Sorry this chapter took me so long to post everyone. I made sure it was a longer chapter to hopefully compensate for the wait :)
But good news our first child has been born on July 31st and I'm slowly still adjusting to her schedule lol. I have written here and there as I have had time, so thank yall for being patient :D I hope yall enjoy!
Chapter Seven
Previous Allies, Old Enemies
This is the second night I've been able to spend with Kagome, I sighed completely content with messy black hair splayed in my lap, my legs her pillow once again. I brushed a few strands of her bangs to the side, allowing myself to see her relaxed face fully. No nightmares seem to be plaguing her tonight, I smiled hoping and wishing that it was due to me.
My ear twitched in reaction to leaves rustling nearby. I quickly turned my head towards the approaching noise, slowly lifting Kagome's head and easing it back down in the grass. She shifted in her sleep, but didn't wake up. I let my eyes linger on her no longer than a few seconds before standing to my full height and facing the two figures coming to form in the dim firelight.
"Koga, I thought I smelled you this way," relief relaxed his tanned face as his fangs hung out of his easy smile.
"Shut it!" I whispered harshly, carefully toning my voice to not wake the girl to my back. I glanced back at her to double check she was still sleeping before looking back at the duo in front of me. I nodded my head to the left signaling them to walk in that direction.
After walking for a moment Ginta interjected, "Who is the human female? Why are we trying not to wake her?"
"How is the pack and has the bear been gutted and cleaned?" I completely disregarded his questioning.
The two shared a concerned look as Hakkaku replied, "Everyone is fine and the bear is delicious, the rest has been put away for later, Boss." He hesitated a moment then continued, "But are YOU ok? You've been acting odd, then you didn't come back to the den... We were worried. Then we find you here with a human woman."
"Are you insinuating something here?" I challenged him.
"Oh uh no! Of course not," Hakkaku retracted, not expecting that response.
"I think Ginta was just letting you know we have been worried about you is all, Alpha," Ginta interjected.
I softened my expression a bit, knowing my betas were honestly concerned and not pointing out weakness. "She is Kagome. I saw her in my dream the night before our last hunt. I feel like I've known her and she is a very powerful miko."
"Aren't you worried she will purify one of us?"
I could feel my anger flare at their inquiry, but worked to keep calm. It was a legitimate question and they haven't met her to know she wouldn't hurt us. The memory of her purifying blast flashed hotly through my mind. Yeah THAT hurt, but she could have very easily killed me if she wanted to.
They noticed my pause. "Has she already tried?" They were already glancing back towards the clearing where Kagome still lay asleep, teeth bared lightly.
"Look, it was a misunderstanding. Relax," the last more an order than a request. They didn't seem to notice as they prowled back towards the clearing.
I trailed them closely and once they were in the clearing, I stopped both of them. I let them see her steadily breathing. "You think a priestess would sleep so soundly with our demonic energies so close if she didn't recognize us as friends and NOT foes? Much less fall asleep laying in my lap, the lap of a VERY powerful wolf demon alpha..." I let that information seep in as they watched.
Kagome stirred.
(^u^)
I couldn't feel Koga next to me anymore. I did however sense him nearby, but not alone. There were some lesser demons with him. How many, I couldn't be sure of exactly. I listened to my surroundings, trying to sense any danger nearby.
I heard Koga talking with two familiar voices. Ginta and Hakkaku, I thought to myself. I started to go back to sleep when I felt another demon in proximity, a demon powerful enough to be able to feel it from that distance. I started to sit up slowly, but shot up when a loud foreboding crack filled the air. Thunder...wasn't ever that loud. My mind started wandering at the possibilities before repeatedly returning to two figures: a balding, oval-headed demon flying in a cloud and a more human-looking brother with long hair pulled back in a braid soaring next to him with a winged wheel attached to each foot. Surely they wouldn't be causing trouble without the shards to increase their powers.
I sat there wide-eyed, finding ice blue orbs watching mine intently. All the possibilities kept racing through my mind before they settled on a small kitsune with a fluffy orange tail. I quickly grabbed my bow and arrows, scrambling in the direction of the demonic aura I could sense. I kept hoping it was one of the Thunder Brothers, while at the same time hoping I never had to see Shippo an orphan in this reality.
I ran blindly, only focused on the direction the aura led me while thunder cracked and lightning lit the remaining darkness of the dawn.
(^u^)
Kagome just took off running in the midst of the sudden storm. The hairs on the back of my neck were raised, This is no ordinary storm, it came on too suddenly for it to be natural. I took off after her, knowing there had to be a demon behind this thunderous storm.
"Come on you two. Now!" I called back at them.
"Wait for us Boss!" They responded as soon as I had taken off, a small tornado created by my movements.
I heard them, but paid them no mind. I was too preoccupied with following my little miko's usually relaxing scent, now laced with adrenaline. I was too worried for her safety with the demon's threat so close without Kagome in my sight. "Kagome!" I yelled out to her hoping to hear any response. Following her voice would be faster than following her scent as scrambled as she was running. It wouldn't save but a few seconds, but those seconds could make a world of difference. I sped my pace even faster, setting a new personal best at tracking.
I heard branches and leaves rustling just ahead, slightly to my left. Kagome's scent rushed me in waves at the proximity, mixed with a demon's scent just a bit fainter than her own. "Kagome," I harshly rasped, hoping her human ears could hear my voice through the torrents of rain that had started a few yards back. Every step closer to the demon only seemed to make the rain pound the earth ever harder.
The rustling stopped and her figure came into my eyesight. I sighed a breath I wasn't aware I was holding as I smiled softly at her and pulled her into my embrace. She blushed, shocked at the movement, as I tucked her head into the groove of my neck and my arms firmly around the small of her back. "Don't run off like that, there is a demon nearby," I reprimanded her actions softly.
"I know there is a demon," she pulled her head back to look at my face as she continued, "I had to see if my friend was nearby."
"Another friend?" I inquired gently, wondering what urgency had caused her recklessness.
"This demon made Shippo an orphan, well one of the two."
I peered out of the wood line we were currently in at the fish-headed demon. "THAT demon killed a fox demon?" He didn't look like much. This storm might have been rough, but I honestly doubted he had full control of his powers. Otherwise he wouldn't be in this rain as well as us.
"He had two shards of the jewel the last time I saw him and wearing Shippo's father's pelt around his waist." I looked at his waist and noticed a lack of fur there. That fact did little to quell my fury. How dare you wear another demon as a trophy, that was the highest level of disrespect you could commit towards anyone!
"And in front of his son, Shippo?" I asked through bared fangs.
"Yes," she looked saddened at the thought.
We were currently down-wind of this demon and he was unlikely to notice our presence. "Stay here Kagome."
(^u^)
He pulled back from the embrace with a stern look on his face, anger evident in his expression, "Stay here Kagome." He took off, leaving me in the wood line suddenly. I watched him run towards Manten, waves of wind being forced around him in a tornado. My grip on the bow tightened as I reached towards the quiver resting against my back. I grabbed an arrow and readied to notch it in case I needed it.
This demon didn't travel far without his brother, Hiten, being too far behind, as the thought passed through my mind, I looked around the clearing for the more human-like brother of the two.
"You have exactly ten seconds to leave my territory," I heard Koga's rage yell over the thunderous clap that filled the sky at Manten. Manten jerked his head up at the sound of a stranger nearby, glaring over at Koga.
"And who might you be to think you can order me away from this spot?" Manten challenged with a chuckle and evil smirk to match his tone.
"I am leader of the Eastern wolf tribe, and you are invading my territory. This is the only warning you will get. Leave now!"
"No, I think I'll stay right here. I enjoy this clearing too much to leave, but thanks for the offer," he retorted smiling over his witty remark. He was now facing Koga completely readying himself for a battle. Koga widened his stance in response, a growl ripping out of his chest as he sprang forward. He was lost to my vision in the midst of his whirlwind as he closed the distance between them.
Manten's smile widened as his mouth started parting, electricity sparks licking at his lips as he did so. As Koga neared him, Manten's mouth was now gaping open with a ball of energy ready to be hurled at his oponent. He laughed as he released the electricity from his mouth, shooting directly where Koga had been a mere second ago.
Koga had anticipated his attack and was already above the beam of electricity. He was now descending upon Manten, his fist pounding down onto his head. The impact of his punch had Manten's face planted deeply into the earth below him. The rain had let up around us and Koga's tail twitched before he lowered his body, pivoting on his right foot planted in the ground as his left leg swung around and kicked the already fallen Manten across the clearing.
Koga smirked triumphantly, "I thought this would be over quickly, but I did expect a little more of a challenge in this battle." He laughed at the simplicity of the battle when he noticed Manten's hand reach up toward's his balding head.
Oh no, I thought right before Manten's temper flared when he noticed his last three hairs had fallen out due to the abuse they received at Koga's fist. An electricity beam flowed through the air madly through Manten's roaring mouth, with no target in mind before targeting Koga.
I sighed in relief when I saw Koga was already in motion, dodging the beam chasing after him relentlessly. Koga's face was now more serious, concentrating on dodging the powerful beam only seconds behind him.
A quick movement caught my attention in my peripherals. As my gaze followed where the flash was, I noticed none other than Hiten soaring towards Koga with his double-pointed spear in hand. without a second thought, I ran out into the clearing and pulled my already prepared arrow taught. I took only a second to aim at one of Hiten's winged wheels that allowed him to fly, "Hit the mark," I said to myself as I let the arrow fly.
(^u^)
"Hit the mark!"
My ear twitched as I dodged the electric beam yet again, jumping in the air and cutting a backflip when the beam followed my movements. I glanced back towards where I had left Kagome while I was still mid-air, noticing she was now visible in the clearing with an empty bow gripped in one hand while the other was reaching towards her quiver. Still watchful of the high-powered electricity that threatened to singe the tip of my tail, I followed Kagome's gaze towards another demon that had entered the clearing.
"Great," I muttered to myself, thinking of Kagome's safety now that she has made herself known to these two demons. I saw the newest demon turn towards Kagome with a look of rage consuming his face.
"You little wench! You'll pay for that!" Hiten's anger seething through his teeth with each word as he was forced to land with only one wheel able to fly.
I heard Ginta and Hakkaku finally join us in the clearing. Manten's fury qwelled slightly now that his brother had joined the fray, enough so that he stopped releasing his beams. I widened my stance preparing to dodge an attack or race to protect Kagome, whichever the circumstance called for. I looked over at my betas to make eye contact and glance towards Kagome, hoping they would understand I wanted them to protect her at all costs.
Hiten positioned his spear readying for an attack right before charging towards Kagome. I started to pivot my body towards her to race to her side, but was cut off by yet another blast of electrical sparks. I barely was able to jump back to dodge it.
"Oh no no no, my little pup. We aren't done with our game of fetch...so be a good doggy and catch!" Manten threw another ball of energy right at me again as he finished his taunt. After landing from another dodge, my tail twitched in aggravation as I looked back at Kagome. Both Ginta and Hakkaku stood in front of her, blocking all of Hiten's attempts to reach her. They were struggling to keep up, but were holding him off for now.
I turned back towards Manten with a wide smirk. "You know, there is one major difference between a wolf and a dog..."
(^u^)
I had just managed to work past the shock of Hiten's aggressive retaliation to my arrow and notched the next one when I heard it.
"There is one major difference between a wolf and a dog. A dog would rather roll over than attack someone." He chuckled at the thought as I saw red starting to tint his eyes. "A wolf on the other hand would rip a stranger to threads. Worse even, would die protecting anyone he considers pack, but more likely KILL anyone who dared to even threaten a pack mate."
His body started to tremor. Bones started to pop and rearrange themselves. His silky black hair started to blend with newly grown fur. His fangs elongated, all the while holding back a fierce growl slowly erupting from his chest. A menacing wolf stood where Koga stood only seconds ago. His fur the deepest shade of ebony raised straight up, but not at all hiding the strength in every fiber of muscle beneath. This wolf was a beautiful creature that you wanted to observe, but from a very far distance.
Manten was caught off guard by this transformation and once he recovered from the shock tried opening his mouth to attack, but was brutally cut off when his throat wore a necklace of wolf teeth clamping down on it. Within seconds Manten's head rolled away from its body and the wolf turned towards us. He stalked in our direction growling the entire way, tail sweeping powerfully side to side with each step. Every movement was graceful yet somehow also menacing. My body tensed reflexively at the ever nearing proximity. Every step of his paw made a new detail known.
Pad. Blood dripping from his fangs and muzzle. Pad. Bristled fur seemed to keep growing as it raised ever further. Pad. His tail stiff outwards, void of any animation in emotion other than seething anger. Pad. He came to a halt at this last step forward. His icy blue irises bore into Hiten with every bit of rage his body language screamed. Koga's growling amplified, yet my body relaxed. His eyes, though rimmed with crimson red and an unfathomable rage, still calmed me. They reminded me that this beautiful and deadly creature standing before me was still Koga.
Fur blurred as he lunged suddenly. An awful crunching noise mad my skin crawl as Koga leaped to the side dodging Hiten's counter attack. That's when I noticed the crunching noise had came from Hiten's arm that had been broken severely. Around the break had blood gushing from several puncture wounds and lacerations from Koga's fierce bite. Soon a broken arm multiplied into several more breaks: a leg, his other arm, the forearm to the first broken arm, and lastly Koga had charged him from the rear and breaking his back by head-butting it. He was prolonging Hiten's pain.
This behavior from Koga was outside of his character and confused me. Is this how he was before meeting me the first time around? Was he always this ruthless?
Snap! Hiten was dead now that Koga had snapped his neck. He snorted over his body as if disgracing his existence on this earth. He looked over at me and his ears flattened back and whimpered softly. He slowly inched closer to me with his massive body lowered closer to the ground. I watched him quietly as he finally nudged his side against my leg gently. I let my palm and fingers run through his fur. He gave me a wolfy grin, tongue lolled out the side slightly. His expression completely changed as he barked at his comrades. Their faces matched his serious expression as they turned to me.
My gut wrenched wondering what could make the usually goofy duo to be so serious so quickly.
"Koga smelled fox demon scent on Hiten."
Just like that the world slowed to a near stand still.