Thank you for the reviews! This is the volcano chapter, which I edited several times because words kept being misspelled for some reason. Or caps locked when it shouldn't have been. Anyway, the blizzard chapter's going to be delayed since I lost the sheet of paper I outlined the chapter on. I'll put it up once I find it again.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Inuyasha.
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Intense heat. Bubbling lava threatening to spill over the edge of the grounds retaining it. Volcanoes all around, smoking as if they were going to explode and cover the ground and anything on it at any moment.
Rin glanced around her surroundings nervously. She didn't like the look of one of the volcanoes that was spewing forth boiling hot lava. "Lord Sesshomaru?"
"What is it?" Sesshomaru responded without turning around.
Rin clutched Ah-Un's reigns tightly and asked softly. "How long will we be here?"
"It matters to you?" Came the response.
Rin held onto Ah-Un's mane for extra support. "No, I don't mind. It's just that..." Rin drifted off.
"...What?" Sesshomaru asked, wondering what was wrong with Rin now. She didn't usually question where they were going or how long it would take...well, she did anyway...
"...It's that it's...very hot here Lord Sesshomaru." Came the small voice.
Sesshomaru glanced over his shoulder slightly, enough that he could see Rin, but that so she wouldn't notice the movement. Rin was looking very miserable, and Sesshomaru realized that the temperature of this place was affecting her. He should of known better. No human in their right mind would live right next to active volcanoes that are within touching range.
They were traveling past active volcanoes, since it was the quickest way to get to a village that may have some information on Naraku. It wasn't a very reliable source, but it was better than nothing. Any clues, no matter how small, would be followed.
And since Sesshomaru didn't think it was going to be dangerous, he decided to allow Rin to come along. But he had forgotten that she was a human, and that they didn't fare too well in very hot or cold temperatures. At least they were more than halfway through...
Sesshomaru glanced over his shoulder again as he suddenly thought of something. He hadn't heard Jaken voice his opinions about the current situation. Sesshomaru spotted Jaken further behind, but turned back and kept on walking as if he hadn't seen anything unusual or out of the ordinary.
Jaken was hoping up and down, looking like he was doing a strange jig. On the inside, Jaken was thinking. 'Ow! Ow! Hot! Hot! Owowow!!'
Rin noticed this finally and watched Jaken for a moment. Then, she asked, "Master Jaken! Why don't you get on Ah-Un's back too?"
Jaken ignored her suggestion as he snapped back. "I'm quite capable of walking on this ground. What do you take me for?!"
"But, Master Jaken, your feet are smoking!" Rin pointed out.
And Jaken's feet were indeed smoking.
"Ahhh!" Jaken yelped out, as he hurriedly scrambled onto Ah-Un's back behind Rin. He attempted to fan his singed feet.
Once Rin saw that Jaken would stay on the dragon as well, she turned her attention back to her surroundings again.
Sesshomaru kept on walking, not seeming to pay any attention anymore to what was going on behind him as he focused on what lay ahead. There was something malevolent in the air, but Sesshomaru couldn't pinpoint it at the moment.
Sesshomaru, as well as Ah-Un, didn't seem to be affected by the intense heat radiating around them. Whether they were tolerating it or not remained a mystery. Ah-Un actually seemed to be enjoying it.
After another five minutes of nothing interesting happening, Sesshomaru could tell that they were getting very close to the exit, and would soon emerge into cooler lands. Sesshomaru's hand strayed towards Tokijin. But now that they were so close to the exit, Sesshomaru was now sensing the malevolent force again, and could now tell that it belonged to three demons.
This didn't bother Sesshomaru too much, but the demons would probably have thick armor-like hides if they could survive in conditions like these. He could easily take care of them, but Rin could get caught up in the battle that seemed to be imminent.
"Jaken." Sesshomaru said quietly.
"Oh! Yes?" Jaken left off trying to cool his feet.
"Get Ah-Un into the air. Other demons are near." Seshomaru stated in the same quiet voice.
Rin couldn't hear what Sesshomaru had said, but she did see him draw Tokijin. Which meant there was about to be trouble. Rin held tightly onto Ah-Un as Jaken got the dragon to go up into the air. And not a moment too soon, as a blast of demonic energy hit the ground right where they had been seconds earlier.
Sesshomaru dodged two more blasts, then a third, larger one with ease. He landed lightly on the ground, and calmly located the attacking demons.
There were three of them, and they were all leering evilly at Sesshomaru, thinking that they had caught him off guard. One of the three demons, a wolf-like one with armor, spoke. "You're trespassing on our land. It was foolish of you to even think of trying to pass. Turn back if you don't want to try our power. You have been warned."
Sesshomaru stared at the demons, and they stared back. "..." There was a long silence, and no one spoke except for Rin and Jaken.
"Oh! It's much nicer and cooler up in the air. Don't you think so Master Jaken?" Rin asked, stroking Ah-Un's mane with one hand, while holding onto the reigns with the other.
"Of course it is silly girl."
Rin gazed down at where Sesshomaru and the demons were just staring at one another. "What are they doing? Are they going to fight?"
Jaken peered down with a slight frown. "Hmm...I can't tell..." He then caught sight of Sesshomaru's expression...smiling faintly. "Oh!" Jaken urged Ah-Un to move, trying to get the dragon to fly past the last few volcanoes and to land in the small valley further away.
"Where are we going?" Asked a bewildered Rin. She glanced backwards and the last thing she saw was Sesshomaru and the demons still staring at one another. 'Lord Sesshomaru...'
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Sesshomaru watched as Ah-Un flew off, out of range of any attack that might be used. He turned back to the demons that were still mouthing off at him. Who did these fools think they were? Trying to tell him what to do...
A particular statement not to be repeated had Sesshomaru draw out Tokijin. These demons must have very few brain cells. He'd have to put them out of their misery.
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Rin was drinking from a stream, as did Ah-Un, though it seemed to be hoping that there were fish in it. It was pawing at the water with one of its forearms. Jaken was laying nearby with his feet in the air, sighing happily as the cool breezes buffeted them. It was hard to believe that they had been traveling in a volcanic area moments before. Neither Jaken nor Rin noticed the flash of blue light from near where they had just left.
Moments later, Sesshomaru walked calmly out of the volcanic area, looking utterly calm and composed. Behind him, smoke rose in the air ominously from where he had come from. Sesshomaru took a seat on a nearby bolder, and was silent as Ah-Un, Rin, and Jaken continued what they were doing.
There was a slight diversion as Ah-Un managed to catch several fish, and dropped them on shore.
Rin spotted them and exclaimed. "Dinner!"
Jaken had recovered enough to start a fire, but stayed far enough away from it so that he wouldn't get burned. Rin sat nearby, waiting patiently as the fish were cooking. Once they were done, Rin began to enjoy it.
Sesshomaru was still sitting on the boulder, and hadn't said a word since leaving the volcanoes.
"Ah...Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked. He stiffened slightly as golden eyes turned to stare at him. "Are we going to be staying here for the night?" The sun was already setting. After seeing a nod of consent from Sesshomaru, Jaken went back over to the fire.
Rin played for awhile after eating, before curling up next to Ah-Un, who was already dozing slightly, heads resting comfortably on the ground.
Sesshomaru transferred his gaze to Rin, who fell asleep rather quickly. Sesshomaru blinked as Rin shivered and drew closer to the dragon. Why was she cold when she had been in a very hot place for most of the day? Sesshomaru glanced in the direction of the village he had been trying to reach. They could go there in the morning...
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Hey, and this chapter was longer than the last one. Anyway, review if you'd like. I have three more ideas that I've started to type up, so if you have a preference to what one you'd like to read first, let me know.
1- A chapter that centers around an enourmous waterfall that the group finds while traveling (no idea how long it'll be).
2- A chapter where the group actually travels through a cavern and see crystals as they go (would be more content than just that).
3- Rin has some type of animal follow her around for the day (there'd be more to this one as well).
Or if it should be something else, I'll see what I can come up with. So, until next time, thanks for reading/ and or reviewing!