Note: I started this more than a year ago, and I'm just now picking it back up. I've got a good amount already written, so when I hit the new stuff, you may notice a change in the style. For now, it's awkward and weird, but I'm lazy and don't want to rewrite. That said, please enjoy Secret Sister!

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha. I do own my OCs. And my plots. Please don't steal those, I'm trying to maintain some degree of uniqueness here. This was written merely to practice my storytelling abilities and to entertain the lot of you reading it.

Sesshoumaru paused in his nightly circuit of their camp, sniffing the air inquisitively. He had felt a presence nearby, the aura small, but strong. Slowly, he approached, prepared for the attack which would surely come from any demon fool enough to remain so near.

But no attack came. Instead, a sniffling noise reached his ears, along with the strong scents of salt and blood. The demon, which he now knew to be a cat, was injured.

However, even injured demons can pose a threat, and he would not allow even the slightest chance that Rin and Jaken would fall victim to it.

Silently, he crept forward, closing the space between himself and his prey. What met his eyes was a young girl crouching in some shrubbery, her dark, curly hair falling about her in tangles. She was clearly in pain, tears running down her face as she clumsily tried to bandage the gashes on her upper right arm. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed; those wounds had come from claws; some other demon had injured her.

Just then, she sensed his presence and started, trying unsuccessfully to back further into the undergrowth. Her wide, emerald eyes never left him, plainly showing her fear. "Go away," she hissed threateningly, arching her back in the manner of a frightened feline. "I've done nothing to you!"

Sesshoumaru merely glanced upwards, saying, "I would not stoop so low as to harm one who is injured."

Immediately, the fright left the young demoness, to be replaced by incredulity. "You're not going to attack me, nya?" she asked. "Everyone I've come across so far has."

"What need have I to attack you?"

"Because of this." She reached into the folds of her sleeveless top, her pain momentarily forgotten, and produced a tiny, glistening jewel. "I found it. I don't know what it is, but everyone seems to want it."

Sesshoumaru could hardly believe it. She possessed a shard of the Shikon no Tama and did not even know of the power it held.

"I don't know what to do with it. I mean, I really don't want it, but it must be important if everyone wants it from me, nya?"

"There is a miko with the power to purify it. You should give it to her," he told her. In the hands of a weak demon such as she, the shard would surely fall into Naraku's possession, and that was something he wanted to prevent.

"Really? Nya, do you know her name? That way I can make sure I find the right priestess. Three of them have tried to kill me already, and I really don't want that to happen again." Her voice was almost cheerful as she spoke, startling Sesshoumaru. How could one be happy when discussing such a thing?

But she had a point. Sesshoumaru, of course, knew the wench's name, as his wretched half-brother made a point of shouting it to the world whenever she was in danger. Sighing inwardly, he decided to tell the girl. It would, after all, be to his advantage for the shard to land somewhere out of Naraku's reach. "She is called Kagome."

"Kagome," she repeated happily. "Arigatou!" And without another word, she tucked the jewel back into her shirt and resumed her attempt at bandaging her arm with only one hand.

Sesshoumaru watched her struggling for a moment before concluding that she was getting nowhere fast. Without even realizing what he was doing, he bent down to help her, and in no time at all, it was finished, the bandage knotted firmly.

And then he was gone, leaving a very confused cat demon blinking at the place where he had been standing.

ﻫ

The soft light of dawn was just beginning to permeate the night. Birds nested safely in the treetops were stirring, greeting the day, but not yet breaking the silence. The stillness of the world during the transition from night to day was a peaceful one, filled with the promise of hope.

Amid the wakening world, one creature alone was wide awake, moving with a purpose. Creeping forward on all fours, gray-tipped black tail swishing lazily behind, she approached the small camp, the remnants of the fire's smoky aroma still hanging on the damp air.

Pausing, she observed the occupants of the clearing. There was a twin-headed dragon slumbering nearby, and against it rested a small human girl and what appeared to be a green imp. Across from them was the demon in white that had been so kind to her. No one appeared to be awake.

With this assessment made, she crept forward to the still-warm coals, dropping the small rabbit she had been carrying next to them before turning and leaving as silently as she had come.

Sesshoumaru watched her, his eyes barely open. He did not know why the cat demon was leaving such a gift, but it did not concern him too much. The rabbit would make a good meal for Rin and Jaken, as it was not often they were able to acquire such nutritious sustenance. His ward would be pleased when she awoke.

ﻫ

Kagome stretched and smiled at the clear morning sky. She could tell that it would be a wonderful day. Weather-wise, of course. InuYasha would probably still be grumpy about letting a demon with a jewel shard get away the day before.

Speaking of jewel shards…she could sense one approaching them rather quickly. "Hey, guys, there's a shard heading our way," she informed her comrades.

Immediately, they were all on the alert. "Do you think it's the same one as yesterday?" Miroku asked.

Kagome shook her head. "I can't tell. It might be."

Just then, a young demon girl with long, curly black hair, wearing a deep blue sleeveless top patterned with yellow stars, and grey, hakama style pants, stepped out from the trees, and froze.

InuYasha glared angrily at her, putting his hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt. "It's you again," he growled. "Come back for more?"

Kagome sighed. There he was, jumping to conclusions again. "InuYasha, wait," she started, before he interrupted her.

"Stay back, Kagome, I'll handle this."

The strange demon's face brightened. "You're the miko named Kagome?" she asked hopefully.

Kagome nodded, confused. Yesterday, this demon had been a hissing fury, and now she was acting…friendly.

"Yatta! I've been looking everywhere for you! Onii-san told me that I should give this to you." She pulled out the sacred jewel shard, and held it out cheerily. "I don't really know what it is, but it seemed important, and Onii-san told me when I showed it to him that I should give it to you, and so I came looking for you. Nya, but every time I asked someone if they knew where I could find you, they either ran away or threw things at me or tried to take this away from me and so, here!" She bounded over lightly, and dropped it happily into Kagome's hand, amid the disbelieving stares she was receiving from everyone present.

"Well, thanks," Kagome said uncertainly. It wasn't every day a demon just came up to her and handed over a Shikon shard.

"Your brother told you to give this to us?" InuYasha asked speculatively.

"Nya, he's not my real brother, since I just met him yesterday. But he was real nice to me, after you hurt me, and helped me to bandage up my arm, see?" She pointed to the bandage on her upper right arm.

"Say, what's your name?" Sango asked.

The demon shrugged. "I don't have one," she declared, smiling broadly. "Or, at least not one that I can remember."

"You don't have a name?" Shippo piped up. "That's weird."

"Is it? Nya, I should go let Onii-san know I gave that to you! Ja ne!" An instant later, she had bounded off, tail swishing merrily behind her.

"That was rather strange," Miroku remarked.

"You can say that again," Kagome replied.