Three and a half weeks had gone by & there was still no word from Lord Sesshomaru, making Catriona worry more & more about her mate with each passing day. But one good thing that happened with passing time, was the fact that Koga & Isamu had found grounds of some sort on which they got along & had grown closer, eliminating the fights that had been between them once.
The pack, & Catriona were both shocked & confused when Koga offered to take Isamu on his first group hunt the night before. Once Isamu agreed to it, the plans began immediately for Isamu to go with Ginta & Koga to hunt for the pack's dinner the following day. Hakkaku would stay behind with the females while Koga, Ginta, & Isamu went hunting.
This left Catriona & Kagome, two ningen, alone with nine ookami youkai females that were already beginning to show with the pups they all carried, one not showing as much due to her lack of youkai blood, & one ookami youkai male. Catriona was friends with Kagome, but since her dream during the night that she slept with Inu Yasha in the tree, she had been wanting to stay close to Inu Yasha.
When Koga had announced three days ago that the three females Inu Yasha had been assigned to, were indeed pregnant with his pups, then he was allowed to leave the ookami youkai den, which he had. Until it was known that the females were indeed pregnant, Inu Yasha had not been allowed to leave the den, which meant he spent his night of the new moon at the den. On that night, he had stayed with Catriona & Isamu at their bedding, due to Isamu's night was that night as well.
Now that Inu Yasha was gone, Catriona had no one to talk to, besides Isamu & Kagome, because the ookami females had refused to talk to ningen & Hakkaku had to stay by the sides of the ookami, to make sure no fights broke out, endangering the pups within their wombs.
After she was sure Inu Yasha was long gone, she had mourned his leaving because he was the only person outside Kagome & Isamu that she was completely close to & would even trust her life with. Now that her son was out with Koga & Ginta on his first group hunt, Catriona was worried to death about her son, & she found herself pacing around her bedding.
Kagome slowly approached her friend, who was beginning to shake with worry as she paced, mumbling words of comfort to herself. She had never seen her friend this worried about anything, & was worried for Catriona. "Hey, Cat?" Kagome spoke, making Catriona jump, her expression showing that she was completely startled by Kagome. "Relax Catriona, it's only me. Are you okay?"
Catriona shook her head & ran her fingers through her burnt red hair. "I'm not okay," she finally spoke after she stood still, her legs visibly shaking. "I'm worried about Isamu & it's making me have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach."
"Isamu is in the hands of Koga & Ginta," Kagome said, putting her hand on Catriona's shoulder. "Koga will protect him Cat. If I know Koga, he'll try his damned hardest to keep anything from happening to Isamu."
"I know Kagome, I trust Koga & Ginta with Isamu. I'm just worried because of this bad feeling."
"I know you're worried Cat, but look at it this way, if anything does happen, your son survived being kidnapped by Naraku. If he can survive that, then he can survive any little thing that might end up happening."
Catriona looked at Kagome & nodded. �Yea, you're right Kagome," she said. "Besides, he's Sesshomaru's son & look how strong Sesshomaru is."
Kagome nodded. "And don't forget, Isamu took on that oni on our way to the den from the castle. If he can do that on his own, imagine what he could do if attacked by a little youkai."
Catriona giggled slightly, picturing the time Isamu beat up Jaken as part of his training & managed to beat Jaken senseless with his Staff of Heads. "You're right Kagome, I really have nothing to worry about & here I am tearing myself up over the fact that nothing might happen at all."
Kagome nodded. "See, just keep that in mind & when he comes back to the den with Ginta & Koga, all of them lugging a catch back to us, you'll see just how foolish it was to think all of those things."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Catriona was laying on her & Isamu's bedding when a long, low howl that sounded like it was off in the distance made Hakkaku's head turn to the mouth of the caves. He got up & ran to the mouth of the caves & out of them. Catriona shuddered from the howl that followed next, as the bad feeling from early began to sink in. She rose to her feet, despite the look the female ookami youkai were giving her, & slowly made her way over to Kagome & Koga's bedding, where Kagome was looking at the mouth of the cave.
"I know this is going to sound stupid," Catriona said, getting her friend's attention. "But please tell me you can understand what that was about?"
Kagome shook her head & looked back at the mouth of the cave. "I think you should stay with me though. Last time someone howled like that, there was an attack going on, but I don't hear any fighting."
"Me either."
Catriona looked at the mouth of the cave & watched, waiting for something to happen. Finally, after what seemed like ages to her as the seconds slowly passed, the shadows of three figures appeared in the mouth of the cave; one of them appeared to be carrying something. When the figures entered the cave, Catriona gasped softly when she saw Isamu in Koga's arms & Koga's head lowered.
Koga raised his head & looked at Catriona, nodding towards her bedding. She took the hint & left her friend's side, running to the bedding, meeting up with Koga at the spot. "Koga, what's wrong?" She demanded, looking at her son, who had two large marks, one at his wrist, the other one almost at his shoulder, then to Koga. "What are those?"
Koga looked at Ginta & Hakkaku & turned his head slightly, in the direction of the female ookami. The two pack members turned & left, going to their chosen females. "Catriona, those are the fang marks of a snake youkai," he answered. "He got away before the fangs went through his arm, but the venom was still left inside his body. Snake youkai are a very deadly race, even deadly to youkai, & it's not likely for anyone to survive after being poisoned by one."
"Is there any way at all to help him?" She asked as he laid Isamu down on the bedding.
Koga looked up at her. "The only one that can help, is Isamu himself, Catriona," Koga answered. "Hanyous poisoned by a snake youkai rarely live through the night of being bitten. It's a high chance that Isamu will be dead by morning."
"Isamu, stop walking," Koga spoke, putting his hand on the hanyou's shoulder. "Something's not right here." He was right. All around them, there were no sounds, only an evil wind was blowing about them, making Koga's fur stand on end.
Both sets of sensitive ears picked up the sound of something sliding across grass & Isamu growled in its direction. "Watch it be some pathetic, weak youkai," Isamu scoffed.
"No," Koga spoke, looking around, not even putting his attention to the boy. "This is no weak youkai," he spoke before the large head & half of the upper body of a snake youkai emerged from the grass. Koga grabbed Isamu's wrist & leapt away from the snake youkai just as it went to bite at him.
"Let me go Koga, I can take care of that youkai!" Isamu demanded, digging his claws into Koga's wrist until he was let go. Once free of Koga, he charged at the snake youkai, his Dokkasou prepared.
"You think you can defeat me pup?" The giant snake laughed. "I will eat you before I parish at your weak hands."
Koga went back after Isamu, but by the time he got to the hanyou pups &, from behind, slashed the youkai's head off, Isamu had already been bitten & was holding the wound on his wrist.
A whimper caught Catriona & Koga's attention, turning their heads to Isamu, who was trying to sit up. "Isamu, lay back down," Koga commanded.
Catriona got on her knees by her son & helped him lay back down. "Isamu, you need to lay still baby," she spoke softly, running her fingers through his hair.
"Mother, why am I back at the caves?"
"You were bit by that snake youkai, baby," she answered, leaning down & kissing his head softly. "But you're going to be okay baby."
"I heard everything mother, I know I won't be okay," he spoke quietly, his eyes half-open as a dark sleep tugged at him. He turned his head to look at Koga, who still stood. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you Koga," he whispered, closing his eyes for a moment, before he forced them all the way open, not wanting to fall asleep yet. "I hope your wrist it okay."
"It's fine pup," he spoke, turning & walking away from mother & son.
Catriona brushed her son's bangs from his forehead. "I'm so sorry baby," she spoke as she laid down beside him & carefully pulled him into her arms, letting him rest his head on her shoulder. "I shouldn't have let you go."
"Please don't be mad at Koga, mother," he spoke. "He tried to stop me."
"I know baby," she said before she the inside of her cheek to hold back the tears that threatened to flow.
"Don't hold back your tears mother," he whispered, pushing his body in an attempt to cuddle against her, relaxing into her when he did so. "It's okay to cry over me. Please don't let it tear apart you & father," he softly begged, his eyes moving up to meet with hers as she looked down at him. "I don't want you to leave each other because of me."
"I promise I'll try to keep us together if things start to look bad," she whispered as a lone tear streaked down her cheek & landed on her son's forehead.
Isamu reached up & brushed the tear streak away from her face. "Don't cry over me forever mother, but do cry over me," he whispered before snuggling his head in the crook of her shoulder & neck. "Don't let him win mommy," he whispered.
"What? Don't let who win baby?" She asked softly. When she got no reply from Isamu, she looked down at his face to see his eyes open, slowly glazing over with death. More tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at her son for a moment before she brought her hand up & hesitated before closing his eyes & holding his limp body close to her. She let out a soft whimper before she began crying, her tears slowly rolling down her face.
Kagome herself felt the feeling of tears rushing to her eyes as she watched the scene before her, & she began to fear for the pups inside of her, growing with each passing day. Koga smelled the scent of salt coming from his mate & he turned his head to look at her to see tears welling up in her eyes.
He put his arm around her & held her loosely, his own heart feeling heavy since he had been right there & was unable to save the hanyou pup that he had finally grown close to. -I need to get word to Sesshomaru about this, but I doubt any messages would get through to him if that battle is still going on,- he thought.
Catriona whimpered & kissed her son's forehead before whispering to him a soft, "I love you baby."