[[Broken says: Sorry for the delay. I've been a bit busy. Getting my license, flailing about leaving for a few months in March, worrying about Valentine's day (because I'm writing a song for my girlfriend 3) And, to top it all off, I've been deathly ill.. So, yeah. Those are my excuses. Here's the newest bit! And thank you, my number one, for messaging me and keeping me on the ball! You know who you are~ ;D]]
He'd tried going out to look for the dog. He'd attempted to find him. But his strength… Naraku now sat in his darkened room, eying the first addition to his 'family'. He'd kept her from view for a very good reason… The look Sesshomaru had given him upon departure… It both made him proud, knowing that he was so motherly, and made his blood boil. That look meant that Sesshomaru was able to turn his back on the spider in an instant, and Naraku wasn't about to have that. The minute that little dog was brought back to him, he would make this very apparent. If it meant fighting him until he was so near death he could taste it, so be it, "Kanna…" He said softly, "Show Kagura to me." The small, purely white girl, stared back at her master blankly, the mirror in her hands swirling for a moment before the image of the wind sorceress came perfectly into view.
Ah, just as planned… Trailing behind her were the seven men Naraku had been unable to bring forth of his own powers. He was far too weak to even leave his castle now. So he used Kanna to keep an eye on Kagura as he sent her to do his bidding. He would not have a repeat of Sesshomaru's departure, but she was his only worthy-in-strength creation at the moment, so he couldn't kill her just yet. It wouldn't be long before this… Mistake, of sorts, would be corrected.
Where could his mate be hiding…?
The lord's eyes were keenly focused on Rin as she sat up and stretched, rubbing her tired eyes. And then his eyes fell on the dark haired woman who handed her a small mug of water, "She should be fine after a few more day's rest." Her brown eyes were intense and focused as she stood and turned to the dog, "A child like Rin should never be faced with such danger, demon." Of course, he gave her a mere glare as response. It wasn't as if he was the one to injure her. It was insulting of her to speak so freely and bitterly. But she had helped save Rin's life, and, he supposed, that was what counted. And a thought came to mind then.
"Priestess Kikyo," Sesshomaru spoke softly, looking down to his ward once more, "I see what you have done for Rin… However, there is another favor I have to ask of you." She hummed and tilted her head a bit, in question.
"Is this about the mark you bear?" His eyes narrowed, and, once again, he was looking to Inuyasha's old lover. He wondered how she might have known that this was what he was going to ask about. But, no doubt, she had noticed the beast's scent on him the moment he neared her, "There is nothing I can do for you. A mark is not something that can be healed. This is a battle you must face on your own." Kikyo turned away then, "There's no reason for me to stay any longer. And, as I said before, the herbs… Use them once at sunset and at sunrise until she has healed." And she was gone.
Such a sad being. She had lack of a purpose in this world. Surely she, like everyone else, was in search of Naraku at this point. Only… She knew of their mateship. She knew Naraku would be weakened, so she had the upper hand, if she so decided to go after him. Though.. While she had been attending to Rin, many soul collectors had come by, apparently to keep her stable. Did this mean she was weak? In that case, perhaps she wouldn't go after Naraku… It was lucky that, as a priestess, dead or not, she still carried the burden of helping a wounded human. Especially a child. They hadn't had to stoop as far as to ask Inuyasha for help. And the lord's searching had been fruitless.
As soon as she was healed… Sesshomaru would take her and leave. He would find Inuyasha and tell him where Naraku could be found, in return for the reassurance he would get his heart back before Naraku was killed. And then he would flee this place to keep his ward safe.
"Bankotsu." The baboon pelted man said smoothly, holding out a small fragment of the jewel shard, "Find him, and you shall be rewarded greatly." He looked to the others, "Protect me until he is brought here, and you shall all be… Richly rewarded."