The Ookami's Grudge

A/N: As promised – the awaited explanation of the title. Okay, so it was a chapter early. And, as usual, I don’t own Inuyasha or expect money for this. All characters – unless otherwise specified – belong to Inuyasha’s owner. Inubiki is a creation of my own demented mind.

Part of this chapter are taken from Inuyasha Anime – Season 2 episode 36-37

Thoughts

Blood Beast’s Thoughts

"Blood beast speaking”

season – refers to a single season {fall, winter, etc}

full season – refers to mating season or a year’s worth of time.

Review Responses:

ShouraiChan – thank you so much for the review! I love hearing that people actually enjoy my work. Writing isn’t my best talent, but I find it’s a great stress relief!

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Inubiki had been rather surprised when Kouga found out about the five ofuda plastered across her form. Yes, he was upset – after all this put a damper on his plans to have her accept her demonic heritage, something she did not know about – but he understood that there was nothing either of them could do about it now.

He held his temper in check that day, treating her as he always did – if only a tad more gentle in instructing her in hunting. And the more time went on, the closer their friendship became.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Soon, growled his blood beast, another decade later. It’s too bad that that idiotic priest slowed her maturation. She should be in the Den now with--

I’m well aware of this, he responded to and effectively cut off his blood beast, just as annoyed – which wasn’t unusual, considering that they were truly one creature. The only difference between them being that he was ‘Civilized’ {a fact that the Inu Clan’s heir was quick to deny and contest} his beast was the voice of his baser instincts. Taking a deep breath, inhaling the scents of the forest, he calmed himself while trying to calm his beast as well.

“What’s on your mind, Boss?” came the voice of one of his ‘henchmen’, Ginta.

“Yeah, Boss, you’ve been rather distracted lately,” added Hakkaku; the pair exchanging worried gazes before turning to regard the wolf prince. Kouga’s excursions to the Inu-Ookami border were well known, and he usually came back with the scent of a female surrounding him had become expected. The only part his pack questioned was why he left the female wherever it was that she resided.

Kouga turned his head to regard the pair in annoyance before he sighed, looking back into the forest. “My beast is becoming more insistent. And impatient.”

The pair turned to look at each other questioningly, before looking back to Kouga.

“Then just take her” Ginta said.

“Yeah, Boss – You’ve obviously been courting her. You know the pack wouldn’t care if she’s human.” Hakkaku chimed in. “It’s been 10 full seasons since you met her – if you wait much longer, you won’t be able to take her.”

Kouga growled lightly. “It’s complicated.” She’s not human! He ignored his beast’s roaring in his mind.

“How?” the duo questioned in stereo.

Kouga closed his eyes, frowning, before looking at the pair in irritation. “…She is the ward of an aging houshi.” He shook his head before he started walking back towards the Den, deciding to speak to his father about the situation. “She won’t leave him.”

The pair blinked and followed. “She’s miko?” Ginta asked.

Kouga didn’t answer, and they took that as being dismissed – or ignored – so they wandered off, shaking their heads. “With the way he is, the only way he’s gonna get a mate is if he doesn’t give her a choice.” Hakkaku whispered to his pack-brother.

Kouga heard and winced, but only mentally – refusing to allow his pack-mates to see that the comment had struck. Hard.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

About 150-some odd years later…

Kouga turned his head, the sound of his wolves calling for help reaching his ears. “…..?” With a scowl he turned and bolted as fast as he could towards his feeding pack.

Upon arriving, he let his gaze scan the area, finding several of his mortal wolves slain.

“You bastards…” Kouga demanded, refusing to show the shock he felt at the hanyou before him. While the hanyou was male, he was like a ghost from the past. “Why did you kill my henchmen?”

“Inuyasha, be careful of that guy…” the female to the hanyou’s right said, but said hanyou ignored her.

“So you’re the head of these man-eaters!?” The hanyou demanded.

That hair...! Those ears…! His beast snarled, struggling to break free to take vengeance for the wrong done – not just the dead wolves lying around him, but from ages ago. “So What?” He asked, crossing his arms over his chest, keeping his tone calm but was unable to bite back his annoyance. “You killed my wolves, I won’t forgive you!”

“Shut Up!” The hanyou responded, taking a step forward, an arm raise with claws bared while the other arm was stretched out but partially lowered to his side. “Making this strong scent of human blood – Just how many have you killed?!”

Kouga scowled, at least she was intelligent. He hated giving her any compliment, but this male hanyou was a complete idiot in his eyes. “I was letting them have their lunch.” He narrowed his eyes. “Do you have a problem with that, you dogface?”

The hanyou pulled back, looking aghast. “What...! ‘Dogface’!?”

Kouga continued to look calm but irritated. “I hate the smell of Dogs!” Finally he lost his temper. “It Makes Me Sick!”

“Interesting. Then I’ll slaughter you so you don’t have to be sick!” The hanyou retorted as he smirked at Kouga as the wolf lost his temper. As the hanyou lunged, he unsheathed his sword – surprising the wolf prince as the banged up old blade transformed into a rather obscenely huge sword – using Kouga as his target of a downward swing of the blade.

Just before the blade made contact Kouga leapt backwards; the sword contacting with the ground made a bit of a ‘Ching’ sound, hardened steel upon unyielding stone. Without even landing, Kouga lunged back towards the hanyou that dared to look like her. That wench... The traitorous bitch…

Just thinking about her pissed him off even more.

Using the power of the Shikon shards in his legs, Kouga spun in the air to pick up speed, then burst from the ‘tornado’ he’d created, lunging at the hanyou. When he contacted with the ground, he crouched and swung his leg into the air – a back kick aimed for the hanyou’s cheek. It connected, sending the hanyou flying backwards to skid across the dirt on his back.

“How…?” The human in black and blue robes and carrying a staff of some kind said in astonishment.

“He’s Fast…” Agreed the female carrying a rather large boomerang. A weapon that smelled of youkai bones.

It was then that the indecently dressed female caught Kouga’s attention. “Inuyasha! Be careful! That guy is equipped with Shikon Shards on his right hand and both legs!”

Kouga stopped and turned to look over his shoulder with a stunned gaze and a startled sound escaping him. He met the indecent female’s gaze, unable to comprehend for a moment what had occurred.

“Damn. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?!” The downed hanyou demanded, before adding in an amused tone “So that’s it. You had a big attitude, because you were using the power of the Shikon shards.”

Kouga humphed, and retorted with “Stop crying while you’re rolling on the ground.”

“And you can only get this strong using the power of the Shikon?”

“You bastard - Shut up, you dogface!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, you wimpy wolf!”

The group on the sidelines watched in a mixture of apprehension and disbelief. "Both sides are very stubborn...” the monk observed, but Kouga tuned anything else from them out – only the female in green had any level of his attention.

“I am the prince of the Orozouko tribe, Kouga. Remember that!” he exclaimed before lunging once again at the hanyou – throwing several punches and a couple of kicks that the irritating dog managed to dodge. Barely.

Kouga was aware that the half-breed’s neko had transformed and scared off his wolves – another irritant for him to file away with inu hanyou in his mind. He managed to land one or two attacks, but the hanyou managed to hold his own, throwing Kouga into a shed where the prince landed in a kneeling position.

“So, all you can do is dodge my attacks...” He ignored the thoughtful expression on the hanyou’s face and lunged, smirking, running full speed at the hanyou. He couldn’t kill the female hanyou that betrayed him, but this one smelled like her. He was just as good.

When the hanyou lifted his sword, preparing to attack, Kouga’s senses went on full alert, bringing his head up and his beast to the fore in warning. “Danger!!” His beast said in his voice, as it took control long enough to stop his forward progress and hurl him back and upwards away from the attack.

“Heh?” Came the hanyou’s confused voice as Kouga landed on the roof of a hut several yards away.

To his wolves, Kouga ordered “Retreat! Something is wrong! I feel something Dangerous!” And as quick as the words left his mouth, he bolted out of the village, leaving a rather stunned pack of humans and hanyou.

He ran for several miles, coming to a stop at the sight of the battlefield where the sight of that hanyou had brought his attention to. As he came to a stop on the edge, he slowly walked into the battlefield-turned-burial ground until he came to the stone where his pack’s last Alpha – his father – was buried.

Stopping by the stone that marked the grave, his gaze lost focus for a moment as he thought back upon the day that would be burned in his memory forever.

The day she betrayed him.

The day he swore to never associate with the haughty Inu Clan ever again – even if she knew nothing of her demonic kin.

= Flashback =

It had been that same day that he’d sought out his father to ask him what to do about his female-troubles that everything had changed.

Just as the sun had started its downward decent, the Birds of Paradise had attacked the ookami training grounds – injuring several of the young members of the pack, and turning Kouga’s uncle into an afternoon snack.

When he’d heard the screams, he and the rest of the warriors had gone running to their comrade’s aid – even many of the females had gone.

When he arrived at the training grounds, he had to push his shock away, but was only able to until the Chief of the birds came into his vision – holding a struggling ‘Biki in its ‘human’ arms. “Well, well, well!” exclaimed the bird at the horrified look on Kouga’s face, one hand over the hanyou’s mouth.

“Put her down!” Kouga demanded, his attention being drawn to the side by one of his fallen, but dying, comrades.

“Just … kill… them…” Lord Katsuyo said weakly.

“…!” Kouga looked at his comrade – Lord Katsuyo!! “Father.. How?!”

“That ..wench.. *cough*….She led them here…”

Kouga was dumbfounded. ‘Biki…HIS ‘Biki … was the reason his pack was attacked?! The reason his pack was being slaughtered?!

He turned his attention back to the Bird who seemed content to listen, though he was surprised when it cried out and threw the female down to the ground where she hit and bounced off Lord Katsuyo. The dying lord let out a grunt and a weak growl at the female.

Kouga turned and started to run to the hanyou’s side while the bird growled out “Stupid bitch!” Apparently his woman had bitten the hand that covered her mouth, but Kouga was drawn up short when the bird continued. “Can’t be loyal to anything!” it laughed.

Kouga’s blood ran cold as he watched the woman pushing herself up slowly, the sound of battle all around him. “What do you mean?” he didn’t want to hear what the bird was saying, especially with that look ‘Biki was giving him.

She looked horrified at the situation, but it was marred by the smell of guilt radiating off her form. She HAD led them here… “WHY?!” He demanded of her, causing her to flinch.

“We just asked if she could bring us here,” crowed the chief of the birds of paradise. “She was more then happy to lead us.”

The look of horror on ‘Biki’s face slowly found itself ignored by the wolf as realization dawned– how ever errant it was. She’d Done It! His father was dieing because of HER!

“Don’t listen to him, Kouga-sama!” She tried to plead with him. “He told me you were comrades! I didn’t know!” He was seeing red, her pleas went unanswered. Her unshed tears went ignored.

First things first – either destroy the Birds, or get them on the run!

“If you leave before I’m done here, I will kill you.” He vowed to the hanyou female, before turning and attacking the chief of the birds.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The battle had lasted not long after that, honestly, but many of his pack – many of his pack’s FEMALES had been lost – before the Birds of Paradise fled back to their own mountain peaks.

By this time though, his father had passed on, and Kouga found the betrayer holding his father’s head in her lap.

“Get away from him!” He snarled and rushed her, causing her to cry out and back away quickly. Grabbing the female by the cloth of her top near her neck, he growled loudly at her. “Why?! Why did you bring them here?!” he demanded again.

The female’s scent of fear only seemed to cement her guilt in his mind. She’d already admitted she brought them to the training grounds. “I didn’t know you were enemies!” She responded, struggling in his grasp. Her protector for the last decade had turned into her attacker, and with the ofuda binding her, she had no means to truly protect herself against him.

He brought his face close to hers and snarled, his eyes bleeding red. “Bull shit. Everyone knows that my tribe and theirs are enemies!” He snarled, forgetting that the female trapped in his claws had been raised by a priest and did not know much of the issues between demon clans.

Closing his eyes for a moment, he forced himself to calm. Turning around, he brought the female with him. “Look! Look at what you’ve done!” He snarled, holding her by her upper arm in a bruising grip while he pointed with his other hand. The survivors were moving through the field, trying to collect the barely living while others collected their dead.

Her eyes filled with tears at the scene before her, her ears pinning back against her head. “I didn’t know!” She said again, her voice breaking in a sob. Why wouldn’t he believe her?!

Turning back to her, he ignored her tears and snarled down into her face. “You have betrayed me, ‘Biki. But for the sake of the last ten years,” he closed his eyes and took a calming breath. He would not start as alpha by spilling the blood of a female – no matter her wrongs. “Get lost. Get off my land.” He opened his blood tinged eyes. “If I ever see you on orouzoko land again, I will kill you.” his beast and he vowed together.

He held her tightly by her upper arm, letting his promise sink in to her brain; watching as her skin paled almost to match her hair color, before he pushed her away from him.

She turned and fled to the trees, heading in the direction of the shrine several miles away. When she paused on the edge of the tree line to look back at him, several members of his tribe snarled at her, several of the nearby wolves snapped at her ankles.

Hakkaku and Ginta looked around at the devastation, pain in their hearts. Ginta’s litter-mate, his sister had been killed in this battle, and yet he looked at Hakkaku and silently wondered if maybe Kouga was over reacting.

Hakkaku shook his head to remain silent. If they knew Kouga, he would cool off and eventually go after the female.

“He wants her. That’s why he reacted like this.” Kouga heard Hakkaku whisper to Ginta. He ignored them both.

They were right in only that he wanted her – but he would never forgive her. He would not go after her, ever. And he would keep his promise… if he ever saw her again..

She would die.

= End Flashback =

TBC…..

A/N: in the anime Kouga and Sango both use Orozouko, although I'm sure I'm miss-spelling it. They use it to refer to the wolf tribes. I did not realize that the term "Ookami" wasn't used. I've hearb BOTH being used to describe wolf demons and their tribe. I beleive "Ookami" is sort of like 'magical wolf' or something, I'm not certain, to be honest. So I figure Orozouko would be the youkai, and ookami would be their four legged companions. Please forgive me if I use both of them.