Chapter 9: Dog Fights
Four hundred and twenty five days. It had been over one year since Kouga took off and disappeared from the face of the earth. Ginta and Hakkaku had returned to their pack after searching all of their territory for the missing ookami, leaving the group back to its original members.
Kagome had been inconsolable at first, blaming herself for the wolf's leaving, Inuyasha was worse, sulking around miserably, barely speaking to anyone knowing that he was the one to blame and not the miko.
The group had searched everywhere they could think of for months but nobody they ran into had seen the dark haired wolf prince. They had even asked Sesshoumaru when they ran across him and his little group. The demon lord had told them that the whereabouts of the wolf demon were none of his concern, in his own disdainful way telling them he hadn't seen him. He had looked at his younger brother with his normal contempt and some curiosity as to why the hanyou would even care before deciding that wasn't his concern either.
After awhile, everything began to go back to normal. The group of friends went back to trying to collect what shards they could and tracking down the elusive spider demon, all of them holding out hope that they would come across their wolf friend at some point.
But there were a few differences, Inuyasha was more serious and seemed to be closing himself off from everyone. He had a hard time accepting that the wolf, his wolf, was gone and he could tell no one of the secret ache in his heart. A distance had appeared between the hanyou and Kagome. He never argued with her about going home and she never sat him anymore. She had no need; he didn't get angry unless he was battling a demon. In fact he rarely showed any kind of emotion, beginning to act more like his elder brother every day. His viciousness in dispatching the demons they encountered bothered Miroku, he had not seen the hanyou behave with such blood lust except when he had been in his demon form and he worried for his friend.
Miroku was the first person to come across the wolf for the first time and he didn't even realize it. The group had stopped in a village to purchase some supplies after following a lead to where they thought Naraku could be hiding. Miroku had found a fairly rich house that he had "exorcised" in exchange for lodging. While there the man of the household told the monk he was going to the fights and invited Miroku to join him. Miroku not wanting to offend his host agreed and the two of them left, leaving the girls and Shippou in the care of the hanyou.
"What fights are these that we're going to see," Miroku asked his host.
"Dog fights, they're quite exciting and there's a fellow who has a tame wolf, it's never been beat."
Miroku's gut churned, he did not want to watch men pit poor animals against each other and watch them fight to the death. "I'm not sure if this is my thing," he told the older man.
"Nonsense, its just good fun; don't be a prude monk and besides, they'll be sake and betting, you may make some money. And I certainly don't believe your pious act; I've seen the way you look at women." The man laughed at the uncomfortable look on the monks face and put his arm around the purple clad shoulder. "Surely a man such as yourself is not afraid of a little blood."
"Of course not," returned Miroku and against his better judgement went with the man behind some buildings. At the end of the alley there had been dug a pit with rope encircling it to prevent the watchers from falling in. There were steps leading down at one end and this is where the men with their animals were going.
Many of the dogs were large mutts with huge flat heads and large square jaws. Some were squat but muscular, others had long snouts and lithe bodies and most had muzzles. As they walked by the crowd to get to the stairs the animals were snarling and froth was foaming out of their mouths, their eyes crazed. They all knew what they were here to do.
Suddenly Miroku heard the crowd begin to chant, "Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue," and loud cheers went up as a tall, thinish man walked by with a large black wolf. Miroku noticed that the wolf was not on a leash and he wasn't muzzled, instead walking calmly beside his master showing neither fear nor anger.
The monk had to admit he was a beautiful creature, black with a reddish gold face mask and neck ruff. He was surprised when the creature looked right at him and stopped, staring at the monk in a most familiar way. The man at his side frowned and reached down, putting his hand on the animals head before it looked up and again followed its master, taking one look back over its shoulder at him.
He understood why the animals name was Blue. It was because of the piercing eyes of the same color that had regarded him almost intelligently. Miroku felt a quiver go up his spine and got closer to the rope to watch as the pair descended the stairs.
"Who is that?" he asked a gentleman that was standing beside him.
"That's Satori-sama and his wolf, Blue. They're undefeated champions of the fight ring. They say he captured it with his houshi magic and tamed it."
Miroku looked at the tall man with the wolf in surprise. A monk, I've never heard of him before. Perhaps I will speak to him after the match.
The first few matches were with some of the smaller animals and Miroku got a bit queasy watching as the animals tore each other to bits with the cheers of the appreciative crowd ringing in his ears. The fights moved on to the larger animals but still the wolf didn't participate. Finally all went still as the man stepped into the ring with the wolf at his side. Men were betting all around Miroku but he couldn't figure out what the wolf was supposed to fight until he saw men dragging out a rather large bull demon, its eyes red, foam flying out of its nostrils and mouth. He could see the creature had ofudas on it, probably to aid in its control and he shivered at the absolute hatred he felt from the demon below. Miroku couldn't believe that the wolf, although the largest he had seen, would be able to prevail against such an enemy. Although from the sound of the betting going on around him some did.
He watched as the demon bull was released from its chains and the wolf attacked. It was a huge battle, blood flying out of both combatants as the wolf bit and the bull used its massive horns. At one point the bull had the wolf to the ground; one of his large horns impaling the canine's shoulder causing Miroku to look away, sure the animal would be crushed to death. The wolf snarled and snapped and managed to break free, grabbing the bull by the nose and holding on as the immense animal shook his head back and forth trying to loosen the grip of the wolf. Finally the large creature collapsed, dead from asphyxiation.
Cheers went up, money was exchanged and the thin monk came to the ring and picked up his battered wolf that lay panting in a pool of blood. Miroku tried to get to him to speak to him but the crowd pushed him back and he soon lost sight of the man. As more people drifted off his host caught sight of him and went to him.
"Quite something wasn't it," he chatted excitedly. "That creature can take on anything. I made a few dollars with my betting too," he laughed, clapping Miroku on the back as they made their way back to his home.
Miroku felt a bit ill. How could anybody pit that poor creature against such things? It's a wonder it was able to defeat it. I hope it's alright.
The man was still going on and on about the greatness of Satori and his wolf when they entered the estate. Inuyasha looked up when they walked in. "How was it?" he asked.
Their host happily went into great detail about the fights and the wolf. Inuyasha at first was disgusted but then his ears perked up as the man told him of the large, blue eyed wolf.
"Blue eyes, you're sure it had blue eyes?" he questioned breathlessly.
"I saw them as well," Miroku confirmed after the older man replied in the affirmative.
"Where were they? Tell me," he demanded grabbing their host's kimono and shaking him slightly.
"Inuyasha, why are you so worked up?" Miroku asked in confusion.
"They're gone now, probably off to the next fights," the man stated, fear beginning to show in his eyes at the actions of the demented hanyou.
"That poor creature didn't look like it would be able to fight again," Miroku said in shock, remembering how the bull had gored it and remembering all the blood.
Inuyasha was almost yelling in frustration, "Where, where will they go next?"
The man told him and then Inuyasha released him to fall in a heap on the floor at his feet. "Come on we're leaving now," he ordered. He went to the room the girls and Shippou were getting ready to settle down in, yelling at them to get their stuff and come on.
"Inuyasha, what's wrong with you? Why do you want to see this man so much? What's going on?" Miroku asked his friend.
"It's not the man, stupid, it's the wolf. That wolf is Kouga."
Inuyasha raced to the next village with Kagome on his back. Miroku, Shippou and Sango rode on Kirara. The others were shocked to learn that Kouga could transform into an animal and wondered why he was with this monk and fighting for him.
"One of the men there said that this Satori used charms to capture Kouga, perhaps he is using something similar to control him," Miroku mussed to the others.
Inuyasha growled low in his throat. "That guy is going to pay for using Kouga like that." The others looked at the hanyou quizzically at the tone of malice in his voice. They had no idea that Inuyasha cared so much about the wolf.
It didn't take long for them to arrive and a few discrete questions allowed them to find where the fights were being held. They hung out in the village hoping to find where this Satori fellow was, apparently he hadn't arrived yet. Inuyasha kept watch on the main road into the village at one end with Kagome and Shippou while Sango and Miroku kept watch at the other.
It was Miroku who saw them as they walked with some of the other men and their dogs. Again the wolf was walking beside his master without leash or muzzle, unlike the other creatures in the group. He noticed the limp to the ookami's gait. He must not have fully healed from the last battle yet. Miroku scowled and concentrated, he could feel a holy aura coming from around the wolf's neck. A sutra _! H__ e is controlling Kouga._ "Sango, go tell Inuyasha we've found them but tell him to keep back for now, there's too many other humans around to get into a fight."
Sango nodded her head and hurried back to where Kagome and Inuyasha were, Miroku followed the group of men discretely.
The men went into the headsman's hut leaving their dogs tied outside, all except Kouga who accompanied the tall man into the hut. Inuyasha showed up shortly after everyone went inside. "Where is he?" he asked the monk who was standing by a tree across the road from the hut.
"They're inside; we should wait until he is out of the village, there too many innocents around right now. We don't want to cause a scene here," Miroku stated to the hanyou.
Inuyasha growled, he just wanted to go in there and beat that guy to a pulp and get Kouga back. They were all surprised when they saw a snake youkai exit the hut in front of the others. He said a few words to the tall monk, looking down at the ookami at his side and then left. The other men clapped the monk on the back wishing him and the wolf luck as they untied their dogs and headed towards the forest, specifically the open meadow that was now being prepared for tonight's festivities.
Kouga stopped his ears pricking up, he smelt something familiar and he looked around. He didn't see anything and thought he must have imagined the scent. I could have sworn I smelled that mutt. He looked around again and his tail began to lower in sadness when he could not find what he hoped was there.
"Blue, come," Satori said and Kouga turned, his eyes losing their brightness as he limped after his master towards one of the village inns. He would be in for quite a fight tonight so he was glad they would get to rest for awhile.
Kouga had come to accept that this was the life he was going to be living from now on. A few more trips into the shed had brought that home to him and he never tried to escape or disobey again. And it was as Satori said; when Kouga obeyed, Satori was kind to him.
He didn't have to worry about food or where he would be sleeping and Satori cleaned and took care of his wounds. Everything was taken care of, he was taken care of. He had even come to like his captor. When the wolf wasn't fighting or recovering from his fights, the man would sit and talk with him. Scratch his ears and tell him how much he enjoyed having the wolf with him. Everyone else they came across feared him and would pull their children away. Kouga knew if he had been on his own these humans would have been after his pelt to decorate their doorways.
So he had to fight other creatures, so what. At first it had been easy; Satori only pitted him against dogs or other wolves until the other men would not put their animals against him. Kouga was kind of glad for that, he did not enjoy fighting those dumb beasts and he rarely killed them unless he had to.
Then he had been matched up with demon beasts, stronger and faster. Kouga had to kill many of those; they would not stop fighting unless they were dead and sometimes not even then. He had had some close calls but Satori was always there to sooth his aches and sit up with him using what first aid he knew until the ookami's own healing ability worked to close some of the terrible wounds he would receive.
Tonight was going to be different. He would not just be fighting some beast but an intelligent demon prince, much like himself, from the snake clan. Why the young lord had offered himself to fight against him he didn't know. He did know an awful lot of money had exchanged hands and that there would be a huge crowd tonight to either see his victory or his death.
One thing that he had not given up on was that someday he would see Inuyasha and the others again. He had felt abandoned and betrayed at first but then he realized that he had to blame himself as well for his predicament. If he hadn't run away, if he had stayed to explain, maybe things would have been different. And even after all the time that had passed and after everything that had happened he knew he still loved the hanyou. He was his mate and always would be; he could not forget the half demon even if Inuyasha had forgotten him.
He had been surprised at the last village they had fought in when he saw Miroku. He had had the urge to run over to him but then realized that the monk wouldn't know who he was and would be fearful of him, as all humans were. He had not seen Inuyasha with the monk, who would have known who he was, so instead he had turned and followed Satori.
Satori snuggled up to the soft fur of the wolf on the bed. "Make me proud, Blue. I know you can defeat this guy," he whispered, petting the thick coat and rubbing Kouga's belly.
Kouga licked the man's face. He did want to make him proud. Satori was all he had left.
Inuyasha's group dispersed though the crowd looking for Kouga and the man that seemed to have control over him. They met up by the caged in area on the meadow, all reporting no luck. Inuyasha cursed. He couldn't even smell the ookami, the other scents from so many others and their animals making it impossible to pinpoint one specific scent from the others.
They looked forward when they heard a bell ringing. "We are ready to start the first match," a voice boomed over the crowd. Everyone pushed forward to lean against the cage that had been erected earlier, last bets being called and taken.
The men brought their animals in from a door at each end of the cage and let them loose. Kagome put her head into Inuyasha's chest unable to watch the carnage as the two dogs flew into each other. Sango decided to take Shippou away as the young fox kit was beginning to get upset. She herself felt too disturbed to stay and watch more and was glad for the excuse to step away.
"I'll be over there," she told the rest as she picked up Shippou, "Come get us when you see Kouga."
Miroku nodded trying to keep his eyes averted from the battle. He saw the horror he felt reflected in his hanyou friends eyes as Inuyasha watched the proceedings.
And so it went; dog after dog fell, wounded or dead, the victors loud and raucous in their jubilation, the losers cursing their bad luck. Finally the last match was called and everyone screamed and cheered, beating on the cage as the favourite, Satori's wolf came into the ring.
Inuyasha tried to get closer but the crowd surged forward and he was pushed back from the cage, he looked around and couldn't see Miroku at all, Kagome was still with him, gripping his hand tightly so she wouldn't get lost in the crush.
"We've got to get closer," he told the miko girl.
"Okay," she replied. "Do you see Miroku?"
"No, but he'll try and help if he can," Inuyasha answered as he tried to squirm his way though the crowd to get closer to the end of the cage that had a door.
Kouga watched as his opponent walked into the other end of the ring. He wore no armour and in fact was bare-chested, his sinewy muscles quivering and a malicious grin on his face. The wolf looked passively into the cruel, dead eyes of the snake and realized why he wanted to fight. He enjoyed it, Kouga realized that the prince wanted to see his blood flow and hear the cries of pain.
This was something the young snake lord enjoyed over everything else but it was something he was unable to indulge himself in considering his status. He lived to see smaller creatures suffer and had been torturing all sorts of animals since he was a small boy until he had been found out and made to stop. Now he was overjoyed at the opportunity to inflict some pain and suffering onto the changed wolf prince with no worry of consequences. He was going to make sure that the match lasted as long as possible.
Kouga felt some worry as he watched the demon snake's hands began to drip with a dark purple miasma. Damn, of course he has to have poison. I really am cursed, Kouga complained to himself.
By the time Inuyasha and Kagome had managed to worm their way to the door the match was well under way.
Kouga was darting in as fast as he could, using his shards to increase his speed, to bite and then withdraw. He was trying his best to find a weak spot and avoid the poison claws that kept swinging towards him. Fuck that snake is quick, he thought as he felt the claws graze though the fur on his back, thankfully not cutting into the flesh.
He landed a few feet back from the demon, tensing his muscles for another run when the demon snake leaned forward and spit, the fluid striking him in the eyes. Kouga scraped at his face with his paws, howling. He couldn't see a thing and he felt as if his face was burning off.
The snake lord darted in and jabbed him with his dripping claws. He made sure not to stab the wolf anywhere that would be a mortal strike. He wasn't interested in killing his opponent just yet. He smiled wide in satisfaction as the wolf screamed in agony as the poison did its work.
Chills went up the snake's spine at the delicious sound and he had a feeling of being totally high. He reached in and jabbed the ookami again and then kicked him into the side of the cage. He stood back and waited for the wolf to rise so he could inflict more pain.
Kouga whined, it hurt so much but he had to get up, he had to win. He had to win for Satori, for his master. He staggered to his feet, shaking his head to clear it from the pain. He was finally able to see a shadow through the blurriness and heat of his eyes and he charged forward, snarling.
The young snake grinned, this is going to be great, he's not backing down. Come here wolf; let me embrace you in pain.
He grabbed Kouga as he went to attack, revelling in the animals bite on his arm. He loved the pain and it made him grin more. "You're teeth are so good, puppy," he hissed into the ookami's ear almost seductively. "Let me return the favour."
The snake leaned down and bit through the thick ruff at the back of Kouga's neck, piercing the skin and allowing some of his poison to flow into the wolf. He let go when he felt the animal convulse, the jaws that had been trying to chew through his arm released and he lowered Kouga to the ground and watched as his muscles spasmed, his green eyes snapping with joy.
Kouga never felt such pain before; it was as if every muscle, every joint, every bone was on fire. He tried to howl out his agony but even his voice would not cooperate, the muscles of his vocal cords twitching, not allowing them to work properly. Then he felt a sense of peace wash over him; I'm going to die. It surprised him that the thought did not bother him. He only regretted that he wouldn't be able to tell Inuyasha that he was sorry and that he loved him. He wanted to tell him goodbye.
Inuyasha was at the gate arguing with the human that would not allow him to go through. Kagome forbade him from hurting the man much to the hanyou's aggravation. When he heard Kouga scream he went frantic. "I'm supposed to be in there," he yelled at the man.
"Yeah and how's that?" the fellow questioned looking at him as if he didn't believe it.
"Look, dog ears," the hanyou said twitching the ears on the top of his head and pointing at them. "I'm demon, see? I'm supposed to be fighting too."
"Then why weren't you in there earlier?" the man questioned but his look of disbelief was changing, he was beginning to think about it.
"I missed the call. This was supposed to be a double team match. If you don't let me in a lot of people are going to be mad, there's been a lot of betting on this match."
The man faltered and then opened the door to allow him to go in. Kagome grabbed his arm as she saw him start to draw the Tetsusaiga. "You can't use the sword, there're too many people around; you'll hurt them."
Inuyasha growled in frustration but sheathed his sword and ran in just after the snake demon lowered the wolf to the ground. He tackled the snake hard, wiping that gleeful look right off his face. "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer," he yelled drawing his claws through the surprised demons throat and watching in satisfaction as the snake fell to the ground gasping for breath as his lungs filled with blood.
He turned to go to the wolf only to see that human holding onto Kouga and intense fury coursed through him. "Bastard!" he screamed coming over and grabbing the man by the front of his kimono. "What did you do to him?"
"Let me go, Blue's hurt!" the monk yelled back
"His fucking name is Kouga, asshole!" Inuyasha smashed his fist into the monk's face, smiling as he heard his nose break and saw his eyes roll into the back of his head. He then dropped the unconscious man to the ground and knelt down over the stricken wolf.
"Kouga," he said softly. He wrapped his arms around the wolf gently fear coursing though him at the sight of so much blood coating the ookami, blood that was still running from wounds that would not heal. That damn poison, it won't let his healing abilities work. "Kouga, please, it's me Inuyasha. Don't give up, I don't want to lose you, I just found you again. Please, I need you."
Kouga was confused, w_asn't Satori just here?_ He no longer felt any pain just a dull numbness that seemed to be encasing his whole body. This can't be real, Inu...Inuyasha? He tried to see though the foggy wetness of his eyes but he could only catch a glimpse of something white all around him. Then he heard the words. It is Inuyasha, he...he needs me? Can this be true? Kouga whined and felt strong arms hug him tighter, he then felt himself being lifted and carried away before darkness descended on him.