Puppy Love by Oceanserpent
Chapter One:
Kyra whistled as she prepared dinner for her young family. She had only been married 2 years but already had a year-old beautiful baby girl and a famed husband. Her infamous hunter-husband was just walking in and she smiled brightly at him, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. "Konichiwa, Marix-sama. Are you well?"
"Hai," he answered, smiling warmly. "And you and Akira? All is well?" He looked around for his daughter even as he spoke.
"Hai, we are well. Akira is..." she looked to the pen where Akira should have been. Kyra gasped in surprise and fear. "She's gone!"
"Nani?!"
Kyra and Marix frantically searched their small dwelling but did not find her. Finally, Marix rushed outside with Kyra close behind him and roused the village with cries for help. The villagers grabbed torches as night fell on the demon infested forest around the village. They spread out in groups and pairs, searching for the little girl.
The people searched for hours. Marix was terrified and desperate, calling for Akira over and over. Kyra was frazzled and hysterical. Some of the villagers were calling out apologies and condolences, and telling them to return home. The young parents stopped, feeling hopeless and defeated. Marix put his arm around Kyra's shuddering shoulders and started to lead her home. They were only a few hundred yards from home when they heard giggling and baby garbling in a thicket.
Hurriedly they advanced on the thicket, and stumbled through. Both parents sighed in relief when they saw Akira sitting quite happily with what looked like a puppy curled up with her, if the dog ears were any indication. Kyra knelt and swept Akira up off the ground and into her tight embrace. Marix embraced them both before looking back at the would-be puppy. His jaw dropped as the "puppy" looked back at him with yellow eyes and a very human face. Marix was so stunned he was speechless and couldn't even stop Kyra from letting the squirming Akira down to play.
Kyra noticed the funny look on Marix's face and said, "Koi? Daijoba?" Her voice snapped Marix back to reality and he started, then looked to Kyra with an angry scowl.
"Get her away from the demon spawn!" he growled as he pulled a knife from his belt.
Kyra finally noticed that the so-called "puppy" that Akira called "Inu" when she wanted down, was indeed not a puppy, for he called her "Aki" in return and had a human body. With a fearful sound, Kyra scooped Akira away from the demon child. Akira started to cry and Inu started sniffling. Kyra backed away as Marix advanced with his knife. Inu started to cry.
They heard rustling from the other side of the thicket and a feminine voice calling, "Inuyasha!"
Marix turned to tell Kyra to run while he dealt with the older demon, but had no time as the demon that was not a demon rushed into the thicket. Marix pulled back his arm to strike but Kyra yelled, "Stop, Marix! It's Quae, the missing girl from a few summers back!"
He halted for a moment then turned back to Inu. "Stay there, Quae, and let me get rid of this demon filth."
But Quae did not stay. She ran in front of him and scooped the child-sized demon up. The knife came down and was right in front of her heart, with the face of the demon hiding in her other shoulder.
"What are you doing?! Are you blind? He's a demon!" he cried, outraged.
"No," she answered, "he's a half-demon and he's not filth. His name is Inuyasha and he is my son." She stroked his long white hair as she spoke, and he calmed quickly. Akira had calmed too. "Is that your little one?"
Marix stiffened and his black eye narrowed. "Yes," he answered icily. "Why?"
In response, Quae set Inuyasha on the ground. His red fire rat robe contrasted sharply with her pale cherry blossom kimono as he clung to it's skirt. "Why not put her down and see how they treat each other?"
Akira was struggling and crying, "Inu!" while her mother tried to shush her and refused to set her down. Marix suddenly went defensive and Kyra looked around in alarm to find the new threat but only felt a tug on the bottom of her kimono. She looked down to see Inuyasha looking up her with his clawed hand tugging on her kimono. Hesitantly, she asked, "H-hai?"
Inuyasha put his arms in the air and said pleadingly, "Aki! Aki down! Aki play with Inu! On'ga'?"
Unable to resist, Kyra set Akira down despite Marix's disapproving hiss. She had to mirror Quae's happy smile when the giggling toddlers hugged and jabbered. Kyra saw the tears in Quae's eyes and asked, "What's wrong?"
Quae answered with a smile, "It's amazing. He's almost 2 and this is the first time he has played with anyone his own age. It's just wonderful. I wish he could grow up with other children but being a hanyou doesn't allow that." She sniffled, but stopped herself from crying.
Kyra put a hand on her shoulder and said, "It's ok to cry, Quae." But Quae shook her head and said, "No it's not. Inuyasha hates it when I cry. I don't want to upset him or wake them up." She then motioned towards the toddlers curled up together on the ground, asleep.
Marix angrily motioned for Kyra to pick up Akira and this time she listened. Quae picked up Inuyasha as well.
"I hope they can play again, Kyra." she said with a smile as she disappeared back into the dangerous woods.