I'm so sorry it took so long… I had a lack of inspiration for a while. I feel really bad cuz I really do love you guys! 3

Darius continued to stare at the palace. He had done that for a while, just watched their life go on perfectly. He saw the family that he never had in their happiness. He envied them for their happiness, and hated them for taking his father away. He had just been born the day he was murdered. His mother told him the story of his triumphant father who terrorized all of Japan. A great leader he would have been if the stupid hanyou hadn't caused his demise.

Darius growled under his breath. Inuyasha might as well have caused his mother's death as well. When he turned fourteen, he was sent off to train with a very skilled master in the north. He heard the news from Sensei Zao.

"Darius, my young pupil, I have terrible news for you," He had started. Darius had felt an icy pit begin to grow in his stomach. The grave look on his master's face was very troublesome to the young man.

"Your mother passed this morning…" Darius gasped, a pained, almost choking type sound. His eyes welled with tears, something he had no reconciliation of ever doing before in his life.

"How?" He sounded much calmer than he felt when he finally spoke. Zao sighed and patted Darius' shoulder.

"She poisoned herself…She couldn't stand the pain of losing her mate, your father, any longer." Darius took a deep breath, trying to settle his jumbled emotions. He had always been fairly good at calming himself.

"You have been a loyal pupil of mine, and one of the most gifted young men I have ever had the pleasure to call my student," Zao looked the young man in the eye. "I would be more than happy to take you in as my own,"

But Darius refused, he could take care of himself. He never saw Sensei Zao again, nor did he ever go to his childhood home. He had one mission and one mission only: To destroy the hanyou, Inuyasha's family just as he had destroyed his…

Thwap! Kanari took off the head of another target, the sixth one today in fact. She growled under her breath as she envisioned Darius' face on the next scarecrow. This time, she flung her poison at it and enjoyed the sight of his face melting away. She had come to the training house early that morning. She had a nightmare and couldn't go back to sleep. She had imagined spiders crawling all over her, their hairy legs and tiny fangs brushing dangerously on her skin.

She still had her childhood fear of spiders, and the confrontation with Darius hadn't helped. She knew for a fact that both her dad and her papa were getting some well-deserved rest, as well as Kyen and Sacomaru. Things had been tense in between the boys after they got back to the palace last night. Kyen and Sacomaru stayed far away from each other, in fear of another spat between them.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't sense the presence of a wolf.

"Hey, Kanari! Are you doin' okay?" Kyen asked and put a hand on her shoulder. Her heart skipped a beat as she turned to look at his handsome face. She couldn't wish for a better friend than Kyen. She knew that no matter what happened, he would always remain by her side.

"I'm fine," She replied. "Just letting out some pent up anger," Kyen glanced at the mound of scarecrow carcasses in the corner and laughed. Things had always been easy between them. She hoped that as they aged, it would remain that way.

"I was hoping I could talk to you," His tone was suddenly serious. When Kanari glanced back at him after gazing at the scarecrows, she was shocked to see how different he looked without his usual playful expression.

"About what?" She was suddenly nervous for some reason. Ok, cool it, Kanari! She thought to herself. It's either something really good, or really bad; just get over yourself and deal with it…

She continued to argue with herself as Kyen led them outside. They found a beautifully blooming cherry tree and sat down. Kyen looked straight into Kanari's eyes. Kanari tried to push back the blush that threatened to show itself on her face. Kyen took a deep breath before continuing in an almost nervous tone.

"Kanari, I've been thinking about this a lot and…I….I…" He stuttered and had to clear his throat before continuing. "I wanted to know if…maybe…you would want to…err…b-be m-my…." He stopped again, his tanned face turning darker as he looked away from her.

"To be my m-mate…In the future," Kanari was stunned. For a moment, she stopped breathing and she could tell that he had as well.

"Not now, but later…" he mumbled. Kanari was still speechless. Her heart was hammering like a nervous woodpecker against an old oak tree. Kyen, her best friend for all her life; Kyen, the handsome wolf demon who was Koga's son; Kyen, the boy she had watched grow up alongside her had just asked her if she was interested in him.

"You don't have to answer now…" He said in a melancholy tone. "I guess I'll just go…" She almost let him walk away because of her frozen state, but she quickly thawed out and grabbed his hand as he stood up.

"Yes," She whispered. "Yes, Kyen…I will," He turned to her and a bright, incredulous smile lit up his entire face. He lifted her off the ground and held on to her tightly. He pulled back, just enough to see her face. He cupped her face in his hand.

Kanari couldn't believe what was happening. Her heart was pounding even harder than before as he bent down. He pressed his lips softly to hers and Kanari thought she was going to explode. She had never felt this kind of love and compassion for another person before. She loved her family, but that was different. She felt the most beautiful, wonderful, fluttery feeling ever.

She loved the feeling, just as she loved him.

Darius hid in a tree up above the palace garden and growled. He watched as the young inuyoukai girl locked lips with the ookami boy. He hid his aura well from the happy couple. This is going to be much harder than I thought…he thought to himself. With that ookami boy involved with the girl, it will be much harder to take her.

I know it isn't very long. T.T I'm trying to work on two stories at once, so things are a little difficult. I'm also having a lot of personal problems, which are taking away from my writing time. I love you guys so much and I'm so lucky to have such amazing support. Rate and Review!