Chapter Five
Lost in a River
"Kagome, again, tell me WHY we're doing this?!" Inu Yasha almost screamed.
"Shh!!! They'll hear us!"
"Yeah, what Rin said," Kagome agreed.
"How can you agree with a little six-"
"Seven!"
"Okay... seven-year old!?!?"
"Hush!" Kagome and Rin said in unison.
"Fiona?"
"Hm?"
"...are you happy?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, I feel like I'm keeping you here for my own desire. I... I don't want to keep you here against your will."
Fiona giggled. "Sesshomaru, I don't know what it is, but whenever you're worried you make me laugh."
"Oh?" Sesshomaru smirked as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "And what about this?" he asked lightly stroking his claws over her stomach. Fiona burst out laughing as she squirmed to get away.
"St-st-sto-stop! Th-that t-tickles!"
"Ticklish are we?"
Fiona fell into a giggle fit.
"St-stop! Please!" she laughed out.
Fiona began gasping for air. "I... can't... breathe!!"
Sesshomaru stopped as she fell limp onto him. Fiona let out a small giggle.
"I've never... laughed... so much," she whispered.
She giggled again as she nuzzled her horn against his neck.
"I'm thirsty," she whined.
"Well that was a quick change of subject," Sesshomaru mused as he stood. Fiona giggled as she followed him to a small stream.
"Ah! So refreshing!" she said as she took another sip from the water in her cupped hands. Sesshomaru leaned back against a tree while watching her. It was a bright warm autumn day. He didn't see how anything could go wrong. He closed his eyes and listened to the sound of water hitting the small pebbles and rocks. He listened to the chirp of the birds and buzzing of the bugs.
"Sesshomaru?"
His eyes snapped open, "Yes?"
"Oh, nothing. I just thought you were asleep, that's all."
"Hm," he closed his eyes to rest a bit more. He caught a strange scent. It was watery...
"Fiona!" he sprang up just as the evil water sprite grabbed her wrists. She screamed as she was pulled into the cool water.
"Se-!" she screamed as best she could every time her head rose above the water. Five more sprites grabbed and pulled her down stream faster than Sesshomaru could go. When he came to a fork in the stream, and the water had washed her scent away, he nearly lost all hope.
"Sesshomaru?" Kagome called out.
"Sesshomaru, what happened? We heard screaming and-" Inu Yasha's words didn't enter Sesshomaru's mind as he fell to his knees with shock all over his face.
"Sh-she's gone... just like that... she's gone..."