DIS: Well, here's the second chapter to 'A fatal trail' for anyone who is reading.

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Chapter Two, Building blocks of a plan

Sesshomaru frowned, glancing behind him.

"Milord, why couldn't have just challenge Naraku and stolen Rin from him?" Jaken asked. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. The toad-like servant of his had been asking that same question, rephrasing it every time. It was beginning to annoy the demon, Sesshomaru. He had listened to Jaken mourn over their loss, sometimes muttering under his breath about food and the cheerfulness their journey had when Rin was with them. It wasn't that Sesshomaru didn't agree. Oh certainly, he agreed. He agreed, but he wasn't about to say so. To do so, he might just have Jaken's blackmail over his head as well. Jaken wasn't stupid, he would understand Sesshomaru's feelings towards Rin and that was not what he needed at the time. Especially when he had to find his degrading half-demon brother.

Snarling an oath, Sesshomaru picked up his speed, Jaken stumbling after him, wheezing. The latter halted and sniffed the air. His mood seemed to increase as he caught the scent of the half-demon. But it was so faint, that Sesshomaru wasn't sure if it was just where Inu Yasha had been or that it was Inu Yasha himself. Deciding to risk finding out, Sesshomaru increased his speed, leaving Jaken more than a couple feet behind. Sesshomaru halted at that spot where he had hoped Inu Yasha would be. But no, it was indeed what he had feared – Inu Yasha had been here, but that was all.

"M-milord?" Jaken gasped, being able to finally catch up. "D-did you find...find Inu Yasha?"

"No, Jaken, but I have a trail..." Sesshomaru sniffed once again and was relieved to know that he had not lied to Jaken. Smirking, he hurried forward, wasting no time in order to find his brother.

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"A demon, you say?" Miroku asked, looking puzzled.

"That's right, monk. Something is keeping my daughter from sleeping!" The father burst out, his tearful.

Have you thought that she just is having sleeping issues? Miroku thought, then brightened when he remembered the word 'daughter'.

"Show me to you daughter, kind sir and we shall find out what this demon is," Miroku told him kindly, showing no signs of his irritation at the man's stupidity.

"Damn that Miroku!" Inu Yasha swore. "We don't have time to do good deeds for kindly folk. Or to get laid, either."

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome snapped.

"Yeah, Inu Yasha, do you have to be so crude?" Shippo demanded, putting his hands on his hips.

"Shut up, Shippo!" Inu Yasha grumbled, smacking the fox demon hard on the head.

"OW! Kagome!" Shippo looked to Kagome for pity.

"Inu Yasha – SIT!"

BAM!

"Oh, ow..." Inu Yasha grunted, his finger twitching. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR!"

"For hurting Shippo! He didn't even say anything – er, except the truth, of course!"

"WHAT? You're taking that runt's side!"

"Hey! Who're you callin' a runt?" Shippo demanded.

"Shippo, don't provoke him any further," Sango advised. Kirara yawned, blinking her big eyes at the bizarre scene. Then, she turned her head, her hair bristling.

"Hey..." Koga yawned, stretching, glancing over at Kirara. "What's your problem?" She didn't look at him in reply. Raising an eyebrow, his eyes followed her gaze. "Isn't that...?"

"Sesshomaru!" Inu Yasha suddenly blurted out, scrambling up. "What are you doing here?" His elder brother swallowed. He had made a story up – very close to the truth – but he wasn't sure if it would do.

"Inu Yasha," Sesshomaru began, "I hear you are looking for Naraku."

"What? Do you know where Naraku is?" Sango suddenly piped up. He didn't even glance at her.

"I'm offering – only this time, Inu Yasha – my help."

"Why?" The half-demon demanded cynically.

"Because Naraku has provoked and taunted far too long, Inu Yasha."

"What, you want revenge?"

"No," Sesshomaru's chin raised a notch, "I am simply going to shut him up. And when I'm done with him, you're next in line." His eyes flickered to the Tetsusaiga, an unpleasant smile curling his lips. "And besides, he's...stolen something of mine that I require."

"And what's that?"

"I can't tell you that, Inu Yasha, but I can tell you that it does no harm."

"You're sword? Tetsuseiga?(sp)"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

Counting to ten, carefully keeping his fury in check, Sesshomaru replied, "I can't tell you now, Inu Yasha. I can only assure that it cannot do any harm."

"How am I to trust you, Sesshomaru? You'll probably turn your back on me!"

"Inu Yasha, my patience of you is drawing thin – dangerously thin. I am asking for your help in finding Naraku's castle." Inu Yasha was about to reply angrily 'No!', but Kagome beat him to it.

"Sesshomaru, you can travel with us, but if any deceit if suspected..." she trailed off meaningfully. Sesshomaru merely gave a barely evident nod.

"Feh! I'll kill you if you even look suspicious, Sesshomaru." His elder brother didn't reply, his face masked and cool.

"When will you be leaving?"

"After the monk is done," Sango responded for them.

"I'll be over in the trees," was all Sesshomaru said, turning with Jaken at his heels.

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"I wonder if Sesshomaru wants anything?" Kagome asked after awhile.

"What, warming up to him?" Inu Yasha snarled.

"Inu Yasha!" She exclaimed in remorse. "I was just wondering, that's all."

"So you said. Listen, Kagome, Sesshomaru gets his own food, gets everything of his on his own. He's an independent. He always has been."

"All right, already!" Kagome snapped, sighing. "I just didn't want him to go one starving, sorry for caring." Inu Yasha merely snorted.

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"Milord, is this really wise?" Jaken asked as he and Sesshomaru trailed behind the others. "What if one of them finds out?" Koga glanced behind them and frowned.

"Should we really be trusting them?" He queried Kagome, who looked puzzled.

"Why shouldn't we?"

"They just seem a little...suspicious. Didn't you hear him ask, 'What if one of them finds out?'"

"Koga, you're overreacting, Sesshomaru needs us as far as I'm concerned."

"All right, even though I still don't trust them..." Koga glanced behind him one more time, before he eventually ignored them.

"I don't like him, milord," Jaken informed him lowly.

"It doesn't matter who we like or dislike, Jaken," Sesshomaru murmured, not looking at him.

"But he will probably be the one who finds us out!" Jaken wailed in a low tone.

"And if he does, I'll cut his throat." The conversation was over and Jaken very well knew so. He wasn't going to press matters that his master did not want to speak about.

I wonder if Rin's okay? With Naraku...Jaken sighed, grimacing.

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Rin was lead by Kohaku to the small room that was Naraku's.

"He's waiting for you," Kohaku told her in a flat tone.

"I don't want to see him!" Rin declared, her eyes widening with each passing second. "He scares me."

"He won't hurt you, Rin," Kohaku told her reassuringly. "Master likes you." Rin brought a startled gaze to his face.

"He does?" She asked in a whisper. Kohaku nodded to the doors in response. Gulping, Rin entered. She heard the door close and Kohaku's footsteps fade away.

"It's all right, Rin," a male voice spoke. Rin swallowed, staring at Naraku, who was sitting up on the pallet, his eyes pinning her in place. "I won't hurt you, Kohaku was being honest." Rin walked forward hesitantly. He held a hand out to her and she anxiously laid hers on his. His fingers closing on her small hand he guided her to the door, opening it to the garden. Her fear forgotten, Rin' face brightened.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" She clapped her hands together, beaming. "Is it...is it yours?" She turned to Naraku, her uncertainty of him returning.

"Of course," Naraku replied. "I don't tend to it, but I did choose what I wanted in it."

"You have nice tastes in flowers," Rin complimented, touching a pedal of one. She bit her lip. "I didn't know demons liked flowers." Something flickered in the latter's eyes, before he smiled.

"Many prefer to crush them," he told her. Her lips curved upward in a grin and she went off, naming the flowers she knew and asking Naraku of the ones she wasn't certain of.

"How long am I going to be here?" Rin asked abruptly. Naraku's eyes clouded, his smile vanishing.

"For as long as it takes Sesshomaru to get Inu Yasha and find me."

"But...Lord Sesshomaru...What if he doesn't?" She turned wide, innocent eyes to him. "Are you really going to kill me?"

No, young one, I'll devour you. Then you'll become a part of me...Or what's left of me. Naraku thought bitterly. Instead of replying, he ignored the question and stared at a small bug crawling in the grass. He wasn't going to answer a question that should be left unanswered. It would only frighten her more.

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DIS: I'm almost positive that it was Naraku who acted like this in the ninth volume of Inu Yasha. Well, if I'm right about him being the 'young master'. (shrug) But yeah, I'm pretty much having Naraku deceive Rin. Anyway! Hope you liked it and please, please review on your way out! Ciao.