Chapter Two-Saruku and the Shikon no Tama

"Mama! Daddy! Wait!!" The young girl kicked and writhed in the blankets Kagome had wrapped her in.

"Shhh…it's okay…." An unfamiliar, yet gentle voice soothed her, as a kind hand petted her long hair. "You're safe now."

Saruku sat up, wiping her tears on the back of her hand. "Who…who are you?" She looked around, staring at the unfamiliar faces.

"I'm Kagome…and these are my friends. Inuyasha, and Shippou. We tried to help your family, but they were already dead by the time we got there."

"You're lucky to be alive." The white haired boy called Inuyasha told her.

"Thank you. All of you." Saruku started to stand up, and immediately had to sit back down. "Oh…I still feel so dizzy…."

"That's the herbal tea I made. It'll help heal all your wounds. It'll take a while for you to be able to function." Kagome told her. "I washed your clothes too."

For the first time, Saruku realized she wasn't wearing her own clothes. What she was wearing instead was similar to a shift or nightshirt. She tugged at the heavy material appreciatively. "It's warm…." She grinned a little at Kagome. "I like it."

"Don't thank her….thank me. That was one of my favorite shirts." Inuyasha said gruffily.

"Thank you…" Saruku said softly.

"Feh…." Inuyasha turned back to climb into his tree. "Kagome…we should probably take her back to my treehouse. Those demons are probably still around here."

"You said you didn't want her in your way…" Kagome was secretly pleased.

"In my way, and safe are two different concepts." Inuyasha pointed out. "We leave tomorrow. Where's Shippou again?"

"I don't know…." Kagome looked around. "Shippou!"

She took advantage of their distraction to study her group. They were all dressed differently than her family had been. The taller girl, called Kagome was a lot like a leader of the group, but this Inuyasha, without a doubt was the true leader. His ears were cute. Like a dog's. She didn't dare touch them. It was clear Inuyasha really didn't like her, and she didn't understand why.

"Here I am!" The kitsune youkai (fox-demon) called out from a tree.

"Shippou! You scared me." Kagome scolded, before returning her attention to the fire.

"Sorry. Ooh, she 's awake!" Shippou climbed down, and walked over to Saruku. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah…I guess so." She studied him a minute longer before laying back down. Her hand went to the shard that remained of her old life.

"Oooh…. You've got a piece of the Shikon no Tama!" Shippou said suddenly. "Kagome will be wanting that!"

"Shkon-what?!" Saruku looked down at the shard in her hand. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't tell me you've never heard of the Shikon no Tama…" Inuyasha spoke up suddenly.

"Well, I haven't. What is it?" Saruku asked the hanyou softly.

"It's a jewel that grants demons full strength." Inuyasha replied shortly. "And you've got a piece of it. Kagome and I are on a mission to acquire all of the shards."

"But this was my father's! I will not give it to you." Saruku declared. "If this shard was the only reason you rescued me, then you wasted your time." The girl stood up then, and began to stagger away from the camp.

Inuyasha cursed under his breath, as he leaped in her path,grabbing her arm. "You can't just wander around here. It's not safe! Baka child!" He dragged her back to their fire. "Whether or not you give up your shard is not our only concern. Demons will kill you for it, no matter your size or age. "

"He's right." Kagome agreed, as she settled Saruku down in her pallet again. "Stay with us, Little One. You are much safer."

"Now, can we please get a little sleep? We've got to be up early tomorrow, to get as far from here as possible. Demons and Hanyou alike will be swarming her parents' camp, finishing what those raiders started."

"You're right." Kagome said. She looked over, and smiled, when she saw that Shippou had curled himself up against Saruku gently. She laid down at the foot of Inuyasha's tree. "Good Inuyasha."

"Good night." Inuyasha turned once more to stare at the girl they'd rescued. Something about her reminded him of Kagome, in a different sense. She was younger for instance. Yet, she was just as stubborn as Kagome. Oh well, he thought, there will be time enough to observe her. He turned his back on her, and fell into a deep sleep.