Disclaimer: I dont own Inuyasha or anything for that matter. Well I kind of own a car. But I cant drive it yet.

Chapter Eight: A Rude Awakening

A week into their journey, the brothers were sorely in need of some action. At the current time, Canis was sound asleep in a hammock. Not quite a hammock persay, but rather his older brother's haori stretched out between two trees. Kenta was sitting sulkily against one of the trees, shirtless, bare arms folded across his chest. He appeared to be in a deep sleep, save for the rythmic tapping of his fingers against his bicep. He was frowning deeply.

His body was not adjusting well to the lack of sleep. Not well at all. Especially since the only thing that seemed to be even remotely dangerous in this forest was his brat of a brother. The little hanyou had a tendency of disrupting everything he put his claws on.

Kentamaru's body was not adjusting well to lack of sleep. Not well at all. Especially since the only thing that seemed to be even remotely dangerous in this forest was Canis. The hanyou had a tendency of disrupting the peace and nature of the woods.

They were travelling slow. Kenta saw no reason to rush. They walked mostly sticking to the trails and roads. He would make Canis run for periods of time to build his endurance. Other than that they'd fallen into a fairly plain routine.

During the day they'd walk on the paths or dart through the trees. Generally they settled down in a safe suitable place to make camp. After teaching Canis how to make fire it became his duty to get a fire going each night while Kenta hunted nearby. Both boys cooked with Inuyasha so they took turns making the dinner on most nights. Then Kenta would fashion a hammock out of his haori, tying the sleeves around two trees. It was crude, but it worked for Canis, who had fallen out of his tree the first night and adamantly refused to try sleeping in one again.

Canis snorted in his sleep and Kenta's eyes snapped open. He snapped his head to the right angrily.

"Wake up sunshine." he growled, standing abruptly and facing his brother. He nudged him with his knee. "I said UP!" with the same knee he overturned the hammock. Canis opened his eyes and got his hands out before his face hit the dirt. He was developing some alright instincts.

Canis took his time stretching while Kenta untied his haori, shook it out and put it on.

"Go wash up while I find breakfast." He instructed. Canis nodded and ambled off toward the nearby creek. Kenta turned to head in the direction he smelt fruit in. His nose led him to a berry bush. Enjoying the quiet he knelt before the bush and started picking slowl,y carefully chewing each one.

Mid chew, he stopped and sighed. What sounded like a bull youkai was trampling through the forest towards him. He gathered a handful of berries and stood gracefully, turning around just as Canis stopped in front of him.

"K-kenta!" He babbled panting. He grabbed his brothers hand. "Come quick! I found something!" he tugged Kenta's hand towards the creek, letting go when he started to run. Kenta quickened his pace to follow.

When he reached the creek, Canis was bent over something on the shore. Kenta rolled his eyes as he approached his brother, stuffing berries into the tykes mouth.

Flopping on the stones in front of Canis, half dead, was a fish.

"Canis!"

"Isn't he cool!?" Canis exclaimed around a mouthful of berries looking up at his brother. He scooped up the poor thing and raised it up to show Kenta.

"Where did you get that?" Kenta demanded his eyes wide. Canis' ears drooped in confusion as he pointed to the creek.

"I think the water is bad." Canis told him. "He looks sick..."

"No shit! Put him back in the water Canis!" Kenta ordered. Canis shook his head confused.

"No! It'll make him sick!" He held the fish close to his body. It had ceased flopping and only twitched faintly from time to time.

Kenta's features softened as he understood what had happened. Canis had found the fish in the creek and had caught it. Overcome with excitement, he had raced off to find his brother, leaving the fish dying on the rocks, not realizing it would die if not in the water.

"Being out of the water makes him sick Canis..." kneeling down and cupping the fish and his brothers hands.

Together they placed the fish back in the water and released him. Canis watched in amazement as the fish immediately sprang back to life, speeding away through the water.

"Awesome..." Canis exhaled as he watched the fish in the creek.

Kenta smiled knowingly, ruffling his brothers hair as the 5 year old talked to the fish in the creek. Kenta looked down the creek in both directions idly.

It stretched on for leagues, to his right deeper into the heart of the forest, back toward home. To his left, however, he could see an end to the wood and several minute huts in the distance plains beyond. Something over there caught his attention.

Concentrating acutely, screwing up his eyes and blocking out the sounds around him he listened and looked as only a youkai could. He could just barely make out the tiny figures of villagers, running from their homes in what could only be terror. His ears darted around, trying to catch any sound coming from the village. His eyes widened as he finally caught their voices; their screams.

Run. Youkai. Bandits.

Upon hearing those words Kenta's golden eyes, so much like his fathers blazed in fury. It had to be the same bandits from before.

Canis, who had picked up on his brothers intensity was also staring down the creek. Although he couldnt tell what was going on, he knew that something was. Kenta stood slowly, brushing his hands off on his haori gently. "Canis," he spoke calmly despite his obvious agitation. "Do you have your bow?" he seemed to grind out these words, his efforts to remain calm failing him.

"Always," Canis darted out to snatch his bow and quiver from where he had lain them on the rocks.

"Then you follow me as closely as you can and do exactly...as I say," he growled, overwhelmed with excitement he took off, pebbles scattering in his wake. Canis took off after his brother, his idol.

Kenta was running through the creek, soaking his body in the spray he kicked up. Canis was bounding along the shore, keeping pace almost effortlessly it seemed. In the back of his mind, Kenta registered that his training had paid off on his younger brother.

They neared the edge of the forest sooner than Kentamaru had expected and he had no time for slowing. "Canis!" he hollered. "Stay in the forest!"

"But why?" Canis yelled back, worry evident in his voice.

"I am going to get rid of them!" Kenta yelled. His words were final. Canis slowed as Kentamaru broke through the trees.

"Be careful!" Canis bellowed to him. Kenta waved a hand over his head.

"I'll be back before you know it! Stay HIDDEN!"

Kenta darted over the rooftops, against the throng of fleeing villagers. While he ran desperately he hoped no one in tis particular village recognized him or mistook him for his father. That would be asking for trouble that he was not ready to handle.

He could hear men shouting as they tried to defend their families and houses. They faced off against a horde of youkai bandits. A bull youkai among them, a bird youkai with a missing foot...and a fire youkai leading them.

'Kashiro...' Kenta growled low. The men waved pitchforks against the onslaught of flames. 'Again with the pitchforks...' he rolled his eyes and leapt over them, scaring them back. He landed away from the pitchforks and into the flames.

He waved his sleeve over his head and in front of his face to extinguish the flames around his body. The flames receded and Kashiro lowered his hand, staring at Kenta curiously.

"I thought I smelled wet dog," he intoned softly, still staring at Kenta in something akin to amazement.

"You look like you've seen a ghost..." Kenta sneered as he straightened to his full height and flexed his claws.

Kashiro ran a hand through his rust colored spikes and pondered Kenta's arrival. He seemed to have more men with him this time. In addiction to the bull youkai and the bird, two neko youkai accompanied him as well as a massive thunder element youkai.

"I am seeing a ghost..." Kashiro said thoughtfully, crossing his arms over his chest. "You see...I could have sworn you were dead HANYOU!' Kashiro raised his voice at the end, almost as if he were talking to someone farther away, other than Kentamaru.

Kenta drew the needle from his pocket and showed it to him. "Not by a long shot," he retorted, crushing the needle in his hand. Kashiro regarded Kenta with an evil smirk, orange eyes glowing eerily.

"I guess you got lucky kid," Kashiro told him letting his arms fall. "But this time..."

"There are no slayers here to protect you,"

Kenta's eyes widened as he realized how severely outnumbered he was. Outnumbered barely even began to cover it. He was screwed. He could practically hear Inuyasha's voice in his head, cursing his rashness and stupidity. Kenta calmed himself and forced it all out of his mind, masking his face almost perfectly.

"I have more power...in one finger," Kenta shot Kashiro the middle finger of his left hand. "Than you have in your entire body. I'm not afraid of you,"

"Well is that so?" Kashiro laughed. His face changed from amused to serious in an instant. He started hurling balls of fire at Kenta from both hands.

Kenta dodged them easily, weaving in and out, darting away from the flames swiftly. But dodging would get him nowhere, and the flames were raining down on the houses behind him.

"Come on!" Kashiro called maniacally, inscreasing the size and speed of his fireballs. "Show me your so called power half demon!"

Kenta growled angrily. He began moving closer as he dodged, pushing past Kashiro's flames and defenses.

"I would..." he yelled back. Then he leapt up and above Kashiro taking him by surprise. "But you're not WORTHY!" he roared as he made to bring his fist down on the fire youkai's face.

Kashiro reached up and caught Kenta's fist in one hand like it was nothing and smirked up at him smartly. He was holding Kenta poised in the air by just holding his fist. Kenta's eyes widened horrifically.

'Is that all you got?" he asked as he loosed his flames from the hand that clenched Kentamaru's fist.

Kenta screamed as the flames licked at him and the power of the blast sent him soaring backwards. He crashed straight through both walls of a burning hut, the remains collapsing after him.

He slammed into the outside wall of the next hut, cracking his skull against it and falling to the dirt in the alley between the two houses. Groaning in pain he lifted his head, wiping away the blood that trickled from his lip with a burnt knuckle.

He looked straight up into the green-blue eyes of the nay haired girl. She had a look akin to horror on her face, eyes wide in disbelief.

"You..." she whispered, instantly recognizing Kenta from their previous memorable encounter. Kenta couldnt suppress the rumble in his throat.

"You!" he snarled viciously, pulling himself to his feet. The girl made to back away from him but almost tripped in the burning debris. She grasped her forearm, bringing it up infront of her chest defensively, protectively.

Kenta looked closer at the apparatus on her forearm. It was a band on her arm that held dozens of razor sharp needles, each about five inches long. Like the one she had stabbed him with. He looked back up into her eyes.

"Dont even think about it," he warned her. The girl drew a needle anyway in spite of him.

"Then just leave." she warned back. "There's no way you can take on those guys." she added. Kenta scowled at her.

"Why...you..." Kenta growled, quickly losing his cool. He had been wrong about this girl afterall. The only help she needed from anyone was a swift kick in the ass. "Have it your way then bitch. I guess I was wrong." and he leapt away, powering through the flames, back toward Kashiro.

He landed once more before Kashiro, who was smirking at him in creepy delight. "Back for more?" he sneered. His men laughed behind him.

"You think one hit is going to keep me down?" Kenta snarled as he dashed forward. Kashiro sent fire at him but Kenta raised his sleeve and dashed through it unperturbed. Kashiro had underestimated his speed.

He brought his fist up under the fire youkai's chin. Although Kashiro's feet stayed planted the blow was enough to swing his head back painfully and his eyes rolled up into the back of his head for a moment.

Then the thunder youkai shot Kenta, sending him soaring. He skidded to a stop infront of a pile of burning debris, the remains of what had once been a home. Kashiro glared at him.

"That's it hanyou." he bellowed, the flames of the house rising up with his rage. "You're DEAD!' he powered up an attack, the same one he had tried to use before. Fighting it was no use, he knew that much already. The voice in his head that sounded like his father urged him to run. Kenta decided he was probably better off listening to him.

"Cant kill me if you cant catch me!" he hollered, gathering up his strength and darting back to the woods. Kashiro watched him go with a mild interest. Then he spoke.

"Mitako!" his voice boomed in the now desolate village. The other youkai sniggered and shuffled about anxiously. Slowly, the girl with the navy hair appeared from the wreckage and joined them.

Kashiiro grinned down at her, his orange eyes flashing in delight as she scowled up at him in disdain. "Alright boys!" he called over his shoulder, eyes never leaving her the girls. "We're going to find that hanyou whelp and kill him. HUNT. HIM. DOWN!" he ordered. His men took off toward the woods, whooping excitedly. As the girl turned to go after them Kashiro grabbed her and pulled her back against him.

"Your keeping that hanyou alive before..." he hissed darkly, his lips like fire on her ear. "is now the reason for his death."

Kenta almost passed by Canis, who had remained obedient and was sitting on a log playing with the wildlife of the woods.

Kenta barelled by him, skidded to a stop and darted back to up his brother then continued his deadly race. Canis looked up at his brother from his arms.

"Did you kill them?" he inquired innocently.

"Not quite."

"Did you save the village?"

"Not quite."

"Oh." Canis was quiet for a moment as Kenta raced through the woods at an astonishing speed. Then he spoke up once more.

"Are we being chased?"

"Most likely."

"Oh."

Kenta ran until it was almost nightfall. Canis had fallen asleep in his arms. Regretfully he slowed his gait and stopped in a fairly secluded clearing. His mind was wired and still reeling from adrenaline but his body was wearing down steadily. He set Canis down at the base of a tree near some bushed. In his mind, he wondered if it was too risky to light a fire. If he was even being, it might lead them to him.

That was if he was being followed. He didnt really know for certain if the youkai had actually given chase. Even if they had, he'd been running top speed for over eight hours. He had to have lost them. His stomach growled in protest then. Hunted or not, Kenta had to eat to build up his strength, that much was certain.

Within minutes he had a small fire going. Brushing his hands off he noticed the many burns that ran up his arms, in particular his right. They didnt hurt much, only tingled occasionally as his youkai blood healed them but they were rather irritating. He crouched before the flame, nursing it with sticks until he was sure it would stay lit if he left it to hunt.

He glanced at Canis, who was using an upraised root as a pillow as he slept under the tree.

'I should probably wake him,' he thought as he stood up. But he was sleeping so peacefully and Kenta didnt quite have the heart to wake him. He'd just stay close to the clearing in case he woke up.

Satisfied he turned and walked across the clearing. He'd smelt a rabbit over there earlier that surely hadnt gotten that far. As he neared the edge of the clearing he cast out his youki and senses to track the rabbit. His ears perked up and there was a rustling noise behind him. He didnt move. The rustling happened again...closer.

He snapped around and tried not to snarl. The bush right behind Canis was moving. Kenta's heart stopped for a moment.

Someone had found them.

Kenta crossed the clearing in a flash, the wind of his wake putting out his own fire. He leapt high over the bush teeth bared, claws out.

He locked hands against the intruder, idly marveling at its strength. He was staring hard into a face with bright green eyes (or were they blue?), navy bangs falling in her face.

"YOU!" he snarled again, shock almost causing him to lose his grip. He gritted his teeth and shoved her back but she did not let him go.

"Give me one good reason not to kill you!" Kenta snarled darkly at her. The girls eyes blazed back, unafraid.

"I saved your life!" she protested still not giving in to Kenta's obvious strength.

"Wrong," he snapped back with a snarl. "I saved yours!" the girl let out a frustrated sigh and a curse.

"I saved you as well!" she hollered back. Kenta barked out a laugh.

"You call what you did to me SAVING?" he laughed bitterly in her face.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, throwing her head back. Strands of her hair that had fallen loose from her ponytail swung by Kenta's nose. His nose twitched and then his golden eyes blazed.

Furiously he swung his right hand across, still holding her hand and spun her around. He pulled the girl back, flush against his chest. He still held her hands, which were now crossed and wrapped around her as if she were embracing herself, trapping and immobilizing her. He swung his right leg over hers, trapping her further against his body.

"Now it all makes sense..." he spoke into her ear so she couldnt headbutt him in the face. "Your hair...your eyes...your scent..." he whispered deeply into her ear. The girls breath hitched in her throat.

"W-what are you babbling about half demon?" the girl snapped, turning her head to look at him. She found herself caught in the brilliant blaze of his golden eyes. The sound of his laughter was seductive as he chuckled softly in her ear.
"Now it makes sense," he said again his eyes bright with his own amusement. "Your strength, how you were able to catch me..." unexpectedly he spun her back around releasing her. She connected hard with a tree, the breath escaping her in a sharp gasp.

Kenta stalked forward arms folded across his chest smugly. The girls eyes blazed back at his in fury.

"Now I understand why you were traveling with those youkai," he said again. "I was right... humans don't travel with youkai." the girl stared hard at him.

"Do they hanyou?" he asked with a self satisfied smirk.

The girl smirked back at him. "Guess you're not so dumb afterall pretty boy," she admonished. Her eyes flickered to the darkened sky. Slowly she reached out and untied her hair, letting it fall softly to where it just skimmed her shoulders.

As the sun dropped below the western horizon, Kenta felt the familiar pulse of youkai radiate from the girl. It felt...wrong...too personal, to witness her change so he averted his eyes.

When the pulse dimished he looked back at her. Not much had changed about her, except her eyes seemed brighter and blue hanyou ears, almost like his own, were atop her head. Save for the claws that now graced her fingers, Kenta idly marveled that somehow she seemed...less dangerous than she had in her human state.

"Inu hanyou," Kenta stated in question. The girl nodded her head stiffly. So she was one of his own. And a bandit to boot. She had crossed him twice before, this being her third and final strike. As next tai youkai it was his duty to deal with criminals such as her.

"I guess...it makes it easier for me to kill you then," he said slowly before dashing at her, claws raised.

She, however, was quicked. She slashed him across the chest, her own claws tasting blood and she darted around him. Kenta spun angrily, raising his backhand to strike as she cringed away unable to avoid it and awaiting the blow.

"Wait!"

Kenta's hand stopped inches from her face. He was grinding his teeth hard. The girl peeked up at him. Slowly and stiffly, Kenta retracted his hand, gold eyes blazing with inner turmoil. 'Dammit,' he swore to himself. 'I cant do it...I cant hit a girl!'

"Let me explain," she pleaded. Kenta turned his back on her, thrusting his hands up his sleeves angrily, still fuming about his own inability to strike a girl. He heard her sigh behind him.

"I knew that Kashiro would kill you since you dodged his flame," she explained. "Since you saved my life from him, I jabbed you with a needle tipped with something to knock you out. I told Kashiro that I had poisoned you and he left you for dead believing me!"

"And this saved my life?" Kenta scoffed incredulously, wheeling about to face her.

"Yes. You're alive aren't you? He thought you were dead!" the girl told him, easily affected by Kenta's hostility. "But you just couldnt stay dead could you?" she snapped. Kenta's mouth dropped open in shock. "No. You couldnt. You had to play the hero again and show your stupid idiot face! Now Kashiro KNOWS I betrayed him!"

"So what?" Kenta snapped in response.

"Now he's going to kill us both!" she yelled, getting in his face.

"So why the hell are you here?" Kenta demanded angrily, not backing down an inch. Surprisingly the girl did though, her ears drooping dejectedly.

"You said you'd help me," she reminded him gently. Kenta ran a hand across his face and through his bangs, exasperated.

"I dont know if I can trust you," he admitted ruefully. "What if you're only here because they sent you to stall me for time until they come to kill me themselves?" he proposed cautiously.

"I... thats not how it is," she protested trying to convince him.

"How do I know this?"

"Listen, I dont have time to spew out my life story to you right now!" the girl told him sharply. "I came to you because I dont want to die!"

"You said they wanted me dead too. So how is coming to me going to help you?" he retorted cynically.

"You said you'd help me,' she reminded him for a second time, looking into his eyes.

"I dont know how." Kenta admitted ruefully.

"Run," the girl told him. "Run away and take me with you."

Kenta considered this for a moment. "How do I know I can trust you?"

There was absolute sincerity in the girls eyes as she answered him. "You dont."

"I do," a groggy voice popped. Kenta's head snapped to the side. Canis was up, somewhat. He was walking toward the two, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"What?" Kenta snapped. "Go back to bed you little bugger. You dont know what you're saying!" he ordered harshly.

"No!" the girl shouted. "Listen to him."

Canis walked up to the girl. He looked at her curiously. "You saved me," the girl nodded, a small smile on her face. Canis turned to his brother. "She's okay Kenta. Let's help her." behind him the girl nodded her agreement.

"What do you know pipsqueak?" Kenta scoffed at him angrily.

"I know she's okay!" Canis fired back. "And I know she needs our help! You said so yourself to Shun!"

Kenta's features darkened as he glowered at his little brother, a tinge of blush on his nose. "I take it back!" he snarled, turning his back on them both. Canis frowned.

"You cant!" Canis cried, clearly quite stricken.

"Watch me!" Kenta snarled stubbornly. The girl rolled her eyes at them both.

"I'll explain everything to you later but we dont have any time! They'll be on to us soon. Either you take me or you leave me," she said finally.

"Leave you." Kenta intoned. The girl glowered at him.

"Oookay...let me put it this way.' she said boldly. "I came to you to ask for your help and to ultimately save all of our lives," Kenta laughed rather rudely at this. "If you leave me, I crawl back to Kashiro and lead him to you and your brother."

Kenta was on her in an instant, fist curled in the collar of her shirt threateningly. He fisted his left hand in front of her face.

"Fine,' he said in a low dark voice. "But you do as I say and you follow my every command. If you even think about betraying me..." he let her drop down releasing her, his eyes filling in the rest of the sentence.

The girl sighed in relief and relaxed. "Thank you," she breathed. Kenta scoffed again and turned from her. Canis, however, rushed forward and embraced her.

"Yay!" he cheered before pulling away to look up at her. "This is going to be a fun trip!"

"Trip?" the girl repeated confused. Canis nodded eagerly.

"Yup, we're going south on a mission! Kenta is going to go get something from some guy and then we are going to go home!"

"Sounds...fun!" the girl said awkwardly, patting Canis on the head with an accomodating smile. She looked at Kenta's back. "He's your brother then...Kenta?" Canis nodded.

"I'm Canis!" he said proudly, puffing out his chest. He bowed gracefully and offered his hand, like the gentlemen he was born and raised to be. The girl took it with a smile.

"Pleased to meet you Canis," she said sweetly. "I'm- "

"Sorry to interrupt but we've got to split," Kenta interjected suddenly, whipping around. "Your friends are in the vicinity." The girl immediately tensed and hopped to her feet.

"Well what are you waiting for?" she hollered impatiently. "Lets move." She watched in awe as Kenta allowed his brother to climb on his back. He shot her a look over his shoulder when he caught her amazed stare.

"Try to keep up," and the trio of hanyou's shot off into the darkness.

Hope this makes up for everything. Look what I can do when I am motivated. Track is done. Im a failure. Oh well.

Its late. I have nothing to say except this girl. The one traveling with Kenta and Canis. She rules.

Mornings or Nights?

Deceptress