Man's Best Friend

Disclaimer: Naruto and Inuyasha belong to their respective genius mangakas. My manipulation of the stories are all mine or unconscious ideas taken from other great authors.

First fanfiction; please be kind to me!

Childhood: Mother

It was one of the harshest winters Konohagakure had ever faced. The Hatake family was not spared from it. Yumi Hatake, wife of the famous "White Fang" lay on her deathbed with her husband sitting in silent vigil over her.

In his arms laid his two year old son, Kakashi, who was the splitting image of him. Sleeping and unaware of his dying mother, Sakumo sat there in anguish. As a trail of tears flowed down his young face, one teardrop fell onto his forearm where a silver tattoo for "family" was inscribed.

White chakra flowed from the tattoo, illuminating it in the darkening room. In a puff of smoke, a young girl sat in front of Sakumo. Black dog ears tipped with silver twitched as the head was lowered in submission.

"Sakumo-dono, you called?" the girl asked quietly.

He remained silent, too wrought with grief. "Kagome-chan…what should I do?"

Looking up, Kagome saw the despair on her master's face as he clutched onto his slumbering son. The scent of sickness and death was overpowering her master's scent.

Kagome brushed her waist-length hair away from her face, the silver tips glinting in the candle-light, and stood up before her master. Reaching over, she hugged the much larger man and rubbed his back, Kakashi sandwiched between them.

"Life will move on, even if you do not. We are all still here for you and Kakashi-chan." Patting his arm, she released her master.

Kagome pricked her finger and let one drop fall into Yumi's open mouth. Soon her raspy breath eased and black eyes opened. Moving back, she reached toward Kakashi and headed outside the room, her fluffy tail instantly wrapping around the slumbering boy. "Say your goodbyes to Yumi-dono and live with no regrets."

She shut the shoji door behind her, and sat in front of it, staring at the wall. The window above cast shadows as the sun continued to set. She ignored the muffled voices behind her and started humming as she rocked Kakashi in her arms. Soon night fell and the voices quieted.

"Sakumo-dono, Yumi-dono is gone, isn't she?" She whispered, already knowing the answer.

"Hai, Kagome-chan…Can you please take care of Kakashi as I get the funeral preparations?"

"Hai."

Author's note: I didn't really like the transitions in the dialogue but I don't really know how to change it…Anyone want to beta read for me? :3