He reaches the boy and Rin. Rin is laying in the grass, the boy kneels next to her with his kusarigama raised.
Sesshoumaru watches him and can see the struggle within the boy. His actions are not his own, and yet he fights against the orders he is being given.
He strongly scents of the female slayer that travels with Kagome and his brother.
Rising, the boy turns toward him, weapon raised.
Inuyasha approaches with Kagome, she jumps off his back to run to Rin, and Inuyasha lands a blow to the boys face that should knock him out.
Yet he immediately rises as if he doesn't feel anything and releases his weapon towards Sesshoumaru. Surprisingly, Inuyasha blocks the weapon, and Sesshoumaru grabs the boy by his throat.
He can sense the aura of the Jewel shard controlling the boy. Kagome is reaching with her aura, attempting to get to him. He knows Rin is safe with her, but this boy, there is nothing. No fear of death, no acceptance, no fight. This child is no more than a puppet.
He can't kill the child when the child doesn't know what he is doing.
His aura reaches for Kagome, grounding him and he lets the boy go.
Kagome has gained his attention. He must check on Rin who is stirring in her arms.
Kneeling next to her, his knee is touching Kagome's knee, and he runs his knuckles along Rins cheek. Her brown eyes open, focusing on him.
"Lord Sesshoumaru!" She cries out jumping to her feet, then turning shyly towards Kagome. "Thank you" she whispers and hugs Kagome before running after him.
His mind is full of concerns. He needs to get control over himself again.
It has been so long since he has felt this weary. He almost lost control towards that boy who had no choice but to do as Naraku made him.
He can feel a yawn building, and would like nothing more than to change into his true form, yawn, stretch, and sleep. Unfortunately this form prevents some of the satisfaction he would gain from doing such things. As if his skin were a size too small, it's just not enough.
He finds a cave for his small pack to bed down in, it is large enough to hold his true form and he breathes a mental sigh of relief. He will wait until after Rin has bedded down for the night and fulfill his needs.
Jaken is the first one asleep and as soon as Rins heartbeat slows into sleep, he is outside the cave in his true form.
The stretch pops more than one of his spinal bones, his one front paw reaching as far forward as possible. Then he adjusts, stretching his back legs. With a quick little shake of his whole body he noses back into the cave. Circling a few times he finally settles down curled around his pack protectively.
A few days later Sesshoumaru is traveling through the southernmost part of his territory when Tensaiga begins rattling violently in its sheath.
He turns and sees a column of demonic energy shooting up towards the sky from the well that Kagome uses to travel to the future.
He knows that energy. Dark, unyielding, demanding. The power washes over him and he knows two things.
First - wherever the S'ounga had been hidden, it has returned.
And second - Inuyasha really has to stop picking fights with swords.
This last thought almost makes him chuckle. The pup always finds himself in the strangest predicaments.