Chapter 3

“Oh! H… hi, Kouga!” Kagome stammered.

“Hey, Kagome!” The wolf prince beamed at her.

Kagome always felt better whenever Kouga was around. He had such a genuine care for her. If only I had met Kouga first… wait. Ha ha… if I had met Kouga first, I'd be dead. He didn't care for humans back then. That's right. Kouga's pack used to kill humans, now he protects them… because of me. But… InuYasha does that too, now…

“Um, what were you doing in that well, Kagome?” he said with confused, icy eyes.

Oh yeah, he doesn't really know…

Kagome tried her best to explain things, so to not freak him out with the absurdity of it all. “I know, it must seem ridiculous, but…”

“So, that's why you dress… differently than the other girls,” he said carefully, as to not offend the woman he cared for.

Kagome smiled wholeheartedly. Kouga was so much more sensitive than InuYasha. She was also amazed at his understanding. For some reason, she expected him to think she was half-crazed, but then again, more people here were understanding than in her time.

Kouga was very pleased with the smile she had on her lovely face. He loved making her smile. He suddenly realized he could wake up next to that smile every morning. He had always really liked her, and constantly and tenaciously asked for her hand to join the Demon Wolf Tribe and become his woman, but until now, he hadn't realized the feeling. Deep, in his stomach, and in his chest, there was… pain - no, pressure. Like he was being squeezed by a giant demon snake. What was this feeling?

Kagome watched Kouga's face change emotion. She wondered what he thought as his face had gone from joy, to wonder, to sheer terror. No, he didn't look scared, per say, but his eyes… they spoke to her, like a piano speaks to its' audience. He took her hands, as always, and Kagome was happy to have the old Kouga back.

“What's wrong, Kouga?” she asked.

Kouga, now looking a little embarrassed, squirmed. “Nothing, Kagome”, I just realized how much I like you… “I was just thinking…”

“Well, I could see that, silly!” she said, giggling merrily.

Kouga laughed, and Kagome loved how it sounded. InuYasha never laughed with her. He was always laughing at her. She realized she liked talking with Kouga, and wondered why she didn't do it more often…

“HEY! Get your dirty paws off her, you mangy wolf!” Kagome and Kouga turned toward the angry voice, both knowing exactly who it was.

Oh yeah, THAT'S why…

“Kagome's not complaining, so back off, baka…” the demon wolf said.

“Maybe YOU aren't listening hard enough, baka…” came the reply.

“I WAS listening - you should try it sometime, baka!” Kouga growled.

“Then you wouldn't be touching her if you had heard, would you, BAKA!?” InuYasha yelled.

Kagome rubbed her temples.

“InuYasha, osuwari,” came the command that brought the half-demon crashing into the dirt.

“Aw, Kagome, what was that fo…” InuYasha complained, but he was cut off by the throbbing vein in Kagomes' forehead.

“What gives you the right to tell me what I want, when you can't even decide what YOU want?!” she yelled, tears welling up in her eyes.

Kagome whirled and ran into the forest, leaving Kouga stunned, and InuYasha looking as if he had just been hit by a truck. Kouga turned to look at InuYasha again, scowling. He ran in the direction Kagome had gone. InuYasha stayed where he was, the impact of her words hitting him over and over again. Damn… she's still mad. And that stupid wolf is around. I can't even talk to her with him around. InuYasha finally stood, and jumped away, towards Kaedes' village.

Kagome was fully crying, and branches were tearing at her in her blind run, making her cry more, which was making her run into branches more… the dark of night in the forest didn't help. Kouga had caught up to her easily, but he stayed behind, giving her time to calm. When she finally stopped running, he watched her. His wolf eyes saw easily in the darkness. Luckily for the human, it was a full moon, and it shone brightly. He noticed that instead of the white and green outfit she usually wore, she was wearing something pink. He liked the color on her. It showed how feminine and beautiful she was… Kouga felt the pressure again, accompanied by another feeling. This feeling was more like a burning, and it made his hearing difficult, like he was near the ocean. His thoughts were fuzzy, and he could swear he was blushing. Kouga shook his head to clear his thoughts, but it only half-helped. He tried to think about why they were here, then focused on her sobbing. He approached her.

“Kagome?” he said wincing, his voice shaking, partially because of these strange feelings, and partially because he didn't want to incur the wrath that the hanyou had achieved. He expected her to turn around angrily, telling him to leave her alone. It was almost customary for females…

“Oh, Kouga…” Kagome turned, but threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder.

Kouga was stunned. He looked down at her and felt the warm tears partner themselves with his skin, and it made him shudder, ever so slightly. He opted to let her speak first.

Kagome sobbed for a few more minutes, thinking of her pain, her heartache, and the physical pain she still felt from the whipping branches. Suddenly, she realized she was crying… on Kouga's shoulder.

“Oh… I'm so sorry…” she said, sniffling and backing up a little.

“It's okay,” he reassured her. “You can always cry on me,” he said, smiling slightly and closing the gap between them. He brushed some of the tears from her face. Kagome blushed, but she realized that she wasn't blushing out of embarrassment. It was… something else. Kouga noticed the blush, and stepped back.

“So, what happened?” Kouga asked, a genuinely worried look on his face.

“Oh, nothing,” she replied. “Stupid InuYasha. I promised I would stick by him, even though I know I'm only second to Kikyou. It'll always be like that. I… I just hoped I could change. That… he… would change. But, I'll always be… the replacement,” she said, looking at the grass beneath her feet.

She looked up, and was stunned by what she saw. Kouga had been listening, and never shouted about InuYasha, or ran away to fight with him as usual. Instead, he just stared at her, a look that was anger, concern, and betrayal all mixed into one sad face.

He wanted to say it. He wanted to say so many things. You're not her. You're not a replacement. You're not second to me. I want you all to myself. I want you, not someone who looks like you. I want you... But she was already going through so much. He didn't want to make it worse for her.

Kagome could tell he was holding something back. The look on his face made her hurt more than what she was already thinking about. But he was holding it in, whatever he wanted to say. She realized that he probably wanted to say something that might make her cry again, and he didn't want that. He was being… selfless. She smiled, and wrapped her arms around him again.

Surprised, Kouga picked her up, and started walking her back towards Kaede's village. Well, he didn't WANT to be selfish, but by not running, at least he was getting a little extra time with her…

Kagome didn't resist. It was a nice change, riding in his strong arms, rather than riding InuYasha like he was a pack animal. Well, he IS an ass… she thought, giggling, visualizing InuYasha as a mule, with dog ears instead of donkey ones, and a red haori…

“Well, I'm glad to see you a little happier,” Kouga said in his deep voice, smiling.

“Yeah, I feel a little better, thanks,” she said, smiling genuinely and pressing her cheek into the crook of his neck.

Kouga's blood began to boil, feeling the proximity of Kagome's mouth close to his neck. He would only have to turn his face to kiss her… but, he wouldn't. Not because he couldn't, but it would be wrong to force her. He wanted her to love him as he was, not forced upon. Instead, he turned his head toward her, but made sure he gave enough distance so that she wouldn't feel forced or awkward. He smiled at her, and she smiled back weakly. The sun would be rising soon…

After a few minutes of silence, Kouga had almost thought for sure that Kagome had fallen asleep, when he heard her speak.

“Kouga… with everything that happened, you never told me why you were by the well…” Kagome stated.

The smile gone, Kouga watched his legs move as he walked. Kagome noticed his instant change of mood.

“Hai…,” he agreed. “I, uh… that is, I came for your help. I went to the village where I saw the houshi, and he told me you had gone for a while, and that if I wanted to I could wait for your return by the well. At the time, I thought he just meant you would pass by it…” he laughed, half-heartedly.

“Ah, you mean Miroku. Yes, well, I'm glad I got to explain it to you. Well, why were you searching for me? Or were you just trying to upset InuYasha?” she giggled, until she saw the solemn look on Kouga's face.

Kagome reached up and touched his cheek, making him shiver. “What's wrong, Kouga?” she asked, worriedly.

“My… tribe. It's… there's something… some kind of illness is attacking them. The stronger adults are okay, but the elders… and the children…” Kouga kept staring at his feet.

Kagome gasped. “Oh! Why didn't you say something before?!”

“Well, at first I was happy to see you. I didn't want to outright ask for help. I wanted to spend time with you. Then, you were so upset with that stupid mutt.” Kouga's determined look regained itself.

“Thank you, Kouga,” Kagome smiled, “but now we need to talk about your wolf pack. What kind of disease is it?”

“Well, it's like a stupid little cold, but they get high fevers, although they shake as if they're cold… and sometimes they act like they can't breathe…” he said sadly. “We've already lost a few children. We treated it as we would normally treat a fever, but nothing works.”

Kagome was on the brink of crying again. “Oh, no…” Kagome tried to think. High fever, chills, can't breathe… it sounds familiar… “What about eating? Are they eating? Or being sick?”

“Ah, yeah. They stop eating after a while, then they get sick, but nothing comes out because they haven't eaten!” he exclaimed. He watched Kagome's face intently.

A light bulb practically went off in Kagome's head. “I got it!” she said, scaring Kouga. “Ha ha, sorry,” she said with a weak smile that he returned. “I think I know what it is. My little brother had something that sounds just like it when he was young. He almost died.”

“You… you have a younger brother?” Kouga said, blinking.

“Well, yeah!” Kagome answered. “I live with him, my mom, and my grandfather. He's my dads' dad. My dad died when I was younger,” Kagome spilled like a sack of rice. “Oh, I'm sorry! I tend to talk too much!”

“No, I like to hear you talk, Kagome. And I like to hear about your family,” he said softly.

Kagome smiled at him, and laid her head back unto his shoulder, again placing her lips close to his neck, not realizing the effect it had on him.

There's that feeling again…