You must live on...
We are left to wonder what Izayoi did after she watched the building collapse on the one she loved. Inu no Taisho gave up everything to ensure that Izayoi and their son would be able to live together. But where could she go now? Inu no Taisho was different among the other youkai; he cared fo humans. Izayoi couldn't go to his kin. Humans were hateful towards the kind of relationship Izayoi had with a youkai, and much more hateful of child they produced. As the lesser of two evils, it would appear that Izayoi continued to live out the rest of her days in the company of humans. Or more the lack thereof.
From what we see in the anime, we can assume that Izayoi stayed in another mansion, perhaps some obscure relatives pitied her and allowed mother and son to stay with them. Perhaps they were complete strangers. We are only given a small scene from InuYasha's past, which does not appear in the manga. InuYasha, who by human standards appears about 6 or so, is shown trying to play kemari with a group of nobles and their children. As InuYasha attempts to join their game, the person who currently holds the ball tosses it away, and InuYasha chases after it. The nobles leave, and InuYasha can not understand why. Izayoi appears soon afterwards, and InuYasha runs towards her, dropping the ball in the process. He asks her what the word "hanyou" means. She kneels to embrace her son, and begins to cry. InuYasha later recalls that this was the first time he saw his mother's tears.
From this, we are lead to believe that InuYasha grew up in a mansion, at least while his mother was still alive anyway. However, Rumiko Takahashi has developed a far different idea, stating that "His father was a demon but his mother...I think was from a family of noble humans, one that had fallen into ruin. [InuYasha was born in a] poor and isolated house...something miserable like that." (2)
Takahashi's statement contradicts how InuYasha's brith was shown in Tenka Hadou no Ken, although it is possible to explain his flashbacks in the anime. It could be that Izayoi simply left the mansion in which she appears to be staying in during InuYasha's flashbacks because of the way her son was treated, or prehaps they were forced to leave after a time. Using Takahashi's description, it would appear that InuYasha and his mother later lived away from other people, in a less than desireable state (much like Shiori and her mother). While Izayoi grew up in the company of humans, being abandoned by her own kind must have caused her great pain. This, along with the loss of Inu no Taisho and the general hatred her son recieved, appears to have given a heavy burden for this woman's heart to carry.
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