A/N: Yaya, glad to see you guys liked last chapter. I'm kinda tired, so if I make any mistakes, just tell me.
Disclaimer: Yay!
Inuyasha: what's there to yay about? You don't own my show yet!
Me: But I have a five-point plan to get it. Grabs supplies and laughs evilly
Sesshomaru stared at Tsukiko's prone form with little emotion. Cerelune and Springstein were crawling over her, licking various cuts on her face, but mostly curling up between her neck and her shoulders. Bandages wrapped their way up her arms and body. Her shirt had been removed, but bandages covered everything. A shrew demon silently sat by her, healing what she could. Every now and then, the demon would check her weak pulse or open her closed eyes, but it stayed the same and her eyes were cloudy. She was drenched in sweat and her breathing was ragged. He had been told that her dragon form had sustained eighty consecutive poisonous bites. He also knew that she was burned in several places. There was probably not one ounce of blood that was not mixed with poison. By all accounts, she should have been dead.
He was waiting for Soha to dress into more appropriate clothes before seeing him. It was dark out and he had already had to explain to Rin why Tsukiko had not been able to teach her that day. (A/N: remember, he doesn't know about the redecorating.)
Soha came into the room and he nodded to the chair of the other side of the futon that Tsukiko lay in. Soha sat and looked at Tsukiko with a mixture of confusion, admiration and reverence. Sesshomaru cleared his throat and she snapped back to attention.
"What happened?" He asked quietly.
"I… I was running through the woods." Soha started. Her tone changed to the emotionless one she used when making her reports. "I stopped when I came to the webs. I thought to destroy them, because they were too close to the village. I burned four of them, but in the fifth, the largest, a huge spider came out at me. I killed it, and continued my work. I was attacked from behind, suffering one bit at the nape of my neck. The pain was… unbearable. It made me feel like my veins were on fire and I was getting weak and dizzy. I couldn't keep going, and eventually I lay paralyzed on the ground, but the poison would not allow me to fall unconscious. Just as I was afraid I would be eaten alive, Tsukiko arrived out of nowhere. She put up a magnificent fight, sir, using only her hands and what she could make do with. She was bitten, though. She turned into a dragon and killed those that she could, while getting me onto her back so we could fly away. When we went over the village, they started shooting arrows at us. She was hit twice and she deflected a few from me with her tail. We broke through your dragon shield again and she shielded me from the fire. From there, you showed up after her dragon form melted away."
Sesshomaru listened to her with interest. "She's exceptionally brave." He muttered, and instantly wished he hadn't.
Soha's eyes widened immensely. "Lord… Sesshomaru?"
He ignored her, hoping to save face. He turned to the small infirmary demon. "Will she live?"
The demon shrugged. "She's in an almost coma-like state now. Frankly, it's amazing she's still alive. Now we have to rely on what she can do. I've never treated a dragon before."
Later that night, the demon had Sesshomaru go up to his room. She had the ability to make him feel like a child, though she only came to his elbow. He sat in bed and wondered what would happen if Tsukiko were to die.
He would have to find a new teacher for Rin, though none of the governesses he had hired lasted this long or had taught her so much. Rin undoubtedly would mourn for weeks on end, and he was afraid of what that would do to her mental state. Sesshomaru wondered how he would feel. His stomach tightened, but he dismissed it. He would regret loosing her… yes, regret. He might miss her, but life goes on. Still, if he could keep her from dying or…
Would he bring her back? Would the sword allow him to? His golden eyes moved over towards where the sword hung on the wall. The sword seemed to mock him with its presence. He glared at it and wondered again if he had the choice, would he bring her back.
Yes. He decided. There was no reason for her to die and she had done more than he had asked of her without a promise of anything in return. Rin had a deep affection for her and she could match him in a fight. Not many could do that.
"Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken peeked his head into the study nervously. He had gotten quite a punishment the day before (even though it wasn't really his fault) for Tsukiko escaping and allowing Sesshomaru to drop his guard enough to allow her to take even more time in getting hurt.
"Jaken." Sesshomaru murmured from behind his paperwork. Apparently, a neko and an inu village wished to go to war over some missing sheep.
"Lord Sesshomaru, the wench is awaking."
"Jaken." Sesshomaru said sharply. "You will show proper respect for guests of my manor."
"Y… yes sir!" squeaked the imp before scuttling away from the room.
Sesshomaru looked over the rest of the document and wrote a few letters foreboding war before going to the infirmary; he did not want to seem too eager to see for himself if Tsukiko was truly all right.
Just as Jaken said, he found Tsukiko in the room, surrounded by the three infant dragons and Rin. Rin was shouting quite loudly and every so often the tired-looking Tsukiko would wince, but for the most part, she kept a serene smile on her face.
"Rin."
Rin turned around. Tsukiko leaned forward and squeezed Rin's shoulder gently. Rin nodded at her and bowed. "Lord Sesshomaru, what brings you here?"
Sesshomaru scowled. Since when did his little Rin speak so eloquently. He saw Tsukiko smiling and nodding encouragement at the girl. He realized that the squeeze had been some sort of sign, so he dropped the scowl quickly before Rin saw it.
"I wish to speak to Ts… Lady Tsukiko alone, please, Rin." Sesshomaru said. He knew he'd have to go along with the little act as long as Rin did.
Rin seemed unsure for a minute, then her face brightened with remembrance. "Yes Lord Sesshomaru, if you need me call." She ran off just as Sesshomaru had to remind himself that she would hear him anywhere in the house with her superior hearing.
He turned back to Tsukiko. She had on the tank top, but the bandages were still visible. The scar on her chest and arm were covered. The one on her chest made Sesshomaru wonder even more than the one on her arm because the one on her arm as he remembered could have been a tattoo. The one on her chest definitely was a scar. He couldn't think of a way to ask her to see it without sounding un-Sesshomaru-like so her put the question away for later. (A/N: Come on, girls. You know that Sesshomaru is never going to say 'let me see your chest')
"Dragon." He said quietly.
Tsukiko's still-clouded eyes had a bit of the old spark back as she said coldly, "Demon."
"You've done well teaching Rin." He said.
Tsukiko stared fondly at the place Rin disappeared. "She's a wonderful little girl and I have so much more to teach her. Good thing it will be a long winter."
Sesshomaru did not question how she knew it would be a long winter. "Thank you for what you did for general Soha."
Tsukiko shrugged. "She needed help and I was the only one fast enough to get to her."
"You almost died in the process of saving a stranger." Sesshomaru reminded her stoically.
Again Tsukiko shrugged. "Everyone dies. What is giving one life so another could be saved? I'm used to being in dangerous situations. Besides, Soha would be missed and I would not."
Sesshomaru was surprised to hear her belittle herself so. Was this truly how she thought? Didn't she know all the pain and anguish Rin would go through if she died? "It has never been proven that everyone dies. There has not been one demon that has died of old age nor dragon." He said, attempting to stay away from the subject that now weighed heavily on his mind.
Tsukiko shrugged. "I doubt that destiny has thoughts for me to die of old age, my friend." She smiled. "Still, it is nice to know that we both got out of the situation alive."
Sesshomaru stayed silent for a minute, and then began moving towards the door.
He slid it open. He swallowed, regretting the words that would not stay back.
"You would be missed."
A/N: I'm not going to say anything. Review!