Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters therein.

Rin held tight to the sacred arrow, not daring for a moment to look down to the back of the ogre's throat. The sound of her own shouts echoed in the beast's mouth and she flinched. Her eyes were locked on the blue sky she could see from beyond the demon's teeth.

"Come on, Kagome...InuYasha...you guys can't be dead." she grunted as she adjusted her grip on the arrow's shaft.

"Rin! You're okay!" Kagome shouted, peering down from her perch on the ogre's chin.

"Kagome! Oh good! You have got to get me out of here! Where is InuYasha and Master Jaken? Are they all right?"

"Everyone is okay...but there is still no sign of Sesshomaru. Just hang on! We are going to use Sesshomaru's sash to pull you up. Don't worry, InuYasha has the other end tied around his waist! He won't let you fall!"

Rin said nothing more as she grabbed onto the familiar purple and yellow sash Kagome threw down to her. Sesshomaru's scent filled her nostrils as the materal brushed against her cheek. Her eyes slipped closed and she held fast to it, feeling herself rising up as InuYasha carefully and slowly pulled her up. When she was within reach, Kagome clasped her hands and helped Rin out. InuYasha quickly untied the sash from his waist and pressed it into Rin's small hands. He knew the girl would want to keep it.

"I'm sure he's okay, Rin," he said softly, "Something...something just made him hesitate and lets just hope it didn't cost him his life."

"He's still alive, InuYasha. I can feel it. Lets get Kagome that elixir and then we can start to search for Lord Sesshomaru."

"No. We have to find Sesshomaru first. The elixir can wait." Kagome insisted, scrambling down from the fallen ogre and retrieving her bow and the quiver of sacred arrows.

"But, Kagome---"

"No! Please...Rin. Lets just find Sesshomaru, okay? Some things are more important than others."

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Sesshomaru had barely had time to move before the ogre's fist came crashing down. The creature's craggy skin had caught the sash around his waist and nearly pulled him back but the inuyoukai lord had released the simple knot, freeing himself. As the ground erupted Sesshomaru had gracefully lept away, landing smoothly before the startled demons. Tokijin was firmly pointed at them and neither dared to speak. Fire blazed in the dog demon's eyes.

"I have tolerated these games of cat and mouse, I have looked the other way as I caught sight of you watching me and I have even chosen to ignore your scents as they linger after you are gone. This time, I will do none of those things. You have had time enough to observe both myself and my little brother. Now you stand idlly by as we are attacked by an ogre. Were you hoping to see what Tetsuseiga and Tenseiga are capable of? Or did you hope to witness our demise and take the weapons for yourselves?"

"You had the Demon's Dagger, Lord Sesshomaru." the taller, more reptilian looking of the demon's said softly.

"That hardly answers my questions. Clearly you are not allies seeing as you didn't come to our aid. That, therefore, makes you the enemy." Sesshomaru replied, raising Tokijin to strike.

"What need would the Lord of the Western Lands have for allies?" the shorter and far bolder demon demanded.

"You seemed to have the battle well under control, Lord Sesshomaru. Had we interfered you would merely have told us our aid was unnecessary...am I correct?" the taller demon spoke again, laying a hand on his companion's shoulder.

"Don't think to use such poor logic as a defense for you cowardice. You are little better than savangers. You were waiting to pick over the bodies and take what you could of value. Why wait? Why not try and take the weapon from me now? Or perhaps you would rather try and take the Tetsuseiga from the slower hanyou?"

The demons glanced at one another. What were they to say? They had been played for fools by the Northern lord and now the Lord of the Western Lands was challenging them. They knew they stood little chance against Sesshomaru. His speed was not something to be trifled with. He was almost impossible to strike and neither of them had nearly the agility to go against him. They had once told Lord Sesshomaru they had no quarrel with him or his mate and they had meant it. They wished no harm to the Lady Rin as she had treated demons with fairness in her dealings. The dog demon lord they simply feared out of common sense.

"Your weapons we have no wish to possess, Lord Sesshomaru. It is their power we want to understand and harness. Only to protect our own as you protect yours." the tall demon replied evenly.

"You waste your time. Their power cannot be taken from them and used elsewhere."

From the battlefield a loud crash was heard and a wind rushed through the trees, bending the tender saplings in half. It was apparent that the fight was over and the ogre had not come out the victor. The demons looked to Sesshomaru whose expression never changed even as the fallen leaves on the ground swirled around him.

"If you touch the Tetsuseiga, its barrier will reject you. Father had the sword forged so no full blooded demon may touch it. I know of which I speak. If you wish to test it, by all means, do so."

Sesshomaru turned and began to walk away, back to the others. The demons were lying. They wanted more than to merely understand the swords his father had left to him and InuYasha. When his eyes had found the two demons lurking in the woods, they had been watching Rin and Kagome. Their focus had now shifted. Why did these two beings wish to know all they could about himself and InuYasha and those around them? One never made such an intense studied of a person. Not unless they were pondering whether to make them friend or foe.

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InuYasha was the first to see Sesshomaru emerging from the dense woods. Even from the great distance, he could see his brother's look was dark. How had the inuyoukai lord managed to escape the ogre's strike? He followed Sesshomaru's intense gaze and realized he was watching Rin. Of course. Making sure his mate was unharmed. It was their first instinct as dog demons.

"Rin." the hanyou said gently, nodding in his brother's direction.

Rin's head came up as she emerged from some shrubbery she was looking through for any sign of her lord. She looked at InuYasha, puzzled at first. Then her eyes slowly widened as she recognized the striking white against the green of the woods. Not caring a bit whether it was appropriate or not, Rin bolted across the field towards her lord. Other women might have cried but not Rin. Her laughter floated over the ruined grounds as she came to a stop before Sesshomaru, her hands clasped behind her back. Jaken, in his usual way, was practically sobbing with relief. Sesshomaru studied Rin's face, seeing smears of dirt from her search on her cheek and chin, a scratch from a bramblebush on the side of her neck.

"You are well, Rin?" he asked, hiding the smile on his face.

"I am well, my lord." she beemed.

The others could hardly believe their ears! These two were acting as if nothing beyond a minor mishap had occured! They had no way of knowing that this was Sesshomaru's way of showing the depth of his worry for Rin. Since she was a child, after any amount of separation, this was the way he had always spoken to her. Rin's reply, while sounding so blaise, was her way of telling her lord her joy at their reunion. Only between Sesshomaru and Rin did they trully know what was being said. As Sesshomaru nodded and started to make his way back to the others, Rin happily walked alongside him, not once reaching for his hand. She and he both were content enough simply to see one another alive and well.

"Okay...was that not just about the weirdest reunion you have ever seen!" Kagome asked InuYasha as they watched the couple coming towards them.

"Well what did you expect? Sesshomaru to lift her up and spin her around?" the hanyou snorted.

"A hug at least! I mean, if I were Rin, I'd be so relieved I'd have to at least have that much!"

"These two just don't work that way, Kagome. Sesshomaru can never be accused of a lot of public affection. Not everyone thinks a full body tackle is an acceptable greeting like you do."

"InuYasha?"

"Yeah?"

"Sit, boy."

The power of the command drove the unsuspecting hanyou into the ground. From the shrine came the creak and groan of ancient wood. The tiny structure teetered dangerously on the edge of the chasm, threatening to fall in. Rin froze, her eyes going to Kagome. If the shrine fell, any chances she may have had for immortality would be lost. InuYasha slowly knelt, ready to jump for the shrine should it tumble.

"Kagome? Do we let it fall?"

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Chew Chew: To answer your review in Chapter 39...Stop reading my mind! lol

Yes, the ogre is dead but the elixir is not yet securely in their hands...and if Sesshomaru should get ahold of it, will he still make his little brother pay a price in order for Kagome to use it? Will Kagome even still want to use it? Will my spelling in this Chapter not suck as hard as it did in Chapter 40? Stay tuned!