Timmain stared at Sesshomaru. Timmain was grateful for another chance to kill Gulden, but she would never thank or be honorable enough to re-pay a debt to a demon, even if she owned him her life. She didn't get as far as she did as a demon slayer by being kind to demons or forming alliances with them. Kill them before they kill you, was what she told herself. It was how she had survived as long as she had.
"I don't create alliances with demons," Timmain scoffed. "I think we're through talking. I'll be on my way." She turned to leave.
"You're a fool if you think you can take on both demons on your own. One already killed you once. You'll surely be killed again if you faced both."
Timmain stopped and slowly turned around to face Sesshomaru.
"You're probably right," Timmain admitted to him. "But why bother to keep me around. I'm sure you're more than capable of finding this Naraku on your own. You don't need me."
"You're right, I don't need you. But I want to use your ability to sense the Shikon jewel," Sesshomaru admitted.
"What happens when we find Naraku and Gulden?" Timmain asked slowly back towards Sesshomaru.
"Then we separate the two demons. I kill Naraku and you can kill the other without Naraku interfering. Now you know about the jewel and where it is on the other demon, you should be able to find a way to remove it, then kill him." Sesshomaru told her.
"Then what happens when we're successful? We try to kill each other afterwards?" Timmain asked smiling wickedly. Sesshomaru didn't answer but looked at her waiting for an answer.
It sounded too easy the way he said it, Timmain thought. She contemplated the offer for a few minutes. Torn between not wanting anything to do with this demon and setting off on her own or joining along his journey. If she did set off on her own it seemed more likely that she would not stand a chance against both demons as she grudgingly admitted to herself. But she hated to travel with company, especially in the company of demons.
Timmain took a deep breath and headed up the path they had been traveling down after coming to a decision.
"So lead the way, Lord Sesshomaru," Timmain spat out in contempt.
Rin, who had remained quiet during this entire exchange between Timmain and Lord Sesshomaru, smiled broadly and was glad that Timmain would be staying longer with them. She quickly ran over to catch up with Timmain and took her hand. Timmain looked down at Rin and saw the huge smile on her face. At least someone is happy about this arrangement, Timmain thought to herself. She looked back ahead letting the corners of her mouth lift slightly in a small smile before setting back into a straight line and allowed Rin to hold her hand.
They had been traveling for several hours and Timmain soon found herself keeping pace with Sesshomaru and walking side by side with him. Rin had begun to tire at the fast pace that Timmain kept and was now riding the two-headed demon, Ah Un. As Sesshomaru and Timmain walked side by side in silence she remembered something that prompted her to break the silence between them.
"Sesshomaru," she laughed looking sideways at him. "Now I remember," she continued looking back ahead of her. "You are the Great Dog Demon's son, the Lord of the Western lands. I've heard of you and your father. I'm quite honored to be in the presence of greatness," she mocked.
Sesshomaru continued to ignore her.
"How did it feel to inherit your father's title without being the one to defeat him?" She asked smirking knowing the tradition of great demon rulers who held vast stretches of land in their power. And the hearts of their sons, if demons even had hearts.
Still nothing. But Timmain wasn't finished yet.
"Didn't he die because of a woman, a mortal woman?" Timmain continued trying to get a reaction from him to no avail once again. She glanced sideways at him again with an evil grin on her face. "Like father, like son, it seems..." she said quietly for only him to hear.
And before Timmain had time to react she found Sesshomaru's hand around her necking squeezing.
"Struck a nerve, didn't I?" Timmain gasped trying to pry his fingers off her neck yet still retaining the evil grin on her face.
"Lord Sesshomaru, you should kill her for saying such things to you," Jaken said from behind Sesshomaru. Jaken did not hear the last thing Timmain had said to Sesshomaru, but he had overheard the rest and didn't like the way she had spoken to his Lord. Timmain glanced at the toad demon and laughed.
"He should, but he won't," she scoffed noticing the grip on her neck didn't get any tighter.
"You talk too much," Sesshomaru finally said through gritted teeth and shoved Timmain away.
Timmain smiled rubbing her neck lightly and walked to catch up with Sesshomaru.
"I do and you should learn to ignore me. It's easy to make a mistake when you react in anger," Timmain said. "I know your weakness now."
"Lord Sesshomaru has no weakness," Jaken piped up from behind them. Timmain turned on Jaken and kicked him.
"I'm getting real tired of you," Timmain growled going for another kick when she felt a hand on her arm as she was pulled back from following through with her kick. Timmain turned around to face Sesshomaru and found herself eye to eye with him staring defiantly into his. She froze as he stared back into hers and they remained that way for a couple of seconds before Timmain shook Sesshomaru's hand off her arm and turned away breaking the eye contact.
"Rin, come here," Sesshomaru called out to the little girl.
"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru," Rin answered sliding off the back of Ah Un and running to Sesshomaru. "What is it?"
"Take the demon slayer to the hot springs," he instructed pointing towards the west. "If she is to travel with us, we should be able to do so without the stench." He looked back at Timmain and found her glowering at him and seething with anger. But before she could react and say anything Rin ran over to her quickly. She took Timmain's hand and started to pull her in the direction of the hot springs.
"Come on, this way," Rin said guiding her away not wanting to see Timmain or Lord Sesshomaru get into a fight.
Timmain looked down at Rin and back to Sesshomaru before allowing her self to be guided to the hot springs without a protest. She still seethed with anger for the demon getting the best of her. It would be the last time she promised her self.