Chapter six.

Thank you for muddling through that last blasphemy of a chapter. Here's the reason it was so bad: I suck at writing romance, especially physical romance, just because of lack of experience. However, it was necessary.

And this chapter has something I'm good at despite lack of experience: violence!

Chapter warning: Violence, more death.

It was over an hour later when it started to rain. This was a bit of a problem because they were, after all, on a cliff. Cliffs are nice for watching sunsets, however, they are notoriously bad protection from rain. Not to mention they are kinda tricky to be on at night.

"Hey! Look up there!" Rin pointed to a place higher on the rock wall, where there was a light shining. "Looks like a cave."

"Somebody's already up there."

"So? I'm sure they'll let us stay until the rain lets up."

Sesshoumaru would have protested again, but it was starting to come down pretty hard. He really hated heavy rains like this; it made the air thick, and scents didn't spread at all. Having to rely almost completely on eyesight made him uneasy.

"Come on, there's a path and everything."

Sesshoumaru grimaced and followed Rin. As they got nearer to the mouth of the cave, they started to see a yellow light coming form inside. Whoever it was had built a fire.

The entrance to the cave was barely big enough for three people to get through at once. Rin had duck as she want in.

"Hello? Anybody here?"

The fire was further back, beyond a turn in the tunnel. Wondering why anyone would go back that far, the cave was dry, Rin went deeper. Feeling something weird in the it, Sesshoumaru followed closely.

"That's weird. There's nobody here. There's just a fire."

Rin knelt to look at the dancing flames.

"What the heck? Look at this. What were they... burning...?"

"Rin? Are you okay?"

And then he got the scent of the smoke. It wasn't wood. It was a herb, found deep in the valleys.

Taijiya used it to... oh, shit.

"Rin! Don't inhale any of the smoke! Rin?"

Rin's eyes were unfocused, and as Sesshoumaru took her up in his arms, he wasn't feeling so hot either. Why hadn't he picked up the scent before?

Trying not to breathe, he carried Rin back down the tunnel toward the entrance. Rain or not, he had to get her out of this cave. The air was already becoming hazy with the smoke.

The cave's entrance was blocked. Four taijiya stood just inside the entrance, gas masks covering most of their faces. Their armor and weapons were made of the bones of demons, and by the look on their faces they were here to get some more.

Sesshoumaru slowly backed up, considering his options. If he didn't get Rin out of here fast, the air would kill her. His own vision was starting to get blurry from lack of oxygen. He would have to breathe soon. All the taijiya had to do was keep him from leaving the cave, and their job would be done for them.

"She's human," he said, lowering Rin to the ground. "Leave her out of this."

"A human who joins with a demon is as bad as one."

"Well, if that's how you feel about it," Sesshoumaru said, raising his right hand, "Then I'm going to have to kill you."

The whip flicked out, taking down the two in the front, but the other two fell back, avoiding the attack. One of them had a spear-like thing, which he hurled at Sesshoumaru, and then while the youkai was busy avoiding that, the other came at him with a sword. He managed to get a good slice in Sesshoumaru's arm before the youkai went through him with his poison claws.

With one left, he couldn't help it. He needed air. He inhaled and regretted it. His lungs filled with poison fire, and he choked as the last taijiya rushed at him, the man's own sword held high.

It occurred to Sesshoumaru that he was about to die. And then Rin would be killed.

Rin, as it turned out, didn't see much in this future either, because she pulled her mind back together, and drew her sword. The taijiya didn't expect an attack from that side, and definitely not a sword. The look of shock stayed on his face even after death.

"Sesshoumaru? Come on, we have to get out of here."

The air outside the cave was like water on a fire. The two of them coughed as the poison smoke was purged from their lungs.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"I'm youkai, I'll live. You?"

"Never been better."

"Liar."

A click brought their attention to the outcropping above the mouth of the cave. Another taijiya stood on it, a bow and arrow in his hands.

"One more?" Rin asked.

"More than one," Sesshoumaru replied, looking around. Hidden in the shadows, masked by the rain, more taijiya were approaching. Each of them had an arrow.

"Oh, shit," Rin said eloquently.

"On three!" the man above the cave called to his men.

"One!"

Sesshoumaru looked for any way out at all. They were surrounded, even from above. If he tried to fight them, they'd shoot.

"Two!"

He pulled Rin to himself. Maybe he could shield her body with his own. Maybe he could save-

"Three!"

Countless bowstrings twanged, releasing countless arrows. Sesshoumaru grimaced as the metal arrowheads bit into his body. In his arms, Rin screamed, and he knew he had failed her.

The world finally went black around him, and the last thing he heard were Rin's ragged sobs.

To be continued...

Betcha thought something was gonna jump in and save them, dintcha? Yet another way my stories differ from those of Walt Disney, though the original Grim's tales were pretty good. In one, the evil stepmother was put in a barrel with nails coming through the sides and rolled down a hill into a river. See, we should tell little kids more stories like THAT.

Anyway, this story will indeed be continued.

Stick around, review, tell me what you think!