Yo people! So sorry for the long wait. It's a valid reason! I had exams! Okok.

SO the next chapter is up!

Read it aaaand? Yes review!

Please review if you would like me to continue because I need the valuable advice both on storyline and grammar. Yup. I really really really value the advice. I would like to thanks everyone who commented on the previous chapter. I seriously need the feedback to improve my story. If I don't get enough reviews, I assume this storyline is not good and I would stop it all together. So please review! Come on! What's a nice review? Only a few words!

Enjoy

Waking up….

The room was blurred and it had the faint smell of incense. Rin slowly sat up and rubbed her temples for the smell was nauseating. Massaging her raw and bruised back, Rin attempted to orientate herself to the room she was in. The attempt was futile. She found that she was resting on a wooden slacked floor. Instinctively, she knocked it. The sound was hollow, meaning that she was in an elevated room. The room was a squared shape and light filtered through a thin slat window. The shadows of leaves made their mark on the wooden flooring and Rin made the assumption that she was in a room in a forest. Everything seemed calm and for a moment Rin's mind told her that she was meant to be lying on that wooden floor; remaining there with a presence as subtle as the breeze which swayed the trees outside her cage.

Cage! She panicked. Where was she? Where is Sesshomaru-sama?

She crawled toward the sliding door as her legs were numb and aching. She felt trapped and a wee bit claustrophobic. She crawled and crawled, the path to the door seemed like miles away. Her vision was still blurred but she could more or less make out the shapes of her prison. By the time Rin was halfway there, a muscle in her leg twitched painfully and she toppled over, slamming her right shoulder onto the ground forcefully. Rin wailed in frustration and yanked her kimono forcefully, willing herself to crawl, lug and drag herself to the door. Anything! Alas, her young body could not muster the strength and she collapsed back to the ground. There was no use continuing her struggle to the door. She sniffed back a tear and racked her brain for a memory of how she had gotten herself into such a predicament.

Food…An explosion… A voice like thunder and slowly as she lay in the shadows, she managed to recollect her thoughts and she remembered. She had been knocked out, how long ago, she did not know but she had been unconscious, brought here by a band of brawly men.

"Sesshomaru-samaaaaaaaaaaaaa" she wailed. Unable to hold her cries of helplessness and worry. Her tears were rolling down her cheek in torrents. For half the afternoon, she lay there, sobbing; unable to figure out what to do.

Later

The sliding door emitted a low groan and its creaky rollers were rolled to one side.

"For my sanity, girl shut your mouth!" a loud shout filled Rin's ears and she cowered in fear. She peeped towards the entrance. Although the light was coming from behind the man, she could still make out his features. He had a well-built body and gave out a musty odor.

The brawly figure advanced towards her and she stifled a scream. The high pitched sound created a resonance in her throat. From her fear erupted a bold spurt of courage, just like how she always felt when she was cornered by a youkai and Sesshomaru-sama would save her. But- something told her that her lord was not coming today. He was not going to come in a long time. Her blind courage drove her thoughts into action. Rin wanted to escape so much that with her last ounce of strength; she made an irrational action of jumping up and tried to bulldoze the man out of the entrance and hopefully down a long flight of steps which lead to the entrance of her prison. At first she thought that she would fail because the man was obviously stronger than her. However, her sudden feat stunned her captor and both of them plummeted out of the room.

Rin expected them to land quickly on the ground but they were sailing through the air for a couple of metres. Arms flailing, the two of them plunged through space. Rin felt ecstasy instead of fear. She had developed a sadistic sense of humor while following Sesshomaru. She found it amusing to see gored and bloodied youkai and snickered at those who had the honor of Sesshomaru-sama taking their lives. When following him, she had been acquainted to death. Although Sesshomaru-sama rarely killed anything in front of her unless absolutely necessary, she had observed slaughter on her long journeys with the dai-youkai long enough understand the vicious and poignant beauty of the art of carnage.

Back to their situation, she felt no fear in falling although understanding the prospect of dying the moment her body made contact with the ground. Her frail ribcage would splinter and the bones would pierce her internal organs. Hemorrhaging would occur and she would die slowly. She only laughed; death did not seem fear-provoking. In fact, it would embrace her gently and quietly, like a mother would hold close a terrified child but with a sadistic twist. Anyway, she died before and it did not feel so bad…

Suddenly, a huge hand yanked the collar of her Kimono and she was hoisted out of the air (amazingly) and she landed in the arms of another stranger. Rin peered at his face and was addressed by the piercing gaze of aquamarine. There was a dull thump followed by a roar of jeers and cursing. The eyes studied her for a few more minutes and during that time; all which occupied Rin's mind were the eyes. He put her down moments later.

"I see you have met Endan…" he smiled grimly and Rin was soothed by his rolling voice yet again. The man (or youkai?) with aquamarine eyes had a similar characteristic to that of Sesshomaru-sama, she mused. Both of them had the ability to demand total attention and had an immense level of youki. Yes, youki, the man was a youkai. The youkai who was originally towering above her lowered himself to her level. Now chocolate and aquamarine locked and Rin felt the hair on her back stand.

"Little girl, I am Yuragu. You are safe in my village of assassins. We are curious about your nature and thus we will not kill you."

She found solace in his words and invisible embrace and she was brought back from her sadistic thoughts and back to the mind filled with thoughts more suited to an eleven year old.

The youkai Yuragu placed a hand on her thin shoulder and continued to stare into the depths of her eyes, further penetrating into the profound intensity of her mind. Rin was only thinking of how far he could read her and in her mind was the image of only his eyes. He jerked back, although it was a small movement, Rin knew that it had broken some unnamed connection. She thought she saw his brows furrow; was it sheer incredulity? He seemed startled at her intensity and maturity o he mind. She did not know because just like Sesshomaru, he abruptly sealed the gate to his mind through his eyes. What was left was the demanding presence of aquamarine.

He severed remaining connections by standing up. Once again towering over Rin. She could see that he was young (or perhaps young in Youkai age) with very sharp facial features. She could not observe for long because a meaty hand slapped her on the back and she whirled around. Once again fear engulfing her. She shuddered as the hand raised itself, as if preparing for a slap and she cowered anticipating the pain. The sharp sound of a slap came but she felt no pain. She looked up to see Yuragu receiving the meaty hand on the back, even his somewhat unshakable body structure swayed on the impact. Hollering- No was it laughter? Well, it was a weird sound of laughter erupted from the owner of the meaty hand.

"Yo- hohoho, Yuragu-!" it stuttered in between hiccups and trying to get Yuragu to understand what he was trying to say.

"That kid scared both you and me eh? Aah!" and another loud whoop.

Yuragu looked disturbed at the sudden friendly gesture and he gave a frown that looked familiar to Rin. It was a frown Sesshomaru gave whenever Jaken's blabbering pushed the boundaries or his sanity a little too far.

"Yes….Endan. How many times must I remind you not to slap me like that…?"

"Sesshomaru-samaaaaa"

"Endan, you blunt idiot, now she's crying as if the great western lord would come for her. She probably knows that all criminals like you are afraid of him! His name isn't well known to humans though. I wonder how she knows his name…"

"Ummm… Yuragu aren't you a criminal too?"

"Sesshomaru-samaaaaaaaaa!"

"Endan, you made her cry. Make her stop. My ears are ringing!"

Focus on the target and you will hit it. Fingers that felt like silk traced a line on her arm and she gripped her Naginata tighter.

"Focus!" the voice of thunder rolled.

"WHACK!". The target swayed before making a resonating thud on the floor.

Four years later

"Endan you fool!" Rin hollered and she got up and approached the

Figure which laughed as if he was coughing.

"What Rin? I did not know women like you play with combs!" Endan guffawed and threw his head back in a roll of hearty laughter. Rin scowled. Flash and her Naginata was out from its protective covering and pressed itself against the hollow of Endan's throat. She exerted a small pressure and she could feel his pulse through the hilt of her Naginata. Immediately Endan's chortles ceased and he stuttered.

"Easy now Rin… We both know how you can cut with that thing…I'm too young to die!" he whispered. One move and she could slit his throat.

"Hah!" Rin snorted and unexpectedly booted his belly backwards, yanking away her comb at the same time. She caught sight of his panicked expression and it was her turn to throw her head back in laughter. Endan did a miraculous attempt to cover up the expression and succeeded.

"Careful now, I could press harder if you ask me to…" Rin smirked and placed the comb in her satchel. Endan glared at her and reached into his pocket…

"WHACK!" and the flat part of her blade slapped Endan's wrist. Another snort erupted from the man.

"Don't even think of using your smoke screen on me you wretched swindler. You know how much I hate the smell… I could purify you-"

"-NO!" Endan burst and yanked his hand of his pocket, making a pretentious grin. Rin rolled her eyes and walked away. Endan always fell for that threat. Yes, although humans could not be purified, Endan had been around Youkai long enough to absorb some youki of his own. Years of sin and crime also made him a tainted soul. Rin could very well practice her skills and purify him, making him feel a stunning zap of electricity. Nah, she'd be wasting her energy.

Was she a miko? Well, Rin did not consider herself one. Yes, she had the ability to "purify" youkai; however, the youki that was purified would be absorbed into her Naginata, thus making it stronger. After years of training, Rin could make use of the thin balance between youkai and human, taping on youkai energy as well as wielding a Naginata. Yuragu had also trained her on Ninja-ken and Rin had perfected the art of disguise and fighting without weapons. She was often hired to carry out espionage on rich shoguns or daimyos. Her skill had in fact, exceeded every disciple in the village. She often pondered upon why a human could give out more energy as compared to a youkai. Perhaps it was her anger and resentment which she had the power to tap on to summon powerful attacks.

Ok…. No cliff yet! Anyway. Don't forget to review.

So who is Yuragu, where is Sesshie! What happens? gaaaasps alright . You have to wait ad review. is the length ok? to short? too long?

Byee!