All Inuyasha characters belong to Miss Rumiko Takahashi, don't you forget it!  ^^

((A/N: MAJOR OC APPEARANCE!  Rabid fangirls stay clear!  I repeat!  Stay clear!!  Thank you…. Also I apologize for any OOCness with Sesshoumaru-sama and the others))

"Heh...heh…ACHOO!  Excuse me…" Rae sniffed.  She rubbed her nose frantically in order to relieve the itchiness that came after her sneeze.  "I hope my allergies aren't acting up.  God forbid that anything else was to happen to me."  Rae rolled her eyes as she continued to lead Epona.

The horse nudged her slightly, letting out a loud snort, "What are these allergies that you speak of?" she asked shaking her white mane.

Rae rubbed her nose again and glanced back at her companion, "Allergies are basically when you start sneezing around a certain object.  For me, it is pollen."

"Pollen?" Epona cocked her head as the human girl turned her head forwards, looking onwards.

"Don't worry about it." Rae replied, her eyes wandered out in front of her.

  It had been almost half a year since she had first fallen into this world.  It wasn't that she was an alien, though she was indeed a foreigner.  A total stranger to the warring age, the age of Sengoku Jidai.  Just a quick trip off a cliff face, Rae found herself in the presence of one of the most powerful demons the world had met, Sesshoumaru, Demon Lord of the Western lands.  Along with his traveling companions, Jaken and Rin (especially Rin) they helped treat her injuries from the fall and have somewhat welcomed her on their journey.  But even after six months, Rae had yet to find out what that journey was.  She dared not ask.

Sesshoumaru led his charge through the familiar surroundings of a forest.  Jaken soon followed, towing the reins of his beast demon, Aun.  The young human child, Rin, sat quietly on Aun's saddle.  Her feet dangled above the ground as the dragon beast strode through the forest.  Rae followed behind leading her own beasts, three horses.  Epona was her main horse, though she did love the other two, Kaiya and Neero, but Epona could actually communicate with her.  This gave Rae a chance to talk to someone about her problems and stress over being 'stuck' in the current time period.

It had been only two days since they first entered the thick forest, but it had been about four days since ANYONE had eaten.  Rae wasn't for sure about how long a demon could go without eating, but she knew for sure if Rin and herself didn't get anything soon, someone was bound to collapse.

"I would say something, but I'm afraid that'll make me sound like I'm complaining.  That's the last thing I need to do is to be a burden." Rae discussed to herself subconsciously, not realizing that she was walking faster.

"Kyaa…upmf!"  Rae grunted as she landed on the ground in a large heap, "Ouch…Ouch… curse it."  She mumbled as she used her elbows to lift her head from the dirt.

It seemed that, while she was thinking to herself, Rae had brought up her pace and accidentally tripped over Aun's long reptilian tail.  This caused the beast to let out a startled grunt and come to a complete halt.  With Jaken still walking he continued to pull the reins, but with his small body weight the imp tripped at the sudden stop of Aun.

Stuttering the small youkai jumped back to his feet, rearranging his tiny hat.  He picked up his staff and stomped over to where Rae still laid behind Aun.

"Imbecile!  Stupid human watch where you are walking!  If Rin was not here before you, you would have no place at the side of Sesshoumaru-sama and I.  You are to watch out for the child and most importantly WHERE YOU ARE WALKING!" Jaken pounded the blunt end of his staff near Rae's fingers, trying to stir in a bit of intimidation.

Rae gulped, a tad worried that the toad would actually take off one of her fingers, but that soon passed as she raised herself back to her feet.  She sighed realizing no matter how many times he insulted her, he could never harm her.  Jaken needed to be on Sesshoumaru's good side at all cost, to make up for his ranting moments about humans.

Brushing the dirt from her green and yellow kimono (since that was all she could find to wear in such a time period) she only looked down at Jaken with a smile.  "If I wasn't so hungry, you would be six feet below the ground by now frog face." A frown soon replaced her soft smile as she walked past the furious youkai.

"Wh….why you little!" Jaken gripped his staff with both hands, ready for Nintoujyou attack.  He was for sure that his fire attack would surely melt the girl's loud moth off her face completely.

Rin, who had been sitting on Aun's back the whole time, let alone watched the whole quarrel shouted to Jaken, "Jaken-sama, leave Rae-Rae alone!"

"Jaken…" a deep but clear voice broke the imp's concentration and caught his attention.  "Knock it off." Sesshoumaru frowned as he walked on the right side of Aun, staring down at Jaken.

Jaken lowered his staff, bowing his head like a child being scolded, "Yes Sesshoumaru-sama…" he sighed.

Rae let out a slight smirk as she walked on the left side of beast.

She peered out of the corner of her eye, her gaze feel on Sesshoumaru.  Over the past few months and a past few events, she had gained a greater respect for him.  She even wondered, if she thought much more…..

Stroking Aun's scaly skin softly she said to the demon, "Sorry for tripping over your tail Aun.  It's just so long you know?" she scratched each of their ears gingerly and looked back at Rin.  Whispering softly to the child she asked, "Rin-chan, are you hungry?"

Rin looked up to Rae with anxious eyes and nodded cheerfully, "Yes, Rin has been thinking about food all day!  Eh?" she paused as Sesshoumaru walked by the two humans, continuing the seeming never ending journey.  The sulking Jaken soon followed, leading Aun. 

Rae walked by Aun's side still discussing the food topic with Rin as they went.

"Rae-Rae have you smelt anything, any food?" Rin cocked her head looking at the older girl.

Rae looked at Rin with a slight look of confusion, "If I smelt anything, you would too."

"But you have a dog nose!  You can smell things far away right!?" Rin grinned.

Rae just about tripped again, "How did she find out about THAT!?" It immediately hit her…… "Epona….." Rae turned toward the stead behind her.

Epona merely pretended to be looking at the sky.  Realizing that that little plan wasn't going to work she replied, "The kid needed a bedtime story, you were already zonked out so…..yeah." she grinned sheepishly.

Rae's fist twitched as she gripped it tightly.  Ignoring Epona she turned back to Rin.  "Yes Rin, I am now Rae-Rae the dog.  How's that sound?"

"RAE-RAE DOGGIE!" Rin cheered as she clinged to Rae's neck stroking her hair.

"Eheheh, yeah.  Actually I do smell something, over there." Rae pointed to the left of the path they were taking.  The smell was faint, and unfamiliar, but it smelled edible indeed.

"YEA!" Rin grinned; she turned towards the front, "Sesshoumaru-sama!  Is it alright if we go search for something to eat?" she called out to the dog youkai.

"Your being fussy Rin." was Jaken's response instead as he continued to march, "This forest holds plenty to eat, so BOTH of you just need patience."

Rae could feel a vein pulsate from under her forehead, "Hey Jaken, I smelt something.  I'm pretty sure that it's food.  Just let me go and get some for Rin-chan, okay?  You don't even have to stop."

"No excuses, just be quiet" Jaken snapped, "Stupid humans…." He mumbled under his breath.

"Damn this dress.  I can't get him in a good headlock with this on…"  Rae said to herself.

Rin blinked at Rae then at Jaken.  With a moment of decision, breaking Jaken's rules was okay if food was involved.

"I'm going to go search a bit", the little girl jumped off of Aun's back and ran onto the left side of the path where Rae had indicated there was food earlier.

Jaken stopped quickly, his words fumbling in his mouth again as he watched the orange and cream kimono disappear into the darkness.

"Oi!  Rin-chan wait up!" Rae called out as she ran after Rin.  There was no way she was leaving Rin alone.

"HEY GET BACK HERE!" Jaken screeched.

This caught Sesshoumaru's ear, who had been listening to their conversation lightly.  He turned and watched both humans disappear.  He was now alone with a raving youkai.

 "I SAID!" Jaken continued.

"Jaken…." Sesshoumaru interrupted him again, "Be silent."  Of course Jaken obeyed.

"Dang….that girl is… fast…" Rae huffed as she followed Rin's scent.  She let out a sigh of relief upon seeing the bright kimono once more.

"Ah!  Rae-Rae!  Come look!  You were right!" Rin waved pointing out a stack of mushrooms, growing against an old tree.

"Yea.... mushrooms.  I'll leave them all to Rin-chan, she needs those more than I do…" she smiled back at Rin.

Rin kneeled next to trunk of the tree, admiring how big the fungi were.

            Rae felt a surge rush through her, it was the same feeling she obtained when any youkai was present.  "Here!?  Now!?  But, where?" Rae turned on her heel, looking behind them.  Most youkai attack from the back, that was the best place to look.

            "AAAHHHHH!" Rin shrieked from behind Rae.

            Rae turned, feeling stupid for leaving Rin unprotected.  She faced the youkai head on.  But this youkai was different from others.  It seemed to be a giant hand that had seeped from the ground and now had Rin captured in its scared grasp at least 20 feet in the air.