Chapter Five- Rin Makes a Demand

"This is our next stop. Don't wander off too far you two." Inuyasha told Sara and Shippou.

"We won't. I just want to show her the spring." Shippou took off with the human child running behind him. "It's only up this way, Sara."

"Slow down, Shippou….can't…keep up…." Sara struggled to catch up to the young kitsune.

"Oh….sorry, Sara." Shippou stopped, and waited for his friend to catch up. "This place has some great spots for hiding games."

"I love hiding games!" Sara grinned at him. "Can we play one?"

"Sure, as long we don't stay away too long. Between Kagome and Sango, there will be plenty of worrying."

Sara giggled. "I don't want to worry Sango….she's nice."

"She can be scary at times too. I'm with you. Let's just play a quick game." Shippou declared being it first so, he hopped in a tree, beginning to count. "One…two…..three….."

Sara watched him for a while, then, as he got closer to five, she dove into a clump of bushes. "I'm ready!"

Shippou smirked, noting where she'd hidden. "Here I come!" He climbed down, and pretended to look for the girl. "Oh Sara…..where are you??" The kitsune checked the logs, then slowly made his way over to the bushes, where he knew Saraku was hiding. "Ooh….I smell….." He reached in, and tickled the girl. "A little girl!"

"My turn to count! My turn!" Sara climbed into the tree. "One…..two….three…." She counted all the way to ten, before climbing down. She started looking everywhere for Shippou. She checked under the small bridge, and in the bushes. She slowly made her way down the spring bank. "Where is he?" She asked out loud. Shippou could be anywhere. She kept walking, and looking.

Rin was playing along the same bank, when she looked up, seeing the young girl. Another human child like herself,how exciting! She looked around for Lord Sesshoumaru. Not seeing him, she walked up to the girl. "Hello…"

"Hi. Have you seen a little boy with a fox tail? His name is Shippou."

"Shippou….?" Why did that name sound familiar? "I'm afraid I haven't. What's your name?"

"Saraku. What's yours?"

"I'm Rin. Do you want to play?"

"Sure, but can we play a little farther up? I promise my friends I wouldn't stray too far away."

"Um….sure. So, who are you with?" Rin would've never guessed that by association, this other child was an enemy.

"Inuyasha, Kagome and two others." Sara told her. She was almost immediately sorry, because as soon as she said it, the girl Rin backed up with a gasp. "Is something wrong?"

"You live with Inuyasha? How is that possible? He hates children!" Rin told her.

"He doesn't like me too much because I have a piece of a jewel he wants, but he did vow to protect me." Sara said firmly.

"Lord Sesshoumaru wouldn't like for me to play with you if he found you were living with his brother. They're rivals." Rin explained suddenly. "I'm almost certain Inuyasha will feel the same way."

"Then we can't tell them we met. That's all. Inuyasha's not leaving camp for a while. Maybe we can spend time together."

"I know of a secret place we can stay in. It's not too far from here." Rin grabbed the other girl's hand, before she could protest.

"W-wait…couldn't I at least tell Kagome?"

"Isn't Kagome really close to that Inuyasha? It's better if we both just leave them." With that, Rin and Saraku both disappeared into the woods.

"Rin!! Rin!! It's time for dinner!!!!" Sesshoumaru paced the area where he knew his young charge had been playing. Where had she gotten to? "RIN!!" He looked around, his annoyance turning into worry. His other servant had reported that Inuyasha had returned to his old campsite. Not that he thought Inuyasha would kidnap Rin, but with Inuyasha, you never really knew for sure. He growled in frustration, and headed towards his brother's campsite.

When he got there, Sesshoumaru was met with a surprise. Only the kitsune, Shippou, and Kagome were there. "Where is Inuyasha?" He questioned.

"Not that it's any of your business, but he went looking for a young child we're caring for. She disappeared while playing with Shippou on the Spring bank." Kagome replied stiffly. She greatly disliked Sesshoumaru, for the way he picked on Inuyasha all the time.

"Odd…." Sesshoumaru looked at her. "I, too, have lost a child. The little girl I keep with me. She, too, disappeared off of the bank."

"M-maybe the two girls met up, and decided to play together somewhere." Shippou suggested now. He was feeling really bad. When he'd reported that Sara was missing, to his surprise, Inuyasha went ballistic. He'd yelled for twenty minutes or more, before going out to look for her.

"That is probability. Rin has been feeling rather lonely. Thank you, young Shippou." Sesshoumaru left quickly. If indeed Rin had taken the girl where he thought she had, then he would have to find her before that brother of his did, in order to snatch this other girl. He crashed through the woods. "Rin! You tell Lord Sesshoumaru where you are!"

"Someone's coming!" Sara gasped, before being silenced by Rin's hand. "It is your Inuyasha. Remain quiet." Rin stood up, and met the hanyou in the middle of the path.

"Move out of my way, Rin. I'm in a big hurry." Inuyasha said quietly.

"Let him pass, Rin. We already have what you wanted." Sesshoumaru had plucked Saraku out of hiding. He wasn't hurting her, merely muting her cries of protest.

"My Lord." Rin hugged him tightly. Her plan had worked.

"I can't let you take her, Sesshoumaru! I saw her first. Besides, you already have a child."

Sara struggled in Sesshoumaru's grip. "Rin, I liked playing with you…I did. But Inuyasha's group is my family."

"My Rin has made a demand of her own. This girl comes with us." Sesshoumaru ran off with both girls cradled in his arms.

"DAMN IT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!" Inuyasha screamed after his brother's vanished figure. He headed back to the camp, to tell them everything that had transpired. Now he would have to rescue Saraku, before she became enchanted by Sesshoumaru.