"It's been ten years since the day you left the village after coming to see me. You'd given me gifts for my birthday and said you were off to claim what was rightfully yours." She smirked in remembrance. "Though I can understand why you didn't recognize me, I've grown some since then."

Jaken scoffed, "Some?" he drawled. "At the speed you humans grow, I've no doubt the next time we see you, you'll be dead."

Rin could feel her heart stutter at his words but forced herself to smile wearily before she shifted her weight, uncomfortably, onto her stronger leg.

"You're injured." Sesshomaru observed.

She blushed and opened her mouth to respond.

"You silly, foolish girl! Even now in your old age, you are as naïve as ever! You thought you could best Lord Sesshomaru in battle? Have you forgotten who he is? Have you forgotten who you are? And who you have sworn to serve? To be alive is only a fault of his mercy."

"Silence Jaken."

"Yes, My Lord." The demon said quickly.

"I didn't know it was you I was battling Lord Sesshomaru. I can't see much behind the miasma mask and-"

"Why are you here, Rin?" Sesshomaru asked suddenly, cutting her off.

"I only intended to pass through but I had to stay to look after the demon children here." she replied.

Sesshomaru gave her a chilling look before enunciating his words carefully. "Demons don't need looking after, humans do."

Rin flushed in frustration.

"Kimimaru," she started to explain.

"Was my henchmen and these woods, the demon woods, were under his management because I deemed it fit." a tight lipped Sesshomaru replied.

Rin didn't reply, part of her was in awe that this moment was even taking place while another part of her marveled at how loquacious a talker Sesshomaru was being. From what she remembered, he only spoke when he felt like it and there was never enough occasion to warrant it so freely.

However, a large part of her, larger than she could deny was angry. Outraged.

"He was torturing them." Rin countered. "He slaughtered their children, plundered their lands, and robbed them of their livelihoods. He was a monster."

"He was a demon." Sesshomaru hissed.

Rin was struck silent, taken aback by his tone, a tone of anger that he'd never directed at her. She couldn't begin to believe that this was this same kind hearted demon she'd followed for years, the same demon who protected and cared for her. Naturally, she remembered his being a bit rough around the edges, cold, distant, hard to understand but she never allowed that to deter her, because in spite of it all it seemed that he made a special effort to be kind to her.

Likewise Sesshomaru's mind raged with thoughts and unnamed emotion he could not place, and so he settled for the one he could identify. Rage.

Why was she here? He had gone out of his way to leave her in the protection of his idiot half-brother and friends. Now she had grown not only into a demon slayer, a work he could not condone her doing, but into someone that had the gall to defy him. To respond to him as if she were talking to an equal. Her eyes shone but not with the innocence he once knew but with an unyielding defiance that should have surely meant her end. This Rin was not one he knew and not one he cared for.

He'd outgrown her.

"Not all demons are monsters." She replied quietly.

His eyes narrowed, "And yet you've taken to slaying them." he countered.

Her full lips pressed into a hard line.

"Return to Kaede's village Rin and stay there." He said in a bored tone as he turned to leave.

Jaken watched the conversation between the two of them nervously, he too was shocked at how his Lord treated the woman. For one thing, he'd always preferred her to him and for another thing; she'd grown beautiful enough for her beauty to reputed among demons. Certainly, he thought, his Lord could make use of her in some way or another. If only to lure other demons out or keep her around as a keepsake, something to look at to pass the time, she had to be worth something. It seemed like a perfectly good waste to let her grow old and die in vain.

Although these thoughts weighed on his mind, Jaken turned to leave with his master and turned to steal one more glance at the woman.

"I'm not going anywhere." She said firmly.

Jaken, the dramatic creature that he was, fell over in shock.

Sesshomaru stopped walking and stood there for a moment; silently.

Rin marched resolutely up to the tree where he stood a moment ago and leaned on it for support. "I am not your ward to do with as you please, Sesshomaru. I-"

She choked on her words as she was pinned to the tree; Sesshomaru held her by her neck, her feet dangling off the ground.

"My Lord!" Jaken shouted in shock.

Her eyes widened in shock as she grasped his arm with both of hers in an attempt to hoist herself up and minimize the restriction of her air flow. She dug her nails into his arm and he watched as the poison that coated her nails tried to eat away at his flesh.

"Is that poison?!" Jaken shouted. "Are you mad woman?!"

Sesshomaru took note of what she was doing and tightened his grip on her neck while pushing her harder against the tree. A small whimper fell off her lips in response and she gripped his arms tighter and prepared to struggle against him.

"It's Rin, My Lord! Will you kill her?!" he exclaimed.

Rin glared at him viciously before a sort of acceptance covered her features and she released her grip on his arms. Her arms dropped to her side and she calmed down.

Sesshomaru listened to her struggling heartbeat, though she struggled to breathe, she had not yet asphyxiated because her heart had never climaxed in fear. He had seen the surprise in her face when he took her against the tree but even then, she seemed unafraid of him.

He dropped her and winced internally as he heard her gasp for air.

Jaken ran to her side, "Rin, you silly girl, are you alright?"

She nearly choked as she ripped air into her lungs, and as she lifted her head, she shot Sesshomaru a baleful glare.

Perhaps she wishes to die, Jaken thought.

Sesshomaru stared back her evenly.

"We leave at dawn tomorrow." He told them. "Jaken, summon A-Un, I won't be slowed down by either of you."

"But what could you possibly mean My Lord?" Jaken spluttered.

Sesshomaru turned to face them once more, "I came here for Kimimaru, since he has been slain, Rin will come in his stead."