After the rocky start, Courtney soon blended in with the group, and they were glad to teach her the basic skills she would need to travel with them. Lady Kaede and Kagome soon had her practicing with her new bow, although she had been pretty good at it already.
“I used to go hunting with my dad at home. “She explained. “He taught me everything I knew about a bow and arrows. I soon got better though. Haha, glad I did, eh?”
Sango soon had her fast on her feet, avoiding the hiraikotsu and chain flail, also the many poison gases the demon slayer had to offer. Miroku also had his turn, teaching her the arts of the quarterstaff, also many lectures on how to control her demonic powers and cover her slight demonic aura, making her virtually undetectable.
Through generous villagers, she soon acquired a wooden practice sword, which she spent hours practicing with Inuyasha. During these hours, he also had her working hard on getting stronger, and containing the new strength she had gain with her new form. They also sparred often, using only claws and brute strength. Many times had Courtney come back from the fields with bruises, but a few times Inuyasha came back looking worse for wear. He drove her hard and long, only expecting the best. Often, Inuyasha came back carrying her on his back, asleep, exhausted from the day’s activity.
Despite their original hostility, the two became close, having much in common. Inuyasha was a hanyou, half demon and human, not knowing where his loyalties lay. Courtney was a demon-cum-human, still discovering this whole new side of herself. When others were asleep, they sat up around the fire, discussing the day’s training and what was to come.
One night, after a brutal training session on all parts, Courtney fumed, complaining to Inuyasha about how she felt they didn’t trust her. “It’s like they still think I’m weak!” Frustrated, she tipped a stick into the fire to burn. Talking more to herself than Inuyasha, she mumbled, “I bet I could take Naraku right now...”
“Careful, Cor.” Cor was his nickname for her, easier to say when he was calling out instructions. “Don’t get cocky. Naraku is stronger than you assume. Some of the greatest human and demon warriors have been slaughtered by his hand.”
Inuyasha’s eyes softened as he looked at his friend and pupil, who was now fighting to stay awake, her ears drooping in exhaustion, her eyes flickering in and out of consciousness. As she drifted off into sleep, her head hung down, a stray piece of hair fluttering in front of her nose as her breathing became light and regular.
For some unknown reason, Inuyasha felt protective, even fatherly over the young demon. They looked the same age, but she had so much to learn. Why did her mother keep her powers a secret from her, Inuyasha wondered. Padding softly across the room, Inuyasha unbraided her hair, laying the silk ribbon by her side. Pulling the blanket over her, Inuyasha walked silently back over to his tatami. Sitting back down, he looked over the fire at Kagome and Cor. One, whom he loved with all his heart, and the other, whom he cared for like a sister, both slept peacefully, the firelight making their skin glow.
As he looked upon them both, he prayed to the gods that he could keep them safe, along with everyone in this room. Please, he prayed. Don’t let me lose the best friends a hanyou could have…
~-~
The next day, Inuyasha and Courtney were sparring in the fields again, Inuyasha giving no quarter, and Courtney trying as hard as she could. Courtney had on her old shorts and t-shirt, her feet bare and her hair pulled up in a ponytail. As Courtney was knocked off her feet by a swift uppercut by Inuyasha, he yelled at her, “C’mon, Cor! You want to beat Naraku, let’s see some real strength!”
She stood up, wiping a fine trickle of blood off a cut on her face. Then, holding her fists at ready, they circled again. She dispatched a swift kick, making contact with Inuyasha’s chest, knocking the breath out of him, and pushing him back a few feet. Quickly following through with a cross to the chin, she soon had Inuyasha down for the count.
Inuyasha soon jumped up, breathing heavily. Smiling roughly, he nodded approvingly. “Good job. Watch your left. It’s a little weaker than your right; we need to work on that. A good demon fighter can’t have any weak points, or the bastard who’s trying to kill you will soon find it out.” Putting his hands on his knees, he rested for a minute, still trying to regain his breath. After a bit, he righted himself, waving dismissively to Courtney. “OK, let’s go. It’s time for a break, and in a few minutes Sango will have you, so you need to be rested. C’mon Cor,” he motioned for her, “let’s go down to Kaede’s. She and Kagome and Shippo might have something for us. “
Courtney followed him cheerfully. She was getting better, but after a longer than usual session, she was ready for a rest. As the tramped down into the village, a few villagers waved. The hanyou and the demon were becoming common sights, and the children of the peasants loved to play piggyback ride with an enthusiastic coyote demon. A few even now gathered around her and Inuyasha, pulling on her t-shirt and tail. Even though she was tired, she pulled up a pair on her shoulders, letting the rest cling to her les as she walked. The children giggled, acting like it was the most fun they’d ever had.
As they all approached Kaede’s hut, Courtney put down the children, who thanked her and ran off, squealing happily in their play. Smiling and waving at them, she and Inuyasha went inside the hut, the delicious aroma of cooking fish meeting their sensitive noses. Courtney’s eyes brightened automatically, and she became suddenly excited at the thought of a rest and food.
Plopping down next to Shippo, who was watching the fish carefully, smiled and ruffled the young fox’s hair affectionately. He patted it back down looking disgruntled, but secretly loving it. He soon pounced into her lap, pulling on an end of her ponytail. Looking up at the young girl, he smiled and wiped a bit of dried blood off of her face, excitedly jumping up and down in her lap. “Howdja do, Corrie? Didja beat him?”
Knocking him onto his back, Courtney tickled him mercilessly as she answered in a mock growling voice, “Uhuh, I beat his little hanyou bottom!”
“Ahah,” Inuyasha grunted as he sat on the opposite side of Courtney and the giggling Shippo. Grabbing a fish, he tore off a piece and swallowed it before saying, “You did not!”
Courtney stuck her tongue out at him as she stopped tickling Shippo, and also carefully reached for a fish. As she ate, Shippo regaled her with his adventures for the day, all of in which he turned out to be a hero.
“First I saved Kagome from this giant fish! We were down by the river, and out come this humongous pike! He tried to eat Kagome, but I wasn’t scared! I just used my Fox Fire and the great minnow just jumped into the water! Didn’t I, Kagome?”
Kagome smiled at the young kitsune’s antics, and nodded, winking secretly at Courtney. “He sure did!”
Courtney chuckled, giving Shippo a light clap on the back. “Well, good for you, Shippo!”
Shippo glowed, and blushed at her praise.
Courtney finished up her fish, and shooed Shippo out of her lap. Getting up, she walked over to Lady Kaede and Kagome, and grabbed a knapsack. She also grabbed her bow and quiver, and waited at the door.
Inuyasha’s ears perked and he looked up from the fish he had been devouring. “Where are you goin’?”
Courtney rolled her eyes, as she watched Lady Kaede grab a basket. “Calm down, Inuyasha, Lady Kaede asked me to go with her to pick for herbs as protection.” Turning to the miko, she nodded. “Are you ready to go, Lady Kaede?”
Kaede nodded, grabbing a staff from the doorway. Shuffling along, she looked up at Courtney. “Aye lass, but walk slowly, would ye? The gods know, I be not as young as ye.”
~-~
Out in the fields, Courtney watched the old woman, her nose twitching disinterestedly. She was in the process of shredding a flower, when Lady Kaede looked up sharply. Following along her line of sight, it seemed a small cyclone was coming down the road! Looking back at Kaede, Courtney nodded to her. “Will you be fine here, Lady Kaede?”
Kaede simply waved her off. “Go, child! Go quickly!”
Looping her bow of her shoulder, Courtney sprinted off, heading straight towards the cyclone. When she reached the village, Inuyasha and the gang were already standing outside. Inuyasha had a sour look on his face, and Kagome was blushing slightly.
They nodded, acknowledging her presence. Courtney went to stand near Inuyasha, slightly afraid.
All of a sudden, the cyclone stopped, and in the road stood a handsome young wolf demon, his long black hair pulled back in a ponytail much like the one Courtney was now sporting herself. He was dressed in all furs, with fur shin guards wrapped around his calves.
Inuyasha growled, and balled his fist. “Koga…”
The wolf smirked, a single fang flashing before disappearing behind a self-satisfied grin. “Hey, it’s the mangy mutt. Oh, look at this…” He disappeared, and appeared next to Courtney. Amazed, Courtney said nothing, just moved in closer to Inuyasha. This seemed not to stop the wolf; he just got right in her face, and lifted up her chin with a single finger. Courtney said nothing, but was fuming inwardly. He scrutinized her for a second, and chuckled softly. “So, mutt. I never thought you’d find yourself a proper girlfriend, and it seems I was right. All you have is a stringy coyote…”
Courtney’s eye flashed with rage, but she knew to insult Inuyasha like that, he must be a powerful demon. She kept quiet, but her fists balled, her mind ready to snap.
Koga was still holding her face in her hand, and saw that flash. It arose something in him he couldn’t name, and he didn’t know what it was. In honesty, he was frightened. That feeling had never come up before. Chuckling again, he dropped her chin, and turned his back.
Courtney could stand it no more. Stamping her foot, she called out to him challengingly, and would have charged him if Inuyasha had not grabbed her arms in time. “I’ll show you stringy coyote, you mangy wolf! Let me go, Inu! Let…me…go!”
Inuyasha wouldn’t let go, and Koga still had his back turned, walking away. It was infuriating her. Why wouldn’t he fight? Growling, she gave off the coyote hunting cry, and cried out. “You coward, if you’re so tough, face me and fight like a man, not a like a little pup with his tail between his legs!”
Koga turned at this. His face contorted in rage, he went back to her and roared in her face, “I don’t fight women!”
“Are you just scared I’ll beat the poor ole Big Bad Wolf Demon?”
Courtney’s eyes sparkled in anticipation, and by the gods, Koga loved that sparkle.
Mentally shaking himself, Koga chastised himself. What was that? He was in love with Kagome, wasn’t he? And this…coyote insulted him! But…that feeling arose again. That annoying feeling that kept him from ripping this girl to shreds kept rising in his stomach…So, he simply turned away from her, and walked away.
Courtney, however, wasn’t done. No one insulted her and got away with it. Turning to Kagome, she asked her politely, “Kagome, don’t you need to sit?”
Kagome looked confused. “Why would I need to sit..?
SLAM!
Inuyasha did a faceplant in the ground, giving Courtney the perfect escape. Sprinting, she got in front of Koga, holding up her fists in a ready position, Growling, she pounced on him, biting and scratching, tooth, nail and claw.
Koga, surprised, rolled over, trying not to hurt her, but protected himself as much as he could. Finally, he pinned her on the ground by her shoulders, sitting on her knees so she couldn’t kick. Their faces were so close; he could feel Courtney’s breath coming out in hot bursts on his neck. That feeling jumped up in his stomach again, but he quickly pushed it back down as he roared in her face, “I told you, I don’t fight women!”
“Why?” she yelled back defiantly.
God, she was beautiful. Her name, Courtney? It rang in his head like the tolling of temple bells. Even disheveled and dusty like this, she was the most beautiful thing he had seen in his lifetime. On an involuntary impulse, he touched her hair. It was as soft as silk...Finally, he blurted out,
“I don’t want to hurt you!”
Courtney, shocked, stopped struggling. Inuyasha and the others paused, and silence reigned.
Koga regretted saying it as soon as it had left his lips. Getting up, he bit his lip until he tasted blood. The scene was still silent, Courtney still knocked to the ground. Looking at her, then Inuyasha, he ran off, the familiar cyclone soon a speck on the road….
Author's Chapter Notes:
I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA OR HIS FRIENDS OR FOES.
I do own Courtney.
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