Author's Note: First I'd like to say I adore Kouga—he's such a paradox, fierce and yet having fallen in love, now showing a soft side, devoted to Kagome in a way that puts Inu Yasha to shame (although as I see more of this story and the first movie, that appears to be changing--after episode 47 Inu Yasha becomes more devoted to Kagome and doesn't deny when someone points out the obvious, he's in love with her). But still I see Kouga as a strong element to bring Inu Yasha to realization of his true feelings, there's nothing like a rival to make one aware of what they have. So I wrote this as a journey into Kouga's mind and heart as he longs for Kagome on a moonlit night. I don't own Inu Yasha, it is owned and created by the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi

CAPTIVE IN THE HEART OF A WOLF

The swirling whirlwind kicked up by the incredible speed enhanced by shards of the shattered Shikon No Tama came to a stop and vanished as the muscular form of Kouga emerged. He stopped at the top of a precipice, overlooking the expanse of the wilderness that was the Western Lands of Japan during the Sengoku-jidai. The young leader of what was left of the Okami Youkai stood and surveyed the moonlit landscape, sniffing the air for clues as to the demon Naraku's whereabouts as his faithful vassals, Ginta and Hakkaku finally caught up, heaving in large gulps of air as they tried to catch their breath.

"K-Kouga! W-we need to rest! Onegai, Kouga," Hakkaku huffed as he bent over, hands on his knees.

"H-hai, Kouga. We can't go on and there's no scent of Naraku. Onegai, can we rest?" Ginta pleaded. The wolf leader whirled about and skewered them with his cold blue eyes.

"Keh," Kouga snorted. "You weaklings are pathetic. If you can't keep up with me, you're free to return to the den. I'll get revenge for our fallen brothers alone." He turned back to stare across the land, arms akimbo and scowling, sniffing the air for the hated stench.

Kuso, there's not a sign of Naraku's scent in this air at all. Where the hell is that bastard hiding? And where is that wind witch Kagura, I'm gonna see to it she dies by my hand. He growled in sheer frustration as he turned to his soldiers.

"Very well then. Rest here for the night and we'll leave at the break of dawn," he snapped then began to climb a rocky incline that flanked a waterfall, sparkling like quicksilver in the moonlight.

Both his men took a collective sigh of relief as Ginta asked, "Kouga, aren't you going to join us? You must need rest too."

Kouga gave a short scornful laugh as he tossed over his shoulder. "I'm not like you two. With the power from my Shikon shards I can survive on little rest. So get your sleep, I'm not going far but I want to be alone." And with those words, he resumed his climb as Ginta and Hakkaku exchanged glances and shrugged. . .

Meanwhile, Kouga climbed the side of the falls, grabbing at shrubs and stones as he scaled the incline until he reached the top and perched himself on a large boulder, brooding as he watched the lacy clouds skitter across the moon. His thoughts were flitting from one concern to another until his keen nose picked up a certain scent.

Kouga leapt up and turned around, his eyes seeking what his nose had discovered and so he jumped to the riverbank and saw with disappointment what he had smelled. A honeysuckle bush, in full bloom had sent its perfume into the warm spring breeze and had wafted over to him, making him believe for a moment that it was the lovely scent of another who had managed to capture his heart. . . .

Kagome.

Irked, Kouga growled at the bush for deceiving him but then shook his head at his own folly as he drew close to the shrub and reached to pluck a bloom from it to study as his mind filled with the vision of midnight tresses and soft sable eyes. Her delicate laugh filled his ears along with the gentle rush of the waterfall and he sighed deeply as his heart yearned.

Since his father's death and his ascension to lord of the eastern okami youkai, Kouga's concerns were always the safety and well-being of the pack and in order to do what was his duty, to stay strong was paramount. Discovering not one, but three shards of the Shikon No Tama to inject in his body made his strength great and his power unparalleled in the pack and so they continued to ransack and pillage, slaying puny helpless humans. After all nobody outside the pack really mattered, and humans were a nuisance anyway. Until that one day that changed everything and gave him a new perspective.

It was another raid on yet another village but this time the attack was justified. He had just found the shards and had yet to enter them into his body when a lowly human thief had the gall to steal one when his back was turned. The human led them all on a merry chase, losing all of the pack but him as the man sought shelter in a ramshackle hut at the edge of a small farming village, near the stream. He was cornered and tried to beg for his miserable life as he surrendered the shard to Kouga but the okami youkai laughed as he reclaimed what was he felt was rightfully his and then slew the hapless thief. Finished with his execution, he directed his pack to feed to their hearts content. So the wolves proceeded to slaughter the entire village, leaving none alive.

Kouga had gone off leaving the pack behind in the now silent village as the hanyou inu and his companions came on the scene and surveyed the devastation. The wolves seeing them and advancing to attack met with mighty resistance as the hanyou, the monk, the slayer maid, and the other human girl all retaliated and slew several of them. Those who did remain then called for Kouga and he came, infuriated by the sight of his underlings' corpses. He challenged the hanyou Inu Yasha and they fought until the human girl informed the hanyou of the shards in his legs and arm. Kouga turned and stared at the raven haired girl in the skimpy clothes as the realization came to him she can see them! The battle intensified as Inu Yasha drew his katana which morphed into huge falchion. But sensing an impending danger in his instinct, Kouga retreated and when he stopped to rest, pondered about the young woman who could see the shards assisting the inu hanyou. He then decided, that woman would work for him so he planned an ambush and took her. He brought her back to his den and was intrigued by her spirit and loyalty to save the young kitsune that had tagged along with her, and then altered his decision; she would not just assist him in his quest for the shards, she would become his lifelong mate.

Kouga sighed as he thought of the beauty that was Kagome. Surely, she was a fetching creature, with wide eyes that were a soft brown and a luxuriant mane of hair the color of night framing delicate features like a porcelain doll, far lovelier than any youkai wench. But it was her spirit that dazzled him, nothing fazed her as she fought as fiercely and tenaciously as any warrior, saving Ginta from certain death by a harpy with a swiftly and accurately delivered arrow. At the same time, she was sweetly compassionate, caring for him as he stood wounded by the harpy king who ripped away one of his shards and the wind witch tried to kill him in her whirlwind of bones. She even kept the hanyou at bay when the coward would slay him in his weakened state. She would be a credit to him and as his mate, would make a noble queen of the tribe, bearing him strong pups. The fact that she was a human was unimportant, her qualities put her far above any other female in his eyes. His heart became ensnared by her almost immediately as he realized that he had fallen in love.

Kouga held the honeysuckle blossom to his nose and sniffed it as its delicate fragrance encircled him, so like hers. He gazed up at the full moon and imagined Kagome standing before him, bathed in moonlight appearing like a sprite, silver tipped as she came to him pliant and eager. In his smitten trance, Kouga reached out to his love. But he shook himself from his reverie as he saw that the dream had dissipated like mist and he was alone.

Gradually of late, he had begun to view humans in a different light, not the pathetic yet arrogant race that warred constantly as they fought over such trivial matters as social position. He was impressed by the strength of Kagome's friends, the monk and demon slayer maid who had assisted in rescuing him from Kagura's wind of bones, displaying for him the admirable qualities that until he had met them, he had thought all humans lacked. He was realizing that not all humans were useless and actually was developing a grudging respect for some of them, and most especially his Kagome.

Kagome Kouga said fervently to himself as his azure eyes were cast to the glowing orb I make this vow to you, I will kill Naraku and when I do, I will come and claim you for good. And if that flea-ridden hanyou tries to stop me, I will tear him to shreds. As I told you once wolves mate for life and you are mine. . .

Not very far, but far enough to keep the parties involved unaware, Kagome was in her sleeping bag near the campfire and was suddenly startled out of her slumber. She bolted up and glanced about, drawing the attention of a concerned hanyou as Inu Yasha's golden gaze trained on her.

"You all right, Kagome?" he asked as he leaned forward from his place at the foot of a spreading tree. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

She met his stare and saw the worry in his eyes so she reassured him, "I'm fine, Inu Yasha. I just must have woken up from a bad dream. Sorry to have disturbed you."

"Feh, well, as long as you're all right." He yawned and leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes as sleep claimed him once more.

Kagome sighed as she turned over to go back to sleep. But as she was drifting off, the faraway piercing moan of a wolf baying at the moon sent a chill down her spine, giving her the undeniable feeling of being prey. She shuddered as her heart began to pound.

END