Bound

AN: I'm so sorry for the long wait! I know there were people who've been waiting for this. It took me forver, it seems. Almost a year. Again, sorry, my life has been quite ... not this year.

Thank you for every single review.

Bound 4

- - - -

“I'm worried.”

Sandalled feet halted to a stop, grinding against the grain of the road, the jingle of a staff stopped abruptly, a young girl with clothes garishly standing out of those her friends' came to a stop and turned around.

They all looked at Inuyasha, even the demon exterminator. Even the small fox demon kit who trailed by the young girl. It was not customary for the hanyo to say such things, at least with such a dejected and worried tone. They had all only heard him use a similar tone earlier when it had been about Kagome. But it was different now.

Kagome wasn't the one whom Inuyasha worried over the most any more.

The group had been travelling some weeks now after Inuyasha's little secret had been revealed.

Kagome had not been avoiding Inuyasha as the hanyo had at first feared. Instead, she'd been pestering him with endless questions about his and Kouga's relationship. He hoped fervently that she'd soon give it a rest already. Being demanded to pour his heart out over how good a kisser the wolf prince was or if they'd gone further than kissing was embarrassing to say the least.

Sango had been understanding. But she had berated Inuyasha for leading Kagome on with his intentions. He'd answered her rather rudely. He'd never been leading Kagome on and girl knew it. And why were the matters of Kagome's heart so much her matters, anyway? Sango had stammered at that.

Miroku was undoubtedly, but not unexpectedly, the worst of them all. He wanted to know how the sex with Kouga was. He wouldn't stop pestering Inuyasha over it. Inuyasha had actually honestly fled the lecherous monk's questions, cheeks flaming.

Kagome walked to Inuyasha, a reassuring smile on her face. “Surely he's allright, Inuyasha. I mean, it's Kouga. He's strong enough,” Kagome tried to console her friend, patting his hand. The others had walked back to him too and were smiling at him reassuringly, well Miroku's was a shade near a leer.

“I don't know,” the hanyo sighed again, worried, “I just can't seem to shake off the feeling that something is terribly wrong.”

But they couldn't go on a hunch and he knew it. The groups main objective was to gather the Shards as quickly as they could before Naraku possessed all of them. They could not so easily stray because of someone's sweetheart.

The now familiar swirl of sickness gathered in Inuyasha's stomach, churning up his throat, making him take a few steps away from the other's to fall on his knees and vomit his breakfast. The others didn't jump as they had the first time it had occurred, Kagome just went to him to rub his back soothingly until he regained himself and pulled himself up.

Sango scrunched her brow pensively. “You sure he didn't mark you? Because you seem to have all the symptoms of a newly marked demon away from one's mate for too long.”

Inuyasha wiped at his mouth and let Kagome help him up, gathering himself before he spoke. Gods, how he hated the taste vomiting left in his mouth. “I think I'd know if I'd been marked, thank you very much. Must be something I ate.” And that was that. The others left him alone as he stomped forward, leading them. They knew not to test his temper, it wouldn't do any good.

- - - - -

The anxious members of the wolf clan stood back on the narrow passage as the elderly healer emerged from Kouga's private chambers. Questions hung in the air like thick fog, murmured whispers cut short by her entrance to the scene.

“Our leader fares gravely ill...”, the elderly wolf demoness informed them. She shook her head, sighing, worry for the wolf prince etched to her face.

“What's wrong with him?” demanded Hakkaku, one of Kouga's most trusted aides.

“He's still in a state of deep unconsciousness. I hope it will clear soon. His youki is sustaining his body for the time being, but it won't do so indefinitely.”

Worried murmurs among the pack followed her words.

“But what will we do?” asked Ginta, Kouga's other second in command alongside Hakkaku. The healer observed the worried faces around him, the clan loved their irresponsible and reckless leader dearly.

“The council of the Sisters will see to the day to day responsibilities, as they always have in the absence of a leader. All more important decisions will have to wait. As you've most without a doubt noticed, our leader has an intended. The claim has given him some protection, but the fog in his mind will not clear until his reunited with his Intended. I wish it will happen soon, for his sake and for all our sakes.”

And with that, the crowd dissipated and the old healer returned to tend for her patient.

She left things unsaid, as was her habit, but this time it was for the privacy of their leader. She'd been in shock, finding out of his condition.

Their leader was with child.

It wasn't the notion of a male being pregnant, it happened all the time among demons but that it was their leader whom all had assumed had no relationship, at least with another male, that had her off balance. A male youkai needed another male to get pregnant and the old healer had assumed Kouga was courting that human girl, he'd flaunted her around enough during the times she'd been at the wolves den. But he'd not officially declared her his mate.

The council of Sisters had often enough berated their leader for not choosing a mate yet but Kouga hadn't paid them no heed. He'd said he'd choose when he found the one meant for him.

It now seemed that he had. But he bore no mating mark but for the scent lingering about him. He was someone's intended mate, it was clear, but whose?

The old healer worried for him.

Should Kouga's intended not show up she feared their leader would loosed the precious life he carried within him. He had not the protection of a claim and his youki wouldn't be able to sustain both him and the life within him indefinitely. The prolonged unconsciousness did not fare well for neither of them. She sighed again in frustration.

Who might it be?

There was something familiar in that lingering smell. Not one of the pack had been able to tell her more about it, even Kouga's own smell had been buried under the smell of his attacker who'd bled copiously over him from the wounds Kouga'd managed to inflict upon him before he'd fallen down from a severe blow to the head. Luckily, he'd been rescued before his assailant had a chance to finish him off.

It was all clear now. The pregnancy, unattended, had taken it's toll on Kouga's body, weakened him. That's why he hadn't been able to fend the attacking demon off.

But who was his indented, the old healer mused as she was back by her leaders side again, laying a cool hand on his forehead as he fidgeted in his sleep. She hoped, that whomever it might be, they'd come soon.

- - - -

“We have to go and see Kouga, Inuyasha! You're worrying so much that you've made yourself ill!”

The hanyo glanced at Kagome, black circles under his eyes a proof of her words. He was also absent, gaunt and moody. And had lost his appetite.

Kagome was getting worried about Miroku, too.

The monk strutted around like he owned the whole world, a self-satisfied smirk on his face. But nothing seemed to have happened between him and Sango. Kagome knew that nothing had happened between Sango and Miroku.

So what was it that had him behaving so happy?

She let Miroku be in favour of concentrating on her love-sick hanyo friend. Their relationship had come out to resemble that of siblings and with Inuyasha's often childish and erratic behaviour Kagome often felt that she was the older sibling even if the hanyo was many times older than she was, if their ages were measured in years.

“Let's go to him, you'll feel better when you see him!”

Inuyasha looked undecided, expressions shifting between a frown and deep longing. He was battling with himself. They loved each other, so Kouga wouldn't get too angry at him, right? And he ached to see his lover, being unable to sleep or eat, their weeks of separation taxing him.

“Okay.”

And so, as Kouga lingered on the verge of being conscious his lover and his friends travelled to him, ready to give the wolf clan the surprise of their lives.

- - - -

Closing in on the caves of the wolf clan the group slowed their pace, carefully approaching the not so familiar territory.

Inuyasha was growing restless, knowing that Kouga would have come out to greet them by now. He sensed something was wrong. Kouga's scent was heavy in the surrounding forest, imprinted on every leaf and the soil itself they walked upon. But it wasn't fresh. So where was the wolf prince himself?

The humans gathered around Inuyasha in a protective stance when they heard a rustle and were surrounded by wolves and a few wolf demons.

“State your business...,” one, whom Kagome recognized from earlier, started before his eyes fell over the young girl by Inuyasha's side. He hastily abandoned his hostile demeanour and knelt.

“I'm sorry Kagome-sama, I didn't see you.”

Inuyasha's nostrils flared up when he remembered that Kouga had indeed once declared Kagome as his intended and had apparently forgotten to correct the assumption among his pack. He scoffed as they were lead to the den by an apologetic wolf demon at the front.

“Don't worry about it,” Kagome smiled to him, she recognized him as one of Kouga's closest men. “We're here to visit Kouga.”

“Certainly, let me show you the way, Kagome-sama!” And he hastened to lead them along, the other wolf demons and wolves making way.

Kagome glanced at the now irate hanyo, concerned. She tried to catch his eyes but to no avail.

Inuyasha was fuming.

Miroku laid a restraining hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, hoping that he'd just stay calm. But his friend brushed the arm off, unaffected.

Sango followed the three, Shippo unusually in her arms. The young fox demon kit was weary of the wolf demons and had hopped off of Kagome's embrace.

“How is Kouga?” Kagome asked with a friendly tone, trying to act on behalf of Inuyasha.

The wolf demon turned to the girl, frowning before he answered.
“He's ill, Kagome-sama.”

“Ill?” Kagome asked as she heard the intake of breath behind her. She looked back to see Inuyasha, barely able to contain himself, his face ashen. Miroku was offering Inuyasha a steadying hand. “What's wrong with him?”

“He was found some weeks ago, unconscious. The healer says his youki is keeping him alive but no one knows how long still.”

They all hastened their pace, Miroku trying to keep Inuyasha from running, lest he cause a scene and rouse suspicion. After all, the wolf clan knew of the animosity between the white haired hanyo and their leader. They knew nothing of the warming of their relationship, from the way they treated Kagome.
Soon they came to a cave entrance. All the activity that was going on in the clearing surrounding the entrance ceased as the one's working turned to look at them. They heard the bustle of voices break the silence, that had reigned outside all the time they had been crossing the clearing, just after they had been led inside.

They were led to Kouga's chambers which was at the end of a maze of caves. An old wolf demoness stepped out from behind a door curtain, having heard the chorus of murmurs caused by their arrival.

She had a mane of grey-streaked dark hair cascading down her back and she was clothed in a pale blue silken kimono. She observed them with her keen eyes, sniffing inquisitively. Her eyes widened as her eyes stopped on Inuyasha. This was him, the one whose child her leader carried! It seemed he was the younger son of the late Inutaisho, whom she'd been acquainted with. How perfectly curious. And it also seemed that the 'pup' himself was... how very curious.

“Revered Izumo-sama, these people have come to meet Kouga.” Hakkaku informed her.

“How is he?!” Both Inuyasha and Kagome demanded simultaneously.

Yes, she recognized the oddly clad girl as Kouga's supposed intended. And a monk, she sniffed again and cackled inside. Oh how very delightful and interesting. That explained the self-satisfied attitude livid in his eyes, posture and being. And the demon exterminator. She had an aura of deep sadness and regret lingering about her, still more a girl than the young woman she aspired to be. And by the way she answered her gaze, she was respectful too. And a young fox kit, he seemed nonplussed by her scrutiny, challenging her with his stare.

“Thank you Hakkaku.” The wolf nodded himself off. “Welcome, guests, I am Izumo. I know who you are and that my leader has claimed one amongst you to be his mate.”

Inuyasha stiffened at her last words and Kagome looked positively guilty and shifted on her spot.

“But it is not the one our clan believes it to be, is it, Son of Inutaisho?”

Inuyasha's head shot up. His eyes were wide in disbelief. 'How did she? She knew father?'

Izumo smiled at him reassuringly. “I knew your father and was sad to hear of his passing. The wolf clan and the western lands were allies at his lifetime, maybe your bond with Kouga will make it be so again, though I know your brother hardly even admits you to exist.” She flashed a knowing smile.

“Come,” she beckoned them to follow and moved the fur covering the entrance. She stopped them at a big cavern reserved for meetings. “You should wait here,” she is instructed the others. “Kouga is ill and I'd rather he see you one at a time.” She refused to explain any further and dragged Inuyasha, whom she'd singled out, to follow her. The rest of the group just sat down to wait.

Izumo led Inuyasha to the annexing bed chamber which got it's light from a window carved into the stone wall opposing the entrance. She halted him before he could rush to his lover whom he saw laying down on the pelts, motionless.

“He's been unconscious for weeks. I'm hoping your presence will draw him from it. Shush, don't fret, child, I don't want your anxiety to ruffle him. It may only be that he needs to be properly claimed as an intended mate and it will lift the fog in his mind. There isn't any injury any more to keep him as he is.”

“What happened?”

“He was attacked. Luckily a few of our clan happened to stumble upon the scene to help him. But by then he was already hurt.”

Inuyasha growled deep within his throat.

“Shush, child. I think his body just shut down to focus all his energy to feeding the child, never mind him. The initial unconsciousness was from a blow to the head but his youki continued it.”

Inuyasha didn't hear the last words at all. “Child?”, he choked out.

“Yes, son of Inutaisho. A child, yours. And by the looks of it, a child soon to have siblings.” She added, patting his stomach gently. His eyes bulged.

“Now, now dear. Don't faint. Go to him and make him wake up so the whole clan can stop fussing and worrying.”

And she pushed him gently forwards, towards the bed. Inuyasha stumbled and stood beside Kouga, He sat next to him on the edge of the covers.

“Kouga,” he whispered, getting no answer. He gently stroked the wolf prince's cheek, sighing. Him, a father? The prospect seemed scary but also oddly fitting and right. He'd never really had a family save for his mother who'd died when he'd still been young. Now was his chance to have one.

'He needs to be properly claimed as an intended mate. What the heck does that even mean?'

Inuyasha knew of mating marks, but to claim one as an intended mate properly, what was that supposed to be? He watched Kouga's passive face, leaning in closer. Having no idea what to do he just scooped down and kissed him.

'Please wake up. I don't know what to do... Come back to me, I love you. I want to be your mate...'

He startled as there was a moan from under him and hands wound themselves behind his neck, drawing him against now ravenous, very alive, lips.

“Hi, mutt...”, Kouga rasped out as they parted.

“Now, now Kouga, be more polite to your intended. And the mother of your child,” Izumo said by the bedside, her voice laced with a tinge of mirth.

“What?!”, Kouga demanded, peeking from behind Inuyasha to glare at her better.

“He is your intended as you are his. His carrying your child as you are carrying his,” there was a warm, motherly smile on her lips, if a little amused.

“Izumo...,” Kouga gave a low growl escape his lips.

“Do not take me for a liar, Kouga. And do behave in a more rational manner, you have children on the way.”

“Children!”

“Yes, yours and Inuyasha's, though you both might be pregnant with more than one child. You have not forgotten, I hope, Kouga dear, that we wolves usually have more than one pup.”

“MORE THAN ONE!!???”, they both bellowed at the top of their lungs.

“I'll invite your friends in, shall I?”, and she just left them behind her to gape and gasp.