well i had this idea after watching the movie The Fox and the Hound. :] so enjoy and review and tell me what you think! thanks!

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The Miko and the Youkai

Chapter One: Innocence

The small youkai wondered outside the castle. He was just a pup and he knew that he could not go far. For he was also a prince; his father had told him that this was a very important job. He didn't exactly understand all the terms to it. He just knew that for the most part others did what he wanted them to, and many went through great measure to protect him.

He looked off into the distance, wondering what was out there-in the rest of the world. His youkai senses where already well developed at his young age. He had really been alive for twelve years, however he looked about seven. Maybe eight.

Sesshoumaru's silver hair was slightly below his shoulders. Someday he hoped to have it as long his fathers. The young prince jerked his head up as he caught a strange scent.

He spent many of the past few years learning the scent of everything; amazed that he could store so much information. This scent he had never smelt. It smelt like warm vanilla and cinnamon.

He quickly took a glance around in search of anyone watching him. He smiled when he saw no one; he had after all snuck out of his normal nap time. The carrier of the sent was just beyond the trees. It wasn't far at all.

Making a split decision to find out where the scent was coming from- he ran in the direction of the trees. He was filled with joy to think that he might have something that would entertain him! He was just a pup after all; and pups shouldn't be locked up in big castles all the time. It's not like he understood the warnings he had always been given to stay close. He settled on the fact that he was still close.

OOooOO

The young miko sat staring into the small pond that flowed into a cave. It was a beautiful little place. Almost magical in a way. Keade would not be happy when she found out where she was. The girl sighed- that was hours away. No need to worry about that right now.

It felt good to break out on a small adventure. The girl giggled as she thought softly that maybe some thing would come and sweep her off in to a real-live adventure. One with honor and bravery. Where she would in the end conquer over all evil.

She sighed. She was treated different then the other children in her village. She knew that Keade was not her mother. She did not know her mother and father. She had assumed that they were dead.

Death was something that to a six year old was clear. Maybe not the harsh reality of it was clear- but she could most certainty understand it. When someone died; they fell asleep forever.

Keade would tell her that she was too young to be out by herself, but Kagome was no fool. She knew that she was different, and that;s why other treated her differently. She knew that she had…something. Her young mind could not come up with anything to describe what she had, but she knew that she had.

She dragged her hand through the water, complete oblivious to the being that had just joined her at the pond.

"What are you doing." She jumped at the sound of a foreign voice. She rearranged herself, making sure not to fall into the water as she looked up at the boy in front of her. His silver hair shined and his golden eyes gleamed with warmth and curiosity.

"I'm playing by the pond." She answered simply, finding no other words to speak.

The boy tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "dragging your hand through the water is hardly playing at all." Kagome smiled as she looked back at the water.

"Well this is the first time I've ever been away from the village. I guess I don't know how to really play." Her voice was soft yet cheerful. A six year old did not know how to hide emotion, and she was very excited to meet someone new that seemed to treat her nice. She liked his strange looks too.

The boy came and sat closer to her. "Me too. I'm not suppose to be so far, but I smelt you and I had never smelt that scent, so I came to find out what it was, and I found you."

Kagome looked at him confused. "You smelt me?" the boy nodded.

"I'm a dog youkai." He saw her face only twist with more confusion. "So I have the senses of a dog." He watched as she answered a simple "oh." He didn't know how else to answer her. He had never met another who didn't know what a dog youkai was.

"So what do I smell like?" he heard her asked timidly and he grinned.

"Like warm vanilla and cinnamon."

"Is that good?" he shrugged and looked out to the pond.

"Father says that a scent tells a lot about a person." He told her

"So what does my scent mean?" he frowned at her question- only because he had no idea what her scent meant.

"I don't know. Father says that ill learn what scents mean from experience." The girl nodded.

"Will you tell me when you find out?" the boy smiled big and nodded and she smiled too.

"What's it like having a father?" the girl edged closer to him and waited patiently for his answer.

His head tilted again as his eyebrow raised. "Don't you have one yourself?"

Kagome shook her head. "Oh." The boy seemed taken back by the information.

"Well it kind like, everything is taken care of. My dad protects me and tells me all kinds of secrets." The boy grew excited now. "He's the mightiest youkai ever. I'm going to be like him one day." He looked in her eyes that had a little pain and added with concern, "Did you ever know your father."

The girl large blue eyes looked to the ground as she shook her head. "They died when I was a baby. I guess…that I have no one to protect me…" Sesshoumaru stood to his feet and his chest swelled.

"I'll protect you!" he declared. He was to young to know what it meant to protect someone or anything. Too innocent to know the weight of his words. The girl stood up to so happy that her smile stretched big.

"Really?? That would be great!" The two stood looking at each other.

"I'm Sesshoumaru and I'm the Prince Youkai of the West." He smiled at her.

"I'm Kagome. And, well, they say that I'm a miko." She answered back slightly embarrassed that she couldn't come up with such a title as his.

"What's a miko?" he asked and she laughed.

"I don't know, what's a youkai?" the two both laughed together.

"I guess it's just what we are." The boy said and she nodded content with the answer.

The boys shoot her a playful grin. "Well I know what we could do to make this pond more fun."

"What is that?" she asked timidly.

"We can swim!" he exclaimed running, fully clothed into the water. His splash echoed off the walls of the partial cave.

He looked to see the girl looking nervous. "What is it Kagome? Why don't you come and swim?"

The girl simply looked at her feet. "I can't swim. I don't know how Sesshoumaru."

The boy looked shocked for a second and he pulled himself out of the pond as he also shrugged off his soaked kimono.

"Come on then, ill teach you." He held out his hand to her and she hesitated only a moment before taking it. He led her too the water.

The two played for about an hour in the water. They splash at each other and wrestled. The two felt comfortable; they had surely never enjoyed such fellowship in their separate lives!

The two were unaware of the pair of eyes that watched them. Wise owl eyes widened at the sight. "Now here is something peculiar." The wise owl thought to himself. He knew very well that this friendship was abomination to both parties of the children. He could not help but smile. The two were innocent. They knew nothing of hating each other. All they knew was that they had found someone to have fun with- an fun indeed they were having. Nothing else in the world seemed to matter to the two! They did not even know how odd it was for them to be together!

He let out a sigh. He hoped that this would not end as a disaster. He knew both of the two subjects and where they came from. The wise owl could not see how this story could end well. Still, he hoped that it would.

The two friends laid on the rock surface of the cave. "Hey Sesshoumaru?"

"Hey Kagome." The boy playfully replied.

"Can we be friends forever?" the girl asked

Sesshoumaru snorted. "Yea why wouldn't we be able to?"

He looked to see her smile big. "Just making sure!"

Sesshoumaru's stomach growled and the girl giggled next to him. He suddenly lifted his ear at the distant sound he heard. "Oh no!" he stood in a hurry collecting his kimono.

"What is it? Are you leaving Sesshoumaru?" she sat up a little disappointed that he seemed to be leaving.

"It's my father- he's calling for me. He seems worried. I should go back now." He watched as she stood up.

"Okay, but will we play again sometime?" the boy smiled at her

"Of course we will silly! Next week- same spot, same time!" he called over his shoulder.

"Bye Sesshoumaru!"

She barely heard him say bye in return. She watched as he ran through the trees. She distantly thought that was really fast. She smiled at her new friend that she had found! Or really- he had found her.

"Little Kagome what are you doing here all alone?" Kagome saw the eyes of the wise owl. His name was Kiyo.

"I wasn't alone Kiyo! I was with my friend Sesshoumaru. The man smiled at her from outside the cave.

"Come is time for you to go home." She nodded and ran to him, giving him a hug. Kiyo had been around as long as she could remember. Keade had told her that he had found her in the rain one stormy day and had made sure she was safe with Keade. He had saved her and stuck around to watch her grow. She hoped that he would never leave. If she had a father- she would want him to be just like Kiyo.

She smiled as she planned in her mind to tell Sesshoumaru about Kiyo next time.

"Kiyo?" she asked as he took her hand and began to walk her home.

"Yes Kagome?"

"What's a youkai?" she asked innocently. Kiyo tried not to frown. He had somehow wished that she would never have to realize the difference between the two breeds.

"I am a youkai, Kagome. An owl youkai. You are human. A human with special powers to fight evil things. That makes you a miko." He did not what to tell her the whole truth. Not yet. She didn't need to know yet. He decided to also say nothing about Sesshoumaru. Not yet. He would break her heart.

His mind told him that he should tell her something. Forbid her to never see him again, but he could not find the words. By the time he had led her to her home in the village, he felt like a failure. Like he had not done everything to protector her.

I will tell her next time.

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i realize that this is a short chapter, but I'll let you know that the first few chapters might be a bit short. this only because the first few chapters im really trying to follow the movie and there's only so much stuff i can pack into the start of this story. alas, the short chapters have they're reasons! trust me i dont like writing short chapters but hopefully that will change!

for those that now this movie: the story will not be strickly based on the movie. that would be a little difficult to do- considering the diffrences between the two. :] and if you are aware of the movies ending- im not so sure if the story will end the same way. we will just have to wait and see!!

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review por favor--let me know if this is worthwhile!