Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any associated character


##Shaylee is awesome and everybody should love her##

I had to put this in here cos Shaylee PM'd me and I was complaining and long story short she said I should put this in here lol so I did hahahaha

Anyway... onto business.... I'm worried that people might come to me after this chapter and complain that I have stolen a name that they have used. Amaterasu. The truth is... I have no intention of stealing it. I have done a great deal of research into this name and the meaning behind it is very relevant to my story. So.... Please don't yell at me if you have used this name too.

Also I apologise for the long wait with this chapter.... I have been insanely busy.... and If I'm completely truthful... I wasn't sure what to write next. I'm also strugging to write in first person for some reason. I don't now why... Its not really that hard, and yet my brain is struggling to comprehend it. *sighs* lol

Anyway here is the next chapter

Without further ado...

Chapter 3:

I had yet to figure out if I was dreaming or if I was actually dead; I sure wished I was dead at this point in time because this is how it works ( in my mind anyway).

If I was dreaming, I would be able to feel all sorts of aches and pains and I would be having strange things happen to me. After all, when in dreams weird things happen.

If I was dead, the feeling of pain would cease to exist. In fact no pain, physical or emotional would be an issue; and everything that was happening to me would be very real, albeit in the afterlife.

So, my current train of thought was that I was not actually dead but having one of my usual crazy dreams. Although this would have to be one of the strangest and most detailed ones I've ever had, because the grazes on my palms and knees and the large bump on my forehead was hurting like all fuck!!!

I stood up slowly as I tried to re orientate myself with my bearings. As the trees around me finally stopped moving in doubles and doing a dance resembling the macarena, I realised what had caused me to trip over. I glared at the stupid tree root as hard as I could. The nerve of such things. I mean really. Here I was minding my own business and it comes jumping out of nowhere and trips me over. I stood up quickly and scolded the damn thing while I kicked it. Unfortunately for my big toe, I had failed to realise just how hard the wood was, stubbing my poor appendage rather badly.

As I sat on the ground grumbling I looked around. In my argument with Mr. Tree root, it seemed that I had forgotten which way I had came from. I looked to my right, tall trees towered around me leaving scary shadows. I looked to my left; tall trees towered around me leaving scary shadows. It occurred to me the predicament that I had gotten myself into; I was lost, more so than before I fell over. I slumped back down, determined that when I opened my eyes I would wake up to my own room again. Hell, I would even take that infernal shiny place that Sesshomaru called his home. At least if I got lost in there I would inevitably stumble upon some sort of food and or at the very least comfortable sleeping quarters.

I groaned loudly as I opened my eyes. I wasn't in the shiny palace and it definitely wasn't in my room. Shit.

I sat up again and further surveyed my surroundings. It was rather dark under the canopy of the trees but I could tell that dusk was setting in fast. The air was beginning to chill and, you know that feeling of being watched by those bright yellow eyes that just hover in a dark shadow; that's the felling I was getting. A shiver ran down my spine. I hauled myself to my feet, and deciding that if I looked big and tough and threatening I would be less likely to be attacked; I flung the heavy sword over my shoulder. It took me a few minutes to work out how to balance the damn thing, and a few more to actually walk without falling over. I had never before realised how heavy a sword really was. I shook my head. Those people that make movies definitely haven't researched how heavy a real sword is. The actors swing them around like they are made of plastic. Come to think of it they probably are.

I was pulled from my musings by a splash of something on my head. I looked up startled and realised that it was raining. Great!! Could my predicament possibly get any worse? Lost in random woods in a fictional world where it is pouring with rain. A flash of lightening and a deafening howl later, I realised that there was in fact, far worse things than rain. I tried to speed up my pace. I needed to find shelter and a good hiding spot. Another howl pierced the silent forest and was followed by another. You know what my train of thought was then... Fuck the heavy fucking sword, run!!! So I did exactly that. I dropped the sword and ran as fast as I could. Over trees, under bushes, through puddles; not stopping when they snagged at my clothes or ripped my skin. I continued on blindly until I eventually fell over in a nice huge mud puddle.

Ewww. Gross!

I had dirt all in my clothes, through my back pack and my wig was a mess. Lucky I had bobby pinned it back on after Sesshomaru ripped it off, otherwise I'm sure I would have lost the stupid thing when I was running. I refused to lose it. It was an official Kagome wig and it cost me $75. It had taken me three weeks to save up for and I had worn it once. So God be damned if I was losing it.

As I wallowed, I literally wallowed like an effing pig. My sister would have a field day with the jokes if she could have seen me. She had always called me a pig and this would just give her more ammunition. Anyway, as I was wollowing in the mud, it came to my attention that I was bathing in the thick substance under a huge rock face. And judging by the waterfall like motion over the rock surface up ahead, there was a small cave. Sloshing my way through the puddle, that was deeper than I originally thought, I trudged under the cascading water and into the small cave behind it.

It was dark and musky and the wind was blowing through it like a tornado, but it was dry. I sat in a small corner near the entrance, too scared to make my way deeper in fear that something may have already been residing in it. Within minutes of sitting still I was chilled to the core. Wrapping my hands around my knees I tucked my head to my chest and attempted to block out all of the howling. Since I had first heard it, the high pitch shrieks and moans had slowly become louder and louder. I whimpered to myself.

Again, if my sister could see me know she would be laughing. I had always been adamant that when faced with a perilous situation I would be fearless. However, right now, I was literally about to wet my pants and have the mother of all break downs. My tummy grumbled loudly and I cursed it. If there was indeed something out there that had failed to pick up my scent because of the rain, then my hungry belly was sure to give my position away. When it gurgled again even louder, so loud in fact that it sounded like I farted, I gave in.

"Fine you stupid thing!" I groused at it as I dug deeply into my 'Kagome' bag.

"Can't go one bloody hour without food can you? I have been way too kind to you over the years. Huh! Think about all those poor starving African children who go for days without food..." Ripping off a wrapping to one of the chocolate bars I had packed I shoved as much into my mouth as I possibly could.

"There." I said with a mouthful effectively dribbling down my chin.

"Happy now." When all I got as a response was silence, I realised just how crazy I was. I was talking to my stomach. My stomach!!!

Shoving the rest of the chocolate bar into my mouth I leaned back to ponder my current predicament.

Eating chocolate.

Lost in woods.

Raining.

Scary things making bad noises outside.

Hiding in dark cave.

Talking to own stomach.

Yup. I drank too much scotch at the convention and was now just having a really bad, extremely vivid dream. Yes. That's all it was. A drunken dream. Defiantly. With that thought in my head I nodded off into a wrestless sleep.

*

I was jerked awake by a loud snarl and an ear piercing squeal. It wasn't a humans, it was definitely an animals. The night out was still pitch black but it had stopped raining. As I sat frozen, I could hear scuffling and snarling. The quiet squeal of a small animal could be heard along with deeper more ferocious ones. Still I sat listening, frozen, too scared to move, when a deafening scream filled the still night air. It was silent after that, not a thing moved or breathed. I sat there too scared to move and even more terrified to breathe. My heart was beating so hard I thought it was going to literally leap out of my chest and I was sure that whatever it was that was outside would be able to hear it. I stayed a still as a rock and as silent as a mouse until the sun had risen high in the air.

*

It had to be noon when my brain finally forced my body to move. I hadn't heard anything all day and the outside clearing seemed to be peaceful. Creeping slowly, I moved out of the cave and into the sunlight. My body was stiff from not moving all night and my clothes, which were once white and green, were now brown and stuck to my body. They were still damp and the slight breeze that was flowing throughout the clearing sent chills down my spine. Outside was quiet. Almost eerily quiet, and in the back of my mind I could just see some evil being lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce on me. Well that's the way it was done it the movies anyway.

I crept, my muscles tensed and ready for immediate flight, into the middle of the field. The mud puddle had started to dry already, it was large and deep rimmed by a few bushes that had been flattened by the wind. Limbs had fallen and leaf litter had gathered in lumps and clumps around the place. But it wasn't this that caught my attention. No. It was the masses or red smeared all over the place. Large gouges were cut into the earth and filled with the crimson elixir; even from where I stood there was no mistaking it. Blood; and lots of it. It looked as though there had been a massacre right there in the little forest clearing. I didn't know what to do.

I know I should have been frightened, terrified for my own life and run from that place as fast and far as my legs would take me. But there was something in the air that forced my legs to move slowly towards the source of the blood. As I rounded the large drying mud puddle I noticed something move under a bush. Even in the shadow of the trees I could see the bright, almost fluorescent skin of the creature expand and relax with each breath. It seemed to be struggling to breathe. As I watched it take another rasped breath I could hear the blood gurgling in its lungs. It was dying, that much was clear. It made me want to cry. I walked to its front, making sure to keep my distance. I didn't want to anger an injured animal. Everyone knows they are at their most vicious when down...

I stood in front of the animal astounded. It was beautiful. One of the most gorgeous sights my I had ever laid my eyes on. Bright red, scarlet almost, fur swayed in the wind. The fur was long and shaggy, yet it looked like silk. I immediately wanted to feel it, but restrained myself when I thought about being attacked. Its head was long and pointed and came to a tip with a soft muzzle. Its nose was black and wet and its whiskers moved in agitation. Under its chin a deep orange stripe ran from the base of its lip down its chest and disappeared under its belly. I followed the stripe and my gaze moved to its feet. Three sharp claws stained in blood clenched and unclenched themselves as I unintentionally crept closer with intrigue and awe. I could hear a low threatening growl coming from the animal as I closed in but I was so wrapped up in its beauty I didn't care. The beasts head came level with my shoulders and I was immediately entranced by the vivid blue eyes. I had never seen such brilliant eyes. In the middle of its forehead was a marking; the only thing on its body besides red fur and the orange stripe. It was the colour of pearl and looked like a white silhouette of a raging fire. I wanted to touch it so bad. I wanted to run my hand all through the silky smooth fur and see if it was a soft as it looked. I wanted to clean the wounds and make it all better... to see such a beautiful creature in so much pain... it was heartbreaking. Being the ever curious person I was, naturally I reached out and placed my palm fair on the forehead of the creature. I had every intention of soothing the poor beast and making it better but as soon as I put a hand to its forehead, a voice erupted in the clearing.

"Get away." The female voice shouted at me so loudly that I stumbled back and landed in the mud puddle again. I swirled around looking for the culprit. I could have sworn that a lady had been shouting in my ear. It was so loud, yet there was no one in the clearing but me and the wounded creature. I stared at it for a second. My blue eyes dull in comparison. The thing only growled louder as I once again got up and approached. Now, call me crazy or something but for some reason when I saw no one in the clearing I immediately assumed that it was the animal talking to me. In all honesty it was a stupid thought, but that's me I guess. Stupid.

Once again I stood in front of the bloodied, dying creature studying intently. I stared at it for a few minutes and when its weak growls eventually ceased I decided to risk my sanity and spoke up.

"I'm not here to harm you." My gaze never left its.

"I want to help you." It narrowed its gaze at me.

"You don't believe me do you?" I said.

"I guess I don't blame you. But really, I'm just an average teenage girl who wants to help a very pretty creature." With that said I reached my hand out and stopped just before I touched its head again. I remembered watching a movie one day where someone was trying to train this seriously wild horse. Somehow the guy worked with it and eventually gained its trust. And on the final day when he went to touch and bridle the horse he stuck his hand out and waited for the horse to make the contact. I decided this was a good way to go.

"Listen I know you don't trust me. But I'm not going to hurt you. I won't push you to let me help you, but if you would like it, I am here." I felt kind of silly talking to an animal, but hey; I had just discovered Sesshomaru was real and perhaps a bit nicer that he was portrayed in the anime and manga (he didn't kill me, a measly human, and he let me take a sword. The Sesshomaru of Rumiko Takihashi's would not allow such things...). But, in the off chance that I wasn't dreaming and I was actually crazy and about to be sent to an asylum, I thought, for that particular mental condition, it was acceptable to talk to dumb animals and inanimate objects.

After what felt like an eternity, I was nearly going to give up and walk away because I was getting pins and needles and my arm was getting heavy to hold up, the creature pushed its silky smooth muzzle into my hand. Immediately I was surrounded by the voice.

"Why do you approach me youngling?" The voice was angelic, yet strong; but I was still startled by it and once again stumbled backwards. My eyes locked with the creatures but this time they held a softness in them that wasn't present before. The voice was no longer sounding in my ears and I mentally pinched myself to wake me up from my ridiculous dream. I was only kidding before when I thought that it was the animal who was talking to me, and yet everything pointed to the thing in front of me.

"W-who...What are you?" I voiced.

Nothing. The clearing was filled with silence. I furrowed my brow in confusion. When I petted it before I had heard it clear as a bell.... Oh.... My mind had just come up with an idea. I congratulated myself. Normally in crazy situations my brain just goes completely blank and I sit and stare dumbly, but today it had taken initiative and come up with an idea. It seemed to me that I could only hear the creature when I touched it. Slowly, cautiously I moved back towards the creature and held out my hand for it. Again it nuzzled me.

"That's better youngling. Do not fear me." Everything inside of me screamed at me to let go and run away but I sucked in a deep breath and continued to stay put.

"Are you okay?" I said to the creature. It bowed its head slightly.

"I've been better." It looked at me with those brilliant blue eyes.

"Um... okay. That's good I guess. Can I ask you another question?" When it nodded, I continued.

"What are you? I don't mean to be rude but I've never seen something like you before. You are beautiful...." The creature looked slightly taken aback.

"I am a Firerat youngling." I nodded then furrowed my brow.

"Again I don't mean to be rude.... But what's a Firerat?" The Firerat eyes me with wide eyes for a second.

"You have never heard of a Firerat?"

"No." I shook my head dejectedly.

"I'm sorry but I'm not from around here." The Firerat eyed me for a few minutes speculatively before nodding.

"Very well. I am a Firerat and I control the element of fire. I am a creature not easily befriended, but you my dear have earned my respect." The Firerat trailed off and I was slightly confused.

"How did I earn your respect?" I enquired. For the life of me I couldn't think what I had done.

"You have not tried to kill me." My jaw dropped at that.

"Why in the world would I try to kill you?" The Firerat chuckled at me. What the hell was so funny? I would like to know thank you very much! I hate being left out on the jokes.

"A Firerats pelt is highly sought after. Once woven into a fabric, the fabric is then basically indestructible."

"Oh. That's why InuYasha's robe never gets destroyed. That makes sense. I have always wondered why they go on about the 'robe of the Firerat'." The Firerat stared at me wide-eyed.

"You know InuYasha?" It asked.

"Kinda.... Not really. I know of InuYasha. I don't know him perso-." I was cut of mid sentence by a loud howl. A shiver was sent down my spine as I recognised the howl. It was the same as last night. High pitched and evil, chilling anyone who heard it to the core. I jumped back and started to panic. Pacing back and forth I flailed my arms. To anyone watching, it would have looked like I was flagging down an aeroplane.

"What do I do? What do we do? You can't escape like this. I can't leave you here. Oh god, we're both going to die..." I was abruptly stopped with a hard shove to the back.

"Hey! What was that for?" I turned and glared at the Firerat, and only when I noticed a white ball of fluff at its feet did my annoyance dissipate.

"What's this?" I said pointing to it and nearly leapt out of my skin when it moved. Once I had calmed my racing heart I bent down. The ball of fluff let out a little sneeze and shuffled into the Firerat's leg.

"Awww! That is the cutest. Where'd you get it? I want one." I asked at the Firerat; who in turn rolled her eyes and put her nose to my arm.

"Her name is Tsukuyomi. She is my daughter and I am charging you with the responsibility of her protector and mentor now." I laughed. It was funny really. I could have sworn that the Firerat said the fluff was her child and she was making me look after it now. How ridiculous.

First of all. The fluff was white and she was red....How does that work?

Second of all. Me looking after a kid. I can barely look after myself. And a kid that before about 5 minutes ago I never met. I was mentally having a slight break down when a nudge to the arm sobered me. The Firerats eyes were fierce and forceful but when another howl rang throughout the clearing, loud and definitely closer, those eyes took one a pleading expression.

"Please. I am asking you in the name of the Gods; take care of my daughter." There was finality in her voice that made tears suddenly stain my cheeks.

"Why? Why me? I am as you said, just a child myself."

"You are the first human I have come across that hasn't wanted to kill either of us at first sight. And now you know what we are, you still have no desire to kill us. Humans are creatures who protect and care for their own young like no other, you will be a perfect mentor for her. I trust you to take care of her. Tsukuyomi is more important to the gods than anyone can ever comprehend. She must not die. Promise me you will take care of her; albeit hold her life over yours...." I stared at her for a moment. She was serious. Dead set serious. Put a little runty fur ball's life over mine. Pffttt. Who the hell did she think she was??

"I know this is a lot to ask; and yet I do. Of a human none the less. I have never trusted a single one before..."

"I suppose I should feel honoured or something." I said, it coming out harsher than I had intended it too. I bent down and picked up the fur ball. It was trembling rather harshly, but even so, I couldn't help but marvel at how soft the white fur was. I stroked the baby and she immediately calmed. The Firerat was looking at me strangely and I felt awkward. Averting my eyes and holding the kid closer to my chest I shifted uncomfortably on the spot. Another howl followed by a few more interrupted the awkwardness. The Firerat laid her nose on my shoulder this time. The silky softness of her muzzle distracting me for a second.

"Run. Take Tsukuyomi and Find InuYasha. You will be safe in his pack." She pulled back and limped past me. Just as I turned to stop her the howling animals burst into the clearing snarling loudly. They looked exactly like the Firerat... but they were a deep blue, almost black, and they didn't have the stripe running under their chin and across their chest. Their snarls ripped through the clearing like a knife through butter and my legs instantly turned to jelly. I snuck up behind the Firerat and grabbed at her mattered fur. The silver eyes of the other creatures were glued to me. It was as if they were searching my very soul. I could hear the conversation between the Firerat and one of the others, once I was again touching the female Firerat.

"...Kami's will come to stop you Amatsu. You may get past me here but you will never get to Tsukuyomi. She has a protector now."

"You really think that a pathetic human will be able stop me?"

The Firerat barely had time to react as the creature in the front lunged. I heard a sickening crack as the Firerat came into contact with the other creature. It looked the same as the Firerat so I decided to call it 'Evil Firerat'. I shook my head. Even in times of great peril... I was thinking about stupid, highly unimportant stuff.

As the 'evil Firerat' lunged once more the red Firerat intercepted again, this time effectively knocking the 'evil' one to the ground. She turned and rushed to me then, fresh blood running down her side.

"Run." She said as she nuzzled my arm, staining my shirt red.

"Wait...." I stopped her from pushing me away.

"What it your name?" I asked and for what seemed like an eternity she looked at me before she finally once again lowered her head to me.

"Amaterasu. Go-" She was ripped mid sentence from my grip and hurled across the clearing. The other three creatures that were waiting behind what I presumed was the leader doing the attacking, pounced on the fatally wounded Firerat. The fur ball in my arms cried out a strangled scream and I turned and ran as fast as I could.


In the Publishing room....

Lara: Aww I have a cute fluffy :D

Lady: Yes. And you had better take care of it properly. *waggles finger*

Lara: Of course I will. I'm not stupid you know.

Lady: Pfft.. I beg to differ.

Lara: Excuse me??

Lady: You yelled at a tree and was having a conversation with your stomach....

Sesshomaru: Why is this Sesshomaru not in the story?

Lady: I thought you hated to be in stories where no one dies. This is a romance humour fic...

Sesshomaru: The Firerat died.

Lara: He secretly loves the attention. And this one is rated M.... He think's he's going to get lucky.

Lady: *Rolling on floor laughing* The great Sesshomaru is just a typical horny bloke

Lara: Yup. I saw him ma- THWAK

*Lara unconsious on floor*

Sesshomaru: If you ever repeat what you have heard *cracks posinous claws*

Lady: *Gulps*


Okay... Sorry Sesshy babe isn't in this chapter, but it is imperative for the story :D Don't stop reading because of this though. I swear he will be back in the next chapter...... lol Also due to the long wait for this chapter I shall go straight back into my Word document and start typing the next chappy. Hopefull I will have it out by work tomorrow, but no promises. If it's not out by tomorrow arvo... then it will definately be out the day after :D

P.S I think I have fixed this up properly.... Let me know if you are confused by something.... :D

Cheer for now :D

Until Next time

~ Lady D.