Hello again everyone. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Sorry about the spelling errors. Hopefully there won't be any in this chapter. It's happening when I'm sending the chapter to Kyoumi. Anyway, I know you don't want to hear me explain, so here's your chapter. I hope you like it. Sorry that it took so long.

Chapter Four

Suddenly the demon was knocked aside and started fighting another demon, unfamiliar to her. It wasn't one of the people she knew, but he was very strong, and had the demon dead in a matter of minutes.

He turned around and looked at Tori. "Who are you?" the mysterious demon asked.

Tori couldn't answer. She was too scared at the moment. She nearly lost her life for Pete's sake! And she just happened to run into another stranger. She just wasn't having any luck, was she?

"Who are you?" the demon asked again. His voice was softer this time when he saw the fear that was in Tori's eyes. Her talon like feet moved back a few steps to get away from the demon as he stepped closer.

Tori didn't reply. Last time she told some one who she was, she was left with some one who wanted to help her. No matter how good that felt, having someone to willingly help her, it was replaced with regret because she would place that person in danger.

"I don't think that I should tell you." Tori finally replied as she found the use of her tongue again.

"And why not? I just saved your life after all." The male said as he stared at her confused.

"True and I thank you for that. Now if you don't mind, I'll be on my way." Tori responded. She took a step forward, but was blocked as the demon stood in her say.

Considering the male wanted to interfere so badly, Tori took a good look at the demon no matter how dark it was. His green eyes examined her (not like that) to learn who he was talking to. He stood rather tall to Tori's standard. Curly purple hair slightly covered his pointed ears. He was dressed in earth toned clothes and he was walking bare foot through the grass.

"You're out here all by yourself, you nearly got killed, and you want to be left alone again?" he asked. "Are you sure you weren't injured at all?"

"I can take care of myself. I was just caught by surprise." Tori defended. By some unknown power, her words were a lot braver then what she felt.

"Being caught by surprise could've killed you. You don't need to be out some where by yourself. Don't you have any one that can look after you?" the male continued to question.

Yes, that's why I'm running away, Tori thought. "I'm fine the way I am right now." She said.

The man laughed. "Wow, you're awfully stubborn. You remind me of some one. Have we ever met before?" he asks randomly.

"No I don't think we have." Tori answered. He didn't look familiar and she never forgets a face. Not like she's seen that many. "Now I really must be going."

"No, wait a minute. It's the middle of the night, so if you go, there's chances that you'll just get yourself almost killed again. Might as well stay with me until sun rise. Besides, you need to sleep." the demon said.

"I don't believe that I'll be staying here with you. You're a complete stranger!" Tori said. She needed to get out of this situation now! Something about it just wasn't right.

"Relax, I won't do anything. I just got away from a place like that. Do you really think that I'll go do it on my own." the demon proclaimed blushing slightly as he caught Tori's drift. "You need someone to stay with you and I'm the best thing here at the moment considering I just saved your life. Call me Hitsuji."

Tori still didn't know what to do. She was tired after the travel, and the fear of death really shook her up. Hitsuji was right about her needing sleep. Where else was she going to go? "Fine," Tori agreed. "But I'm sleeping with one eye open. Don't you dare try anything."

"If I do, you'll kill me. Not the first time that I've heard that. I mean the killing threat. Not the warning…… Yeah." Hitsuji said stumbling over his words.

Tori couldn't help but smirk. She didn't know whether or not to trust him yet, but she was only going to be there until morning. How bad could things be?

Inuyasha was the first one to wake up the next morning. Groggily he stood up, left the hut, and walked to a nearby stream to wash his face. When the hanyou was officially awake, he noticed the talon tracks that were coming down the path.

"Tori!" Inuyasha realized as he ran back to the hut. "It's too early for this!"

"Too early for what Inuyasha?" Kagome asked curiously. She woke up a few minutes after Inuyasha left to wash his face. It wasn't really that long.

"Where's the bird?" he demanded. He went in the hut to see the others just waking up as well. Well, the others minus Tori. "I can't believe she left again!"

"Bird? What……. Tori!" Kagome remembered. Let's just say that she wasn't a morning person. That would be the easy excuse.

"Tori. You mean she left again?" Sango asked as she looked around the hut carefully this time. "I can't believe it."

"How come she didn't want to stay?" Shippo asked. "We didn't scare her, did we? We all know that Inuyasha can be a pain, but her continuing to run off is weird."

Inuyasha twitched slightly at the comment but didn't respond considering the kit jumped in Kagome's arms for protection.

"Let me guess. You want to go after her?" Inuyasha suggested.

"What else are we going to do?" Kagome said. "It's clear that Naraku wants her. Why else would he send Kagura and Kanna after her like that?"

"So if we stay with the girl, she's protected, and we find Naraku." Miroku said catching her drift.

"Then why does she keep trying to get away?" Inuyasha argued. "I'm not buying it."

"Then we'll have to wait and see. If you don't want to look for her, you can just stay here." Kagome said.

"And leave you with those two for protection." Inuyasha said pointing at Shippo and Sango. "Not a chance. Sango can't control Miroku." Excuses, excuses.

"Low blow. Anyway, you know that I won't touch Kagome. She's all yours." Miroku responded. No one really noticed.

"Shall we be off then?" Kagome said as she walked outside the hut waiting for Inuyasha to pick up the eagle demon's scent.

"About time you woke up." A masculine voice greeted as Tori woke up. Since she wasn't all the way awake, her reflexes tightened up and she flinched slightly. Before she could even see who greeted her, she scooted away from the voice as fast as she could. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"What?" Tori said as her mind reminded her where she was. Looking around she saw a worried Hitsuji looking back at her.

"Are you always this jumpy when you wake up?" he asked. She shook her head and moved closer to the fire that Hitsuji must've made last night.

"Sorry. I mustn't have slept well." Tori apologized. Wait a minute. I need to get out of here. What am I doing?

"Not true. Once you were settled, you were out in minutes." He responded. He pushed his curly hair behind his ear and placed another stick on the fire. Now that she was awake, Tori noticed the fish that were cooking over the fire. Her senses were slow today. That can't be good.

"I better be going now." Tori said as she stood up. Her body didn't want to leave the warmth of the fire or leave the fish that Hitsuji most likely got for both of them, but she forced herself to all the same.

"Might as well wait until breakfast is done. You won't get far. I can tell that you haven't eaten much."

"And you know these things how?" Tori asked.

"Any one can see by your size alone. If you got any smaller thin wise who knows what might happen." Hitsuji commented.

Tori blushed slightly from the comment, but sat down all the same. "So what are you anyway? I know that you're a demon, but what type."

Hitsuji tilted his head slightly. "You can't tell. I'm a sheep demon."

"Oh." Tori said as she stared into the fire waiting for the fish to finish. No matter what, I have to leave after this meal. I can't wait around any longer.

"So what's on your mind? There has to be something wrong since you want to get away so quickly." Hitsuji asked. "Though, I really shouldn't be butting into your business like that."

"I just want to get away." Tori said before she could stop. She mentally kicked her self, but tried not to show it.

"Same here. I'm looking forward to getting out and exploring." The sheep demon replied. Tori didn't expect that answer, but then again, she didn't know what to expect. Soon the fish was done and they sat there quietly eating.

Why am I still here? Tori asked her self again. I have to move. I can't waste my time anymore.

"Umm…… thanks for the help and saving my life yesterday." Tori said as she stood. "But I can't wait any longer. I really need to get going."

"Which way are you going. Our paths might be in the same direction. I could keep you company." Hitsuji suggested.

"I don't think so." Tori said. "I really prefer staying by myself. It's a lot safer that way."

"And being by yourself almost got you killed last night." Hitsuji countered.

"I –" What could she say about that? "That was only last night and I was tired. It won't happen again."

"How do you know?" Hitsuji questioned.

"How come you won't leave me alone?" That was really beginning to freak her out. She swallowed her creeping fear all the same. This demon did save her life after all.

"Once I have an answer, I'll give it to you." he answered.

"…" Tori wasn't expecting that either.

"What could happen if you traveled with some one else?" Hitsuji asked. You'd figure he'd run out of questions sooner or later.

"….People always get hurt." Tori answered. She didn't wait for a reply this time. She's said and waited enough as it is. She turned into her eagle form, her golden wings reflecting the morning light, and took off into the air.

I'm so sorry that it took so long everyone. Not to mention that this chapter is really short. I have no excuse to give you, so I'm only apologizing. I'll be faster in the future. I promise that to you. Please review.