Forbidden Forest

They reached the forest in no time. It was a beautiful place and Amaya began to see why people couldn't resist it. It was also pretty deadly on its own though without the empress because of how untamed it was but that could never stop Amaya and Tanaka. They jumped from tree to tree and soared into the air. It felt like flying every time Amaya jumped from branch to branch. She had never seen a place so wild and free.

They landed into an opening and looked around. It was a small grass area with wild ferns bordering it and the trees hung over head so close together that they could barely see the sky. Streams of afternoon light peered through the trees illuminating the place. It was so beautiful.

Amaya looked at Tanaka and noticed a strange look in his eye. "Are you alright?" She asked, but he kept staring at her, a soft look in his eye, not hearing a word she said. Amaya felt strange, she knew she had been looked at like this before. Something moved in the corner of her eye and she snapped her head around to see what it was. There in the yellow afternoon streams of light, in the middle of the forest, was a beautiful young girl. Her eyes were, just as what was described, golden like the afternoon light, and her hair was long and flowing, dark like the night. She glared at them but didn't attack.

Amaya hit Tanaka in the chest without looking at him to draw his attention to the girl. He turned and saw the girl. The empress was very young, she looked about fourteen, but she was like a goddess. Her eyes softened as she gazed at the two strangers in her forest. She was lightly sniffing the air. An older woman walked up behind her, her hair was just as beautiful and flowing past her hips. The woman's eyes were soft and dark and they became tender as she gazed at Amaya. The look in her eyes conveyed that she recognised her. The woman moved forward a little more until the light shone more brightly on the front of her figure and the two visitors could see that the woman was pregnant.

"You must be Amaya?" The woman said with a soft voice.

Amaya flinched at the sound of her name. Who was this woman? She had never seen her in her life!

"Who are you?" She asked hesitantly, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"My name is Rin." She smiled; her eyes had a slight look of sadness that Amaya couldn't understand. "and this is my daughter Nira." She gracefully gestured to the empress. Amaya stared at this woman, she was just as, if not more beautiful than the empress. She wondered why it wasn't Rin who was called the Empress of the Forest. She was much older and more elegant as she moved gracefully toward them.

"I am your Aunt." She said with a gentle smile.

Amaya stared at her for a few moments. "My Aunt? Do I even have an Aunt?" She murmured.

The woman nodded. "My husband is your father's older brother. He and your father never got along so we never got to meet you." She said with a sad sigh. "My husband can be pig headed sometimes and wanted us to have as little contact with his younger brother as possible."

Amaya wasn't sure if she should believe this woman or not, so she remained silent.

"I see that you are silent." Rin continued. "I don't blame you if you don't believe me." She looked away to conceal her sadness. She never wanted things to be this way and had always dreamed of the day when she would finally meet her niece and nephew.

After a long pause Tanaka said, "It's getting late. We should probably be going now." He gently pulled Amayas arm.

"You're probably right." Rin looked toward the west where the runs rays were dimming. "You should go now." Amaya and Tanaka were just about to leave when she suddenly added. "But-" They turned around, "come back any time you like. We'll be here." She smiled and disappeared into the forest with her daughter, the young empress.

Once Amaya got home she sat on the roof again. What a day it had been. She wondered if she should talk to her mother about this, but then again she wasn't even meant to be in the forest let alone talking to strangers who claimed to be relatives. Amaya was too curious though and needed to know the truth. She cautiously took her mother aside that night and told her what had happened.

"Rin?" Kagome gasped.

Amaya watched her mother for a moment, waiting for an answer but she was frozen from shock.

"Mum?" Amaya snapped her out of her day dream and after a short pause Kagome answered.

"Yes, Amaya, she is your Aunt."

Authors Note: I had a couple of people enquire when I first started this fanfiction when Sesshomaru and Rin would be involved. Well here it is! What do you guys think? What are your thoughts on "The Empress?"