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In time, the times will move.
The drifting stars will quietly move.
Close your eyes, listen closely..."why?"
- Asterisk by Orange Range
Chapter 10: Between Packs
Golden orbs watched the young woman stumble slowly up to the broken old well, a strange lantern that cast light in a single direction at a long distance in her hand. Seating herself on the lip of the well she cast the light of her lantern in different directions before setting the lantern in her lap and extinguishing it. A hand on either side of her person, she leaned back slightly, blue eyes looking up at the moonless sky.
The ningen was lucky that no other demons were lurking around this area, thanks mainly to his presence. It wasn't the smartest thing he had seen the onna do. Of course, in his experience, he'd witnessed her attempting many other foolish things – attacking him being one of many.
He moved swiftly and silently across the clearing until he stood mere feet from her, and he wondered once more how she had yet to sense his presence – considering how close he was.
"Miko."
She jumped slightly, but it was enough for her to loose the precarious balance that kept her from falling backwards into the well. He smelt the panic on her before the small eep even escaped her lips.
He quickly reached forward, grasping her wrist and pulling her towards him. When her feet hit solid ground she stumbled towards him and into his chest. Wide sapphire blue eyes looked up at him, her cheeks stained pink. Her breath hitched as she met his gaze.
He could hear the way her heartbeat increased. He could smell the embarrassment, the slight prang of fear. What caught his attention however, was the strange sensation coursing through his body stemming from wherever her body touched his. When she quickly pushed herself away from him, it stopped.
Golden eyes narrowed slightly. Had she just tried to purify him?
No. If she had, the scent of purity would linger around them still.
Then what had just happened?
Deciding that he'd mull that question over later, he waited until she met his gaze again once she had put a comfortable distance between the two of them.
"Do you have the hanyou's answer?" he questioned her, his voice was quiet, but stern.
She nodded slightly, eyes moving down over him slowly before meeting his gaze again. He could smell her curiosity. He wondered idly if she had felt what he had before as well.
"He agrees," she replied, voice calm and quiet.
"Very well. Tell the members of your party to be prepared. My pack and I shall join you tomorrow morning outside of Edo. We will depart before mid morning."
Her eyebrows rose slightly in surprise before she nodded once in agreement. "Tomorrow then," she said quietly.
His eyes moved over her slowly before he turned to walk away, leaving her to gather her lantern and stumble back down the path towards the small ningen village at the bottom of the hill. Her voice made him pause before he could move beyond the tree line.
"Sesshomaru-sama…"
He glanced over his shoulder, catching her azure gaze.
"Why now?" she asked quietly, curiously.
The taiyoukai turned his gaze back to the trees in front of him. "It was convenient," he replied, moving forward into the trees.
Vocabulary: ningen – human, onna – woman, miko – priestess, hanyou – half demon, sama – lord/lady/master, taiyoukai – demon lord
A/N: Word Count: 535; Hope you all liked it! Please review? Happy Holidays! – HM1