Alright, Here's another chapter. . . the second half of what was all originally the last chapter. Sorry If I really slowed down the pace on you people. Forgive me! Don't worry, this is the last slow chapter, trust me. (Shifty eyes) I'll update again Wednsday! Still, don't forget to read, REVIEW, and enjoy!

Mayu Kitsune

New Friends

"I got one!" Naomi exclaimed as she successfully plucked an apple form the tree branch above her. She was sitting atop Moyuru's shoulders while the hanyou carried the basket.

"Okay, drop it in." Moyuru said as she held out the basket for Naomi to aim for. Naomi's eyes widened as she began to fall backwards.

"Woah! Careful!" Moyuru exclaimed as she stumbled around, frantically trying to balance out the little girl's movements without dropping the basket that was half full of other fruits that they had gathered from smaller plants. They both let out a sigh of relief as Naomi regained her balance.

"You should be more careful!" Moyuru warned as she knelt down, "Maybe this isn't the best of ideas." she thought aloud as Naomi climbed off.

"But how're we gonna get the ones that are any good? They're all on the tree." Naomi said disappointedly.

Moyuru thought for a moment, looking up into the tree as she did so. "You like to play catch don't you?" she asked after a few seconds.

Naomi nodded, "It's been a while since I played though." she said.

"Why?" Moyuru asked, looking to the little girl in question. "The other kids think I'm weird." She muttered.

"Weird?"

"Yeah, they think I'm weird because I don't think you're bad."

Moyuru sighed heavily, flopping down with her back up against the tree trunk. Naomi did the same, sitting down next to her. There was a few moments of silence as Moyuru stared off into the distance. Was she helping Naomi or hurting her? She looked to Naomi, noticing that she wore a forlorn look, the look of a lonely person. She needed other friends and she wasn't getting them.

"I miss playing with the other kids." she said quietly.

Moyuru drew her into a hug, "I'm sorry, I guess I'm just messing things up more than helping them." Moyuru stated softly.

"It's okay Moyuru chan, you're the best friend I ever had, so I don't need to be friends with them anyway. All of the other kids just don't know you." Naomi offered.

Moyuru let out another sigh, "That's what happens when you're different. No one trusts you and no one cares to get to know you." she muttered.

"I trust you." Naomi said, looking up to her with her big brown eyes.

Moyuru offered a small smile, "I'm glad." she stated.

Naomi beamed, "Besides, I like you because you're different, everyone else is so boring." she said brightly.

"Thanks." Moyuru replied, giving her a smile.

Naomi looked to her in confusion, "Thanks for what?" she asked.

"Thanks for making me feel better." Moyuru answered, still smiling softly. She released her from the embrace, getting up and brushing herself off. "So, are you ready to get some more apples?" she asked.

Naomi perked up, "Yep!" she answered brightly, getting up as well.

So, she has gotten attached to someone. . . and a mere human child no less. This should be easy. Michiko thought to herself from her hiding spot. She had been watching the two, looking for any way to tip the scales in her favor.

So far, her dull witted brother had only managed to get himself injured with the direct approach. Michiko wasn't going to go that way, though Suzushi probably would continue to try. No, she was going to out do Suzushi yet. She learned from his mistakes rather than her own and the more mistakes he made the less she made.

That Naraku character nearly succeeded in killing her. It seems as though cunning is more so what is needed. Michiko smirked, "She'll fall soon enough." she said quietly to herself, before vanishing.

"Nice catch!" Moyuru called down as Naomi caught the last of the apples that Moyuru was dropping to her. "I think that'll be all for now." Moyuru said as she leapt down form the tree limb, landing with ease.

"Look, we got the basked filled all the way to the top! And it's heavy too!" Naomi said enthusiastically as she tried to lift it. She managed to lift it only to begin stumbling backwards.

Moyuru quickly caught her, "Maybe I should carry that." Moyuru offered, taking the basket from her.

They had only walked a short distance when Naomi's stomach let out a growl. She looked down at it as though scolding it for making the noise. Moyuru took an apple off the top and offered it to her, "Here, I don't think that old couple you're living with will miss just one." she said.

Naomi just nodded, taking it and thanking her before biting a chunk out of it. She chewed on the piece in her mouth thoughtfully for a moment before swallowing it, "Granny said that it's been forever since she made a good stew because she can't get meat for it anymore." she said after a moment.

"Granny?" Moyuru prompted.

"Oh yeah, I asked Tanaka san if I could call her 'granny'." Naomi answered with a smile.

"So, I'm guessing you call her husband 'Grandpa'?" Moyuru asked.

"Yep." Naomi replied.

"She says Grandpa doesn't hunt anymore and it's getting really hard for him earn money in the fields because, let's face it, he's old. He just doesn't like to admit it sometimes." Naomi stated.

Moyuru laughed a bit, "So he's in denial huh?" she asked jokingly.

Naomi just nodded, "That's what Granny says." she said. "If I were old enough, I'd work for money, but they all say I'm too little." she added, pouting and gaining an agitated look.

Moyuru laughed a bit at this, "I think I might be able to do something." she offered.

"Really?" Naomi questioned, brightening up considerably.

"Yeah, I'll think of something." Moyuru answered.

Naomi finished off the apple, throwing away the core and prancing into the village happily. Moyuru sighed heavily, shifting the basket from one arm to the other. The straps on the back of it had been broken and it made it that much harder to carry. In all truth, it was so old that Moyuru was afraid that the bottom would fall out of it under the weight of all the food they had gathered.

Naomi continued to bound along ahead of Moyuru happily, leading her to her new home. She seemed so happy. Moyuru wore a smile for the first time in a while. Was this happiness what Seiya had told her about before he died?

Maybe Naomi would be the closest thing she would ever have to a child of her own, but she was still happy. She had friends and she was happy with just that. If she were to die now, she would be satisfied with what she had. Friends, nice clothes, and she had made Naomi happy. It felt good to see the girl so exuberant, even if the only thing they were excited about was the thought of a good stew filling their belly.

"Granny! We got lots of fruit for you!" Naomi yelled to an elderly lady that was busy working in her own little garden. The wooman looked up, smiling as Naomi bounded over to her.

Moyuru wordlessly sat the basket down near the makeshift fence that surrounded the garden before unceremoniously flopping down on the ground next to it, her back leaning against a fence post.

"So this is the friend you talk about so much." Mrs. Tanaka stated more than asked, looking in Moyuru's direction.

"Yeah, she helped get all those out of the tree." Naomi stated, pointing to the apples.

The old lady seemed to be staring Moyuru down. Why was she doing that? She was making Moyuru feel uneasy.

"You're that hanyou that's caused such a stir around here aren't you?" The old woman questioned as she approached Moyuru. Her question didn't sound too friendly.

Moyuru was to her feet in an instant though she kept her eyes focused on the ground, "I'll leave if you don't want me here, I don't mean any trouble." she said quietly as the woman neared her.

"No, stay right where you are." the woman ordered.

Moyuru seemed to be surprised at this though she continued to avoid eye contact with the lady.

Mrs. Tanaka began to walk around her with her hands behind her back as though she were inspecting her. What was this old lady doing? She was elderly and frail but she was acting like she was tougher than nails!

Moyuru looked to her a bit confused at what she was doing, but still not making eye contact. If the woman was trying to unnerve her, she was definitely succeeding. "Stand up straight, you younger people shouldn't slouch." she stated forcefully.

Moyuru nearly instantly did so though she continued to keep her eyes trained on the ground.

"So, what's this?" Mrs. Tanaka questioned, grabbing Moyuru's arm and inspecting the scars on it. "Scars, and bad ones too. Looks like you've been in a few battles. How unlady-like." she commented, letting go of Moyuru's arm.

Moyuru put it back at her side.

"Moyuru, is it?" Mrs. Tanaka questioned.

Moyuru timidly nodded her response.

"Speak up I can't hear you." the old woman said, coming to a stop right in front of Moyuru. She was nearly eye level with her.

"Yes ma'am." Moyuru answered quietly.

"I've heard some about you. You're the one that lead that youkai here to the village. I also hear that you're suspected of murder." The woman commented.

Moyuru seemed to cringe at the accusations. They weren't true! She never meant to cause any harm to anyone yet she had done so by merely existing!

"Hold your chin up and look at me." Mrs. Tanaka ordered.

Moyuru hesitated, what was she to do? This woman was treating her as if she were in the military. "I told you to look at me, what are you deaf now too?" Mrs. Tanaka questioned harshly.

Moyuru's gaze slowly lifted to meet hers.

"Hmm. . . A trouble maker, that's what they all call you. Nothing but a no good trouble maker. But do you want to know what I think?" the woman questioned after a moment of looking Moyuru in the eyes with that penetrating gaze.

Moyuru was taken off guard, what was she supposed to say? She looked to the ground once again, seeming to be bracing herself for what the pugnacious woman would say next.

Mrs. Tanaka just smiled at her before saying, "I think you're a good person from what I can tell." and beginning to walk back towards the fruit basket that Moyuru had set down, leaving the hanyou in a state of complete and utter confusion.

Moyuru continued to stare after the woman blankly as Mr. Tanaka approached her.

"Confused?" Mr. Tanaka asked with a chuckle, seeming to have found the episode to be amusing.

"Yeah." Moyuru answered truthfully.

"Don't worry, most people are. It's just her way of judging someone's character. She gets it from her chichi. He was in the military." Mr. Tanaka explained. "He did the same thing to me when I came to visit her once. . . scared the shit out of me too." he said with a laugh as he seemed to be recalling the moment. "A big man he was, could've scared anyone."

Mrs. Tanaka turned to Moyuru after a few moments, "Well Miss Hanyou, what are you waiting for?" she called.

Moyuru looked to her in question.

"Surely you don't think that an old lady like me can pick up this heavy basket of fruit all by herself! Hop to it!" Mrs Tanaka ordered.

Moyuru didn't hesitate too long before easily picking up the basket and bringing it inside, setting it down in the corner the old woman had specified upon their entering.

"Naomi, why don't you go outside and help Grandpa? I'm sure he would like some company." Mrs. Tanaka suggested.

"Okay." Naomi replied, getting up and rather happily trotting out the door. Mrs Tanaka set to work chopping up vegetables for a stew she was getting ready to prepare.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Moyuru asked quietly.

"Yes, you can start preparing those vegetables there, I assume you can use a knife if you wear those weapons at your sides." Mrs. Tanaka replied, looking to Moyuru's sais.

Moyuru only nodded once, moving to do as was requested of her and doing so quietly.

There was a fire already going though nothing sat over it yet. At least not at the moment. Mrs. Tanaka continued to chop her portion of the vegetables while Moyuru sat next to the fire preparing her portion and keeping it stoked as she did so.

"Do you like stew?" Mrs. Tanaka asked, breaking the silence that had set in.

Moyuru just nodded, "I'll eat just about anything." she replied, "Stew sounds nice."

She didn't know how well she would like a stew made from nothing but vegetables though. Moyuru had always had a certain dislike for greens. Maybe it was the demon in her that made her prefer meat though she never got much of it.

Just thinking about the food, her preferences, how often she got what, all of it made her think of the past. Food had been so hard for her to come by when she was living back in the southern lands. Seiya got most of it for her. . .Seiya. . . she missed him terribly. She sighed heavily, still having yet to say anything else since Mrs. Tanaka's last question. She just sat there and gazed into the fire while her thoughts wandered back.

"What is it that's bothering you?" Mrs. Tanaka asked suddenly.

"What do you mean? Nothing's bothering me." Moyuru stated, tearing her gaze away from the flames that danced so brilliantly off the logs that were their fuel.

"Don't try lying to me, I've been around too long not to notice it when someone is troubled by something." Mrs. Tanaka replied.

Moyuru just sighed heavily, looking back into the flames.

"You're awfully quiet as well, I figured you'd talk at least a little, but you've barely spoken a word." the old woman added.

Moyuru offered no response, just continued to watch the fire. All of this was so hard! How was she going to survive now that Seiya was gone? He had been the one teaching her, but the lesson was far from over. He had protected her and taken care of her until now, now she was so suddenly on her own. Because he had always been there to take care of her, she never learned a few things that now she realized that she needed to know. How she missed him!

"Well, speak up, what's troubling you?" Mrs. Tanaka demanded after a few more moments.

"I told you, It's nothing." Moyuru insisted.

"Nonsense, I can see it in your eyes." Mrs. Tanaka stated.

"I wouldn't want to bother you with it, it's not anyone else's concern." Moyuru said quietly.

"I won't know if I can help you or not if I don't know what it is that's on your mind." the old woman replied, urging Moyuru to tell, "Such sadness in the eyes of such a young lady. What happened to cause you so much pain?" she asked.

Moyuru's ears drooped and her eyes fell to the floor, "I don't want to talk about it."

"You shouldn't keep that kind of emotional weight on your shoulders, it's not good for you." Mrs. Tanaka stated, idly continuing to chop vegetables and taking her time about it.

"I was just thinking about. . . My brother, Seiya. . . he's taken care of me ever since I was five. . . He took it on himself to do it after my haha died." Moyuru stated hesitantly after a few moments.

"Your brother? Where is he now?" the old woman asked.

Moyuru stayed silent for a few more moments, "He. . . he died, just a short while ago." she answered quietly.

"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss. It seems to have hit you hard." Mrs. Tanaka said softly.

Moyuru just nodded, "I miss him." she stated, a stray tear rolling down her cheek. She was only barely holding the rest of them back.

"What of your chichi? Why didn't he take care of you?" the woman asked.

Moyuru's fists clenched at the mere mention of her father, "Chichi." she growled darkly.

The woman looked up from her work for a moment, surprised to see the anger that Moyuru had suddenly displayed. She had seemed so mild tempered before.

Moyuru sat there for a few more moments, her fists clenched and her eyes hidden behind bangs as tears began to stream more freely from them. "Chichi cared nothing about me, only considered me to be a mistake. Nothing but a worthless half breed. He didn't even think that I was worthy of a last name. I don't have a chichi as far as I'm concerned. Seiya and Haha were my only family and now they're both dead. I have no family now because of Chichi." Moyuru stated in a dark tone as she continued to stare into the fire, her eyes narrowing into a hardened glare.

Just before, the look in her eyes was full of innocence and sadness, but now they tell of a thirst for revenge. The anger. . . the old woman thought as she continued to observe Moyuru, she seemed to be so mild tempered before, yet mention her chichi and her look alone could kill. He must've hurt her badly for a person such as herself to have a hatred to run so deep. I just hope that her hatred doesn't consume her and causes her to do something she will regret.

Mrs. Tanaka continued to look to her a bit worriedly as Moyuru struggled to hold tears back. An interesting mix of emotions, anger and sadness. "It's okay, if it hurts you that badly then you need not think on it anymore." Mrs. Tanaka said after a moment.

"I can't stop thinking about it. I have nightmares about it. It comes back to haunt me every day." Moyuru replied quietly.

Mrs Tanaka seemed to be a bit surprised. This was truly a deeply troubled girl, more troubled that she had thought. The way she acted made her wonder, had this girl ever been happy in her entire life? She also seemed to act older than she was, matured beyond her years. Tragedy had been known to do that to a person.

Moyuru wiped the tears from her eyes, seeming to almost wipe the hardened glare away, replacing it with the innocence from before as she heard Naomi's voice.

Naomi and Mr. Tanaka entered both carrying bundles of vegetables. "Well, that's all we're going to get for now." Mr. Tanaka stated as he sat his load next to the basket. He groaned as he sat down with his back resting against the wall, "Koibito, I think I'm gettin' old." he said to his wife who just smiled.

"Old? I don't know what you're talking about, you're still as young as Moyuru over here." she replied sarcastically.

"Wouldn't that be great." Mr. Tanaka stated. "Naomi, you're young, help me up." he commanded, sounding as though he were exhausted, though he over-exaggerated for the little girl's amusement.

Naomi pranced over and took his hand and began to pull, having some trouble because of her small size.

"Pull!" Mr. Tanaka urged.

She continued to pull until he was sitting up right, his back no longer resting on the wall behind him.

"Okay, that's good. Thank you young lady." he said with a smile.

"You're welcome." Naomi replied brightly, flopping down beside Moyuru.

Mr. Tanaka turned his attention to the hanyou, "Naomi here says that you could try to do something about getting some kind of meat." he said, "Meat, I've almost forgotten what it tasted like." he added as an afterthought.

"Yeah, I could try. . . but I'm not sure what I can do." Moyuru answered shyly. "I don't think I can get any work around here to earn any money to buy something." she muttered.

"You could try, they'll pay for someone to help out in the fields though that's normally not a woman's job. But I don't think they'll discriminate too much now that it's getting closer to harvest time." Mr. Tanaka offered.

Moyuru seemed to be thinking on something, "Now that I think about it, it would probably be easier to catch my own meal than to find work and earn money enough to buy it." she thought aloud.

"Hunting, definitely not lady-like." Mr. Tanaka mused before looking to her and tilting his head to one side, "You know, you've got to be the most unlady-like lady I've ever met."

Moyuru blushed in embarrassment. She knew she wasn't lady-like, she wasn't ever taught to be that way like all the other young girls. She was only hanyou after all.

"I could catch something though, I caught a rabbit when I was thirteen. . ." Moyuru offered before suddenly shuddering.

"I take it wasn't a good experience." Mrs. Tanaka observed.

Moyuru nodded, "Don't really want to talk about it." she muttered, turning a bit green at the thought. Her brother had been sent off to war, him being the general of her father's armies, so she had gone hungry. To make a long story short, her demon instincts took over and she pounced a poor unfortunate rabbit that just happened to wander too close.

She was so hunger crazed by that time that she tried to eat it raw. Blech, she would never do that again. "I caught it, but didn't know how to cook it." Moyuru stated simply, avoiding having to tell the story.

Mrs. Tanaka smiled, "Don't worry, I can teach you how to prepare it if you'd like." she offered, "It would probably be a good idea to learn. If you catch some now, we could have some for dinner." she added hopefully.

Sorry if I'm boring you people to death, but I had to establish something first. Hopefully I did, but I'm not going to tell you what it is because I don't want to give away my next few chapters. Not to worry! Like I said, this is one of my last slow chapters and it's time to pick up the pace! I believe this next chapter picks up the pace a lot!

PREVIEW!

Chapter 15: Surprise Attack

So, Inuyasha's still faced with a bit of a problem, but everything else seems to be going well. Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea for Inuyasha and the gang to get too comfortable. They're serenity is about to be shattered. There's plenty of action when the entire village comes under attack by an unusually large group of bandits! Will everyone come out alive?

Reviews are appreciated!

Mayu Kitsune