Disclaimer: See chapter one.

Thirteen Dragons

Jaken, for one, was glad of the newcomer. She kept the little human brat occupied and looked after her when Sesshoumaru-sama went off on his own. She didn't talk much, and one could almost forget her presence if it wasn't for the unnerving energies she sometimes emitted at night under the moon. She stared off into space most of the time, watching something far, far away with her otherwordly eyes.

That night at camp was the fifth night since Star joined with the small party of journeyers. The campfire was warm, the air brisk, and the waning moon still bright amid glittering stars. Sesshoumaru stood alone on a cliff face, overlooking the world and lost in his own thoughts. Rin slept peacefully curled up next to Star, head on the ryu's lap, quite content and quiet. The toad youkai idly poked the fire with a stick, stirring up sparks. And Star petted Rin's head and looked down at her, lost within herself.

-Sesshoumaru...- she thought. -You're so arrogant, it is truly disgusting, but you obviously care for this child. And can tolerate this frog, which even I find difficult. I can see into your heart, dog. I know you're not as ruthless as you make to be...-

"Eh? What is going on?!" Jaken cried. Star's green eyes glanced up and around. The moon was gone, it's warmth absent from her skin, and the stars lost in blackness. Even the light from the fire was muted, and the darkness seemed to try and swallow it. From the edge of the light came the inu youkai lord, eyes narrowed... at her.

"What is this?" he asked, almost accusingly. He didn't seem to like her very much, but his thoughts on her were hidden from the ryu.

"How should I know?" she replied.

He snorted and stepped further into the light and glared out at the darkness. "Whoever is out there, show yourself. What business have you here?"

The darkness shifted and something came closer. The air grew colder, until the child curled on Star's lap shivered. Star touched her lightly on the back and Rin ceased moving, even breathing. Star left her in a state of suspended animation. Sesshoumaru was glaring at her, hand near the hilt of his sword. She ignored him. Her luminescent eyes gazed into the unnatural dark. "Fury."

Two silver eyes similar to Star's gazed back at her, and the darkness moved again, allowing the scant firelight to reflect off of black scales like blood. The dragon was massive, what could be seen. The head alone was big enough to swallow a horse whole. Beyond that, not much could be seen. The cold deepened, but the fire offered no warmth. Jaken kept it between himself and the dragon, anyway. "Sssrliasgrthinna t'theerlliagwa!"

"Speak in Japanese, you overgrown salamander," she sighed, insolently flipping her hair at the dragon. It snorted.

"You're a disgrace to dragon-kind," Fury snarled.

"Shut-up."

"Bitch."

"Whatever. What do you want? To insult me? If so, I have better things to do." She turned her back on the dragon, who's eyes glew brightly in anger. Sesshoumaru could guess how he earned his name.

"I merely came to see why one so great as the Dragon God of Spirit is traveling with two youkai and... a human," he snarled.

"You make it sound as if there is something wrong with it."

"They are lower creatures."

"Oh, shut-up, Fur-Brain. Haven't you even heard about the threat? You would do well to follow mine and Ivy's example. Take a human form and hide, Fury. I say this out of respect for the dragon you used to be." She glanced back at him, but he was sneering at her.

"Never." She whirled around, outrage in her eyes. It was the most emotion she had ever shown. "So. You have corrupted the young one as well. You two. You are pathetic. You call yourselves dragons? Dragon Gods? Feh! You are nothing but mortal-lovers. Threat? No threat is greater than the Dragon Gods! But I will leave you to your little pets." And then he left, echoing mocking laughter.

Star shook her head as the night returned to normal, and she released Rin from the spell. She slept on soundly. "Baka."

"Who was that?" Sesshoumaru had relaxed, and approached her.

"The Dragon God of Dark, Fury. He courted me for a while, but I was never really interested. He used to be decent, now he's just an ass. It doesn't matter. But we should follow him in the morning. The last thing I want is the hunter to gain the powers of Darkness." She turned away immediately and walked into the forest around them.

Sesshoumaru watched her go. There was something she wasn't telling him. But he supposed it didn't matter, so he didn't really care.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~