Purple Petals

AN: Oh the usual. Sorry it took forever to update, but I had a lot of things going on. I finally got Skye up with me for one heh. No comment on that. Also, I'm not at home at the current moment. I moved out of my house, and am staying with a friend until my plane for Michigan leaves Monday night. From there, I have to get a new computer, actually I'm getting a laptop ^_^ Cool ne? Anyway, disclaimer as follows, I don't own the characters associated with Inuyasha and co. I just borrow them temporarily lol.


Chapter 14

Things had begun to settle down some what in the few days that'd passed. The group had managed to collect three more shards, but the rate at which they were finding them was starting to make everyone tense. It had been over a week and a half since the last shard they'd gotten, so naturally Inuyasha was bitching as usual.

"Almost two weeks, Kagome! Why is it taking so long for you to find the damn shards? I knew we shouldn't have brought those wolves along, they're slowing us down!" Inuyasha grumbled, walking with his arms tucked into the sleeves of his haori as he walked along the path a few feet infront of the others. Kouga growled, his tail snapping irratedly as he bared his fangs at the back of the silver haired hanyou, but he stopped as he felt a soft warm hand on his forearm, his eyes meeting the gentle green ones of his mate as she shook her head at him, before the male ookami growled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Keh. Get over yourself Inukuro. If there are no shards for Kagome to sense in this area, then let's just go somewhere else. Gods, you're an idiot. Guess that's what a lot of innerbreeding will do to you." Inuyasha snarled, fangs bared, claws extended as he whirled around, swipping at the wolf just at the brown male smirked and jumped easily out of his way.

"We need shards, why don't you shut the hell up and let me tear out the ones in your legs!" Inuyasha snarled, making another swipe.

"Inuyasha, OSUWARI!" Kagome cried. Inuyasha yelped, his face making immediate contact with the ground under him.

"Keh. Serves you right curr." Kouga said, stepping on his head as he walked over him.

"Come on, we're all restless having come so far with such little to show for it. Perhaps it would be a wise decision if we rested, perhaps for some food and relaxation?" Miroku suggested. Kagome's eyes widened as she clapped her hands to her chest, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"That would be a wonderful idea! Inuyasha needs to cool down anyway. Great idea Miroku." Kagome beamed.

"I could go for a break too. We have been walking for a long while. Where should we head from here? There doesn't seem to be any shards around here, so maybe we should think about expanding our search." Ayame suggested.

"Hm...I agree. We should decide our next course of action after we rest. Perhaps Kagome has more of her fascinating foods from her era she would be willing to share with us." Miroku asked as Kagome blushed.

"Actually...I kinda left the backpack with the food in it back at Kaede's. I didn't know how long we'd be gone this time and it was heavy. Gomen." Kagome said apologetically.

"Fear not, milady. Then I shall enlist the talents of my training to find us a suitable place for food and rest. Follow me." Miroku said, turning and leading the way towards the exit of the forest. Ayame's nose wrinkled as she looked at her mate.

"Is that smoke I smell?" She asked as he smiled at her and nodded.

"It would appear so." He stated, before turning to frown suspisciously at the monk. "To a ningen village? With demons within the group? Not a good idea monk." Kouga warned as the black haired young man shook his head.

"Nonsense, you mean no harm, no harm shall come out of it."

"Unless the tricky bastard is intending to swindle another inn keeper out of a free meal and a place to stay." Inuyasha added.

"Ah, I see our hanyou friend has recovered from his affliction." Miroku said smoothly.

"AFFLICTION?! I'LL GIVE YOU AN AFFLICTION YOU LYING, DOUBLE CROSSING, CHEATING, SON OF A-"

"INUYASHA! OSUWARI!"

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"Do you want anymore to eat Ayame?" Kagome asked with a smile as she sat down beside the red headed she wolf, folding her legs indian style as she sat upon the wooden floor. Ayame smiled as she shook her head, smiling greatfully at the black haired miko.

"I'm fine. Arigatou Kagome-chan. I couldn't eat another bite."

"I'm surprised the villagers were so nice to take in so many demons all at once. It's refreshing to see there are some villages out there that do not judge upon rumor and sterotypes." Sango said.

"This is the first ningen village I've been in. Usually wolf demons only encounter humans when we're hunting or when they wander into our territory. I know there are some packs that actually hunt and eat humans..." Ayame began warily as Kagome shivered.

"Yea....well...they change their mind a lot sometimes too. Besides, you can't judge a person solely on their past mistakes. People, even demons, can learn to change their ways." Kagome said with a warm smile.

"Take Kouga and Inuyasha for example." Sango added.

"Perfect examples really. Kouga's pack used to hunt and eat humans, and Inuyasha just used to be nothing but trouble." Kagome said with a deep sigh. "He even tried to kill me the first time we met. Thank goodness for Kaede and her rosary."

"Speak for yourself!" Inuyasha grumbled as he walked in. He wasted no time, expressing his sour mood for the others to see clearly.

"What's the matter with you?" Kagome asked, narrowing her eyes irratedly as the dog eared boy just shot her a glare.

"None of your damn business."

"Inuyasha is just high strung. He has a lot of energy to work out, and no where to express them through. The patrol around the inn and the forest surround the village proved quite unsatisfying." Miroku stated, slipping into the hut as well, Kouga right behind him.

"Kouga? Where are Ginta and Hakkaku?" Ayame asked, rising to her feet as she noticed the lack of the other two browns.

"I sent them back. They'd only get themselves hurt if we went up against Naraku and Kagura again. I hope your Grandfather doesn't mind, but I sent them back to the North. They'll deliver the news to your pack about us being mates and about what Naraku has done to our first litter." Kouga stated as Ayame nodded silently at him.

"Come on, it grows late. Perhaps we should rest for the night. We obtained three room, to which Kouga and Ayame may take one, and Sango and myself will take another, leaving the last for Inuyasha and Kagome." Miroku said as Sango's eye twitched, Kagome and Inuyasha's cheeks reddening.

"Kagome and I will share a room thank you. Hentai." Sango said, walking out of the room as Inuyasha growled, glaring darkly at the monk, his amber eyes promising pain and lots of it as the monk gulped.

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"They always like that?" Ayame asked as Kouga sighed, his shoulders slumping forward slightly.

"All the time. Least the monk anyway. I've never really spent a great deal of time around them. Only visiting them whenever I-" He stopped, closing his mouth suddenly.

"I know Kouga. Whenever you came to see Kagome?" Ayame asked as the black haired male nodded.

"Hai."

"Don't worry about it. I understand you don't have the same feelings for her anymore that you used to. It's ok to talk about her infront of me. I don't mind." Ayame said softly. He smiled as he looked at her, slipping his arm around the back of her waist. He leaned over, licking the edge of her finely pointed ear.

"In the past. Not anymore." He reminded her. "Speaking of which...How's your stomach doing mate?" Kouga asked, gently rubbing her belly.

"Fine. The soreness is fading more and more each day. It doesn't hurt so much anymore." She said, looking up at him.

"Good. Come on, you need your rest mate." He growled playfully, nipping her nose.

"How do you think my family will take the news?" She asked softly as they entered the room they'd be sharing for the night. Kouga sighed as he sat down on the floor mat beside her.

"Which news?"

"Both I guess. I mean...I imagine Grandfather and the others will be happy for us...that we're happily mated...but they'll mourn our pups, just like we are." Ayame stated softly, laying down upon the mat as Kouga lay behind her, his arms wrapped protectively around her.

"Hm...yes I imagine so. Don't worry about it koi. Sleep." He said, nuzzling her neck. Her eyes slid closed as she tilted her neck into the gently show of affection, sighing softly as his hand slid down her stomach, his fingers spread across her abdomen. "You know...."

"Hm?" She asked, opening her eyes to look over her shoulder up at him, her breath catching in her throat at the playful expression in his eyes.

"Ayame. We have the room to ourselves." He reminded her, licking the side of her neck. "Are you still sore?" He asked huskily as the female wolf's cheeks reddened, her face growing hotter. It had been weeks since they'd last mated after all, but she didn't know if she was ready to do it again. After what had happened and all...

"Kouga...I'm not in heat anymore though." She said softly. He smirked, flashing a cocky fanged smirk at her.

"I know."

"Then why-"

"Ayame, I took you as my mate when you were in heat. You had doubts that it was all it was because of Naraku's ploy and manipulation of us both. That's not the case and I'm gonna prove it." He said with a smile, kissing her ear. "By mating with you out of season. Unless you don't want me to. Are you still hurt?" He asked, massaging her stomach gently.

Green eyes slid closed as her lips parted softly, shaking her head as she let out a content sigh.

"Alright then." He growled playfully, rolling her over.

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