Hey peeps! Sorry for the abnormally long wait for chapter two, LoL. Just please forgive me! The story will only get better! I think...I hope...

Chapter Two

Slower and Weaker

"Lord Sesshomaru, what is Inuyasha doing with that human baby?" asked a toadlike demon named Jaken when he spotted the brothers entering the village, "Is it a sacrifice?" His bulbous yellow eyes gleamed and his mouth watered as he rubbed his three-fingered hands together in delight.

"Be quiet," said Sesshomaru testily, and Jaken's smile faded, "The baby is to be in Inuyasha's charge from now on. If anyone touches it, the penalty is death. Understood?"

Jaken whimpered and nodded, bowing his head.

Inuyasha, meanwhile, was taking the baby to his room. Setting it down gently, he shook out his tired arms. The door behind him opened, and in came Tsubaki, a beautiful female demon who was employed by their family.

"Young master," she greeted, her raspy voice no more than a whisper, "Lord Sesshomaru gave me instructions to watch over the baby tonight."

"He did?" Inuyasha asked suspiciously. Tsubaki had never been one to be welcoming towards infants or toddlers, and since this one was human, that made the situation all the more dangerous, and even a three-year-old could tell that.

"There is no need to fear, little master," said Tsubaki with a voice as smooth as honey, "I have been told of the penalty if harm comes to the girl. She will sleep safely tonight, and from this point on."

"Promise?" Inuyasha insisted.

Tsubaki closed her eyes and nodded with a grin.

Inuyasha sighed and turned back to the baby girl. She was awake now, glancing about with sparkling brown eyes, her little hand escaping the confines of the blanket to move freely about.

Inuyasha reached out a single clawed finger and felt her small hand close around it. His amber eyes softened as he bent his face to hers and kissed her forehead.

"You still must name the baby, young master," interrupted Tsubaki.

Inuyasha grinned at the prospect. "Her name is…Kagome!"

"He named the girl 'Kagome', Your Lordship," Jaken confided to Sesshomaru, who was sitting in his room writing a letter to one of the serfs.

"And you think I care about that…why!" said Sesshomaru impatiently, rolling up the paper and slipping a knotted ribbon around it, then tossing it at Jaken.

"Have you not forgotten, my lord? The prophecy—"

"—is a foolish yarn spun to ensnare gullible and religious fools. The fact that my brother chose to name his new charge Kagome is pure coincidence."

Jaken said nothing, but in his small mind, he wasn't so sure…

"Kagome, come on, you slowpoke!" Nine-year-old Inuyasha yelled, speeding through the trees like lightning.

"Wait…for…me…" Kagome gasped, her legs aching with the speed and her lungs feeling ready to burst, "Inuyasha, you ass! You know…I'm not…as fast…as you!"

There was a rustling in the trees in front of her. Kagome stopped short, still panting, and folded her arms expectantly.

The sound of crackling leaves increased suddenly in volume, and Kagome ducked as Inuyasha leaped toward where her shoulders had just been, ready to grab her teasingly. Instead, he rolled ungracefully into the underbrush.

Kagome burst out laughing and pointing at him. "You're so stupid! Ha!"

Inuyasha growled, standing up and dusting himself off. "Shut up," he grumbled.

Kagome did, but kept giggling at his stupidity. This, of course, was too much for Inuyasha to deal with, so he slung the six-year-old girl over his shoulder and took off running again.

"Where are we going!" Kagome whined, her chin in her hand, cutting her eyes in Inuyasha's direction.

"You'll see," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Tsubaki cried, running up to the young lord upon spotting him in the courtyard. After a quick bow of respect, she stammered hurriedly, "They've run off again, my lord!"

Sesshomaru sighed and rubbed his temples. "Surely they know not to go too far. Why are you pulling me into this matter?"

Tsubaki stopped short, looking confused. "My lord?"

"Inuyasha and Kagome are all each other have right now. I'm not concerned for either of them. Now leave."

"Here we are," said Inuyasha, letting Kagome drop to the ground.

Kagome stood up and looked about. The two of them were standing in front of a small brook, the water churning quietly against rocks on either side. Small green shrubs were congregated in varied places, and the ground beneath their feet was dotted with minute yellow flowers.

"What are we doing here?" Kagome looked at her best friend questioningly.

Inuyasha grinned. "Happy birthday, Kagome."

Kagome smiled. "Thanks! Did you get me a present?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and pulled from his pocket a small scroll.

She took it and unrolled it carefully. Sitting on a rock, she began to read it slowly, as she was still only learning to read.

Your present is in the tree with the white ribbon around it.

Kagome processed this information and looked up. Inuyasha was looking away, his cheeks red with embarrassment.

Her gaze wandered to the surrounding trees, one of which did, in fact, have a white ribbon around one of the branches. Racing to it and yanking gently on the ribbon, the young girl grinned with pleasure when a small bow and quiver full of arrows fell into her arms.

"Where did you get these?" she asked, looking at them elatedly.

"I got one of the villagers to make them for you," Inuyasha muttered, folding his arms and closing his eyes, his face getting even redder.

Kagome picked up the bow and fit an arrow to it clumsily. "How…do I do this?" she asked sheepishly as the arrow plopped back to the earth.

Inuyasha sighed and rolled his eyes. "Stupid," he muttered, "all you do is aim it!" He stomped over and armed the bow once more, then shot it into the clearing ahead.

Kagome's eyes widened. "You're so good at everything," she murmured, a little sadly, going back to the rock and sitting down.

"What do you mean?" he asked, following her.

"I can't do anything right!" she said angrily, looking straight ahead, "Everybody's stronger and faster than me, and I look so different from everyone else."

Inuyasha scratched one of his dog ears and looked away. Sesshomaru had suggested to him that he not tell Kagome about her human parentage until she was 'ready' to hear about it. When that would be, he didn't know, but he knew he wasn't about to spoil her sixth birthday by telling her that she wasn't one of them.

"I'm not strong, either," he said, changing the focus of the conversation, "I'm just a half-demon."

"Still," Kagome said thoughtfully, her head in her hands. Then she sat up and looped her small arms around one of Inuyasha's.

"Thanks for the present, though! It's great!"

Inuyasha said nothing, just reddened some more.

Sigh...I love Inu-chan and Kagome-chan! They are soooo cute!

Read and review por favor, or I shall kill Sesshomaru! Even though I don't think I'd have the heart to kill my precious Sesshy!