I was walking sluggish behind Sesshomaru and the others the next morning. I was tired and weak from the restless night from before. I couldn't stop thinking about Sesshomaru's soft lips against mine. His rough hand and how it covered my hand gently. The whole entire day was…interesting. I had been on his lap, nestling in his fur wrap and listening to his heartbeat. He had taken care of me and saved my life, much like I had his. Then, at the end of the day, he had kissed me tenderly. Though he hadn't really acknowledged me since then, and It was as if it hadn't even happened.
It was such a surprise, and he had hinted at the fact that he had been worried about me. What had the kiss meant? I didn't want to think too much about it, but I couldn't help it. I watched the back of his Kimono and his long, silver hair as we walked and headed toward the forest of Kagrey. Up next on our list was the blood of a spider half-demon. Sesshomaru was eager to get there and get it over with, but I was slowing all of us down.
I yawned even though I wasn't tired and listened to Rin and Jaken argue about when the leaves would start changing colors. The leaves had been green for a while, yet they did seem to start getting a little weaker. Rin was saying that it would be in the next couple weeks, while Jaken said it would be in two months. Jaken was much older than Rin, and I would have to side with him over her for once. However, I didn't say anything because I was starting to enjoy listening to them bicker.
I swished my tail and flattened my ears to the side lazily as I walked. I peeked up at Sesshomaru and stared at his pointed ears and markings. Unlike him, I didn't have them, though his mother said that I should. I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like being a full demon. I couldn't remember, and I hadn't had a memory since I had seen her. I guessed it was just because I didn't want to remember them since I knew that soon I would get them back.
I placed my hand over my bare stomach and felt the rough scarring that had regenerated from a straight hole the size of Sesshomaru's hand. I had never felt pain like that before, but I had to save his life. There wasn't an option. My tail swayed lightly in the sudden wind that brought a variety of smells. It passed by my nose and I had started to pick through them. Flora, fur from animals, water, Sesshomaru and Jaken and Ah-Un's demonic blood, Rin, and…
I sniffed the air again as another gust flew past my nose and stopped. There was something close by, something similar to Rin, but different in a way. I looked to the right in the direction of the wind and the smell. The others continued on through the woods, as I looked through the trees and sniffed in the direction. I could smell cherries, and something that smelt a little like purity…if that had a smell. "Yuzuki," I heard a stern voice call from in front of me."
I turned and saw all four of their heads fixated on me. "What is that smell?" I asked curiously, and watched as Jaken and Rin started sniffing the warm air. Jaken looked down with a eyebrows closer together and Rin stated that she couldn't smell anything.
"Well, of course you can't smell anything. You are nothing but a small human girl." He nodded his head matter-a-fact. "If I am not mistaken, Yuzuki, It smells like a miko." He nodded his head again. When he saw my confused look he continued. "A miko m'lady is a priestess. We talked about those on top of the mountain. She is a woman that can-"
"Hold a large amount of spiritual energy and can purify demons and blah, blah. Thank you Jaken." I turned my head and looked back through the trees again. I had never met one, and had never remembered meeting one even though I knew it was a miko that had taken away half my power. I ran in the direction of the smell and heard Jaken's frantic voice echo behind me. A gust of wind flew past my feet and I halted to a stop when a silver blue rushed past me and then stood in front of me.
I looked at him with pleading eyes, but his blank expression stayed unchanged. "She might be able to help me…" I took a step forward, looking past him and smelling the scent which was a little stronger.
"She will kill you. You're nothing but a demon to her." He spit almost angrily and I gave him a pained expression. He walked past me and back to others. I heard his footsteps come to a stop and a small breath suck into his lips. "I cannot stop you however." He continued walking again and I stared into the forest in front of me. I bolted forward, because even though I knew the risk, what did it matter. What if she could help me? She could take the curse off of me and then it wouldn't matter if I didn't have my memories.
I followed the smell until I could hear someone walking. I became motionless and then scanned the woods for any sign of life. I saw the flash of black hair that was high up in a black ribbon. I walked forward and noticed that she was wearing dark blue robes and a black hakama and a white kasode. She turned slightly when I let my foot snap a branch and I looked up with wide eyes. She had beautiful big brown eyes and had a basket in the crook of her right arm and a bow in the hand of her other.
"Who is there?" she asked with a harsh tone, though her voice was soft like dew. It was light in her age, and her face was thin and angular. She bent down and turned toward me, but it was obvious she didn't see me as she put down her basket and angled her bow in her hand as her other reached behind her back. "I can sense you demon. Come out now." She warned, and I was cautious as I watched her. She seemed familiar, and as I started thinking about it, her smell was sort of familiar too.
I took a step forward and in an instant she had an arrow locked into her bow. Her eyes met mine and then widened as she pulled back and let the arrow drop from her hands onto the ground. I walked forward with my hands up, and she was quick to keep the distance between us. "Please, I want help." I begged and at my words she pulled another arrow and locked it more furiously this time. I saw as she reached for it that she had the same black beads that were around the human I kept seeing in my memories. "A priestess put a curse on me." I added as she stared at me with careful eyes.
"I know." She slit them, trying to hide her fear. "I put it there." She spat, and I felt my heart drop into my stomach.
"Why…" I asked as my hand reached up to my chest as I stared at the arrow, one of the ones that had killed me.
"You don't remember do you?" she laughed slightly almost sadistically. "Well, no matter, I don't intend to let you live." She pulled the arrow back and released, and I had barley any time to get out of the way as the arrow was enveloped in a pink light. The tree whizzed past my head and right into a tree. She quickly rearmed her bow and shot at me again, and this time I turned to run, but the arrow sliced through my upper arm, cutting me pretty badly.
I ran through the trees, trying to get away as best as I could, and was thankful I was at least part demon for once. I was faster than her, and she was but a human. I was a coward, and I wasn't sad to admit it. What had I done to her? Why had she killed me? I was sniffing for Sesshomaru and was surprised when I could smell him so close. I stopped and turned, and almost smacked my face right into him. I looked up, my heart thumping uncontrollably and my breathing harsh and quick.
Tears started welling up in my eyes, and I couldn't do anything to stop them. I felt as my ears flattened against my head, and my tail stopped moving. I looked up at him as they started to spill over my cheeks and he looked down at me as if nothing I was doing affected him at all. "You were right…" I choked through my sobs. "She…she was the one that killed me. She had killed me and I've no idea why." I brought my hands up to my face and pushed them onto my eyes.
"Stop." He said simply and sniffled and looked up at him. "Stop." His eyes were softer and his lips were more of a frown than a thin line like they usually were. I swallowed hard and squeezed my eyes shut trying to stop crying. I bit my bottom lip and nodded. He looked back up and started walking past me, and I turned to follow him. It was such a small demand, but because he said it I wanted to do it for him.
I wanted him to speak more though, and mainly I wanted him to say something about the kiss. "Sesshomaru…" I said quietly as I followed behind him. He made a questioning hum and I continued. I wasn't going to stop thinking about the woman, but to get my mind off her I could start with him. "Why…why did you kiss me last night?" I asked suddenly. "I thought that maybe it might have meant something to you." I added daringly and he stopped in his tracks and I nearly bumped into his back.
I wanted to see the reaction of his face, but all I could see was the back of his silver head. "Don't ask such silly things." He continued to walk and I blinked a couple of times and watched him walk in front of me. I smiled to myself because he didn't say anything hurtful, yet simply brushed it off. Maybe, just maybe, I meant something to him. It didn't matter if that priestess had killed me in the past, and it didn't matter why she wanted me dead. I would get my memories back, and everything would be revealed. One day, I would kill her.
