Wolves
This story is rated PG-13 for sexual situations
Chapter 28 - Puppy Love
Ginta went through the portal to the White Tower and then through the portal to the Western Mountains. He had never seen wolves that could change at will between human and wolf form. The guards were in human form and when he told them who he was, they pointed him to a trail which led to the dens. He had never seen such beautiful dens before, everything clean and the wall paintings! He would have to bring Hakkaku back to see them and perhaps a couple of the females. Maybe their dens could be made to look like these. A man dressed in black with white hair and golden eyes approached him.
"Are you from Kouga?"
"Yes, sir. I am Ginta and Kouga sent me to bring back Kiba."
"Is anything wrong?"
"Not at all. It's just that the baby is coming and Kiba is needed."
Tsume immediately told several of his men to find his son. They transformed instantly into huge wolves and ran up the trail. Ginta's jaw dropped open. The transformation was completely effortless. One second they were men, the next, wolves. While they were waiting, Toboe took Ginta on a short tour of the dens. He tried to memorize everything, the nooks, the little ponds with the waterfall and flowers, it was so beautiful!
In a very short time, the wolves returned, a large snow-white wolf with them with bright golden eyes. The wolf transformed itself into Kiba and the boy literally dragged Ginta back to the portal. "How close is she?"
"I have no idea. I was just told to come for you."
Kiba jumped through the portal, dragging Ginta with him. Four portals were side by side in front of the White Tower: one each to the Castle, to Suzaku, to Kaede's Village and the one they just came from. Jaal and Bya were standing next to them, offering congratulations and indicating which portal went to the Village. Ginta waved goodbye as he was dragged through the portal once again.
A little picturesque village was spread out before them, crossing their smaller road was a large and well-worn road with a stream running next to it. Ginta took them in the opposite direction to a little house at the end of several houses. Kagome was on the porch and waved as they approached.
"Hello, Kiba. Glad you got here in time; Kamara is getting very close. About another half hour and she will go into the tub."
"Tub?"
"The birthing tub. We fill a tub with warm water, it makes the birth a lot easier."
"Oh. Our females give birth in wolf form." Kiba said.
"Why don't you go in and say hi."
Kiba walked into the house and then into the bedroom, following the voices. Kamara was in bed with Tekku sitting next to her. An older woman was doing something to a large wooden tub filled with water and a young woman was laying out clean cloths and other things.
"Hello, Kiba." Kamara said. Then gritted her teeth as a contraction hit. She squeezed Tekku's arm tightly until it passed. "Whew! That was a bad one!"
"Is there anything I can do?" Kiba asked.
"Not yet. This is Kaede, our village's healer, and that is Mirago."
Kiba nodded to each woman and stood there, uncertain to what to do.
"Ye should probably wait outside until the baby is closer to being born." Kaede suggested and Kiba left and returned to the porch.
Kouga was on the porch with his mate, and Kome was with a young she-wolf with bright red hair. An older woman was there; Kagome's mother, Mikoumi, awaiting the birth of her second great-grandchild.
"Kiba, this is Kome's mate, Ayala, and my mother, Mikoumi." Kagome said by way of introduction.
Kiba said hello to Kome and nodded at Ayala and Mikoumi, then greeted Kouga. No wonder his father had mistaken Kome for Kouga. Seeing them side by side, he realized exactly how much the two looked like each other, while Kamara looked like a blend of both parents. He wondered what Kara would look like. Both he and Kamara had dark hair and they both had blue eyes, although his were more teal blue. But then his mother was a light brunette and his father had white hair. Toboe looked like his mother with his father's eyes, while Kiba had his mother's eyes, but his grandfather's hair coloring.
Long minutes passed as the family waited. Kiba wasn't sure what his role was going to be. Tekku was her mate and it was his place to be at Kamara's side. Finally, Mirago came out and asked Kiba to come into the bedroom. Kamara was in the tub, with Tekku kneeling behind her, supporting her with his body. She was nude and he averted his eyes. Kaede looked up, "Ye are going to have to look, boy. Ye have seen Kamara before and this is life, not sex."
Kiba nodded and knelt at the side of the tub where Kaede was pointing. "One more good push, Kamara."
Kamara pushed with all her might, gritting her teeth and holding the sides of the tub until her fingers were white from the strain. Then a head popped out, covered in black hair, then shoulder, and finally a whole baby appeared. Kaede scooped the baby out and told Kiba to cut the cord with his claws. With a trembling hand, he cut his daughter's umbilical cord and Kaede clamped it and gave the baby to Mirago. "Go with Mirago, Kiba. Tekku, hold Kamara while she expels the afterbirth."
Kiba followed Mirago to the table and she put his daughter on a clean blanket and then washed the blood off and dried her hair. Wrapping her in a pink blanket, she gave her to Kiba, showing him how to hold her head. He sat in the chair next to the bed holding his daughter as if she were made of the thinnest porcelain possible and would break if he even breathed on her the wrong way.
Tekku lifted his mate out of the tub, and took her to their bed, wrapping her in warm blankets. Kamara seemed to be almost asleep. Tekku went to Kiba and looked at the baby. "She's beautiful," he whispered, smiling at her. She looked at him with the bluest eyes he had ever seen. "Come on, let's show the family." Kiba looked at Mirago and she nodded. Carrying her gingerly, he and Tekku went to the porch and the whole family gathered around. Kagome asked if she could hold her granddaughter.
Kiba relinquished his daughter and Kagome cradled the baby in her arms.
"Oh, she is so pretty! Look at those eyes!" Everyone took their turn holding Kara and the baby smiled up at each one. Then she was put back into Kiba's arms. Kagome led him to the rocker sitting on the porch and he sat down, rocking his daughter until she fell asleep.
There was no way that Kiba would ever be able to put into adequate words how he felt when he held his daughter for the first time. He didn't think it was possible to love someone so completely like that, but he did. He would do anything for his daughter and would protect her with his life if need be. It was pure, unconditional love. Kara didn't stay asleep for long. Hunger took over and she woke up, nuzzling Kiba's chest, then started to cry, to Kiba's dismay. He looked at Kagome.
"I think she's hungry." Kagome said, and together they went to Kamara.
The girl had woken up the second she heard Kara's cry and she reached for her daughter. Kara looked at her mother for the first time and smiled, snuggling in her arms and nuzzling at her breast. Kamara opened her nightgown and the baby was soon contently nursing.
"Why don't you bring your family here so they can meet their granddaughter?" Kamara said to Kiba.
Kiba nodded, not wanting to leave, but realizing that this was the way it was going to be. He would only be a peripheral part of Kara's life, not a central one. Kome walked him back to the portal and he returned to the dens.
Myma ran to meet her son when she saw him approaching, with Tsume and Toboe following close behind. "Son, is she born yet?"
"Yes, Mom. She is so beautiful. They want you to come and see her." Kiba said, but his voice was sad.
"What's wrong? Is the baby okay? Kamara?"
"No, everyone is fine. The baby is perfect." Kiba assured them. "I just didn't want to leave her and then I realized that I am only going to be small part of her life. Mom, I loved her the moment I saw her, and when I held her…" Tears suddenly appeared and Myma held her son against her shoulder.
Tsume looked grim and Toboe stared at the ground. He had never seen his brother cry before and it made him feel very helpless. After a few minutes, Kiba got control of himself once again and brushed his tears away.
"Come on, let's go meet my daughter." He said, trying to keep his voice light.
Within a few minutes, they were in the Village and walking to the little house where Kamara and Kiba lived. Kouga and his family were still on the porch, having been joined by Hiten and Serafin and Mirago and Sango. Kaoru and Kenshin were there with their son, Kenji. Introductions were made all around.
Toboe looked up at the tall wolves, Kouga and Kome. If it weren't for the headband, he would have never been able to tell them apart. Hiten radiated power and when he asked his father, he was told that Hiten was a Thunder Demon and the father of Aniki, whom he had already met along with Kamui. Tekku came outside and brought everyone inside to see the baby and Kamara.
Many congratulations and oh's and ah's were heard, and Myma asked if she could hold Kara. Kamara nodded and held the baby for her to take. Before she could take her, Kara wriggled free of the blanket and dropped to the bed. Kamara shrieked and Kiba dove for his daughter, but it wasn't baby that stood unharmed on the blanket, but a wolf pup. She could transform!
A black pup with deep blue eyes stared up at her father and then wagged her tail at him.
"She can change to a wolf!" Kamara exclaimed, then she started laughing, "I sure hope she changes back when she wants dinner again!"
Kiba scooped up the pup and held her up. She tried to lick his nose, whimpering to get free. "She's going to be a handful!"
"Yes, and I have no idea how to raise a wolf. So hopefully you will be around a lot to help out." Kamara said to him.
Kiba looked at her and a wide smile spread across his face.
"I'll be here as much as you want me to be."
He set Kara down on the bed and she walked to her mother. Kamara picked her up and she transformed into a baby immediately. "She knows! To be human with me and a wolf with you!"
"You know, I've been thinking," Kouga began, "Maybe while Kara is growing up, you should live here. It will be easy for you to visit your parents whenever you want to, now that the portals are in place."
Kiba looked at his father, who nodded. "I would like that very much," he turned to Tekku, "as long as that's alright with you."
"It would be great! I have no idea how to raise a wolf pup at all. I barely have an idea of how to raise a baby! After all, Kamara and I are only 14." Tekku exclaimed. "You would be more than welcomed!"
"Well, I'm only 16." Kiba admitted. "We can learn together."
"Can I come to visit you?" Toboe asked.
Kiba tousled his brother's hair. "Any time you want. Mom and Dad too."
Kara squirmed out of Kamara's arms and changed back to a wolf, walking to her Daddy. Kiba picked her up. "Kara, you are the most beautiful baby in the world, in both your forms!"
Kara covered his face with licks of a very wet puppy tongue and Kiba burst into laughter. His daughter was one of a kind!
Kagome smiled at them, and took Kouga's hand, leading him to the porch. The sun was just beginning to set, turning the sky to gold. She looked out over the Village. Her own house and her family all around her. Sango and Miroku and their daughter Mirago lived side by side. Kenshin and Kaoru and their new son along with Sanosuke and Katsu, all living in peace and harmony. Hiten and Serafin. Her friends and family was all around her.
"This land is so magical." Kagome said.
Kouga smiled, "Of course it is. It's Otherworld!"