I don't own Naruto or Inu Yasha, they belong to Masashi Kinomoto and Rumiko Takahashi.

AN: I want to let everyone know that until school lets out again, I shall be putting some of my stories on Hiatus. I'm giving everyone the ability to vote on what stories they want to have finished first. For more information or to vote please see my profile.

Chapter 10

Leaves of Fall

Kagome grinned as she looked up at the woman who'd been teaching her along with all the others who had decided to help her learn what she would need to get into the class with Shikamaru and Choji and the others.

The woman who was with her today was the prettiest at least to Kagome anyway, she had pretty red eyes but the interesting thing was that they were two different colors of red. One was dark and it was the inner ring and the inside was a darker red almost like the color of blood. Her hair was really pretty with its soft waviness, it was black like her daddies, but her skin looked more like the cream Kagome sometimes set out for some of the neighborhood cats.

"Kurenai?" Kagome looked up her bright blue eyes looking toward the woman sitting nearby.

"Yes, Kagome?" Kurenai asked, standing before walking toward the kitchen table where the girl was working on her mathematics.

"Can we go outside and play for a little bit please? I've been doing my homework all day… I wanna play." Kagome pouted, she'd done all her written homework except the stupid math stuff.

"I suppose so, you have studied very well today… Yugao and Hayate won't be here for a few hours." Kurenai smiled, the little girl really was adorable. She'd also been asked by the Hyuuga clan to walk with the two youngsters they currently had attending the ninja academy. She usually picked up Kagome in the morning, they walked the Hyuugas' to the school, they returned home to go over Kagome's studies. She generally finished around 12, then they ate and Kagome had an hour brake to spend time playing or sometimes going to harass Shikamaru and her friends at the academy.

Kagome squealed happily, before running to her room to change she usually wore shorts and a t-shirt in the house but it was becoming chilly in Konoha. Pulling on a regular pair of jeans, she grinned they were nice and comfortable they were also extremely faded because they got washed very often. Grumbling, she climbed up on the small step ladder she began to go through her long sleeve shirts. Finding one that was just a nice green color she pulled it out including her gray jacket, pulling her clothing on she looked in the mirror, something was missing!

Her eyes lit up before she shot out of her room to the small coat hanger near the door, climbing up another few steps her dad had put up for her she grabbed the beany she'd begged her daddy for, it was a light brown and looked like the top of a deer's head with eyes, and with ears, and really tiny nubs making tiny antlers poking up from her head, she thought it was the cutest thing ever. Yoshino, Shikamaru's mom agreed with her, "Neee, Kurenai do I look okay?" Kagome asked.

"Well, putting some boots on over those socks might be a good idea." The older woman chuckled when Kagome shot back toward her room before reappearing with some small black boots on.

"Let's go, let's go!" Kagome grabbed the woman's hand tugging happily she so desperately wanted to get out of the house.

"Hold on, Kagome." Kurenai chuckled, before closing the door and locking it.

The two walked toward the park, Konoha really was different in fall there was a mass of colors running around the tops of the trees, varying shades of red, from yellow to orange and the occasional brilliant purple popping out here and there.

Blinking, Kagome grinned the gardener of the park had made his rounds and there were several large and impressive piles of leaves. Grinning she promptly did the thing any little child did, she eyed the largest pile and jumped right in.

Kurenai could only watch in amusement, as Kagome played in her large pile of leaves. The little girl was a lot like a kitten, curious and playful with an eye for the smallest of movements.

"Shikamaru… why are you here?" Kagome asked, she was sitting in her pile of leaves her little beany had several leaves nestled between the small antlers and ears, and there were leaves in her thick hair as well.

Shikamaru smiled slightly at his friend, "We were let out early… I should have known you'd be here."

"I was studying all day." She looked up at her friend before grabbing his hand and yanking his down onto the ground with her.

Shikamaru huffed, when he found himself being yanked down on Kagome, rolling over he only rolled his eyes when she rolled with her skinny arms had already snaked around him and she was snuggled down happily against his side. "Troublesome." Instead of trying to move away, he simply pulled his arms behind his head and began to stare at the clouds.

Blinking, at the odd movements at his side he looked down to see Kagome fiddling with his hoody's zipper. "What's bugging you?"

Kagome grumbled, "Daddy's been away awhile."

"He'll be fine." Shikamaru responded, calmly… she was clingy and he wasn't sure she would be Kagome without being clingy.

Kurenai grinned, Kagome was anything except predictable… that and she was adorable snuggled up against that Nara boy. "Soo, she's dragged him into leaves this time?"

Kurenai grinned, seeing Asuma standing next to her "You're home early."

"Yeah. I must have the luck of a saint, I always get to see the cute stuff." Asuma grinned, before waving the woman over with him to one of the park benches. The two adults simply watched as the two children continued to talk together, a grin on both their faces.

Edited: 9/3/2012