Disclaimer: You should know by now that Inuyasha and company belong to Rumiko Takahashi and the rest are mine. I really don't think you all are that airheaded especially if you're following this little story and are a ig fan of INuyasha like I am.

I apologize for not updating in a very looooong while. I've been busy with school, my novel, other hobbies and whatnot.

Scroll 7: A Strange New Friend

Karoru and Sasuke fought for some time through the trees—or rather, the former attacked continually and received countless amounts of pain and the latter dodged effortlessly and counter-attacked. Karoru grew more angry every time she missed. Her brother did not cease to taunt her with comments of Koshiro. She grew more rash and reckless, more frustrated. Finally, she dropped to the ground and did not get up, overcome by exhaustion and wracked with pain. She was not even bleeding openly. Sasuke never wounded her once. He merely bruised her in more places than anyone even cared to count. He was toying with her.

The elder demon stood over the other, a cool smile still planted on his face. "Hm. I was wondering when you'd fall."

Karoru growled in response and attempted to rise.

Sasuke pushed her back down with his foot. "It always ends up like this, little sister. When are you going to learn?"

Enraged and humiliated, she threw herself at him again.

He sidestepped her and took hold of her wrist, lifting her off her feet. "Oh. Right. You never learn. Not if you keep holding on to that fool. You know, I'm glad you killed him. It wouldn't do to have my little sister mate with a human."

"I didn't kill him!" Karoru shouted helplessly. "Naraku killed him!"

"Listen here, Karoru," Sasuke said coldly, his smile disappearing. "You had better start getting your facts and morals straight. I'm getting bored of following you around and making sure that you act like the demon that you are. When I get disinterested enough, I will kill you." To add emphasis, he sliced through her skin with a claw in one long slash down her arm he held with every word he said.

Karoru shut her eyes and bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain.

"Stop!"

She revealed her jade orbs again as a strange young man appeared suddenly from the underbrush, a long sword in hand and dark blue eyes glaring daggers at Sasuke.

"Put her down! Now!"

Sasuke, instead of turning on the man like Karoru thought he would, gave a "hm" of indifference and dropped his little sister. He turned and walked off, disappearing through the trees.

The young man sheathed his sword, bent down, and began rummaging through a pack he had left at his feet.

Karoru sat up slowly and eyed him suspiciously. "Who are you?"

"You can call me Shintaru," he replied without looking up.

"Why did you help me?"

"I like helping people."

"But why help a demon?"

Shintaru looked up at her behind long black bangs, a roll of bandages in his hands. "Some deserve to live. Now let me see your arm—" The young man swiftly ducked as Karoru swiped at him.

"You have Jewel shards!" she said, her expression telling him she'd just realized it.

"Yes, that's right; now let me bandage your arm before you try stealing them from me." He grabbed her wrist and began doing just that, seemingly unconcerned that she could kill him with one slash of her claws.

"But why?" she asked again.

He smiled warmly. "I already answered that."

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"I'm a traveler. Traveling is what I do." Shintaru nodded his approval at his work and stood up, the tiger demon following his action. "Make sure not to use that arm until it's fully healed."

"But—"

"Karoru!" Kagome's concerned voice carried from somewhere through the trees.

She glanced in its direction, and when she turned back, Shintaru was gone.

"Karoru?" Kagome appeared, suddenly, far to the right. "Are you okay?"

Karoru nodded. "I'm fine."

"But you're hurt!" she said, spotting the long blood stain on her haori sleeve.

"It's just a scratch."

"Kagome!" Inuyasha dropped in next to them. "Why'd you run off like that? Are you all right?"

"I'm okay, Inuyasha," she replied. "Karoru was in trouble so I went after her."

"Well don't do it again without me," the hanyou said. "Come on, Karoru, the others are waiting for you."

Karoru watched as Kagome climbed on Inuyasha's back, envy glowing sadly in her eyes.

--I think this was a longer chapter than most of the others, but that's a good thing since I've been absent for a while.

Kagome: That was a nice thing Shintaru did.

-:nods:- We'll see more of him later on.

Inuyasha: That Sasuke guy was a jerk. I think he and Sesshoumaru are in league with each other somehow.

--Good deduction, Inuyasha. You'll see what happens as the story progresses. You can't be sure of his or Karoru's actions and motives yet.

Inuyasha: Well then hurry up and write more! I want to see some action!

--Ugh. Fine.