So... I'm a bad person. I'm sorry. Not updating in like a year? Tsk tsk on me.

No one guessed "The Garden Meeting" from the Memoirs of a Geisha soundtrack, but that's okay. Dedicated to all those who've reviewed so far! I make no money off this fic, and all OCs belong to moi!

"What happened?" It was a question, but the way Sesshoumaru poised it to Jaken, it sounded more like a desperate command (not that Jaken would ever tell his lord that).

"I came across Nishi at a river bank, at the village on the line between the Eastern and Southern lands. Rin came to check up on her pup and found me... I spent an afternoon with her, milord." Jaken's big, yellow eyes started to water and he sniffled a bit, refusing to cry in front of Sesshoumaru-sama. "An attack descended upon the village, she charged me to take the pups to safety and if she not return, to you. We waited 'til the next noon, no sound came from the village and we... moved on." A few tears broke from tightly closed eyelids and Jaken quickly wiped them away.

"I see." He vaguely knew the whereabouts of this village, and never thought to check it; being that it was 10 ri from the village he left her in. Kami, it still hurt to even think her name. Letting out a long sigh, dropped his head into his hands. "I will depart to the morning to this vil-"

A large crack, that shook the castle walls, interrupted him. "SESSHOUMARU-SAMA!" A child's voice screamed from the down the hall – Nishi's voice.

#%^

Naihou led the girl-pup and the ningen to the sacred quarters next to her lord. Sliding the door open, the excited yelp from the littlest one startled her, as the girl shot forward and dived into the juniper decorated bed. Watari winced at the very girlish, spring coloured room and reasoned to himself that it did once belong to a little girl.

"Watari-nii! These are kaa's favourite flowers!" Nishi giggled, rolling on the bed sheets. Perhaps she should pick some and bring them back to – Oh. That's right. Nishi stopped bouncing on the bed, her ears laying flat on her head in melancholy. Watari hugged her tightly.

"I know, imouto, I know." Naihou gave a soft smile at the scene, wondering what in these two cubs her lord saw. She had never known him to be an overly compassionate being nor one easily moved by sorrow. Perhaps they were related to the girl that he lost so many years ago...

"Naiten! Naito! Whatever your name is! Come to me this instance!" Muzan's demands echoed down the hallway. Naihou took a slow, calming breath; plastering a smile on her face before dismissing herself from the children's presence.

"Muzan-sama, how can Naihou help you?" The kuma-youkai gritted out between tightly clenched jaws.

"The pup, who is she to Sesshoumaru?" Muzan's eyes were tinged emerald with irritation, her rage boiling over into her countenance.

"I do not know the relations of the cubs to Sesshoumaru-sama." Naihou did not like how casually the inu-hime addressed her lord.

"Well then, I suppose she isn't all that important." Muzan gave way to her kedamono, morphing into a giant, black-brown dog with pupiless evergreen eyes and sapphire acid dripping from her jaws. Snapping at Naihou, who tumbled out of the doorway to avoid being melted through by her poison, she charged down the hallway, ripping the sliding door from its track.

Both children looked up, wide eyed in horror at the vicious creature out in the hall. Grabbing them both, Watari shoved them both to far side of the room nearer to the window. The cracks were deafening as age old stone gave way beneath the massive pressure of the inu kedamono's rage. Closing her eyes tightly, too frightened to concentrate on her mental bond, Nishi cried out for their only hope.

$#$

Rin eagerly ate the fruit provided to her, not even bothering to peel the skin off the unshu mikan as she bit into the citrusy goodness. Slurping down on the first food in days, she paid no mind the amused Shinji outside the gate. Letting out a cry of delight, Rin bit into a Fuji apple. She had only had them once, when Sesshoumaru-sama had taken a trip near the great mountain. She let out a happy sigh.

"Many thanks Shinji-san." She smiled shyly at her benevolent guard. Shinji smiled back, hoping that it was not a mistake to befriend his brother's prisoner.

#!#

Okay okay. I know it's short and for that I am sorry. Admittedly, I didn't really have this story planned out, but it's growing as I go. I can't promise when the next update will be, but I'll try my best! Stay tuned for next time!

Translations:
Imouto – little sister
Kedamono – beast
Unshu Mikan – Japanese citrus fruit often known as the "Seedless Mandarin".