Please enjoy my rare update :D I don't own any characters except for the ones I make up.

Little Update: I realized I made a mistake in this chapter with ayame's dialogue, it still worked but it was driving me crazy!

Kouga wasn't lying when he said that the trip would be rough or cold, as they had neared the northern mountains cold wind had started picking up, it felt like glass was cutting her face, thankfully kouga had given her his cloak while also offering Ayama another one. Ayame had of course refused it and given it to kagome, she was used to the cold and she was fine with the weather.

The trip soon became difficult once they hit the snow, well, difficult for her, Kagome felt like she was slowing everyone down, her feet occasionally sinking into the snow making her stuck at times, Kouga had wanted to offer to carry her but felt that perhaps Ayame may have not be okay with the situation, but what else could he do? So he watched and waited in pity with ayame.

"Kouga," he stopped, and looked at Ayama who was further back.

"What is it ayame?" he said, she turned and pointed at Kagome who was struggling to keep up.

Kagome was mentally cursing herself for not having brought her snowshoes, her feet were freezing but she refused to say anything, afterall they were going at a snail's pace because of her, well, that was probably what it was for her. She looked up and saw Kouga and ayame looking at her.

"you guys go on!" she shouted, "I'll catch up!" she said, grimacing as her foot plunged into the snow, how the heck was everyone else walking on the snow? Well most of them were used to this, and some of them had changed into their wolf forms.

"Go help her! Just carry her at this point or…" ayame thought about it, they had wolves with them, some of them were carrying their luggage, surely kagome would fit on top right?

"She's not gonna want to let me carry her, she feels awkward around me and you." he pointed out, and he didn't want to upset anyone further.

Ayame nodded, "what if the wolves carry her?"

"What do you mean? Like on their backs? She's not heavy but it'll slow the wolves down and tire them out."

Ayame shook her head, "not if we attach her to the board, she can just sit there, and we can start running, it'll be faster then waiting for her to catch up, besides…" she said leaning up to his ear, "we don't want your girlfriend getting sick do we?" she teased, it was a gentle tease to test the waters, and it was ayame's way of showing that their friendship remained.

Kouga flushed, he was going to protest but Kagome had caught up.

"I'm..sorry I'm so slow!" she panted, her cheeks and nose red with the cold.

"It's okay, it's not an easy trip for us either," he said, he called over his wolves that carried their supplies, his tribe were up ahead waiting but he waved his hand and they marched forward, his wolves trotted over.

He made a few odd sounds, and some of the wolves barked back. He smiled, he saw the tails wagging and laughed, it seemed that the wolves had a lot of energy, energy they wanted to spend.

He gestured towards the flat wood surface, "hop on." he said, it had enough room where she could sit on it comfortably.

She looked at him in confusion, he nodded his head towards the sled attached to his wolves, "get on."

She shook her head, "no! What if I'm too heavy for them! And isn't it mean to them if they have to pull extra weight!"

Kouga shook his head, "no, you'll be fine trust me they'll be fine besides they have a lot of energy and would love a good run they usually don't get to venture too far out."

"He's right kagome, besides no offense we're going kinda slow and we wouldn't mind running either." ayame said smiling at her, it wasn't a mean smile, she gestured at the sled.

Kagome looked at them both and sighed, "well I guess there's no point in fighting it." she sat on the sled and gently rearranged the things around her.

"Hold on," she heard kouga say to her.

"Hold on to wha-" she quickly figured out to hold on to the small handles at the front, kouga had let out a low sound and the wolves had taken off.

Kagome screeched as they picked up speed, a few of the tribe members chuckled as she screamed passing them, Kouga and Ayame ran after them, encouraging the pack to do the same.

They had arrived just on time, the sun was still shining through but it did little to warm up anyone, they heard laughter and noise as friends regrouped. A few people emerged to greet them.

"Welcome my friends come join the festivities" an older man had come to greet them, his hair as white as snow, fine lines ran through his face, to an ordinary human he would look like an old man, but he was thousands of years old.

He spotted kagome, trudging along, he frowned, "a miko? You have brought a miko?" he gently rumbled, as soon as he had seen her he had felt her aura, but it wasn't completely unwelcoming, still there would be unease at having her around.

Kagome looked around nervously, it seemed that the man's friends were also growling at her.

Kouga stood in front of her as did ayame, "she's a friend of mine."

"A miko! How can you be friends with a miko, a human." someone sneered.

"Kagome has never harmed us, she protected us from the birds, and helped defeat naraku, if you're going to insult her or threaten her I will leave" kouga huffed.

The old man squinted at kagome suspiciously, "is it true."

"Yes," ayame replied, "she is our friend and has never hurt any of us even when she was threatened"

Kagome peered over them shyly, "sir…I promise I mean no harm, and if you feel more comfortable I can leave." she said quietly. Kouga turned to her, looking at her as if she had grown two heads.

"No! If you leave then I'm leaving too."

The old man sighed, humans were such trouble, "it's fine just don't try anything Miko." he grumbled. The young prince was also too much trouble, but he sensed that there was something other than friendship that made the young prince extra protective of the miko. He gestured towards the entrance of the cave, as they headed there they were stopped.

"Kouga!" they heard a squeal, they turned to look at a girl running towards him, her short blonde hair bouncing with her run.

"Oh. Hi ayami!" kouga replied as she bumped into him, practically draping herself across him.

Kagome heard ayame mutter, under her breath "oh hell no" kagome was perplexed, was this girl also a friend of kouga's? Kagome studied this ayami, she was pretty no doubt, with short blonde wavy hair, and large piercing gray eyes, and a fair complexion. Maybe ayame saw her as a threat? She shook her head internally, no ayame was beautiful, the only thing that this girl had on top of ayame was height, she was slightly taller than both of them.

"Kouga darling how are you! It's been forever, how was your trip! I've missed seeing you around!' the girl said, squealing, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him off, kouga looked behind him with a worried expression.

"Who is that?" kagome asked, watching them walk away.

"That…is ayami." ayame replied, trying but failing to not let her irritation show.

"Ayami? Who is she?"

"She's someone obsessed with kouga, if you thought I was obsessed, you're wrong, that bitch is obsessed with him," she said whispering into her ear, "and I'm pretty sure her name isn't actually ayami. She used to copy me, I mean how close it is to my name! I think she had it changed"

"Ah I see another kouga fan."

Ayame nodded, "kagome, she is not fun to be around, she might try to provoke you and.." she kept her eyes on kouga and ayami as she dragged him around talking to different groups of people.

"And what?"

"I'm rooting for you and kouga."

"I'm sorry?"

" Do. Not. Let. Her. Take. Kouga. I'd rather die than see that bitch get with him, I cannot stand her and she cannot stand me." she said, her nostrils flaring, kagome flinched at ayame's energy radiating off of her, she could practically feel the snow melting. Honestly it was quite scary.

"I mean…I-" ayame's gaze stopped her. "Kouga and I aren't a thing..and he…you guys recently!" she paused looking around to make sure no one was listening, thankfully everyone was too preoccupied.

"Yes yes I know but kouga…well you know how he feels and trust me I would rather see you have him then see her with him, she will do everything to make him hers, you cannot let that happen!" ayame hissed.

Kagome nodded hesitantly, was this ayame's weird blessing? Could she-no! Of course not she shouldn't even consider it. Or…could she?

Kouga had managed to escape ayami's clutches, feigning exhaustion from the trip, it wasn't really a lie he was tired but mostly from being dragged around like a ragdoll, being around ayami had drained what little remaining energy he had. Had it been some other female yokai, he would have brushed them off, but he couldn't easily do that with ayami, afterall she was the daughter of the yuki tribe, and he needed their alliance if anything ever happened. As he neared kagome and ayame he knew he was in some sort of trouble when he saw ayame looking absolutely murderous at him, and even kagome looked tense at him. He quickly ran towards them, looking behind him to make sure ayami was not nearby.

"Sooo, how was seeing ayami." Ayame sneered, crinkling her nose at him in disgust, she had her gross scent all over him.

"She definitely has a lot of energy…she said she missed me several times." he shuddered, that feeling had not been shared.

"Mhm, kagome next time she comes up you should purify her." ayame snarked, turning to look at the miko, who in return looked both horrified and amused.

"Ayame! Kagome please don't do that." he said half pleading.

"Of course not why would I do that! Anyways, where should I go? I'm a little cold and I could use some rest just for a little."

Kouga nodded, yes some rest would do them all good.