Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Inuyasha franchise.

A/N: Here it is at last, my very first Inuyaha story. Hope you enjoy.

Crimson streaks rained down from the starlight sky, staining the open meadow on the mountaintop. An unidentifiable carcass hit the ground before being turned to ash by the force of demonic energy. Carved in the ground directly beneath the spot it were large crevices that converged at the single source in the form of a large sword in the hands of a silver-haired hanyou wearing red robes.

"Damn, where all of these demons coming from?" He asked aloud. He turned to one of his companions, a young girl wearing a junior-high school uniform that didn't seem to fit in with the time period. "Kagome, do you sense any jewel shards?"

Kagome focused on each demon within her range of sight, but could not detect any pieces of the power-enhancing gemstone. "Not a single one, Inuyasha."

'Damn it, what else besides Shikon Jewel shards would make so many gather here?' As they continued to their destination, fighting the hordes of demons coming for the meat on their bones, Inuyasha's thoughts turned back to how they got started on this lousy endeavor.

Flashback

Kagome walked her bike into town looking rather downcast. "It's so…deserted." She observed.

"I wonder where all the people have gone." Came the small voice of Shippo from Kagome's left shoulder.

"Are you sure you're a demon?" sounded a gruff voice from Kagome's right. "Any idiot can see this place is crawling with demonic aura!"

"I guess that would explain why you sense it all the time." Shippo muttered. He soon found himself tightly clutching his head where Inuyasha's fist struck him.

"Inuyasha…"

The half-demon gulped and turned to see Kagome's scowl.

"Sit, boy!"

At Kagome's command, the enchanted beads around Inuyasha's neck pulled him down with excessive force, filling his mouth full of dirt.

"Perhaps we should see if someone could tell us what's going on." Miroku suggested. Sango nodded in agreement. She knocked on the door closest to her, but received no response.

"Can you smell people inside, Kirara?"

The small feline demon approached the door and put her nose to the base to take a whiff. She began purring and pawing at the door, indicating that she had confirmed someone's presence inside.

"Let's try another house." Kagome suggested. She trotted down the street a short ways and gently rapped her knuckles upon the door of a random house. "Hello, is there anybody who can tell us what's going on?" She heard the sound of hesitant footsteps and gave a kind smile to the face that peeked through the crack of the door. The fearful expression on the man's face slowly eased away upon sight of Kagome's bright smile. With a triumphant enthusiasm, Kagome motioned for her friends to come over. The man's gaze shifted to the people approaching.

The party consisted of a monk, a young woman shouldering what appeared to be a demon-slayer weapon, two smaller demons, and…

"Ahhh! Keep away from me!" He screamed, abruptly slamming the door in Kagome's face.

"What was that all about?" Sango quietly asked Miroku.

Miroku closed his eyes in contemplation. "It's as if the sight of Inuyasha's specific demonic qualities resembled whatever it is that's been plaguing them." He deduced.

Inuyasha's ears twitched slightly at this revelation. He swiftly approached the door, firmly put his hand between the handle and the frame, and ripped the door away from the house. "Look here you…" Inuyasha halted his tirade upon seeing the man cowering on the floor with a look of pure terror on his face.

"Inuyasha," Kagome scolded. "That's no way to earn somebody's trust." She gently pushed the half-demon back and knelt beside the man. "I promise that we aren't going to hurt you." Her reassuring smile and soft tone stopped his shaking long enough for her to ask what was going on.

"For weeks now, the dog demons who fell in battle centuries ago have risen from the grave and began attacking our village mercilessly. The very fact that they're around can only mean that 'She' will return."

"She?"

"The silver-haired demon of old. It's a tale that's been passed down in this village for centuries. Over the hillside lies a castle that used to be home to a demon of tremendous power. For years she went unopposed, until a courageous dog demon answered our prayers. He and his son, along with another of great power combined their powers and led an army to defeat her."

"It sounds like the story had a happy ending, so why is everybody so glum?" Shippo asked innocently.

The man sighed. "Though they were able to defeat her, they were unable to vanquish her. She swore she would return by the very power that sealed her away, and that the resurrection of the dog demons that fell in battle would signal her return."

Miroku, who had been silently contemplating the details of the story, finally voiced his suspicions. "By any chance, was dog demon's son named Sesshomaru?"

Five sets of eyes turned on Miroku, but only one pair expressed surprise at the young monk's insight…

End Flashback

'So my father and good for nothing brother laid waste to another big baddie, huh?' Inuyasha thought with an air of disbelief. He was shaken from his thoughts by the pungent smell of demon coming from Kagome's direction. Inuyasha whipped around to see a green, serpentine demon, jaws open wide as it aimed to take a bite out of Kagome's flank.

"Look out!" He yelled, gripping his sword tightly with both hands and running to intercept. Kagome ceased aiming her arrow at her current target and turned to see the rows of teeth desiring her flesh, finding herself unable to react in time.

"Fox Fire!"

A small burst of blue flame erupted in the demon's single eye, halting it long enough for Inuyasha to take aim and slice it in half with his sword.

Nice going, Shippo!" He commended. 'Damn, why are my reflexes slowing down?'

"Someone's gotta help take care of Kagome until Sango and Miroku finish exorcising the village." The young kitsune returned nonchalantly, but his smile betrayed his pleasure for receiving praise. An eerie breeze blew behind Shippo, causing him to shiver.

"Looks like we're here." Kagome observed. The three of them steeled themselves for what could be one of their toughest undertakings…

A/N: Yup, so, I hope you enjoyed this little sample. It's pretty funny how this idea came to me, but I won't go into that right now. And just so you all know, I've already started work on the next chapter for Sokka's Stubborn Streak.