45 years later…

Over the past years, I had traveled far and wide to find another tiger tribe which I could belong to. However, it wasn't easy. Few of the tribes were left and even so, I wasn't easily welcomed. I was chased away because of my appearance. My white hair gave me away as a half-demon. Occasionally, I would be taken in by a resident of the village when I was in my human form. Those were the only nights I ever got a good meal. Before day broke on those nights, I ran back to the nearby forest or even the mountains, wherever I was. In a mountain valley to the north of the village where I started, I found another tiger tribe that had heard of my own and how the humans killed everyone. My mother was a legend among legends and despite my half-demon appearance, they took me in and I finally had a home. I trained with my claws in case the humans would dare to repeat what they did to my first tribe. I had to be prepared for anything and anyone that'd come in my way. I thought about Inuyasha every day and how his courage has helped me make this journey.

I decided that since things had been relatively quiet in the valley, on the night of a clear full moon, I went back to the forest of Inuyasha to see him once more. I looked for the pink light that lead me there, but I couldn't see it or even sense the energy from Kikyo's arrow. I followed my nose for that familiar smell, but it was very faint. I followed and found a tree with arrows on it, but no Inuyasha. I didn't see anything ripped pieces of his coat in the arrows. I touched the tree and sighed. "Inuyasha…"

I then heard footsteps and I shuddered. I looked up, but I was so consumed with sadness that my mind couldn't process that I wanted to run away. I curled up in a ball, knowing that as my only defense. "Child, what are ye doing back in the Forest of Inuyasha?"

I shuddered, "Not anymore… Inuyasha's gone. I just wanted to see him one last time before I put my past behind me." She put a hand on my shoulder and I gasped, first in fear and then in surprise. "Lady Kaede? You've aged quite a bit…"

"Yes, and I see you have grown up as well, although ye still shake like a trembling leaf." I nodded, "that's just part of who I am now. I've found a place in another demon tribe in the mountain valley north of the village. Although I had trained myself to attack and maybe kill humans if they dare to repeat what they did to my family, I still am scared."

"I have good news for ye. Inuyasha lives once again. Reincarnation of my sister, Kikyo, hath freed him from the arrow."

I looked up with interest, "Inuyasha… he's alive? My wish came true." I looked at her in the eye, "I wished every night I came to see him that he were alive."

"Ai, I don't understand it myself. Kagome, my sister's reincarnation, held the Shikon jewel inside her body. Mistress Centipede took the jewel and Kagome freed Inuyasha from the spell. He destroyed the Centipede, but he wanted the jewel for himself." I shrugged it off, "Half-demon Inuyasha… why can't he see that he doesn't need the jewel?"

"Well, he has a lot to live up to, that Inuyasha. His father was a demon among demons, one of the strongest there ever was. It's common for demons and even half-demons to want more powerful, it's the way of life."

"Well, it's certainly not going to be mine, humph." I turned my back, my arms crossed. I then saw that pink shine again. I gasped, "What's that?" I rushed to the pink light and I saw a little fragment of a jewel. A few lesser demons were crowded around it, looking to get it for themselves. They were smaller than me, so it wouldn't be a problem. I hissed, "Get away, that's mine!" I swiped my hands at them and knocked them out of the way. I grabbed it in my hand, took out my spear and killed them before they could strike back. I held it in my hand, wondering why it was glowing. "Oh, ye found a piece of the Sacred Jewel?"

"A piece? Did something happen to the jewel?"

"Quite by accident, Kagome shot a crow who had swallowed the jewel with an arrow and it shattered into 1,000's of pieces. Right now, she and Inuyasha are on a journey to get the rest of the shards back."

"But, what are they going to do with the jewel once they do that?"

"Well, Kagome will hold the shards so Inuyasha can't use them for his own selfish purposes. I strung a set of beads around his neck so Kagome will be able to keep on top of him. She simply has to say the word 'sit' and he stops in his tracks."

"Well, I guess that's all right." I looked at the jewel curiously. "I don't know why I had to get rid of those other demons to get this, but tigers are attracted to shiny objects." I sighed as I held it, "Inuyasha's a strong half-demon, I can tell. I wish I could be strong like him. The one thing I think needs more strength than anything else is my heart." I put the jewel shard to my heart and it dissolved into my skin. I put a hand to it and smiled, "That feels great."

"But, child, Kagome can see the Shikon shards. What will ye do if she finds ye hold one?"

"Well, if Inuyasha finds out about it, I'll hand it over, willingly. It's the least I could do. I just need to hold onto it a little bit longer so I can piece myself together." I smiled, "Now that I know Inuyasha is alive and roaming about, I'll have my chance to thank him. When was the last time that you heard from him and Kagome?"

"Let's see… they were heading north, actually, in search of more jewel shards." I gasped, "I should get home then, they might just pass through my valley, or at least the village to the south of it." I bowed in respect before taking off. I rushed to head back home and with the clouds that started coming in, I was able to use my fast tiger speed to get back to my tribe within the hour. I hung around the hill that separated the valley from the village in case I saw the familiar glimpse of his red coat. I watched and waited on that hill, but soon enough, I fell asleep.