The Fox & The Hanyou

Scene 8 ------------------------------------------- Kouga's Private Cave

* When Kouga arrives he finds Inuyasha sitting with Shippo in the shallower side of the small pool of water. As he moves cautiously closer, he catches the hanyou's sad, but alert glance. The ookami stops and sits down to give them their space. Kouga's heat has not reached the point of being out of his control at this point, so he has no problem in accepting Inuyasha's claim of the fox kit any longer. Kouga raises a hand.

Kouga - Relax... It's only the second day of my mating cycle... I can see, now, that I don't...

* Kouga leans closer to sniff at Shippo.

Kouga - I don't smell his heat... The water wouldn't wash it away as far along as he was...

* Inuyasha slowly nods and drops his eyes sadly. He gently hugs Shippo tighter, but the kit is still dazed.

Inuyasha - (Quietly) I know...

* Kouga watches Inuyasha swallow.

Kouga - Then you know what that means...
Inuyasha - Of course I do!!

* Inuyasha's sudden outburst causes Shippo to flinch and whimper. The hanyou quickly shoves his temper away. Kouga watches Inuyasha begin to calm Shippo back down.

Inuyasha - (Quietly) Shh, it's okay, Shippo... I'm sorry... Calm down now, kitsune...

* When Shippo finally drifts off to sleep Inuyasha carefully stands and carries him up out of the cool water.

Kouga - He needs to rest tonight... I can place a barrier on my cave...
Inuyasha - I need to get him back to the village...
Kouga - We can travel tomorrow... There will be too many chances of being confronted by more demons attracted to either you or myself if we go through that forest by night...

* Inuyasha sighs and looks up at Kouga, unable to dispute the truth in his words. Kouga senses him become nervous, though.

Kouga - I'll stay outside the cave and keep watch... Come on, Mutt.

* Inuyasha frowns a moment, then glances down at Shippo in his arms, then up toward the darkening sky. He sighs and follows Kouga up the path of the low hill and into the decent-sized cave. Kouga uses small bursts of his energy to light the two torches inside. He then motions toward his round bed of straw and furs.

Kouga - There's my bed... I'll be right outside keeping...
Inuyasha - You can't stay out there...

* Kouga looks at the hanyou as he takes Shippo over to his bed.

Inuyasha - Your stench will still attract any other horny demon in the area...

* When Shippo is settled onto the bed Inuyasha looks back up at Kouga.

Inuyasha - I can control my heat as well... I don't think I'll be sleeping tonight and with your barrier spell on the door we'll be safe... You can sleep over there...

* Inuyasha motions toward the other side of the cave. Kouga hesitates, then nods, and watches Inuyasha look back down at Shippo.

Kouga - I hope he'll be able to deal with this.
Inuyasha - (Quietly) So do I... Right now he's so...
Kouga - I can see that... He's going to need a lot of understanding...

* Now Inuyasha looks back up at Kouga.

Inuyasha - I know what he's... How he must feel...

* Kouga recognizes the admission that Inuyasha can't bring himself to finish. He turns and moves to the mouth of the cave to put up his barrier spell.

Kouga - You don't have to tell me anything, Mutt... I know it's hard to be a
half-breed...
Inuyasha - How would you...?
Kouga - I had a cousin that... was...

* Kouga moves to a spot against the opposite wall to meet Inuyasha's eyes.

Kouga - Was... He was torn apart by two full demons while I was held down by a third... I was only six seasons old at the time... Ryoichi was only three... The rogues spared me because I was a full demon and a prince.

* Inuyasha looks back down at Shippo. For a few moments both are quiet.

Kouga - The monster that did this has been dealt with... I scattered his scummy bits all over creation for what he did.
Inuyasha - Thank you.
Kouga - We couldn't have seen through the powerful cloaking spell koyuto had up...
Inuyasha - That's little consolation, Kouga...
Kouga - I know... It's as much my fault as...
Inuyasha - Blame won't change his situation, either.

* Inuyasha looks at Kouga again.

Inuyasha - But he's not going to face this alone... I'll still... do what I have to do...

* He looks back down at Shippo.

Inuyasha - (Quietly) If he'll let me...

* They share another brief silence, then Inuyasha looks at Kouga again.

Inuyasha - What kind of a demon was this... monster?
Kouga - Coyote.

* Inuyasha lowers his eyes again with a quiet curse. Kouga sighs and lays down facing the cave wall. Inuyasha shakes his head as he leans to stroke Shippo's red hair and whisper comforts when the kit tosses and whimpers in his sleep. The petting soon calms Shippo down again, but the hanyou refuses to let himself sleep in case the kit should experience any more such occurances.