The Ookami's Grudge

EDIT: Tuesday, April 7th, 2009
Author's Note 4-7-9: It figures, I get a class I SHOULD enjoy, and instead it bores me so much I edit and fix my fanfiction... ah well, c'est la vie.

The Ookami's Grudge
Chapter 2: Hunting Lessons

Life was calm, although interesting, for the next few months. The hanyou maiden would sneak away from the shrine, only to be caught by the ookami prince a couple of miles out into the forest. The first time had nearly scared the poor girl to death…

“I thought I told you not to do that!” she admonished, glaring at him with a hand over her heart, as he seemed to enjoy attempting to startle her every time they met. She glared at the ookami heir heatedly, causing him to only laugh in amusement.

Truth was, he enjoyed spooking her, and it always got a rise out of the girl. “Have you thought about what I said?” he inquired, patting her head `affectionately' with his other hand on his hip.

`Biki glared at him and pushed his hand away. “Stop treating me like a pup.” She snapped, then calmed down, holding up the basket she carried. “I brought lunch.” She offered with a smile, ignoring his question.

The young slip of a girl always amused him, thinking her trifle little lunch would satisfy his hunger, but he humored her. She thought the token kept him from attacking the village - or perhaps, herself - so he played along. “Mmn.” He eyed her instead of the basket, causing her to fidget.

Eyeing him hesitantly, `Biki then turned and made her way towards a nearby stream and sat down before opening the basket. He was surprised to realize that his nose hadn't failed him. There wasn't stew, this time, but rather freshly cooked rabbit - still warm. “…Who hunted this?” He inquired, not believing the slip of a girl in front of him was capable of hunting properly.

“…” She glanced away. “...One of the villagers brought it as an offering to the shrine…” she admitted, blushing brightly.

He smirked. I knew it, he thought. “Well then, that old man isn't going to be around forever. We need to rectify this.” He said, adding as he reached in and broke off a piece of the rabbit “After Lunch.”

`Biki blinked a little, watching him, then giggled, lifting a hand to hide the giggle. The wolf found himself entranced for a moment - he'd never heard her giggle before. He'd heard her laugh, but the giggle was different. There was nothing forced or fake or nervous about it; it was pure, and he found his blood beast rumbling pleasantly in response.

“And how are we going to 'rectify this'?” She inquired, beginning to nibble on her own piece of rabbit.

It took him a moment to respond, but he shook himself and grinned. “I'm going to teach you to Hunt, girl.” He stated pointedly in a voice that booked no argument.

She blinked and looked at him with an arched brow. “…Hunt?” she echoed, confused.

“You don't think the villagers will continue to bring donations to the shrine once he's gone, do you? There's no one, which they know of, to take over when he's gone.”

She blinked at him, before looked away… looking thoughtful. “I… never thought about that before.” She admitted.

“See! You need to be prepared, girl!” The wolf responded smugly.

`Biki smirked suddenly and leaned towards him, having grown a little more emboldened with time as her `friendship' with the wolf continued through the past few months. “Are you telling me, I won't always have an ookami looking over my shoulder to jump in and protect me?” she inquired, knowing full well he was the reason she'd survived the attack by the oni the previous week.

Kouga blinked and sputtered. “!!! I don't know what you're talking about!” He denied heatedly, a blush stealing over his cheeks. He'd decided back within the first month after meeting the girl that if anyone was going to kill her, it would be him… and only when he grew bored with her.

She merely smirked smugly before going back to their shared meal, humming softly around her bites.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Alright - Lesson one: Stealth and tracking” Kouga explained, walking with her through the forest. “You seem to already have the basics of stealth down, since you've gone unseen and unnoticed for a few decades at least.” He smirked and ruffled her hair between her ears, earning him a low annoyed growled from the girl. “Let's elaborate on that, and don't growl at your teacher, especially a wolf.” He warned with a wolfish grin at her.

“Not unless you plan on challenging him or her, anyway.” He tapped her nose then and she rolled her eyes. “Alright, now listen up. Stay here, wait for the count of 30, then I want you to track and catch me.” He said, at her uncertain nod, he took off into the trees.

`Biki stood there uncertainly a moment, then sighed and started counting softly. When she reached thirty, she started walking in the general direction he went in. She sniffed the air lightly, then sighed and glared down at the ground, frowning. “…damn it.” She grumbled.
Taking a deep breath she set her hands on her hips and looked around in thought. “Tracking, huh? Guess I have to do it the human way……Perhaps I should have told him -why- I don't know how to hunt..” she looked skyward in thought, trying to remember if she'd overheard any of the villagers teaching their runts about hunting.

Coming up blank, she grumbled and started walking as silently as possible.

Kouga, meanwhile, watched her from a few yards away, frowning deeply. His blood beast was just as annoyed as he was. She had the stealth, but unless she learned to Track, then she'd starve.

And that wasn't allowed.

Quietly, he decided to train her like some of the more stubborn pups were trained in the Packs. He stalked her. He was impressed on how light any impressions she made on the land was, but he could still find them. The fact that he could see her helped, too

One of those soft looking ears twitched and turned, as if catching the sound of something and she frowned, turning to look around her. She was suddenly on alert, feeling as if she was being watched. Run, something inside her screamed and she listened, taking off as fast as she could, heading in the direction she thought the shrine was at.

So much for trusting that her only companion for the last few months would be there to protect her.

To say he was surprised when she bolted was an understatement, but before he even thought more on it, he was off like a firecracker behind her. A predatory glint in his eye as he chased her down, herding her away from the shrine and further into the forest.

His blood beast howled in his mind with the pleasure of the chase, and he had to admit he was enjoying it as well. The only part he disliked was the fear in her scent. Deciding to end the girl's terror, he sped up and wrapped his arms around her waist, purposely dropping his weight and turning so they landed with him on his back. He rolled until he had her pinned, and leaned his head down to sniff at the back of her neck.

Gently he nuzzled his cheek against the back of her head. “Shhh.” He rumbled to calm her, her scream of fright when he'd grabbed her still echoing in his mind and around them.

At the sound of his voice, she calmed, but was still shaking. She didn't fight him when he shifted his weight and rolled her over onto her back under him. “It's okay...You're safe.”

By the way she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face against his chest, he assumed she didn't realize he'd been the one chasing her, and decided to leave it at that. Bracing his weight on one arm, he used his now free hand to stroke her hair gently. “Shhh, `Biki, you're safe.” He repeated, moving his arm down to curl around her, cradling her smaller form to his comfortingly.

She whimpered softly and clung to him for what seemed like a long time before she slowly released her hold, looking up at him with tear rimmed eyes. “I was so scared, Kouga-san..” she murmured.

The image before him was too much for him to resist. He leaned forward and gently brushed his lips over her eyes as she closed them before settling upon her own petal soft lips…