Journey Anew

Chapter 07 : Fear of Loss

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Author's Note: I apologize for the lack of updates. I never wanted to leave anyone hanging, it's just so much has happened with Katrina, with school, with the repairs, with my personal life… and not to mention once I lost some chapters and had to rewrite them… :frowns: Anyway, please forgive me and understand, that's all I'm asking. I want to stress the fact that I intend to finish these stories, whether it take me a couple years to do so. If you're around for the ride, then that's great. But I do intend to finish them sooner than that… hehe… but thank you to everyone who has reviewed or just read the story. I really do appreciate it. And a special thanks to Robot Killah, my lil psycho buddy. D

Warnings: Not too much.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

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Shortly after Sango had awoken, so did Kouga and Jaken. Kouga was leaning against the cave wall, bothered that they hadn't left yet. Sesshomaru was on the cliff side above them, standing alone and staring off into the distance. Sango was making lunch for herself, irritated because Jaken wouldn't stop standing over her shoulder, critizing and turning his nose up at everything she did.

"My, my, you humans are so foolish!" Jaken chuckled to himself, "Why should one boil water?"

Sango ignored him as he continued to question her methods. After a little while, Kouga moved forward and knocked the little imp completely off his feet with the side of his foot, "Bug off." Kouga snorted and then leaned down on his knees beside Sango, looking curiously at what she was making. "Smells good,"

"I've made enough for all of us, if you want some." Sango replied, stirring the soup. "Its not much, but it'll do for now."

"I'll take a bowl." Kouga then moved to sit cross-legged.

"I'll go ahead and warn you." Sango paused as Kouga looked at her curiously and she blinked. For a moment, she had thought… no…

"Hmm, Sango?" Kouga prodded her with his finger, "Weren't you saying something just a second ago?"

"Ah, well, I was saying that I should warn you about the lack of meat."

"I'm not completely a carnivore." Kouga defended himself, "I can eat this too."

"You weren't so willing the other morning-"

"You and little Rin-chan convinced me of how delicious it was…" Kouga replied but then looked a little down. Sango looked back at the soup and stirred it, both silent and thinking about Rin. Jaken had retreated to a corner, muttering to himself and puffing out his chest. He decided to spend the rest of his time sulking. Which he explained to himself was because he had been kicked around by Kouga and was certainly tired of it, but somehow he kept finding himself wanting to hear "Jaken-saaaama" and feel little arms squeezing the life out him. At those moments, he would shake his head and declare himself on the verge of insanity.

Above them, Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes ever so slightly and vanished.

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Severus and his team had left their hole and were making their way through the forest. Severus had Rin tailing behind him, her hands tied together with a rope that Severus had tied to his belt. He kept glancing back at her, for reasons that Rin wasn't so sure about. He wasn't thinking about eating her, was he? Then again, the look in his eyes wasn't threatening.

After a little while of walking in relative silence, Rin spoke, "Severus-sama…"

Severus glanced over his shoulder, "What is it?"

"Where are we going?"

"Keep walking and you'll find out." Severus snorted, "Anyway, what kind of question is that? You're in no position to be asking questions, Rin."

"Sorry," Rin bowed her head and Severus sniffed.

"No need to apologize. But you are a hostage, my dear." Severus turned his eyes back in front of him. His men were all ahead of him, he and Rin making up the rear. It was probably dangerous for him to be walking behind, but since none of his current servants were anywhere near his or Sesshomaru's level, they would merely get in his way. It was quite bothersome, having them all around in the first place. Then again… "You, quickly run to the front and get me a glass of wine from the wagon." Severus snapped to the man a few feet ahead of him. The nameless man quickly complied.

Rin giggled, "You sounded so serious, Severus-sama!"

Severus blinked and stopped walking, turning around. Rin blinked as well, afraid that she had angered him. Instead he blinked once more, "What?"

A smile spread across her face, "When you gave that man an order. You sounded so serious but it was only to get you a drink. I just thought it was funny…"

Severus stared at her for a moment and then shrugged, "I suppose I can see the humor in that."

Rin was grinning widely at him. Severus did not smile back, only stare at her with a funny expression on his face. Then his eyes narrowed.

"Shit."

Rin's eyes widened as Severus grabbed her up in his arms and jumped out of the way as the wagon (once carrying Severus's wine) smashed to the ground, exploding into a million jagged fragments.

Severus flinched slightly when one of the aforementioned fragments sliced into his side. Rin cried out when she saw the blood spewing down his shirt. Severus whirled around, still holding Rin. He blinked in surprise, "I didn't expect you'd be able to smell us so soon, Sesshomaru. I guess I underestimated your nose."

Sesshomaru did not respond.

Severus chuckled, setting Rin down. He did nothing to indicate the gaping wound in his side even bothered him, as he placed his hands on his hips and smirked at Sesshomaru, "My, my, you made quite a mess of my men too. Are they all dead?"

"Presumably." Sesshomaru replied. Then he looked at Rin, scouting over her quickly to make sure she hadn't been hurt.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin cried out excitedly. She had been trying not to mess up Sesshomaru's concentration, but since he was looking at her, she could no longer contain her excitement.

Severus's eyes narrowed slightly, pushing away thoughts of Rasha and Nichol, "You came alone? Where are your companions?"

Once again no reply.

"I see," Severus said in a softer voice, "You want to get this over with. Fine." He suddenly placed a hand on Rin's head, all of his attention focused on her. She blinked and looked up. "You were splendid company, Rin-chan. Now, I'm going to release you. Go and hide for now. This may get a little… rough."

Rin's eyes widened, "Are you going to fight Sesshomaru-sama?"

Severus only smiled and untied the rope. Rin was staring at him until Sesshomaru called out, "Rin, move away."

She jumped and did so, running towards the brush. Her heart was beating so wildly. She had never been more concerned about one of Sesshomaru's battles. She… didn't want to see either of them hurt.

Both waited until Rin was hidden. Then simultaneously they unsheathed their swords and lunged at each other.

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Kagura did not want to greet the following morning. It was all a lie. A nightmare brought on by her own fear. It had to be.

But then, as she rolled over in her bed, she could hear Mayura in the other room, sobbing and singing some old song for the dead. It was haunting.

The other woman must not have slept. Kagura wasn't sure how she had at all. Together they'd carried his body back to the cabin, and then Mayura had shut herself inside of the room they must have shared with each other for years and years….

Kagura bit back the tears. What must it feel like? To suddenly have someone who had always been there beside you, always smiling and reassuring you, vanish within one moment? All that life… gone.

Just like that…

She had never been affected by death. She had killed and seen others killed and thought nothing of it.

She had never imagined it could feel like this…

And suddenly, Kagura felt very weighed down. A thought was trying to surface in her mind, but she pushed it down with all that she was. She did not want to play with this feeling, she wanted to ignore it. Go away, she thought desperately.

To occupy herself and fight thinking over what was slowly seeping into her mind, she got out of bed and left the room. The hallway was dark. The entire house was dark.

She shivered and knocked on the door. The other woman stopped singing.

"Kagura?" Her voice was so soft. Kagura felt crushed and she responded.

"Yes."

The door opened and Mayura's tear-streaked face filled her vision. Kagura stared sadly back at the other woman, not knowing what to say, or even what to do. So she just stood there and stared.

Mayura suddenly lunged into Kagura's arms and began to sob. Kagura was shocked and they slowly descended to the floor as it was clear Mayura was falling, losing all the strength in her knees.

Kagura ran an unsure hand over the other woman's back. Her eyes felt wet and she struggled not to break down as well.

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"Where the hell did he go?" Kouga growled out annoyed, "Did that arrogant bastard leave us behind?"

Sango narrowed her eyes as well, "That's what it looks like."

Jaken smirked from behind the two, "Well, Sesshomaru-sama must know that you're nothing but nusiances to him. It's much more fitting this way."

Kouga turned around and glared at the imp, "I'll show him." Then he looked at Sango, "I can track as well as some mangy dog." Kouga then moved forward, searching for Sesshomaru's scent.

Sango quickly ran into the cave and grabbed the explosives she had put together the day before. Her sword was already in its sheath around her waist. She wished more than anything to have hiraikotsu, but the boomerang was back at her village. She would have to make do with this.

"Are you ready! I've got it!" Kouga called.

Jaken stuttered, "If he left you then that's how he wants it! Don't leave you fools!"

Sango ran past Jaken, trailing behind Kouga who had already started to make haste. Kouga looked over his shoulder, slowly slightly, so that she could catch up, "Would you rather I carry you? I can move a lot faster than this, and you wouldn't be any problem."

Sango nodded and while still moving, she jumped onto his back. It was a smooth operation and Kouga broke out into his full speed. The dog wasn't too far away. They'd make it within ten minutes.

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I got an email saying that we can no longer address individual reviewers here::shakes head: Whatever. I think that's shitty, but what else is new? Haha. Anyway, thank you everyone once again, if you have any questions or comments that you want a reply to, then just ask that I email you and I will. Well, when I can, anyway… ;;

Thank you once again!

- Taijiya