Chapter 3: Potential for Great Power

It was night and the forest was filled with darkness when Tora woke. She could see the illuminated crescent of the moon through the foliage above her. The pain in her side was considerably less. She lay still for a moment, listening to the sounds around her and peering through the darkness.

Next to her slept a large two-headed creature curled protectively around the sleeping form of little Rin. The frog-creature, Jaken, was resting with his back to the creature, his small arms still holding the staff. From his slow and steady breathing, Tora knew that he was asleep as well.

Still she waited. When she did not feel his presence, she sat up. The pain increased with the movement, but she took deep, even breaths. Slowly, she forced herself to stand despite shearing pain that spread throughout her entire body. Her legs were weakened but able to hold her weight if she did not push herself too far.

Tora paused to gaze down at Rin, and then she quietly walked away from the sleeping trio. Her steps were slow, and she used the trees as support. More than once she stopped and leaned against a tree trunk as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Gradually she walked farther and farther away from the camp. A short time later, her hands were shaking so badly that she paused once more. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the tree, trying to ignore the pain.

Then, suddenly, shivers ran down her body, and she became alert. Her body tensed and her hand instinctively moved to her obi to grip her katana. Her hand closed on nothing but air. Her katana had been lost in the fight, and now she was injured, alone, and weaponless.

She turned cautiously so her back was to the tree and peered into the surrounding darkness, trying to find the source of danger. Something very powerful was approaching.

"You are leaving."

It was him.

The daiyōkai stepped out of the shadows in front of her and stopped just a few feet away. Tora relaxed slightly but did not lower her guard completely. She could feel the power eminating from him.

"If you are leaving, then you have need of this."

Lord Sesshomaru raised his right hand and held out Tora's sheathed katana. Her eyes moved down the sheath to his claws, remembering vividly how he had killed over thirty soldiers with just that one hand. Her eyes moved up his fur and armor to his face, and she took in the strange markings.

"You had no reason to enter that fight. Please, tell me, my lord, why you did so."

She searched his face as she spoke, but his was an impenetrable mask that revealed no emotions or hints to his thoughts. He simply stood there with his arm extended, holding her sword and returning her gaze. In the few yōkai Tora had encountered before, their hatred for humanity was so thick that it was almost tangible. However, this one, who was by far the most powerful, appeared apathetic despite saving her life.

Tora steadied herself and walked over to Lord Sesshomaru. Her hand reached up and grasped the sheath of her katana.

"You have my gratitude, my lord," she said softly. "What do you want me to do?"

For a moment, both of their hands held the sheath. Then he released the sword and withdrew.

"Do as you want."

Without another word, he turned and walked away. Tora glanced first at the katana and then at the daiyōkai's quickly disappearing form. Though she could not explain how, she felt stronger than she had moments before. There was something about him that she could not ignore, and Rin's cheerful smile returned to her mind.

- - - - -

Sesshomaru heard the young woman slide the sheath into her obi and the sound of her footsteps as she followed him. Just as he suspected she would. He knew more about her than she knew about herself. He had smelt it in her blood two days before and, out of curiosity, had followed the scent to the scene of the battle.

At first, he had not planned on involving himself but merely watched from the forest as the young woman was attacked. After all, what was one woman to him? Especially one who sheathed her weapon moments before certain death. Any warrior who gives in simply because he is out-numbered does not deserve his life.

Then she attacked.

He was mildly surprised at the speed and skill, especially since she had done so with her eyes closed and continued to fight the entire time without using her sight. She was not merely reacting to what she saw, but she had been predicting her attackers' movements through sounds, smells, and vibrations. Had the numbers been twenty less, she would have defeated them all – an amazing feat for any human, but she was not just any human.

She was a hanyō.

One of her parents had been a lesser inu-yōkai. The scent was thick about her, especially after she was wounded and bled.

At the last moment, Sesshomaru decided to intervene. He could not explain the exact reason why he did so, especially since he despised all hanyō. They were merely manifestations of some yōkai's weakness for pathetic humans, and he, Sesshomaru, has no such weakness. Yet he intervened. After dispatching the soldiers, he had a passing thought of leaving the unconscious hanyō right where she fell.

However, her skills were quite incredible, and he sensed in her the potential for greater power. She was not even aware that yōkai blood ran in her veins, because she had been born with not one yōkai characteristic. No dog ears. No fangs. No claws. She appeared to be a perfect human, which was so rare that he had never before seen such a thing. The yōkai power was hidden inside of her and just awaited a guiding hand to bring it out.

So he carried her to where he left Rin and Jaken, and Rin obediently tended to the young woman's wounds. Since then, he had been observing the hanyō, both when she was asleep and when she was awake, and he learned everything he needed to know.

- - - - -

"Lord Sesshomaru!"

Rin's cheerful voice pulled Tora out of her thoughts, and she realized that they were once more back at the camp. The little girl had raced over to the daiyōkai and stopped just short of touching him. The joy that was evident on her face at being in Sesshomaru's presence was strange but comforting. The girl was beaming up at him as he walked right by her, and then her gaze fell on the young woman following him.

"Tora-san!"

The girl hurried over to Tora and did not show the same restraint she had with Sesshomaru. She threw her arms around Tora's waist and hugged her. Despite the pain from her injuries, the young woman returned the embrace.

"I was so worried, Tora-san," the girl said. "I woke up and you were gone."

"Lord Sesshomaru and I... spoke," Tora comforted the child, "and I did not wish to disturb you."

"Are you going to stay, nee-san?"

Sesshomaru paused and looked back at the two. Tora's bandaged hand stroked Rin's hair and a smile appeared on her tired face.

"Yes. For now."

Satisfied, the daiyōkai continued over to where Jaken and Ah-Un were. Jaken seemed unsure whether to be irritated or flustered at the fact that his master had returned with a human in tow and that human has announced that she was staying.

"Jaken."

"Y-yes, my lord?" the retainer stammered.

"Remain here with Rin and Tora."

"Yes, my lord, but where are you going? My lord? Lord Sesshomaru?" Sesshomaru was already walking away, and Jaken sighed at being ignored. He gripped the staff in his hands and stared begrudgingly at Rin and Tora. "Whatever can Lord Sesshomaru want with two, stupid human girls?"