DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha. I just like to mess with the characters minds. No suing.

Ikatsui and Yasaon'a are the products of my overactive imagination. That and my friends Japanese translation skills. Ikatsui means Stern, and Yasaon'a means Loving woman. At least I believe that's right if I'm wrong I give you full permission to hit me with a Japanese dictionary.

Anyway, enjoy da ficcy!

A Silver Heart

New 'Friends' (Part 2/12)

By Wyltk

I moaned as I felt something touch the burning skin on my arm. I tried to move away from the gentle pressure that burned straight through my skin but was able to do no more then shake. Slowly the searing subsided and a numbing coolness pervaded my senses. It took a few minutes more before I managed to push the pain my body was in to the back of my mind, weakly opening my eyes to see the face of those helping me.

"You're awake." The petite woman smiled at me as she continued to softly mop at my burns and other various abrasions. I smiled back at her slowly my eyes already drooping from the herbal smells of the ointment she was healing rubbing on my searing skin.

"My name's Yasaon'a. This is our home, my mate and I." at my small nod she continued, "We found you outside after you defeated the lady centipede."

"Attacked me." I managed to force past my strained throat.

"What about these burns, child?"

I blinked and realized I couldn't remember. It all seemed so blank. I remember going home from school and then I felt arms wrap around me and pull me away. But what happened between then?

"Can't 'member… tired."

The lady in front of me smiled softly and slowly her face began to fade from my view. I managed to force my eyes wide one last time before my mind gave into the welcoming darkness.

~*~

I learned later that I fluttered in and out of consciousness for two weeks. Barely able to move or drink. Yasaon'a would feed me broth and water to try and nourish me back to health. And it was an entire week after I first woke up, that I managed to open my eyes again.

~*~

The first thing that pervaded my senses when I awoke was the pain in my legs. It was a minute or two before I realized everything else was a lot less painful then it had been whenever it was I last awoke. My arms were able to move easily though my sides still hurt. My lungs felt oddly constricted and it was difficult to breathe deeply as I kept trying to do.

It took me a few more minutes to register what was going on beyond me and when I did I realized I could hear low murmurs of the family that allowed me to stay here, the family that had taken care of me for who knows how long. Somewhere close to me there was the crackle of a fire, warming my face while I hesitated to open my eyes.

Once I had taken in everything my senses could I slowly managed the energy to open my eyes looking around and waiting patiently for them to adjust to the light of the fire. Once I could finally see everything clearly I let my gaze wander over every feature of the small house I was in. Fur lined the walls and floors, large blankets were piled over two beds mine and another across the room which could be separated by another set of furs. A fire place surrounded by stone was in the middle of the room and just beyond that were my rescuers eating a small meal and talking quietly.

I studied them carefully, surprised to find each had two or three tails protruding from their backs and their ears were slightly pointed, like a fox. From where I sat I could also see their overly bright eyes and fangs that glistened in the firelight. The women, Yasaon'a, seemed to be pregnant her stomach round and smooth, hidden beneath an overly large kimono. But somehow all these things didn't inspire the terror I would have thought they would bring. Instead I felt calm and peaceful as I watched the small family enjoy the end of the day.

It was only a few minutes after my quiet observations that the man next to Yasaon'a glanced towards me and started giving me a weary look. I smiled weakly at him and he relaxed a notch turning to the women at his side.

"Mate, she's awake."

Yasaon'a turned towards me and smiled brightly as I slowly brought a hand up in a semi wave before dropping it and try to make my body sit up. She bustled over to me trying in vain to get me to lay back down before giving up and deciding to help me by piling a few extra blankets behind my back, to keep me up. I smiled my thanks as she began to ramble.

"Such a determined thing. And your arm looks much better, with your Miko power I wouldn't be surprised if you don't have many scars. Oh and you haven't met my mate. This is Ikatsui. We're Kitsune youkai."

Her expression surprised me as I smiled at both of them. She seemed to think I would respond differently then what I had. Maybe she expected fear? But I felt no fear from them as I had the lady worm thing. As strange as that was.

"Nice to meet… you." The words hung in my throat but I managed to get them out slowly. Feeling the need to tell them who I was I tried to speak again only to choke as more air filled my lungs.

"Kagome." I choked out managing to point towards myself in hopes that they would understand. They seemed to because Yasaon'a smiled and Ikatsui's weary expression had changed and his claws, which I had just noticed, relaxed from their curled position.

"Don't worry about it. A midwife came to check on my baby and while she was here she agreed to check on you. She said you had bruised a lung and it might take a while before you could speak, and breath, normally again."

I smiled at her, thankful to know what was wrong. She moved towards the fire and spooned some broth into a bowl and handed it to me. I drank it thankfully sighing as the mix slid into me making me feel warm and tired. I shook off the exhaustion as they moved their bowls closer to me talking to each other, and asking me questions I could answer with a shake of my head.

~*~

It didn't take me long before I could sit up for long periods of time and begin to talk normally again. I still couldn't move my legs but I sewed and tended the fire. It wasn't long before spring came and I could move my feet again. I could even stand up and stumble around the room for a few minutes at a time.

Yasaon'a would help me out the door on some of the warmer spring days and we would go down to the lake and I would help her wash the clothes that had been used. Ikatsui was usually no more then a mile or two away. Hunting, fishing, trading, and what ever else he did. He stayed closer now that Yasaon'a had started to near her time.

But the one day he did tell us he had to stray farther was the day Yasaon'a finally went into labor.

~*~

"Go get Ikatsui, Kagome! Please I'll be alright."

I finally gave in to the women laying water and blankets by her and fairly running out the door even as my weak legs shook under me. I made it more then a mile screaming Ikatsui's name and hoping I was going in the right direction when a blur ran passed me and straight for the hut. It took me a few seconds to realize Ikatsui had heard me by some lucky chance and was rushing at high speed for his wife. It took me a few more to realize he was in his much faster fox form.

With this revelation relief spread through my tired muscles making me crumple to the ground as the last of my adrenaline bottomed out. Unable to stand with nothing around to help support my weight and unable to crawl but a few feet using only my arms I was, simply put, stuck.

Once both theories of getting back were disregarded, and after I defused the ideal to call out to the Kitsune family at a time like this, I pushed on the ground rolling so I could lay on my back. Once there I pushed myself into a sitting position.

Then I went back to surveying where exactly I was. I knew I had never been to this paticular clearing before. It wasn't very big, maybe big enough for a small hut and the trees surrounding it made everything dark but for the bright patch of sunlight I was currently sitting in.

The quiet, however, was quickly disrupted by a queer feeling in my gut telling me something was on its way towards me. Not long after the instinctual warning murmurs started around me in a language seemed to be made up of tiny clicks and grunts to quiet to make out. The ones making the noise were completely silent on their feet and since it was so dark beyond the patch of sunlight, but for their voices, I wouldn't have known they were there.

I fingered the necklace around my neck feeling better as I stroked the warming pendant. The warm feeling became stronger as the murmurs grew close until I could see the animals. They were rats about twice the size of a regular rat, they were keeping well out of my reach but I could still see them moving, shifting in the shadows. Their eyes staring at me with a intense curiosity. The crowd parted in front of me and another rat this one slightly bigger and a much darker red walked forward.

"What are you doing in our clearing, Friend." The language was strange but somehow she could now make it out clearly. And the words she needed came unbidden to her mind in the strange creature's tounge.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was yours. I was looking for my friend, the Kitsune, Ikatsui. His wife just went into labor. He's on his way there but I have no way to get back."

I leaned forward slightly and tugged my borrowed Kimono enough to show the bottom of my legs the old scars of burns and weak muscle showing plainly. After I knew he had seen I spoke the truth I tugged the Kimono back in place smiling at him.

"You should not be here. There are demons more vicious then I who will ignore your sign."

"My sign?" I looked at the demon curiously, shivering as his stare went through my eyes to my very thoughts.

"So you don't know…" His thoughtful look made the other rats break into curious twitters until he hissed for them to be silent.

"I have decided. We will carry you back, Friend, but be warned next time you come bring proper guidance. We will not always be here."

"What can I do to repay you for your kindness?"

"You owe us nothing, Friend."

"Please," I smiled at him in what I hope was a winning manner, "I must insist."

"Maybe, if you could help us leaves are very good for our young but we have trouble reaching them. If you could come back and get us some?"

"Yes, I can do that." Nothing else was said as they gathered around me. The strange rats carried her on their backs all the way to the hut leaving her on the door step before running off.

"Thank you! I'll come repay you as soon as I can!"

Once they were out of sight I place my hand on the door frame and pulled myself up. I pulled open the small door but quickly shut it again before the family inside could see me. The couple had their baby and were right now cuddling it close, speaking in low loving tones.

It made me think of my own family. My mother and brother, even my weird grandpa. What we're they doing right now? I shoved them out of my mind. For some reason, thinking about them, made me hurt more then ever.

AN: Thank to my two reviewers, what could I have done without you! And lets see, I guess I'll see you all next week. Enjoy! Oh PS: This weeks Celebrity week in my youth group. My sister and I are going as Berman and Berman-for Bible Lover's Only! (Note that we, as in my sister and I, don't own Berman and Berman, don't claim to own t, and will never own it. So no suing.) Wish us luck!

May the speed of the wolf go with you,

Megaera Wyltk