Running away from Rin was just about the hardest thing Tomoe has done in a long time. She could hear the little girl screaming for her to come back, pleading her to stay by her side while Penn held her back. It just about broke her heart that she may leave Rin motherless by the end of this endeavor - that she hadn't had a clue how it was going to end.

She didn't have a plan on how she was going to confront the humans once she graces them with her presence or what she will do if they try to attack right off the bat. There were so many possible outcomes it was hard to think straight, but one thing was for sure, Tomoe had to point out that not all Ningen Kitsunes are bad and should stop being hunted. If there were any left, that is…

Rin refused to leave Tomoe despite having lost sight of her the moment she turned away. Tomoe has always been there since the second she showed up in Rin's life. She was always there to sing her to sleep, always there to hold her during thunder storms, always there to protect her and make her feel safe. Tomoe was always there and separating now because of a situation Rin did not fully understand was so much more than terrifying. She wanted the fox to hold her tightly and whisper how everything was going to be alright in her ears, but she vanished within seconds.

"Tomoe!" Rin screamed, struggling against Penn's ghostly hold but could not break through.

"Calm down child or you'll summon creatures far worst than hunters," Penn demanded as he pulled Rin to his chest and started walking in the opposite direction of where Rin desperately want to go.

"No!" Rin kicked, flailing her arms to escape, "Let me go! Put me down! TOMOE! COME BACK!"

Placing a hand over her screaming lips Penn ceased all noises and moments the girl made in a matter of seconds, "You must be calm, child. Your mother will have a safe return but only if we retrieve Lord Sesshomaru. The sooner we do so, the sooner you will be back in her warm embrace, understood?"

Tears still streaming down her face, Rin nodded and took a deep breath as Penn removed his hand and set her down. Her occasional hiccup didn't go unnoticed by the spirit and he sighed as she knelt before her and wiped away her tears.

"I can't even begin to imagine how you must feel right now, Rin, but Tomoe needs us to retrieve Lord Sesshomaru as soon as we possibly can. Her life is depending on it."

"But Tomoe-"

"Will be alright. I promise." Penn chuckled as he stood, "Do you not have any faith in your mother's abilities?"

Rin gasped, "Of cause I have faith in Tomoe!"

"Then let's leave her for now, and do as we promised her we would," Penn smiled down at Rin and Rin started up at him before smiling. "Just follow me and I'll lead the way," Penn said, stepping back from Rin as his skin glowed white - blinding Rin - before the light subsided and she glanced up to see the purple butterfly was back.

She watched as it danced in the air above her head before flying off down the pathway he led them down earlier in the day. She was quick to run after him and keep a close eye on where she was going. They passed by familiar landmarks she recognized from the walk up and the meadow they first found the butterfly in. Tripping over her own two feet Penn danced in the air - waiting for her to get back up - before flying off again with her trailing closely behind.

Feeling that they must be getting close, Rin started yelling, "Lord Sesshomaru!" she panted before started up again, "Lord Sesshomaru, Master Jaken! Please help us! Lord Sesshomaru!"

Tripping over her feet again, Rin gave out a loud scream in surprise but froze in fear when a loud crashing noise appeared behind her. Not a moment latter Penn was in his spirit form, standing in front of Rin, as he held a sharp silver blade in his clapped hands. Standing before him was an angry demon Penn recognized to be a dog. His long locks silver and eyes a glaring gold as he bared his teeth at Penn.

Sensing his strength, Penn knew he wouldn't be able to hold him off for long, but he had promised to protect Rin. Looking behind him, he found the small girl gawking up at the pare as she sat frozen on the forest floor. "What are you doing?!" Penn yelled, "Run!"

But Rin ignored his comment entirely and stared up at the dog demon with so much childish joy it stunned Penn for a moment. Rin giggled before running under Pen's legs and hugging the opponent's waist. "Lord Sesshomaru!"

Dropping his sword, Sesshomaru was quick to pick up the girl and hold her tightly to his chest. He didn't bother with saying anything as he buried his face into her small shoulder while she cried on his. It was obvious they both missed each other immensely, but Penn couldn't seem to get over the fact that this was Sesshomaru. A dog demon of all things.

As they held each other - while Penn stared - a smaller, lower class demon carrying a wooden staff ran from the bushes and took a breath to talk when the air caught in his lunges upon seeing Rin.

"R-Rin!" He choked out.

Rin's head picked up at the familiar voice and she smiled down at him, "Hi Master Jaken."

Setting her down, Sesshomaru knelt before Rin with his hands on her shoulders and only had to say one word, "Tomoe."

Rin's smile disappeared within seconds then she looked up to Penn to explain the situation. Seeing how everyone's eyes were on him now, Penn cleared his thought, "Tomoe's in trouble."

"Trouble?" Sesshomaru stood, standing eye level with Penn as he glared at the spirit.

"She asked for us to retrieve you for help. Even a fox like her won't be able to outsmart all of the humans trying to hunt her down this very minute."

Without needing any more of an explanation, Sesshomaru picked up Rin and started running. Not caring if Jaken and the spirit got left behind. If something were to happen to Tomoe - under his surveillance or not - he would never be able to forgive himself.

As he ran, he looked over to Penn while he floated in the air on his stomach, fazing through trees and boulders as his face was set into nothing else but seriousness. Feeling a teng in his heart, Sesshomaru knew he was dead but he couldn't help but dislike the male's sudden appearance in Tomoe's life. It was obvious she trusted him enough to leave him alone with Rin and to go after Sesshomaru to request help - and she couldn't mate with him because he was nothing more than a spirit - but he couldn't help but question what he was to Tomoe.

Meeting his gaze briefly, Penn chuckled before looking ahead again. "No need to worry, Dog. I'm not here to steal your mate away."

"Then what's your purpose?" Sesshomaru growled under his breath so Rin wouldn't hear and he watched as Penn looked back at him with a hint of surprise in his light purple irises.

"You were actually skeptical? Does that mean you and Tomoe actually haven't joined as one yet?"

Sesshomaru ignored the question.

Penn chuckled again, "No, but you plan on it." He sighed, flipping over on his back as he crossed his arms behind his head, still keeping up with Sesshomaru's speed, "It's as I said, I'm not here to steal Tomoe away from you before you can get to her or anything like that. Just think of me as the annoying friend who thinks nobody is good enough for Tomoe."

"Were you this way when you were alive?" Sesshomaru muttered. If he was this cheeky while he was still alive, Sesshomaru could see why she chose to isolate herself from other beings in fear they would all be like him.

Penn glanced at him, "She really didn't tell you anything did she?"

Sesshomaru stayed quiet, encouraging Penn to continue.

"Fire is the one thing that Tomoe fears the most. It took everything from her throughout the years. It burned down the tribe when she was just a kit. That fire had killed me and nearly everyone in the area. Her mother was one of the survivors and had saved Tomoe from getting hurt any further by taking her to the forest just outside of a human village but she had inhaled so much smoke she ended up dying with Tomoe in her arms when a villager found her and took the young Tomoe in. There, she grew up until she turned hundred then set off on her own. When she found her first mate they stayed together for years until humans burned down her den and killed her mate. She wasn't the same after that and started kidnapping children to replace the once she lost in the fire. Then, years later as she continued to kidnap children she stumbled across Rin and had saved her from men trying to kill the young girl with the very thing she fears."

"Then," Sesshomaru breathed, "She found me."

"That's correct. She was cautious of you at first but I can tell she warmed up to you and your servant along the way. With you around, she is starting to return to her normal self. So, as much as it pains me to say, you have to stay by Tomoe's side no matter what after this. Even if she doesn't agree, never let her go. The only reason why I say this is because I've been keeping watch over her since the moment I died and I've never seen her more happy than when she's with you. I don't know if I should be saying this, but Tomoe… she-"

"I don't want to know," Sesshomaru interrupted, "I want her to tell me when she's ready.

Penn smiled, "I think we'll get along just fine then Sesshomaru, the Dog Demon." And with that, Penn disappeared without a trace, holding no doubt that Sesshomaru will do everything he can to protect Tomoe anyway he can.

Pushing himself harder, Sesshomaru sped forth through the trees, following Tomoe's enchanting scent as well as a hint of fire smoke...

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Hey guys, so a little heads up, this story will be ending soon. Like, maybe next chapter... I just wanted to tell you to mentally prepare yourself for the inevitable end. Thank you so much for following me on this adventure and commenting encouraging things to keep me going. You have no idea how stressful this week was with all of my high school finals going on at once and I'm still trying to cram in my studies for even more. I hope you have a lovely rest of your day.