I don't own Yuyu Hakusho or Inuyasha

"It stinks like a damned fox!" Inuyasha muttered sourly as he sniffed around the foot of the futon she and Shippo had shared.

" It's funny though, it's only a trace of scent. Probably hiding! Stinking coward!" The hanyou huffed in irritation.

Kagome could only give a weak smile, unsure of what to think.

The notion that a kitsune had come so close to her and Shippo while they were sleeping made Kagome terribly uncomfortable.

She was glad that she had suggested Shippo go show off the gift 'Robin Hood' had left them to Sango and Miroku while she and Inuyasha spoke.

And then there was the golden coin. The single golden coin was worth more than what Kagome had in her bank account back home, of that she was certain. Why had someone left such wealth?

Two Days Later

The group was on the road again, having heard whispers of a shard to the East.

Shippo had been casting glances at Kagome's bow all morning. When the group stopped to eat a small lunch he asked if he could see her bow. Seeing no harm in it Kagome gave the boy her bow. The small kit was unable to draw back the much larger weapon, let alone hold it properly.

"Shippo, what are you doing?" She asked as the child played with her weapon.

"Robin Hoodo was an archer right? I wanna be an archer too!"

She had a feeling that this was going to happen and praised herself for being prepared.

Sighing Kagome reached into her bag, "I was going to give this to you later, but you've been very good lately so I thing you've earned it."

Shippo eagerly grabbed the wrapped present and gave a cry of delight when he finished unwrapping it.

It was a simple child's toy plastic bow that had an elastic drawstring and a little quiver of plastic arrows tipped with suction cups.

"A bow!"

"It's not suited for fighting though." Kagome warned, not wanting the kit to attempt shooting plastic arrows at enemy youkai. That would only serve to put the boy in danger.

"What sort of tricks can Robin Hood do?" Shippo asked curiously as he tested drawing back the toy.

Kagome thought a moment, thinking of popular archery tricks, before replying, "Robin Hood can shoot a bull's-eye and then split the same arrow in two with a second arrow."

"Really?!" Shippo asked in utter awe, "What else could he do?" He had no idea that the bow could be so neat!

Kagome thought a moment before giving a rather generic marksman trick that was popular in her time, "He could shoot a piece of fruit, cutting it cleanly in half, on top of a person's head while blindfolded and a great distance away."

"Wow!" Shippo then asked, "Can you do those things Kagome?" He was curious if the woman who clearly liked Robin Hood to know so much about him could perform his feats.

"I've never tried." Kagome replied honestly. She probably could do the fruit shot but not the splitting the arrow trick. She should practice.

"She'd only miss and shoot out someone's eye." Groused InuYasha as he scratched his nose in disinterest.

"Is that so? Care to be my target, InuYasha?" Kagome asked in a clipped tone, challenging the hanyou.

"Feh, pass." He remarked before urging the group to get ready to keep moving.

Shippo had stars in his eyes at this point, "I've gotta practice!"

The little sparrow demon had been on the look out for more information regarding this new rival kitsune thief, Loben Hood. Besides a whole town of humans who claimed the thief had left them money (his own Oyabun's doing no less!). When the sparrow had attempted to correct the ignorant humans he'd been pelted with rocks forcing the little youkai to retreat.

This Loben Hood was very good at concealing himself there was nary a whisper of such a youkai in all of the circles he'd sought out. But eventually the little sparrow demon's search lead him to a miko who sang praises of the demon and a little kitsune who worshiped him.

The woman had proved to be the most knowledgeable lead he'd found. Now it was time to report back to Yoko Kurama to tell him of his rival's skill in archery.

Yoko's Hideout

He had decided he would prove to the little kit that he was superior to this Loben Hoodo. If he could perform the archery skills that the other fox had- the child would surely see him as superior!

But first to make sure he could perfect if not surpass Loben Hoodo. Why, he should combine the two tricks into one! That was sure to garner praise and adoration, would it not?

Borrowing a minion's bow he took to a clear field to prove that he was superior if only to his minions for the moment.

The thief minions stood huddled in a circle drawing lots, they had decided that whoever drew the straw that had its tip dipped in ink would be the one to play 'target' for their Oyabun.

"1…2…3!" The men drew and a single face fell in despair. The grizzled one-eyed lizard stood nervously with a persimmon tied to the crown of its head with a bow of string.

"Blindfold me." Yoko commanded his bull minion who reluctantly did so. "Careful Oyabun." The bull pleaded for his comrade's sake.

"Be silent, fool. If Loben Hoodo can do such a paltry trick, then it is assured that I, Yoko Kurama can best such a thing." The fox smirked confidently. He focused his senses and drew back the bow. A satisfying thwang came as the arrow soared into the air. But there was no sound of metal piercing the tender flesh of the fruit.

Bringing his hand up to the blindfold so that he could peak out from under it, Yoko promptly lowered it again.

He the great and powerful Yoko had missed.

His arrow lay innocently on the forest floor at least five hundred feet away from his target. The lizard demon had passed out from the sheer stress overload of having his Oyabun aim a weapon at him.

Ever the suck-ups his minions assured the great demon "T'was the wind, Oyabun that knocked your expertly shot arrow!" "Surely this Loben Hoodo must cheat! Perhaps a thin blindfold that he peers through?"

Comforted by their insincere words the thief decided to try once more, he would attempt the other trick his minion described: splitting an arrow with another arrow.

Now that there was no one acting as target his minions were in a far jovial mood, crying out encouragement to their boss.

He shot the first arrow, easily logging it into a tree. Feeling much more confidant he fired his second arrow.

"Augh! My leg!" came a pained scream from the tree line, "The hell did this arrow come from?!"

Thinking quickly Yoko shoved the bow into an unsuspecting minion's hands and sped off. Leaving the poor scrawny sparrow demon to face the wrath of Kuronue.

Yoko continued his swift gait thinking to himself. "Bows and archery are worthless!" he declared sullenly.

Yes, bows were the weapons of inferior warriors. Whips were better. As were his wonderful plants. Clearly the child needed guidance in weapon choices.

With that in mind the thief waited till nightfall, carefully avoiding his partner in crime, before setting off to find the child.

Kagome's campsite

Once again he came upon the sight of the boy clinging to the human woman who held him tightly in her sleep.

He spied a glint of the gold coin he'd gifted the boy with; it was in a little drawstring pouch around the boy's neck. Surprisingly the humans hadn't taken the gold as he had feared. Edging closer to the two he caught the scent of the human woman on the pouch. She'd made the pouch for the boy along with his strange cap.

It made him feel odd in his chest. Indigestion, he was certain. But still he couldn't explain why he'd taken the finely carved tortoise shell comb that he'd stolen from a demonic courtesan on a whim out of his pouch. He placed the gift reverently next to the sleeping woman before placing one of his own whips (that he'd shortened for the child) next to the comb.

That morning

Waking up to InuYasha screaming, "Kagome- Shippo! Don't move!" is always the start of a promising day.

As is having a poorly aimed Kaze no Kizu giving one the ultimate blown out hairstyle along with destroying half of one's sleeping bag. Clearly the start of the best day ever Kagome decided sarcastically.

Yoko's POV

The vine whip had grown unruly without Yoko's yokai to keep it in check and had grown to create a cage like formation around the woman and child.

Yoko snarled under his breath at the damn mongrel, destroying the whip meant for the boy! All the child would have needed to do was touch the vine and it would have gone back to its whip form! He'd waited all night to see the boy's joy and amazement at his rather generous gift. A whip from the Great Yoko Kurama himself!

He would wait for just the right moment- when the dumb dog's guard was down- then he'd teach the mutt to respect his plants!

The little kit exited the folds of the woman's arms before pointing out Yoko's impromptu gift, "Look! Robin Hoodo left you a comb, Kagome!" Little paws held the tortoiseshell comb in awe as he praised, "He knew you'd need a comb this morning! Isn't he the greatest?!"

With that the Youkai thief decided he would follow this little group and make his greatness known!

I was reminded of Aesop's Fables of the fox and the grapes and thought to myself: Yoko's the sort to spurn things he can't do/have.