Disclaimer: Recites like a 3rd grade play: "I do not own Inu-yasha."

Dai'chym: *pats her on head* Good girl. Have a cookie. *hands her cookie*
Phoenix-Flame: *munches on cookie happily* ^_^

Thirteen Dragons

Rin didn't remember the way back to Sesshoumaru-sama. She was lost. Hopelessly lost in the deep forest. She had wandered off when she saw the strange, glowing butterflies, entranced and captivated. They were so beautiful. But now they were gone, and she was lost and afraid.

She felt the tears start to gather at the corners of her eyes and she adamantly shook them away. No, she wouldn't cry. It wouldn't help at all and besides... Sesshoumaru-smam didn't like it when she cried. She didn't want to displease him. And she could be strong. She just... had to remember which way the camp was.

But she was completely turned around. She hadn't been paying attention when chasing the butterflies.

It was dark, and only a full moon lit the dark forest for her. She wiped her eyes, tired from a day of walking and now this. She sighed and leaned against the ancient bole of a massive tree and slid down until sitting on a moss-covered root. She drew her knees up to her chest and hugged them fiercely. She sang softly to herself and squeezed her eyes shut. She would not be afraid, she wouldn't!

Rin shivered. It was suddenly cold. An eerie call rose on the winds and she hugged herself tighter, recognizing the howling of hunting wolves. She remembered the wolves that had attacked her before, when she had met Sesshoumaru-sama. But he wasn't here to save her....

She felt those pesky tears run down her cheeks. She irritatedly wiped them away. The howls came closer, and seemed to take on an urgent note.

-Sesshoumaru-sama...- Rin thought. She reluctantly looked up, and saw the first wolf step into the sight. He was a big, brown male, with pearly fangs bared and a hungry gleam in his eyes. She let out a tiny, terrified squeak. The rest of the pack wasn't far behind, until a dozen or more massive forest wolves formed a semi-circle around her. She couldn't run. So Rin just hid her face in her arms and waited for it to come...

She waited. And waited. And nothing happened. Rin dared a peek up.

The wolves were gone. There wasn't a trace of them anywhere. In their place was a small, white bird, glowing irridescently in the moonlight and sitting placidly on a low branch, watching her. Rin raised her head and cocked it to the side. The bird mirrored her movement.

Rin smiled, and slowly stood up. She took a step forward and the bird fluttered off, to another low branch about ten yards away and looked back at her. Rin followed it. When she got within a few feet the bird fluttered away again, remaining just within sight, and turned to watch her. Rin didn't question it. One direction was as good as the other. She kept following the shimmering little bird until she noticed the flickering orangy light of a campfire through the thick forest. She gasped in delight and ran to it, finding Sesshoumaru-sama and Jaken calmly sitting beside it.

"Rin," was all Sesshoumaru said.

Rin ran up to him, her first impulse to hug him, but stopped just in time and only smiled. Sesshoumaru raised one sainty eyebrow, then returned his gaze to the fire.

The little bird was nowhere to be seen.

***

A pair of bright, other-worldly green eyes watched the tiny human female as she was reunited with her companions. The owner of the eyes held up one clawed hand and the tiny bird lighted on it. The bright-eyed one smiled and the small, glowing bird vanished. Then the bright-eyed one's body shimmered, and became moonlight. She marked the small party below, for they would be needed yet...

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