Soon they had eaten, InuYasha had woken to the smell of the steak and so Sesshoumaru, thankfully, did NOT have to carry him. Sesshoumaru did, however, carry Kagome's two bags. One full of clothes, medical supplies, and some cleansing items. The other was full of a food called Ramen, that both he and InuYasha seemed to take a liking too. Upon their return Sesshoumaru noticed Kagome was not acting as if he owned, her though she did sometimes move over to his side rather than InuYasha's. InuYasha didn't seem to notice, and did little chores for her. They ended up walking through yet another forest, instead of waiting for Sesshoumaru's servants. As they walked Sesshoumaru could smell them. Everywhere. Foxes. All dead it seemed.

InuYasha held his nose annoyed at the stench of blood. Something big had happened. Something dangerous. He stole a glance at Kagome who noticed nothing as she skipped along singing something about some bunny named fuu-fuu that hopped through a forest. She sang well, though her choice of songs was rather strange.

Kagome giggled and skipped slightly ahead of them, singing happily. She wanted to drown out her worries so she sang childrens songs. She turned around and walked backwards grinning at the two brothers. "Hey! How come you two never talk or anything?" She asked and cocked her head before linking each of her arms in theirs.

Sesshoumaru sighed. "We do not have a great relationship, you know this."

InuYasha snorted. "Yeah what Fluff-n-Stuff said."

Sesshoumaru glared at the arrogant hanyou but said nothing more. "You DO know, Kagome, that InuYasha was once called chibi-Sesshou?"

Kagome blinked and looked at InuYasha who was beat red. "Oi! What about you Lord Fluffy? Didn't you have a distant cousin you called you Fluffy-chan on a regular basis?"

Sesshoumaru growled and snorted. "She was of the unicorn tribe, they are overly kind and she just happened to have a strange obsession with me."

InuYasha laughed and grinned at Kagome. "He means she was female and family, there for could not be killed, though she had an...interesting way to show her love for him. Still does."

Sesshoumaru growled in warning but InuYasha continued. "She use to--"

Suddenly Kagome fell backwards with a loud squeal, though she was caught by the brothers. Soon they realized there was a kitsune latched onto her shirt. "Help me!" The young thing yelped out and looked up at her with familiar green eyes and bright red hair. She wrapped her arms around him immediately.

"What's wrong?" She asked and pet his hair lightly. "And what's your name, hon?" She added and smiled down at him as she was lifted to her feet by Sesshoumaru. He dusted her clothes off, but she was distracted with the kitsune. She didn't realize he had dusted off her hindquarters more than needed, nor did she realize that he was becoming aroused...again. He pulled away and sat against a tree, InuYasha doing the same.

"They took my parents!" The Kitsune boy cried out and clung to her shirt, pointing down the path. "You're a miko, right? You can get my parents back! Please you gotta help me!" He wailed and Kagome smiled.

"We'll help you." She said and kissed his forehead. "Now what's your name? I'm Kagome."

"I'm Shippou, but we gotta hurry! Come on! Their just down the path! I had to hide in the woods from them! They're the thunder brothers!" Shippou said and both Sesshoumaru and InuYasha stiffened.

Sesshoumaru stood and began walking down the path with InuYasha at his heels, and Kagome running after them with Shippou in her arms.

"Oi! Hurry up! We gotta kill these bastards before they destroy any more stuff!" InuYasha snapped at her and she nodded trying to quicken her pace.

"Don't yell at her! She's a miko! She can fry your butt!" Shippou growled and hugged Kagome. "Don't worry Kagome! I'll protect you from the hanyou!"

Kagome stroked Shippou's hair. "I'm fine, neither of them would hurt me, ever. Right guys?" She said to them and Sesshoumaru nodded.

"I would not allow harm to befall the miko, kit, nor anything or anyone she becomes attatched too. Consider yourself fortunate that I allowed you to come near her. If I had seen you as a threat to her you would have died mid-leap." Sesshoumaru said, trying to stop his 'this Sesshoumaru' habit. He saw it bothered Kagome a bit, confuzing her at first even.

"Yo! I wouldn't either!" InuYasha snapped and Sesshoumaru shrugged.

"Your beast may." Sesshoumaru said and InuYasha growled.

"It so happens my beast LIKES Kagome, thank you very much!" InuYasha barked back and Sesshoumaru smirked.

"Ah, but my beast has claimed her as his mate." Sesshoumaru said and Kagome blushed beat red. Sesshoumaru scowled. He didn't mean to blurt it out like that, but she was his damn it!

"I don't need to be told THAT Lord Fluff-butt!" InuYasha said and waved a clawed hand. "Mine wouldn't hurt her is what I'm gettin' at, stupid!"

"Ah, and yet you are the one that cannot speak properly." Sesshoumaru said as they neared the Thunder brothers. "We're close."

"Shut up." InuYasha pouted and looked back at Kagome. "Hide behind something when we get there, like a boulder or somethin. I don't wanna have to save your ass."

Sesshoumaru sighed. "Yes, I would prefer that they not try to take you and the kit."

Kagome nodded and snuggled the kit. "Awww, you're so cute and soft!" She said and Shippou looked at her strangely.

"Of course I am, I'm a fox kit!" He said, wondering why she was so surprised.

They arrived in a dead field. Everywhere there were craters and burn spots. Kagome quickly took refuge behind some rocks, watching as InuYasha and Sesshoumaru each went in seperate directions. Each brought back a thunder brother. Both thunder brothers were complaining about dogs and lords.

"What happened to the kitsune boy's parents?" Sesshoumaru snapped at them, eyes glowing red.

"We skinned them of course! What else would we do? Keep'em as pets?" The older, better looking one snarled out, only to be grasped by his neck.

"Give me the pelts and maybe I will not kill you both." He snapped and InuYasha rolled his eyes, sitting on the uglier brother.

"You know, Fluffy, they ARE wearing fox pelts." InuYasha said quietly and Kagome's eyes opened wide. How...how cruel!

Shippou, beside her, whimpered and clung to her side, covering his face so no one could see him cry. Kagome was reminded of herself then, back when her own otousan died.

Flashback+Song

"Look at her, she's not even crying." "Little brat, who does she think she is." "She probebly wanted him to die." The voices rang in her head over and over as she hid behind the Goshinbaku and sniffled. It wasn't her fault he died! It wasn't! Why were they so mean? Daddy wanted her to be strong! She remembered his warm smile and looked up at the clouds. It was pouring and she wondered, if he was here would it be raining, really?

I was so happy when you smiled

Your smile breaks through the clouds of grey

Thats when he found her. Hojo. They were about ten years old and he was already very mature. He smiled at her and hugged her. "You know, its ok to cry. I'm sure your dad would be ok with you crying over him a little bit, after all you loved him very much. I'm sure you want him back, but thats what we do. We're born doing that. We want food, we want attention. Strength is something that develops over time, like kindness. You can see different levels of strengths and kindness in everyone because of this, but everyone wants things. You want to cry so go ahead."

Far from the sunny days that lie in sleep

Waiting with patience for the spring

When the flowers will bloom renewed again

Knowing there's more beyond the pain of today

And so, she did. She cried her heart out telling Hojo she wanted otousan back, she wanted to see his smile she wanted him to come home with that goofy look on his face on her birthday and hug her tight. She wanted him back, all of him!

Although the scars of yesterday remain

You can keep on living as much as your heart believes

End Flashback

Kagome looked down at Shippou. "You know, its ok to cry. I'm sure your dad and mom would be ok with you crying over them a little bit, after all you loved them very, very much. I'm sure you want them back, but thats what we do. We're born doing that. We want food, we want attention. Strength is something that develops over time, like kindness. You can see different levels of strengths and kindness in everyone because of this, but everyone wants things. You want to cry so go ahead and do that. Its what I did after my otousan died, but now I just have fond memories of him. Even if those memories sometimes make me sad, at least I have them! And that thought makes me happy, that I at least remember him, my brother doesn't remember him at all, you know."

You can't be born again

All though you can change

Let's stay together always

Shippou looked up at her and soon, slowly but surely, he reached up to her and began to cry. She held him in her arms, cradling him like a child and was crying with him when Sesshoumaru and InuYasha returned with the pelts. InuYasha was the first to go up to him and he poked the kid's cheek.

"You know, I lost my otousan and okaasan too. You should be happy that their fondest wish came true. You're alive." He said, wisely. Sesshoumaru and Kagome looked to him in shock. "Whaaaaaat?"

"You've got a brain after all, brother." Sesshoumaru said and waved his hand. "A small one but its there."

Kagome smiled and kissed the kit's forehead, wraping the pelts around him. "Keep these so you'll never forget." She said and hugged him tight.

Thats when Sesshoumaru realised something. He was creating a family already. And InuYasha was part of it.