Hello!

Sorry for the delay. My life is still a mess but I'm working on it. Or at least I'm trying. And with school (or rather university to me) is approaching… Things are just getting chaotic. Okay, I'm not the type of person who can live in organistaion.

Thanks for icegirljenni and blackacess for reviewing the story! You helped me a lot. ^.^

Enjoy reading!

Hirana08

Counterattack

Being human had a few advantages. Sesshomaru had to acknowledge this while he was following the march that kidnapped Rin. First: he lost his characteristic demon scent – so he could hide away easily from the half-breed servants. Second: he wasn't that prominent at all. He could seem a damiyou who is looking for a warlord or a lost samurai. No one to particularly take care of. No one important. However, he missed his abilities: his quiet steps, his velocity, his keen nose and ears. Especially when the attack happened. The bunch of people who were under Cara's spell weren't very qualified warriors. They were as bad as if they would have held sword in their hands for the first time. But even so they were good enough to distract the soldiers and Sesshomaru could get to the carriage in which Rin was held.

He had no time to waste. He didn't think for a second: he picked her up and ran straight to the forest. Rin tried to defend herself with all her strength and she was shouting as loud as she could.

"What are you doing?! Put me down!"

But even so there were soldiers who followed him. One of them managed to shoot an arrow into Sesshomaru's left shoulder. However, in the next moment that soldier dropped down dead by an arrow. Sesshomaru looked at his right and he caught the glimpse of Cara among the trees. She was holding a bow and she was aiming at the soldiers with her arrows. With her lips she formed one sentence to Sesshomaru: "I've got your back". He nodded as an answer and continued running in the forest. He looked back from time to time and when there were no more soldiers who were chasing them he finally put Rin down.

"You are wounded…" she pointed at the arrow in his shoulder.

"It's nothing" he said and he sat down beneath a tree. Obviously he was lying: the wound was bleeding and it hurt him like hell.

Rin walked closer and she tore a piece from her kimono. She gently pushed it on the injury and she tried to stop the bleeding. Sesshomaru wanted to give her a killing look; however, simple he couldn't. He was looking at her as a human and this was like as if a new window would have opened on the world. He never really noticed Rin grown-up traits which made her not just more matured but also more beautiful – even with the eyes of a demon. Her green kimono had little white flower patterns and it seemed to be made of silk. She looked like a princess wearing it. The one she was always to him.

"Why do you do this?" asked Sesshomaru.

"You took me from those people. And I want to thank you somehow…" Rin expected to hear her saviour's name but that didn't happen because someone interrupted.

"Oh, there you are!"

It was Cara. She finally caught them up after finishing off the soldiers. She had no injuries but her quiverwas empty, which meant that she had to use all her arrows to make an escape way for Sesshomaru. But they were safe and this kind of sacrifice is actually worth of this.

"Who are you?" asked Rin.

"She means no harm" explained Sesshomaru.

"Unless you are a demon and you piss me off." Cara added with a smile on her face. "My name is Cara, Lady Rin. And he is…"

Cara looked at Sesshomaru as if she would ask for some kind of sign. When she got what he tried to tell her with his eyes, she went on. "He is Kai. We were sent by Lord Sesshomaru."

"That means… that he is still alive?" The sadness slowly disappeared from Rin's eyes and a happy smile came alive on her face. It was even more beautiful than Sesshomaru remembered. Then he noticed something wet in front of her eyes: the tears of joy.

When he found her in the carriage, he could imagine what happened during those days when he wasn't by her side. Her face was as pale as snow and her eyes were red because of the crying. She seemed even weaker and more fragile than she ever was in his eyes – as if she was tortured by something or somehow. But now that she heard that he is alive she began to bloom like the cherry tree in the beginning of the spring. Her face became full of life and everything was more or less like before.

"I would really like to tell more but we can't stay here" said Cara.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Those soldiers were just humans. But if we remain at the same place for a longer time maybe we will have to face something worse."

"You think he will send them?" asked Sesshomaru.

"Most likely and we stand no chance against them. His priestess is more powerful than you would think."

"Maybe… Lady Kagome can do something about that priestess…" suggested Rin.

"Pardon my rude words, Lady Rin but a priestess in Yamato should pray for not to meet a Ryukyuan."

"She meant that a priestess of this country means no harm on the ones of her country." Sesshomaru translated Cara's sentence when he saw Rin's confused eyes.

"Will you be fine with that wound?" Cara pointed with her head on Sesshomaru's injury.

"I can make it somehow."

"Then let's get going."

"Excuse me… Cara-sama how come you know Lord Sesshomaru?" They were walking for an hour now when Rin asked this. She went by her side; Sesshomaru was in front of them but in a safe distance.

"I know him for a long time, Lady Rin. I can be considered as his childhood friend."

"Really? And what about Kai-sama?"

"He is my… vessel. When I found him we bet that he can beat me in fencing but he lost, so he had to become my samurai."

"I see… Cara-sama…"

"You can call me Cara, Lady Rin."

"Cara… if you are Lord Sesshomaru's friend then are you…"

"Yes, I'm a demon. Indeed, a dog demon from the Ryukyuan Kingdom."

"And where is that?"

"It's also called the Southern Islands. It's far away from here. One has to sail for a long time to reach that region. It's a very closed world; there aren't too many demons or humans who have heard about them more than its existence."

"It must be a beautiful place."

"It is indeed."

"And did you meet Lord Sesshomaru there?"

"No. It was my family who visited his family. Back then there was still f…"

"Pardon the interruption but with this loud talk we will be discovered in no time" said Sesshomaru.

"We are already very near to my tent. Behind its barriers we will be safe."

"Is it because your priestess?"

"No. It is because of the amulets I've brought from home. They are not very powerful in my hands but they are very effective."

When they reached the tent evening already fell. Mamina tended Sesshomaru's wound then she went to the kitchen to prepare the dinner. Cara's other servant took care of Rin. Sesshomaru was sitting in front of the tent. His maroon brown eyes were gazing at the starry sky. It was written all over his face that deep inside he was kind of troubled. And that wasn't just because Cara said about him to Rin. It had another reason, too.

"Why didn't you let me tell the truth?" Sesshomaru was lost so much in his thoughts that he didn't notice when Cara came outside.

"Do you think she would believe it?"

"You've got the point." But later she went on. "She should, though."

"What's so funny?" asked Sesshomaru when he saw Cara's dreamy eyes and faint smile.

"You made me remember… There was this merchant guy at the port…"

"This Sesshomaru is not interested in your story."

"Finally, back to your old grumpy self…" said Cara happily and she socked in his arm.

"Hey!"

"You are still so spoiled like you were as a pup."

"You are wrong."

"You know that I was just joking. Take it as a payback for shattering my whip with your poisonous claws back in 1420."

"Hmph…"

"Okay. I'm finished. But… is it just my imagination or you do have doubts?"

"This Sesshomaru has no doubts."

"Oh yeah… really? You are talking to me, not to Lady Reina. You don't have to deny anything at all or explain to me. At first Inutaro, then your father… But don't let their fate influence yours. You are neither of them. You are yourself."

"Don't you ever dare to speak his name to me again, Cara!

Cara understood Sesshomaru's anger even though she didn't know the whole story. It was a kind of secret even in his family. She took a look at the stars. The dark blue sky wasn't as beautiful as in Ryukyu. Indeed, it was nowhere to it.

"How come that you aren't a princess anymore?" Sesshomaru's question surprised Cara. She thought he wouldn't be interested in her story. So she didn't give any kind of answer at all.

"How come that you are a human? But I'm more interested in the question since when does the great human-hater Sesshomaru love a human?"

Silence fell between them for a short time. A smile ran through Cara's face as an illusion on a sunny day. She also seemed to laugh for a short time.

"We were always this much alike… Taking the same path as the other one by instinct. That's so… typical us."

"This Sesshomaru doesn't understand you."

"It's not necessary. I think I just got to see our parents' point of view."

"Which is?"

"Tell me, Sesshomaru… and be honest. Is she worth for being your mate?"

"You are not this Sesshomaru's mother to speak this way."

"Oh, I would rather be eaten by the dragons of Ryukyu than be in Lady Reina's place! I'm asking you because we know each other for a long time. And if you trust this human girl so much then I will do as well."

"She is more important, than the jade-dog was or could ever be."

"What is the jade-dog?" asked Tsuyosa.

"It's my father's present to me when I was born" answered Sesshomaru.

"Is it that old?"

"Indeed, it's even older than this castle."

"Where is it now?"

"I gave it to your mother when you were born, Kosaku."

Cara remembered well that little statue. It was the pup Sesshomaru's greatest treasure. He didn't let anyone to touch it: not even his brother. He also hit her once just because she wanted to touch it. Back then she didn't believe his tale that InuTaisho took the statue from a dragon's cave. There were dragons on the Ryukyuan Islands and they lived in caves but they didn't hide any treasure in there. Now that he mentioned this statue she realized his feelings. She wasn't just 'important' to him.

"I see." Cara put her hand on Sesshomaru's. "Then I will try to protect both of you."

"This Sesshomaru needs no protection."

"I thought we went through this once. You are a human, she is a human, I'm a demon and your enemy is also a demon. Do you need anything else? Besides, I'm your friend and right now I am the only one who can support you. So deal with it."

"I want to ask you one thing, though… How did you become a human?"

"It was Lady Mayura's magic."

"W…Wait. Lady Mayura?"

"Do you know her by chance?"

"Sesshomaru… I hate to tell this but you are in trouble. Lady Mayura is not just a sorceress."

"What do you mean?"

"Lady Mayura is Tegai's priestess!"

Author's Words

I'm sorry for being this late. This week was quiet hectic for me. And next week won't be different. I will be moving so instead of Friday I will update either on Saturday or Tuesday. Until then please read my short story Shattered Hearts, which will make you understand a few things in this chapter and later.

To the comments:

icegirljenni: Indeed, Sesshomaru has two sons (it's also in the description), Kosaku and Tsuyosa. Anything else is spoiler. Sorry. I'm still undecided about that story but most likely I will insert Sesshomaru's memories.

blackacess: Thank you very much. Her condition is already stable but unfortunately she won't be able to fully recover.

Don't forget to review – I'd like to hear your opinions. And what do you think what will happen next?

See you next time!

Bye,

Hirana08

Next time: Travelling Love