The Wolf and the Dog

Chapter 23: The Final Battle

~*~The wolf's den... a few moments ago ~*~

Sango sat in a far corner of the council room, with Kagome and the two pups who had finally fallen into an exhausted and fitful sleep in their arms. This was first time that they were ever allowed into one of the council meetings, and it was only because Yuuka had insisted that the pups to be kept under her watch. Though the elders were a little nervous about the matter, Yuuka convinced them that the miko and the taijya were more powerful than many of them and thus the pups would be safer under their protection.

Sango sighed as she looked down at Hikari in hers and Ryu in Kagome's arms. 'Poor babies', she thought, rocking the puppy in her arms as she looked to where Shippo was curled up against Kirara, shivering slightly. Even the kitsune pup was affected by all this and kept asking Kagome again and again about whether Inuyasha was going to be all right, or whether Kouga and Sesshomaru would be able to rescue her and so on. Although Kagome assured him repeatedly that everything was going to turn out all right, Sango could see the same uncertainty and the fear in her (A/N: Kagome's) eyes that were mirrored by her own. Her thoughts slowly drifted to her brother, the only survivor of Naraku's evil plot other than her, the only heir to the demon hunter's clan. She prayed that Miroku and the others would be able to rescue him from the clutches of Naraku. He was the only thing left in the name of her family and she didn't want to loose him too...

Yuuka had explained to the elders of what had transpired, from Inuyasha and Rin's kidnapping to Kouga and Sesshomaru's decision to go to the castle to rescue them. Keiko, being her usual hotheaded self, had immediately demanded for the trial and punishment of Ginta and Hakkaku, who according to her, failed to protect Inuyasha. The poor demons who were standing just outside the council room picked up the conversation and immediately went stiff with fear. Ginta, almost hysterical, was about to burst in trying to plead their innocence when they heard Yuuka intervene. She protested, saying that it was not any of their faults, they were simply following Inuyasha's order. Akimitsu and Chikato agreed with Yuuka, and thus, to Ginta and Hakkaku's utter relief, the charges were dropped even before they were placed. They sagged against the wall sighing in relief when Chikato's voice rang through the room.

"Ginta! Hakkaku!"

They scrambled into the room at once. Ginta glanced at the now fuming Keiko, and cringed involuntarily, gulping twice from the look she gave him.

"H-Hai?" Hakkaku stuttered, wanting to finish whatever they were supposed to do and leave the room at once. An angry Keiko is a bad Keiko, everyone knew that. She was almost as stubborn and as hotheaded as Yamato, who to Yuuka's utter disgust, had not yet returned from the mountains.

"I need you to go and inform the warriors to double the guard at the entrance and send out scouts to keep an eye on anything that is seen coming towards the caves." Chikato ordered.

"And, you are to assist the warriors in the guarding the entrance. If anything happens, inform us at once. Don't fail us this time." Akimitsu added sternly.

"Hai elders!" They bowed quickly, and turning almost sharply, running out of the room and from the fearful glare of Keiko.

"Kouga shouldn't have left alone." Keiko said, disappointed by the recklessness of their leader. "He should have taken reinforcements with him."

"He had no time to think, and if he had waited who knows what would have happened to Inuyasha in that time." Yuuka argued.

"But, taking warriors would have ensured a greater chance of his success against Naraku. He never thinks before he acts. And don't argue with me Yuuka-san, you and I both know that Kouga is always rash." She countered, angry that the elders had let Ginta and Hakkaku go so easily. "Perhaps you are to be blamed for it. You always take his side, no matter whether he is wrong or right."

"What!!! You old prune!" Yuuka yelled, loosing her temper and clenching her fists. She rose, walking up to the elder, seething in anger. "Who are you to tell me how I handle my son? You, who thought mating is a waste of time and children are nothing but nuisance."

"Why you flea bitten bitch!" Keiko shouted, as both the females stood nose-to-nose and the dark aura of extreme violence radiating from both of them causing the others in the room to sweatdrop heavily.

"Ladies! Ladies! Please calm down. This is no time to fight." Chikato said, trying to put a stop to the fight before it started. "We need to think of the situation peacefully. What has happened has happened, let's not over do it." However, a glare from both the females silenced him.