After five years of roaming the earth after Naraku was defeated, the free days are peaceful but tedious. At midday, Sesshomaru is at the edge of a cliff by a high hill, watching the water crash against the shore from afar. He ponders his next move.

"It's time to build the empire," He says to Jaken.

His mouth dropped to the ground, eyes buck, staring at Sesshomaru in shock. He notices Jaken hasn't responded and glances over his shoulder to figure out why and recognizes an idiotic posture along with a jaw drop. Sesshomaru skews back toward the shore.

"Isn't this what you've been waiting for? I expected you to be more enthusiastic about it." Sesshomaru said in disappointment.

"I am, me Lord, I am most grateful, but where do we begin? There's so much work that needs to be done. Maybe we could seek advice from the wiser demons." He covers his mouth. "Not saying that you aren't wise to me, Lord Sesshomaru." He utters in fear. Sesshomaru ignores him by leaping off the cliff.

"I think I've shortened my life by a hundred years." Jaken mumbles.

"Let's go, Jaken." Sesshomaru demands from afar.

"Oh right away, me Lord!" Jaken scurried to his side until he saw sennensō berries growing under a bush. He gazes toward the sky, thinking of Rin. I wonder what she is up to, he thought. He ventures off when Sesshomaru leaves him alone with A-Un.

The golden sun peeks over the plains as Jaken and A-UN headed toward Kaede village, checking on Rin. Arriving there, he notices Kaede in the field and hides inside some bushes nearby to scope out the scene before making his next advance. He searches for Rin but doesn't see her until he hears a soft voice called out to the priestess.

"Kaede, you need help?"

"Of course not, you can't be the only one working. I might be an old woman, but these tired bones can still move," chuckling to herself. "I need the exercise anyway."

Jaken's eyes grew. Rin? She's taller. Right, humans' lives are shorter, so they grow quicker. He continues to listen to their conversation.

"I'm going hunting with Kohaku so don't wait for me okay."

"Alright, Rin but be careful, hunting can get dangerous."

"You worry too much Kaede, everything will be fine. See you later, okay."

She heads to Kohaku buried in her memories. Five years since she saw Sesshomaru and it's still fresh In her mind. She is saddened most days but hides it from the rest of the world. Last year she just didn't bring him up anymore because it upsets everyone. They never show their genuine feelings but their face says it all. So she keeps him alone in her thoughts.

Rin arrives at the forefront of the woods meeting Kohaku. He sits on a rock cleaning his weapon. Rin approaches making her presence known.

"Sorry it took a long time, I had to help Kaede around the garden."

"It's okay I wasn't quite ready yet, anyway. Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes, I tinkered my bow. And my arrows are sharp."

"Good, because you're hunting alone while I watch from the sidelines." He explains but Rin has concern written all over her face. "No worries, just want to see if you've become better than before." He reassures her.

"Sheesh, just when I thought you were taking it easy on me." She jokingly fussed as Kohaku chuckled.

"Not today." He chuckles again.

They walk through the woods together and Rin loses her footing on a hole in the grass - Whoa - she blurts out. Kohaku wraps his arm around Rin's waist, preventing her from falling.

"Be more careful." He smiled and Rin snickers a bit.

"Yeah." She agrees and gazes at him, as he gazes at her then realizes how close they are. She moved back from him, twirling her hair.

"Let's keep going." She mumbles slyly. But Kohaku yanks her down by the hand, shushing her and pointing across the area.

It's a female deer eating grass.

Rin grinned from ear to ear pulling out her arrow ready to take the shot. Kohaku squats behind her, waiting for her to release the bow.

Suddenly, they hear a large cracking sound of something snapping. A branch fell on the side of the deer making her leap and run away in full speed toward Kohaku and Rin. Kohaku pursued Rin to pull her out of the way but the deer was too fast trampling them both. Kohaku groans in pain seeing a gash on his femur. He found the mobility to check out Rin; she is unconscious from the deer hooves that stumped her forehead.

He crawls to her and attempts to wake her up. "Rin, answer me." but no response. He checks out his thigh, watching it bleed out. Since Rin has loose clothing he ripped the bottom part of her kimono and wrapped his limb with it. Then stumbles to his feet, struggling to lift her upper torso, but manages to raise her and wrap her left arm around his neck for leverage. He moves onward while hoisting her waist for more balance.

Two miles from the village he struggles to carry her limp body, almost dropping her a few times dealing with the agonizing pain.

Jaken stood by witnessing everything that happened, trying to figure out what is the right move. He doesn't want to expose himself but the guilt runs through his bones for he was the one to cause the branch to fall. Unable to watch Kohaku any longer, he flew up to them, scaring Kohaku, as he pulled out his weapon but realized it was Jaken.

"I can help," Jaken said.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kohaku fussed.

Jaken hesitates, helpless, trying to find the words to answer his question but doesn't "Do you desire for support or not?" Jaken ignored the question.

Kohaku looked at Rin and reverted to Jaken not wanting to hand her over, but he put her first and did. Jaken laid Rin across A-Un and helped Kohaku up as well.

They arrived at the village.

"Jaken, get out of here before anyone sees you," Kohaku stressed.

"No, I need to know if Rin is going to be okay." He reacted with a stubborn response.

"She has me, now go." Kohaku shoved him away.

Jaken is unsure what to do but flies off, looking behind him. Kohaku drags Rin inside her home and Kaede panicked seeing Rin unconscious.

"What happened?'' She asked.

Kohaku explains everything except the part about Jaken. He lied claiming he carried her the whole way as he placed Rin in the bed with the help of Kaede.

"Rin will be okay, don't worry she's still breathing, we just have to wait until she wakes up." Kaede attended his wombs.

"I failed to protect her, I just wasn't fast enough." He felt miserable about what happened.

"Useless to focus on the negative, let's do what we can now." She placed her hand on his shoulder. Kohaku stays quiet, staring at Rin.

After a week Rin awakens. She gazes around the cabin and notices Kohaku sleeping on the floor. Kaede enters the area with a smile.

"Thank goodness you are awake." Kaede goes to her side. Kohaku awakes smiling as well as he goes over to her wrapping Rin into a hug apologizing.

"What happened?" Rain asked.

Kohaku explains everything, but Rin doesn't seem to remember any of it. Kaede's eyes crinkle, wondering if maybe she has forgotten. She began to quiz Rin on her remembrance.

"Do you recognize who I am?" Kaede asked.

"Yes." Rin answers.

"Do you know who Kohaku is?"

"Yes, what is this about?"

"Nevermind that child, do you know who Jaken is?"

"Who?" Rin is confused. And Kohaku and Kaede glanced at each other.

"Do you know who Sesshomaru is?"

"No," Rin answers.

"One second, child." Kaede lured Kohaku to the side. "She has some memory, just give her time she took a hard hit to the head." They looked back at her.

"Yeah, okay, but her forgetting about the demons isn't so bad. Hopefully, it's permanent." Kohaku smiled.

"Kohaku?!" Kaede fussed. But he ignored her to attend Rin.


Thanks for reading chapter two.