Childhood Sweethearts by Lady Ai

The Start Of It All

The forest was quiet. Not even a breeze rustled the leaves, the birds did not sing, it seemed as if every animal had dissapeared. This bothered the Great Inu no Taisho, it was only ever this quiet in his lands if something horrible was to happen. That was when he smelled it, human blood slammed into his delicate nose. His son beside him stiffened, he had never before been so neer to a human in his life.

"What do you think it is Father? It smells of a human girl." A young Sesshomaru asked, looking to be no older than 16.

"I do not know, my son. Why don't you go check it out." His father stated. "I will be going to the surrounding erea, looking to see if a group of humans is looking for a young girl."

Sesshomaru gave a curt nod before speeding away in the direction in which the stench of blood came from. The closer he got the stronger the scent became and he could smell demon scum close to the human.

"Get away from me you yellow bellied baka!" A girl shouted from not that far away from where he was now.

"Give me the Jewel, wench. Before I rip you limb from limb!" A hissing voice threatened with malice laced in its tone.

In that moment Sesshomaru finally saw what was going on.

"For the last time!" A young girl with long black almost blue hair, and bright cerulean eyes yelled angered by the foul thing. Her silver and red kimono had rips and tears wher skin could be seen, along with gouges that bled profusely.

"I DON'T HAVE ANY JEWEL." She shouted as her eyes began to glow white with anger and power radiated off of her in waves. Sesshomaru could not believe his eyes. A small ball of purification power formed in her hand before she threw it at the venemous snake demon befor her. But the ball only pushed the snake back a few feet before it went in for another attack. Claws that had been piosed to kill met a blade with a metalic 'clang'.

"Move, whelp before I kill you as well." It hissed in anger.

Sesshomaru scowled at the fowl creature. "Leave here and I will let you live."

The creature smirked and shifted its beady black eyes to the girl that stared in awe at the handsome man before her.

"You are protecting the girl you desire, I see. How very chivalrous of you." It chuckled darkly, licking its lips as the girl caught his gaze and shook with fear. "She will make a tasty meal once I am through with you."

Sesshomaru scoffed. "I do not desire the girl, I have never seen her before this day, creeton. She is far too young to be my partner, and she is a human. She would be far too fragile fo my liking."

"Hahahaha, then what power do you have over me, pup. If you do not know her, why save her?" It chuckled darkly.

"I am Sesshomaru, Heir of Lord Inu No Taisho and next ruler and protector of these lands." He growled warningly, slowly letting his power release from the binds that held it concealed.

Fear seemed to show itself in those beady eyes of the slippery serpant. Its gaze shifting fromm left to right, trying to find a way to escape from this powerful demon.

"As I said before, serpant, leave now and I shall let you live to see the next sunrise."

The serpant glared, but quickly receded into the surrounding trees.

"Th-thank you. For saving me, that is." The girl spoke with a tremor in her voice.

Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder at the girl, only to see her unconciuos on the gound and in a puddle of her own blood. "Sesshomaru? Is she alive?"

His father had entered the clearing to find Sesshomaru standing close to the girl.

"Yes, Father, but just barely, her heart beat is weak and slow. What should we do?" He asked looking to his father with a sight concern shining in his molten gaze, as he re-sheathed his sword.

"Your mother will have a coniption fit if we let her die. You know how she is with her 'All life is precious in our world' malarky." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We wil have to bring her back, and quickly." He motioned for Sesshomaru to grab the girl and to follow him.

Sesshomaru carefully lifted the girl into his arms. Quickly following after his Father. They walked for all of a minute before Inu No Taisho gently took the girl from his son, forming into his orb and shooting across the evening sky, Sesshomaru following closley behind him.

They had arrived in seconds. A silver haired, amber eyed beauty was standing in the main foyier as they landed easily. Her face was pain stricken as she saw the poor girl that laid in her mates arms. She looked so fragile to the woman, her mate sent her a look that said it could wait to be explained until later.

"Tashika! I require your assitance immediantly." The lady of the palace called, rushed by her fear for the girls life.

"Yes, My lady?" A young blue haired, green eyed and pale skinned womn said, appearing with a 'pop'.

"Get my maids to prepare a room in the family wing of the palace for the girl and get the healers there quickly, she is barely holding on."

"Of course, but the Family Wing?" The girl asked confused out of her mind.

"Now!" The She-demon hissed, an underlying threat for a punishment later on if her orders were not followed, and quickly.

"O-OF course, your majesty." She sputtered before dissapearing with another pop.

"Akana, I can keep her in the state she is in but not for long, my love. Once the healers have finished with her, it is up to the Gods if she will live or not." Touga murmered to his mate, trying to sooth her as much as possible.

"Was there anyone around to save her before she had gotten this bad?" Akana asked with worry.

"Sesshomaru had been there to protect her from a snake demon that was going to make it worse. But our son scared it away with just his power."

Akana looked shocked at her son. "You mean you did not kill the horrid creature that did this to this to this poor girl?!"

Sesshomaru was suprised bby his mothers reactions. He hadn't seen her like this since he was a young pup and was terribly injured in a training accident with his friends. He was just baffled to say the least, plus she put the HUMAN in the FAMILY wing, for Kami's sake!

"I thought that it would be best to let Father go after the foul creature after we leave to go back scouting." He said with a slight pout. "He is after all Lord of these lands."

"We do not hav time for this bickering!" Touga barked, re-adjusting the unconcious girl. "I can't hold my power over her for much longer. We need to get her to that room quickly."

Akana looked to her mate and then to her eldest son. "Your Father is right. This girl is more important than our scaubble."

Sesshomaru nodded, internally sighing in relief and thanking the Kami above for saving him from his mothers rath. He watchedand followed without another word as his parents rushed the girl to..... The room right NEXT TO HIS?

But he did not have time to voice his discomfort with the sistuation, for both his mother and father dissapeared into the room. He did not want to go into his own room, just so he wouldn't hear the hustling and bustling of the healers and his parents. So he had a choice of A)roaming around, B)Going to the gardens or C)Going to his little brothers room. He decided with the closest option, Inuyasha.

"Inu No Taisho. How long has it been since you rescued the girl?" A busy healer asked.

"Sesshomaru, saved her just after twilight. We arrived not long after that."

The healer nodded and went back  to soaking strips of cloth.

..........................................................................

Hours had turned into days and days slowly turned into two weeks. The girl had  woken up once or twice, but soon passed out again. They had been able to ask her wat her name was and where she came from, but were only able to find out her name, she did not remember where she had come from. The mystery girl was known as Kagome, the protector of the Shikon Jewel, Midoriko's Daughter. Akana was becoming very worried, the girl was very powerful and yet was not bothered by being in a house hold full of youkai. Her powers had not acted up once since she had been there but still. Her powers would always search her out as if she were some sort of comfort.

Akana had always come check on the girl at least five times a day and once at night. She had never seen anythinng that would tell her Kagome was now concious or even coherent, until one morning she walked into the room and Kagome was not in her bed. Akana had not noticed at first, but when she did she panicked, it may have been internally, but it was still panick. She stretched out her aura and breathed a sigh of relief when she found that she was just in the adjoining  wash room....... alone?! So panick set in again, but she calmed herself by breathing deeply and clearing her mind of the horrible possibilities that plauged it.

She had snapped her eyes open when she heard water sloshing around and then the rustle of fabric before a damp skinned Kagome, holding a plush silver towel around her body, and her black locks soaked and hanging on her back.

"Kagome?" Akana asked amazed by the girls beautiful blue eyes.

"Mother?" Kagome asked wide eyed, then saddned greatly, turning away from the woman she mistook for her beloved mother, Midoriko.

The salty smell of tears reached Akana's nose and she felt a tightening in her chest. This poor girl had been torn away from her mother at such a tender age. It made Akana grieve for her friends daughter. No one had known that Midoriko had bithed a child of her own, not even her childhood best friend, Akana.

Akana walked over o the grieving girl, wrapping her ars arounf the child and pulling her to the edge of the bed. Kagome latched onto her as if she were her only life line left. Herr arms were like consticting snakes, the twisted around Akana, trying to hold on for dear life. Akana was not at all surprised by her actions, she just laid her head against Kagome's, hidden in her shoulder, and whispered sweet nothings and reassurances while rubbing the girls back.

Kagome soon calmed down and finally got a good look at the woman whoo comforted her so willingly. Her silver tresses were swept to the side in delicate curls, her amber eyes shown with concern, amazement, happiness, and understanding. Her pale skin was flawless, on her cheeks two maroon stripes graced both sides, and on her forehead a blue cresent moon sat regally.

"My dear child," Akana said in a soft whisper. "you are safe now. You are in my families home and under Mine and My Mate's care. You should not fret."

Kagome nodded a little before a small smile slipped onto her lips. "You came to visit me every day. You were the one who would tell me stories of my mother and of your family."

She paused a puzzled look appearing on her face. "How did you know my Mother and how did you even know she was my mother?"

Akana smiled. "All will be told in due time, my child." She beamed at the girl. "Now let make you a little more presentable so you can meet the family. You are after all our newest member and need introducing to my sons."

"But I am not part of your family?" Kagome asked nervouly.

"Nonsense. Any daughter of Midoriko's is a daughter of mine."