Death and Re-birth

1

The days seemed to pass quickly. Rin spent most of them with Misha. Jaken would usually stay with Rin, but sometimes Sesshomaru let his servant go with his master. Misha looked after Rin in a way Sesshomaru approved of. He was becoming comfortable letting Rin be with her. Their days together were always pleasant and Rin slept well at night. Clearly Misha was wearing Rin out, but she was also teaching her many things. Sesshomaru came to understand that Misha was a worshiper of a kami called Artemis; a kami of the moon, the hunt, and a woman's purity. His birth markings had awed the woman, though that wasn't excuse enough to touch him; he tried to put it behind him and deal with the woman properly.

Sesshomaru had been gone all day and it was late when he returned to camp. He was surprised to find Rin still awake and sensed the edginess in her greeting. "I thought you would be asleep by now Rin," he said testing her.

Jaken spoke up. "I've tried to get her to go to sleep me lord, but she just seems worked up over something!" Jaken was frustrated, but there was worry in his tone as well.

Sesshomaru stepped over to Rin and hunkered down beside her. Of course she would tell him if something was wrong, but Rin just sat frowning, biting her lip. "Rin?"

Rin looked into Sesshomaru's kind gold eyes. "She said it's nothing but…"

"What is nothing?"

Rin looked into the fire. "When I went to see Misha today I noticed… I noticed that she had some bruises. It looks like she got hit, but she told me she fell gathering herbs."

Sesshomaru looked over at Jaken. "Well Jaken?"

Jaken shook his head sadly. "My nose is not as keen as yours me lord but I'm sure I could pick up the faint scent of other humans. I suppose she could have been hurt in a fall, but… It looks to me as though she was struck in the face."

Rin fixed her sad eyes on Sesshomaru. "Why would somebody want to hurt Misha? She doesn't even have anything to steal." Rin had been stunned to see a painful looking bruise on Misha's cheek this morning. She saw bruises on Misha's arms today too even though Misha tried to hide her arms under her sleeves.

Sesshomaru looked into Rin's wounded eyes. "Would it make you feel better if I were to ask her myself what happened?" If humans had visited Misha recently, Sesshomaru would be able to smell them. There was no way she could lie to him.

"Will you Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin looked back at the fire. "I don't want to be a pest, but I truly am worried."

Sesshomaru cut his eyes over to Jaken. The ghoul nodded affirmatively. "I will go and speak to Misha, but you must get some sleep now Rin."

Rin nodded and lay down. Surely Lord Sesshomaru would make everything okay-all better now! "Goodnight Lord Sesshomaru, goodnight master Jaken."

"Goodnight Rin," Sesshomaru said watching the child settle in. He stood up and walked past Jaken. "Watch Rin," he said before disappearing into the woods.

Jaken sighed heavily and lay down. He was sure Misha had made up the story about the fall, but he assumed she did so to shield Rin from any unpleasentries. Jaken thought again how terrible it must be to be just a human.

2

Misha had already snuffed her fire. She sat outside of her hut staring at the moon and humming. As Sesshomaru came closer he was able to make out the tune. Rin sang the song all the time, something silly she had made up about him while waiting for him to return. Sesshomaru stepped through the clearing and Misha startled. "It's Sesshomaru," he announced stepping closer. There was only the smallest sliver of moon tonight and he wasn't sure she could see him. He however could see just fine in this light. He immediately saw the bruise on her face for what it was.

Misha got to her feet and faced Sesshomaru. "Oh… Sesshomaru…. What brings you here so late? Is Rin alright?"

Sesshomaru kept coming until he was close enough for a good look at her. Just as he thought, he could smell other humans. They had probably come last night; two of them, males. "Rin is fine. She was worried about you."

Misha dropped her eyes and turned her head slightly to hide the bruise on her cheek. "I told Rin she doesn't have to worry about me."

"You were attacked last night were you not?" Misha looked up at him wide eyed. He could faintly hear her heart beat pick up the pace. Fear, he assumed.

"I…"

Sesshomaru took another step forward and carefully took hold of her wrist. He shoved the sleeve of her kimono up and saw bruises on her arm as well. Marks left behind from being grabbed hard.

Misha pulled her hand back quickly and took a step back. "It's not what you think…"

"I can smell them," Sesshomaru ended any potential argument she might try to give him. "Two men came here last night."

Misha stared at Sesshomaru silently for a moment. She was amazed by his abilities. There was no way she could tell him some made up story like she did Rin. "Yes."

"It appears they hurt you." Sesshomaru was watching her carefully. To his surprise he saw tears forming in Misha's large eyes.

Misha hugged herself and tried hard not to sob. "Two men from my old village came here last night. The fever that killed my Asian parents has returned to the village. People are sick."

"Why should that concern you? You don't live there anymore."

Misha sighed, trying to compose herself. "They think it's my fault. They think I put some kind of curse on the village. They think I'm a witch."

Sesshomaru frowned. Misha was no witch, but in times of trouble humans liked to have a scapegoat. "I see," he grunted annoyed. "Perhaps then this is not the safest place for Rin to be."

Misha's eyes grew large and she took a quick step toward Sesshomaru. "No! Rin is fine here! Rin is safe here! I would never let anyone harm so much as a hair on her head!"

"I'm sure you think so," he began looking at her scrawny arms.

Misha interrupted, crossing all the way over to Sesshomaru. She looked pleadingly up into his shimmering gold eyes. "Please Sesshomaru… don't take Rin away from me. Not over a bunch of stupid superstitious villagers. Don't let them… take Rin away from me too." Misha lowered her head. She felt like crying, but didn't want to do it in front of Sesshomaru. She wanted to look strong so that he wouldn't take her little girl away.

Sesshomaru sighed. He could tell by her scent that the woman was quite upset. Losing Misha would most certainly make Rin miserable as well. "I wasn't planning on taking Rin away, but do not want to see her become involved in a human problem."

Misha nodded and stayed quiet. She was having a hard time swallowing the lump in her throat. Finally she managed, "I understand."

Aside from their first meeting, Misha had always been polite and every bit as subservient as Rin. As he stared down at her discolored cheek Sesshomaru felt the first pangs of anger at these villagers of hers. He frowned a little wrestling with this new and unexpected emotion. Protecting this woman had never been part of his plan and he really didn't need another servant, did he? The ideas added to his irritation. It never ceased to amaze him how much a woman could complicate things. "Are you alright Misha?" He told himself that he didn't really care, that he was just making sure.

Misha looked up at Sesshomaru once more and tried to smile. "I'll be okay."

Sesshomaru watched a tear escape and glide down her cheek. He reached forward and caught it on his finger. Misha shied away from him. He looked at her, confused by his own actions. Am I trying to comfort her I wonder?

Misha dropped her eyes. Softly she said, "You mustn't touch me Sesshomaru, the goddess forbids it."

3

Summer was reaching its peak as the days rolled on. Rin continued to see Misha, most of the time accompanied by Jaken. He reported back to Sesshomaru nightly that the villagers had not come back to harass Misha again. Sesshomaru was quietly relived that the cowardly humans were leaving the woman alone. He wouldn't mind if he had to kill a couple foolish, barbaric humans, but he didn't want to upset the females. Rin was learning many things from Misha, they were becoming inseparable.

Sesshomaru had already gone for the day when Jaken woke up to Ahun nudging him. He yawned and stretched before looking to the place where Rin had slept. She was already gone, off to Misha's before Jaken even got up. "That girl," Jaken grumbled and yawned again. "I suppose I had better check on her."

Rin was already at Misha's. She was pulling up some leeks for the stew when six men came into Misha's clearing. Misha looked up from the fire she was starting to the men closing in on her. She stood up; taking notice of the swords two of them were wearing. She addressed one of the men by name as Rin shrank away from them all.

"What do you want Seto san?" Misha was firm, but remained polite. She saw Rin get to her feet behind the gang of angry men.

Seto was livid with grief. "My son died last night you witch!"

"And my wife is sick!" another man shouted.

"Lift your curse witch or we'll make you pay!" a third bellowed.

Rin was watching with terrified eyes. These men must have come here to hurt Misha. They were yelling at her. Suddenly one of them lunged forward and grabbed Misha by the arm. Misha cried out in pain as the man twisted her arm up behind her back and Rin screamed. The men turned toward the sound of Rin's scream, one of them stepped toward her. "Run away Rin! Run away right now!" she heard Misha yell to her. Rin turned toward the woods, toward master Jaken and Lord Sesshomaru and ran for it.

She could hear the shouting behind her. Misha was screaming at the men to leave them alone, but one of them was hot on Rin's trail. She could hear him crashing through the brush behind her and she pushed herself to run faster. "Lord Sesshomaru! Master Jaken!" she screamed as she tried to put some distance between her and the man chasing her. It wasn't working; the adult was bigger and faster. "Lord Sesshomaru!" she called out desperately.

She was running downhill now. Jaken couldn't be that far ahead. Jaken would save her, he would teach these bad men a lesson, he would- Rin's feet suddenly slid out from under she and she landed on her face in the dirt and old leaves of the forest floor. She turned over and saw the man was almost to her. Rin screamed terrified and squeezed her eyes shut. "Lord Sesshomaru!"

The child's terrified scream was the last thing Rin's pursuer ever heard. Just as he was closing in on Rin, Sesshomaru arrived. With a quick flick of his wrist the demon sent his whip after the human's jugular vein, nearly decapitating him. The human fell dead as Jaken hurried toward them screaming "Rin! Rin where are you!"

"Here Jaken!" Sesshomaru called. He turned to Rin. She opened her eyes and blinked at him. "Rin are you alright?"

Rin sat up straight. "Yes my lord, but Misha…" She had to tell Lord Sesshomaru everything right away! "There are five more bad men back at Misha's. They were yelling at her. I think they must be hurting her right now!" Her kind new friend could be getting a beating right this very minute, or perhaps something even worse was happening to Misha! She couldn't help it, Rin started to shake and cry.

Jaken arrived with Ahun in tow and rushed to Rin's side. "Five more?" Sesshomaru wanted Rin to confirm. The little girl nodded and burst into hysterical sobs. "Jaken, stay with Rin," he ordered. Sesshomaru took off in the direction of Misha's clearing. He meant to slaughter the men, for terrorizing his ward if for nothing else. The wind was working to his favor; he could smell the humans before he approached the clearing. His keen nose picked up another scent on the wind a moment later. The smell of human blood.

4

Seto was pulling his short sword from Misha's chest when Sesshomaru burst into the clearing. He saw the woman fall to her knees reaching for the place she had been stabbed. It was close to the heart, likely a fatal wound. Sesshomaru was suddenly furious. This woman had done nothing but shown his ward kindness in the time that he had known her. He rushed forward releasing his whip. The murderers tried to flee, but they didn't get far. Sesshomaru sliced them to death quickly and efficiently. When the last body hit the ground he dispersed his whip and turned to Misha.

Blood wept through Misha's fingers as she tried to press on her wound. She looked up at Sesshomaru with glassy eyes. "Sesshomaru…"

He went to Misha and knelt down beside her. "Let me see," he ordered reaching to pull her hands away.

Misha had no strength to resist, but she tried. "No... You mustn't…"

Sesshomaru ignored her and pulled her hands away from her chest. Fresh gouts of blood darkened her kimono. Misha wavered and he caught her with one arm as she fell over. He could feel something warm and wet on his hand behind her. With his free hand he ripped the front of her kimono open. The woman had been run through. He frowned at the wound knowing it would cost her her life. "Kuso," he hissed under his breath.

Blood was filling Misha's lungs. "Rin," she struggled to ask.

Sesshomaru looked up into Misha's face. She was alarmingly pale already and her lips were turning blue. "Rin is alright," he assured her. "She is safe."

Misha nodded weakly and struggled to breathe. "Tell Rin…" another drowning breath, "I …love her…"

"You can tell her that yourself Misha, later. For now, just be still." If I had arrived just a moment sooner... she wouldn't be dieing now.

Misha raised a blood stained hand and laid it over the one Sesshomaru was using to hold on to the front of her kimono. It no longer mattered if she were getting him bloody or that he might be seeing more of her body then the goddess allowed. "…dieing... tell her."

Sesshomaru felt something stir in his quiet heart. Misha's dieing words were an expression of love for his ward. He slipped her frail hand into his own and stared down into her heavy lidded eyes. "Misha… how would it be if I took you and Rin far from this place? You could look after her always… You would like that wouldn't you?" He could hear her heart slowing, ready for its last beat. He felt as if he were swimming in her blood scent.

Misha drew her last breath and tried to smile at Sesshomaru. "…wonderful…" she sighed. Then her heart stopped and Misha's eyes fell closed.

Sesshomaru felt Misha's hand go completely slack. The woman had died in his arms. He closed his eyes for a minute, knowing Rin and Jaken wouldn't be all that far behind him. He didn't want Rin to see this; it would do more then crush the child's happy spirit. Sesshomaru eased Misha's body down onto the grass and stood up. He stared down at the woman wondering what he should do. Almost instinctively, his hand fell to Tenseiga's hilt as he stepped back. Tenseiga responded immediately, pulsing in the demons hand. You think so Tenseiga? Sesshomaru drew the pulsing sword and held it out in front of him. Within seconds he could see them, the slaves of the underworld. They crawled over Misha's body ready to take her to from this mortal coil once and for all.

"I'll count on you Tenseiga," Sesshomaru growled. He swung Tenseiga and shattered the creatures to dust. He wasn't even fully aware of what he had just done until he was sheathing his sword. Misha stirred and then she gasped for air. Her eyes flew open as her right hand reached up for the wound that had killed her. Sesshomaru stepped forward, his mouth slightly agape. I…brought her back…

Misha looked up at Sesshomaru with wild eyes. The wound in her chest was closed; she could breath just fine now. All at once she remembered Rin saying something about how Sesshomaru had saved the child with his healing sword. "I'm alive?" She sat up staring at the demon using the hand she had felt her wound with to pull her kimono closed. "Sesshomaru… you…"

It was like reviving Rin all over again. Misha looked at him with the same wonder he remembered in Rin's eyes. "I restored your life," he said in a voice that sounded far away to his own ears. "You will be with Rin now." Though he had not wanted to get involved with this woman, it was too late now. Tenseiga and Rin's love for Misha had compelled him to save her. Now Misha was his responsibility as well.

Misha was still staring at Sesshomaru when Rin came running into the clearing with Jaken close behind. "Misha!" Rin yelled running to the woman. Rin wasn't too ignorant to realize what had happened here. It looked as though Lord Sesshomaru fixed Misha like he had fixed her. Rin didn't even care so long as Misha was alright now. She ran to the woman and threw her arms around her neck. "Misha! I'm so glad you're alright!"

Misha hugged Rin tightly to her. "Oh Rin, I'm so happy to see that you're safe."

Jaken glanced over the bodies as he hurried to Sesshomaru's side. The females were crying now, hugging each other and sobbing. Jaken realized quickly what had happened here. "Me lord," he gasped. "Did you use the power of your Tenseiga to revive Misha?"

Sesshomaru blinked as if to clear his thoughts. He moved his eyes from the sobbing females to his thunderstruck green companion. "Her death was cruel and without meaning, so I erased it."

Jaken was stunned, but somehow quite pleased at the same time. Though he wouldn't admit it, he was glad to see Misha was alright too. "You are so kind hearted Lord Sesshomaru. A true prince amongst demons!"

Sesshomaru looked back at the females. Misha was trying to kiss Rin's tears away. It was the right thing to do…for Rin. He stepped forward to interrupt their emotional reunion. "Misha," he commanded her attention. Both Misha and Rin faced him. "Go and clean yourself up. We will be leaving this place at once."

Rin looked at Sesshomaru pleasantly surprised. "You mean Misha is coming with us!"

Sesshomaru bounced his gaze between the females that had become his responsibility courtesy of his father's sword. He was aware that Jaken was gawking up at him as well. "But of course," Sesshomaru said as he turned and headed for the edge of the clearing. "Misha belongs with us now."

"Me lord," Jaken sighed in awe.

Misha gave Rin a squeeze and stood up. She wanted to hurry away from this scene of death. "Hurry after Sesshomaru, Rin," she told the child. "I will change quickly and be right behind you."

Rin was hesitant to leave Misha's side, but she didn't like being around dead bodies either. "Are you sure?"

Jaken spoke up. "I will guard Misha while she prepares herself. Go on now Rin, we'll catch up." Jaken didn't want Rin at this grim scene anymore then Misha did.

Rin squeezed Misha's hand one more time. "See you in a minute," and then to Jaken, "Thank you master Jaken!" Rin hurried out of the clearing after Sesshomaru and Misha disappeared inside of her hut.

Jaken waited patiently watching the first flies gather around his master's latest kill. Humans were pathetic, but dead humans were quite disgusting. Thankfully it didn't take Misha long to get ready. She had wiped the blood off of herself and donned a clean kimono. She carried a small purse that Jaken figured she had stuffed full of her various herbs and remedies. "Are you ready Misha?" he asked trying not to show his impatience to be away from this place. Soon it would smell unbearable in this heat.

Misha took a last look over her shoulder at the place she had called home for nearly a year. "Yes," she answered turning back to her new friend. Jaken nodded and Misha followed him out of the clearing and into a new life with Rin.