say so, they're not children."
"They really are," he said as he rolled his eyes.
"Just don't think you can talk to me that way."

Koga looked over at her to see a playful smile. He couldn't help it, he smiled back. Why did she have to be so damn cheerful? Her new hanyou features really suited her well, her fangs looked enticing as they poked from her lips. The things he would do to her... Unforgivable. He tried not to think about those things, they should never be in his head, especially about such an innocent woman.

"What ya thinking about?"
"Hm? Nothing, Kagome," Koga answered quickly. "We'll be there soon."
"Okay, good to hear."
"Your feet don't hurt yet do they? I can always carry you," he offered.
"I'll be fine, Koga. Thank you for being so caring."

He stared at her for a moment, then turned towards their designated direction. Kagome couldn't help feeling attached to him. He had decided to help her when he had no ties to her. Nothing was forcing him to do it, but she was so happy that he was. He was a good friend. She remembered all the times he sought her hand in marriage, claiming her to be his woman. Kagome giggled at that, he was so aggressive in behavior but such a softy when it came to her. She really found that to be his greatest trait.

They continued moving a few minutes later, deciding it best not to delay any longer than they already had. Kagome obliged, not wanting to be anything of a burden to them. She was already adapted to her speed and moved quicker than she had ever thought she could. As long as she kept up with Koga, she knew she wasn't doing too bad for herself. She trusted his judgment and knew he would have said anything if she wasn't moving to her strongest capabilities.

From the distance, Kagome could hear the sounds of barking and howling. She eagerly sped up, feeling quite anxious to arrive. She caught the scent of the pack and found that it was an appealing one to her nose. It felt familiar and comfortable, although she knew she had never really smelled such a thing before. But if she truly was a wolf hanyou, then that must be the reason for it. Her heart fluttered nervously in her chest as she hoped for a warm welcome. They had never been particularly ugly towards her, although they had been understandably alarmed when Koga had first brought her around.

Koga suddenly whistled at the pack as they arrived at the caves. With no time wasted, the rest of his pack appeared. The miko couldn't help but notice that their numbers had increased, which was a good sign. Naraku had nearly wiped his whole pack out, but it seemed they were regaining power and numbers. She noticed their attention drawn to her, the wolves also sniffing in her direction. She blushed slightly, feeling a bit like the odd man out.

"Listen up! Kagome here will be with us for awhile. We're gonna work together to take down the dog faced Inuyasha. Respect her as you respect me, and listen to any word she offers you," Koga instructed.

Kagome watched as they all nodded their heads. She looked at Koga, and he dismissed them quickly, ordering Ginta and Hakkaku to get them dinner. Koga turned to her now and led her into his cave. In the mountains they occupied there had been a few smaller ones that had been torn into for the pack.

Kogas cave was deep into the mountain. The entrance was occupied by a few sleeping wolves and after that an empty, narrow way that eventually reopened into a wide area. Numerous weapons were hanging from one of the cave walls, along with fur skins. A nest of older looking fur skins seemed to be where he took rest at night. Overall, it appeared to be his own place of comfort. Is that where she would also sleep?

"You can stay in here as well," Koga said, answering her question.
"Oh," Kagome answered shortly.
"Don't worry, you can trust me. I won't sneak up on you."

Kagome felt her face growing hot. She caught his mischievous grin but she didn't think he WOULD do anything inappropriate. Koga had never been that guy. Still, something about the way he smiled like that... It made her feel... What? She didn't know what she was thinking. She was just reading too much into things because she was worried about being away from her friends after only recently returning to them.

"I see that you're thinking hard about something," Koga observed.
"It's nothing," she smiled, wearily.
"I don't know much but I can tell when you're not yourself."
"I haven't been around in quite some time. It's just nerve wracking that so soon after getting here we're on another journey it seems like. That's all," She sighed.
"With me next to you, you've got no reason to fear. I won't let anything hurt you!" Koga declared.

Kagome laughed, slightly startled by his burst of energy. That was the Koga she was used to. He always used all of his emotions with anything he said or did, now he seemed to have grown and controlled himself more. No matter his attitude, Kagome genuinely enjoyed being in his presence. She couldn't help but wonder if he had ever gotten around to getting married.

"Where's Ayame?" Kagome asked.
"Hell if I know! She's not my concern," he spat.
"Really? Even though you promised to marry her?"
"Come on, is that really a valid promise? We were only pups back then."
"I thought you reaffirmed that promise. Didn't you?"
"I don't recall," he shrugged.

Kagome rolled her eyes at him. Sometimes he was just SO hard headed, there was no need for all that moodiness.

"Or are you asking because you finally decided to be my woman?" Koga asked, leaning towards her with a wide smirk.
"Don't be silly," she replied.

Koga chuckled and inched away, taking interest in one of his weapons. Kagome sat back on his bed. The cave didn't look particularly dirty or anything, she assumed it was because he maintained it very well. She didn't think too hard about it for her ear caught the sound of two fast paced sets of feet. She smiled as she saw Ginta and Hakkuku.

Ginta held two large wooden platters, fish and salmon cooked on them. He gave one to Kagome eagerly, along with a small wooden cup of water. She took it graciously, absorbing the delicious smell into her nostrils. Hakkaku now had her attention. He was hunched down, with what appeared to be an extra large sized tortoise shell, no doubt from a demon. As he set it on the ground she saw that it had been layered with numerous fur skins. He did a few quick motions to tie it firmly down to four boulders around it. Over the skins was a deep purple woven blanket. Once he was finished making sure it held in place, he looked up at her.

"This is what I was working on," he declared happily. "So that you'd be a little more comfortable in this ugly cave."
"Hey," Koga growled.
"It's great, thank you so much," Kagome said.
"Alright you knuckle heads, get going," Koga said.

The two bowed over slightly before scurrying out. Kagome didn't waste a second digging into her food. She felt her mouth salivating as she sank her fangs into the juicy meat. She hadnt realized how hungry she was until she was grateful for how much they had brought for her. She hadnt seen the way Koga stared at her as she devoured her food, he thought she was entertaining, to say the least. Her instincts were guiding her, as they did with all the members of the clan, but she'd learn how to behave a bit better in time. For now, it was okay for her to do and not think.

After their meal, Koga led her out of the cave and into the cover of the forest. He wanted to see her in action and how quickly she could progress. Kagome was a fast learner as it was, perhaps she would only be faster and faster from this point on? For the time being, he put that in the back of his mind.

"I want you to run at me as fast as you can, alright?" He shouted from across a large, empty field.
"I don't know how fast-"
"It's okay, we're just gonna do basics so we can see," he assured.

Kagome was a great distance from him, feeling unsure of herself. She trusted his judgment again and decided to do what he said. She focused on him, anticipating when he would say "Go!". She wasn't sure if she was imagining it or not, but she felt a strong force move within her. She didn't look, but when Koga called to her she burst forward with an unmatchable speed. It took her a matter of 10 seconds to reach him from her position. Unfortunately, she hadnt figured out how to stop and collided right into him. A grunt was heard before the two crashed to the ground, Kagome falling on top of him.
"Well, that was... Great," he grunted.
"I'm really sorry, are you okay?" She gasped with concern.
"Yeah, you're pretty forceful," he admitted.
"I didn't know I could do that!" She exclaimed.
"No doubt your miko powers played a role, you didn't happen to notice the wind turning pink around you, did ya?"
"Did it?! Lets try again!"
"Only if you try to slow down this time," he chuckled.
"Okay, I can do that."
Kagome was breathing slightly heavy as she stared down at him with a big smile on her face. When she felt his hands glide near her waist she realized that she was still laying on top of him. She immediately turned cherry red and flew off of him. Koga got to his feet and smirked, no doubt feeling a little satisfied with himself. 'That was a little too... I don't know what!' She thought.
"Alright, this time STOP before you hit me!" He instructed. "Try to pay attention to how your powers unite for you, too."
"Right."
Kagome readied herself, this time studying her actions. She merely waited and prepared herself. Now she saw what he had been talking about, as the pink color seemed to dance around her feet. When he signaled to her, she jumped forward, the pink now fluttering in the wind that whirled around her. When she was inches from Koga, she forcefully stopped herself, but still tripped forward slightly. He caught her by her arms and grinned widely at her.
"Much better!"
"Thanks, I saw it," she said, clearly ecstatic.
"I knew you'd catch on, Kagome. I believe in your strength."
Kagome's breath caught in her chest as she tried to act normal, as if that compliment hadnt made her a bit happy.
"Now, wolves rely solely on instinct. We're quick and we don't hesitate. What I want you to try to do is lean towards your wolf intellect. By that I mean, give it an opportunity to act for you. As a human, you tend to think hard about things that could get you killed. I'm gonna attack you, and I want you to try to protect yourself. Got it?"
"I-I think so. You're not gonna be too rough on me are you?" She asked, nervously.
"Nah," he smirked devilishly.
Koga bounced off into the forest, leaving her in the middle of the clearing alone. She couldn't help getting nervous at the silence that fell upon her. She tried to do as he said and loosened her senses up as much as she could. Her ear pricked as it caught the sound of crushing branches. The sound was coming from too many directions and she couldn't focus enough. Out of nowhere she felt a force hit her from behind, causing her to yelp. Koga had snuck up behind her and tossed her into the air after giving her a shove. He caught her in his arms and laughed loudly.
"You weren't trying enough," he said.
"I don't know how to," she pouted.
"Just stop thinking. It'll come to you if you let it," he advised.
He set her back on her feet and went back into the cover of trees. Kagome shut her eyes softly, breathing in lightly, then out. She felt something deep within her, wanting to come to the surface. She acknowledged it and gave it permission. Her eyes opened and she followed the sounds moving through the forest. She saw Koga leap out and dart towards her, causing her to jump away. She dodged his second motion and flipped back into the air, landing in a crouched position, her hands lightly touching the ground. Koga pounced at her but she pushed off the ground, jumping into the air and pulled him around by the back of his neck. He landed face down in the grass, letting out a low growl. She had her feet digging into his back, kneeling so that she could hold him down.

Koga reached his arm around, grabbing her wrist and yanked her off of him. He pinned her down, repositioning himself over her and holding her arms down in each of his hands. Kagome growled at him but he smirked, clearly the victor again.
"That was great," he complimented.
Kagomes eyes seemed to clear up again as she regained her full consciousness.
"It's already dark," Koga said. "Let's go back and relax."
"Okay," she agreed.
Koga pulled her up by her hands and the two walked back to the pack. Kagome was silent as she thought over what had just taken place. It was as if she was letting something else control her body when practicing with him. She could feel herself watching from a distance, but her inner counterpart had done its job for her. Part of that had scared her, she had never been that aggressive before and was sure that she would be seeing more of that side soon enough. For now she would do as Koga suggested and let herself loosen up.
"You've changed, ya know?"
"Since this?" Kagome asked, pointing to her ears.
"Nah, your personality. You're just stronger, like you grew up."
"Thanks. You have too, Koga. Before you were reckless, now you think things through and you're a great leader."
"You saying nice things to me still gives me the same feelings, though."
"I don't... I don't know what you mean."
"Course you do. You're just being your usual polite self," he smiled.
Their conversation stopped there as they arrived at the caves. A couple of campfires were blazing with everyone seeming to just lie around. Ginta and Hakkaku rushed forward almost instantly and pulled Kagome off from their head of the tribe. Koga watched, catching her glance over her shoulder at him. He didn't follow, he simply looked to the moon and walked away.

I really hope that the relationship between the two blooms beautifully! I'm so eager to get into their romance! Read/Review, please! c: