Prologue

Two figures hidden by the shadows of the trees watched as a young raven haired girl made her way out of an old well. They watched impassively as she was greeted by an inu hanyou and a kitsune cub. The two followed the trio as they went into a nearby village to pick up two more companions, a young man dressed in the purple robes of a monk and a young woman dressed in a kimono.

The group traveled swiftly looking for signs of either jewel shards or the hanyou, Naraku. The week the duo followed the shard hunters was one where not even a lesser demon approached. The hanyou was becoming more and more agitated as the days went. He could sense the duo on the very edges of his senses. The unfortunate result was that he pushed the group hard, barely letting them rest. He often snapped at the girl and the fox, until the girl had finally become enraged and stomped away in a huff.

The duo split, one following the girl while the other stayed to watch over the shard hunters. The one watching the group was witness to the hanyou sulking, while the monk and taijiya spoke to each other in low voices. The one watching the girl was witness to her attempt to rescue a little girl no more than eight from a boar demon. She managed to kill it but fell unconscious due to heavy injuries and blood loss. A silver haired youkai appeared to retrieve his wayward ward. After the best puppy dog eyes the watcher had seen in a long time, the silver haired man relented and picked up the injured girl.

"So it begins."

Ch1

"Inuyasha, can we have a break? We've been traveling nonstop all day. We've been traveling nonstop everyday for this past week! Give us a break, I'll even make you ramen," Kagome was getting fed up, the entire time they had been searching for the missing pieces of the shikon no tama Inuyasha had never pushed the group so hard. Without any leads or even the threat of minor youkai she just couldn't understand why he was so edgy. 'Maybe it has something to do with Kikyo. He has been leaving camp every night and returning in the morning,' her thoughts turned even darker when he started insulting her again.

"It's your fault the jewel is broken. Kikyo wouldn't," Inuyasha knew he had crossed the line when he saw her face drop all emotions. The expression was a mirror of his older half brother's, except on Kagome it seemed to be even scarier.

"Kikyo wouldn't what Inuyasha?" her voice was eerily calm. "You know what I am Not Kikyo. We are going to stop for the rest of the day." She started to turn back down the path they were on, " I am going to take a bath. If you plan on stopping me, I'll make sure you won't be able to come out of the crater I put you in for at least a week." With that she looked at Sango. Smiling sweetly she asked, "Would you like to come with me?"

"That's alright Kagome-chan I think I'll pass." Sango was slightly frightened at Kagome's mood swing. Kagome continued to smile and nodded her understanding.

The stunned jewel hunters watched as she stomped her way into the woods. Shippo was the first to break the silence, "I'm surprised she didn't sit you Inuyasha."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Kagome's voice reached them, "Osuwaru!"

…………..

"Stupid Inuyasha. Always comparing me to Kikyo. When will he realize I'm not her," she kicked a root in her anger only to fall flat on her face. "I swear this day can't get worse." After getting up she made the rest of the trip to the hot springs they had passed earlier without anymore mishaps.

………….

Sesshoumaru arrived at the clearing he left his retainer, ward, and steed to find it decimated. Scorch marks and remnants of a blaze showed that Jaken and AhUn had tried to defend themselves and Rin. Whatever had attacked them must have either taken them by surprise or relatively strong. On the edge of the battle area he noticed a path of scorched and fallen trees leading further into the forest. Following the trail he came across the gored bodies of Jaken and AhUn.

At the sight of his servants and the soul reapers that covered them, Tensaiga pulsed. He deftly unsheathed the sword and killed the imps that were in the process of taking the souls of Jaken and AhUn. "Jaken. Where is Rin?" Although his voice did not show it, Sesshoumaru was not happy. Rin was no where to be found.

The toad youkai fidgeted under his glare and stammered, "It was a giant boar youkai milord. We tried to defend ourselves, b..but it was too fast."

"And Rin?"

Jaken was sweating bullets, he did not want to tell him he didn't know. Rin had vanished shortly before the youkai attacked. He was very tempted to say it ate her, but knowing his master he would know he was lying. Kami help whoever lies to Sesshoumaru.

"I..I am not sure. I…We uh lost her before the attack." Jaken cringed expecting at the very least to be punted out of the clearing. So when he finally had the courage to look up he was surprised to find himself staring into the amused faces of the two headed dragon. "Gyaah, you stupid beast." Looking around he found no signs of his lord and sighed in relief, it seemed he wasn't going to join the ranks of the dead today.

…………

Rin was running as fast as her little legs could carry her. She stumbled every so often, but regained her balance quickly and would take off again. A youkai was chasing her, she could hear it crash through the obstacles that slowed her down. Tears trailed down her cheeks, she hadn't been this scared since the wolves had killed her. Bursting into a clearing she spotted a young woman who was starting to get undressed, "Help Rin! Please!"

………..

Kagome was surprised when a young girl no more than eight grabbed onto her and started yelling. "Whoa, slow down. Who's Rin and wha…" she cut herself off when she felt several shikon shards coming her way. Kagome started to panic, the hot spring was out of hearing distance and she had just gotten there. Inuyasha and the others wouldn't start to get worried normally until around two hours passed. With the way she yelled at Inuyasha she doubted they would look for her until much later. The only good thing is that in her anger she had managed to bring all of her belongings, including her bow and arrows.

Shoving Rin into a near by undergrowth Kagome told the girl to stay quiet. Notching an arrow she waited for the youkai. It didn't take long, no more than a few seconds, before the tree line before her exploded out in a shower of tree bark and dirt. As it settled Kagome could only stare transfixed at the sight before her. It was a boar youkai, the thing was massive towering almost twice her height. Three shikon shards glittered in between eyes that were full of bloodlust. Snorting it pawed the ground before running at her. Its head lowered and one of his tusks became level with Kagome's chest, the only thing that saved her was Rin's shout. Kagome snapped out of her trance and ducked into a roll. The boar let out a discontented grunt.

As the youkai suddenly shifted direction, it managed to get a solid hit on her shoulder. Kagome managed keep her hold on her bow as the youkai slammed his tusk into her right shoulder for the second time. Blood poured out of the wound as she managed to pulled back and fire her arrow. She had tried to hit it where the shikon shards were, but missed, instead claiming the boar's left eye and a good portion of his face. It squealed in agony, and as it began to thrash blindly it hit Kagome square in the chest with the broad side if his snout.

Kagome landed roughly next to Rin's hiding spot. Her arrows scattering on the forest floor as she fell. Groaning, she rolled over to come face to face with Rin's frightened brown orbs, "Is the lady all right?"

"Just stay put, ok?" Kagome reached to grab an arrow and found her quiver empty. The boar recovered from the shot, spotting Kagome with his remaining eye, it roared and charged her. "Run!" the two girls scrambled and managed to avoid getting caught in the boar youkai's mad rush.

Kagome was worried, all of her arrows and the little girl were on the opposite side of the youkai. The boar noticed Rin and lunged at her. "No!" Kagome didn't know what possessed her as she pulled her bow back, and was surprised as a hayama made purely out of her powers appeared. Releasing it sunk deep into the boar, purifying it until the only thing left were the three shards it was using. Limping over to Rin, she called to the wide eyed little girl, "Are you ok?" Rin nodded, "That's good." With that Kagome fainted.

…………

Few things ever truly surprised the taiyoukai, and witnessing the power the little miko had was one of them. He had entered the clearing just as the youkai began to rush at Rin, only to pause when he felt a swell in holy powers. He watched as Rin rushed to the young woman's side as she fainted.

"Rin" the little girl's head snapped in his direction. Her eyes showing relief that he was there, as well as worry for her fallen savior.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Pretty lady save Rin, Sesshoumaru-sama can help her like he helped Rin?" Taking a good look at the fallen ningen he noticed it was his brother's miko. Looking back at Rin he was about to say no, but the puppy dog eyes she gave him caused him to change his mind. Removing Tensaiga from its sheathe he was annoyed that the sword decided that it would not obey. Knowing Rin would be upset if he didn't do something he picked up the miko and started to walk back to where he left Jaken and AhUn. Rin clapped, "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Halfway to the clearing he felt the girl stir in his arm. Kagome slowly opened her eyes to find herself staring into golden eyes, "In...Se…Sesshoumaru?" Sesshoumaru was pleasantly surprised when she only tensed up at realizing he wasn't her hanyou companion.

"I am in your debt miko. You have saved this Sesshoumaru's ward and for that I will see you returned to full health."

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru was going to ask her what she meant by that but realized she had fallen asleep.