I do not own Inuyasha.
Where to now?
Rin sat up quickly in a sweat from the nightmare that still occasionally plagued her sleep. In it, she was surrounded by wolves. They leered hungrily at her with glowing eyes and lolling tongues right before pouncing. In the dream she could feel their teeth sink into her flesh. The memory of her death still hung in the back of her mind, a cruel reminder of her own mortal weakness. Eleven years had now passed since that day. That day she had felt her soul leave her body. She was swimming in ether, and far from being at peace; she felt torment. A light cut through the fog surrounding her, and warmth filled her. After that, pain, as her lungs filled with air. How was it that she couldn't even think to feel fear when she saw him there? Despite his sword outstretched toward her, she was certain he had saved her. He was, in that moment, the most beautiful creature she had ever seen. She suspected that she knew why he had done it. When she first met him, he had been injured, and it had been her caring for him. Maybe, he had never had someone show him such kindness before. Maybe, he had never needed it. Lord Sesshomaru was strong, and always seemed determined to never let any weakness show. Theirs was a relationship based on concern. He would never allow harm to come to her, and she would never leave his side.
The embers from the campfire were getting low, and the chilly night air caused Rin to shiver. She saw Jaken and Ah-Un curled up away from the fire, and her eyes scanned the clearing for Lord Sesshomaru. He wasn't there. Rin knew he must be somewhere nearby. Some nights he would disappear for hours at a time. If there was trouble though, he appeared as if out of nowhere to come to their rescue.
Judging by the dim light cresting the horizon, Rin figured it was about an hour from sunrise. Lord Sesshomaru would soon return, and they could continue their journey. She stretched out her arms, yawned, and left the clearing in search of a good spot to relieve herself.
Rin straightened her kimono and next proceeded to the small river that ran by their camp. It would be good, she thought, to catch some fish for later. The group would be moving away from the water, and she was not sure how easy food would be to find where they were going. Rin realized quickly how much deeper this section of stream was compared to the area she had been in the previous night. She could not simply wade in to fish. Rin undid her kimono and folded her clothes, setting them on a large rock by the bank. The water felt cool and good on her skin. Rin smiled to herself as her arms broke through the water, propelling her toward the middle of the river. There was a shallow area in the center that she thought might be a good spot to catch fish in. Her feet touched the bottom and she walked forward until the water merely grazed her thighs.
The fish were plentiful. Having caught six of a good size, Rin began to make her way in the direction of the bank. Her thoughts wandered, and she did not pay much attention to her step. As she waded, her foot shifted stones in the river and the sudden loss of balance startled Rin, causing her to cry out in alarm.
Sesshomaru had not found what he was looking for. The witch they had encountered days before had left her scent all over the area, but a lead was difficult to find. He had no doubt that they would encounter her again. The hag had stolen something from him and he intended to retrieve it. Sesshomaru knew that a few human villages lay to the south. They would need to cross through the forest, and Sesshomaru despised the idea of dealing with humans, but it was the most likely path for the witch to take. He would need to keep a close eye on Rin though, the forest was known for being inhabited by demons.
As he made his way back to camp, Rin's cry pierced the air. Sesshomaru's heart skipped a beat, and without time to think, he was running. Relief overcame him when he reached the tree line by the river and saw Rin in the middle of the water, standing, sputtering up swallowed water, and holding up a tidy string of fish. There was no danger there.
It was then that he noticed her form. At eighteen, she had visibly become a woman. Her full breasts perked with small nipples, hard from the cold water. Her hips were slender with a small, seductively feminine curve. Her long hair was slicked back, and the droplets of water rolled down her body, glistening in the early morning light. Sesshomaru felt a rolling heat build in his belly and a new desire well up.
She hadn't seen him. He turned back and walked toward camp. Yes, it was true that he cared for her, but taking a human woman as a mate was something altogether different. His father had done so, and so tainted their royal bloodline by fathering the half-breed Inuyasha. No matter how he felt about Rin, he could not do the same. Still, the image of her floated in his mind, difficult to ignore.