Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha…yet. (Muahahaha!)

Prologue

The winds howled fiercely against the trees, which created a whistling sound in the air. The torrents of raindrops falling from the sky slowed the path of a very distressed, tired woman who was a month pregnant. "Huff, huff" was all that could be heard amongst the silent trees in the Inu Forest. Running footsteps also could be heard in the trees as the woman tried desperately to get away from her pursuer.

While she ran, she lost herself in her thoughts on what had just happened. How could he just betray his own flesh and blood like this? How could he have done such a horrible thing? the woman thought sadly.

As the woman was now detracted, she forgot to jump over a root, causing her to trip and fall. As she was falling, she tried to turn herself so she wouldn't hurt her unborn baby.

She slowly got up and then noticed something that made her sigh with relief. It was the Village of the Priestess, the one with amazing powers. The village was also popular for giving birth to two Elemental girls: the child of Fire and the child of Earth.

The woman ran up to the nearest hut with all of the strength she could manage. When she made it to the doorway of the hut, she collapsed with exhaustion, only to be caught by strong but very old hands. The woman looked up and was met by one piercing blue eye. The left eye was covered up by a patch.

When the woman spoke, her voice was raspy and croaky. "Dear child, what happened to ye?"

"I'm being chased by demons, but who cares about that right now," the woman rushed. "Is this where the priestess Kaede lives? If it is, then surely I am saved."

"Aye, this is the village," said the old woman. "Now, what do you want with me?"

The woman's eyes filled with shock as she gasped. "You're the priestess?"

"Aye," said the old woman, Kaede, "I'm the priestess."

She raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Did you think I would be younger?"

The young woman nodded her head and Kaede said, "Well, as ye can see, I be old."

She then busied herself by helping the woman into the hut and up onto a bed. Now that the woman wasn't scared anymore, she noticed how small the hut was. All that was in it was a bed (which she was now laying comfortably in), a few jars containing herbs, and a fire pit with a wood poker next to it.

Kaede helped the woman lie down and get under the covers. "Now you get to sleep," she instructed. "I want ye to be well-rested so ye can tell me what happened to ye and your baby tomorrow."

The woman looked up in shock. "How did you know I am pregnant? I didn't even tell you that I was having a baby!"

"You are pulsating with power," Kaede explained, "more power than your average elemental."

"How did you know I am an elemen—" She stopped mid-sentence. "Oh, I see. You saw the shard on my forehead, didn't you?"

"Aye," Kaede admitted, "that I did."

The woman, satisfied with the answers, drifted off into a restless sleep. Unknown to her, there were actually three elemental children in that town. The third, the child of Water, had been born three months before she had arrived.

Monoko, we later find out as her name, died giving birth to her child—a baby girl named Kagome. (Monoko requested that be her name before her death.)

Sixteen years have passed since that day, and no one would have ever guessed what adventures would await the young, unexpecting girl and her friends.

From the Author: This is my first fan fic, so I hope you enjoy it! Please review!