VIII

Salve, Vale

"It's real; of course it's real! Didn't I tell you? I'm the Wolf-Alpha; the -"

"The Ookami Prince. I heard. I – I've never met a youkai before. Well, technically speaking I've met one but as she was trying to kill me at the time I don't think she counts. It's not like we were properly introduced."

"Like we have been?"

Kagome smiles at him, and nods, and then lets out a long gasp of pain as she moves without thinking and stretches the open wound in her side. Kouga catches her head as she falls back and then finds himself with a double armful of pale woman grasping at his shoulders.

"Hello again, Kagome."

He grins at her, unable to restrain himself. Her eyes widen at the sight of the fangs prominent in his mouth, but the shock and the pain and the blood loss she has suffered are too much, all piled on top of each other. She fades into unconsciousness with his voice in her ears, and Kouga draws her up into his arms and wonders at how smoothly and perfectly she fits against his body.

He breathes the calm swelling of her scent; he cherishes her name, and considers her fearless beauty, her hidden power.

"Ginta and Hakkaku are going to have a fit when I come home with you; I bet they thought I would leave you in this village. Yes...that I'd get tired of you and leave you here, or that if I did bring you home it'd be to feed you to the pack."

He settles her against his chest and the curve of one arm and uses his other hand to reach up and brush the pale hair away from her forehead. His fingers linger, stroking her cheek.

"They'll be wrong, though. That fate isn't for you, shikon woman...but I shouldn't call you that, should I? Now that I know your name. Kagome."

His fingers continue their gentle stroking; he murmurs her name again.

"Kagome...a mystery, and a power, and beautiful, too. Beautiful..."

Kouga dozes, sitting there, holding her as the afternoon passes into evening and darkens to night. The old miko returns before the moon has risen, her arms empty of the things she brought with her when she left but her step far heavier.

She steps over the threshold and lets out a sigh, and then holds her breath at the sight before her; so innocent, so terrible, so perfect.

For a moment she keeps company with phantoms; with the memory of her sister, with another demon who had professed a friendlier nature than his kin. But what does she know? Nothing, nothing at all; nothing about this Kouga, and nothing about the girl in his arms.

She has only a moment to contemplate before her presence rouses Kouga to full wakefulness and he turns to glare at her through one open eye. His hands tighten possessively on the woman in his arms; she sighs, but does not move; the cradling heat of Kouga behind her is a comfort to her broken body.

Kaede regards him for a moment before she moves to the opposite side of the fire and unrolls her futon, lays it out, puts down her pillow.

"I must sleep now, Kouga; I am old, and it has been a long day. If she needs me in the night do not hesitate to wake me. Otherwise, I will see you at dawn, and give you what you require. That is, if you are still insistent on -"

"Yes. We're leaving in the morning, miko; I wouldn't ask again, if I were you."

A/N: Today's chapter, "Salve, Vale"! The title means "hello, goodbye"; poor Kagome, she doesn't get much consciousness, does she? But then she did have a hole ripped in her side; she'll be better soon, and she and Kouga will be off! Thanks to Velvet_Sometimes, who plugged me shamelessly in the last chapter of her own Kouga/Kagome story, Sennensou no Mi. Check it out, those of you who haven't; it's certainly worth your time - and I thank those of you who followed her recommendation and came wandering this way! More tomorrow, of course!

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