Crimson eyes watched the silken looking fur as it whispered across the earthen floor. Kirara lay on her belly, watching the pelt that had gone completely still. She watched the thing in rapt fascination, wondering what it would be like to touch it.

Kirara's head tilted to the side, completely mesmerized, as the fur jerked suddenly across the floor. Her feet moved to follow it, almost of their own accord. The white fur jerked again. Kirara, batted at it with a succession of quick slaps, gratified to feel that it was as soft as it looked.

The amused "Hnn," that sounded above her was possibly the only thing that could have snapped her out of her reverie. Cream colored ears pulled back and pressed against her head as she looked up to the source of the noise. Golden eyes flicked to hers, a brief hint of a smile shown in them before he shifted his back to that of his ward. Kirara ducked her head feeling mildly self conscious, having earned the western lord's full attention- even if it was only for a brief second.

Kirara gave the fluff one last look of longing, and then padded away, not wanting to risk getting spell bound by Lord Sesshomaru's pelt. Once was more than enough, thank you.

She bounded towards the line of trees, her twin tails flicking in agitation behind her. Once she was safely out of the way of those oddly penetrating golden gaze, she shifted to her humanoid form in a flash of bright fire. A skill she'd only regained after Kagome had returned from that strange country of hers to marry Inuyasha. Her friends had been quite surprised to say the least, but it had a great relief to be able to walk on two feet again. Not to mention that it was infinitely easier talking to her companions, than mewing at them.

Her blonde hair swayed behind her as she kicked a tree lightly to express her annoyance. She wasn't even really sure why she was so irritated. Something about the western lord set her off edge. When she was trapped in her true from, she had no qualms about being the object of his attentions then…Now that she thought about it, he had never paid her any mind at all then.

The first time he had seen her in her humanoid form had been months ago, while he was visiting Rin. Seemingly overcome by curiosity, he had approached Kirara. Were she not so proud, she would admit that she took one look at that ethereal silver hair, one look at those elegant demon markings on his elfin face, and one look at those amber eyes so intent on hers that she had uncharacteristically panicked and fled.

Her heart still fluttered just thinking about it.

Ever since then she'd taken care to only appear before him in her cat form. The form that couldn't betray her with silly blushes, or make her look a fool when she studied him to figure out what it was about him that threw her so.

Kagome, infuriatingly insightful as she sometimes was had noticed Kirara's erratic behavior soon enough. The odd girl had squealed and demanded to know why Kirara hadn't told her about her 'crush'. Kirara had blinked blankly and denied having broken anything that day. Kagome had laughed and explained that where she came from, a crush meant you had an infatuation on someone-odd as that was. Kirara had glared and haughtily told her to stop being so ridiculous. That cats and dogs simply did not get along. Kagome had given her a knowing smile and walked off without so much as a by-your-leave.

Even as Kirara had said it, she knew that felines could get along with dogs. After all, her and Inuyasha had a fondness for each other…Still she was accustomed to Inuyasha. Sesshomaru was different, so very different. Where Inuyasha was brash and loud, Sesshomaru was silent as a statue and did nary a thing unless it was precisely what he meant to do. He was impossibly strong-a trait any demoness would admire. He was so elegant and graceful that he was nearly as good as a cat himself…he was… he was…

Shit.

Kagome had been right, hadn't she?

Kiara huffed and sat by the tree that she'd been abusing only moments ago. Had her infatuation been the source of her ire? She was sure it would be an odd thing to anyone else, but to her it made perfect sense. She didn't like feeling out of control with her emotions.

When you were angry with something you need only kill it, but what did one do when they were besotted with one of the four cardinal lords of Japan? It wasn't likely that she could kill him. She didn't think he'd be the type to appreciate a whack from hiraikotsu as Sango had done with Miroku. She wouldn't even think about the mess that Inuyasha and Kagome went through when they were discovering their feelings…

Kirara started when a shadow fell over her. She hadn't even felt him approach. She looked up at him with narrowed ruby eyes, but did not stir.

"Do you find my presence so unpleasant?" he said, much to her surprise. He hadn't seemed the type to care what others thought of him.

"It's not that at all," Kirara said simply giving a small shake of the head. She didn't feel it was prudent for him to know the true reason she only approached him in her cat form, so she kept silent. Sesshomaru raised an elegant silver brow, but did not ask her to elaborate.

"And what of this form?" he said nodding in her direction. "Are you so ashamed of it that you hide it when possible?"

"What have I to be ashamed of?" she snapped.

"What indeed?" Sesshomaru said, giving her a smirk that made her flush. She glared at him and said nothing. She had thought that once she figured out the reason he set her so off balance that she'd regain control of her emotions. Instead, she was hyper aware that the more he paid attention to her, the less her thoughts were her own.

She looked down with a scowl, not the least bit happy that she found herself so tongue tied and just so…annoyed. The wind blew gently and immediately her gaze was drawn to the fur that swayed like long grass with it. Once more she was filled with an intense longing, to run her fingers over it. Kirara blinked when the pelt gave a tiny jerk. She looked up at Sesshomaru, and blushed crimson when she saw that his eyes were laughing. The dog had been teasing her! She hadn't even thought Lord Sesshomaru capable of playing. Kirara shook her head and gifted him with the tiniest of smiles.

And just as suddenly as he had come, he was walking away.

"You're leaving?" she asked, feeling more disappointed than angry now. She had just begun to feel comfortable in his presence and now he was going without a word.

"I have the knowledge I came for," he said not once looking back. How could he be so dismissive of her when she couldn't seem to tear her gaze away?

"Oh," was her simple quiet reply.

Sesshomaru paused in his steps and glanced at her through the corner of his eye. "I will return in a fortnight. I expect to see you then" he said, then continued on his way.

Kirara watched his graceful form until she could see him no longer.

"See you then," Kirara said quietly, though she knew no one was around to hear. She smiled softly and slowly made her way back to the village, feeling lighter and happier than she had felt in a long time.