"I have to ask: why did you cut the girl down?" Asked Sesshomaru.
"I believe that is none of your concern. If it is truly important to you, let's just say I was taking what was rightfully mine," Utsukushii replied monotonously. Utsukushii took this time to look at the taiyoukai more closely. He was certainly not hard to look at. He was an extremely beautiful person in terms of physical features, but in emotion, he was sorely lacking. Yet, Utsukushii was much the same way. She found the need not to wear her heart on her sleeve like many people. It was an extremely foolish thing to do. Yes, she chose to look uncaring, but what she really felt was a story for another time. "You have every reason to be here, so you're probably wondering what I am doing roaming your lands. In answer to that, I was recently released from my, ah- prison. An enchanted arrow trapped me to a tree. I will leave as soon as possible if that is your wish."
"I have no power over who enters these lands, only the people who live in it. This Sesshomaru does not care if you leave or not." Something about what the strange woman said triggered a memory and his eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Hold on, that was you who was pinned to the tree?"
Utsukushii cocked her head and gave him a strange look. "Indeed, it was. Look, I've already taken enough your time, I should get going." She turned to leave.
Sesshomaru didn't know what came over him, but he did it anyway. "If you would like, you are free to travel with my pack until you reach whatever destination you are heading for."
Astonishment flashed in Utsukushii's clear blue eyes. Was a great demon like him asking her to travel with him? He was. "I would like that, if it is not too much trouble on your part." Sesshomaru shook his silver head, signaling that it was not. "Thank you very much for your kindness. Which direction are your comrades?" He pointed in the correct direction. Sesshomaru's mind was in a jumble. Kind? He was nothing of the sort. To think that this woman had the nerve to say that… but perhaps she was just being polite. Her clothes would suggest that was to be expected of her. Sesshomaru shook his head. His thoughts always got ahead of him. He started walking and stalked ahead of Utsukushii. Slowing his pace incredibly in comparison to when he came here so the woman could keep up, they reached his camp in about ten minutes. She looked around interested and then her eyes landed on Ah-Un. A soft gasp came out of her mouth as she walked up to the two-headed dragon.
"Oh! He's so beautiful!" She stroked Ah-Un's scaly skin and the dragon relaxed considerably. "You really know how to travel in style, I'll give you that much, but correct me if I'm wrong, but do I smell human?" Smell? Since when can humans smell the presence of other humans? No matter. If this woman was to be traveling in this Sesshomaru's pack she would have to meet Rin… and Jaken, but Jaken was at the palace at the moment.
"You are correct. There is a human child that is under my care. You will meet her soon," Sesshomaru said flatly.
"A child? You're hands-," she looked at his one arm, "hand, must be full then. What with running your own lands and taking care of a little girl, you must have no time to yourself." She was right on the bulls-eye. It was true, Sesshomaru did not have any time for himself, but that was how he liked it, and that was the way it was going to stay. Suddenly a loud voice penetrated his thoughts.
"Sesshomaru-sama! You're back," shouted the little girl that had somehow wormed her way into his cold heart as she ran to him and wrapped her small arms around his leg. Rin looked at the woman standing next to Ah-Un. "Who's that?"
"Rin, this is Utsukushii; Utsukushii this is Rin," Sesshomaru introduced. Internally he scoffed. He had been lowered to introducing people; what had the world come to? Utsukushii looked at him giving him a look that clearly said: 'I could have introduced myself.' Oh well.
Utsukushii walked slowly up to the girl. She was so cute; she could feel her maternal instincts kicking in; this child had no mother-like figure in her life as far as she could see; she was traveling with men. She bent down to the child's level and smiled warmly at her, the smile light up her normally emotionless eyes. "It's nice to meet you Rin. As your Sesshomaru-sama said, I am Utsukushii and I will be traveling with you for a while. I hope you and I can become good friends."
Rin smiled bright and gave her a big hug. At first Utsukushii was startled but then she returned the hug. The girl's openness was infectious. Rin pulled away and looked at her. "Can I call you Utsu-neesan for short?"
A light tint of pink graced Utsukushii's face Sesshomaru observed from the sidelines. A person she just met has probably never asked her something like that. "Of course, Rin." She smiled and hugged the child again.
'There goes another person that Rin has managed to worm her way into,' thought Sesshomaru to himself. He looked to the sky and noted that it was growing dark and knowing humans they needed their sleep. "Rin, it is time you got ready for bed," said Sesshomaru, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen upon the area. Rin nodded her head and ran to the nearby creek to wash up.
"Has she always traveled with you?" Asked Utsukushii, after Rin left the clearing.
"No," said Sesshomaru shortly. "I saved her from a band of wolves and ever since then the human has not left me alone, and so she travels with me."
"So she lost her parents?"
Sesshomaru noted that this woman was truly a perceptive human, not many were. "Yes."
"That's horrible," she whispered. "To lose one's parent's at such a young age is a terrible thing to happen. But she has you now. I can see it in her eyes; she sees you as a father figure. She absolutely adores you. You're pretty lucky, not many people are fortunate enough to receive that kind of attention. I think I will follow Rin's lead and wash up. Please pardon me for my pointless blathering, I'm sure I must have bored you to death." Utsukushii followed the same path Rin did and washed her face.
Back at the camp, Sesshomaru's mind was reeling. One minute the woman seemed cold, the next she was absolutely brimming with emotion. She was something else. He sighed. Two woman to protect; what had he gotten himself into? He sniffed the air to see if there were any threats nearby; there were none. He decided he would sleep tonight. He walked to a tree near where Rin usually slept, sat down, and leaned against it making himself comfortable. The two females returned. One looked sleepy, the other looked wide-awake. Rin took three blankets and handed one to Utsukushii. Together they laid them out and lied down. Rin quickly snuggled up to Utsukushii and soon enough fell fast asleep. Utsukushii stayed up however, running her fingers through the young girl's hair. Eventually she decided to get some rest and laid her head down to fall into a light sleep.
A/N: I apologize profusely for making this chapter mostly fluff. I will make up for it in the fifth chapter. Prepare for the entrance of Naraku! C'yas!
