Chapter Two:

I woke up to Inuyasha poking my cheek.

“What?” I snarled, baring my teeth at him as I sat up.

“Jesh, someone’s grumpy in the morning.”

I hit him upside the head, knocking him over as I stood up to help Kaede make breakfast. “Ow! Bitch.” He grumbled as he got up. Kaede sighed.

“Ye know, one day I’ll be able to tell ye children about this.”

“What?!” We stared at the old woman in shock.

Kaede chuckled in reply.

“Ewwwwwwww!!!!” I gagged, pretending to throw up.

“Hey!” Inuyasha cried.

I snickered at him and handed him a bowl. “Eat up puppy.” I walked back to Kaede and made my own bowl. I sighed.

“So what do we do now?”

“What do you mean?” Inuyasha asked between mouthfuls.

“Well are we going to go look for Kagome?”

“Ye don’t have to.” Kaede stated, washing her bowl.

Inuyasha grinned. “She came back while you were asleep. Said she was sorry and to tell you to meet her under the tree when you woke up.”

I groaned and ran out the door.

Kagome stood up as I came into view.

“Kimi, I am so sorry! I-”

“Don’t. Kags, I know you. I know what happened.”

She fell silent, her gaze shifting to the snowy ground beneath us. I sighed and ran my fingers along the tree’s trunk.

“I shouldn’t have gotten jealous and I should’ve listened to you.”

“Jealousy is a feeling, something that can’t be helped. As for the listening, yeah that would’ve been nice.”

“Kimi? Can you ever forgive me?”

I looked back to my cousin, the only friend I’ve ever had, and grinned. “I’ve already forgiven you.” She grinned and enveloped me in a bear hug. I laughed.

“Hmm, but I still don’t get it, Kimi? How could you not know?” I sat down, Kagome following, and leaned my back against the tree.

“Well…remember that crash?” Kagome played with a ball of snow she had gathered.

“Yeah.”

“Well the reason I survived was because I was a demon.”

“But what about your parents?”

I chewed my lip as I thought. “Honestly, Kags, I don’t know.”

“Hmm. Well I’m sure we’ll find out sooner or later.”

I shrugged.

“There you two are! We need to go now otherwise we won’t get very far.” Inuyasha growled as he marched up the hill to the tree.

“Should we fake him out?” I murmured so only my cousin would hear.

“Of course.”

I stood up.

“Well you know what fine! Be a bitch for all I care! Go die in a hole.” I shouted, storming down the hill past Inuyasha. He stopped and turned and ran back to me.

“Whoa, Whoa, Kimi slow down. What happened?” He grasped my arm and turned me around so I’d have to face him.

“I DON’T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT!” I screamed, fake tears streaming down my face. I could be a very good actress when needed. Kagome tore down the hill, her own fake tears freezing before they hit the ground. “I CANT BELIEVE YOU INUYASHA!!!” She screamed at him, pretending to glare at him.

”What’d I do?!” He shrunk back, seemingly afraid for the first time in his life of the two screaming and crying girls in front of him.

I looked to Kagome. She winked.

We both took a deep breath, preparing to shout at the poor hanyou.

“WE CAN’T BELIEVE YOU FELL FOR IT!!!” We both shouted in unison, bursting into laughter as we fell to the snowy ground. Inuyasha stared at us for a moment, in shock, and then let out a huff.

“Pain in the ass. Both of you.” He grumbled storming away.

“Shall we?” An evil gleam sparkled in my eyes as I held out an arm to my cousin. She laughed, looping her arm through mine. “Of course.”

We took off running and tackled the poor hanyou to the ground.

“GET OFF OF ME!”

“Hmm, what do you think Kimi?”

“Naw, I don’t think he deserves the freedom of walking.” I snickered.

“Kimi! Kagome!”

“Yeeees?”

“Get. Off.”

“For whyyyyyy?”

“KIMI!”

I looked to Kagome, realizing that Inuyasha was getting pretty pissed. She nodded, noticing it too. I let out a dramatic sigh and leaned over so my face was in front of his.

“Is someone getting pissy cuz he’s got two eighty-five pound girls on top of him?” I cooed, pinching his cheeks. He snarled in response. “Awe, alright, we’ll get off.” I pecked him on the forehead and jumped off, ignoring the light blush painted across his cheeks. Kagome and I snickered back at him and started walking back to Kaede’s hut to say good bye.

“Bye ya old hag.” Inuyasha snapped, already half way out the door.

“You’re so rude!” I scolded, giving Kaede a hug before shouldering my small backpack, filled to the brim with food, first aid stuff, my ipod, and of course more food. Kagome sighed and slipped on her own backpack before bidding Kaede good bye and joining Inuyasha outside.

I watched them wait outside and looked back to Kaede.

“Just listen to ye heart. It gives the best advice.” She winked and ushered me out the door. I rolled my eyes. “If it were that easy I would’ve stopped bugging you long ago.” I grumbled.

“Come on Kimi! We don’t got all day!” Inuyasha shouted, folding his arms across his chest impatiently. I rolled my eyes and ran to catch up with them.

“Bye Kaede!”

“My feet hurt.” I complained as the sun started to set behind the trees.

“Inuyasha let’s rest and set up camp for the night.” Kagome slowed to a stop, digging through her backpack. “Thank god the snow melted.” She muttered as she pulled out two sleeping bags and spread them out.

“Inuyasha go get firewood.”

“Whatever.” He grumbled, stalking off into the forest.

I glanced to Kagome. “Is he still sore from this morning?”

“No he’s always like this.”

“Hmm.”

She gave me a questioning look, which I ignored as I walked into the woods after the hotheaded hanyou.

“What’s up?” I leaned against the tree nearest to Inuyasha, arms folded across my chest, as I watched the boy pick up sticks.

He gave me a weird look and then looked up. “The sky?”

I snorted. “I mean like what’s going on? What’s wrong?”

Another weird look. “Nothing?”

I shrugged. “You seem grumpier then usual.”

He snickered, standing up with his pile of sticks. “Got a problem with it?”

“Well if something’s bothering you then yes.”

“Who said something was bothering me?”

“Your eyes.”

He stared at me for a while before his gaze shifted to the sticks in his arms and he started to speak.

“It’s nothing.”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. But if you ever need someone to talk to…I’m right here.” I turned away and walked back to Kagome.

“What happened?” my cousin glanced up at me as I entered the camp.

“Nothing really. Just asked him if anything was bothering him.” I shrugged, my stomach growling as Kagome prepared to make ramen noodles. Inuyasha entered the camp and set down the sticks quietly, glancing at me momentarily before jumping up into a tree.

Kagome and I shared a look before shrugging and making the fire. The ramen was good, Inuyasha became addicted to it and practically shoveled all our inventory down his throat. It wasn’t until we were settled in our sleeping bags that something interesting happened.

A small shout echoed off the trees. We all jumped awake and looked towards the sound’s origin.

“What do you think that was?” Kagome asked, already standing. Inuyasha jumped down from his perch, landing in between Kagome and I, and stared into the trees.

“It sounded like a kid.” I started to run towards the sound.

“Kimi! What if it’s a demon?!” Inuyasha shouted after me.

“What if it’s not?” I shouted back. I heard Inuyasha sigh and knew he’d be following behind. I smiled and continued on.

It was a gruesome sight. Bones and carcasses were piled high, almost over spilling onto the little path that cut through the small blood tainted valley. It reeked, the scent almost overwhelming me as I approached it.

From what I could see, there was no child or demon in sight. But I could sense a demon nearby, so I stayed on my toes. Inuyasha ran into the clearing carrying a gagging Kagome on his back.

“Fools!!! Hand over your jewel shards and no one gets hurt!” a large pink ball like thing bounced into the valley, almost knocking us over.

“Oh good grief, it’s just a stupid fox demon! Lets go.” Inuyasha growled, turning back towards camp.

“Hey!” The pink ball disappeared and in place a little tiny boy stood with fox ears and a tail.

“OH MY GOD HE’S SO CUTE!!!!” I squealed, picking up the cute little fox demon and hugging him.

“He’s a rat!”

“Then he’s a cute rat!!” I snapped back as Kagome came over.

“Awe, he is adorable.”

The little fox demon blushed. “T-thank you.”

“Inuyasha can we take him with us?” I looked to the hanyou, who was staring at us and shaking his head. “No. Everything that you find that’s “cute” you’ll wanna take along.”

I handed the fox demon off to Kagome and attacked Inuyasha, knocking him off guard. “PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!” I latched myself to his leg as I pleaded.

“Get off!!!” Inuyasha tried to shake me off. I didn’t budge. “Please?”

“FINE! JUST GET OFF OF ME!”

I grinned triumphantly and detached myself from his leg, bouncing back to Kagome and the little fox demon. “Good news!! He can come with us!” Kagome laughed and glanced down to the little fox demon. “That is if you want to come?”

The little fox demon looked between Kagome and I happily. “You really mean I can come? My name’s Shippo by the way.”

I grinned and nodded.

“KIMI LOOK OUT!!” I was tackled to the ground just as burst of lightning whizzed past me. Inuyasha jumped up and drew Tetsusagia, crouching into a ready stance as two dark clouds moved into the area with two demons on riding them.

  “Oh no!” Shippo hid in my hood, shaking.

“What is it Shippo?” Kagome asked, standing somewhat behind me.

“Those are the Thunder Brothers!”

“Oh! They both have a shard!” Kagome gasped as the two neared.

“Oh my god! Look at how ugly that one is!” I shouted in disgust.

“How dare you speak about my brother that way!” The human looking one growled, glaring at me. I barked out a laugh.

“Who says I was talking about him?” I rolled my eyes and handed Shippo off to Kagome so I could help Inuyasha.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Inuyasha muttered at me and I stood next him.

“Helping your sorry butt. They each have a shard.” Inuyasha nodded absently as the Thunder Brothers moved in, observing their opponents.

“What’s this? A mere human?” the alligator lizard looking one peered over the cloud, looking at me with a smirk.

“Yepp, I’m just a human.” I grinned maliciously back at him.

“Ahh, and if it isn’t our little fox friend. Don’t you like our pelt?” The human looking one lifted a fox fur from his side while the other one laughed.

“You big bullies!” Shippo cried out, tears threatening to fall from his little green eyes.

“Shippo, what happened?” Kagome asked, holding the adorable hastune to her chest as she tried to comfort him. “That pelt…that’s my father.”

A snarl ripped past my barred teeth. Little Shippo yelped and hid behind Kagome’s hair. I lifted my clenched fists, water swirling around my body, cracking and sizzling like a whip. I forced my fingers to spread open, the water swirling in between them, and then brought my hands above my head. The water formed a giant water dragon, roaring and growling as it awaited my command.

“She’s no mere human…” The not-human looking one backed away slowly.

I glared at them. “I can’t believe you two would be so heartless. Orphaning and poor little boy!” I snarled at them, pointing them. The dragon let out a deafening roar and sped towards them, engulfing them in one swipe. The dragon seemed to erupt, exploding like a volcano, and raining down on us. Two jewel shards clattered to the ground.

“Whoa…” Shippo, Kagome, and Inuyasha stared at me wide-eyed as I picked up the two jewel shards and walked back to Kagome.

“Are these parts of the Shikon No Tama?” I handed them to her and watched as she reconnected them to the shards they had already gathered. “So I’m guessing Kaede already told you?”

I nodded.

“What are you?” I looked to little Shippo and smiled. “Kaede says I’m half nature demon.”

Shippo’s little eyes widened. “Well that explains your scent. Hmm and your eyes I guess.”

“My eyes?”

“Nature demon’s usually have green eyes that glow when they get angry or upset and gather a lot of power. Plus you smell like lemons, common for humans, but you have this demonic scent as well hidden behind it. It’s sort of like a defense thing that nature demons have.”

I stared at the little hatsune with wide eyes. “Ehh?”

Inuyasha sighed impatiently. “Your eyes are glowing green cuz you were mad and you smell more human then demon because you’re only half and nature demon’s demonic scent hides behind a human scent.”

“O-oh.” I rubbed my eyes. “Still glowing?”

Kagome smiled and shook her head. “Nope!”

“Ne, come on let’s get back.” Inuyasha grumbled, walking back towards the camp. Kagome chatted with Shippo while I skipped up to Inuyasha to bug him.

“Alright Mr. GrumpyPants. What’s up?”

Inuyasha glanced to Kimi, not bothering to slow down. “Nothing.” He snapped, not looking at her.

He had a feeling in his gut. He knew that if he looked at her he’d snap and tell her what was bothering him. He had no clue what Kimi would do or how she would react to Kikyou and the history they had had. Ever since he met Kagome, Kikyou had been prodding his mind presumably because they were so much alike.

His thoughts were interrupted with a palm squeezing his shoulder. He looked to Kimi.

She smiled slightly at him and then dropped her hand, walking along side him silently. He sighed and they continued to walk on in silence. By the time they made it back, Kimi was half asleep, practically falling asleep as she stood. Shippo was fast asleep in Kagome’s arms. Kagome simply walked over to her sleeping bag and plopped down, falling asleep on the spot.

Inuyasha glanced at Kimi, who stared down at her seeping bag sleepily.

“Are you going to sleep? Or not?”

“Meh.” She grumbled, sighing as she decided to finally collapse on the sleeping back.

Inuyasha watched her curl up on her side, her hand resting on the back of her head. He waited for her to fall asleep before sneaking over to sit beside her head, watching her as she slept. Her face seemed to be contorted in pain while her hands clenched to fists on top of her head. He scowled.

He didn’t know how to stop the pain.