Disclaimer: Not mine. Well, more or less...

Chapter One

A gentle breeze from off the lake made the little valley cooler than the surrounding area. It was only about a mile and a half long and wide and very secluded. A small, rarely used dirt road ran through it and between the mildly sloping, flower-dotted hills. The trees that ringed it on all sides made it a favorite with the young lovers from the nearby village, it was private and beautiful and rarely used. Perfect for young men and women who wanted to get out of the sight of their watchful parents.

Right now it was occupied by only one person, who was completely oblivious to the glorious art of nature around her. She sat as still as a statue and appeared to barely be breathing. Her knees were up and her chin rested on them while her arms where wrapped around her legs. The gentle breeze made her hair dance in it slightly, but she wasn't paying attention to it. She merely glared contemptuously at the road without actually seeing it, and rage mixed with the pain of a broken heart seemed to shimmer around her like a haze.

Still, this didn't stop the three deer from grazing cautiously next to her or the birds to land in her hair. Whether they could see her or not they had accepted her as a seemingly harmless addition to the landscape. One thing was for sure, any humans or demons that strolled through would see nothing and for that she was glad. But that's the way she had wanted it; she wanted to brood away the day without interruptions.

Her wish would not be granted though. An angry, incomprehensible shout split the air, which sent the deer and a few birds scattering. She snapped back to reality and saw a young man with silvery hair and a young woman following him, more like chasing after him, coming in through the dirt road.

Something didn't seem right with the male, so she examined him closer. In a moment she realized that he was a half demon and was interested despite herself. Mutts between humans and demons were rare enough, but for one to survive was a miracle. Normally, the mother or the village killed the child and the mother was severely punished for her actions that had gotten her the baby in the first place. She noticed then, that the girl with him was a miko-though only a partially trained one. Her curiosity was sparked even more, for she diffidently wasn't hunting him down.

The half demon stopped at the lake and stiffly got a drink out of it. The girl, who had had to jog to keep up with his brisk pace, panted next to him as she braced herself on her knees.

"You know I'm sorry Inu Yasha, why won't you believe me?" the young woman asked. There was a bitter pause before he answered.

"Ok, whatever. Let's just go," he stood up and looked at everything but his companion. He started to walk down the dirt road again, but she didn't follow him.

"I'm sorry! I honestly didn't know!" she cried out.

He spun around and glared at her, "What really pisses me off is that you would even think that I'd do that!" He started to walk off again and this time she followed him, still mumbling her apologies.

The watcher on the hill was enraged at his actions. Any idiot can see that this girl means what she says. Well, maybe not this one...she thought bitterly. But what really annoyed her was the fact that she had simply followed him like a pet and that he had seemed perfectly fine with it. It made her think back to the time with him...and her heart lurched. She shook her head to clear away any lingering thoughts and was struck with an idea.

He had inspired her, though she would simply make a few adjustments. She was going to force the half demon to appreciate the girl and to test both of them. The watcher stood up stiffly from all the hours of sitting. She rolled her neck and then began to concentrate. She raised an open palm to her lips and kissed it and a small glowing sphere appeared. She cupped it loosely in a fist and began to whisper to it in an arcane language. Steadily it grew brighter until it finally flashed blindingly. She opened her hand and a dim sphere of light was hovering over the middle of it and pulsating slightly. She blew it gently in the direction that the couple had gone and it drifted slowly after them.

She was filled with a malicious sense of happiness as she walked into the woods behind her. There was no need to follow her little gift, she would know exactly when it had reached him.

A/N: Please review. Flames are welcomed; cause it still means that you actually read it. HA! Beat you there.