Kurome Komatsu, known to her tribe as Kurome of the Rain, was a young wolf daiyoukai who hailed from the village of Shikotsu in the north. Her tribe was the last of the wolves that resided so far in the north and had good reason to be. They were fierce warriors, beautiful and elegant dancers, powerful traders and often traveled to the Western Lands for a festival held every few years to rekindle their alliance with the Inu no Taisho, Yukinobu, and his lands. Kurome and her sister, Kimiko, were the pride and joy of their father- a gruff looking wolf daiyoukai named Norimoto- with Kurome being the crown princess of her tribe.

The year that everything went wrong for Kurome was the year of the next festival and it was the chance she had been waiting for. Over the years she had come to admire the Inu no Taisho's son, Sesshomaru, and every chance she could when she went to the festivals she would try to steal him from his tutors and servants, just to get him to have a bit of fun. They always had a great time when she visited, but it seemed like each time she saw him he changed a little bit more. This time was Kurome's chance to tell him how she felt, to try and give him one last good run before he left to go out on his own journey.

The music pounded and the festival attendees bustled about as they searched through the northern wares. Kurome stood with her sister and father, smiling at the scene before her.

"Wow, there's more people here than last time!" Kimiko said, her eyes wide.

Kurome smiled. "Father, can Kimiko and I go wander about?"

Norimoto nodded, chuckling. "Of course, dear girl. Say hello to the young lord should you see him." He offered her a wink then ruffled her hair when she blushed.

"Father!"

"Go now, my daughters, before it is too late."

Kurome and Kimiko smiled and took off running, racing each other as they went between each of the stalls. They loved going to these festivals. They would last a few weeks, then a separation of three years would occur before the next festival arrived. It was a chance for the north and west to share their wares, explore each other's cultures, and for the ruling tribes to rekindle their alliance. This was how Kurome had met Sesshomaru.

"Kurome, I want to go see Lady Suna at the inn. I will see you back at camp?" Kimiko said, her eyes beaming.

Kurome smiled. Kimiko loved to go see the inu youkai who ran the inn; she always got sweets and loved to help out around the kitchen when she could. "Of course, Kimiko. I'll see you later tonight."

Kimiko gave her sister a hug, her tail swishing happily. "Say hi to Lord Sesshomaru when you find him!"

Kurome blushed and watched as her little sister ran off waving and giggling towards her destination. Shaking her head and smiling, Kurome tuned everything around her out until she could sense only Sesshomaru's youki. Her smile grew as she headed towards the palace gardens where she sensed he was training.

Huffing from the sparring match, Sesshomaru stepped back and lowered his guard. "That will be all for today, Takasune." he said, looking to his tutor.

The older inu youkai bowed and left, offering a moment of praise before departing.

Sesshomaru watched until the old inu youkai disappeared before he turned to the tree in the gardens to sit a moment and meditate. While he relaxed, feeling the familiar strain of the workout pulsing throughout his body, an even more familiar scent reached his astute nose. He opened his eyes and glanced up, his golden slitted eyes meeting the icy blue slitted eyes of someone he hadn't seen in three years.

"Kurome."

She smiled and lounged along the length of the branch she was perched on. "Hello, Lord Sesshomaru. I see you are vigilant as ever."

Sesshomaru smirked and went back to meditating. "Hn."

Kurome sighed and hopped down, landing softly in front of him. "I thought I'd find you training."

Sesshomaru opened one eye and stared at her. "What else would I be doing?"

Kurome shrugged, that beautiful smile never leaving her lips. "Being a grumpy, no fun sour puss as always?"

Sesshomaru playfully glared at her. "I am not grumpy, nor am I a sour puss. As far as fun goes, I do not have time between my training and my studies to have fun."

Kurome pouted, just as she had every time he tried to refuse to spend time with her. "But that can't all be good for you. Come with me tonight? It's been three years since I last saw you."

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow to the tone in her voice. "Oh? I had not noticed."

Kurome sighed and looked at him hopefully. "Please, Sesshomaru?" She asked, dropping his title as she rarely did. "I've missed you these past few years. I'd like to spend as much time with you as I can while I am here."

Sesshomaru looked at her, feeling his cheeks burn just ever so slightly that he was sure she wouldn't see. "I have finished my training and studies for the day. I suppose I could spare some time for you, as I do every festival."

Kurome beamed at him and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you!"

Sesshomaru flinched, not used to the attention she had always given him, but he wrapped his arms around her in response nonetheless. He breathed in her familiar scent- mint, white jasmine, and peaches from her favourite tea blend- and felt the contours of her body as her chest pressed against his during the hug. She had definitely grown physically more mature than the last he had seen her.

Kurome sat back and smiled, her pointed ears tinkling with the soft clanks of her earrings as they bounced against each other. "I will let you get ready, then. I want to say hello to your father, do you know where he is?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "He is in the main hall, attending guests."

Kurome stood and offered him a hand up. "Here."

Sesshomaru grapsed her hand, allowing her to assist him up, and he looked down at her, now standing nearly a whole head taller than her.

"Wow, you've gotten taller..!" Kurome noted, looking up at him.

"Or perhaps you have gotten shorter." Sesshomaru said, smirking.

Kurome lightly tapped his chest and smiled. "Don't be mean, now young lord. It's been three years, so of course you've grown." She stepped back and waved as she started to walk towards the palace. "I'll meet you by the main gates in an hour. Try to be ready by then!"

Sesshomaru watched as Kurome of the Rain disappeared into the palace, her scent still lingering strongly in the air around him. 'It has been too long, Kurome, since last we spoke.' He thought, feeling a strange sensation beginning to rise within his body. Thinking it to be the heat and remnants of his workout, he headed for his room to take a bath and ready himself to humour the young inu daiyoukai from the north. Though he wouldn't openly admit it as much as she would, he did look forward to seeing her every three years during the festivals. It wasn't simply that she was the daughter of a very powerful ally that caught his attention as the years went by. It was almost as if she was a different person each time he saw her, growing steadily more and more mature as the years went by, and yet she still remained the same- bubbly, caring, charismatic, beautiful, powerful, graceful. She always brightened his mood when she was there, something that anyone else could rarely accomplish. He often found himself thinking of her, how her own training and studies were going, when he would be able to see her again, if she would still come looking for him each time she visited as she had for nearly a century, and if she would ever change in the time she was gone. As he slid into the hot water of his bath, he smirked and found himself anxious to rejoin her company, though the true reason as to why had yet to reveal itself.