Just Another Flashback
It was mid december, the lands were covered in deep trenches of snow, the temperature was so low it was almost impossible for Rin to walk on her own. Sesshoumaru knew her frail human body could take no more of this. To a demon such as he the cold was nothing more than a mild irritant, but to Rin... His quest for power was not worth risking her life again, he would not. He would take her to his Mother's shiro in the clouds, but first he needed to let the girl rest.
He knew that it was only a few hours walk to InuYasha's village, and from there only a day's journey to his childhood home. They would stop there and rent a room in the Inn.
Sesshoumaru was sitting beneath a tree, a fire burning before him and Rin snuggled deep within Mokomoko in his lap. He could hear the girls soft puffs of breath, feel her curling her fingers in and out of Mokomoko. She felt so content, so happy to be close to him. But he knew it wouldn't be long before the cold got to her again. She had only just woken and she was already back in his lap soaking up his warmth.
He felt a tinge of guilt flood through his chest. 'I should have left her in a human villiage...' He found himself thinking these things often, but could never bring himself to leave her behind. He knew what was best for the child, but he was much to selfish. He couldn't bare to be without her, and for the life of him he could not understand why.
Never before had he needed anyone, demon or human alike. He had been perfectly content walking alone through life. But even he could not turn back time. To walk alone now, no matter how destined for greatness he might be, no matter how periless or dangerous the quest, to walk along his path without the sound of her little bare fit pittering along side him. Without the sound of her voice, the little songs she'd make up about her beloved Lord, without her tiny human hands reaching out for his, or stroking the markings on his face...
A sharp pain deep within his chest shook Sesshoumaru from his thoughts and he shook his head. 'To be without her... Would be like losing my other arm...'
He looked down at Mokomoko where his precious little girl lay tangled in, and sighed. There was no turning back now, he knew that. He simply had no other choice but to accept defeat.
"Rin" Sesshoumaru loosened Mokomoko, letting the chill rouse the girl in his lap. "We're leaving Rin. It's much to cold for you here." Rin poked her head out from under the blanket of his fur, her cheeks rosey and her eyes tired, but otherwise cheerful. "Hai Sesshoumaru-sama." She said, putting her arms around his neck to pull herself out of Mokmoko.
The feel of her tiny human arms around his neck sent a shiver down his spine that had nothing to do with the cold winter air.