Author's Note: SO SORRY! It's been so long since my last update, but I recently got a job, and it's sucking away all of my time. Plus, I had a bad case of the evil writer's block for a little while. Not my week, or month for that matter. Anyway, I've been using what time I do have to finish up my website. You can check it out

on my bio page. It's a shrine called Love Them Ears. Hope you like it! Anyway, I was pleased with the amount of reviews that I got. Good job, guys! So this chapter is normal length. Still, you stop reviewing; I stop writing. Enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, but I do have some lint in my pocket. Hey! Wasn't this job supposed to take care of that?!

Way Worn

Chapter 4: Glittering Stars

            "Mother!" Dayu yelled with raging fury as he walking into the center of the village. It was late, and the stars twinkled in the sky above the humble place. The male hanyou's sensitive ears caught the sounds of humans stirring in their huts.

            "It's one of the demons. He is angry. I fear for my life when they become angry…"

            Yes, they were afraid of him. They had become used to InuYasha by now. But the other male, with the ragged wolf ears and the sharper canines, dug up their old fears. Dayu looked down at Nikomi, lying limp in his arms. Her face was relaxed as though she was peacefully sleeping, and she was as beautiful as ever. How could the villagers also fear her?

She was the child of Sesshomaru.

            He shook his head, and rage burned anew in his amber eyes, "Mother!" Kagome dashed out of the woods, her quick and jittery movements told the hanyou that she was worried, and frightened. Dayu watched angrily as the miko stopped running, and looked around frantically. Her eyes met her son's and he could smell the immense relief on her scent.

            "There she is! Oh gods, I thought that she had collapsed in the forest. Why didn't she come back to the hut?" Kagome trotted over to her son and the female hanyou, her eyes glittering with that constant sparkle, as they always seemed to. He would never understand it.

            "Why would she collapse in the first place?" Dayu shot back vehemently. He was not happy, and he didn't bother to hide it. His black ears pressed flat against his head, and he clutched Nikomi tightly, his nails pressing into the fabric of her kimono.

            Kagome laughed quietly to herself. She looked innocently back up at her son, and smiled, "I simply gave her a remedy. It was to help her sleep."

            Dayu snarled and turned away from her, "I don't believe you. You tried to kill her." Kagome looked hurt at this, and stepped to his side, gently laying a hand on his shoulder. The male hanyou stopped and looked at her.

            "I would never do that, and you know it. I'll explain it in the morning. Right now, you're waking up all the villagers. Go back to help InuYasha, and I'll take care of Nikomi. Go on…" Kagome walked next to Dayu as he went back to the hut, and laid Nikomi in the corner. With one last, longing glance towards her while he stood in the doorway, he turned and left.

            "Poor thing…" Kagome mused.

****************************

            "Much better." InuYasha said after his body transformed back into his regular self. He sat in a tree, staring up at the sunrise.

            "Everything's fine on that end of the forest. Can I go eat now?" Dayu walked over, dark circles around his eyes. He normally slept during his night watch, but last night, sleep refused to come.

            InuYasha nodded, only glancing at his son for a second. He turned his gaze back to the sunrise, allowing his mind to wander.

            Dayu was his adopted son, a poor little wretch Kagome found in the forest eleven or so years ago. He had been six then, a sickly whelp. Ugly not to mention, with ragged, pointed, wolf ears on top of his head that were too big, and covered in dirt. Dayu had shaped up to be a strong, healthy, and fine looking hanyou. He was helpful at times, but wolf demon blood coursed through his veins, and InuYasha hated that scent.

            But Kagome, with her ever-pure heart, pleaded with him to allow the little wretch to stay. By that time, they had only been planning to have pups of their own, since Kagome was still young. Even through all of the harsh training that she had to endure with Kaede, Kagome gave her heart to that little hanyou.

            InuYasha closed his eyes and grinned. Kagome, his Kagome, was the most beautiful creature that ever walked this time, and the next. She was his soul, his all. How could he refuse to take in the whelp after looking into her eyes?

***************************

            Nikomi forced her eyes to open and yawned. She could tell that it was morning, since she could hear the birds waking, and the air was damp with the night's dew. She rose slowly from the floor, stretching her tired muscles. The hut was empty, save for her, and it was fairly dark inside. The female hanyou stood up, but swayed and put a hand to the wall to steady herself. Her head pounded with a horrible headache.

            "Oh… What the…" Nikomi's body shuddered and quaked. She closed her eyes tight, brought both of her clawed hands to her head, and fell to her knees with a small cry. "She's trying to kill me…" She managed to whisper before she went out cold.

***************************

            "Nikomi?" Dayu opened the door of his mother's hut slowly. The female hanyou had been sleeping for almost the entire day, and he was slightly worried.

            The inside of the hut was only partially lit from the single window, and he squinted his eyes to see her. His ears caught the sounds of someone choking back sobs. "Nikomi?" He asked again, stepping into the hut and closing the door behind him.

            "I'm here," she mumbled to him, finally able to stop her crying, but her body continued to shake. She was curled up in a dark corner of the hut, tears streaming down her face. Dayu walked over and kneeled next to her.

            "What's wrong?" He asked, laying a hand on her shoulder. He slowly pulled it away when he saw her flinch at his touch. "Are you alright?"

            She took in a deep, shuddering breath, and whispered, "What did your mother give me? My head… Oh, my head…" She pulled her hands back up to her aching head, and rocked back and forth as she clutched her hair.

            Dayu backed away, unsure of what to do. "I'll go get Mother…" He whispered, and turned to leave.

            "No!" Nikomi screamed, reaching a trembling, clawed hand out towards him in plea, "Please… She did this to me," The female hanyou pulled her hand back onto her head and shuddered, "I know that you don't understand, but I can't trust her anymore. I have to leave."

            Dayu shook his head, "You aren't leaving anytime soon. Someone has to take care of you."

            She raised her eyes to look at him, her tear stained cheeks red from sobbing. "I have to go. You don't understand, and you probably never will. I need to find my father. I need to know who I am."

            He sat down beside her, leaning his head against the wall and staring up towards the ceiling. "But I do," He stated, turning to look at her, "I'm adopted, remember?"

            She shook her head, but winced and stopped. "It's different," She said, wiping her eyes. The pain was beginning to go away, and she could feel her senses clearing. "You knew your parents. You knew them for six years. Besides, you're content here, with your new family. Me… I'm nothing but the bastard child of a demon exterminator. These people aren't my family." She sniffed, feeling tears well up again. With a defiant blink, she forced them back, pain building in her throat from forcing down the emotions.

            He sighed, looking back towards the ceiling. There was nothing he could do. Once Nikomi made up her mind, there was no stopping her.

*************************

            Nikomi flung the pack over her shoulder and turned to face the forest. The moon was but a sliver in the sky. Poor light to travel by, but it made no matter, since her eyes could see well enough in the dark.

            Looking up, the female hanyou saw the stars glittering almost joyously above her. She was starting a new life, and on her own for the first time, but somehow not afraid. It was exciting, with a thrilling danger behind it.

            Nikomi turned to look one last time upon the place where she had grown up. It was the place where her family lived, and the place where her memories had been made. She was turning her back on it now; leaving it for a new life. No one knew, either, all of them asleep in their huts. She felt a pang of guilt as she looked over them.

            With a sigh the female hanyou turned back towards the forest, tightening her hold on the bag for reassurance. Determination set in her eyes; she looked up towards the sky, and walked into the forest in the direction of the brightest star.

Extra Author's Note: It's a bit rushed, but I had writer's block and had some trouble with this chapter. Remember, that I can see you. I'm watching you… 0 0 (those are my eyes…) Go review!!!!