"Lord Sesshomaru, I'm hungry..." Rin's small voice pierced the night air, and the Youkai peered down at the girl. Jaken made a snide comment on her always feeling the need to eat, yet was quickly silenced when Sesshomaru shot him a warning glare.
"What is it that you would like, Rin?" Sesshomaru asked, in a low tone.
The girl placed a finger to her lips, trying to ignore the growl of her stomach. Before she could answer the fox, which had been by her side rushed off into the forest. The three stared after its red tail, which could pass as brown in the moon light.
"It does not matter, anything right now... Maybe something sweet..." The girl stated, still maintaining her innocent voice. Sesshomaru nodded vaguely, before starting into the forest.
A-Uh and Jaken followed him, with Rin riding on A-Uh. Walking through the forest, Sesshomaru followed the scent of fruit. The dim moonlight barely illuminated a path, but with his superior senses he could easily make his way through the foliage. Rin remained silent as they traveled, an Sesshomaru could hear her stomach call for sustenance.
The bushes ahead of the man scurried, and he peered down at the sound; locking his eyes on the possible threat. Slowing to a halt, Jaken, Rin and A-Un, stared as well. The fox pushed through the bush holding a few tree branches in its mouth. After setting them down, she shifted into a human, and took them to Rin's side. Sesshomaru watched on, devoid of expression as the woman offered the fruit to Rin. Various berries such as cherries and raspberries were attached to the branches.
"Thank you, Nazoki-San!" Rin exclaimed with a smile as she accepted the fruit.
"I apologize that I could not have moved faster... You don't need to add the San either." The woman stated, shifting her gaze.
"Be careful... There are thorns on this one..." Grabbing one of the branches, Nazoki lit a small flame with her fingertips. She exposed the large aforementioned thorns, and Rin nodded. It was not until Rin pointed to her hand, and cheeks that Sesshomaru felt a bit of confusion ripple through him.
"You're bleeding!" The girl cried, and Nazoki nodded.
"It's nothing... Really. Please, enjoy your meal." Leaving it at that, Nazoki shifted back into a fox. Rin stared down at her curiously, before happily enjoying her fruit. Glancing at the fox, Sesshomaru internally sighed. Since the need to find food was no longer present, they could continue scouting the western land.
Later in the evening, the group settled by a waterfall. A conveniently placed cave beside it was chosen for their shelter, and the grassy area outside of said cave was concealed by a large rock formation. The "Wall" rose about twenty feet, before giving way to more grassy plains. When Rin spoke of being cold the fox gathered wood and sparked a fire; providing warmth. Sesshomaru leaned against the solid wall of the cave, watching the woman, and his companions. An hour passed, and Nazoki walked to his side. She bowed deeply before speaking.
"M'lord... Please excuse me, I need to hunt."
After a short moment of silence, the man nodded. Nazoki then walked to the edge of the cave, and leaped over the stone wall.
"She's really nice." Rin beamed, warming her hands near the fire.
Sesshomaru stared at the girl for a second, and Jaken spoke.
"Do not be fooled by one kind act, we still don't know her! She just started following like a stray, right Lord Sesshomaru?"
The man offered a slight nod, and Rin frowned.
"But she saved me and Kagome. When she found out I got scratched she cleaned it up and distracted all of those monsters so we could run away!"
The girl's statement seemed to catch Sesshomaru's attention and the man stood up.
"You were hurt?" He asked and Rin nodded. Kneeling by her side, Sesshomaru gently took her sleeve and started to push it up. It made sense. The child still smelled like fox, and this seemed to be the source of the scent. Not to his surprise, he found the small scrape Rin had spoken of. The man eyed Jaken, who was immediately nervous.
"Are you really fond of her, Rin?" Sesshomaru asked, and the girl grinned.
"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru!"
Another hour later, Nazoki returned, holding small prey in one hand. It appeared to be two animals. A raccoon and newt. She walked to Sesshomaru's side, and knelt down. The woman laid the prey down, and bowed.
"If you have hunger, please accept any of my hunt..."
Sesshomaru eyed her, nodding slowly. He grabbed the newt, and she peered up at him from her bowing posture.
"Would you prefer it to be cooked, M'lord?"
"This Sesshomaru is not picky." He responded in a low tone.
The woman nodded slightly, still offering to roast the newt with the raccoon. He agreed, and she set to cooking the meal. As she cooked she sat on her legs by the previously arranged fire.
A moment of silence passed, and she fixed her eyes on the sleeping forms of Rin and Jaken.
"Does Lady Rin have and preferences towards food? Does she like any particular fish, or foliage?" With a soft voice her inquiry hung in the air. Sesshomaru moved to the fire and sat at the woman's right side. The fact that the woman referred to Rin as "Lady" was slightly surprising yet he showed no sign of it.
"Rin is fond of fruit. Almost anything will satisfy her." He responded in an equally soft tone. The woman nodded, and for some reason appeared uneasy. It was the first time he noticed it, but now he was sure. She had been fine before, but now she was undoubtedly nervous. Though she tried to be discreet about it, she inched away from Sesshomaru. He glanced at her, unsure of what to make of her sudden anxiousness. When the Newt appeared to be cooked to his liking, Sesshomaru did not wait for Nazoki to offer it to him. Instead, he reached around the fire, and pulled the skewer from in front of the woman. She stared at his hand wide eyed, and almost out of nowhere burst into flames. The unexpected show caught Sesshomaru's attention, and he stared at her, unable to conceal his widened eyes. Her tail, hair and ears did not burn but rather became bright blue flames. The moment this happened, the woman jumped to her feet, murmuring a slight apology. "Forgive me..."
Sesshomaru watched her in confusion as she quickly exited the cave. He had seen many things before, but he was positive that was new.