Hey, thanks for clicking on that link that brought you to my story. This is just something I felt the urge to write while watching that episode of Inuyasha where Shippo learned the Heart Scar. Sorry to those who haven't seen that yet, but really it's not that big of a spoiler, besides that this story really doesn't have any spoiler alerts. Hope you enjoy the story.

Disclaimer: I in no way shape or form own Inuyasha or any related characters. There aren't even any OCs for me to claim this time.

In our pack Inuyasha is usually the first to wake up, but today is special so I wake up first. Slowly I start to slip out of the sleeping bag I shared with Kagome last night. However her eyes start to flutter open. I freeze. She murmurs something about a 'geom-o-tree' and then goes back to sleep. Quietly I free myself from the sleeping bag and sit near the remnants of last night's fire. It was last night that I remembered what day today would be.

Today is the day my parents died.

Strangely enough it was Inuyasha who reminded me. I was bored so I stole some of his ninja food. Then of course we got into a fight. It wasn't anything different from our normal fights. However this time he said something about how they should have ditched me when they had a chance a year ago. That's when I realized that it had been one full year since Okaasan and Outo-san where killed by the Thunder Brothers, Hiten and Manten. I don't blame Inuyasha for reminding me. He's an idiot so I'm sure he didn't remember or mean anything by it. I'm also glad that none of the others caught on. If they remembered then all I'd get today would be sad pitying looks. I don't want their pity.

I look around our camp site. Everyone is still asleep and the sun won't rise for a while, so I decide to leave, just for a little bit. Cautiously, I double check to make sure Inuyasha is asleep. If he catches me leaving he'll tell Kagome and then she'll want to know why I left and then it'll all end with those looks of pity. Thankfully Inuyasha is sound asleep in the tree he claimed as his perch last night. Silently I leave the camp and make my way to the grassy river bank near by. I sit at the edge of the river and think.

I miss my parents. The day they were killed is still fresh in my memory. I had been looking forward to that day for weeks because Outo-san said that was the day he was going to show me some new kitsune magic. We were just about to go to the river where Outo-san taught me how to use my spinning top, when the Thunder Brothers attacked. Outo-san told me to go hide in the den with Okaasan. I didn't want to. I wanted to stay and fight, but I was too scared. Okaasan and I stayed in our den waiting for Outo-san, but he didn't come back. When we heard strange movement at the entrance of the den Okaasan told me to go out the escape tunnel. She told me she and Outo-san would come find me when it was safe. Then she left, heading straight toward the strange noise. I did as she said and ran away. I hid under the roots of a tree for hours and hours, just waiting to hear Outo-san or Okaasan calling for me, but they never did. Finally I decided to go back. They shouldn't have been taking so long. I arrived at the den, only to find it demolished. The smell of fire was everywhere. I didn't see any flames so I assumed the fire had already been put out. However I also smelled something else, it was a strange pungent smell. Looking around I expected to see Outo-san and Okaasan fixing the den, expected Okaasan to scold me for coming back before she came for me, expected Outo-san to ruffle my fur like he always does and then tell me to start digging out the den, but none of that happened. What I saw was two people dressed in armor. The one in red armor had a large sword strapped to his back and a long black braid. The one in purple armor looked like a white toad and was sitting near a black cauldron next to a fire. Then I saw the impossible. The toad was wearing a pelt around his waist. It wasn't any pelt. It was my outo-san's. It was then I identified the strange smell on the wind. It was charred flesh. Which could only mean…

I brake out of my remembering when I feel something hit my leg. Without knowing it I had begun to cry. Quickly I wipe my tears on my sleeve and calm myself.

"When you need to cheer yourself up, just think of something happy."

I look around. She wasn't there. Okaasan had told me that. Listening to her long lost words I focus on a happy memory. The river I'm at reminds me of the day Outo-san gave me my spinning top. He had crafted it for me with his own paws. He had given it to me as a reward for catching my first fish all on my own. He had been so proud of me.

I wonder what he would think of me now. I'm traveling Japan with a miko, a hanyou, a monk, a demon-slayer, and demon cat. Not exactly what I thought I'd be doing in a year. However I start to think about them and what they mean to me.

Kirara is my friend. She and I understand each other. When Miroku and Sango or Inuyasha and Kagome are acting weird or fighting I can stick with her. She plays with me when everyone else is too busy.

Sango is like an aunt. When Inuyasha and Kagome are fighting I can perch on her shoulder. She also explains things to me when I don't understand.

Miroku is like a weird uncle. He helps me tease Inuyasha. He also tries to tell me things about women, but usually he'll get beat up before he can really say anything. Pervert.

Kagome is like an older sister to me, sometimes she's even like a mother. She brings me ninja food from her era. She allows me to sleep with her. She carries me around. She even stood up for me when Kouga's pack wanted to eat me. She's the closest thing I have to a mother now.

Then there's…

"Hey, Shippo!"

"Inuyasha?" I turn around to see the half demon walking towards me. "What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Came to get you Squirt. You've been gone for hours."

I look to the sun. Sure enough it's almost read to peak over the horizon. I hadn't realized I'd been gone so long.

"Wait a minute. How did you know when I left? You were asleep."

"Keh. Runt, I'm always the first one up. Now come on. Kagome will have a cow if she wakes up and you're missing." Inuyasha said, motioning for me to follow him.

He didn't tell anyone I'd gone? Why? I'd have thought he'd tell Kagome the moment I left camp, just to get me in trouble. It's something the jerk would do.

I get up to follow, but pause for a minute to take a final look at the river. I hear Inuyasha come up behind me. I expect a hit on the head for being slow, or an insult. I hear his hand move and brace for the impact. However when his hand does make contact with my head, he only ruffles my fur. Just like Outo-san used to.

"It's tough kid, but you still have us."

My eyes widen at his words. So the idiot did remember. I turn to look at him, ready to find pity on his usually frowning face. However I found no pity in his eyes, instead I found pride and caring. I'm shocked, to say the least. It was the same look Outo-san had the day he gave me my spinning top. I feel a swell of happiness. My surrogate brother, my surrogate father, is proud of me.

"Now come on, before Kagome wakes up." He says as he walks away.

I smile. So the idiot isn't all that bad. Maybe I'll stop stealing his food for awhile.

Or not.

So what'd you think? What's that? I can't hear you through the screen. Try pressing that review button.

The next chapter is the same event but in Inuyasha's point of view.