~.Inuyasha Rp~. (( NOW OPEN!!!!))[keep]

[Angelstasia]

~*Kouga: Dens in the Northern Mountains*~

The trails of Naraku's scent had long been lost to Kouga's sensitive wolf nose... and that fact alone made him angry, but what was really racking his brain... more than Naraku... were the last words that he had heard coming from a certain red heded she-wolf's mouth.

~Flashback from Kouga's battle with Kyoukotsu~ (from the anime)

"Take care of yourself, Ayame..." Kouga had whispered to the white wolf princess as she walked past him. Her red hair danced in the wind and the golden light of the sunset.

He was surprised that she had turned to respond, but the look on her face was sad as she responded, "That's what Kagome said..." before she disappeared in a rush of wind and leaves.

End Flasback

"That's what Kagome said..." Kouga mumbled to himself. "That's what Kagome said.... That's what Kagome said..."

Ginta and Hakkaku were walking close behind their leader, with confused expressions on their faces. Kouga had been talking to himself for the past twenty minutes... and he had stopped running, and had changed the direction of which they were heading.

They looked back and forth to one another, until finally Hakkaku cleared his throat, "Umm... Kouga, I might be a little out of line for asking this... but... where the hell are we going?"

Kouga paused, reaching a hand up to start rubbing his chin in thought. He wasn't sure exactly where they were going... he didn't know what to say. He dropped his hand and turned to stare at his two brothers. His light blue eyes were slightly unfocused for a moment while he straitened his form and pulled his shoulders back in determination.

"We are going back to check on Ayame and the Elder," he nodded.

Ginta and Hakkaku stared at Kouga in disbelief, blinking their brown eyes simultaniously.

"You are serious?" Ginta asked.

"What about Naraku?" Hakkaku added.

Kouga took in a deep breath, which made his chest puff out in an authoritative manor. He was Alpha Male... whatever he said goes when it came to his pack... but his comrades had a valid point... what about Naraku?

"The scent of Naraku's trail has been dead on my nose for the last few weeks. That alone bothers the hell outta me... so we are heading back to the place where we last has the strongest trail, and that was close to the Northern Mountain dens. We will see if we can pick it up again... and in the mean time, we should check on our kin." He nodded.

Ginta and Hakkaku smiled. They hadn't been around other wolf demons to interact in a more pack like atmosphere for quite some time.

"Thank you Kouga..." Ginta grinned.

Kouga raised an eyebrow, "For what?"

"Well since we haven't been to our own home in a long time, it would be nice to be with a larger pack for a few days... to take a break," Hakkaku answered.

"Yeah," Ginta nodded happily, "and do some of the things we used to do... like hunting in a group, or guard duty for that matter, or just sitting around a bon fire and sharing stories about the past. That sort of thing."

Kouga knitted his eyebrows together in confusion. He had no idea that those sort of things meant so much to his brothers... and in a small sense, he missed it himself as well. Amoung other things, he missed the companionship, the comrodery, the socialization. He knew that his kind were very interactive and social... it is why they traveled in lived in packs afterall.

Kouga's mind wandered momentarily, to what it would be like once they reached the Northern Mountains. Would Ayame and the Elder even be happy to see them or would they be chased off by guards because they were not in their own territory? More than likely not... Ayame had come to fetch him to take him back to the Northern Mountains the first time he had seen her in a very long time. More than likely... the Northern Mountain tribe would be overjoyed to see him, Ginta and Hakkaku make an appearance.

He wondered what kind of expression would be on Ayame's face when he showed up, out of the blue. Would she be happy? Would she be upset or angry? Or would he have to see that suffering and sad smile she gave him the last time they crossed paths? The corners of his lips pulled down into a frown. Ayame was a strong spirited woman... independent and a free spirit... what would get her that sad and depressed?

Then it hit him.

"That's what Kagome said..."

His blue eyes widened. How could he have been so dense? Ayame had reminded him of their promise to wed one another... he had pushed her away for Kagome... and apparently from their last encounter... Ayame had run into Kagome before she had seen him. Ayame was not only jealous of Kagome... but she was saddened and heartbroken that she now had to compete and prove herseslf just for Kouga's attention.

"Kouga?" Ginta asked, poking Kouga's shoulder.

Kouga snapped from his thoughts and blinked at his two-tone color haired brother, his eyebrows still knitted together... and his eyes narrowed. "What?" he snapped. He didn't like being lost from his train of thought.

Ginta jumped back a bit and laughed nervously, "Sorry... you just got quiet all of a sudden. We wanted to know if you were okay?"

Kouga rolled his eyes, "I'm fine... now lay off for a moment... I'm thinking."

"About?" Hakkaku dared to ask.

Kouga growled, "None of your business!"

"Sorry!" Hakkaku meeped.

Kouga pulled his fist back and threatened to bean both Ginta and Hakkaku upside their nogins, "Now not another word until I say so... let me think in peace!"

Ginta and Hakkaku jumped and wrapped their arms around each other for protection. The last thing they wanted was a lump on the head from Kouga. They knew their place. Kouga was Alpha... what he said was the law. If he said "shut up" then they shut up.

"Ok!" Ginta swallowed a lump in his throat.

"You got it!" Hakkaku confirmed with a nervous nod.

"Good..." Kouga huffed, turning his back to them both and taking a few steps forward. He sighed deeply, averting his gaze towards the tree tops and the sky over head. It was mid-day, they could make it to the mountain by midnight... but only if they didn't stop to eat or to take a break. They made it this far... it wouldn't be too much of a chore to hike back to the mountain.

The mountain... would Ayame and the Elder, and the rest of their pack even still be at the mountain? Would they have moved back to their home of many years now that the specters had been destroyed? Kouga bit his bottom lip, his fangs digging into the meatier part of his mouth... a bad habit he never dropped, it always left two tiny scars on his lips, that had now become more calloused than scars since he did it so much. He always tended to do it when no one was looking and he could think to himself.

"...Ayame..." he whispered in his thoughts, "... how badly do you need me? Am I that important? Yes, I am strong... yes I have jewel shards... but the miasma has long since passed over your mountain... do you still need me to kick people around... to make them listen? Am I still needed to make peace?"

The wind blew past him and he closed his eyes and shook his head, continuing to think to himself. "Why the hell am I thinking about Ayame so much? I love Kagome! If anything I should change my mind and go find her and InuYasha... that pathetic excuse for a mutt to figure out where Naraku's trail has disappered to. ......" He opened his eyes to see that the wind was still blowing, and leaves were swirling at his feet and up around his legs. One ripe green leaf that had been plucked from it's tree immaturely came and rested in his hand. He gingerly closed his hand around it and brought it up to his face for closer examination.

He closed his eyes once again and with the leaf gripped firmly in his fist he brought it to rest over his chest. "But Ayame... I can't seem to stop thinking about you... your melancholy smile... why did you have to give me that look before you left to go back home? Why are you making me doubt my decisions? I love Kagome! There is nothing that can change my mind... but then why do I feel so... so... so.... guilty."

He snapped his eyes open in determination, "Let's go!" he ordered.

Ginta and Hakkaku jumped up and nodded, "Right!" they said in unison.

"If we don't stop for any breaks and you two go as fast as your feet can carry you then we should reach the Northern Mountain by midnight. But there is no garuntee that the Elder and Ayame will be there... so don't get your hopes up," Kouga nodded.

"Why wouldn't they have returned home?" Ginta asked.

"More than likely they will be there... but don't get your hopes up just in case. If we do find them, then we will stay in their company for a few days while I attempt to pick up Naraku's scent again from the mountain area. If not then it's back to the trail boys. So let's not waste anymore time and get a move on!" Kouga ordered, dashing into his trade mark cyclone and taking off towards the Northenr Mountains of the White Wolf tribe.

Ginta and Hakkaku looked at one another with a smile.

"You thinking what I am thinking Hakkaku?" Ginta asked.

Hakkaku nodded, "Kouga has had Ayame on his mind for awhile, and he doesn't want to tell us that he secretly wants to see her."

Ginta nodded, "I'm not positive... but I have a pretty good guess that's the reason he has been so quiet lately."

"Yeah... and if we don't catch up to him... then he will leave us behind," Hakkaku sighed.

"WAIT UP KOUGA!" Ginta hollered after their leader.

"YEAH WAIT FOR US!" Hakkaku added. They waved for the underling wolves to follow them as they chased after their speed demon of a leader... smiling the entire time while running.

*~*~*

~Kouga


To Be Continued...  

[Angelstasia]

~*Kouga: Dens in the Northern Mountains (Continued)*~

*~*~*

The moon was half full and high in the air when Kouga's cyclone finally died around his ankles as he came to a stop at the end of a forest clearing. He knew he had put some distance between himself and his brothers, and even though they had been traveling the entire day to get there... it would be a few minutes before Ginta and Hakkaku finally caughtt up to him.

He took a moment to take in the surroundings. The forest clearing was small, and Kouga took the few steps to the edge of a small cliff overhang. The Northern Mountain was large and glowing silver from the light of the moon, with tiny golden and red flecks scattered about from different points. Those flares of gold made him smile, those were fires... which meant that the Northern Tribe had reclaimed their mountain, and were what he hoped was living in peace.

He relaxed his tense shoulders and cocked his head slightly to the side, wondering which of those fires belonged to Ayame's den... and if she was asleep... or was she awake and doing something to occupy her time? Did she have any idea that he was in the area? Would she be surprised to see him?

He had to know for himself... he wanted to surprise her... to see her reaction. He looked down the side of the cliff with a smirk, jumping off something like this would be nothing to him, because of the jewel shards in his legs. With a leap and a whirl he dashed into the air and his cyclone embraced him as he decended down the cliffside and closed the gap between him and the mountain. It had only been but a few miles away, so with the jewel shards glowing in his legs he covered the distance in a matter of minutes, coming upon the mountain side.

He paused as he started up the mountain path, walking and taking his time... for this was a special place. The waterfalls did not cover the entrance to the Northern wolf dens as it had done for his own home, however, the waterfalls here were definately a sight to behold. Triplet cascades ran next to each other from high peaks, making the role and rush of the water bubble in a glowing silver and white haze. Kouga strained his eyes... this was the place where he and Ayame had seen the Lunar Rainbow. He did remember... but had refused to admit it to her.

"Who goes there!" a voice called out to him, and the sound of weapons being drawn also crossed his ears.

He snapped from his thoughts and turned to face the two guards that were heading in his direction.

"Who wants to know?" he snapped back at them.

The two guards growled in unison, "Watch yourself stranger or you could be killed!"

Kouga hmphed, "You didn't answer my question."

"Wha?" one guard gasped.

"Why should we answer your question when you didn't answer ours?" the other spat back towards Kouga.

"I'm Kouga."

The two guards stopped in their tracks. "Kouga? THE Kouga?"

"The one and only," Kouga smirked.

"Kouga... leader of the Eastern Tribes?"

"Kouga... the possessor of the jewel shards?"

"That's right," Kouga nodded, and he was starting to get irritated. He wasn't in the mood for playing a game of twenty questions.

"Kouga... the one who refused Princess Ayame of his promise to wed her?"

Kouga growled, "Shut up you ingrates! Step aside."

"What business do you have here Kouga"

"It's not business of yours!" he snapped back at them.

"We are sorry Kouga, but we can not allow you to step another foot onto the mountain without stating your business here. The Elder's strict orders. If we disobey them... then we... get killed."

"If you don't move out of my way I will kill you." Kouga growled out firmly.

The two guards jumped back in nervousness, "Please... all we ask for is your business here Kouga."

Kouga sighed in aggitation. "Fine..." he ground out between his teeth, his fangs flashing in the moonlight. "I'm here to see Ayame."

Without another word, the two guards pulled their weapons back and moved on the path so that Kouga could pass them. He huffed and stormed past the two with a look of death in his eyes. "I have my brothers, Ginta and Hakkaku not to far behind, you better let them come up here too... or I will come back and hunt you two down."

They saluted Kouga and nodded nervously in confirmation.

Kouga turned and walked up the mountain path, only taking a small moment to breathe in the air of the mountain. His nose had been so hard bent on straining for the scent of Naraku, that searching for Ayame's more familiar scent was like candy for his nose. She was easy to pick up, and after checking in a few other dens that had numerous hallways winding through them... he finally turned inside one of the ones closer to the top of the mountain, where Ayame's scent was the strongest.

With his blue eyes shut, he followed his nose... down a hall, and around a corner, then finally into a small carved door from the inside of the mountain. Inside there were small candles burning and he smiled at the sight before him. She had no idea he was here.

~Kouga