Hi, I'm back! And I bring with me chapter three! I bet all of you are wondering who Inuyasha is going to get paired off with and I will say only this: I won't tell you! Read and find out! I had this scene planned even before I had the actual story started! Funny how that works, huh? But I think this couple will keep the story going until the final merge!

I don't own Inuyasha and co., but I do own all the rights to Tsuki! Haha! At least I own someone that is 'in' the series! Everything else belongs to Takahashi-sama.

Chapter Three- Child of the Wilderness

While he was running through the newly familiar forest, he decided to stop for the night, for it would be the darkest night of the month. He didn't really want to be caught off guard by any demons or humans alike, so he just opted to take the time to think. As the sun set over the treetops of the forest, all he felt was a little tingling sensation as his demon-like demeanor fell to reveal the form he hated the most. He hated feeling helpless, but he knew that he would most likely get through the night without so much as seeing another living being until morning, when all would be well.

As he settled down for the night at the base of a tree, he thought he heard something. He looked at his surroundings, but the search for the source of the sound was inconclusive. Must've been my imagination. Either that or the wind. Just as he was about to fall into an alert slumber, he heard the same noise again. That definitely wasn't the wind. It sounded like... singing! He couldn't believe that someone was here, and singing, nonetheless. Slowly, he stood up and started to make his way over to the place the voice seemed to be coming from. Only when he reached the bushes nearby did he see her. A girl who appeared to be around sixteen, with waist length chocolate brown hair wearing brown hakamas the same color as her hair and a turquoise haori, was sitting on a rock, her face in her hands. He could barely hear the words of the song that appeared to be soothing her between her sobs.

Child of the wilderness

Born into emptiness

Learn to be lonely

Learn to find your way in darkness.

Who will be there for you

Comfort and care for you

Learn to be lonely

Learn to be your one companion

Never dreamed out in the world

There are arms to hold you

you've always known

your heart was on its own

so laugh in your loneliness

child of the wilderness

learn to be lonely

learn how to love life that is lived alone

learn to be lonely

life can be lived

life can be loved

alone

After she had finished her lament, she took a few deep breaths to control the racking sobs, but to no avail. All he could do was stand there and watch her. Her song had tugged at his heart, like a familiar friend. He also realized that the song held more to him than just words. It represented how he felt at times, alone, unloved, unaccepted. But why would she be singing this? She doesn't look like anyone to be shunned or unaccepted. He then noticed that lying on the ground by her other things, were bandages. When she finally stood, eyes red and face streaked with tears, he noticed that she had bandages around both of her wrists, and that she had lain her katana behind all of her belongings.

When she unsheathed her sword, he noticed that the blade had blood on it. Is it…is it her own blood? Did she try to cut her wrists?

As this thought passed through his head, he couldn't help but notice the look of extreme sadness and depression in her chocolate brown eyes. She looked like everyone that she had known and loved had either died or had rejected her. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl, so when he heard her crying again, he stepped out of the bushes, trying to make some noise as to let the girl know he was there, so that he didn't startle her.

She spun around to face him, not knowing what to expect, and she saw a boy around her age in hakamas and a haori of a reddish color. She noticed his jet black hair, and the look of concern in his violet-blue eyes. She looked at him strangely until he spoke.

"Umm…are you okay?" he asked in a soft voice. "I heard you crying, but what caught my attention was that song. It was beautiful."

This caught her off guard, so all she could do was reply a shy "Thank you". She didn't know why this boy would go out of his way just to see if she was okay. She still didn't let down her guard, however, for the last time that that had happened she ended up with a broken wrist and several cuts and bruises. She eyed him suspiciously when he sat down beside her. She couldn't think of what she'd done to deserve to have someone care about her.

He sat there, just being with this strange girl. He felt concerned about her, like he cared what happened to her, this human girl that in fifty years would be dust in the wind. He was also contemplating asking her what was wrong, but he didn't get the chance, for she spoke before he could.

"Why do you care about me? You don't even know me, yet you came here tonight before I could do any more damage. Why?" She couldn't get it out of her system that a complete stranger would care about her. He won't care when and if he finds out what I truly am. All she wanted to know is why someone that didn't even know her, who had just met her for the first time, would care and be concerned about her wellbeing. Her father cared about her, and he was killed while in battle. Her mother had cared, and had been slain before her very eyes. Her older half sister sold her into slavery, and she was beaten daily, just because she was what she was. No one had been able to protect her from the vile villagers that had almost killed her on more than one occasion. No one cared. So why should this guy?

"Well," he responded, "I never could stand the sight of a woman crying. But I was nearby and heard you, and I was curious, so I came. I noticed the bandages on your wrists, soaked through with fresh blood. If you don't mind me asking, why did you cut yourself?"

She sniffed as she felt tears approaching, and said, "Well, everyone who ever cared about me is either dead or became a traitor. My parents died when I was just a little kid, and my mother's other daughter sold me to a demon lord at the age of five. Since then, anyone who dared to approach a relationship with me has either died or has done something to betray me. Finally, after about seven years in the slave trade, I escaped, but it almost cost me my life. I have lived in this forest for over a year and I normally know what and who goes in and comes out.

But when a young lord came through here a few weeks ago, he tried to kidnap me saying that he would take me for his wife, but all he really wanted was a slave. When I refused and fought him, he dropped me saying that no one would want a thing like me, and that I was better off dead." After that, she started to sob silently, but the young man next to her couldn't stand her crying, so he pulled her to him. When over the shock that he did that, she started to sob into is shirt. When her sobs quieted, he looked at her and asked her something.

"I got all caught up in the moment that I forgot to ask your name," he said, with a little laughter in his voice. This made her laugh, and so she responded.

"My name is Tsuki. What's yours?"

"Nice to meet you, Tsuki. My name's Inuyasha."

After that comment, she looked up and smiled at him. Can I really trust him? Or is he just another slave trader? She couldn't make up her mind, and the sun was rising slowly. When both of them noticed, they jumped up. I can't let him see me after sunrise! What will he think of me?

She called out to him before she ran off to the darkness of the Forest of Kuragari. "Hey, Inuyasha! If you ever want to talk, come by the largest tree in the forest. I'll be there, since I practically live in the forest!"

"Okay, see you one day! I'll stop by and say hello!" he answered.

Both of them were running in opposite directions, and neither of them noticed until much later something that was very important. He forgot that he was talking to a person that didn't know his secret, and so did she. As they were walking away, neither noticed the changes occuring with the rising sun that were happening to the person they were just talking to.

A/N: Cliffie! I know. I think this was the longest chapter so far in the whole story. Hey, I was thinking of deleting my other story, so if you want me to keep it up and update, please review. Otherwise I will delete it in a week's time.

Disclaimer: The song 'Learn to be Lonely' was not of my own creation. Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, sung by Minnie Driver. This song was created for the 2004 motion picture 'The Phantom of the Opera' and can be found in the end credits, since it wasn't placed in the movie.