Rin had to admit that climbing up a mountain was no easy feat. It was even harder to actually get to the base of the mountain is seemed. The valley through which Rin, the Samurai and Saya needed to travel was wider than it had looked at first and they had barely just reached their first village before the Samurai needed to stop and rest. It was for the first time that Rin noticed that he was considerably older than she was and being young and used to travelling, Rin had a lot of stamina so she could keep going. Saya seemed to be doing alright as well. But the Samurai was just as determined as any of them so they didn't stay in the village for long.
They all had little money so there was not much they could buy anyway. It was in the middle of a country road that Saya suggested that they stop. There was a creek nearby and both the Samurai and Saya went to drink from it. Rin was the only one that hesitated, looking around her as if unsure of her surroundings. It seemed that the closer she came to the mountain, the more she began to sense a sort of presence. Was it really Koimiomaru because that was the only thing she could think of.
At the same time though, was was confused as to why. After all, Shippo had claimed that that mountain was inhabited by a Snow Leopard Demon and that was as far from a pure source as any. At least Rin thought so. She herself had never encountered a Snow Leopard Demon so she had no idea what to expect.
"Priestess," the Samurai said, bringing Rin out of her thoughts. "You are not my any chance hesitant in finding Master Koimiomaru?"
Rin bit her lip, still unsure about that as well. She still kept in mind what Sesshomaru had told her about the scent of the letter. Of course that didn't prove anything about Koimiomaru himself but if it had something to do with a demon...
"Those mountains are where I'm beginning to sense a presence," she said, narrowly avoiding the Samurai's question. He seemed to grow only more and more suspicious of her, although Rin didn't know why. She wasn't associated with Koimiomaru as much as Saya and the Samurai were but she wanted to help them just the same. Her curiosity was at it's highest when she thought of Koimiomaru.
The Samurai eyed her suspiciously again but in the end they continued on.
Jaken was exhausted. He had been travelling for a while now and despite Ah-Un doing all the work, Jaken was pretty tired himself. After all, he had to keep his eyes open for any mysterious shrines and whatnot and that wasn't an easy thing to do through the green canopy that the trees made over the land.
Sometimes Lord Sesshomaru gives the most unreasonable requests, Jaken thought, as he and Ah-Un finally flew down to rest by a small waterfall. And he expects me, his most loyal servant, to carry them out perfectly. I realize of course this shows how much Lord Sesshomaru trusts me yet at the same time I feel vexed at having so much to do!
Until no the imp had been lying down and staring at the sky but then he finally picked himself up and walked towards Ah-Un.
"Well, let's get going," Jaken said, taking hold of Ah-Un's reins. But Ah-Un refused to take off.
"Oh!" Jaken said, jumping off Ah-Un's back. "Move you stupid creature! Move!"
But Ah-Un only roared in his face, obviously too tired to care.
Suddenly they all heard a rustle in the nearby bushes.
"Come out at once!" yelled Jaken, staff at ready. "Or be prepared to meet the rath of the staff of two heads!"
Slowly and timidly, a small village boy emerged from the bushes.
Jaken paused a bit surprised; he'd been expecting a demon. "You're only a human," Jaken said. "Shoo shoo! Get out of here!"
"A-are you a demon?" the boy asked timidly.
Jaken stared at him in disbelief. Although he doesn't look it, this boy's an idiot, Jaken thought. "Of course I'm a demon! Now get back to your village little boy!"
The boy stayed in place though. "I-I've never seen a demon before."
This boy looks like he plans on staying around, Jaken thought. Maybe I'd better have a go and scare him a bit.
And Jaken was about to do just this, when the boy spoke up again, surprising him. "Are you the demon of the shrine?" the boy asked.
Jaken stopped with his staff in midair and paused, looking at the boy. "Er...shrine...you say?"
Ah-Un roared, as if clarifying that they should investigate further into this matter. They were looking for a shrine after all and they couldn't leave anything overlooked.
"Ah boy! Can you take us to this shrine you speak of?" Jaken asked.
The boy nodded. "Of course! It's just a ways from here."
"Excellent! Lead the way then," Jaken said, once again mounting Ah-Un. And so both demons followed the boy quietly through the forest as he led them towards a shrine.
A shorter chapter I know but I PROMISE that the next chapter is going to be pretty long and I'm hoping to make it worth reading as well. This was kind of just a passing chapter but in the next chapter it gets good.
Please tell me what you think. :3