A/N Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I am SO sorry this took so long!

I think you will be satisfied with the closure on this fic. No hanging ends here!

Disclaimer: I own them! I do! Did you know I'm also the Queen of England!?
Now the awaited...*drumroll please* :
Epilogue: True Healing
The villagers had all forgiven Inuyasha for his deed. They were able to see that he truly was unable to control his actions in his demon form. But, there was something missing. Sango and Miroku still stood by the hut, heads hung in shame, yet unable to forgive him.

Inuyasha walked with Kagome toward the hut, seeing Sango and Miroku, Inuyasha came to a halt once more.

'After all others can forgive, will the ones closest to my heart shut me out again? I couldn't take it if they did..' Inuyasha thought staring at their bashful forms. 'It would be like that time long ago, repeated once more..'

*~*~*~*~*~FLASHBACK~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A young Inuyasha ran quickly away from the village near his home. He had been playing with his closest friend, in fact his only friend, when his world changed forever.

Takeda Yoh was a young boy who lived in the village. He was a quiet boy who took great joy out of the practice of martial arts. One day, Inuyasha had come upon him when he was practicing in the surrounding fields. He had watched the boy practice from the shade of the trees, until he finally gathered the courage to come out. Fully expecting rejection, Inuyasha had asked if he could play with the young Yoh. He was happily surprised when Yoh excitedly accepted his offer and they began to practice martial arts together.

Often the two boys would be seen running through the fields, at first, Yoh's mother tried to stop him from seeing Inuyasha, but the effort proved futile and they became fast friends. The two boys would chase each other around throwing punches and kicks, but always stopping before making contact. They would amuse themselves for hours and Inuyasha was thrilled in having his new and best friend to play with.

Then, one day everything changed. During their usual play, Yoh ran into a hole caused by the collapsing of the dirt over a small cave. Yoh abruptly stopped, but, Inuyasha's claw strike was mid swing and he was unable to pull back. Inuyasha's claws tore across Yoh's back; where in all other instances there would have been twenty centimeters between the strike path and Yoh's back. Inuyasha pulled back in horror as he saw his friend fall to the earth and felt his lifeblood flowing across his young claws.

Inuyasha quickly carried Yoh back to the village. He was met with anger and distrust by the village people, who believed now that his intent was to kill Yoh from the start. Inuyasha came by every day as his friend healed. On the third day, Yoh awoke and Inuyasha excitedly rushed in to see him.

"Yoh! You woke up! You're all better!" Inuyasha beamed.

"What? Are you disappointed?" Yoh said coldly.

Inuyasha was stunned into silence by his friend's cold words.

"Yoh..." Inuyasha said softly, placing a claw on his friends shoulder in an effort to calm him.

Yoh jerked away from Inuyasha, "GET AWAY!!"

"But."

"I never want to see you again! Mother was right! You are a monster!! Now get out, you filthy little half breed!!" Yoh screamed.

Inuyasha's eyes filled with tears and he fled the hut in sorrow. Just after he left, the force of his words struck Yoh and he despaired.

"I can't believe I said that to Inuyasha...my oldest and dearest friend...I hurt him terribly..I...I must go find him and make it right!!" Yoh said with conviction as he rose from the bed and ran out after the hanyou.

But, Yoh never found Inuyasha. Inuyasha had run far and fast, away from the village and his painful memories. As he ran, he gained power and began a life of killing. He killed to ease the pain in his heart, and became known throughout the island of Honshu as the White Terror: Bane of Humankind.

Throughout the rest of his years, Yoh searched for Inuyasha, hoping to find the hanyou in order to apologize. Though he searched long and hard, following rumors of the White Terror, he never found the young halfling. He despaired in his last moments, knowing that his harsh and un-thought out words had caused Inuyasha to run from love and kindness and to begin his life as a killer in order to protect his heart from the pain of betrayal.

Yoh died before he ever found Inuyasha. Whether it would have altered Inuyasha's destiny had he been found and forgiven by Yoh, is something only the gods can answer now.

*~*~*~*~*~END FLASHBACK~*~*~*~*~*~*

Now as the older Inuyasha looked at the forms of his new friends before him, he couldn't help but remember Yoh, and he feared a repeat of that suffering. He hung his head in sorrow and tensed, prepared for the worst.

"Inuyasha, I.." Sango sobbed, "I can't tell you how sorry we are!" "Huh?" Inuyasha exclaimed, his head snapping up to meet Sango's eyes with wary hope.

"Inuyasha, we were afraid and jumped to first conclusion that presented itself to us. We are forever to be ashamed of our actions and deeds." Miroku interjected quietly.

Inuyasha nodded his consent to forgive them, but his silence betrayed the fact that something still held his heart in disquiet.

Kagome sensed the conflict and placed a hand on his arm. He looked at her imploringly, searching for any blame in her eyes.

Kagome met his gaze steadily; "You know I do not blame you for the attack."

"Yes, that's right, we can't possibly blame you, the ones at fault are none other than ourselves, we drove you to these acts." Miroku said calmly.

"Yes, we do not blame you Inuyasha." Sango said as she dried her tears.

Inuyasha looked up at them all and smiled.

"It seems I can belong here after all."

Shippou cried his joy and leapt on Inuyasha pulled at his dog-ears, only to receive a bop on the head for his excitement. They all laughed and then turned back to walk into the hut.

*********

Two days later Inuyasha went out to the demons he assembled. He disbanded the army and brought them all to Kaede's village to see the good in a man's heart. Now, all of the wolf and dog demons that were once vicious and cruel have become kind. Many still live in the surrounding woods, and are welcomed in the village at any time. Although, some of the younger demons found a family to live with, where they could be loved and cared for all their long lives. These young demons became part of the families they moved in with and lived their lives in peace in the village that was always under the protection of the hanyou named Inuyasha.
~The End~

Well, that's all folks! Hope you enjoyed reading it!

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~Warrior of Forest