She had seen him several times before. That silver haired boy with the delicate little ears. He was younger than her. Ten months younger to be exact. He lived with his mother just outside of the village. She liked to think they stayed because the village was big, and never ran out of food. And because the people were kind to them. But she knew better. The other kids in the village bullied the poor boy, and their parents went out of the way to avoid his mother. The reason they stayed was because they had nowhere to go. The mother was from this village. How quickly her friends and relatives turned on her once she had her half demon baby.
The girl in the tree watched. She kept a close eye on the half demon and his mother. She always had. But today she didn't like what she saw. From her favorite perch, she saw boys from the village, boys several years older than her. They were picking on him again. They had his ball. They were tossing it back and forth refusing to give it dare they? She jumped down, not fearing breaking any bones.
"Stop it." She said, walking over slowly, deliberately. The boys paused.
"Oh look," One of them, the ring leader of the group sneered, "If it isn't little Emiko sticking up for the half breed again." He sauntered over to her slowly. "You think just because your the chieftain's daughter you can boss us around?"
"Actually yes." She said, her eyes narrowed, "I can have you kicked out of the village faster than you can run home crying to your mommy." She hissed.
"Whatever." He straightened, then shoved the ball into her hands. "C'mon guys this was getting boring anyway." He turned and started walking away. He acted all tough and arrogant on the outside, But Emiko had dirt on the kid that would ruin him.
She glared as she watched the group of boys leave. Then she turned to the boy still beside her. "Here." She held out the ball. The half demon stared at her threw gold pupils and cat-like irises. "Go on, take it." She stretched her arms as far as they would go, getting as close to him as she could without stepping closer.
He timidly reached out and grasped the toy. "Thanks." He mumbled once it was safely in his arms. She smiled in reply.
"I'm Emiko." She extended her hand.
"I-Inuyasha." He replied quietly.
"I like your ears." Emiko told him. He met her warm gaze in surprise, looking at her as if she had grown a second head. "Can I feel them?" She asked softly, taking baby steps toward him.
"Sure, I guess." He whispered, watching her progress as she came closer and closer. Her touch was soft, comforting. She gently rubbed one of his ears between her thumb and index finger. Inuyasha was almost sad to let the touch go. It was the first pleasant touch he'd ever received from any one other than his mother. For a moment, the two stood and stared into each other's eyes.
"Do you want to go play now?" Emiko broke the silence with her melodic voice, that almost sounded like tinkling bells.
Inuyasha smiled at her, in that moment deciding that he liked this oddly blonde child. "Okay." He answered. Together the pair skipped to Inuyasha's house, were they tossed the ball back and forth in the yard, Inuyasha's mother watching curiously the whole time.