SUNNY DAYS OF SESSHOMARU & RIN
CHAPTER I - The Secret
"Where is Rin?" inquired a deep voice, with a hint of irritation in it.
Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other uneasily.
They were inside their cottage eating lunch when they sighted Sesshomaru a distance away. They knew that Lady Kaede was not in her cottage and neither was Rin. Rin had never missed Sesshomaru's visits before, so Sesshomaru had never a reason to speak to another human besides her. Now that Rin was nowhere to be found and neither was her guardian, Kagome knew that the only other person he would speak to, besides Rin herself, was Inuyasha.
Sure enough, Inuyasha saw him approaching their cottage rather malevolently. He reasoned that Sesshomaru was a little ruffled that Rin would miss their meeting, and since he could not lower himself to ask about Rin's whereabouts to a villager, he was making his way towards Inuyasha.
Inuyasha grimaced. He knew this encounter did not bode well. He looked to Kagome, sensing her nervousness.
Sesshomaru's keen eyes looked back and forth between them impatiently. If he was one to show emotion, he would have clenched his fists.
"Uh Sesshomaru, Rin must be close by. Are you sure you don't smell her?" said Kagome nervously, her voice breaking.
Sesshomaru observed her. More than once, it was this girl who answered his questions when Inuyasha did not, but here she was fumbling with nervousness.
Sesshomaru turned to Inuyasha, who automatically winced.
"Inuyasha, tell your woman to think twice before insulting me." warned Sesshomaru.
Inuyasha's fists clenched and he was about to open his mouth to say something, when Sesshomaru cut him, looking at Kagome instead.
"Woman, if I could smell her, do you think I would lower myself to ask my pathetic excuse for a brother?" questioned Sesshomaru, eyes dangerously narrowing.
Clearly, Sesshomaru did not like being under the mercy of Inuyasha and Kagome for Rin's wherabouts.
"If anything has happened to her Inuyasha, your life is in my hands." Sesshomaru threatened, turning his back on the couple, his long silver hair moving along with his stride.
"Sesshomaru! Rin's fine - she just does not want to be found right now. Come back tomorrow and you'll be able to find her at the village." shouted Inuyasha.
Before Inuyasha could take another breath, he felt Sesshomaru's claws lifting his neck in the air. Inuyasha automatically struggled to shake his hold off, only to find it tightening.
"Listen well, Inuyasha - your answer may depend on your life." Sesshomaru warned.
Inuyasha bared his fangs together, still struggling to loosen Sesshomaru's hold on him. Kagome looked around in panic.
"What do you mean Rin does not want to be found? What is this work that takes her away from the village, that she has to miss our designated meeting time?" questioned Sesshomaru, loosening his hold on Inuyasha's neck so that he could speak.
"I can't tell you! Rin would not have wanted you to know. Ask her yourself tomorrow!" struggled Inuyasha.
Sesshomaru tightened his hold on Inuyasha's neck, unsatisfied with the answer.
Kagome meanwhile could see that Sesshomaru did not like being kept in the dark, especially about Rin's life. She could also see that by Inuyasha knowing something Sesshomaru did not - about Rin - was tearing him apart. She made a hasty decision.
"Hey Sesshomaru, want to know where Rin is? Head for the grove deep in the forest!" cried Kagome, desperate to free her mate from his big brother's deadly grasp.
Sesshomaru unapologetically dropped Inuyasha to the ground, and in a ball of light, headed to the grove.