Disclaimer: Nope don't own him, or Sesshy

Author's Note: Ha, I made this one shorter. This chapter is just about what I think Sesshy's beefs are concerning Inuyasha, besides the sword and besides that he's merely a half-demon. Anyway, please review!! It makes me SO ENORMOUSLY HAPPY!!! I'd get on my knees and beg but the computer never lets me use the star symbol thing...anyway...PLEASE review and tlel me how I'm doing...

Sesshomaru's Curiosity

In the earliest hours of the morning Sesshomaru awoke abruptly. He hadn't meant to sleep at all in truth, but Rin was in his lap, curled up against him, sleeping, and almost like sneezing, watching the girl sleep had been contagious. Being what he was, a powerful demon lord, Sesshomaru hardly needed sleep at all, though that didn't necessarily mean he avoided it. Though, of course, if he were ever caught sleeping and there were an attack, well, that hardly would be fitting of the Lord of the Western Lands, now would it?

The girl stirred in his lap then, her fingers twitching, her jaw moving. Sesshomaru stared at her, unexplainably fascinated. Didn't she realize that he was so powerful that, perhaps, some night in his dreams he might fight an enemy only to awaken and discover that he'd poisoned Rin with his claws? The thought troubled the demon lord, though his face showed none of the emotion. Instead of dig up the effort to twitch the muscles in his face to form an expression, the Inuyoukai shifted his body and picked up the sleeping Rin, scooting her off his lap.

When she was no longer lying against him Sesshomaru stared down at the little child, and a soft expression formed over his lips and especially in his golden eyes. How sweet, how innocent she was...unlike so much of humanity, those dribbling, brainless minions, creatures that pointed fingers at demons such as himself and called for their deaths. He hated humans in their ignorance, in their blindness. But they weren't worth killing, or so he was generally held by his father's belief...

At the thought Sesshomaru looked up from Rin, troubled. A tiny micro-scowl flickered on his face, like a wispy, thin cloud passing over the sun. Yes, his father, the Inuyoukai that shamed their family by mating a human wench and producing a bastard half-breed like that miserable Inuyasha...

Sesshomaru's fists clenched and he rose to his feet, fuming. He walked smoothly, as if gliding rather than walking, away from the tree that he, AhUn, Jaken and little Rin had been resting against. As he walked away Ah and Un both threw him a curious glance, but they knew full well the routine for when their master was gone. And at any rate, while it was still pitch black out Sesshomaru wouldn't go anywhere, what reason was there to?

Yet if his miserable bastardly half-brother were about...his cocky, arrogant know-nothing half-breed brother, things would be different.

Abruptly then Sesshomaru's shoulders sank and he breathed what most people would call silence, but for Sesshomaru it was loud enough to be a genuine sigh. The Inuyoukai lord tilted his head to look straight up at the stars shining above. His thoughts were dwelling on his father, wondering, pondering, unsatisfied.

Why would his father favor Inuyasha over his firstborn son and heir? Over his true youkai son? Father's favoritism is so obvious...but why? I ask this question everyday, but never do I come any closer to an answer.

Inuyasha was given the better sword and entrusted to be the guardian of his tomb! Well...albeit the unknowing guardian of their father's tomb, but how was it that Sesshomaru had fallen short in Inutaisho's eyes? Where? Was it that Inutaisho simply hadn't loved Sesshomaru's mother?

"No..." he whispered, his voice so quiet that not even Ah and Un could hear their lord's words with their highly acute dragon ears.

It wasn't about their mothers, was it? It was true, Inutaisho had loved Inuyasha's mother, and not Sesshomaru's, but what did that have to do with the sons?

"...Nothing," Sesshomaru frowned, the expression managing to bloom fully on his face before he extinguished it, like an unwanted weed in one's garden. His eyes wandered over the heavens, idly searching for a sign, a signal of some sort, though of what he couldn't have said.

Why had he awoken? There was no threat. The night was completely silent. Not even the wind stirred within the trees. The meadow around him was beautiful and empty, though when he squinted toward one end he could see a light mist rolling in from the east. Ah, there was a little bit of a wind tonight; the weather was changing slightly. Perhaps that'd been what'd woken him...

A new thought tingled and tickled through his mind, jumped to run little shivers and quivers up and down his spine. He looked quickly to the stars again, narrowing his eyes in concentration. No, it wasn't the change in the wind, or the coming of the fog that woke me...It was instinct; it was his Inuyoukai senses, sharp as his own pointed ears.

In the sky he'd noted that the moon wasn't present. This was the night of the new moon. Sesshomaru knew his brother had a night of weakness during which his demon powers either left completely or at the very least faded. Usually he hadn't thought to bother discovering what night it was. Killing his brother as a weakened human would be like killing a newborn pup...but his brother was beginning to wear far too much on his nerves...and there was always curiosity to be satisfied.

While he'd been sleeping Sesshomaru had sensed his brother's presence, not his scent, but his presence. As brothers, blood called to blood, no matter how much they hated one another. When Inuyasha was within a certain distance the demon lord always sensed him, but usually didn't act on it. The two brothers had come within sensing distance many, many times during their travels, and usually they never crossed paths unless Sesshomaru wanted to. Sensing his brother was like a warning beacon for Sesshomaru, he would leave the area or skirt around it to avoid having to see or scent or deal with his disgusting brother, and, though he'd never admit it, to protect Rin.

Yet now his brother had changed...Sesshomaru could feel it...

Curiosity twitched in the back of his mind. I have never witnessed my brother in his time of weakness, never scented him at such a time either.

Sesshomaru turned on his heel and walked back toward the tree where he'd left his traveling companions, the innocent and annoying alike, sleeping. He stood, looming over Jaken, staring down at the toad-like creature a moment before nudging him with his foot. Immediately the toad jumped, eyes popping open, so fast that it was almost funny enough to provoke a smirk from Sesshomaru.

The toad looked up at his master, breathing heavily with his surprise, "My Lord Sesshomaru!" he squealed just loud enough that Rin, not far away, opened her eyes, blinking with fatigue a moment, and then she too sat up and beheld her lord and protector, awed.

"Jaken," Sesshomaru spoke quietly, his voice deep and commanding, yet gentle at the same time, "Rin."

Both sat up straighter, clearly at attention, "Yes, Lord Sesshomaru?" they chorused together, loyal as ever, obedient as ever.

"I will be leaving for a time. But I will return for you, Rin." He assured the girl, as he always did when he took off on some foray, "Jaken, watch over Rin and keep AhUn here as well until I return. Do not leave this spot."

"Yes Lord Sesshomaru, but..." Jaken stuttered, nervously, but Sesshomaru didn't seem to have the care or the time. He turned his back wordlessly on Rin and Jaken, who could do nothing but stare at their lord's back.

Well, the next one will be a little longer I think, and back on what Kagome and Inuyasha were doing...review and tell me how I'm doing please and if you like it (ALL suggestions and comments welcome!) I have another question to anyone that might know, though I don't think anyone knows the answer to THIS one: What was Sesshomaru's mother's name? Grr...Izayoi was Inuyasha's (what was it with this family and "I" names eh?) but Sesshomaru's origins remain a mystery...I'm just curious...tell me if you know!!

Thanks