The Clouds Are Falling
The innocence of a small girl makes you wonder how evil could ever be present in the world. These words entered his mind as he stared up at the moon. It sat in the sky as it did every night, but tonight it was almost gone. Closing his eyes against the sudden wind that picked up, he noticed the sudden chill as it swept the sleeves of his haori up his right arm. Frowning, he sniffed the air and smelt the cold.
Was it that time of the year already? Blinking, he glanced over his shoulder at his sleeping companions. The fire that had been roaring earlier was almost dead, and the little girl who slept beside it sat curled up in a tight ball, shivering against the cold wind. Drawing his lips in a thin line, he walked over and peered down at her small shivering body.
Kneeling down beside her, he brushed the small stray lock of hair that had fallen onto her cheek. His lips moved down into a small frown at this strange action, and he pulled his hand back as if he had been burned. The small child shivered again, and tried to curl up more, whimpering in her sleep as another gust of wind blew through the camp.
Blowing the air through his nose in irritation, he moved to stand, when something caught his eye. It was small and white, and it landed on the small girl who wore nothing more then a summer kimono.
He stopped, and stared at the contrast of the white flake on her dark hair, and frowned even deeper. Another flake fell and another. Soon the air was thick with the white stuff and he saw her whimper again. The wind picked up even more and the small white flakes grew in size. She never complained. All during the fall, when the air had grown colder, she had never once uttered a word of complaint.
The corners of his lips drew upward in a small smile at that. Sitting next to the small child, he gently picked her up and placed her small shivering form in his lap and stared down at her. Rin remained sleeping, but curled up against his warm body. Lifting his hand, he pulled off his fur pelt and drew it over her and he almost grunted when she gripped it tightly in her small hands, pulling it around her.
She opened her eyes then, and she seemed confused about where she was. Rin turned over and peered up at him. When it dawned on her where she was, her mouth dropped open in surprise, and he shook his head silencing her question.
"Tomorrow I will find you a winter kimono. It has grown cold child." Sesshoumaru whispered.
Rin blinked, and snuggled into the fur burying her face into it sighing in contentment. She then lifted her face and stared at the swirling snow around them. "Oh!" She exclaimed softly.
Sesshoumaru frowned again. "Oh?"
"The clouds are falling." She grinned. "Mama always told me that the clouds fell after the leaves fell."
"Those aren't clouds Rin. This is snow." Sesshoumaru muttered, slightly amused at the child's innocent mind. "If it weren't so cold, it would be raining."
"So those are frozen raindrops?"
"Yes."
"It's cold. Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin asked, looking at him again.
"What is it?"
"Will I have to walk in the snow in my bare feet?"
Startled, Sesshoumaru grunted. "No, Rin. You will have boots. Go back to sleep."
"Okay." She whispered. Rin snuggled deeper into the fur pelt and whispered before she fell asleep completely. "Can Rin have boots like Lord Sesshoumaru?"
Ignoring her words, he glanced up searching for the moon through the swirling snow. However even his keen eyes couldn't find it through the blizzard. Shaking his head, he looked back down at the small child wrapped up in his pelt. Such strange creatures to feel the chill. He could smell the cold, but it didn't affect him. Sesshoumaru smiled slowly, and pulled the pelt closer around Rin and he closed his eyes. Yes tomorrow he would ensure that his little girl was warm.
Grunting in annoyance, he realized that he would have to go to a human village to find the proper attire for Rin. Youkai didn't feel the cold therefore winter wear wasn't required. However for a small human, the cold was a dangerous thing, especially without the proper attire. Sesshoumaru felt his features soften as he watched the little girl in his lap. Her tiny hands clutched desperately at his pelt, the only thing exposed were her fists and her face.
Sesshoumaru wondered if his brother's human could assist with finding the appropriate wear for his Rin. Thinking more on it, he frowned remembering the clothing she wore.
"Hnn." Sesshoumaru snorted. "I had better do this myself." He whispered. Reaching over his shoulder, he untangled his pelt from his armor and tucked Rin deeper into the fur while placing her on the ground. Standing up quickly, he strolled casually over to Jaken, who currently lay snoring beside a bush. Nudging him with his foot, Sesshoumaru waited while the toad woke.
"Lord Sesshoumaru?" Jaken blinked, sitting up.
"Watch Rin. I will return by morning." Sesshoumaru hissed.
"Milord? Where are you going?"
Sesshoumaru turned away, not answering Jaken.
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Had he known that early morning brought the mortals awake, he would have come earlier, to avoid having to deal with all the gasps of surprise, whimpers of terror and cries of anger. Almost rolling his eyes skyward, Sesshoumaru entered the village and proceeded to a small hut where tanning hides hung on pegs. Knocking on the wood beside the bamboo shade, he waited while the occupant muttered that she would be right with him.
Standing tall, he frowned. The shade moved to the side and a young woman looked out and the blood in her face drained leaving her looking as white as the snow on the ground and swirling around them.
"You are a tanner?" He ground out.
"Yes." She whimpered.
"I am in need of winter wear for a small girl." Sesshoumaru commanded.
"And how old is this little girl?"
"Unnecessary question." He pointed out.
"If you want me to gather winter clothing, then I will need to know how tall she is."
He held up his hand to Rin's height and waited.
The girl sighed, but nodded. "What sort of clothing are you looking for?"
"The finest winter kimono, boots, and a fur pelt to keep her warm."
"Is she human?"
"Unnecessary question."
The girl shook her head and reentered her hut, leaving Sesshoumaru standing there with a raised eyebrow. He could hear her inside gathering items, and finally came back to the door holding out several items for him to choose from.
Wrinkling his nose at the smoke scent on the clothes, he picked out a red and green haori that was fur lined, along with white fur lined hakama pants. The kimono was a soft material made from a rabbits pelt, and was the color of the snow, which almost shimmered blue in certain lights. Nodding, he choose a pair of fur lined boots and a brown fur pelt.
"Is this sufficient to keep the girl warm?" He asked.
"If she's human, it will until the colder weather hits."
"When the colder weather hits?"
"Nothing will keep her warm, but a warm hut to sleep in, and a fire."
Sesshoumaru frowned. Handing the girl several coins, he hauled Rin's new clothes out of the village, frowning at what the woman had said.
It didn't take him long to return to the camp, and he glanced over at the fire that was now roaring furiously. Near the fire was his fur and his frown deepened. Sticking out of his pelt was a small patch of dark hair, and nothing more. Walking over to the fire, he knelt down and poked the pelt, which twitched.
"Lord Sesshoumaru." Came the muffled reply. "It's so cold out."
"Yes, I know. I have brought warmer clothes for you to wear." A small nose poked out from his pelt, then a set of large brown eyes, blinking rapidly against the cold blizzard.
"Oh, they are wonderful." Rin exclaimed. She shifted slightly in the fur and quickly buried down inside the much larger pelt, hiding fully once again.
Sesshoumaru frowned, as he heard several small teeth click against each other. His fur shivered, and he grunted. "You will eventually need to return my fur, Rin."
His pelt shifted again, signaling her nod in response.
"Are you that cold?" He frowned.
His fur nodded again. Tilting his head to the side amused, he watched his fur twitch and shiver again.
Closing his eyes to hide the rolling motion they made, he placed the items inside his fur, and he almost smiled at her little squeak of protest as the cold clothing came in contact with her bare legs.
"Let them warm up, and then put them on." He placed her brown fur pelt in his belt for when she finished dressing.
"Okay." Her muffled reply came.
Standing up, he moved away from the fire, and walked over to Jaken, who was skinning and gutting a small animal. He sat beside the tree and waited to see how long it would take for Rin to dress in her new clothing, and finally after several minutes, his fur started to shift and move around frantically.
Smirking to himself, he waited until Rin emerged from his fur, before standing up. She rubbed her face quickly, and wrapped her arms around her small body, shivering. Sesshoumaru walked up to her and knelt down on one knee. Wrapping the new pelt he had gotten for her around her shoulders, he lifted his gaze to hers and gave her a small rare smile he reserved for Rin alone.
"Thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru." Rin whispered. Before he could react, she flung herself at him and wrapped her little arms around his shoulders.
Startled and taken aback, Sesshoumaru blinked a few times, before the incident occurred to him. Taking a deep breath, he patted her back with his hand, and whispered into her ear. "Are you warm enough now?"
She nodded and stepped back She spun around, showing off her new wardrobe, seeking his approval. He stood up and nodded once before turning away. "Rin?"
"Yes?"
"Go back by the fire. The air is still cold, and it will do no good for you to become ill."
Rin nodded, and spun around running to the fire once again. She peered at his fur, and gasped. Picking it up, she ran back to him and held it out for him. Sesshoumaru glanced at it and smiled. "Keep it for the time being."
Rin nodded and buried her face in it. "It smells like you, Lord Sesshoumaru."
Sesshoumaru nodded, and walked away from the fire. Leaning against the trees, he closed his eyes, and listened to the sounds surrounding the camp. Anything evil would remain hidden until the blizzard vanished, but how long that would be, Sesshoumaru even didn't know.