InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Wild Love ❯ Part One ( Chapter 1 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: hjhinkle 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.24.2005 | Updated On: 07.24.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 1.9K | Visits: 321 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.24.2005 | Updated On: 07.24.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 1.9K | Visits: 321 | Status: Work In Progress
Summary: Problems arise in the Youkai Wolf Tribe and Kagome inadvertently becomes involved. On the run with Kouga, will InuYasha be able to find and save her in time?
Disclaimer: InuYasha is (c) Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Comics, et al.
WILD LOVE
(PART 1 OF 4)
Shards of the Shikon no Tama were approaching fast. Far too fast for Kagome's liking. She had returned early from modern Tokyo to learn that her allies - InuYasha, Kirara, Miroku, Sango, and Shippou - had departed several days ago with information regarding a youkai in control of a jewel shard and, therefore, was now forced to confront this potential threat alone.
Just her luck.
For once, InuYasha had been nice and not fetched her to come back to Sengoku Jidai upon hearing a shard rumor and, thinking she would be absent a week for school, had chosen to search without her. The small kindness had led to her present predicament.
Thanks a lot, InuYasha.
Retrieving her bow and arrow, she pointed in the advancing shards' direction and waited. Her incessant trembling caused the weapon to quaver. Get a grip, she reprimanded herself. She squinted, straining to see in the distance, seeking the source of her unease. Maybe she did not have a reason to be alarmed. It was not as if every creature that acquired a shard was evil... only 99.9 percent of them were evil.
"Talk about an optimistic outlook," she muttered.
Her effort to locate the unknown entity was to no avail; all she saw were densely cluttered trees. Still, the camouflaged serenity of InuYasha's Forest did not deceive her. She knew something was out there - somewhere. The question was: where?
Kagome was not given an opportunity to contemplate further. Almost instantly, the answer stood directly in front of her. Startled, she accidentally released the arrow. Fortunately, heightened speed deflected it. The bow was also jerked from her grasp. After the disarmament, Kouga, leader of the wolf tribe, proceeded to collapse at her feet.
"Kouga-kun," she anxiously whispered and instinctively crouched to offer assistance.
He cracked a lid, the other swollen shut, and held aloft a bloody hand, signaling her to stay away. "Don't touch me, Kagome. My scent. I can't have you marked by my scent."
Confusion briefly marred her countenance. Spotting him grimace from the wounds, she opted to ignore the peculiar request. She gently reached and inspected his injures.
Attempting to raise his spirits while performing the examination, she jested, "Don't be silly. You don't smell that bad."
Kouga was beyond being humored. "My scent's on you. Inukkoro. Get Inukkoro."
"InuYasha's not here. He's hunting shards. Please, tell me what happened."
"Ch'kushou," he emitted a stream of colorful curses. "Why do I let him watch you? He's never there when you're in trouble. The baka abandons you to deal with danger on your own."
Her protestation that InuYasha was an admirable protector fell on deaf ears. Instead, Kouga gathered the remnants of his strength and rose from his resting position on the ground. Unsteadily standing, he promised, "I'll protect you, Kagome."
The promise would have been calming if it did not appear he was on the brink of toppling over.
Clueless to the events transpiring around her, she demanded, "Protect me from what?"
Kouga dourly replied, "My pack."
That was unforeseen. Mind-boggling, in fact. His pack?
Sensing her bewilderment, he elaborated, "They've been... possessed. I'm not sure how else to describe it. One minute they were fine, then they were pummeling me. I fought but, not wanting to seriously harm them, had no choice except to run. There wasn't an alternative."
The wisdom of his act received a nod of approval. When met with conflict, sometimes the wisest recourse was retreat. Live to fight another day.
"Everyone has turned against you? Even Ginta-san and Hakkaku-san?"
"Hai." The brusque confirmation, clenching of his jaw and moistening of his remaining good eye were evidence of his upset. "I'd hoped Inukkoro might prove useful for a change. He'd stall them until I recuperated and developed a rescue plan. Should have known he would be as useless as always."
The tirade was an expression of his frustration. Kagome realized that. She tenderly stroked the side of his battered face. A simple comfort.
What were they going to do?
Kouga did not take advantage of her compassion for his plight, there were more important matters to attend besides laying claim to Kagome. Matters such as keeping her alive. "We have to leave. There's been enough delay. Smelling of me, you can't be left behind. It's too risky."
She yearned to scream for InuYasha, yet knew that to be futile. He would be of no aid. Not on this occasion. "Where do we go? Is there anywhere they can't track?"
A howl echoed through the woods. Numerous howls soon participated. Each was a death call.
Terrified, Kagome pressed herself to Kouga. He utilized their close proximity to capture her quiver and toss it aside, along with the previously discarded bow and arrow. "You won't need those where we're going. The water would ruin them.
"Water-?"
Mid-sentence, he hefted her into his arms. She objected, "You're hurt. Let me travel on my own. I can be quick."
"Iie. We'll be quicker if I carry you."
With little time to spare, the duo sped off.
Everything was a blur as they made their getaway. Kagome was oblivious to their progress due to the dizzying gait. Kouga, to diminish her evident distress, gave a weary smile. "We're going to be okay. I have an idea."
Halting at a river, he asked, "Can you swim?"
They were going to swim their way to freedom. It would be untraceable.
She had a feeling that the only options were sink or swim. Mercifully, she was a proficient swimmer. Could Kouga though? He was not up to par after all. If he lost the energy to continue, she doubted she would be able to support him in the water. She was not that strong.
"Kouga-"
Clutching her shoulders, he urged her to meet his gaze. He entreated, "Trust me."
Trust him. Trust that he was a survivor. A measly river would not defeat him. His pride would not allow that. To fall in combat was the fate he desired. To exit this plane of existence a warrior. There would be no settling for less.
He apprehended that Kagome understood at the removal of her shoes and socks. Completing the task, she inquired, "On three?"
Kouga's agreement was to lace his blood-stained fingers with hers, an ironic gesture of reassurance, and commence counting, "One." She joined in, "Two." They jumped at "Threeeeee."
Their bodies cut into the water with a resounding splash. Using her legs for momentum, Kagome propelled herself the surface and sought her friend. Her relief was palpable when he emerged. Paddling nearer, she double-checked, "Ready to do this?"
"Hai."
The first mile was tolerable. The second was troublesome. The third took its toll. By the fourth, she was beginning to numb. Not surprising, Kouga was staying apace. His obstinacy kept him moving.
Gasping for breath and tired of being in the dark, Kagome finally paused and prompted, "How much farther?"
"Not much. There's a den just ahead."
She hesitated, bobbing with the current. "Won't the pack anticipate you going there? To your den?"
"It isn't mine," he corrected.
"A different wolf tribe? I wasn't aware of any others."
"Various tribes are scattered throughout the countryside. They usually stick to their own territory. This tribe's domain borders mine."
"They'll help us?"
"Help us or try to kill us. Take your pick."
"Kill us?" She was horrified at the prospect. Were they merely evading one menace to encounter another?
"I'm a disperser," Kouga advised.
The explanation earned silence. A perplexed silence.
He frowned at her blank state and went on to explain, "I was a member of their tribe and dispersed. I decided to establish my own pack and find a mate. They may try to kill us because we'll be trespassing."
She noticed how he emphasized 'try'. Oh, but to have his confidence. "So, what do we do if they attack?"
"Follow my lead and they probably won't. Whatever I do, you imitate."
Her trepidation intensified.
"Kagome, you know I wouldn't intentionally put you into a situation that I couldn't handle."
She did. Problem was, Kouga was positive he could handle anything. Him versus the world.
"Come on," he gruffly commanded. "We can't linger anymore."
It was not long before they got to their destination. The bedraggled pair trudged out of the water and exhaustively sprawled on an embankment. In her fatigue, Kagome felt no self-consciousness relaxing alongside Kouga.
"How are you?" She prodded. "Don't sugar-coat it. The truth."
"Improving," he said. "You forget that I'm not a hanyou. I'm not Inukkoro. I'm a youkai and a swifter healer."
Kagome did not welcome the derogatory tone used when speaking of InuYasha. Kouga did not perceive her irritation, his attention suddenly diverted. In a flash, he had surged to his feet and was battle prone.
"What is it? What's amiss?"
"Quiet," he instructed, intently surveying their surroundings.
An older man, similarly dressed and uncannily resembling Kouga, emerged from seemingly nowhere and roared, "You dare much to enter my lands, disperser!"
If possible, Kouga tensed even more than he already was. He greeted the newcomer with a single, clipped word. "Chichi-ue."
TO BE CONTINUED
Terms To Know
Baka: Idiot, stupid, jerk.
Chichi-ue: More polite and archaic form of otousan or father. Usually used to refer to your own parent.
Ch'kushou: Goddammit.
Disperser: The actual term used to describe a wolf that leaves a pack to find a mate and start its own pack.
Hai: Yes.
Hanyou: Half-demon.
Iie: No.
Inukkoro: Dog-turd.
-kun: The same as -san but less formal. Used to address people, almost always boys, at one's own level.
-san: English equivalent of Mr./Mrs./Ms. To be used for people you do not know very well or are not very close to.
Sengoku Jidai: A period of constant civil wars in 15-16th century Japan.
Shikon no Tama: Jewel of Four Souls. It is a powerful, sacred jewel that contains the souls of an ancient warrior, Midoriko, and many demons. To possess even a fragment of the jewel will dramatically increase its owner's strength.
Youkai: Demon.
Disclaimer: InuYasha is (c) Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Comics, et al.
(PART 1 OF 4)
Shards of the Shikon no Tama were approaching fast. Far too fast for Kagome's liking. She had returned early from modern Tokyo to learn that her allies - InuYasha, Kirara, Miroku, Sango, and Shippou - had departed several days ago with information regarding a youkai in control of a jewel shard and, therefore, was now forced to confront this potential threat alone.
Just her luck.
For once, InuYasha had been nice and not fetched her to come back to Sengoku Jidai upon hearing a shard rumor and, thinking she would be absent a week for school, had chosen to search without her. The small kindness had led to her present predicament.
Thanks a lot, InuYasha.
Retrieving her bow and arrow, she pointed in the advancing shards' direction and waited. Her incessant trembling caused the weapon to quaver. Get a grip, she reprimanded herself. She squinted, straining to see in the distance, seeking the source of her unease. Maybe she did not have a reason to be alarmed. It was not as if every creature that acquired a shard was evil... only 99.9 percent of them were evil.
"Talk about an optimistic outlook," she muttered.
Her effort to locate the unknown entity was to no avail; all she saw were densely cluttered trees. Still, the camouflaged serenity of InuYasha's Forest did not deceive her. She knew something was out there - somewhere. The question was: where?
Kagome was not given an opportunity to contemplate further. Almost instantly, the answer stood directly in front of her. Startled, she accidentally released the arrow. Fortunately, heightened speed deflected it. The bow was also jerked from her grasp. After the disarmament, Kouga, leader of the wolf tribe, proceeded to collapse at her feet.
"Kouga-kun," she anxiously whispered and instinctively crouched to offer assistance.
He cracked a lid, the other swollen shut, and held aloft a bloody hand, signaling her to stay away. "Don't touch me, Kagome. My scent. I can't have you marked by my scent."
Confusion briefly marred her countenance. Spotting him grimace from the wounds, she opted to ignore the peculiar request. She gently reached and inspected his injures.
Attempting to raise his spirits while performing the examination, she jested, "Don't be silly. You don't smell that bad."
Kouga was beyond being humored. "My scent's on you. Inukkoro. Get Inukkoro."
"InuYasha's not here. He's hunting shards. Please, tell me what happened."
"Ch'kushou," he emitted a stream of colorful curses. "Why do I let him watch you? He's never there when you're in trouble. The baka abandons you to deal with danger on your own."
Her protestation that InuYasha was an admirable protector fell on deaf ears. Instead, Kouga gathered the remnants of his strength and rose from his resting position on the ground. Unsteadily standing, he promised, "I'll protect you, Kagome."
The promise would have been calming if it did not appear he was on the brink of toppling over.
Clueless to the events transpiring around her, she demanded, "Protect me from what?"
Kouga dourly replied, "My pack."
That was unforeseen. Mind-boggling, in fact. His pack?
Sensing her bewilderment, he elaborated, "They've been... possessed. I'm not sure how else to describe it. One minute they were fine, then they were pummeling me. I fought but, not wanting to seriously harm them, had no choice except to run. There wasn't an alternative."
The wisdom of his act received a nod of approval. When met with conflict, sometimes the wisest recourse was retreat. Live to fight another day.
"Everyone has turned against you? Even Ginta-san and Hakkaku-san?"
"Hai." The brusque confirmation, clenching of his jaw and moistening of his remaining good eye were evidence of his upset. "I'd hoped Inukkoro might prove useful for a change. He'd stall them until I recuperated and developed a rescue plan. Should have known he would be as useless as always."
The tirade was an expression of his frustration. Kagome realized that. She tenderly stroked the side of his battered face. A simple comfort.
What were they going to do?
Kouga did not take advantage of her compassion for his plight, there were more important matters to attend besides laying claim to Kagome. Matters such as keeping her alive. "We have to leave. There's been enough delay. Smelling of me, you can't be left behind. It's too risky."
She yearned to scream for InuYasha, yet knew that to be futile. He would be of no aid. Not on this occasion. "Where do we go? Is there anywhere they can't track?"
A howl echoed through the woods. Numerous howls soon participated. Each was a death call.
Terrified, Kagome pressed herself to Kouga. He utilized their close proximity to capture her quiver and toss it aside, along with the previously discarded bow and arrow. "You won't need those where we're going. The water would ruin them.
"Water-?"
Mid-sentence, he hefted her into his arms. She objected, "You're hurt. Let me travel on my own. I can be quick."
"Iie. We'll be quicker if I carry you."
With little time to spare, the duo sped off.
Everything was a blur as they made their getaway. Kagome was oblivious to their progress due to the dizzying gait. Kouga, to diminish her evident distress, gave a weary smile. "We're going to be okay. I have an idea."
Halting at a river, he asked, "Can you swim?"
They were going to swim their way to freedom. It would be untraceable.
She had a feeling that the only options were sink or swim. Mercifully, she was a proficient swimmer. Could Kouga though? He was not up to par after all. If he lost the energy to continue, she doubted she would be able to support him in the water. She was not that strong.
"Kouga-"
Clutching her shoulders, he urged her to meet his gaze. He entreated, "Trust me."
Trust him. Trust that he was a survivor. A measly river would not defeat him. His pride would not allow that. To fall in combat was the fate he desired. To exit this plane of existence a warrior. There would be no settling for less.
He apprehended that Kagome understood at the removal of her shoes and socks. Completing the task, she inquired, "On three?"
Kouga's agreement was to lace his blood-stained fingers with hers, an ironic gesture of reassurance, and commence counting, "One." She joined in, "Two." They jumped at "Threeeeee."
Their bodies cut into the water with a resounding splash. Using her legs for momentum, Kagome propelled herself the surface and sought her friend. Her relief was palpable when he emerged. Paddling nearer, she double-checked, "Ready to do this?"
"Hai."
The first mile was tolerable. The second was troublesome. The third took its toll. By the fourth, she was beginning to numb. Not surprising, Kouga was staying apace. His obstinacy kept him moving.
Gasping for breath and tired of being in the dark, Kagome finally paused and prompted, "How much farther?"
"Not much. There's a den just ahead."
She hesitated, bobbing with the current. "Won't the pack anticipate you going there? To your den?"
"It isn't mine," he corrected.
"A different wolf tribe? I wasn't aware of any others."
"Various tribes are scattered throughout the countryside. They usually stick to their own territory. This tribe's domain borders mine."
"They'll help us?"
"Help us or try to kill us. Take your pick."
"Kill us?" She was horrified at the prospect. Were they merely evading one menace to encounter another?
"I'm a disperser," Kouga advised.
The explanation earned silence. A perplexed silence.
He frowned at her blank state and went on to explain, "I was a member of their tribe and dispersed. I decided to establish my own pack and find a mate. They may try to kill us because we'll be trespassing."
She noticed how he emphasized 'try'. Oh, but to have his confidence. "So, what do we do if they attack?"
"Follow my lead and they probably won't. Whatever I do, you imitate."
Her trepidation intensified.
"Kagome, you know I wouldn't intentionally put you into a situation that I couldn't handle."
She did. Problem was, Kouga was positive he could handle anything. Him versus the world.
"Come on," he gruffly commanded. "We can't linger anymore."
It was not long before they got to their destination. The bedraggled pair trudged out of the water and exhaustively sprawled on an embankment. In her fatigue, Kagome felt no self-consciousness relaxing alongside Kouga.
"How are you?" She prodded. "Don't sugar-coat it. The truth."
"Improving," he said. "You forget that I'm not a hanyou. I'm not Inukkoro. I'm a youkai and a swifter healer."
Kagome did not welcome the derogatory tone used when speaking of InuYasha. Kouga did not perceive her irritation, his attention suddenly diverted. In a flash, he had surged to his feet and was battle prone.
"What is it? What's amiss?"
"Quiet," he instructed, intently surveying their surroundings.
An older man, similarly dressed and uncannily resembling Kouga, emerged from seemingly nowhere and roared, "You dare much to enter my lands, disperser!"
If possible, Kouga tensed even more than he already was. He greeted the newcomer with a single, clipped word. "Chichi-ue."
Terms To Know
Baka: Idiot, stupid, jerk.
Chichi-ue: More polite and archaic form of otousan or father. Usually used to refer to your own parent.
Ch'kushou: Goddammit.
Disperser: The actual term used to describe a wolf that leaves a pack to find a mate and start its own pack.
Hai: Yes.
Hanyou: Half-demon.
Iie: No.
Inukkoro: Dog-turd.
-kun: The same as -san but less formal. Used to address people, almost always boys, at one's own level.
-san: English equivalent of Mr./Mrs./Ms. To be used for people you do not know very well or are not very close to.
Sengoku Jidai: A period of constant civil wars in 15-16th century Japan.
Shikon no Tama: Jewel of Four Souls. It is a powerful, sacred jewel that contains the souls of an ancient warrior, Midoriko, and many demons. To possess even a fragment of the jewel will dramatically increase its owner's strength.
Youkai: Demon.