Sesshoumaru, Rin, Jaken, Ah Un and any other characters seen in 'Inuyasha' are Rumiko Takahashi's characters and I do not own them.
Any other characters are mine.
My first fan fiction. I hope you enjoy
Chapter One
Blood and Leaves
The forest was dense and unforgiving, it's foliage blocking out both the light and the barely trampled path that meandered under the canopy. Although the cold winter wind could not break through the barrier put up by the trees, it was far from warm. Instead, a thick blanket of fog sucked any heat from the area, and the frail jabs of sunlight that did make it through the muddle of branches did little to hinder it.
The silence of the forest was disturbed when Rin burst through the clutter of branches into a vast clearing. It was unclear why the trees did not grow there, there was no sign to point whether it was natural or not – no tree-stumps or charred ground. However the small girl paid little attention and ploughed into the centre of the glade. She paused to catch her breath and to wait for the others. Sure enough she was closely followed by Jaken, who was wheezy and out of breath, Ah Un, and by Sesshoumaru who looked as nonchalant as usual.
Without a word the group came to a halt. Rin dropped to the floor, and little time passed before Jaken followed suit as if the only thing that had kept him on his feet was the continual movement. His head thudded, the four had been walking for the whole day, although that was no different from most of the days they had spent together; they had been harassed by a variety of demons, but that was no change either. Rin's endless questions, and his own unneeded complaints did not help, but nor did they differ. No, what had been unlike the previous treks was the terrain they had had to cover. Ragged mountains, rolling hills, treacherous shallows, and now, suffocating forests were what had made this part of the journey gruelling, and Sesshoumaru had driven them over it all without a second thought, and within a day too. The kappa demon closed his eyes tight as he regained his breath, as if to shut out these thoughts from his lord who had now settled down to wait.
Jaken was thrust rudely from his reverie by a thunderous commotion in the underbrush. He climbed hurriedly to his feet, clutching at the Staff of Two Heads, but his reflexes were similar to a fen toad when compared to those of Sesshoumaru. He stood silently, a few steps back from the edge of the clearing nearest to the noise. His feet were slightly apart in a battle ready stance and he held his sword easily, so he would be able to strike down the cause of the noise whatever shape or size it was. Jaken shuffled his feet nervously, while trying to be as prepared as his Lord.
He conjured up frightful images of horned monsters, all sharp teeth and whirling claws. Lumps on their flesh, strange stretched faces with too many features. Deformities that assaulted the eyes and made the owner more willing to tear them out than look any longer. Those tall and wide enough to snap him like a twig, stretch him, or tear off his limbs if they got their hands on him. Thin, willowy demons with speed and agility, who could rush through the clearing and leave him writhing on the forest floor before he knew it. Creatures that were made of shadows, impossible to see or escape from, that could attack from both sides at once. He shivered and turned his eyes to the noise, grimly accepting the fate that was about to befall him.
As the scent of blood reached Sesshoumaru's sensitive nose, the sounds also became easier to identify; a feral growl, a whimper, the sound of claws being scraped along a tree trunk, the cracking of branches, roots snapping. A bird let off a terrible screech before being cut off. Feet padding, arms flailing, a heavy thud, followed by more scraping. Finally the source of the noise tumbled into sight.
A woman stood framed in the glow of an intrepid beam of light. Her face was littered with recent slashes; both her eyes were closed and full of blood, one sealed by a particularly deep cut. Her hair was matted with the stuff, strands hanging into her face and into the wounds. An ornate, jet, hair comb hung at a precarious angle from her mane, threatening to fall out any second. However the colour was not changed, it was a deep red beforehand, although her grey robe was tattered and dripping. Her hands were clawed, not unlike Sesshoumaru's, and were caked in blood. Her height was difficult to distinguish as she swayed uncertainly, all her strength being used to just hold her there. Embedded messily into her forehead was a clay symbol. It had obviously been hurriedly made, for the inscription was unclear in places, but the magic held true. After whatever the woman had been through it seemed to have not moved at all.
Finally, as if time had restarted, she resumed her flight through the glade. With an unhurried movement, Sesshoumaru returned his sword to his belt and, with a deft flick, extracted the symbol. A cry of irritation echoed from somewhere nearby. The woman collapsed at his feet, clouds of dust and dead leaves billowing to the air with the impact. With his usual air of indifference the Lord stepped over her body and made as if to move off.
"Stop my Lord!" Rin cried, kneeling close the fallen demon. "She doesn't seem to be dead!"