Chapter Two: A Name?

When Sesshoumaru returned to camp early the next morning, he saw a small fire burning and Jaken beside it scolding the girl for her recklessness. As he stood and watched, she never said a word, but her brows drew down and she grunted with a sniff. Smirking, he marveled at her inner ferocity, that she had yet to discover on her own. The girl stomped her foot and pointed at the fire, and Jaken shook his staff at her.

"You brazen child! Should Lord Sesshoumaru return and see the fire, he will probably lop off your head." Jaken smirked.

"Too late, Jaken." Sesshoumaru muttered, entering the small clearing.

"You have returned, my lord." Jaken almost shouted excitedly.

The girl turned and faced Sesshoumaru and she smiled. It was the same smile she had given him before. Frowning, he sniffed the air.

"Do you have a name, child?" Sesshoumaru asked.

She nodded her head, opened her mouth, and frowned at the harsh sound that came out. Her voice was so raw and unused that her vocal cords wouldn't accept the sounds she tried to make.

Sesshoumaru frowned, kneeling down to her. "Come here."

She walked forward without any hesitation, and stopped an inch away.

Pausing, Sesshoumaru thought quickly as to why he insisted on helping this human. Sighing, he lifted his hand and placed it around her neck slowly.

Jaken laughed. "Told you, stupid human."

She jerked slightly, but didn't pull away from Sesshoumaru's grip on her neck, looking into his eyes with perfect trust.

"Shut up, Jaken." Sesshoumaru hissed, using his thumb to brush against her voice box. "You haven't spoken in awhile." He whispered to her.

She nodded, and lowered her gaze sadly.

"Huh. I see." Sesshoumaru lowered his hand, and stood up. "Jaken." He commanded.

"Yes, milord?" Jaken ran up to his side expectantly.

"You are to accompany the girl to the river while she bathes."

"What!" Jaken all but screeched.

Sesshoumaru looked down and scowled.

"Yes, milord." Jaken grumbled walking out of the clearing.

The girl remained standing there looking from Jaken to Sesshoumaru.

Reaching under his armor, Sesshoumaru pulled out a small orange and cream kimono and a green obi and handed it to her. "This shall do, go clean."

She held the kimono staring at it. The material was soft, and pretty in her eyes. She had never had anything so expensive in her short life, and she gasped looking up at him. Without another word, she raced after Jaken.

Sesshoumaru allowed his eyes to trail after her, before seating himself by a tree and leaning up against it. He wasn't sure why he had picked up the kimono in the first place, but when he had found it, he had known that no one would need it in the village that lay in ashes.

He had picked it up and shrugged, thinking that perhaps it could be used as strips to clean his useless sword. Glancing down at his Tenseiga, he realized that perhaps this sword wasn't as useless as he had first thought.

He heard laughter by the river, and he frowned at the unusual sound. Sesshoumaru shook his head and glanced at Ah 'Uh who had lifted their heads at the sounds. They grunted, and seemed to smile at one another in amusement.

"You like the child?" Sesshoumaru asked.

The heads nodded.

Lifting his brows he turned his head away. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but Jaken was the first to exit the trees dripping wet. The girl followed giggling, clean and dressed in her new kimono.

Jaken dropped beside the fire and glared at her as she ran up to Ah 'Uh hugging them both. "Ah." She said as she hugged the right head, and then hugged the left. "Uh."

They grunted, and nudged her on either side, then looked up approving of her clean scent. Sesshoumaru approved as well. "Can you write?" He asked.

She frowned, but then nodded.

"Write your name." Sesshoumaru pointed to the dirt.

She knelt down and wrinkled her brow with concentration. It took her some time to draw her name into the ground, but once she was done she glanced up. Sesshoumaru stood up and walked over to her and looked down at the somewhat sloppy script, but he noticed the name she had written was eligible.

"Rin?"

She nodded.

Nodding, Sesshoumaru turned away. He lifted his head and glanced at the sky, and twitched when he heard a small rumbling coming from the girl. Frowning confused, he looked down. "You are hungry?"

Smiling embarrassed she nodded.

"Then go find some food." Sesshoumaru waved his hand to the forest, and she clasped her hands excitedly. Racing off, he turned away and seated himself back down at the tree.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, why are we taking a human girl?"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "I find her interesting." Was all he said.

Jaken grumbled, and nodded.

Sesshoumaru watched the girl curiously. He wasn't sure why he found her interesting; perhaps it was because she smiled regardless of where she was, or what had happened to her. Currently she was humming softly to herself, picking mushrooms at the edge of the clearing. The sound she made was soft and calm, not at all harsh like the sounds most humans made, and he felt a smile pull at the corners of his lips. It was a soothing sound that he was actually enjoying.

Her hands plucked another mushroom from the ground and his eyes widened at that particular one she was placing near her mouth. Startled, he sat up and muttered calmly. "Rin."

She stopped, and turned her head, holding the mushroom inches from her mouth.

Shaking his head, he muttered, quite pleased that she listened. "Not that one." Seating himself back against the tree.

She glanced at the mushroom and her eyes widened. Staring at it, she noticed the red spots on the top and she dropped it quickly. Glancing over her shoulder again, she smiled in thanks. Sesshoumaru nodded.

She went back to picking mushrooms, but stopped when something fell near her and she glanced over at it. It was misshapen, and yellow. Frowning, she stood up and walked over to it, and picked it up. She held it to her nose and sniffed at it curiously. She had never seen anything quite like this before. Rin turned around and looked at Jaken wondering if he would know what it was; the other tall one had his eyes closed so she figured he was sleeping.

She walked over to the small green guy and tapped him on the shoulder. He sputtered and pushed her hand away. She held out the strange yellow thing and waited. He ignored her. Sighing, everyone ignored her, why was she surprised? More determined now, she grunted thrusting her hand out more firmly towards him, demanding to know what it was.

"What do you want girl?" Jaken angrily spat.

She grunted again, showing him the thing in her hand again. A voice made her turn around, looking at the other one.

"It's a pear, and is safe to eat."

Grinning, she turned away from the green toad, and sniffed at him, stomping away. Jaken scoffed. She sunk her little teeth into it and smiled at the sweet pleasant taste that flooded her taste buds. Sitting down cross-legged, she ate the rest of the pear happily.

Sesshoumaru watched her as she ate the fruit amused at her expressions. They held a look of pleasure, and he felt his smile grow. Sighing, he frowned at the smile. Wiping it off his face, he found his mouth open in surprise as she ate the whole thing, core, stem and all. Smirking, he stood up.

"Let's go." He stated, walking away. Stopping he turned back. "Jaken, make sure the fire is out."

The toad youkai sputtered. "Why me? The girl started it."

Narrowing his eyes, Sesshoumaru glared at the retainer.

"Ye…yes…mi…lor…d." Jaken bowed and immediately went to work on putting the fire out with dirt.

Rin watched and waited. Jaken finished and quickly raced after Sesshoumaru who had already passed over a small hill, and Rin followed quickly. She had no idea who they were. Didn't know their names, except for Ah 'Uh. She silently wondered if the two headed thing actually had a name. Shrugging she ran with her arms outstretched to her sides, laughing.

She felt so free. They weren't bad people; she knew it immediately when they didn't strike her in anger. Well the toad guy did, but it was only her hand. The humans at the village used to beat her, hit her on the face and kicked her. Her new friends didn't. She had heard their names, and wondered if that was indeed their names. The tall, silver haired, pointed eared, calm golden eyed one had been called Lord Sesshoumaru by the small green, buggy eyed, and squawking, nose maker.

As she ran she searched her mind at what the tall one with the moon on his head had called the toad. 'Jaken!' Grinning and laughing triumphantly, she twirled through the green grass that brushed against her legs.

As she ran, she tested time and time again, her unused voice and wondered if she would ever be able to use it again. It had been so long since she had uttered a word. She had been so afraid when she had seen her mother; father and older brother being beaten and tortured by those bandits. Rin had hid her fear, and had raced to the nearest village. Those villagers had told her she could stay there in the small hut by the river, and she did. Suddenly sad, she slowed her running, and her smile faded to a frown.

Thinking to herself, she wondered if it was alright to travel with these new friends of hers. She liked them, they were nicer then the villagers. But if she couldn't travel with them where would she go? The village was gone, and she didn't want to go back to those mean humans. They would only beat her again.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize that her saddened expression had been noticed by the others who stood waiting for her as she lagged behind.

"Rin."

She lifted her head to the tall one, and she quickly ran up to them. They started walking again, and she knew at that moment that she was allowed to stay. Rin was still sad. So intent on thinking about her parents, and her brother, she missed them and wiped away the tear that fell onto her cheek.

Sesshoumaru smelled the sadness fill the air, and he frowned as he walked. Silently wondering what had caused her sadness, he looked over his shoulder seeing her wipe away the tears. Shaking his head, he stopped. Ah 'Uh was further back behind the girl nibbling away at grass that looked tasty. Jaken barreled into his legs, and spouted out apologies, then looked back at the girl who was lagging again.

"Hurry up. You're keeping Lord Sesshoumaru waiting." Jaken cried waving his staff at her. He felt a foot hit him and he was planted face down into the earth.

"Shut up, Jaken." Sesshoumaru hissed.

Rin quickly ran up and looked down silently apologizing. She felt a finger under her chin, and her face was lifted. She came eye to eye with the tall guy. She attempted a smile.

A frown met her smile and she scrutinized it. It was one of curiosity not of anger, and she sighed in relief.

"You are saddened?" Sesshoumaru whispered.

She paused, wondering if he would hit her if she confirmed her sadness, the humans at the village always did. Slowly she nodded. She winced and waited for discipline, but none came and she lifted her eyes surprised. The golden eyes of the tall one, seemed to widen also.

"I will not strike you child." Sesshoumaru hissed, angry at the past treatment of this little girl. "You were beaten at the village?"

Rin nodded, and looked down.

He growled, but she didn't jerk away from him. "Hn. Come, try to keep up, if you get tired you may ride Ah 'Uh."

She lifted her head and grinned. He had accepted her name for the dragon? Happy again, she nodded. But she stopped the tall guy from standing by placing her hand on his shoulder. Rin felt him freeze, and she lowered her hand when he looked at her in surprise.

Tilting her head to the side, she pointed at the dragon saying 'Ah 'Uh', then pointed at him and shrugged.

He nodded and gave her a small smile, one that was meant only for her. "Sesshoumaru." He whispered.

Grinning again, she pointed at the green toad.

"Jaken." Again she nodded, now satisfied. Smiling she followed him as he got up and walked away, and past the master Jaken toad who lay on the ground still. She bent over and giggled. "Ak." She croaked and frowned at the useless voice of hers.

Jaken got up and swatted her hand away. "Come on, girl." He dashed away and she followed.