Spring Clouds Chapter Two
The sun began peeking over the horizon. It was ready to awake from its
slumber and greet the day with a spectacular display of colors. Rin
scurried out of the cave and took in a deep breath of fresh air. Sesshomaru
came out behind her and looked up at the morning sky. His expression was
serious as always but his eyes had a sort of softness to them this morning.
Rin seemed to notice this and she smiled.
Sesshomaru began to walk away and Rin followed. Jaken emerged from the
cave and saw the two leaving and ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
Sesshomaru had let Rin travel with him for a while now. Over that time he
grew more and more protective of her. Sometimes, even the slightest noise
would make him tense and ready to protect the defenseless child. Today,
however, was a quiet day.
Rin almost never spoke when she walked with Sesshomaru. She was always
too busy admiring him. She couldn't imagine anything better than walking in
the warm sun through a lush forest with Sesshomaru. He had been her world
sine the first time she saw him.
After a while Sesshomaru could tell she was getting tired. He sat under a
large tree and let Rin sit next to him. She inched closer and leaned on
him. He didn't mind the child. She was like his daughter and he loved her
as such. He put his arm around her and let her rest. She clung to his white
silken clothes. His grip on her was so tender she felt as though she could
fall asleep at that very moment. Their bond was a strange one. Sesshomaru,
hater of all humans and Rin, but a mere human child. Rin didn't know nor
did she care. All she knew was that she loved Sesshomaru more than anyone
else in the world.
When the child was finally rested he lifter himself up. He looked down at
the fragile little girl. She gazed at him too. Despite his emotionless
expression, deep inside, Sesshomaru absolutely loved Rin's big brown
sparkling eyes. However, his eyes said it all, just as they did earlier
that morning.
A few hours passed and it was the early afternoon when Sesshomaru and Rin
stopped at a field of flowers. It was a lush valley with the most fragrant
smell. A small stream wound its way through the valley and around the
flowers. Rin gently touched the small blossoms. Her touch, even softer
than the petals. Rin looked up and watched fluffy little chocolate brown
sparrows playfully glide across the light blue sky. After moments of
dancing above the flowers the birds quickly changed direction and flew
towards the distant white peaked mountains.
The entire time Sesshomaru studied the child. He never before took time
like this to realize just how small she was. He watched her spin about in
the delicate flowers. Her hair danced behind her as she ran. Then an odd
feeling came over him as he watched her dance farther and farther away. It
wasn't love, he knew that felling but this one was different. Just then Rin
fell abruptly and he felt a shock in the center of his chest. She got up
content and laughing and the shock was relieved. He now understood this
feeling now. It was worry. Worry for her safety. It wasn't a wise idea to
keep a human child near him for many demons came after him each day.
Nonetheless his love for her allowed him to keep her. Rin looked back at
Sesshomaru and walked to him. They sat together and stared off into the
bright afternoon sky.
Sesshomaru's new emotions were bothersome to him. At times he would try
to force himself to ignore them. Rin always seemed to disturb his thought,
but she was a pleasant interruption. Every time Sesshomaru tried to push
out or think about these emotions her voice or even the sight of her
stopped his thoughts completely. No, these emotions weren't strange, he
understood them now, but understanding was never good enough for
Sesshomaru. Then, as always, Rin interrupted him by comfortably placing
herself closer to him.
"Are you ready to go now, Rin?" asked Sesshomaru in an unchanging
monotone.
"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama" Rin said with a smile. The two began to walk
towards the blue, mountainous horizon. After minutes of walking Sesshomaru
stopped dead in his tracks. He heard a brittle dead leaf crunch. Now he
could hear the foe's footsteps clearly. They were coming their way. He put
his hand in front of her and gently pushed her back. As the footsteps grew
louder the scent was also more recognizable.
"Inuyasha" he said narrowing his eyes. Rin tilted her head.
"Jaken, get her away from here" he commanded for the first time in the whole day noticing Jaken. Jaken, being careless over the child's safety, sent her behind a bush. He rushed back to Sesshomaru waiting for the action to begin.
Inuyasha emerged from the clearing. He stopped and clenched his teeth. "You again? Fine, let's settle this now!" Inuyasha said drawing the Tetsusaiga. Sesshomaru drew the Toukijin. Inuyasha rushed at Sesshomaru and managed to cut him from his shoulder down to his armor. He then pointed the sword at his brother. Sesshomaru barely felt any pain but Rin didn't know that. "Sesshomaru-sama!" said Rin, her voice breaking the sounds of battle. She ran towards him. It seemed like hours to her before she finally reached him. A child's mind, so naive. She actually though Inuyasha was going to kill Sesshomaru. She was too young to understand battle. All she saw was a sword raised at her beloved Sesshomaru. All she knew was that a sword brought death just like it did to her family. . . She couldn't bear to see another loved one die. She didn't want to be alone again. He was the only person she had left and she loved him too much to just stand by and let him die. Her crystalline tears flowed down her cheeks. Sesshomaru kneeled down to her height. Rin clung to his blood stained clothes. Blood flowed around her hands, never touching her, as if it were trying to avoid soaking her hands so she would cry no further. To everyone's surprise, Sesshomaru pulled her closer and allowed her to cry on him. His tightening grip assured her he was there. "It's all right, Rin" he said softly. Inuyasha, stunned by Sesshomaru's sudden kindness, put his sword back in its sheath. "I can't do it today. You know the reason" he said walking away. Rin was relieved to see Inuyasha go although she still sobbed a little. Sesshomaru stroked her hair. It felt as though he was running his fingers through silk.
"It's my fault this child is in tears. My willingness to fight provoked these tears. I should have never bothered with my pathetic half- breed brother. If I would have left him be this would have never happened" though Sesshomaru for the first time in his life feeling guilty. He noticed that Rin had stopped crying. He let go of her and began cleaning her face with the ends of his sleeves.
When it was over they began walking through the forest again. It seemed as though she had forgotten everything for she was playfully running about.
It was nightfall and Rin began getting tired. They rested under a tree and Sesshomaru put her in his lap. They watched the stars sparkle in the twilight. Rin fell asleep in his arms, exhausted form the long day of walking. Sesshomaru just affectionately held her there. He studied her peaceful state. He loved this girl who was like his daughter. As the sky turned into a more ebony color and the stars became like a lighthouse, guiding people through the dark Sesshomaru still held on to Rin. Soon enough he, too, fell asleep in the solace of night.
"Jaken, get her away from here" he commanded for the first time in the whole day noticing Jaken. Jaken, being careless over the child's safety, sent her behind a bush. He rushed back to Sesshomaru waiting for the action to begin.
Inuyasha emerged from the clearing. He stopped and clenched his teeth. "You again? Fine, let's settle this now!" Inuyasha said drawing the Tetsusaiga. Sesshomaru drew the Toukijin. Inuyasha rushed at Sesshomaru and managed to cut him from his shoulder down to his armor. He then pointed the sword at his brother. Sesshomaru barely felt any pain but Rin didn't know that. "Sesshomaru-sama!" said Rin, her voice breaking the sounds of battle. She ran towards him. It seemed like hours to her before she finally reached him. A child's mind, so naive. She actually though Inuyasha was going to kill Sesshomaru. She was too young to understand battle. All she saw was a sword raised at her beloved Sesshomaru. All she knew was that a sword brought death just like it did to her family. . . She couldn't bear to see another loved one die. She didn't want to be alone again. He was the only person she had left and she loved him too much to just stand by and let him die. Her crystalline tears flowed down her cheeks. Sesshomaru kneeled down to her height. Rin clung to his blood stained clothes. Blood flowed around her hands, never touching her, as if it were trying to avoid soaking her hands so she would cry no further. To everyone's surprise, Sesshomaru pulled her closer and allowed her to cry on him. His tightening grip assured her he was there. "It's all right, Rin" he said softly. Inuyasha, stunned by Sesshomaru's sudden kindness, put his sword back in its sheath. "I can't do it today. You know the reason" he said walking away. Rin was relieved to see Inuyasha go although she still sobbed a little. Sesshomaru stroked her hair. It felt as though he was running his fingers through silk.
"It's my fault this child is in tears. My willingness to fight provoked these tears. I should have never bothered with my pathetic half- breed brother. If I would have left him be this would have never happened" though Sesshomaru for the first time in his life feeling guilty. He noticed that Rin had stopped crying. He let go of her and began cleaning her face with the ends of his sleeves.
When it was over they began walking through the forest again. It seemed as though she had forgotten everything for she was playfully running about.
It was nightfall and Rin began getting tired. They rested under a tree and Sesshomaru put her in his lap. They watched the stars sparkle in the twilight. Rin fell asleep in his arms, exhausted form the long day of walking. Sesshomaru just affectionately held her there. He studied her peaceful state. He loved this girl who was like his daughter. As the sky turned into a more ebony color and the stars became like a lighthouse, guiding people through the dark Sesshomaru still held on to Rin. Soon enough he, too, fell asleep in the solace of night.