disclaimer- no i dont own inuyasha

however, the character Windsong is mine, as is the plot/storyline. you steal, i sue...toodles!

--------------------------

Swift feet pounded the shore as a young hanyou ran through the surf. Brown hair streamed out behind her and eyes like green amber flashed in the sun. She was lithe and graceful, with gentle curves to catch the eye. A strong face with full lips, a small nose, and up titled eyes showed nothing but the thrill of running for the love of it. Her fine boned hands and feet were bare and the wrists and ankles were braced with leather wrappings. Brown ears, currently flattened against her head because of the wind, and a plumy tail to match, told the world she was not human.

As she ran, more emotions began to come to the surface. Loneliness, loss, and pain; her running stride faltered. Sliding to a stop, she turned towards the crashing waves further down the shore. And the tears slid down her cheeks as she reached down and plucked a small pouch from her belt. Loosening the neck, she strode out into the waves and flung her arm wide. Silvery grey ashes suddenly poured out of the pouch to be caught on the wind. Tears now streaming down her cheeks, the girl wept openly for the family she had lost. When the bag was empty at last, for it had held more then it seemed, she tied it back to her belt. This was her last act….to commit her families ashes to the sea they had all loved so much. Turning to gaze at the shore, she spotted a cliff in the distance. It hung over the sea and should be what she needed. Turning towards it, she took off, still waist deep in the salty waters.

Suddenly, something grasped her ankle and yanked her towards the sea. A gasp and a yelp flew from her lips as she fought to stay in the shallower waters of the shore. The grip firmed and she winced as suction cups cut into her skin. Whether it was a sea beast or a demon, she did not know. But she fought it none the less.

The fight was silent, but for her gasps for air when she broke the surface. I do not want to live alone, but I do not wish to die like this! Her mind cried as the beast pulled her down once again. Her blood was mixing freely with the waters about here and other predators already waited nearby for a piece of her. Twisting about in the water, she strove to see what had a grip on her. The water was murky from her struggles and her blood, making seeing anything a difficult task. Desperation filled her and she turned to the one weapon she swore she'd never use again. A blinding blue white light flooded out from her body-and it was over.

The beast was dead, along with the ones that waited for a taste of her. Their bodies crumbled to the ocean floor, nothing but scorched dust. The girl smiled faintly as she felt herself break the surface. Blessed air flowed over her face and past her lips, and she drank it in eagerly. But she had used up her strength, fighting and then slaying the sea demon. She didn't even have the energy to swim to shore. The fight had dragged her out a lot further then where she had been on the shoreline. She could only hope that she'd stay a float and would wash up on the shore before another predator found her an easy meal. This last thought made her smile grimly; maybe I don't wish to die after all…well, not yet at any rate. Then blackness rose and she was helpless to resist. Her mind slipped into the world of dreams, where her family waited as though nothing had happened.

She was washed up on shore some two days after being set adrift. Many demons had tried to take her as a meal. Only to be disappointed when the blue-white light returned to scorch them and surround its mistress. The unconscious shield dissipated as soon as she was safely washed up on the beach. She lay there for another day before awakening at midday. Struggling to her feet, she stumbled up the beach to the tree line. There was a slain deer strung up to bleed out and she was too hungry to care about the wolf demon scent marking the kill. Reaching up, she flicked her wrist, "razor wind", she croaked as thin scythes flew from her fingertips to slice through the rope holding up the kill. It fell and she ripped open the belly with her claws.

Ears pricked to catch any sound as they swiveled about, she cut out the heart and liver. The liver she ate then, raw and bloody, while the heart was set aside for later. With the richness of the liver humming in her veins, she took the time to properly butcher the carcass. A haunch of meat joined the heart as she finished and bundled the meat in the skin from the kill. Reaching into the discarded head, she ripped out the tongue and placed it in the bundle as she tied it shut. Using the rope, she strung up the make shift bag of meat and tied it off. With a sigh she fell on to the portion she had taken for herself. It was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted.

In a matter of moments the meat was only a memory and she was cracking the rib bones for their marrow. Sucking the last one clean, she yawned and curled up next to the bones. Nobody but her had touched the deer carcass, but there had been prints from many demon and humans around where it had hung. The fact that no one was willing to touch it told her she'd be safe here beneath it. As long as she woke and left before the true owner of this kill came back. Another yawn struck her as she licked her claws clean. Yes…she would just nap for a moment…just a moment. And then she was gone. Sleep washed over her and swept her out to sea again. But this time…no family waited…only the horror of their deaths.

Blood…so much blood…mother? Father? Where are you? Sisters! Brothers! Where are you, my pack mates! I feel so lost…I've hunted them down…and I will commit your ashes to the sea…ah…too much blood. It won't wash away. I'm covered in your blood…why? Why did I have to survive? To be without a pack is to live without life…I'm not strong enough for this…wait! Don't leave me! I'll try! I'm just so tired…so tired…cant I rest for a bit? Cant I rest and join you forever…cant I? Cant I? Mother, father! Nooo!

It was sunset when, screaming, she burst awake. Trembling uncontrollably, she lay her head on her knees and wept. The loss overwhelmed her and she sat there in tears till the sun had finished its fiery show. And then she slept again, curled up around her pain, she slept.

"Hey, Kouga! Look at this!" Two wolf demons, Hakkaku and Ginta stood over the unconscious female. A third joined them. "what the hell is she doing here", Kouga muttered as he looked her over. Hakkaku and Ginta exchanged a puzzled look and shrugged. "she ate some of the kill, she had to be starving. And shes hanyou. What do you want us to do with her?" he smirked, "what else? Go ahead and bring her to the den. But make sure she doesn't see how you brought her there. Put her in my den; it's the most secure and she wont be able to do any harm there." Reaching up he cut the rope holding up the skin-bag of meat. Opening it up, he gave a grunt of satisfaction to see that she hadn't taken much at all. Retying the bag, he slung it over his shoulder and called to ginta and Hakkaku. "come on slow pokes! Lets get moving!" a sharp yelp and the sound of two bodies hitting the ground met his ears. Dropping the meat once more, he turned to see what had happened.

His two packmates were sprawled out on the sand and the strange female was on her feet. Brushing off her short fur skirt decorated with shells and stone beads, she raised her eyes to meet his. Ice blue met green amber and she found herself blushing heavily. Flattening her ears in confused submission, she bowed and was suddenly very interested in fixing her small top. Kouga wondered briefly where she was from that she wore such a skimpy thing-made mostly of leather strings with two triangles to cover her breasts- and who she was.

Striding forward he glared at her. "who are you and what the hell did you do to them?" Gritting her teeth, she met his accusing gaze with her determined one. "I don't have an adult name yet, but my pup name is Windsong. I apologize for taking from your kill, but I was in need of the nourishment. And it is easier to ask forgiveness then to ask permission." A smile flitted about his lips as he watched her stubborn face turn pale and then pink by turns. "and I didn't do anything to them. They scared me, yanking me about like that. So I put them to sleep." A raised brow told her he was a bit skeptical," And how did you manage that? A hanyou up against two full blooded wolf demons? Right", he scoffed. Windsong growled, "Its not that hard to knock someone out, geesh." Darting forward quickly, she reached out for him.

A blur and she found herself pinned to a tree by an angry wolf demon. Instantly her latent power began to build. Tugging at the hand wrapped around her throat, she gasped out, "Put me down! Please! I don't want to kill anyone else!" frowning, he released her and stepped back. She tumbled to the sand and crouched there gasping for air. Dropping into a crouch of his own, he grasped her chin and titled her face up. "who are you?" she blinked, "I told you that already; my pup name is windsong." Inhaling deeply he sighed, "you're an inu-hanyou." She frowned and growled low in her throat. "so what. Its not like it means anything. " he sighed again and pulled her to her feet. "can you keep up? Or will I have to carry you?" snatching her hand back she shot him a puzzled look. "why are you helping me? I took meat from you. You should be demanding I return it, or you should be trying to kill me."

He trotted over to his packmates and started shaking them. "I don't kill females for taking meat when they're half starved. Nor do I want already chewed meat." Windsong flushed and tucked her tail a little between her legs as her ears flicked back and forth in confusion. "what does all this have to do with me being inu-hanyou?" Kouga smiled, "cause I once promised an ally that I'd look out for hanyous." "What happened to him?" kouga shrugged as he reguarded his still sleeping comrades. "he died in the Last Battle. He also asked me to watch over his wench, but she couldn't take it and she-nevermind" "she what?" "nothing. How did you-" cocking her head to the side, Windsong reached up and placed a single clawed fingertip between his dark brows.

A vivid flash and she saw a young woman in tears, running for an old well. In her arms she clutched a set of scarlet robes and rosary. She stumbled briefly and looked over her shoulder before plunging into the well. A flash of blue light and she was gone.

Yanking her hand away, she ducked. Just in time as kouga snarled and lashed out. "what the hell was that!" windsong ducked again and rolled away. Coming to her feet right between the fallen wolf demons, she touched them both and yipped. A small flicker of blue-white light from her fingertips and they were awake. Leaping back, she stumbled and went down. Instantly, she found herself in his iron embrace. Heaving a great sigh, she gave up and went limp. It was no use and she was too drained to keep fighting him. "you don't have to carry me….I can walk." Not a chance, woman. Your mine now." "what!", she squeaked as her head shot up. He chuckled and threw her over his shoulder. "come on, guys! Lets go, the pack needs this meat." A snort of disbelief was the last thing he heard from her as he took off for home. "Geesh…men. Some things never change"

-----------------------------------------

author's note: this was supposed to be a one shot, but i think i'll just see where it goes. characters are gonna be a bit OC...sorry, lol

please read and review! i want to know what you think!