Jaken and Rin were both waiting for them when they returned to camp. The little imp had built the fire back up and Rin sat happily munching on some berries she must have gathered while Sango and Sesshoumaru had been occupied with Inyasha and Kagome. As they approached, the taijiya saw the little girl's face light up, though she couldn't be sure if it was because of her or the taiyoukai. She got her answer as Rin ran up and threw herself around Sango's legs.

"Sango-chan! Rin was worried when she woke up and found you'd left. I didn't think you would come back!" She stared up at the older girl, satisfied that she was really there, and the moved to wrap her arms around Sesshoumaru's legs. "Rin missed you too, Sesshoumaru-sama."

The taiyoukai didn't say a word, but he didn't push the little girl away, either. Sango thought that she almost saw a smile curl his lips, but it faded so fast that she couldn't be sure. She let out a soft sigh, and moved to sit by the fire. The morning air was chilly, and she shivered slightly, her thoughts once again turning to finding a hot spring. Her hair was matted with dirt, her clothing caked with blood.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He turned his eyes towards her.

"Do you...do you know if there is a hot spring near here? My musles are stiff and sore, and I would like to bathe."

He nodded. "Do you wish for me to show you where it is, or can I tell you the location?"

"No, just tell me where it is and I'm sure I can find it on my own." Sango desperately wanted some time to herself. Everything that had happened since the morning before was weighing heavily on her mind, and she needed to be alone with her thoughts.

"Very well. But if you try to esape from me, I will know." He raised his hand, pointing towards the stream which flowed by their camp. "Follow the stream until you see a path carved into the mountains. Climb the path, and you will find the hotspring."

She nodded her head in thanks, wanting to say something but unable to find the words. Instinctively, she shouldered Hirakotsu, her body nearly crumbling under the weight of her weapon. But she didn't want to be caught off guard, unarmed, so she gritted her teeth and endured the pain. Then she turned and walked off alone, in silence.

By the time Sango reached the spring, the sun had risen fully and was beating down on her, causing her to break out into a sweat. The taijiya had never been more thankful than she was when she realized that the spring he had directed her to was shaded by a large outcroppingof rocks overhead. She dropped her bone boomerang to the ground, and slipped out of her armor quickly and sliding into the warm water. Almost immediately she felt her muscles begin to relax, and with a soft sigh she laid her head back, closing her eyes.

How did I end up here? How did I let this happen to me? I never should have gone after Naraku alone...but I can't change that, now. Inuyasha will never forgive me for choosing to stay with Sesshoumaru instead of going back with him and Kagome, and I really can't say that I blame him. What a fine mess I've managed to make of my life.

Sango sat up a bit, stretching her arms high above her head in an effort to work out the knots between her shoulders. She groaned outloud as her bones and muscles popped and cracked, and she felt the tension melt from her body.

Maybe this is all for the best. Maybe with Sesshoumaru I can finally take out Naraku. There is no denying that he is stronger than Inuyasha, and it's not as if we've had any luck. Everytime we face him, we lose faith in ourselves a little bit more. And now Miroku is gone, just like my famly...

She felt tears stinging at her eyes, and forced herself to banish all thoughts of the houshi. There was no use dwelling on the past, now. With a deep sigh, she slid herself into the water completely, soaking her hair and rubbing at the locks vigorously to get the blood and dirty to wash away. She came up for air and immediately sank back down, her hands rubbing over her flesh, almost bruisingly. When she came up again, her eyes opened, and she let out a loud scream.

The youkai standing at the edge of the spring snarled, baring it's fangs and lunging forward, reaching out to grab at Sango's body. She shrank back, scrambling out of the water as fast as she could move, lifting Hirakotsu into her hands and swinging wildly. She felt her weapon cut deeply into the youkai's arm, and felt relief wash over her in waves, until she turned around and saw that there were three others behind her, fangs dripping, bloodlust in their eyes. She threw the bone boomerang hard, taking out the one she had injured already by slicing it in two. She ran forward, barely dodging the other youkai who were moving towards her quickly. The taijiya felt a claw on her calf and cried out as her skin was split open again. She spun around quickly, her heel driving into her attacker's gut, driving him back. But the other two were closing in fast, and she felt panic rising in her stomach. She drew in a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Her weapon returned to her none too soon, and she swung it around, taking off two of their heads. Only one remained, but he was fast. A little too fast. Sango felt his hand close around her throat, and began to claw desperately at his fingers. She kicked her legs, landing blow after blow on his torso, but he held her tightly. She cried out, a low, strangled sound, and her vision began to grow foggy. With one final burst of energy, she brought both of her feet up and pushed off the youkai's body, managing, out of sheer luck, to wrench herself free, and her body flew back, landing in the hot spring with a splash. The water stung her eyes, and she struggled to push back to the surface. She broke through and gasped for air, only to be met with a sight she wasn't expecting.

Sesshoumaru was standing at the edge of the water, Toukijin drawn, his eyes blazing. She looked to the ground, and saw the last of her attackers in pieces. She gasped and stood up quickly, completely forgetting that she was bare to the world.

"How many?" he asked, averting his eyes.

Sango didn't understand, at first, why he wouldn't look at her. Then her cheeks flushed bright red, and she sank back into the spring. "There were three," she answered.

"You did well, taijiya. But I can smell your blood. Are you injured?"

She nodded. "Not badly, only a wound on my calf. I'll survive."

"Very well, we should leave this place as soon as possible. Dress yourself quickly." He turned his back, waiting for her.

Sango slid out of the water and pulled her taijiya armor onto her body. The laceration on her calf stung as the rough fabric slid over her skin, but she showed no signs of her discomfort. She got to her feet again, and moved to stand beside him.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He nodded slightly, and began to walk back towards their camp. She bend down to retrieve Hirakotsu, and found herself having to run to keep up with him. Sango stumbled and fell, her injured leg giving out underneath her, crying out as she landed on the ground. He stopped and turned, moving to lift her up, but she shook her head, pulling herself to her feet.

"Do not be stubborn, taijiya. That wound will not heal properly if you continue to walk on it before it has been tended to."

She didn't answer him. Slowly but surely, leaning on her weapon for support, she began to walk forward, without looking back to see if he was following.

She is stronger than I thought. And stubborn. For me to be able to smell that much blood on her, the wound must be deep. And yet she is standing on her own two feet. A strong woman, indeed.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He must not view her as anything more than a tool, a pawn in his game. For him to show any other emotion towards her would be dangerous. Ridiculous. The taiyoukai caught up with her quickly and walked beside the taijiya, his expression unreadable, but uncertainty nagging at the edges of his mind. Perhaps he had gotten more than he bargained for...