The First Night [Merodi/Ookami]

[Aiko]

None he would recognize, eh? Koga took that as a challenge. Crossing his arms, he took a moment to give her a rebellious look from his vibrant eyes. What did she know? Maybe he would recognize her song (though deep down he knew that he probably wouldn’t)! In reality, the wolf demon was being rather unreasonable, acting like he knew everything. Worse, he realized he was being unreasonable. But he wasn’t about to let his enlightenment get in the way of his old habit, now was he? Of course he’d know her song! And the more he told himself that, the more he was convinced it was true.

“Hey, you don’t know that!” Koga informed his companion, his childish obstinacy showing in his stubborn face. “For all you know, I am the creator of all songs, and know everything about music!” This was completely untrue, of course. Trying to keep himself from going completely overboard, the wolf demon sighed, looking annoyed, and muttered, “’Course, I’m not really, but you get my point.” Arms still crossed, the demon let out a grunt of affirmation and plopped himself on the ground, as though that settled the matter.

Koga looked at Merodi, hardly realizing how strange it was to have to tilt his head back and look up to see her. “Well, if you’re so brilliant with your songs, why not sing me one and we’ll see whether or not I know it?” Now this was a challenge he hoped the timid, demure deer demon would take on, unlike her reactions to fighting. Of course, with the wolf demon’s subconsciously challenging glare, who knew when his faint-hearted companion’s feeble excuse for courage would flicker out?

On the other hand, this would be Merodi’s big chance to prove herself.

OOC: Sorry it’s kind of short… =P

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Merodi couldn't help but be amused of Koga and what he said. He didn't know everything about music. Fighting, and singing were too different things. One was violence, and the other usually brought peace. Koga was so funny. So stubborn, something she could not be even for a moment. Of course, her words had kind of been a challenge. She was confident in her songs and knew that there was none like them in the feudal era.

Merodi watched Koga sit on the floor and wondered if she was supposed to join him, even though they weren't really at camp. It was a few feet away. She glanced at it for a moment, just to make sure it was still there, though she didn't know where it would go, and then turned back to Koga.

Merodi was taken by surprise by what he said, asking, or implying that she sing him a song. She blinked a couple of times, trying to think of a song. The only one that would come to her was the song that she had just learned. The last one in her dream. It was most vivid to her. She calmed herself, nodding her head she closed her eyes before waiting a few seconds and starting her song.

"Dreaming comes so easily
'Cause it's all that I've known
True love is a fairy tale
I'm damaged, so how would I know

I'm scared and I'm alone
I'm ashamed
And I need for you to know

I didn't say all the things that I wanted to say
And you can't take back what you've taken away
'Cause I feel you, I feel you near me

I didn't say all the things that I wanted to say
And you can't take back what you've taken away
'Cause I feel you, I feel you near me

Healing comes so painfully
And it chills to the bone
Will anyone get close to me?
I'm damaged, as I'm sure you know

There's mending for my soul
An ending to this fear
Forgiveness for a man who was stronger
I was just a little girl, but I can't go back..."

Merodi blushed as the song finished, staring at Koga for his reaction. The whole time she had been lost to her song, allowing it to sway her body, made her seem calm and loose. But now she was tense, and overly nervous. Stiff as a board. That song reminded her a little of herself. But she couldn't describe how it did that.

Of course, at that moment she didn't think of singing as proving to Koga that she wasn't useless. In fact, singing was a rather useless thing. It was good with other people, but it wouldn't take down your enemies, and her singing was only trouble. It ruined her life but she still loved it. Even since she had escaped she had only sang to Ookami, and now Koga. These two people who she trusted and admired.

((Damaged by Plumb. and me no care how short it is))

[Aiko]

[OOC: I’m guessing that the tune is the same as well, right? And Koga can understand them, right?]

Merodi was right. Koga had never heard anything like the song she sang to him.

As she sang, it seemed that she was losing herself, allowing her soul to be swept off by the current of the music. Listening as he was, her wolf demon companion also felt the inevitable pull of her song. The words of the song, the emotion behind it… all of this drowned out Koga’s own feelings, his own thoughts, until the lyrics were a current of thought, pulling him in, bathing him in their cool, melancholy hum. His look of irritated defiance melted, replaced by a look of rapt attention, of intense consideration. Uncrossing his arms, the demon pulled himself to his feet, and was hardly aware of his own staring intently at Merodi.

When the song was over and Merodi lost her easy flow with the music, Koga did not quite succeed in matching her speed of dragging himself out of the song. He continued staring at his now-tense deer companion for a moment longer, before he finally snapped out of his reverie. Realizing that he had been leaning forward, subconsciously willing the song to continue, he stepped back, slightly embarrassed. But his own thoughts came cascading in, those thoughts that usually betrayed him.

What did she mean by that song? Was she singing about me? Well, I was the only one listening, but does that mean I’ve done something wrong to her? Oh no, not again! For some inexplicable reason, Koga felt disturbed by the thought that he may have hurt his gentle company. What the hell did I do this time? Is she still upset about the whole pretending to hit her thing? Come on! That was her fault, not mine! Despite the fact that the words of his thoughts were angry, the wolf demon looked, and was, shaken.

“I--I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he stammered suddenly, looking surprised by the words coming out of his own mouth. Aw crap, how corny do I sound? he thought, starting to look annoyed again and turning slightly red. And then… Argh, stop thinking! Thinking just makes me say stupid things! Still, the echo of the music in his mind disturbed him. What the hell could he have done to make Merodi sing something like that?

It wasn’t until then that the idea that maybe, just maybe, the song wasn’t directed at him came to mind.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

((aww, Koga's so cute. And yeah, sure. You can look up the song its easy enough to find. I love that song))

Merodi knew how her songs affect people. And Koga acted the same as Ookami, though maybe more into the song then the hanyou. Of course, this song was a little more saddening. The song reminded Merodi of herself, and the human lord. What he had taken away from her, what she had not been able to say. She stared up at Koga. Though, suddenly realizing that when she had started her song he had been sitting down. This confused her a bit, but she didn't think much of it.

Damaged...could she truly describe herself as such? Maybe so, that human lord had taken something away from her. He had been stronger, and she had been, to demons, just a little girl. He had taken away her freedom, made her afraid to the point that each rustling bush spooked her out of her skin. Of course, a normal shika was just as jumpy, but she had been a different young girl before everything changed.

Merodi frowned, the expression on his face made her confused, and even more so when he spoke. It took her a moment before she realized that he had thought she was singing about him. She blinked, before a smile came across her face. "I'm sorry Koga that you got the wrong impression." she frowned then, looking at him, but her doe-like orbs taking on a distant look.

"I was damaged a long time ago..."

www.projectplaylist.com/musicsearch?searchfor=Damaged+Plumb

Here so you can listen to it ^_^

[Aiko]

Promptly after Merodi informed him that the song was not actually about him, Koga took it upon himself to give his forehead a good whap.

It was a motion of exasperation. Of course, as with many things, Koga overdid it, and when he hit himself on the head, it actually hurt. “Ow…” he groaned under his breath. “Damn, I’m stupid.” This referred to both the hitting of the forehead and the assumed meaning of the song. Of course, the wolf demon didn’t mean to admit his realization of his own idiocy aloud; he thought that all of this just happened in his own head (except for the painfully real red mark that was growing on his forehead).

So exasperated with himself was he that he hardly noticed that he had just been called “Koga.” Not “Koga-sama” or “Koga-sensei,” but just plain Koga. Had he taken time to notice, he might have appreciated this more, but Merodi continued on, not giving him a chance to dwell on his own name.

“Damaged?” Yes, the song had used that same word. It was in interesting, almost poetic way of saying it. Of course, Koga didn’t have much appreciation for poetry; it was the whole idea that someone had hurt Merodi, and that the bastard might still be roaming around, that made the wolf demon stop to linger over what she said.

Someone had hurt her? This timid, easily frightened, but unquestionably pure-hearted shika had been hurt by some thoughtless bastard? Okay, so everyone gets hurt in this screwed up world. Koga himself had been “damaged,” as his feminine companion put it, when practically his entire tribe had been wiped out by that witch Kagura. No one lived a life unscathed, no matter what anyone said. That was the way it worked. But somehow, the thought that someone would be as heartless to hurt Merodi so much that she would still be singing about it to a wolf demon that she had just met made Koga’s blood burn.

Fury. That was the name of the burning sensation that scorched through his veins. Fury that would be unleashed on whatever creature had broken his newfound companion. Oh, the thought of driving his fist into the stomach of the wretched beast… the delight of inflicting pain upon someone who desperately deserved it… that certainly brought pleasure to Koga. Clenching his hands into tight fists, he decided that he would give whoever hurt Merodi a dose of his own medicine.

Realizing that his face was twisted in a grotesque mask of rage, Koga forced himself to relax and unclench his fists. “Who damaged you?” It was not so much a question as a demand for Merodi to tell him. “What happened?” Koga had it in his mind to go out and kick some ass right then!

[OOC: I’d already looked it up, but thanks! ^_^]

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Merodi would have almost laughed out loud with his exasperation of stupidity and inflicting pain on himself....if, she had been truly paying attention to him. No, she was too lost in her memories that haunted her day and night, year after year. But something told Merodi that maybe she shouldn't have said that she had been damaged at all.

Koga-sama was mad. Okay, she had called him only Koga when she had spoken, but only at his own request to not use an honorific with his name. But he would still be Koga-sama in her thoughts, and it might just slip out every once in a while. Luckily she hadn't slipped up just yet.

Merodi watched Koga, confusion showing on her face and she tilted her head to the side, taking in his clenched fist and his 'ready to pound someones head in' look that came across his face. At first, she didn't understand it. Had she made him angry?

Koga's two questions took Merodi by surprise, she had never expected him to react so strongly to what she had said. She opened her mouth to answer one, then the other popped up and she was left speechless for a few seconds. She had never spoken about what had happened to her.

It had been years since that time, and she had avoided speaking of it. With who, she didn't know. Probably herself since she had never traveled with anyone. She never knew that she would have to tell her life story to whoever she traveled with. Ookami never asked, but she guessed it was because she never said anything that would give away her past.

"It was a human lord." she finally answered. She thought of not telling him, even with him asking, but she could not do such a thing. "I was kidnapped from my herd and forced to sing to him. He would do anything to make me sing. If I did not, I was punished." she took in a deep breath and her hands pulled and tugged at the end of her dress as if she was wringing out water from it.

"The lord's domain was attacked, and I was able to escape."

((good song huh?))

[Aiko]

By some miracle, Koga forced himself to refrain from looking too terribly angry. This human bastard who tried to pass himself off as a lord was not about to pop out of nowhere and allow the wolf demon to rip him limb from limb, much as the demon wished something like that could happen. He had to calm down, for Merodi’s sake, and listen as she continued her short autobiography.

Kidnapped from her herd? Koga thought of it as though one of his own being kidnapped from the tribe, the pack. He knew that the rest of the tribe would stop at nothing to storm across the land, wreaking havoc, until they were reunited with their lost clansman. Why didn’t anybody come and rescue you? the aggressive wolf demon wanted to cry, but it probably had something to do with the tentativeness of damn deer. Probably too scared of even humans to go and save one of their own… Still, the thought of it made the fire in his veins burn hotter and redder.

Oh? That bastard punished her for being defiant? That freak must have had a lot of nerve to do so, and probably a mob of allies to back him up. How dare a human even think to punish a demon? It should be the other way around, with demons punishing humans for just existing, the revolting cretins… Not all of humankind was so awful, but at least half of them were stupid idiots who only caused trouble. This vile lord was probably one of those types.

If the lord’s domain was attacked, did that mean the lord had been killed? Good riddance if that was the case; one less ass to take up space in a world that was already too full of them. If not, his karma was about to catch up with him; Koga wasn’t about to let something like this just slide. “Did that bastard die?” he demanded to know, bluntly revealing his interest in the subject by way of burning eyes and knotted brows. His hands were balled into such tight fists, so tightly that old wounds where he had pressed his nails deep into his flesh were reopened. Of course, he was only dimly aware of a wet warmth that crawled sluggishly between his fingers.

[OOC: Argh, sorry this isn’t much to reply to… =P Oh, and it’s an awesome song.]

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Even after her explanation, Koga seemed so angry. She was confused of it, why and how she could make him so angry. But it wasn't her that he was angry at. She could at least come to that. It was hard, his questions with his anger, it was something she had never expected from someone like Koga-sama. He was furious over what a human lord did to her. Or, that was what she got from his emotions and his questions. It made her feel happy...special. Cared for.

Even though, the more the subject stayed on her past, she couldn't get it out of her mind. Images flashed across her inner eye. Being kidnapped from her herd, being forced to sing to him. And though Merodi seemed to have no back bone now, in the past it had been a whole other story. She would not sing for the human lord, no matter what he did.

Until he threatened to destroy her whole herd. Of course, after she agreed he did it anyway, and she didn't know that until she had escaped and went to them. She didn't want to think about it anymore. No longer. She hated being haunted by her pasts, and she normally never thought about it. Nor talked to anyone about it.

Much less a wolf demon that had deer on the menu. But Koga was different. He was way different. Merodi was brought out of her reverie when he asked his question, she stared up at him for a moment.

"Hai, he did." she replied. Of course, the whole story was that after the attack, the lord burned down the rest of his castle and stayed inside, killing himself. Merodi didn't care much about that. She was glad that he was dead, that she was free.

Merodi didn't really pay attention anymore to her thoughts. She was being filled with this sudden warmth, knowing that Koga cared about her. His anger toward a human lord, of something that had happened in the past....

The feelings passed when a sudden scent came to Merodi's nose. Her eyes widened before they wandered to Koga's hands. "Oh, Koga!" she said, alarmed. Quickly, she grabbed his hand and pried his fingers open, a sudden wave of nausea hitting her as the scent and the sight of blood washed over her. "You're wounded." yes, what better thing to do but to state the obvious.

Worry and concern showed in her doe-like eyes as she looked away from his hand which she held in her own, to his face. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have made you angry." she knew that the wounds came from his anger, and she blamed herself for making him angry. Of course, she knew it was not she that angered him, but the story she had told.

((I think its enough to reply to. Took you a while to post anyway and yes, the song is awsome))

[Aiko]

Slightly disappointed, Koga nodded when his companion informed him on the death of her former captor. It wasn’t that he was disappointed that he was dead (in fact, he was quite pleased about that, and his inner animal gave a little satisfied growl) but rather the fact that he didn’t get to “rough him up” before that (or simply the fact that he wasn’t responsible for his demise). Anyway, it was enough for him to slacken his fists, loosen the tension in his arms. It felt good to have tensed muscles unbend, and only now was he fully aware of the little cuts he had inflicted upon himself with his clenched fists. Aw crap, not again…

To Koga, these little puncture wounds didn’t even deserve to be called “wounds.” They were more like tiny annoyances, nothing more alarming than papercuts. They were just like his earlier spider bite and tiny burn combo; they would soon pass and be forgotten.

Then again, Merodi didn’t seem to be used to pain at all.

She was exclaiming like a worried mother hen over the little, blood-leaking marks, making the wolf demon sigh with the slightest hint of exasperation. She took one of his hands in hers; he followed her gaze as she stared with apparent disgust at the scarlet that stained between his fingers. But maybe it was just the salty scent of the blood that the deer demon noticed, for she was gently prying his fingers out of what remained of his fists (or at least to the rough-and-tumble demon it felt gentle) and gawked at his wounds.

But even as Koga watched, he could feel the softness of Merodi’s fingers over his own, felt his own skin tingling, sensitive, beneath her touch. He blinked, surprised by the tingling that seemed to spread from his hand, still in her grasp, throughout his entire body. The sense of touch was an amazing thing, often forgotten beside things like sight. And yet the feel of her hand over his was, indeed, a very distinctive, powerful sense.

Subconsciously, Koga’s gave shifted when Merodi’s did, until deep, gentle chocolaty eyes met electrifyingly blue ones. The wolf demon gave an inward shiver; the gentle touch of her hand, the deep, concerned glow from her eyes, barely visible unless they reflected starlight, were sharpened by the night. The lingering anger in the demon’s eyes melted away, to be replaced by an unusually calm gaze, and his brow unknotted. No one was bothering Merodi now, and nothing, nothing, would bother her again.

“Wha? Merodi’s words came almost as a surprise. He had been angry? Yeah, he had been angry. No, he had not been angry at her; that was stupid. “Idiot bastards that think they own the world make me angry,” he informed her, “not demons like you.” He was hardly aware of the words he spoke; they were one with his thoughts, just another sense on the edge of reality.

Much, much more real was Merodi’s hand on his, and her gaze locked with his.

For a few moments, Koga stood there like that, hardly aware of anything, happily oblivious to practically everything. He let his mind relax, and his body was quite willing to comply. His stance was starting to slacken, when the wind shifted slightly and bit into his small cuts. There was enough sting to get his attention; the hand is quite a sensitive part of the body, and the wolf demon snapped out of his little daze.

I must be getting tired, he decided, feeling the inevitable warmth spreading to his face. Crap, I must look like an idiot.

“My hand’s fine, you know,” he remarked. “Let’s head back to camp now. You tired?”

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Merodi's concern for Koga's small wounds kept her from realizing that yes, she was holding his hand. And if she could put her worry and concern away she, too, would have realized how small the cuts were. His hands must have been clenched so hard that the nails bit into the skin. That's what it seemed like. It would hurt. Such small wounds sometimes hurt the worst. She couldn't believe how hard he was gripping to have such wounds.

Had he really been that angry over her past? It was heart warming, she could say. Something no one had ever done before. Even when she had pried his fingers open, to relax his fingers from going any deeper into the palm of his hand she had not let go. She held his hand in hers, his palm up and open to the wind.

Of course, she knew she could let go now. Even as she continued to stare up at Koga, into his blue orbs. Such odd eyes...well, to her. It was nothing like she had ever seen before. That color, or the way his eyes were narrowed. Everything about Koga was new to her.

Koga's words didn't surprise her, and she held his gaze as he spoke. So it was...bastards like the human lord. Not like her. She smiled, her chest filling with warmth at his words. Koga hated that man because of what he had done to her, and that made her happy. She could guess that if she had said he was still alive, that Koga would go hunting him down. Merodi had never...felt this way before. Just by knowing that such a thing made him angry.

Merodi was just find standing there with Koga, holding his hand. Of course, she had almost forgotten that she even had his hand in hers, except for the warmth that came from it. He kept his gaze as long as he held it, and the silence that came over them seemed like only mere seconds. Two to one seconds as she lost herself in his blue orbs.

Merodi finally came to the present time when he spoke up again. His hand was fine....that reminded her of something....

The shika looked at his hand, which she still held and immediately let go, a deep scarlet flooding her cheeks as she quickly muttered and apology, she remembered the rest of his words he had spoken before she had seemed to have startled herself. "Oh, um, yes..." she replied to his question. She turned to face the fire but didn't move and only did she when he was in front of her for her to follow.

The whole time she couldn't find herself to look at him, and the blush on her cheeks did not vanish, it stayed in place because she couldn't stop thinking about herself holding his hand. Warm. The palm of her hands felt warm and it startled and confused her. She felt like she was still touching his hand, it still lingered so.

((I see a new couple, yay!!))

[Aiko]

Once Merodi led the way in letting go and turning away to hide her own flushing face, Koga followed suit, gazing towards the place where they made camp (though technically it had been Ookami who lit the fire). Almost experimentally, he flexed his hand, clenching it into a half-fist before relaxing, clenching and relaxing. The blood was practically clotted by now; these little cuts, though annoying, would soon be forgotten (that is, if he didn’t open them yet again). Still, there was a lingering warmth where Merodi had grasped his hand, but that, like the slight pain, was fading, numbed by the cool breeze and the time that refused to cease its flow.

Koga was embarrassed, but he’d never admit it. How long had he been standing there, staring blankly at his newfound companion? For Pete’s sake, he’d just met her! Why the hell was he standing around staring at her, holding hands like they were a fricking couple?! Besides, even if he had thought of them as a couple which, he told himself forcefully, he didn’t, what about Kagome? If he was going to be all round-eyed about some crazy little lady, it was going to be Kagome that he would choose! Of course! He’d announced it to the whole world several times! Didn’t that mean he had to choose her over anyone else?

…didn’t it?

And… and besides, Merodi probably wouldn’t appreciate his being… well… you know… Well, it was only their first night together! And didn’t Koga frighten his timid deer demon companion? Yeah! So…

What was the point of this whole line of thought, anyway? Okay, he didn’t feel anything more than companionship for Merodi, and vice versa! And that was that.

It didn’t seem that said deer demon had moved at all during all of Koga’s inward deliberations. Feeling deep warmth in his cheeks and embarrassment burning in his blood, he gave her a glance from the corner of his eye. Though he couldn’t quite see her expression, he couldn’t help but guess that it was something like uncertainty. Was she waiting for him to lead the way? That was, after all, what he usually did. If that was what she wanted… He took a few steps towards the campfire, then, without warning, sat down.

“You go on,” he told her. “I’ll join you in a minute.”

[OOC: I had no idea what to write for this. =P]

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Merodi waited silenly for Koga to lead the way back to camp. The whole time her hands were wringing out that invisible water out of her short dress. She stared at the ground, her blush finally fading. That, in itself, was a relief. Her hands had seemed to finally lose that warmth and she could relax just a little bit more. Letting out a small sigh to calm her nerves she glanced at Koga to see if he would lead the way. He still hadn't moved, but she would wait patiently.

Then, as Koga started to move, she started to follow, but stopped when he suddenly sat down. She stared down at him, confusion showing on her face as her brows furrowed. Hearing his words, she hesitated for a moment, having the urge to just sit down beside him. "Oh, um, okay..." she muttered, nodding her head before making her way to the fire.

Merodi kept her eyes on the flames even as she had the need to look back at Koga, wondering what he was doing. She plopped down by the fire and stared at it for a moment. The sudden loss of his presence quickly left her feeling alone again. She sighed, using her foot to push a stick more into the fire.

Not like the normal deer, the shika yokai weren't as afraid of fire as there animal relation. She wondered how different Koga was from his animal relation. Of course, the whole point that he wasn't going to eat her was a big change in itself. But he held himself as an alpha wolf, talked with that rough voice, and he just gave off the feel of a wolf.

Merodi did not fear him. Not anymore. His actions, maybe, but not him. Doe-like orbs slowly turned, trying to get a glance of Koga and where he had sat, but she caught and stopped herself from doing so. And it seemed that the night was finally taking its hold on her for she yawned, bringing her hand to cover her mouth before she stood and began to walk away from the camp.

Merodi tried to stay close to camp, she really did, but she couldn't sleep on the ground the camp was. She walked farther away from camp then she thought she had to. Finally she found it. A large patch of grass, perfect for a bed. She sighed, and turned to look back toward the fire. She could still see the fire's light and was comforted by it.

She finally realized how exhausted she was. With everything that had happened today. She collapsed on that patch of grass, but sat up on her knees to move away the leaves and twigs. Once they were gone, it was a comfortable green patch of grass. She smiled, laying down and clurling into a ball to get some sleep.

((fine with me.))

[Aiko]

Koga sat watching Merodi leave him, trying, but only partially succeeding, to hide his confusion behind his usual glare. But as she finally settled herself by the flickering, glowing fire, her form casting a long shadow on the ground, his electric gaze morphed from half-hearted anger into a more thoughtful look. Drawing up his legs, the wolf demon crossed his arms over his knees and rested his chin there, keeping his gaze focused on his shika youkai companion. Exhaling softly, some of the tenseness in his spine began to dissipate, and he felt a bit more comfortable.

What was she thinking now, as she kicked a twig into the fire? Probably something along the lines of Koga’s idiotic antics, now that he thought about it. What was he up to, anyway, getting all emotional about her sob story? As if he didn’t have his own agenda, without tromping off in search of some royal blockhead who had hurt some random demon he had come across earlier that day! The demon snorted; no, he had enough on his plate without worrying about his nervous new companion.

And an edgy companion she was, not even able to handle learning how to fight, and earlier pitter-pattering after a random wolf demon just because he had told her to. Did she have no independence, no self-confidence, whatsoever? These thoughts weren’t really of annoyance; they were more like just casual observations. Still, she was definitely the timid deer, her nervous nature made even more obvious beside her aggressive “wolf” companion. Then again, she had chosen to travel with him instead of going after her old friend Ookami.

But what if she abandoned him, just as she had done with the half-demon? The thought of her leaving, or perhaps of him just being alone, made Koga’s heart feel heavy with… sadness, was it? Yes, he found that he really would be sad if she went off without him. In spite of everything, she wasn’t just some random demon any more, for she was his companion, whether she liked it or not. Oh, he hoped she did like it, though…

What was he thinking of now? What did he care what she thought?

A lot, apparently. Digging down deep, he discovered something: if someone was to come along and say that he cared about what Merodi thought, he would have to say that they were absolutely right. Of course, he would never admit this, and at this thought, Koga smiled to himself. So what if he cared about the gentle deer demon? It’s not like anyone would criticize him for it. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it. If anyone tried to tell him otherwise… well, let’s just say that they wouldn’t try to dissuade a wolf demon again.

The thought of backing up his decision with violence made Koga relax a bit more.

He was about to get up and join Merodi, but… where was Merodi? He thought he had been watching her, but perhaps he was too absorbed with his own thoughts. Stupid mind, trying to get the better of him… he thought he had told himself that he wouldn’t get wrapped up in thinking again. Key word in that sentence being “thought.” Ah, well… perhaps this was a battle Koga was destined to lose.

But back to the matter at hand. Where was the deer demon? After a quick scan of his surroundings, Koga saw a rock thing that hadn’t been there before. Only this rock thing was breathing. Apparently, it wasn’t a rock thing at all. He could see the gentle rise and fall of Merodi’s side where she lay, curled up in a ball to sleep. Did she dislike the fire? Maybe, maybe not, but for whatever reason, Merodi wasn’t sleeping there. One of her little personality quirks? What other ones would he encounter during his travels with her? His slight smile broadened slightly at that.

The wolf demon rose to his feet and walked silently over to where his mellow companion lay. Standing over her, he marveled at how she could look even more innocent and gentle when curled up in a ball, as if she didn’t look that way enough when she was awake! Koga’s face grew soft as he watched her for a moment, watching the soft shadows that were splashed across what he could see of her face. Finally, conscious of the fact that if he was the first thing she saw when she woke up she would probably scream, he backed up a few paces and crouched, still watching her. He wasn’t very tired; he would watch over her through the night.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

You lie, silent there before me.
Your tears, they mean nothing to me,
The wind howling at the window,
The love you never gave,
I give to you,
Really don't deserve it,
But now, there's nothing you can do.
So sleep, in your only memory
Of me, my dearest mother...

Merodi's chocolate eyes slowly opened, her sight blurry and her eye lids only half opened. Such a thing when she was only half awake. Maybe not even half. Her eyes squinted, taking note that she was in the same position she had started in last night. She had turned a bit, and instead of curled up she had somehow stretched out. And for a moment, she found she was too lazy to get up.

She groaned, irritated with herself for awaking at such a time. The song had not even been close to finished. She could not hear the whole thing. And yet that first verse was already stuck in her head. Slowly she pulled herself off the ground with her hands, barely even noticing Koga was nearby.

Merodi shook her head, tossing away the last of the sleep before she say up completely and turned to look toward the fire when Koga's form caught her eye. She stared at him for a moment, a dazed look in her eyes before she smiled and muttered a small good morning before a yawn passed her lips. She whiped at her eyes, turning her head to look up at the sky. It was early. The sun was barely up yet. But instead of a dark and black night sky, it was more of a dark blue.

Slowly she got to her feet, the sudden height change making her head spin and her balance stagger just a bit. She unwrinkled the clothes she wore and pulled somr of her red hair out of her face when something hit her...

"Um...Koga...what happened to that shard I gave you...?"

[Aiko]

Muscles… cramped… ow…

As Koga so brilliantly discovered, crouching in the same position all night cramps the legs. Wincing slightly, he glanced eastward, willing the sun to rise. Was that a golden glimmer in the distance, or was it just his imagination? Oh well. He had to get up and stretch. Grunting as stiff muscles unbent, he rose and put his arms over his head, grabbing his elbow in the opposite hand and flexing his powerful shoulders. As he did so, he closed his eyes and allowed himself an enormous yawn.

When he opened his eyes and glanced down at his gentle companion, he saw that her eyes were slightly open. Was she awake? Immediately, Koga crouched to get a better look at her, struggling to resist the temptation to go over and poke her. She groaned then, a sleepy sound, and the temptation dissipated, returning his expression a gentler one, similar to the one the night before. His sleepy friend would be waking on her own soon enough without his prodding her. And, lo and behold, there she was, rising up slightly, right on cue.

When she finally turned to him, Merodi gave her fiercer friend a slightly bemused look from those soft, chocolate brown eyes of hers, as though she had forgotten him in her sleep. After a brief moment, however, recognition seemed to return and she greeted him. By way of a “good morning,” Koga grinned at the deer demon and rose, finding the need to stretch his re-cramped muscles. Oh man, I’m gonna be stiff today, he thought, redoing his before stretch with the other hand.

Rising to join him, Merodi still seemed a bit dazed, wavering with that sense of vertigo that is so infuriatingly common when one rises too quickly. Koga blinked, a brief flash of sympathy in his blue eyes; he hated it when that happened, though the occasions were few and far between. He waited patiently for her to get her bearings, wanting to be off but feeling no more of that sense of urgency that had once gripped him. However, as she primped, his impatience grew, but that was to be short-lived, what with the deer demon’s incoming question.

“Whaddaya mean?” Koga demanded, his irritation not as harsh in his voice as might have been expected had he been addressing someone else. “You never gave me… the… shard…” Oh shit… Once again, the wolf demon slapped himself on the forehead in irritation, but this time was not as comical as before. “Do you mean to say that you lost the jewel shard?”