Chapter Three: A Human Illness
Sesshoumaru walked in silence, deep in thought, and he was about to retort a comment to his retainer, who was chastising the young girl, when a sound filled his ears. It was short and explosive, and he felt his foot freeze in midair, and he halted immediately. His retainer didn't notice his stop and slammed into the back of his leg, and Sesshoumaru threw him a glare.
Jaken immediately apologized and backed away quickly.
Sesshoumaru frowned, and lowered his foot slowly to the ground as if nothing was amiss. His black boot sunk into the soft white snow, and he turned his head slightly, waiting for that sound again. However, another sound drew his attention to Rin, who waited beside Ah 'Uh patiently.
Feeling his forehead crease slightly, he realized that it was her breathing. It was raspy, and had a faint liquid sound to it, and he turned around fully, staring at the small girl. It was then that Sesshoumaru noticed her eyes were glassy, and her cheeks were pink. Rin's face was pale where it was normally healthy looking. His mouth turned downward, and Sesshoumaru called out to her.
"Rin."
The little girl lifted her head to attention and she lethargically walked over to him. "Hai, Lord Sesshoumaru?"
Tilting his head to the side curiously, he noticed her words were slurred, and shallow. She sniffled, and he bent to one knee, and stared at her. "What is wrong?"
Rin glanced up at him curiously, and then attempted a smile, and sniffled again. "Nothing, Rin is fine."
"My ears tell me differently, Rin." Sesshoumaru whispered, and when Jaken approached to chastise the girl again, the youkai lord raised his hand and connected with the toad youkai firmly, sending him tumbling through the snow with a yelp. "Your breathing is forced."
"Rin will be okay, Lord Sesshoumaru." Rin blinked and sniffled some more.
He lifted his hand and touched her overly pink cheeks gently, and he hissed at the warmth that emanated from them. "You are warmer then usual, Rin."
Rin looked down and shuffled her feet. "Lord Sesshoumaru?"
"Hai?"
"Rin doesn't feel good." She whispered, ashamed that she felt so weak in front of him.
"Is that so? Tell me, what does this feel like?"
"My stomach hurts, and my head feels fluffy." She began, and his eyebrow rose at her word fluffy.
"Fluffy?"
"Like someone put something in my ears and my head is floating. It's like when I spin around and around and around, that feeling." Rin tried to explain.
Sesshoumaru felt his frown deepen and he nodded.
"My nose is running."
"I trust this is a common illness among humans?" He asked.
"I think so." Rin nodded, and remained looking at her feet.
"So this heat that is coming off your body is normal?"
"I don't think so. I think my mama called it a fever." Rin muttered.
"I see. What did your mother do?" He asked, concerned.
"Rin can't remember." Rin whispered.
Sesshoumaru nodded concerned. "I am uncertain as to what to do." He whispered.
"I remember sleeping lots, when I was sick. Can I ride Ah' Uh and sleep, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin asked still ashamed.
"If you require sleep, then you may do so at any time Rin. There is no need for you to be ashamed of this." Sesshoumaru gave her a small smile.
Rin nodded, and took a deep breath. "Thank you." She made to turn around when her world spun slightly, and she stumbled in the snow.
Sesshoumaru raised his hand and held her upright. "Rin?"
The girl nodded and blinked rapidly. "I really don't feel good." She moaned, and clutched her stomach. She gulped in large amounts of air, and whimpered. "I think I am going to be sick."
"Is that not what you already felt like?" Sesshoumaru asked confused.
Rin nodded, and clutched her stomach tighter. "My tummy hurts lots." She moaned, and fell to her knees bending over.
Sesshoumaru was now alarmed. "What is it?" He had no idea what to do, and he called for Jaken. The toad youkai came over immediately. "What do you know of human illnesses?"
Jaken blinked a few times and shook his head. "Nothing milord. Did the pathetic human get sick?"
Narrowing his eyes dangerously, Sesshoumaru snarled. "Such comments do not meet with my approval, Jaken."
"Please forgive me, milord." Jaken sputtered, bowing over and over.
Sesshoumaru ignored the toad when Rin seemed to choke, and his head snapped over to her. Her body seemed to convulse and she bent over more whimpering loudly. "Rin?" He asked, his eyes widening worriedly.
Rin gagged, and bent over more, and she lurched forward, spilling the contents of her lunch onto the snow.
The stench filled Sesshoumaru's nose and he reeled back startled. It was the smell of partially digested food and stomach acid, and this caused him even more worry.
Rin began crying softly, as her stomach tightened and made her loose control.
Snapping his head over to the toad, he snapped. "Is this normal?"
Jaken stood there wide-eyed, blinking rapidly, and holding his nose. Shaking his head, he shrugged his shoulders indicating he didn't know.
Snarling, outraged, Sesshoumaru gathered the small girl in his arm and concentrated on his energy ball and made for the last location where he had sensed his brother in. If Inuyasha didn't know of this ailment, then surely the human's in his group would. It was the last thing he wanted to do, ask mortals for aid, but he also didn't want to neglect the child, who meant so much to him. At this moment, Sesshoumaru would do anything to help her and find out about this illness.
Gathering all his strength, Sesshoumaru caught sight of his half-brother and his companions and flew past them, causing them to whirl around startled. Inuyasha immediately drew Tessaiga, and Sesshoumaru landed a few feet away, and lowered the energy ball. Growling, Sesshoumaru warned his brother.
Inuyasha blinked stupidly, and saw the worry etched on Sesshoumaru's face. Dropping his attack stance, he gaped at his brother. "What do you want, Sesshoumaru?" The hanyou froze instantly when he saw Rin clutched protectively in his brother's arm. Blinking for several minutes before it actually sunk into his brain, Inuyasha quickly sheathed Tessaiga and took a slow step forward. "What happened to her?"
Sesshoumaru remained motionless, and he winced when Rin moaned and buried her face into his haori. The heat that seeped through the two materials caused him enough worry to actually utter his concern. "Rin says she is ill. I do not know what to do." His words were soft and they were almost carried away on the wind, but Inuyasha nodded indicating he had heard perfectly well.
"Kagome and the others are in a hut not far from here. What's wrong with her?" Inuyasha asked, tilting his head to the side.
"She feels as though she houses a fire inside her body." Sesshoumaru frowned.
"A fever? Kami it must be high then. Did she throw up?" Inuyasha asked, waiting for his brother to follow.
"Throw up? If you mean her afternoon meal, then yes, she coughed it up. Is that normal?" Sesshoumaru asked, lifting his head enough so he could stare at his younger half brother. He had only taken his eyes off the girl for a second when she moaned again and shivered against him.
"Good, at least we know her body is fighting the fever, and yes it is normal." Inuyasha saw concern flash into Sesshoumaru's eyes when the girl moaned. Sesshoumaru quickly averted his eyes and once again looked down on the small girl in his arm, and Inuyasha saw the tiny body shudder. "Is she shivering?" He asked. That was not a good sign.
Sesshoumaru nodded his head once indicating so, and Inuyasha growled.
"We gotta get her warm, Sesshoumaru. Come on." Inuyasha waved quickly, and jumped through the trees, not waiting to see if his brother followed or not. He knew his brother was. If Sesshoumaru had been concerned enough to ask for help regarding the little girl, then his brother would follow. Inuyasha smirked slightly, as another thought hit him; his brother cared for a human, when he said that he despised them, who would have thought?
Landing outside of the hut, Inuyasha flung aside the bamboo shade and entered quickly. "Hey Kagome! Make sure the fire is hot okay? We have a visitor." Just as Inuyasha announced the visitor, the shade moved slightly and Sesshoumaru poked his head through, and all members inside gaped.
Kagome's eyes widened and when Sesshoumaru stepped into the small hut, she caught sight of Rin in his arm and she released a gasp. "Oh my. Is she sick?"
Inuyasha nodded. "She has a fever. Sesshoumaru, you can lay her down on the mat there."
Two sets of golden eyes followed Kagome as she rummaged through her yellow backpack, and she shuffled over to the mat where Sesshoumaru was laying Rin down.
"Lo…lord Sess…shou…m…ma…r…r…ru." Rin whispered through chattering teeth. Sesshoumaru unwound his fur pelt and wrapped it around the small girl trying to stop her shivering. Rin gratefully accepted the fur and tried to smile in thanks.
Kagome smiled gently, and placed her wrist on Rin's forehead and almost gasped loudly when she felt how hot the girl was. "Inuyasha, we need a cool wet cloth. She's burning up, and we need to lower her temperature now."
Inuyasha nodded, remembering when his mother had practically panicked when he had been sick. He exited the hut without a word, and he couldn't believe he left the others, especially Kagome in the company of his killer brother. Shaking his head, the hanyou knew that if Sesshoumaru was that worried about the girl, any thoughts on killing Kagome or the others were the farthest thing from his mind at the moment.
Sesshoumaru watched the human girl quickly rummage through a small white box, and he leaned over slightly trying to peer inside it. Frowning at the many unusual objects, he refrained from asking any questions until it became necessary. He would only do so if he became concerned with Rin's well being. Not before.
Rin groaned and curled up into a tight ball and Kagome quickly pulled over a small bucket, and placed it at Rin's side. "Here." Kagome whispered gently.
Rin immediately sat up and retched over the bucket, spilling small amounts of bile and partially digested food. Sesshoumaru leaned back frowning deeply, and watched Kagome rub the girl's back gently in firm and even circles. The small girl seemed to calm down considerably, and he placed that information into the back of his mind for future reference.
Once Rin had finished, Kagome helped her lay back down, and smiled softly at her. "Not feeling that great huh?"
Rin shook her head, closing her eyes. "My tummy hurts." Rin croaked. Her small hands clutched desperately at the fur pelt wrapped around her, and she curled into it.
"I know, sweet heart. It'll be okay." Kagome smiled, and turned her head when Inuyasha came back inside, holding a slightly wet cloth in his hands.
"Here." Inuyasha held it out to her. "It's really cold though. I had to cut through the ice to get to the water."
Kagome took the cloth and nodded. "Thank you, Inuyasha." Holding it between both her hands, Kagome warmed the cloth considerably, before folding it and placing it on Rin's forehead.
The girl seemed to sigh and her closed eyes opened slowly. "Oh, that makes Rin's head feel better." She whispered harshly.
"Yes. It will get rid of the headache." Kagome smiled. "It will also lower your temperature."
Rin closed her eyes again, and Sesshoumaru watched and listened as her breathing slowed signaling she was asleep. Finally he sat back and nodded.
Kagome looked up at him and saw the worry etched on his normally stoic features, and she furrowed her brows. "She will be okay."
Sesshoumaru remained silent, and his golden eyes stayed locked on Rin's sleeping form. He would wait and see for himself, rather then take a human's word for it. Even though the hut was too hot for him, and the smell of smoke and human were invading his sensitive nose, Sesshoumaru refused to move from the girl's side. Not until he had enough proof that she was safe and well.
"Inuyasha, I think we will need more water." Kagome sighed, when she realized that Sesshoumaru wasn't going to say anything.
Inuyasha nodded, and went to grab the bucket by Rin, but his hand recoiled and he wrinkled his nose. "Uh!" He backed away quickly. "I'll find something else." He grumbled, exiting the hut quickly.
Kagome grinned and shook her head. "What a baby." She whispered, giggling to herself. Looking back at Rin, she made sure that the girl was fully covered, before moving away towards the fire. Knowing that Sesshoumaru wasn't going to move from his spot, Kagome went about finishing the evening meal.
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Sesshoumaru sat beside Rin while everyone ate, and then fell asleep. His heart had pounded furiously in his chest the entire time Kagome had tended the girl, and now he was calm. Only Inuyasha remained awake, leaning against the huts walls, with his eyes closed. To anyone else, it would appear that the hanyou was asleep, however the breathing was strained, and Sesshoumaru had no problems hearing it.
"Why don't you sleep, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru muttered absently, still looking at Rin's white flushed face.
"Keh! Are you joking? Like I would sleep with you so near." Inuyasha growled softly, so he didn't disturb the others.
Sesshoumaru lifted his gaze without lifting his head, and he stared at his brother long and hard. "You are being ridiculous."
Inuyasha snorted and opened his eyes slowly. "I'm being ridiculous? I'm not the one who travels with a human, and doesn't know the first thing about a mortal illness."
Sesshoumaru frowned and narrowed his eyes.
Inuyasha sighed and shifted his position. "At least you sought aid. I will give you credit for that. However, why do you travel with a human?"
"That is none of your concern, half-breed." Sesshoumaru snarled slowly.
Inuyasha pushed himself to his feet and shook his head. "Figures. I'm going outside for some air, I find the smell a tad too smothering in here." With that he flung the bamboo shade out of his way, and exited the hut in a huff.
Sesshoumaru sighed. What was it with the constant fights between he and his brother? Shaking his head, he peered down at Rin once again, and ran a finger across her cheek. It was still warmer then normal, and her breathing was ragged, as if she were in pain. Leaning over, he peered at her face and his finger still ran across it, tracing her cheeks, and then her small nose. Why did he insist on traveling with a human? Shaking his head, he sat back and sighed again.
He didn't really need to answer that question, for deep down he already knew the answer. It was partially due to the fact that Rin's smile calmed his raging blood. But it also had to do with the fact that he enjoyed her company. She was such a happy child, and seeing such happiness in this feudal time was refreshing. Such innocence was a welcomed changed from the war and fighting.
Rin was able to fully enjoy her life while traveling with him. The small girl was utterly and completely devoted to him and only him, and that made him feel a slight bit of pride. The fact that she held him in such high honor, that she trusted him completely, often made him ponder why he despised humans in the first place. But several times, he was once again faced with the betrayal and despicable malice that reminded him once again why he hated the race.
It was Rin who he cherished. She wasn't the only human that often surprised him, or caused him to contemplate the human race, it was also the miko that traveled with his brother. Normally, he found himself watching this miko carefully, due to her incredibly big heart, and forgiving nature. He had tried to take her life several times, and yet she tended Rin, and gave him respect as if the incidents had never happened. The girl was far too trusting, but the power she held, made up for that small flaw, and Sesshoumaru found his eyes traveling to her. The name was Kagome, if he remembered correctly.
Even though she was a young human, her intelligence was remarkable. The girl knew how to shoot an arrow with her miko powers; she knew how to read and write. But not just that, the girl was smart beyond her years, and the healing abilities were outstanding. Snorting, he realized that this was part of the reason why his brother loved her.
Looking back at Rin, he saw the faint resemblance between Kagome and his little Rin. Not only the fact that their appearances were similar, almost to that of blood, but also the intelligence that they both emanated. They both radiated happiness in this warring era, and yet they both seemed to be not affected by it.
Shaking his head, he saw Rin's eyes flutter open, and he gave a small smile.
"Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin whispered harshly.
"Hai?"
"Rin is thirsty."
Nodding once, he stood up and walked over to the plastic water bottle the humans had used all night. Lifting it, he brought it over to Rin and attempted to open it as he had seen the humans do earlier. Once the lip popped open, he held the spout to Rin's mouth, and the girl struggled to sit up and sip at it.
Rin drank slowly, and finally fell back onto the soft fur that still surrounded her. "Thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru."
"Hai. Do you need anything else?" He whispered.
"Rin wants to know if…if…" She sighed and shook her head.
"What?" Sesshoumaru pressed.
"Can you hold me, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin clenched her eyes shut, knowing the request was ridiculous, and he would most likely think the same thing, but she asked anyway. "Rin feels lonely."
Sesshoumaru sucked in his breath slowly, and softened his features. Placing the bottle to his side, he shifted into a sitting position and crossed his legs. "Bring the fur over." He whispered.
Rin slowly got on her hands and knees, and shuffled over to him, with the fur dragging behind. Sesshoumaru helped her into his lap, and he tucked the fur around her tightly. Holding her against his chest, he breathed in the scent of her hair, and whispered in her ear. "Are you warm enough?"
Rin nodded, and pressed her face against his chest. "Thank you."
"Sleep more." Sesshoumaru smiled against her hair, and once her breathing had evened out into sleep, he placed a soft kiss on her temple and whispered again. "Anything for you, my Rin."
