Jaken and Ah-uh walked the gardens on the grounds. Jaken tugged loosely at Ah-uh's reins, urging him forward. Lord Sesshomaru had told Jaken of something that was bothering him and that it needed to be tended to. Jaken, naturally, had let his master go without questioning him. Jaken looked around him, Rin was gone!
"Rin! Riiiin!" Jaken said, glancing side to side. Jaken sighed with surrender, "I give up."
Rin had ventured out on her own, deciding to walk the grounds by herself. But she had not escaped without rules being set down by her lord. Rin, Sesshomaru had said after he had returned from the forest I don't want you going too far on your own. However, it is your own decision. I won't always be there to save you from all the demons we encounter. And If you value your life, you will stay to the path… and do not venture too close to the 'å‚«‚¢"N'·ŽÒ‚̉Æ. That in mind, Rin had stayed on the path just as Lord Sesshomaru had told her.
Rin had been with her lord ten years now. She had become a young lady of almost eighteen years. She often wondered why she had stayed so long with Lord Sesshomaru. He provides protection for me…she thought and companionship… even if he doesn't want to admit it. Rin now pondered all her years with her lord, and in all those times there was not one time had they stayed in a village long enough for her to meet anyone outside her own group. Although she enjoyed traveling the countryside with Jaken and Lord Sesshomaru, she sometimes wished she could stop for a while. She often thought of what Sesshomaru would think if she didn't come back. Sesshomaru often spoke of how mortals were dirt beneath his feet and that stepping on them was the only way to get anywhere. But I'm mortal… Rin thought, letting her head fall back Lord Sesshomaru has always come to help me, even if it meant risking his own life…
She sighed and seated herself on the side of the path. She smiled happily, the grass was soft and the breeze was warm. She reclined slowly, letting her eye lids slide slowly shut. She breathed deeply the smell of the gardens and fell, almost instantly, into a deep slumber.
High in the trees over-looking the ‚·‚΂炵‚¢Žå‚Ì‰Æ Sesshomaru rested, his back leaning against a large sycamore, watching Rin sleep. She shall sleep tonight Sesshomaru thought. He glanced down at Rin, her chest slowly rising and falling… and Sesshomaru kept watch, waiting for High Moon.
"The innocence of slumber…" Sesshomaru mumbled to himself, unaware of the warm smile that had begun to spread across his face…
Sango, Miroku, and Shippo sprinted through the forest, Sango and Miroku pattering away at the ground while Shippo made swift strides with his demon leaps. The three of them stopped in a clearing, each of them looking in separate directions.
"I could have sworn he was right h-, "was all that Shippo got out before a large armored snake demon came crashing through the brush. Miroku and Sango dodged the attack, Shippo jumped into the air. Shippo pulled open his small kimono and pulled out a handful of leaves.
"Fox magic!" Shippo shouted, throwing the leaves into the air. The leaves whirled about in a circle, creating a small whirlwind, blinding the demon. The serpent thrashed, sending its tail sprawling over the ground. Miroku kept moving, trying to avoid being hit while Sango used her demon slayer skills to easily out-maneuver the demon.
"Sango, Shippo, look out!" Miroku shouted. The demon's head thrashed to the left, sending Sango into a tree and knocking her unconscious. Shippo was thrown down to the ground and the whirlwind subsided. The demon, now infuriated and able to see, gave a great roar of anger. The roar shook the ground to the very roots of the deepest trees. Miroku covered his ears. The sound was deafening. The great demon curled itself into coils and glared down at Miroku. Shippo had begun to move again, and hastened forward, wounded from the blow he had suffered from the demon.
"Miroku, grab Sango and run!" Shippo shouted, pulling out a twig from his coat and using his Fox Magic to turn it into a sword. Miroku ran toward Sango. Dry blood from a single trickle had shown itself upon the crown of Sango's head. Miroku scooped up Sango and began to run, leaving Shippo with the demon. At least they'll get a good start if I can't keep it at bay Shippo thought. The serpent demon pulled its head back and prepared to strike. Shippo held his sword sturdy in his hand, clenching his teeth. The serpent bared its fangs, lunging forward at Shippo. A roar from the clouds distracted the demon and its head turned skyward. Kirara lunged at the demon; teeth bared, and sunk her fangs deep into the serpent's neck. The demon's eyes widened, then rolled back into its head as the blood from its neck oozed down its sternum and onto the coils on the ground. Shippo cried out with joy, cheering Kirara on while she finished the kill. The serpent's enormous body finally went limp. Its head swayed a moment, and then its head fell backward. Its body followed, and crashed in a heap on the ground. Kirara glided back down to the ground, demon blood down the front of her fur. The great cat demon shook her mane, letting her head droop and then changing back into her cat form.
"Kirara!" Shippo shouted, running over to the cat, cradling it in his arms. The small cat purred and rested it's head on Shippo's arm.
Miroku ran through the forest, his feet pounding away at the ground. In his arms, he carried a bloodied Sango, her body feeling heavier with every step he took. The feeling in his legs turned to pain and exhaustion, but still he pressed on. As he ran, there was only one thing going through his head … I must get Sango to safety… I need to get her back safely… He ignored the fact that his legs were screaming in protest. His arms began to feel the weight of Sango, he, after all, was human and could only go so far. He shifted the weight to his shoulder, letting Sango's arms wrap around his shoulder, and her head rested upon his neck. His thronged sandals scuffed the leaves, but the shuffling didn't stop. …I must get Sango to safety… I need to get her back safely…