Chapter 11 – There is only the inevitable

"I only meant to let you know what she wanted to tell you," she whispered knowing that he could hear her. "She wasn't afraid and she didn't blame you, you. Her last thoughts were of you, her caretaker, her Sesshoumaru-sama."

She waited to see if he would respond. When he didn't, she settled in against the dragon.

"Oyasumi, Sesshoumaru-sama," she murmured.

The Taiyoukai closed his eyes and allowed himself a small measure of relief. It somewhat eased the weight in his chest to hear that Rin didn't cry and was brave until the very end. He didn't think that he would not be able to live with himself if Rin cried and he wasn't there to soothe her.

There was something ticking her ear. "Stop it Shippou," moaned Kagome.

Ah huffed at her and tugged at her hair. "Ow!" She cried out, "What's the..? Oh, it's you Ah!"

The dragon stood up, unceremoniously dumping her on the ground. "Ow, I'm injured you know!" The dragon just smirked at her.

Kagome slowly got up. The sun was not even up yet. She looked around and found the Taiyoukai under his tree.

"Ohayou Sesshoumaru-sama," she whispered to him. The only acknowledgement she got was the slow blink of his golden eyes. "I will be cleaning up by the stream and be back in a while."

When it was apparent that he will not be talk to her, Kagome went to the stream to clean up.

She was still sore but it was good to see that her wounds were healing nicely. The medicinal shrubs around the streams were helping her a lot. Even Sesshoumaru's bites were scabbing up with no signs of infection.

"I never would have guessed that Ah-Uhn's saliva would come in handy. Maybe I could ask for a bottle of it to take back?" Kagome said as she braced herself for the cold water. "Brrr! C-c-cooold!"

Kagome quickly sponged herself and dried herself as much as she could. She ate what she could as she gathered fruits and nuts for the day. She tried to move as quickly as he wounds would allow. She didn't want to re-open them but she also didn't want to get left behind by the Taiyoukai.

When she got back to the clearing, the Taiyoukai in question was just rising from his tree. "I'm back, Sesshoumaru-sama!" she greeted him.

The Taiyoukai just flipped his hair back and ran his claws through it. Without a word, he started walking. Though she didn't expect any reply from him, she still felt a bit peeved. Shrugging it off, she instead beamed a smile to her dragon companion who nuzzled her, "Ohayou, Ah-Uhn!"

Sesshoumaru continued to walk, ignoring the babbling miko in tow. Truthfully, he did not wish to travel with the miko. But his honour dictated that he care for the miko while she recuperated from her wounds. Wounds that she received from protecting his ward and wounds that he, himself dealt to her.

It was almost mid-morning and the miko was still silent. She did not talk to him or the dragon since her morning greetings. He took a delicate sniff into the air and confirmed that the miko was not ill. Aside from the mild scent of blood from her wounds, her scent remained the same. Her breathing sounded fine and the scent of her wounds suggested that they were healing well. He could smell the dragon's healing saliva on her as well.

He then realized that the reason that he could hear the silence is because he is waiting to hear Rin's normal chatter. Rin should be running ahead of him and playing. She would be going from one flower patch to another. She will then be presenting the prettiest flower to him and beaming at him in delight. She would then braid the flowers together and tie it at the end of his hair. Ah-Uhn would get a flower necklace while Jaken would get a crown.

By now, Rin would be getting tired. He would be stopping at a nearby stream so that she can freshen up and eat some fruit. Ah-Uhn would be cooling down as well and drinking his fill. Jaken would be complaining about the weaknesses of humans and he would just ignore them all.

"How beautiful!" The miko exclaimed in awe.

Up ahead was a large clearing of flowers. It would seem that the flowers were in full bloom as the air was clotted with their sweet perfume. The miko went ahead. She waded into the sea of flowers and called on to Ah-Uhn.

Sesshoumaru frowned to himself. He didn't mean to seek out a clearing of flowers but here they were. Had he been following the flowers' scent all along? Is this the reason why Rin always found the flowers she so loved everywhere? Has he been instinctually seeking out such places so Rin could enjoy herself? So that a human child can find happiness no matter how small in the company of youkai?

Sesshoumaru was pulled out of his musings when he heard the miko laugh. She was making a flower necklace for Ah-Uhn.

"Here you go, Ah-Uhn," she said. "This is my thanks for taking care of me and healing my wounds. From now on, let's be friends okay?"

Uhn lowered his but Ah refused. Sesshoumaru could feel anger coming from the dragon.

"Ah?" prompted the miko.

Ah snapped at the miko and looked away. Her gaze landed on the withered necklace around his neck. It was Rin's necklace for him.

"Oh no, Ah! I didn't mean it that way," she said as she as she reached up to touch the dragon's head. "I do not mean to replace Rin in your heart. No one can do that. Rin is Rin. Kagome is Kagome. I only meant that I would love to have the honour of being your friend. The necklace if just a symbol of my thanks and offering to be your friend. If you don't want the necklace, it is fine. I understand. But please, don't be offended. I didn't mean to harm your memories of Rin."

The miko withdrew from the dragon. Uhn nuzzled the miko to comfort her and she smiled fondly at him. Ah continued to look away but he did snuffle her hair. The miko laughed and hugged him.

He was about to turn away when he caught her eye.

She was glad that Ah understood. It seems that he has difficulty accepting her and feels that his memories of Rin are being threatened. It was good that he understood that she will never do that.

She laughed as Ah nuzzled her neck. She turned away from his ticklish breath and caught sight of Sesshoumaru standing at the edge of the clearing. He was looking at them but he seemed far away. She knew that he was thinking of Rin.

This field of flowers looked just like the type of place Rin would love to frolic around. Kagome knew that the Taiyoukai was hurting though you wouldn't know it by looking at him. But she could feel it in the way his eyes gleamed, the way he stood and the way he looked away from her.

Kagome closed her eyes and offered a pray to the Kami. She thanked the Kami for helping her secure a travel spot with Sesshoumaru and she asked for guidance how to best help the grieving Taiyoukai.

She stood up and dusted of what remained of her tattered uniform. She figured that the best way to approach the Taiyoukai is just to be her normal self. This would be the best way to help. Be as normal as possible so that he wouldn't even realize that he has gotten over his grief.

Kagome took a deep breath and smiled brightly. "Wait up, Sesshoumaru-sama!" She called out. "Come one, Ah-Uhn, hurry up or else we'd be left behind!"

Yes, being cheerful felt loads better than being cautiously silent. Besides, Rin wouldn't like it that her Sesshoumaru-sama was sad just because she isn't here anymore.

'Yes, maybe this was inevitable,' Kagome thought to herself as she hummed while following Sesshoumaru retreating back.

A/N:

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