A/N

~Dark~ The story has gone through yet another revision due to mistakes...gomen... Now though we are satisfied with it and think we have fixed ALL the mistakes.

~Light~ But if anyone sees any please tell us! Remember we don't own InuYasha just this idea and the OCs.

Inner Demon Voice!

Thoughts

Normal Speaking

"Where am I?" I asked looking around at the brightly lit garden in confusion before my attention was grabbed by a small waterfall pouring into the stream. Carefully I approached it until I was standing in front of it. I looked around again trying to figure out where I was and if I was alone. Swiveling my ears around, I listened for any sound other than the waterfall as I pushed my other senses to try to find life.

"Hey! There's a hanyou here!" I yelled and waited, as tense as a bowstring, for someone to come running to kill me. When nothing happened I frowned and looked at the water, expecting to see my reflection but instead I saw a human man and a demon woman staring back. The man wore simple farmer's clothing that seemed slightly more expensive than a typical farmer's, as if he had a bit more money than most. He had long dark brown hair that was held back in a simple braid with bangs covering his forehead and hanging in front of dark brown eyes that were set in dark tanned skin that had seen years of sun. He was smiling at the demon with a soft look in his eyes as the demon blushed and gave him a small smile peeking my attention.

The demoness wore very fine clothing that reminded me of Monomaru's clothing because of the quality. She had raven hair with smooth baby blue stripes that ended at a point about midway across her cheek, her eyes were a strange blue and silver, that reminded me of my own, set in lightly tanned skin with a symbol on her forehead. I tried moving to see if I could see the mark clearly but as soon as I moved the image distorted and vanished leaving me slightly frustrated.

"Stupid water," I muttered and as if hearing my insult the area around me began to waver like heat images until it too was gone. Confused I stood up and spun around, shocked to see the two people from before standing in front of me. They both smiled and waved at me making my lips twitch upward at the sight. I raised my hand in greeting without thinking as the feeling of happiness filled me before fading slightly, leaving me confused.

"Beautiful Akari," the demoness whispered making my ears swivel to her as my eyes found the small blue star on her forehead. I frowned at them before dropping it as they both turned away from me and began walking away hand in hand.

"Wait! Who are you?" I cried stumbling over myself trying to follow them, my hand reaching towards them as the world slowly faded away into a brilliant white. "Wait!" I screamed as they faded away completely, taking the happy feeling with them.

"Come back..." I whispered weakly as I stared ahead tears coursing down my face and burning me. I carefully touched my face confused at the feeling of despair forcing tears out of me for some reason. I don't know how long I sat there curled up against myself, my chin resting on my knees that were pulled close against me as my claws dug into my thighs all I really felt then was numb.

…

"InuYasha!" Miroku yelled as he ran through the trees chasing after the red clad figure. InuYasha was keeping just out of sight but not out of his hearing. Miroku ducked under a low hanging branch filled with green leaves before continuing his dash towards what he now realized was the Goshinboku. "What's going on?" He wondered as he leapt over a large root and finally came into the small clearing around the sacred tree, winded but able to catch his breath quickly.

"InuYasha," Miroku asked in a questioning voice when he noticed his brother kneeling over something wrapped in the roots of the tree. The hanyo's shoulders were rigid as he stood there looking like a statue. "InuYasha, are you alright?" He asked walking over to him before stopping as well in shock at the sight of a small girl around ten years old. She had long black hair, that was clumped around the top of her head, and was lying unconscious wrapped in the tree's large roots. It looked almost as if the tree had grown around her like it had InuYasha.

"We must help her," Miroku said placing his staff on the ground and pulling at the smaller roots. InuYasha snapped out of his daze and set to work slicing the thicker roots away until they were able to pull the child out of the naturally grown cage.

"InuYasha, we need to get her to the village," Miroku said taking hold of the situation when he saw the blood covering the girl. InuYasha nodded and bent down to gently lift the girl into his arms causing her to whimper in pain. Hearing the sound filled InuYasha with relief that she was alive but at the same time urgency at how badly the wound was. As he moved her, her head fell to rest against his chest allowing him to see two triangular ears, similar to his except black, folded back against her head.

"Miroku, I'll meet you back at the village." InuYasha said and jumped off leaving the monk to catch up as he raced back towards the village, his face determined but his mind confused at the sudden appearance of another half demon like him.

"Dammit! What's going on?" InuYasha thought as he landed just on the outskirts of the village and caught sight of Kagome and Sango coming towards him. At the sight of him holding something Kagome's heart squeezed slightly in fear before she pushed it aside.

"Kagome, we need some help." InuYasha said making Kagome nod before both rushed to Keade's hut just as Rin came out and saw them.

"Lady Keade!" Rin said and rushed inside with them. Keade looked up at them curiously before sending Rin out to allow room for the two priestess and InuYasha.

"Now, tell me what ye have here." Keade said calmly as she and Kagome carefully removed the bloody jacket the child was wearing and lifting the bloody shirt off of her. Immediatly they saw the deep hole going through the girl, raising more concern from them. "Kagome, child, will ye move the two sides of the wound together while I get needle and thread?" Keade said standing and moving over to the other side of the hut just as Rin came back with an armful of fresh herbs.

"I brought you fresh herbs, Lady Keade." Rin said sitting the plants on the futon beside the sweating girl as Kagome gently dabbed at her forehead with a clean cloth already lying on the futon. "I'll go get some water," Rin offered and quickly left. As Keade turned around and approached them, the girl's eyes opened briefly to reveal dim silver blue unfocused eyes.

"Hey, she's awake!" Kagome said keeping her voice low but excited. Being careful she brushed the small cloth over the girl's forehead making her eyes slowly move over to look at her. "Hey, don't worry, everything will be fine." Kagome said with a smile as the girl stared at her through half lidded eyes before closing them. InuYasha watched as the girl began to come around slowly before growling at her when he saw her claws twitch at Kagome's touch.

"Stop it." InuYasha growled causing the girl to freeze and open her eyes to look over at him causing blue silver eyes to meet gold eyes. After a second InuYasha growled the warning again watching as the girl's eyes closed again and she stopped reacting to Kagome's touch.

"Pain," the girl whimpered faintly, almost to low for InuYasha to hear. Almost. InuYasha looked at her before moving closer and cautiously grabbed her hand in his own. Kagome watched as the two exchanged words in the dog's language before she felt her eyes widen at what InuYasha did to comfort the girl. During this Keade sat down beside them, ignoring the group as she threaded her needle.

"This may hurt," Keade said calmly before driving the needle into the girl's flesh making her scream and try to move away from the source of her increased pain. Unfortunately she was pinned down by both Kagome, who grabbed her legs, and InuYasha, who pinned her arms and upper body. "Only a moment more child." Keade said expertly as she finished sewing the top of the wound shut just as Rin came in with a large bucket of water.

"I brought the water!" Rin said setting the bucket down beside Kagome and smiling before moving over to the side out of the way. Kagome nodded her thanks before placing the cloth in the water to soak. They waited a moment before carefully moving her onto her stomach to stitch the other opening, repeating the process of keeping her still.

"Done." InuYasha told the girl as she rolled over onto her stomach, her eyes squeezed shut and face covered in sweat as she clenched her teeth before nodding. Kagome cautiously placed a small bowl of a sleeping drought to the girl's lips, only to have it knocked out of her hand the second the liquid touched the girl's chaped lips.

"InuYasha, might ye try?" Keade asked passing another bowl of the liquid to him as the girl opened her eyes to glare at him. InuYasha stared at it for a minute before looking at the girl's cold glare. Then before anyone could stop him he punched the girl's stomach causing her to jerk up with a gasp.

"InuYasha!" Kagome yelled as InuYasha poured the drought into the girl's gaping mouth putting his hand over her mouth to keep her from spitting it out.

"Stay back, Kagome." InuYasha demanded as he pulled the girl against him and held her as her fierce struggles lessened until she slumped against InuYasha. He continued to hold her for a minute, not relaxing his grip until well after any normal human would have let go.

"InuYasha," Kagome said gently as she watched InuYasha carefully lay the sleeping child back down on the futon. "I'm sorry, about earlier. I know you're only trying to protect me and our pup." Kagome whispered making InuYasha smirk before swinging his free hand over Kagome's shoulder and hugging her gently before kissing her on the forehead.

"Don't worry, I don't think I'll be leaving with Miroku yet anyway." He whispered to her so he wouldn't wake the girl before letting her go to help Keade finish cleaning and bandaging the other wounds on her.