~Forest and Sky~
by Paw85
Ch 27 – Ice and Heat
1 more week later
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! A barrage of arrows hit their mark from across the wintery forest clearing from a very exasperated priestess!
"Alright, so you can shoot," Ryuji observed from behind her.
He had been watching her for hours. They had started out in the morning, as what had become routine since the near purification incident, and then hiked out here away from the den so that she could practice her skills. Now, it was afternoon and he was itching to either go back or have some kind of change in activity as he was getting supremely bored. The bow she used was an impressive piece. Not too big, small or heavy. It had just the right amount of tension between the string and arms of the bow. Even he could tell, despite not being an archer himself. He could shoot an arrow if he had to but he would always prefer the sword or, in other cases, his own fists. She was growing more and more despondent as the days went by and was no closer to getting a handle back on her power.
Her marksmanship was impressive, he had to admit, despite still looking tired. She always looks tired these days. Maybe not as tired as before she almost killed him but still not as vibrant or energetic as he recalled her being in the past.
"Don't sulk," the beta stated after walking over and seeing her pensive expression, "Not a damn thing will get solved acting that way."
"I still don't understand," Kagome looked at her fur mittened hands, "My power just keeps sparking, exploding….or not coming out at all! Argh! Why can't I control it anymore!?"
"Oi! Oi! Cut it out!" he ran up and grabbed her hands inside his own to shift her focus, "You're gonna almost kill me again! There, now. You good?"
'He's right…I have to get it together or I'll never figure this out,' Kagome reflected as she took a few deep, grounding breaths.
"How did you do this before?" he asked upon releasing her hands.
Kagome looked up at him, "Do you mean how did I learn to do it in the beginning?"
When he nodded, she thought back to what felt like a lifetime ago.
"Well, Mother taught me the concepts but it was focus and persistence that really helped me gain mastery. It took some time and a lot of practice to get there though," she spoke thoughtfully as she traveled down memory lane.
"And? What did you do to fix that?" Ryuji asked, relieved that his demon hide was safe once again.
"Hmmm," she thought long and hard before answering, "Mainly just kept practicing until I got it right?"
"You don't sound very sure about that…" Ryuji folded his arms in mild annoyance.
He supposed that he was as invested in this girl regaining control of her powers as she was.
"It was a long time ago," she expanded, "I don't remember struggling this much back then!"
"So, something's changed," Ruiji stated rather than asked.
"Maybe?" the girl shrugged her shoulders in response, "When it comes down to it, I just don't know."
'That's really not encouraging,' the beta thought as he sighed outwardly.
"I think that's enough for now," he placed a clawed hand on her charcoal crown, "You're not going to find any answers today. Maybe tomorrow."
Sigh "You're right, let's go back. Come on, Freya!" she called to the cinnamon colored wolf that had been lying down on the snow nearby.
Freya loped after them as they made the journey back to the den.
"You lying sack of shit!" grabbed their attention as they closed in on the western den.
Kagome's breath caught in her throat as she recognized that voice.
'That sounds like…..but it couldn't be…' her thoughts began to race as she hurried to what sounded like a heated commotion!
"What did I ever lie about?" came another familiar voice that sounded more even keeled, "I have always been truthful."
Girl, wolf and beta came upon a shouting match between Takeshi and a very pissed off man!
"Like hell you have!" he bit back at Takeshi!
"Hey, Little Flower!" Takeshi ignored him, finding Kagome infinitely more interesting, "Have a nice walk?"
Time slowed to a crawl as his opponent turned to lock eyes with the young priestess. Sky met forest and both minds screeched to a halt for what felt like a small eternity. Neither wanted to say anything or breathe lest it spoil the moment.
'Hol-y crap….shit's gonna down…' Ryuji watched with keen observation to see how this would play out.
He had been witness by sight and sound as she rambled off how angry and hurt she was by a certain alpha's actions. The more time they spent together, the more she divulged. He figured that this must be why she still wasn't sleeping well. Takeshi would often glare at him out of sheer jealousy but he refrained from beating the stuffing out of his beta since she was at least talking to somebody. Ryuji really didn't want to hear about her gripes but if it kept the girl's abilities from spiraling out and hurting somebody, it was an acceptable sacrifice. There was so much emotional baggage around this topic that if nobody lost a limb today, it would be a miracle.
'Kouga….you're here….you're really here….' Kagome couldn't stop gazing at him, almost not believing her own eyes.
He stood there as she remembered him: tall, tanned, adorned with armor and furs and black hair tied up into that high ponytail. Still wild. Still handsome.
On the other side of the staring contest, Kouga took in her image as well. She was unharmed, tired and looked to be well-fed. Seeing some furs of ebony wrapped around her shoulders made his jaw tighten. He didn't notice Freya or Ryuji as they weren't important.
"That's a very nice bow you got there," Takeshi walked over to the priestess and unknowingly started the flow of time again.
"Get the fuck away from her!" Kouga growled at him.
"Hey!" Takeshi turned back, "Watch your language in front of a lady!"
Kagome awoke from her trance and all of her feelings about the whole situation with Kouga came back in full force.
Kouga watched as her utter shock melted into a flash of pain before turning cold as she looked away.
'Shit…' he cursed inwardly.
Watching her turn away was a stab in his chest but no time to deal with that now. Not when there was Takeshi to deal with and unexpected damage control to do with her.
"Kagome," he began, "I need to talk to you. Privately."
"Anything you have to say to her, you can say right here," Takeshi stood next to her with folded arms.
"Shut up, asshole, this doesn't concern you," Kouga growled back at him.
"No, you shut up," Kagome finally addressed him and grabbed everyone's attention, "You have a lot of nerve to show up here out of the blue and start making demands."
"That's right, Little Flower, you tell 'im," Takeshi chuckled next to her, impressed and entertained by her taking Kouga to task.
"I don't have to go anywhere or do anything with you," she pointed with righteous fury at the eastern alpha, "You already made it very clear that we're not dealing with each other anymore. I'm free to do as I please with whomever I please!"
"K-Kagome, you don't understand….I-" he tried to reason before she cut him-
"What is there to understand?" she placed her hands on hips, eyes burning with anger and pain, "You use people and then throw them away when it suits you. Everyone is just a tool for you to exploit."
Kagome had him there as that was exactly how he saw her in the beginning.
"That's not why I…there's more to it, Kagome! It's not what you think!" he argued back, desperately hoping to reconnect with her and get a chance to explain himself!
Part of her wanted to send the guy packing as she was deeply hurt by his choice to let her go with Takeshi after the Lunar Festival ended. A second part wanted to shoot a pure arrow in his tight, strong ass. A third part wanted to jump into his arms and cry on his shoulder for hours as he held her in a tight embrace. The part that won though, was the one that really wanted to know why he did what he did and get some closure. If she understood his reasons, she could begin to heal and move on.
"Fine," she acquiesced, anger cooling only a little, "Let's hear it."
Relief flooded his system at her words, "In private," he evenly insisted, "Please?"
She couldn't remember him ever saying the word 'please' to anybody let alone herself. Nevertheless, her guard remained firmly up.
"You don't have to go anywhere with him, Little Flower," Takeshi spoke lowly as he leaned down to her.
"I'll be fine," she shook her head in response to him, "Let's go to the beach," she told Kouga.
The grey waves lapped the sandy shore in a rhythmic, soothing melody. A gentle breeze tossed her raven locks a bit as she waited for what was so urgent that he came all this way after two whole months of being apart to suddenly need a private meeting.
When he stood there across from her, looking lost and hadn't said another word, she pressed, "Well?"
Kouga truly did feel lost. He racked his mind trying to figure where to begin or how to say it since she was already pissed at him. A divide had already started to grow between them and it made his insides clench.
"Kagome, I…." he struggled to start before taking a breath and jumping in, "I've come to bring you back home."
"Have you now?" Kagome folded her arms as if unimpressed.
Her response stung but he wouldn't back down now.
"It's not what you think-," he continued-
"Oh, and what are you so sure I'm thinking?" she interjected with a touch of venom to her words.
Kouga could feel himself losing confidence but he pressed on, "I sent you here for a reason. I didn't just decide-"
"Yes, you just decided," she spat back!
"Damn it, Kagome, there wasn't a chance to talk anything over or plan and I had to make a choice!" he took a half step towards her, which she stepped back from him just as far.
"A choice when or how to throw me away with somebody that you know I'm not comfortable around?" she asked, "Got your use out of me and you were done, right?"
Her questions had fangs sharper than his.
"I didn't throw you away!" he exclaimed in emotional frustration, "You were in danger and I had to protect you!"
"Ugh, protect me from who?" she shifted her weight to one side with an eye roll.
"From everyone else at the festival! It wasn't safe to let you come home!" he continued to explain.
"Why? Because everyone else was there?" she scoffed, "Takeshi didn't seem to be worried. He came up to me without any fear and nothing happened."
"He is the reason why Suou didn't get a chance to hurt you," the alpha admitted with a gnawing feeling of guilt, "but others would've been plotting to take your head if I hadn't acted as I did. I had to make it look like you didn't matter to me."
Kagome wasn't buying it. Everything so far sounded like excuses to her ears.
"Right…." she nodded, "because it would be just the worst thing in the world to care about a human! Takeshi is very public about caring about me and nobody has tried to hurt me. I don't want to be with him but at least he doesn't treat me as a thing and he's honest about his feelings…which is more than I can say for you. You're a coward!"
"Making people believe that you don't matter to me outside of what you can do for the pack is what helps keep you safe!" he threw back at her, "If people think you're nothing of import, they will ignore you instead of figuring out how and when to kill you. The women would be the most dangerous because they would get jealous that their unmated alpha is giving special attention to a human woman. You don't know how they are, Kagome. They get into squabbles a lot over things like that."
"But it's fine if you're the one hurting me?" the priestess asked flatly.
"I didn't mean to hurt you…" he looked at her with pained eyes of azure blue, "I just wanted you safe so I called in a favor for you to stay somewhere warm, with plenty of food and security."
"You made a deal with Takeshi to take me in?" Kagome continued with a sharpness to her tone, "He didn't mention anything to me about such an agreement. Why should I believe what you're saying?"
'That damn bastard…' Kouga cursed at the absent alpha of the west.
He really shouldn't be surprised that Takeshi left such details out.
"And now you're here to take me back with you to the east," the miko chuckled dryly, "Like I stated already; you were very clear that we were done. Which means our deal is over so what makes you think I'll be going anywhere with you?"
Kouga averted his gaze from her flaming eyes while clenching his jaw as well as a fist. Guilt was invading his whole being as the minutes stretched into what felt like eons. What could he do to salvage this or convince her that he really did do this all for good reasons?
"Don't tell me that you didn't have a chance to explain yourself," she continued to pin him with flying daggers, "Nami sent a wolf with all of my things and a letter. You could've done the same thing but didn't!"
'Shit…Why didn't I think of that?' Kouga couldn't help but feel like a total idiot.
It was so simple. It could've preserved their relationship and made things easier. She probably wouldn't be so angry right now if he hadn't been so stupid. He had been so busy being miserable back home that he didn't have the mental bandwidth to run scenarios in his mind about how she would react to his choices or how to manage any fallout.
"Seriously?" her voice of disbelief called his attention back, "It never crossed your mind?"
She had a hard time accepting that somebody so practiced at war planning, pack operations and inter-pack politics couldn't figure out to send a letter to her. Instead, he callously left her twisting in the wind.
"I didn't…." he admitted, shoulders slumping and dropping his usually too proud head, "I wish I had….but I didn't."
Kagome cocked a curious eyebrow at him openly showing what most would call weakness or a genuine show of remorse.
"That moron back there and I made a bet at the beginning of the festival," he continued, "We would fight everyday until everything was over and the man with the most victories would get to keep you."
Kagome almost combusted on the spot.
"WHAT!?" she exclaimed as the air began to crackle, "You two made a wager about me like I'm just some piece of property!?"
"No!" Kouga took a startled step backward, feeling a sudden shift in energy, "He was spouting shit about taking you away from me and if I won the bet, he promised to leave you alone! I know that you don't like being around him so I agreed!"
"And, what?" bit at him with clenched fists, "You lost?"
"No, I won the bet!" he swallowed hard as alarm bells started to ring throughout his being!
"Then why am I here!?" she now roared at him as the environment became more and more charged!
'Shit! What's happening!?' Kouga looked about wildly!
He had seen her pissed off many times before but reiki never factored into it! They had shouting matches but that was it!
'Watch it, Kagome….' she began to mentally chant to herself, 'I can't afford to lose control here…..breathe….breathe…'
Kouga took a tentative step forward in an attempt to get closer to her but those sharp, burning eyes locked him in place. He didn't understand what was happening and he was getting worried.
"Part of that bet was that nobody was to find out the reason why we were fighting," Kouga continued again, softer this time, "but, somehow, a rumor got started about it. I didn't know how but somebody found out and that put you in real danger. People throughout the packs were talking. I couldn't let anything happen to you, Kagome!"
"You really expect me to believe that I was in any more or less danger based on that?" Kagome scoffed, temper cooling but only slightly, "Everyone must know about Takeshi's interest in me by now and, like I said: nothing happened ."
"Everytime he goes off about you, he paints a larger, brighter target on your back," Kouga tried to explain, "The more people are reminded about how he feels about you, the more chances of somebody thinking to take matters into their own hands to remove the competition or simply to get rid of the human that has they feel has no right to be equal or higher to them."
"So, following your logic…you're an asshole to me because you care? You treating me like an object is how you show affection? Am I supposed to be flattered?" the young girl asked with an disbelieving edge.
"Keeping others from focusing on you for any reason or length of time is what helps keep you alive. Keeps them from planning to hurt you, " the eastern alpha took another step towards her but she stepped back again.
"Remember when I said I didn't want you to get hurt before the wildcat war?" Kouga hoped to appeal to her memory, "That hasn't changed. I still don't want you to get hurt or worse. I want you to be okay!"
"So you could keep using me for your own ends, you mean," she added.
"As was a part of our deal for you to serve me for life," he reminded her, "You chose to be my servant to save your village!"
"Yeah, I did agree to that," Kagome took a breath, accepting her past self making a truly rash, unsustainable decision, "but, something I have realized in my time being here is that I no longer want that anymore. I can't save everyone….no matter how much I want to. Especially now…."
Kouga couldn't fight the panic squeezing his chest tighter and tighter.
"So, why are you here now after all this time?" the sadness that had softened her for a moment began to harden back to anger again.
"That rumor I told you about? I found out that it was Takeshi who started it," he answered, "He was boasting to your cubs and some people must've overheard. He is the reason why I had to send you away for a while until things calmed down."
He took a cautious step towards her, hoping to start to bridge the metaphorical divide between them, "The plan was always to bring you back once I saw it was safe."
Kagome found herself moved for a moment as everything he had said made sense. It explained everything. Almost everything.
"As soon as I found out, I dashed over here," he continued softly.
"You just found out-?" she began to ask -
"-today. Yes," he finished for her.
"What would you have done if you hadn't heard anything?" the young miko asked with guarded curiosity.
"I would've been here as soon as I saw it was safe," he reiterated, "but I wasn't going to be able to hold out much longer anyway. It hasn't been easy."
Kagome considered all of his words for a few moments before suspicion crept back in. If he was for real, then, she was going to need proof. She wasn't ready to trust him. Not yet. Not after all of her emotional upheaval and being much more conscious that his actions could easily be explained as manipulation tactics. Gods knew what she had missed because she got sucked into his world. She needed to keep a more logical head and focus less on acting on emotion.
"Takeshi!" she called over her shoulder!
"You rang?" he appeared quickly beside her with a happy grin!
Ryuji had responded as well but he was keeping a few steps behind. The conversation could still go very wrong in his mind. He watched Kagome closely in case she lost control again.
"I need you to be honest with me," Kagome began in all seriousness, "Those injuries you had when I came back on the last day of the festival, did Kouga do that to you?"
Takeshi swallowed hard. He really didn't want to answer this question and he suspected that he didn't want to answer any of the following questions either.
"Well, yeah," he nodded with a shrug, "It was just a scuffle like I told you."
"A 'scuffle' that happened each day of that festival? Because there was some silly bet that I would go to the winner like some kind of trophy?" her words began to ignite.
"Um, I, uh.." he began to shrink back from her, "well, you are a prize, Little Flower."
"Don't 'Little Flower' me," she pointed up at him, "When were you going to tell me about any of this?"
"He already gave you to me so I figured it didn't matter," Takeshi tried to smile innocently.
"Bullshit!" Kouga barked from behind her!
"If you care as much about me as you say," the miko fought to keep composure, "then, tell me the truth. All of it."
Takeshi looked down on her feeling caught, conflicted and guilty.
"Ok," he took a breath and recounted events, "We made a wager over you and I….lost….but he sent you home with me anyway."
Flashback to right after their final fight:
'Damn...I must've lost...' Takeshi breathed with a light sigh.
Some feeling, aside from pain, was coming back into his limbs but all he still wanted to do was lie there in the snow. He wished the crowd would quiet down. His head was already aching and the ruckus wasn't helping.
"Oi, I need you to focus," Kouga leaned in closer, keeping his voice low so as not to inform other ears, "I'm calling in one of those favors you owe me."
Takeshi rolled his emerald eyes, hating that he was stuck here in the bloody snow, injured, exhausted and having to listen to this eastern asshole collect on a favor to boot.
"I need you to take her in for awhile," Kouga continued, "Take care of her until things die down around here. I'll come for her when it's safe."
The moaning alpha of the west barely comprehended the request. Everything hurt and his head was throbbing the hardest. What little he could get didn't make sense. Kouga had won their bet but he was sending Kagome home with him anyway? Why?
"Sure…..whatever…" was all he managed to reply.
Moments later was when Suou grabbed hold of her and everything else happened.
End flashback
"I was just as shocked as you were when he said I could keep you. And I was so happy to get to spend more time with you that I didn't care how or why!" Takeshi explained.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Kagome asked in exasperation!
"Like I was sayin'," the western alpha brought up his hands in surrender, trying to placate her, "I was just so excited to be getting to spend more time with 'ya!" and then he sighed, "besides, I didn't think you would give me a real chance if you knew he was coming back."
"You weren't supposed to be chasing after her at all !" Kouga growled dangerously, "That was the condition if I won our bet and turns out you broke the rules well before the fights were done! You put her in real danger with your recklessness!"
"How was I s'posed to know that a rumor would start?" Takeshi countered, "I didn't know anyone was listening to me whisper to some cubs. Plus, I told them it was a secret so everything should've been good!"
Ryuji silently facepalmed behind him while an angry vein throbbed in Kouga's temple. Kagome was stunned into silence by his logic.
She eventually stomped back into the snowy woods, softly ordering them not to follow and that she needed to think.
Both alphas watched her leave with identical looks of despair, beasts within whining, before turning hard on each other.
'Get real with yourself, girl. Figure out what you really want,' Ryuji thought to her back as the alphas entered into a glaring contest.
How peculiar it was for him to be the supportive one in this moment for the miko while the other two were too busy holding themselves back from tearing each other's throats out.
The snow crunched underneath her furry boots as she processed everything from back on the beach.
'Where do I even start? Both of them are so ridiculous. Deciding my life like that….what nerve!' she fumed, 'I already had a deal with Kouga so why was any of that stupid bet even necessary?'
She thundered through the woods for several minutes longer before taking a bunch of deep, grounding breaths.
'Ok…'she stopped underneath a tree in an attempt to gather her thoughts, 'So, Kouga was telling the truth about why I'm here. He claims he called in a favor to keep me safe and provided for while things settle down back in the east. He also stated that coming for me was always apart of his plan…a plan that I was never privy to. Takeshi lied by omission but he has been providing that warmth, food and safety. He's hoping it will bring me around to a courtship with him but I still want nothing to do with that. I don't understand how he could possibly think lying to me will work out well for him. All it does is break any trust or rapport we may have had!'
She began to make slow laps around the tree, 'Was there truly no chance of me getting any sort of say of what happened? Kouga makes it sound as if he had to make a snap decision….still! How can he not think to send a wolf like Nami did? I guess even strategists like him have poor judgments once in awhile but it was so obvious and simple! I mean, seriously!'
'Hm, what would I have done if Takeshi had been up front about everything?' she stopped pacing and pondered an alternate sequence of events, 'I think I still would've been at least a little mad….but I still would've talked and interacted with him though! He didn't have to resort to secrecy in order to take some walks together. I think, no matter what could have happened, I still wouldn't want a courtship as he is still the same guy with the same character. He was just hoping to gain an advantage by having Kouga out of the picture. They're both just looking out for themselves and framing things to look like they actually care about me or what I want.'
She heaved a heavy sigh, 'I was a slave….but I was really stupid to agree to that deal with Kouga. Gods, I was so naive! Ryuji was right that it was a terrible deal! Slaves don't get rights, I knew that, but I had really thought Kouga and I were truly working together to ensure we both got what we wanted. Idiot! Stupid! Moron! How could I be so dumb?'
The young girl slumped against the tree's wintery trunk, feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and like her head was going to explode.
Gasp! "Gods, you're just as quiet as Hay-chan," she giggled as she suddenly realized that Freya had appeared at her side.
The young priestess crouched down in the snow to Freya's level as the wolf sat down, almost as if to ask, 'Wanna talk?'
"I don't know what to do here, Freya," she stroked the she-wolf's cinnamon fur as the wolf rumbled in contentment, "I really do miss Nami, the kids, Hay-chan, Ginta and Hakkaku and…..as upset as I am with Kouga, I still feel…drawn to him…and I don't know why. I shouldn't feel like that towards a demon. I'm a human. And a priestess. I don't belong in some demon's den. It makes no sense! I should walk away and go back to the human world. Forget all of this drama and make a new start somewhere else….but every time I think about that…..I feel sad….like really sad…as if I'm losing important people to me all over again."
Freya moved to lie down and placed her furry head in the girl's lap but she was still gazing up at the trouble miko.
"I would miss you too," the girl finally smiled a little at the still giant but smaller than Hayate wolf, "I really like you and your pack mates. I have always loved animals."
Kagome sat there awhile in the snow, stroking Freya's fur, lost in a storm of feelings.
' A priestess must always be aware of her emotions. Let them settle before acting, ' echoed in her late mother's voice.
'Right…..Mother,' she thought back to that voice of reason, feeling a bit more stable.
Kagome leaned back against the tree's trunk and sat in silence.
All three men stood back on the beach, each grappling with impatience in some form.
Kouga was running endless mental scenarios of what she might say when she comes back and how he could convince her to come back with him. His beast was beside himself with worry as he paced in their mind about what could happen. Had they lost Kagome for good?
Takeshi was watching the woods like a hawk as his own beast did the same. Had they fucked up badly enough for her to leave? Was this the only chance they will ever have to win her affections?
Ryuji stood in his spot, arms folded and foot lightly tapping the sand. He was surprised that the other two weren't tearing each other apart already. Their auras were suffocating in panic while he remained neutral/annoyed. He wondered if the girl would be smart for once or make another dumb decision?
All of them looked up at the same time upon hearing her footfalls coming towards them. She looked less emotionally raw than when she left but her presence still carried weight with all sorts of possible implications. Her expression was unreadable, making both alphas swallow hard and brace for whatever judgement she was about to pass.
"I really don't appreciate being lied to or having secrets kept from me," she began after joining them and looking up at Takeshi, "I have not, nor will I ever, want a courtship with you. You're just going to have to accept that and find someone else."
When his expression fell, she followed up with, "That being said…I do appreciate what you and Ryuji have done for me. You didn't have to take me in or treat me with care. Thank you both," she finished with a bow.
"I won't pretend to understand everything you face or have to think about on a daily basis," she now looked up at Kouga, "It's not your fault for treating me like an object since I signed up for it by agreeing to be your slave and you don't like humans anyway. You were clear from the beginning how you saw me and I was the one that tried to make it into something else. That's my mistake. Although we have some history, I don't really know any of you when it comes down to it. Still, I won't forget the times when you took care of me or saved my life…and I will treasure what I want to consider good times as well as the friends I believe I made back at the den."
"I'm going to gather up my things and go travel on my own for awhile," she addressed all of them before leaving to do just that, with Freya trotting at her side.
Ryuji smirked in silent approval, 'There you go.'
Takeshi looked devastated and couldn't utter a word.
Kouga's beast howled in despair while his other side fought with all strength he had to hold it together. His brain couldn't process what just happened. Everything in his internal world had screeched to a halt. This wasn't supposed to happen….he was supposed to speed over here and spirit Kagome back home! They would carry on from where they left off, swap stories and finally sleep peacefully again like they did every other time!
'Fuck…' was all he could think as his brain was starting to come back online, 'Fuck….fuck…'
"Oi!" Snap! Snap! Snap! Ryuji snapped his fingers in front of Takeshi's face to force him to rejoin reality, "It's not the end of the world, suck it up!"
"Little flower…" Takeshi weakly replied, "She….she…"
"That's what alcohol is for," Ryuji tugged on his leader's arm to no avail, "Drink, sleep it off, bang another female….you'll get over it," he shifted to pushing Takeshi to get him to move.
Slowly, but surely, Ryuji guided his crestfallen alpha to the dining cave in their den, leaving Kouga alone on the beach.
The great and powerful alpha of the east remained rooted in his spot, unable to move or accept what just happened. After all of his efforts and careful planning; is this really the end? Will she disappear into the sea of humans never to be seen again? Forever out of his sight and reach? Logic would dictate that this is how it should be. A priestess living in a den of demons is a ridiculous notion. Just as ridiculous as their deal was. He wouldn't have to worry endlessly about her anymore, or do extra mental gymnastics to balance her welfare with war ambitions and pack politics.
A soft "Kouga?" called his attention back to the moment.
Kagome stood before him with all of her things packed, ready to go. She had intended to simply say a final farewell but his heart wrenching facial expression made her stop. She had seen him look angry, spiteful, frustrated, cocky, teasing, or tired but he was stoic most of the rest of the time. Here in this moment, he looked dejected, defeated and completely laid bare. The mask he meticulously kept up was completely gone. It was the kind of look that couldn't be faked.
The young miko didn't know what to do now as doubt crept back into her mind. Her first instinct was to run up and hug him. To comfort him.
'Leave, Kagome,' she urged herself, 'Tell him 'bye' and leave. You don't belong with him or any demon for that matter. Leave and go back to your life!'
"Thanks and take care, okay?" she managed to get out and began walking towards the woods.
'That's it, keep going,' she thought to herself as tears began to well up and her heart started to squeeze, 'Once you make it to the road, you'll be okay. Just keep walking.'
After several more steps, she came to a stop, 'I….I…'
A beat or two passed before she whipped around and ran back to Kouga, jumping into his arms once she reached him. He caught her easily and hugged her tight as she began to weep on his shoulder. He didn't know exactly what was happening and he didn't care. All he knew was that Kagome was still here with him and that was all that mattered. He did the only thing he could think of to do: switch her into a bridal carry and speed them back home to the east.
The two arrived back in his room a short time later. He didn't run at top speed but it was still plenty fast. He took a careful route back so as not to alert any patrolling sentries, leaped up the sheer cliff face to his balcony and strode through the door back into his room. By this time, Kagome had calmed down for the most part. She automatically set her things down near her side of his grand bed and proceeded to grab her pink kimono in preparation for a bath. Kouga set about resurrecting the dying fire in the hearth as he had figured she would want to bathe right away. The sooner the better, in his mind. She stank of the west and that asshole, Takeshi. That idiot's scent belonged nowhere near her.
Once he got the fire going with some new kindling, he wondered what Kagome coming back with him now meant. Neither had said a thing after she grabbed hold of his shoulders as if she was going to shatter if she had not done so. He felt he couldn't truly relax until she made clear what her intentions were but he did breathe a bit easier now that she was back in his room. Her being here had to mean something, right?
Kagome sighed wearily as she finished up her bath. She didn't realize how much she missed this miraculous pool of steamy, murky water until now. The west had hotsprings but they weren't private like this one nor as relaxing.
Gasp! She startled as she was scooped up into Kouga's arms again.
She barely had just enough time to wrap her kimono around herself. As he sat down with her in his lap in his chair by the fire, she quickly fastened the obi belt to secure it shut.
"Couldn't you have warned me a little before doing that…" she looked up, cheeks colored with embarrassment, to find a pair of glowing crimson eyes looking back at her, "Oh, it's you," she blinked up at him.
He smiled tiredly down at her, infinitely glad she was here, and nosed the top of her damp hair. Her scent alone made his body feel much lighter, freer.
"You look so tired," she brought up a soft hand to cup his cheek.
He placed a calloused hand over hers and drank in her warmth, " So do you ."
Kagome could swear that his eyes weren't glowing as brightly as she remembered in the past.
" We don't sleep when you're away ," he continued to revel in the feel of her hand, carmine eyes shutting slowly.
"Wait, are you saying that neither of you have slept in almost two months?" she asked in alarm.
" We slept enough to get by….but even that wasn't very restful. Just enough to fight for you ," he looked down at her concerned face again.
'Rargh! Don't tell her that!' his other side protested, 'You're just going to make her worry!'
The beast had been tied down for what felt like forever due to his other side. He still contended that things would've gone better if he had been allowed free but that was a moot point now.
Kouga seethed inside their mind, hating that the sneaky beast had gotten past him. He sat cross-legged, tapping his claws impatiently while his chin rested in his other hand. Snarling away as he waited for a chance to regain control.
Kagome didn't miss his hand landing on hers nor the look of longing behind the exhaustion. He looked upon her like she was all he could see and the young girl became very self-conscious. Despite that, she couldn't look away from him.
'Don't you fucking do what I know you're thinking!' Kouga raged at the beast from inside their mind!
' Jealous? ' the beast smirked evilly back at him.
He didn't really need to ask but it was more fun to.
'Oh, my gods, what's happening?' the miko could feel her heart starting to pound in her ears!
She could feel an inexplicable, magnetic pull towards him. The longer their gaze held, the stronger it got.
"W-w-we should get right to bed then since we're all so tired!" Kagome flailed as she jumped off his lap and from out of his heating gaze, a tinge of red to her face!
'See? You freaked her out! Stop it!' Kouga bit at him as his own face flushed!
' She is back where she belongs…all is well ,' the beast smirked again as he dressed down to their fur wrap for sleep.
Kagome slipped into her side of the bed in seconds flat and pulled the furs up high in effort to hide her embarrassment.
' Heh, cute ,' the beast got in on their own side of the bed, entertained by her reactions.
'Damn you….' Kouga cursed his other half with his head in his hands, '...this is payback for the festival, isn't it?'
' Perhaps…..perhaps not ,' the beast answered cryptically as he cuddled closer to the reeling miko.
'Oh, kamis, was he going to….were we going to…?' she tried in vain to calm herself down, 'Come on, Kagome, you're being silly!' she internally laughed at herself, 'Nothing like that was going to happen…..this is Kouga and his beast we're talking about!'
She then froze stiff upon his arm draping over her middle and feeling the heat from his body. They weren't spooning but she was very aware of his proximity.
" Relax ," he took pity on her, " You're home now. We're only looking to finally get some sleep and we can't have you getting too cold. It is still winter after all ."
"R-r-right…of, course!" she answered back with a squeak.
The energy settled around them eventually and both nodded off into deep sleep.
The sun shone warmly down on him as the wind played through the grasses underneath a beautifully blue sky. The breeze carried with it the scents of all of the flowers that were growing everywhere around him.
'Where am I?' he brought up a hand to shield his eyes from the sun and look around, 'This looks…familiar…I've been here before.'
He saw off a short distance away a large, vibrant tree full of leaves with a large wolf lazying about in the shade. Next to it was a small shape nestled in its belly fur.
Kouga ran over to them to see the wolf was his own beast. Lying in his belly fur was Kagome, snoozing. The beast, roughly the size of a large horse in this situation, lifted his furry head to see his other half before laying it back down, curling himself around the miko some more. He watched her for a bit longer before she stirred awake.
"Mmmm….Kouga?" she sat up as she rubbed her eyes from sleep, "Where have you been?" she asked, all warmth and smiles.
Kouga didn't know what to answer with but he let himself smile a little and sat next to her against the beast.
"You tamed him?" he chuckled at the absurdity of his beast being so affectionate towards a human priestess.
The beast snorted back at him in annoyance.
"Of course not!" Kagome giggled, "We just came to an understanding, is all. Besides…he's not all that scary," she ruffled the great wolf's ears as he rumbled in appreciation.
"Ah-huh, so, you did tame him," Kouga smirked down at the beast being spoiled like an overgrown puppy.
"Kouga, be nice," the miko chastised him, "he has feelings too, you know!"
"What's next?" Kouga sneered at his other half again, "You're going to let her ride you around"
When the beast started to growl, Kagome intervened, "That's enough, you two! Can't we just enjoy sitting here together on this beautiful day and watch the clouds go by?"
Everyone settled down and finally relaxed. Kouga had never done something like this before. Sitting around just watching the world go by would normally be considered a waste of time. He had been alive for centuries already so what could there be possibly to see that he hadn't already seen many times over? His gaze drifted slowly over to the priestess. None of those times had been with her though. She delighted in every flower, sunbeam and many other things he didn't bother to care about before. He felt…warm…at peace, no, serene! There weren't any pressing matters, no political games to play, no pack to run…..it was just the three of them underneath this tree on a truly perfect, spring day. He could feel his chest tightening in a different way. Not from anxiety, not from fear, but from feeling strangely moved. A large weight had fallen off of his shoulders and he could truly breathe. For the first time in forever, he could feel tears welling up from within.
"Kouga, are you alright?" Kagome asked with concern.
Kouga blinked back any tears and cleared his throat, "Yeah….yeah, I'm fine."
Her answering smile was brighter and warmer than the sun.
Kouga awoke in his bed, groggy, but his face felt a bit wet. He brought up a hand to wipe off what remained of tear tracks. In contrast to that, he also felt very warm and aroused.
'What the hell..?' he looked underneath the covers to see a bulging erection underneath his fur wrap.
'And…what smells so good?' he sniffed the air.
The scent wafted easily through the air, delicate, yet commanding his senses' full attention. Nothing in the room had changed except….He leaned down towards the sleeping priestess that had been curled into his side.
'It's her…' he realized as he took in a deep inhale of the most perfect bouquet of flowers even that gods wouldn't have ever seen.
Was it because it had been so long since he had her in his bed? The aroma was hypnotic and so enticing that if she made any demand, he would agree without question. Her scent was the same as always, yet sweeter, more pungent…..like flowers dipped in honey.
'Fuck, get a grip!' he fought with himself, 'I can't want to touch her like that! I-!"
"Mmmmm…." she stirred for a moment before turning on her back and settling back into deep sleep.
Kouga's eyes grew wide seeing that her kimono had fallen somewhat open during the night, showing hints of round, creamy beasts and the valley between them leading up to delicate collarbones. The path led up to a bare neck surrounded by her obsidian tresses, luscious lashes that rested over rosy cheeks and the softest looking pair of slightly parted lips.
As much as Kouga froze at the sight, his beast stared, hunger building, ears and tail straight. Blood raced as their body heated and their mouths went dry. He suddenly wanted to trail his tongue between those breasts and suck on her neck. Then, he would kiss her jaw and claim her lips. As more fantasies began to materialize, Kouga shook his head to stop them! The beast within tilted his head in annoyance as he was enjoying those.
'Got to….quit…looking at her…What the hell is wrong with me?' Kouga fought to tear his eyes away from the tempting miko.
She couldn't see him like this! He had to get out of there before he did something they would all regret! He dashed out of bed, grabbed the rest of his outfit for the day and scaled up the mountain to near the freezing river that fed into the waterfall.
He brought Kagome up here once when she was sick to dunk her in the cool waters to help bring her fever down. There would be privacy here to try to figure out what just happened back in his room.
'First that vision again…then waking up hard and then….' his memory flashed back to her half bare in his bed, 'THAT!'
'Rrrgh, dammit,' he plopped down on the snowy ground, 'I've got to regroup…that was…I don't know what the hell that was but it was probably a one time thing,' he breathed heavy and slow in attempt to regain control, 'just a random ass coincidence….that's all….'
Rumble…rumble…. the beast hummed in approval, ' Beautiful… '
'NO!' Kouga corrected him, ''WRONG' that was fucking WRONG!'
' Why? ' the beast asked in curiosity, ' She is a bitch in heat. It is natural to desire. '
'There is a whole den full of women in heat,' Kouga countered, 'I'll just fuck one of them….or a ton of them.'
' Like you did during the festival? ' the beast asked, smug in already knowing the answer.
'That was different!' his other half argued, 'I didn't have time to bed any women. I had battles to win!'
' No… ' the beast corrected, ' They weren't her…so you didn't want them.'
'So, I want her now, is what you're saying,' Kouga summed up his beast's point.
'Yes,' the beast answered simply.
'Fat fucking chance!' Kouga barked back at him, 'She's a human and a priestess! She should be the last person I would ever want to fuck!'
' I don't understand why you think you can lie to me when I know what you feel and think, ' the beast lay down in their mind, features still smug.
'Wait….' Kouga suddenly looked up in alarm, 'You said she's in heat….then, that means that this is going to go on for a few days?'
' Or for however long human heats are, ' the beast did the wolfy equivalent of shrugging his shoulders.
'...fuuuuuck…' Kouga dropped his head in his hands in despair.
He had no idea how human heats worked. Wolf heats last a few weeks to give ample chances of conception for those that are mated. For unmated females, and the males they laid with, it meant weeks of raucous, intense love-making.
'She's definitely not leaving my room, then,' Kouga now realized that she was a different walking hazard now aside from being a human priestess in a demon den.
' Of course! ' his beast agreed, ' Only we shall be allowed to touch her. '
"Dammit, nobody's touching her!" Kouga finally yelled out into the winter air!
The beast cackled with joy while Kouga suffered in silence for awhile, waiting for all of him to calm down.