CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

Sesshomaru

An unsettling scent pricked at my nose as I stared up at the sky. Thin, threadbare clouds passed over the openly full moon. I was near Mikage again. Lines of silvery grass passed through the green in the dark night. Crickets rubbed their wings as a quiet sound locusts twined in harmony. All was peaceful. Except for that one sense that I kept having. That Mikage was near.

I glided my hand down the coarse tree bark as I wondered. Sure enough, she could sense my presence, couldn't she? If this was true, I felt almost certain that she would have come to investigate; yet all was quiet. How was it that she had lost her keen curiosity so much over the years? The thought bothered me. If her and I had a similarity, it would be our blood, yes. Also, though, our natural, questioning tendencies. If she had lost that, then there was no reason that she would be linked to the girl she used to be.

After being unable to rid myself of my own thoughts, I decided to go see what she was up to. She had better not have gotten herself into any trouble. Why did I care? I didn't. I reminded myself that this was just to satisfy my thirst of awareness of even her situation.

Scanning my eyes over a snoozing Rin and Jaken, I relented. Ah-Un shot me a quizzing look that I brushed off. He would know to look after them.

Passing a tall oak, I continued deeper into the trees. Mikage's smell wasn't easy to pass over. The sweet, soft wafting breeze of a plant seeming to be consisting of honey. That was the flora I knew to follow.

I let my sense of smell guide me through. Picking my way past hanging branches, weeds, and bushes, I ventured deeper. A strong part of my body had just suggested that I turn back. But I refused it. The encounter I had had with her earlier was hardly that. Two hundred and forty five years, and hardly an explanation for her antics other than a forced marriage.

It was only after a while that I had managed to realize that I was no longer pushing my way through plants. Just ahead was a parting in trees, the corroding odor of smoke clouding my tracking of Mikage's smell.

In the faint flicker of amber, a figure lay. My steps silent over the ground, I took a closer peek at her. Her hair was drawn back in a loose braid, her onyx eyelashes folded over her cheeks. Her skin could be almost golden-looking in the dying fire in places, shadowed in others. Her lips were tinged a slight salmon, an ivory fang slightly evident in the darkened opening of her mouth.

So that was why she hadn't come. She had been asleep. How like her.

I felt a sudden breeze brush against my face, complete in strength as it shorted out the remaining fire down to mere embers. Smoke billowed out from the small burnt spot, causing Mikage to utter a tiny cough. Her face contorted with visible wrinkles, as she brought her sleeve to stifle is.

Her body shot up, blue eyes blinking open, then squinting against the greyed air.

"I fell asleep," she grunted, waving the cloud away from her face. "How bad of m-" Her breath choked back in her throat as she caught sight of me.

I directed my eyes to the ashes ever pumping out smoke. Then, glancing back at her, I blinked.

"You should put out a fire before you drift off."

"What are you doing here?" she squeaked, bringing her knees closer to her.

"Nothing. I came to see as to why I detected your scent nearby."

"I sensed you too, but... Don't think that I just set up camp here because I smelt you."

I turned my back to her, seeing straight through her tough charade. It was obvious to me now that she was still the same girl she was years ago. I felt a hand on the back of my sleeve, her body heat transferring to my skin in just that short amount of time.

"Listen, Lord Sesshomaru. I think I know you well enough now to be able to tell when you're lying through your teeth."

"Don't degrade to such things Mikage," I warned, daring her to continue.

She let out a puff of air. Mikage unhanded my kimono, putting her hands up in defeat. Her voice was quiet in her genuine shyness again.

"Y-you're right. I'm s-" She cut herself off, stopping with her back to me. "Just forget it. I appreciate that I at least got to see you again. I'm truly grateful for that, Lord Sesshomaru. If it isn't too much trouble, greet Rin for me. I think she'd like that." I witnessed the girl pull her armor over her head. She was leaving? Confused, I turned to watch her.

"I'm getting out of your way. After all, you want no more ties to me, correct?"

Mikage's voice was hostile, something apparently getting at her. Yet, behind it, there seemed to be a hint of something else. Sadness?

"I could care less if you're near me. Just stay out of my way."

Her head turned to me, her sapphire pupils enlarged. After a few moments, she looked to the dirt.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't mean to stare."

"I don't care," I stated, continuing off. A shaking voice asked a last question.

"You don't care if I'm near you?"

I stopped, immediately realizing my mistake.

After nothing was said for a while, I heard a soft click. The sound of a sword being returned to it's sheath. "Thank you. that's all I need to know. I'll remember that."

I heard light rustling of leaves, and then, her scent was gone.