Underneath The Hunter's Moon

A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews guys. Please read and review for me. Enjoy the next chapter.

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Bright, green eyes blinked in surprise, but she quickly recovered and quietly asked, “You called me, Ayame. Is that my name?”

“Of course, it's your name. What in the hell kind of game are you playing at, woman?” Kouga demanded, his anger growing even hotter than before. “Your grandfather and your tribe mourned you, and yet, here you are and in the company of these strangers. Have you no compassion for your grandfather?”

The female known as Ana opened her mouth to speak, but found that the urge to sob had taken over. Shaking her head, she allowed her tears to slowly course down her face and jumped when she felt a pair of strong hands upon her shoulders. She didn't even need to look up to see who was touching her. She would know his scent anywhere.

The large male bared his fangs at Kouga and gently brought Ana into his chest. When he felt that he had a handle on his temper, the male growled, “She doesn't know who you are or where she comes from. When she arrived here, she was nearly dead, and I am the one whom you will speak to from this point on. You will not upset Ana.”

“Ayame.” Kouga snapped. “The bitch's name is Ayame.”

The large male released Ana from his embrace and would have approached Kouga, but Gregor's voice was heard.

“Leave him, Griffin. Take Ana back into her den and try to calm her. I will explain her condition to the newcomers.” Gregor said, a grim expression upon his face.

Griffin grunted, but then turned and grasped Ana's upper arm. Without another backwards glance, he led her into her den and was out of sight when Gregor slowly turned and addressed Kouga.

“First of all, we are gentlemen here. Females are not bitches. Second, I don't know what she was called before she came here, but we call her Ana, and you will address her in the same way. She doesn't know you. She doesn't know how she came to be here, and I will not allow you to bring back the memories that caused her to run so far away from the protection of her pack.” Gregor said, his tone hard.

Now Kouga was the one who was amused. “Are you serious? You actually believe that she lost her memory? That 'female' has harassed me to mate her for a very long time. She left the den because I rejected her in favor of Kagome. This is simply her way of getting back at her grandfather and tribe for not making me mate her.”

Gregor lifted his eyebrow. “I would have thought that Ana would have much better taste, but then again, after what we found her wearing, it would make sense that she would go after an animal. Well, she belongs to me, now. She is mine to give and I have already betrothed her to Griffin. So, it will relieve you to know she will not be gifting you with her attention, any further.” He replied. He noticed that the others had still not been given a den and he could hear Kagome's growls growing louder. The potion worked, but for only a very short time. Her pain was returning and it didn't help that she was growing hungry.

Calling out to another female, he directed the young girl to show Kouga and the others to dens, but made it clear for Kouga to stay away from Ana. The leader of the wolf tribe seemed intent on provoking the female, and he wanted Ana to feel safe. Her nightmares had been vicious, and he could only hope that this male did not cause them to return. One female screaming through the night was enough.

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Hot. It was so hot. Kagome could feel her entire body burning, hurting, and yet changing. She flexed her hands and winced when she felt the tips of her claws dig into her palms. The man, Gregor, seemed to care that she was hurting and had sat with her for a few moments, before he quickly got up and hurried from the den.

Now, she could feel the pain returning and she began to growl. It hurt so much. Why was this happening to her? Why was she the one who always got hurt? Or kidnapped? She never saw Sango going through this.

She could hear Gregor's voice and she wanted to snarl. The man had placed his hands upon her and held her down, barking at her and calling her a bitch, yet he told Kouga that they didn't call females 'bitch' at this tribe, but perhaps that was only towards their own members. Well, she would not let him get away with it.

Slowly, she sat up and growled loudly when the pain became nearly too much. But, she could not stop. She would not stop. She was so hungry, and only craved one thing. Something rich, dark, and warm. Something that would flow down her throat and satisfy her hunger.

She could hear Inu Yasha yelling and a smirk formed upon her lips. All she had to do is wait. Wait for the fight that would inevitably begin and then, she would take her chance.

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Kikyo and Sango watched with wide eyes as Inu Yasha growled and hissed at his elder brother. “Who in the hell died and made you fucking alpha? Kagome is my responsibility and you just took over, without even considering that maybe her being bitten was not my fault!”

Sesshomaru simply regarded his angered brother with narrowed eyes. He hadn't noticed it before, but his brother's hair was simply a dull-looking silver, where his was a silver that seemed to glow. Perhaps it was because of his pure blood....or the fact that he bathed every day.

“Are you even listening to me?” Inu Yasha asked, his teeth clenched together. He never could understand why Sesshomaru always acted as though his shit didn't stink. Sure, he was the lord of the western lands, but he was also without a proper mate and didn't seem to like females that much. Save for that poor girl, Rin. Perhaps Sesshomaru was into guys and that was why that Jaken fuck followed him around all the time. It made sense, seeing as how he never gave any female a glance.

Kouga watched with eyes that were filled with anger. He finally got up and walked over to Sesshomaru, who was sitting on a large rock, and pointed a clawed finger at him.

“So, what do we do now?” He demanded, his tail swishing wildly behind him. “That bastard thinks that Kagome belongs to him and I don't want to stay here.”

“We must wait and let them help the miko. If you wish to leave, then do so. I, however, am staying.” Sesshomaru replied, his tone bored.

“Yeah, why don't you leave, wolf-for-brains? It isn't like you are a member of this group, anyways.” Inu Yasha jeered, his little puppy ears flicking excitedly. He was itching for something to do and fighting Kouga seemed like a good way to relieve pressure.

Kouga slowly turned to Inu Yasha and before the hanyou could react, Kouga's foot connected with the side of his head, sending him flying.

Soon, Kouga and Inu Yasha were in a brawl, and drew the attention of the whole den. Gregor moved to stop them, but was stopped by Sesshomaru.

“Let them fight it out. With any luck, they will knock each other out and leave us all in peace.” He said, his eyes never leaving the fight.

None of them noticed that Kagome was out of the bed chamber that she had been occupying. None of them noticed that she was now at the entrance of the den. And, none of them saw her turn and run down the path, to her freedom.

As the fight began to wind down, it was clear that both Kouga and Inu Yasha were exhausted. Finally, Kouga allowed one more punch to fly and hit the hanyou right between his eyes, sending Inu Yasha to his back. Finally, the victor raised his hand and then shook his head.

“I'm tired and I'm going to bed.” Kouga announced, his voice slurred with exhaustion. He moved towards his den, and saw Ayame standing at the entrance of her den. She quickly diverted her eyes and turned her back on him, and he wondered if perhaps she was truly not able to remember him. He also noticed that the male who defended her had come up and wrapped her up in his arms, his red eyes glaring at Kouga in a silent challenge. Well, the male could keep that particular female. Kouga didn't want her.

He quickly found himself standing beside what looked to be a human bed. He had seen many of them when he and his tribe raided the wealthy human villages. He ran his hand upon the soft furs and smiled. He could tell that he would have a very enjoyable night, and he needed if after the night he spent before with Kagome.

Quickly, he threw off his furs and armor, before climbing into the bed. He pulled the covers up and over his body, before settling back and allowing his tired mind to replay the events of the day. It was not right that Gregor was teaching Kagome the way of the wolf. If she was turning into a wolf, then it should be he, as her intended mate, who taught her.

However, he could not deny that he did not know or understand what she was going through. For the most part, the people in this den seemed to be very nice and caring. Even Gregor gave Kagome the kindness and patience that she needed. But, still, it hurt him to know that he could not give her the help she needed and had to rely on another male to give her comfort.

He closed his eyes and felt the stirrings of sleep beginning to take him over. He sighed and shifted a bit to get comfortable, and welcomed sleep with open arms, but suddenly, a loud howl was heard and suddenly, Kouga was wide awake.

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Gregor watched the fight with careful eyes. The hanyou was no threat to him. The wolf, however, was. He loved Kagome and would become vicious should he think that Kagome was being taken from him. Gregor wanted to see the wolf fight, and once he saw the wolf fight, he smirked. The wolf would be no threat to him.

Glancing at Sesshomaru, Gregor quickly understood that despite the similarities in scent, the full-blooded youkai and the hanyou were as different as night was from day. But, both were concerned about the girl and he would have to watch the full-blooded youkai very carefully.

Wishing his followers a good night, Gregor mentally readied himself for a night with Kagome. The girl was beautiful, and she would make an excellent addition to his people. Perhaps, even as his mate. But, first he had to get her used to his rules and his way. She must abide by his rules or else, she would go wild, and he could not have that. Her beauty be damned.

He looked over and saw Ana and Griffin in an embrace at the entrance of her den. An indulgent smile formed on his lips and he shook his head. Ana would make the perfect mate for Griffin. He was an excellent warrior and she was clearly once a fighter, herself. Her sweet nature and beauty was a perfect compliment to Griffin's dark and gruff appearance. Their children would be breath-taking.

His followers moved to their own dens, and Gregor took note that Griffin did not move towards his. Instead, the dark male simply followed Ana, and it was obvious that Ana didn't mind, at all.

As he made his way to his chambers, Gregor became aware that Kagome's scent was fading. Rushing forward, he quickly moved to the bed and yanked the covers back. Instead of finding Kagome, he found that she shoved several swatches of material underneath the covers to make it appear that she was there, but in reality, she was no where to be found.

Howling, he made his followers aware that they were needed, and when he ran into the main den, he saw all of his people, and Kagome's friends watching him. Kouga was the last to arrive, and when he did, Gregor snarled, “Kagome is gone. Find her. Find her now!”

Kouga paled. Kagome, in pain and changing, would probably be very dangerous and very unreasonable. He turned and began running towards the exit, but was stopped by Gregor.

“No.” He growled. “She dared disobey me, and will be punished accordinly. You will not interefre.”

Kouga was about to retort, but Sesshomaru's hand clamped down on his shoulder. “No. Let him deal with her in his own way. If it had been me that she disobeyed, I would deal with her in an appropriate way that would show her exactly which one of us was master. He has this right, and since you are not her mate, you do not have a say.” He said.

Kouga knew this. Kouga knew that Kagome would be punished for disobeying the master of the den. But, he didn't know what this master used as punishment. In his own den, if a female disobeyed her mate, and the crime severe enough, she would be turned onto her stomach and a set amount of smacks would fall upon her bottom, leaving the female with a stinging reminder that she should not disobey her mate. Males were not cruel to their mates, but they also did not wish to appear weak.

And so, with eyes that were filled with worry, Kouga watched as the males of the den followed their master into the night. He could only hope that Kagome enjoy her little sprint of freedom. He had a feeling that she would soon regret it.

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Kagome looked around eagerly. She could hear things that she never noticed before. She was picking up on scents that she had not realized that were there. She felt alive, despite the pain, and she didn't want to be held back.

She ran through the forest, her long hair flowing behind her and she growled her contentment. Now she knew why Sesshomaru was always acting so damn superior. She felt superior to those who could not smell, hear, or see the things she could.

She could hear all of the forest animals chattering away, warning each other of her presence and she smirked. Let them fear her. She would rip them apart and devour their little bodies if they messed with her.

Suddenly, a loud howl was heard, and Kagome paled. So, they discovered that she was gone, did they? Well, she would just have to outsmart them. She was a clever girl. Sniffing around, she caught the scent of something tasty and followed her nose, and hoped that she would have enough time to eat before having to run to avoid Gregor and his followers.

Soon, she came to a village and gasped. Villagers were lying everywhere. Their bodies torn apart and their blood coating the ground. Sniffing, Kagome began to walk around and found herself staring at a sight that made her blood chill.

Several of the village women were stripped and mutilated. Their stomachs ripped apart and she could only hope that they had been dead before this was done to them. Her fear had now defeated any arrogance that had decided to rear its head and she turned to run back the way she came.

Her feet flew over the ground, and she took no notice of the pebbles that dug into her bare feet. Sobbing and nearly hysterical over seeing such a thing, she did not notice that several beings had appeared before her and one of them ran forth and grabbed her by her upper arms.

Gregor shook Kagome hard, his anger not allowing him to recognize just how terrified she was. “Do you have any idea of how much trouble you are in, girl?” He bellowed, not caring who heard him. He gave her another violent shake and then yanked her to walk before him. “We are returning to the den, and you will receive your punishment in front of the tribe. We take you in and this is the thanks you give to us?”

Kagome whimpered, and shook her head. She was hurting so much and the memory of what she saw haunted her. The male's grip on her arm was nearly bone-breaking and only when she whimpered did he lessen his grip.

Gregor did not stop. He could not stop until he reached the den for fear of punishing her now and losing control. She had scared him and needed to know just how wrong she was. His followers said not one word. They knew not to.

The walk to the den was a quiet one, save for Kagome's sobs and whines. As they entered the den, Gregor yanked Kagome over to his seat and made her kneel before him as he sat down. He could see the concern on everyone's face and he held up his hand.

“She is fine. Kagome, I told you to stay in bed. You disobeyed me by not following my words and running away. What do you have to say for yourself?” He asked, his voice calm. Kagome's shaking and whimpering was beginning to worry him. Punishment was not something that a female should be this frightened of. Yes, they should be concerned, mostly because their bottoms would be hurt, but then it would be over. Kagome was acting as if he was going to kill her.

“Dead.” Kagome whispered. “They were all d-dead, and the b-blood was everywhere. Those wo-women were cut open and there was so much blood.” Suddenly, her face crumbled and she began to sob, both in terror and pain.

Gregor paled. What in the hell was she talking about? The only people around were the villagers who had been kind to him and his people. Signaling to a scout, Gregor said, “Run to the human village and take a look. I want to know if they are alright.”

The scout nodded and quickly ran off. Gregor pulled Kagome up and paused when she winced. Glancing down, he could see that her feet were bloody. Sighing, he looked at his followers and shook his head.

“I have no choice in the matter. Kagome, you must be punished, and since you are new to us, you will not be allowed to leave the den for one full month. Next time, I will punish you in our ways, and believe me when I say that you will truly have something to fear then.” He said, his tone hard.

When Kagome weakly nodded, he let go of her and pointed to his chambers. “Go. Elizabeta will be along to take care of your feet. Do not think that I am not still angry with you, but you will be cared for and I expect for you to be ready to sleep by the time I get in there.”

Kagome was still sick. She had seen such cruelty on this night and didn't know if she would be able to sleep. She glanced up as she walked to the den, and saw Kouga gazing at her sadly. She wanted nothing more than to throw herself into his arms and beg him to take her away. She wanted to run away from this horrible place and be safe in his embrace. However, she made her way into the chamber and waited for the elderly woman.

Once Kagome was out of sight, Gregor turnd and nodded his consent for Elizabeta to go to Kagome. Once she left, Gregor said, “She will learn. She is young and will know her place, very quickly.”

“And, just what is her place?” Kouga growled, his heart hurting at the sight of Kagome's sorrowful eyes.

Gregor slowly turned his head and said, “Her place is here. With us. She is no longer yours to protect, and it is time that you accept that.”

Kouga's growl became loud and frightening. Suddenly, both he and Gregor were standing close together, eye to eye and and snarling. Suddenly, the scout who had been sent to the village came back, his face pale and his body shaking.

“Master! You must come quickly. The humans are all dead, just as Kagome said.” The scout said, his horror clear.

Gregor paled. It could not be. Rushing to the entrance, he ordered his followers to stay and guard Kagome. Then, he began his journey to the village, aware that Kouga, Sesshomaru, and the others of Kagome's former pack were right behind him. When they arrived, they were met with the same sight, and it was worse than Kagome had said.

Walking through the village, Gregor came upon a sight that he never wished to see again. It would seen his old enemy had followed and was now making his appearance known.