Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Inuyasha characters but Shesta is mine.

Chapter 3

"Caw, Caw," squawked a black bird as he tried to grab the shiny piece of twine from his fellow black bird.

"Caw, Caw," squawked back the other. He shuffled across the branch away from his brother only to have the other shuffle after him.

The two black birds continued bickering back and forth oblivious to the sleeping figures below them. One of the figures crept deeper inside the blanket, leaving only black hair showing. As the birds continued squawking above her, Shesta gave up on the idea of actually sleeping in. She was just about to fling her covers off in a vain attempt to show those bratty birds just how much she loathed them when she remembered the little girl sleeping beside her. Instead she wriggled out from under the tangle of the multicolored blanket.

Once free her first thought was that she really needed a bath. She could feel little bits of grass and twigs clinging to her tangled mess of hair, making her look like some sort of wood fairy out of a children's book. Her black clothes were no longer a pristine black but a dusty brown. She made her way slowly to the nearby river, yawning every couple of steps. She crested a small hill and saw that the path led down to a small but swift river. Shesta started down the path, noting that it was just steep enough to make her have to pay attention to were she put her feet. As she neared the river she noticed that where the path meet the water was a pool of calm water perfect for bathing in. Farther out the river ran swiftly, a lone log bobbed in the water as it was carried passed.

Shesta berated herself for letting Rin come down here by herself. She bent down at the water's edge and scooped up cold water in her hands and proceeded to wash her face and arms as best she could. Shesta bent down to take a last hand full of water when her world suddenly tilted, spun and went dark for an awful second. She lost her balance and tumbled headfirst into the freezing waters. She came up sputtering, black hair hanging in her face making her look like a drown rat. Her black clothes clung to her body, out lining the womanly curves.

"O, blast, just what I needed, a bath." Shesta said as she flung water droplets off her fingers. She struggled up the embankment, her soggy pants clinging to her legs, making it hard for her to move. As soon as she reached dry ground she collapsed unto her back, her arms stretched out beside her. She lay there catching her breath until little rocks digging into her back caused her to shift to a more comfortable position. From where she lay she could see the sunlight dancing on the water. The sound of the gently rippling river calmed her down and she soon found herself slowly drifting off to her much wanted sleep.

"Lady Shesta why are you all wet? Did you go swimming in your clothes?'

Shesta's eyes flew open, brown innocent eyes stared down at her. It took her a few moments to remember where she was and what had happened. Her brain felt like some one had stuffed cotton in it.

"Morning Rin," Shesta said upon remembering what the little girl had called herself. As she sat up she could feel the sand and mud clinging to her clothing, making her feel twice as dirty as before.

Rin would not be deterred, " Lady Shesta why are you wet?" she asked again. Her head cocked to one side and the lopsided ponytail made her look even more innocent.

"I fell in." Shesta answered as she struggled to her feet. She attempted to brush the sand off but just managed to smear it over a larger area.

"You!" Rin exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Yes me. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to take another swim." Shesta said as she gingerly made her way back down the embankment.

"Why?" Rin asked as she skipped beside her, the slight incline seeming to not bother the child at all.

"Because I need to clean my clothes and it's much easier to do it while fully clothed." Shesta explained with a smirk.

They reached the waters edge and Rin stuck her toe in, only to take it out and wrap her arms around herself. "Its cold." Rin stated.

"Yes it is." Shesta agreed chuckling as she put her foot into the water, which was quickly followed by the rest of her. When she came up she saw Rin kneeling down to take a drink.

"Rin be careful, don't fall in," Shesta said concerned as the water was rather deep and she doubted Rin could swim.

"Rin won't," she answered taking another handful of water and splashing it on her face.

When Shesta had washed hair as best she could, she quickly got out of the freezing water. Her wet dripping black hair made her look like a drowned rat once again, but a reasonably clean drowned rat.

"Come on Rin, let's get back to the camp before Jaken wakes up," Shesta said as she grabbed Rin's small hand in hers.

"Lady Shesta, what did you do to your hair?"

Rin's question sent a shiver down her spine. "What do you mean?" She asked a little curious. She had just washed her hair so there couldn't be any debris or any weird stuff in her hair.

Rin was pulling her back to the river. When they got to the edge Shesta bent down to examine her poor reflection in the slow moving waters. Shesta looked on in shock. White bangs stood out in contrast with the black hair making a frame around her face. She pulled her bangs down to her eye just to make sure the river wasn't playing some practical joke. It wasn't.

"Jaken!" She yelled in utter panic.

Jaken came running as fast as his short legs could go. His arms pinwheeling in the air in an attempt to keep him up right as he ran down the small hill to get to the two humans. The staff of heads bobbed up and down in time with the hand holding it.

"What is it? Did something happen?" Jaken squawked. Just as he reached the girls he tripped our his feet and he went sprawling, Jaken let go of the staff to catch himself, failing miserably as he did a face plant at Shesta's feet. The staff made a dull thump as it landed in the soft dirt next to him. Shesta winced, that had to have hurt.

"Jaken, are you alright?" She asked as she bent down to examine his small form.

Jaken stared up at her, his short neck bent at an uncomfortable angle. Scratches ran at odd angles over his green face. He had forgotten that she was not at all like Lord Sesshoumaru, who probably would have just stepped on him. She seemed genially concerned. He was about to tell her that he was fine. That a little fall like that couldn't hurt him much since he was a demon, when he noticed her hair. This was not happening. It was suppose to be instantaneous. He was told it was by the great Lord Inutaishou himself. Something was dreadfully wrong. He could feel it in his old bones.

"Jaken!" Shesta said sternly, putting a hand on his slender shoulder, breaking him out of his troubled thoughts.

"Hmm, what?" Jaken asked still a little fazed.

"I asked you if you were alright?" she asked, concerned seeing the look of rear and disbelief that had crossed Jaken's face.

"Y-yes," Jaken stammered.

"Good. Then can you tell me why my hair is turning white? I am much to young to be going gray." Shesta joked as she placed Jaken on his feet.

"I don't know." Jaken instantly cringed, expecting a rock or something to hit him. When nothing happened, he looked up at Shesta to see her starring down at him with those red eyes of hers that seemed to be able to see right through him.

Jaken withered under the stare and finally mumbled "It wasn't suppose to happen this way?"

What wasn't suppose to happen?" Shesta asked as she stood glaring down at the only being who has any idea what was happening. "And don't tell me you don't know." Shesta added.

Jaken began to tremble. He really didn't know what was happening only that it wasn't happening the right way.

Shesta noticed that she wasn't going to get an answer from the trembling toad demon. So she tried a different question.

"Jaken," Shesta said being careful to take the bit out of her voice. When she saw that Jaken was paying attention she continued. "What was suppose to happen?"

"Jaken gulped, "You were suppose to turn into a dog demon when you first came. I thought you had already." He was rubbing his hands together, and whimpering.

"I can not become a demon. I have no demon blood in me." Shesta said. Her red eyes flashing.

"Does this have anything to do with the story?" Shesta asked as a thought crossed her mind.

Jaken slowly nodded his head. Shesta was about to ask him another question when a low rumble was heard followed by a small giggle. "Rin's hungry" Rin explained when they both looked at her. They had forgotten about the little girl.

"Stupid humans, always hungry" mumbled Jaken under his breath. Shesta heard it and narrowed her eyes. Jaken felt the fist land on his head. He reached up and started rubbing the spot as he tried to hold back the tears. Shesta took Rin's small hand in hers and started walking up the path, towards the forest; her nose stuck up in the air as they walked past the toad demon. "Come, Rin, we humans need to go find some food."

Jaken stood there trying to figure out what just happened. Shesta and Rin where just about to disappear into the forest when Shesta realized her little toad demon was still at the rivers edge.

"Jaken, are you coming?' she yelled. She and Rin stood at the forest's edge for only a little while until they saw Jaken come into view. Jaken face lit up when he saw them waiting for him. He ran the rest of the way. The staff clutched tightly in his hand. Shesta shook her head.

"Stupid toad," she muttered making sure that only Jaken heard. He looked up at her with his big yellow eyes and he opened his mouth to give a retort.

"Now that everyone is here lets go. I for one am starving." Shesta said before Jaken could get himself in anymore trouble. Shesta and Rin skipped into the forest with Jaken behind them trying to keep up.

They found a patch of black berry bushes off to the side, not to far from the trail. Shesta and Rin started picking the berries and stuffing them into their mouths. Jaken stationed himself on a small boulder and sat watching them. Rin's fingers and mouth were soon a dark purple Shesta was stretching to reach a clump of huge black berries when her vision swam in front of her and she lost her balance. With a startle yelp she crashed into the bush. The noise alerted Jaken and Rin and they raced over to where she lay.

"Lady Shesta are you alright?" Jaken asked as he looked down at Shesta. Her body had carved a human sized hole in the bush. She was laying face down and strange words were coming from under her.

Shesta pushed herself up so that she was once again standing. She glanced at her arms to make sure there were no wounds. She found none.

"I'm ok." She finally said as she turned around. Jaken and Rin gasped. The white hairwas spreading.

"What are you two gawking at?" Shesta asked a little annoyed.

"You've got more white in your hair." Rin answered before Jaken could get up the gall to tell her.

"More?" Shesta's eyes grew big. "Jaken I believe you had better tell me the rest of the at story. I have a feeling that it will tell me what is happening." Shesta walked over to the boulder that Jaken had been using and sat on the ground with her back leaning against it. She shuffled around until she found a spot that was comfortable then with a short nod she signaled Jaken to continue with the story.

Well I am finally posting chapter 3. I had a really hard time with it.

I would welcome in constructive criticism on the chapter.

Thanks