The Sacrifices

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Sesshomaru (he's a little OOC), Rin, Kagome, or anybody else I use; cuz if I did than I'm really getting cheated.

A/N: Rin is 16 (Kagome's age)

Chapter 4: Toiled affections

The steam evaporated up from the warmth that the heat of the springs coursed over his nectar body. Vaguely he brushes his eyes over to the more condensed and concealed pool that laid yards away; but with his keen youkai sense, it was sharpened and exfoliated to the highest mark. Deep within the misty layer laid a young maiden; she he had known for but awhile but knew little about, but like himself had a lot of intrigue and mystery about her this of course fascinated him.

As the ripples of water shimmied off his slender build he worked his hands through his hair but never took his eyes off the unwavering of the majestic girl yards away. This was something he couldn't explain, not to anyone especially himself. She was a porcelain doll that never smiled, not even as a child; but as she grew into a young woman he could feel that he had so long to see something different expel on her face besides what he had come to know.

"Lord Sesshomaru" called a weakly voice.

Turning his head Sesshomaru looked up to see his loyal servant standing before him. Dressed as a lowly vassal the hermit-like creature stood before his master with melancholy; Sesshomaru sighed.

"What is it Jakken?"

"The maiden, Miss Rin…" he starts.

"What about her?" contradicted Sesshomaru

Hesitantly he quickly jumps back in his previous statement "Oh my lord, I was just wondering why she was still with us." As if normal he quickly through up his staff in protection of himself from the youkai.

Sesshomaru sat in the bliss of the question and didn't know himself, why would I keep her? He pondered. He raised his head and looked at her spring and noticed the vacant ness of the open pool, looking over at Jakken he raised to his feet.

"Jakken quickly bring me my clothes" he said in hast.

"Of course me lord" replied Jakken

As Sesshomaru placed his robes and armor on he quickly moved to a more formidable part of their camping ground, Rin was nowhere to be found this feeling of strange emotional fear passed over him; he could sense that she was in danger and he needed to find her in a quick hast. Trees past by like blurs to him as his eyes scanned for any trace of her, a beat of his heart and he could feel a cold sweat drop down his face as he thought about the dangers she could be in. Rin's face was the all that he could sense, and his pace quicken.

The unknown feeling that Sesshomaru felt was an indefinite emotion to him, so he used his youkai senses and tried to sniff her out. Opening all of them Sesshomaru heard a mumble cry outside the edge of the forest ridge, he made a full bolt to the sound as it grew louder and louder; reaching the end of the plea Sesshomaru pushed back the forest's staggering limbs and watched as it revealed the porcelain doll.

Her body basked in the moonlight as wet soaked cheeks litter her face, Rin turned her head looking up at him as his thumping heart pounded silently away. Before he could even speak a word Rin staggered into his arms rapping hers around his back, he stood there for a moment; not sure how or what to do, so he did the human thing and placed his arms about her back. Rin sank her head into his breast plate and released another tear.

"Don't cry" he finely spoke

Rin slowly inched her head up and released a small sigh as she looked at his concerned face. "Yes my lord" she said drearily.

He could see her as she pulled away from him and lightly played with her hair, this feeling never made him comfortable; Rin looked worse off now than before he had come and he was starting to be lament for it.

"Let's return" he said sternly.

"I just…"

Sesshomaru looked up as Rin began to start; her eyes darted to the forest beds and her hand still entangled within the edge of her hair. His attention was asphyxiated on her as she continued.

"…wanted to be alone"

She walked passed him as the chilling words hit him; he often was alone so the sound of the word shouldn't have been so foreign to him, but Sesshomaru felt like a battle within himself was going on but wasn't sure what the content of the war was but knew it was unsettling.

"Fine" he replied.

Rin continued walking even as the low brow of her lord settled, a feeling of remorse was coming within her but she decided against it; knowing full well that he would have retorted against such vulgar behavior she herself was starting to dislike that about her lord. The sweep of her hair blew across her back and she could feel that Sesshomaru had stopped in place. Turning around Rin looked up at him as his eyes scanned the tips of the trees.

"I smell blood near here" he said without looking down.

"Human blood?" Rin asked unhesitant

"No, it's definitely youkai blood"

"Are they dead?" she questioned.

"Yes" he answered.

Rin sighed in relief though Youkai's weren't uncommon to her she still detested the site of live ones, except her lord and Jakken, dead Youkai's didn't sway her in the least.

"I'm going to investigate" he said as he started to leave.

"May I come?" Rin pleaded.

Looking back Sesshomaru said nothing and continued walking; many times when the open-ended question was never precisely answered Rin would just silently follow him though she knew he could probably sense her presence and allowed her to accompany him because of the low severe ness of danger.

Sesshomaru's pace hasted in when the smell diverted to a more central location, Rin didn't try to hide the fact she was there and tried to keep pace with him as he zoomed through the forest. As the smell grew thicker in his nostrils, the pace grew as well; Rin's died out quickly after and he turned over to scoop her up in his arms and continued.

At the edge of the peak Sesshomaru and Rin looked down at the bled out corpses of the dead Youkai's. Sesshomaru jumped down into the pit to make a closer assessment of the corpses; Rin looked over at one of the bodies and noticed the fact that the flesh hadn't started decaying.

Inuyasha was here…Sesshomaru thought to himself. I can smell him everywhere…

Rin looked up at Sesshomaru as he stared at the corpse of un-decaying flesh before him, she thought he looked deep in deliberation so she kept a low glaze on the mid-drift of the tree in front of her, sighing Rin thought back to earlier.

"Rin lets go" He said swiftly.

"Of course my lord" she said.

As they left the tattered area Rin walked uneasily behind Sesshomaru, she had a lot on her consciousness and wished she could express them with her lord; but his unwilling aura made it hard for her to comply, suddenly Rin notice Sesshomaru discontinue his walking; turning her head over the side of his back she saw his moment of pause and shock filled her eyes.

End of chapter 4: hope you enjoyed it! See you in the next chappie XP