The wind rustled through the leaves of the forest that surrounded the two inhuman warriors, cutting the suffocating silence that hung between them. Moonlight made the droplets of water on Torunn's skin to shimmer. She went to her pelt on the ground since the dagger that held it up was now in the back of the half-witted yokai. She wrapped the fur around herself.

"It's alright - I'm dressed. You can come out now," Torunn said, a sort of playfulness in her tone. Sesshomaru cursed internally, a small bit of heat threatening to rise in his cheeks. He took a measured breath and stepped into the moonlight, now fully taking in the still sopping wet warrior, but not making eye contact with her. Even in just her pelt she exuded power and confidence. His eyes instead lingered on her right shoulder, a large scar encircling her entire arm. He wondered idly where she had gotten that - what kind of battle it must have been to have given that to her. His amber eyes stayed fixed on it.

"What? Do I have something on me?" She asked him, cocking out her hip. Sesshomaru stopped his staring.

"It was getting late," he finally managed to say, "I was wondering what was taking you so long." Torunn let out a short laugh.

"Don't worry, I know you didn't come because you were worried about me," she said, crossing her arms or her chest, "Or to steal a peak." She wriggled her eyebrows as Sesshomaru's eyes snapped up to her who stood smirking in the moonlight, mischief dancing in her startling blue eyes like starlight.

"Do not flatter yourself," he merely said, a small pit of anger rising in him. It was almost shameful.

"Easy there," She said a bit defensively, "I'm only joking. I know you're no pervert. You wouldn't just go about spying on hapless young maidens. That's far too beneath someone of your stature." He said nothing, but Sesshomaru did relax his shoulders. The last thing he needed was Torunn to think of him like the half-breed's lech of a monk.

Torunn shook her head and made her way towards Sesshomaru, but paused briefly next to the dead snake yokai, its body still half way in the spring. Her eyes lingered on it thoughtfully. Torunn then looked back to Sesshomaru, her eyes still thoughtful. She bit her lower lip, an idea forming in her head.

"Hey," she called out to him, "Could you do me a favor and grab his left arm? My hands are little full, unless you'd like to carry my stuff. Sesshomaru didn't have to ask her what she was think - he already knew.

"No," he simply said, ready to argue her. She cocked her head in confusion.

"No?" Torunn asked, "But you don't even know what I'm going to do with it." Sesshomaru shook his head.

"I do," he replied tersely, "And it won't work." Her blue eyes grew wide with surprise.

"You have?" She asked, but Torunn shouldn't have been as surprised. She would want to try to replace a limb if she lost it. Only, she had done just that. Well, she didn't but Odin had performed the magic to heal her but had taught her how to do it herself afterwards. Over time, and with much practive, Torunn became very good at it.

Torunn shook herself from her reverie. It did no good to linger on such past things. It was still too painful to think about. She let out a tired sigh.

"Look," She began, "Let me try. I know how to do this - I've done it many times before." She chose to leave out why she knew how - if he didn't share his secrets, neither would she. Torunn wanted to stay on a level playing field, so to speak. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed at her.

"The last time someone tried to 'help' me, betrayed my trust," Sesshomaru stated, "And then tried to kill me." It was laughable when he thought about it. That pathetic half demon could never hope to kill this Sesshomaru, no matter how many Shikon Jewel shards he had - no matter what trick or deceptions he pulled.

Or how many demons he absorbed in his disgusting form he called a body.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Torunn implored to him, "I promise you that I can do this better than whoever did it last."

"His name is Naraku," Sesshomaru simply state.. She was quiet for a few moments, then it struck her.

"Naraku?" She wonder aloud, then remembering that name from her and Koga's fight, "He's really pissed off a lot of people around here, hasn't he?" Sesshomaru's amber eyes betrayed him - they were wide with surprise.

"How do you know of that name?" He practically demanded of her. The Demon Lord was growing tired of finding out new information that Torunn had withheld from him, but the warrior woman merely shrugged.

"That Koga guy thought I was some lackey of his - called me an incarnation of him, whatever that means," She said, then looking into Sesshomaru's eyes she continued, "Which you already know that I'm not." He gave Torunn a blank stare, while she blinked her incredulously. "You do believe me when I say that I'm not, right?" She took a step closer, her eyes pleading to him almost, and that perplexed the dog demon.

Of course he knew that - he would have been able to tell if Torunn was one of his monstrous creations the moment he smelled her, or sensed her aura. And yet she wanted - no - needed his reassurance. He almost had to smirk seeing her as vulnerable as she was now, and not when she was practically defenseless in the spring with the snake yokai. This warrior was truly an enigma.

But also sensed something else from Torunn's vulnerability, something more primal. It didn't help that her wild hair, still damp from the spring, seemed to shine in the moonlight like gold - or the fact that she was still only dressed in her wolf pelt. Without even realizing it, he took a step closer to her, taking in a deep breath, taking in all of her scent. The smell of salt from the sea, her musky earthiness, and her own wolf smell enveloped all of his senses. Torunn's aura - whether she knew it or not - started to encompass his aura. It was warm, inviting and earnest, albeit a bit nervous. It was not pure, but it was honest.

"Yes," he said, letting her aura wash over him like a crashing wave, "I do know that. This Sesshomaru believes you." Like she was holding her breath, Torunn relaxed her shoulders and her aura. It wafted around the two of them but Sesshomaru shook it off, waking up from whatever he was feeling. It was making him feel uncomfortable, but only in the sense that it was strange and new feeling that had just overcome him - that he had no control over it. He told himself he didn't like it, that Sesshomaru shouldn't like it.

"Then you should trust me with this," Torunn countered, fresh determination in her eyes. It was almost enough to convince the Demon Lord to let her try, but he remained resolute. He was inclined to trust her when Torunn said that she wasn't an incarnation of Naraku, but that was only because he knew it - so it was safe to say that he was really trusting himself, rather than Torunn. Sesshomaru barely knew the warrior, only a handful of days at best, so how could he trust her with something like this?

The answer was simple. Sesshomaru could not trust her with this task, nor would he ever. Torunn gave him no reason to do so, he told himself. He lifted his chin in an air of superiority towards Torunn.

"I might trust you when you vouch for yourself, but that is only because I can sense it myself. Do not get any more ideas of me trusting you anything beyond that," Sesshomaru said coldly. Torunn looked like she wanted to say something more, went even as far as opening her mouth but immediately shut it again. She turned to the dead snake yokai, almost looking at it longingly, and let out a huff.

"Fine," she relented, but there was a grin that tugged at the edge of her lips, "But the offer will remain should you ever have a change of heart." She continued to walk past him, slinging her bag over shoulder and stuffed her clothing into it, while Sesshomaru stood still, almost dumbfounded.

However stubborn Torunn might be, she was respectful about his decision on the matter. Of course Sesshomaru knew he was right but he expected Torunn would at least try to argue, to push back and rebuke him but she hadn't. Before he could stop himself, he asked:

"That's it?"

Torunn turned around with certain level of annoyance in her blue eyes. "It what it?" She asked. Sesshomaru almost felt foolish for saying anything at all but again before he could say anything, Torunn's annoyed gaze turned into a knowing one. "Oh I see. You thought I was going to try to change your mind? Argue with you about my offer, and then lose to you?"

"Truth is why bother? You already made your mind up. No use beating a dead horse." She finished with a shrug, but the Demon Lord could tell that she hadn't given up - only merely biding her time. He narrowed his eyes.

"You are insufferable," Sesshomaru said.

Without missing a beat she shot back, "Takes one to know one." She had said it with a grin.

"Now, I know you don't need sleep but I do. Are you coming or what?" Torunn turned her back on Sesshomaru and headed into the dark of the forest. He followed closely behind Torunn but the two of them walked in a surprisingly comfortable silence. Every so often Torunn's hands would brush against a tree that bore her markings and scent, or touch a bush, her finger tips grazing the soft leaves like she was trying to memorize the area. Torunn seemed content as ever walking barefoot through the woods, like she was almost communicating with everything around her, trying to figure out all of the forest's secrets. He couldn't helped but be intrigued by her actions as they wandered back to their campsite, but otherwise kept behind Torunn and to himself.

It was few minutes after that when there was a sudden and apparent shift in the wind, and a new- yet familiar- aura with it. Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks, his sensitive nose also picking up a familiar smell. Torunn had noticed the sudden change in the air and stopped as well, shuddering slightly.

"What is that?" She asked as though she was repulsed by it. Sesshomaru was only slightly agitated by its presence.

"A nuisance," he merely said and then took off in the direction of the aura. He was running through the trees when he sensed Torunn right behind him. A large part of him wanted to order her to go back to their camp, but he knew that wouldn't work. Even if he didn't know Torunn that well, he knew her well enough that she would never take orders from him about something like this. He internally growled - this long night was about to get even longer.

The two of them ran through the forest – Sesshomaru in the front, Torunn trailing not too far behind him, trying to figure out just what was that strange aura. To her, it almost felt like the false power Koga had been using to boost his strength and speed, but on a whole new level. She could tell that it emanated from a sort of being, but Torunn couldn't tell if it was alive or dead. She only knew that whatever it was merely existed, and that was about it. It unnerved her.

Elegantly they swerved in and through the trees and brush, barely making a sound as their feet hit earthen floor. Torunn could tell that Sesshomaru's mood went from annoyed to agitated as soon as the winds changed, settling a chill in Torunn's own spine. She could smell a threat from a miles away, even if she didn't understand what the danger actually was. Torunn just knew in her gut that whatever this was, it did not bode well for anyone.

As the continued onward, getting farther and farther away from their camp, the tree surrounding them began thin out more. The forest Elegantly they swerved in and through the trees and brush, barely making a sound as their feet hit earthen floor. Torunn could tell that Sesshomaru's mood went from annoyed to agitated as soon as the winds changed, settling a chill in Torunn's own spine. She could smell a threat from a miles away, even if she didn't understand what the danger actually was. Torunn just knew in her gut that whatever this was, it did not bode well for anyone.

As the continued onward, getting farther and farther away from their camp, Torunn could tell that whatever it the presence or being was, it was heading straight for them. And then abruptly stopped. Sesshomaru had slowed down, and Torunn stood beside him, the uncomfortable aura washing over her even stronger now. She noticed his entire being go rigid, but otherwise looked his usual self - his amber eyes hard as gem stones as his gaze went above the tree lines ahead. Torunn followed his gaze, and was surprised to find a swarm of massive bugs, flying and buzzing about a woman who floated on a feather.

As the woman got closer, Torunn looked back to Sesshomaru, his hand slightly hovering over his weapons. It was obvious to her that the Demon Lord had encountered this being before. Torunn's own claws began to extend from her finger tips, and lowered herself slightly into a more defensive position.

"You know her?" Torunn asked of him, but was only met with silence. She then grumbled out under breath, "Fine. Don't tell me. I don't care." The mystery woman in question jumped down from her feather to the ground as it turned back to a normal size, tucking it delicately into her neatly done up do. Her chestnut brown hair and red eyes twinkled like embers in the moonlight. Even though Torunn knew in her gut that whomever this person was a threat, she couldn't help but think that she was indeed beautiful - even in a dangerous, viper sort of way.

The woman pulled a fan out that matched the colors of her unusual dress - white and dark red, so dark it was like wine, and splashes of a light green color. With a flick of her delicate wrist, she opened the fan and smiled demurely behind, with contempt dancing in her red eyes.

"I thought I recognized your aura," she purred as her gaze went from Torunn to Sesshomaru, who only looked bored but never moved his hand.

"Kagura," he simply said.

"What?" The woman pouted, "Not happy to see me?"

"Hn."

Torunn rolled her eyes at the exchange between the two, letting out a sigh in frustration and not liking being the only one in to the dark about what was going on, but she kept herself in control. She wasn't about to say anything or give anything away to this Kagura woman, but Torunn wasn't even sure she had anything to give.

The wind danced across the grass, rippling the blades in wave after wave. After another moment of insufferable silence, Kagura snapped fan to close and placed her hands at her side impatiently.

"Believe it or not, I'm not actually here for you, Lord Sesshomaru," she said, taking a step closer to the pair but stopped as soon as Torunn flexed her own aura. Kagura made a face somewhere in between annoyance and being entertained.

"No?" Sesshomaru called out to her, "If Naraku didn't send you after me for retribution, then what does he want?" Torunn's ears perked up at the name.

Again with this Naraku, Torunn thought to herself as she continued to glare at Kagura, Is this what one of his incarnations look like?

Torunn now had real reasons why to trust her gut.

"Tch," Kagura started, rolling her own eyes, "Ya know, not everything revolves around you, Demon Lord of the Western Lands."

"No, Naraku wanted me to invite your..." She struggled to find the right word, "Your companion to come meet with him. He has taken an interest in - girl - what's your name?" Her head turned sharply to Torunn who only glared back, her blue eyes hard as steel. Torunn could tell that this Kagura had some power but for the life of Odin Torunn couldn't figure how powerful she was, but it didn't matter. Torunn bared her now equally sharpened fangs.

"None of your business. Got it?" The wolf warrior stated, now standing tall and proud as the Demon Lord who stood beside her, and then continued, her voice, "So I would strongly advise you run back to this Naraku and tell him that he has nothing of interest for me. I have no intention of meeting him; not now, not ever." She flexed her aura again, and took a step forward but to her surprise, Sesshomaru had stopped her. Torunn cut a glare to him - why was he stopping her?

Kagura, on the other hand - took a moment to soak in the scene that played out in front of her. A smirk reappeared on her face, again appearing full of contempt and bit of smugness.

"Hmph," she breathed out, "Fine. Just know that Naraku doesn't like being told 'no', girl." Kagura then whipped out the feather from her hair to the ground as gust of swirling wind came all around her. Torunn only averted her eyes for a moment from the debris that had been kicked up in the gust but weird woman was already sailing back to wherever she came from on the night's breeze, the even stranger bug creatures following after her.

"I'll be seeing you again, warrior," Kagura called out to them, and with that, she vanished into the inky black sky. Torunn stood stunned and looked back to Sesshomaru again who regarded her with a unknowable glance. She narrowed her eyes at him, putting her hands on her hips.

"What? Do I still have something on me because all of your staring is starting to ruffle my fur," she said half jokingly, half seriously. Sesshomaru cocked his head ever so slightly to the side as if he was examining her, trying to again solve the puzzle that was Torunn

"You dismissed Kagura as if she were nothing," Sesshomaru said, "Even though she was most likely going to give you your heart's desires." Torunn scoffed, almost laughing while doing so.

"I meant what I said," Torunn began, "They have nothing to offer me. I have no reason to want anything they would give me."

"And yet you take what I offer," he countered but Torunn shook her head.

"No," she said, a fire in her blue eyes, "I'm taking what I earned from you. I don't trust anything that is given freely." Sesshomaru's eye brow shot up at that. He raise his chin approvingly so but said nothing more. She returned his approval with a smug smile, but then caught his eyes moving to look beyond her. She turn her head around only to see a green light whip past her face, and a creature fall to the ground. Confused, Torunn fully turned around to see the large bug like creature writhing and twitching, the light in its eyes fading. She walked over to it, kicking it with her foot slightly to see if it was still alive.

Without a second thought, Torunn crushed the skull with the heel of her foot, soon instantly regretting it as the guts and gore were all over her foot. She looked at Sesshomaru.

"It was worth it," Torunn said .

The sun began to kiss the sky, its golden rays starting to warm the land as night retreated. The manor was deadly quiet as Naraku sat looking at the mirror in Kanna's hands. He mulled over the exchange over and over in his head between Kagura and the mysterious warrior. He could feel himself becoming annoyed knowing that Sesshomaru was now in the picture, and so soon after their last encounter. Naraku was going to have to be a little careful how he tread with this warrior. His gazed was still glued to the mirror as Sesshomaru and whomever she was were still talking.

How was it that insufferable daiyokai had gained the trust of her so quickly? What did he have that she wanted? Or did she have something that he wanted? So many questions ran through his mind as Kagura walked through the door to his room.

"Kagura," he called to her, his eyes still not leaving the mirror, "How did it go?" Kagura roller her eyes.

"About as good as I thought it was going to go," she replied dryly, "If you couldn't tell, she wants nothing to do with you." Naraku still did not turn to meet her annoyed gaze. She knew that this was going to happen, and that her efforts were a complete waste of time.

"That's too bad," he replied absently, still preoccupied with what he was seeing but a small perversed smile began to crawl over his face like a spider.

Kagura curiously looked over his shoulder at what looked like to be a somewhat intimate exchange between Sesshomaru and the testy female warrior, her stepping closer to him, a look of fire in her unearthly blue eyes. Naraku's own grin began to spread even wider, like some sick diseased thing. The last thing she saw was Sesshomaru's cold, amber glare, a flash of green light. She watched as trees skidded past her line of sight and all she saw was the forest ground. A few moments later, she saw the even colder stare of those blue eyes, a heal and nothing more. She expected Naraku to be beyond angry but he merely continued to smile, it ever growing like the disease it was.

"Maybe it wasn't all in vain afterall," he cooed, "I suppose I'll have to try other tactics then."