Purple Petals

Disclaimer: Still don't and probably never will, own any of the Inuyasha characters.


The wait was an anxious and stressful one as Ayame awaited Kagome’s return. The human priestess hadn’t fully been clear on where she was going... some place she called her time... but it made no sense to the young demoness. Still, Kagome had promised to return with something to help them get to the bottom of this whole pregnancy business. She dared not get her hopes up, but just the thought of it made her weak in the knees. Could it be that she still carried? Could she still be with pup?

It had seemed like hours since Kagome had departed, and Ayame took shelter inside the privacy of the old miko’s hut. This Kaede woman, who’s knowledge of herbs and other things she refered to as medicines, amazed Ayame. But more than anything, she was afraid to leave the hut until Kagome came back. More so, she was afraid of having to speak to Kouga before she knew anything for certain.

Knowing her mate, he’d be just as anxious, if not more so, than she was right now. But she didn’t want to get his hopes up... she just couldn’t do that to him. If it all turned out to be a mistake, having to see his face light up only to crush those hopes just as swiftly would break her heart.

Ayame let out a troubled sigh as she stopped her pacing back and forth inside the hut. She walked over to the far wall, her back steady against it as she sank to the floor. She needed to calm herself. Getting excited wouldn’t make Kagome return any faster. Besides... she was afraid for herself. What if this test thing Kagome spoke of was right? What if it was wrong? Would she be able to raise a pup in such dangerous times? What if she weren’t pregnant, and she could never carry ever again? She closed her eyes, resting her head back against the wall as she let out a broken sob.

Kaede came back inside carrying a bucket of water and looked up at the sound of Ayame’s heart broken sob. The young demoness wasn’t crying outright... she just seemed very troubled and dangerously on the edge of breaking.

“You poor dear. Is there anything I can do for thee?” Kaede asked, setting the bucket of water down before dipping a small wooden bowl into it. “Here dear... have a drink of water. It will calm ye.” The old woman advised, handing the troubled red head the wooden bowl. Graciously Ayame accepted it, taking a shaky sip of the cool and refreshing water.

“Thank you, for everything. I’m just.... nervous.” Ayame confessed, her eyes on the small reflection in the bowl of water.

“It’s understandable child. But do not fear... things shall work themselves out. They always do. And be patient, for Kagome shall return in no time at all.” Kaede said kindly.

“Thank you.” Silence passed between the miko and demon for several long minutes, until Ayame couldn’t take it anymore. She needed fresh air... the wide open air of outside, regardless of who may be waiting just outside the door. She would take the risk of running into Kouga, or anyone else for that matter, she would face their questions... she just needed to stretch her legs and clear her head.

“I need to step outside for some fresh air. Thank you for the water.” Ayame said with a polite bow of her head as the elder woman nodded with a smile. Ayame headed out of the hut, sweeping the straw mat aside and taking a deep breath of the fresh air of the village. The smell of humans moving about their daily lives... the smell of smoke from the tops of huts keeping the occupants warm... the smell of meat cooking over an open fire... the smell of runnng water... the smell of the forest beyond the village. All of it was soothing, and calmed her down slightly.

“That’s better.” She said with a gentle smile.

Paranoia and anxiety wriggled their ugly way through the male wolf demon's bones, it was unnerving, and waiting around wasn't helping. He sat at the base of a tree that was just on the outskirts of the village. He remembered watching as Kagome rode off on her... weird pink contraption, and that the girl had said something about being back soon. Yeah yeah waiting... fun.

Unfortunately it was the only thing he could do. Kouga hated waiting... he at least liked to see some progress. He wanted to see Ayame. He had his arms crossed over his chest in disappointment and continued glaring at the woods, playing the waiting game. Suddenly a familiar voice rang from his other side and Kouga just wanted to punch the source of that voice.

"You know sitting around here and moping certainly isn't getting you anywhere."

"Fuck off Dog Shit," Kouga snapped, "No one asked you."

Inuyasha scoffed, "Keh... does the truth hurt?"

Kouga rolled his blue eyes, "Whatever comes out of your mouth right now just sounds like garbage, you are not my concern at the moment."

"Well then stop sitting around whining about it and actually do something about it," Inuyasha snapped back with a growl.

Kouga was about to retort with something ugly and uncalled for when a familiar scent grew stronger on the wind. He didn't feel comfortable going inside of the human village, but anything to catch up with Ayame and at least sort of find out what the hell was going on. He gave InuYasha a rude gesture after he picked himself up off of the ground and dashed in the direction of Ayame's scent.

She was outside. Quickly he followed the source of Ayame's very distinct smell and caught sight of her just outside of one of the human huts.

He strode over to her and took her hands into his, bringing them close to his chest.

"My wild flower," he spoke softly with a small smile, "I can see the anxiety in your eyes and I feel it in my heart... please tell me what is going on?"

Ayame gasped as her mate rushed to her side, taking hold of her hands, and looking deep into her troubled eyes. She wasn't surprised to see the same worry in his eyes that she was certain was deep in her own. She had caught his scent as he'd begun to approach, and for fear of the rejection he'd go through, she had forced herself to stay put. Now... she was glad she had.

"Kouga.." Ayame couldn't keep her tone steady, her voice was soft and gentle. But it wasn't fair to keep this from him, even if it would only spare him pain if it went down that road. Above all else, she had to tell him something.

"The old woman thinks maybe..." She hesitated, averting her eyes as she struggled to put into words what she was afraid to tell him. She didn't want to get his hopes up... but she couldn't keep him in the dark. "The old miko thinks perhaps I might still... be with pup." She said, but she wouldn't give him the chance to interupt as she quickly jumped to explain more.

"But I don't want you to get your hopes up, they're not sure. That's why Kagome is going to... what she called her era. I'm not familar with the land, but... she said she would come back with something that will let us know for sure..." She trailed off nervously, awaiting his response.

Kouga blinked a few times in shock and confusion, the anxiety churning in a big bundle inside his gut. He couldn't believe his ears. She might not have lost the pups? Don't get his hopes up? He swallowed the nervous lump in his throat, "Are you serious?"

How could he not get his hopes up? This was his mate, his love, and there was a possibility that their children, the tiny lives that they created... were probably alive. This was indeed a blessing.

He reached over and tilted her head up to look him in the eyes, "Ayame... hope is all we have right now. If you are still with pup then it is a blessing, if not... then we can always try again."


Ayame was speechless as her chin was tilted, her eyes gazing into his beautiful blue ones, so full of hope and excitement. She smiled, unable to help herself as she stared at him.

"Kouga... of course this is a blessing. I'm just afraid of getting my hopes up and having them crushed all over again. What if it's not the case? What if we get all excited.. but..." She trailed off, her eyes growing heavy with tears.

"Kouga, I don't want to break your heart again. I want to give you a family... it's all I ever dreamed about."

Kouga shook his head, wiping the tears from Ayame's eyes, "My wild flower... worst case scenario, we will try again." He pulled her into his arms so that they were fully embraced. He gently stroked his fingers through her thick red hair, occassionally brushing his finger tips against the vibrant purple iris in her hair.

"Do not be ashamed," he whispered, "I love you no matter what... pups or none, we will stick together through thick and thin. I made that commitment to you when I gave you the mark that binds us."

He paused and looked down into her eyes, "Aishiteru... Ayame."

yame smiled as she nodded in agreement with him, her eyes shining with relief. He was all she could have ever asked for in a mate, and it didn't matter how it was they came that way, they were together now. Wolves mate for life.. they had forever together.

"God... could you do us all a favor and try to keep yourself under control and your pelts on your body, wolf." Inuyasha's voice remarked from behind as the silver haired hanyou came up behind the two wolves, his arms folded over his chest, his hands hidden in the sleeves.

Ayame glanced at Inuyasha over Kouga's shoulder before looking back at her mate. Would there ever be just one day where they could go without breaking out into some kind of fight? Physical or verbal?

Kouga turned his head at the sound of the hanyou's voice. He pulled Ayame closer to him in a more protective fashion than anything else. Not that the female wolf demon needed protecting from the mutt, but they had been sharing a moment together... and InuYasha had some nerve interrupting them.

"You have no respect for the sanctity of others," Kouga snapped, narrowing his blue eyes on the half demon. "Ayame needed the comforting embrace and soothing voice of her life mate, how dare you try and intrude on our bonds. I should beat your face in for your lack of respect... you ungrateful cur."

"Oh, go chase your tail, you fleabag." Inuyasha remarked, with a roll of his eyes. Still, amber eyes fell upon the red headed female, his facial expression blank as he turned his attention to her. "Thought you might like to know Kagome just got back. She'll be heading on her way as we speak." He said before looking back at Kouga.

"I figured she'd want to hear about Kagome's return instead of your love sick prattling... yaseookami." Inuyasha added.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were jealous Inuyasha." Ayame said with a smile. But the hanyou just laughed, shaking his head.

"Hardly. Whatever floats your fleet there... Princess..." Inuyasha said a bit sarcastically, waving his hand over his head. "But mushy stuff isn't my thing. And if that's what I have to look forward to after being mated... you can count me out. I'd rather fight Naraku and Sesshoumaru together, at the same time, without my Tetsusaiga... rather than be tied down acting like a love sick fool. No thanks!"

Kouga was filled with rage at the hanyou's words. He had dared to step across that sacred boundary. No one insulted the bonds between him and his mate... no matter what. A low gutral growl escaped from his throat and his fists dropped from around Ayame, clenching them at his sides in fury.

"Fuck having to take on such pathetic demons... you have crossed me for the last time Inukorro!" Kouga shouted, and in a blinding dash he leaped forward tackling the hanyou to the ground. Proper fighting stances cast away, Kouga was ready to fight dirty. Mid tackle Kouga made sure that he had the half demon's arms pinned down and used all his demonic force to hold him down. With a roaring howl, Kouga flashed fangs and blood started flying as Kouga bit down onto InuYasha's shoulder.

Inuyasha cried out in started pain before a growl of furious rage overtook him. His eyes flashed red at the edged at the sudden attack, and the pain of fangs tearing into his shoulder. He struggled against the bastard, his arms pinned at his sides, but he couldn't break free.

"Damn you, you son of a bitch!" Inuyasha roared, knocking his against the side of Kouga's as hard as he could. He couldn't use his arms but that didn't mean he couldn't use his head, literally.

"Kouga!" Ayame cried, her eyes wide as she watched the two male fighting in the dirt below her. Inuyasha had crossed the line, insulting Kouga like he had, but that was to be expected. It was the hanyou's way of trying to make himself cold to what he knew to be true. That Kouga was happy with someone, who loved him back and shared that affection, and Inuyasha was not.

Kagome came up the path, her eyes wide as she barely caught what was going on. The large yellow backpack swung back and forth across her backside as she ran up to the commotion. Kouga and Inuyasha, fighting as usual... but they'd never fought this wildly. Kagome suddenly realized just how much she'd underestimated her friends... they were after all, demons.

"Inuyasha! Kouga! Stop!" Kagome cried in vain, concern and worry plastered across her face as she struggled with what to do. Sango and Miroku came over to see what was going on, Kilala hissing at the two canines from her perch on the taijiya's shoulder.

"What's going on? Are they trying to rip each other's throats out?" Sango cried, gripping her boomerang tassle. "Should I try to break them up?" She suggested.

Inuyasha snarled as he smacked Kouga's head yet again, before turning his head, snapping his own fangs at Kouga's outstretched neck. He couldn't get a hold of it, but his teeth broke the skin a few times as he struggled to get a mouthful of his throat.

"KOUGA! INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed at the top of her lungs, but it didn't seem to do any good. "What do we do?"

Ayame lifted her head, letting out a loud but smooth howl that echoed around the village, the note carrying long on the wind.

Kouga ignored the pain as InuYasha bashed his head into him, and even with the call of his mate behind him, attempting to soothe his inner beast that was threatening more and more to rip out of his body and just tear this half demon to shreads. No. Nothing would make him let go, not until he was ready. This was one of the things he had wanted for a very long time... just to mutilate the hanyou. For no other reason other than he was annoying, had a big mouth, and thought he was just Billy Badass.

Kouga clamped his teeth down harder and with his legs pinched in to hold InuYasha's body, his hands now free he reached out and took a firm hold of InuYasha's head from under his jaw and thrust it backwards into the dirt. His other hand clenching into a fist and repeatedly started punching the half demon in the side, as fast as his muscles could move. When he felt a lilt in the other males body he stopped his pounding and quickly jumped back.

InuYasha was still breathing and Kouga heard a growl come from the hanyou's throat. He returned it with a louder intensity of anger, "No one... insults me and my mate... next time... I'll kill you. You're lucky... dog shit... that I didn't take your life."

Kagome watched on in horror, her hands covering her mouth as she watched Kouga violently attack Inuyasha, not giving the hanyou a chance to defend himself. Her brown eyes filled with tears as he finally got off of him, making some snap about how lucky he was not to be dead. With a painfilled cry, Kagome collapsed forward, falling to Inuyasha's side as she delicately brushed his bangs out of his eyes, before looking down at the bloody mess that was his shoulder.

It didn't matter who started it... she had a pretty good idea who... but the point was Inuyasha wouldn't have reacted nearly as violently as Kouga did. The young priestess was torn between what to do. If she demanded Kouga to leave, she wouldn't be able to give Ayame the test she really wanted. She wouldn't find her answers. But she couldn't just let this pass. Kagome glanced up, her eyes locking apologetically on Ayame.

"I'll give you the test..." She said kindly, before turning ice cold eyes on the brown male. "Get out of here Kouga! Now! Just... go wait outside the village!" Kagome screamed in fury, nothing like she'd ever experienced before. Kagome had been mad times in her life, but this was something new all together. Now she glowed with the spiritual power she possessed.

"Is he going to be ok?" Ayame asked, her green eyes dark with sorrow. This was all her fault. She never should have come outside. Kouga couldn't help it, he was acting on instincts to defend his mate's honor... but right at that moment, her entire body was trembling with fear. For the first time in her life, she was afraid of her mate's anger.

"He should be." Sango said, kneeling down beside the hanyou who was growling, low but still there. Inuyasha was so bruised, bloody, and beaten he was out of it, barely conscious of what was going on. Still, stubborn as always, the hanyou was holding his side even as he tried to sit up.

"You..... son of a...... bitch... keh." The hanyou spat as he turned his head to the side, a small splatter of red spreading out across the dirt. "Cheap shot.... not even..... letting me.... defend myself...." He struggled, biting back the pain burning in his lungs. Damn it, he probably had a couple of bruised ribs, if they weren't cracked or broken. He wouldn't be surprised if he had a punctured lung either.

"I'm going back inside." Ayame murmered softly under her breath, turning around and heading back towards the doormat.

Quickly Kouga stepped over and wrapped his arm protectively around Ayame's shoulder.

"Do any of you understand what the hell is going on?" he snapped towards the rest of the group that was around them. "I guess not..."

He looked down into Ayame's eyes, and the fear that he saw present there both excited him and frightened him at the same time. He meant everything he had done to the half demon. He was protecting his and his mate's honor... someone had to put that brat in his place, and he felt damn good to be the one to do so.

"Meh," Kouga spat, "You deserved it dog shit..."

He could feel that he was unwelcome here... and that unsettled him. Kagome had never yelled at him like that before... and for the first time... he didn't care. He narrowed his eyes at her, after all she was just a human... priestess or not... he was a demon and no longer had any emotional ties to her.

"I will stay where I am needed..." he growled out lowly, "and no one will convince me otherwise. I know my place... and it's with Ayame. I refuse to leave her..."
He turned to his mate looking into her eyes, his expression softening, "I will only go if she wants me to... and her alone."

Ayame gasped silently as she stared at her mate, caught in the middle of what was going on. She sighed, leaning against his shoulder as she looked apologetically at the others. It wasn't fair that this was her decision to make... and she was still slightly scared of him to begin with.

"As much as I don't want to admit it, Kouga has a point. I mean about Ayame. If she needs him here..." She sighed as she shook her head.

Kagome glared at the brown wolf demon as she helped Inuyasha to his feet, and all but dragged the hanyou inside. Inuyasha would have put up a bigger fight than he did, if he wasn't so banged up.

"This isn't over wolf." Inuyasha snarled, rage burning in his eyes. Kagome glanced back at the two wolf demons before smiling faintly at Ayame. "I've got the test for you inside." She said as she disappeared into the hut.

"Kouga..." Ayame began hesitantly before letting out a troubled sigh. "Nevermind." She turned away from him, heading back into the hut.