3. Lord Sesshomaru

Anger definitely had gotten the best of Yori. Heat had risen in her face, her hands were shaking, and her head was throbbing. That Inuyasha really pissed her off. He was so rude and impatient. He was angry all the time and rude. He had no regard for others' feelings and he was rude, very, very rude. Even with all that, Yori knew she shouldn't have ran off the way she had. That was stupid and childish - she had no clue where she was going. She didn't even really know where she was! A godforsaken forest in the middle of who-knows-where!
"Well, I could turn around." she said tentatively to herself. She hadn't walked that far, right?
Making up her mind to go back, she slowly turned around. Her heart skipped a beat. Instead of the group of five sitting around dying flames as she'd expected to see, there was nothing but trees. And suddenly it was very quiet, eerily quiet. The moon became and eye, watching her every move while the trees seemed to grow as the wind wrapped itself around her. Specks along the forest became bright red and yellow and followed her as she walked.
She shivered as the night grabbed hold of her and fright began to nestle itself in her heart. Childhood fears of beasts in the closet and monsters under the bed resurfaced. Things slithered among the trees and Yori felt them as they walked with her. Her footsteps soon became the only sound in her ears, along with her beating heart, both echoing in the darkness that enveloped her like a blanket. Dread washed over her. She never should have left. She was going to die here. A demon would come and rip out her throat. It would eat her alive, as she screamed for someone to save her. And she would die alone, alone and terrified. No one would know. Kagome wouldn't know, the group wouldn't know. Oh my god, her mom wouldn't know. Her whole family didn't even know where she was. She would never see them again. She would never hug her mother again, never rustle her little sister's hair again, she would never kiss her father goodbye, and she would never—
A sharp cry in the night pierced her ears and cut through her thoughts, stopping the depression from overtaking her.
"Who… That sounded like a little girl. There's a little girl alone in the woods?" She stopped walking and listened. She listened hard. Had she imagined the noise? Was it just her fear slowly driving her insane?
"Help me!" No. No, she wasn't insane. It was a little girl, and she needed help. So on impulse, Yori began to run. She ran towards the sound of the little girl's cries. I have to help her. Determination replaced the fear in Yori's heart and she ran faster, sprinting down the forest's path. Soon she came to a river and a sudden halt when her eyes rested on the scene awaiting her.
There was a large demon standing by the river bank. It was taller than a man and had almost the same bodily make up, except it had another arm protruding grotesquely out of its chest. It wore tattered rags and it had two horns sticking out from the top of its head. And when it sensed the intruder and turned, Yori saw the owner of the cries for help.
The demon held by the arms a young girl who seemed to be about eight. She wore a small, yellow and orange checkered dress with a green bow around her waist. She had a ponytail on the side of her head and she was trying desperately to escape. Yori looked around and noticed a small pile of wood and a canteen of water and she pieced the story together. And under all of the returning fear, adrenaline pulsed in her veins along with her hot blood which was coated in anger. She stood straight, crossed her arms, and tsked.
"So, let me get this straight. This little girl ventured into the woods to collect supplies. She found a river and thought she'd get some water and you pop out of no where and terrify her. So," she picked up a rock and tossed it up and down in the air. "Please tell me what gives you the right to try and kill her." The demon's eyes were charcoal black and its mouth was covered in slime. But it still spoke in a low, raspy hiss.
"This girl has trespassed on my river. For that she must die. I will savor the taste of her bones as I devour her." It started to walk slowly towards Yori. She didn't move.
"Well, I'm trespassing too. And there's no way in hell you're gonna eat me." She gripped the rock. "Put her down!" And she chucked it at the demon. The rock hit it straight in the forehead and as a result, it dropped the girl who fell to her knees. Yori rolled up her sleeves again.
The demon grew angry and ran towards her. But she noticed the strange blue light surrounding the rock still plastered to its forehead. Maybe if she could just… She jumped into the air as it neared her and landed a kick straight to the rock. It sunk into the demon's forehead and Yori watched, perplexed, as it staggered back and clawed at its forehead, trying to pull out the rock that had already disappeared. It screamed and flared its arms out and Yori realized what was going to happen. She ran towards the little girl and held her to her chest, shielding her just as the demon's insides glowed the blue light and it exploded. Chunks flew everywhere, some hitting Yori in the back and making her stomach turn. But then they all seemed to dissolved, and there was no evidence of there having been a river demon in the first place. And I can't take care of myself? Ha.
She released the girl.
"Are you alright?" she asked, looking the little girl over. The little girl nodded her head. She seemed really shaken, but other than that she was fine. There were purplish marks on her neck, but that was about it. Her hair was in complete disorder and her face was bone white. She looked so much like Yori's younger sister Ami that it was unbelievable. She had the same innocent face, the same pretty black hair, and she scrunched up her face the same way when she was about to cry. Yori hugged her.
"Oh, you must have been so scared." she said. She buried her head in the little girl's hair. She smelled like strawberries, just like Ami. She missed her so much already. Yori opened her eyes and saw a flash of white. What was—
Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt herself being violently lifted into the air by her neck. She could still breathe, though only barely, and panic gripped her heart. She stared at the person who held her captive.
He had purple lines on his face and wore a long, mostly white, kimono. He held her by his left hand and his right hand was aimed by his face, poised to strike. His nails seemed to be glowing green and little sparks surrounded them, but the soft light from it illuminated his face made his almost floor length silver hair stand out. His bangs touched his face softly almost and brushed his narrowed eyes, which held a dangerous look. They were a dim gold but burning with a definate quieted fury. Something about those eyes were familiar and at the same, time very alien to Yori. He didn't seem to be staring at her, his eyes didn't even trace over her whole body. He just stared at her eyes, stared into her eyes, burning holes through her and daring her to try and escape. He would kill her right then and there. She gasped. He looks like Inuyasha! Is he a demon too?
"Rin," He spoke to the little girl, Yori knew, although he didn't avert his stare. But there was something about the way he spoke. His voice was steady and sharp, demanding and seemingly very addictive. Her eyes popped a little when she realized that she wished to hear more of his voice. "What happened?" And as the words left his mouth, he tightened his grip around her neck. Her air began wane as his nails dug painfully into her skin. Yori's vision began to spot. The small child, Rin, seemed to be brought back into reality and she stood up.
"No Lord Sesshomaru! I was gathering food and wood and water when a river demon attacked me. She saved me. Please don't hurt her." she sounded as if she was pleading. The man, this Lord Sesshomaru, glanced at her for a moment, as if the gauge the honesty of her story, and then released Yori.
She fell to her knees and coughed violently. She could taste blood in the back of her throat and she touched her neck gingerly, and brought her hands back to her face to examine. Red stained her fingers and she looked up.
He was still standing in front of her, towering over her, and watching her with semi interest and complete disdain. Then he turned and begun to walk away.
"Are you coming Rin?" he asked as he walked.
"My Lord," she started tentatively. "May she come too?" He stopped walking. The question was odd enough, and Yori even had to look at the small child. The wind blew, rustling the leaves and tossing them into the air. His hair blew with the direction of it and the leaves caressed the ends of his hair. Yori's eyes widened.
"I take no pity on humans. But since you saved the girl, you may come if you wish." The wind stopped blowing and he continued to walk. Rin smiled and looked over at Yori. Her smile was big and bright and it touched Yori's heart. She helped her up and then grabbed her hand.
"Thank you for saving me. What's your name?" Yori blinked. The child was so friendly.
"Yori." They started walking together.
"Hi, I'm Rin. And that's Lord Sesshomaru." she said pointing to the one they were following. "And Master Jaken and Ah-Un are back at camp. You'll love it." But Yori didn't hear anything after his name.
"Se- Sesshomaru?"
"Mh-hmm." Rin said. But Yori was stuck in her own fascination with this stranger.
"Lord Sesshomaru." She liked the sound of it, as each syllable rolled off her tongue and into the depths of the mysteries of the night.
Sesshomaru.