Insight

VII

From where he was situated he could see right into the camp with no issue. It was already getting late and it wouldn't make sense for him to gather his pack. He could see she clearly had come back from a wash with the Miko, slayer, and kit. He nodded approvingly as he saw the dragon as their escort.

Ah-Un no doubt dropped the imp off and followed the girls scent to take up guard where they had been bathing.

He watched the miko busy herself with drying Rin's hair and how much the child's aura glowed at the attention. It didn't get passed his nose how similarly she smelt like the miko. Rin's scent was like a valley of wildflowers and now it held a hint of wisteria. He wouldn't say it was unpleasant, but he it wasn't like he wanted to be reminded of his half-brother's miko.

Catching the back and forth between the group he smirked at the underlying tensions that seemed to be unusually present in the tight knit group. Scoffing at how easy he had been subdued by two females and monk, it was clear that although the strongest he was definitely not the one in control of his pack. He kept tabs on the hanyou and the monk, but stayed where he was to watch his charges and kept his aura hidden. The miko still wore the most inappropriate clothing it was a wonder that she was still pure. Over the years he found that she wandered into his mind and he had accepted that she peeked his curiosity. Of course, he learned to simply accept that she would remain an anomaly even after the battle was over. After all there would be no reason for him to ever cross paths with them again.

As time passed with the children, laughing, at the expense of the hanyou, and being lulled by the miko's careful grooming, he watched the longing appear across Rin's face before it was gone. 'Hn.' A single brow lifted at the kit's reference to her being his mother, but he wasn't surprised - she was clearly good with children. He felt a slight pang in his chest at the longing that seemed evident in his ward's eyes.

'Do I not provide enough?" he thought to himself. He froze at his wards oncoming statement.

"Sh-hippo is lucky to have you as an Oakasan," he watched the miko's hands still in the child's hair for a moment before continuing.

"I think I am the lucky one. I am honored that Shippo-kun has chosen me to be there for him in a motherly way. I am sure Sesshomaru-sama feels the same way." He growled at the miko's presumptions, but winced as he heard his wards oncoming protest covering her scent in doubt.

"But my lord is-"

The miko simply wrapped her up in an embrace to stop any protests. She rested her chin gently above her crown taking a breath before cutting the young woman off. "Sesshomaru-sama is like an Otosan to you. One day when you are ready you should tell him how you feel Rin-chan. I am sure that he would be proud to accept you as his kin." He was grateful for her words as the taint began to dissipate from Rin's scent and it foreshadowed a future discussion with Rin that he would need to begin to do serious thinking around.

He watched closely as the miko waited for Rin to concede before releasing her to wrap up her grooming. It was clear to him that Rin was missing something that she hadn't thought she wanted or needed before their run ins with the Inu-tachi. He assumed that she would be alright with the few moments shared with the kit, but it was clear as her small body leaned even further into the miko that she was longing for more.

The slight snapping of the bark underneath his hand brought his attention back. Yes. He was upset. In one night the miko had eased what his ward had been feeling and he hadn't even known anything was wrong. The truth was, that as much as he wanted to be upset with the miko for being able to express herself in ways he didn't, he could only be upset with himself. Flexing his claws he watched the miko get the young ones settled in as she made her way over to his dragon.

"Spoiled," he muttered allowed to himself when he saw how easy Ah-Un had welcomed the miko. It was another thing that had peeked his interest surrounding the miko. It was her uncanny knack to get any demon on her side. There were very few she couldn't get to respect, let alone like her, not that he would admit freely to either.

One by one the encampment began to settle in. Stiffening at the intruder entering the camp he relaxed as he noticed it was only the monk and he had returned alone. Immediately, he could smell apprehension rolling off the monk as he went to great the priestess. He could smell the slight deceit in her response as she eased the monks worries before he moved to settle down near the slayer.

He watched the miko's aura darken a bit before she squared her shoulders and walked over to the tree that the hanyou had been occupying earlier before being dragged off to bathe. He watched her place one hand against the bark before leaning her head against it and listened as she spoke.

"Please, lend me your strength," he listened to her whisper gently. "Please. Help me to protect them."

He wanted to scoff at her actions, but if there was anything that he had learned when it came to this particular human it was not to underestimate her. With slight surprise, he watched as the roots beneath her feet slowly began to move snaking their way around her as they rose. They wrapped around her shoulders as if embracing her. Her form began to glow a cool shade of lavender and then her blood hit his nose. She had cut her hand offering it to one of the roots that gently wrapped itself around the wound. What she was doing was ancient, dangerous, and he couldn't say he was surprised although he doubt she fully understood what she was doing. She was the most fragile out of all of them and yet she was always the first one to defend, the first to fight, and simply the first.

The roots slowly began to recede except for one that held her hand. She lowered herself into a seiza and whispered, "may my blood protect you and your daughters, may our powers stand stronger together, and may you accept my love and watch over me, this family, my family as you have always done." He watched the root leave her now healed palm and an impressive lavender barrier formed around the encampment. He smirked as It stopped just shy of where he was and he wondered if the miko even realized how large of a barrier she had created.

"Alpha."

He stilled as he listened to a voice he hadn't heard in a long time. Deciding it best not to fight himself he ignored it for now more interested in the barrier in front of him. His beast was correct though. From what he could sense she was an alpha and her power - impressive.

"Beautiful. Pulsing with holy energy and more. Now does it burn?" he mused aloud. Looking down where his left arm used to be he allowed the smallest frown to appear on his face before erasing it. "Now lets see how strong you are miko." Lifting his right hand, he took a deep breath before settling it down gently against it. Eyes widened, slightly, as it seemed to burn for a moment before stilling and a cool sensation vibrated up his arm. He watched his arm undamaged pass through the barrier and smirked. "interesting." Pulling it back out his eyes glanced back at the miko that was now sitting more rigid. "Hn. So you felt that."

She glanced in his direction, but he knew she couldn't see, but now she was aware that they weren't alone. The miko walked over to the dragon carefully and waited a foot away calling them from rest. Ensuring that the camp would be looked over, he watched her gather her bows and arrows before heading in his direction.

"Alpha."

There would be no denying it now and it would prove to be problematic he was sure. His beast had been roused from his slumber and it seemed that just like him, the miko had peeked it's interest, and apparently respect if the title was anything to go by. Jumping down from his perch, landing gracefully on his feet, he decided that he would meet her halfway and gauge her reaction.