CHAPTER 3: A SECOND CHANCE
The journey to the mountains was long and exhausting with an awkward silence. Koga did not like Mokuzai, nor did Mokuzai like him, and Yozora was crippled from pain and shock. Despite appearing relatively fine earlier, her condition seemed to be worsening and that was cause for concern. Coming up to the entrance of the camp, Koga was met with countless skeptical glances, raising obvious curiosity for the outsiders. The air was thick with uneasiness, and all the attention was causing the rogue wolves to stand on edge. Koga didn't like the tension; there was already too much of it as is.
"These wolves were attacked and came to us for aid. You will treat them as your own kin and share what food you have." Koga's firm voice stretched far beyond the waterfall, leaving an echo. The wolves of the eastern tribe backed off, trusting in their leader's judgement. Koga caught Mokuzai's eye, beckoning with his head to follow him. Koga led the rogue wolves to a large den in the west side of the camp where some injured wolves lay resting on beds of pelts. There were a handful of healers, young and old, rushing about and tending to the wounded. Koga walked over to the oldest healer, a small and frail old female with long white hair that swept across the floor in a single braid. Koga knelt next to her as she brewed a concoction of sorts.
"Yanagi," Koga began, but the wise wolf cut him off.
"Bring the female here, child." she croaked softly, obviously referring to Yozora. Mokuzai hesitated, but upon looking down at his leader's battered body, he complied. The large wolf demon laid Yozora down on a bed of furs next to the experienced healer, watching with worry. Yozora wheezed in agony, her breathing laboured as sweat beaded on her paling skin.
"What's wrong with her?" Mokuzai asked in a ragged voice. Yanagi added a dried root to the small clay pot before taking it off the heat.
"Poison." Yanagi said simply, causing Mokuzai, and Koga, to frown. Of course, how did he not realize? If the serpent could create miasma, then certainly it could also inject poison. Koga watched as she dabbed a cloth into the substance she was brewing, bringing it to the wound on her stomach. The contact caused the young female to cry out almost immediately, the tension in the room thickening in a matter of seconds.
"You're hurting her!" Mokuzai snapped, causing Koga to snarl defensively.
"She'll die otherwise! Calm down!" Koga lashed back, glaring at the skeptical rogue. Mokuzai was about to strike Koga, but Yozora placed a hand over his weakly.
"I'm okay." she reassured, offering a small smile. Mokuzai seemed to calm down slightly, turning his attention back to her wounds. Yanagi continued to dab at the swollen gashes, the substance leaving a thick, translucent goo that seemed to settle in and around the injuries. Yozora clenched her jaw to avoid crying, but small whimpers slipped out here and there.
"This will counteract the poison that is eating away at her flesh. I will also make a medicine for her to drink, to expel what poison has gotten inside her system." Yanagi explained. Koga never ceased to be amazed by her expertise. Yanagi turned her attention to Yozora's broken leg, knowing it had to be set.
"You two. Be useful and find sturdy branches." she directed two of Yozora's wolves, causing them to blink nervously and head out on their task. When they came back, she proceeded.
"This will be very painful." Yanagi warned, causing Yozora to nod tiredly. Yanagi took hold of the girl's splintered leg, ordering Koga and Mokuzai to hold her down before she began forcing the bones back into place. Yozora let out a peircing scream, unable to hold them back. Yanagi finished by soaking the lesions in the thick substance she made, wrapping it in bandages, then reinforcing it with the two sturdy sticks the wolves had retrieved. Yozora's yowls and cries died down and she suddenly went limp, causing panic to rise within Koga.
"She passed out. You needn't worry. She will stay in critical care with me. She will live, but only under my supervision." Yanagi said, moving to clean up. Koga watched Mokuzai carefully - he wasn't quite sure if he could trust him nor his temperament. Mokuzai didn't look happy, but he didn't protest. Perhaps he finally understood what was at stake.
"If you lot are going to stay here, you ought to learn our ways." Ginta spoke up, having been watching from the den entrance. Mokuzai shot Ginta a hostile glance, getting to his feet.
"What makes you think we're staying for good?" he growled, causing his wolves to get riled up. Koga let out an irritated sigh.
"You're staying here now, and that's what matters. Since you're sharing our space, food and water, you're going to pick up the slack where it's needed." Koga said in a firm voice. Mokuzai seemed to get angrier by the second, testing Koga's patience.
"Or, I can throw you and your leader out. I doubt she'd last very long out there." Koga growled. He knew that was harsh, but it seemed to be the only thing that worked on Mokuzai. The bulky wolf demon hissed angrily, but he didn't protest.
"I don't take orders from you. But I'll do it for her." Mokuzai said in a low voice, turning his gaze from Koga to Ginta.
"Tell me what needs to be done." he finished. Koga nodded to Ginta to proceed, and the rogue wolves followed him out to begin their duties. Koga let out a sigh, turning his attention to Yanagi.
"Thank you, elder." he said calmly, showing his utmost respect for her. Yanagi reached as high as she could to touch Koga on the cheek gently, causing him to blink down at her.
"I can tell this one is a strong and noble leader. Perhaps you can learn a thing or two from her." she said, shocking him. Was she questioning his abilities? His weariness was obvious by his expression.
"Relax. I'm merely saying that while you are a strong demon, you lack what it takes to be a leader. This is why you doubt yourself. I know this, I see it in your eyes. But I believe you can find the right path with the right guidance. And I believe that guidance is that woman." Yanagi finished, causing Koga to stare at her in bewilderment. He trusted his healer's judgement, but it was hard to hear that he lacked certain skills.
"Thank you for your words." Koga said quietly, dipping his head to excuse himself. He glanced briefly at the slumbering Yozora before taking his leave, heading to the center of camp to get some patrols out.
It had been three days since Koga took in the rogue wolves, and surprisingly enough, they were settling in quite well. Mokuzai did an excellent job with patrols, being able to detect the slightest disturbances when it took more seasoned warriors a more thorough search. Koga supposed it was from living in such harsh conditions and constantly having to keep one eye open at all times. He hated to admit it, but Mokuzai was a wolf demon to be admired. More so for his skills than his attitude, however. The other wolves that were taken in had already made friends and were giving Koga less and less of a hard time. He knew they had potential; they just needed a chance.
Renkon had returned with word from the Northern Tribe. Since mating wolves from different packs was more of a political affair than a personal one, the elders of the Northern Tribe had conducted a council meeting to discuss Koga's terms. They agreed, but not until Koga was able to rid the mountain of the Bear Demons who were plaguing it. Koga understood their concern; if it were him, he would want to make sure the threat was gone before any promises were made.
Koga found himself visiting the infirmary at least twice a day to check up on Yozora. There was something about her, and what Yanagi said that drove his interest in the young woman. Despite her initial cold demeneur, Koga found that although she was quiet, she was also kind and had a lot of spirit. He admired her for this especially because although she had suffered so much loss, she did her best to suppress her heartache. He didn't press on the matter; it was important to move forward. The lacerations she suffered had healed over, and bone was no longer visible from her leg. However, Yanagi advised that she should keep weight off it for another week just to be safe.
"How do you feel?" Koga asked as he walked into the den, gaining a small smile from Yozora.
"Hurts a little. But it's no big deal." she replied, watching as he sat down next to her.
"With that attitude you'll become crippled." he joked, causing her grin, obviously finding him amusing. Koga didn't know why he felt so delighted to make her smile, but it felt natural. Koga couldn't deny it, his heart was still wounded since the day he left Kagome, even more so when he heard about her disappearance. He didn't know what his feelings for Yozora were, but he decided to let his instincts guide him; they've never done him wrong before.
"Koga, I want to thank you." Yozora said then, snapping Koga out of his daze. He looked down at her, noticing her eyes had turned troubled during his trailing thoughts.
"What for?" he asked simply, feeling concerned for how she was feeling.
"Well, for starters, for giving my pack refuge and care after we accused you of being an unworthy leader. I can see now that I was wrong, we were just too proud to ask for help. I was too proud." Yozora confessed, catching Koga off guard. He watched her with a pained expression, unsure as to why he was so moved by her words.
"You don't have to thank me for that..." Koga breathed, wanting so badly to grab her hands to console her, a habit that he had developed.
"But even though I am grateful, I can't help but feel ashamed that I couldn't protect my own, and angry that you were the one to avenge the deaths of my comrades. I feel robbed of the satisfaction of killing the serpent. I can't help but feel this way, even though I know I was in no condition to fight. You saved my life and I'm grateful for that, but every time I look at you, I'm haunted by what I failed to do as an honourable leader." Yozora finished, looking distant and pained. Koga stared at her with slightly widened eyes, not expecting any of what she had said. Her words hurt, but he understood. He looked down at the ground, matching her distant expression.
"Have you ever heard of the name 'Naraku'?" he asked suddenly, gaining a startled look from Yozora.
"Of course I have...he's the reason we were forced to live the way we did. He attacked our tribe in the West and we went into hiding." Yozora replied with a sour face. Koga felt instant anger. So, her tribe was also targeted by Naraku. He couldn't help but feel responsible; he was the one Naraku was searching for, after all.
"I see. He slaughtered most of my comrades, and I swore an oath to kill him with my own claws. I spent a long time chasing him down, but I failed each time. I didn't give up, because I, too, was haunted by my fallen brothers. I worked hard, pushed past my limits, and even acquired our ancestors heirloom, the Goraishi. I thought that I finally had a chance at taking down Naraku, but then my jewel shards were stolen. I wanted to keep going, but I knew it would be useless and I'd just end up getting in the way. To this day, it haunts me every night. Even though Naraku was killed, I still feel guilty for not being the one to avenge my comrades." he explained, eyes closed as he reminisced about the journey he had some years ago. He shocked himself. He never told anybody about his feelings regarding Naraku, not even Ginta or Hakkaku. He dared to open his eyes to look at her, and was met with an almost equal amount of distress as he was feeling.
"I suppose that, as leaders, we have no choice but to feel responsible for our failures, even if they are out of our control." Yozora said quietly, reaching across to lay her hand gently atop Koga's. He appreciated the simple gesture, suddenly grasping her hand and holding it tight, which caused her to gasp and tense slightly.
"Listen, Yozora. I didn't kill the serpent to best you at being a leader, or to prove anything. It was after me, but it thought I was part of your pack. The bastard would have killed every living thing in its path until it found me, including you. I didn't want you to die. I can't stand to see any more wolves die." Koga told her almost desperately, anguish pooling in his bright blue orbs. Yozora relaxed from the initial contact, squeezing his hand back comfortingly.
"You're a good man, Koga." Yozora said softly before retracting her hand back to place in her lap. Koga could detect that she was beginning to expel her negative feelings, and he felt happy that he was able to help in some way. He was never really good with words, but her burdens were the same as his, so he understood on a personal level. He nodded slowly in response, watching the stone ground in silence.
"Well," Koga began as he got to his feet. Yozora looked up at him blankly.
"I gotta get going. Lots of work to go around." he said simply, offering a small grin, causing Yozora to nod in understanding. With that, Koga made his leave, clearing his mind to concentrate on his duties.
One week had passed and Koga's spirits were brightening. The tribe hadn't experienced a death since Koga came back with the rogue wolves, and they managed to locate a nesting area for female bear demons and their cubs, to which they exterminated. It may have seemed cruel to some, but if they wanted to drive the bear demons away, they had to cut them off at the source. Koga was also delighted to hear that one of the tribe's females was pregnant, and he was sure that more pups would be on their way. When one mated pair got riled up, it acted as a sort of signal to rouse others to mate. That's how Koga knew it was the start of mating season. This indication only made him more determined to keep his tribe safe.
"What are you waiting for, Hakkaku? I'm sure Hibari is waiting for you to make a move." Ginta teased while wearing a huge grin, causing the spiky-haired male to blush brightly.
"S-shut up! That's none of your business." Hakkaku grumbled,crossing his arms in embarrassment and looking away. Koga couldn't help but laugh himself, leaning back on his hands as he enjoyed the sunlight. He tried to enjoy it as much as he could these days since the cold season would be upon them in a matter of a few months.
"Don't push yourself," Koga heard Mokuzai's voice a few meters off, turning his head to see Yozora walking out of the healer's den with support from the brute of a man. Koga excused himself to walk over, unable to hide his joy.
"Finally on your toes, I see." Koga greeted, placing his hands on his hips when he reached the two. Yozora beamed a smile, looking down at her leg.
"Yanagi told me it was okay." she told the wolf prince while testing weight on her treated leg, letting out the breath she was holding when no pain came. She was so thankful; one of her greatest fears was not being able to run again.
"I'm fully healed. Koga, what's my first job?" Yozora asked suddenly, causing an equal reaction in Koga and Mokuzai.
"Eh?!" The two males enunciated in unison.
"But you only just-" Koga began, to which Mokuzai cut him off.
"Yozora! You're Alpha, don't soil your hands doing jobs for him!" Mokuzai exclaimed with unmasked distaste, causing a warning growl to rumble deep in Koga's chest. Mokuzai may have been obedient in doing his jobs and doing them well, but Koga was growing tired of his sharp tongue.
"Look around, Mokuzai!" Yozora suddenly snapped, causing every wolf nearby to stop and stare at them in silence. Mokuzai was especially taken aback, never having seen her this serious before.
"Alpha? Of what? Where is our camp? Where is our tribe? Everything is gone! But we survived, and now we got a second chance. We can make our race great again, so quit screwing around! From this point forth, all I am to you is pack and nothing else. Do you understand?" Yozora finished, leaving Mokuzai at a loss for words. Koga stared at her wide eyed, intrigued by her outburst. What she did took a lot of courage and strength, both of which Koga didn't think he had if he ever had to step down as leader.
"Yozora...I...I was just trying to..." Mokuzai muttered helplessly, staring at the small female with desperation. Yozora drew her gaze away from him and rested it on Koga.
"I know you haven't punished him because of me. But if he continues to be an arrogant fool, then please, don't hold back." Yozora said in a surprisingly calm voice, causing Koga to nod slowly. Only then did he realize they were the center of attention, making a motion with his head that snapped everyone back to what they were doing.
"Yozora, I'm sorry." Mokuzai said, looking pained. Yozora didn't look at him, and Koga felt uneasy by the tension between them.
"Isn't there something you're supposed to be doing?" she asked him, causing the large male to flinch despite the fact she spoke softly. He didn't say anything further, turning around heavily to busy himself with something. Koga couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for him. That must have been painful and embarrassing, but at the same time, he deserved it.
"Are you sure you're fit enough?" Koga asked her, concerned.
"Yes, I feel fine." Yozora assured, causing Koga to nod and beckoned for her to follow him, to which she complied.
"I'm organizing a patrol. A marker was found by the north side of the river, and I think that might be where the bear demons are living. You're gonna accompany me and my best wolves." Koga told her, resolve flashing in his eyes.
"As you wish." Yozora replied simply with a curt nod. Koga expected her to ask questions, so he was slightly confused, but he pushed the thought away. He rallied Ginta and Hakkaku first; there was no way he could do this without them. He then called upon three other tribesmen. The first was Maruishi, a barrel-shaped male with three braided rows of hair atop his head and bore a deep scar across his left eye that left him blind, sporting black fur and black armor. The second was known as Tokkan, a seasoned yet beautiful female with dark brown hair who wore white fur and blue armor to match her eyes. Yozora was shocked to see that she was actually pregnant, unsure as to why Koga would choose to bring her. The last was Hoshitaba, a male with dark skin and wavy silver hair who wore dark brown fur and grey armor. Yozora greeted them all respectfully, heading out with the group and into the forest.
Koga led the pack with Yozora by his side and Ginta and Hakkaku not too far behind, while Tokkan, Hoshitaba and Maruishi brought up the rear. The forest was quiet besides the sound of their footsteps, and the occasional scurrying animal. The seven were all on full alert, knowing all too well the consequence of letting your guard down when danger was lurking. Yozora was new to the particular dangers in this part of the forest, but she had her own experiences to know the importance of paying attention.
Koga had told Yozora beforehand that he wanted her to stay close to him, but he didn't tell her the reason. He wanted to test her abilities, but just in case he overestimated her, if she was near him then he could get her out of any potential danger she couldn't handle. He figured that she was powerful considering the sole fact she was a former Alpha, but he wanted to be prepared. Oddly enough, he thought more about the safety of his comrades than himself.
The closer they got to the river, the more potent the scent of bear became. Koga grimaced slightly at the scent, not so much that it was distasteful, but he associated it with negative memories. And the closer they got, the heavier Koga's stomach felt, his instincts screaming danger at him. He stretched out his arm to signal his pack to halt once they reached the small body of water, taking the time to survey the area. Nothing seemed to be out of place since the last time he was here, but something felt wrong. He knelt to scoop a handful of dirt, inspecting it thoroughly.
"Do you suspect something, Koga?" Tokkan asked as she walked up ad kelt beside him.
"I'm not sure. I can't quite place it, but something doesn't feel right." Koga told her as he looked around through narrowed eyes.
"Allow me to go on ahead. If I sense anything, I will report back right away." Tokkan offered. She was the best tracker the wolf demon tribe had ever seen, having the unique ability to stay light and fast on her toes without detection.
"You know I don't want you over exerting yourself." Koga warned, watching her with concern. He couldn't help but be protective of her. Not only was she a loyal and honourable warrior, she was also grieving the loss of her mate, who was killed a few months back from a rockfall accident. Tokkan laughed softly.
"I am pregnant, not crippled. You brought me along because my abilities are useful to you, right? So let me help. I can do it." she assured him. Koga was silent for a few moments.
"Fine, but take Hoshitaba with you. If you find the enemy, do not engage. Leave the area right away. Understood?" Koga instructed sternly. At the mention of his name, Hoshitaba stood beside Tokkan to await further orders.
"Understood." Tokkan said with a nod, disappearing with Hoshitaba a few moments later with a mighty leap to the other side of the river.
"Don't worry, I'll keep her safe!" Hoshitaba called from the other side before the pair left to inspect the other side of the river. Koga let out a heavy breath, wondering if he made the right decision.
"What will you have us do?" Hakkaku asked, keen to help out.
"I want you and Ginta to head up this side of the river to-" Koga began, but was cut off by the sound of crashing trees, widening his stance as the earth began to rumble. Three huge bear demons skidded to a halt in front of the wolf demons, coming from the direction that they had came and thus blocking off the exit. Koga snarled aggressively when a sick realization came over him. The bear demons were waiting for them to separate; this was an ambush.
"Koga, leader of the wolf demon tribe...how kind of you to save us the trouble of finding you." one of the bear demons jeered in a deep, menacing voice. Koga narrowed his eyes at them, placing himself between the intruders and his comrades.
"What are you blabbering about? You're all going to be dead now that you've crossed paths with me." Koga growled, not bothering to waste any time as he suddenly lunged at the demon who spoke. This bear demon was a lot faster than the others he fought in the past, easily dodging Koga's attack and leaving Ginta, Hakkaku, Maruishi and Yozora wide open.
"I care not for your claims. You, as well as your tribe, will pay for attacking our nursing grounds." the bear demon growled, causing panic to arise within Koga, looking across the river to where they parted with Tokkan and Hoshitaba.
"That's right, wolf scum. Your friends are being ripped to shreds as we speak. We will make sure the female dies slowly." the bear demon sneered.
"Hakkaku! Ginta! Go to them, now!" Koga barked urgently. The bear demons didn't give the two Betas a chance to act as one of the massive beasts successfully hooked Hakkaku under his arm, sending him crashing into a large tree.
"Hakkaku!" Koga called as he tried to run over to his comrade, only to be intercepted by another other massive animal.
The same bear demon aimed for Ginta next, but Maruishi caught the beast's paw, using his sheer strength to flip it onto its back. The impact left a large crater and dust rose into the air, shrouding them in a cloud of sand. Once the dust cleared, another bear demon struck Maruishi on his blind side, sending him crashing into the earth. Snarling, Ginta faced one of the bear demons, rage boiling inside of him. So furious, however, that he wasn't paying attention to the bear demon Maruishi took down. It had recovered, and was coming up behind Ginta.
"Ginta! Behind you!" Koga yowled, desperately hoping he wouldn't have to bury his best friend. Koga lunged forward with great speed as the Goraishi began to cloak his hand. He pushed Ginta out of the way and drove the claws into the bear demon's stomach, tearing right through its body in one swift motion. Koga turned to face the other two, flexing his claws at them threateningly.
"How dare you! We'll kill you all!" one of the two roared, turning its attention to Yozora, who had gone over to help Hakkaku. It got on all fours, running toward the pair with great speed. Koga cursed under his breath, running after it. While he was fast, the bear demon had a starting advantage, as well as rage flowing through its veins. This caused it to not even flinch as Koga slashed its back once he caught up. Shit! The creature was a few wolf tail-lengths away from the two wolf demons, and the sick realization hit him that he wouldn't reach them in time. He stared ahead wide-eyed with dismay, cursing himself for not being stronger.
Koga's face twisted with shock and confusion when the bear demon suddenly stopped dead in its tracks, falling lifelessly to one side with an earth-shuddering thud. Koga wasn't staring at the bear, however. It was Yozora that left him in bewilderment. She stood protectively in front of Hakkaku, holding a halberd that was taller than she at her side. He recognized the regal weapon from ancient runes; if his Goraishi was the heirloom to a worthy prince, then that halberd was the equivalent for a princess. It was known as Oshikakusu, or the fang of concealment. It had the ability to conceal the demonic aura of its master, as well as absorb it to make itself stronger. Koga was gobsmacked, but he wasn't alone. The other wolf demons were staring at her with curiosity. This woman...is royalty? He had so many questions.
"Hakkaku is injured. Can you take him?" Yozora asked, snapping Koga out of his thoughts. He nodded slightly, blinking in shock when she suddenly leapt through the air in the direction of Tokkan and Hoshitaba.
"Hey! What are you doing? You don't know what's out there!" he called as he dodged a strike from the last rampaging bear demon with Hakkaku on his shoulder.
Yozora didn't answer, quickly disappearing into the thicket. Koga cursed aloud, handing Hakkaku over to Ginta. He stood tall and proud, pounding his fists together with determination.
"Maruishi, let's waste this vermin." Koga growled to his comrade as he stood beside him.
"Couldn't agree more." Maruishi said, voice rumbling. The two split from each other in opposite directions, running to both sides of the bear demon to confuse it. It decided to lunge for Koga since he was the smaller of the two. While it misjudged which target was weaker, Maruishi was strong enough to land a punch hard enough to break its spine, killing it instantly.
"Ginta, take Hakkaku back to camp. I can't risk his injury slowing us down, and I don't want you two to be a target because of it either." Koga ordered his dear comrade, causing the white-and-black-haired wolf demon to nod in understanding.
"Be careful, Koga." Ginta said with concern before heading back home with Hakkaku on his back. Koga turned his attention to the north side of the river, nodding to Maruishi before springing after the pack-mates he hoped so desperately he didn't send to their deathbeds.