She stumbled out of the forest weary and covered in blood. Her own wounds had stopped bleeding, and the blood she was soaked in wasn't hers. The large town in front of her was bustling; children played and the adults worked. Everyone was busy in their own way, but when she walked inside the castle walls they all stopped and stared.

"Excuse me Miss? Do you need any help?" someone bravely came up to her and asked.

She stopped in her tracks. Slowly turning to face the young woman who had offered help. "I need a bath." She stated simply. The woman nodded and turned to leave, but the stranger talked again, "and a change of clothes. These are no good."

"Yes of course. Please follow me." The woman said politely and led her to a bathhouse.

Naomi stoked the fire beneath the bathhouse. "Is this ok Miss Yuki?"

Yuki sunk into the warm water, sighing as it washed over her healing wounds. "Yes, that'll be fine." Naomi left her alone, and Yuki just soaked in everything that had happened. She had finally escaped from that awful place; the place she had been trapped in for the past years. Her entire life was gone because of that monster; her family murdered, her clan completely wiped out. Gone. Tears slipped down her still dirty cheeks as she thought about her family. She wasn't strong enough to save them.

Those people earlier… they had no idea what they were getting into. Trying to help her? She could only save herself, or else risk others getting killed by the same creature. That strange girl- Kagome. She was different, but still just human.

As she began washing away the blood and dirt voices chattered outside.

"And everything was dead! It was like they walked in a line and then were killed one by one."

"The trail started somewhere in the middle of the forest and ended just before the edge."

"That girl has something to do with it. I'm sure of it!"

"We don't know that for sure. It could have been another demon and that girl looks human enough to me."

"You know as well as anyone that demons can disguise themselves. She could be a demon come to destroy the village and steal anything valuable."

"All the valuable is with our Lord, and guarded well."

"That does not mean she won't find a way in. she cannot stay here."

"But I've already set a room for her to stay."

All their comments stopped when the girl they were talking about stepped out the bathhouse. The clothes Naomi had given her were too big and had to be tied in several places. "There is no need for the room. I won't bother your friends with my needs. Thank you for your hospitality, but I really must go."

"You do not have to, Miss Yuki. They speak nonsense." Naomi pleaded.

"I will be fine, but if would I will need a sword." At the glare from the others around her she added, "For my protection, of course. If you people think a demon is around killing others I must have something to protect me with."

They hadn't been convinced with her explanation, but she was given a broadsword and sheath, which was now tied around her waist. Naomi had gifted her with a horse. The beautiful black stallion had whinnied at her, but accepted her as his new owner. Naomi stood at the edge of the village waving hopelessly at her, but Yuki didn't look back.

Kicking the horse into a run and she galloped down the fields.

The city was gone, burned to the ground. Only a few had survived, and they kept huddled in small makeshift shacks. The once clean people of the town were now dirty and ill. Several had fevers and coughed like they would lose their lungs.

This was the scene as Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, and Miroku walked in side the broken city walls.

"Oh my God. What happened here?" Kagome asked in her shock.

"A demon came." Answered a meek voice hidden in the shadows. A young woman stepped out. "A horrible man looking for someone he had lost."

"Do you know the demon's name?" Inuyasha asked urgently, stepping up to the woman.

She looked up at him, glaring at the dog-ears atop his head. "I do not need to know the name to know he was a demon. And even if I did want to know, I did not have the luxury of asking for he was too busy trying to kill us all."

"Hi, I'm Kagome, and what Inuyasha meant was that he might be the demon we've been searching for. We're looking for the demon Naraku." Kagome pushed Inuyasha away from the obviously angry girl. "Maybe if you could describe him. It would great help."

"Naomi." She greeted shortly. "He dressed like a Lord. He had long black hair and piercing red eyes." She paused to shiver. "He said he was looking for a demon that had passed through here a few days back, but no demon has ever entered these walls. At least never before He came."

Naraku! "But someone did come through?" Kagome asked, keeping her thoughts to herself, knowing Inuyasha knew who the demon was as well.

"Yes. A strange girl with gold eyes. She looked ok, but she was covered in blood. I had to give her a new set of clothes. I think she overheard some of us talking about some demons found slaughtered in the forest and some of the men jumped to conclusions, so she left.

"She said she would be fine and had to leave. She asked for a sword and that was it. She said her name was Yuki."

"Yuki? She's still alive?" Kagome said almost excitedly.

"You know her?"

"We sealed her wounds the best we could but she didn't stay long enough to let them heal."

"She was fine when she stumbled here. Any wounds she had were gone, and I don't think the blood on her robes was hers. Maybe she did kill all those demons."

"Which way was she headed?"

Naomi pointed past the once green fields. "I think she was headed toward the Eastern lands, but I don't know exactly where she was going."

Kagome thanked Naomi and their group headed east. "We have to find her before Naraku does."

"He could have found her already, Kagome. It's best if we just continue looking for the shards of the Shikon Jewel." Inuyasha argued.

"But Inuyasha, if we find Yuki first, Naraku will still be looking for her. We can get him to come to us." Kagome countered.

"I agree with Kagome. She only has a- what- three day lead. She would have to stop somewhere eventually." Sango stood next to her best friend. "With your speed and Kilala we could catch up easily."

"Sango's right, and if we are planning on catching this girl we will have to start immediately." Miroku thought out loud.

"Miroku! Don't take her side! All of you are ganging up on me!"

"It's only right we help Yuki. Even she doesn't think she needs our help." Kagome pulled a sad look. She'd used it many times before on him and it was sure to change his mind.

He huffed once, smacked his forehead and sighed out something about giving in too easily.

The noodles were under cooked, the meat was over cooked, and the rice wine stale. These people, who had so graciously offered a place to stay, had no idea what they were doing when it came to cooking. She would have preferred hunting something on her own and cooking it herself, but she had been dragged into their lives.

She shouldn't have even been here. She only caused trouble and pain for people who got involved. This family would certainly die if He came here. She knew he was looking for her; gossip in the small village had gotten the better of them all and news of Lord Harashi's castles walls were burnt down. Yuki only vaguely thought about if Naomi or anyone else had survived his attack.

"Now you just make yourself at home." The woman of the house said kindly.

"I really shouldn't. I need to get back on the road."

"Nonsense." Her husband exclaimed. "Your horse is tired, and you look like you could drop at any second. You will stay here and rest. In the morning you can be on your way."

"Yes. A young woman rode through here just yesterday on a beautiful black horse, but she did not stop. Poor thing looked as tired."

"Thank you. You've been a lot of help." Kagome ran back to her friends. "We're catching up. She was here yesterday."

"Well then let's go! Naraku can't be too far ahead if he is following her trail." Sango said almost excitedly, hopping back on Kilala, her and Miroku launched into the air, with Inuyasha and Kagome following on the ground.

Yuki yawned and stretched. She quickly changed and attempted to sneak out of the house without waking the friendly family. "Where are you headed this early?" she was unsuccessful.

"I must be going. I have somewhere important I need to be." She lied. Really she had nowhere to go. Her only home was destroyed and she refused to go back to that prison. No one even knew she was alive.

"It's not even dawn yet, Deary. You should really get more sleep."

"I can go weeks with the sleep you've provided me with."

"Well at least let me prepare you a meal before you leave. Go saddle up and I'll bring it out to you."

Yuki yawned again, tightening the synch of her saddle. She was still exhausted. She had plain out lied to the woman, but she didn't feel bad for that. She shouldn't have stayed at all! She should have declined their offer and left before her stupid emotion got in her way. Now these people were in danger of getting killed like the last place.

She attempted at putting the bridle on the horse she had oddly named Copper. It would fit only because her own name meant lucky, and all she caused was bad luck. But Copper was startled by a loud crash and a bright flash. The explosion wasn't that far away and she knew what it meant.

Pulling the barn door open she saw him. Standing only feet in front of her; that annoying smirk she had seen everyday smeared across his face. A fire blazed behind him, eating away the houses as the people tried to put it out. The couple that had happily offered her a room stood shocked and afraid, staring at the demon threatening their small village.

"You made the mistake of stopping. Now you have doomed this village and you will be returned to your cell." He said menacingly. "I will have to make their death's special though, now won't I?" he mocked, acknowledging the couple on their porch.

"You leave them out of this! They've done nothing wrong!" Yuki growled back.

"Ah, but they have. They have stupidly offered a criminal a place of hiding and that's considered harboring."

"Like you care if someone brakes a law." In a quick movement she had removed her sword from its sheath and charged him. "You're just a filthy half demon, you've broken demon law by being born!"

Kagome and everyone else woke with a start. Camping hadn't been their first choice since they were close to a village, but everyone- including Inuyasha- was exhausted from traveling. Dawn was close when the explosion hit. The loud bang hurt everyone's ears (Inuyasha the most because of his exceptional hearing).

"Inuyasha did you hear that?" It was a stupid question to ask, she knew it, but it just came as a reaction.

"Of course I heard it! Come on."

When they reached the town everything was in panic. People were trying to put out the fires, but weren't doing so well and had begun to scream and just run. Sango and Miroku began calming them down and help them to put out the fires, while Inuyasha and Kagome went further on.

Inuyasha could smell him. Naraku was here, which meant Yuki was probably here as well. 'We're probably too late.' He thought, but kept running; Kagome following closely behind. The sight before them shocked them.

Yuki was fighting Naraku. Neither was losing or winning, but Inuyasha could tell Naraku wasn't even trying. It was like a cat and a mouse, and the cat was just playing with its dinner before it killed it.

Yuki made swing after swing at him, but he just blocked everything she threw at him with a tentacle.

"You lost this battle before it had even started." Naraku laughed. "You've had that collar on for so long that even your demonic strength has betrayed you."

What was he talking about? Demonic strength? This girl… Yuki… she was human. They had been sure of that. Inuyasha hadn't sensed anything demonic about her. So why was Naraku going on about her being a demon?

"You wouldn't be able to control your power if I were to remove that collar." Naraku continued, "I could remove it now, and you'd beg for me to put it back on."

In that moment a tentacle wrapped around her sword and it was thrown away from her, striking the ground in front of the human couple. Another tentacle wrapped around her arm and pulled her inches from his face. The root-like arms coiled around her body and held her in place.

"I think that's a great idea. And look…" one tentacle twisted her head to face Inuyasha and Kagome, "The friends that are still alive are here to see you. See what they think of you as your true self emerges." He whispered the last part in her ear before his hand reached out, and released the leather strap holding her neck.

Naraku dropped Yuki to the ground. Her body wracked with pain and she doubled over. Naraku smiled down at her. "Good luck, Dearest Yuki. I'll be back for you…in time." A thick miasma surrounded him and he disappeared.

The couple shouted out to their new friend and ran to her quaking body. "Yuki? Yuki Dear? Oh please calm down." The older woman began to rub her back in a soothing action, but it did nothing. Yuki was in her own world of pain as everything the collar had restrain came forth at once.

Sango and Miroku quickly joined Inuyasha and Kagome after hearing screaming. Kagome started toward the fallen girl, not understanding what was going on with her, but Inuyasha stopped her short when suddenly a black flame ignited on Yuki. The elderly woman started to pat it out, but it wouldn't go away. The small flame soon grew and Yuki's entire body was consumed with it. The woman's husband had to pull her away.

"What's going on?" Kagome asked worried as she tried to behind Inuyasha. Her time being in the feudal era had shown her many strange things, but she could never remember ever seeing black flames just suddenly appearing.

Her body was hidden within the flames, and the screaming had stopped. In their place was a whimpering, almost like a dog's whimper. Inuyasha growled as he suddenly felt it- a surge of unknown demonic power. The others shivered violently as the air around them shifted. The still burning village went still and the flames rising above the houses seemed to be sucked into the black flames. The two flames cancelled each other out and a wave of heat washed over the people within the village boundaries.

The girl Yuki no longer was crouched over herself. When the smoke cleared and the flames fully doused down there stood an animal. A large twin-tailed fox stood, poised for an attack. The two tails were tipped a dark crimson and didn't really express with the black on the rest of the body. The only other marking was on the front left paw; flames danced up the leg, marking it like a tattoo.

"Yuki?" Kagome whispered, poking her head out from behind Inuyasha. The fox snarled, baring sharp fangs, and then its body went limp and it fell unconscious.

There's chapter two. So uhh… tell me whatcha think, blah blah blah all that junk.