New Feelings

By Jillian Ingram

Sesshomaru woke from his nightmare in a cold sweat. He sat up and placed his right hand on his forehead, for his left arm was missing. Wiping away the beads of sweat, he thought:
"The nightmare.of father's death.it has not haunted my dreams for decades. Why has it returned to plaque me?" He looked down at the little human girl, who was curled up by him. "Sweet Rin.I wonder if nightmares of her parent's death plaques her?"
Just then, a scream reached Sesshomaru's delicate youkai ears. Careful not to wake Rin or his servant, Jaken, Sesshomaru went to find the source of the scream. Normally he wouldn't stoop to find the cause of other's problems, but he felt inclined to see some blood spill at that particular moment. The source was easy to find. A large youkai sat in the middle of the rubble of a burning village. Another scream let out into the air. Sesshomaru came closer, trying to see what the youkai was clutching.
"Brother! Why did you destroy my village! How could you! Mother and I have done nothing at all to anger you!" cried the strained voice of a young hanyou. It sounded to be the voice of a female. Sesshomaru watched as the youkai growled and bared its yellow teeth at the young hanyou.
"The fact that you live is enough to anger me dear sister! How father could have ever fallen for such a weak human is beyond me. But his filthy hanyou daughter is still living in my valleys. I shall not allow this!" growled the elder youkai.
"Please brother.Father loved your mother very much when she was alive! You have already killed my friends and family.I beg of you.please. Release me!"
The youkai laughed a horrible laugh and clutched his sister tighter. She screamed again, but this time, fell silent.
"So, dear sister. Silent at last. You shan't even be awake to watch me destroy the last remaining lives of your fellow villagers." Growled the youkai. He slammed his hand down into ground, and released his sister who lay among the rubble.
"Hm." thought Sesshomaru. "My better judgment tells me I should just let the youkai kill the hanyou and enjoy it. But I would enjoy it so much more if I killed the hanyou myself. Yes.that sounds like a plan. I shall kill this hanyou like I shall kill Inu-Yasha."
And with that thought in mind, Sesshomaru sliced off the hand that once held the young hanyou. The youkai howled in pain as his hand fell to the ground with a big splash of blood.
"Who are you!?" the youkai growled.
"That," snarled Sesshomaru. He cut the youkai to ribbons using his poison. The youkai's body fell, a bloody mess of bones and flesh. "Is none of you concern." Sesshomaru then went over to the unconscious hanyou.
"Pathetic." He said. The hanyou slowly opened her eyes and stared up at Sesshomaru. Weakly getting into a bowing position, she said in a shaky voice:
"Sir Youkai. I thank you deeply for saving my life. Please, what can I do to repay this noble deed? Not many youkai would save a lowly hanyou, like myself."
"And who said I am going to let you continue to breath?" asked Sesshomaru. "I hate you hanyous more than any other youkai, and I simply wished to end your life with my own hand." He stared down at the hanyou's trembling body. Her weary body shook from exhaustion as well as extreme fear. Sesshomaru raised his right hand, turning it acid green.
"Now, prepare to die." He said in his malevolent voice. The hanyou girl bent her head down, and shook furiously, waiting for the blow to come. As Sesshomaru prepared to attack her, Rin's tiny voice carried down the valley to their delicate ears. "Sesshomaru-sama! Where are you!?" she called. It sounded as if she was crying. The half-youkai girl tried to crawl away from Sesshomaru, but he caught her by the obi of her kimono. Leaping upward, he went to the sound of Rin's voice. The little girl had indeed begun to cry, and Jaken was also calling for Sesshomaru.
"Master Sesshomaru! Master Sesshomaru!" cried the little toad youkai.

"I am right here Jaken." Said Sesshomaru, throwing the hanyou girl to the ground. Rin rushed to him and hugged his legs. Squatting and resting on his heels, Sesshomaru accepted another hug from the human girl, but offered none in return.
"Rin, have you had a nightmare?" he asked kindly.
"Rin had one."the little girl said in a scared voice. "About Sesshomaru-sama. Brother kills him and Rin couldn't wake him up.a.an." The thought of Sesshomaru being killed in her dream sent the girl into another fit of hysterics. Jaken ran over to the hanyou girl, and began to bat her with the staff he held.
"And who are YOU, that you find it fit to follow Lord Sesshomaru?" he peeped. The girl barely had the strength to defend herself from the little youkai's sharp bats. She replied:
"I.did not follow your lord.sir youkai.he.carried.me here.I wish to be released." she said shakily.
"Likely tale filthy hanyou!" piped Jaken.
"What the worthless girl says is true. And now.I shall kill her. Hold still. But then again, you have no choice!" said Sesshomaru, raising his hand. But Rin rushed in front of the hanyou, and hugged her neck.
"Rin, do not be foolish. Now, MOVE ASIDE." Said Sesshomaru. His voice sounded harsher than he had meant it to.
"Sesshomaru-sama, Rin take care of hers. Do not kill hers Sesshomaru- sama." Said Rin, her voice wavering as though she was going to cry again. Sesshomaru put his hand down.
"Fine. You may care for her. But the moment she is well again, she must go. Understand?" he said rather coldly. Rin just nodded and helped the hanyou sit up.
"Tell Rin your name so little Rin can tell Sesshomaru-sama when he is feelings better." Said Rin.
"Eieckichi." mumbled the hanyou girl.
"Eie.cki...chi?" stumbled the little human girl.
"Yes." Eieckichi's voice trailed off as she fell asleep. Rin laid her back against a tree, and smiled.
Jaken made a fire and cooked two small birds he had caught for Rin and himself. Rin munched happily on the tiny animal, and looked up at Sesshomaru, who stood on the branch of a tree, watching the stars in the sky.
"I should not have let Rin care for her. The girl is much too little to handle the task by herself. The filthy hanyou girl is badly injured. It will take someone who has knowledge of herbs to help her recover. I know of no one." he thought. Then he remembered. The strange human girl that accompanied Inu-Yasha. She had helped the monk recover from the venom of Naraku's insects in one of their battles.
"Perhaps she would be of some help. And it is a good way to get that damn hanyou out of our hair." Thought Sesshomaru. "We shall seek out Inu- Yasha at first light." With that in mind, he jumped back down, and sat up against a tree by the fire Jaken had made. Rin snuggled up to him, and Jaken lay by the fire. Soon, they were all asleep.