Sesshomaru had made sure he was alone at the cliff, he left Rin with Jaken and Ah-Un at the camp. There was no youkai presence and the nearest living humans knew better than to come here.

He looked down the cliff, relaxing a bit while he watched the big river flowing beneath him.

Suddenly he turned. 'What...?'

A person stood beside a tree and watched him silently, he suddenly had sensed her presence. He directly knew she was female. But being mostly covered by shadows and being favored by the wind coming from behind him he couldn't tell if she was human or youkai.

"Come out." he demanded.

A small chuckle. "You demand me to come out, my lord. But I do not wish to do so yet." her voice being clear and pure.

He growled lowly. "Now."
"No." the amusement in her voice stayed. "I won't, Lord Sesshomaru."

His growling became louder and more menacing. A few night birds flew away from his sour getting aura. "I demand you to come out NOW!" he hissed.

"Looks like you're going to bite me if I don't."

He still was growling.

"I take that as a yes from you." She stepped out of the shadows and the clear moonlight shone down her figure. She was wearing a dark blue hakama and a black kimono top, which indicated for she being able to fight properly. Her hair was let down momentarily, her long dark locks curling down her back til her hips. Then to his surprise she bowed before him. Sesshomaru's growling stopped as her scent tickled his nose.

'No human? But no youkai either... What is she?'

"I'm sorry for teasing you, Lord Sesshomaru. I did not want to anger your grace." she politely stated when she raised herself from her deep bow. The amusement in her voice had disappeared and had left a respectful tone.

"Tell me your name and why you are in my territory, woman."

"My name is Sayara. I was traveling through your lands with no harm indicated."

He looked at her and wondered why she suddenly became so polite.

'Maybe she deceives me? No, I can tell from her smell that she's serious.'

Sayara looked at Sesshomaru, careful not to let her smell or motions give her real intentions away.

'So he does not remember me? Interesting.'

Her polite attire had definitely irritated him, he stopped growling. Sayara mentally smiled. Her seemingly ever-changing personality had irritated others before. And he maybe still thought about where she came from and why could not detect her before she let him.

"Hn. How do you know of this Sesshomaru?"
She slightly bowed and a small smile conquered her face, but she did not laugh at him, her smile was still impressively polite.

"You are widely known, my Lord. The great Lord of the West, Lord Sesshomaru. I have heard this name more often than the names of the other royal lords. I have heard about your travels, your strength in battles."

Sesshomaru smiled in his mind that she was flattering him, but then froze. "And I also heard about your half-brother, the hanyou called Inuyasha."

Sayara had seen and expected the small movement in his jaw which indicated what his thoughts were.

Sesshomaru noticed that she had noticed his missing left arm. She seemed to have heard about his failure fighting his brother and gaining the Tetusaiga. He was going to turn around and go, but couldn't. Her smell was still in his nose and he still did not know what she was, let alone why she had watched him.

Suddenly a shadow was cast over them when a big form flew over Sesshomaru and Sayara. It was a big black creature and seemed like a cat with big wings. He could sense its impressive strength while it landed behind her, it would take a while to defeat it but he was sure of his victory. His hand moved to his sword when she walked towards it.

The beast hissed as she came closer. Sesshomaru wondered if she wanted to fight it, she had no weapon at her side though. Then he saw how the big creature bowed his head towards Sayara and she petted its head without saying anything.

He stepped closer without drawing his sword. 'How did she make this creature bow to her?'

It was just one of a few mysteries around her.

"Among humans, you are a legend." she did not look at Sesshomaru as he came near. "How did you find me?" she asked the creature to Sesshomaru's surprise.

'As if this creature would talk to her.' he nearly snorted but froze when the 'creature' stood and suddenly changed to a human male form, kneeling in front of her.

"I'm sorry for hissing at you. Forgive me." 'he' said with a low vibrating voice, unfitting to his – to Sesshomaru awful, to others beautiful – appearance.

"Stand tall, it's forgiven." she claimed with a voice that was new to Sesshomaru. A voice demanding respect, a voice of a powerful Lady.

The creature in its human form stood tall, his long black hair falling down his back. "My name is Kuroshi."

She nodded and Sesshomaru took in how she stood, tall and proud. It was telling about her rank and power.

"I am called Sayara."

"Lady Sayara." Kuroshi bowed again towards her.

"I wanted to ask you something." Sesshomaru intervened.

Sayara turned to look at him. "Then you might ask, Lord Sesshomaru."

"What are you?"

She raised one of her brows and before she could answer Kuroshi interrupted.

"That was very impolite towards Lady Sayara, dog."

"I noticed it, Kuroshi." she looked at him and Kuroshi took a step backwards, bowing.

"You asked about me being human or youkai, Lord Sesshomaru, right? I am neither and I am no hanyou. I'm sorry but I can't tell you about it."

"Can't tell me? Bound by an oath?"
"That too. But it also won't be in your best interests to tell it now, it's a very long story and not one to be told in the open." she nodded slightly.

He nodded back at her, understanding her reasoning. He wouldn't ask for further information now.

"Please accept me as your servant. I would be honored to work under you." Kuroshi knelt again, his face on the earth, his low voice barely audible.

"Stand up, Kuroshi. I will regard your offer."

Sesshomaru wondered if Kuroshi knew something about her he did not. He seemed to be so submissive like his kind would never act.

Kuroshi stood up. "Thank you for your kindness, Lady Sayara." he murmured.

She smiled. "Don't mention it."

Sesshomaru was surprised at every turn her character took. Polite and submissive, proud and superior, kind and casual. She captured his interest, not only because of her unknown nature, but of her utter differentness and contradictness.

The day neared its end, the sun slowly set down.

"You might want to return to your pack, Lord Sesshomaru. Your human ward is afraid of the dark, isn't she? And neither the toad nor the dragon can give her the same comfort that your simple presence does."

He glanced at her.

She smiled and nodded. "Do not worry, we shall meet again properly."

"Hn." Sesshomaru turned and walked away, back to his pack.

Inuyasha took Kagome on his back as he leaped up the stairs towards the meadow where the well rested. She had just said goodbye to the others and now wanted to use the well to get back home. Inuyasha weirdly had been alright with Kagome's request. Unknown to the others, he had sensed Kagome being homesick. And Kagome's sadness was his. So he had agreed to a small break, Kagome going to her time, her family and the others resting at Kaede's.

He reached the meadow within seconds, the sun had just set down and the meadow was filled with shadows, so he wasn't sure at first. But then a wind gust blew a scent to his nose, definitely female, but neither human nor youkai nor hanyou.

"Kagome, get down." he whispered.

"Huh? What is it?" she whispered back.

"Something or someone is there."

"I can hear you~" a female voice sang from near the well. "You don't have to whisper~"

Inuyasha crouched down and pulled Kagome behind him, growling lowly.

The female chuckled and then laughed. "You're quite like your brother, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha froze.

Kagome's eyes widened slowly. "Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru. He growled at me first, just like you."

"What do you want and who are you?!" Inuyasha said, still growling.

She chuckled and then a fire was lit beside the well. A big flame within her hand illuminated the clearing, making her completely visible to Inuyasha and Kagome.

"I am called Sayara and I only want to speak to your female companion."

"...!" Kagome's breath caught in her throat as something clicked within her mind.

"As if-"

"Let her, Inuyasha." Kagome interrupted his answer. "Sayara won't harm me."

"Whut?!"

Kagome walked towards Sayara without turning back. "Kagome! You don't know her!" Inuyasha tried to pull her back.

"I do know her, Inuyasha. Now let me go."

_v*v_

A/N: I do not own Inuyasha. It belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.