Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

AN: I know I take a long time to get to the point. And a long time to update. Sorry for any frustration this might cause you guys. Even though I haven't even written it yet, maybe you should just start reading at chapter 5 or something.


CHAPTER 1: A LITTLE FRIEND

The bird gave a last weakened protest, before falling into the air, bereaved of one of its wings. Blood was beginning to seep from the wound and it was going to die. The demon that had caused the injury swooped down in a circle and snatched the dying bird up in its jaws, meaning to take the half-live prey back to the nest and feed her to the younglings.

But before that could happen, a shining arrow pierced the demon's neck and reduced it to a thousand glowing particles of light. The unconscious little bird fell down, only to land in the outstretched hands of the archer.

Kikyo did not know why she chose to save this particular bird. She had seen a hundred others come to the same end since her revival.

Technically this bird was already dead… But even as she thought this, the bird in her moon-white hands gave a little splutter. Kikyo's eyes widened as she came back from her thoughts. She set the little bird - it was a sparrow – down on a nearby rock, as she gathered little strips of cloth to bandage the frail little thing.

Having managed to stop the blood from escaping the wound, Kikyo gave the sparrow a little sip of water from a stream nearby.

I'll have to carry a water skin from now on. Even as she thought this, Kikyo did not even realise she thought of the little sparrow as her companion already.

She walked slowly throughout the whole night, hoping not to disturb her sleeping companion, who lay just inside her robe, and with each breath she could feel each heartbeat, knowing that the sparrow will never feel hers.