34A/n: probably had this chapter in my google docs for like 7 years...updating all my stories right now.
Chapter 3: Taming
She couldn't feel her legs or buttocks anymore from staying still for so long. Her eyes were tired by now too. Her whole body was tired. She was sure she was playing the game of who could keep a straight face for at least an hour with the dog. For the dog, it was no problem. It actually was in a laying position now, never moving its gaze away from her. The only movement would be the occasional flare of its nostrils or swivel of its ears towards the sound of a nut falling or something of the like. Kagome had debated a couple times on just getting up and running but she abandoned that plan each time. She was not so much of a fool to think that she could outrun the beast.
Her leg gave a random spasm and she winced at the tingling sensation. 'Ugh...' Surely the first bell had rung by now. She wondered if the school would call her mother about her absence. Not being able to stay in that position any longer, swearing her legs would have to be amputated if she didn't shift soon, she broke position, moved both legs to the side and leaned on her left arm and side to release the pressure on her butt. The animal's ears perked and it quickly stood up, fur bristling at her sudden movement. She had the guts to glare at the beast, yelling at it in her mind, 'This is all your fault! Calm down you stupid animal!' But she didn't dare voice her frustration out loud. She DID want to live to her next birthday.
The dog must not have liked her glare, because she swore it was giving her an evil glare back, promising pain. Her bravery deflated and she felt her eyes twitch nervously at that gaze of molten amber. It was too heated of a gaze. Those irises, coupled with the dark black rim of its eyes, made it a menacing stare from which she just had to avert her gaze. She looked down at the dog's big paws before sweeping her eyes to the side to stare at her hands that were buried in dead leaves and dirt. Kagome had lost the staring contest.
With her lost effort to keep her eyes on the animal, her effort to keep herself upright also left and she slipped down to lay on her side. 'Why does Kami-sama hate me?' she asked herself and let out a sound close to whimpering at her pathetic situation. 'That is the last time I'm ever going to be nice to any creature. Screw injured animals in the forest. Screw Hojo-kun's shovel and her promise to him to bring it back. They can just buy another one!''
She flipped onto her back, not even caring that she could be making a wrong move and goading the wild dog. Staring up at the lazy bluish gray sky that was obscured by treetops, she wondered about unimportant, unrelated things. She was missing lectures and notes. What if they started a new topic in mathematics today? What if it was really hard? Oh how she hated math. She didn't know why she was so bad at it. It just refused to click in her mind. She scratched absently at the bandages underneath her sleeve but winced regrettably at the action. Curling onto her side facing the animal who now stood tall and curious with tail swishing a little bit away, she closed her eyes. "Alright, just eat me now and get it over with." Nothing happened that she knew of but she kept her eyes closed. Some time during it, she unexpectedly fell asleep.
The girl woke up and she fancied she must have napped until nightfall because she couldn't see anything when her eyes fluttered open. Only darkness. However, it was curious that her lashes had to sweep against something before she could actually open her lids. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled an earthy smell and something tickled her nostrils. Groggily pushing herself up and away, she was shocked to discover her face had been full of fur. She rubbed her eyes, making sure she was seeing clearly, and then crawled backwards to distance herself from the dog that rested more or less beside her.
It cracked an eye open, taking note of the conscious girl before closing again and resuming its lazy rest. What was going on? Kagome was beyond confused at the turn of events. "I must be dreaming," she muttered out loud. Sitting up cross legged, she observed the dog that had been snarling at her not too long ago. Now it looked utterly lazy, like she was of no importance to it at all. Daringly, she scooted back a few centimeters every once in a while, eliciting a blink from the beast sometimes or a flick of an ear in acknowledgment at her movements.
When Kagome was sure this was certainly not a dream or figment of her imagination, she addressed the canine, "Well, aren't you a moody little puppy?" Resting the side of her head in her palm, arm propped up on her knee, she stared at the animal. "Are you sleeping?" It didn't stir. "Did I finally bore you?" Not a twitch. "How rude..." And that was how it went for most of the evening, her muttering short phrases at the dog while it either ignored or barely acknowledged her.
"Okay...I'm going to go now...," she said slowly as if the dog could understand. It would be dusk soon and she wanted to leave the woods while she could still see her hand in front of her face. She inched away and stopped to put a large tree in between her and the dog. Looking back one more time, she slipped away as quickly and quietly as a clumsy human like her could and fancied that she wouldn't be playing in the woods anymore.
The dog lifted his head to stare after the human before standing, shaking the leaves out of his fur, and limping to a more sheltered place to nap.