Chapter 4
Lord Sesshomaru found himself leaning against a tree fighting his beast so it would not take over as instinct to survive. Blood was seeping from the gashes on his body that the windscar left. He was badly injured and needed rest. He did not know where he was because he did not bring himself here. Tenseiga did of its own free will.
'Flashback'
"What the hell do you want, bastard!" yelled Inuyasha angrily. "Your manners have not changed little brother." the stoic lord replied. "Shut up ass hole, that ain't what I fucking asked!" bellowed the now even angrier hanyou. "You disgrace our father's blood with your actions and language. You do not deserve to have a pack or the demon blood in your veins, you are pathetic." Sesshomaru said dryly with no emotion on his face. Drawing his sword the young lord blocked the attack aimed at him then parried the next. "You attack blindly with no skill or strategy. You will always lose," Sesshomaru lectured. Inuyasha's eyes began to bleed red at the edges, slightly surprising the demon lord. Inuyasha was flinging his sword wildly and out of control, sending wind scar after wind scar everywhere. After dodging many perfectly Lord Sesshomaru realized he was near the miko and if he dodged the next attack she would be hit dead on. Raising his heavenly sword he did his best to block the mighty strike but was met with a losing battle. Before it could kill him, his sword transported him away. The last thing he saw was a terrified girl with blue eyes.
'End flashback'
Two days had passed since then and he did not move, only slept, letting his yoki heal him. Tenseiga held a barrier around him, keeping out those who intended harm. It was in the afternoon while Sesshomaru was resting that he heard rustling in a nearby bush. Using his nose he sniffed the air and found it to be a human child. The ningen stayed where it was and did not leave. Deciding he did not wish to be watched, he let out a warning growl. Still the child stayed. Curious to why it was not afraid he waited to see what it did. A few hours later the child left. Confused but glad it was gone, the demon lord let himself fall into a light sleep to allow his body rest.
The visits from the little human child happened in the same manner for three more days until the lord grew tired of the spy. "This Sesshomaru knows you are there" he said in a monotone voice looking at the occupied bush. Out of the foliage, a small girl climbed to her feet and stared at the demon. Growling at the human to scare it away, Sesshomaru was shocked to see the child slightly flinch but not run in fear. A few minutes passed in silence, both of them studying the other, when the girl inched closer to him and sat near his feet. Smiling up at him with a toothy grin she started to play with the grass beneath her. Curiously, Sesshomaru watched the scene before him, 'how is she not afraid? Why does she not run?' he thought wonderingly. The strange child did not say a word, she only sat and kept him company. With the sun kissing the horizon, the little girl stood, waved, and walked away through her hiding brush. For seven moons the girl made her visits to the western lord, always quiet, but with many smiles. Why he allowed these meetings to continue, he had no idea.
The young lord took note of his body and thought it would not be long until he was completely healed. Hearing a noise and looking to the bush that was no longer a hiding place, he watched his frequent visitor appear. The smell of blood permeated the air with her arrival. She had been beaten. One eye was black and swollen, bruises covered her face and her upper lip was split. "Who did that to you?" the stoic lord asked. Looking at him sadly, the girl just stared. "You do not have to tell me," said the dog demon looking away." The small clearing was quiet for a time until a small voice cracked out, "Rin is Rin," smiling shyly as she looked at him waiting for an answer. "Sesshomaru, Lord of the western lands," was his reply. "Rin was very hungry, she did not have any food and no one would help her get any, so Rin took some from the headman," came her reply, a short while later. Looking down ashamed she continued, "Rin's mommy and daddy and brother were killed by thieves when Rin was little." Lord Sesshomaru looked at her with his masked face showing no emotion. "Rin is alone," eyes never leaving the grass through her story. She finished her tale then sat down in her place near his feet. Sesshomaru looked away from the sad picture in front of him. 'She is too innocent for such a life' he thought.
Looking again at the bush the child frequented, Sesshomaru heard two sets of footsteps approaching. Standing, he waited for the humans to arrive. Rin looked up at the tall lord curiously then snapped her head around when she heard the bushes part and saw two men appear. With a small whimper, she ran around the menacing demon and buried her face in his hakamas clutching them tightly with her small hands. "You, demon, give us the girl she is to be punished for her thievery!" one of the disgusting men sneered. "You filthy child, have you not learned your lesson, you will pay dearly for running from us before we were done!" yelled the other man. Sesshomaru could smell her blood on them. 'So these are the men who beat her' he thought. 'Kill them!' roared his beast. Summoning his poison whip, he made quick work of disposing of the wretched creatures. Noticing the now quiet clearing, the girl could no longer see the men so she stood and smiled at the demon she admired. Turning away from the smell that offended his nose, he walked away from the clearing. "Come," he commanded. The little girl giggled and happily followed her lord, leaving behind a miserable life that was already forgotten.
Later that night we found the lord resting against a tree with his knee bent and only arm laying atop it. Looking at his new ward he questioned how he had become so soft to allow the girl to stay with him.`I should take her to the nearest village and leave her with a miko." thought the proud lord. "She is our pup now, I will not allow it" growled his beast threatening to break his binds and come out. 'Hn' replied the lord, dropping the subject. His small pack was now bigger. Rising from his resting spot the alpha demon went to patrol the perimeter of his camp, to assure his new charge's safety. He had made sure she ate an appropriately sized meal, bathed and had a new kimono. She would be safe with him and no harm would ever befall her again.
Later on in the forest, Sesshomaru was just finishing his patrol, only having to dispose of a few weak oni, when he heard the most beautiful sound. The mystery song was laced with power letting it travel far and having a serene effect. Deciding his camp would be safe, he went off in pursuit of the alluring sound.
I took my love, I took it down
Climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
'Til the landslide brought me down
Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changin' ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Mmm mmm
Breaking through the barrier of trees, Sesshomaru found the creature with the siren-like voice. The miko of his brother's pack sat atop a grassy hill with a small neko demon in her lap that she absent mindedly petted. She sang while she looked at the moon. The demon lord quietly approached the girl to stand next to her, being careful to not stand too close so as not to startle her, and listened to the pleasant song.
Well, I've been 'fraid of changin'
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm gettin' older, too
Ah, take my love, take it down
Oh, climb a mountain and turn around
And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well, the landslide will bring it down
And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well, the landslide will bring it down
Oh, the landslide will bring it down
Kagome finished her song, a single tear trailing down her cheek. She took that moment to wipe away the salty sadness, stood and looked to her side finding she had a visitor. Meeting his eyes she gasped, then smiled.
Confused at her actions, Sesshomaru decided not to question it. Instead he looked to the sky, the miko doing the same after a moment. "You sing a sad song miko," stated the lord. "Yes, but it's befitting," replied the young girl with a smile. They stood together in a comfortable silence for some time. "It's beautiful isn't it?" the woman child asked. Sesshomaru's response was only to look at her. "The moon, it's so mesmerizing, one of my favorite things about this era is how beautiful the stars are but they don't come close in comparison to the moon. It's my favorite thing to do, looking at the moon." she explained. Looking back at the sky, the smallest smile showed on the daiyoukai's face. He was oddly proud at hearing the miko's favorite hobby as it was his favorite too. Deciding he should get back to his ward, the demon lord turned to leave but stopped halfway to the tree line. "You have a beautiful voice," he complimented, then disappeared.
Drifting on the wind back to him, he heard the smallest whisper "Thank you…Lord Sesshomaru."
~End Chapter 4~
Annnnnd done! So to make a few things clear, Rin is never killed by wolves, in my mind Sesshomaru connected with her quickly and was too curious about her to let her die. Ok, that's it for now!
Tenseiga-Heavenly rebirth sword
Yoki-Demonic energy
Kimono-Traditional Japanese garment
***Song***- Landslide by Fleetwood Mac (not me)
Ja ne, Peach