I was only ten years old when my father told me my mother had died. She was the most powerful priestess in a century, and I, as her first born daughter, had inherited all of her power. 

My little sister was only one. 

At ten, my father drifted away from us. I had to raise my sister by myself and I slowly realized my father wasn't leaving us because he wanted to. It was the pain of losing my mother, Midoriko.  

For that reason alone, I took the job of raising my sister and becoming shrine priestess.  And the first protector of the Jewel of Four Souls.  

I was deadly with my bow and arrows, and was pretty handy with a dagger, too. I was also pretty good with a sword, but I preferred my bow or my dagger. 

Demon attacked daily, making me shoot them through the head with my sacred arrows or my dagger through their heart.

By age 17, you'd think I would have been angry at the world for having such a cruel fate thrust upon my shoulders. I cared for my sister, was the shrine preistess, cared for the sick, and protected those who were weak. I was busy, but never too busy for someone in need.

In all truth and seriousness, I think it made me a better person, having my parents ripped from me. I was able to understand human pain better, care for them, hold them when they cried... I was just a preistess with a soul that ached for human weakness and human loss. 

One day, two months away from my 18th birthday, I was picking medicinal herbs in the forest when I heard a man grunting in pain. I stood up and looked around, the sacred jewel hanging around my neck under my white kimono. The sun filtered through the trees as the grunts of pain became more frequent and much more pain filled.

I walked hesitantly toward the noise. Even if it was a demon, I could never leave someone that was in pain. I walked through some more trees and saw a beautiful man. His silver hair was pulled into a ponytail and he looked like he was dressed for battle. His amber-gold eyes were glazed over in pain.

And I finally saw the crimson stain on his front. I gasped and dropped the basket of herbs, and forgetting all caution, walked hurriedly over to the man. In the back of my mind, I knew he must be a demon. No one was this perfect. But, I didn't care. He was in pain. The preistess in me said to kill him. The woman in me said he was pain and I needed to help him.

As if in agreement with my woman side, the man spoke And when he did, his voice was low, and glazed with pain.

"You're the preistess Aurora. Please... I've done nothing to your people, and I don't plan on harming them. If you let me explain-" 

I placed my hand on his mouth and slipped my arm around his waist. I helped him over to a tree and helped him sit down. He looked at me like I was crazy, and I almost agreed with him.

"Relax, please. It will be easier to heal you," I said softly. His eyes widened as I gently pulled apart the top part of his kimono. He didn't move, but I felt him tense up under my touch. I smiled sadly.

"You don't listen, do you?" I asked. I finally removed the cloth and saw a jagged mark down his chest and stomach. I frowned and ran my fingers down the wound. I could tell it was deep. If he was a demon, if I managed to clean it and make sure he didn't lose anymore blood, he would heal in about two days. I sighed deeply and turned to grab a few medicinal herbs.

"Why are you helping me?" He suddenly asked. I grabbed a few cleansing herbs and turned to face him. I went over to him and smiled.

"I'm helping you because I cannot stand to think of someone in pain. Now," I paused and looked around. "We might have to move you closer to a river. I need water to clean your wound. And, if it is not too much to ask, could I have your name?" I told him, standing up. I offered him my hand, and he took it with very little hesitation. 

"Inu no Taishou," He said, looking away. I smiled. I was right, someone from the Inu clan, and the leader. I was good at reading auras. I smirked happily to myself as I walked beside the great dog demon. He staggered, and I lunged, dropping the herbs, and caught him before he fell. 

I helped steady him, and refused to let him walk on his own. He grumbled the whole way there, but he let me. We finally made it to the river, but he was considerably paler. I helped lowered him to the ground. He was breathing, but it was labored.

I took his face in my hands and looked it over. He seemed alright, just the wound needed to be dealt with. I looked around and let out a growl of frustration. No cloth to clean it with. I sighed in defeat and unwound a cloth belt of red fabric from my waist. I walked over to the water and got it soaking wet. I went back over to Inu no Taishou, and cleaned the wound as gently as possible.

He tensed in pain but didn't cry out. I smiled and offered my unoccupied hand for him to squeeze if the pain was too much. That, he refused, but he sighed.

"The wound was caused by another demon. The reason it affected me so, is because the demon was poisonous. Thank you... For helping me," He said through clenched teeth. I smirked. His teeth were not clenched in pain, but in embarassment of having someone clean his wound. 

"Thank you, that will help with the treatment, but... I'm afraid all I can do is clean it, put some sterilizing herbs on, and bandage it. You should be okay in about two days if your demon blood is pure," I said, wiping away some dirt from his wound. 

"I am not a half blood."

"I was not saying that, Inu no Taishou. What I meant, is that if the poison is still in your blood, it will take longer heal, and your blood wouldn't be pure anyore. It's okay, and you'll still heal, but more slowly. So, just relax and let me clean your wound,"I told him gently, yet firmly. 

I looked up and saw he was smiling down at me. I rewetted the cloth and started to clean the wound again. He was considerably more relaxed after I explained the pure blood thing, and that he would heal.

Once I was pleased with the cleanliness of his wound, I chewed up some herbs and spat them on his wound. He seemed surprised, but I merely rubbed them into his wound, and made sure to rip off a large portion of my kimono to bandage the wound. I cleaned it in the water throughly and let it dry. While we waited, we talked.

I found it to be enjoyable. Easier than talking with humans. He would say something that brought back a rush of memories. But good ones. The way my father would stick his tongue out at me as I ran away from him with his sandal, and my mother running her hands through my hair and braiding it. I smiled sadly and absentmindedly, found myself laughing along with the demon, even talking more than I had when I was around my sister. 

"I think the bandage is ready," He said, leaning his head against the tree behind him. I nodded and grabbed the cloth. I expertly wrapped the clotharound his chest, and tied it. I absentlysmacked it like I did with all the other patients to test how healed it was. 

He growled in pain and glared at me. I merely stared back and smiled.

"Does it hurt more than before?" I asked.

"No, but-"

"Then I don't think the poison is in your blood, Inu no Taishou. But be careful, okay?" I warned him. He grinned at me and pulled himself up. I heaved myself up and stretched.

"I'm glad your okay," I told him. I laid my hand on his shoulder and smiled kindly."I'm going back to my village. If you anything, come and seek my help." 

I turned away and started the walk to my village, dreading the accusations they would throw at me. My kimono was torn and I probably had a little blood on my body. 

"Lady?" Inu no Taishou called. 

I stopped and inclined my head back toward him.

"May I walk you to your village?" 

I warmed at the offer and quickly accepted. He walked me back, his face kind and he seemed to care about me and my safety. But how could he? I just... saved his life. No wonder. He felt obligated. I sighed and stopped at the edge of my village. I watched him walk away. 

He was a demon, and he was kind. Something I had never heard of. I snorted and turned away. Maybe miracles are real, I thought, as I walked back to my little home. I changed, my mind oblivious to the coming strife the demon would cause in my life.