Rin sneezed, her clothes soaked from the rain. She sneezed three more times. "Silence Rin! Can't you tell that Lord Sesshomaru is trying to think!" Jaken yelled over the thunder and rain. Lord Sesshomaru continued like the wind was barely blowing, and it was just drizzling. Ah Un angrily shook their head. Grimm took off her top robe. "Here Rin, it's wet but it's better than what you have." She handed the soaked kimono to Rin.
Rin nodded and wrapped it around her. "What about you?" she asked.
"I'll be fine. I don't have a cold from this damn storm." Grimm said her gray hair sticking to her face. The rain began to pour harder. "Besides, my father said being out in a thunderstorm will bring good luck to our tribe."
"Idiot human! Don't swear in front of Rin."
"Shut up imp. If you're not careful you might trip and be lost forever." She threatened.
Rin sneezed again, "Don't be mad at him Grimm. He just doesn't like the rain." She sneezed again. "What tribe did you belong to Grimm? What village?"
"Uh… just a tribe. It's been so long I don't remember." She said fast. Sesshomaru turned his head, his face skeptical.
"What else did your father say?" Rin asked.
Grimm looked at Rin's large brown eyes that stared at her. She smiled, "Would you like to hear it?" Rin nodded. "Well, it all began a thousand years ago. The Western Fox Tribe had fought many long battles with this tribe. The tribe hated humans, and the fox tribe had done everything they could to protect the humans of the west. Then one day the tribe attacked the fox tribe. The battle lasted for hundreds of years. Then finally, the war stopped when the fox tribe decided to sacrifice the baby fox princess to the evil tribe. The legend says that the fox princess dances every night of the full moon."
"Really? I feel bad for the fox princess." Rin said. "If I was her, I would teach the evil tribe a lesson!" she cried. Rin sneezed and then fell quiet again.
"Calm yourself down Rin." Grimm laughed. She outstretched her hand and took Rin's. Rin smiled but then sneezed again. Grimm looked at the small girl. She stretched out her hand and then touched Rin's forehead. "Oh dear, you've got a fever."
"A fever?" asked Jaken. "That's petty human stuff."
"Hey demon!" Grimm called up to Sesshomaru. He turned and looked at her coldly. "We need to find shelter… Rin's got a fever."
"If she's sick, she must fend for herself." Sesshomaru said.
Grimm gaped at him. "You jack ass." She yelled angrily. She picked up Rin from Ah Un, and carried her into the forest. "C'mon Rin, we're going to get you all warmed up."
"Grimm, please don't be mad at Lord Sesshomaru. He's very nice." Rin began.
"Ha! Don't make me laugh Rin." Grimm said. She looked around for shelter.
"No really Grimm…he saved my life before. Twice actually." Rin whispered. Grimm searched the foot of the secluded mountain.
"Ah-ha! Found a cave. That should be good shelter." She carried Rin into the cave. "Don't move. I'm going to make a fire and find some food." She had Rin lay down "Be right back."
She left the cave and looked around. Cautiously she sniffed the air, the tangy smell of berries nearby. She ran toward the scent. "Stupid girl, where do you think you're going?" demanded Jaken.
"Do you ever shut up?" Grimm aimed a kick at him. "Go watch over Rin, she's in the cave. Or make yourself really useful and start a fire."
"I don't take orders from anyone except my Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken said angrily. Grimm looked at him coldly.
"I'll be looking after Rin. Not because you told me to, but because Lord Sesshomaru would want me too." Jaken said stubbornly. Grimm rolled her eyes and moved her wet hair away from her face. She sniffed the air again, and then followed the sweet smell of berries. She ran toward the scent. Slowly she outstretched her hand and jumped. The mulberry tree had grown large in age, it's branches hung high in the air. "This kid is going to be the death of me." She leaped up and reached for the berries again. "Damn."
"What are you doing?" Sesshomaru asked, his hair clinging to his face, his face mocking.
"I'm trying to get food." She snapped. He looked uninterested. "What?" she demanded. He made no physical response. Grimm angrily turned back toward the tree and began to jump again.
"Try climbing the tree." Sesshomaru said. Grimm clenched her hands. Normally, she would never listen to his orders, but Rin was waiting. Grimm sighed and climbed the tree. She slowly grabbed onto branches as she climbed.
She looked down, "Do you mind if I use your sword?" she asked. Sesshomaru growled, "Never mind. I see I'm on my own." Gingerly she stood on the branch. "I would watch out." She said.
Lord Sesshomaru just stared at her and again, said nothing. She began to jump on the branch, until she heard the wood began to split. Immediately she leaped back to the main tree as the branch fell to the ground. Lord Sesshomaru angrily growled as he dove out of the way. Grimm climbed down and reached for the large branch. "Perfect." She said and carried the large branch full of berries back to Rin.
Jaken did light a fire and Rin was sleeping next to the fire. Grimm sat next to her and gently shook her. Rin woke up and looked at her. "Grimm!" she cried, her cheeks flushed. Grimm smiled. 'If she only knew. I bet she thinks I could be a sister for her.' She handed some berries to Rin. "Here you go."
Rin smiled, "Thank you Grimm!" she hungrily ate the berries. "Aren't you hungry?" she asked of Grimm. She shook her head.
Grimm sighed, "I see no chance of the rain stopping," she looked out at the cave. "I'm going to sleep." She walked further into the cave away from the light of the fire. "Good night Grimm!" Rin called after her.
"Stay by the fire, I don't want you even more sick." She ordered Rin, then disappeared from sight.
Many things were on Grimm's mind. 'What am I going to do when Lady InuKimi sees me again. Will she tell Rin? Will Rin ever forgive me for lying to her? I suppose she'll get over it… and oh! Lord Sesshomaru. He'll enjoy me being ripped to shreds.' She thought angrily as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She was used to the night. It was her friend long ago. She lied down. 'What is going to happen to me?'
Rin woke up in the middle of the night, dreams of wolfs biting at her and Grimm made her cry out. Sesshomaru turned his head to look at her. "What is it Rin?"
She sniffed, "I-I was being eaten by wolves. Help me Lord Sesshomaru!" she cried reaching out to him. However, he remained still. She remembered and put her arms down.
"I will go get Grimm for you. This Sesshomaru does not care about dreams." He answered and walked further into the cave. He sniffed the air, 'She is still there, she did not run away.' He sighed and continued.
Grimm's soft breathing was loud to his demon dog ears, but he heard other small breaths. He walked over to her, and saw three fox pups sleeping next to her. He kneeled down and gently touched her arm. Grimm, alarmed, was up in a second. "Oh. It's only you demon." She said.
"Go to Rin." He ordered.
Grimm looked alarmed again, and stood up, the fox pups following her as she walked back to mouth of the cave. Rin was rubbing her eyes and she cried. Grimm sat next to her. "Rin." She whispered softly. Immediately Rin's arms were thrown around her neck.
"I had a dream that we were being eaten by wolf demons!" Rin cried. Grimm sighed and began to nervously play with the necklace she wore around her porcelain neck.
"Rin, look at me. We're fine. As long as we're not hurt we're fine."
Sesshomaru sat down again. "And as long as we have Lord Sesshomaru, we'll never get hurt!" Rin said smiling. "Grimm? Who are they?" Rin cried looking at the baby foxes who curled up next to Grimm.
"They're foxes. They lost their mother." She began. "My village used to say if a fox crossed your path, it was the Princess showing that she would always be there to protect you. Now we must go to sleep."
"Can I sleep with them?"
"If that is what you wish." Replied Grimm. Rin nodded and the foxes rose up and laid down beside Rin and soon fell once more to sleep. Rin's breath slowed down and again she fell asleep.
Grimm picked up a fox pup and laid it down on her lap. "There is no need to stare, demon." She said quietly. Sesshomaru continued to watch her. She was about his age in human years, around the age of twenty, although she looked perhaps a year younger.
"This Sesshomaru will not be told what to do." He answered.
"Touched a nerve there." Grimm answered and began to pet the fox. "Well, there's always a first for everything."