~Chapter Five~

Territorial Dispute

She'd been here a month. Perhaps a little longer. The days were moving together now, and she was beginning to lose track. Juro brought her presents often, kept her company, and escorted her to the meadow for flower picking whenever she wanted. She was falling into this new life, doing her best to forget her past one.

Today, Juro was out, and she'd felt such an urge to go picking flowers that she hadn't waited for him to return, she'd left him a note and had gone.

Picking flowers was always when she did her thinking, but she was trying her hardest not to think of Sesshoumaru. She was still mad at him, because he'd left her, and even after a month, he had yet to come find her. He didn't even care enough to see if she had a good life, or if she was dead somewhere, and that made Rin's fingers curl with anger each time she thought of it.

He was so inconsiderate. All those times she'd given him flowers and taken care of him and kept him company, and this is what she got.

Practically fuming now, she began yanking the flowers up and sniffing them forcibly. She had to tell herself to relax, finally choosing to sit down and just... not think.

Of course, she was keeping a better eye out than before, not wanting to tempt a second risky meeting with a bear youkai, but it was nice to be empty and calm for a moment.

She sighed, smelling the flowers slowly, her eyes closed, though her ears pricked. Even if Juro became upset that she risked her life, he'd have to learn that she couldn't be watched at all times like a child. She had spontaneous urges that she couldn't ignore at times.

Rin finally smiled a little, giggling into her flower.

He hadn't gone far from the field where he had watched Rin and that male youkai she called "Juro-san". Just the sound in his head was enough to clench his teeth and grind them together. He had a perpetually sore jaw these days.

Sesshoumaru had purposely avoided making contact with her. He tried to chalk it up to the fact that she was always with this Juro character nearby and therefore didn't want to tempt himself with the idea of killing that bastard.

But today, he sniffed the air, she was blissfully alone.

His youkai told him this was the day of choice, to ask, no, tell her to come back with him and he would take her away from here, bring her back to the village.

That god-forsaken village.

Something was bothering her. He watched from the shadows of the trees as she ripped flowers out of the ground and threw them away. He had never been one to ask her what was troubling her; usually, she would finally get pent up with her thoughts and ask him what he thought of such and such that she was pondering. Sometimes he wouldn't answer, sometimes he would patiently reply.

She hadn't shared her thoughts with him for a very long time.

Eventually, it looked as though she sorted it out on her own, when she became a little less volatile in her motions. It occurred to him again, for perhaps the millionth time, that he had blinked and somehow, the little girl who loyally followed him around had turned into a remarkable, spirited young woman.

It irritated him that he even noticed.

Gathering some gumption, because even this Sesshoumary needed some personal pep-talking, he strode across the field towards her, his mokomoko-sama trailing behind him like a fluffy cape. His stride was purposeful, though not at all hurried.

"Rin," he called, softly, his voice not rising, a simple, even tone that he used for everything and everyone.

Rin was on her feet and facing the sound of the voice almost instantly, her hair sweeping out in the wind, her kimono, she'd taken to wearing her kimono again, rippling. Her eyes widened, and her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. He was so... perfect, to the eyes.

And then her eyes narrowed as she remembered her previous thoughts.

He was only now coming to find her. She could be dead by now. And he didn't even look concerned or in the least bit miffed. He was... cool, collected, unemotional Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru," she replied, her voice mimicking his coolness, which was unusual for her. She dropped the flowers she'd been holding and crossed her arms over her chest.

She looked like a stiffened cat, and if she had a tail, it'd be puffed up right now. She didn't say anything else, partly because she wanted to hear what he was going to say, partly because she wanted to appear aloof, and partly because she had no clue what to say anyways.

Juro returned to his lair to find her gone, and he panicked for a moment, thinking that she'd returned to Sesshoumaru or that he'd come and taken her, but then his scent was nowhere close, and the note left on the table she'd built reassured him.

He sighed, thinking that he'd come quite attached to her, despite her being a human. In no way... sexual or mate-like, but she was handy to have around. Perhaps he could keep her, after he'd disposed of Sesshoumaru. If he was lucky, she would never know.

Juro grinned, heading to the door of his lair, to the field, where he intended to act worried. He might even give her some of the flowers, tuck them in that dark hair of hers.

He was thrown off a little by her tone of voice, by her cool facade. He even inwardly flinched when she didn't call him '-sama' at the end of his name. It was like looking in a mirror, except he never crossed his arms over his chest like she was doing.

She absolutely reeked of that cougar male she had been fraternizing with lately and it was enough of a stench that he actually wrinkled his nose a little and stopped a few feet away from her. He didn't trust himself to get too close to her lest he wrap her in his mokomoko-sama to rub that disgusting smell off of her.

"You've had enough play time here," he told her, his voice even, a little condescending, "It's about time you come back with me and I will take you back to the village."

Rin took a step back, telling herself that she shouldn't be surprised or hurt that he was suggesting she go back to some human village instead of asking her to come back to him. Her eyes narrowed and she turned her face away from him, her chin in the air.

"No. I like it here. At least I can feel wanted," Rin told him, her voice losing a little of its coolness. "I am fed, taken care of, and safe. Why does it matter to you if I am here or in that village? I'm still out of the way."

She was still hurting worse than she thought, she realized. She would never talk back like that to him, not so... bluntly. She could be saucy, for sure, but always with a respect to him... right now she wanted to yell at him, but she didn't.

It was very... odd, to be upset at someone you really liked. She wanted to hug and touch him at the same time as scream at him in frustration.

She opened her mouth to say more of her hurt emotions, but suddenly Juro was there, moving so fast her human eyes couldn't follow. He was suddenly in front of her, blocking her from Sesshoumaru and ushering her back.

"Rin, get back from him... he could kill you with one finger," Juro told her, and Rin realized she'd never told him about Sesshoumaru. She blinked in surprise, trying to get around him so that she could see Sesshoumaru again, but he was solidly blocking her view and her movements.

"Juro, it's okay... he's-"

"She's mine... You can't have her," Juro said with a slight sneer to his face. That he knew everything about Sesshoumaru and Rin was hidden behind his perfect facade of protectiveness.

Rin was stunned by the protectiveness. She was stunned into silence, looking up at Juro with wide eyes. It felt... nice, to be wanted. She liked the warmth in her chest... too bad she knew it would feel so much more amazing if it came from Sesshoumaru.

That made her even more mad at her, and she kept silent behind Juro.

He was hardly going to reason with her, but was about to demand that she come with him and was not above throwing her over his shoulder when there was a burst of movement and the cougar youkai was in between them, pushing a startled Rin back and sneering at Sesshoumaru.

The dog youkai took in the male in front of him with a cool, calculating gaze, his eyes formidable. This male was shorter, stockier. No armor and two silly swords he was positive were stolen. Obviously, this male was no taiyoukai and it was irritating that Rin would associate herself with such a low-class youkai.

"You think some riff-raff like you is going to keep me from taking her back?" he asked with a raised brow, his hand resting on the top of his sword, Bakusaiga. He flicked his gaze over to Rin, who was successfully shielded by this male, "Rin, come."

He neglected to mention that he planned to take her back to the village she had run away from. Perhaps it was because that by leaving that tidbit out, he felt more justified in taking her away from here, from this overly suspicious situation.

"Besides, what would you want with a silly human female? Surely she's little use to you," he added. He knew that he was putting Rin down, because she was anything but useless and she could be rather endearing at moments. But it struck him as suspicious; youkai normally didn't associate with humans, avoided them, in fact. So what would this male want with Rin, who was indeed a human female.

Sesshoumaru didn't intend to stick around and find out. He wanted Rin out of here. And he always got what he wanted.

Rin took a step back at Sesshoumaru's words hit her square in the chest. Useless? Silly? That was what he thought of her? Rin grit her teeth to keep from crying, because that would just prove him right, and moved even further away from Sesshoumaru.

"Then you won't care that I want to stay here, Sesshoumaru," Rin said, turned her back to both males, walking away from both of them, towards the lair. Juro was still between them, and he grinned a little, barely hiding his triumph, because he knew what Sesshoumaru was here for, but he'd messed it up because of his damn pride.

"Rin clearly doesn't want to go with you, and I'm going to have to protect the lady's wishes. She cares for me and cleans up after me, she is very useful, and very... cute... too," Juro said, knowing he was saying how Sesshoumaru really felt because a youkai wouldn't come back for Rin if he didn't care. And he wanted Sesshoumaru as mentally distracted as possible.

"Rin is mine now. She's my human, and she cares for me... you should leave," Juro told Sesshoumaru in a lower voice, one that a human's ears from the distance Rin was at wouldn't be able to hear. There was more malicious intent behind the words than Juro cared for, but he was almost trembling with anticipation. Rin was walking away, and perhaps that would distract Sesshoumaru enough for Juro to strike... or he would take his advice and turn to leave, and he would strike then.

He knew he stung her deep and he wished he had the words to explain that he didn't mean it, but more so that he could get rid of the scum who stood in between them.

Though, he supposed he deserved her cold shoulder.

'You are a callous bastard,'his youkai reminded him. It had been conspicuously quiet throughout this entire ordeal.

Sesshoumaru turned his eyes away from the cougar male and instead his eyes flickered over to her receding form, her long hair swinging with each step, with each sashay of her hips. She was wearing a kimono he had given her years ago, when she had been smaller and it was getting a little short for her now, riding just above the back of her knees.

It sickened him slightly that she wore that around this lowlife. He itched to wrap his fingers around this male's throat and heave him across the field, lay him open and watch the blood drain from his body.

But he resisted... barely.

"We aren't finished here," Sesshoumaru growled, before turning on his heel and walking away. He knew he should never turn his back on his enemies, but his arrogance and pride allowed him to feel safe in this endeavor.

Juro grinned victoriously the moment it happened. Sesshoumaru was too occupied by the young girl to think clearly, and with a vicious hiss he lunged for Sesshoumaru, his swords in his hands faster than the human eye could perceive. He aimed them for Sesshoumaru's head.

Rin whirled around in surprise when the sound reached her ears, and her eyes widened in horror as she saw Juro's expression of glee as he went for Sesshoumaru's throat. Her heart almost stopped, and she felt like everything slowed.

She knew in that instant, from the look of recognition, the look of victory on Juro's face, that everything had been a sham. This youkai had been using her to get to Sesshoumaru. And now Sesshoumaru was in danger.

"No! Sesshoumaru, watch out!" She yelled desperately, tripping in her hasted to run towards them, her hands catching her fall as she continued to yell, "Sesshoumaru, behind you!"

Juro ignored her, running at his full speed, pulling the swords higher as he prepared to bring them down in a cross, to decapitate the dog-demon.

His eyes flickered to the side as he heard the male move, felt his youkai more than his movement. It was Rin's yell that had him whipping around, pulling his sword out and deflecting the two blades that threatened to take his head.

It was a dangerously near miss. Bakusaiga sang as metal hit metal and the cougar was pushed back. Sesshoumaru flipped and landed gracefully on the ground, placing himself between Rin and the other youkai. His stance was tall, his sword held out in front of him and his other arm tense beside him, a warning for her to stay back.

"I thought you were too good to be true," he commented idly, "This whole situation smelled suspicious since the moment I first saw you." this youkai crossed swords with the wrong individual.

Juro made a deep growl that sounded almost like a hiss, eyeing Sesshoumaru. He cursed inside, because without the immediate advantage, he was forced to rely on his skills, which were considerable, but it was a risky endeavor. But he did have an advantage... he didn't care about Rin's safety, and the safety of a mortal female in the middle of a youkai battle was considerable... you never knew when something might go flying at her, or if they were to fall on her in their ferocity.

He grinned savagely at Sesshoumaru, bringing up his swords into a stance that betrayed his ability with the blades. They may look banged up, but the edges gleamed with sharpness, and his steady hands were a sign that this wasn't going to be as quick a battle as Sesshoumaru might think.

"When I've defeated you, I will take the seat of taiyoukai. And I'll probably keep your little human too... she was very good at cleaning and caring for me... she'd be a handy little human slave, once I've organized the youkai from the four-corners of the world to become the dominant species again," Juro grinned, his fangs gleaming in the sunlight.

Rin paled, her hands covering her mouth in horror. She'd been with this youkai for over a month, and she hadn't known at all what he'd been planning. She'd basically handed Sesshoumaru up on a silver plate. And she could do nothing about it.

"Sesshoumaru-sama... please be careful," she told him, backing up, knowing that she could only be in the way. Her heart was pounding with fear for him.

Juro shot forward suddenly, bringing up his swords in a complicated maneuver that would bring one to Sesshoumaru's neck and the other to his gut.

So, the male was more skilled with a blade than Sesshoumaru had originally thought...

No matter. If he wished to rush his death, than this Sesshoumaru would help him meet his maker.

He parried the potentially devastating blow the cougar youkai threw at him, using his poison whip to help him deflect the blades. Unlikely he could be killed by such a silly opponent; Inuyasha was far more threatening than this male and even the hanyou hadn't managed to kill him, but it was the principle of the situation that made Sesshoumaru even consider taking this guy out.

He spun around and flashed his whip out, aiming for the youkai's throat, but the cougar moved his head in the nick of time and the whip only caught his cheek, laying it open.

Sesshoumaru jumped back, "Damn, I missed," he mused out loud, "Next time it'll be your head."

Juro growled again, and the dance of death began in earnest. Rin watched with her eyes wide, her hands clenched in front of her, holding her breath.

Juro was good, even though she was confident Sesshoumaru was better. But still, it was terrifying to see this. Sesshoumaru rarely battle before her, and seeing someone attacking him with death in their eyes was extremely difficult.

Suddenly, when the stalemate fighting had continued for a few moments, almost too fast for Rin to see, Juro changed tactics. Suddenly, he started moving closer to her, pushing Sesshoumaru to fight closer to her, as though she scrambled to back up, they were moving faster than her.

Unable to use Bakusaiga's greatest technique without fear of injuring Rin in the aftermath, Sesshoumaru was confined to ordinary sword fighting, which was exceedingly irritating because he wanted to waste this male and be done with it.

And the block, strike, parry was getting old rather quickly. Before he could begin to contemplate the open soft spots he could attack, the cougar male jumped and dodged him, moving closer to the edge of the field.

Closer to Rin.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sesshoumaru saw her gaze widen and watched as she shuttered stepped backwards, making a valiant yet still inadequate attempt to get out of the way. If she didn't move, she was going to get hit...

It was bold, it was reckless and had he watched his opponent do it, he would have scolded them for caring whether or not a human was cut down in a youkai dispute. But it spiked his adrenaline, a touch of panic, to think that she would get in the way, get hurt or worse, killed, because of something that was strictly between him and another male.

So he dropped his guard, took his eyes off his enemy for the briefest of seconds to push her out of the way. It cost him though. The back of his leg burned when the sword sliced through it, tripping him a little so that he stagger stepped to get his balance back. His neck would have been next if he didn't duck down in time, instead little tuffs of silvery white hair floated around where the cougar's sword just missed him.

Literally, but a hairbreadth.

Sesshoumaru jumped back, putting himself once again between Rin and the cougar youkai. One leg of his kimono was slowly becoming darker and darker as his blood dripped through the material.

"Come near her again and I will be more serious about sending you to hell, you bastard," he growled low, menacingly, his eyes flashing red in anger and warning.

Juro felt a touch of panic. Yes, he'd managed to wound Sesshoumaru, but instead of making him weaker, he seemed inflamed. And as much as he had an advantage... he didn't have enough of one.

Rin was stumbling back even more, her wide eyes now glued to Sesshoumaru's bloodstain. Juro could see the guilt and pain in her eyes, and he could see the way that Sesshoumaru was orienting himself around the girl.

Perhaps...

Juro lunged at Sesshoumaru again, bringing up both swords, but at the last moment, he flipped away from Sesshoumaru, using a burst of speed, and landed squarely behind the human girl. She'd been too focused on Sesshoumaru to watch out for Juro.

The more Rin was in danger, the less attention Sesshoumaru devoted to fighting. Now he would put the most danger on Rin, and he would be the victor, because he suspected that Sesshoumaru loved the human girl, even if he was unaware of it.

Juro brought up one blade to her white throat, pinning her back against his chest. His other arm wrapped around her waist, holding her still in case she decided to fight, his grip tight under her breasts.

"Move, Sesshoumaru, and she dies. It would be very easy to take her head off..." Juro told Sesshoumaru, smelling Rin's hair with relish as the girl squirmed a little, pale but her eyes snapping with anger.

"Juro, you bastard of a youkai, let me go!" Rin snapped, squirming even more. She abruptly stopped when the blade pierced her flesh, even just a little, causing a line of blood to run down her collarbone and between her breasts. She winces and threw her head back in surprise, her eyes flashing up to Sesshoumaru's as she froze. Pain, slight but stinging, flashing through her nerves, and her fingers went cold.

"Don't move, little cat... I don't care for your human life any more than I do for Sesshoumaru's..." Juro told her, licking her temple with a grin. His eyes flickered back to Sesshoumaru.

"Surrender, or she dies. You can't move fast enough to kill me before I take her head... or nick her artery enough that she bleeds to death," Juro said, tightening his hold on Rin and not relinquishing the pressure to her neck.

Sesshoumaru froze stiff still like he had never been stiff before in his life. He could practically taste the fear she was permeating through to him with that one staggering look, a simple flicker of her eyes up to meet his.

'This is bad, this is real bad...' his youkai growled, 'You're fast, but not even you are fast enough to kill that guy before he lays her open.'

'I know,'Sesshoumaru growled back, but outwardly, he remained cool and collected, as always.

He watched the trickle of blood travel down her neck before it absorbed into the soft material of her kimono. He had smelled her blood before, but never had it made his heart stop beating in his chest like it was now.

"Fine," he finally resigned, flicking his hand up and sheathing his sword, "Kill her, if that's what you want," and he turned and started to walk away.

Under his armor, tucked in the shoulder, was a small knife. He didn't remember why he had put it there, perhaps in case he ever got into a stick, but considering this Sesshoumaru would never find himself in such a situation... well, needless to say, the weapon had never moved.

He pulled it out now though, discreetly, as he was turned away from the youkai and Rin. Then, he spun around and whipped the small dagger out of his fingers with such a velocity that it buried itself hilt deep between the cougar's eyes, killing that bastard instantly. It missed Rin by barely a finger span.

The youkai's body dropped away from Rin like a wet sack of rice, the sword slipping from her neck and falling with a thud and clatter to the ground.

A/N:

… I got nothing…

Inuyasha and Co (Sesshoumaru, Rin and sub-characters) belong to Rumiko Takahashi. The script is mine.

Credits:

Sesshoumaru: Jesachi

Rin: Goldensomething

Sub-characters: Combined effort