There comes a moment in ones life where they must face the hardest decision of their life. For Kirin, this moment was now. She felt herself short of breath and was feeling faint. What should she say? "I…uh….I…would like to think it over….alone," she said slowly, telling it to herself more than to Saji. Saji just nodded and watched Kirin as she stood and turned to leave. In the woods behind her, Kirin thought that she heard a rustle of leaves and then footsteps running away, and for a moment she even thought that she scented something very familiar. She shook her head and walked home in silence. Saji watched her disappear into the village and wondered what she would decide. He could only hope.

Sesshomaru had run from the tree where Saji still sat. He ran for a long time until he came to a small clearing where Rin and Jaken slept soundly. He was exhausted himself and he dropped down against a tree and closed his eyes. Without meaning to he fell into a deep sleep. And he dreamed.

/Dream/

Kirin stood by Saji and Sesshomaru neared them. When Saji saw him coming, he grabbed Kirin's hand and led her away. She willingly followed, but she constantly turned and looked back at Sesshomaru. Then Saji disappeared and Kirin stood alone in a clearing. She reached out her hand to Sesshomaru and he ran to her, but when he reached her, she fell into darkness. She looked up, reaching and calling out to Sesshomaru, but no sound escaped her lips. An unknown hand shot up and pulled him into the darkness as well. He fell in darkness for a long time, and then he landed on something solid. He was in a small lit up area, like a spotlight breaking the darkness that still loomed around him. Up ahead of him, Saji stood with Kirin, her back to Sesshomaru. Saji grabbed her hands and asked her, "Will you marry me?" Then he disappeared. Kirin stood silent, her back still to Sesshomaru. He walked over to her, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Kirin," he said softly, almost like he would shatter the darkness if he should speak louder. He turned her around and she growled at him. Her fangs were long and her eyes blood red. She lashed at him with her extra long claws. They ripped open his stomach and he fell in a heap onto the ground. Sesshomaru looked up at Kirin and she smirked down at him and growled, "What if I said yes?"

/Dream Ended/

Sesshomaru jerked awake. "No!" he yelled. He gasped for breath, wiping sweat from his brow. Rin stirred, and then sat up. "Is everything alright, Lord Sesshomaru," she asked. "Go back to sleep, Rin," he replied, and the girl did just that. Sesshomaru himself stayed awake, restless and troubled for the remainder of the night. He knew that soon he would have to see Kirin again.

Kirin didn't sleep that night. She was troubled greatly. Sure, she liked Saji, ans yes, she had grown fond of him, but marring him? She didn't know if she was ready for that. And also, could he be happy if he knew what she truly was? Kirin thought again about that familiar scent that she had come across on before she had returned home. Ever since than she could not get her mind of Sesshomaru, no matter how hard she tried. Why couldn't she stop thinking about him? She hadn't thought about him since she decided to stay in the village, but ever since Saji proposed, she couldn't get her mind off of him. She sighed heavily and got up to get ready for work. Even thought she did not want to face Saji just yet, she knew that she had a job to do. Kirin left without eating breakfast, for she was not hungry. She took her time getting to work, and stopped short when she reached the kitchen door. Saji was inside, his back to her. She hesitated, than sucked up her courage and entered. Saji heard her enter, and turned to face her. He smiled and greeted her, saying, "Good Morning, Kirin!" She returned a weak smile and replied, "Morning." She quickly went to work. Saji could see how tiered she was, and could help but feel a little bad, because he knew it was his fault. They said nothing to each other all day. Finally, the work day was over, and Kirin said, "I'm going home now." Saji nodded, and he said quietly, "Kirin. Are we still going for our evening walk?" Kirin looked up and turned to face him. She bit her lip hard, and then nodded. Then she turned and left.

Sesshomaru sat at the edge of the woods that led to the village that lie ahead. He silently left the cover of the forest and walked to the edge of the town. Walking into the town could draw attention to himself, and the last thing he needed was a foolish fight. "Hmmmm," he said aloud, thinking which direction to go. He took a whiff of the air and scented Kirin's house. He dodged in and out of houses all the way to her house and then glanced down the street. She was coming. Sesshomaru quickly turned and leapt up onto her roof. Kirin finally made it to her door, and she jerked her head up sharply and looked around suspiciously. She sniffed the air again, and then shook her head and entered her house. Sesshomaru sighed in relief. He knew it was his scent that she had smelled. He sat on her roof for an hour or so, listening to her move about doing this and that. For a few minutes, he thought that he had heard a muffled crying, but he shook the idea from his head. "She's pacing a lot," she said softly to himself. He then focused his thoughts on the figure coming down the road. He came to Kirin's door, and then stopped in hesitation. He reached out to knock on her doorframe, but stopped short and pulled his hand back. Sesshomaru leaned out over the roofs' edge to get a better look at the man who had asked for Kirin's hand. To Sesshomaru he looked weak, and not worthy of her. Saji jerked his head up towards the roof. He had this odd feeling that someone, or something, was watching him. He looked around up at the roof some more, and then brought his gaze back down to the door. Kirin stood there looking at him with question in her golden eyes. He gasped, loosing his footing, and stumbled back a step blushing, embarrassed to be caught off guard. "Kirin…," he begun, but she cut him off. "Saji, I…..I've decided that…." At that moment a figure leapt down from the roof of Kirin's home and swept her up in his arms, running then towards the edge of town. Saji stood in shock for a moment, and then ran after the figure holding Kirin. It was much faster than him and once he got to the edge of the woods, the figure was already hidden by the thick mess of branches. He swung around and ran back into the village screaming, "Kirin's been kidnapped! Please, someone help! Please! Help!" Finally, one of the village guards stopped the hysterical Saji and asked him, "By who?" Saji fought hard to catch his breath. He sputtered out in a mumble of confused ramble, "A….A demon!"