Disclaimer: Do I really need to say this each chapter? *Sigh* No, I do not own Inuyasha.

A/N: Sorry for the major cliffhanger last time. I was feeling evil…Mwahahahahahaha!

Anyway, here's a brand new chapter for all of my wonderful reviewers!

Chapter 3: Playmates

Mrs. Higurashi kneeled down before the little boy and brushed the hair out of his face.

"Don't cry little boy, I'll get you out of here. Come on, dry your eyes now."

Inuyasha stiffened and looked fearfully up at the woman standing over him. She was smiling and she had talked in a gentle voice, but in all his years of being tormented and teased, he had learned to trust only his mother and no one else. Tears still rolling down his cheeks, he trembled and jumped back against the wall of the well, putting as much distance as he could between the woman and himself and warning her with a low growl. Mrs. Higurashi was startled by his reaction and his agility, stepping back slightly at the look on the boy's face. It seemed to change instantly however, as his courage faltered and he slumped to the ground with a mournful wail.

"Mama! Mama help!"

Mrs. Higurashi forgot her fear and bent over, scooping the weeping boy into her arms.

"It's okay little one, no one's going to hurt you. Quiet now."

Inuyasha didn't stop crying, but he decided that the woman was not a threat and let her carry him out of the well and into the larger building he had seen earlier when he had ventured outside of the well house. It was not until she stepped out into the sunlight that Mrs. Higurashi noticed the boy's ears. She nearly dropped him in shock, but carried on walking to the house, reasoning that it would be better to ask him about them when he had calmed down a little.

As Mrs. Higurashi walked into the kitchen she saw Kagome there waiting.

"Oka-san! You're back! Where have you been? I'm hungry? When's lunch? Who's that?" Kagome bounced up and down happily inspecting the little boy in her mother's arms.

"Calm down Kagome! said Mrs. Higurashi playfully to the hyper 3 year old. "I don't think our guest appreciates the noise." She bent down to Kagome's level and let her peek at the boy,. Kagome leaned over Inuyasha's face until their noses were almost touching, then drew back, cocked her head to the side a bit and stated, "Oh! He's got doggie ears!"

"No, no Kagome. That's not the point, he's asleep." she whispered, chuckling slightly at her daughter's confused stare as she watched Inuyasha's ears twitch and swivel.

"Come now, let's get him to bed."

Inuyasha opened his eyes slowly and looked around, everything was foggy. His eyes hurt a bit from crying and he could smell the heavy scent of salt in the air. He blinked a bit to get the fog out of his eyes and observed his surroundings again. Only then did he notice the little face staring down at him. For some reason he did not feel the need to be afraid anymore.

"What's your name?" He said, trying not to sound scared as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Kagome! Come on, don't you want to play?" she asked, excitedly pulling him off the bed and out into the backyard. Inuyasha was so startled that he didn't have time to protest. Instead he just stared blankly at her. Then he realized something.

'She wants to play with me?!' he thought, suddenly being overcome with happiness. She didn't hate him! She didn't run away and scream! She wanted to play with him!

Over the seasons, Inuyasha and Kagome grew up to be best friends. But Inuyasha's past still remained a mystery to the young girl and her mother. The most he had told them about him was his name, and that his mother was waiting for him somewhere. Kagome often found him crying next to the well, or in the highest branches of the Go-shinboku tree. His ears, fangs, and steadily lengthening claws were also left unexplained, but the Higurashi family did not seem to mind. Everything was quite normal for the happy little family until the day Kagome turned 15. Kagome was on her way to school when she heard the familiar sobs coming from the well house. Inuyasha hadn't been crying so much anymore, but it still wasn't uncommon to find him next to the well, staring into the darkness. Kagome walked inside and put a comforting arm around his shoulders.

"Come on Inuyasha, we're going to be late for school. Why do you always come down here anyway?"

Inuyasha looked at her and smiled softly. He couldn't burden her with that. How could she possibly understand? Her world was so peaceful.

"It's nothing." He said, getting up slowly and dusting himself off.

Suddenly his sensitive ears picked up something in the well.

"What's that noise?" asked Inuyasha.

"What noise? Is there something down there?"

They both looked over the edge of the well and Inuyasha saw something that made his heart stop.

A/N: Hehehe….. Why, you ask me, did I end this chapter with such a horrible cliffhanger? Well it's simply because…I'M EVIL!!!!!!! BWAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!!

So! If you reeeeaaaaalllllyyyyyy want to know what happens next…REVIEW!!!