Disclaimer- I don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 3: Life.

Tears filled Iria's eyes as she ran. She was picking up speed as the sun that was on the horizon came over the hills and she felt the changes of her body coming once again.

"Demon!" A young mother and her child took off running.

This isn't right. She thought.

Tears spilled down her face as she heard someone behind her.

"Demon, trying to take our women." One man spat forcing her to wipe her eyes.

"Dunno who your talking to, but I do realize that I'm not a demon." She turned towards him looking him dead in the eye while her ears focused on him.

"half breed you dare defile these lands." Another said.

A small circle fell around her it was wide enough she couldn't jump over them.

'Run.' One side said, it was her human side.

'Kill them all, look at those scars and tell me you don't want to rip them apart.'

'Don't listen to her.'

'Listen to me. LET ME OUT.' Her demon side screamed.

Iria fell to the ground so in tuned with herself she hadn't noticed the arrows coming at her. 6 sat in her chest, another 7 hit her stomach while 13 alone hit her back making her scream in agony.

She felt herself become lost. She felt more pain rip at her hands, feet and mouth. 'No you can't.' she told herself weakly.

'I have to.' A voice said as she lost all consciousness.

-Inuyasha group-

Inuyasha stopped suddenly from running Kagome looked at him questioningly as he pointed his nose to the sky.

"What's wrong Inuyasha."

"Blood, lots of it and its coming from that direction."

"There's something else bugging you." Kagome said matter-of-factly.

"It's… it's Iria's blood." He replied looking down.

They ran faster, down the long winding turns through the forest they heard a ear piercing scream echo through the quite forest.

This only made Inuyasha run as fast as he could. Reaching the clearing just in time to see a young girl use her claws to kill a large amount of people, humans.

A breathless sound after everyone but himself and his friends that had just arrived were killed made him look into her eyes.

"What… what have I done." She asked weakly before falling to the ground.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome questioned wondering what had happened to the young hanyou girl.

"She changed. Her demon side took over." His eyes were cast down at the ground as he moved forward to the young unconscious woman. He shook his head. She was covered with arrows and blood.

"Will she be alright?" Shippo asked popping up on his shoulder.

"I'm not sure Shippo. I'm really not." He said picking her up with ease.

"Where do you plan on taking her?" a voice asked. It came from the forest.

"That is none of your concern." Miroku said.

"She just killed these people! She won't get away with it! The stupid damn half breed better not show her face anywhere's near our village or I'll personally take care of her!" it yelled.

"Put… put me down Inuyasha." A weak voice said from his arms.

"But."

"I'm fine." She tried to reassure. He set her down and watched as she walked towards the young man who had been talking about her.

"I deserve to die. I've deserved to die sense I was born, I… I am a defiled beast. I don't deserve to live after doing this." She said. Her voice was filled with hurt at what she had done as a small trickle of blood fell from her lips.

"I… I truly am sorry." She said passing out in front of him. Her eyes were unseeing.

"Iria!" Kagome yelled running to the young hanyou.

"Me too." Said the young man as he disappeared into the forests dark shadows.

-.- some cave -.-

She could hear the voices and sense the familiar aura's as her golden eyes opened slowly. She groaned slightly as the days events assaulted her.

'I should be dead. Why didn't that boy kill me?' she thought.

Trying to move her arms she realized that they felt like a ton and hurt like hell to move.

'Damnit.' She swore silently.

"Iria?" Someone asked and she hissed, growling slightly as her eyes changed into a redish blue and then back to their original color.

"Not so loud." She whispered.

"Sorry, your head hurt?" Kagome, I think that was her name. yeah I'm pretty sure it was.

"Yeah a little." Iria tried to move again and almost screamed out but only a small growl escaped her lips.

"Yeah, you probably would hurt apparently they got yah a few more times then with the arrows." Sango, wasn't it? Her head was all screwed up and she didn't recognize anyone. The only thing that kept her in check was the fact that she could smell that familiar scent.

"Woodsy grass. Wild untamed." She whispered falling back into unconsciousness.

"What did she just say?" Inuyasha asked. His ears twitched.

"Woodsy grass. Wild untamed." Kagome replied.

"She won't bolt."

"How do you know."

"I just do."

Kagome went back to what she was doing before, mixing herbs. She'd been doing that for a little while now and she had enough to last Iria. She yawned behind her hand.

"Get some sleep Kagome. I'll watch her tonight. Same to you Sango."

"Thank you Inuyasha." Sango said yawning as well.

Kagome got up from her spot and sat beside him.

"Thank you Inuyasha. She'll be fine. Don't worry." Kagome kissed his cheek softly before falling asleep with her head leaning slightly on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I just hope your right." Inuyasha replied softly to kagome. Watching the young hanyou before him breath raggedly and deeply.

-.- Next morning. -.-

When Kagome got up she moved towards the middle of the cave only to find that she couldn't.

Apparently when she had tilted to lay down he must of taken her down with him so she would have a more gentle fall. His arm was around her waist securely and she realized that she couldn't move until he woke up.

-.- Dream -.-

"Dad!" She screamed. "Daddy!"

lights came on in the small room. A disfigured person was lit up and she gasped in surprise.

"Daddy…?" She whispered. She ran to it. "Daddy! Daddy no. Wake up daddy… please." Tears fell down her face rapidly.

Her eyes shot open and she shivered. Sweat trickled down her face and as she looked up she almost screamed.

"Daddy." She whispered as she curled up into a small tight ball.

"Iria? Hey Iria what's wrong." Kagome asked.

"Daddy… he's gone. He's gone and he's never coming back and its my fault." She cried.

She whined sorrowfully, whimpering tiredly.

"It's alright. It'll be alright." Kagome said bringing the 14 year old to her.

Inuyasha walked over to kagome and looked at her with sad golden eyes.

"She's right you know Iria, you have us. This is our family. My parents are gone, same with Sango, Miroku. Kagome looks out for all of us. We'll all take care of you." He replied.

"I know what its like to lose a father Iria, its disheartening. But we'll help you get through it, we promise."

"Yeah." Inuyasha agreed.

Iria nodded mournfully. Her eyes fell closed and she slowly drifted asleep.

'Sweet Dreams Iria, never forget that I love you and I'm sorry.' A mans voice said as she fell deeper and deeper into her sleep.

'Good night, father.' She thought.