Hey, you guys. One of you finally spoke up and told me how disappointed you've all been in my updating schedule, or lack of one. I have no excuse. Nothing's wrong with me, no one has died. I'm just lazy. But I'm not going to be lazy about this anymore. If I'm going to be a content creator, I need to show some reliability, right? It's a chapter a month until Westward Bound is finished from here on out.

So, here's another chapter. Let's ring in the New Year together.

Also, I don't own Inuyasha. You knew that.

Miko- priestess. Hanyou- half-demon. Inu- dog. Ookami- wolf. Neko- cat. Ryu- dragon. Kitsune- fox. Youkai- demon. Youki- demon aura/energy. Daiyoukai- great demon. Moko moko- Sesshomaru's fluffy fluffy tail. Kappa- toad. Dokkaso- Sesshomaru's poison. Hime- princess. Kami- gods. Oni- ogre/troll demons. Baka-idiot. Hentai- pervert. Hai – yes. Yatta – I did it!, Hooray. Houshi – Buddhist priest. Taijiya- slayer, exterminator.

Chapter XI: A Warm Reunion

Fuko sat on the roof of Lady Kaede's hut, knees drawn up and shoulders slumping forward. With her head bowed, the young kit dozing next to her wouldn't see her blushing cheeks if he looked. Just about every night since she left Sesshomaru's group, she'd had to endure a flood of information through the conduit of the summoning stone. That beast was prying at the little bit of her housed in the jade, sending his own power washing through again and again. Every time, her youki responded reflexively. It shrank and pulsed, trying in turn to eject his power and then to allow room for it. It seemed the daiyoukai would accept neither. Fuko shuddered slightly. What could he hope to gain from drawing it out? If he dispelled her youki, then there would be no way for her to return.

"You idiot… Sesshomaru, just say my name already…"

The jade summoning stone was a limited little bit of magic. She could do nothing to switch it off or activate it from a distance. But, thankfully, it did not force her to feel the bearer's emotions as if they were her own. Instead, it gave her the knowledge she would get from looking at the person and hearing the tone of their voice. The stone gave to her that icy amber glare from her own memories and it gave to her his bass growl as well. Sesshomaru was angry with her, so what else was new? From back when this all started, he had seemed to regard her with petty hatred. He was probably so angry now because she had escaped whatever perverted trap he had been laying.

But these other images, his other emotions—they would drive her insane.

She would swear that she'd never heard his voice sound like what she heard in her mind. Low, throaty words, gruff and somehow lilting, but with no meaning because the stone was limited. No glaring eyes now, but smooth pale skin, flushed delicately. Her imagination must be running wild as it tried to translate what the stone said. Blushing? Ridiculous! When had she seen Sesshomaru blush? That guy, a guy like that, did his body even have enough blood?

But she could see it and she could hear it. And now she got the impression of his hands, long pale fingers and claw tips, touching her own tan skin. This was not her imagination, but damn it, why did she have to remember him touching her? What the hell was he thinking that would make her think—?

"Fuko?"

"Eek!"

Shippo giggled and waved his hands in a placating way, since Fuko had frozen in a shocked pose. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I thought you might be sleeping with your head down like that."

"N-no. I wasn't asleep."

"Ah!" Shippo flung himself across her lap and began flailing around. "I can't sleep either! I'm just too excited!"

"You were sleeping fine a minute ago…," she grumbled, trying to keep them both from falling off the roof.

"Can you believe it? Did it really happen? I know I acted all cool and confident before, but—did I really defeat that bandit all by myself?"

"What bandit?"

"What bandit!" The boy stopped and glared up at her from her lap, "Ay, Fuko, don't kid around! It happened just yesterday!"

"Oh, that!" Distracted finally from the murmurings of the jade stone, Fuko ruffled Shippo's hair. "Yes, you did. I'm so proud. I guess I forgot for a moment because I wasn't surprised you could do it. You've been training really hard, 'Po."

All the offence drained away and a small smile curved the boy's lips. "You're really proud of me?"

"Absolutely!"

"T-thank you…" For a moment they sat quietly, and then he asked, "Do you think Miroku and Inuyasha will let me go on more missions with them, now that I've proved myself?"

"I don't think so."

"But—why not?"

"Well, not every demon band terrorizing a village is going to be a group of human thieves in disguise. Maybe you could ask to go on the easy missions with the green slayer recruits."

"But that's so boring! I've got more power and experience than any of them!—"

"Then you should lead them."

"Huh?" startled, he sat up and turned to face her.

"You've told me about your adventures hunting that evil half-demon Naraku. You've been through a lot and you've learned from it. Now that you've got some actual training, I don't see any reason why you couldn't lead the newest demon slayers on their missions, or even do scouting missions on your own. In fact, that would be really good for you. If you had been the one to scout ahead last time, then you would have sensed right away that it was just a bunch of humans pretending to be demons."

"You really think I could?"

"Have more confidence in yourself, Shippo."

"O-okay. I'll ask. I'll ask them." Rubbing the back of his head, he muttered, "Ack, would it be better to ask Miroku or Inuyasha? Or should I go to Sango? Now I really can't sleep!"

"OY!"

Both demons looked over the ledge of the roof and then down at Inuyasha who glared up at them huffily.

"Who can sleep with you two yammering away up there!? Keep it down, will ya!"

"Oh, stop being such a grouch, Inubaka! You're the only one who woke up!"

"Why you—!"

"Eep!"

Fuko watched the thoroughly entertaining proceedings as Inuyasha leapt onto the roof and chased Shippo down and then around the yard, cursing all the while. The more that the boy ducked and weaved, the louder the hanyou cursed. "That's it, Shippo!" Fuko cheered, "keeping going! Run like a chicken!"

The kit began flapping his arms as he ran. "Buk! Buk, buk, buk!"

The sight was hysterical, but what was amazing was the sheer wiliness he displayed all across the yard. The first time he and she had played a game of chase, Fuko had praised his zig-zagging, 'chicken-style' running pattern and had encouraged him to hone it. He'd been practicing, it seemed.

But, Fuko's laughter ground to a halt when a particularly strong pulse came from the homing stone. Glaring eyes, harsh growl. Her breath caught and her smile fell away into clenched teeth. That guy was constantly angry with her! What reason did he have to be so angry? He had bullied her, insulted her, and then—groped her. She was the wronged party, not him. When she saw him again, she would beat that into his skull.

Below her, there was a short, sharp squeal. Inuyasha held Shippo aloft by the tail, but in an instant—poof! There were seven fox kits running about helter-skelter, all shouting insults at the half-demon. Fuko's laugh rang out in tandem with Inuyasha's frustrated scream.

"Don't give up, Inuyasha! You almost had him!" she called.

He whirled on her. "You, shut up! Just how long are you gonna keep squatting in my territory!?"

"Aw, Inu, don't be mean. I could be called away at a moment's notice."

"Don't fucking call me that! And you've been saying that for months!"

"Hey, Inubaka!" A rain of acorns pelted him from seven different directions. "She's only been here a couple weeks!"

That started up the chase again. She wondered, how quickly would her pupil be caught if Inuyasha took it more seriously? Amused and a bit exasperated, Fuko couldn't help but call out to the half-demon. Slow down! Use all your senses! Think! Being a teacher was a habit that had been hard for her to form and was now impossible to break. Though her advise seemed to glance off those white puppy-ish ears, she began to see signs of progress in him as the sky above them lightened.

"H-hey!" Shippo yelped as Inuyasha dashed passed a fake to make a grab for him. "Fuko! Don't help him!"

"You're the one givin' yourself away, ya brat! Can't even get your own smell right!"

"Fine!" With a determined gleam in his eyes, the kit leapt back and threw what appeared to be another acorn to the ground. A cloud of thick smoke exploded out and up. Inuyasha instinctively covered his mouth and nose while all the Shippo-fakes gave a war cry and plunged into the obscuring cloud.

"What the hell?" he muttered, and Fuko was just as befuddled. Shippo liked to brag, and he'd never mentioned being able to do this.

In another moment, seven kits burst out from the smoke and said in chorus, "Try to catch me now! Bet you can't!"

"He covered his scent," Inusyasha said under his breath, eyes darting from one Shippo to another.

"It's that one, Inu!" Fuko somehow pointed without indicating any particular fox—she might have even been pointing at the sparrow flying overhead.

"Shut up! Which one?!"

"You can do it! Use all your senses!"

"Fuko!" Three of the seven shook their fists at her and shouted, "Quit being so nosy!"

"I'm your sensei, aren't I? What used is an opponent whose not even a challenge?"

"Keh! I don't need your help to be a challenge to this little twerp!" Glaring down at the Shippos, Inuyasha cracked his knuckles menacingly. "I'll just crush their skulls one by one until they're all gone."

Seven little faces paled.

"Come on now, don't be scary." Fuko rocked to her feet and began to do a couple warm-up stretches. "Keep it civil and I won't have to come down there, 'kay?"

Inuyasha spluttered, "Who's worried about that!?"

"Don't kid around, Inuyasha! I've been letting you off easy and you don't even know it. I totally would have wiped the floor with you in a sparring match by now if Shippo hadn't told me you'd be a spoil-sport about it."

"Fuck that! Come down here and say that to my face!"

"Meh." Fuko half-turned away and waved him off casually. "Catch my disciple and then maybe you can face me."

Slowly, Inuyasha turned to the Shippos again with a sinister expression on his face.

"Uh, F-Fuko?"

"Now he's got motivation, eh? You take this seriously, too, 'Po! Everything is training!"

Fuko stood on the edge of the roof and surveyed the ensuing battle with her arms akimbo. This was an excellent exercise for the both of them. At first, Inuyasha lashed out without any sort of plan, but—it was all an act? The moment Shippo felt too sure of himself because of the hanyou's lumbering strikes, two of his fakes were caught and popped like balloons. Fuko winced when the kit gave himself away by spawning two more on the spot, but a lithe dodge and some quick foxfire saved him. She pumped one fist in victory on his behalf, he sure didn't have time to! One by one, his illusions were caught out, even by some of Inuyasha's more brute-force tactics. With no cover in the open field and not enough know-how to have his fakes cast the obscuring smoke, Shippo tried to use distraction tactics to give himself a window to regroup. These tricks wouldn't work twice. Fuko guessed that, however much experience Shippo had gained on his quest for the Shikon Jewel, Inuyasha had gained many times more. Soon, there were only three kits left, and they ran tight circles around the half-demon, trying to trip him up as he spun to keep them all in sight. So risky! But, it was working. Inuyasha had no time to strike—the one behind him might be the original, trying to cast another illusion.

Just as Fuko was thinking of stepping in to stop this whirlwind of activity, Inuyasha broke out of the circle and began doggedly pursuing Shippo—the real one! Was he finally picking up on the boy's aura, which he hadn't managed to spread to his doubles? Fuko leaned forward intently, but then gave a big sigh when she realized the hanyou's eyes were trained on the back of Shippo's vest, where a new tear revealed the truth. With all his scrapping and tumbling, the kit had done some damage to his clothes, not realizing that his illusions remained pristine. Not once since she met Inuyasha had she witnessed his aura react to anything but his sword. In was her opinion that it did no good to be completely reliant on a weapon.

Then, as was inevitable, Inuyasha seized Shippo by the tail and hoisted his squealing quarry aloft. "Who's the baka now, brat!?" he crowed.

"Still you, neeeeeeh!"

Of course, if you stick your tongue out in someone's face, you have to be ready to pull it back in quickly.

Fuko rolled her eyes at Shippo's bravado, but still moved to defend the wailing kit with the fresh lump on his head and the bitten tongue. "Give me that!"

Inuyahsa was visibly startled when she appeared in front of him and snatched Shippo away.

She gave the boy a quick hug and set him down, trying to save him a little pride. "Buck up, 'Po. You put up a good fight. You had him reeling!"

"Keh! Not even."

"Keh, yes even! Admit it, Inuyasha, he was pretty impressive. Look, you're sweating."

He sneered as he swiped at his face with his wide sleeve. "Whatever! You owe me a fight, freeloader."

"Not even."

"What!?"

"It took you way too long to catch him. And you didn't even catch all the fake Shippos. I give you a B minus, no—! A C plus, for the attitude."

"What the heck are you talking about!? Quit yammering and fight me!"

Fuko reached out and flicked his nose.

"Ow!" Reflexive tears welled in his eyes as he covered the tender spot.

"You lose."

"What the fuck! That's not fair!"

"Ha! Don't be such a baby, In-u-ya-sha!"

"Says the baby with tears still on his face!"

"Wah! Fuko, he's being mean!"

She gladly reached out to flick Inuyasha's nose again (his hand would have been no protection), but another pulse from the jade stone off somewhere in the distance shocked her into immobility. It was anger, frustration, and a tangle other emotions that she couldn't make out. Reluctance? Then, suddenly, he said her name. She could hear it as if he was standing next to her and she realized that she couldn't remember that he ever said it before, even in passing.

"Oy! What's wrong with you?"

"Fuko, you've got a nosebleed!"

"I—I'm sorry. I've been called. I have to go."

Shippo latched onto her immediately. Though she had often said that this would happen, the longer she stayed, the more he thought that it wouldn't. "Don't go!"

"Have to."

— "Hey, wait," —

"Take me with you!"

— "you still owe me," —

"Can't."

It hurt her to shrug him off, far worse than the returning shard of her own youki that gave her, for this brief moment, knowledge of exactly how to get to Sesshomaru. The scent of the kit's sadness—mildew and all the bad things about cotton-candy—sickened her, bringing back in a flash every sadness. Every parting, every broken promise, every lost friend.

"Please. Don't lose your stone. You have the power to call me back. Inu, it was nice meeting you." She gave Shippo one hard hug, swearing in her heart that she would see him again, and then she leapt backward.

To them, there was a rush of immense power and she simply disappeared.

"You still owe a fight!" Inuyasha shouted into the still morning, bewildered and disappointed in a way he had not expected to be. Who cared if that silly girl went off somewhere? It wasn't as if she was his friend. "Keh." After a long moment, he glanced down at Shippo. "You okay?"

Shippo stared at the last spot she had been, sniffling. It took him a moment to answer, "I'm okay. I just thought, you know… I thought we were having fun."

"Maybe you were… nah. I was having fun, too. Sucks that she ran off before I could show her what a real fight is—Shippo?"

The boy was already half way to the hut. "I gotta make sure the summoning stone is where I left it! I swear that thing moves!"

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Firelight flickered against a tan face, casting defining shadows along the crags and creases that marked the passage of a lifetime. The man behind it was thick, hulking really, his body speaking of generations of hand-tilling soil and back-breaking harvest. But the eyes, the eyes were keen. His black eyes reflected the dancing flames. The sharpness of his gaze was reminiscent of a proud and gleaming katana. In a modest yet sprawling compound on the outskirts of a valley farming village, this man sat looking into a hearth fire in the center of his home. He was a human settling into the better part of age, but he did not expect to leave this world for quite some time. He had work to do yet.

Tonight, sleep escaped him. Rather than waking any of the other souls that slept under his roof, he confined himself to the common space of his private rooms and quietly meditated on his own prognosis. He had tried medicinal teas, herb baths, acupuncture, massage, meditation, and prayer, he had even gone the extreme route of testing new tonics on himself with the hope of curing his insomnia, but all had failed. His condition wasn't life threatening. He could and did sleep for two-hour stretches throughout the day. But at night he found that his eyes and ears refused to close. Often he sat awake and listened to the wind and to the summer crickets sing while working and reworking in his head the treatment plans of his patients.

After a certain point, one must ask one's self, what is keeping me awake? This was what he said to patients who chronically went without sleep. He then directed them to the counsel of the village priest, since he himself was wary of offering advice not to do with the body. He was a doctor, not a father or brother. His life's work was to set bones and soothe fever. He knew little about the soul, and he did not seek to know.

"A troublesome business." He muttered to himself in the quiet of the night.

Just then, a soft thump sounded down the hall.

The doctor tensed, coming out of his revere. That had not come from the patient hallway. His aide was sleeping in the kitchen with a colicky toddler, and his apprentice was away in the village, watching over an elder with a draining cough. As far as he had known, there was no one else in his private quarters with him, not even a cat. With care and quiet, he eased onto his feet and crept toward the threshold of the hall leading to his work room, where he stored his texts and his medicines.

After a moment of stillness, he called out, "Is someone there?"

Over the course of his life, he had been trained to listen for specific sounds. He could pick out the arrhythmic nature of a heart beat or the crackle of fluid in the lungs. He had also learned to listen for telling silences. He knew the silence of a peaceful sleeper and the silence of a body that was no longer living.

This was the silence of another listening.

Not long ago, they had had an intruder, a young thief trying to take food from the kitchen. He'd stumbled into the apothecary and unwittingly started to take jars with contents that could very well have killed him. They had sent him off with a severe warning and the few scrapings they had left from that day's porridge.

Sternly, the doctor called down the darkened hall, "Come out, then. There's nothing but potions and tonics back there." When the silence went unbroken, he added, "Taking the wrong thing could kill you."

There was a definite response then, another thump and a rustle of clothing. The doctor stepped into the shadowy hall, squinting against the oppressive dark. He thought he saw a small figure hunched in the doorway to his work room, too small to be that boy. Frowning, he stepped closer. The figure shrank back.

"Come now. I am the doctor Akahige. If you are ill, come forward and seek aid."

The figure retreated into the room with the pitter patter of small feet.

Tsking, the doctor strode after it, believing he was chasing some delinquent child, but after he penetrated a few feet into the dark room, he froze. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he registered that the slap of feet on the floor had been… wrong. Too fleshy. Vaguely wet.

Behind him, there was a strange hollow click, and a light source suddenly cast the room before him in dancing auburn light and shadow.

"Very well, doctor. I seek your aid." The voice was high, nasal—the voice of a malevolent crone.

He turned slowly, disbelievingly, to see a squat creature, a twisted figure with skin the color of algae and a face beset with bulbous eyes and a beak. It welded a staff three times its size with the face of an old man at the top belching fire into the space between them.

Akahige fell back against a table, shielding his face. "Demon!"

"Correct." The creature, Jaken, stepped forward and brandished the flaming staff. Desperation colored his eyes, but the doctor was too overcome with fear to see it. "You are going to come with me, filthy human, and you are going to bring your potions with you. Do not test me! Resist, and you pay with your life and the lives of every human in this building!"

"No…" Horrified by the inhumanity of his accoster, the doctor pressed backward until the edge of the study table bit into his spine. "No, please…"

"Move, human! Every moment you waste is another life!"

Shaken, the doctor allowed himself to be herded out of the exterior door in his apothecary and into the garden where a great reptilian beast waited. He could not help but baulk at the sight of two heads moving independently of each other in the half-light. Despite the lives of everyone balanced on his head, he could not touch such a creature! What sort of internal structure would support such a form of life? But the squat one railed at him with more threats until he steeled himself and the beast was mounted. He noticed that some of his own possessions were tied to the unfamiliar tack of the beast just before the short demon leapt up behind him.

This is a night terror, he thought distantly, as the beast lurched forward and up, up into the night sky. I've fallen asleep in front of the fire and Ano-san will wake me with nagging before day-break.

And yet the earth seemed to fall away beneath them with such a sharp clarity that he knew he could not be dreaming. He was not such a fanciful person! The farther up and away they flew, the more his home dwindled in the distance, the more certain the doctor became. When he could stand the sight no longer, he bowed over the necks of the beast, clenched his eyes shut, and gritted his teeth. He had been spirited away. This was real. This was real.

They flew for a long while, long enough for the shock of his capture began to fade and the workings of his keen mind to resurface. The chill of the altitude and the winds also centered him. He knew that any escape attempts mid-flight would be sure to fail, but escape would not be possible at all if he could not find the will to look down and see where he was being taken.

He opened his eyes for only a moment before nausea struck. Man was not meant to fly.

Eyes closed, he searched his memory for a lake or a river to match that which he had glimpsed, but he could think of none. But they were headed directly south and east, he was certain.

He could feel a sharp wedge digging into the calf of his leg and a quick glance confirmed that his kusuri-dansu, his wooden medicine chest, was strapped to the heaving side of this beast. Why? It might be of some use if he could trick the small green horror into taking something that would incapacitate him. And then, for the first time, it occurred to Akahige that he was being taken to fulfill his profession.

After a moment of wild speculation, he centered himself again. There was nothing to do now but go along with his captor's wishes. There was obviously a patient waiting at the end of this journey and the lives of those in his care back home depended on him keeping a level head.

An hour later, they alighted before a small cave mouth. If he had come across it while traveling, he would have advised his party against investigating. It was just the sort of lair for a predator, whether that be of the human or animal variety. Or demon. His must now insert the existence of demons into his scope of reality.

Akahige was made to stand with his back to the two-headed lizard beast while the short demon went inside. The doctor held a stoic expression and didn't risk turning his head to look about the mountain ledge, for he could feel the moist breath of the beast on his back.

Soon, the short green creature came running back out, and behind him strode a being of regal stature and awful beauty. He seemed to gleam in the stark moonlight. Yards of pristine white silk and flowing silver hair dazzled the doctor, but as the shining figure moved toward him, the awfulness of its beauty quickly outweighed whatever appeal. Self-preservation kicked in and he slowly knelt to gave one of the deepest bows of his life to the obviously proud and powerful creature. All the legends and tales he could recall said that such niceties assuaged the wrath of demons. Not that he'd ever had cause to take special note of those stories before.

"Rise, human," the squat demon spat, brandishing his staff. "You have been taken to serve the great and powerful Lord Sesshomaru! His ward has been stricken with a filthy human illness. You will attend her until she is well!"

The awful, beautiful demon stared at him coldly, but no expression gave away any deeper thought. "You claim to be a healer," he said, "heal the child. Succeed and you will be returned to your dwelling unharmed. Fail and I will kill you, and those you hold dear."

The doctor bowed his head and nodded solemnly. The steadiness of his own mind in the face of such an unhuman gaze surprised him. "I will treat your ward to the best of my abilities."

The demon's amber eyes narrowed fractionally, but to great effect. "Pray that is sufficient, human."

Akahige heard the warning, he understood it, but it only gave fuel to his growing hope. If he was needed so urgently, his chances of surviving the night were good. Even in the case that they are lying to him, that they never intend to let him leave, the longer he remained alive, the better his chances of escape.

He was ushered into the cave, a deep, narrow pocket in the mountain side with a low-slung ceiling and craggy, uneven walls. There was what appeared to be a cooking fire to one side of the entrance, over which was suspended the charred carcass of what he guessed was a deer. He hoped it was a deer. Towards the back, a large pallet of furs and cloth lay shielded from wind gusts and wood smoke. Though he guessed this would be the place of his work, he waited until he was given permission to approach.

There was a girl child in center of the over-size sea of furs. A very normal, human-looking girl child. She was flushed, her black locks mussed with her tossing and turning, and even in sleep she wore a pinched expression.

"She is human?"

"Obviously!" the shrill voice of the squat demon rang out. "Would you be here otherwise!?"

"Jaken." A single word from the white demon set the imp to flinching backward. "Fetch the human's gear."

Akahige carefully did not watch the creature scurry away, out of the cave. There was some discord there, but he knew not if it could be exploited in any way. No matter. This girl before him did appear to be wholly human. Perhaps he should limit his questions to those he could not answer on his own.

But what use could this girl serve for a pair of demons? Dread turned the doctors' thoughts and past experience cast the girl's situation in a very poor light. How long had she been captive? Had she been some backward village's sacrifice, or had she simply been stolen? At a glance, he saw no bruises or scars, but that accounted for so little. He could only wonder at the state of the girl's mind. They had referred to her as a ward, but the doctor had witnessed abuses visited upon girls with blood ties to their guardians.

Inwardly, the doctor cursed. His chances of escape had just plummeted. How would he manage to get himself and the girl out of such demonic clutches?

The child before him turned fretfully and let out a weak cough. Akahige nodded grimly, as if she had given some clue of her past. Those thoughts were not for this moment, he decided. If she remained so weak, neither of them would leave this cave.

Relief in sleep, the only recourse that had been left to little Rin, was slowly and rudely wrested away. She barely had the strength to turn in her sticky-warm bundle of furs, but the large hands on her shoulders urged her to move. Now painfully awake, she whined and pushed at the hands.

"Child. Open your eyes."

The voice was deep, gravelly and unfamiliar. Rin's heart beat sped up and began pounding out a rhythm of fear. Even then she struggled to open her eyes. They were crusty and her vision was blurred, but she could see that the man leaning over her was a complete stranger. Where was her family? Where was her friend? Was she alone?

"L-Lord Sesshomaru! Ja-ken!" It was a massive effort, but she shrugged the hands off and began flailing at the stranger. "Lord Sesshomaru!"

It discomforted the daiyoukai to hear Rin's voice so broken and strained. He stepped forward from the mouth of the cave, warding the human doctor away with his presence. He caught a few of the child's clumsy blows as he knelt before her. They were like nothing, light as feathers. He knew she was human and a child, but surely they were not meant to be so weak?

"Rin. Calm yourself."

At his voice, she stilled and her heart slowed a bit. She fell into his lap and his slim, strong hands replaced the stranger's on her shoulders. Though she really didn't mean to, she began to cry. Her words were thick, wet, and interrupted by hiccups. "L-l-lord Se-sesshomaru, I don't feel good."

He held himself apart from her while still carefully supporting her weight. He was at a loss, but he kept his expression blank. This was not the child he was used to. This one leaked and vomited, and alarmed him with how she seemed to fall apart. "Rin. You must calm yourself. This man is a doctor. He has come to heal you."

"I don't want him! Fuko-chan, I want Fuko-chan!"

Fuko-chan, Fuko-chan. She had been crying for that faithless creature for days, and where was her Fuko-chan? Nowhere that he could find. Currently. Sesshomaru put those thoughts firmly aside. To show Rin his frustration would only invite more tears. He squeezed her shoulders gently, unconsciously trying to impart some of his strength to the child. "You must be still for the doctor."

Her usual obedience was slow in coming, but it did come. Once her cries waned into sniffles, Sesshomaru glanced sharply over his shoulder, which was enough notice for the waiting doctor to get back to his work.

He resumed his place before Rin and spoke in a calm, firm voice, "Child. I am the doctor Akahige. I can heal your ailments, but I cannot heal the unwilling. If I am to be of any use, you must not fight me."

Rin only hiccupped tearfully in response, but she didn't resist when the doctor pressed a palm to her forehead. His hand was cool and dry against her skin which felt as if it had been boiled, but she was not comforted.

"Speak up if this causes you pain." The doctor pressed his fingers under her chin and against her throat. As he did this, he asked, "How long has she been ill?"

The cave was silent for a moment, and then Jaken stepped hesitantly forward from the cook fire near the mouth of the cave, where he left the kusuri-dansu and a satchel containing more pilfered medicines. "Twelve days, or so."

The salt grime of sweat was obvious on the furs under the girl and on the girl herself. "How long has it been since the fever left her?"

"It has been a day, but it has gone and come back before."

"And has she been eating well?"

Rin whimpered under his hands, making Sesshomaru shift forward slightly from his position against the wall. The doctor reminded her to speak up if his examination was painful.

"Not since—seven days ago,"

"When did she last eat?"

"Last night."

"Does she vomit?"

Impatient and slightly defensive, Jaken answered, "Sometimes."

"When did she last move her bowels?"

The imp spluttered. "Vile human! Why would you ask such a disgusting thing? You're no healer! I knew I should have—"

"Jaken." Sesshomaru's voice did not increase in volume from its usual tenor, but the edge to it was deadly. "Answer his questions or else be silent. You have done enough."

All at once, the lesser demon was meek. "Ye-yes, milord."

The doctor listened to this exchange without expression. It seemed to him that the small green demon was not in his master's favor at the moment. The imp had been such an ugly horror in the dark of his apothecary only an hour ago, and now Akahige found him no more frightening than a weasel standing to the side of a tiger. Now he knew that the beautiful one was the one to be frightened of.

The questioning resumed and continued for a while, the doctor asking all manner of question that struck the demons as bizarre and inconsequential. As he queried, his examination moved from Rin's throat to her abdomen, both areas proving tender though Rin did not say a word. When he laid a hand on her thin back and asked her to cough, the girl set her jaw.

She did not want cough. Coughing hurt.

Recognizing the expression, as he had treated many a child in his time, the doctor sternly said, "You must cough now to save yourself coughing later." He put his ear to her chest and at her tiny, half-done cough, he continued, "Come now, deeper than that. Cough."

Rin whimpered and started to cry again. "No, no! Go away!"

Akahige could feel the great demon approaching again from behind him and he feared for the child, but it was he who was rebuked. Without even being touched, he reacted to an unseen force that drove him away from the pallet. "Enough." The demon said sharply, coming to stand between him and the girl. "Enough of this. She must rest."

Strangely, the doctor saw in the demon's posture and heard in his words the refrain of a dozen parents that had come between him and their child in the past. He had scolded these mothers and fathers, called them idiots to their faces, but he did not dare to do it here. Still, he had to be blunt. Looking down and away from the demon, unconsciously trying not to offer any challenge, he replied, "It is in her best interest to continue." An odd sense of trepidation touched the doctor's mind as a growl just below what his ears could register issued from the demon. "But, I will begin my work from this point and continue the examination later," he added.

"See that you do." Sesshomaru glared down at the human doctor, only slightly appeased by his subservient posture. He did not trust the human, but Rin needed a better caretaker than Jaken right now. The past week especially had shown him that. "Tell me now. Will she recover fully?"

Akahige didn't hesitate. "She will. It is not so bad."

"Hn."

The demon sounded neither pleased nor displeased, but Akahige understood that his life span had been lengthened by a little.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin's small voice reached out from what seemed like a great distance. He knelt again to give her his attention. "Did you find anything, milord?"

A near silent sigh passed between his lips. "I have not."

Rin whimpered, "Where's Fuko-chan?"

"This one will return her to you."

"Okay." And she fell asleep.

Just who was this Fuko-chan? The doctor thought as he watched the daiyoukai linger for a moment over the sleeping child.

Then, he turned and came to his feet in one swift, inhuman motion. "Jaken. Attend the doctor while I am gone."

"Yes, milord."

And then the great white demon left them. He just walked out of the cave. Akahige cautiously cast about, slightly disbelieving that the demon was just gone. But that seemed to be the case. Relief at being free of his opressive presence and worry at the purpose of his leaving warred in him. After a few seconds spent gathering his resolve, he climbed to his feet and went over to the supplies by the cook fire. "Jaken, was it?"

The squat creature sputtered. "Master Jaken to you, lowly human!"

"Of course. Master Jaken, is there a source of fresh water nearby?"

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

In a hidden glade, far removed from the villages of man and the keeps of demons, a two-thousand-year-old magnolia tree streched its limbs through the sky, branch and leaf rising and falling on the gentle nighttime breeze. As multitudinous and far-reaching as the lush summer foliage appeared to be, the roots of the great tree spread many many times farther. As they drew nutrients and minerals from the soil, so too did they draw knowledge.

It was Sesshomaru who appeared suddenly from the night's shade, an intruder of this peace and quiet bent on tapping this knowledge like the precious sap it was.

"Welcome," a sedate, elderly voice seemed to emanate directionlessly from the air around him as he moved. "I have been expecting you, young lord."

The daiyoukai continued forward, not acknowledging the greeting and only stopping when he was within striking distance of the magnolia tree's thick trunk.

The bark swirled in on itself and Bokuseno the tree demon revealed his face obligingly. "So, the day has finally come for the young lord to ask about mating alliances, or perhaps he seeks to know how his lands might fair with the little stranger by his side?"

It did not surprise him that the old tree demon, a favored advisor of his father's, should know of the recent company he kept, it did not even surprise him that his designs on her had already been reasoned out. It did piss him off that these were not the questions he was there to ask. Sesshomaru placed his hand on the hilt of his sword in response to Bokuseno's words.

"No?"

With the slightest snick, the blade started to show itself.

"Ah. Then, would you care to tell me why you've come, my lord?"

After days spent at the side of his bed-ridden ward and nights wasted hunting the same fruitless paths, Sesshomaru had no patience for subtly. "Where is she?" he growled.

"Hm. Who?"

"The 'little stranger'," he gritted out between clentched teeth.

"Ah. And you say, you wish to know where she is, not who or what?" Bokuseno closed his eyes as if mediating on the query. Finally, he said, "It is hard to be of any use with so little warning."

Sesshomaru glowered, though the tree could not receive his ire with his eyes shut.

"You are aware, my lord, that I know only the whispers of the forest. All trees in this land call her a stranger. But, her location is not so hard to learn. A menial task, really. This would be a quick matter if I had met her before," the tree opened his eyes then. "Is it a piece of this female that I sense hiding in your haori?"

He stiffened, biting back a denial, and slowly took the jade jewel from the fold in his shirt. For many nights now, after he had admitted to himself that she had somehow escaped his reach entirely, he had walked the trails she might have gone down and meditated on the stone. He had never needed to scry before, his nose had always been more than enough, and so he had only passing knowledge of the practice. But, it should have been easy. Objects imbued with youki had a base intelligence. They could not hold conversations, nor could even the most complex of them really be said to have a consciousness, but they could communicate in a certain way as the extension of their originator's will. Despite his urging, the spark of her youki inside did not lead him to her location as he thought it was meant to do when he first discovered it, nor did it reveal anything of her nature. The youki stone, like the girl it came from, was contrary. When he attempted to draw the power out, it shank back. When he pressed upon it, it flared in a small mimicry of her anger. It would not speak to him. It was infuriating. There was no indication of how to use it or what it needed, and it did not hint at any particular design. It was a hastily cut jade stone, almost appearing natural. He would have overlooked it if he hadn't sensed her within. He'd decided soon after finding the stone that it was as senseless as the girl.

When the ancient magnolia stretched out a thin tendril of a branch, Sesshomaru reluctantly passed the stone into the flared filaments. He was wary of letting go of it. It had moved itself once, from one sleeve of his clothes to the other. A poor attempt at escape, but vexing none the less.

The youki stone flared once in passing and then went dormant in the tree's grasp.

"Hm… Corrupted fox magic." Bokuseno turned the stone in the half light, blinking slowly. A bit of mirth encroached on his wizen face. Passing the stone back, he asked, "What did you say her name was again?"

Disappointed that nothing could be learned from it, Sesshomaru let the stone fall back into his cupped palm. "Fuko of the—"

From between Sesshomaru's fingers, he could feel the contrary little bit of Fuko's youki suddenly burst forth and flash away. Though he reflexively grasped the stone tighter, there was nothing he could do to stop it from leaving, and, in an instant, the jade was cold and inert in his hand. "No." Furious, he cast his burning gaze on the tree demon.

But then, the grass around him flattened as an unseen force rushed down from directly above, one so thickly overwhelming that it called to his beast. He turned lurid red eyes upward, on the brink of defensive transformation, but instead a deep, pleased rumble echoed through the depths of his mind and throughout his entire body.

Fuko…

Her true form was magnificent. Long, lean legs stretched up to a supple, lushly furred body. The fur, a rich seal brown, rippled with power, underscoring the multitude of jagged blue lines that streaked her sinewy paws and ankles. Four more demon marks graced her face, tracing her jaws and drawing the gaze to her eyes. They were the same bright, intensely green eyes, and they seemed to spark with happiness as her tongue lolled. "Sesshomaru!"

Her voice, somehow completely unchanged by coming from a different mouth, caused a strange reaction in him—he almost smiled. He had to work to suppress the sensation as his bestial consciousness receded, still growling out his pleasure.

She had landed mere yards from him, and as she bent her neck toward him, her teeth bared in a parody of a grin. "Sesshomaru! Ses-sho-ma-ru!"

She suddenly lunged forward with a roar the shook the forest, "SESSHOMARU NO BAKA!"

He threw himself backwards despite his shock, just avoiding having his head caught in her maw.

With a burst of power and startling speed, she shrank into her humanoid form and continued her assault, battering his armored chest with punches as she railed at him. "Why did it take you two weeks to say my name!? You idiot! You poke and prod, and it takes you two weeks to figure it out!?"

No. That was the answer? Was that all that had been needed?

Never before had his rage been so instantaneous. "Watch your tongue! You fled me! Fearful little girl, you are at fault!"

"Don't make me laugh!" she snarled, ducking and weaving around him, managing to tag his chest again. He shifted into the familiar rhythms of their sparring matches, parrying many of her blows. "Who's afraid of you!?"

"You, or so it would seem from your flight!"

"Why would I want to stick around and let you molest me!?"

"I was not molesting you," He caught the sleeve of her kimono and then her wrist, and used the leverage and momentum to spin her more fully into his grasp. "It was seduction. Only a fool would not recognize—"

She dropped her weight and booted his shin, slipping out of his hold looking a lot more ruffled than when she went in. "Harassment! Groping! You're a low-down, dirty—"

"I think the word seduction is fair when you enjoyed it just as much as—"

"Liar! Disgusting perverted liar!"

"You lie! You trembled in my arms. You wanted me to—"

With a wordless scream, she leapt back and drew her spear, leveling it at him with crazed eyes and scarlet cheeks. "I'll kill you, pervert! You don't deserve to live!"

Eyes just as wild, perhaps more so with red drifting in at the edges, he taunted her with one hand hovering over the hilt of his sword, "Why does it upset you so to hear it? Have you been craving me, little girl?"

Without their noticing, as they argued the air around them had filled with a sweet scent and a cloying, ancient power. As Fuko gave another war cry and Sesshomaru drew his sword in anticipation of her attack, the leaves of the trees that surrounded them gave a great shudder all at once. Pollen that was the color of the sunset filled the air.

"Now, young ones," Bokuseno said drolly, "isn't this sort of thing better done in private?"

Fuko tripped to a halt mid attack. Deadly spear-tip falling to the ground, she turned and glanced at the demon behind her distractedly. "Is that tree talking to us?"

Huffing, Sesshomaru sheathed his sword, his movments loose and unhurried. "That is Bokuseno."

"There's a face on that tree, I think." Fuko shook her head sharply, snorted, and dropped her weapon in favor of wiping at her eyes.

"Hn. The pollen cannot be removed that way. Come, there is a stream not far from here."

Although Fuko should have told Sesshomaru to eat dirt and die, she found that she simply didn't have the will to do so. Why would she waste her breath? The gritty pollen coated her skin and seeped into her pores, soaking up all her turbulent thoughts. "Okay," she mumbled. "I want to get this stuff off. It's freaking me out."

As the reunited two left the clearing, the tree demon chuckled to himself. It has not been so easy to fulfill the young lord's wishes since he was a pup! I think it would do this old body good to keep an eye on those two. Laughter keeps one young, after all. With another chortle, he allowed his face to be swallowed up by the bark of his trunk and the clearing went back to its perpetual peace and quiet.

Meanwhile, the inu daiyoukai duo walked side by side along a shade-dappled path, thinking many things about each other and themselves in contrast to the other. Neither could communicate these thoughts. Even their auras brushed placidly. Sesshomaru meandered forward at his stateliest of paces, almost relieved at the artificial disinterest he felt. With his mind clear, he realized that he had been about to make the same mistake over again. Ever the same mistake with this girl. He was getting bored of the pattern. Antagonizing her would only put him further away from his goal, no matter the strange thrill he got out of it.

And, he would make a point of remembering Bokuseno's hubris. The presumption of tricking him into activating the youki stone and then dusting him with mind-affecting pollen must not go unpunished, even if it had led to a desirable outcome. If he had been given the opportunity, he would have prepared for her arrival. He would have been ready to answer her anger with calm. Sesshomaru promised pay back the offense three-fold once the thought (any thought) regained his interest.

Fuko kicked pebbles as they went, starting to speak several times but stopping short of sound with each attempt. Everything she wanted to berate him about seemed so… boring just then, though she knew she cared a lot just moments ago. She had called him out for being so useless with the stone and for being a pervert, but wasn't she most mad at him for calling her back at all, for making her leave? Thinking on her time away, the whole chunks of it spent worrying, it all just seemed stupid. Why hadn't she just spent that precious time laughing and playing with Shippo? If Sesshomaru wanted to act all grabby for no reason, why should she try to understand? Someone who could hate her and kiss her at the same time was not worth thinking about. All she needed from him was a way west. She would tell him that, whenever this pollen was out of her system. Fuko huffed as she threw her arms up and then crossed them behind her head, finally saying, "This is lame. I'm furious, but I'm not even mad. Lame."

"Hn."

When they reached the stream he told her that all but their footwear would need to be cleaned and she answered with a bored sigh. Almost companionably, they toed off their boots and socks on the bank and waded into the thigh-deep water. All was quiet save for the gentle lapping of the water and the small splashes each made as they bathed. For a while. After a few minutes, the tone of their quiet change. With every particle of orangey-red pollen that flowed away into the morning sky tinged water, the air grew more pregnant with intent.

It was not as if Sesshomaru suddenly became aware that he was bathing just two meters away from the female he had vowed to breed. It was only that he did not find it interesting in one moment, and in the next, he did. He turned to her slightly, sweeping his sopping silver locks away from his eyes to watch her. Had he been of his own mind a few minutes ago, he would have mentioned that it would be easier to wash out the pollen with their clothes removed.

Fuko was already watching him in the periphery of her vision, the waters around her churning furiously as she scrubbed herself. Every second she spent in the stream with him ratcheted her danger sense up another notch. God. He still had her stone. He must carry it against his skin for it to be telling so much. Her ears twitched when he chuffed at her, a sound that struck her as part amusement, part derision, and then he ducked under the water. She froze immediately and turned to watch the place he had submerged. The pollen clouded the water just enough to make her uncertain of his position. He had just been thinking perverted things about her! There could be an attack any moment. Only when he reappeared, spot unchanged, did she turn away and begin running her hands vigorously over her clothes again.

"Fuko."

Surprised to hear her name so softly from his low voice, she glanced at him. It was now the second time he'd said it. He regarded her with no annoying smirk or mockery, and there was no anger or cool distance in his expression. She looked for hatred and found none. In fact, his face had relaxed into a look not unlike that one odd smile she had wittnessed before. The stone said that this Sesshomaru was intent on saying something to her, perhaps something of great import. The stone did not say, but was this how he looked when he was going to be friendly, all beaded with water and honeyed-crystal eyes?

Pretty… The demoness was shocked and dismayed to feel a blush rising to her cheeks, and she whipped right back around to scrub herself punishingly.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. Could she not lend him her attention for more than a moment? He would not present his suit to her back. After a moment, he glanced away from her, sighing quietly. Perhaps now was not the best time after all. He should have her settled back into his company before he said anything. "Hn. You must wash your hair more thoroughly."

Her ears flicked at the familiar, authoritative tone. He was annoyed with her now. Both relieved and annoyed herself, she quipped, "Thanks, Mom."

Sesshomaru paused in the act of raking his claws back over his scalp. A single lock fell forward and dripped several times before he said, "I am not your dam."

Bewildered, she looked over her shoulder at him.

"Why should you refer to me as such? I am not a female, nor am I even of age to have birthed you."

"It… was figurative."

"There are no parallels between—"

"Sarcastic, then! Geez!" Fuko dunked herself and a frustrated scream bubbled up in her place. This guy! I swear he will make my head explode!

He glared at the spot. What a ridiculous creature. How could he think to tie himself to one who was angered by logic?

When Fuko came up again, it was with her back to him. The water had plastered her clothes to her slender shoulders, and Sesshomaru could not help but be attracted to the sight of her bare nape as she lifted her long hair to squeeze out the excess water. He remembered how the water made her kosode transparent and began moving silently through the water toward her.

Fuko was muttering to herself, "This guy, this guy, I swear…," as she scratched intently at her scalp. She dunked herself once more, quickly, silently daring him to tell her she needed to wash even more thoroughly.

Then, a pulse of lust came from the jade stone just as a slight tug on the collar of her kimono sent her leaping yards through the water with a sharp squeal.

"So. You are frightened of me."

She whirled on him. "Am not! You just keep your creeper hands to yourself!"

He advanced on her as she continued to back through the water. "Still running?"

She growled, stepping back onto slope up to the shore. "I never ran. I left. And it wasn't because of you, so get that self-important smirk off your face!"

Sesshomaru, who was expressionless, continued forward, backing her all the way onto the land. Then he walked passed her, toward his weapon and boots. "Since you are not frightened of me, there should be no argument as we travel quickly back to the others."

Fuko stood stiffly at the waterside but then relented, summoning foxfire to dry herself with. "Fine, whatever."

He crouched and began pulling on his socks. "We travel by orb."

"I'm—not sure what you mean by that, but I don't like the sound of it."

Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes (though the youki stone revealed this urge anyway), Sesshomaru continued. "It is the fastest way—"

"Maybe for you."

"—without risking you getting lost."

"You haven't explained what it is."

"I will surround us with my power and then draw it inwards quickly. I can transport us in a near instant."

"That sounds like a hard no from me."

"Do not be difficult."

"I'll run, thanks."

"Fuko."

Her ears twitched. Third time.

"If you run to your fullest, I cannot run with you. I am capable of flying both of us, but that would take hours more, hours you would object to spending in my arms."

"Why can't I run and you fly?"

"And if you lose sight of me? I have already explained. You have kept us waiting long enough. Have you no wish to see Rin?" Glancing away from her, Sesshomaru spoke his next words as if they were thoughts coming aloud, "Perhaps your affection was merely an act before. Then again, you may be so unconcerned now because you do not know."

"Rin is my friend, not that you would recognize friendship if it bit you! And what are you talking about? What don't I know?"

"Rin is ill. Bed-ridden."

"N-nuh-uh! No, she's not."

He snorted as he took up his weapon sash and began tying it securely around his waist.

"Hey! You're just saying that, right? Don't kid around…"

His hands stilled when she touched his sleeve.

"It's not bad, is it?"

Her immediate uneasiness was almost comical. He had known from the start that any mention of Rin would draw her back. He paused briefly before explaining, "She fell ill shortly after you left and cannot currently travel, but she does not seem to worsen beyond this."

"Since I left? But, that's too long!" Fuko trotted over to her boots and began yanking them on. "Has she got a fever? Can she keep her food down?" No matter how irrational it was, she believed that this was her fault. She had known the child might get over-stressed, and she hadn't said anything. Oh, poor Rin-chan. The thought that she had hurt the cute little girl in any way put her into a tail spin.

Sesshomaru had followed to stand over her as she wrestled with her shoes. The similarity between her questions and the doctor's made him wonder. "The fever is gone. She eats very little. What do you know of human illness?"

Fuko stiffen, but shook her head and ignored the challenge in his words. "I know enough to help. If she's been sick for so long, she'll need medicine. You give her lots of water, right?"

"We captured a human doctor. He cares for her, with Jaken's supervision."

"You… captured a doctor?"

He gave her a bland look. "You disapprove?"

"No. I guess not." She rolled to her feet and flapped a hand at him. "Hurry up with the ball thing! What are we standing around for?"

Eyes narrowing slightly, he reached for her as his youki began to swell. "Be still."

She grimaced but let him pull her against his chest. The thick fur over his shoulder muffled her words. "You didn't say that you would have to hold me."

"I do not have to."

"Then—!"

In a flash of demonic light, the two disappeared.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

There was a small pyramid erected in the cliff-side cave—at its base smoked two small pots of incense, its sides were built of layered furs, and at the top of the structure a sweaty child's head poked out. Her expression was foreboding, fitting the strange pagan shine she had become a part of.

It was hot inside the swaddling furs, but Rin endured and breathed deeply because the doctor said that the heat and the unpleasant smelling smoke would make her better faster. She did not want to be sick. She wanted to travel with Lord Sesshomaru and look for Fuko-chan.

Akahige was impressed with the child, really. He had seen less concentration on the faces of devote monks in prayer. Her singular focus on breathing made him hyper-conscious of his own breath and he found that when she took in a great gulp of the pungent air, so did he. His thoughts drifted strangely. During his time in captivity, he had listened to the child talk freely about her life when she was awake. She spoke of no other hardship besides the absence of her companion, this 'Fuko-chan,' but he worried. The demons could have hidden anything and told a lie about the other girl getting lost. What terrible fate might have befallen her? The white-haired demon, Lord Sesshomaru, had been absent for one day and now two nights. Was it his doing that had the girls separated?

Jaken was wondering much the same thing, though in a completely different context. Unconsciously breathing deeply of the smoke-touched air (also in time with Rin's breaths), he cursed the demoness for running off and leaving them all in this situation. Lord Sesshomaru had told him nothing of how it came to be, but from what little his lord did say, Jaken guessed that the silly and disrespectful female had caused some trouble and then fled when his lord rightfully sought to punish her. When it had been discovered that she was missing, Lord Sesshomaru had valiantly and tirelessly directed the group on a hunt, but then Rin fell ill and Jaken was left behind to care for her in this cave. It was a job he had been ill-equipped for, as it turned out. How was he to know what would cause a queasy little girl to vomit, after all? And now a human doctor sat around, giving him orders and no respect at all. He was a fearsome demon, a vassal under the great and terrible Lord of the West—how could this human treat him so!? Jaken blamed Fuko for the presence of the troublesome doctor, for Rin's illness, and for the current absence of his lord. He hoped that, wherever she was, she was suffering.

The dragon beast Ah-Un sat amongst the incense smoke, heavy-lidded and about to nod off. His breaths were slow, one coming for every three of the other beings in the cave, but that breath synced up perfectly when it came. What draconic thoughts drifted through those twined minds? Did he also wonder at the absence of his master and the female that had joined them not long ago?

Such was the power of Rin's will, enhanced by the pyramid shrine! The thoughts of those around her bent to her thoughts, consumed by her intense focus.

Or, not really. Jaken began to cough and hack, finally overwhelmed by the incense. He stumbled to his feet and went outside. The doctor had claimed the smoke would help assuage Rin's nausea, but it seemed to transfer it him instead!

"Ugh!" He cried, falling to his knees on the plateau outside the cave mouth. "If milord does not return soon, I will surely perish from sheer degradation!" The imp began to wail, "Milord! Please come back!"

An orb of youki energy streaked down from the sky in answer, like bolt of lightning come to smite him.

The imp shrieked as he was blasted away and he just managed to avoid a plunge off the cliff by clinging onto a boulder. The cloud of dust from the impact was blown away youki winds as the intensely concentrated orb relaxed into two forms.

"—let go!" Fuko shoved free of Sesshomaru's hold, finally finishing her sentence. She dropped to her hands and knees several yards away as demonic energy, her own, arced over her skin. "Wahh! What was that!? You didn't say it would be like that!"

Intrigued by her distress, he ask calmly, "To what are you referring?"

"I was inside you."

"That is not entirely accurate."

She didn't seem to hear him. Shuddering, eyes staring ahead sightlessly, she hissed, "The sky was red. I couldn't move. An eternity, drowning in a sea of white fur. How can I be the same person I was? What was seen cannot be unseen."

Now becoming offended, he snorted. "Do not be ridiculous. You cannot endure my full power for more than a few moments?"

"Fuko-chan!?"

The inuyoukai demoness perked up immediately, ears flicking to attention and demon energy fizzling away with no effect. "Rin!?"

At the low boom of Seshomaru's and Fuko's arrival, the humans inside the cave had looked fearfully toward the entrance, their view of what lay outside blocked. But, at the sound of Fuko's theatrics, Rin had lunged to her wobbly feet, flinging aside furs and upsetting incense burners in her haste.

"Fuko-chan~!" By the time she reached the entrance, Fuko was there, catching her as she half leapt-half fell into her arms.

"Rin-chan~!" The demoness hugged her little friend close, lamenting her distinct loss in weight and ruddy skin. "Rin-chan! You're so warm. Oh, no, you're sick! Should you be out of bed?

— "Fuko-chan! Fuko-chan! Fuko-chan came back! Rin was so worried!"

"You're all sweaty! Don't these jerks bathe you? I'm so sorry I left without saying goodbye!"

— "Lord Sesshomaru saved Fuko-chan! You didn't get too scared while you were lost?"

"It was an emergency. You weren't too sad, were you? I thought about you every day!"

— "Rin missed you. No one was mean to you while you were gone?"

"I missed you so much!"

— "Rin missed you so much!

Sesshomaru looked on, expressionless as the girls blubbered, hugged, kissed, and spoke over each other. Jaken hurried over, dusting himself off. He was too horrified by what he was seeing to be his usual loquacious self. How could they possibly understand each other in such a state?

Rin reached over Fuko's shoulder, outstretching her whole body toward Sesshomaru. "Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru saved Fuko-chan!"

The daiyoukai stepped forward and took Rin's reaching hand, silently and stoically accepting her gratitude, embodying the true spirit of the heroic figure.

"Huh?" Fuko stiffened with Sesshomaru so close at her back and shifted Rin in her arms. The girl was as light as ever, but sweat absolutely coated her skin and she could smell the illness clinging to her. "Rin-chan, you really are warm. Let's get back inside so you can lie down."

Rin hummed her assent.

Sesshomaru gave her small hand a firm squeeze before letting go. Her face was wet with tears, but the happiness in her eyes eased the discomfort that they caused. Should sadness exist on that face, he would do all in his power to eradicate it.

"Lord Sesshomaru, will you come, too?"

"I will."

Rin wore a contented, tired smile as she was carried back inside.

After a moment, he turned to the imp. "Jaken, report."

"Ah, milord!" The imp scrambled forward with dewy, grateful eyes. "I am so glad you have returned. Your humble servant has kept everything here to your liking, milord. The human doctor, though vile and untrustworthy, has done much to revitalize your ward. You saw just now how she carried on with her old energy. While his herbs and incenses are most unbefitting and likely offensive to your powerful senses, they seem to ease Rin's nasal leaking and to keep her from rejecting her food—which I have followed your orders faithfully in preparing since the incident of eight days hence! It pains this poor vassal to have failed milord in such a manner! To suffer the presence of the doctor as a result is a fitting punishment! Oh, the human body is a quagmire of hidden weaknesses! How was I to know that toadstool soup, which my own honorable brood mother would serve when I was but a tadpole, would be objectionable to a human stomach? Such mild, comforting fare, with only the freshest swamp moss and brown lichen—Milord?"

Sesshomaru had gone into the cave long ago, having ascertained that nothing more had gone awry in his absence. Jaken slumped, despondent. Just how long had he been standing outside, talking to himself?

The doctor Akahige stared fixedly at Fuko as she riffled through his kusuri-dansu. This girl, this demoness, chatted cheerily with his patient and occasionally turned to him and asked a question or two about his work. She showed a keen knowledge of his apothecary tools and seemed to know the purpose of every leaf and powder in his kit, if not their names. This was not why he stared. When she came in, his understanding of his circumstances had been rocked by the revelation that, no, she was not another captive human girl. From the way Rin spoke of her, he had envisioned a slightly older child, an elder sister, though no relation had been mentioned.

While he had sat there, inert with shock and still holding the smoking burners he had saved from Rin's hasty movements, she had carried the child over to the mound of furs and knelt to tuck her in. She said to him, "I take it that you are Rin's physician." Once the child was snug, she had turned to him fully and bowed. He saw the downy-furred animal ears atop her head twitch minutely. "Thank you for taking care of her."

He had bowed reflexively in turn. "Think nothing of it."

"Akahige-san! This is Fuko-chan! Lord Sesshomaru found her."

"Akahige-sensei." The demoness had seemed to test his name and commit it to her memory. She then bowed again, deeper. "Please accept my thanks, Akahige-sensei!"

Alarmed, he had bowed again, deeper still. "I accept graciously."

"Um, Fuko-chan, why do you call him that?"

She had turned to the girl to speak passionately, "Doctors study a lot and must be very knowledgeable to take care of others, so it's good to call them sensei."

The child had looked to him and wiggled in bed, trying to bow while still lying down. "Thank you for taking care of me, Akahige-sensei!"

So as Fuko talked to Rin and asked about his medicines, Akahige tried feverishly to reason out what he was experiencing. Just what was going on here? This creature, this Fuko-chan, she did not act the way he had thought a demoness might. Rin seemed so pleased to simply be in her presence. Was the child even a captive here? And just how old was this creature? The other—he was young in looks but had the regal, eternal presence of the kami. He would have said that that one was eons old. This one had the appearance, manner, and vitality of a young maiden in maybe her 14th or 16th year. And she wore the bright dress of a girl-child going to a festival.

What am I looking at? Akahige asked himself, staring into Fuko's smiling face.

Sesshomaru walked in on the scene like this and immediately wanted the doctor gone. His aura flared as he approached Rin's bed and the doctor shuffled backward, away from both of his girls.

"Have you fulfilled your duty, human?" he demanded.

Akahige answered honestly. "The child is recovering well. A few more days rest should see her sound and whole."

"And is that all she needs—rest?"

Though fearing for his fate with his diminished usefulness, he answered again with the truth. "My medicines offer more comfort than anything else at this point. Mild food, water, and rest are all she needs."

"Hn." Glaring down at the human, Sesshomaru gave his orders. "You shall prepare all the comforting herbs my ward will need in her recovery and leave this place by sunset."

The doctor looked up, breaking his subservient posture in his surprise. "Am I being released?"

Sesshomaru growled lowly when the doctor dared for that moment to meet his eyes, but Fuko's flexing youki distracted him. With a sidelong glance at her, he said, "You will leave instructions for the use of your medicines with this one." He indicated Fuko with a subtle flick of his fingers.

Her doggish ears bobbed in that familiar way. "Who, me?"

"You know 'enough to help', or so you claimed." His voice was cool, though inwardly his growl deepened, Do not question me in front of the human!

The jade stone hidden in his sleeve pulsed with his unspoken irritation; he might as well as have said the words aloud. Fuko's ears flattened to her skull. "Pfft! I'll help Rin-chan. I like her, after all. But don't try to order me around, okay?"

Rin tugged on Fuko's kimono. "Fuko-chan, you should listen to Lord Sesshomaru. He saved you!"

The demoness poked at the little girl's sides. "What? When? Where? Was I in trouble somehow?"

Rin's giggling kept Sesshomaru from being too set on retaliating against Fuko's disrespect just then. When next they were alone, however… There was only so much he could let slide.

The rest of the day and afternoon was spent preparing for the doctor's departure. Fuko insisted on a bath for Rin before anything else, and her bedding was to be laundered as well. It was a bit of a hassle with Jaken, he grumbled and refused to respond to her greeting, but the imp built the small hot spring she requested right inside the cave. Though the doctor was unsure of allowing his patient to get wet while still ill, he didn't object to the luxry as long as she was kept warm. Then Rin, relaxed and sleepy from the soothing bath, napped against Fuko's side as she sat with the doctor and sorted through his kusuri-dansu. During this, Sesshomaru watched without appearing to watch. Fuko did not just receive instruction, she made suggestions that had the doctor revisiting his deeper knowledge of herbology and making revisions to his treatment.

At one point, Akahige laid aside his mortar and pestle and said, "Excuse me, but, you seem to know more about these plants and their uses than many of my apprentices. Have you studied medicine?"

"Ah, no." Rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment, Fuko explained. "I never studied. I only remember what I've overheard because it all sounded so interesting. It has proved useful though!"

Rin woke in time to see the doctor off. It had only been a short while that she'd known him and she had been frightened of him at first, but Rin was grateful to the doctor for making her feel better. She didn't let on that she knew, but she realized that the doctor had been sad and scared while he was there. Though she didn't understand it, Rin recognized that other humans thought Master Jaken and Lord Sesshomaru were scary. So, the doctor's expression was confusing to her when she and Fuko stood on the cliff outside the cave, waving goodbye to him as he got smaller and smaller in the distance, along with Jaken and Ah-Un who had been tasked with ferrying him home.

"Fuko-chan, why did Akahige-sensei look sad when he left? I thought he would be happy to go home."

"I'm not sure. He must have liked you. I know if I had to leave Rin-chan behind, I would be sad, too."

Fuko wasn't too far from the truth. All the way home, Akahige fretted over Rin's fate. Yes, the child had appeared happy with them, but was it possible for a human to truly belong amongst demons?

The dragon beast glided into the valley village silently under cover of darkness. They landed in his familiar herb garden, which looked so drastically different to him only because he was now different. It took only seconds for his chest of medicines and his satchel to be dropped from the creature's sides, then the imp tossed a velvet cloth bag to him from his seat on back of the beast. The tinkling of the many coins inside was obvious.

"You'll find that to be more than enough payment," he said snobbishly. "Be grateful and remember what an honor it was to serve the great Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands!"

Then, Akahige was left alone to enter his own home through the back door in the night like a thief. No one challenged him as walked through his rooms. He had to go looking. Though the hour was late, his aides and apprentices were awake and gathered in the kitchen. They were understandably shocked to see him walk in, but they embraced him. There was celebration, but with patients sleeping just down the hall there could be no shouting. There was some sake, horded and treasured, that was brought out for him, and he was very thankful for it. When they got around to asking why he had disappeared and where he had gone, the doctor found that he could not even begin to explain.

We looked for you, they said, we combed the forests calling for you. Where did you go?

Akahige could only shake his head.

But, they knew something bizarre must have happen to their teacher. For days afterward, the doctor well-known for his incurable insomnia slept and slept and slept.

Next time on Westward Bound:

Chapter XII: A Confession!?