This is my first Inuyasha pic, but flames are welcome XD

Unusual Sound

It was that point in the day right after they had begun to set up camp, but before dinner was served.

To avoid the potential of anyone asking him for help, Inuyasha had already made a show of choosing his tree to sleep in for the night. He was up there now, lying on the branch with his eyes half closed.

The sounds below were enough to lull him into a peaceful mood. That soft rustling sound was Kagome pulling out her sleeping bag. The beeping was Shippo playing with one of Kagome's modern games. That sharp sound was Sango slapping Miroku. That whimpering was...

Inuyasha's ears perked up alert to the sound. It didn't cease and something deep inside him tugged. He stood up on the wide tree branch and leapt deeper into the forest. The near constant noise kept him moving closer. He knew he had to find the source of it.

He paused in front of a large tree. Nothing was out of place. It was a normal tree in a forest like any other.

Stepping forward, he sniffed once. A few steps around the right side, he stopped and bent down. He sniffed at the bush beside the tree again and snorted. "If you're going to hide, stop whimpering," he said sharply.

There wasn't a reply.

"Where are your parents?" he asked.

Silence.

"Come on!" he barked. "Answer me or-"

A small head poked out of the bottom of the bush and snarled at him. Inuyasha smirked. "That's better. Where are they?"

"Gone," someone in back of the first pup spoke.

The first turned and growled at the second. There was a yip and the first appeared again. "Go away," he told him.

Inuyasha shook his head. "How long have you been left alone?" There was more snarling and he rolled his eyes. "If you're whimpering, then you've been left long enough to be hungry. There isn't any scent around, so... A couple of days?"

"Leave us alone!" the first growled and went back inside.

He stood up and walked away. When Inuyasha reached the camp, he looked at Shippo, still involved in the game. Pups shouldn't go hungry, he thought.

"Hey," he called. Everyone looked up. "Have you got enough in there," he jerked his head toward the bag, "for a few more?"

Kagome frowned. "Yes. Why?"

"Come on," Inuyasha said. He turned toward the forest and walked a few steps before looking back. "Bring the kitsune."

Kagome shrugged and pried Shippo away from the game. "Let's see what Inuyasha wants," she whispered.

Shippo shot the older male a dirty look. "Maybe it's Kikyo."

Kagome froze and then started walking again. "I don't think she eats anything that could be found in my bag."

Inuyasha led them back to the tree and lifted the branches of the bush up. "Come out of there," he said rudely. "I've already got one I'm looking after. A few more doesn't make any difference."

Growling and snarling noises came from the hole. Inuyasha growled back. Shippo stirred in Kagome's arms and he leapt down. He approached cautiously and peeked inside. "Hello?" he asked.

The first pup stared at him. "What?"

"Why are you all alone?" Shippo asked curiously. The pup looked toward Inuyasha and Kagome. "They won't hurt you."

"Of course not," Kagome said softly, walking forward. She knelt down and smiled at the much younger kitsune baby.

"They're gone," he said grudgingly. "Dad left and Mom dug us a den. She told us to stay here until she returned, but that was two days ago..."

"Then why don't you come back with us and have dinner?" Kagome offered. "We're close by. Your mom would know where you were."

The pup went back in the hole and soon three pups tumbled out. There were two females and the one that they had talked to. Kagome picked up the two females and Inuyasha found the male barreling into his arms. They glared at each other and followed Kagome back to camp.

Sango and Miroku were surprised about the new additions, but made the children welcome. Ramen was served all around and the pups ate until they were full. Since the whole group was pretty tired from their day of traveling, they were not far from sleep.

Kagome got into her sleeping bag, snuggled Shippo in with her, and the three pups curled up on the other side of her feet. Sango and Miroku each found their own sleeping spot and Inuyasha leapt up into his chosen tree.

Kagome rubbed at her eyes first thing the next morning and yawned. She found Shippo asleep in her arms. She looked down at the pups and smiled.

Somewhere in the night, a red haori had found its way to be tucked around them. Kagome glanced at Inuyasha's tree and found him sleeping in his white hakama. Sango and Miroku were fine with Kirara chasing something in her dreams.

A red and white fox darted in through the camp and up to the pups. Kagome's eyes widened and she gasped. Inuyasha woke with a start and jumped down from the tree, hand on his sword hilt. Sango reached for her weapon and Miroku stood with his in hand.

The fox changed and moved the haori out of the way. "Pups," she said happily. They woke and swarmed around her.

Kagome relaxed. "You're their mother?" She nodded. "We found them yesterday evening," she filled in.

"She fed us noodles, Mama," one of the females said.

"And let us sleep next to her," the other piped up.

"There's another kitsune, too," the male said.

Shippo stirred and looked at the adult kitsune. "Hi," he said sleepily.

"Thank you." Looking at her pups, she said, "We have to go now."

"Can't you stay for breakfast?" Kagome asked.

She shook her head. "No. I'm being followed."

"Where's Papa?" the male asked.

She looked at him sadly. "Papa can't be here anymore."

Kagome closed her eyes. She knew what that meant.

"You're staying for breakfast," Inuyasha told her briskly. "We'll take care of whatever's following you."

She looked at him and then around at the group. "I can't have my pups in danger. They're close behind me."

"Closer than you think," someone whispered. She stiffened and curled her pups to her.

"Stop being all mysterious!" Inuyasha yelled. "Come out and die!"

A large winged snake youkai came dashing down from the trees. Kagome picked Shippo up and followed the kitsune female as she ran for the forest. Dropping Shippo with the others, she went back to the battle.

While she was gone, Miroku had attacked the tail with his staff. Sango was attacking the middle, attempting to chop it in half. Inuyasha was dealing with the fangs.

By the time Kagome got there, the snake was missing a fang, most of its tail, and the middle was bleeding heavily. She arrived just in time to see Inuyasha deliver the final blow and it collapsed dead. She looked it over and found a shard of the jewel in the very tip of the tail.

Inuyasha tracked the female down and made her stay for breakfast. The pups were fed well. They had to leave, but at least he had seen them eat twice.

Before they left, the kitsune pups dashed over to Inuyasha and Kagome, giving them hugs and kisses. Then they left with their mother.

And Inuyasha was teased by the entire group for the next two weeks about being soft.