A/N: Your reviews make my world complete. Please keep them coming.
Other than that . . . Enjoy. (Told you that last a/n was going to be the last long one for a while, huh)
I do not own Inuyasha.
Sesshomaru was very tense. He paid little attention to the beautiful fall day.
He was just barely holding his demonic aura in check. Sesshomaru and his companions were on the last stretch of patrols, and were currently in the most heavily populated area of demons in the Western Lands.
Usually, the demons in this area scattered whenever he was in the neighborhood, but today they were staying put. Sesshomaru knew that it was because of Rin. Her scent was far too tempting for lower class demons such as the ones that inhabited this bit of land.
Quite frankly, Sesshomaru didn't see the appeal. Of course he noticed Rin's maturing scent; it surrounded him every day. Rather than finding it arousing as did most of his kind, he found it soothing. The demonic notes weaving themselves throughout Rin's scent were balanced by the human ones, creating an aroma that was surprising pleasant. Sesshomaru also knew that Rin's beauty complimented her scent to perfection. She was by far the most beautiful human woman that he had ever seen. Sesshomaru appreciated Rin's beauty the way a collector of fine things appreciates what they've acquired. He would not be so uncivilized as to defile her beauty to slake something that any demon woman of good breeding could take care of, regardless of the fact that Rin was capable of bearing full-blooded demons. Of course, this was assuming that she appealed to him in that way, which she didn't.
Jaken was walking behind Sesshomaru and holding Ah-Un's reins, while Rin was seated sideways upon the beast. Both of them were unusually quiet. While Sesshomaru knew that Jaken was aware that they were more or less surrounded by demons, he wondered what was causing Rin to hold her tongue as well.
Rin was captivated by the turning trees. It was one of her favorite parts of fall. Watching the bright golds, reds and oranges always filled her with awe, and today was no different. There was something that was preventing her from fully enjoying the sight, though she couldn't put her finger on what it was. Rin had felt uneasy all day, as if she were being watched. While she knew that Lord Sesshomaru would never allow anything that might harm her to get that close, she still couldn't shake the feeling.
The group kept on walking and dusk began to set in. As they passed a particularly thick patch in the forest, Rin heard the sound of running water. The sound reminded Rin of how thirsty she was. She had run out of water in the early afternoon, but she had felt too nervous to leave Lord Sesshomaru's company long enough to refill her flask. However this time she might have to brave it - she was too thirsty to go much farther.
Rin jumped off Ah-Un and turned towards the sound of the water. She felt a shiver run down her spine. She looked hard into the forest ahead of her. Why did it feel like she was being watched?
She took a deep breath and was about to take her first step away towards the sound of the running water when she heard Lord Sesshomaru call out to her.
"Rin," he said. She turned and looked at him and was surprised to find that he wasn't as far ahead of her as she thought. He must've stopped when he heard her jump off Ah-Un. "Where are you going," Lord Sesshomaru asked.
"I was just going to refill my water flask, my lord," Rin said. Sesshomaru's back was to her as he continued to survey the area around him. Rin decided that she would feel much safer if he went with her. "Would you please come with me Lord Sesshomaru? I feel . . . something's not right," she finished lamely. She just couldn't bring herself to admit that she was scared to go a few paces to the water.
Instead of answering her, Sesshomaru silently turned around, with Jaken close on his heels, and led the way to a river that was hidden behind some bushes. Once he was within sight of the river, Sesshomaru ordered Jaken to go the rest of the way with Rin. Sesshomaru scanned the area once more and felt the growing unease in his stomach erupt into somersaults.
He took a deep breath and smelled no demons within walking distance. Oh, they were still out there alright. They were just keeping a safe distance. There wasn't anyone hidden in the trees or bushes . . . So why did he feel like he was about to be attacked?
Rin walked to the bank of the river and peered in. The water was so clear that she could see the rocks glittering on the bottom. Suddenly Rin gasped and jumped back. Something had moved in the water. Sesshomaru's head whipped around quickly and Jaken scowled darkly before taking a deep breath.
Rin knew what was coming even before Master Jaken opened his mouth. "What did you do that for? Stupid girl, can't you see that we're all on edge enough as it is," he snarled at her.
"I'm sorry Master Jaken. It must have been a fish," Rin said quietly. But the shape had been much too big to have been a fish she thought. Rin turned back to look at the water and jumped again. Lord Sesshomaru was peering into the water with one hand on Bakusaiga.
Rin blushed clear to her ears. "Really Lord Sesshomaru, it was a fish. It just startled me is all," she said. Sesshomaru continued to look up and down the river. He knew that it wasn't a fish. A fish wouldn't have scared Rin like that. They were hiding in the water. That's why he felt so uneasy. It was perfect - his nose was no good in the water.
Sesshomaru realized that he would probably have to wait for them to come out before he could kill them, so he walked a few paces behind Rin. He knew that it would only be a matter of time before they grabbed her.
Rin leaned down over the bank of the river and put her flask in the water. Just as she was about to pull it out she felt something wrap around her wrist and pull. She gave a surprised squeak before she was dragged at frightening speed into the water. Rin kicked and thrashed as hard as she could without ripping her arm off, but it was no good. She kept choking on water that made its way into her mouth as she fought back. Then she felt the hold on her wrist go slack. Rin resurfaced and gasped for air while coughing.
She didn't need to look behind her to know that Lord Sesshomaru was fighting with whatever it was that had pulled her into the river. Rin began to make her way back to the river's bank, ignoring the splashes and sounds of sword hitting flesh that was going on behind her.
She saw Master Jaken running back and forth along the edge of the river, gesturing for her to get out of the water. There must be more than one demon she thought. It wouldn't have taken Lord Sesshomaru this long to take care of just one. Right as Rin was walking out of the water, she felt another appendage wrap itself around her wrist. Before it could pull her into the water again she began running towards the forest.
Rin didn't get very far before she was pulled back. As she turned around, she saw what the appendage belonged to. It was a giant frog – a demon frog - whose mouth was wide open. Rin realized with disgust that the thing that was wrapped around her wrist was the frog's tongue. With a new burst of strength, Rin backed away from the frog, resisting as hard as she could. Why wasn't Lord Sesshomaru coming to help her, she wondered frantically. A quick glance to the side saw him still engaged with about fifty demon frogs.
As Rin turned her attention back to her adversary, she saw a huge stream of fire pass in front of her face. Then she fell backwards. . .
Aware that Rin was now free of the frog demon's grasp, Sesshomaru withdrew Bakusaiga and made a huge sweeping arc with it. All of the demons were blasted into tiny pieces, and the pieces that fell onto the demon frogs who avoided the blow were slowly eating them away.
Sesshomaru turned towards Rin and Jaken on the other side of the river. He was soaking wet from the waist down, but that was nothing compared to Rin. Sesshomaru jumped across the river and walked up to her.
Her kimono had been pulled off her shoulders when she'd been dragged into the water. Her obi was probably several miles downstream by now. Rin was sitting with her legs tucked to her side, one hand holding her kimono closed, while the other held her right foot.
"Where does it hurt?" Sesshomaru asked. He couldn't see any visible damage.
"My ankle. I think I turned it," Rin replied.
Sesshomaru bent down and picked her up, telling Jaken to get her flask, Ah-Un and to follow him. They needed to get to safer ground for the night and quickly. Looking up at the sky, Sesshomaru felt himself being lifted from the ground as his fur began to elongate and wrap itself around his lower body. Once he was high enough, Sesshomaru took off towards a strip of land where he knew Rin would be safe.
He would come back on his own to finish his business here.
The next day, found Rin taking a leaf out of Sesshomaru's book. She was resting under a large tree, while Sesshomaru was sitting on a branch higher up. He had sent Jaken off to feed Ah-Un once the sound of the beast's growling stomach had gotten to be too much for him.
Rin's eyes were closed. She was thinking about how once again she had caused trouble for Lord Sesshomaru, and while this did lower her spirits some, her trouble-making had led to her being carried away to safety in his arms. That last thought definitely lifted her spirits, so much so that she could almost forget the way that his eyes had swept over her disheveled form so dismissively.
Rin sighed. Since when did she care how Lord Sesshomaru looked at her so long as looked at her? What happened to her not being delusional enough to want his love? Ever since he had let her touch him that summer day, she had been plagued with strange yearnings and dreams that always left her unsatisfied in a way that she couldn't define.
She reached her hands out to the side of her in search of her water flask. Her left hand hit something, and she ran her hand over it. It was Lord Sesshomaru's chest plate. Rin continued running her hands over the ground nearest her. When she came up empty, Rin opened her eyes and looked around the camp site. There it was, on the side that was farthest away from her. She must have left it over there, when she had helped Master Jaken unload Ah-Un before taking him off in search of grass.
Rin slowly got to her feet, using the tree at her back for support. She had turned her right ankle in yesterday's skirmish, and was thus reduced to hopping everywhere like an idiot. She was grateful that Lord Sesshomaru had chosen to rest for the day instead of continuing with his patrols.
Once Rin was stable on her left leg, she began to hop across the clearing. Sesshomaru watched her childish antics with amusement from his perch in the tree. Once she reached whatever she had hopped across the site to get – her water flask he saw - she turned and began to wobble dangerously. Sesshomaru was there in an instant. His hands wrapped around Rin's upper arms and pulled her upright.
Rin quickly pushed herself out of Sesshomaru's arms once she had regained her balance. She didn't think that she could handle being so close to him again when so little time had passed since the last time. Unfortunately, in her haste to get away from him, Rin came down on her right foot and felt a huge jolt of pain shoot through her leg. Both of her knees gave out.
Sesshomaru caught her once again, this time pulling her close to him. Rin's ankle was throbbing. Without thinking she laid her head on Sesshomaru's armorless chest and pressed herself closer to him.
Meanwhile, Sesshomaru slowly ran his hands from Rin's upper arms to her waist. Once they had reached his destination, he gently pushed her away. Rin looked up and gave him a small, sad smile.
He had just realized that Rin was no longer a child. He had been aware of this fact for quite some time now. He had noted her growth, her changing scent, her engagement, but he had still seen Rin as the brave, yet foolish child who had tried to nurse him back to health. It wasn't until this very moment, when he had felt her small, pert breasts pressed against his chest, that Sesshomaru had realized that Rin was now a woman in practically every sense of the word.
He needed to put some space between them, especially since her scent was one of regret. Rin didn't want him to let go of her. What that knowledge did to his rapidly heating body just confirmed his need for space right now.
Sesshomaru was about to head back to his perch when he realized that it would probably be best if he took Rin back to her resting spot. So he picked her up, quickly set her down under the tree and then jumped back into the branches.
As the day wore on Sesshomaru waited for the urges that had suddenly roared back into to life to subside. He flatly refused to engage in a non-platonic relationship with his ward. He had principles; he had standards; it didn't matter that she would be able to bear him full-blooded heirs - he was not like the demons that had attacked her yesterday. He probably needed a woman. Rin had just brought his long dormant needs to the surface. On and on it went, and still the urge to ravish Rin was there. He had to take care of this, preferably before shutting himself in for the next couple of months with her.
Suddenly Sesshomaru wasn't looking forward to winter.