I was almost terrified to post an update to this fiction for fear of how you would respond after an eight year hiatus, give or take. Thank you for your continued support and enjoyment of my fiction. I feel like I am losing my touch with writing - perhaps it's just with the filler chapters who knows, but I will continue this fiction as long as I am able. As long as those of you are continuing to enjoy my work. Reviews, as always, are appreciated and encouraged as they give me the desire to continue. Here's to hoping I'll find my spark and muse once more.
I'll be honest, I had a hard time deciding who would be the individual in the last part of this chapter, and I'm still not entirely sure that I made the right choice. Here's to hoping I did. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: All original characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Any events taking place are of my own imagination. Any similarities to actual people or events are strictly coincidental.
Chapter Eight: The Legend of Moon Mother
The next few days passed with steady improvement as Kagome slowly found her place in the pack. Preparations for creating more space for the newborn cubs, but also the full moon, were in full swing in the den. The "Lunar Festival" as they called it. Meats being prepared and cured, some carved for cooking while others were hung to dry, and general merriment permeated the once somber and morose atmosphere of the cave as the full moon drew closer. It was obvious that the nearing of another moon cycle had caused no small amount of excitement and liveliness in the pack that had been missing as of late; something that Kouga had hoped would be infectious to the ningen living among them.
After the incident with Inuyasha, and following Kagome's discussion with Hakkaku, the miko had seemed to disperse the depressing aura she had held and dove head first into pack life. Offering her help where she could and seemingly determined to carry her own weight. It caused sky blue orbs to soften infinitesimally as she was conversing with a couple she-wolves from the pack while he leaned against the cave wall observing their interactions.
Among them was Ari, his beta's mate, who he knew had spearheaded her induction into her own social group. Something he would have to remember to thank her for at another time. The more comfortable Kagome was with them the better off her stay would be.
Her permanent stay. He couldn't help the small smirk that pulled at the edge of his lips at the thought.
At the time, he had hated it came at Kagome's expense, but he couldn't say he was upset at all with the development of her joining his pack officially. He had fought, and won, her membership from Inuyasha fair and square. There was no contesting her place among them, at least traditionally between packs. However, that didn't mean everyone had accepted her presence here with open arms. A few ookami youkai still had their reservations about it, he knew, but he was confident over time she'd win them over - just as she had him and everyone else who had become so fond of her.
Tearing his eyes away from the woman he loved, his gaze hardened as he went over the mental checklist once more for the Lunar Festival. It was normally a three day affair. They would feast and make merry while praising the Moon Mother for their good fortune while also asking for her guidance for the days to come. It was something most packs had gotten out of the habit of doing, but Kouga knew better than to veer from tradition and anger the celestial beings by being so disrespectful. His grandfather had beaten that into him at a young age, and, with how well his pack was doing, he didn't want to bring any bad luck upon them unnecessarily.
Turning to walk toward the entrance of the cave, where Ginta and Hakkaku were, he spared one last glance at the ebony haired woman before turning to meet his pack duties head on once more. Once they got this festival under way, the sooner he could relax and hopefully enjoy her company.
Kagome caught Kouga walking away out of the corner of her eye, but didn't turn to acknowledge it. She knew he'd been observing her for the past few days more than likely to make sure she was okay after the altercation with Inuyasha. To some extent, it made her heart turn in ways she wasn't used to, but she did her best to ignore those feelings. She just knew, despite what others may think, Kyrou in particular who had been keen to seek out her company at random intervals, he was going to end up mating Ayame. If she was honest with herself she didn't think her heart could take being second best again. Which was even more of a reason for her not to get any unnecessary feelings for the alpha male. Especially when she knew he would need another strong ookami youkai to uphold his bloodline, and she was, at the end of the day, just another ningen.
Youru, sensing the shift in her mood, pressed his cold nose against the back of her palm from his spot lying on her right, whereas Hikari, she knew, was somewhere behind her. Now, more than ever, her silent guardians kept a close watch on her.
Smiling down at him, Kagome abandoned the ornament Ari had asked her to help make for the upcoming festival in favor of rubbing his ears, to which she received a happy growl. She could almost hear Hikari chuff behind her at his brother's antics, and for a moment she could forget about all her worries. These two had really been a life saver for her and her sanity.
"Looks good Sister," Ari said gently, her sandy blonde hair swaying as she moved closer to inspect Kagome's work. The she wolf had been nice enough to bring Kagome into her own friend group the past few days, seamlessly involving her in the conversation when Kagome had grown quiet, and had fostered an overall sense of welcome among the females that the priestess hadn't thought possible this soon after officially joining the wolf pack. It was something she was incredibly grateful for.
Turning her gaze back to the vines on her lap, blue hues inspected her own work. The ornament, in truth, was vines woven together in different shapes and sizes. They would be strung from the ceiling in the coming days. Kyrou had told her that some would be rubbed with oil and then set on fire, the oil changing the color of the burn as they lit the cave. Something Kagome secretly couldn't wait to see. In comparison to the she-wolves who, unmistakably had had a lifetime of practice, her work paled, but she deemed what she had created so far as passable to be on display.
"Thank you, not as good as yours," she returned the compliment with a gentle smile as she watched the she-wolf expertly weave the dried out vines, at times without even looking, as she carried on conversation with the other she-wolves around her. It was something Kagome had to admire about her. Her easy going and gentle nature. It was hard to keep from liking Ari. She could see why Ginta had chosen her as his mate.
Ari smiled gently as she responded, "It helps when I've been doing it for the past fifty years," she giggled good naturedly as she set her ornament down before her, arching her back as she took a slight break, her sandy blonde hair falling behind her in waves. "It doesn't help the stiffness though," she said turning a different direction hoping to loosen the stitch in her back. They had been at it for hours, Kagome feeling her own pull in her shoulders, but was still a little surprised to see the youkai affected by the sitting position that caused her own spine to ache in places.
"Truth," said another dark haired she-wolf with green eyes, Hina she had learned, as she too abandoned her work, laying back against the cave floor to stretch her own tight muscles. She was much more expressive than Ari - reminding her of the school girls back in the modern era. The exasperation paired with the dramatic flop at the end of her descent to the floor pulled a good natured giggle from Kagome's lips.
"Will this be your first Lunar Festival, Sister," the third she-wolf, Tomoe, that sat with them questioned softly. She had baby blue eyes, a shade darker than Kouga's and the most violently red hair Kagome had ever seen. With her pale complexion and very quiet submissive disposition to match, she was shocked that that she wasn't mated already, stunningly beautiful as she was.
"It will," the ebony haired woman responded with a gentle smile. Kagome had been lucky enough in her life, thus far, to have experienced things most humans would never in this era, but a Lunar Festival was a first for her. She would be lying if she said she wasn't equal parts curious and apprehensive mostly due to the unknown behind the festival itself.
"Oooooh, has anyone told you about the legend behind our Moon Mother?" Hina said as she sat back up, her eyes alight with excitement as she studied Kagome's visage for any sign of recognition.
Her enthusiasm was infectious as a big grin broke across Ari's face and Tomoe seemed to light up as well at the mention of the legend. The atmosphere shifted to one of warmth and adoration, leaving the priestess incredibly curious as she noticed a couple of ookami youkai around them were now tuning into their conversation in a more direct manner than they had been before at the mention of it. Kagome could tell whatever the legend was about meant a lot to the youkai as a whole.
Shifting slightly at her ignorance and feeling like she should have inquired earlier about the origins of this festival, human festivals had meaning why wouldn't youkai hold the same values, she responded quietly, "No they haven't." The small squeal of delight that left Hina's lips at the revelation had Kagome jump slightly before she felt the gentle hand of Tomoe rest reassuringly on her shoulder.
"Ari you have to be the one to tell her! You tell it so well!" the dark haired she-wolf nearly squealed as the sandy blonde haired ookami looked almost lovingly into the fire they all sat around to maintain warmth during the cold, bitter winter days. There was a brief pause before she opened her mouth to speak in a gentle, almost wistful tone.
"Once, there was a wolf who fell in love with the Moon. He was strong and brave as all wolves tend to be, but every night he could see her, he would raise his voice with her praises. The Moon, flattered at such adoration and devotion, came down from the sky in her celestial form to meet this creature who bore such loyalty and care towards her, and she too found it difficult to spurn his advances that were made with such sincerity and heartfelt intention," Ari paused as her eyes found Kagome who, by now, was completely captivated by the tale, a smile pulling at the she-wolf's lips as she continued, "It wasn't long before their love and adoration for each other was unmatched; however, their happiness would be fleeting," she said as a certain sadness colored her hazel eyes. By now, the cave was eerily quiet, all manner of activity had stopped in order to bare witness to the story being told about their heritage. Even Koga, who stood near the mouth of the cave had turned to hear the echoes of the legend as they reverberated off of the walls, a smirk adorning his face at his culture being so willingly shared with Kagome, seemingly at her own behest.
"The other celestials in the sky spoke against their union, deeming it unseemly and biased for a being of their caliber to consort with mortal, earthbound beings. And so, they were separated. The wolf spent his whole life pining after his lost love, howling at her visage when it was the brightest in the hopes of reaching her with his loving cries. When she was at her strongest. In turn, to honor his love, their love, the Moon Mother has since watched after and blessed his descendants and they became stronger and wiser under her guidance. The Lunar Festival, the first full moon at the beginning of Winter, is when we honor her and their sacrifice as it is the day we know them to have met and been finally separated ," she finished with a sad yet gentle smile.
Kagome, stricken by the love and sadness of the story, had not realized tears were streaming down her face until Youru rose before her and started licking her face. Shocked into reality and away from Ari's hazel hues, she threaded her fingers through the fur on this sides of his face as he attempted to comfort her, a sad smile gracing her features.
"How beautiful yet heartbreaking," he muttered as she looked away from the wolf before her to see the wolves around her all wore knowing looks and gentle smiles at her reaction to their legend, their Moon Mother.
"We feast and dance and celebrate to honor our Moon Mother and her sacrifie," Tomoe finished from beside Kagome, "and we are honored that you would do so along side us."
Touched was an understatement for how Kagome felt in this moment, surrounded by wolves who, from the beginning had been, mostly, warm and encouraging of her presence among them. And as she sat there surrounded by the pack, with this outpouring of genuine affection and inclusiveness from having been shared with one of the most intimate stories of their culture, it finally clicked; hitting her square in the chest. They accepted her as one of their own. She finally had a place she belonged. Somewhere she could call home.
Emotion swept through her like a tidal wave, causing unshed tears in her eyes to brim before she looked down unable to hold their gazes any longer. She was home.
Suddenly, before her tumultuous emotions could take her prisoner, she was lifted off of the ground, her body raised up until she was sitting on a pair of shoulders. She flailed slightly at first due to her shift in height before digging her nails into the offending party to steady herself. Hikari, letting out a low growl, reprimanded the offensive party for disturbing her so suddenly and putting his charge's well-being in jeopardy.
"Hang on Sister," Kyrou said as he scooped the ornament she had just finished off the floor and handed it to her, while walking over to a low hanging part of the ceiling nearby. Kagome, to her credit, was doing her best to balance on his shoulders as he traversed the most uneven part of the cave's floor. Her newly woven ornament was in her left hand as he suddenly stopped below a particularly low hanging part of the ceiling. Blue orbs searched dark hues in question as he shifted her to his right shoulder before he indicated to the ceiling with his chin, "Hang it there."
Looking at this particular part of the cave, she noticed that other ornaments had been strung up in this section. Very complexly woven and intricate ornaments, much better than hers could ever dream to be at this point in her practice. "I don't know about this…" she said softly, uncertainty tainting her scent causing a smoky quality to marr her normally pristine gardenia. However, Kyrou wasn't having any of it.
"Hang your ornament, Sister," he reassured with a warm, even tone. Kagome broke eye contact with him and chanced a glance around the room to realize they had an unabashed audience of the entire pack, several wearing big smiles and warm eyes. Some nodded their heads in encouragement while others stood to get a better vantage of what was happening.
"Go ahead Sister," Ari said as she stood, hazel eyes sparkling with excitement as Tomoe and Hina flanked her on either side, yet Kagome still felt like there was something more to this display. Like her hanging her ornament here held greater meaning than just decorating the space for the festival. Craning her neck even further, she finally spotted him. Kouga.
The Alpha, to his credit, had done well to attend to his duties up until he felt the shift in her emotions earlier. Her scent had turned sharp and crisp, something he had long attributed to her sadness, but the warmth and fullness of her scent despite the change had confused him. He had stayed back, observing as she was told of their lineage, sky blues focused and attentive until they softened with her reaction. She truly was a wolf at heart. But what had amazed him the most was the reaction of his pack. Fully accepting and even warm with her after she accepted and was moved by their Moon Mother's sacrifice. Being moved in ways they hadn't in some time by even himself. So much so that Kyrou, who generally had a tap on the atmosphere and feelings of the pack as a whole, felt the need to honor her in such a permanent and symbolic way.
The place he had brought her, the center of where the festivities would take place, was reserved for the ornament of the one the pack wished to celebrate the most during the festival. It was tradition for the Alpha or a visiting pack to hang a decoration in this place, and as Kouga peered around, he could see no disagreement or disgruntlement at this action.
A smirk graced his features as her eyes sought his own, subconsciously seeking his reassurance and approval for what was going on. Something the rest of his pack would have done as he was their true Alpha. Very wolflike. A simple nod as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall of the cave was all that he needed to do to reassure her and simultaneously give Kyrou permission, whose eyes had also landed on him during this exchange, as she was lifted her up by her thighs so she could reach the hook hanging from the ceiling.
Sky blue hues were ever watchful as she wobbled slightly, her own core balance slightly off due to the awkward but stable position she was in. Slight anxiety pulsed through him at seeing her in such a precarious position, but he knew Kyrou would never let anything happen to Kagome. He was one of the few in the past weeks to decipher what exactly Kagome meant to him, and it was likely he would lay his life down for her if it came to it.
Steadying herself, she reached up and hung her woven ornament in the middle, it twisted slightly as it dangled in its new position, prepared for the night of the Lunar Festival.
The Alpha's chest swelling with pride as he peered around his pack who had so willingly accepted someone so precious to him, proving just how forgiving and loving they could be. And the bright smile that lit up Kagome's face was telling that she felt the same way. Kouga's mood had never been brighter, even Kyrou touching her in such a familiar manner did not dampen the moment, as she fully accepted him, them as her new home.