Disclaimer: -grumble- I don't Inuyasha… or a lawyer… -grumble-

Through Her Eyes

Chapter 5: Confessions of a Six Year Old

Rin giggled as she darted around the open field they came to, picking flowers. The journey thus far had been nothing but awkward silence, so the light cheery sound of the little girl's laughter was welcome. Datherine smiled fondly at Rin when she squealed as a bunny sniffed her and promptly ran away. Rin's face fell and she returned to Datherine.

"Datherine-sama?" Rin asked remorsefully, "Why doesn't the bunny like me?" Datherine crouched down to her level and smiled sadly.

"The bunny thinks you're going to hurt it." She explained gently.

"I wouldn't hurt her!" Rin said, shocked and slightly horrified. Sesshoumaru smiled faintly without realizing it. Glancing over, Inuyasha felt a pang of jealousy, hurt and shock. Datherine chuckled.

"I know sweetie, but the bunny has instincts that tell it to run from things bigger and more powerful than itself." Rin scoffed her foot on the ground.

"I don't run from you or Sesshoumaru-sama…" she said sulkily. Datherine barked a laugh. The great lord's lip twitched. He was tempted to laugh!

"Yes, well you're instincts tell you, you don't need to run." Datherine grinned at the small girl.

"Nope! My in-sinks tell me to help you and Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin beamed with pride. Datherine looked taken aback. Sesshoumaru stared at the screen blankly.

"What do you mean Rin?" she asked slowly.

"I have to help you be happy again!" Rin said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. Datherine blinked at the girl and then looked away with a sad smile.

"I'm that transparent, huh?" she asked softly, watching the sun sink below the trees and turn into a deep red gold.

Rin struggled with the word. "T-trans-per-ant?" Datherine grinned at her.

"Trans-par-ent. It means see through, like glass."

"Ooooh…" Rin giggled. "You're not glass Datherine-sama!" Datherine laughed softly and stood up, twirling the girl with one finger. Sesshoumaru's instincts kicked up as he watched this display of affection. They clearly screamed, "MOTHER AND PUP!" But that made no sense. He had long ago (reluctantly) agreed with himself that Rin was his pup. He let out a low growl that not even Inuyasha could hear. This woman was stealing his pup! He either pointedly ignored, or didn't notice that he was watching this woman with avid fascination and his instincts were telling him something else about her…

"So tell me Rin," Datherine started, ignoring their companions who seemed to be lost in their own little worlds, "Who is this Sesshoumaru-sama you travel with?"

"He is the most wonderful, great lord ever!" Rin squealed. Inuyasha snorted and his brother gave him an icy glare. "He saved my life, you know!"

"Did he?" Datherine murmured. She glanced over her shoulder at the slayer and miko, who were watching them carefully. "And he's a dog demon?" They nodded. Datherine turned away, looking down at Rin with a troubled expression. Sesshoumaru smirked in satisfaction. She had finally realized Rin was his pup. "How did you come into his care?"

"He saved me. I died you know." Datherine's jaw dropped, but Rin didn't notice, she started off on her story.

(AT: Okay, this is actually important. I've made up the first part of her memory with false memories. But the second part should be from the Anime. Could someone tell me if I got it right? Thanks!)

"My mommy and daddy were very popular in my village! Everyone loved them! I used to go around on my papa's shoulders and mama would take me to pick flowers!" She did so now, picking a small purple flower and pushing it behind her ear. "But… they got… really sick one day… and they… died… This was way before Sesshoumaru-sama found me… I miss them very much…" She trailed off and stared at the ground, before giving herself a little shake and continuing. "The villagers were so angry with me after that, I dunno why… So they threw me out to live by the river. At first, I just sat and cried a lot, but then I figured out that Mommy and Daddy wouldn't have wanted me to die, so I built my house and started to fish!" Rin claimed proudly. Datherine was watching her in horror as she skipped ahead, still rattling off her history. Sesshoumaru had a fix on his face and was watching emotionlessly. He did not need to lose control of his demon in here.

"It was okay… 'cept when the villagers came… they blamed me for the weirdest things… When the crops didn't come in fast enough or when it didn't rain for a long time…" Rin stopped and shivered, hugging herself. "T-they were so angry with Rin… so angry…" Datherine scooped the girl up, quelling the urge to go find these humans and slaughter them.

"Did they… hurt you, Rin?" She asked in a strained voice. Rin nodded slowly. Datherine bit back a snarl. Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered red several times before seeping back to his normal amber. Inuyasha watched him from the corner of his eyes, for once, sympathetic of his brother. He unconsciously scanned the room for Shippo, who was watching Rin in terror.

"Anyway… then one day… the wolves came…" She shuddered and buried her face in Datherine's haori. "They chased Rin… but then, Sesshoumaru-sama stopped them!" Rin giggled happily and looked up at Datherine with dancing eyes. "But he was so hurt!" Worry clouded her small eyes. Datherine was touched. Sesshoumaru wondered why she cared so much for him. That didn't stop his eyes from softening. "At first he wouldn't let me help him, but I knew he needed it! I brought him food and tried to help with his cuts and stuff…" Rin's eyes dulled with fright. "One day Rin came back and Rin couldn't find him… Rin went to look for him and the wolves came back…" Datherine and Sesshoumaru felt protectiveness surge through them. "It… hurt…" Rin said softly. Datherine hugged her tightly and Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed again. "But then there was this bright flash and I was back! And Sesshoumaru-sama was standing over me! My savior! My lord!" She giggled happily, clapping her hands. Datherine smiled softly at her. Sesshoumaru smiled contentedly.

"We'll stop here for tonight." Datherine announced as they reached a clearing.

"What?" Kagome asked, as Datherine returned Rin to the ground and set about making camp. "We have to keep going!" Datherine looked up at her.

"It will do your mate no good if you're exhausted when you get there, and can't fight him out of Tessa's clutches."

"It'll do my mate no good if I get there and he's already dead!" Kagome argued hotly, completely oblivious to what she had said. Sango started to giggle and Datherine smirked. Inuyasha was pale with shock, his mouth hanging open. It had sounded so natural, so right when she had said that. Miroku was quaking with silent laughter and Shippo was anything but silent about it. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at his brother.

"I thought the half breed was too wimpy to take the bitch as his mate." He stated calmly.

"Shut up you bastard!" Inuyasha snarled. "You know I haven't! You would smell it!"

Kagome suddenly clapped a hand to her mouth. "I-I m-mean… Inuyasha… he won't be… and… Oh!" She covered her face with her hands in embarrassment. Datherine shook her head and pulled her hands away.

"Inuyasha wouldn't want you to kill yourself trying to reach him, so just get some rest, I promise I'll get you up early so we can make haste, 'kay?"

Kagome, too shamed to say anything, just nodded weakly and curled up in her sleeping bag, her face flaming. Sango tried desperately to quell her giggles as she too slid into her sleeping bag. Much like Inuyasha, Datherine leapt up into a tree and settled.

She looked down when there was a cough from below her. Rin looked up at her, shuffling her feet.

"What is it, Rin?"

"I-I usually sleep next to Ah-Un when I'm traveling…" She said softly. "I get fright pictures if I don't... sleep near something living…" Datherine smiled and jumped down.

"Do you prefer the ground or the trees?" Rin squealed and launched herself at Datherine, hugging her around the middle. Sesshoumaru looked on 'blankly'. I didn't know she had fright pictures…

"Trees!" Rin announced. Datherine lifted her into her arms and leapt back up, cuddling the girl close as she closed her eyes and curled into her haori, falling fast asleep. Datherine combed her claws lazily through her thick hair automatically as she too fell into slumber. Sesshoumaru felt another stab of jealousy and another unidentified emotion. Inuyasha and Miroku watched Kagome and Sango sleep and Shippo curled up on the floor to sleep as well.

Buddha, help them safely through this… Miroku prayed, his eyes lingering on Sango's peaceful face.

Author's Comments: Yeah, so please tell me if I got Rin's history right. I saw the episode a long time ago, and I was trying to remember how it went. I like this chapter though. Datherine and Rin get really close.