Just clearing this up, Rin is a dog demon and Kohaku is a human.

Inu Pride

The sun rose over the horizon on a seemingly normal day in Feudal Japan. This was a wrong assumption.

Everyone within miles knew, they traveled from near and far. The Western heir had been born.

They flocked to the castle, some in groups, some alone, all there to see the new heir.

Lord Sesshomaru stood inside, holding his first born. A messenger waited nervously to the side.

"My Lord, your subjects wish to view their new lord." The demon lord looked up from his child's face. His mate had died in birth; the pup was all he had now.

"Then they will be appeased. Call the elder, he will perform the ceremony."

The messenger left quickly, eager to escape his intimidating lord. Lord Sesshomaru didn't notice, he had turned back toward the pup.

'She will be beautiful...'

………….

On the same day another birth was celebrated, snarled tore the air and the banished rejoiced. They would have their revenge.

Their prince was born.

……………

The western demons knelt in front of the castle, stretching as far as you could see. Before them the ceremony was completed, the new heir named. Some were uncertain but none spoke up.

Their princess was named.

……………

Rin was bored. Her father said it was too dangerous to leave the castle walls. She didn't understand what was so dangerous. The only glimpses she got outside were when messengers came in, and those glimpses showed nothing bad looking.

She was tired of the gardens. And she had already knocked Jaken out. The old toad proved to be a worse babysitter than the last one, but he had been her the longest. She shrugged; her ten year old mind couldn't understand why he hadn't quit too, and she wasn't really that interested.

Then Rin thought of something. If Jaken was out cold and her father was busy… she could sneak past the guards and get out!!! She smirked and got to her feet. Finally she was gonna see outside that wall, it was like a cage.

She made her way around the castle to the front gate. If she could distract them long enough she could get through… but what to use? It turned out the, now conscious, Jaken was all the distraction she needed. He chose that moment to run up and demand that the guards assist him in finding the escapee princess.

Rin tensed, this was her chance. Careful not to be seen, she crept up to the gate and slipped through. It was great to be out. Rin skipped away from the castle, following flowers and butterflies. In her enjoyment she didn't notice the forest thickening, open spaces were disappearing. Following an extra pretty butterfly Rin ran right into, something that turned around and glared at her while she stared at it.

A boy about her age stood before her. He had black, almost brown, hair that was tied up in a small pony-tail with a piece of leather, and brown eyes. He was wearing armor of some sort and held a weapon that was like a blade with a chain instead of handle, posed for use. When he saw who had run into him, he scoffed and put away his weapon.

"Aw it's only a baby. You better run back home little girl." He gave her another half-glance like she wasn't worth his time before turning to walk away.

Rin was furious, who was this random boy to insult her?!

"Hey wait you!!!" She jogged to catch up and grabbed his shoulder.

"Who do you think you are?!" She spun him around to face her and glared, he didn't look impressed.

"What? Do my comments bother you, princess?" He sneered before continuing on his way.

"Yes they do! Have more respect!"

"Why should I?" He finally stopped and grinned down at her cockily.

"I am the daughter of Sesshomaru, the lord of these lands." The boy seemed angry now.

"He's a bastard." The boy muttered before continuing on faster.

"You…" Rin was interrupted by a deep growl that seemed to come from all directions.

"What's this?" a voice hissed.

"Some tasty morsels wandering alone perhaps?" another went.

"Maybe they are lost?"

The voices continued and Rin stepped closer behind the boy, who had taken out his weapon. Three grotesque monsters emerged from the forest all around them, their voices quieting when they revealed themselves. Rin was terrified and the boy stood stiff beside her.

"Shut up, demons!!!" The boy didn't sound scared at all and Rin straitened. She wouldn't act like a baby and embarrass herself.

"Oh, is that Kohaku? What are you doing so far from your village?" Rin wondered how the demons knew the boy/Kohaku briefly before the demon who had spoken continued. "Where are your big sister and her friends?"

Some of the demons looked nervous at the mention of Kohaku's sister, but they hid it quickly.

"I don't need her or them! I can take care of myself!" The demons laughed at this.

"We'll see about that." Then they attacked, the speaker going first. Kohaku spun his chain and launched it at the thing's feet, cutting one and causing a crack from the other. The demon went down hissing and cursing until Kohaku finished him off with another throw and turned to the second one.

Rin tried her best against the third, but she had never had to fight for real before. Her baby claws and fangs did next to nothing to a demon twice her height in size. The thing laughed at her attempts and slashed at her side. Rin cried out and fell, gripping the four wounds on her side.

"Rin!!!" Rin heard Kohaku yell and watched as the demon in front of her slowly looked down at the blade sticking out of its chest before its eyes rolled back and it fell. Then Kohaku was there and he looked worried. Rin realized he didn't look very much older than her, really.

"Are you okay!? Let me see your wounds." He rolled her over onto her back and looked over the gashes on her side. "You're lucky. They aren't very deep." He sounded relieved and the worry faded from his face. Rin reached out and grabbed his hand, making him turn back up to her.

"Thank you Kohaku, you saved my life." She said with gratitude and awe. He smirked.

"Heh, those demons didn't stand a chance." Rin grinned back, the pain in her side was fading as her demon blood healed the wounds and she sat up with only a little help on his part.

"Rin!!!" another deeper voice rang out through the forest and Rin groaned when she recognized it. Sure enough, soon after the call, her father and a few of his best warriors burst into the clearing, going right up to her and pushing Kohaku aside. Her father scoped her up and scanned her for injuries, lingering on the almost healed scratches.

"Kohaku!!!" Everyone turned to the newcomers across the clearing. A women led them. She looked a lot like Kohaku with brownish black hair and brown eyes. She wore armor that was identical to Kohaku's except where hers was pink, his was blue-green.

Behind her stood two others, one was a black haired women with blue eyes wearing strange clothes. The other stood slightly in front of the second women and had long silver hair with dog ears poking out at the top. He wore a bright red kimono and wielded a large fang-like sword.

Kohaku seemed to recognize them and ran over calling.

"Sango, Kagome, Inuyasha!?! What are you guys doing here?" The first one called Sango pulled him further into their group and glared at the dog pack without answering. Sesshomaru pulled Rin closer to himself and glared back.

"You know you are not to enter these lands." He said in a low voice.

"Yes but the kid didn't. You gonna take it out on him Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha replied, and Rin noticed the similarities between the two, like they were family…

"I will not waste my time. Leave, now." Her father's tone was final and the strange group did just that. Rin managed to catch Kohaku's eye and waved while mouthing bye, and he did the same back before disappearing into the trees.

The demon's waited a while before setting out themselves, Sesshomaru still carrying Rin. Before they could reach the castle though, Sesshomaru slowed his pace and nodded at the others to continue on without them.

Her father walked to a nearby rock and plopped Rin down onto it, giving her a stern look. Rin knew she was in trouble. She gave him and innocent smile and tried to look as cute as possible. He wasn't buying it.

"You know you are it big trouble." Rin nodded miserably.

"You disobeyed me and put yourself you danger." This earned another nod.

"You can't keep doing things like this Rin. What if one day no one is there to save you? You are a princess and the heir to the western lands; many people are out there who want to kill you."

Rin looked out to the castle in the distance, her face pouting. "What if I don't want to be a princess? What if I just want to be free?" Sesshomaru sighed and settled down next to her.

"Rin there's no way for that to happen. You are part of this family and you were born to lead. One day the idea won't seem so hard."

"How do you know?" Rin muttered.

"I was a pup who wanted freedom too once, but I accepted my destiny and now… I think I've done a pretty good job." Rin turned back to him and grinned. He gave her a smirk and picked her up once again.

"No more sneaking out, okay?"

"I'll try my hardest." Then they set off back to the distant castle, but Rin couldn't help wondering if she'd ever see Kohaku again.

Yay first chapter. Hope you liked. Reviews are loved and enjoyed.