Disclaimer: None of the characters here are mine, but the ones I create. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi. :3

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"C'mon, Kaname! It's time to eat!"

Hearing her brother's words, Kaname yelled back, "Alright, I'll be right there!" Getting up, she brushed the dirt from her rust-colored kimono, prayed once more to the Guardian of the forest's shrine, and then started to run back to the village.

"Not so fast, human…"

Kaname froze. Her eyes widened a little in fear as she glanced around, looking for the owner of such a menacing voice, "W-who's there, and…what d-do you w-want..?" No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop herself from shaking and stuttering.

The winds picked up ominously as the nearest group of trees began to rattle…And then the largest and most foul creature Kaname had ever seen stepped out into the clearing. It may have been a mountain Inu once, but not any longer. What was left of its fur was matted and oily, and there were bald spots all over its body. On some parts, muscles and veins were clearly visible, while its left front leg, half of its tail, and the majority of its middle were only bone. The last feature she noticed was its head. It had only one eye, while its left was only a boney, empty socket. Parts of its skull could be seen -- but more profoundly around its jaw -- and a part of its right ear had been torn off.

Only until it coughed out a hoarse laugh did Kaname realize how much danger she was in. 'I can't run fast enough to escape him, and I certainly cannot beat him…Oh, Michiru, I hope that when – or if – you get here, you're not alone…' "D-don't make me repeat myself, y-you..."

When the demon spoke, it was in a low, scratchy voice, "And why should I ever tell a meal such as yourself who I am? Oh, I guess I just gave away what I want…"

A shiver of fear ran down Kaname's spine, "L-look, I didn't do anything t-to you, so j-just…leave me be…"

Before she could even finish her sentence, the demon launched itself at her, and she screamed…

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'Heh, what an easy morsel…And with no Lord around, this deems to mean a free-for-all..!' The demon launched itself at the girl, and laughed darkly when it heard her scream in vain…

But as he was almost upon her, a crimson, flaming aura erupted from the now-unconscious girl, sending him flying back into the pile of trees behind him. He recovers slowly as he uses his youki to put the ether-real flames still on him, out. "What was that just now…? I've never seen a human do THAT before…Hm..?"

Just then, a figure stepped ouot from the other side of the clearing. Before the demon could react, the figure cut him down with a golden whip of energy and poison. "Hm…I didn't think this creature would be on the move so quickly.." the figure said in a somewhat distasteful tone. Turning around, he knelt down beside the young woman. '…These…flames are still burning. I wonder who – or what – this girl is… It would be a wise idea to keep an eye on her from now on…Perhaps I'll send my son her. After all, he looks around the same age as her, so if she finds him, maybe she won't be as afraid…' He noticed then that the flames had finally died off, and that the girl was showing the first signs of stirring. Believing it to be safe, the man removed a small, silver hairpin – in the shape of a crescent moon – and placed it in her hair. 'There. That should make it easier for him to track her later…'

Looking down at Kaname's face, his golden orbs softened considerably. "I apologize for not only what you have been put through, but for forcing this item on you. I only hope that you'll find the ability to forgive me someday…And I hope that my son before the other demons do…" With that, the man softly patted her head beore disappearing back into the darkness of the surrounding woods…

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Well, there's chapter 2 for ya. And yay, Inu Taisho finally makes his appearance~! :D

So, just a little not for ya, Sesshoumaru probably won't make his appearance til the end of the next chapter or the one after that. But there will be a few new characters being introduced throughout this entire story…You'll just have to wait and see though~! ^.~

Anyway, you all know the routine. R & R, and you'll make me a happy child. :3