Disclaimer: I tried to take Sesshy, but then they put me in a room, a round room, with corners… Wait, round rooms don't have corners, that's crazy! Crazy? I was crazy once…

Alright, people, you may recognize quite a few of these characters from my and Clear Water's fanfic Kita and Saramaru. Know why know why? Because I love those characters and that is the plot I had an idea for. DEAL! Some of the information used in this fanfic is ahead of the information you have currently on Kita and Saramaru, merely because I help write it so I know more than you. You don't really need to know much of it though so I wont go into detail unless you ask, and then I will only divulge enough so that you will vaguely understand. ON WITH THE STORY!

Another Day

It had only been ten years, but still it made ten LONG years.

Naraku had almost been defeated, but still he roamed, reeking havoc over all he touched.

Rin liked to think there were three groups against the nasty hanyou, first being the Inu-group. This was led by the grouchy Inu-hanyou Inuyasha, the young miko Kagome, (who wore odd clothes), the demon-slayer Sango, a monk named Miroku, (of whom had a cursed hand, in more than one way.) The last two were Shippo, a young fox demon who had been orphaned by the Thunder Brothers and 'adopted' by Kagome, and Kirara, the fire demon cat belonging to Sango.

The second was a group led by Saramaru-sama, lady of the Eastern Lands and an Inu-Taiyoukai sorceress with amazing power and magical ability. These were coupled with her knack for acquiring mythological animals. Next in the line was Kita, a young human miko who is tutored, adopted, and cared for by Saramaru. Her mate is the dragon demon Rejime, son of the Northern Lord. Though Rin was not aware of it yet, third in line was Tisandor, who sought Saramaru's guidance and seemed to have a crush on Kita. He was a tiger demon, and heir to the Southern lands. Then came Nirro-ichi, Saramaru's loyal griffin friend, and Cirrus, the phoenix Saramaru had conjured from water and now followed the group. There were many horses that Saramaru had, some even powerful enough to be of some aid against Naraku, but Rin had never truly met the beasts.

Last but certainly not least was the group led by Sesshoumaru-Sama, powerful lord of the Western Lands and Inu-Taiyoukai. He was grudging brother to Inuyasha and cousin to Saramaru, and his followers were Jaken, an ugly toad demon who carried something called the staff of two heads. Next was Rin, a young human girl who had been orphaned by bandits and killed by wolves only to be revived by Lord Sesshoumaru's sword Tenseiga. And last of the following trio was Ah-Un, a two headed dragon whom provided a means of travel and sometimes defense and offense.

Rin was brought out of her thoughts as a large smudge, accompanied by a smaller version appeared on the horizon, heading Northwards. She gasped in surprise at the unexpected sight, and looked to Lord Sesshoumaru, who had stopped to glance up nonchalantly at the passing figure. His expression was unreadable as always, and Rin found she could not bite down her curiosity.

"What is it, my lord?" Her easy voice reached his ears, and a stunning golden eye came to rest on her.

"Saramaru and Inuyasha are on the move." His brother's name was spat out as if it was disgusting trash, and he continued after a moment.

"That is Rejime," And with that, he turned, and continued to walk, his large strides forcing Rin to yank roughly on Ah-Un's reins to keep up. She skipped giddily after her lord, humming a tune from her younger years, and did not let the loud squawk Jaken let out bother her. The toad was currently flattened by one of Ah-Un's massive paws, and as the dragon walked on the toad jumped up with a rather fruitful string of curses.

Darkness fell silently and without warning, and Sesshoumaru stopped in a nice clearing filled with flowers. Rin dropped Ah-Un's reins and ran through the wildflowers, hearing Jaken grumble of unpredictable humans. She got down into the flowers and instantly began braiding some together, making a small bracelet that she fashioned to her wrist. The young girl's chocolate eyes widened and she squealed in delight at the sight of a welcoming hot springs. She looked back to Sesshoumaru to see that her stoic lord was looking the other way, observing the stars silently, and quickly she ran to the steaming water, dipping her toes in before taking her clothes off and sinking into the warm liquid. Jaken followed after her, knowing that if anything happened to her Sesshoumaru would have his head, and perched himself contently on a rock in the middle of the spring.

Sesshoumaru heard the girl splashing, and though he turned he kept his eyes pointedly away from her particular area, golden eyes going from the stars to gaze at the full moon. He pondered a moment on his cousin's last visit, the way she had seemed almost dead after ten years of getting used to her bubbly nature. She had shown him an ancient scroll, and had explained her problems with Naraku and just about everything else. He had given her answers as best he could, and soon after she had left, seemingly more content than before. His thoughts were interrupted by the scent of an impending argument, and thoughtlessly he looked in Rin and Jaken's direction. He was about to shield his eyes when he noticed that she was covered by the water, and so he listened intently.

"Jaken-sama, am I pretty?" The girl asked innocently, fluttering her eyelashes to further annoy the toad.

"Of course not! You are an ugly human who is too short and too skinny and your always covered in dirt!" He retorted pointedly, jabbing at her with his staff.

"Short! You're one to talk!" Rin exclaimed, getting up from the water with a flourish and punching him playfully on the head, shielding her eyes with an arm as he splashed into the water with a loud squawk.

Through all this Sesshoumaru allowed a small, fraction of a smile to appear on his lips as he listened to the argument. He was enjoying himself until Rin jumped up from the cover of the water, and he turned his head, bangs falling over his blinking eyes. He turned back to the moon as if he had not seen anything, expression completely unreadable.

'She has no modesty.' He growled in his mind; then quickly amended. No, he had just been looking. And even if she had no modesty, wouldn't that be his fault for keeping her away from her own kind? He scoffed, and turned his attention towards nothing in particular.

The bath had been over for quite some time, and so too had ended Rin's foraging. Her stomach full, though not overly so, she leaned against Ah-Un's curled form as she gazed up at the entrancing stars. Sesshoumaru was doing much the same against a tree only ten feet away, and for a moment she felt his intense gaze rest on her. Jaken's painfully loud snores interrupted the silent moment, and she growled in annoyance, hitting the toad sharply on the head. Though Jaken did not wake his irking sounds died down to silence again, and Rin smirked triumphantly, surprising Sesshoumaru by the expression's likeness to his own expression whenever he won. A small smirk traced it's way along his smooth lips and he looked away slowly, leaning his head against the tree and closing his eyes for a moment, though sleep did not reach him and did not seem as if it was even trying. Rin watched her lord's eyes close in slight disappointment, as she couldn't help but wish his golden gaze would be on her again, and sighed softly. She too, closed her eyes, and sleep which had evaded her master crashed in on her in an instant.

Young Rin awoke in the morning, her large earthen eyes blinking. Toothless smile was placed on her cracked lips as she got up quickly from the small run-down shack she had been sleeping in, and she scrambled outside to grab some good food to steal before too many villagers awoke. Knee deep in the village pond she grabbed at a fish, successfully holding on to the slimy wriggling thing as she struggled out of the pond. Footsteps alerted her to another's presence, and with silence she looked up to one of the village-man's angry faces.

"So it was YOU who was stealing the fish!" His angry announcement came, and she backed up a step only to collide with another man's legs as he gripped her roughly by the hair. She did not cry out, merely flinched as he pulled her up by said hair, holding her in the air as the other man neared.

"We have tolerated your presence long enough," The first man began with a wicked smirk, "But now it seems we cannot afford to feed you." With that said he offered her face a rough punch, watching as the tender skin began to bruise. They continued to beat her, and the whole while, though the young orphan girl flinched, no sound came out. Finally, after what seemed ages, the men stopped, and she stumbled off into the forest, only a few silent tears passing her eyes before she wiped them away. She couldn't wait to see the beautiful youkai lord in the forest. She knew she should be scared of him, but she couldn't help being entranced by his beauty instead. She tripped over a bothersome rot that seemed to snag her toes every time, and though she gritted her teeth she kept climbing up the gentle incline to see the white haired demon.

When the small girl arrived he was still propped up in the same place, the fluff on his shoulder still serving as a pillow.

Sesshoumaru regarded the toothless figure a moment, before closing his eyes again. She had bruises covering her face and arms, and in her hands was a clumsily cooked fish and a few wild mushrooms. As usual he discarded her offerings with a wave of his hand, and she merely placed it on the ground to kneel by his side.

"What happened to your face." It was a rhetorical question mostly, he didn't expect her to answer. After her second visit it had dawned upon him that she was mute, but by some odd thought he figured he might hear her voice soon.

The girl merely smiled a toothless grin at him, seemingly happy, and he quirked an eyebrow as her eyes closed. Why was she smiling? She was injured, and still she insisted on smiling. Soon after the girl got up and left, leaving her silly excuse for food beside him. She skipped back, seemingly content, and Sesshoumaru's eyes closed once more. After all, he needed his rest…

An hour later he awoke, feeling perfectly healthy again. He got up, inspecting his healed stump of an arm, and arranged himself. Ready to leave, he thought momentarily of the human girl, then brushed the thoughts way like a fly before leaving.

Young Rin whimpered as she ran as fast as her little legs would carry her, towards the youkai lord. Wolves followed after her, nipping at her heels experimentally, their blood lust evident in their eager whines and barks. Her excuse for a home had been devastated, every last living thing slaughtered, even the chickens, and it appeared she was next in line. She sobbed uncontrollably now as she felt her feet begin to stumble, exhaustion taking over her body's controls. There was that damned root, please kami let her scale it without fault! But god was not with her, for just as she reached it she did indeed stumble. She moaned and rolled onto her back, knowing it was over, and saw the wolves hungry expression as they loomed over her, awful saliva dripping onto her already sweat soaked body. She gasped and for the first time in two months found her voice to scream as without hesitation the creatures tore at her, ripping her to shreds. Her last though was of the beautiful youkai lord, white hair streaming behind him, before everything went dark.

Rin awoke, a cold sweat upon her features, and found Sesshoumaru staring at her, apparently alerted by her heightened heart beat and the smell of her fear. He looked away as she trembled uncontrollably, apparently content to allow her to think her way out of her fear. She had had that nightmare ever since she was a young child, ever since she died… With a shiver and a decisive expression she got up, and closed the space between herself and Sesshoumaru, her bed roll dragged behind her. He watched her from the corner of his eye, an eyebrow hidden under the expanse of his long silver bangs. She spread out her bedroll next to him, his folded legs only inches from her as she lay down. She sighed, her lords reassuring presence instantly calming her. Rin's hair fanned about her like a midnight curtain, as she looked at Sesshoumaru's likewise spread hair, fanning along his back. Her eyes began to close, and just as sleep found her again, a light smile traced her lips as she grabbed the pant leg around Sesshoumaru's knee, holding the fabric gently in her slender fingers, and muttered, "Good night, Sesshoumaru-Sama." Sesshoumaru was surprised to feel the fabric tighten around his leg, and looked down to hear Rin's muttered words. His eyes softened a moment, and he said quietly, "Good night, my Rin." He took the 'fluffy' off of his shoulder carefully and draped it over her, and watched her shoulder into the soft fur. Wait…

'MY RIN! WHERE IN ALL THE HELLS DID THAT COME FROM?' The rather disruptive though ran through his mind like a storm, and he blinked. He didn't really now where that came from, and a disgusted look crossed over his features. He would have to do something about his emotions…

Rin awoke, warm and comfortable, something soft and white in her hands. She blinked to clear her waking vision, and noticed that it was silk. Why was she holding white silk? The form of legs, folded neatly, was next taken in, and she struggled to look higher. Almost instantly, as she looked up, Lord Sesshoumaru's eyes popped open from their relaxed state, and the golden hue shocked her barely awakened eyes so much she closed them as if she as glaring to the sun. Still they were gazing at her as her own earthen colored eyes opened, and she sighed. Now… Why was she so warm? A tuft of white fur entered her vision as a slight breeze took up her bangs, and she realized fully now that it was the fur her lord wore around his shoulders! She slowly got up, relinquishing her hold on Sesshoumaru's pant leg as she did so. She fought the yawn that threatened to take over, knowing that Sesshoumaru considered it to be bad manners.

Jaken's annoying squawk arose into the air only too soon after as Sesshoumaru aimed a pebble at the toads head, hitting him square between the eyes. After all, Rin thought as she silently handed Sesshoumaru his fur back and nodded her thanks with a bright smile, he never missed. The toad grumbled as he set up camp, and Rin skipped off to look for a quick breakfast. She kneeled into a field of fresh flowers, unable to resist their waving stalks of color, and as she bent to sniff each different specimen, she noticed everything becoming dizzy. She blinked, trying to fight off what seemed like sleep, and a dull pain, from far away, entered her shoulder as her hands dropped from a pedal to her side, her eyes suddenly getting a good look at the sky. A flash of black, next white, and a furious yell; and everything went black, gentle warmth surrounding her for the second time in hardly fifteen minutes.

Sesshoumaru could smell it, a spell on the air. It had reminded him immediately of one and only one person, his sorceress cousin, but he knew it was not her. She was traveling; he mused, and curiously got up, fixing the fur on his shoulder securely. He walked steadily towards the crackle of power. A shocked expression came as he entered the field, Rin's scent heavy here, and saw the girl kneel backwards and plop into the grass like a lifeless doll as violet light lashed out towards her. A black cloaked figure was leaning over her, the cause of all the energy and purple lighting, claws extending from the wide sleeves towards Rin's throat in slow motion. With a yell of fury Sesshoumaru leapt forth, faster than any mortal eye could see and faster than even most demons could detect, and his hard fist made contact with the face underneath the hood. The creature, whatever it was, fell back with a pained cry, blood falling free from its nostrils. Sesshoumaru stood protectively before Rin, eyes calm, fist unclenched to make him appear as if he were in a rather boring conversation.

"Show yourself." His calm, cool voice bit through the tension like a sharp sword, and the creature gurgled unpleasantly, lifting it's ugly head. Sesshoumaru's recognized the pink skin at once, belonging to the most disgusting, sniveling bastard who had ever set foot in the lands of all Japan. A man from the middle, he had called himself, and had tried immediately to unseat Saramaru from her Ladyship. He had magical abilities, great ones, by most standards, and five years ago, he had made the unbearable mistake of turning them towards Saramaru.

The demoness had, with great fun it seemed, laughingly told him to leave, her power enthralled into her voice to compel him to do so in a powerful spell. The man had bowed and complied with an odd grin on his face, and Sesshoumaru had not seen him since. That day had been one of the few that Lords and Ladies from all around Japan came to negotiate treaties. It was there the pink skinned wretch had burst through Sesshoumaru's doors (As everyone knows it is the most favored to have conversation, being the strongest empire), demanding to speak with Saramaru privately. The demoness had insisted wisely that anything to be said could be before her cousin and fellow lords, and the man had laughably demanded that she become his mate, so that a greater power could rule. Power had been in his voice, too, but it had been only a minor fraction of Saramaru's magical ability. Sesshoumaru had been fully content to watch with morbid satisfaction how his cousin would deal against the spell, and had seen her dispel the haze without even a minor movement of the hand. She had smote it completely. But, now filled to his full of information about the disgusting excuse for a demon standing in front of him, Sesshoumaru hardened his golden gaze.

"I am saddened you do not remember me, oh high and mighty one." The halting, distasteful voice of the unknown demon entered Sesshoumaru's sensitive ears, and Sesshoumaru fought to ignore it. He realized then, that this thing was trying to set a spell upon him, and fought anger until something struck him.

Had Sesshoumaru wished to degrade himself, why, he wouldn't have laughed! But as it was, he smirked. So THIS is why Saramaru had needed no customary hand motions, or had even twitched in concentration or hardened her gaze! The spell was so feeble you could dispel it as you would a small nightmare.

"I have no reason to remember something so vile." Came the Western Lord's reply as he stared evenly at the demon before him.

"Why, I am a simple begger, residing in your lands… Being a demon myself, mind you, I look at this little thing, you're only liability, if I've heard, and wonder how much she will weaken us! Already humans ruin the great dogs all around, your father… You." Sesshoumaru bristled at the rogue's words, anger that the demon could suggest such a thing of a human girl having power over Sesshoumaru angering him almost to the point of not control.

But instead, a calm string of words left the taiyoukai's mouth.

"She has no power over me." He stated simply, eyes narrowing.

"What a bad liar, proud lord. Without her by your side you could rule the Western Lands freely, without the scorn of your fellows for adopting such a despicable thing as your companionship, your ward, and your dirty whore! Just like your cousin adopted her own blonde haired wretch." He lifted his lip in utter disgust, and a slow, steady growl began to rise from Sesshoumaru's chest.

"She is not a whore." His words were utterly calm, but inside he raged, willing oh so greatly to tear this thing apart for its insolence.

"No matter, she's already dying." The horrible thing shrugged, and with a cackle, added, "And now I will kill YOU, demon lord, and take the Western Lands for my OWN!" He slashed forward with a surprising speed for one seemingly so weak, and Sesshoumaru growled as he was forced to grab Rin with his only arm, jumping into the air with her and away from the demon's clutches. The girl's heart rate was excruciatingly slow, but Sesshoumaru was forced to bite back his worry and leave her behind a bush, quickly stepping out and away to face his enemy properly. The thing was cackling in a rough voice, staring off into some deep part of the forest. Sesshoumaru looked up, a familiar smell wafting upon the air… And his eyes widened.

He had been taught to expect many things, and this lesson he took with him everywhere, but what was before him he had never expected at this moment! The great white dog was bearing down upon them angrily, red eyes narrowed imperiously. A small group of followers gripped the animal's fur, a black haired woman with odd clothes, a red clothed hanyou, a demon slayer, and a monk, all prepared to do battle. Sesshoumaru instantly recognized his cousin, brother, brother's mate, and the two other human groupies. Another shadow then a figure, Rejime of the North, his mate, a face Sesshoumaru barely recognized, Tisandor of the South, and Niiro-ichi, the red griffin. All of this was taken in within moments, and Sesshoumaru also added to his quick study that Kagome was pointing and shouting something to Inuyasha.

"He's the one casting the spell!" She yelled to the hanyou, who nodded and jumped down, followed by the others. Though the clearing wasn't small by any means, Saramaru found her transformed state was quite an unruly dream to be held within its depths, and quickly the white dog vanished to be replaced by a near twin to Sesshoumaru. Except a full moon adorned her head, her stripes of the color blue, as was the shoulder of her yukata. She barked frustratingly at Inuyasha, "He's a magic wielder, why do you think the damn thing's in his hand? He would merely block the Tetsusaiga!" She was immediately at Sesshoumaru's side, both Taiyoukai silently communicating their agreement; Saramaru would have to work on this one. Sesshoumaru didn't like the idea, but soon he was caught up in a rather different, even MORE irking battle.

"Why the hell is the bastard here!" Inuyasha barked, quite literally, glaring at Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru, for once, ignored his half brother, turning instead to walk to Rin. Kita trembled as she stood behind Rejime, staring at the Western Lord quite rudely. She would never get used to him! But her blue eyes widened as she noticed a crumpled form in the grass, and she quickly charged to Rin's side. The girl was out cold, and now Kita knew the cause of the spell that had dragged them here. Rin was stuck in a coma, and Kita sighed. Saramaru had not taught her in this magic, and had warned her of the dangers willing could do! Her blonde hair fell into her face as she leaned over Rin, futilely shaking the girl.

Sesshoumaru watched silently, calm exterior giving no clues to his inner turmoil. His charge's breathing was so short and slow, and he gritted his teeth to keep from frowning.

Rin ran as fast as she could, but motion seemed beyond her as the monsters came up behind her, tearing into her skin.

'Where is my lord?' Her weak mind screamed, but when she tried to open her mouth, nothing came out.

'HELP ME!'

Pheonix: That tis is for now, please R&R!