Chapter 6
Sesshoumaru smirked as he stared at the small figure before him. 'I can't believe she fainted' he thought to himself slightly amused. 'She must be who I am expected to protect, how could she possibly survive in the forest by herself?' Sighing inwardly, he scooped up the fallen miko and headed back inside the hut she had just exited. Laying her down on a small futon within the hut he set himself to starting a fire within the fire pit and then to finding something for the girl to eat. After retrieving several fish from the nearby stream, he laid them down beside the fire and exited the hut. He had no desire to hear her upon her waking. He especially didn't want to her here if he was the first thing she saw upon waking.
Once outside, he leapt up into a nearby tree and settled himself in to wait for her to awaken. He allowed his thoughts to drift while he waited. 'She has to be the one I am expected to protect. Otherwise I wouldn't still be here.' He remembered how his feet seemed to lead him straight to this place and how that feeling of restlessness accompanying his wondering feet had not returned to him upon spotting the girl. 'Well, I will have to protect her then, at least until I can dump her off on that worthless hanyou once again.' Even as this thought circled his mind he knew he wouldn't be able to do that. Sesshoumaru had learned a long time ago that you did not try to change your own fate. No matter how hard you tried, fate always played itself out. Once satisfied with his own thoughts he allowed himself to slightly slumber while he listened intently for any signs of movement within the small hut or from the forest surrounding the hut.
Several hours later, he could hear light scuffing coming from the hut and then he once again heard the light thatched door bang lightly against the dry, dirt wall of the hut. Then he heard her lightly calling his name. Although the intense terror that was permeating her aura had subsided he could still sense a slight tinge of fear mixed within the intense feelings of grief that had once again taken over her aura. He wondered what could possibly be making her grieve so intensely. 'None of her friends were dead, he knew that she knew her friends were fine. What could have possibly happened to make her grieve so?' He pondered this question as he silently dropped from the tree to once again stand before the young miko.
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Kagome slowly returned to consciousness. Upon awakening, she smelt the familiar scent of a burning fire and she could feel the familiar futon laying under her. She smiled to herself as she slowly became aware of her surroundings.
Rolling over onto her side she stared into the fire. After a brief moment she noticed the fish lying an a makeshift plate of leaves beside the fire. As the events of the morning began to slowly flow back into her mind she remembered the Lord of the Western lands. 'Why didn't he kill me?' she thought to herself as she once again stared at the fish beside the lightly glowing fire. She again shifted slightly and began to set the fish around the fire so they could cook.
Once that task was complete she rose to her feet and started to make her way to the thin thatched door that was all that separated her from the dangers that existed in this world. As she made her way to the door she mentally acknowledged her bags laying against the far wall. As she exited the hut she looked around expecting to find Sesshoumaru. Not seeing him, she wondered what she should do next.
Lightly she called his name "Sesshoumaru?" Fear once again crept over her and she wondered if she should just run, pray that someone catches her before he does. Yet, she seemed to be drawn by some unknown force. "Sesshoumaru?" she calls once again when she hears the soft thud of feet hitting the ground. Once again she was standing before the Lord of the Western Lands. Willing herself not to faint again, she unconsciously held her breath waiting for him to react.
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The two stared at each other for several minutes before either of them made a move towards the other. Sesshoumaru once again moved towards the girl, half expecting her to faint again, half knowing she wasn't going to. He noticed that she was holding her breath. He was now less than a foot from her. He could snap her neck like a twig from this distance and she wouldn't even have enough time to blink, he mused to himself. "Breathing would be a good idea." He stated coldly after giving her a complete look over.
Her eyes widened slightly before she once again resumed her normal breathing. A faint smile appeared upon her lips and was then gone just as quickly as it had appeared. "Why?" she stated simply trying not to look at him directly. Smirking to himself, he noticed her hesitance and was pleased with her inability to look at him directly. "Your fish will burn" was the only response she received from him. Her eyes widened slightly in acknowledgement before she turned and headed back within the hut. He silently followed her and took a seat against the wall next to the door.
Kagome noticed his position and realized that she had no where to go. There was not another exit to the hut and if she tried to run he would easily be able to grab her before she got one foot outside the door. Sighing inwardly, Kagome removed the fish from the fire before they burned and quietly sat on the futon to eat. 'I wonder if this is some sort of game he's playing' she mused inwardly as she quietly finished her fish.