Chapter One

Rin winced. She had done her best to make a poultice with the herbs Jinenji had gathered for her to heal the wounds on her stomach. Large claw-marks ripped across her taught stomach. They were deep and still oozing slightly. She wore a different Kimono today reflecting the warmer weather. Her hikama were short, showing her legs up to her thighs and the Kimono covering just above her knees. She had wrapped her hands and feet in light white cloth, readying for her journey. She had only a few more things to pack and two letters to write. One for Kaede-sama and one for Sesshomaru-sama should he come.

To Kaede,

Thank you for everything, I am grown now. I want to see the world and find my place in it. I will come visit soon.

Love,

Rin

Onegai, please give this letter to Sesshomaru Sama. Tell him to let me go.

She hoped that Kaede would believe it, and not be suspicious. Rin had already sworn Jinenji to silence when she asked for help with her wounds. Not only to ensure that they heal, but to ensure that Inuyasha with his pesky sense of smell would be none the wiser either. Rin picked up the green powder and slowly poured it into five small pouches. The pouches were made to break as soon as they hit their target and the fine sand-like green powder would temporarily blind the eyes of any yokai and blight their sense of smell. This powder was laced into the bandages on her stomach ensuring that Inuyasha would not smell them. Finally after packing dried meats, and finding a water bottle, Rin was ready to go. It was the middle of the night, she didn't want to say goodbye or answer questions, she had to go now, or it would be too late.

Rin tiptoed out the front of her hut, the mud-floor was dusty from days of neglect. Kaede snored loudly from the corner. Rin set the letter down next to Kaede's bed as a small tear fell from the corner of her eyes. She said a short prayer for the Shrine Maiden who had cared for her as Sesshomaru had asked. Her mind drifted back to the little girl who had been left with Kaede, for protection.

It was the first time that Sesshomaru had offered her his hand, his claws tickled her tiny fingers. "Sesshoumaru-sama why haven't we left?"

He remained quiet at first, as his feet silently padded down the dirt path, "Rin, you will stay here for a while."

"Nani? I want to stay with you!" His words had cut her, her stomach fell into her feet she stopped following him, but his firm hand did not let go and she was just a child she could not say no to him, or fight back. She tried digging her feet into the ground, and began beating the hand that held hers, "no, no, no! I won't go, I won't go! Let go of me!" Ruthlessly she tried to kick at his shins, but her feet did nothing more but repay her with aching toes.

Jaken stood behind her and when she began to assault Sesshomaru-sama the squirming frog screamed, "Rin, do not show such disrespect for Sesshomaru-sama."

"Shut up toad! Let me go." She tried one more time to escape, but this time Sesshomaru-sama stopped and let go of her hand. His eyes were glowing, and he released a low growl. "Rin."

"Hai?" Her voice trembled and she looked at her feet, she wiggled them in the dirt, she didn't want to leave him. He was the first to show kindness to her after her family was killed by night robbers, the first to care for her, the first comfort her. He even made a new Kimono for her when she traveled with him. Tears streamed from her small cheeks and fell on the to the ground.

"Rin," was that regret in his voice, he knelt down to be on her level, and gently placed one clawed finger under her chin to lift her face. "I will come back to check on you."

"No…" She sobbed and covered her face with her hands. Her shoulders were trembling so hard she could barely stand, she could hardly catch her breath.

Behind her she heard Jaken whimper, "Sesshomaru-sama will not cry, he is too proud, so this Jaken must." Tears flowed from his eyes like a waterfall.

"Shut-up Jaken," Sesshomaru growled. "Rin, when you stay with me, there is danger." He paused, Rin was too young at the time to understand that he was on the verge of sorrow himself. "When you are older, when you have had the chance to understand being human, you will decide."

"Decide what?" She quivered.

Sesshomaru didn't answer, he made to stand but she grabbed the metal armor that protruded around his chest, her small face bringing his closer to hers, "will you hug me good-bye?"

Jaken's shrieked pierced the background. "Rin! Such rudeness! Of course Sesshomaru-sama would never hug a human, who's filth…" Jaken fell to the ground squealing in pain from Sesshomaru's whip.

Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around Rin, folding her into his chest and taking a moment to remember her scent and the moments they had spent together before the demise of Naraku. "You will be safe here." He wanted to ensure that he could find her once again.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" The little girl whispered. "Don't forget me!"

His deep voice floated into her ears almost as if it didn't exist, so quiet none heard but her, "I will visit often. I will not forget."

You will be safe here…those words, he had promised she would be safe. And she was, mostly. As time moved on Rin found a place for herself. Jinenji taught her herbs and medicines along-side Kagome. Sango taught her to fight demons and she sparred with Kohaku when he visited. She enjoyed spending time with Shippo and learning about his tricks. But then one day, something happened, something that shattered her safety. Inuyasha wasn't there that day, and neither she nor Kohaku were a match for what came and before she knew it, she was on the ground holding her stomach, she tried vainly to stop the bleeding until Jinenji found her. She begged him to help her stop the bleeding but swore him to silence, something horrible would happen if he told anyone, especially Inuyasha. They tested the green powder that Jinenji made on Shippo and on Inuyasha. As a hanyou the powder lasted longer than she expected. For Shippo it lasted only a few days.

"Yosh," Rin whispered and slipped out the door. As she passed by Kagome's hut, she poured the green powder into the dirt. This would stop Inuyasha from smelling her departure and Sesshomaru-sama, should he decide to come once more. He always sent a letter via A-Un letting her know when to expect him. She used to look forward to his short visits. Sesshomaru came almost every month, and each month he brought her something new, a Kimono, a bow for her hair, an ivory brush that she packed to come with her, sturdy shoes, winter clothes and blankets to keep her warm. The last time he came, things had changed completely, what he did left her feeling shocked and sad. Many of their visits over the last year had, they were full of fighting and harsh words.

Just the memory of what happened the night of the last full moon made her cheeks burn hot, mostly in anger. His damn sense of smell, Rin sneered she had to be ready, she didn't need his help, and he would not let her leave if he knew where she were going, that was if he would even bother coming back. Shaking her head, Rin walked away from Kagome's hut and towards the barn. Kohaku and Sango taught her to walk so lightly her footfalls made no more noise than a feather gracing the ground. Time was running short. She only had three days now to make the journey or Kohaku would die.

Rin opened the doors to the barn quietly shouldering her heavy bag. She walked towards her tall brown-mare. Another gift from Sesshomaru, she told him how much she missed A-Un. A-Un he could not part with, but he arrived on foot for her sixteenth birthday with this mare. She took the rest of the powder from the first pouch and rubbed it over her horses feet and gently sprinkled it on her fur. She came with a simple smooth leather bridle and brown riding saddle, with large saddle bags. "Mesuiguru," she named her. For her eyes, Mesuiguru had golden eyes that seemed to take everything in. Rin saddled her in silence quieting her with clicks and a fresh carrot, "dameru Mesuiguru," she whispered praying that Inuyasha would not here her. If only she could have concocted something for those sharp ears that seemed to hear everything.

Rin took Mesuiguru from the barn, quietly mounted the horse and whispered, "ikou," giving a gentle kick and they were walking slowly from the village. It wasn't strange to hear the sounds of horses in the middle of the night, she was sure if Inuyasha heard it he would sleep through it.

"Gomene," Rin whispered in her heart, "gomenesai," she spurred her horse onward. She took one last look over her shoulder, saying goodbye to the simple huts with stones lining the roof, to the dirty ground and then focused on the Horizon. The sun would be coming soon, she had three days and if she didn't make it in time, Kohaku would perish.