I know, it's been a while since I updated, and I'm sorry for that. You simply can't rush mediocre literary disasters like this, though.

"Lady Kaede, are you sure he won't wake up?" Kouga asked, repeating the same question he had asked several times before.

"I still don't understand why you don't let me help lick the wounds, Lady Kaede," voiced Shippo, who was relaxed against the walls of the hut, the long stick of a lollipop hanging out of his mouth.

"Kouga, I have told you time and time again: Ye need not lick the wounds if ye truly do not want to. And Shippo, why don't ye go and fetch Kagome? I could use another experienced set of healing hands in this matter."

Shippo bounced up onto his paws, giving the old woman a salute, a gesture he had learned watching what Kagome called "movies" in her magic mirror.

"Aye aye, Captain Kaede!" And with that, Shippo rushed out through the door.

"It isn't that I don't want to, it's just that I… I don't want to scare him."

Kaede closed her eyes and nodded.

"I assure ye, Kouga, he shall not awaken. Ye have my word."

Kouga sighed lightly out of relief as he knelt down beside Inuyasha.

"Well, where do I begin?"

-Rikiya-

Rikiya walked out of the dense brush of the forest into the human village. He carefully sniffed the air, attempting to pinpoint the one he searched for. He had nearly located it, when a small kitsune cub ran headlong into him. The kitsune fell onto his backside and looked up at Rikiya.

The kitsune's eyes suddenly grew very wide as he sniffed the air, and he spoke.

"I-It's you! You're the one that hurt Inuyasha, aren't you?"

'Inuyasha, is that his name?'

"Where can I find this 'Inuyasha'? I need to speak with a wolf demon that may be with him."

"So it WAS you that kicked Inuyasha's butt! If you ask me, he kinda deserved it. He's always such a hothead, an-"

Rikiya interrupted the kitsune mid-sentence. "Nobody deserves what I did to him!" Rikiya's eyes flashed with anger as he glared at the fox child.

The kitsune backed away slightly. "Listen, I don't get what the big deal is. Inuyasha gets beat up all the time. Whatever you 'did' to him, he'll be fine."

Rikiya's eyes widened in understanding.

"You… you do not know the full extent of his injuries?"

The kitsune shook his head. "I just figured he got a few broken bones, maybe a bite of two."

Rikiya's eyes closed as he hung his head. "Believe me, young fox. You will come to know the full extent of your "Inuyasha's" injuries, and you will come to hate me for what I have done as much as I do."

With that, Rikiya walked off in the direction of "Inuyasha's" scent.

The young kitsune stood and watched as he walked away, confused by the lion demon's words.

-Kouga-

Kouga's tongue slid languidly over Inuyasha's cut and bruised flesh. Kouga was surprised by how good he tasted, and he realized that he actually enjoyed the flavors he was getting from the injured human, a realization which cause him to feel ashamed and blush.

"Don't ye worry, Kouga. I'll not be telling anyone of this favor ye are doing for poor Inuyasha." The elderly miko spoke, misreading Kouga's blush as being one of embarrassment at the act he was performing.

Kouga was about to respond to the old woman, when a familiar scent graced his nose, spurring a growl from within him.

-Rikiya-

Rikiya followed the scent to the house of the village miko. He stood before the entrance and peered in, and stood shocked at what he saw.

The wolf demon he had encountered earlier was hovering over the whimpering human, licking him. He could tell from the wolf's scent that he was enjoying what he was doing.

Rikiya tensed in anger and jealousy as he watched the wolf lap at Inuyasha's flesh.

'Are you really going to just stand there and watch as that wolf enjoys what is yours?'

'What can I do, though? The very sight of me could cause Inuyasha to become distressed, especially if he awakens to find me attacking his so-called "savior."'

'So, that is your excuse? You don't want to hurt its feelings, eh?'

'Shut up! I told you before, he is a he!'

Rikiya's body was now quivering with frustration and rage, his eyes slowly bleeding red.

A sudden gust of wind blew past Rikiya and into the hut, alerting the wolf demon to his presence.

-Kouga-

"You!" Kouga screamed as he charged past a confused Kaede, leaping at the lion demon through the doorway, tackling him to the ground. Kouga began relentlessly pummeling into the demon's face and upper-body.

The lion-demon pushed Kouga off and took a defensive stance several feet away.

Kouga was about to launch himself back at the lion, when Kaede intervened, and said with a stern tone, "Kouga, stop!" She turned to face the lion-demon, whose face was smeared with blood.

"State your name and reason for coming here, demon!"

The lion glared at them both for a moment, his eyes slowly fading to their original emerald hue.

"I am Rikiya, prince of the Eastern lion kingdom. I am here to submit myself to the authority of the Western wolves, having committed the crime of rape on your lands. My victim is Inuyasha, who I assume to be a very close friend of yours, wolf." Rikiya glared at Kouga as he said this last part.

"And just what the fuc-"

"Kouga, mind ye tongue! Come inside, Rikiya, if ye think ye can be civil and not repeat your crime a second time."

Kouga scowled and watched as Kaede went inside the hut.

"I swear, if you lay a finger on him while we're in there, I'll kill you myself!" Kouga threatened, and retreated into the hut.