I woke up the next morning, feeling a little better. I saw Inuyasha fast asleep right next to me. I continued to hear his heart beat as it did so long ago. I figured that it was time for me to take my leave. I slowly crept outside. I looked around as everyone was asleep. Miroku and the other girl were sleeping near each other with a cat on the girl's lap. The little fox demon was sleeping by Kagome in her sleeping bag. I figured it was a good time to creep away.

I made it all the way back to the hill and I sat down. I was so calm that it was unbelievable. Although it was rough at the beginning, I was glad to have met Inuyasha and listen to his heart one last time. I checked on the cubs that I saved from the fire and they seemed to be all right. Everyone came to ask me about my leg and I told them that Inuyasha and Kagome helped bandage it up for me. Raye stayed with me the longest. "Despite his attitude, in the end, he turned out not to be such a bad person." I took off to sharp my claws on some trees. I saw Miroku's face whenever I aimed at a tree. "The nerve of that guy, I could kill him, but that's not my place. He didn't do any physical harm to me, so it's really no big deal."

I headed back to the outside of my den when my ears perked up. I turned to my right and saw Inuyasha. I stood up, "What… what are you doing here?"

"What do you think! I wake up to find you missing so I came after you!"

"Oh, so you were worried about me?"

"Humph, yeah right. I only came after to ask about that jewel shard!" I blinked. He looked at the trees, "Sharpening your claws?"

"Yeah. That Miroku kept showing up so I murdered the trees, just thinking about that jerk."

"Well, can't argue with you there." I shrugged, "So, what… what was that act last night?"

"What act!"

"You know… you completely changed when you saw me getting worse. You actually embraced my request and even held me… where'd that come from? And you come up, claiming you weren't worried about me! How can you do something like that!"

For some reason, he seemed a little afraid, but he quickly regained his composure. "All right, fine, I felt sorry for you, okay!" He turned his back, arms crossed. "You don't have to get all bent out of shape over it!" I walked closer to him, "you sure do a lot of shouting." I almost said in a joking tone. "You know, you're not at all what I pictured you to be. I mean, when you're alive and about and stuff…"

"Looks can be deceiving…" He muttered under his breath. I sat down on the rock to the left of him. "I was only so young when it all happened. I didn't know if I'd ever get over what happened, not to mention if I'd be able to trust humans again. The truth is, the only way I knew your name is because the village priestess caught me standing by you one night. Maybe you know her, goes by the name Kaede."

"Yeah, I know her. What'd she tell you?" He demanded, but not in his usual 'barking' tone. I shrugged, "Just that you were after the Shikon jewel and her sister Kikyo sealed you to the tree. You looked so peaceful up there that I didn't, for an instant, suspect you to be such a troublemaker."

"Well, not all half-demons are weaklings like you!" He barked. I shrugged, "I guess I deserved that. I have been trying to be stronger, but it's really my heart that needs the strength." He eyeballed me and I looked back at him. I narrowed my eyes, "Let me guess, 'so, when are you going to give up that jewel shard, you worthless excuse for a half-demon'." I turned around and started walking away.

He gave chase, "Hey! I was going to ask about the jewel, but not that in that tone! Half-demon, full demon, it doesn't matter to me. I don't discriminate against anyone, unlike some of the jerks I've come into contact with."

"Besides your brother?"

"Well, yeah, my brother, Sesshomaru, and… oh yeah, that wimpy wolf, Koga, who's always flirting with Kagome. He totally gets on my nerves so much that I want to kill him." I pointed behind me, "that wasn't his hide, was it? Back at the cabin."

"Nah, Kagome wouldn't let me kill him. I'm just surprised that she's taking all this pretty well."

"What'd you mean?"

"You know how close we were last night…" A voice from behind us said, "Actually, I know it was just harmless. Besides, it's not every day Inuyasha is liable to do such a thing."

"Kagome! What are you doing here? I told you to wait back at the cabin!"

"Well, I had to come just to make sure you didn't get into a fight for that jewel shard."

"Hey, get off my back! It's not always about the jewel shards!" She rolled her eyes, "That's a first." She turned to me, "so, how are you feeling?"

"Well, I don't feel so sick anymore. I think I rested better last night than I have in a long time." I turned around and saw my friend, Raye, coming towards us, "Princess, we just brought lunch!"

"Princess!" Inuyasha and Kagome said at once. Inuyasha looked dumbfounded while Kagome looked impressed. I shrugged, "my mother was tribe leader… even if I am a weak princess, I plan on working on that. Oh Raye, this is Kagome and Inuyasha."

"Nice to meet you!" Kagome smiled. Inuyasha just stood there, arms crossed with a semi wave with one hand. Kagome went into her bag, "Actually, I brought a little food with me."

"No thanks, Raye, I'll hang out here for a little bit longer."

"All right, see you later, Princess Chihiro." She left quickly. Kagome smiled, "Well, it's about time. We just forgot to ask for your name." We went back down the hill to the village. The hair on my neck stood up as I saw Miroku. Inuyasha quickly got between us, "Don't you dare come near her, Miroku! Besides, next time, she might not leave you with just a scratch, if you know what I mean."

"Miss, I apologize." He semi-bowed. Kagome jabbed him in the arm, "Miroku, she's the princess of the tiger tribe that lives just north of the village. How dare you!" The other girl also joined on the jabbing. "I'm Sango by the way. No matter how hard I try," she put Miroku in a headlock, "This knuckle-head is always off flirting with other girls, but he's relatively harmless." I nodded, "I'm quite all right, thanks… all more of the reason to keep my claws nice and sharp."

Miroku cleared his throat, "So, how'd you sleep last night?"

"Pretty well, actually. My fever went down and I don't think I slept so well in a while." The fox demon approached, "I'm Shippo and this is Keilala." The little cat chirped. I smiled, "She's just so cute."

"Well, when she transforms, she can be quite the formidable demon." Sango said while stroking her. I sighed, "I guess that again proves that looks can be deceiving."

For a while, things were pretty quiet. We just sat there, eating. I thought back to last night as well as the previous nights while I slept by Inuyasha's side. I looked at him and he seemed to have been changed by that, at least a little bit.