Unlike Shippo, Kagome knew what was off about the stranger.

The first thing on her list was that he spoke English. At least, she was pretty sure it was English, what with the "Iiieee"'s and the "Aaaeeee"'s and the, the, the …..

Actually, she had no clue what he was saying, but it sounded a bit like what the English teacher went on about, during the times she actually made it to class without oversleeping, or chasing demons, or yelling at hanyous who couldn't understand the importance of school.

No wait, in school it was more like "Haaalloouu klaase, Iiiee aem youl eiiinglisch teeeesheel". Huh, wonder what that meant.

"I'm never going to pass my English test!" Kagome moaned quietly in realization. Sango spared her a look. "Are you alright Kagome?" she asked, concern lacing her words. Unlike some half-demons who could care less about schoolwork.

Ahead, Inuyasha stuck his nose in the air and muttered, "keh".

The miko shook her head, smiling, and trekked onwards, gravel crunching under her sneakers. "Its fine, Sango" she said.

She didn't miss how the stranger's head perked up at the word 'english'. Nor did she miss how his hooded blue eyes, filled with yearning, latched onto the back of her head, waiting for more. When none came, he lowered his gaze once more.

It was the same reaction, Kagome noted, as the one he had when they first met him.

(Flashback)

"Are you sure there's a jewel shard here?"

Kagome was ready to pull her hair in frustration. "Inuyasha! I know I felt one here! I just can't pinpoint where it is!"

"Well obviously there's something wrong with you if we haven't found anything after circling these damn mountains twice already!"

"Wrong with me? Without me you wouldn't even find any in the first place!"

"Wanna bet on that, ya stupid wench?"

"INUYASHA OSWARI!"

A mini-crater formed within the next second, and as usual the rest of the group took care to step over it and its contents. Below, the hanyou twitched. "Damn bitch," he muttered into the dirt.

Kagome felt her eye twitch. "What was that?" she challenged.

"I said-"

Shippo quickly stuck a paw over his mouth. "He said 'let's make camp here' – ow! You bit me!"

"You put your filthy hand in my mouth, ya little runt!"

"I'm NOT a runt!"

"You're right, you're closer to the size of a flee!"

"Take that back!"

"INUYAHSA-"

"EVERYONE SHUT UP!"

Sango panted slightly after her outburst. Eyes closed, she took several deep, calming breathes.

"Look," She started, staring each and every person in the eye, "We've been wandering in this region for a while, and while I know it's frustrating to not be able to locate the shards, we need to calm down and refocus."

"Sango's right," Miroku added, inching his way forward, "We've been wandering rather aimlessly - sorry, Lady Kagome – so it would be for the best if we rest, think of a better search method, settle down for tonight, and –"

"Move that hand any further and you'll be settling here permanently." The monk reluctantly retracted his itching hand. Even he could feel the tension in the air.

Suddenly, the brush before them twitched. Everyone tensed, Shippo abandoning his throbbing hand to ready his fox magic, Kagome readying an arrow, Miroku gripping his staff harder. Sango reached for her hiraikotsu, and Kirara leapt down from the demon slayer's shoulder, fur bristling, miniature flames dancing around her tiny body. Inuyasha laid a clawed hand on his sword, and sniffed the air.

And sniffed. And sniffed again.

"What the hell is that!" he demanded. It wasn't demon, but it wasn't quite human either. It was…off, and he didn't like. With one smooth motion, he drew out tetsusaiga, the sword rapidly assuming full size.

Kagome peered into the bushes. Light just barely peeked through the treetops, and shadows swirled in and out of the various leaves, making it hard to see. She felt something emanating from there; it was faint, but so familiar. She just couldn't place her finger on it. It wasn't evil, no, but it was still….

She gasped. "The jewel shard!" she cried softly. Inuyasha growled and got into fighting stance. "What took so long, wench," he snapped.

The miko furrowed her brow. "I don't know – something's blocking it, but the aura's still there. It's not corrupt." But that didn't mean she'd lower her bow just yet. The brush shook again, and she tightened her grip, just a little.

"Be ready," Miroku warned.

All at once the brush springs to life, leaves and twigs shooting off everywhere. Inuyasha draws his arms back for a swing, and Shippo, startled, sets off his fox-fire just a little early-

and the green flames jumps into a cloaked figures face, licking at the fraying brown hood -

the small fox demon jumps up and crashes into the hanyou, whose arms are now too far back to keep him balanced –

and Kirara roars and is immediately consumed by her won cherry-red flames, her larger form baring its teeth menacingly –

and the hooded figure trips, its cloak caught on a branch, cloth tearing with an audible *chrrrrk*, falling face flat before Kagome's feet, and doesn't move.

Sango stares. "I don't think I've ever seen a demon make an entrance like that," she remarks. The figure, now covered with twigs and dirt, twitches.

Miroku bends over to prod it with his staff. "Well, he seems harmless enough," he adds, straightening back up.

To the side, Shippo and Inuyasha untangle themselves, Shippo scampering off before the enraged half-demon can kick him. The hanyou storms over, waving his sword threateningly over his head. "You said he had a jewel shard, right? So let's take it and get it over with!"

Just then, the figure turns its head to the side, gasping for air. Dust floats upwards from the movement, and the hood slides off as well, revealing the dirt-covered face of a young boy, possibly Kohaku's age. Dirt is smudged on his eye-lids, gracing his sharp cheek bones, and powdering the bridge of his nose. His eyes are closed, and he gulps down the air like a fish out of water.

Kagome inches forward for a closer look, when the boy's eyes snap open, unfocused, in the general direction of her feet. They were blue, like the sky after the storm clouds clear away. They were wide eyes, wild and aged and scared and tired -

And lost. Just like Sango's when they first found her.

"Kagome, move out of the way!"

"Inuyasha-"

"What?"

"Oswari."

"AAACCK!"

Shippo skirted around the hanyou's fallen form to stare at the stranger. He wrinkled his nose, but the first thing he blurted out was –

"Kagome! His face looks all funny!"

And he was right. The boy's eyes were wider than those of Japanese descent, his brows just a bit thicker, and other minor things that would throw people off.

"I think he's english – no, American" the miko said. Immediately, the boy's eyes focused on her own, as piercing and clear as ever.

(End flashback)

Afterwards, she had to explain to Shippo that America was another continent, then explain to everyone else what a continent was, then listen to Inuyasha scoff at how the world couldn't be that big. And she's shown him a map of the world back home already!

When they asked the boy for his name, he looked at them blankly, so they went through a whole charades, pointing and exaggerating syllables. Eventually, they managed to extract a single word.

"Daani", she calls softly, and the stranger immediately lifts his head again. She offers a smile, and hesitantly, he returns one, albeit small.

She doesn't know what happened to him, or how he got here in the first place, but she knows he's hurt, and it's in her nature to reach out a hand.

And maybe, by the end of this trip, they could be friends.