Chapter Nineteen: Remembrance

The trip back towards her village was very pleasant and took two days. Rin rode Au-Un and Sesshomaru flew ahead and cleared the path of any pesky demons. The village was tucked away along the border of the North and West, due to the seclusion much of the forest was built up around it.

Compared to Kaede's village, her village was much smaller and had a long river that ran by it; she often was beaten for fishing in it as an orphaned child. Rin frowned at the water as memories came to her. However painful it was to be reminded of her family's death, wolf attacks, and bandits…she was thankful she met her Lord not too far from here. She would forever be grateful for his kindness towards her.

All the memories they made together were happy, even though she was mute for a long while. Speaking of the past, she noticed the green toad was nowhere in sight. After their last encounter she wasn't sure how to react to him. It was painfully obvious he didn't want her in his presence.

"Where is Jaken?" She asked.

Sesshomaru's facial expression didn't change, "hm."

He didn't look all too concerned, frankly neither was she. It was quite peaceful without him, but Rin still held much care for Jaken. He was her caretaker and companion for many years. Rin's mind briefly wonders if he knew of the tense encounter, she had with the little demon a while back. She left it be, emotions ran high during their...altercation. The human knew he was bound to show up eventually, he was never far.

As they ventured further into the village, Rin noticed the horrid state of the place. Overgrown grass, the huts were not taken care of, and no people. It was a ghost town for lack of better words. She'd never ventured back here after she had left but she remembered when there were always people around here. It is a small village but many of the inhabitants were very lively.

Yet, going into a bustling human village with the demon Lord of the West didn't seem ideal. She assumed Sesshomaru could sense the lack of villages as he led the way farther into the place.

"It looks deserted. My hut was on the back side of those to our right." She commented.

Sesshomaru nodded, Rin discounted Au-Un and walked beside him but the closer they got the more ill she felt. The woman's head began to pound as flashes of different faces flashed in her mind. Rin placed her hands on her head and dropped to her knees, groaning in pain. In half a second Sesshomaru was by her side, as her eyes looked up towards him. She looked half crazed as the iris turned black and spread to cover the white of her eyes.

Rin began falling forward onto him as he laid her out on the ground, eyes wide open. She began to shake uncontrollably and scream as he felt her arm muscle become stiff as a board. The demon Lord once again panicked for his mate. Even her scent disappeared with her right in front of him.

Rin

Rin's sight was clear, but she was not standing in front of the hut as she remembered, she was in a dark room that resembled a tunnel with a narrow opening. It was dark but she could see well, almost too well.

"I saw you die!"

"Witch!"

"Monster!"

"Your kind shouldn't exist!"

"Cursed daughter!"

Voice screamed inside her mind until she couldn't take it.

"STOP" she screamed, her voice bouncing off the walls and echoing back to her as she squeezed her eyes shut.

All went quiet and she unclasped her hands from her ears and a pale face was directly in front of her. She jumped back and the statue-like person continued to stare at her with much hate. This woman had no hair on her head, a long scar ran down the right side of her face slashing through her eye. Dark blue veins spread all over her face and down her neck. The woman had solid black eyes with no iris in sight.

Rin stood her ground and glared at the woman, "Who the hell are you? Why have you brought me here?"

The woman cocked her head and began to walk around her like a predator, "You're a monster in human skin."

"You must have me confuse-" Rin was cut off as claws collided with her face. Blood dripped down her cheek, Rin lunged at the woman but when she went to strike her fist stopped an inch from her face.

"You should be dead. I know what you are little girl!" She hissed, showing her sharp fangs.

"Bow!" she commanded; Rin lost control of her body as she dropped to her knees.

Rin heard the whispers in the darkness, they weren't alone, but this woman appeared to be the leader. To say she was scared was an understatement. She had no control over her movement and had no idea who these people were or if they were even real, but she did know the blood dripping down her face felt real. Painfully real.

As she went to speak the woman held up her hand and Rin could no longer move her lips. Appearing out of thin air were creatures she didn't recognize. They all wore dark blue robes, and they didn't look human at all. All had pale skin, some almost grayish. Different types of horn twisted out of their heads with various ornaments. Sharp teeth, every tooth was sharpened to a point, one even had teeth going through its bottom lip. Unlike the woman, they all had bright red eyes with black where it should be white. Overall, the ghost-like woman she spoke to looked more human than all of them.

One of them stepped out from the shadows and approached her. Grasping her chin in between razor-like claws. He seemed to be contemplating something, analyzing her as she did him. Compared to the others he was quite beautiful, less ghoul looking but just as terrifying.

"Are you sure Kiko?" he murmured.

"Yes, she is the traitor's daughter. My nose doesn't lie." she replied, almost offended.

"It appears to be human," he stated, turning her head side to side.

The one they call Kiko briskly walked forward beside him, "Not for long. Look at its blood."

As she reached to touch Rin, the spell holding her in place disappeared as she jumped back out of reach of the two. Her chin roughly tore against his claws, but she didn't care. The one they call Kiko looked shocked as she dropped her outstretched hand to her side. These people wanted her dead and she had no idea why, but she wouldn't die here willingly.

Kiko scowled, "We should kill it now Subaki before it changes even more."

Sesshomaru

After several attempts to wake her up from the trance, Sesshomaru contemplates something new and very dangerous. If done incorrectly it could alter her mind in a way, a way he didn't wish on any living person.

Rin's head snapped to the side, his eyes widened as three distinctive claw marks appeared on her face and blackened blood dripped down her chin. The woman's body began to get unbelievably hot, as her heart rate picked up. There was time to question his decision.

Sesshomaru laid her hand palm down and lined his fingers up an inch above hers. Slowly, he brought his claws down onto her fingertips and pushed them into her fingers, injecting his venom.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes as he enters a meditative state. When he opened them, he was elsewhere entirely. It was a dark and dingy place, it smelled of death. Instantly he knew his senses were impaired here, they were far duller than he'd ever experienced.

The demon Lord blinked, trying to adjust to the new environment. Slowly, outlines of horned people came into view. As he focused his vision, Rin's outline came into focus. She was in a defensive position, and she was directly in front of him. There was a type of bearer separating them.

"We should kill it now Subaki before it changes even more." he heard one of them say.

Quickly, he broke through the invisible bearer and wrapped his arms around her waist, swiftly pulled her through to his chest.

Chaos ensued on the other side as they desperately looked around, but it was apparent they could not see them. Rin struggled in his grasp, and he placed his hand over her mouth. Realization dawned on her as she looked up at him, Sesshomaru brought his index finger to his lips. Just because they couldn't see them, didn't mean they couldn't hear them.

The demon placed her feet on the ground and raised his hand in front of her, motioning with his eyes for her to do the same. Quickly she did and he stuck his claws into her fingertips and closed his eyes.

When he opened them, he heard Rin gasp loudly and quickly sit up. Their eyes locked and Sesshomaru got up and pulled her to her feet. The demon pivoted on his feet, wrapping her arms around his neck and took off. Rin wrapped her arms around them as he took flight.

"Hold on." he growled.

Green light emanated from him until he transformed into his giant demon form.

"Sesshomaru!" she yelped but he ignored her.

Her hands kept a firm hold on his fur as he went impossible faster.

A lot of action in this chapter! As always R&R!