DISCLAIMER: All characters, with the exception of Maven, which is of my own invention, are copyrighted from "InuYasha" the anime series.

INUYASHA'S MOTHER RETURNS

Chapter 5: "Dangerous Love" (part1)

The morning light dripped delicately upon Maven's strong back as she began to stretch out her sore muscles. Brushing some hair from her face, she looked around the old cave in disgust. "This place needs a good sweeping perhaps, but after breakfast and a bathe of course".

With one last yoga move, she slowly got to her feet to go bathe in the hot spring below. The climb down the mountain wasn't too hard for her, yet halfway there something stilled her. 'I can smell Miroku's scent very near the hot spring', she thought with a childish blush.

Maven knew the monk would be more than thrilled to see her as she bathed. His lecherous behavior only peaked her curiosity in the monk further. As she was almost done bathing when all of a sudden, her acute sense of smell noticed two more scents.

At first, it was kinda hard to pick up on, as if it was moving around. She studied the air again, but this time it was that of a young male kitsune around six years old. Just then, sad memories of her own slaughtered kitsune family made her want to burst into tears.

Shaking the hurtful thoughts from her mind, she sniffed the crisp air again. This time a blood-curdling growl raised deep from within her throat, the last scent was of a dog hanyou! "Truly that must be InuYasha!" said Maven flexing her claws, 'That scent is distasteful to my nose, does he dare taunt me with his presence?'

Forgetting to dry off, Maven jumped out and dressed herself as quick as a flash. Her chartreuse eyes now glowed blood red with new determination to slay InuYasha. Fortunately, for our band of heroes, the hostile kitsune was farther away, than she had first guessed.

Shippo was the first to speak up, "Wwhat's that sound! Whatever it is, it's coming this way!" Shippo squeaked. Sounding annoyed as usual, "It's only a little demon, ya little runt. It's nothing me and Tetsaiga can't handle." InuYasha unsheathed Tetsaiga with a huge grin of satisfaction.

Miroku's heart sank as he remembered the deadly words of the lovely Maven, 'I pray it isn't her, InuYasha wouldn't stand a chance at winning a battle against her.' "I must thank Miroku for leading me to the half-breed once I kill him." Suddenly the air around her began to sting her fur.

She had been running so fast that she did not even notice the poisonous strikes from the insects around her. Maven had never seen such stupid looking creatures before. Although they were demon insects, their size and sting didn't intimidate her.

So, she reached up to grab one as it flew by her head. "You aren't harmful to me at all, tell me what is your purpose for bothering me?" The insect wriggled within her harsh grip, yet it refused to answer her. That proved to be a BIG mistake on it's part, she would MAKE it talk one way or another.

Squeezing it tightly now, "Who do you belong to insect!" The insect's only reply was to stop moving to pretend it was dead. 'Useless creature, if the sting isn't even fatal,they can't belong to anyone powerful.'

Author's Note: Thank you all very much for being so patient with me for such a long period. I have not been able to write because of college stuff, but now I'm on vacation I have lots of time! Unfortunately, all I've been inspired to do was just draw, draw, and draw instead of writing anything. But just awhile ago I started to get a little inspiration again. It came in the form of a very sweet guy friend of mine (can't put his name up here, lol) who is always looking out for me. He said he would be willing to proof read my work before I upload it, here's chapter five: