Chapter One
Kagome sighed as they walked in the snow. *The snow is so pretty when it has just fallen.* She glanced at Inu-Yasha who had small snowflakes in his long silver hair. *Even Inu-Yasha looks like he's at peace in this enchanted silhouette of heaven.* Kagome smiled absently, not realizing she was staring at him. "Huh?" He turned around giving her a funny look. Inu-Yasha raised a brow at her, wondering what in the heck she was smiling at him for. *Do I have leaves in my hair or something? Why is she looking at me like that?!* He kept his brow raised as Kagome stared at him. "How long is it going to take you to snap out of that rediculous dream so we can keep moving?" Kagome blinked. *Sometimes...even Inu-Yasha can be an idiot drowning in the stupidity around him...* "Rediculous? How do you know it was a rediculous dream?!" "Pfeh." He rolled his eyes. "If you were fantasizing about it, it has to be rediculous." He crossed his arms turning away from her, thinking the matter was settled. Just as he started to walk away from her, Kagome got her revenge. "SIT!" His eyes widened just as he heard the word he hated the most. Before he could curse her for saying it, he fell. Kagome skipped by him as he lay covered in snow. "If you're going to rest for a while, I'll just go on ahead." She walked off hearing the faint sound of growling behind her. As he watched her go, Inu-Yasha gritted his teeth as he sat up. He shook the snow off, his face red with anger. *Who does she think she is, saying that word when she pleases?!* Up ahead on the chosen path, Kagome was standing, listening to a small group of tiny birds in the trees. She closed her eyes, letting the warmth of the distant sun warm her body. When she opened her eyes again, Inu-Yasha was standing in front of her, his arms crossed, eyes narrowed. "What?" "What?...What..?" He gasped. "Is that all you're going to say after you say that foul, cursed word?!" He growled, his ears slightly back. "Oh. You mean...'sit'?" "AHH!" He fell again, looking up at her, glaring. "Oh...sorry." She watched him get up, looking into his eyes. *He is still handsome, even for a half-demon with a bad attitude.* Before making the matter worse, Inu-Yasha decided to be quiet, for once. He started walking ahead again, not wanting to fall on his cold rear for a third time. He had to give her credit-she knew when to shut him up. Hours passed without either of them saying a word. Kagome was starting to think he was going to stay mad at her forever. She wanted to apologize to him, but it was practically pointless since he wouldn't listen. Still, she peeked glances of him when he wasn't looking behind him to see if she was still following. The sun was starting to fade when Inu-Yasha abruptly stopped. Kagome tilted her head at him. She pulled on his sleeve. "What's wrong?" He closed his eyes, not answering for a moment. "Inu..Yasha.," she said almost to a whisper. He opened his eyes again. "I hear breathing." He cocked his head, his ears twitching, trying to get better reception. "Breathing..? But...who would be way out here?" She got closer to him, slightly afraid, not wanting to believe it was a demon. She couldn't handle a demon right now with her body frozen stiff from the cold. "I..don't know, but whatever it is, it's small and distant." He sniffed the air trying to gain any information from the woods around them. All Kagome could see was the white snow and trees. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, but a demon, even if only half, could easily tell if something was wrong. Inu-Yasha had improved hearing, fighting skills, and scent ability. He could easily track anyone, or anything that was hiding nearby. Absentmindly, Inu-Yasha started to follow the distant breathing that he heard. His brows were furrowed in confusion, not really sure what it was. He sniffed the air, but wasn't able to gain any information from it. He couldn't smell anything, but snow and trees. *I don't see anything in the trees. No birds are here, which is strange. I don't see any footprints, so that rules that out.* He looked around again, scanning the area. "Maybe I'm just going crazy," he said to himself. He wasn't aware that Kagome was behind him. "You're not crazy, Inu-Yasha. If you heard something, then you heard something. I've learned to trust your instincts in the long run." She looked around also, just in case he missed something. He glanced back at her, kind of surprised at the credence in her voice. *Like I care that she trusts me...* He turned his gaze back, trying to focus on something not seen. Kagome watched his confusion. She closed her eyes, her heart unconsciously opening to whatever was out there. She prayed it wasn't a demon, or something else that would harm them. Kagome gasped slightly, sensing the faint, shallow breathing of a small form. She began to focus on the being, only aware of it and nothing else. The form started to constitute in her mind. It was high up in the air, stuck in a place where no one would have been able to find it. She opened her eyes. Inu-Yasha was staring at her, unsure of what she had sensed. He didn't want to ask, for she looked distraught. He only waited for her to tell him. Kagome breathed out slowly, not believing what she thought it was she was sensing. Her face became pale. Inu-Yasha walked towards her slowly. He touched her hand lightly. "Kagome?" He leaned down a little, nudging her forehead with his nose. She snapped out of it. Kagome inhaled sharply, swallowing hard. Her face flustered for a moment, not able to meet his concerned gaze. "What was it?" Kagome looked off, staring past him, beginning to talk as if in a dream. "I sensed...a small heart beating ever so faintly..It's awful. It's..so weak...unable to move, or gain consciousness..." Tears started to form in her eyes. She put the palm of her hand to her forehead as she tried to gain control of the numb sickness that was beginning to swallow her. Inu-Yasha wrapped his arms around her gently, comforting her. He rested his chin on her head, looking off into the distance. "Do you know where it's coming from?" He looked down at her. She nodded faintly. "I think I can pinpoint it." He turned around, lowering himself. "Hop on. We'll see if we can't find out what it is." Kagome jumped onto his back, putting her arms around his neck. She still couldn't get over what she had sensed. "It was..coming from way over there." She pointed southeast. Inu-Yasha started to run as fast as he could, his ears aleart, as well as his eyes. So far, he didn't see anything. The cold wind whipped past them, creating chills down Kagome's back. She huddled closer to Inu- Yasha , faintly thinking of the presence again. It was some time before Kagome looked up. "Inu-Yasha, slow down, we're getting closer!" Inu-Yasha slowed down to a jog, going in the same direction. All of a sudden, he started to skid, slowing down even faster. Kagome stayed very still. The air around them was like death lingering. She dared not breathe. "What...is it..?" He lowered himself, wanting her to get off. She did. He closed his eyes, smelling the air strongly. "I smell blood." Kagome gasped, looking around. "From..w-where..?" She watched as he moved his head up, his eyes searching. "From up there. Somewhere." He looked back at her, giving her a serious look. "Don't move unless I tell you to. I don't know what it is." Kagome nodded. She watched as he hopped onto a branch of one of the trees. He kept hopping up, looking around and sniffing at the same time. It was very far up in the trees. Inu-Yasha continued until he smelled the blood nearby. He looked around quickly in case something decided to attack him. The sight that caught his eyes stopped him in his tracks. "What..the..?" He was shocked and horrified at the same time. The wind around him seemed to get colder. He cautiously approached the thing hanging upside-down from a branch far up in one of the trees. The closer he got, the angrier he became. He had no idea who had done this. Inu-Yasha stopped four feet from the dead child. She was hanging upside-down, her left ankle caught in an animal trap. Blood was flowing down her leg onto her clothes. He walked a little closer, sniffing out of habit. Ever so carefully, he grabbed hold of the chain, pulling her closer to him. He flexed his hand, getting extremely angry at whoever had done this. "Steel revered, soul stealer!" The chain popped. He caught the other half of the chain before the girl fell. Inu-Yasha brought the chain up to his face. He carefully held the girl in his arms, cradling her as he stared in horror. He could feel her chest moving up and down slowly. She was still alive. Inu-Yasha pulled as hard as he could, breaking the trap that was fitted around her ankle. The wound was extensive. He didn't know how long she had been hanging up there, but he could make out that it had been a long time. He tore one of his sleeves, fastening a bandage around the girl's leg. Inu-Yasha looked at her sadly, exaimining the girl. She appeared to be about the age of five years-old. Her hair was brown and shaped in a strange style. She had long bangs like him-the length around her head short to the tips of her ears-all except two long strands hanging down from her ears; much like his. Her clothes were torn rags. She wore no sandels. Inu-Yasha touched her face lightly. She didn't move. He got closer to her, nudging her lightly on the cheek with his nose. "Please, be okay," he whispered. The girl moved a little, but not much. Inu-Yasha's heart skipped a beat. He quickly gathered her into his arms again, holding her tightly as he jumped down from the branch to the ground. He ran as fast as he could towards Kagome who was still standing where he had left her. The expression on her face was of utter shock. Before she could utter a word, he yelled, "KAGOME! HOP ON!" Kagome hopped onto his back as quick as she could, almost falling off. She stared in complete disbelief at the unconscious child he held in his arms. Her heart started to sink realizing that was the prescence she had felt. Inu-Yasha ran at full pace with the girl in his arms. He was heading back to the village where he knew Kaede would be waiting. Their trip for the fragments of the Sacred Jewel were going to have to wait. Kagome held on for dear life, the wind whipping around them. "What about the shard I sensed?" He glanced back at her, then jumped over a fallen tree. He clutched the girl in his arms tighter. "The shard is not important right now! She needs my help far greater than some stupid jewel!" Kagome nodded silently. *I can't believe his concern for her.* She found it very touching. It also brought to her awareness that Inu-Yasha was changing.
Kagome sighed as they walked in the snow. *The snow is so pretty when it has just fallen.* She glanced at Inu-Yasha who had small snowflakes in his long silver hair. *Even Inu-Yasha looks like he's at peace in this enchanted silhouette of heaven.* Kagome smiled absently, not realizing she was staring at him. "Huh?" He turned around giving her a funny look. Inu-Yasha raised a brow at her, wondering what in the heck she was smiling at him for. *Do I have leaves in my hair or something? Why is she looking at me like that?!* He kept his brow raised as Kagome stared at him. "How long is it going to take you to snap out of that rediculous dream so we can keep moving?" Kagome blinked. *Sometimes...even Inu-Yasha can be an idiot drowning in the stupidity around him...* "Rediculous? How do you know it was a rediculous dream?!" "Pfeh." He rolled his eyes. "If you were fantasizing about it, it has to be rediculous." He crossed his arms turning away from her, thinking the matter was settled. Just as he started to walk away from her, Kagome got her revenge. "SIT!" His eyes widened just as he heard the word he hated the most. Before he could curse her for saying it, he fell. Kagome skipped by him as he lay covered in snow. "If you're going to rest for a while, I'll just go on ahead." She walked off hearing the faint sound of growling behind her. As he watched her go, Inu-Yasha gritted his teeth as he sat up. He shook the snow off, his face red with anger. *Who does she think she is, saying that word when she pleases?!* Up ahead on the chosen path, Kagome was standing, listening to a small group of tiny birds in the trees. She closed her eyes, letting the warmth of the distant sun warm her body. When she opened her eyes again, Inu-Yasha was standing in front of her, his arms crossed, eyes narrowed. "What?" "What?...What..?" He gasped. "Is that all you're going to say after you say that foul, cursed word?!" He growled, his ears slightly back. "Oh. You mean...'sit'?" "AHH!" He fell again, looking up at her, glaring. "Oh...sorry." She watched him get up, looking into his eyes. *He is still handsome, even for a half-demon with a bad attitude.* Before making the matter worse, Inu-Yasha decided to be quiet, for once. He started walking ahead again, not wanting to fall on his cold rear for a third time. He had to give her credit-she knew when to shut him up. Hours passed without either of them saying a word. Kagome was starting to think he was going to stay mad at her forever. She wanted to apologize to him, but it was practically pointless since he wouldn't listen. Still, she peeked glances of him when he wasn't looking behind him to see if she was still following. The sun was starting to fade when Inu-Yasha abruptly stopped. Kagome tilted her head at him. She pulled on his sleeve. "What's wrong?" He closed his eyes, not answering for a moment. "Inu..Yasha.," she said almost to a whisper. He opened his eyes again. "I hear breathing." He cocked his head, his ears twitching, trying to get better reception. "Breathing..? But...who would be way out here?" She got closer to him, slightly afraid, not wanting to believe it was a demon. She couldn't handle a demon right now with her body frozen stiff from the cold. "I..don't know, but whatever it is, it's small and distant." He sniffed the air trying to gain any information from the woods around them. All Kagome could see was the white snow and trees. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, but a demon, even if only half, could easily tell if something was wrong. Inu-Yasha had improved hearing, fighting skills, and scent ability. He could easily track anyone, or anything that was hiding nearby. Absentmindly, Inu-Yasha started to follow the distant breathing that he heard. His brows were furrowed in confusion, not really sure what it was. He sniffed the air, but wasn't able to gain any information from it. He couldn't smell anything, but snow and trees. *I don't see anything in the trees. No birds are here, which is strange. I don't see any footprints, so that rules that out.* He looked around again, scanning the area. "Maybe I'm just going crazy," he said to himself. He wasn't aware that Kagome was behind him. "You're not crazy, Inu-Yasha. If you heard something, then you heard something. I've learned to trust your instincts in the long run." She looked around also, just in case he missed something. He glanced back at her, kind of surprised at the credence in her voice. *Like I care that she trusts me...* He turned his gaze back, trying to focus on something not seen. Kagome watched his confusion. She closed her eyes, her heart unconsciously opening to whatever was out there. She prayed it wasn't a demon, or something else that would harm them. Kagome gasped slightly, sensing the faint, shallow breathing of a small form. She began to focus on the being, only aware of it and nothing else. The form started to constitute in her mind. It was high up in the air, stuck in a place where no one would have been able to find it. She opened her eyes. Inu-Yasha was staring at her, unsure of what she had sensed. He didn't want to ask, for she looked distraught. He only waited for her to tell him. Kagome breathed out slowly, not believing what she thought it was she was sensing. Her face became pale. Inu-Yasha walked towards her slowly. He touched her hand lightly. "Kagome?" He leaned down a little, nudging her forehead with his nose. She snapped out of it. Kagome inhaled sharply, swallowing hard. Her face flustered for a moment, not able to meet his concerned gaze. "What was it?" Kagome looked off, staring past him, beginning to talk as if in a dream. "I sensed...a small heart beating ever so faintly..It's awful. It's..so weak...unable to move, or gain consciousness..." Tears started to form in her eyes. She put the palm of her hand to her forehead as she tried to gain control of the numb sickness that was beginning to swallow her. Inu-Yasha wrapped his arms around her gently, comforting her. He rested his chin on her head, looking off into the distance. "Do you know where it's coming from?" He looked down at her. She nodded faintly. "I think I can pinpoint it." He turned around, lowering himself. "Hop on. We'll see if we can't find out what it is." Kagome jumped onto his back, putting her arms around his neck. She still couldn't get over what she had sensed. "It was..coming from way over there." She pointed southeast. Inu-Yasha started to run as fast as he could, his ears aleart, as well as his eyes. So far, he didn't see anything. The cold wind whipped past them, creating chills down Kagome's back. She huddled closer to Inu- Yasha , faintly thinking of the presence again. It was some time before Kagome looked up. "Inu-Yasha, slow down, we're getting closer!" Inu-Yasha slowed down to a jog, going in the same direction. All of a sudden, he started to skid, slowing down even faster. Kagome stayed very still. The air around them was like death lingering. She dared not breathe. "What...is it..?" He lowered himself, wanting her to get off. She did. He closed his eyes, smelling the air strongly. "I smell blood." Kagome gasped, looking around. "From..w-where..?" She watched as he moved his head up, his eyes searching. "From up there. Somewhere." He looked back at her, giving her a serious look. "Don't move unless I tell you to. I don't know what it is." Kagome nodded. She watched as he hopped onto a branch of one of the trees. He kept hopping up, looking around and sniffing at the same time. It was very far up in the trees. Inu-Yasha continued until he smelled the blood nearby. He looked around quickly in case something decided to attack him. The sight that caught his eyes stopped him in his tracks. "What..the..?" He was shocked and horrified at the same time. The wind around him seemed to get colder. He cautiously approached the thing hanging upside-down from a branch far up in one of the trees. The closer he got, the angrier he became. He had no idea who had done this. Inu-Yasha stopped four feet from the dead child. She was hanging upside-down, her left ankle caught in an animal trap. Blood was flowing down her leg onto her clothes. He walked a little closer, sniffing out of habit. Ever so carefully, he grabbed hold of the chain, pulling her closer to him. He flexed his hand, getting extremely angry at whoever had done this. "Steel revered, soul stealer!" The chain popped. He caught the other half of the chain before the girl fell. Inu-Yasha brought the chain up to his face. He carefully held the girl in his arms, cradling her as he stared in horror. He could feel her chest moving up and down slowly. She was still alive. Inu-Yasha pulled as hard as he could, breaking the trap that was fitted around her ankle. The wound was extensive. He didn't know how long she had been hanging up there, but he could make out that it had been a long time. He tore one of his sleeves, fastening a bandage around the girl's leg. Inu-Yasha looked at her sadly, exaimining the girl. She appeared to be about the age of five years-old. Her hair was brown and shaped in a strange style. She had long bangs like him-the length around her head short to the tips of her ears-all except two long strands hanging down from her ears; much like his. Her clothes were torn rags. She wore no sandels. Inu-Yasha touched her face lightly. She didn't move. He got closer to her, nudging her lightly on the cheek with his nose. "Please, be okay," he whispered. The girl moved a little, but not much. Inu-Yasha's heart skipped a beat. He quickly gathered her into his arms again, holding her tightly as he jumped down from the branch to the ground. He ran as fast as he could towards Kagome who was still standing where he had left her. The expression on her face was of utter shock. Before she could utter a word, he yelled, "KAGOME! HOP ON!" Kagome hopped onto his back as quick as she could, almost falling off. She stared in complete disbelief at the unconscious child he held in his arms. Her heart started to sink realizing that was the prescence she had felt. Inu-Yasha ran at full pace with the girl in his arms. He was heading back to the village where he knew Kaede would be waiting. Their trip for the fragments of the Sacred Jewel were going to have to wait. Kagome held on for dear life, the wind whipping around them. "What about the shard I sensed?" He glanced back at her, then jumped over a fallen tree. He clutched the girl in his arms tighter. "The shard is not important right now! She needs my help far greater than some stupid jewel!" Kagome nodded silently. *I can't believe his concern for her.* She found it very touching. It also brought to her awareness that Inu-Yasha was changing.