Night enveloped the world as Sesshomaru led his group to a cave to settle for the night. All afternoon, Nazoki had been visibly depressed. Even when Rin spoke to the woman, her mood did not lessen. They had encountered a demon, which the vixen set aflame without a second glance. Before Sesshomaru could even move to defend the group, the Youkai had perished, and Nazoki sulked on ahead of them. Instead of responding in her usual cheer, be it forced or natural, Nazoki barely murmured responses to Rin. A flower had been tucked in the woman's hair. Needless to say, that flower perished. The moment Nazoki's emotions had set in, she allowed her hair to incinerate the white carnation. Nobody knew how to react.

Sesshomaru had eyed her with cold curiosity, which she ignored. Once the group was comfortably seated around a fire, Nazoki listlessly presented Rin with food; fish and fruit to be exact. Peering up at the morose women, Rin's eyebrows raised with worry.
"Are you okay?"
"Mm..." The vixen nodded, and slowly started to the back of the cave. Once engulfed in darkness, she laid down. Complete silence settled over the group, until Jaken decided to fill it.
"Well, she shouldn't be trying to start a family on Lord Sesshomaru's time. As young as she is-" Before the toad could finish his sentence he was smacked in the head with something hard. Yelping in surprise, Jaken fell over. Rin and Sesshomaru's attention set on the item, which fell to the stone floor. It was a necklace, with a pointed, smooth red gem attached to it.
"I'm over two hundred years old!" Nazoki snapped from the back of the cave. Everybody turned to peer into the darkness, watching to see if Nazoki would make an appearance. She didn't. Jumping to his feet, Jaken shook his fist.
"Why you- Only Lord Sesshomaru can hit me! You have no right-"
"Silence, Jaken." Sesshomaru picked the necklace up, and studied the golden chain, which supported the red crystal.

"Rin thinks she's lonely again..." Rin murmured to Sesshomaru, covering her mouth with her hand. The man raised an eyebrow to the child and nodded.
"Probably."
"Is she going to be okay, lord Sesshomaru?"
"Most likely. She is just throwing a tantrum right now, Rin."
"A tantrum? Like little children?"
"Yes. Exactly like that. But don't tell her, she doesn't know yet." To Nazoki's surprise, Sesshomaru smiled at Rin as he spoke.
"But- Milord, I think she just heard us!"
"No. She is probably thinking about something shiny. Kitsune love shiny things."
"Really?" The girl asked in disbelief.
Sesshomaru nodded, staring at Rin blankly.

A slight rustle could be heard from the darkness. Soon Nazoki was walking from the shadows. The woman briskly moved towards the mouth of the cave, only stopping to cross her arms behind Rin. Peering at Sesshomaru from the corner of her eyes, Nazoki sighed.
"And that's yours. It's ruby." She stated grudgingly. Leaving it at that, she exited the cave.

Moments passed, and Jaken started to grumble under his breath.
"That vixen... Storming around as if she's got some form of authority... Speaking to the Lord so informally..."

"Lord Sesshomaru, are you going to let her cry all on her own?"
"Cry?" Shifting his attention to Rin, Sesshomaru frowned. He did not think she was crying. Or that she even had a reason to. Nazoki was simply throwing a temper tantrum, as he had stated. The lord still held his necklace in his hand, and wrapped the golden chain around a single finger.
"Yes. Rin thinks she's crying right now. You made her sad, right?" Innocently inquiring, Rin stared up at the man.
"Me?" He asked, and the girl nodded.

"Rin knows Lord Sesshomaru was upset about the necklace... But Rin thinks Nazoki wanted to give it to him in private." Placing a finger to her lips, Rin raised her eyes to the stone ceiling of the cave.
"Rin! Lord Sesshomaru does not care about that vixen or her necklace!" Jaken declared.

A sigh interrupted the two before Rin could respond. They gazed at Sesshomaru who gracefully pushed himself to his feet. As the man started towards the mouth of the cave, Jaken gripped his pants.
"Milord! Don't go after that woman just because the human said to! You don't have to listen to her!"
Calmly glaring down at Jaken from the corner of his eyes Sesshomaru managed to frighten the toad. Jaken released him, and a startled noise escaped the toad. Without a word Sesshomaru continued.
"Yay! Lord Sesshomaru does care!"
Ignoring Rin's excitement, the man followed Nazoki's scent.

The trail led him into the forest. Half bored, the man continued to search for the emotionally over active vixen. For some reason it seemed as though her scent was coming from all directions. As if she had intentionally scattered the trail; to avoid being followed. Annoyance crept over the lord, and he internally sighed. So tedious... It did not make sense for him to be chasing after her in the first place. Night is made for resting, not hunting. Then again, foxes are nocturnal. Voices caught the lord's attention, and he slowed his pace. Just beyond the trees was a clearing with a hot spring. Moonlight revealed two people, a man, and woman Sesshomaru knew to be Nazoki.

"And if I don't?" She asked in a steely tone.
"Your mother and that half-breed will continue to be ridiculed. Ya know... Most say that half breeds should be killed; for good luck."
"Do not speak of my brother in such a manner... It is also said that if vixen were to slay her first husband, good fortune will be brought to the family... After she eats his heart, that is..." That was definitely Nazoki. And a man. The scent matched the one, which previously tainted the woman's. Remaining in the shadows, Sesshomaru decided to listen in. Such a conversation would reveal Nazoki's identity to him. The logical option was to absorb such information.

"Don't be so hostile. You'd have to marry me first, anyway."
"I already told you. I refuse. The notion of death is far more pleasant-"
"You'd prefer that girly man over me?"
A small gasp sounded, and Sesshomaru frowned.
"Girly? Who-"
"That lord guy. You know who I'm talking about, don't play dumb. Wouldn't it be unfortunate if he found out who you are?"
"He's not girly... And- You wouldn't..."
"I would... East and west are opposites for a reason. I know what you're trying to do. You think he's perfect for you, but I've got news for you; he doesn't want some stray fox hanging around. You were promised to me, so you will be mine. I'll ruin everything. I'll tell him myself... And that kid... Looks tasty. Hunting never-"
The man's words were interrupted by a punch, and the sound of a struggle ensued. A light illuminated the two figures, and Sesshomaru watched intensely. Though he knew that he should interfere, he wanted to hear more. If Nazoki were to get hurt he would step in, Sesshomaru did not want to reveal his new found knowledge to the woman.

A thud, along with snarling filled the air. Leaves crunched with the pair's every move and Sesshomaru ventured closer. A flame sparked, and the Lord caught sight of a brunette man pinning Nazoki to the ground with one hand. He was clutching her collar, and she gripped his wrist with both hands scowling up at him. Blood speckled both of them, and in the man's hand, he held a white flame.
"Mating shouldn't be this difficult. You're making this harder on yourself." Through clenched teeth, the man spoke. Glaring at him, Nazoki never shifted her gaze.
"Well, men should not hit their fiancés... Then again, you are no man... You expect every woman to fall for you because you're handsome... Guess what Hideki..." Nazoki's gaze seemed to have the man in a trance. His expression fell blank and he stared at her as she leaned up.
"If you really want to marry me, you have to-" Her words were cut off when the man shoved her back to the ground.
"I'm not falling for that. Not again." He snarled.
"At least you're over that ridiculous phobia. You haven't combusted yet..." After adding that bit, the man started to push his flaming hand towards the vixen. Before he could make contact, she elbowed him in the side of his head. Fire engulfed the woman, barely revealing her series of attacks. Black flames did not provide as much light as any other form. Howls of pain filled the air as the woman sank her teeth into the man's wrist. Her claws sliced his skin, and he appeared to have been over powered. Sesshomaru watched in an expressionless sort of awe; he had not expected her to weasel her way from under the man.

It was not until Hideki managed to ram his claws into Nazoki's torso that she seemed to falter. She froze, and silently gazed down at his hand. Most of the light was from her glowing eyes, which beautifully contrasted against the dark flames with an emerald hue.
"He will kill you. This is for your own good." The man murmured, sitting up. Fire jumped from his hand to her torso, appearing to crawl into her wounds. The vixen shrieked, and just as Sesshomaru was about to interfere, Nazoki dug her nails into the man's wrist. Snarling, she pulled his claws from her body as he growled at the sensation.
"And I will thank him. It would be better then mating with the likes of you..." Malice dripped from her words, and the struggle continued.