Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN InuYasha or any character from the InuYasha universe. I only own Ellie Layne and her story line.

Thank you azraelknight for the awesome reviews again! I am beyond happy that you like HMB&S. And I hope I do not disappoint. =)

I would also like to thank everyone who has followed and favorite'd HMB&S.

So without further ado..

Enjoy!

A few days had passed since Ellie had met Rin. During those days she wondered about the young child. She had looked for her in the village, but never saw her playing with the other children. Thinking that maybe Rin preferred to stay to herself, she decided it best to just keep an eye out for the little girl. She would very much like to make more of those flower crowns with her again. And maybe play a game of hide and seek with her and Shippo.

Ellie had spent the day in the fields helping Lady Kaede with harvesting, and later on picking more herbs for the sick in the village. Kagome and the others went off on a search for Jewel shards and had asked Kaede to keep a eye on their new guest. Just as the sun was setting, the old woman came across Ellie cleaning up with water in the small basin in her hut.

"There be a hot spring to thee west of here near thee forest of InuYasha, child. It be a straight walk from here." She explained to the younger woman.

Giving Lady Kaede a look of gratitude, Ellie went to her things that Kagome brought back for her. Pulling out a change of clothes, shampoo, conditioner, and a hair brush, she waved a goodbye to Kaede and set off to the hot spring. A small skip in her step at the thought of finally getting a good clean after over a week.

She took her time getting the the hot spring. Enjoying the nature around her. All the sounds of the creatures of the night coming out while the dark was setting in. Not much of the Sun could be seen in the sky any longer, and it looked as if it would be a full moon tonight. This thought made Ellie smile.

The moon calmed her. She discovered this her second night at the Higurashi's. Ellie had opted to sleep near the window on the floor, and when the moon was just right in the sky, the moonlight came through the window basking her in it's glow. It was so calming she had fallen asleep only to waken the next morning without having a single nightmare. Some of the best sleep she had gotten in years.

Before she realised it, Ellie had reached the springs. Coming to a halt, she stared around in wonder. It was so beautiful. A tiny waterfall came streaming into a pool of water beneath it. Steam rolling high into the air all around. A few sounds of owls could be heard in the trees near by, but other then that the place seemed completely barren of any other life forms.

Walking up to a small rock sitting beside the spring, Ellie placed down her things. Stepping up to the water she bent down to dip her hand into it. It was very warm to the touch, almost soothing. She could almost hear her bones and muscles sing in anticipation of having all the aches and sores melt away with the water.

Taking off her dirty clothes, she placed them near the rock and stepped into the water. Unlike with her hand the water seemed to be much warmer then before. Her toes crinkled up as she stayed still to let her feet get use to the temperature. Stepping further in, she wadded into the water until it was thigh high, closing her eyes as the aching muscles in her legs relaxed with relief.

Near the middle of the spring, much closer to the water fall, a large rock formation sat. The water from the fall cascading down them into the spring. On the other side of the rocks stood a powerful Daiyokai. His long white hair wet from the springs. Gold eyes watched the young red head as she raised her head skyward. The light of the moon washing over her body, casting a glow across her pale skin.

Her facial features were delicate. His eyes roamed her heart shaped jaw line to her small rounded ears. Low round arched brows set above the almond shaped eyes that held two beautiful green orbs within them. Her small nose had a subtle upturned tip, helping set her features with an angelic touch. His golden eyes stopped on her bow shaped lips. They had a full, luscious curve that had his hand itching to run a claw along them.

The water seemed to lap at the skin on her thighs. Almost as if giving her delicate kisses. But with his strong demonic eye sight, Sesshomaru noticed scars running across the girls arms that he had not noticed when he watched her in the meadow with Rin. The moonlight seemed to make them stand out even more, the scars being of a darker shade compared to the pale contrast of her skin.

His eyes ran along one particular scar. The only one he could see on her stomach. This one ran from her navel stopping just before her right hip bone. It was jagged in it's cut, and looked to be very deep. Whatever blade that was used to make this scar was not a sharp one. Indeed, he could judge by the indent the scar made across her skin, that whoever inflicted this upon her took their time, and added more pressure then needed.

He watched as she bent down to cup her hands in the water, raising them to splash her face clean. A small giggle came from the girl as she spun around then wadded into the water further. Her long red locks now covering her left breast, as the ends flowed behind her in the water. This had brought his attention to her upper half.

His gaze stopped upon her uncovered breast as it bounced the slightest at her movements. She was very small for a woman of proper age. Her height coming to his abdomen if he were to stand near her. As slender as her frame was, he was rather surprised that her breasts looked as if they would fit perfectly into his hands.

The areola was a light pink color that suited her pale skin quite nicely. As she splashed away, still unaware of the eyes upon her, a few droplets of water fell across her exposed breast causing the pert little nub to perk up even more due to being exposed to the cool night air. She gasped, sinking herself further into the water until she was neck deep.

A low growl came from Sesshomaru's throat. Cursing his inner beast at the unwelcome sound, his eyes zoomed up to look into the wide eyes of the human woman before him. The color of her eyes faintly reminded him of the most vibrant colors of the sea as his own hardened upon her acknowledgement of him.

Ellie had been enjoying her bath when a low growl caught her attention. Her eyes opened wide to stare infront of her, stopping upon a very tall man standing further in the springs. He was a safe enough distance from her, yet she wondered how she had not noticed him before. Standing next to a juncture of rocks where the water fall overflowed onto, he was out in the open for all to see. Staring right at her. Both of them in the nude.

Upon the realization of her indecent appearance, she moved to cover her chest with her arms as she stepped back, almost losing her balance on a small rock on the bed of the hot spring. Catching herself, she stopped cold as she noticed his body tensed.

The man's muscles seemed to ripple under his fair skin, sending a tiny shiver down the girls spine. He was slender, but very well built. His chest chiseled almost to perfection, the definition in his abs showed years of arduous training. She thanked the Gods that the water obstructed her view of anything below the hip line.

She allowed her gaze to travel up to the strangers face, and took in a deep breath. Gods this man was gorgeous. With elfish like ears and triangular face, the first thing that drew her in were the deep, warm, hard set golden eyes staring right into her own. Ellie couldn't detect any emotion within them, making another shiver rake over her body.

Faintly she thought of a pool of liquid gold until she took in the purple crescent moon on his forehead, and the lines of a striking magenta color across his eyelids. Upon noticing this she discovered he had two slash stripes of similar color on each cheek. And just like with his eyes, his handsome face was devoid of all emotion.

This man before her looked to be no more than 19. But Ellie had a feeling he was much older than he looked. And she found herself wondering what she would of done if he was one of the proprietors of the trafficking ring she was sold to in Japan.

Sesshomaru almost smirked as her eyes raked over his arms one at a time. Those luscious green orbs taking in each curve of muscle. He had to stop his inner beast from letting forth another growl. He would admit that for a human her beauty far surpassed those of most Yokai females, but he would be damned if he were to say it aloud.

Indeed this ripe young female radiated with an ethereal beauty most human woman would kill for. And her countenance held the utmost purity of innocence and vitality he hadn't seen in a very long time. To his growing aggravation, Sesshomaru found he had to keep his inner beast in line as she stared at him, she being completely ignorant that in doing so could cost her her life.

It dawned on him that she might not fully understand just how easy he could overpower her. Did this human not realize that he was a demon? And not just any demon at that, but a Daiyokai. Yet even if he was just a weak, pathetic, human man, surely it would not be hard to take from her whatever he so desired.

Almost as if she could read his thoughts a small gasp came from her parted lips. His eyes narrowed as she turned her back to him, rushing through the water to lean against a tall rock jutting up from the spring no more then a few feet away. Her arms wrapped further around her as if they would protect her. The muscles in her back spasmed as she shook in fright.

Sesshomaru, now getting a good look at her back, took in each and every scar that her long flowing hair did not cover from his sight. Each one different from the other. Some were deeper, fresher. While others were much older. Being more healed with time. Many of them crisscrossed one another, almost as if these were caused at the same time, and in the same manner.

A very deep, wide one ran down her right shoulder blade, stopping near the curve of her spine. The demon lord had seen many battle scars in his lifespan. But these spoke of torture. Not those of your typical warrior. They were, by far, much worse then the ones that littered her arms.

Turning around in disgust Sesshomaru silently got out of the hot springs. Putting on his bottoms, he grabbed the rest of his discarded belongings and took off into the sky. His mokomoko flowing gently behind him. Not once looking back.

A pair of green eyes curiously watched the man disappear into darkness of the nights sky.