Disclaimer: Unfortunately nothing has changed since the last chapter. I just own a bag of InuYasha, that is all.

Chapter 3: What?

Sesshoumaru didn't reply, he simply slung Sumi on Aun and started walking again, Lin glanced at Sumi's bleeding form and back at Sesshoumaru. While Sesshoumaru was rescuing Sumi, Lin had already made friends with Jaken, though he'd never admit that.

"What's his name?" she whispered to Jaken, he was taken aback.

"Whaaaat? You do not know Lord Sesshoumaru's name? You ungrateful--"

Lin smiled happily, "Thank you Jaken." she hugged him then ran up to Sesshoumaru. "Thank you for saving her my Lord." said Lin looking straight in front of her.

Sesshoumaru glanced down at her, still silent. "She was kind to me. She didn't let the villagers hurt me. She protected me." continued Lin, she felt as if she needed to share that information.

"You're welcome." replied Sesshoumaru, a little late but as the saying goes, Better late than never, right?

Lin smiled widely and ran back to Aun to pat one of his heads. Jaken came up to Sesshoumaru, "Where should we stop for the night my Lord?" he inquired curiously. Sesshoumaru didn't reply immediately, he seemed to be thinking.

"We'll stop near a river." he replied at once, not looking at Jaken.

Jaken nodded, "I have found one my Lord. It is East from here."

Sesshoumaru looked at Jaken, "Take us there." he simply said.

Jaken nodded eagerly, "Of course my Lord!" and he started running into another part of the forest. Sesshoumaru followed on his normal pace, Aun close behind him.

Lin walked next to Aun, glancing ever so often at the unconscious bleeding girl on him. Jaken stopped near a small cavern close to a stream, "Right here my Lord, I discovered it yesterday when I was looking for you." Sesshoumaru nodded as he waited for Aun to stop next to him, then he slided Sumi off Aun and carried her into the cavern.

He gently dropped her on the cold ground as Lin made an attempt to make a pillow with leaves. Sesshoumaru then sat outside, against the entrance of the small cave and looked at the sky, he knew Lin was taking care of Sumi and he had no desire of taking care of that annoying girl in any case.

Lin rushed out of the cavern to make a wet cloth, Sesshoumaru watched her go as he turned his head and looked at Sumi. He hadn't noticed the color of her hair before, it was snow colored as it seemed to glow a light blue.

'How can a mere mortal have white hair?' he wondered still staring.

Only then did he take in that Sumi's white hair was stained with red, Sesshoumaru frowned then shrugged. Why should he worry? Not like he cared. Lin came back with a soaked cloth and carefully washed Sumi's wounds. A lot of blood came off her body to stain the cloth, Lin kept going back and forth from the stream to Sumi until Jaken told her to sleep.

"But Jaken, she isn't any better." argued Lin.

"Enough Lin. Sleep or we'll have to carry you too." said Sesshoumaru as he took the cloth out of Lin's hands. Lin sighed as she went in the very back of the small cave and curled into a ball and soon drifted to sleep.

Jaken had already fallen asleep by then, leaving Sesshoumaru the only one awake. At first he refused to have anything to do with Sumi, but after much internal arguing with himself he sighed and finished cleaning her wounds. Having nothing to bandage them with, he just let them exposed and walked off in the night, leaving only a fire behind him.

Sumi stirred a little while after feeling the last wet contact with her skin, she had to blink a few times before her blurry vision was back to normal. Slowly sitting up, her head gave a quick painful throb, just to remind her of what had happened.

Sumi blinked again and looked around, she spotted the little girl she saved from the wolves and a weird, green skinned dwarf with a wooden staff which had two heads on it. Sumi stood up, leaning against the wall as she limped outside, the fresh air blowing around her.

Glancing sideways, Sumi searched for the cute guy but couldn't find any trace of him anywhere. As she took another step, Sumi winced, she looked at the wound on her ankle and saw it was swollen. She grimaced but walked forward, she was sure she heard the small sound of a stream nearby.

Sumi smiled as she set her injured ankle in the stream, taking away the itching and burning sensation. She shrugged as she decided to actually put her entire body in the cold water, it would soothe the aching. Sumi couldn't help but sigh in contentment as the cold numbed the pain, her hair being washed free of blood.

She did not know how long she had been in the water, but when she opened her eyes Sumi saw the guy staring at her. Sesshoumaru had indeed come back to notice Sumi's disappearance, he didn't have to look too far as her footsteps and some blood indicated which way she went, besides he could smell her from miles away.

Sumi stayed in the stream, having no force to pull herself out, having no desire to do so either. Sesshoumaru glared at her as she stared back, an eternity passed. Neither of them said anything, maybe having nothing to say. Sesshoumaru gave up this insignificant contest and went to sit at the entrance of the cavern.

Sumi sighed, 'He'll never talk to me...' again she blamed herself, maybe it was because of her ugliness or perhaps because he never wanted to help her in the first place. But then how did she end up with him? Sumi was utterly confused and lost, taking a deep breath she decided to make the first move.

She pushed herself out of the small stream and limped over to the nameless guy. Sumi sat opposite of him, water dripping from her hair and clothes, the man hadn't even laid eyes on her yet, he kept ignoring her! Sumi grew angry as she cleared her throat, loud enough to make him look at her.

Sesshoumaru turned his head towards Sumi, keeping his glare indifferent. 'Now what?' stupidly thought Sumi as everything she wanted to ask him vanished from her brain, leaving her with a blank mind. "Err... I--" Sumi stuttered, she silently cursed herself, trying to gain back the control of her voice.

Taking a deep, calming breath Sumi started over "I wanted to thank you for taking care of me." she said, nervously glancing up to meet the strange guy's golden eyes.

Sesshoumaru lazily blinked as he stared into the fire, "Lin took care of you." he replied.

Sumi's lips let a small "Oh." escape, she was a little disappointed but tried not to let it show. Sumi grew restless in the following uncomfortable silence, she had been drying relatively fast since she was close to the fire and once again, risked to look at the stranger.

"You never told me your name." she said out of the blue, her eyes gazing over his clothes.

"Sesshoumaru." he stated after a moment of silence, not moving his gaze from the fire. Sumi blinked before realizing-- he had told her his name! Her lips stretched into a small smile, thanking him silently.

Only then did Sumi notice his clothes were bloodier than before, "Are you hurt?" she asked scooting closer to him. Sesshoumaru glanced at Sumi from the corner of his eyes as he shook his head, "Then how come your clothes are bloodier?" she inquired.

'How annoying.' thought Sesshoumaru as he sighed, "It's your blood." he simply answered, hoping Sumi would leave him alone.

Unfortunately for him, that only made Sumi more annoying, "You can't stay in those bloody clothes. I'll wash them." she stated, looking at him as if waiting for something.

Sesshoumaru gazed at her, "What?" he was really starting to get pissed at her intrusive self.

Sumi looked at him as if it was the most natural thing to say, "I want you to take off your shirt so I can wash it. It's the least I can do in return..."

I'm evil! How do you think Sesshoumaru is going to react? Slash her to death or cooperate? snickers Hope you enjoy your reading, review if you wish... I'm working hard:P