Once in the forest, it only took Kagome about fifteen minutes to find Sesshomaru. The man was sitting on a boulder, resting his elbow on his bent knee. Though he maintained a blank expression, it was clear that something was bothering him. His eyes were slightly squint, and he stared in to the sky. Around him, multiples trees laid on the ground; freshly broken.
When Kagome approached, he paid her no mind, already positive of who it was.
"Heeeyy, Sesshomaru... What's up?" The girl asked, awkwardly grinning at the man. He gazed at her from the corner of his eye, obviously in no mood for conversation. A second passed, and Kagome walked to his side and sat down to the left of the man. He peered at her, already knowing where this was going.
"So, what happened back there? Are you okay?" Kagome asked.
The question earned a sigh from the lord, and he nodded.
"So, why'd you attack Inuyasha?" Opting not to dance around her true question, Kagome stared at Sesshomaru, a slight frown creasing her brow. The man blankly held her gaze, and she wondered if he would even answer.
"The half breed was attempting to seduce Nazoki."
Kagome's eyes widened at the statement, and she paused to try to think of a proper response.
"Erm, Sesshomaru, I don't think that's what was happening..." The girl informed, patting the man on the shoulder. He stared at her hand, and shifted his gaze.
"Are you not scared?"
"Huh?" Kagome raised an eyebrow to the man, and he locked his eyes to hers.
"Why do you not fear me?" He repeated, slightly annoyed.
Frowning, Kagome realized why he was upset. Her jaw almost dropped, but she managed to keep that from happening.
"Y- You like her!"
Sesshomaru frowned, and the man stared at Kagome, slightly alarmed. Silence fell over the two, until he sighed once more.
"You did not answer my question..."
"Oh- Well, I don't know. Maybe cause I could kick your butt!" Kagome started to laugh, and The lord stared at her, obviously irritated. When she realized that she was the only one who found that amusing, the girl shifted her gaze, and silenced herself. Turning back to Sesshomaru she smiled.
"Because I know you're a good guy." The girl finally answered. Sesshomaru stared at her, his eyes slightly widened.
"The Lord will not be pleased! We can't stay this close together!" Jaken turned to Rin, and Nazoki, trying to call the shots while Sesshomaru was away. They stared at him, and Rin grinned.
"It's okay! They're nice, I don't think he will mind." The girl responded turning to Nazoki.
"Hey, do you two want to take a bath? There's a spring nearby."
Before Nazoki could speak, Sango was approaching them with Shippo. Rin and Nazoki nodded, turning to face Sango. Soon the women were headed off together. Miroku caught wind of their decision and turned to Jaken. Inuyasha was nowhere to be found. When the toad glanced up at him, Miroku decided to give up. No good conversation could be held.
On their way into the forest, the girls ran into Sesshomaru and Kagome. The two groups stopped and stared at one another for a second.
"Kagome, we're going to the spring. Want to come?" Focusing on the girl, Sango spoke. Kagome nodded, and started towards her backpack. When she realized that Inuyasha was not with Miroku and Jaken, she turned back to Sango. Upon asking the question, she realized that nobody knew where the half-breed was. Annoyed, Kagome felt she knew.
"Sit boy!"
A startled cry filled the air, and soon Inuyasha crashed from the branches of a tree to the ground. Sango shook her head, and Kagome sighed.
"I'll meet you there, go on ahead!" The girl offered, hinting at Sango to take Rin and Shippo ahead.
Kagome moved towards her bag, and Sango nudged Rin.
Sesshomaru was staring down at Nazoki, seemingly lost in thought. Unsure of what to make of the man's aloof nature, Nazoki bowed to him.
"M'lord."
The moment she did, the group left her. Sesshomaru stared after the three, before turning back to Nazoki. The man placed his hand on her shoulder, and she peered up at him, obviously nervous.
"Do not bow so often..."
Nodding, the vixen straightened herself. The man placed his thumb against the bite mark on her collar bone, and barely traced the wound.
"Your healing has been delayed." He noted and she nodded. The woman started to ask his forgiveness, but he cut her off.
"That is nothing to apologize for. Did I, Sesshomaru, not tell you I would do you no harm?"
The words seemed to catch Nazoki off guard but she nodded. "Yes M'lord."
"Then believe me." Leaving it at that, the man passed her. Kagome had given him a bit of advice. Of course, being Sesshomaru, he would not fully listen to the girl (Or comment on whether she was right or not), but some things she had suggested made sense. Nazoki stared after him for a bit, before following after Sango and Rin.
Soon, Kagome passed Sesshomaru, and the man stalked past Miroku and Jaken.
When the girls were all gone, and Inuyasha rejoined the group, the men sat in silence. Sesshomaru was perched in a tree, staring at the moon.
Turning to the others, Miroku grinned.
"Hey, you know what men do in situations like these?"
Crossing his arms, Jaken narrowed his eyes at the monk.
Inuyasha and Sesshomaru peered at him as well.
"What?" Inuyasha asked.
"It's our job to follow them- For protection of course... You never know when a demon will attack."
Inuyasha and Sesshomaru glanced at one another in a moment of mutual, unspoken agreement.
Moment's later, Miroku sat in an air of defeat, sporting new bruises, and knots on his head.
In the distance the girls could be heard. Apparently the spring was not a far walk.
"Mnnn, it's so good." Kagome sighed.
"But it's a little hot..." Sango added, lightly chuckling. A splash interrupted them, and Rin giggled, splashing Shippo back.
"It's always more fun to have more people around!" The girl declared, to which the women chuckled. Soon their voices grew low.
"So is everything better with Sesshomaru?" Sango asked, and Kagome nodded.
"Yeah, he was just a little tense."
"I wonder what made him act like that though, the lord never gets so angry."
The women all peered at Rin, and Nazoki shook her head.
"He was okay, I think he was just angry with me- When we were in the forest, I made a mistake, and he had to help me..."
All stared at the Vixen, before slowly nodding.
The spring was rather large, and Kagome, Sango and Rin all sat together on a large rock. With a small floating device, Shippo lounged around, wherever the water would take him. Nazoki on the other hand was on the opposite side of the water, wallowing in her own insecurities. It was not that she had a low self esteem per say, only around other women. Young pretty ones at that. Noticing her discomfort, Kagome spoke up.
"Nazoki, come over here, there's plenty of room!"
Gazing at Kagome over her shoulder Nazoki nodded.
The woman backed up a few steps, only to be laughed at.
"What's with that distance? Come on!" Sango chimed in, and Rin soon joined the girls.
"I think she's uncomfortable." Shippo noted, to which Kagome nodded.
"See? They're probably washing each other, and naked... I bet they're splashing each other, and it's everywhere... A perverted demon might try to take advantage of the situation!" Miroku claimed, shifting his gaze between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru.
"Or a monk." The lord added dryly, staring back at the man. Inuyasha nodded in agreement, crossing his arms. The two brothers stood meters away from each other, but seemed to be in agreement.
"Your skin is so smooth!" Kagome could be heard laughing.
"W- What are you-"
"Hold still!" That was Sango.
Nazoki could be heard shrieking, an the men all peered in the direction of the spring.
Amongst the entire clamor, Rin was laughing as if there was no tomorrow.
"Eek! Hey! W- Where are you touching?!" The vixen demanded, to which she received giggles in response.
"Your hair is so curly! How does it do that?" Sango asked.
"I- I don't know! It just does!"
"It's all silky!" Kagome added.
"Wow, it really is!"
Sesshomaru frowned slightly, wondering exactly what the women were showing Rin, and doing to Nazoki. His discomfort must have been apparent, as Miroku tried to use it against him.
"It sounds like they are giving her a hard time... Do you want to check on her? Just to make sure she's okay?" Suggestively grinning, Miroku leaned towards the lord. He glared at the monk, positive that he was only asking to ogle Nazoki. And probably the other girls as well. Without a word, Sesshomaru returned to his tree.
"What is that stuff?!" Nazoki asked, as Kagome rubbed some odd liquid in her hair.
"Shampoo!" Kagome grinned. Sango was washing Rin's hair at the same time, and the girl seemed just as curious, yet far more trusting.
"Hold still- you've got to look good!" Trying her best to accept the fact that she had no say in the manner, Nazoki frowned.
"Why?" She asked.
Suspiciously laughing, Kagome shrugged.
"Oooh, no reason!" Without warning the girl started pulling Nazoki back into the water to rinse her hair.
"Erm, Kagome, I think you're scaring her..." Shippo informed, frowning at the pair.
"She's okay!" Kagome insisted.
By the time the women returned to the men, everybody smelled of flowers, and waterfall scented Smooth shampoo and conditioner. Everybody seemed in high spirits, excluding Nazoki, who was not sure of how to feel after being forced into washing with such strange products. That and their girly curiosity.
Kagome had given Nazoki a loose fitting white robe that matched hers and Sango's. Rin wore the yellow yukata Nazoki had gotten her. After seeing all the crazy things in Kagome's backpack, Nazoki wondered how the girl even fit everything inside, or managed to carry it. Soon, they were going through Kagome's bag, indulging the vixen's curiosity.
"What is that?" She asked, and Kagome shrugged.
"Some weird drink a guy gave us for helping his wife... You can have it." Kagome offered.
A slight frown creased Nazoki's brow, and she nodded, taking the sealed vase. Upon opening the container, she found alcohol. A brief moment passed, and she stared down at it curiously.
"You don't have to drink it if you don't want to." Sango chuckled, noticing the puzzled expression Nazoki had donned. Kagome agreed, and the vixen turned to peer at Rin. The girl was asleep, curled up with A-Un. Jaken was also sleeping by now, and Nazoki peered at the fire Sesshomaru had started.
When they had returned, Miroku and Inuyasha had left, as well as the lord to bathe. Only Nazoki and the women remained. Shrugging, Nazoki raised an eyebrow.
"It's sake..." She stated, and Kagome's curiosity was piqued.
"Really?"
A/N: Credit for brainstorming with me over this chapter goes to the lovely NonieBee (4352183) Check out her stories, she's an amazing writer! :)