Everything seemed to come to a standstill - the wind, the animals, even life itself appeared to halt when that singular name was spoken into existence. Torunn gripped boss of her shield as she felt the noxious aura seeped from the hunched figure. It felt like death settled on the clearing - a dark sort of energy that sucked the light out of everything he was near. Torunn loathed the feeling with her entire being, a small growl growing in the back of her throat as the name rolled through her mind again.

Naraku - so this is him? Torunn thought to herself as the creature sat there on his log. She was unimpressed to say the least. Torunn was expecting some fearsome monster by the way Koga had talked about him, or something at least threatening or dangerous when Sesshomaru had described him but the thing in front of her, whether a man or otherwise, looked so pathetic. How could something so feeble looking elicit such wrath from others? But then Torunn thought about it more:

Not everything is as it seems sometimes.

Icy blue eyes narrowed on the creature cloaked in white fur, but no more words were said from her. The creature, Naraku, tilted its strange head towards Torunn as she stood tall and unyielding as a mountain, her chin raised to it. After a few moments, the thing chuckled again. The sound made Torunn's skin crawl but still she made no move. It, on the other hand, seemed to sigh dreamily as it perched on its log.

"I've been following your most delightful aura for days now," Naraku continued, "But I guess you already gathered that, haven't you? From what I can tell, you truly are a clever one. Quite the rarity in these parts, I'm afraid. It seems that everyone here is so simple, but you - you are so complex." The way he spun his twisted words so smoothly like a spider's web reminded of Torunn of a certain trickster God back home in Asgard. She knew better than to fall for Loki's pleasant half truths and lies, so Torunn continued her silence, not willing to betray anything to Naraku, lest he find out how to use it against her. Torunn wasn't stupid - impulsive sometimes yes, but she was not stupid.

"Oh come now, why the silence? What happened to the strong, booming voice I just heard?" It asked, trying to goad her but to no avail. Torunn merely raised an eye brow at it. Silence seemed to stretch the minutes into eternity as it continued to stare at her with its hollowed out eyes. "Ah, I see now. The stoic Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands has rubbed off on you, I can tell."

His only answer was was the stillness of the woods. He sighed again.

"It would make sense that the Demon Lord would have you follow him around," Naraku carried on, "He does seem to like collecting... Oddities." The smile in its tone screamed malevolence, that much Torunn could garner. That whoever, or whatever, this thing was delighted in causing fear and pain in people. Her eyes stayed hard on him but soon enough, Torunn turned her back on him. She was done with him, losing all interest in the exchange.

As she took her leave, Naraku called out, "You're going to leave without knowing what I have to offer?" Torunn didn't turned around, but she did stop to scoff at him.

"Save it," she started as she gripped the boss of her shield tighter, "I want nothing to do with you, nor of your 'services'. You, Naraku, have nothing I desire nor need."

"And Sesshomaru has something you want?" Naraku said and then continued, "It seems like you and him rub each other the wrong way. You are far too willful to be his lowly subject. If anything, he should be the one bowing to you." Torunn's head whipped around to glare at the being who still sat perched in the same spot. "You know he's just using you but I could give you so much more if we worked together. Join me and I will show you true power." Torunn couldn't help but out right laugh at him. Maybe she was over exaggerating but Torunn nearly doubled over in laughter at the thought - and she could feel the irritation that came off of him, and internally, Torunn reveled in it.

"Surely you must jesting?" She said, "What does a weakling such as yourself have to offer me? Those shards I've heard about? Thank you but I think I'll pass. I've seen mind tricks such as yours, and all they do is hide your feebleness." She barked out one more laugh to emphasize her point but Naraku only shook his head in disappointment.

"You would do well to heed my offer, girl," he said, his tone becoming less sweet and more bitter but Torunn merely shrugged it off.

"I'm not the one who's hiding behind underlings and disguises," she said standing tall, squaring her shoulders and raising her chin again, "I will say this once more so that you might understand this time. You have nothing to offer me, and I want nothing from you even if you did have anything remotely of use to me." A wave of Torunn's aura passed over Naraku, letting him know she was no one to be trifled with. She flashed her fangs as she said, "Unless you have a death wish, I'd suggest you leave and don't bother me anymore." Torunn pumped out one more wave of her aura - the biggest one yet - while Naraku jumped back, putting even more distance between them.

"Well then," Naraku said non-chalantly, "I guess I will just have to try harder to change your mind. You will join me, girl." Torunn launched herself at him but Naraku dodge at the last possible moment, but only just barely. There were tuffs of white fur that clung to her sharpened claws.

"Call me 'girl' one more time, and I promise I won't miss," Torunn spat at him, the bits of white fur dropping to the ground, "I am hundreds of years older than you. You will do well to respect me, swine." Naraku let out an almost maniacal laugh.

"I admire your back bone. You will belong to me one way or another, Strange Warrior. I will have your -" But before Naraku could finish his thought, a familiar green light came seemingly out of nowhere, silencing Naraku. The form crumple onto the forest floor. Torunn looked to see where the source of it came from and saw Sesshomaru standing about 20 feet from her at the edge of the clearing. As if a fog was lifted, the forest began to come alive again as the two inhuman beings stared at one another.

Torunn's heart pounded in her chest, surprised to see the Demon Lord especially since what had happened before she went following Naraku's sickening aura. She was at a complete loss of words. Luckily it was she wasn't the one to have to break the silence.

"His voice is most annoying," the ever moody Demon Lord said as he walked closer to Torunn who in turn walked closer to the remains of Naraku - the white pelt and what looked like an odd little wooden relief that was snapped in half. Gingerly, Torunn bent down and picked it up. It was smooth and strange looking. She then turned her attention back to Sesshomaru, her blue eyes full of questions.

"Just what the Hel is this?"

"A golem," he replied as her brow knitted further in confusion, "It was an imposter." Torunn barked out another hard laugh.

"He truly is spineless - couldn't even introduce himself to me in the flesh. I detest beings like him: Cowards, liars, weaklings," Torunn spat out like venom on her tongue, "Those who seek power using deception are the lowest breed of scum." She hadn't noticed but Torunn let out another large wave of her aura as she spoke. To Sesshomaru, it was full of rage and it showed. Of course, she had shown moments of frustrations with him and with others, but it surprised him to see the absolute rage that Torunn was giving off. Lord Sesshomaru knew the Naraku was a nuisance but to elicit such emotions from the usual jovial warrior had to make him wonder.

Torunn wiped her hands on her pelt and turned back to the Demon Lord who stood stoically in the sun light at the forest's edge, his long silver hair shinning like the fine silk that he wore. She went to try to say something but stopped herself, feeling foolish still from before. The Demon Lord took a couple of steps closer to her and if she wasn't mistaken, he hesitating slightly as he did. Finally he stopped just in front of her, his amber eyes locked with hers once more, and then down to her right shoulder for the briefest of moments and then back to her eyes.

"For someone who craves dominance over others, Naraku is, at his core, afraid of true power," Sesshomaru simply said he continued looking at Torunn. Her jaw went slack for a moment but then a sly grin gathered at the corner of her lips, her blue eyes threatening to roll.

"I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I think you just complimented me."

"Yes." Was all Sesshomaru had said and again, Torunn was absolutely flabbergasted. She had meant that comment as a joke but there he was being serious? All that Torunn could manage was:

"Come again?"

Howls echoed in the valley as dark clouds began to gather themselves high in the sky. A pack of wolves and two panting wolf demons chased after a manic whirlwind. After a few moments, it slowed down to reveal the form of Koga, who sniffed at the air, while the slower moving pack came up the rear. Ginta and Hakkaku were practically doubled over from exhaustion.

"Geez - huff - Koga," Ginta wheezed out, "What's the rush?" Hakkaku nodded fervently in agreement as he collapsed with his back on the ground, an arm thrown dramatically over his face as he continued to breath rapidly. The small pack of wolves that followed joined him, they themselves tired out and whining pitifully.

"Yeah," Hakkaku managed, "We've been running for two days straight with no sign of sis. It seems like this Torunn chick doesn't want to be found." Koga turned around to cut a sharp look at the sorry lot but then a single rain drop fell from the sky. His eyes stared up at the clouds that threatened with even more rain. Koga grumbled underneath his breath as his keen eyes looked about the valley and cliff sides, trying to find any sort of cover while they waited out the storm that was surely to come.

After a moment of searching, Koga finally found a cave not too far away from where they were. He let out a breath of exasperation.

"Fine," he growled out, "There's a cave no too far ahead. We'll take shelter there until the rain passes, but once it stops we'll be back on the hunt. You got that?" The group let a collective sigh of relief as they all managed to get back on their feet and paws. With Koga in the lead, the pack made their way up the to the cave on the cliff side.

Ginta started a fire near the back as Hakakku sat with the wolves who in turn, all stared at Koga who was transfixed on the valley below. Ever since his run in with the Strange Warrior Torunn, Koga seemed grimly determined to find her again. Hakkaku was reminded of when the hot headed leader of the Wolf Demon Tribe had his heart set on Miss Kagome. Absently, the young wolf demon thought about her, and hoped that she was doing well. It had been some times since they had all seen her last. His mind wandered back to Koga, and how hot and bothered he was after losing to that Torunn person.

Koga's own mind wandered as his gaze swept the valley. He was worried about losing Torunn's scent due to the on coming storm but knew in his gut that he would find it again. If anything, Koga would just feel for her wondrous aura. That was the only way to describe it he thought. It was nothing like he had ever felt before - the only other being who held that kind of sway over him was his Kagome. He sighed as feelings of remorse began to crawl through his veins but he shook them off. Koga knew that Kagome would understand, that she would never be mad at him so long as he was happy. At least, that was what he was trying to convince himself of.

He shook his head - Koga needed to see Torunn again, and he would see her. Nothing could ever stop him. Not even Torunn herself. Koga needed to see those ice blue eyes again, needed to smell that sea breeze and earthiness that she gave off, and it didn't hurt that she smelled like a little like him. Like his wolf brethren. He growled with anticipation of facing her again, and proclaiming his love to her. To finally have another true warrior in his pack, at his side no less.

Thunder rumbled in the distance as the wolves in the cave howled their songs. A grin spread across the wolf demon's face - it wouldn't be too long now, Koga could feel it in his gut. Together, Torunn and him would be the strongest demons in the land. They would be unstoppable.

The sun had begun to hide behind gathering clouds as Torunn and Sesshomaru made their way back to Rin and Jaken, hiking through the woods to find Torunn's bag beside the river near camp. Torunn's mind ran as wildly as its waters, thinking about what Sesshomaru had said to her. While she didn't know him very well, Torunn could tell that he wasn't the kind to dole out compliments. The most positive reinforcements he gave, as she saw it, was his nonverbal grunts and chin raises. The Demon Lord was a being a very few words.

And yet he had said something about her powers, and if Torunn remembered correctly, it wasn't the first time he had. Just what was this Demon's angle she wondered but she shook herself from those thoughts, telling herself to stop over thinking such things. When she had asked what Sesshomaru had said, trying to clarify if it was indeed a compliment, all he said was:

"I did not stutter, Torunn."

She groaned as they found her bag still sitting at the river's edge, still wrapped up in her thought. The Demon Lord turned around, a perplexed look on her face.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked her evenly.

"No," she said still shaking her head, "Nothing is wrong and that's the problem." She pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling, "Look, I'm sorry for the way I've been acting lately. It's no way to for me to act, especially leader to leader." It was now Sesshomaru's turn to not know what to do or say, so he remained silent so she would continue, knowing that she would do so anyway. "Even though I haven't been a human being for hundreds of years and have convinced myself that I am no longer human, clearly some of my more human attributed have lingered."

"How do you mean?" The Demon Lord asked of her. Torunn turned her gaze away from, looking thoughtfully at the woods as if trying to find the right words. She then turned attention back to Sesshomaru.

"You asked who Einar was, right?" She started, "Well he is, or rather was, a fellow Úlfhéðnar like myself. A strong one at that, I'd even say more powerful than me physically. We were close - very close - but when his pride was so damaged by me becoming Odin's Alpha, he almost killed me over it. I've tried to convince myself that what he almost did to, for something so petty, didn't affect me. I'm no more afraid of death than any other warrior but to be almost cut down by someone you shared mind, body and soul with - well, that does something to a person. Well to a human, anyway. A weak, pathetic human." Torunn chuckled darkly, mostly at herself. "I feel so foolish - I've found myself bemoaning to you again." Sesshomaru cocked his head inquisitively.

"I am afraid I do not follow, Torunn," he said. She shook her understandingly.

"No, of course you don't," she said almost wistfully, "You've never had to be human before. To live with such annoyances like fear, exhaustion, hunger or love. Truly, such pesky emotions." Torunn scoffed at herself. "I became blind because of that. Even though I did shed my former life when I received this pelt, some humanity still lingers within me. It was a moment of weakness I vowed to never fall prey to those emotions again."

It was true - Sesshomaru had never been human, but to say that he did not feel such things was not necessarily true. He just never succumbed to any of them before, not truly at least. Not like his half-breed brother, Inuyasha, who was always swept up by his own emotions. Sesshomaru's Mother on the other hand, had taught him that those kinds of emotions were weaknesses. And Sesshomaru had always vowed to be stronger than his father who did fall prey to such weaknesses like love. He understood that much, and in a way, could somewhat relate to Torunn, but she was wrong about one thing. Sesshomaru didn't think of her as weak.

"You're wrong," was all he said. Torunn blinked at Sesshomaru, still not comprehending what he was saying.

"I'm afraid I am the one who doesn't understand now," Torunn replied with a nervous laugh. A drop fell from the sky.

"You are not weak," Sesshomaru said, "You are still here. You are still fighting - coming back from something like that is no easy feat." Rain began to fall as Sesshomaru thought of when Inuyasha had severed his own arm, and how he lied underneath that tree bleeding in a daze of pain, rain falling over him that day as well. He would never admit it, but having his birth right reject him and then having that hanyou take it and using it against the great Daiyokai, hurt his ego more than he ever dared to admit. So much that he was almost content staying that way - bruised and battered until a certain human kept coming back to nurse him back to health. "And this Odin - your leader - obviously doesn't think less of your strength. You've proven that you are strong more than once to me. Do not make me a liar, Torunn." He hadn't noticed but he stepped closer to Torunn, their faces only mere inches away from each other. The rain began to fall at a quicker pace, soaking the two inhuman beings but they paid it no mind.

He continued, "You truly are powerful, in many ways. It may come as a surprise to you, but I do admire your strength. Most creatures are weak and would fall prey to Naraku's words, or wallow in their own pain and self pity. You do not. And you never bow down to anyone - not even this Sesshomaru." The warrior woman could not believe she was hearing. She didn't know what to say as her hair became a wet, tangled mess. Thunder began to rumble as Torunn reached towards Sesshomaru's left sleeve, and as she did her hand went for his wrist. Very delicately, she grabbed it, pretending to examine her workmanship, her face downwards so he would not see the red color that began to rise in her cheeks, but he had noticed.

"I guess you're right. This new arm of yours seems to be working out pretty well so far. I suppose you're welcome." Her eyes went back to Sesshomauru who still was staring at her very intently, trying to figure out the puzzle that was Torunn. She then continued, "But you're getting soaked - should this material even get wet? We don't want to ruin your nice dress." He narrowed his eyes on her as Torunn let go of his arm, with that mischievous glint in her eyes. She began to walk away from him, slinging her now soaked back on her shoulder and hoisting the shield over her head. After a few feet, Torunn turned around to Sesshomaru who stayed put.

"Are you coming or what?" She called out to him over the pouring rain, "If you want, you can come under the shield with me. We don't want you getting sick, do we? Not since we're so close to Totosai."

"Daiyokais do not get sick," Sesshomaru replied but after a few moments, joined Torunn under her small shield, internally grateful for the respite from the rain, while a small grin tugged at the corner of his lips. It seemed whatever was plaguing the wolf warrior as had at least passed for the time being, but he still wondered why he care as much as he did. He thought about but decided to not linger on it. He was just happy she was in a better mood.

In fact, he thought to himself, he was actually fairly content with her being in a better mood - maybe it was because it would make the rest of their travel to Totosai all that much easier.

It could have been also be due to the fact that he was the one who helped alleviate whatever it was, and at that thought, an odd sense of pride began to swell within him as Torunn talked amiably to him as they walked back to Rin and Jaken, who took residence in a nearby cave and had a fire already started to help dry them off. The small, almost non-existent smile never left his face for the rest of the day. He sat near the mouth of the cave as Rin sat in Torunn's lap, telling more stories of her adventures of her homeland. Every so often, the great Demon Lord of the Western Lands would catch her staring at him as Rin would talk at her, but every time he did, Torunn didn't look away like some shy maiden. There was a fire in her eye that intrigued Sesshomaru - it was like the same look Torunn had when the two went racing after the deer in the forest.

The thrill of the chase. That's what it was, he was certain of it. And he reveled in it, more than he like to admit honestly but he then thought to himself:

If she wanted a hunt, he would give her the best hunt of her life.