Ok, so not the funniest chapter ever, but there are some humorous parts. Oh yeah, I don't own Inuyasha BTW.

Sesshomaru wasn't sure how long they had been going over the objects she'd asked to learn the names of. The moon, river, fire, and many plants and trees. She'd asked about just about everything she could point to. She had to try a few times to pronounce many properly, some she could only manage to get 'close enough'. Then she'd gone back over them, pointing and saying each word, waiting for conformation or correction each time.

She was eager to learn, and she'd done pretty well. He wondered how much she'd retain in the morning. But he could tell she was getting tired. She stifled a yawn and took a long time to remember the word dandelion.

She stifled another yawn and stretched her arms above her head. She spoke to him in English, but he recognized her words of thanks. How often had he heard them now? Then suddenly she threw her arms around his shoulders and quickly pressed her lips to his cheek before jumping to her feet and skipping to the other side of the fire.

"Merissa, that was inappropriate." Sesshomaru told her. Unfortunately Jaken started ranting at her the precise moment Sesshomaru spoke and so it was the kappa who caught her attention. She looked at the kappa in bemusement, clearly she had no idea what prompted the outburst.

Marissa was about to lay down to go to sleep when Jaken started yelling. Looking over at him she realized his yelling was directed at her. What was his problem now? She hadn't done anything.

She'd asked Sesshomaru to teach her some words. She needed to learn the language since it didn't look like she was going to wake up or find away home anytime soon. Jaken hadn't said a word while Sesshomaru helped her learn the names of the plants and tree surrounding them. Then she'd thanked Sesshomaru and said good night.

She'd hugged him when she said thanks. She'd kissed him on the cheek. Was that what pissed Jaken off? Why would her hugging and kissing Sesshomaru piss Jaken off? It was just a peck on the cheek, no big deal.

But then Jaken got in a tizzy over everything as far as she could tell. It was annoying. But it was also kind of amusing. Especially since being wound so tight made him a perfect target for teasing.

She grinned down at the little kappa, then in a high pitched tone asked "Aww, are we Jeawous Jaken? You wanna hug too?" She swooped down upon the little youkai, pinning his arms to his side and squeezing him in a bear hug.

As she expected he screamed louder and kicked his stubby little legs. She glanced over Jaken's head at Sesshomaru, his face was still impassive, but his eyes were sparkling. Was he amused? She gave Jaken a big noisy kiss on his cheek as she hugged him even tighter and grinned.

Then she released her hold on Jaken, letting him fall on his ass. She laughed and grinned at Sesshomaru. Then she settled down to sleep on the other side of the fire.

She woke up a couple of hours later with a need to water the bushes. Jaken was snoring nearby, his arms around his staff. Sesshoomaru was gone again, but perhaps he'd snuck off for the same reason she was sneaking off. Sure he was an elf, but even elves had to pee, didn't they?

Come to think of it she'd never seen him eat, but you'd think he'd need to do that too, wouldn't you? He had a body and bodies need fuel. She had seen him drink from the river once or twice, and what goes in must come out. And he was a guy, presumably he had guy parts and used them for the manliest of purposes, marking territory in the summer an writing in the winter.

She chuckled softly at that idea as she stepped off the game trail she'd followed and hiked up her kimono. As she finished up she heard a hell of a racket from further down the trail.

She should get back to the camp, she knew. But what they hell could be causing suck a ruckus? If she stayed on the trail she wouldn't get lost, and the trail appeared to be going in the direction of the noise. She'd just take a quick look.

Before long the path opened into a small meadow. A large bear came crashing through the brush across the meadow, running for it's life. Then she saw what it was running from, a giant white dog leaped over the trees and caught the bear in it's jaws. The beast was the size of a house! The poor bear didn't stand a chance!

The dog shook it's head back and forth like a puppy with a toy. She was sure she heard the bear's bones snap just from the force of the shaking and the animal went limp in the dog's jaws. It was like something from National Geographic and Melissa found she couldn't look away as the dog tore into it's prey, scarfing down large chunks of bloody flesh. Then a tongue as long as she was tall slid across the edges of his muzzle, licking off the blood.

The animal raised it's head as the wind blew past her. It turned it's glowing red eyes on her. It took a step toward her and she screamed as she turned to run back up the trail.

"Sesshomaru-sama, Help me!" Would he come to her rescue again? Could he? That dog was the size of a house but he was an elf, wasn't he. He could fly, move faster than the eye, kill a man without moving... Could he protect her from that dog?

She reached the camp but he wasn't back yet. She'd have to keep running, then she realized Jaken was still asleep. She darted over to the kappa and started shaking him.

"Jaken, Jaken, wake up! There's a monster coming, hurry!" Jaken pushed her away and mumbled irritably. "Jaken, wake up! Me- mewosamasu! Hurry!"

She glanced back over her shoulder and saw the dog standing there. "Jaken run, find Sesshomaru-sama! I'll hold it off!" She turned to face the dog and drew Raven.

She glanced over her shoulder to see Jaken sitting up and looking at her like she was an idiot. "What are you waiting for? Run you stupid fuck!"

She turned back to the giant dog. She didn't stand a chance. Then Jaken darted around her running at the dog. She quickly grabbed him up with her free hand and took a few steps back

"You dumb ass, that thing just ate a bear! Do you want to be desert?" Then she screamed again and dropped Jacken on his ass as the dog began to glow. It shrunk down to the size of a man. When the glow subsided Sesshomaru stood before her, a smear of bear blood still lingering on his chin.

"Sesshomaru?! You scared the shit out of me you fucking douche!" She screamed. Then she fell to her knees crying, fear, relief, and indignant rage coursing through her like lightening bolts.

A dog? Her guardian elf was a mother fucking dog? Then as terrified and angry as sh was she couldn't help but laugh. All those times she'd called him a son of a bitch... If his mom was also a dog he really was a son of a bitch!

Jaken screamed, about what she didn't really care. Then he shut up as Sesshomaru spoke. Her heart was still pounding like a jackhammer when she realized Sesshomaru had moved to stand in front of her. She looked up, searching his face for any sign of emotion.

His face was still a stone mask. But when he spoke his voice was almost gentle. And his eyes... She wasn't sure what emotions she saw in his eyes, but that was where to look for them. They always said the eyes were the windows to the soul, with Sesshomaru that was more true than with most.

Sesshomaru always waited until his companions were asleep to hunt. After all, his dining habits, while normal for his kind, were a bit gruesome to others. The woman and Jaken had both been asleep a couple of hours when he'd gone off in search of a meal.

It hadn't taken long to find the smell of a large boar bear. The bear roared at him when he located it, but he'd growled and the bear fled from him. He gave it a bit of a head start, he preferred to chase his prey, to give them a chance to escape. They never did.

He'd just eaten and was cleaning the blood from his jaws when the wind shifted and he realized just how strong Melissa's scent was on it. It wasn't carried from camp. He turned his eyes and saw her pale face staring out at him from behind a large tree. What was she even doing there?

He took a step towards her and she screamed and fled from him. She'd screamed for him, terrified. He followed after her at a walk, but his long strides meant he was not far behind when she reached camp. Then to his surprise Instead of running for her life she stopped to wake Jaken.

Most of what she screamed at the tiny Youkai was incomprehensible, but she managed to say wake up. She'd heard it before, but he hadn't realized she'd learned it. How much did this woman take in when she was just watching and listening?

She glanced back over her shoulder. She saw him and continued to yell at Jaken as she turned and drew her dagger. Her eyes were impossibly wide and she trembled all over but stood her ground. Was she attempting to give Jaken a chance to flee, even though she thought it was at a risk to her own life?

Jaken of course knew him for who he was and after chastising the woman darted forward, greeting him enthusiastically. Melissa grabbed his retainer and backed up several feet with him. She was, indeed, trying to protect him.

Sesshomaru changed back to his human form. The woman screamed again and dropped Jaken when he began to glow. Once he stood recognizable before her she yelled at him then dropped to her knees sobbing.

"You foolish woman! How dare you speak to Sesshomaru-sama in such a manner..." The kappa raved.

"Jaken."

Jaken fell silent at the tone of Sesshomaru's voice then looked up at him nervously "yes m'lord?"

"Merissa did not recognize this Sesshomaru, her reaction is understandable. And yet rather than continue to flee she stopped to wake you. Believing it to be a risk to her life she draw a blade on this Sesshomaru so that you could attempt to flee. This is how you choose to repay her selflessness?"

Jaken looked abashed and began to apologize but Sesshomaru wasn't listening. The woman had just laughed. She laughed between sobs. She'd been through much, had the poor thing finally cracked?

He walked away from Jaken and stood before her. Slowly she looked up at him. Her face was red now, and tear stained. So were her eyes. She looked so pitiful.

"Do not be afraid, there is no danger to your life. You have shown great loyalty and courage tonight, both are admirable traits." He started to turn away then stopped and looked back.

When Rin had had nightmares he had attempted to calm her. It probably was not what humans did to calm each other, but it had seemed to work for her, would it work with this adult human as well? He knelt down before her and began to stroke the top of her head.

Melissa's eyes widened. Then she laughed, the dog was petting her! Sesshomaru had no idea why she laughed, but at least she was no longer terrified.

"Go back to sleep." He told her returning to his tree to do the same.