Okay, I know I promised it earlier than I gave it but c'mon... did you honestly think I could pull of a two-day chapter? Anyhow, youve all been really great with reviewing and please feel free to let me know any criticsims or anywhere I messed up. That's the only way I can learn... Also, sorry about last chapter, i know it was dead confusing. This is to make up for it

Alright, love you all and dont forget I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA.

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Chapter 3: A Thin Line Between Demon and Stupid

Sesshomaru leapt carelessly from tree to tree, the little village his brother so loved to visit quickly coming into his vision. Its deserted fields and empty huts promised him an easy night, the prospect of being completely human free an excellent surprise. He walked onto the land, instantly masking his scent. He wanted a quiet visit.

His silent steps led him towards a small hut where his brother's scent was nauseatingly strong, the whole group seeming to smell slightly different on that night probably altered by ther blood drenched clothing. He took no heed of this however, striding leisurely to the back of the hut and leaping into a large tree at its rear, seating himself comfortably.

It wasn't that he wished to hide from his brother, by no means was he afraid of him. Yet he was simply curious as to how far Inuyasha had progressed in his search for Naraku and the best way to find this out was by simply listening. He and his brother had never been the best at swapping pleasant chat.

The great demon let this thought flitter through his mind momentarily before he became motionless, his keen ears taking in every word, sound and movement from within the hut as though he, himself, was sitting there with the group. As if that would ever happen. He waited.

Inside the hut, tension was thick like blood, the silent humans sitting around a weary Kagome and awkwardly averting each others gaze. All but Sango who had taken to glaring at their newcomer venomously, her cold eyes and unwelcoming demeanor surprising Miroku greatly. He had never seen her like this before. The woe of the lecher to get turned on by it...

"You havent even told us your name yet, but you sit here next to our ill friend as though you were her sister. Why don't you be on your way? Surely you have some place to be..." Sango's voice cut the tense silence, the girls midnight orbs looking up to meet her chocolate ones. The eyes held no malcontempt only irritation at being adressed like a monster.

"I understand your mistrust, yet I cannot and will not leave. I made a promise to Kami that I would devote myself faithfully to whoever freed me from slavery under those Hairy ass youkai. I intend to keep it." A brief smile played across the monk's lips at her referral to the demons yet the girl remained unfazed and even looked as though she wished to say something about her devotion plan. She sighed placing a tentative hand on her wounded side, noting that the pain had lessened considerabyly, this would be a long night.

"Please, will you tell me why you search for the 'shards'? Why are they important?" She sat up against the wall of the little hut trying to portray trust to the two humans. The other one, her savior with the long black hair, sat up in the corner, his face basked in darkness. Yet even in it she could tell he was staring at her incrediously, much like the other two were now.

"Why are they important? What have you been doing, living under a rock?"

The girl raised an eyebrow turning to a small, squeaky voice coming from the darkness. Despite herself she smiled. "Well, no. I've been living in a bone-barred cage inside a cave under the watchful eye of 20 donkey demons for the last three years. So I guess that means I've been living in a rock. And I gotta say, I wasn't exactly expecting such a high pitch from you..."

The black haired demon, shuffled in his corner. "That wasn't me!" He barked indignantly, and she laughed lightly to herself. He tossed a fluffy ball of orange fur out of the darkness and onto the ground in front of her, muttering about irritating

humans. A little demon uncurled himself, his bright green eyes wide in a mixture of fear and embarrasment. She bit her lip and picked him up, obviously attempting to control herself.

"Aww... Aren't you the cutest little thing! So fluffy!" She gingerly pet his fluffy tail, the little creature melting from irritation to enjoyment in her arms, she smiled. Miroku, sensing the lightened mood, spoke up.

"Well... The jewel shards are pieces of the shikon jewel. It was, ummm... accidentally shattered about two years ago." He shimmied a little closer to her and Sango eyed him dangerously. "You've heard of the shikon jewel right?"

She nodded, listening raptly, her hand absentmindedly running through the purring chibi youkai's tail. "Yea, It was created by the great Priestess Lady Midoriko, right? I.. I do remember her story vaguely, but go on. Why are you after it?"

This time the black-haired demon spoke up, his eyes upon her. She met them boldly with her own. "Two reasons. So an evil and powerful demon cant use it and to get rid of it permanently. Besides, she's the one that shattered it..." He pointed at the girl laying in the middle, though not cruelly. She noticed that it was almost as though he just wanted to acknowledge her.

"I.. heard that, Inuyasha, you.. jerk." The illness struck girl spoke weakly, her eyes slowly opening. The man was at her side instantly his eyes etched with concern and relief, his face somewhat softer than before.

"What are you doing up, are you crazy? You need rest right now!" He said authoratively yet not harshly and looked over at the bag of food he had collected for her earlier. The other two moved aside, helping to gently prop her up against the wall. She smiled at them before turning her kind eyes to the new girl. This unfamiliar kindness incited a slight blush from the girl, much to her even worse embarrasment.

"Im glad you're up. You really had your friends worried." She returned her smile, ignoring the other's stares. "How are you feeling now?" The question was on all the other's minds as well and now that their friend was well everyone seemed to be much less tense. Well, all except the other girl but She simply decided it couldn't be helped. Some people were just bitchy.

"Im fine... No silly little cold is gonna keep me down..." She closed her eyes for a moment than reopened them, appearing to have much more drive than before. "You're the girl that saved me from that demon before Aren't you? What's your name?"

The stranger blushed again, but shook it off. "Well, I didnt really save you, I mean kind of but..." She shook her head and laughed at her own spluttering. "You must forgive me but its been a while since it was used. Im so used to 'human'..." She smiled, ignoring a soft 'keh' from the one she now knew as Inuyasha. "My name... is Saori."

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Sesshomaru grasped his chest, one powerful wave of nauseating pain washing through him after another. This was a new level of the plague that he had never felt before, almost as though a gaping wound had been cut in the pit of his stomach. He slid from his tree and though managing to land on his feet, the next wave that claimed him forced him masterly to his knees. He grasped the ground as his whole body became weak, the mere strain of keeping his eyes open far to great. The wave had hit him just after the priestess awoke and he had missed the rest of the conversation, dropping his scent-mask. So by now Inuyasha and the other's would have-

"I knew I sensed him!" The demon slayer ran out just as the pain began lifting from the now standing inu taisho. She held her boomerang tight in her hand and despite being confronted he briefly wondered why it hadn't been Inuyasha who had come out first. "Sesshomaru! What are you doing here?" She spoke boldly to him, her monk companion walking out of the hut and standing firmly next to her, his eyes upon him.

Sesshomaru looked around. "Where is Inuyasha? Surely the mutt wishes to be bested by me now? Why does he not come to greet his older brother?" He watched the two human's exchange dark glances and from inside the hut he briefly heard the word 'sit' whispered, followed by a heavy plummet. The flap opened slowly and instead of his brother's agitating face coming into his vision, he was met with the unfamiliar sight of a young woman running excitedly out of the hut. Her face was sparkling with amusement and shock and without even acknowledging him she darted over to the humans.

"Oh, you guys had to see it! Inuyasha was getting all mad for some reason and, umm.. Kagome, I think it is.. She said SIT! and he smashed into the ground!" She bit her lip, an obvious smile apparent. "Do you think he's gunna be okay?"

The two humans ignored their friend still gazing apprehensively at him and had it not been for the girl's odd appearance he may have found it amusing. Yet now that she had turned to look at him, and had set her large midnight gaze on him, he couldnt help but notice her. She was much like a vision of purity in the fact that nothing about her seemed particularly rough or even dark. Her hair was the color of the morning sky seen through a cloud and her skin was nothing darker than a light tan. Yet, no matter how hard he searched, no matter how much he sniffed, he couldnt find a trace of demon within her. She was human. Undenaibly so.

The girl gaped back at the demon standing not far from her. It was like looking directly into the first untouched snow of the winter. She blinked and squinted, tilting her head slightly and than, obviously attempting to keep her voice low, she adressed her war-ready friends. "Is it... ummm, a guy?"

Miroku's staff slid down in his now slightly sweaty hand and he coughed, his eyes purposely averted from the visually rigid demon as well as the questioning gaze of Saori. If there was one thing that you should never do infront of an extremely powerful, extremely pompous great dog demon is question his gender. The monk sighed. They were all gunna die.

Sango on the other hand had cracked a smile for the first time that night. Here this strange girl was, no real promise that this demon wouldnt kill her. No real promise that they would save her if he attempted to. And yet she still managed to innocently insult him. She laughed a loud and nodded at the girl. "Yes. He's Inuyasha's-"

Sesshomaru growing tired of being talked about as though he wasn't there darted over to the stranger, interupting the slayer's words. He stood tall infront of her gazing cooly down at the girl who had tilted her head almost all the way back to see him, her eye's trying viciously to conceal fear. She was brave.

His eyes roamed her face, almost as though attempting to penetrate her mind and despite herself she returned his interested gaze, searching his face as well. Now that he was close she could see he was definately a man, the smooth, masculine features of his face accentuated by the color of his pale moon lit skin. He was handsome, pretty, beautiful and the ugliest thing she had ever seen all at the same time. After all, he was a demon.

She backed away her intense hatred for demons like a constant cloak over her eyes. She would always see them the same way they saw human's. Stupid, different and mostly, all the same. Unsuprisingly the great demon backed away at the same time she did.

"Who are you human. What business do you have with my brother and his follower's?" Sesshomaru spoke demandingly, his mind racing at what had just happened. He wanted to leave and yet he wanted to stay. Apparently, curiosity didnt only kill the cat...

She scowled, hating be refered to by human. "My name isn't human. And a better question is who are you? Why did you come hovering around this little hut full of humans? Oh wait... are you after the jewel shards too, demon?" She spoke boredly, her eyes remained unfaltering and though still harbouring fear, they portrayed defiance.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, ignoring her mistake at suggesting the hut was only inhabited by humans and his clenching stomach. The busy drum of his speeding thoughts reminded him he could stay no longer, he needed to get back to Tsubasa and he knew that if he was here for another moment the little human would not know what hit her. His stomach clenched again. Besides, he could feel an attack coming on and even if his brother was being held at bay now, he would definately be out to witness it. He leapt backwards smoothly, landing in the tree not far from him, perched skillfully on a branch.

"You will address me as Lord Sesshomaru only, call me demon again and it will be your demise. As for those little trinkets you call jewel shards I have no use for them They are meaningless." He turned his eyes unwillingly from her fuming face to the confused monk and slayer. "Tell my brother I am dissapointed in his lack of appearance. His cowardice is nauseating." With a final glance at the strange girl the great demon became naught more than a ball of white energy, speeding off into the forbading night forest.

He would be back. He had no choice. The girl harboured his key.

Morning came with the song of the early bird, the scent of dew on fresh grass and the mind-rattling screech of Saori. Sango shot up from her resting spot on the cool cabin floor and Miroku banged his head viciously against the wall he had propped himself up against for the night, knocking himself momentarily unconcious. Kagome who, having lived in the future where random noises were expected, merely yawned slightly, looking curiously at the strange scene before her eyes.

Saori, clutching a confused and strangled looking Shippou tightly to her chest, was staring horror-struck at Inuyasha, who was clutching his ears painfully in his hands, half-way between a crouch and a stand, apparently just getting up.

"Kagome, Sango, Miroku! Wake up, wake up! He's a demon!" She scooted back away from him, still clutching Shippou as though his life depended on it, whereas his life really depended on whether she let go. He gasped quietly. "That's what the silver-haired demon from last night was talking about! You're his brother!

"Wha-" Miroku sat up, tentatively rubbing the massive bump on his head, his eyes watering groggily. "Uhh.. demon?" He spluttered incoherently and Sango scowled, flopping back down onto the floor. She had been sleeping so nicely...

Kagome, who took pity on the terrified girl, giggled lightly, setting a hand on her shoulder. "Its okay, Saori, we know. We all travel together."

Saori gaped at her. "You travel willingly with a.. demon? Why?" Inuyasha who was no longer cowering, scowled, crossing his arms. "You got a lot of-"

"He is a half-demon. We travel together because it is our quest to collect the shards. And we all wish to defeat Naraku..." Saori's eyebrow twitched as the name was mentioned, her eyes filling inexplicably with tears. She stood up quickly, and exited the hut, leaving Kagome and the others to stare bewildered at her retreating back. Kagome followed her, accompanied suprisingly, by a concerned Sango.

"Saori?" Kagome looked around, spotting the sombre girl seated up in a tree next to the hut. Vaguely curious as to how she got up there, and so quickly, she walked to its trunk, looking up at her. "Saori, what's the matter?" Sango stood next to her, looking at the girl for the first time with eyes other than mistrust. She recognized that sadness.

"Naraku... is a terrible man..." She did not look at them, instead gazing up into the light blue morning sky. "He is the reason I was put with those stupid donkey's... He's the reason I have nowhere to go.." Her tears became a steady flow, hot rage pulsating within her like a beating heart.

"I was orphaned before I knew how to speak at four with no memory of my parents. I wandered from village to village, searching for shelter, food... But I was always banished. They said, 'She's an odd one, we musnt let her here... Who knows what troubles she'll bring? We havent enough for an orphan, send her on her way!" She paused for a moment, her voice scratching slightly and Kagome and Sango exchanged unsure glances.

"I was attacked numerous times by boys, men, demons.. always just narrowly escaping with every shred of my dignity torn. Then finally I happened upon a little shack, deep within the forest. No village, no nothing. And that's where I found Sakura. Only 8 moons older than I she had been forced to live on her own after her old father died. She became my best friend, my mother but mostly my sister. She taught me to speak, to find food and herbs... She taught me everything she knew and treated me like family. That's when he came, casting this dark aura over our home... She knew what to do right away, those kind brown eyes flickering with determination. She said 'No matter what happens, no matter what is said or done you must live. Be good and stay hidden, Saori' Before I could protest, say anything she thrust me into the cellar, locked it and than I saw this pink light. It was warm, comforting..." She smiled softly now, the tears stemming considerably. Sango moved closer to the tree.

"When the pink light vanished, allowing me out, I couldnt believe what I was seeing. My sister was dead. He had killed her and tore up the entire house looking for something. I was alone again and at thirteen... I was ready to die. I sat next to her dead body for three days, the stench overwhelming the area, but I didnt notice it. Then, attracted to the rotting flesh I guess, Bakaru and his clan came. From there I believe you know the rest. Bakaru and his clan used me to lure humans and weaker demons carrying precious objects out of safety so they could rob and kill them. The first year I didnt care... But than I started feeling things. Everything seemed heightened to me especially my hatred. I wanted to kill them so that I could kill Naraku.

I promised I would avenge her. And I will."

Sango had climbed up the tree now, her arms around the girl in what seemed a hug that was more for herself than her new friend. Kagome watched tearfully, the two girls clutching each other and sobbing quietly onto each other's shoulders. Nothing could bring two people apart or together as expertly as loss.

A small echoing mewl tore the two girls teary eyes from each other to a tiny kitten and a fluffy looking- pillow on the ground. They smiled there watery smiles and spoke at the same time.

"Whose your new friend Kilala?"

"Whose this Toki?"

They gaped at eachother and Kagome gasped as the ball of fluff unravelled intself, stretching its long golden body, its small foxen face looking up at Saori with soft, red eyes and its two silky tails waving happily side to side. It yawned widely, its sharp fangs glimmering and than leapt up from the ground, curling up immediately in Saori's lap. Kagome squealed. "Awww... so cute!"

"Its a maturing kitsune!" Sango spoke knowingly, suprise and adoration mingled in her eyes as she gazed at it, her eyes quickly falling on its front bandaged leg. "What happened to his leg?"

"Oh.." Saori gently rested her finger on it, the little demon mewling dissaprovingly at her, though licking her finger lovingly. "I found Toki when I was 11... He was there when Naraku came and he tried to save Sakura for me. He managed to live though he was almost dead and has had a cracked leg, since. I dont think itll heal but its not that bad. He can still walk and run on it. It just acts up and hurts him sometimes, doesnt it, sweety?" He stood up, walking into Sango's lap and sniffing at her curiously, before leaping down onto Kagome's head and sniffing her aswell. Kilala mewed at him and he joined her on the ground, the two engaging in a thoroughly adorable chase-around game. The girl's swooned.

"So... you're all better now? Not crying any more are you?" Inuyasha spoke gruffly as he made his way towards them, Miroku shaking his head reprovingly behind his firends back. More than anything Inuyasha lacked Tact.

Yet instead of scowling at Inuyasha the girl looked at him unsurely, her eyes scanning him shamelessly. Inuyasha fidgeted uncomfortably, obviously torn between wanting to attack her and wanting to flee. The soft midnight blue eyes returned to his face.

"I get it, so since he's only half demon he has his ears on the top of his head? Kawaii." She grinned, knowing that being called cute would definately irritate him and sure enough he scowled at her.

"Alright, than.. I suppose being half-demon youll only be half as annoying as a regular one, right?" She slid down the tree trunk, standing a head shorter than the demon. She liked how easy it was to irritate him. His eyebrow was already twitching. Miroku set a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder and Kagome, coughing lightly, put her hands on Saori's arms.

"Why dont we get some breakfast? I think I still have some ramen left in my b-" Inuyasha sped off into the hut, returning with her large yellow bag a second later, watching her expectantly. She coughed again and shook her head, smilling with Sango. Saori raised her eyebrows curiously while Miroku edged silently towards the back of her.

"Whats.. Raymun?"

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What's Raymun? What's Ramen! How dare she!

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