I do not own Inuyasha in any miniscule portion of my brain…but I can dream…

The Infallible Hanyou

…Prologue…

He was certain the moment he caught the vaguest hint of her scent—the moment he first met her. She was a rosy newborn pup, and he had yet to grow into his large white ears, but that didn't stop him from walking over to her cradle, his demon blood already responding when he hadn't yet grown accustomed to his demon-half's "senses." He knew though. He was just a pup himself then, but at that time he knew with every miniscule of his brain, every portion of his heart and soul, that no one could make him doubt the connection he felt to the tightly wrapped bundle in the crib.

Ears straining to hear the adult's conversation, he continued to watch the little baby girl as she slept, oblivious to those around her.

"I'm so glad your were able to come," Higurashi Shizuka said softly, beaming. "I was afraid my dear friend wouldn't be able to make it."

A quiet giggle surfaced, and Inuyasha turned to look at his mother shamefaced. His cheeks were flushed, and the white appendages atop his head flattened to his skull. He felt like he should be punished just for being near this little pup. He wondered if his mother, father, or brother were aware of the feelings unfurling within the pit of his chest. He wondered what exactly this feeling meant.

His mother, however, was not looking in his direction. In fact, she seemed completely at ease with her life-long friend, and no one else was acting strangely. That knowledge alone made Inuyasha feel even more guilty, like he was keeping this wonderful feeling all to himself. He didn't want to share it with anyone, he realized. His eyes widened at the thought. He didn't want to share her with anyone.

He gulped and leaned over the edge of the cradle, trying to get a better look at what lye inside.

"I wouldn't miss the naming of my very best friend's first child, now would I?" Inuyasha's mother teased.

"You flatter me," Shizuka replied, smiling gaily. "Her name has been agreed upon just last night," she continued. She glanced at her husband and reached for his hand. "Jiro and I agreed upon the name Kagome."

Inuyasha's ears pricked at the name, but he was only half paying attention now.

"You do us great honor in coming here. I'm sure even our little Kagome will grow to appreciate it." That came from Higurashi Jiro, the only other man in the room Inuyasha barely knew. Inuyasha's father was the one who answered.

"The honor is ours, alone. It is not every day a pup is born. She smells strong and healthy. I am sure you both are very proud. Kagome is the perfect name for her."

Shizuka started beaming again. "Thank you! I couldn't wish for higher praise than that!"

Inuyasha was now hanging so far over the cradle's edge it threatened to tip over. Two small, clawed hands instinctively reached out and gripped the whicker sides, splintering a few pieces of the fragile wood. Inuyasha heaved a sigh of relief as the basket steadied in its cradle, and once again looked at the occupants in the room, guilty-faced.

He almost hurt his Kagome.

Sesshoumaru seemed to be the only witness to Inuyasha's floundering. The older boy purposefully strode forward, looking as though he was gliding across the floor. His face was a bored, expressionless mask, but his eyes betrayed anger and mischief.

"What are you trying to do, runt? Kill their first pup? Even father would tear you to pieces!" He whispered harshly as he stopped near the cradle. He peered over its side and his nose wrinkled in disgust. "She even smells of wrinkly human innards. It's disgusting! Do yourself and her a favor by staying away from her. There's no doubt you'll end up strangling her in a hug or accidentally dropping her on her head if you get too close to her. It'd be just our luck, too."

Inuyasha had been growling during that little exchange. He was used to his older half-brother trying to get under his skin and demeaning him, but when it concerned her—when it concerned Kagome—he refused to step aside. He refused to stand and take it. He stepped purposefully in front of his sibling and bared his small canine fangs, which wasn't at all frightening to his brother. The red coloring that slowly seeped into Inuyasha's eyes, however, was a sign to be reckoned with. Sesshoumaru blinked in something akin to surprise, before his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Mutt…" Sesshoumaru warned, but remained unheeded.

"You stay away from her!" Inuyasha growled in a harsh voice that sounded nothing like his own.

Shesshoumaru's eyes widened briefly, flicked to the bundle in the cradle, and then back to his younger sibling's rage-filled face. It was at that moment when Higurashi Shizuka and what Inuyasha smelled to be her mate beckoned his parents over toward the cradle to see their baby girl.

Inuyasha panicked and threw himself over the cradle, never actually coming in contact with it's contents, but effectively hiding everything from view. He heard a gasp and Sesshoumaru's quick retreat at their father's roar. Inuyasha was gripping on to each side of the whicker basket, his face inches away from the tiny pink face scrunched in sleep. He soon found out that she was no longer asleep, and that his movement had startled her awake. He gasped, and his golden orbs blinked repeatedly as he held his breath, hoping beyond hope that she wouldn't cry. If she did, his parents would skin his hide and offer it as a blanket to Sesshy.

Inuyasha was more shocked to see the little girl yawn widely and open stormy blue eyes as she gurgled up at him, blinking as if trying to tell her mind what she was seeing.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha whispered, his breath a scant few inches from her nondescript face. He turned his head sideways then, toward the adults that had been rushing in his direction only moments before. He noticed the two Higurashi's gasp and fling themselves back in fear. He noted his mother's widened gaze before comprehension dawned on her, and he remembered briefly that he wished he understood as much as she did. His father, eyes red and claws outstretched a mere foot away from his youngest son, retracted instantly and managed to harm no one at the last possible second. After he composed himself he stared at Inuyasha in a mixture of shock, disbelief, denial, and a wondering curiosity. Sesshoumaru watched from the side, a curiosity of his own soon spreading.

What they saw was a young inu hanyou protectively hovering over the cradle, his small body crouched as if he might spring fourth and attack. His ears were flattened to his silvery mane, purple stripes etched on his now-defined features. It was the fang protruding from his lower lip and the eerie glow of his blood-red eyes that did them in, however.

"Mine," was his only raspy claim boldly backed by determination.

Author's note: The first chapter will be MUCH longer than the prologue, and since I feel like writing some more, I think I'll work on the next part right now. I have quite a few ideas for where this story is headed, and it might be a bit of a darker fic when I'm done with it. Only time will tell. This will definitely be of a "teen" or "mature" rating, and I will most likely be focusing on Kagome and Inuyasha rather than anyone else. That does not mean our other favorite characters will not be involved, however. J I hope you enjoyed the introduction! Until next time!