Sesshomaru snarled in frustration as Rin quickly rolled atop the bandaged slayer and shielded him from the would-be fatal blow.

He pulled his light whip out and around in order to eviscerate his prey, only for Rin to tuck around the ningen in defiance. His rage surged and his beast roared, Rin cringed at the deafening sound and watched as Jaken simply hiccupped in his sleep and then turned over.

"Move aside Rin." He ordered.

"Please." She begged. "Don't."

"Now, Rin." He growled.

Her body cursed her as she curled defensively around him like a mother protecting her child. She waited for the blow that did not come and let go of a shaky breath.

"Please." She breathed.

He watched disgusted as she wearily raised her eyes to meet his and for the first time in the entirety of their companionship, he scented fear rolling off her body. It was an offense to him in every sense of the word.

"Rin." He seethed through clenched teeth.

Rin could feel herself go cold, the look in his eyes was inhumane, without emotion, and it rattled her. He looked like a demon.

She had never seen him this way, at least not towards her and yet it was not her life she feared for, no, even now with fangs bared, eyes red, and claws drawn; she knew he would not hurt her. This was her Lord, her Sesshomaru, the only person on the planet that claimed her. The first person, the first being that had given her a place in the world, that had taken her in; the only reason she could say she was no orphan. He had given her life, he had given her friends, family, the world; and she was as much his as he was hers. After all no connection was formed one way, she had to believe this, it was this belief that had inspired her to journey to him in order to find her place, and as this understanding dawned on her she came to understand his ire.

Surely, he did not feel for her the unyielding need that she had felt for him her whole life but he was a demon, possessiveness was more than just a trait he was known to have; it was all that he was. From his father's sword and lands, to her life and service, he could not help but want what was owed to him.

She swallowed to moisten her drying mouth and prayed to whatever kami listening that she was correct in her assumption and execution.

"He – he meant me no harm, he didn't know." She stuttered.

Sesshomaru glared at her fruitlessly, he could hear her, but it seemed he wasn't listening or hadn't heard anything worth letting his guard down, so she continued.

"My life is yours my Lord, he didn't know. How could he?" she breathed.

Sesshomaru could feel his youkai being appeased by her words especially now as the smell of fear began to dissipate from her. He knew in his right mind that she was coaxing him to her will and yet his youkai yearned for this acknowledgement.

The broken slayer who had smelled of nothing but seedy lust and turmoil, now reeked of fear. The ningen no longer posed a threat to the defenseless woman he had sworn to protect and the being within him bristled, torn between killing him and indulging her.

"I belong to you." She said steadily as they locked eyes once again. "You and only you." She promised.

As if she had released him from a spell she had cast, his youkai relinquished the hold of rage over him and Sesshomaru stood from his crouched position and retracted his whip before hissing audibly at the pair.

"Tell him to keep his hand to himself." He warned the slayer before walking over to the tree, sinking gracefully to the ground, and closing his eyes.

The slayer looked up at his at the woman he lay atop him and opened his mouth to thank her, she placed her hand over his mouth and shook her head ferociously though in a small and secretive manner as to not disturb the daiyoukai who sat a mere 10 paces from them.

He took her hint and nodded. She crawled off him slowly, obviously still in pain from whatever efforts had depleted her strength and lay down beside him. Though her movements showed obvious signs of discomfort, she sighed a breath that seemed to be of relief and closed her eyes; as if nothing had happened.

As if a demon hadn't threatened their lives, as if she had not just promised her life to a demon, as if they had nothing to fear from the same demon that had tried to kill them just moments ago.

Yun watched as her eyes fluttered closed and as sleep took her. His body trembled uncontrollably and though it seemed as though the present danger had been momentarily dealt with, the strange entourage that kept him company slept soundly while he watched the sun rise through wide frightened eyes.


Rin knew her eyes were closed and yet it felt as though they were open as the sun's warmth overtook her vision and body. She stretched cautiously knowing that she'd be bruised from her ambitious pursuits the day prior and was surprised when she realized that nothing was sore.

She slowly began to arch her back off the ground and further stretch her limbs, she flexed her muscles and finally opened her eyes. She looked around the campsite and noted the fire had been put out and that a small gathering of fruit had been placed beside her, although her Lord and Jaken were nowhere to be found.

Rin looked over her body and brought her hand to her throat, she felt parched. Her throat had been so hot and irritated the night before, she wasn't surprised she was so thirsty if anything she was surprised that her throat hadn't been more damaged.

She shuddered as the images of the previous night came back to her; the ogre, the battle, the blood.

Assassin.

The word burrowed itself into the recesses of her mind, its rancid roots taking hold of her esteem and attempting to strangle her with its grip.

Assassin.

She abhorred the name and the rights that accompanied it, she battled with it daily and she would not allow anyone to bestow the title on her so freely. Demon or human, friend or foe, companion or Lord.

She was no longer an adolescent she would not let the word and its mutual thoughts deter her, they would not ruin her like they used to, they would not determine the weight or essence of her character or being and it would not be her legacy.

She speared her fingers through her tangled locks and released her steadying breath to regain her composure.

She could feel where her hair had matted at her temples as she had sweat out her fever. She had felt so ill last night she was sure that she would have become a burden to her Lord, even in spite of her efforts to rinse off the scent of acid and poison. She had not often been ill as a child but when she had taken ill, it was always for the worse. She would be bedridden for weeks on end and damn near incapacitated.

And yet as she began to strip from her slayer's gear to inspect her would be battle bruises and scars, she could swear that she felt fine; better than fine even. She wasn't even sore. As she prepared to pull her top over her head, her taunt stomach bared and tapped breasts nearly exposed, the slayer spoke.

"Are you his whore or his captive?" he asked, his flushed face turned away from her.

Rin forced her shirt down and felt her cheeks burn at her lack of decorum. She'd almost completely forgotten his existence let alone his presence.

"I'm so sorry." She started.

"Please." Yun said in a broken voice. "I've been tormented enough. Answer me."

"Neither." Rin promised. "I am his companion."

In spite of the dread that filled his heart, Yun laughed bitterly.

"Do not think me so naïve woman. Spare me these lies." He barked.

Rin could feel her brow furrow in frustration. It was as if no matter how hard she tried to leave one life or title behind it followed her. she recalled all to vividly the women who had called her a demon's whore in that snake pit village that neighbored the hut she shared with Kaede or worse the people who pitied her and called her a victim of his mental and spiritual abuse.

It seemed this slayer would be the same, unwilling to understand. She sighed.

"I save you," she started off slowly, "I have treated your wounds and kept you fed, I have saved you from a demon's hand. Would you call me a friend or a foe?"

Yun turned back to look at her, her face forlorn but patient as she awaited his answer.

"What will the sheep call the shepherd? What will he call the man that feeds and looks after him, only to slaughter him later on?" He replied.

Rin smiled wearily as she nodded in understanding.

"Ahhh. I see." She admitted. "But I regret to inform you I am neither a shepherd or a farmer. I am simply a woman on a mission."

"A woman?" he echoed.

"Yes, last I checked that is what they called those of my sex." She said with a kind smirk.

The slayer blushed and looked away pointedly.

"Then they use the term too loosely my good woman, for one of your station should surely go by another name." He mused.

Rin brought a finger to her lips, curiosity baiting her.

"What name would you have me shoulder?" she asked.

"Spirit, enchantress, charlatan, whore." He listed.

Rin kept her face composed before it broke out into a full smile and chuckle.

"You laugh?" The slayer bit.

Rin threw her head back as another roll of laughter swept through her.

"Excuse me." she begged as she laughed. "I-I certainly mean to take your sentiments seriously but-", another peel of laughter cut her off as it racked her body and brought tears to her bright eyes. She brought her hands up to dab at the tears.

"Have you no sense of decency? Have you renounced your ties to humanity so thoroughly slayer?" Yun spit at acidly.

Rin's laughter was cut short as she looked at him and smiled, "How can one cut ties they've never had?" she asked in a most sincere tone, her head cocked to the side and her eyes patient.

"Will you speak in riddles all day then? To drive me mad the way women do." Yun asked earnestly.

Rin laughed genuinely then, her hair tumbling over her shoulders in a riot as she threw her head back.

"Oh, so now I am a woman?" She asked rhetorically. "You're funny. Your type always is." She observed through her remaining laughter.

"My type?" he repeated.

"Oh yes." Rin nodded. "The type of man that, in his narrow-minded piety, sits above all others and dictates the judgement that shall befall the rest, even the kami. I do wonder how thin the air must be down there."

"Up there." He corrected in a grunted tone.

Rin cocked a shapely brow at him. "I assure you good sir that I do mean down but I suppose when one's head is so far up their ass, even down looks up."

Yun couldn't help but smile, albeit grudgingly, alongside her. Her joy was infectious, her laughter boisterous, and her smile gut wrenching.

"I would say your language does not suit your station, but you've not answered me and so I don't know what your station is...slayer." he reminded her as her laughter began to subside.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled, glad that he had at least come to his senses enough to call her by a name that was worth having. "Forgive me, I lack the upbringing of a proper lady I suppose and am far too unbothered to attempt to care now, that and I've forgotten the question." She admitted.

He hated that even in her ire, she managed to look sincere, like she actually cared for his wellbeing.

"Captive or whore, friend or foe?" he repeated.

Rin sighed, "I am truly neither slayer, I am his companion on this journey as we share a similar goal and from there on, I know not what I am to him."

She watched as he determined whether or not to believe her.

"Of all the company a fair maiden could keep, you choose the company of youkai, no, of a daiyoukai. Do you truly expect anyone to believe that you have not been sullied? That you have not sold yourself like some cheap concubine or commodity? How did you even cross paths with such a ferocious beast? Why do you so easily pledge your allegiance to him? What could you possibly-"

Rin let go of a frustrated breath, "As for your second question," she started in a hard voice. "What I am to you depends on what you are to me. If you prove yourself a friend then a friend I shall be, if otherwise then I shall be what you asked of me on the first night of our acquaintance. Your escort to the next realm." She promised.

Yun felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he truly took in her seriousness. She was a slayer to be feared, young or not, beautiful or not.

"Hear me and understand well slayer for I am not in the habit of repeating myself, after all the company I keep has sharp ears. As things are now, we are not friends so you neither have the right to ask these questions nor I the obligation to answer them. What we are, what we all are," she reiterated to include the non-present company, "are beings with a common goal. We seek to end the tirade of the ogre demons, a force that if not soon dealt with, will plague us all. You can either pledge your allegiance to this cause and to the demon lord spearheading it or be left here to die of malnutrition."

He met her gaze, a chill running down his spine. "Are those my only two options?" he asked.

"Yes." Rin said simply.

"What would you call someone who offered you such a choice? Friend or foe?" he asked.

"A shepherd." Rin replied.