This Story Belongs To Blazing-Assasin, I just Shared It With You Here. She Is Not On Fanfiction, but DeviantArt.

Disclaimer: Neither me or Blazing-Assasin own Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi does.

Kaede's eyes knocked back and forth as she quickly examined her opponent's moves. He leapt to the side then straight in her direction with a large katana slashing the path before him. Startled, she bound herself backwards in order to avoid his swipes. Missing her, the demon landed on one knee and knuckle onto the ground with acrobatic movements. It rose into a standing position, taking heed of her actions. He was a large demon, length wise, which seemed to intimidate her. She clenched her jaw, trying to rid herself of the shaky daunt feelings built up deep in the pit of her stomach. She foolishly rushed forward without thought of how to approach the situation; a trait she had half-wittedly picked up from her father. He blocked the sword with his own and stepped to the side with his long, piercing claws ripping towards her. Before he could touch her, though, she had turned briskly to the side and was only slashed at her shoulder. The impact forced her back-a-ways, where she slid on her behind and tumbled along the ground. She stood furiously with her knees beginning to cave in as she held her shoulder with as much pressure as she could offer. Blood slowly began to roll through the cracks in her fingers and over them as the wound began to break free of the pressure forced on it.

As he came after her once more, she released her grasp and held out her hand which was dripping with blood from holding her cut shoulder, and concentrated her spiritual powers all around the demon. Disappointingly, though, her powers, now weak since her injury, only sparked enough to shatter his arm. Her eyes followed the ashes that poured out after his shattered limb, intrigued with what he actually was. Recollecting distant teachings Lady Kaede had so wisely drilled into her mind, she realised that the creature was made of ashes.

'It's...an 'ash-demon',' her scattered thoughts focussed.

'Ash-demons' were unlike any others. They were formed from the ashes of a dead demon, whether good or bad, into malicious demons that were forced to do the summoner's work without any doubts. Their soul remained at the core of the formed demon, waiting to be reawakened by a spiritual healer (such as a priestess) or released to the afterlife.

Kaede's gaze targeted on the fallen ashes as they gathered once again to join at his shoulder joint. Her toe joints cracked as she forced her body into a crouching position with her hand gripped tightly onto the handle of her sword. She sprung forward thrusting to the side and slashing through his body with the fanged sword. She stood from a distance, gazing upon the scattered residue in triumph. She gasped as the ashes rose once more back into the towering figure she was beginning to grow weary of. Smirking, he grabbed his bow and an arrow and ran a clawed finger, mockingly, from the spear tip to the brittle feathers. She had to think fast. She had no time to be loathing, only moments to conjure up a plan. If any time was right, well, this wouldn't be one of the best, but she went along with her plan anyway. She held out both hands in order to summon up a barrier. She hadn't practised creating barriers enough. She was always finding a way to get out of teachings from either her mother or Lady Kaede to train with her sword with her father or alone. As she concentrated her thoughts, she could hear the demon's faint snickering as he continued to line up the shot. She squeezed her eyelids tighter in both fear and diligence. Right as he released his grip, the arrow flew towards the half demon with direct aim. She felt an odd, gleaming sensation burn within her. As she cautiously opened her eyes after hearing a brief sizzle, she found herself surrounded by a barrier. She took her gaze from the demon tinted with pink to her view from the spiritual shield, and down to the ground in front of her where the arrow lay, burnt. A smirk caressed her lips gently as she stood and drew an arrow from her quiver. As she pull back the tsuru, she could hear the cracking of the demon's knuckles. It's anger only instigated her on to destroy it. The barrier shattered as she released the arrow towards the youkai. The spiritual aura engulfed the demon and it collapsed as ashes. She waited for a few moments until she concluded the fight was finally over. She staggered towards the ashes and knelt down before them. She gently placed her hands over the glowing remains and began to pray. Her plan backfired. Her original aim was to send the spirit to the next world, but surprisingly, she ended up reawakening the soul. She stumbled backwards as the ashes formed a figure, changing into actual skin and body.

The features slowly started to become clear on his face. He had a slender nose and tanned, sandy coloured skin. He had entrancing eyes that were black with crescent shaped pupils. He was tall, maybe around 5'7, 5'8, with broad, masculine shoulders. His wavy, ebony hair seemed to layer itself as it rested on his skull that reached just above his shoulders. The attire he wore was quite simple, yet, elegant. He had smooth, tight, black footwear that appeared to be a type of boot which reached up to the middle of his shin where baggy grey pants ended with a white sash. For the top half of his clothes, he had a loose grey kimono top with a type of large silk, overlapping turtle-necked scarf that was white. He had long claws which curved in like bird talons. He looked calm and laid back, but looks were nothing to judge upon.

Kaede's eyes glittered as her mouth was cupped into a gasping 'o'. She watched as a pair of thick, white bird wings fanned out from his back. Kaede's records of different demons stored in her mind pointed out that he was a bird demon. His looks made him seem a couple years older than her, but in demon years, he was probably much, much older. Kaede blushed slightly as she peered up to the attractive demon with her girlie side coming out to play. She shoved it back desperately, though, as he began to speak and held out his hand to help her up.

"You have saved me, priestess, thank you,"

She brushed the dirt off her pants as she explained,

"I'm not a priestess, I'm a daughter of one, but that's about it,"

He furrowed his forehead in surprise but decided not to press the matter on any farther. He was quite suspicious as she circled the area around him, glaring him down. She was finally hit with total shock to how much different he looked from the other demon she had ridden herself of. She had never actually witnessed anything like this before, so she was quite intrigued. Especially considering that she herself had been able to do such a spectacular feat. He followed her gaze until he started to become tired of her speculating.

"You were really tall when you were the other demon," she stated as she continued to circulate.

"Well, excuse me," He retorted with an agitated bark. She smirked when she found she was getting on his nerves, and decided to keep pushing him,

"You're excused, bird-boy,"

She heard him scoff as she began to circle again. She was starting to become dizzy, but wouldn't pass up the chance to tick-off this demon. He began to rhythmically tap his fingers against one of his folded arms, until he bursted,

"Would you stop!"

She jumped, startled with his sudden outburst and brought her hands to her hips, leaning to one side. She was even starting to get annoyed with this awkwardness, so quickly cut to the chase, but not before reminding him,

"Hey! I am the one who saved you, you know. Now I need some information,"

He snorted as a scoff.

"Depends what you want to know,"

"Who sent you?"

"A half-demon named Naraku. I was summoned by that evil creature, to come and kill you,"

She couldn't help but mutter her next few words,

"Well you didn't do a very good job,"

Catching onto her sentence with his acute hearing, he shouted back,

"Hey! I got you in the arm!"

"That's not a very good thing to be proud of,"

"Anyways..."

"Can you take me to Naraku?"

"What? Why should I take you?"

"Why not? What's wrong with me?" Kaede began to growl, with her clawed fingers raising towards his direction.

"I have been resurrected, and my goal is to kill Naraku. He killed my family and I so now I must avenge them and kill him...alone,"

"Well, he's been an enemy of my family and friends for many years now, and is constantly ruining our lives! He's tried to kill us numerous times and continues to dispatch everything close to our hearts...I won't stand for it,"

"You're way too annoying, so I'm not going to help you,"

Kaede's right eye began to twitch. She was getting tired of this demon. She cracked her fingers, holding them towards him in attack and threatened with a steady voice which seemed to be cracking at every second word,

"I brought you back, and I can make you disappear again,"

He looked almost interested in what she was going to do next. He rose a brow and ducked his head out a bit as he asked with a sour face,

"Are you threatening me, girl?"

"You know it," She replied with a dip of cockiness.

The two stayed head-to-head, ready to attack at any given moment. Kaede smirked and thrust towards him, but was pulled back by a strong hand gripping the clothing on her back. She struggled and shouted,

"What the hell! Let go of me!"

She looked at the corner of her eye, to see Shippou to be the grasping demon. She growled and socked a punch his way as he taunted,

"When will you ever learn to stop being a total baka, Kaede,"

He dodged her fist and began to snicker as he released her, letting her fall to the ground with a 'thud'. She rubbed her backside, then helped herself up to face the fox-demon, leaving the bird demon in confusion.

"And just what the hell are you doing here?" she remarked bitterly, still quite peeved with Shippou degrading her in front of an opponent. But she supposed that it was in Shippou's nature as a brotherly figure to be doing that. It wasn't the first time, either.

"I stayed behind,"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes in unenlightenment to his obvious statement,

"Obviously. I mean why?"

"They told me to stay here to make sure that you didn't come back,"

"Well, I'm back, now...so too bad,"

Shippou begged to differ. He was told to keep her in the other era, and now that she came back, that wasn't going to stop him from shoving her back down that bone-gobbling well. He shook his head from left-to-right as he retorted,

"Not with me around. You're not staying here...it's too dangerous,"

She narrowed her gaze at his and began clench her teeth. This 'protective' act from everyone was starting to grow thin. Her dark bangs overcast her glare as she looked to the snowy ground.

"No,"

Her refusing word was so soft, yet, crisp to Shippou and even the bird demon's hearing. Shippou turned his head slightly as if still trying to make out what she meant.

"I'm going after Naraku whether you like it or not. You know me much better than to give up so easily, Shippou,"

That was true. Shippou had known her far too long to kid himself into thinking she would obey every word spoken from others like himself. She was not meant to be contained like any other normal child. But, she wasn't normal, anyway, so maybe that was her secret of disobedience. He wanted so badly to just throw her over his shoulder and let her free-fall down the portal to the era she was supposed to be in for the time, but he knew he couldn't (and besides, she would put up a great, agonizing fight). He heaved a great sigh and closed his eyes, as if trying to close out all the screaming and beatings that InuYasha and Kagome would lay into him, and nodded.

Kaede's face beamed as she threw her arms around the demon brother of her's and repeated gleeful 'thank-you's' into his ear. She spun around and glared at the demon with wings standing behind her. It was time for her 'reasonable, caring self' to reconcile with him.

"Ok, listen. If we work together, we have a better chance at beating Naraku. Besides, you're going to get pretty lonely,"

Her last few words danced in a sing-song manner, as if trying to tempt him with her friendly words. He tapped his foot lightly against the patted snow beneath his foot, leaving Kaede holding onto her last breath as she wait for his response. He finally shrugged and groaned,

"Fine, but you'll just get in the way,"

Kaede smirked and let that remark by, considering that he had just agreed to travelling with her to lead them to Naraku which she was very grateful for.

***

They had been walking for a while now, and Kaede was starting to tire of the demon's constant bragging. She steadily followed behind him, noticing that he continued to look over his shoulder to check if she was listening at all times. She couldn't really pin-point whether he was doing it just to bother her, or whether he normally boasted. But either way, it was starting to get to her.

"What did you say your name was, again?" She interrupted, trying to rid herself for even a second of his constant droning.

"Yukio, son of..."

He drifted off and held Kaede and Shippou's anxiousness in his clutch. He let his shoulders sag as he mumbled,

"...son of Taro,"

Shippou glanced over to Kaede, and she did the same. There was a brief silence, until both of them broke out into laughter. Through overflowing, howling laughs, Kaede managed to squeak,

"Yo-you mean 'Taunting-Taro'? The one who fled from his own battle?"

They continued to roll in the snow with their laughter echoing throughout the forest they came through, which steamed Yukio. He growled and kicked the snow helplessly. He then flew up in the air and changed the subject.

"Hey, Kaede," He called down to her mockingly. She wiped away a tear from so much giggling and sat up in the snow. She glanced up to him and asked him what he wanted.

"I bet I'm faster than you,"

She smirked and replied as she stood,

"Ya right, it's on,"

The second she stood, Yukio flew off through the forest, with Kaede right below him. She frowned as he flew ahead of her and knew she had to speed up. She rushed into the air and glided beside him. He glanced over to her with a smirk, but was drawn to the glowing pink jewel around her neck. Mindlessly, he reached for the Shikon no Tama and got a good grip. Kaede gasped in shock and clutched his hand with both of hers. She was able to stay in the air, because even though she had lost her path in the air, Yukio was still flying with her holding on to his wrist. She threw herself onto his body and began to wrestle him in the air. With his wings fanned out completely, Yukio struggled to get her off of him and even tried to let go of the jewel in order to do so. Not catching that Yukio was trying to let go of the jewel, Kaede whipped her clawed fingers through the air and slashed at the side of his face. He shoved her off and flew up into the air, grabbing at his face as he struggled to keep in the air. Kaede went flying to the ground, and was caught in Shippou's arms. She slid out from his hold and pulled him with her through the forest, then finally both started running.

"Why are we running? What's wrong?" Shippou shouted as he was right at her heels.

"Yukio can't be trusted! He tried to take the jewel from me!" She exclaimed as Shippou looked up, stunned, to see Yukio flying right above them.

"Kaede! Please, wait! I'm sorry! I really didn't mean to try to take it, I was just, overcome, I guess, by it's power!"

Kaede tried to block out his words, but that little voice of kind reason that she had inherited from her caring mother kept growing, and growing, and growing. She slowed down to a stop, as did Shippou who looked especially interested in what she was going to do. She stood, unimpressed, with her arms crossed as he flew in front of her with an honest face.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it,"

She searched all of the features on his face, looking for even a look of confession to actually doing it on purpose, but he was really telling the truth. She bit her bottom lip and clenched her fists, wanting so badly to blast him. But, she couldn't because in her heart, she knew he wasn't lying. She let out a loud groaning sigh and continued forward, leaving the two demons dumb-struck. She signalled for them to follow, so they traced her steps with their own. She then decided to stop, and turned around with a clawed finger pointed near his face. Yukio brought his head back in defence as she threatened,

"Let's get this straight. If you ever try to take the jewel, again, I'll kill you with my bare hands,"

She smirked dominantly as she could hear him swallow back his saliva in fear. He backed up and straightened up before marching in front of his comrades to boast about himself once again. Kaede snarled and was ready to pounce on him, trying to claw at him but was held back firmly by Shippou as he sighed and thought hopelessly,

'This is going to be a long day,'