It had been just over a week or so that Yuki had been travelling with Sesshomaru before she heard news of Inuyasha again. And it couldn't have come at a better time… in her opinion.

The day had started out relatively normally, though Yuki had seemed glum for a few days. Rin had noticed, but nothing she said or asked could coax anything out of Yuki besides a few words and shrugs. Sesshomaru noted her strange behaviour but didn't comment, while Jaken complained about how she was making Rin even more incessantly talkative.

By lunch, it was clear that something was weighing Yuki down, for she turned pensive very often and would often stare blankly up at the sky. Rin had let her be at last, while Sesshomaru apparently ignored them as he continued his journey in his customary silence.

He would never admit it aloud, but he'd gotten used to the half-demoness's cheerful and often teasing attitude. Yes, she could be serious once in a while, particularly during a fight, but he'd long since noticed that she tended to have a happier disposition, almost akin to Rin's. Her dampened mood, therefore, was incredibly uncharacteristic, and it bothered Sesshomaru… though he would be caught dead before he acknowledged such a thing.

Yuki, meanwhile, was pondering the likelihood of Sesshomaru allowing her to go 'visit' Inuyasha. It hadn't been that long since they'd last parted with the half-demon, but she was starting to get anxious…

She was interrupted from her thoughts, when a large tree suddenly started to grow in the distance, looking almost identical to the Sacred Tree. Both Sesshomaru and Yuki stopped at that, heads turning to stare, and Yuki recognized the tree as the mythical Tree of Ages.

"Mi lord?" Jaken asked tentatively, but Sesshomaru ignored him.

Both he and Yuki stared at the tree, and Yuki felt a chill run down her spine at the strong demonic aura that wafted off the new tree, thick and pulsing with a darkness that made her skin crawl.

They had been staring out above the trees in the valley far below for a moment, when Yuki frowned as she stared at the Tree of Ages in the distance.

"That smell…" Yuki murmured, and Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as he too caught it, before he turned and walked away, back towards Jaken and Rin.

Yuki glanced after him in surprise, and she called as she hurried after him: "You aren't going to follow it? It smelt like-"

"I see no need in joining pointless battles." Sesshomaru replied coldly, and Yuki wrinkled her nose at him.

She was certain that the smell she'd caught was that of a moth demon from the far West. It was not a very familiar smell, but she'd heard the stories of the moth demons from other demons that had fled the terrible battles they had cause, and how Inu no Taisho had defeated them centuries ago.

But apparently Sesshomaru wasn't interested in following his father's legacy in this fight, and Yuki was certainly in no position to contradict him now.

She glanced back up at the sky once more before, with a sigh, she turned and simply followed Sesshomaru as he walked off. Sesshomaru noted her unusually passive acquiescence and frowned slightly, but he became distracted by another smell in the distance.

Yuki also stiffened and her head whipped to stare towards Kikyo's home village, towards the Sacred Tree where Inuyasha had once been trapped.

"Inuyasha." She murmured, while Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "He's in danger."

"Hmph." He sniffed before turning and walking on.

Yuki hesitated, staring at the place where she could smell Inuyasha's blood, spilling from a fresh wound.

"Sesshomaru." She called at last, and he paused but didn't look back. "I'm going to go help Inuyasha."

He remained silent for a moment, and Yuki wondered if she'd maybe pushed her luck with him. Not that she really required his permission – it wasn't like she really listened to him that often anyway – but now that she had struck a deal with him, she did feel as though she ought to at least find an agreement with him whenever she chose to leave his group.

"Do as you wish."

Yuki blinked in surprise at Sesshomaru's cool words while he walked forward once more, heading back into the forest. Yuki glanced back at the Tree of Ages one last time before she turned and went in a different direction, heading for the Sacred Tree as she wondered what Inuyasha had got himself into this time.


"Inuyasha." Yuki gasped when she found him, as she'd once found him before.

She hadn't wanted to come back this way, not since she'd first found him bound fifty years ago. It had only been after news spread that the Shikon Jewel was gone, the priestess guarding it having taken it with her into the Netherworld after her death, that she'd found out about Inuyasha's fate. Back then, it had made her run far away in grief – and it didn't feel any better this time.

Her blood was cold and her heart was heavy as she brushed her hand over the sleeping half-demon's hair, staring morosely at Inuyasha pinned to the Sacred Tree once more. Her hand moved to touch the sacred arrow that held him in place, and then she frowned.

'This… is Kagome's arrow.' Yuki thought as she felt the feathered end, sensing Kagome's scent on it. 'Why…?'

Yuki turned her head sharply as she heard as she heard a voice not far away that she hadn't thought she would ever hear again.

"Go home!"

Yuki turned, her eyes tracking the place where Kikyo was speaking from as the once deceased priestess said angrily: "Back to your own era, where you belong!"

Yuki found Kikyo just as she smelt Kagome, and she took off at once while the priestess snapped: "You and Inuyasha live in different times. Go home!"

Yuki stopped at the edge of a clearing, staying hidden in the trees as she saw Kikyo push Kagome harshly, causing the girl to topple backwards and fall into a well that Yuki assumed to be the famous Bone-Eater's Well. Yuki's eyes narrowed as Kagome screamed as she fell before her voice disappeared as she presumably returned to her own time.

The half-demon turned her eyes back to Kikyo, watching silently as the priestess stared at the vines growing out of the well, covering and sealing it completely.

"You must never be with Inuyasha again." Kikyo murmured sadly. "Nor I, for I am one of the dead and as such, I too don't belong here."

Yuki watched silently as Kikyo turned away, her soul collectors flying about her as the priestess walked away. Yuki's eyes drifted back to the well, and then back towards where Inuyasha was trapped. She wasn't sure what to do now: should she run once more, try to alleviate the grief of her friend's entrapment that was no different from death?

But Rin and – surprisingly – Sesshomaru's faces flashed through her mind, and Yuki knew she couldn't abandon them.

Swallowing thickly, Yuki glanced at the sky sadly once more as the sun began to move further to the West, and she decided she should find somewhere to rest for the night. She couldn't move now anyway, so she would at least give herself this one night to grieve before she returned to Rin and Sesshomaru.

'Oh, Inuyasha.' Yuki sighed as she turned away from her friend for a second time. 'You swore once to always be there to watch my back. Why must you break your word twice?'


Sesshomaru strode through the forest, his expression thoughtful. Jaken dared not to ask his master what was bothering him, particularly not after his short reply to Rin's question about Yuki's whereabouts.

"Gone." Had been his curt reply, though when Rin's face had fallen he added dismissively: "She will be back soon."

Sesshomaru wasn't sure how he knew. A part of him supposed there was the possibility that Yuki would run in grief, as she had apparently done the first time Inuyasha had managed to get himself bound by a sacred arrow. But the larger part of him didn't think she would be that weak or unfaithful.

She would return and keep her word, her promise that she would protect Rin. Of this, somehow, Sesshomaru was certain. Another person might have said it was his own faith in Yuki, or at least the logical conclusion to draw after having watched Yuki long enough to understand her personality and sense of moral duty. But of course, Sesshomaru dismissed such notions.

Neither Jaken nor Rin said any more after his response, sensing Sesshomaru's mind was elsewhere. And it was – other than shoving away all thoughts on the currently missing half-demoness, Sesshomaru was intent on seeking out another particular individual.

Jaken and Rin didn't know what it was he sought, but they followed without question as he led them through the forest. Eventually, as the sun was setting in the distance, Sesshomaru called a silent halt, gesturing for the pair and A-Un to remain hidden amongst the trees, while he strode onwards to the edge of the forest.

His wards peeked out to watch, unseen, as Sesshomaru stopped a few feet behind a young priestess who stood staring out over the edge of the cliff.

Kikyo herself sensed the demonic aura, and she glanced back sharply to see the dog demon standing there, staring at her.

"You're Inuyasha's older brother." She noted.

Sesshomaru didn't deign to answer her non-question as he proceeded with his own question: "The girl named Kagome; you truly must loathe her. Or are you merely testing her powers?"

Kikyo didn't even look back as she answered flatly: "I loathe all things. I despise every living creature who is bound to time."

Sesshomaru acknowledged that simply with a small frown, but he added in final warning: "Do as you see fit. Though I warn you, I shall be the one to destroy Inuyasha."

With that, he turned and left the priestess, walking back into the trees as she simply continued to stare out into the distance where they could see the Tree of Ages. Jaken and Rin quickly hurried after him, the former calling: "Lord Sesshomaru, are you sure it was a wise decision to let that woman go free?"

"Are you blind, Jaken?" Sesshomaru returned as he glanced back over his shoulder. "That woman is already dead."

He turned back to face the front, ignoring Jaken's shocked expression and Rin's surprise.

"Dead?" The child questioned. "But how can that be? She spoke as if she were living. How can she be dead if she's alive my lord?"

"Silence, Rin!" Jaken snapped, annoyed at the girl, and Rin frowned back at him.

"I'm not asking you, Master Jaken!" She returned, and Jaken yelled angrily: "What?! You brazen child!"

He waved his staff indignantly, only to trip himself up while Rin ran after the quickly disappearing Sesshomaru as she called: "Wait for me, Lord Sesshomaru!"

She hurried after the dog demon, and as she caught up, she mused: "Yuki would have known. When do you think Yuki will be back, Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Soon." Was his curt reply, and Rin nodded, backing away as she sensed his closure on the subject.

But he heard as Rin sighed under her breath: "I miss her already."

"Hmph! Of course you would, weak human that you are!" Jaken scoffed, and Rin returned: "You miss her too, Master Jaken. I saw you worrying if Yuki was mad this morning about what you said to her last night."

"Be quiet, you insolent girl!"

Sesshomaru ignored the bickering pair as he glanced up at the sky, noting the full moon that was just beginning to rise while he pondered Inuyasha's new fight, Inuyasha's old lover, and – despite himself - Yuki.


Yuki's ears perked as something shuffled loudly nearby, and she looked up in surprise when Inuyasha poked his head down into the small den she'd found in the roots of an old oak tree.

"Inuyasha!" Yuki gasped, and he grinned. "I thought-"

"I'm not that easy to get rid of." He replied smugly, causing Yuki to roll her eyes even as she smiled widely at him. "Long time no see, Yuki."

"Yeah. Sorry for running off so suddenly before." Yuki apologized, and Inuyasha shrugged.

"It's okay – Kagome explained, and I have a feeling I understand what was going through your head at the time." He replied, giving her a knowing look and Yuki nodded.

"Were you all right afterwards?" Yuki asked softly.

Had it been anyone else, Inuyasha would've scoffed or snapped back – but this was Yuki. And she understood too well how he might have felt. How she might feel if that had happened to her.

"… Afterwards." He agreed, and Yuki nodded, letting the subject drop at that.

Her eyes slid to his shoulder as she did so, resting on the small stains of blood when it caught her eye, and Inuyasha noted the direction of her gaze.

"I'll be fine." He dismissed before he became serious. "How come you're here alone? I thought you would still be with Sesshomaru?"

"Yeah, well, you know." Yuki shrugged. "I was going to come looking for you anyways, before I even smelt you were in trouble. I'm still not really comfortable… you know."

Inuyasha nodded, glancing up at the sky.

"Yeah, I do." He agreed. "But, I have to go to stop Menomaru tonight; after I get Kagome back that is."

"You go. Good luck." Yuki answered with a firm nod, and he answered as he glanced around the den: "You too. Stay safe."

"Don't I always?" Yuki smiled and Inuyasha shot her a grin before he ran off and she sighed as she settled down on the ground for the evening. At least Inuyasha's safe return solved one of her problems. Now she just had to lay low for the night and find Sesshomaru in the morning.


"Yuki!" Rin cheered when Yuki reappeared the next morning.

"Hey Rin!" Yuki said cheerfully, while Jaken scolded: "Where have you been, you silly half-demon?"

"I got caught up in some things." Yuki shrugged while Rin hugged her.

Inuyasha had returned early in the morning to brief her on the incident after defeating the demon Menomaru, who had been behind the whole incident. She was just relieved he was really fine, and they'd parted ways again soon after that, Inuyasha heading back to his friends while Yuki ran off to rejoin Sesshomaru's group.

"I missed you." Rin told the older female as she looked up with big eyes. "The ground wasn't as comfy to sleep on without you there."

"Are you trying to imply something there young lady?" Yuki teased, poking Rin's stomach and making the child giggle while Jaken harrumphed behind them.

Sesshomaru simply turned and started walking again, hearing his wards and Yuki fall into step quickly behind him, Jaken yelping as usual while Yuki laughed. He hadn't missed her lifted mood, and frowned at the change. While it wasn't too unusual, he had a strange feeling he'd missed something, something Yuki was hiding.

Realizing his own preoccupation suddenly, Sesshomaru quickly shook himself. He had other concerns to deal with. With that, he strode onwards while suppressing the thoughts regarding a half-demoness he was starting to find very troublesome to his concentration.

*A/N Song of the day: A Wish Beyond Time from Inuyasha. The link is: /4-LU5TdAg0M