Day after day they endured, and day after day it got worse. Inuyasha drove them to damn near exhaustion, belittling them at every opportunity. Their morale couldn't be any lower and should Kagura or Naraku commit a surprise attack they would surely be defeated, if they even survived. To make matters worse, they didn't even have aby shards to show for it though, all things considered, it's probably why Inuyasha was horrid. It seemed as if any and all redeeming qualities of the hanyou were draining away with each passing day. They had a nidea as to the cause, but had no proof. To make matters worse, it seemed that everyone's favorite kitsune was getting worse. It was as if he had retreated into himself and nothing could bring him out. He stopped responding to anything and would barely eat. Miroku and Sango feared that he would wither away if something didn't change.

"Kitsune, come here." KIkyo called to him, but he remained unresponsive, perched upon Sango's shoulder as per usual.

"What, are ya deaf ya runt? Kikyo called you." Inuyasha stopped and loked back to the others, his attention mainly on that of Shippo.

"Well if you payed attention, you'd know that Shippo hasn't spoken since his verbal rampage. Not that you care."

"What the hell is his problem now?"

"He misses Kagome. We all do."

"Speak for yourself slayer ."

"I wasn't speaking to you undead one."

"Don't talk to Kikyo like that!"

"Then teach your puppet when to and when not to speak."

"Shut up!"

"Or what?" Sango stared Inuyasha down.

"Do you defy me?" Red slowly started to seep into his eyes.

"I never acknowledged you as my alpha. You proclaim yourself to be one and yet you do not act like one."

"I hunt, I make sure you're safe at night, I provide shelter, I do everything an alpha is to do."

"An alpha of a pack is so much more than that, but I can't blame you for your ignorance. However, do not sit here and pretend to be something you are not." Sango readied her hiraikotsu as she noticed Inuyasha's claws flex.

"Shippo!" The tense atmosphere was shattered at Rin's proclamamtion. 'If Rin is here then Sesshomaru isn't too far behind.'

"Oh for the love of kami! What do ya want ya brat?"

"Silence half-breed, lest I do it for you."

"Damn, the bastard too? Just my luck. Look, leave now before I kill ya, ya bastard." Before his hand could reach Tetsusaiga, his face met the floor and he was out cold. There was a slight green glow to Sesshomaru's fingers before it disappeared. He stepped over the prone figure before making his way to the others.

"To what do we owe the pleasure Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Rin wanted to play with Shippo and see if Lady Kagome has returned. Is she here?"

"I'm sorry Rin, but Kagome hasn't come back yet."

"Where is she? Is she sick?"

"Well..."

"Rin."

"Hai Lord Sesshomaru. Is Shippo here? Can Rin play with him?"

"Of course you can, but I don't think he'll be up to it."

"What Sango means little one is that Shippo hasn't been feeling well."

"Is it because he misses Lady Kagome?"

"We believe so."

"Rin understands. Rin didn't feel good when Rin's parents left."

"Where are your parents Rin?" The group had been quite curious of the history behind the young girl, but knew better than to outright ask.

"Rin's parents are dead. They died a long time ago, but Rin has Lord Sesshomaru, MAster Jaken, and Ah-Un now so Rin is happy again." To say they were surprised would be a lie, death occurred more often than it should in the Sengoku Jidai. What did catch them off guard is how someone so young could be so happy after losing everything, but she did say that she had Lord Sesshomaru and the others to make her happy. If that was enoug hfor her, so it shall be with them. Though one could only wonder how it was that she came to be under the the daiyoukai's supervision. Only time would tell. "May Rin try and make Shippo better?"

"Of course Rin, it'd be very much appreciated." Sango sat Shippo near Rin away from the adults as to give a semblance of privacy, yet close enough for protection.

"The miko is still missing."

"Yes milord. We fear the worse."

"Hn." They took that as a sign that the conversation was over and began to relax and enjoy the impromptu reprieve. WHo knew when they would get another once Inuyasha awoke. He'd no doubt be in a foul mood... well a fouler mood. Speaking of Inuyasha, Sango looked to his vicinity to see that he was still out, yet Kikyo was nowhere to be found. Miroku noticed her direction of attention, "No doubt that she has disappeared to report to Naraku...or feed." Sango nodded her assent as she directed her attention to the children once more.

"I just don't understand how he can be so blind. It's just so obvious."

"It's not that he can't see, it's that he refuses to."

"Inuyasha is but a whelp, however grown he may seem he is but a mere child."

"He appears to be our age milord."

"Inuyasha is over two hundred years old. He ages more rapidly than youkai, but much slower than humans. His mind is that of a pup. He is young, brash, and foolish. A child in an adolescent's body." Everyone looked at the young Lord astonished, not only for Inuyasha's true age, but at the length of his 'speech.'

"How can Inuyasha be so old and be so..."

"Immature?"

"Right. Even if he's a child in an adolescent's body, you would think he would be wiser in some way."

"Only in his instinct and will to survive. Remember, he was on his own for most of his life."

"Right, he grew up without proper guidance and so acts wild and feral because that's all he knows."

"He chooses to be that way."

"Ne Sesshoamru-sama?"

"Izayoi was a princess. Though young, proper etiquette would have been instilled in him, if not by his grandparents, then by his mother."

"Wouldn't that make Inyasha a prince?"

"For all intents and purposes you would be right Sango, but-"

"To my grandparents I was a bastard and an abomination. They disclaimed me and disowned my mother for laying with a demon."

"Inuyasha-"

"When your innocence is taken away from you, you stop caring about others and worry about your own welfare. My mom tried to shield me form it all, but it started sinking in after so long. What little I had left died when I watched her take her last breath before my eyes. Yeah I was alone and had to learn to live with that. It's all I know and it's all i will ever need to know, but where the hell were you when I needed you Sesshomaru?" The daiyoukai only looked staright ahead. "That's what I thought ya bastard." And just like that Inuyasha disappeared.

"Hn."


A/N: Read it and weep. Yeah I know, just R&R please and thank you :)