Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha. Those are the property of one Rumiko Takahashi. I thank her whole-heartedly for giving us such an amazing manga/anime to read/watch.

Author's Note: This little piece of fanfiction written in response to a challenge issued by Bachan (Kristine Batey) on the IY-fanfics list on Yahoo The story was to be about an unrequited love and could not be of any of the typical pairings (i.e., Inuyasha/Kagome, Miroku/Sango, Inuyasha/Kikyou, etc.). It was written entirely into the body of a post and has not be revised (except for one or two spelling and grammatical corrections).

Longing – A Story of an Unrequited Love

By Urd-chan

She walked through the soft grass, still damp from morning dew, and stopped a short distance from the Goshinboku tree. Her thoughts turned to Inuyasha, remembering how he had looked while still pinned to the tree by Kikyou's arrow. She could remember her inability to resist touching his ears, marveling at the warmth and velveteen feel of them when her slender fingers gently stroked them. How she longed for him, from the first time she saw his golden eyes and long, silvery-white mane of hair. Even now, each vision of him sent her heart racing and brought a lump to her throat.

But, she knew that she would never be anything more than a friend to him. She would forever be lost in Kikyou's overwhelming shadow over her. There was no escaping her own destiny, and that destiny did not include Inuyasha.

She rested one end of her bow on the ground, leaning heavily on it as waves of longing and despair flowed through her. What she wouldn't give to have him look at her the way he had at Kikyou.

Or the way he now looked at Kagome.

Kaede turned, responding to the sound of a twig snapping behind her. There he stood, his hair looking almost golden as it reflected the early morning sunlight. As always, he was young, and handsome, and totally inaccessible to her. The fifty years that she had spent tending to his sealed form were a secret that only she knew. He would never know how she had carefully brushed his hair, removing the leaves that fell from the Goshinboku tree each autumn. How many times she had caressed his ears, worrying that she would one day rub them raw with her attentions. How many times she had gazed on his lips, fighting her urge to kiss him. But, her lips had never touched his.

It could never be. She was now an old woman. And, he was obviously very much in love with the young miko from another time.

"Hey, Kaede," Inuyasha started. He shifted nervously as he searched for the words he wanted to use.

Kaede knew what was coming. He was going to ask her for advice regarding his relationship with Kagome. She knew they belonged together, but it didn't stop her from wishing that it was her that he longed for. She would keep her secret to her grave.

"Aye, Inuyasha. So, you want advice regarding Kagome, do you?" Kaede sighed and moved to sit on a fallen log.

Inuyasha sat next to her, unaware of her response to his closeness.

"You need to tell her your feelings. Holding them in will only bring you regret. Go to her and tell her just how you feel about her."

Inuyasha nodded, oblivious to Kaede's mood.

"Tell the others I'll be back later. I'm going to see Kagome." Inuyasha quickly stood and walked in the direction of the old bone-eater's well.

Be happy, Kaede thought as she watched him disappear from sight.