Captive Inu

Chapter 15

Kagome was nervous. She'd anticipated this day for weeks, waiting until Kouga arrived to seek every bit of information she could about herself. Now, however, her legs shook and her heart beat madly behind her breast as she neared Sesshomaru's conference room. Next to her, Kazu walked stiffly. When they finally reached the doors that had several men dressed as soldiers with the southern symbol, a black spade, on their armor standing on either side of the door, he turned to her. He squeezed her hands in reassurance before continuing to walk off.

Standing before the large screen door that was thicker than it looked, Kagome sucked in a deep breath to steel her racing nerves. Then, with a trembling hand, she slid it open.

The first thing Kagome noticed was a long flat table that could seat at least fifty men. Sesshomaru sat at the very end on the left, sipping tea from a rather poorly-made clay teacup. On the cushion next to him and facing her was Kouga. Upon her entrance, both males glanced up at her. Kouga did a double take, his stunning blue eyes widening in utter disbelief as they met hers.

Kagome's breath caught and her head was almost dizzy. Memories swam through her mind, ones of her and Kouga running through fields of wild flowers as kids, playing a variety of different games, simply sitting in their favorite clearing talking about life. During those days his wolf pack had traveled from the northern lands to the south, and despite the days-long distance between the two lands, he'd often sneak away from his home to come see her.

She fully remembered her childhood best friend Kouga and nearly everything about him, yet she didn't know the vaguest thing about herself.

Slowly, very slowly, Kouga began to rise to his feet. He blinked several times, as if he couldn't quite register what he was seeing.

"Kag... Ka-go...me?" He muttered uncertainly.

Eyes stinging with unshed tears, Kagome gave a tiny smile. "Kogo-chan," she whispered, using the childish name she used to call him so very long ago.

With a strangled gasp, he dashed around the table and Kagome soon found herself in a tight hug that would have crushed a ningen's spine. "Kagome," he breathed raggedly. "My woman."

With a small laugh, Kagome hugged him back, throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing with all her might. Bones cracked, but neither one of them seemed to notice, or mind. Tears belonging to emotions she'd kept hidden for so long spilled from her eyes and onto the fur armor on his shoulder. Kamis, it felt so good to be in his arms again. To feel the warmth and security she remembered what was ages ago.

Kagome didn't know how long they stood there simply holding each other. One would have thought the world would end if they let go. But after a while, they finally pulled back. Kouga looked her over, and she did likewise.

He'd gotten a lot taller since they'd last seen each other. And he'd gained weight, the majority of it pure muscle. He wore wolf skin for clothing and a metal chest piece for armor. His long black hair was pulled into the high ponytail she knew he'd once favored, his skin the same tan color. Where he was once a skinny little boy who'd always caused trouble with people bigger than him, and then an instigating, overprotective adolescent, he was now a fully grown man who was both as familiar to her as her own hand, and yet a complete stranger.

Her heart gave a painful throb at the long centuries they'd been apart. He'd no doubt moved on with his life, probably had a family along with his high general status.

"Kagome, where... What... How..?" He couldn't at all seem to get a proper question past his lips, and yet Kagome knew precisely what he wanted to know. With a sad smile, she led him back over to the conference table, where Sesshomaru was oddly glowering at them. She ignored him and sat Kouga down on one of the cushions, and then sat beside him.