A/N: A very long chapter to apologize for taking so long on producing any more chapters.

I have to say I'm very flattered by all the favorites and follows… they make me feel happy and somewhat proud to be able to write something that people want to read. So… don't worry, I'll continue with this fic… although the timing will still be a problem I'll try to make it less than a month instead of 2 months or more… that way it won't take so long to complete. Not to mention there are other Sesshi-Rin stories swimming in my head just waiting to come out… and I can't go writing other stuff if I haven't finished this, right?

Anyway… 2 more things, a little bit fan service because I like you and a WARNING, this chapter contains… LEMON (SEX KIDS, IT CONTAINS SEX) so, be warned.

Enjoy!

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Chapter 6

A question for an answer

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The road up the mountain wasn't as steep and difficult as he had first thought it would be… or perhaps Rin knew what she was doing; far better than he did, while trying to trust his instincts. Oh, how he hated his new body.

"I think we will have to stop to rest in a couple hours" she mentioned from in front of him in a low voice, certain he had heard her "here we cannot rest much or hunt… or eat so whatever we can do to restore our energy will do us good"

Sesshomaru looked at Rin feeling uneasy. The girl was right, he could sense the energy of many different creatures in the distance, they didn't pose a threat to them yet, but they could very easily become a problem if they got any closer. It was complicated to be a small mortal creature, it was a sobering truth he had known for a long time but it was also something he had chosen to ignore for a long time. And now, the real meaning of mortality had been branded in his skin by a few wounds he had gotten during their trip. Rin had her own share of wounds and scars to remind him of her past and present condition. In fact, despite the fact that the human had changed quite so in the years they'd been separated, Sesshomaru was still surprised to see in those marks how much she had been risking her life in comparison to how sheltered she had been during their time together. Hadn't he always insisted she stayed behind and even relinquished his two headed dragon for her protection? didn't she understand the reason behind it? Certainly she must have… so why would she offer her (definitely) short time in this world for any monster to shorten even further?

She was indeed very different from the carefree little child he had taken care of. Focusing his eyes on his surroundings once more he tried to find points of reference to the forest they were going through. It was clear this wasn't the forest he had visited when he was cursed but it felt extremely similar, something in the air, perhaps? It made him even more alert to anything out of ordinary although… thinking back on how things use to be when he was a youkai he noticed his point of view had changed along with his perception of things. What was harmless before was now something to be wary of. Why did he continue searching for reasons to kill that old hag? He mussed and before he snarled in contempt he noticed something else; the girl in front of him was looking around the area like trying to spot one thing in particular, after a couple long looks she smiled satisfied and moved back to where he had been left standing.

"Here" she said and it was enough for Sesshomaru to understand what the mortal youngster wanted. So she has decided on a campsite… he thought relaxing, and decided to overlook his past train of thought in favor of now investigating their resting spot. It was safe, he agreed. Tall, leafy trees surrounded the area and it was further secluded by overgrown grass and bushes, perfect for hiding and even better once Rin sprayed them with water and different scents that would keep at bay any possible hunter (human or youkai) who could want to take a chance with them.

With what purpose did you learn all this Rin? Was it to keep me away? Memories still escaped him and the obnoxious nagging in his gut kept him questioning his own motives for going back to see the girl.

The soft ruffling of leaves made his ears stand on end and the hair on his back stand still. Rin didn't look as if she had noticed but before long she spoke with a calm voice "Relax, they are still too far… that was probably just a small animal…" yet her hand had moved just as fast towards her sword. The prospect of food seemed attractive and Sesshomaru had to consider the waste of energy it might be versus the delicious taste it could have "but I wouldn't suggest going to catch it, this forest isn't what it looks like"

He sighed and dropped heavily on the forest floor moving his front legs to support his head while he rested. Golden eyes then fixed themselves on the girl. Brown eyes moved towards the sky and for a moment she seemed to be searching for something. It was a long moment of silence before she decided to speak again. "Kagome-sama taught me how to follow the stars to find my way through the wilderness" she said offhandedly but soon she begun to sound wistful "she also told me of her many adventures with Inuyasha… she's lived so much sometimes I'm surprised she's a human"

This Sesshomaru could say the same thing about you

"She told me a story about a cursed forest she visited once… she said something about the fog or the plants releasing something into the air and making you see things, like go into a sleep like state where you would see and feel things that weren't real" Now her rich voice had turned serious and somewhat fierce "That miko we met; my friend, she mentioned that those who entered this forest were affected by the forest, but she never said they got to see the witch" So it could affect us too… this forest. Sesshomaru looked around them in search of some sort of sign "You see, they came searching for her but I don't think a creature as powerful as her would let herself be found so easily unless she were thirsty for blood" That sounds familiar… "She's fooling them around… pulling them by the nose around the area, making them walk aimlessly with no end… drunk in their own fears and obsessions"

Didn't that idiot (Inuyasha) go through a forest like that too…? Must've been the same that human told Rin about. If this worried Rin, then she must've seen a trace or reminder of the story but the wolf couldn't find anything besides the energy of the creatures surrounding them. Yet… now that he considered the information he had… it is true, that those creatures have been moving close but never close enough to find us. In fact, if I focus on their energy alone it's true that the flow seems ill and moves with no purpose. Gold fixed itself again against the soft chocolate pair in front of him. Perhaps Rin is right and this might as well be the same type of curse of that forest Inuyasha went through with the miko.

"I knew someone like her once… powerful and cunning" the comment threw Sesshomaru out o of his line of thought "if they weren't worth his time he would've never approached them in the first place" now the youngster sounded melancholic. Was she talking about him?

"I will leave the fire going only to prepare our bedspread but we will have to rest without it tonight"

Again she decided to change the topic before moving too deep into it. It wasn't the first time she did it so the canine wasn't surprised in the least yet he couldn't say he wasn't bothered, after all, it was annoying to expect something else; for starters the answer he had been expecting for long now, only to see her move onto other things like it was nothing. Rin… The thought carried his exasperated patience; still, unable to pronounce it, it was lost in his ruminations. Now, sleeping on the ground or at the sky's mercy didn't sound problematic for the ex-demon and for a moment he wondered why the human had even mentioned it knowing he had his own fur for protection against anything when he remembered.

Even in this new form of mine, Rin and this Sesshomaru are quite different.

It was a piece of knowledge he had to consider for a while. Hadn't that been obvious their entire trip? Not really, he pondered. Hadn't that been obvious through their difficulties going around the mountains and through villages? Not in the least… no. Now, a memory came to him, he had always considered Rin's mortality after she died for the second time and his mother had to revive her, even despite his mother's cold demeanor she had mentioned something about their differences and given him a message of sorts about it.

"Sesshomaru, you need to learn the desire to save the life of a loved one and the sorrow and fear that accompany that loss"

She was right. It had been a clear message to him and so he decided to take the slight human to the human village where Inuyasha's group dwelled. It was for her own protection after all.

Yet…

Had he always considered her different? So different?

A sound woke him from his reverie and brought him to reality abruptly. Rin was looking at him apologetically.

"Sorry… I didn't notice you were distracted" she said blushing "I didn't mean to scare you, it's just the fire…. It's time to put it out"

Scare me?

For a moment the thought was preposterous but soon he realized his own body had reacted before he had been able to comprehend what such movement meant for him. Fear? Was it something he and humans now shared?

I will tear that witch's body to shreds once I find her

"I would like to sleep… I'm so tired…" his companion mentioned in an offhanded tone. "We really shouldn't" it sounded as if she were reminding herself instead of him "Kagome-sama said that in cases such as this is better to keep moving and remain awake and alarmed… but I don't think I can walk any further…" for a moment her cheeks reddened and Sesshomaru had to wonder what was going on in her mind that she would be embarrassed about "I'll depend on you… if anything happens, all right?" it didn't seem like a question but her tone was uncharacteristically sweet and uncertain. Was she feeling ill? Exhausted? Did she fear she wouldn't be able to remain awake? How tired was she then, really?

"Thanks" she answered after a moment of silence. He noticed then he had instinctively nodded.

This Sesshomaru wouldn't put your life at risk if it were his choice to make…

Hidden by tall bushes and leafy trees their campsite was seemingly safe and taking her sword and spear safely by her side into account, Sesshomaru thought she looked secure enough… for a human. He would take care of anything else. Even taking their differences into consideration, he had done things he thought impossible for a human, things like becoming a demon's companion, befriending a toad demon and defeating all the toad's retorts against her… teaching a demon lord a lesson or two. That little girl, from the first time they met and she smiled at him she had shown a power beyond anything he had ever seen, a capacity to dispel all darkness from his heart, an ability to make precious every single moment she spent with him. Wasn't that something he had thought being 'simple minded'? Then… why did it look so magical now? So powerful now?

"Sesshomaru-sama" she whispered in between breathes and on instinct the wolf lifted his ears to catch her words before she froze and stopped talking. "I don't know why I remembered…" her voice was now cracked and shaky… was she… crying? "There was a time when my heart ached every time I saw him… there was a time when I called him master… when he was the most important, the only important… my everything"

Her body was shaking with the strength it took to control her emotions and stop the tears from falling. She was sitting against the strong bark of a tree, her head had been down the entire time and despite the darkness of the night he could clearly see her shape shaking with her attempts so it wasn't a surprise when she lifted her head to wipe away tears that had managed to escape… still, it might not have been a surprise yet he felt something stab his heart when he saw those beautiful brown eyes shimmer with the tears she had yet to shed over him. What would she say if she knew he was there, in front of her?

"I'm sorry… I'm not usually this… this" she laughed bitterly "It doesn't matter… I… never…" she tried again to explain herself but failed once more so instead she sighed and lifted her head higher until it bumped against the tree behind her "I don't know…"

Rin… again the desire to pronounce her name with all the emotion welling up inside him pulled at his heart strings but nothing came out.

"Stay alert… I don't think we'll get much real sleep tonight" Rin sounded stern and serious, a huge contrast with the broken sob she had been seconds ago. Looking back at her he noticed her face was still damp by the tears but her eyes held something else he hadn't seen before, something very similar to fear "Remember, nothing is what it seems"

Time went by slowly… or quickly, he couldn't tell anymore. Silence fell over them yet not entirely since he could still hear with clarity the rhythm of her breathing and her beating heart. She was stressed and he could tell by the increasing tempo that something was coming close… he could feel it too, like a dark omen, settling over them like a curse, he could feel it and soon enough he was looking at it. It was a dense fog of a grayish-white color. In the beginning it didn't seem so dense but soon he noticed it covering the rest of the forest and focusing on the energy surrounding them he felt several youkai moving about in circles. No wonder Rin decided to stop and stay put, if they continued walking they could've ended up lost and separated from each other.

Soon enough the dense fog was covering already the rest of their hiding place and Sesshomaru couldn't help his hackles from rising in warning to whatever dare get near them.

There was nothing.

Not even a sound.

Golden eyes searched around the white to see if they could find a shadow or a gleam of a body but nothing showed. Remembering what the human said he remained in the same position for a long time, although he wasn't sure for how long he held his ground, he was sure it had been for enough time when he felt movement ahead. It came in the direction were Rin had been sitting a moment ago and he growled low in warning again.

"It's alright, it's me"

Hearing her voice he felt his hair go down and his nerves somewhat calm. "It's fine... it's just… fog… we should be fine as long as we remain alert and don't move… much"

She spoke gravely and afterwards silence filled the space left by her voice and he felt anxious again.

Anxious? That's how I feel?

Emotions weren't something unfamiliar to the lord but they were something he wasn't fond of. They created chaos and were nothing more than a weakness. He revered in his capacity to dispel all emotions from him and around him to find his way in this world and find his way in history. His father had been an idiot to fall prey of them and ended up paying with this life, he didn't wish to end up like him when he had the Western lands to take care of. Perhaps his duties to the lands weren't something he commented on…. If he ever comment on anything but it was something he felt deep inside him as his reason to exist. The lineage of his father would continue thanks to him and the powerful name of his clan would too because of his actions. He was powerful, intelligent, a master of their natural skills and a deadly weapon. Just how a lord should be.

Now… he knew, and so he told himself over and over, these filthy human emotions were nothing but the momentary situation he was in. His now mortal existence was pained by emotions that drove his actions and reactions so it was only natural for him to feel… anxiety for the situation he was in… and his inability to protect the girl he was traveling with.

Incapable? Where had that come from?! One thing was to feel anxious but INCAPABLE?! He growled again, this time to his own thoughts and felt the need to trash something with his claws.

If only he were his former self.

Yama no naka… Mori no naka… Kaze no naka…

A voice called from between the white barrier around him and he couldn't stop the cold chill that run down his body.

Yume no naka… Sesshomaru-sama doko ni iru…

It was impossible for him to forget that song as it was impossible for him to forget the little creature that composed it while waiting patiently for him.

Jaken-sama wo shitanaete…

But he couldn't be mistaken on this and the ice-cold air moved to his gut.

Watashi wa hitori te machi mashou…

That voice belonged to the one he used to travel with and not to the one he was currently with.

Sesshomaru-sama omotori wo…

That voice… was the voice of a small child and not the woman he knew was Rin.

Against the reminder still in his mind Sesshomaru moved through the fog towards the tree where he knew Rin would still be sitting by, walking towards the childish voice giggling and humming. But it seemed to take him ages to move from where he was and he couldn't help the scream like grunt he let out.

Yama no naka…

It had changed now.

Mori no naka…

Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks and for a moment listened clearly to the voice the wind was carrying towards his sensitive ears.

Kaze no naka…

This voice was older; he knew it too… because he had still heard the song come out from her lips every time she waited for him on his visits while living in company of the old miko Kaede.

Yume no naka…

His steps were certain again and he felt his body lighter, faster, agile and strong. Whatever it was, wherever it was, he was going to find it and destroy it, before it destroy her… or him

Sesshoumaru-sama doko ni iru…

Still… there was no reaching it; no matter how much he tried he couldn't reach the tree.

Jaken-sama wo shitanaete…

He growled once more and felt his limbs moving to push him further, closer to the figure he could see now in the distance.

Rin… he thought and his lips followed the movement as if trying to pronounce her name as he once did. How long had it been since the last time he had called her by that name and that name alone?

Watashi wa hitori te machi mashou…

For how long had she been waiting for him to return and fulfill his promise before she gave up?

Sesshomaru-sama omotori wo…

What promise was it he broke? What did he do? Why weren't they together? Why couldn't they be together? Wasn't he powerful enough to let the rest of the world apocalypse on its own and still do whatever the hell he pleased?

Yama no naka… Mori no naka… Kaze no naka…

That voice… there was no doubt it was her. The one he had gone to look for, the moment he left the cursed forest of the witch.

Yume no naka…

Sesshomaru-sama doko ni iru

The one he needed, the only one he couldn't do without…

Jaken-sama wo shitanaete

Why did he leave her in the first place?

Watashiwa hitori te machi mashou

Why did it hurt so much to see her now so changed, so distant, so impossible for him to reach?

He screamed in desperation and felt the remaining air in his lungs leave him to form the name he had been dying to pronounce for so long to the person he had missed even before he had left her behind.

"Rin!"

"Sesshomaru-sama… omotori wo"

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Breathe… he commanded his body and it finally seemed to react to his demand yet, still he didn't move a muscle. The person in front of him didn't move at all too, she was far to frighten to move… or so it seemed.

A moment ago he had finally freed himself from the tedious weight of the fog to fall nearly against the tree he had been searching for and into a woman standing in front of him while her lips moved to end the song she had been singing.

For how long had she been waiting for him?

The question dangled in the air with something akin to hatred and fear, soon enough he saw a speck of the answer in the light reflected in her eyes.

For how long before she had given up?

She had been singing the words slowly and wistfully with an unreadable expression on her face that spoke of years and years of longing, yet the moment those eyes took on his form the expression changed to one of surprise, fear and then one he had seen once before… hurt.

"You…"

It was all she said after long minutes of silence and before she moved closer to him with a myriad of words filled with the same emotion.

"How dare you show your face after all this time…? How dare you appear before me as if nothing had happened? Who do you think you are? You… heartless creature! You… monster!"

The harshness in her words caught him by surprise and for a long moment it was a cloud of confusion what got him. He was Sesshomaru, the lord of the western lands, the most powerful youkai and she was… she was a…

She wouldn't speak to him like that! It was disrespectful! She should know better than to… she… but it was she… and after so long… what could he say when she was right and in her right to treat him that way... she didn't even know he had been following her all this time…

A thought stopped all others dead cold.

I'm not a wolf…

The knowledge was obvious once you took into account that the girl could actually recognize him, unless she had finally understood why the creature was following her. One quick look down at his body was all he needed to realize it was true. He was his old self again…

He smiled a dangerous smiled as he thought of the witch and his curse when something else caught his attention.

The fog is gone as well and now that I think about it this does not look like the forest we were in. It actually looks like Inuyasha's forest…

"And what now? You're not going to say a word?"

Sesshomaru tried his best to ignore the girl's outburst in favor of investigating what this was all about but she had other things in mind.

"You will not ignore me this time!"

Moving faster than he remembered she could, she swung her leg at him, once she noted there were no weapons to throw. Sesshomaru tried his best to deter her movements without harming her yet she was relentless in her attacks.

"Stop this Rin"

"You're not my lord anymore!" she yelled "You can't order me around!" there were tears forming in her eyes and they shone as if asking him to deny it "I'm not a kid anymore!"

"Rin! Stop this at once!"

"Or what?! You already killed me once…!" her tears were flowing freely down her face.

"This Sesshomaru did no such thing!"

"You liar! You rather lie to yourself than admit the truth!"

Anger was taking place in her words and her attacks as well becoming vicious and aggressive. The demon had to move backwards through the forest trying but barely managing to keep her movements away from himself… after all, those would only harm her.

"Do not defy me!" he warned again but she would have none of it.

"You killed me!"

"Rin" his voice was changing and he could feel it, as if he were… begging her to stop.

"You did! When you left me you did!" she wouldn't stop and a waterfall of memories caught him in the moment long enough for her leg to connect with his right side throwing him out of balance "You abandoned me! You broke your promise!" next was a punch on his left shoulder pushing him down "I… and I… I would've given anything to be with you…" she had him pinned against the forest ground and was now sitting over him "WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE ME WITH YOU?!" her fists punching his chest with barely any energy left "WHY?!" her voice cracked and tears were falling freely onto his robes and neck, she was shaking harder than before, when she had cried in front of his wolfish form "I… I loved you… Sesshomaru-sama…"

The words hadn't even registered in his mind before the demon had pulled her against him and seared their lips together in a kiss. And the moment he did so, he felt as if the world had shifted on its axis and left him hanging in the air, unbalanced, unsure, weak and scared yet he couldn't remember a moment when he had felt more powerful in his life. Having the girl slowly give into his touch and mold to his frame while returning the gift with a sight of contentment made him certain of his actions.

"Sesshomaru-sama…?"

She questioned but he didn't know what to answer… although he was pretty sure of what her words meant to ask. He was confused enough as it is, he wouldn't push this further than he felt he could sort out on his own… still… his hands were moving on their own and his body was following their lead to trap her bellow him and ravish her lips once more in fervent adoration. He didn't know what this was but he was sure it was something he wanted to feel more.

Rin didn't protest. Despite her past efforts to push him away and maim him with her bare hands and feet she was now willingly giving herself to his ministrations, actively participating in their contact too. Her hands were roaming free around his arms, shoulders, nape and between the strands of his hair towards his scalp where she raked her nails down towards his back. The demon lord had never felt something similar to the bliss he felt in his entire life and something in the back of his mind told him this wasn't real…

This has to be an illusion… the result of that fog covering the forest

His reasoning seemed sound and since it was pushing him free of his bounds to do as he pleased with the woman in his arms, he felt it was the only answer. And the word answer seemed to float around in clouds inside his head as he moved to kiss a path from her lips to her shoulder and down to her ample bosom. Her robes were easy prey for his claws as he ripped and push them down so he could have more of her delicious body for himself. She moaned in appreciation and gasped the moment he planted his lips on her skin. Those sounds were more than he could take, he found they were moving and he wasn't even commanding half his body's movements. She was now straddling him and somehow he was armor less and missing a haori which lay over the forest floor in a heap.

"Sesshomaru-sama…" it was so delicious to hear her moan his name he felt drugged by it.

"Rin…"

But she was too verbal for his own taste, he decided, and so his hands moved to mess with her robes and the sash holding them together until he found the entrance to her womanhood.

"Sesshom… aah…" she gasped and moaned before she could even finish his name to question him on what he was doing. Delicious he thought and was further pleased by the wetness of her entrance that was taking his probing fingers with such ease. The cloudy haze in his mind was more than enjoyable except it was creating something else in the back of his mind, creating a desire he had felt before but back then it had been so easily forgotten… now it was impossible to ignore with his member throbbing under her body. She appeared to have felt it too as her hand moved down to uncover it from within his hakama. Her eyes looked at him with curiosity, fear and desire, it was a rather innocent mixture that made him desire her all the more, she would be his and only his… no other man or demon would ever taste that of her…

"Rin" he tried to control his voice but it still came out hoarse and shaky "accept this Sesshomaru" it was no use trying to voice it as a command when a heavy weight was driving him crazy with insecurity.

She was his answer anyway, his panacea after all… "I am yours, my lord" she gave into him with a smile on her face and he didn't need anything more before he plunged into her until he filled her completely, effectively breaking her maiden head.

Their groans, moans and screams of pleasure filled the forest for a moment without time. Sesshomaru didn't know how long they were actually at it and couldn't care less when he felt her scream in ecstasy as she came around him. He didn't stop until he felt her drift off sleepily in his arms, satisfied with the soft smile in her lips.

"Sesshomaru-sama…" she murmured in her sleep "love you…"

He closed his eyes sharing the happiness in her words, perhaps what he felt was…

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Somehow his entire body felt hot and in pain. Was he sick now? Moving a little to stand he felt a voice calling him.

"Sesshomaru-sama?!"

Opening his eyes at the distressed voice calling for him he moved hastily to follow it when he noticed several things out of place.

Rin was trying to stand up helping herself up against the bark of the tree she had been resting before the fog had covered their hiding place.

And he was a wolf.

It had been a dream… all of that… had been nothing but a dream…

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A/N: again… thank you for your patience, I apologize deeply for the lateness of this update, I will try to post next chapter in 3 weeks… see if it works. Ja ne!