OtherWorld 01
Chapter 17: Kouga and Hiten Clash
After they returned from seeing Kagome's parents, Kouga started out on his usual patrol of Otherworld. As always, he sped away, leaving his slower men and wolves trailing far behind him. He always seemed to forget that he had crystal shards in his legs that gave him super speed and that none of his men could match his speed. Ginta and Hakkaku, his lieutenants, ran after him, calling for him to wait for them.
After few hours, with his men about an hour behind him now, Kouga ran into Kagura, a powerful female Demon who could control the winds. She used a magical fan to give her precision and more power. She immediately attacked Kouga using solid wind blades which could cut a person into pieces. Kouga could easily outrun her attacks; he just needed to get past her wind shields. He still didn't know why she had attacked him.
Without warning, the sky around him filled with dozens of poisonous insects. These insects belonged to Naraku! During one of InuYasha's battles with Naraku, Miroku had sucked the insects up into his air void and been badly poisoned. Although Kouga had heard about the insects, this was the first time that he had never seen them. This could only mean that Kagura and Naraku were now working together. Surprised by the insects, the wolf hesitated a few precious seconds. The swarm zoomed in and before he could run, they stung him a few times. Their poison worked very fast and Kouga was soon very dizzy.
Unable to run fast enough to avoid all the insects, he was stung dozens of times. Then they flew away - leaving the poisoned wolf for Kagura to finish off. Dozens of wind blades stuck him, slicing deep cuts into his body. He fell to ground, nearly unconscious. He could hear Kagura's laughter and growled. She took a feather from her hair, and tossed it in the air, and it transformed into a feather large enough to carry her into the sky. Without a backward glance, Kagura left the poisoned and bleeding Wolf Demon to die.
It was nearly an hour later, when Ginta and Hakkaku and the rest of the wolves found Kouga lying on the ground unconscious. The only thing they could do was carry him to Kaede as fast as possible.
While Hakkaku took him to Kaede, Ginta ran to Kagome to tell her the news. When Kagome got to Kaede's little house and saw Kouga, she burst into tears. Her mate's whole body was covered in long bleeding cuts and deep red sting marks. Kaede had undressed him and was dabbing an herbal salve on the dozens of cuts and stings. She had already given him an antidote for the poison. Kagome knelt on the other side of her beloved wolf and began to treat that side of his body. Kagome asked Ginta what happened, but he didn't know -- he had just found Kouga lying there. Finally, every wound was treated and the bleeding had stopped. He still felt feverish from the poison but he didn't feel as hot as when they first brought him in. He now needed time to heal completely. Hakkaku gently picked up his leader and carried him to his own home. Kagome took more antidote and salve to administer during the night. She gently tucked a light blanket around her sleeping mate and kissed his forehead.
Ginta and Hakkaku slept outside on the porch, just in case Kagome needed anything. Around midnight, Ginta helped her give him more antidote, gently raising Kouga's head as Kagome poured it down his throat. Then Kagome curled up next to him, refusing to leave his side.
Kouga woke up in the morning; every inch of his body ached and he felt exhausted. At his side but covered with a separate blanket was his life mate. "Kagome," he whispered.
She woke instantly upon hearing his voice and told Ginta to get Kaede. She gave Kouga some water and little more medicine. Then suddenly she began to cry. Kouga reached for her and pulled her down, her head lying on his chest. He stroked her hair while she sobbed. "I'm okay. It's alright." he kept telling her.
She lifted her head, tears choking her words, "You could have been killed! You can't do that -- always run off on your own! What if I lose you? What about your son?"
He pulled her closer and kissed her deeply. "I love you more than anything in the world. And my child! But I am leader of the Clan and one of Otherworld's Protectors. I have to do this. Please understand, Kagome, I have no choice." He looked at her, his blue eyes full of concern but also determination.
Kagome brushed away her tears. She knew the risks, but she also knew that Kouga was reckless, running headlong into dangerous situations. He needed to be more careful. But words would never change him; maybe when the baby was born, he would think twice about jumping into danger so quickly.
Kaede came into the house at that moment and together they put more salve on each wound. Kouga was healing well and in a couple of days the wounds would be gone. A report was sent to Kurama, head of the Protectors. Kurama was very worried when he hear the news. The union of Kagura and Naraku was bad news indeed. He wondered if this meant Naraku was healed or if he was so badly hurt that he needed help. And in the past Kagura always escaped by taking to the sky, and there was only one Protector who could fly.
A few days later, Kouga was completely healed and waiting for whichever Protector Kurama was sending. He had received word to wait for his arrival, and it was the only reason he had not gone to find Kagura himself, but he did have his wolves scout for her and they were keeping an eye on her whereabouts. She was currently about a day's journey from here.
There was a knock on the door and Kagome went to answer it. Hiten stood there. Kouga glared at the Thunder Demon. He went to the door, placing himself in front of his mate. Hiten said nothing, just handed him a letter. It was from Kurama -- Hiten was the Protector that was to help him with Kagura. Kouga snarled in anger. How could Kurama do this!! So what if Hiten could fly!
"We should try to find Kagura…" Hiten began.
"I know where she is!" Kouga growled, his blue eyes dark with anger. "My wolves are keeping an eye on her. We'll leave in the morning." And then he slammed the door in Hiten's face.
Kagome was appalled at her mate's rudeness and told him so. "Rude???" he growled, "He almost killed you!"
"No, he did not!" she said, frustrated by Kouga's refusal to hear the truth, "His brother Manten kidnapped me. Hiten had nothing to do with it. And he never touched me. We barely even spoke."
"He tried to kill InuYasha!"
"InuYasha killed his brother!" Kouga was so stubborn at times! She finally left the angry wolf standing there and went in the kitchen to make dinner. She made enough for three and she didn't care what Kouga had to say about it!
Hiten had found a spot on the hard ground under a tree a bit away from the house and he sat there miserably. All around the house were Wolf Demons and true wolves -- all of them watching him, growling. He shivered under their glares. He was also cold and hungry. He had not expected such open hostility. In the Castle, everyone was already treating him like one of the extended family. He sighed. This was going to be a long night!
Kouga finally stopped growling and decided he better apologize to Kagome for yelling at her or he would also be sleeping outside tonight. He went to the kitchen and saw her dishing food onto plates -- three plates! He stood there stunned. She was going to feed his enemy? Her enemy!
Kagome looked at her mate, picked up one of the plates and walked past him. If he even said one word! But Kouga knew his mate's temper and wisely decided to keep quiet. Kagome grabbed a blanket from the storage chest and walked outside to where Hiten sat. She gave him the plate of food and the blanket, asking him to forgive her mate's rudeness.
Hiten stood there, amazed by her kindness. Humans were surprising him more and more. "I…I am sorry about what happened to you. Manten should not have kidnapped you."
"Well, he paid the price for it with his death. It is not your fault, Hiten, and I don't blame you. Give Kouga some time and he'll come around." then she asked after Serafin.
"She is well. I think she is beginning to like me a little." he said quietly.
"I'm sure once she gets to know you better, she will learn to love you, Hiten. Serafin and I got pregnant about the same time, so I feel a sort of kinship with her. I would like to get know her better." Then she bid him goodnight and walked back to her home. Kouga avoided the subject of Hiten altogether for the rest of the night, opting for peace and quiet.
The next morning they got an early start. Kagome made breakfast for Kouga and Hiten, but Kouga would still not let him enter their home. Hiten did get onto the porch at least, bringing back the folded blanket just as Kagome was coming out with his breakfast. She kept him company while he ate, much to Kouga's chagrin. Soon after the wolf clan left with Hiten flying above them. Kagura had been steadily moving towards them so she was now less than a day away.
They caught up with her in the afternoon. This time Kouga was careful to stay with his men instead of running off on his own. The plan was simple. Kouga and his wolves would surround Kagura, attacking her until she took to the sky. Hiten would be waiting in the cloud cover. And, for once, it all went as planned. They surprised Kagura and, although they suffered cuts from her wind blades, they would soon heal. Finding herself surrounded by wolves, Wolf Demons and Kouga, she soon gave up the battle, pulled out her feather and fled to the safety of the sky. But this time, she found no safety. She flew right into Hiten. He was waiting for her, his thunder pike at the ready.
When she saw him, she recognized him immediately, one of the deadly Thunder Brothers, but did not know that he was now a Protector. She thought that he might be after the wolves himself, but that hope quickly evaporated when he unleashed his lightning bolts directly at her. She flew away as fast as she could but the Thunder Demon easily matched her speed with his fire wheels. Again and again his lightning flew at her. She was barely managing to deflect the bolts with her wind shields. Soon the sky was filled with his bolts.
All Kouga and his clan could do was watch the incredible spectacle unfolding above their heads. Even Kouga had to admit that Hiten was a formidable foe. He wondered if Manten had the same powers and how InuYasha had managed to kill him.
Suddenly it was all over. One of Hiten's lightning bolts got past her wind shields and struck Kagura's feather, burning it to a crisp, and stunning the wind Demon. She screamed as she plummeted to the ground. Hiten dove below her and caught her easily, putting her on the ground next to the wolves. They bound her immediately, taking away the fan she used to control her winds. Hiten would take her to the castle for interrogation. He wasn't sure who would do the interrogation - maybe Bakura - but he was sure someone could get information out of her - especially what she knew about Naraku. But before they could question her, she suddenly cried out, and fell dead. Before their very eyes, she turned to dust and disappeared in the wind. In her wake was a crystal shard. Hiten bent and picked it up, handing it to Kouga.
"It should go to the Princess." Kouga said.
"The Princess asked me to give this one to you if Kagura died. You do not have a shard on your left arm, only your right," Hiten explained.
Kouga took the shard, surprised by the offer. Hiten was very different from what he had heard. He did not seem cruel. He was smart, and had courage and skill. "You did well." he offered.
"So did you and your wolves. Kagura could not find an opening to fight you, so she fled." Hiten replied, then added "I should leave for the castle."
"It is more than a two-day journey from here. At least come first to the Village and make your way from there." then he added sheepishly, "We have a guest room."
Hiten smiled, "Thank you. It will make the trip easier."
Perhaps Hiten and Kouga would never be friends, but at least they now respected each other. And they could work together in the future. Kagome was delighted when Kouga brought Hiten home. She sent her mate out for meat and soon he came home carrying a huge boar. Kouga took out the sword he always wore and cut out the liver and some of the loin for their dinner. The rest he left for his clan. When he got to the porch, Kagome was standing there laughing, "You know, that sword can be used for fighting, not just cutting up meat!" He smiled at her teasing. He was always getting teased by InuYasha about never using his sword during a fight. He simply preferred using his speed and his strength.
The next morning, just after Hiten left, InuYasha appeared. Kenshin and Kaoru were staying a bit longer in their own time. Kaoru wanted to get married first. Otherworld didn't seem to have that practice. You "mated" instead of marrying. Even the human inhabitants of Otherworld had picked up the Demon habit.
Sanosuke had been worried about earning a living in Otherworld -- he was always broke in his own time -- until InuYasha explained the communal system of the most of the villages in Otherworld. Everything was freely given. In Kaede's village, Kaede gave medical and herbal help and received food and clothing in return. The farmers who grew vegetables, wheat, rice, and other foods received clothing, medical attention, and meat in return. Since Kouga's arrival in the village, meat was plentiful. He and his wolves were expert hunters and gladly shared their bounty. In return, they were given vegetables, clothing, and anything else they might need. Apart from that, they were also the protectors of the village.
With Kenshin and Sanosuke adding to the protection of the village, more wolves could be freed up to help in other less protected areas. There was no money system and therefore no taxes in Otherworld -- those who had extra sent a portion to the Princess to help with the Castle's upkeep.
Kenshin and Kaoru would be arriving next week, after a short honeymoon. Meanwhile, Sanosuke and Katsu were packing up everything at the dojo. InuYasha made arrangements for several wagons to be brought to the portal from the Village to carry their belongings. Then he went bounding away to the Castle and his Princess. He would return before their arrival and help carry the heavier items through the portal for them. Kagome had been keeping an eye on the new dojo and it was nearly complete. Sanosuke and Katsu's little house would also be inside the dojo walls. The whole village was looking forward to the arrival of their new neighbors and two new protectors.