A/N: Okay, SO I think I have a system. I'll be updating this story every Sunday. There's also a new one I'm writing, for the dokuga_contest's weekly drabble contests, that's SessxKag. I have some others in the making, too, like a continuation of my oneshot "Figurine" as well as an actual InuyashaxKagome pairing. Just so you all know!

Word Count: 1,355

Enjoy!

Rejected

"Papa, wake up!" Onigumo's excited voice rang throughout the cave that had become their home almost eight years ago as he ran into his parents' chamber, resisting the urge to pounce on their bed to speed up the waking process.

"Mmrph," Daichi grumbled—generally it was he who woke up the boy, not the opposite way around. After all, it wasn't even sunrise yet!

"Pap-aa," he said again, emphasizing his impatience by drawing out the word, wide eyes adjusting to the darkness in the room.

Daichi cracked an eye open—he, after all, could see perfectly in the darkness—and noted with a small smile that Onigumo was already dressed and ready. "Happy birthday, son. I believe your mother is already making breakfast; after that we'll start the hunt."

Excitement lit up the boy's eyes almost as much as it lit up his smile, and with a quick nod he turned and rushed out of the room to give his father some privacy. Daichi went out to hunt frequently—and Onigumo had started begging to go as soon as he turned eight. Every time he asked, his father always replied that he would take him on his thirteenth birthday.

It was hard for Daichi to see him as ready, still, though. He was around 50 years old whenever he got to go on his first hunt—and Onigumo wasn't near that age. But he of course knew from experience that human's grew much more quickly than youkai. It was terrible, in his opinion—though he knew Akiko would be the one to voice it, he too felt that his son was growing up way too fast.

"Good morning, sweetheart!" Akiko's voice sang out, and she stepped away from the fire where their breakfast was cooking to sweep him into her arms and kiss his forehead. "Happy birthday!"

"Ma-maaaa," he groaned, wriggling in her grasp until she let him down. Every time that happened, Akiko had a mini panic attack—what if he realized just how much stronger she was than he? "I'm not a little kid anymore! I'm thirteen today!"

She smiled sweetly, though his declaration almost broke her heart. Thirteen was so young—and humans grew so much quicker than youkai. She'd expected to be able to coddle him much longer. "I know, sweetie." She placed her hand on his shoulder, shaking her head softly. "My, my. You're turning into such a nice young man—going on your first hunt today! But my little boy is growing up way too fast!"

Daichi chuckled from his place still within the cave; he'd certainly called that one.

"Mama, I'm not going anywhere any time soon!" This caused Akiko's smile to soften even further.

"I know you aren't. Now come on, eat up, you've got a long day ahead of you!"

"Bye, Mama! We'll be back at sunset!" It was all Onigumo could do to keep somewhat calm—he was so much more excited than he was letting on.

Daichi bent down slightly to kiss his mate, smiling at her softly. "I love you, and we'll see you tonight," he promised, and her smile made him fall in love with her all over again.

"I can't wait for my two men to come back home," was her response, and she was able to hide the tears from her eyes until they left.

"Great shot!" Daichi whispered his encouragement, running his fingers through his cropped white hair as he crouched down low, motioning for Onigumo to do the same. Red eyes jumped from the wounded three-eyed bear youkai to Onigumo, who had an eager smile on his face with the bow and arrow in his hands.

"Papa," Onigumo whispered back, "he's not an intelligent youkai, like us, is he?"

Daichi almost winced at his son's assumption—one that neither he nor Akiko had ever had the heart to set straight with him. Onigumo had no reason to assume he wasn't a youkai, to think that he might be human—and so, he didn't.

"No, he's not. The strongest youkai are those who are able to take on a human form. This is a lower-level youkai, the kind that we eat."

Without a second thought, Onigumo sent the arrow flying, hitting the bear in the middle of the forehead—and directly piercing his middle eye. "Only the intelligent youkai deserve to live then, right Papa?"

This statement startled Daichi—it certainly wasn't a lesson they'd ever taught him. "Of course not, son—it is only good to kill when it is necessary, either to live or for food. Only the lesser youkai kill unnecessarily—or the evil ones."

Onigumo nodded as he let another arrow soar, this time piercing the struggling bear youkai in the heart, killing in instantly. He'd been practicing his archery since he was six, and he was actually very good—Daichi was impressed. "In that case, to be merciful, we should always kill the things necessary quickly, right Papa?"

"Right." He breathed a sigh of relief, a small smile stretching across his lips. That was more like it.

The two males stood up, and Daichi grinned down at his son. "Why don't you go look for some firewood while I clean him and prepare him to take home to your Mother? I'll teach you all about that in our next hunting trip."

"Okay, Papa!" Onigumo smiled and ran off, determination of another task in front of him.

She was beautiful. So beautiful that he almost dropped all of his firewood. Instead, he opted to set it down gently before approaching the young maiden. She had long, white hair and deep, purple eyes, and he almost couldn't breathe. All of a sudden he was seeing his parents in his mind's eye, and how happy they were—and he was imagining being that happy with this young girl…who he had yet to say even one word to.

"H-hey—Miss!"

The young girl turned around at his words, her eyes assessing him almost as much as her nose was. She couldn't understand why a young human boy was approaching her—didn't he realize she could be dangerous?

"Yes?" Her curiosity was more defined than her desire to just turn and walk away, so instead she stayed.

"My name is Onigumo. What's your name?" Hope filled his eyes—and his scent—when she didn't turn away immediately.

"My name is Kohana," she began, and then after a few moments—"Why are you here?"

"I was just getting some firewood for my father; we went hunting today and I shot a bear youkai!" He felt he had the right to brag—it was his first hunting trip, after all.

"Hm," Kohana hummed softly, her nose detecting his hope and she suddenly realized that, if given the chance to know her, he would be—and already was—hoping for more. "Well Onigumo, it was nice to meet you, but you should know that we just don't mix. It's just not done, and when it is the results are never good." It really was nothing against him; he seemed nice enough—but he was human, and she was a youkai. She wasn't about to give herself the chance to fall for a human, no matter now nice he was. "So, I'm going to be going now—and you shouldn't come looking for me."

In the blink of an eye, she was gone, and Onigumo couldn't place where she had gone. A frown tugged at the corners of his lips as he mulled over her words—and ended up just more confused than before. What didn't mix? Weren't they the same?

He sighed before turning around and picking up the firewood he'd collected, shaking his head softly. He didn't know what she meant, but it didn't matter now. The rejection still hurt, but it wasn't as if he actually knew her, so he couldn't take it too personally.

Daichi closed his saddened eyes as he watched from afar, hidden from his son's view, and knew that, if they didn't tell him soon, he'd find out on his own eventually.

End Note: This is the last younger Onigumo scene in the fic. In my next update, he'll be 17-but no spoilers there. ;) Please review!