A/N
~Dark~ Okay, this was the last chapter that we looked over for mistakes during revision. We didn't see any but if anyone does leave a review and we'll try to fix it.
~Light~ Remember we don't own InuYasha just this idea and the OCs.
To Guest Unicorn232003 thanks for the review. I was actually debating on continuing but you've kind of inspired me to keep going. I'm not sure if you really care about this little message but seriously, thanks. I hope you like this chapter...I think it's long overdue. :)
"Wow," Kouga said amazed at the sight of me as I stiffened slightly at his curiously as he stepped closer. "Kagome, you said you found her at the Goshinboku?" He asked tilting his head towards her but his eyes remained on me.
"Yes, do you know her?" She asked as the group all looked at him with curiosity. Seeing a slight chance I tried again to pull myself out of InuYasha's grip only to earn a slight growl from him.
"No but she looks familiar." Kouga said as I looked at him again. I saw Sango and Miroku share a look before nodding to each other, while InuYasha finally set me down slowly.
"What do you mean, Kouga?" Miroku asked the demon only to be ignored making him look at Sango with a pout, that in turn made the taijiya roll her eyes.
"Yo pup!" Kouga said loudly trying to get my attention as I snapped my head to glare at him, growling deeply in my throat.
"Don't call me that!" I snapped at him making him grin cockily at me before being elbowed lightly in the stomach by his mate.
"Kouga," Ayame warned him giving him a look of her own that made him gulp as their daughter laughed and jumped up onto her mother's back.
"Anyway, Akari? Who was your demon parent?" Kouga asked me surprising me and the group slightly at the question. Confused I looked him in the eye trying to detect something as I tried to smell any negative emotion coming off of him. After a minute of silence I looked away deciding not to answer him before feeling a not so friendly shove from InuYasha.
"Female." I bit out angrily noting the mass confusion coming from everyone as I bit back the urge to claw at my nose. Unlucky for me that scent seemed to heighten the distinct scents that told me who they were.
"But, the only female Inu Yokia is Sesshoumaru's mother." InuYasha said in a calm yet confused voice as Ayame nodded in agreement before I saw something flash in Kouga's eyes.
"No, she the only white Inu Yokia. Back when I was a cub I remember my father taking me to one of the Inu clans in the North by the mountains. If I remember right the head of the family had a daughter." Kouga said his words coming faster out of him as he became more sure of himself.
"Keh, stupid wolf what are you talking about." InuYasha demanded as Kouga looked at me again as if seeing me differently.
"Are you sure, Kouga? I mean wouldn't Akari be as old as you and InuYasha?" Kagome asked slightly confused as I stood there. I was swiveling my ears all around trying to keep up with everything as the group began to act as if they figured something out. Frustrated I stomped my foot and growled drawing their attention.
"What's going on?" I growled angrily making Sango and Miroku look at each other, Kagome bite her bottom lip nervously, InuYasha to 'keh', and Kouga and his mate went quiet while Shippo simply watched from his spot next to Kirara.
"Akari, what type of hanyou are you?" Sango asked drawing my attention to her as I flexed my claws.
"The bad kind," I spat as faint memories of trying to interact with people surfaced in my mind. I pushed them aside in favor of the newer ones I had made as I looked at Sango trying to calm down.
"What she means is what is your heritage? Where are you from? Who gave you your name?" Miroku said making me blink at him slowly as confusion followed those questions on their quest in my mind.
...
The group had already set up camp for the night and sent Shippo and Akari to bed, although both put up a bit of a fight. Luckily Kagome and Sango had both been able to hypnotize them into sleeping with a story they both wove about a kitsune, a poor boy, and a princess.
"Well Bouzo? You gonna speak or not?" InuYasha snapped as Miroku stirred the fire, causing sparks to lift up into the air. Miroku looked at him over the fire before looking at the two children curled up against Kirara. Kagome and Sango also looked at him as he shifted and got comfortable before looking at them, his dark eyes piercing each of them.
"Akari's heritage has been on my mind since we ran into Kouga and Ayame. We know practically nothing about her. Under normal circumstances it would not bother me nearly as much, but add in the Goshinboku and," Miroku said before Sango nodded and spoke, finishing his sentence.
"And it leads to the question of what and why." Sango said as InuYasha's ears flicked over to the sound of the two moving in their sleep.
"Do you think maybe she was sealed in the tree like InuYasha was?" Kagome asked curiously as the mentioned hanyou looked determinedly at the flames.
"More than likely." Miroku said calmly before his voice became thoughtful. "The roots had grown over her, but that begs the question on why we never noticed her before then." Miroku said before InuYasha brought the attention to him.
"It's not called the tree of ages for nothing. It can connect people through times, it did that for me and Kagome." InuYasha said in his usual cocky manner causing the others to relax a bit.
"Yes, for all we know it was just fate trying to help in some strange way." Sango said and for some reason Kagome knew her sister and friend was right.
"We should get some rest," Miroku said standing up and pulling Sango up with him. "I assume you'll be keeping watch?" He asked only to be answered by InuYasha leaping up into the branches of a tree with a blushing Kagome in his arms.
"Get some sleep Kagome," InuYasha whispered softly in the girls ear a while later. Kagome shivered slightly at his voice before giving him a small smile as he kissed her cheek.
"I can't sleep," she whispered to him making him smile and pull her closer against him. "I can't help but think about what Miroku said." She told him before sighing as she turned her face to look over at the two sleeping children.
"Don't worry about it," InuYasha told her before smirking and humming softly into her ear making her relax against him before falling asleep. Satisfied he leaned back against the tree and looked up at the night sky.
"...snake..." InuYasha heard a faint whisper come from below him causing his attention to slid onto the twitching female hanyou below him. He watched curiously as she frowned in her sleep and moved onto her other side, swinging her arm out as if to strick her nails flashing a dull red and white.
"Why isn't anything ever simple?" He mumbled to himself before feeling Kagome shift and mumble something at him making him smile. "Never mind," he said to himself before turning his attention back to his surroundings.
...
"Kagome, may I have my crayons please?" Shippo asked politely as we stopped for lunch. I rolled my eyes from my spot beneath the shade of a nearby tree, my back pressed against the opposite side so I could be alone. I listened as I heard movement before hearing Shippo say something followed by preparations for lunch.
"Akira, why don't you go color with Shippo?" I heard Kagome ask and twisted around to look at her. She ignored my small glare, giving me a smile instead. Confused I turned back around and ignored them for the time being wanting to go off on my own but knowing the minute I tried I'd be caught. "Shippo, will you come here for a minute?" I listened as Kagome called out followed by a pair of fast feet. I snorted softly before letting myself lean back against the tree my legs out in front of me and my arms crossed across my chest loosely as I watched the clouds, lost in thought.
"Where am I? Where do I come from?" My mind questioned, sending me in circles as I tried to find answers.
"Boo!" A voice yelled as a poof of smoke blew up in my face making me jump up and grab a branch in a panic. I looked down after a second to see Shippo rolling around on the ground laughing before I growled and let myself drop on him landing with my feet on his stomach before somersaulting off of him as he gasped for breath.
"Go away baka!" I growled at him as he got to his feet and looked at me. Then before either of us could move Kagome's voice rang out calmly.
"No fighting of any kind, both of you be nice and get along." She said making Shippo visibly deflate as I stiffened.
"Hai..." I heard Shippo mumble dully before the smell of lunch hit my nose making my mouth water slightly. I shook my head before shifting from foot to foot debating internally on what I should do. "Tag!" Shippo yelled lightly slapping my arm before running away. I growled before chasing after the annoying kit, easily jumping on him and sending him to the ground before getting up only to feel him repeat his action with a laugh.
"Kids, lunch is ready!" Kagome called after a while as I pinned Shippo to the ground for the millionth time. As if those were some kind of magic words, the boy beneath me vanished leaving me unbalanced enough to fall forward before rolling over and looking at the group. I sat there for a minute, just watching the happy pack interact with one another before standing up and dusting myself off.
"Keh, get over there and eat pup." InuYasha snorted at me as he suddenly appeared from his perch above Kagome. I looked up at him, half tempted to refuse to eat but old habits died hard and I absently wondered when I'd be able to eat again. Without a word I walked past him stiffly and towards the group.
"Here," Sango said passing me two balls of rice and a small fish before going back to her conversation with Kagome. I looked over at her before stealthy moving away from the group to eat. Before I could get to my original place behind the tree I heard a low warning growl that made my ears lean back reflexively. Slowly I looked up to see a pair of gold eyes staring at me over Kagome's hair. Glaring at him I stayed where I was and began to eat growling at him when he smirked.
"We should be at Totosia's in an hour or two," Miroku said calmly. I perked my ears at the familiar name before taking a bite of the rabbit before Shippo could take it. I looked over at where he had moved next to me and growled as he pouted and turned back to his own meal. "If you don't mind InuYasha, the demon slayer's village isn't that far." The monk continued making me tense and look at the monk as he continued to calmly eat his rice ball.
"Keh, you can go on ahead." InuYasha said as Kagome gave a small smile to the relieved monk and taijiya in front of her.
"Anyway, while we're at Totosia's maybe we should ask about the Kuro Inu Clan in the north. Ayame didn't seem to know about them, maybe he knows more." Kagome said calmly as we all relaxed as a calm breeze drifted over us bringing the scent of grass and the faint scent of winter.
"That's if the old ba-" InuYasha snorted before stopping mid sentence when Kagome turned and gave him a small glare. "Baka can remember anything." He finished quickly if a bit fearfully making me curious as the girl leaned up and gave him a small kiss on the cheek making him turn away from us.