Disclaimer: I Dont Own Inuyasha. Majority of the characters in this story however belong to me.

Chapter Six: Hanyou's to the Rescue!

Fifteen minutes into their journey it finally dawned on Kentamaru that he had absolutely no idea where he was headed, and he also didn't have any clue as to how to find out, where he was headed. So this put him in quite a pickle, one which he would probably have to resolve sooner, rather than later. All he had to guide him was a single, rather bleak direction; south.

Canis was walking next to him along the path, silent as a ghost which both pleased and worried him. Canis was not what one would describe as a quiet child, and his sudden silence worried his brother. Eyeing him out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Canis' ears twitch around expectantly, like miniature radars. His hands clenched and unclenched anxiously and there was a hard serious look on his young face. He caught his brother watching him and turned his head slightly to look up at Kenta quizzically.

"What's up kid?" Kenta asked in a tone he rarely used, only when he was alone with his brother.

"We're being followed." Canis informed him and Kenta's eyes widened. Canis had cast out his youki through the forest since he had set foot in it, while he himself had done no such thing. Quickly, Kenta cast out his senses as he had a farther range and his were more tuned and trained than his brothers. But Canis wasn't wrong. They were being followed.

Kenta clenched his fists and growled softly. The youkai, he could feel its power, was coming close at an alarmingly fast rate. He cast a quick glance at Canis who caught his brother's eye with a worried look. He could sense it to.

The demon was closing in fast. Too fast.

"Run!" Kenta hissed and bolted, darting through the trees with his demonic agility. Canis ran alongside him as fast as he could, but there was no way Kenta could run his top speed. He would lose Canis for sure.

The demon's youki spiked as it put on a burst of speed to catch its prey. It would catch them quickly at this pace, possibly skin them alive, eat their bones and leave their mangled carcasses to the carrion eaters of the forest. That's what would probably happen, Kenta rationed logically as he ran.

It took a moment for him to register that Canis was yelling at him. He immediately snapped out of his morbid thoughts.

"Kenta! Kenta! What do we do?" his voice shook with panic as he ran through the woods. This seemed an appropriate question for the current situation. What do we do? Run, hide and hope their pursuer gave up on the hunt was an option. Keep running, quite possibly into a trap and be eaten alive was another option. Or…

'What would father do?" and therein lied the answer. Casting what was hopefully a reassuring glance at his younger brother, Kenta took to the trees leaving Canis alone, and vulnerable, on the forest floor. Canis didn't stop running but looked up into the trees, searching for his brother.

"Kenta! KENTA!" he wailed desperately, but all he heard in response was the rapid beating of his heart and the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He was on his own, his brother had abandoned him. He could sense Kenta p there, in the trees somewhere and the demon closing in even faster on his tail.

Breathing hard from exertion, Canis knew he couldn't keep running as he was. But if he circled back, there was a chance the demon would miss him, banking on his size, it was a logical thought.

Reaching out to the nearest tree, Canis swung himself in a complete one-eighty, his claws gouging into the back as he soared around. He hit the ground running faster than ever, low to the ground, arms out behind him adrenaline flowing. A quick shake of his arm and his bow slid easily down into his fingers. The demon was upon him, just to his right he was it zoom past in the trees. Canis narrowed his eyes and turned to look after the demons wake while he was still running forward. His foot caught on a root and he tripped and stumbled to the ground.

His bow slipped from his grip ad he hastened to retrieve it. As the wood touched his fingers his ears perked up and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Slowly turning his head, he saw the massive slobbering fox demon turn toward him. Licking its chops hungrily, it bounded toward the young hanyou.

Fumbling for an arrow on his back, his fingers closed on nothing but air. Panic seized him. His arrows lay scattered on the forest floor, his quiver having been emptied when he tripped and fell. Unable to suppress the whimper he skittered as fast as he could to the nearest arrow and notched it quickly. As he took his aim his arm began to shake like mad, the demon was over him about to come crashing down and take his life.

A crimson and charcoal figure leapt from the trees, raking its claws down the demons face with a fierce yell.

"You dirty trickster," Kentamaru snarled viciously. "IRON REEVER!" he cried as he slashes his attack at the demon.

It waved on his feet, before dissolving from the gashes Kenta has inflicted on its face. Kenta landed in front of Canis and flexed his knuckles. As the demon disappeared it left a tall, thin, handsome young demon standing where it had once been.

"Shippo, you son of a bitch," Kenta greeted his cousin. "You're lucky I don't fry your ass." He threatened. Cautiously Canis lowered his bow, his entire body shaking like a drug addict.

Nonchalantly strolling towards the brothers, Shippo pushed his hair out of his handsome face, his green eyes flashing mischievously. "You were able to break my illusion," he obverted as he stopped in front of Kenta. "Impressive," he admonished.

"Keh, you better believe it," Kenta retorted cockily. "What were you doing anyway? You scared the piss out of Canis," he motioned to Canis who was staring into space, still shaking, behind his brother. "Literally," he added with a grin.

Shippo leaned around Kenta and looked down at Canis, on the forest floor, an iron white grip on his bow and an arrow still notched. Kenta reached down and hauled Canis to his feet by the back of his shirt.

"Sorry about that," Shippo apologized rubbing the back of his neck. "I won't tell anyone though," he winked at Canis.

Snapping out of his fright Canis' face turned red with outrage. "I DID NOT PEE!" he raged and stormed off in a huff to gather his arrows.

Shippo and Kenta smirked at each other.
"You know you really are an ass," Kenta told him and Shippo just shrugged his shoulders. "What was with the illusion anyway?"

"I was on my way to help the others on a mission when I caught your scent. No time to take the illusion off, so I followed you." He told him.

"Why what's going on?" Kenta asked as Canis returned his quiver once again full of arrows.

"A group of youkai have been terrorizing and pillaging a village. They called mom and dad for help," he told them quickly. "It's getting ugly so they sent Kirara to come get me. She's with Rin and Aurion now back at home,"

"Well why didn't you say so!" Kentamaru exclaimed joyously. "What the hell are we waiting for?" and Shippo grinned at his young cousin.

"Now that's what I'm talking about," he hooted and Kenta turned to Canis.

"Canis, can you run?" and the little hanyou swung his bow over his shoulder, nodding eagerly. "Good, you can follow after Shippo. I'll be in the trees." Kenta told him, patting him roughly on the head.

"Alright," In a flash of green flame, Shippo erected his illusion of the giant fox.

"Lead the way Shippo!" Kenta instructed before he leapt into the leaves. Shippo followed his path with his eyes before turning to Canis and giving him a reassuring nod. When Canis was ready he took off running.

"That kid…sounds just like Inuyasha,"

They were almost to the village when Kentamaru's grading voice rang out from the tree tops. "Come on Shippo let's pick up the pace will ya!" he hollered down at the giant fox. The illusion thinned until it was translucent and he could see Shippo, in his original form, running along the ground.

"I would, but someone's lagging behind," he called as he motioned over his shoulder, then his illusion turned solid once more. Kenta looked over his should at Canis, who was far behind and struggling to keep up. Changing directions sharply he darted toward his brother. Cutting cleanly across Canis' path, he caught his brother and swept him easily onto his back.

"Thanks Kenta," Canis mutter breathlessly. Kenta sped up as he jumped back into the trees, quickly catching back up to Shippo.

"Don't sweat it,"

"Kenta!" Shippo called and Kenta dropped from the trees to the ground, running along side Shippo's illusion. "It's just up ahead now. Are you ready?"

"Keh, what kind of question is that?" Kenta scoffed, and he rotated his shoulder to stir Canis. "Canis, grab your bow and get on my shoulders." He ordered gruffly. Canis nodded and complied with his brother's order. He climbed onto Kenta's shoulders as he ran with a practiced ease.

The edge of the forest could be seen just ahead of them, the bright light of the sun shining on the farmer's fields.

"Canis," Shippo called tentatively. Canis turned his head to see Shippo running inside the illusion. "Only fire if you have a clear shot, okay?"

Canis turned away in a huff. "Keh, I know how to shoot baka," he snorted.

"Alright, come on, let's do this," Kenta urged as the trio blasted into the field and out of the forest. Shippo let his illusion fade away as they approached the fight.

It was happening right on the edge of the village. Sango, Miroku, Kohaku and Shun were battling together against of gang of formidable looking youkai. They seemed to be losing against the youkai, having probably shown up expecting to kill some despicable low-class demons, not the upper class youkai they faced now.

A couple of villagers brandishing pitchforks stood off to the side, their eyes darting over the fight anxiously, unsure of what to do. As Shippo joined in the fighting, Kentamaru lighted down on top of one of the nearest huts.

"Off!" he yelled at Canis who hopped off quickly enough. "Remember what Shippo said!" he pointed at his brother as he hopped off the hut to join the fighting. Canis ran after him following him until he reached the edge of the roof.

"I know how to shoot!" he hollered after his brother, but his voice was lost in the maddening din of the fighting. As he turned to the fight, his mouth dropped in awe and fear suddenly seized him. He kept an iron white grip on his bow as he watched, waiting for someone to have need of his archery.

Down below the villagers were thrown into a panic with the arrival of 3 more 'demons'. They marched up to Miroku, who along with Kohaku, was in the middle of a very trying fight with an angry ox demon.

"More demons! Exterminator what do we do?" they yelled at them.

"YOU FOOL! They're on our side leave them be!" Kohaku bellowed at them, no longer the quiet, bespoken young boy who once worked for Naraku, but rather an energetic, playful young father, who was remarkably quick to anger.

"Exterminators and….demons?" the village men deadpanned, looking around each other as they tried to absorb the heady information into their thick skulls.

"Get used to it or get out of the way!" Shippo told them as he appeared beside them. Hearing Shippo's voice Miroku called to him.

"Shippo help Sango!"

"Already on it!" and Shippo darted off to his adopted mother who was fending off a grinning youkai with her Hiraikots. Kenta ran forward to Miroku and Kohaku calling their names.

"Kentam-?" they started to say his name, confused, but the bull demon bucked and sent Miroku flying. Kohaku turned toward it angrily.

"HEY! No one kicks his ass but me!" and he threw his kusarigama at it. Kenta ran to Miroku to help him up.

"What are you doing here?" Miroku asked, pushing on his staff to get up, not needing Kentamaru's help.

"Helping," Kenta stated plainly. "Where is Shun?" the wide-eyed look Miroku gave him, told him that his uncle didn't know where his son was. Without another word Kenta bolted off, intent on finding his cousin, and probably his closest friend.

"SHUN!" he found the youngest exterminator battling with a tall and menacing looking youkai. He lighted down on the dirt opposite Shun, the demon pinned in between the two of them. The youkai, a lean and lanky coyote, turned sideways to address Kenta, being extremely careful not to turn his back on Shun.

"Hanyou," he greeted in a high scratchy voice. "Come to join in the fun have you?" he smirked, nodding his head eagerly at Shun. Behind his back, Shun rolled his eyes and lazily twirled a chakram.

Kentamaru grinned and cracked his knuckles menacingly. "Sure have," he answered mischievously, almost sounding evil. Shun narrowed his eyes at Kenta and the coyote youkai. With his mask in place over his mouth and nose, it was hard to tell if he was scowling…or smiling.

Twirling his intricately bladed and deadly looking, chakrams at his sides, Shun's dark eyes flashed with amusement. His voice was deep and slightly distorted when he spoke through his mask.

"Alright doggies…" Shun agreed darkly. "Why don't you go…FETCH!" and he threw one his chakrams toward Kentamaru. The razor edge of the blade just barely missed the coyote's neck as it careened towards Kenta.

Kenta jumped in the air, twisting his body like an acrobat to avoid the blade, he barrel rolled in the air, outstretching his arm and his fingers closed on the center handle in the chakram. As he started to fall he locked his golden eyes with the stunned coyote.

"Your turn," he taunted as he hurled the chakram at him. It traveled much faster than when Shun had thrown it and the youkai was unable to dodge. It cut hard into its side and Shun was there to catch it. As soon as Kenta's feet touched down he sprang toward the youkai, who was busy howling and clutching at his bleeding side.

"Having fun yet?" Kenta sneered as his fist connected hard with the youkai's cheek. The coyote cried out as he careened toward Shun. Shun spun before connecting his heel hard with the youkai, his axe kick sending him into the ground.

"You're welcome," Kenta teased Shun as he flexed his claws. Shun waved him off nonchalantly. Kenta smirked and turned to watch Shippo and Sango fight.

Shippo's illusions had the youkai spinning in circles inside a circle of green fire, fire that was far from being an illusion. That youkai seemed to be the leader of the rest. Kenta darted over to be by Sango's side as she watched Shippo fight and waited for her chance to strike.

"I could finish it," Kenta offered her gently, "Just one strike…" he reached for his left hand with his right but Sango's firm hand on his wrist stopped him.

"No Kenta, thank you, but this is our fight." She told him gently. Kenta nodded and let his hand fall to his side. Just then an angry villager marched up to Sango and spun her around forcefully.

"Exterminator what is going on? You're supposed to be killing the demons not working with them!" the man hissed malevolently. Sango was startled by his rage and boldness but before she could say a word Kentamaru stepped in front of her. His grip was crushing on the mans wrist as he easily peels his hand off of his aunt.

The man's anger melted off him from the intensity in Kentamaru's golden gaze, the demonic eyes vaporized his anger and replaced it with fear and dread. "For starters…" Kenta ground out, fangs bared. "Those are youkai, not just demons. Youkai look like you, you pathetic human. And youkai are not so easily exterminated!"

"And what does that make you then?" the man sneered mustering up the last of his bravado foolishly. Sango was desperately trying to pull Kenta away, but even her strength was no match for the young hanyou. She couldn't so much as budge him.

"Hanyou," Kenta spat at him proudly, before turning to Sango. She was looking at him with a funny expression on her face. He recognized it was the one everyone made whenever he did something like Inuyasha. "Keh," he turned away before she had a chance to gush about how much like his father he was. His youki suddenly spiked and his ear twitched sharply. His head snapped around as the cry rang out.

"KENTA!" without hesitation he leapt into action, lifting dirt from the ground where he had once stood.

'Canis!'

A bird youkai, with wings on his arms was squawking and laughing as it hovered above Canis, its sharp talons outstretched, lunging at him. He was toying with him, allowing the hanyou to dodge and giving him barely enough time to recover before he lunged at him again. This severely pissed off Kentamaru.

"Fight him Canis!" Kenta urged as he was in the air. Canis, sparked to action by his brother's voice, raised his bow to strike futilely at the bird. The bird caught the bow in its talons and pulled. Canis gritted his teeth and pulled back. The startled bird was almost pulled out of the air, having apparently grossly underestimated the boy's strength. It flapped its wings harder but still couldn't budge the hanyou. He looked down, panic stricken at Canis.

Canis was breathing hard, his golden eyes glowering up at the bird through his white bangs. "You know," he panted at the bird, "You're really starting to annoy me," he rasped and his eyes flashed brighter as he slashed at the youkai.

Kenta landed on the rooftop just in time to raise his arm to shield himself as blood came spraying in his direction. The bird youkai's hideous howl stopped everyone in their tracks within a hundred mile radius. The bird was flying in the air, shrieking to the heavens, blood falling to the ground from the stump where his talon had once been. Those fighting on the ground stopped to look up at the rooftop.

Canis was gaping at the severed, bleeding, and slightly twitching talon still clutched tightly onto his bow. His gaze slowly shifted to his hand, his claws tinged red with blood. His nostrils flared and his eyes rolled up into the back of his skull as he fainted. His bow slipped from his hand as he went limp and fell back, sliding down the roof.

"Canis!" Kenta yelled as his brother's body slipped off the edge of the roof. He followed him, praying the kid didn't land on his neck. Kenta slid off the roof landing lightly in a tiny alley between the two huts.

Canis didn't land on his head. On the contrary, he didn't technically land at all. A girl, about Kenta's age, was holding him gently in her arms. Kenta cocked his head as he studied her. She was dressed in a black sleeveless haori, tied with a brilliant blue obi and she wore slim black hakama. She had a strange apparatus on her forearm that he couldn't quite figure out. Her hair was navy blue, pulled back in a high ponytail, though loose strands and layers fell around her face. Two long needle-like chopsticks stuck out of her pony-tail in an X-shape.

"Is this yours?" she asked politely, her voice soft. She held Canis out to him.

"Keh, hand him over," Kenta said uneasily. The girl looked down at Canis, passed out in her arms.

"He's kind of cute," she admitted, looking back up at Kenta. "He must be your little brother or something right?"

Kenta blushed lightly and scoffed. "Hand my brother over and get out of here." he ordered harshly, mostly out of unease. "What are you doing here, hiding this close to a fight anyway? It's dangerous." He cocked an eyebrow at her and told her.

The girl opened her mouth to speak but she was interrupted by someone behind her.

"You ready to go hanyou?" the coyote youkai sneered malevolently at the opening of the alley, opposite Kentamaru. He was beaten and bloodied but Shun was nowhere in sight. The girl spun to look at him, yet not turning her back on Kenta.

"Takato…no…."she begged, holding Canis tighter in her arms. Kenta gaped at her while the coyote; Takato apparently, didn't even so much as glance at her.

"Not you girly," he hissed lowly as he broke into a wide smirk, his eyes trained on Kentamaru. She looked back and forth between them and backed up against the wall, trying her best to shield Canis with her body.

Slowly, Kenta turned his gaze on Takato. "So she's with you," he realized as he flexed his claws in preparation. "That explains why she almost smells of demon,"

Takato grinned wider and laughed out loud. A loud disgusting laugh the made Kenta flatten his ears against his head. "That would explain it wouldn't it?" he mocked still laughing out loud. He cast a glance toward the girl who was glowering at him darkly.

Kenta took the opportunity without hesitation. "I'll teach you to mock me!" he growled barreling towards the coyote, claws outstretched. Takato caught his hand, and then the other as Kenta went to strike with his left hand. Now they were grappling over control of the fight in a battle of brute strength. Takato was even uglier up close as Kenta strained against the full youkai's strength.

"Can't best me can you hanyou?" he taunted, his fangs gleaming and he shoved harder.

"I seem to recall tooling your ass over there a minute ago," Kenta retorted as he dug his feet in the ground and widened his stance to counteract the other youkai's strength.

"That was two on one!" Takato shrieked wildly. Kenta, it seemed, had struck a chord within the coyote. "Let's see how you like to play unfair!" with that said he flexed his fingers, crushing Kenta's until his claws cut into the hanyou's skin.

Kenta groaned, the bones in his fingers threatening to snap. In a battle of brute strength, he couldn't win. Technically he was only one quarter daiyoukai, and his strength was nowhere near that of Inuyasha's. That's why he had to rely on other skills in a fight. His strength alone would not get him very far.

"Not so tough are you now, eh kid?" Takato taunted mercilessly, crushing Kenta's fingers even more and shoving him harder. Blood was dripping down his hands and Kenta's feet skittered along the dirt, his strength failing him.

"Guess not…" he admitted with a groan. "So…I guess…I should…level the playing field." Kenta stated and he tugged Takato's hands towards him, the coyote came falling right toward Kentamaru, exactly as desired. In one swift motion Kenta brought his knee hard into Takato's groin. The youkai fell to the ground, howling like a, (for lack of a better word), coyote, clutching what was left of his manhood.

With the coyote effectively taken care of, Kenta turned to the girl who was holding Canis. He glared at her, still breathing hard from his struggle with the coyote.

"Hand.Him.Over." Kenta boomed, clenching and unclenching his fist, the malice in his voice completely masked the fear he held for his brother's safety. When she made no move to let Canis go he took a step forward. "You know, if that was your boyfriend, it's safe to say he is of no use to you anymore," he insulted rudely.

This got quite the rise out of the girl who suddenly shook with anger. "You bastard! I never harmed your brother, how dare you make assumptions about me!" she roared back at him and Kenta was taken completely by surprise. Her voice had changed completely from soft to hard in a few short moments.

"What other reason is there for a human to travel with youkai?" he snapped back.

"SURVIVAL!" she cried loudly and she backed against the wall. Her body slumped against the hut and Kenta was instantly filled with remorse for his stupidity and rashness. "I do what I need to survive…" she murmured quietly.

Kenta ground his teeth and chewed the inside of his cheek, unsure of what to do for her. He didn't have much experience with this sort of thing. His mother would have known; she always knew how to help people, even if they were her enemy. Even Inuyasha would have known or at least have some idea how to help this girl.

But they weren't here.

Slowly he stepped forward but the girl snapped her head up. "Don't come near me. Don't touch me." She hissed darkly at Kenta as he took another step forward, despite her obvious protest.

"I can help you…tell me how to help you." Kenta pleaded, a whine worming its way into his voice. He held out his hand in offering. "Please…" he whined, his inability to help causing him great inner turmoil. The girl simply looked away.

"You'll help me?" she asked sarcastically, almost more to herself than to Kenta. Her voice dropped to barely a whisper.

"That's what they said,"

Then she lifted her head and bellowed.

"KASHIRO!"

In a heartbeat the youkai that had been battling Shippo and Sango appeared in the entrance to the alley, opposite the one where a grumbling Takato lay, still clutching himself miserably. Kenta had been right in assuming that this one was the leader. His rust colored hair stood up in a spiked fashion and his eyes were an eerie orange color. His clothing was fancy for little more than a youkai bandit and he smelled of sulfur and charcoal. He was definitely a fire youkai, and a strong one at that, because of his muscular physique.

"Another traitor to his own kind," Kashiro observed crossing his thick arms over his chest. "You're fighting on the wrong side hanyou,"

"I think I'll choose which side I fight for." Kenta told him boldly. Kashiro's hands ignited in fire and he smirked at him.

"Too late," and he built up his flame for a powerful attack meant to finish him off. He didn't want a fight…he simply wanted Kenta dead. There wouldn't even be ash left if it hit Kentamaru.

'Is he crazy he'll hit the girl too,' Kenta thought as he glanced at her. She was looking back at him and he knew that she had realized that as well.

When Kashiro thought he had built up a powerful enough attack to finish the job he sniggered.

"Who's ready for a barbecue?" he cackled maniacally as he unleashed his wave of fire through the alley.

Acting purely on instinct Kenta dove for the girl and Canis, diving onto the ground and pressed as close to the ground and wall as he could possibly get, he shielded them both with his body from the flames. Canis was mashed in between them, the girl facing Kenta, her face reluctantly buried in his neck.

Kenta hissed loudly as the fire seared overhead, singeing him, but he stayed and held strong. The scent of burning flesh suddenly filled his nostrils and he prayed it wasn't him or any of the two below him.

When the fire stopped he waited before pushing himself off slightly to inspect the two for injuries. The girl looked at him in utter disbelief before throwing her arms around his neck. Kenta face ignited as if on fire, as he blushed furiously as the girl hugged him, and he could do no more than hold himself up, palms lying flat on either side of her while she hung onto him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her tears tickling his neck as she pulled a needle from the apparatus on her arm and jabbed him in the back of the neck. Everything went black.

CLIFFHANGER!!!! haha, that oughta generate some reviews D Im extremely proud of myself this chapter, especially cause it didnt take that long to get out. So YAY me.

Man...some mega foreshadowing in this chapter But betaraiL couldn't even find them on her own. I had to point them out to her. If you think you spotted an area of foreshadowing let me know ;) Perhaps I will give you a prize D

I'm too anxious to get this one to you so I'll leave it at that.

Okay, here it is

The OC...or...OTH?(One Tree Hill)