Part 8
Meetings
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Jaken stood trembling in front of the giant cat that had his precious staff of heads clenched between it's massive teeth. He didn't dare move. Two large bumps had grown on top of his head and he glared at the miserable half-demon that his master hated.
"Try again."
Jaken grimmaced at the scratchy voice so unlike Sesshoumaru-sama's smooth as silk tones. "I don't know."
Thwack!
"I don't know!"
Thwack!
"Inuyasha, he may be telling the truth." Miroku looked at the rising bumps on the youkai's head and felt a bit sympathetic.
"Feh, if this worm is here, then Sesshoumaru is nearby. Where is he?"
Jaken just glared at the gaudy red of his captors pants. If he was going to get hit again, he damn well wasn't going to say anything first.
Sango broke in when she saw Inuyasha prepare to smack the toad around some more. It really was too pityfull to watch. "Jaken -san, If you don't know where Sesshoumaru is, why are you here?"
The toad grummbled something directed at his toes.
"What?"
"mmmhhhllloosssshhhh"
Thwack!
"I'm lost! Lost! Okay? Lost!" he held his aching head in his hands.
He peeked up at them. They seemed amused. He grew angry.
"It's not funny!" he yelled. "I wouldn't be so disoriented if that stupid Naraku and boy hadn't--hadn't-"
He still wasn't sure what they had done.
No one seemed amused anymore.
"Tell us." All three of them looked ready to smack him if he so much as hesitated so he took a breath and told.
He was rewarded for his promt reply by getting forcibly dragged back north east to the the damn hole that he wanted to be far away from. It would take the remainder of the day to reach that place and he knew that there was no chance of his finding Rin this day or the next. Sesshoumaru was due back in three days. He just hoped that his lord would bring him back to life with the Tenseiga after he killed him. He couldn't hope for much more.
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Sesshoumaru stared darkly out from the forest at the woman calmly cooking at the small fire. She had washed dressed and groomed herself and the children and the results were pleasing to his senses on all accounts. He breathed deep. She smells even better then usual. He watched as she provided food to the children before getting some for herself. She was doing such a good job of taking care of the children.
He did not understand why she took the youkai child in, as she was human, and decided to ask her before he killed her. She treated the child as if he belonged to her. Like he was with Rin. She could explain his confusing connection to the human child to him. The longer he watched , the more questions he had to ask her. Some were so trivial, he wondered why he even thought them. Why should I care what what the name of the flower is that I can smell on her body? Why do I want to know about the reasons she remains with my idiot brother? Why do I find that I am losing my will to kill this wench?
He still did not approach. He did not wish for Rin to see what would happen when he confronted the woman. In truth, he wasn't sure himself what would occur. The Miko's presense seemed to stir him up no matter how much control he thought he regained. And still, it was the girl that kept him sulking in the shadows when he normally would not do such a cowardly thing.
The sun was almost down when he heard his name spoken. Rin was asking the woman something. He crept closer, remaining in the shadows. They were talking low because the kitsune had already drifted off to sleep.
"I think he will be very happy."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Happy about what?
"Will you be happy to see Sesshoumaru-sama too?"
The woman chuckled. "Yes, in my own way."
What way is that? From what he knew, she had no reason to be anything but terrified of him. It seemed she was going to answer his unspoken question.
"You see, Rin, I care about you. And when you see Sesshoumaru, I know you will be where you are happiest. I will be glad in my heart to see you happy like that."
Rin's eyes had gotten very big. "Rin cares for Kagome-chan too." She threw her stubby arms around the woman and hugged her.
Sesshoumaru wasn't sure what the warm feeling in him was. It was different from before. It was nice. Comforting in a way. He realized he couldn't kill the woman. Rin cared for her.
Then he was struck by another thought. He had asked himself before who would want to take care of a human child. The answer was right in front of him. A human woman...This human woman...The idea of being around this human woman didn't bother him as much as it should have. His decision seemed to have erased the anger and jealousy he had been fighting earlier. If he took her in as well, she would belong to him just as Rin did. He would have no reason to react strongly to a servant under his protection. It was the perfect solution. He had little time to think this through before he was focusing on their words again.
"Well, we will have two more days together before I must go back to meet my friends. We can play more games then. Oh! Shippo did we wake you?"
The kitsune rubbed his eyes and stumbled over to the blanket the girls were sitting on. "UUuuhh." He put one little paw on Kagome's leg and was asleep again. Kagome smiled and stroked the kit's hair.
Sesshoumaru almost sighed. It seemed he would have to take in the little fox too. Perhaps that would be good for Rin. He really was getting soft. No wonder the other Youkai Lords and Ladies at court had begun talking.
This complication in his life was unlooked for but what was he to do? Just as another evil had been set upon his lands he has to go and worry about the feelings of one human child and the woman he would make her mother.
Lost in his thoughts, he had not noticed when Rin had joined Shippo in the realm of dreams. Kagome stood up and stretched her muscles and walked silently away from the soft glow of the fire. She was making this too easy. He followed behind her until she stopped and looked into the heavens. He followed her gaze and looked at the beauty of the stars and cresent moon that dominated the sky. He stood beside her waiting for her to notice that he was there, watching the same twinkling lights for a moment before she spoke.
"You are early."
