DISCLAIMER: You think I own…. *bursts into wild laughter* Me! Your telling me you think that I own…. *hits floor kicking and hitting all the while laughing*

Shade: While being extremely flattered at your interest in my story, I decline sending it to you. I'm sorry I like sending it in one at a time. It adds character to it, in my eyes. Besides I'm a firm believer in cliff hangers, and very shortly there are going to be quite a few.

Kristen Sharpe: *grins* That's one of my favorite thoughts, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru getting along not in the, life's perfect, but in a I'm going to tolerate you, way. *shrugs* But that's just my thoughts *shrugs* Ack got to go, food burning!

A Silver Heart

They Meet (Part 5/12)

By Wyltk

Once safely out of the caves constricting walls Sesshoumaru gave a bounding leap, Inuyasha jumping directly after Sesshoumaru. Jaken being held firmly in Inuyasha's hand by the back of his kimono. Jaken had guided them for the first few miles so they wouldn't take precious time sniffing out the scent but once they we're less then five miles away they didn't need guiding. The smell of death and smoke filled their noses and without question they raced towards the overcoming smell.

It took mere seconds to show up down wind of the demons. Inuyasha dropped Jaken, who rushed to get out of the way of the impending fight, and had taken a defensive stance. His golden eyes bore into the dog demons in front of them as he curled his claws into a fighting position. Sesshoumaru glared at the other side his hands glowing green as he seeped poison in them.

Two low growls filled the area's and four or the demons spun around cowering on the ground. The fifth was the only one still standing, glaring at them angrily. Casting a look around the clearing the lone demon's eyes paused on Jaken, baring his fangs menacingly at him before turning back to face the silver haired leaders.

"You interfered in our hunting, we were about to skin our kill. Doesn't one of the laws you impose on us prohibit such an action?"

The boys eyes demanded them to challenge him and Inuyasha's growl lowered considerably in pitch. That in itself was enough to send the other demons in fear of their lifes. Each of the demons in the pack knew how protective, and temperamental, Inuyasha was. Some said it had to do with Kikyo and his childhood alone. But whatever the reason they had learned long ago that he was a force to be reckoned with when angry.

"You are without law," Sesshoumaru's eyes were glowing with anger, "the laws of our kind clearing state that interfering in a kill is meant for hunting only. Not for killing an entire Youkai family in cold blood, unprovoked. As such, by the laws your ancestors helped instate, you are susceptible to death."

"Down on your knees, Hinin." Inuyasha growled from behind smashing his leg into the back of the boys knee caps, enough to make them buckle. The boy snarled as he went down but stayed on his knees glaring fixedly up at them.

Sesshoumaru sniffed the air delicately and brought up one of the cowering boys by his neck. "Where is the human and the baby Kitsune? What have you done with them." He whispered dangerously. His claws were thankfully not tipped in his normal poison and the boy stuttered a bit but finally answering.

"They ran, river, couldn't find the scent."

Sniffing delicately he found no trace of excess nervousness then what the younger demon's position allowed, he wasn't lying. Glaring at the boy he dropped him unceremoniously and watched dispassionately as the boy immediately bared his neck to him. Three of his comrades followed pushing their head to the left and slightly down, in a age old sign of submission.

Sesshoumaru glared and nodded at Inuyasha who extended his claws and pushed them through the only defiant boy's body. He watched the boy fall and wiped his bloody claws on the boy's shirt with a feral snarl. The four others watched their comrade writhe in agony for a moment before lying still. They each shuttered and Inuyasha stepped back glancing at Jaken.

"Go and gather flowers for their graves." He ordered and Jaken bowed once before bouncing away. Sesshoumaru nodded in approval and glared at the remaining demons.

"Start digging, Hinin. You shall be burying your kill, as your leader put it."

The movement was immediate two boys going over to a place near the hut, which was now only smoldering from the fire that had destroyed the inside moments ago. The other two boys started on separate graves.

"Did I say to bury your leader here as well? Only two graves. It will be up to the council if he gets a proper burial or a dishonored one."

A boy with mottled brown hair immediately stopped digging and joined his comrade. He burrowed on all fours as quickly as possible fearing the wrath of his leaders. Inuyasha gave him a dirty look but turned away going into the small hut carefully looking for anything that survived and only finding a few simple things. It seemed the Kitsune had some kind of spell to keep everything from burning entirely.

He found a small cradle with a singed blanket inside and picked it up, draping it over his arm. After securing it he began to nose around the hut more finding nothing of real interest until a flash of white under a blackened fur caught his attention. He bent down and tugged the white paper out from the fur glancing over it to se a small sketch of the kitsune family, this one with their small pup and a half finished human standing next to them. Before he left he picked up the biggest piece of fur he could find. As he walked back out slowly he tucked the picture and blanket into his Kimono and threw the fur on the ground.

When he walked back out he noticed the graves had already been finished and the bodies of the Kitsune's were already being buried under an ever growing pile of dirt. Jaken had also returned with the ordered flowers which he placed on the graves with a solemn bow.

"You four put your comrade on the fur and bring him along." Sesshoumaru ordered and the four rushed to do his bidding.

Then quickly and quietly each boy picked up a corner of the fur and marching slowly behind their leaders, Jaken following them his snaff knocking their heels if they slowed. What took less then five minutes to travel top speed slowed to half an hour as they carried their burden past the fields and up the mountain their pack called home.

Almost all of the pack was watching them as the marched slowly into camp. Some who had heard rumors of what had been done glared at the boys, the rumors proving true from the smell of death hovering around them. The four boys walked forward and into the councils' hut quickly, hoping to escape the packs looks and words. Sesshoumaru turned to Jaken as he ran up behind them panting.

"Jaken, go get the boys' immediate families."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama." Bowing the little toad raced away. Sesshoumaru nodded to his brother who took a stance outside of the councils' hut to keep everyone away. Sesshoumaru nodded to him and then left to go inside to explain the situation to the men who had already gathered themselves in the room.

Jaken brought the families to the door not more then five minutes later and Inuyasha nodded them in glaring at the gossipers who had followed the families up to the huts ledge. He motioned Jaken to stand guard by the door and turned to go inside pausing only to tell the congregation gathered outside to go back to their duties.

~*~

"Go Sango!"

Rin cheered Sango on as she reclined on a fallen log a few feet from the training duo. She had come upon the clearing as she went down to find some herbs and once she had gathered what she needed, had come back to watch the two spar. She had been watching them for quite a while and after a few minutes into the fight had started to cheer for Sango, to the disgruntlement of her brother-in-law.

Inuyasha drew his claws in so only the smallest point was out and swiped at Sango. She jumped out of the way quickly and let loose her boomerang with a small turn of her wrist. The weapon spun towards Inuyasha who jumped up and over Sango, bring her against him sharply his claws trained at her throat dodging them both to the side as Hiraikotsu.

Smiling, Rin picked up her basket gave a small wave to the trapped Sango and hastened back to camp. Sango gave a half wave back and Inuyasha released her with a self satisfied smile. She bent down to pet Kirara who was stretched out on the ground sunbathing.

"You're getting better." Sango started, a small smile lighting her face.

"And you're getting worse." Inuyasha smiled at the familiar parting they had begun to use, but before he could comment on their eminent departure he caught a whiff of human blood mingled with a smell of demon.

A young human carrying a bundle of white blankets in her arms broke out into the clearing, clear on the other side. She was running quickly away from the rather large demon running after her. It took only a second for Inuyasha and Sango to realize the girl was loosing ground and they watched as she tripped over some unseen peril. They rushed towards her when instead of getting back up, she curled herself up in a ball, the bundle she carried securely under her body.

Inuyasha glanced at Sango for a mere second before he lept at the monster, claws digging deeply into the transformed wolfs chest. Sango let her boomerang fly from behind watching as it ripped up the demons back. Kirara jumped into her bigger form and rushed over to the human picking her up carefully by the back of her shirt and bounding across the clearing. Once a suitable distance away Kirara laid her down gently and stood in front of her ready if the demon came towards them again.

Inuyasha waited as the wolf turned towards Sango, he brought out Tetsusaiga jumping up and trying to make a quick slash at the its head. Too late he realized that it was bending down swiping Sango into a tree, missing his attack entirely.

Growling low in his chest he brought Tetsusaiga back up again before throwing it straight through the demon's chest. He jumped up twisting the sword before pulling it out. Sango stood up from where she had been swept aside and brought Hiraikotsu up and swept it deftly into the middle of the monster, right below tetsusaiga's blow, watching in satisfaction as the wolf's two separate parts hit the ground.

Inuyasha sniffed the air quickly and then his keen eye sight finally caught Kirara and the human. He quickly walked forward sniffing carefully to get any details he could from her personal smell. What he found mixing with her own scent was a baby Kitsune's. He blinked over at Sango who gave him a strange glance but continued walking allowing the newly transformed small Kirara to jump in her arms.

The girl was pressed against the dirt her arms surrounding the bundle which was obviously the baby Kitsune. He pointed the bundle out to Sango who seemed to notice the Ki surrounding it and gave a small nod of understanding.

"Girl?" Inuyasha spoke softly and she jumped in fright but looked up towards him bravely. She cowered even further from him when she caught her first full glance of him. Her eyes never left him even as she held the Kitsune in the way he had seen mother dog demons use when worried about their young. His sensitive ears caught her small voice repeating 'Don't hurt him' over and over again. Sango seemed to notice her obvious fear and walked forward slowly.

"Don't worry, Inuyasha's harmless. I'm Sango." She poke softly, bending down on her knees with a small smile at the girl's direction. The girl gave a ghost of a smile back removing her eyes from Inuyasha to stare at Sango. She slow sat up straighter though still staying a safe distance away from the two.

Now that he could see her fully he noticed the blood he had smelled earlier was from a long cut along her hair line. It was still bleeding lightly mixing with the dirt she had been pressed against seconds before. Her hair was tangled and seemed to have small leaves and twigs caught in the long strands. Her arms and legs were smudged with dirt, her skirt was cut indecently short. But strangely she smelled only of surface dirt as if she had just cleaned herself, the bundle in her arms was also clean smelling and looked clean. 

"How did you get mixed up with the wolf?"

He spoke slowly so he wouldn't scare her and she glanced up at him her fear slowly dissipating.

"He surprised me. He wanted to take me back to the den."

She hesitated at the end of her sentence, her voice hoarse from lack of use. Inuyasha glanced at Sango noticing she had caught the pause as well. She looked her over and noticed she was still clutching the Kitsune close to her chest.

"And your Kitsune?"

"What about him?" she spoke quickly, fear beginning to fill her eyes again.

"What Inuyasha meant to say was is the Kitsune okay?" Sango supplied and Inuyasha gave her a dirty look.

"Yes, yes he's fine. Thank you for rescuing him, us." She coughed slightly obviously reluctant to speak of him but she slowly relaxed her hold and allowed them their first view of the sleeping child who yawned and turned back to snuggle towards his human. Inuyasha looked her over closer now that the baby was resting lower in her arms and finally realized what she had on.

 "A Friend." he spoke reverently and Sango's attention was drawn to the object he was examining so carefully with his eyes. The human gave him a radiant smile and let down her guard a little more. Inuyasha gave her a small nod and glanced up at Sango shortly before speaking up again.

"I insist you come with me to my clans caves, you shouldn't be out here alone."

May the speed of the wolf go with you,

Megaera Wyltk