Chapter 13

Kaede and Myoga the flea were inside the hut when the companions returned. Myoga it seems, had returned after hearing that the village was attacked by Naraku's minions. Kaede had just filled him in when they arrived.

They all listened as Miroku recalled the tale told to him by the village elder. Glancing now and again toward's Inuyasha on the other side of the room. His ear's laid flat as he sat in front of the door; watching the night sky and pretending to ignore the conversation.

"That village was once the home of a great Lord and his family. The Lord was Inuyasha's grandfather. He and his family were well respected by the people living there. As the story goes, one day Inuyasha's mother, Lady Izayoi, went out into the forest and became lost. Night-fell and demons attacked her. But she was saved by Inuyasha's father."

Everyone sat around the fire, silently listening to the legend from so long ago. All except Inuyasha who sat in the doorway; peering out into the night sky.

"A year or two later the Lady returned to her father after my Master's untimely death; bringing with her an infant Inuyasha. I accompanied her, as this was my Master's dying wish." Myoga spoke softly recalling his part to the story.

Miroku continued, trying to fit in the right word's as to not upset his half-demon friend. "To say the least, Inuyasha's grandfather was not pleased."

"KEH! That's the understatement of the century." Inuyasha barked, feeling his anger boil at the memories of his childhood.

"Years passed until the night when..." Miroku paused, looking towards Inuyasha, finding it difficult to continue.

Sango sat across from Miroku; gently petting Kilala. Understanding fully why he was finding it difficult to continue in Inuyasha's presence, she continued for him. "Until the night when Lady Izayoi passed."

"The villager's said that in the end. The half-demon child killed his mother and grandfather. Burning the down the castle to nothing but ash and soot." Miroku finished, lowering his eye's to the ground.

Kagome looked to Inuyasha. "Well, that's obviously not true." She stated. "There's no way Inuyasha could do all that, he was just a child!"

Inuyasha stood up; squinting his eyes shut hard and clenching his claws into his fists. "I did."

"What?"

No-one could believe what they had just heard. Kagome felt all the blood drain from her face. It can't be true! There's absolutely no way!

"Inuyasha?"

"You heard me Kagome. I take full blame for her death."

"But surely Inuyasha, you couldn't have harmed your own mother!" Miroku said, eyes wide and at awe from what Inuyasha was saying.

"I harmed her because I was weak. I wasn't able to protect the one person who cared about me."

"Inuyasha! That's not your fault! Don't think like that!"

Kagome felt tears building up in her eyes. So this is why he seemed so sad when reminded of that event. He felt guilty for what had happened. "Inuyasha, you were just a little boy!"

"I WAS NOT A LITTLE BOY KAGOME! I WAS NEVER A LITTLE BOY!" His pain and anger erupting. "DON'T YOU GET IT? IF I HAD USED MY HANYOU POWERS; I COULD HAVE SAVED HER!"

"Inuyasha please." Miroku began, feeling that someone needed to stop this outburst. "Calm down, there is no need to blame yourself."

"Shut up monk! You wanted to know my side of what happened! My human grandfather dispised me so much that he sent his guard to dispose of me in my sleep. My mother tried to stop them and they killed her for "treachery". Instead of defending her I ran away. I was a coward and a weakling. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE TO DIE!"

Kagome gasped. Tears flowed heavily down her cheeks as she watched Inuyasha. To see the pain in those beautiful amber eyes was so unbearable for her. How he must have suffered. She wanted it to stop, she had to make it stop. Before she even knew what was happening she got to her feet and threw her arms around him. Crying desperately into his red haori.

"K-Kagome?" Her sudden movement startled him.

"Please Inuyasha, you can't do that to yourself. What happened was not your fault!"

A tear rolled down Sango's cheek as she connected this event with the loss of her own loved ones. "Inuyasha, we all have felt helpless. We've all lost someone dear to us and believed that if we were stronger, or braver, that perhaps we could have saved them."

"INUYAASHHA!" Shippo wailed from beside Miroku. "I felt the same way w-when my Papa was murdered!"

"I too have felt guilt for not being strong enough to save my father from his untimely demise." Miroku sighed, staring at his wrapped palm, covered by prayer beads in order to contain the Kazanna.

Inuyasha softened his stance as he listened to his friends. He had never told anyone about that night, but now that he had. He knew he could face whatever Naraku was throwing at him.

"Inuyasha..." Miroku continued. "What happened after your Mother's death."

"I went to Myoga for help. We went to search for that bastard Sesshoumaru for help. But..." he trailed off.

"He wouldn't help you would he?" Kagome sobbed. Coming to the realization of Inuyasha's true hatred for his brother. With Tenseiga, Sesshomaru had the power to save Inuyasha's mother, but his hatred for his younger brother kept him from that.

"Well.. what happened after that?" Sango continued, remebering how Myoga the flea demon had stated that Inuyasha had ran off into the forest, back towards the castle grounds after Sesshomaru had denied him any aid.

"I don't know. I can't remeber what happened after that." Inuyasha put a hand to his forehead. "All I remember is waking up deep within the forest and hearing my mother. I thought I saw her for a moment, but she dissapeared."

"But your mother had already passed?" Shippo stated what everyone else was thinking.

"I know that baka!" Inuyasha growled.

Myoga folded his small arms in front of him. "But the question still remains, what would Naraku want with Lord Nakamura's remains?"

"Lord Nakamura? I've heard of that name once before."

Everyone turned to look at the old Miko.

"You knew him?" Shippo stared, wide eyed. "Wow Kaede.."

"I am not that old." Kaede said, stirring the contents of her large pot by the fire. "But I do remember hearing the name once in my childhood."

"Inuyasha, how long ago did this happen?" Kagome asked.

"A little over a hundred years ago." Myoga answered for him, seeing Inuyasha's discontent.

"Wow Inuyasha, your older then Kaede!" Shippo smirked. "Old-geeser!"

Kagomes eyes grew wide. She knew Inuyasha was much older than her but she had never thought of him as old old.

"SHUT UP! Demons don't age like pathetic humans do!" Inuyasha snapped.

"I must go tend to the wounded." Kaede said getting up and taking one of the bags filled with supplies. "This material is so strange. She stated, feeling the plastic as she slowly walked out the door.

Miroku waited a moment, as they listened to Kaede slowly make her way up the path. "Inuyasha, how do you know your grandfather made the order to destroy you?"

Sango and Kagome looked up curiously, their puzzeled faces glowing from the light of the fire in the hut.

Inuyasha turned away once more, his eyes searching out into the night sky. " In that time, who else could it have been?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kikyou stood in the clearing where Goshinboku stood. She could sense an unusual aura building. Naraku was moving, but he wasn't alone. "Kikyou-onee-sama."

Kaede stood at the edge, watching her beautiful sister as she examined Goshinboku. " I knew it must have been ye."

"I've come to talk with you Kaede."

"Talk with my older sister, that's something I had dreamed of for over 50 years. I had never imagined that dreams and reality would become one, or that I would appear the older sister when it took place. What is it ye wishes to know Kikyou."

"Tell me what you know of the story of Nakamura, Izaiyoi and Inuyasha..."