Chapter Twelve

On Your Own

Early the next morning, they went around town for supplies. The land where the village was built was dirty and brown, buildings tucked in close beside the road, and the air smelled of fleshly made bread. Rin loved the stores around here they always had such good scenery. As they visit the stores Rin had not said anything about the day before. They entered the first store. It was filled shelf to shelf with strange apparel. Sesshoumaru went to the owner as Rin and Hakkido looked around. Actually they didn't think they needed any of this here. Rin was all ways a adventurer by heart, and she let her instincts do the talking. Rin believed in using the environment around them to survive, at least that's what she learned from Sesshoumaru as a child.

After exploring the shelf's Rin rushed over to Sesshoumaru and the store's owner. The owner was a young man who was obviously new in this village. Rin watched as Sesshoumaru and him talked about something. She wasn't listening that closely. They finished up an half hour later. While Sesshoumaru headed out the door Rin stop the owner from going into the back.

"Sir, do you know if there any are any holy, sacred places around, like for purifying ?"

"I sorry young lady, I don't know of anything like that."

"Thanks anyway?"

The man shook his head and walked away. He didn't know allot about the place. While getting more supplies Rin questioned the people about the same question, but no one knows of anything like that.

"Rin, tomorrow I think we should head west along the shore."

"Why?"

"A women in one of the stores said just three days ago she saw a strange man guarding around that area. He was going on about somewhere beyond the caves along the shore were sacred and to be untouched."

Rin stared at him doubtfully, "than if it is to be untouched, why are we going?"

"Just leave this to me Rin."

They later went to a inn for the night. Rin tried to sleep, but the thoughts of what was going on pained her as she slept. After Rin was sure Sesshoumaru was asleep she a headed there on her own. She knew it was a stupid thing to do, cause she couldn't see a thing in this night, but knowing that she could rid Hakkido of his troubles was enough to get there. Rin walked through the dark of about two hours with only a steady candle to guide her. she couldn't find the shore anywhere during that time.

A little while later she found a area where no trees grew. The land was fragile and weak. Rin took each step with caution hoping the ground wouldn't fall in, but she guessed she wasn't light enough. Rin took another step and felt her feet sink in the ground. Before she could jump a step back the ground fell, with Rin along for the ride. She screamed so loud she swore she could still hear it after twenty seconds.

Sorry to say, but she didn't have a soft landing. Rin looked up and saw the cliff she had just fell from. It stood about twenty feet above her. The pain of falling from that height made her dizzy. She closed my eyes wanting the pain to go away, but that only put her to sleep. The sound of seagulls and waves being drawn into the ocean filled the air. Rin's body stopped moving after awhile. She opened her eyes to see what happen, she had stumbled a pond the lower shore.

She squished the sand into her hands. She lifted her hurting body and stretched her arms into the beautiful dawn. As the dawn set in she stood herself up and began looking for that area. Though her body was weak and wounded she forced herself to continue. The steep rocks along the unsteady shore had slowed her to a walk. She trudged up the rocky shore side with no idea where she was going.

In the distance, dawn rose. As she waddled her way off the shore she came across some caves. Probably the same ones Sesshoumaru was talking about. If the caves were deep she could get lost again. She tore the helm of her kimono and tied it to the rocks she passed. The farther she walked into the caves the more harder it became to walk. Rocks piled upon dirt and mud making it almost impossible to lay a foot down without getting stuck.

One wrong move could badly effect her. She could feel the wounds on her body growing at an incredible rate. As she hoped rock to rock she noticed a figure among the walls.

"Hey, you there!" she yelled trying to make her way closer, but the figure just ran from her.

"Wait, come back!"

Trying to catch up one of Rin's foot missed a sturdy rock and slipped in between two huge bolder. Moving to catch up her legs twisted and stayed in place. Immediately she screamed so loud. The scream was loud enough, but no one was there to find her. The pain was unbearable. The pain took over her thoughts as she dug her way through the rocks.

Her flimsy little finger nails broke trying to remove the rocks. she slammed the smaller rocks onto the ground and out off her way. In a second her finger jam itself into a tight area and jerked itself out. She hollered again and looked at her hand. Her pointer finger turned red and swollen. Her ears twitched as she heard drops. She looked around, but saw no water.

And then looked at her leg that was caught. Thin drops of blood trickled down to her ankle. The blood stained the rocks and her hands that were trying harder to remove the rocks. The drops of blood mixed with the tears that ran down her cheeks. She tried holding in her tears, but like the blood it can not be kept in one place of the body. Within all the struggle she could only think about why she didn't listen to Sesshoumaru, she had done a lot of stupid things but this takes the cake. But the struggle soon put her to sleep. She was exhausted from trying to free her leg.

As I slept I had a dream. I was laughing very happily although inside my heart anger was burning. A blazing fire of rage, and at the same time in my heart there was also worry and soar. In the dream there was another person. He was so strong that he could laugh out loud and forget about anger and sadness. I want to have that kind of strength, I truly do, I wish...

The was broken with a figure standing above her. Silky silver hair, stretched over blonde sun and shadow, framed liquid gold eyes. She stared into their depths. Like pure water on a moonless night they hid what lay beneath, yet drew her in breathless. She remember that and in that it was Sesshoumaru.

She scrambled to sit up. Sesshoumaru stood next to her. She looked at her leg and it had a cloth tied around it. He smiled and knew that she left to find out on her own. Sesshoumaru bend down and helped her stand up. She looked at him curious of why he didn't brag or yell at her. As they limped back to the inn it started to rain.

Moist rain drops rippled in the hundreds of puddles, surround them. They reflected perfect doubles within the water. The rain scrabbled through the maze of Sesshoumaru's wet black hair. Once it found a comfortable spot the rain stayed in place, making him shine with a great intensity. That moment she could not take her eyes off him and she may never. The cold fall breeze and the swift changing of the leaves made the most radiant landscape.

Rin stopped leaning on Sesshoumaru's shoulder and stood in the rain. She saw her reflection in his eyes perfectly. Sesshoumaru notice her halt and joined her. His long strong arms wrapped around her tiny waist. His arms tighten, preventing her from moving and he held her close to his chest. She told him he didn't have to protect her from the rain, because he will be wet also. She signed and tried to explain, but he just stared at the rain.

His warm and comforting chest just told her he is the one she should be with forever. Feeling uneasy she gently laid her head against his. As they faced the rain, Rin never wanted to leave this moment. If I could just stop time and remain in this memory forever. Even drenched in water Sesshoumaru was just as charming as ever.

Rin spoke under breath and tried to explain to him, "I didn't mean to disobey you...I just want to prove to you that I can do things on my own."

Her tears soaked into his clothes, of course you couldn't tell by the way it was raining.

"You don't have to. It's my job to protect you...and I want to."

"I feel dumb, Sesshoumaru. Like I'm always causing trouble for you.."

"My life would be nothing without you. Come on, I have to take you back, Hakkido was worried when you ran off." Rin shortly smiled. "I still don't understand why you want to keep such a kid with us, he's annoying. Don't leave me alone with him anymore...ok."

"Ok."

Sesshoumaru decided he would get there more quicker if she wasn't wanting to walk, so he lifted her into his arms and carried her the rest of the way.