1st Meeting

The hot summer sun beat down on my bare back. Slowly, not to disturb the trees around me, I released my long wings from the seal that held them into my back when I wished. A small stab of pain and they were out.

I was only a mile from the village I had stayed at for the night. Though the villagers were wary of me because of my demonic appearance, they let me stay. I looked a lot like my mother, a beauty beyond compare for a human but unfortunately I had inherited features from my flying-tiger demon father.

Folding my wings to my back I tied my kimono around my waist with it ribbon and continued walking. Quickly I grew tired of the slow pace and ran.

This and flying were my favourite parts of being a half demon. I was as fast as any female of my kind of demon and none were faster than us.

Finally I slowed when I caught sight of a small stream. I had run all day and passed two villages, without stopping. I was thirsty.

My throat burned as I scooped up the water in my hands. With the water inches away from my lips I caught scent of another presence. Leaving the water I turned in the direction the smell was coming.

Just as I began to hear the new arrivals I saw another figure coming closer faster than the others. Immediately I reacted by leaping up into the trees on the other side of the stream. I landed gracefully and silently as the figure emerged from the trees.

It was a youth of about seventeen dressed fully in red and had long silver hair. My eyes widened and I retained a hiss when I saw his white dog ears. He was a dog demon, but as the wind blew in my direction I noticed the strangeness of his scent.

I then knew immediately that this youth was a half demon like me.

"InuYasha, wait," called a female voice.

A young girl came out of the forest. Her black hair flew as she ran to the half demon.

"There's a demon somewhere here," the one called InuYasha explained.

"Be careful, I sense a jewel shard near," she exclaimed.

I looked down to the pouch attached to my hip. This girl can sense the Shikon jewel shards; she must be a powerful priestess.

Just then another four entered the clearing. Two were humans and two were demons. The female human was a demon hunted and I guessed that the twin-tailed was with her and the male human, much to my delight was a monk. I smiled when I saw the little fox child clinging to the monks back.

I turned to run but was stopped when an arrow shot past me glowing with spiritual energy. This is not good, I thought.

I turned to see the half demon coming at me with a large sword. I dodged him easily and hid in the trees again. I couldn't fly away because the priestess would shoot me down and if I ran the dog would follow my scent.

Damn I hate sticky situations!

Using my wings for balance I jumped quickly from branch to branch avoiding the assault of arrows and sword. Suddenly the assault stopped and I hesitated a fraction of a second too long.

The wind was blowing forcefully towards the monk's hand. Thinking quickly I pulled out one of my swords hanging from the small of my back and stabbed the tree. After a while the terrible wind ended and the group started talking.

"Were is it?" I heard the demon hunter ask.

"I don't know the wind tunnel should have sucked it right in," a male voice replied, which I guessed was the monk.

"I can still sense the sacred jewel shards," said the priestess.

"'Shards' the dog demon asked angrily.

"Oh, yea. There's more than one. At least three," she replied sheepishly as he growled.

I laughed silently to myself. From being calm and affectionate, to wanting to hurt each other.

I pulled out my sword and walked steadily around the tree.

"You know, the pair of you sound like a bickering old couple," I said smirking.

"Shut up, you stupid demon!" the dog shouted.

I almost rolled my eyes but an unfamiliar scent filled the air, the dog demon noticed it too.

"There's a sacred jewel shard near," the priestess gasped.

"How 'bout we finish this later dog demon. 'Cause something bigger is coming and it is going to kill you," I said to him before flying off.

Even a hundred feet in the air and I could still hear him complaining. When he finishes off the demon I can make my escape, I thought.

Seconds later I landed in a large opening in the forest. Minutes passed as the strange group arrived.

I nodded in acknowledgement then unsheathed both of my swords as the demon came into view. I retained a laugh when I saw what it was.

It was a young field mouse. My amusement vanished when I caught sight of the shard. It hadn't put it in its body yet!

"Ha! Is that what I'm supposed to kill? This is gonna be too easy," InuYasha said confidently.

I sighed and ran to the mouse, though it only felt like a step. I ignored the gasps of surprise behind me and knelt down to the mouse.

"Listen, I don't think it will sound very noble when people here that I beat up a young mouse, so can you just had over the jewel shard," I said gently.

The mouse trembled under my stare and slowly crawled towards me. It placed the shard in my open hand and ran.

Smiling I dashed to face InuYasha.

"Here, you can keep this one," I dropped the shard at his feet, opened my winds wide and with enormous force pushed myself off the ground. Going faster than I liked I flew away from InuYasha and his friends, but for a strange reason knew I was going to see them again.