Chapter Four: A Life of a Youkai

Rin opened her eyes, and stretched. Rubbing her eyes, wiping the sleep from them, she looked around. She was alone, except for Ah 'Uh who grazed nearby. Gasping, she wondered where Master Jaken and Lord Sesshoumaru had gotten to. Standing quickly, she walked over to Ah 'Uh and touched the saddle confused. They wouldn't leave the dragon behind would they?

Maybe the dragon was a burden to them as she was. Sighing she opened a small bag at Ah 'Uh's side and found a small fuzzy cloth inside, pulling it out she sniffed at it and found the smell to be of polish. Finding a small container inside, she pulled it out also and it was the said polish. Bored, she began to polish the soft leather saddle on the dragon.

Maybe they had left to find food of their own? Many questions went through her mind as she scrubbed the leather, and Ah 'Uh seemed quite pleased. Once she had finished her task, she went back over to her food she had left the night before and picked up the pear. She had saved it for last. The taste was wonderful, and she bit into it happily.

She waited for a long time, and finally looked up at the sun drenched sky. Rin continued to wait long into the afternoon. "Ah 'Uh?" She uttered. They looked up at her and seemed to smile. That small movement comforted Rin and she pointed to the flowers in the field just outside the clearing. The dragon followed her gaze and moved towards it as if saying it was alright by them for her to go to the field.

Racing into the small field, she began to hum happily picking as many flowers as she could. Maybe the Lord Sesshoumaru would let her continue with them if she picked him flowers. Glancing back at the clearing, she saw that they had returned and were standing there watching her. Smiling, she waved.

Jaken grumbled. "I had hoped she would wander off, the annoying human."

Sesshoumaru glanced at the retainer not amused in the slightest. This little human girl he found intriguing, and his retainer wished her to go? "I am not amused, Jaken."

The toad sputtered out apologies and fell to his knees begging for forgiveness.

Rin raced over, and held the bundle of flowers tightly, looking at the groveling toad. Looking up she smiled at the tall guy and held out the flowers to him. Sesshoumaru seemed to twitch at the gesture, but didn't take the flowers. Instead he turned away. 'Maybe he doesn't like flowers.' She thought. Sighing, she held them out to Jaken, who just looked at her.

"We youkai don't accept anything from humans, girl." Jaken squawked. She blinked.

'Youkai?' She thought. That's right her mother said youkai were evil. Yet here she was with three of them and she felt safer with them then with those villagers. Frowning, she walked away sadly, back into the field and continued to pick more flowers. Even if they were for herself, she went about gathering them without thought.

Time passed, she wasn't sure how long, but she lifted her head slightly when a crack reached her ears. Glancing around, she saw Jaken and Sesshoumaru in the clearing they had camped out in, and Ah 'Uh was with her. They had also heard the noise and looked around curiously.

Something darted through the grass, and her breath caught in her throat. Stepping backwards, she felt her heart pick up pace, and nervously swallowed.

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Sesshoumaru felt a change in the wind, and he sniffed the air. Frowning, he growled low in his throat.

"What is it, milord?" Jaken asked seeing and hearing Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru didn't answer. Turning his head to the field, he sensed it there. Near 'her.' His heart lurched into his throat at that thought, catching him off guard, and he raced quickly into the field quickly finding the slithering ten foot youkai that was preying on 'his human girl.'

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Rin didn't have much time to react as she watched Sesshoumaru race into the field, slamming into the earth at great speeds. She gasped as she saw blood and grass and dirt fly up into the air as he connected with the earth, and she covered her eyes.

Peeking through her fingers, her eyes connected with white pants and she looked up her hands following still covering parts of her eyes. Sesshoumaru looked down at her, and tilted his head to the side. There wasn't an ounce of dirt or blood on him, and she lowered her hands.

He knelt down, and looked at her pointedly. "You traveling with youkai is a danger to you, Rin." He spoke softly, his hands picking up her flowers she had dropped when she covered her eyes. Sesshoumaru handed her the flowers.

"Ookai?" She said hoarsely.

Sesshoumaru seemed pleased at her attempts to speak, and nodded. Lifting his hand to her throat again, he used his thumb to brush against her voice box. "Yes, youkai. Your voice is coming back."

She looked down, but his finger stopped her and lifted her chin up so she met his eyes.

"Do you not have family?" Sesshoumaru whispered.

She shook her head.

"Say it."

"No."

He nodded at the smoother tone. "Were they killed?"

"Yes."

"By those like Jaken and myself?" Sesshoumaru wanted some answers.

"No."

"Humans?" He was somewhat surprised.

"No." She swallowed and tried to form the words, and they came out a bit clearer. "Bnndtss." Rin winced at the horrid sound. "Baand…" She coughed. "Itsss."

Sesshoumaru's face softened. "Bandits? Your own kind killed your family?"

She nodded.

"Say it."

"Yes."

Sesshoumaru sat back slightly. "Rin, this life you are entering into is one filled with danger. Do you understand what I am saying?"

"Yes."

"Yet you still wish to travel with Jaken, Ah 'Uh and myself?"

She looked at him with complete trust. "Yes."

Sesshoumaru frowned. "I do not know why I will allow this." He smiled at her then.

She was stunned. He was smiling at her, and she grinned back at him. Holding up a flower, she placed it in his hand. Sesshoumaru's smiled faded slightly, but he wrapped his long fingers around it curiously. Holding it up peering at it, he then allowed his gaze to meet hers for answers.

She opened her mouth to speak then. "Flrzzz. Frr uuu."

Sesshoumaru frowned. "I do not need flowers."

She placed another one in his hand and smiled brightly.

Taken by surprise, Sesshoumaru felt his frown deepen. "You are persistent child."

"Yes." She placed another flower in his hand. She looked over her shoulder for Jaken, but he was no where to be found.

Sesshoumaru saw her searching, and shook his head. "I sent him to find food. This moment is between you and myself. I show nothing for others, this you must understand. I will not tend to you, nor will I coddle you like a pup. You will find no comfort through me, or sympathy. Finding food is your responsibility, the only thing I will give you, is safety." Without another word, building ice around his heart, he gave her the flowers back.

"Come Rin. It is time to return to camp." He turned and walked away.

She grinned. Rin understood what he said. Smiling, she wondered if he actually meant every word. She already knew that he cared; he had shown that already, concern over her voice, urging her to speak, and saving her from whatever had been in the field. Smiling happily, she followed silently.

She tried to mimic his movements. He was so quiet on his feet, and she wanted to be just as quiet. Tip toeing, she stalked him.

Sesshoumaru heard her behind him, and when he shifted his gaze over to Rin and he was surprised to see her stance. 'Is she stalking me?' Lifting his gaze away, he felt his heart lift a bit at that thought. Blinking in surprise, he fought the urge to return the play. Growling low in his throat, he decided to ignore her. 'What the hell am I thinking?'

Shaking his head, he entered their camp. Seating himself by his tree, he watched the girl, as she placed her flowers in Ah 'Uh's saddle bag, Squinting his eyes, he noticed the leather gleaming. 'She polished?' He mused. 'Hn.' He grunted softly. She muttered to herself softly, forming words long unused on her mouth and he nodded in approval. Looking away, he heard Jaken through the forest, and the toad came out into the clearing carrying vegetables and fish for the girl.

Rin looked up and grinned. Waving at him, her smiled faded when he grunted. 'Cranky.' She thought. Smirking, she got up and walked over to him, looking over his shoulder as he began setting up a fire. More grunts escaped his mouth, and he inched forward a bit when she leaned forward some more.

He inched, and she would lean, he inched more, and she leaned more. Sighing, Jaken turned on her and she gasped falling forward onto her stomach. She didn't fall onto the ground however, but landed firmly on the toad, planting him on his back.

"Get off me!" Jaken squawked, pushing at the girl.

Rin giggled. The toad youkai snorted and scrambled to his feet, storming away. She followed him. Startled he looked over his shoulder and she stopped when his eyes fell on her. Frowning, he turned away walking stiffly. Rin moved again, following his every step. Every time he turned, she would freeze and turn her head away as if she was looking at something else.

"Leave me alone!" He grunted, shaking his staff at her for good measure. Stalking away, Jaken returned to his circle of stones he had started placing before the irritating human girl interrupted him. Getting up he turned and walked right into an orange kimono, knocked off his feet.

Narrowing his eyes at her, as she giggled at him, he pushed past her and started picking up branches at the edge of the clearing. Jaken knew very well that she was there every step of the way. He could hear her behind him.

Sesshoumaru felt his eyes trailing after the two of them and smirked. Perhaps this girl is just what he needed to shut the toad up. He had almost lost all control and almost laughed when she had fallen onto the retainer, but he had mentally slapped himself, looking away quickly.

'Dammit, what is this girl doing to me?' He cursed to himself. Looking back at them, Jaken had returned to his circle of stones, with the girl trailing right behind him. The toad youkai grumbled the entire time, and she mimicked the grumbles, earning more grunts and whines. She copied every move and sound he made, and Sesshoumaru shook his head amused. 'This girl has some fire in her.'

She seated herself beside the fire, now tired of playing with Jaken. He was no fun. The only things he did were grunt and squawk and she was now bored. Rather irked at this boredom, she tried to remember what she had done in the village when she had been bored. Of course she had stolen fish from the preserve, sat in her hut, or even sat on the rocky shore at the riverside by her little hut.

Rin remembered once she had tried to approach the other children, and play with them, but they had pushed her, teased her, and went so far as to kick her down. It had happened only once, and she had left them alone. Lifting her hands to her view then flipping them over to look at the backs, she wondered why she had not been able to play.

Shrugging, she also remembered making flower wreaths, but her fingers eventually had become toys for the other children, who stepped on them, and one of the boys had even broken a few out of fun. Rin sighed, lowering her hands. They were fine now, she had painstakingly gone back to her hut and had set them herself knowing no one else would.

Rin had discovered the forest not long after that. She would wander down the dark paths aimlessly. Learned how to fish, pick berries, even learned how to make a fire on her own. Highly independent, she knew she didn't really need to be in anyone's company. But she was lonely. The Lord Sesshoumaru and Master Jaken had been the first ones to not hit her, or beat her. They just silently accepted her, well Jaken didn't; she mused as she looked over at him.

Despite all she had lived through, why did she smile? Was it because the world around her was filled with such beauty that she was content with just that? Everything around her was beautiful in her eyes, so really she didn't care much or give much attention to the ache in her heart. Obviously it was there for a reason so she didn't question it or hate it. It was just there.

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Hi folks. Sorry about taking so long to update my Another Dimension story. I am taking my time on it, because I don't want it to be just another one of 'Those stories' if you catch my drift. I am working on the next chapter, and it should be up real soon. Fear not I haven't forgotten about it. Awakening Emotions had started out as a one shot, so I may or may not add more to the story. I am still thinking on it. Moments in Time is also being worked on, but I seem to have lost the original idea I had intended to use, and I am currently thinking up another one. wink. Young at Heart chapter is almost finished, and should be up by the end of the week. I'm hoping. Reason for the updates on these other ones, well these idea's popped into my head and I figured I would write them down before I forgot. I have also been working on music video's based on Inuyasha, so that has taken a lot of my time as well. Plus after watching movie four, I decided to do a video on that one too.

If you want to see them, go to my home page to get the links.

Reviewer responses.

Keeper-of-maude-paradise:Thanks for the review. I take pride in my writing, as I have been writing since grade 12, which was….what '94? Lol Glad you like it.

AnimeManiac09:More is coming, keep reading, and keep enjoying.

HamGirl:Yup more is coming, fear not, updates I know are hard to wait for…

Oni-Girl:Cute? Lol, well I try…oh you meant the story…oops, yes I am glad you liked it. Lots of cuteness and fluff coming. Stay tuned.

Vampire-dogdemongirl89:Thanks for the review, Rin is pretty cute isn't she? Not sure which I like better though, the Japanese or English Rin, that's a toughie. Actually they both are pretty good.

AnimeFreakSlayer: Thanks for the reviews. Glad you're liking the stories so far, and you know…coughing for the next chapter did work… but ya don't let the secret out ok? Lol. Oops, I just did, didn't I? Clears throat Alright…going to work on some more chapters now…

Azure Dream: I know the feeling, finding good quality fictions are hard to find. I'll try to keep up the good work, just let me know how they are, and they will keep coming. Feedback is always welcomed, even fixes on spelling, grammar. silently thanking spell check and MSWord for that grammar correction thing

Till next time everyone. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Cold hearted Sesshoumaru….right, and I'm a bee in a bee hive….hmmm bees…now there's an idea…grins