Awaiting Death
IV
After hours of following that damned hanyou's scent, all of a sudden, it had just disappeared. Of course, I patrolled the outer perimeter a bit taking note that it disappeared just shy of Hakurei mountain. I could sense a holy barrier so there would be no way for a hanyou, even such as Naraku, to stand against it. Of course, if there was a specimen that could probably figure out such a feat, it would be a desperate bastard like the spider.
Alone and out of options for the moment he growled in slight frustration and turned to make his way back to camp. The thought of listening to Jaken's babble almost had him rolling his eyes -almost. Allowing his mind to drift he thought of the young girl with him. Three summers had passed and he could see how quickly 3 years could change a human. He noticed how fond Ah-Un had become of the child as well. Although the imp said otherwise he too had softened toward the child. She had been so small and fragile, she followed him without question or complaint, and she asked for nothing but to stay by his side. He noticed the way her eyes would linger on the village children when they were playing, but he could still see that she was hesitant to be around other humans. It didn't surprise him given how they had come to meet, but still he did wonder if she would be better off with human companions.
Lower level demons in the area made sure to give plenty of room as the Daiyouki entered the area. Inhaling deeply with each step he decided to get his trip over with and slowly began gathering his yokai at his feet and lifted into the air. Here above the clouds he could eye everything below.
He noticed how quickly over the centuries human villages had grown even through the countless wars they waged as they succumbed to greed and corruption. They were parasites that didn't know how to do anything but take. A memory of Rin's bruised face smiling at him with an outstretched roasted fish laid on a plant came to his mind. Yes, she was an exception and an example of what they could be, but he saw what happened to people like her and in the end they didn't last. Kindness and ideas that could save them would die with people like her only to come to fruition generations later. Something would have to drastically change if the humans were to live in peace.
Descending into his campsite he took note of how, irritably empty, it was. The fire pit was set but had not been put to use yet. There was wood collected nearby but no food. The child's scent seemed to be gone the longest and his eyes narrowed before releasing a snarl that the imbecile let the child wander off on her own to forage without supervision. His left brow twitched as he followed the scents of his retainer and Ah-Un. The dragon clearly took lead in scenting her out. He took to the skies once more when he realized their scents had shifted.
Expanding his aura, he groaned as it dawned upon him the direction in which the child had wandered off. He was heading towards Edo and could feel the auras of the hanyou and his group in the area. Based on how Ah-Un's scent mingled with the child he could tell that he had found her a while ago, but had not brought her back to camp.
He paused in the outer perimeter up wind from the hanyou debating on whether he should wait it out or not. Stoning his features and straightening his back he began to descend a little way off from their camp. The child would be fine in the care of the Miko. He would walk and check the perimeter and observe before making his presence known.