Inuyasha, a young dog hanyou boy, laid under a tree, in its cool shade. He felt weak, and all he had done through the whole day was just to rest. His senses were gone for good, and his head was aching. He was sweating from all over, and it was as hot as hell. Inuyasha held his forehead and let out a puppy whine. Damn... he coughed a few wet coughs and slacked against the tree. His dog-ears picked up a thunder rumbling, as dark clouds filled the sky, and small raindrops fell down. Inuyasha whined again, but all those cold raindrops felt like the touch on heavens against his hot forehead.

A small group was walking along a road. The group contained three humans and two youkais. Kagome, a young miko, Sango, a demonslayer, Miroku, a lecherous monk, Kirara, a cat youkai and Shippo, a kitsune youkai. Kagome took two umbrellas from her yellow backpack and gave one to Miroku and Sango, and opened her own.

"Shall we start looking for a shelter?" Miroku asked. "A village, maybe?"

"We have no money!" Sango complained and opened the umbrella.

"But you have me!" Miroku grinned and moved under Sango's umbrella. Kagome knew he was up to no good.

"Look, there's a village!" Kagome cried out and pointed at some huts in distance. "But...we're so near the bone-eaters' well... Why haven't we noticed this village before?"

"Its a deep forest around here. You'll never know what's behind or inside it", Miroku said. "But now, shall we go? It's turning into a downpour!"

The group dashed to the village. It wasn't like the villages they had went trough before. They walked and had a little look around.

"Well, here are no big houses or luxurious castles..." Miroku sighed. "I wonder if they have any beautiful women?"

"Houshi-samaaaaa..." Sango growled like the death herself. Miroku gulped and smiled innocently. Suddenly his eyes widened, and so did Sango's and Kagome's.

"Do you sense it too?" the monk asked, and both girls nodded.

"A demonic aura...though not very strong..." Kagome said. Suddenly an old miko came from behind a small hut. She was carrying some medical herbs, and stopped when noticing the group of new arrivals.

"Are ye looking for place to stay for the night?"

Everybody nodded.

The old lady led the group to a small hut, where a small fire was burning in a little fireplace, in the middle of the hut. A small cauldron was hanging above it, and it reeked of a heavenly scent of soup. She gave everybody a cup of hot soup.

"My name is Kaede, and I am the priestess and the leader of this village", the old lady introduced herself.

"My name is Kagome", Kagome smiled and turned at her friends.

"Miroku."

"Sango."

"And I am Shippo!"

"Nice to meet you", Kaede smiled.

"Um, haven't you, Kaede-sama, sensed a demonic aura from nearby?" Miroku asked. "When we came here, I sensed..."

"Aye, dont ye worry about that", Kaede said calmly. Everybody's eyes widened. "I am very aware of that."

"You know where does it come from?" Kagome asked.

"Aye, it's from a young dog hanyou, Inuyasha. He lives in this village, or actually in that forest surrounding us", Kaede explained. "Though he has lived in this village now for more than a century, he is actually only something of your age, child", Kaede said and looked at Kagome.

"I have lived for 70 years, too!" Shippo grinned. "Still, I am only a young child."

"It seems as youkais and hanyous age much slowly than humans do..." Miroku thought out loud.

"True, and what I know, Inuyasha's both parents died when Inuyasha was very young. Even younger than ye, Shippo", Kaede said. "Thats what has been passed down by the villagers."

"Is he dangerous?" Kagome asked. When they talked about hanyous, Kagome always remebered the hanyou they had once met, Jineji. I wonder if this Inuyasha is much like Jineji... She thought and remembered how the villagers had hated him for no reason, even though he was so kind-hearted.

"The stories tell that he's very wild and that he attacks all humans that go near him. Those stories are mostly nonsense", Kaede told. "He has never killed a living person, nor has he never even tried to attack me. However, I recommend ye to keep a good distance from him. Overall he doesn't trust humans."

Kagome took a spoonful of her soup. She was so curcious about this dog hanyou. Jineji was such a nice person, and it is always nice make friends with someone who is all alone.

"Um, Kaede-obaachan..." Kagome started. "Have you ever seen him? Inuyasha I mean..."

"Aye, sure I have!" Kaede smiled. "Ye see, he is a violent fighter, and sometimes, rarely though, he even defends the village against demons. Always when he gets hurt, I take care of his wounds and help him as much as he allows me to. I give him food and a shelter if he needs. It seems as I am the only human he lets near him." She stopped and sipped her soup. "He might be violent and rough, but what I have seen past these almost two years of knowing him, he has become loyal and protective."

"Like a stray dog", Sango muttered and Kaede nodded.

Doesn't sound like a murderer to me... Kagome thought. "Ahem, Kaede-obaachan..." she started. "...do you know if this Inuyasha has any Shikon Jewel shards?"

Kaede first shook her head, but suddenly she lift her face at them and stared in a huge shock. "Ye know somethin' about the Shikon Jewel?"

"Oh yes", Kagome nodded. "We are gathering the shards of it." Kagome showed Kaede a small glass vial, where she had a few shikon shards inside. Kaede took the vial in her shaking hands. "Is...something the matter?" Kagome asked.

"My oneesama was used to protect this jewel when she was still alive...It was over thirty years ago, when she perished of wounds she received from a battle against a clan of demons, who were after the Shikon. Kikyo-oneesama told me to burn the Shikon Jewel along with her body, and thus the jewel was supposed to be never seen again..."

Kagome explained who she was, told about the dried well and how the Shikon no Tama had started to exsist again.

Inuyasha walked a path going through the forest, heading to the village. He was soaked, but the cold and damp clothes felt nice against his burning hot body. His vision was blurred and he felt even more weaker than before. When he got out of the forest and saw the village, he started walking towards Kaede's hut. He knew she would help him, unlike anyone else in this world.

When he got to Kaede's house, he extended his hand towards the doorway, but stopped when he smelled a plenty of new scents from the hut. Humans. Humans, and two youkais. Inuyasha didn't want to go in. Not as long as the house was filled with other humans than the old lady. He lapsed on the verandah floor, leaned his back against the wall and closed his eyes. At least Im safe from the rain and wind...