For The Love Of A Woman [Merodi/Tempa/Hiroshi?]

[Aiko]

Koga smiled as Merodi kissed him, and was going to try prolonging it when the deer demon rested her head on his shoulder. It was okay, though. Nothing could ruin a beautiful moment like this. The wolf demon, relaxing, let his cheek rest against Merodi’s auburn hair. He had missed this. It might not have been a long time by many standards that he had been away, but to have been away at all seemed too much at this wonderful, perfect moment, when his body could be close to his mate’s once again. He was home again and all was right with the world.

The perfect moment, though, was only a moment, because suddenly Merodi was pulling away from her mate, a new expression in her large brown eyes. Koga’s smile faltered at her frown and her words. [brown]Hiroshi?[/brown] he wondered for a moment. Oh yes, that person that called himself a vampire. Fond of Tempa? Well, he did seem to give her presents a lot… A troubling, nagging thought was intruding the peaceful happiness that Koga had just been enjoying, and his eyebrows sank lower over his crisply blue eyes. [brown]“Why?”[/brown] he asked, apprehensive. [brown]“Why’s he so fond of Tempa?”[/brown]

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Merodi stuttered, unsure on how to say it. The information still bothered her a bit. She had been unsettled by it all week. First stressing over her songs missing, Koga disappearing, then her daughter's future. She breathed in deeply to calm her stress. Koga was here now, he could help her. She paused, biting her lip nervously.

"Hiroshi says that Tempa is his future mate." Just saying it made her freak. Hiroshi, that man that always smelled of blood...her instincts made her so wary of him. How could someone who drank human blood be with her Tempa.

[Aiko]

It took a couple of seconds for Koga to mentally process what his mate told him. A few long seconds for the words the deer demon spoke to sink in, to even comprehend the meaning of them, and then the implications came crashing down on the wolf demon’s mind. [brown]“Hiroshi says what?”[/brown] Koga said, his voice beginning with a shade of bewilderment and darkening quickly towards anger. Something hot, something that burned, boiled up inside of the wolf demon as an image of his small, cute, fragile daughter in the arms of that cold creature the vampire popped unbidden into the caring father’s mind. And thus a new side of Koga, the side of the highly protective father, was born.

Koga’s countenance twisted in anger. [brown]“When did he decide this?”[/brown] he growled, instantly rejecting the picture his mind had formed. Hiroshi wasn’t allowed to just suddenly say that he was going to be mates with Tempa! He couldn’t just decide something like that. [brown]“Well, he can’t have her!” [/brown]Koga decided. As the girl’s father, it was only right for him to be able to come to decisions about his own daughter. Not some stranger that reeked of old blood!

The wolf demon released his mate, knowing instinctively and without realizing it that he should probably not be gripping her when he was angry, and stared at her with eyes that flatly rejected the possibility of his only daughter ending up with such a strange, arrogant creature. [brown]Thinks he can just come along and take my daughter. Bah! I’ll show him who’s in charge here,[/brown] he thought, his brain awhirl with indignant anger. He whirled away from Merodi and flung himself back into the cave, where he had last seen the vampire. [brown]I left him alone with my daughter![/brown] he realized with a wave of dread.

[brown]“Hiroshi!”[/brown] Koga roared the moment he was on the other side of the waterfall. He glared around wildly, searching for the vampire, not knowing for sure whether or not he had left already but for some reason assuming he would still be here.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Merodi should have expected such a reaction. She really should have. Why she was a little dismayed in his angry and ready to kill attitude on what she said was news to her. Even so she smiled able to accept his reaction as Koga. She really hoped this didn't get out of hand. And if it did it would be her fault. Hiroshi was a good baby sitter, and a good protector for Tempa when she didn't trouble over his wishing of her being his mate. He was surely a gentlemen in his wanting. He wouldn't use such wanton behaviors with her daughter, she trusted him enough on that. When she was of age she would surely worry more.

Merodi sighed, following after him and wondering if he had in fact missed the called for vampire that had left when he first returned. She dismissed it, only hoping that her mate didn't yell at Hiroshi in front of Tempa, and also hoping that it didn't turn into a physical fight. Those were her only two worries at the moment. She might have to appease Koga's anger later if it was needed.

[Naraku]

Hiroshi was already within the shadows of the roads between their territory and a human village. Hiroshi seem un interest within the humans that was using the road. His hands raises as he peers down at his claws closing his eyes, after he looked upon them. “What have I become…?” He fades back into the shadow but his voice crept over land in a soft dark melody.

“Ni lirilla mi i morinë
Rhossing ana anim
Lasta lamath mi i súrë,
Ni yello et lya essë nan...
Ni os mi n lómëmare
Lá er líc hlar po
Save po uin anim sí
Ni maurë elyë sí
Save po uin nya lómëmare”

His voice cut off as he stops turning within the shadow walking away. He finally decided to leave the humans be. He would only feed enough to keep him going but no more. That way he could not become the monster within the eyes of the little Tempa.”

[Aiko]

Hiroshi wasn’t in the cave. Koga’s raking eyes and flaring nostrils could tell that. But even as he stared around, his mind tumbled. The vampire kept giving his daughter presents… he was around her way too much as it was… It was altogether too much! Worse, it seemed like Tempa was growing to be fond of her suitor, who was too old for her, anyway! Koga’s mind had a new image pop into the forefront of his mind, again of the vampire and the wolf-deer. Mates? It was a disgusting, revolting thought! With a snarl, the wolf demon whipped around. His eyes landed on Merodi, and he wondered why she didn’t look as angry as he felt. She wasn’t okay with this, was she? Of course not, she’d practically said so herself! So Koga flung himself out from under the waterfall and landed squarely on a rock on the other side. He stared around, breathing deep through his nose, drawing in the various scents, until he caught the sharp, bloody, musty scent of Hiroshi. Growling darkly, the wolf demon took off, following the scent trail.

The wolf demon rocketed down the path outlined by the smell of the vampire. His rage propelled his feet and clouded his mind, so that when he suddenly burst out in front of Hiroshi, Koga had trouble skidding to a halt. He ended up roughly a foot away from the vampire, his shoulders tense and his breathing harsh. He thrust his head at Hiroshi, growling like a wild animal, unable to put what was in his head into words. Hiroshi… Tempa… couldn’t happen… wouldn’t… the toys… blood…! [brown]“Stay away from my daughter!”[/brown] Koga managed to snarl between his clenched teeth. His ice-colored eyes were livid with blue fire, his face contorted. His muscles were tight, taut, ready to fling themselves into a fight. Koga would protect his daughter!

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Merodi regretted her decision in telling Koga without further explaining things. He was so rash. She loved that part about him, just like the rest of him. The things she loved the most were the things she lacked in herself. She sighed, watching him leave the cave and was pretty sure nothing good was coming from it. Her daughter looked at her curiously and the deer demon smiled at the hanyou/deer mix.

"Stay here Tempa." Merodi said, patting the girl's head as she followed her mate. She thought over many things she could do to alleviate his anger. Surely he must not be thinking right. Still, the issue on Hiroshi had been important to her and she had wanted to tell Koga for a very long time. Even with this serious and maybe even dangerous situation this was, Merodi couldn't help but smile. She was finally doing her job. To be her mate's stability. She was taught this back with her own family. The essential job the female had.

[Naraku]

Hiroshi looks back towards the wolf village sensing Koga, making his way towards him. He couldn’t help but chuckle knowing what has steamed him. “Maybe this was the wrong time to try and stop feeding.” He ignore the wolf demon at first who was closing in the gap in between them, as he slowly walks back. He then Sees Koga within his site as he was charging towards him.

Within the distance, covering his sense and smell a new shadow spears within sight of the cave, watching the young deer demon as she begin leaving the cave, lost in her own thought. Once she seem far enough away, the shadow quickly lunges toward the cave knowing once he land the wolf demon would then be able to sense him, let alone see. As he lands his ears twitch in all directions as he lands only a short distance of the cave. His eyes was closed but he smiles greatly.

Within on hand he wields a dark sword with darkness itself pulsating from it. Within the other hand was a head of a wolf, It seem to be an elder wolf from another wolf tribe. “I have a message from the northern wolves.” He smiles as he throws the head onto path before them all. As it fell and rolled onto the ground a barrier suddenly forces itself around the cave and them, keeping the outside world from what was happening within the Barrier.

[Aiko]

It seemed to be in that moment, when Koga was staring down the vampire, teeth and anger bared, that there was a shift. Like a taste on the air, like a flicker in the breeze, the wolf demon knew that something had changed. There was some irregularity in the world, and by an uncanny combination of animal and demon senses, Koga knew. It may have been the darkness that pulsated and throbbed through the air behind him, but the wolf demon could feel it right down to his marrow, and he felt that it was bad. It was worse than the issue of Hiroshi wanting to be with Tempa. It was bad, sinister, evil. And Koga instantly turned on his heel and flung himself back the way he’d come, pelting towards his cave home.

Koga was fast, and he poured every drop of his willpower and innate strength into his legs at that moment. He drew upon the power of the jewel shards that were buried deep into his muscle, and forced himself to go as fast as he possibly could. The world melted around him, and the air that he displaced ripped at the skin on his face. Without knowing where they came from, Koga would later discover stripes of blood along his cheeks, arms, and legs where branches and other obstacles had sliced into his skin. But now the pain was not even a part of him. Only speed.

And yet even with that great speed, it wasn’t enough. Though to the rest of reality Koga was a blur, this blur could not reach its home before a barrier threw up its arms and knocked the wolf demon back just as he leapt for the cave.[brown] “No!”[/brown] Koga gasped with the breath that whooshed out of him, even as his body was flung back from out beneath the waterfall, repelled by the force of the shield, and he landed ungracefully in the river. The current carried him downstream a ways, while the wolf demon was bustled helplessly along, but he felt himself drawn back to the surface. As his face burst through the surface, Koga sucked in a breath and thrashed his arms and legs, until they found rhythm and pulled him back ashore.

Soaked and cold, Koga nevertheless threw himself along the narrow trail alongside the river until he reached the waterfall that marked the outside of the cave again. Knowing there was a barrier underneath, the wolf demon still flung himself for it, his foot thrown up to kick. Again, he was repelled. [brown]“No!”[/brown] he roared, landing on solid ground this time just to push himself off again, back towards the barrier once more. [brown] “No! No!” [/brown] Curses tumbled from the wolf demons lips as he attacked the barrier again and again, in multiple successions in a matter of seconds. He had to get through! There was something bad inside!

The something bad had come flying into the cave, and the wolf demons within had jerked to alertness. They saw the sickening smile, the sword that was brandished that screamed something black, and the head that the creature grasped. Sharp cries came from their throats, yips and yowls and moans of horror all intermixed. As the head was flung at them, most of the demons recoiled, mortified expressions frozen on their faces, and gave the thing a wide berth.

But a few wolf demons leaped into action. These were the elite, the ones who had hunted with Koga for the longest, the ones who had been able to keep up the best when their leader had taken off running. One, in a canine shape, propelled itself in front of the tiny body of Tempa, splaying its limbs and digging its short claws into the ground. Its back was arched, fur bristling along its spine, and its black lips were pulled back to display a mouth that bristled with teeth. Three other demons quickly joined this one, taking up defensive positions around their leader’s daughter. Five more sprang to their feet and raced for the dark intruder. Two, also in canine forms, leapt for the creature with jaws agape. Two more, which were humanoid in figure, drew their weapons, one with a blade and another a club. The final one, who had been resting, had nothing but fists, but all five came bursting forward towards the invader, snarling, while the rest of the pack was stunned into stillness.

[Naraku]

“Let’s see how much pain, I can cause without taking your lives.” He slashes the sword pointing it towards them, as within one pulse of it, a shriek came from it. Specters of all the souls the sword has absorb releases covering the whole cave and since a small area there was no dodging . Moving within the specters, the demon rushes between the rest of them and brings his blade slashing it back towards the one before Tempa.

Hiroshi sense the smell of blood before the head was ever tossed and had turn quickly on his way back. He was standing outside the barrier. He turns looking around seeing the crazed wolf attacking the barrier. He growls as he begins conjuring up flames around him hoping to scorch it, yet to no avail.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Merodi paused in her running to Koga. She sensed he wasn't there anymore. Where did he go? She blinked, frowning as her body suddenly tensed. A shudder ran down her spine as she too realized something was wrong. It wasn't the smell in the air, or the sounds of the forest. It wasn't something a lot of people would realize. It was all instinct. Something that she just knew, without a doubt, and could never explain. She ran as fast as she could back to the cave. Which was incredibly slow compared to Koga. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she came to the entrance, staring at Koga and Hiroshi. "What's happening?!"

Inside the cave Tempa stared at the intruder, unsure on what to think of it. She didn't make a sound as she watched her brother wolves protect her. From what? What was he going to do? She looked at the head of a wolf she didn't know and only frowned more. She didn't understand it and didn't know how to react to all of it.

[Aiko]

A shriek exploded through the cave as the dark souls burst from the evil sword, and many wolf demons clapped their hands to their ringing ears, howls of pain bursting from them as the noise ripped through their sensitive ear drums. Shadowy beings swarmed around, and the demons who had already been numb from shock could barely do anything but cower in fear of them, moaning. Those who were touched by the black spirits screeched in pain and collapsed, twitching, and those were many. Whether it was just the terror that overtook them or some actual property of the specters, they themselves didn’t know.

The wolf demons who had moved forward to attack the intruder were the first to fall, gripping their heads in agony and screaming as the monster whipped his blade around. And then the invader was surging forward, and the wolf who stood directly in front of Tempa saw him coming. Driven by a protective instinct, it threw itself forward, just as the sword came slashing at it. The blade cut right through its muscular chest, and dark blood spurted where the demon had been cut.

Behind the now-dying demon, another one spun and scooped the demon child into his arms. He dodged to the side, trying to avoid both sword and dark spirits, but a spectral soul caught him in the back and he fell forward with a scream, tucking Tempa’s small body beneath his as he crashed to the ground by the wall. Not three feet away was a narrow hole in the wall, just large enough for one of Tempa’s small size to squeeze through.

Meanwhile, Merodi’s words barely penetrated the terrified frenzy that gripped Koga. The wolf demon heard her voice, vaguely, and yet it didn’t occur to him that she was safe. And even if he realized it, he wouldn’t have stopped his maddened attack on the barrier. His tribe was within the cave, as was his daughter. And so the wolf demon assaulted the invisible thing that divided him from his extended family, wailing on it with his fists, kicking it with all the power he could summon from the jewel shards and his own innate strength. He leapt back from it for a moment, breathing hard and staring at it wildly. He had landed on a water-slicked rock. With a wordless shout, he propelled himself from the boulder, ducking his head and squeezing his eyes shut. He threw himself forward with all of his speed, sending his own body as a missile to crash into the barrier. Every ounce of his power was devoted into that throw, and if he couldn’t break through, his whole body would crumple against the barrier. Already, there were bruises he barely perceived forming on his knuckles and his feet, where he’d hit the wall.

[ooc: idk...]

[Naraku]

As the wolf demon had his madden attacking Hiroshi could only think hard of ways to break such a barrier. He then turns watching Koga as he leaps with all his might, and Hiroshi took this time. To use his scythe onto the scythe, yet the barrier fades within mid slice, almost knocking him over with the great force he was using. It was odd though cause it seem as the one who put it up was the one who releases the barrier.

Hiroshi catches himself looking up as the sky was littered with saimyosho, He did not waste time as he begins running at his vampirism speed leaving only a blur behind him, using his scythe to slash all the ones within his path.

The demon within the cave quickly grab the demon who last held Tempa, and pulls him up with great force away from the hole, as he catches Tempa before she could ever get away. His hand holds out before her, spraying an odor to put the youth asleep. “Tell your flea bitten master if he wishes to have his daughter back come to Shinju Island and make sure he is ready to give up the jewel shards within his legs.” With that both him and Tempa fades into nothing as if pulled by Naraku.

Hiroshi did not look back to see if Koga was following behind him, but as soon as he reach the outside of the cave he came to a halt making a fist knowing Tempa had just vanished from the cave. Blood begins dripping down his hand as his fist tighten and his fang clench together.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Merodi watched, confused and frightened as Koga fought against what she could only guess was a barrier. Nothing else it could be. But why? What was going on? And then suddenly it was gone. She followed after Hiroshi and took in the damage in the cave. And noticed something missing.

Tempa.

The realization of what had happened sent her into a state of shock and she could do nothing but stare at the injured wolves that had tried to defend Tempa all they could. Her eyes were wide as she forced her head to look at Koga. It took all her might to move just a bit of muscle. Stay calm, stay calm. Can't break down now, must stay calm. How did the other shika's do it? How can the females be so calm after their child fell to the hands of the predator?

[Aiko]

Koga went crashing through the waterfall, barely feeling the water pound against him, and smashed bodily onto the hard stone floor of the cave. The air in his lungs was forced out of him in a gigantic whoosh and his head smacked into rock. With spinning vision, the wolf demon thrashed, rolling onto his belly and sucking air back through his clenched teeth. The cave swam into his vision, with the many collapsed bodies of his tribe members finally being roused, though some demons still cowered. The leader of the pack was on his feet quickly, steadied by the rush of adrenaline that quickened his reactions. His eyes, clear once more, raked the entire cave, searching for one person, one special little girl.

The dread. It settled heavy in his spirit. He couldn’t find his daughter. And he should have. He could smell Merodi by him, smell that she was okay, but Tempa was still unaccounted for. He barely felt relief for his mate while his daughter was missing.

But it couldn’t be right. All his senses had to be lying to him. So Koga ranged around the cave, staring. He was struck for a moment by the expressions on his tribe-mates’ faces. Their eyes were wide and blank, horror just beginning to fade from them. There was a shocking stillness amongst them; even those who were rousing themselves just sat up and stared. Koga followed their eyes, dreading what he might see. Tempa’s broken body flashed in his mind’s eye, so when he saw the severed head of the wolf demon, his first reaction was of relief. Then the horror returned as he took a step towards the head. He recognized that long, wizzened snout. One of the elders of one of the tribes from farther north.

After a few heartbeats that Koga stood there, transfixed by the head, he tore his gaze away and ranged around the cave again, still searching for one individual in particular. His eyes were wild with desperation, his step quick and starting to falter more and more. And then a hoarse, pained voice whispered, “Koga...”

The wolf demon leader turned. First he saw the fallen body of the one demon who had been slashed across the chest, who was still struggling against death. The light in its canine eyes was dying, though, and soon the rest of the body would follow. Beyond that though, near a hole in the wall, lay another demon where he had been dropped. He was lifting himself into a sitting position, staring at his leader with a look of hopelessness and numb terror. Koga stepped over the dying wolf and headed for the living one who had called him. Lifting him under the armpits, Koga put the demon on his feet. The demon swayed when his leader removed his hands, and sagged against the wall.

Apprehensive, Koga choked out the words.[brown] “What happened here? Who did this? Where’s Tempa?”[/brown]

The wolf demon blinked and focused his staring eyes on his leader. His mouth sagged for a moment, but he licked his lips. A tremble rippled through his body. “I’m sorry, Koga,” he croaked. “I tried to protect her. I tried my hardest. I was gonna put her in the wall. She was s’posed to be safe...” The words stopped coming, but the demon’s lips kept moving. His eyes lost their focus, and he started staring again as his mouth sagged once more.

Koga grabbed the other wolf demon by the chin, turning his face towards him. The leader forced his subordinate to look into his frenzied but focused blue eyes. [brown]“Where is she?”[/brown] he asked, his voice tense.

The demon blinked, looking dazed. “He said... he said that if you want her back, you have to go to Shinju Island. And you have to give up your jewel shards,” he relayed duifully. Then he shuddered again and closed his eyes.

Losing his patience, Koga smacked the back of the wolf demon’s head into the wall with enough force to make him yelp. [brown]“Who? Who said?”[/brown] he demanded.

The wolf demon whimpered, refusing to open his eyes. “The... the... monster...” he managed, unhelpfully.

Koga released the wolf demon’s face and stepped back. Then, without thinking about it, he turned and began to walk back towards the entrance to the cave. It seemed that what he needed to do was go to Shinju Island and rescue Tempa.