Rin's Lesson
Something is wrong.
Rin reclined on the wagon bench, causing Ah-Un to grunt for all of her shuffling. Unease. It plagued her now more than ever. She stared up through the thin branches to gaze into the endless expanse of blue. There were no clouds out that day, just a clear sky that welcomed to swallow anything willing to fly into its depths. The girl shuddered at the thought of disappearing into the vast nothingness and turned over to gaze into the forest, instead.
It was a lush place alive with frolicking creatures. At the forest's edge were moist, dark stones blanketed in plush moss. There were trees of every sort weaving their branches around one another as if they were trying to hold hands. From their welcoming boughs sat a couple of robins, Rin noticed. Though they were not songbirds, she enjoyed their cheerful chirping, nonetheless. As she watched them, the emptiness in her soul almost disappeared.
Almost.
From the shadows and thick underbrush of the forest floor shot a bobcat. It swatted the closest bird with a brash paw, claws bared. The other robin cried softly and fluttered away. The injured bird fell to the ground with a soft thump where it hobbled around desperately, in a vain attempt to escape. However, it was swiftly caught in the fangs of its attacker before the bobcat disappeared into the shadowy depths of the forest. Rin squeaked in horror and turned away, quickly opting to bury her face into the blanket that lay across the crude bench. Ah-Un merely grunted and flitted its ear in response.
Rin could recall a brief lesson from her lord explaining the natural cycle of things and how creatures would eat and be eaten according the various food chains, yet this fact of life had never consoled her whenever helpless creatures were slaughtered.
Something is wrong.
How long had it been? An hour? Maybe two? Rin wanted her lord to return. He had been gone too long, she thought. She couldn't even hear the high-pitched ramblings of Jaken. She imagined Sesshoumaru facing off against an army of hideous demons, their yellow fangs sneering at him, anticipating the taste of his flesh. She cringed at the thought.
But why was she having such morbid visions? Today was not unlike any other day. Perhaps it was because of the quiet, the eerie stillness. Perhaps it was because her guardians had left no explanation as to why they departed other than a short command to stay put.
Rin almost chuckled as she wondered why she worried. Sesshoumaru was deathly strong and feared by all. Not even an army could stop him. He was quite capable of taking care of himself. Despite these reassurances, Rin could not rid herself of the odd feeling that her lord was in dire trouble.
Something is wrong.
Surely it was a sign from the gods. What other possible explanation could there be? This pressure in her chest…it meant that those she cared about needed help.
Something is wrong, Rin. Will you merely sit and wait for Sesshoumaru to be slaughtered?
No. She would help. It was all she could do. But, she had been given strict orders to stay…
So you will stay and let your lord waste away before his time?
Rin sat up.
Go Rin. You know which direction they traveled. Help them.
The girl grabbed Ah-Un's reigns and whipped them harshly. The dragon flinched and grunted before sprinting down the path, unearthing clouds of dust as it went along.
Faster. Sesshoumaru is in trouble.
"Hurry, Ah-Un!" she cried. The creature threw its two heads forward and pounded the ground harder with its rough feet. They were gaining speed. The world around Rin was passing by in a blur.
You're close.
At just the last moment, Ah-Un's keen eyes noticed the pit in the trail. It came to a halt, its feet burning from the sudden stop. Rin prepared to scream urgently at the poor creature before she, too noticed the giant hole. She slowly crawled off of the wagon and neared the edge, peering fearfully into the dark void.
"Lord Sesshoumaru?" she questioned the darkness, her tiny voice leaving echoing strains.
You are so, so close.
Rin knelt and lifted her head further over the opening, this time calling out with confidence: "Lord Sesshoumaru?"
Then, as if on cue, a cobra demon shot up from the pit and wrapped its smooth body around the poor girl, eyeing her with a mesmerizing gaze full of hunger and malice. Ah-Un, startled beyond coherent thought, turned and ran, the wagon rattling along behind it.
"You were so, so close, poor girl. I find it pathetically easy to manipulate the thoughts of humans. What a pity. You're such delicate creatures. If it's any consolation to you, your precious lord is a mile or two away hunting for your dinner. Of course, I don't believe you'll be joining him, will you?" the creature sneered. Rin was paralyzed by his tantalizing glare.
Meanwhile, deep within the forest, as a group of rabbits fled from the menacing claws of the great Lord Sesshoumaru, the demon's body went rigid. Jaken watched disappointedly as the game disappeared into their various burrows and turned to the ruler of the Western Lands.
"Why didn't you kill them, my lord?" the little toad questioned as he tried to mask his aggravation (at which he failed miserably). However, the small demon's question was answered as Ah-Un trotted loyally to its master's side, sweat riddling its scales that were cracked and upturned in places.
Sesshoumaru merely looked to the sky (by this time a wispy cloud or two was floating by).
"Something is wrong," he muttered.
As the small girl gazed detachedly into the orange eyes of her predator she recalled her lesson:
"Creatures must eat and be eaten. It is the way of life."
"But it isn't fair, Lord Sesshoumaru. Some creatures cannot defend themselves."
"Those creatures are weak and thus must be devoured by the stronger ones."
"Don't you at least like the meek forest animals, my lord?"
"I despise all weak things."
"Oh. I see."
And as Rin sat, coiled in the constraints of a ravenous demon, she wondered if, at the end of all things, her lord despised her.
This is a short story that I wrote some time ago and as I was looking through my works I found it and revised it. I haven't posted anything on this site in quite some time, so this is my returning piece, I guess. I'll probably start logging in more often.