Sorry it's been so long loves, been busy with work and wedding stuff :D
I've developed quite and interest in doggy demon politics and clans etc. so expect to see some of that ;)
as always, please review! :)
Inuyasha and Kagome could only watch as pieces of the jewel scattered, shooting off in all directions. One sliver landed in front of Kagome and she picked it up, examining the tiny piece in her hand.
"Whoops." She muttered softly.
"Now you've done it." Inuyasha remarked, moving to stand next to her.
"What do we do now?" Kagome whispered weakly.
"Go and get 'em all I guess. Let's go." Inuyasha turned and headed back towards the village, Kagome soon following not far behind. She was quiet and lost in thought, very unlike her. They walked through the forest in complete and utter silence, although both of them were busy internally.
What if Kaede is angry with me?
Too many damn demons around this place…
"Kagome! Inuyasha!" Internal worries were forgotten as Kaede met the two at the edge of the village, Shippo in her arms. As soon as the kit saw Kagome, he was out of Kaede's arms and racing to the only mother he knew.
"Shippo!" Kagome caught the kit in her arms and hugged him tightly before giving Kaede a guilty look.
"Kaede…" The priestess held up a hand. "It's alright, I saw Kagome. But we must act quickly. Any demon in possession of a single piece of the jewel has power equal to the full jewel. And with so many pieces…"
"Ain't no use standin' around jabberin' then." Inuyasha remarked, crossing his arms. His face had its usual unpleasant scowl on it.
"Ye cannot go anywhere until Kagome has gained better control of her demon abilities. Ye cannot protect her every second Inuyasha. It is better ye give Kagome some training first thing in the morning to better help her."
"We ain't got time for that hag!" Inuyasha snapped back.
"If ye don't train Kagome Inuyasha, she is practically defenseless. Better to waste a day training then send Kagome with no training at all."
"Alright fine." Inuyasha growled, "But we leave in two days, no matter what!"
-0-
The next morning, Kagome and Inuyasha stood in the small clearing between the village and the forest, ready to begin Kagome's training. Shippo sat with Kaede on the sideline, who was carefully sorting herbs, preparing bandages and mixing soothing balms for the inevitable bloody end to training.
"Is there anything about fighting you do know?" Inuyasha stood several feet away from Kagome, facing her. She thought carefully.
"Males are usually stronger?" Inuyasha slapped a palm to his forehead.
"So nothing useful at all…" Kagome's hands went straight to her hips, eyes blazing with anger.
"Well excuse me Mr. big demon! My father was never allowed to teach me about my demon abilities! I can't very well just guess!" She hollered at him.
"Better than cowerin' and doing nothin' at all!" Inuyasha hollered right back.
"I do NOT cower and do nothing!"
"You couldn't do that right anyways!"
"You jerk! At least I try!"
"Tryin' ain't gonna keep your kid alive!"
"UGH!"
Kagome turned her back to Inuyasha, growling lowly, her face turning red from anger. Inuyasha had his back to her also, arms crossed and an angry scowl on his face. (surprise there) Kaede signed deeply, a clear sign she was planning to intervene and had lots of experience in soothing the nerves of feuding couples.
"Ye need to stop this fighting at once! Inuyasha, it is not Kagome's fault she has not been trained or as well practiced as ye. You would do well to have some patience. And Kagome, ye will do well to have patience as well. He is helping ye, as strange as his methods may be. Ye need each other, and ye would do well not to make the mistake of forcing my hand." Then the old priestess went back to her work, as completely calm and cool as if she hadn't just threatened two angry half demons.
It took several minutes, but Kagome finally relented and peeked over her shoulder at the stubborn jerk teaching her. He hadn't turned around, but his body was less tense. Shippo had long since abandoned the them to play with the village children, boredom getting the best of him.
"Oh all right. I suppose Kaede is right. This is silly, and you are doing me a favor. So… I'm sorry Inuyasha, ok?"
Stubborn male that he was, Inuyasha only grunted in response and turned to face her, looking less angry than he had moments ago.
"So where do we start then?" Kagome asked softly. "It's obvious I know nothing of my own heritage. Where do we begin?"
Inuyasha opened his mouth to respond, no doubt about something to do with fighting when he hesitated, then closed his mouth.
"Perhaps child," Kaede intervened softly, "it is best we begin with who ye are before Inuyasha teaches ye how use it to defend yourself." She motioned for the two demons to join her and Shippo.
"Now Kagome, what do ye know of your father?" Kagome's brow furrowed in concentration as she sat across from Kaede, Inuyasha next to her without so much as a complaint.
"No much," she admitted. "As I said, my mother never allowed my father to train me with my demon abilities, but he did start teaching me some of history of his pack before he died."
"His name was Inuhiro. I remember he was from the dog demon pack of the east." Kagome continued. "He was the youngest of his siblings and left home when he was still young. Meet my mother a couple centuries later after he'd earned trust from the villagers where he traveled. I've never met any of my father's family, though we expected to after he died."
"The dog demon pack of the east is a most noble clan Kagome." Kaede began as she continued her task of preparing herbs. "They were once one pack with the dog clan of the west. Whom I believe ye are related to if I'm not mistaken Inuyasha."
"What makes you think that?!" Inuyasha hissed sharply, ears flat on his head. Kaede continued calmly.
"I had the fortune of meeting a dog demon from the west once. You resemble them most sharply. Silver hair and golden eyes are signature traits to the western clan. Which parent was demon?"
"My old man." Inuyasha mumbled after a minute of silence. "Never met 'im. He died when I was born and left me and my mother. She died a couple years later." Inuyasha was glowering sharply at Kaede's mixing bowl, and sensing his discomfort, Kaede smoothly changed the subject.
"While the western pack is known for their sword work and fine weapon craftsmanship, the eastern pack is well known for their wisdom and large numbers." Kaede directed at Kagome. "As I recall of demons, many have sought council from the eastern clan. Ye come from a large and noble family child." She directed her attention to Inuyasha again. "And ye have nothing to be ashamed of either Inuyasha. The dog clan of the west is largely known as the nobility of the dog clans, as well as their skill in battle and fine weapons. Neither of ye have no reason to be ashamed of where ye come from."
"No reason?!" Inuyasha snarled, leaping to his feet. "I've been scorned and attacked my entire life because of either my demon half or human half!" His eyes were blazing with anger and his hands were flexing, showing his sharp demonic claws. Kagome was staring at him in shock, it had never occurred to her about Inuyasha's childhood.
Kaede sat calmly in the face of Inuyasha's anger. "On the contrary Inuyasha, I think ye have the best of both worlds." Before the furious half demon could respond, Kagome leapt in to try and calm him down.
"What do you mean Kaede?" Her brow was furrowed as she pondered what the priestess could possibly mean by that."
"Ye both have received enormous power and strength from your father- claws that can protect ye, strength and speed that no human can compare to- demon blood, yet ye have also received passionate and loving human hearts from your mother. Who is to say you did not receive the best of both worlds."
Kagome was practically in tears by the time Kaede had finished speaking. Even Inuyasha looked slightly less furious.
Kagome examined her slender fingers and the sharp claws that adorned them. She would give anything to spend one more day with her loving mother and father. But she would not let the gifts they gave her go to waste.
She scrambled to her feet, surprising Kaede and Inuyasha. "Let's start training Inuyasha." She said determined, her eyes blazing. He smirked and nodded, eager to release some energy and put this little history chat far behind him.
-0-
"Claws are pretty much the best thing ya got to defend yourself with." Inuyasha was explaining a minute later. He held his hand up and flexed his claws, the muscles in his hand rippling and showing the raw power there. Kagome was watching with rapt attention, determined not to forget anything.
Facing a tree several feet thick to his left, Inuyasha leapt into the air.
"Iron reaver soul stealer!" He shouted as his claws flashed through the air. He landed smoothly a second later, and Kagome watched in pure amazement as the tree crumbled to pieces after his attack.
"Attack me." Inuyasha instructed, crouching into a defensive position with his claws flexed and ready. Kagome blinked and raised her claws slowly, leaping half-heartedly at him and swiping at him. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and practically batted her aside.
"You call that an attack? Shippo could do better than that!" Kagome shot a glare at Inuyasha, but he could tell it was half-hearted.
"I don't want to hurt you." She admitted sheepishly a moment later. Inuyasha tried not to roll his eyes as he snorted.
"You ain't gonna hurt me. It'll heal quickly enough anyways if you do. Now attack me this time, really attack me!" Inuyasha ordered, dropping once again into a defensive crouch. Kagome tensed and crouched to match him, eyes blazing and claws raised to mirror him. She shot at Inuyasha, this time with much more force than her first attack. But it still wasn't good enough, and Kagome's claws hit nothing but air where Inuyasha had been just a second ago. She felt a clawed hand grip her shoulder and shove her on the ground, and within seconds she found herself on her back with Inuyasha posed just above her, on arm pinning her to the ground and the other raised and ready to deal the killing blow.
"Still ain't fast enough." Inuyasha hissed as he let Kagome up.
"Attack me again."
They trained until the sun was going down, then followed Kaede back to her hut to bandage the several cuts and bruises both half demons sported. Kaede listened to the two bicker half-heartedly as they made their way back to her hut, letting her mind dwell on everything that had passed between them that day. The old priestess prayed that if Inuyasha could teach Kagome how to fight with her demon half, maybe the gentle Kagome could teach Inuyasha to love with the human half he clearly despised…
-0-
Miles away, as the moon began to rise, a demon with long silver hair stood high upon a cliff that overlooked the shallow valley where Kaede's village lay. The demon's handsome face fell into an angry frown as he watched the retreating red form of Inuyasha through cold golden eyes.
short but sweet, and I'm sure you all know who will be joining the party soon :D
reviews and some helpful hints are always welcome :)