The young lieutenant had been over the crescent moon when he found out he had been chosen by his fearsome Lord Sesshoumaru to fulfill a secret mission. His own father, being one of his lords trusted military advisors, was equally as elated at the news. After decades of training and proving his worth things were finally coming together and his dream to surpass his own father in rank was coming into view. There was one small problem, after a tearful farewell from his mother and a hard smack on the back of his head from his father, the ambitious young dog demon still had no clue where his lordship was leading him.

After five days of steady marching behind his idol, Masaru still had no idea where they were going and why. Suppressing another anxious sigh, the lieutenant gripped the strap to his satchel tighter and lifted his head higher. His Lord would not lead him astray!

Sesshoumaru was very much aware of the ever-changing moods of the boy behind him and was beginning to wonder if he made the right choice in selecting a guardian. The boy was still green when it came to battle but he had proven himself to be resourceful and relentless when it came to his duties. It was this type of dedication the demon lord had looked for so he would overlook the nervous aura occasionally brushing into his back, for now at least. The fact that the young lieutenant had yet to ask for more information regarding this "secret mission" amused him. It had been a few days since they departed the shiro so perhaps it was time to let the poor boy in on his plans.

"At ease Lieutenant Masaru." Sesshoumaru stopped in the middle of the worn trail he created over the years by visiting his ward. He turned to face his young subordinate and strained to remain impassive while taking in the boy's appearance.

At ease was far from how Masaru was feeling. His attempt to remain at attention while relaxed made an interesting image. The young demon stood ridged straight and could not settle on what to do with his hands. After fidgeting with his dark blue haori and running a hand through his short blonde hair, he settled on placing his arms behind his back and lifting his green eyes to meet his lord's gaze. Well, maybe not quite looking straight into those pools of amber, Masaru was still half a head shorter than Lord Sesshoumaru. There were few in the stronghold who were able to match the nearly two meters the massive dog demon stood at.

"There is a cave just ahead that will serve as your encampment." With a slight head turn to the left Sesshoumaru continued, "This One has been told there are no known predators currently residing in the hillside. Though, we are unsure if the illuminous fish found there are carnivorous." Looking back to his lieutenant Sesshoumaru saw the confusion and questions on his face.

Masaru was unsure on how to proceed. Since being plucked out of his barracks by the demon lord, this was the most he has ever witnessed him say. He was aware that Lord Sesshoumaru was known to be obscure at times so decided to wait to see if he would elaborate more on why he was to live in a murky cave with glowing fish.

With a swift turn on his heel, the demon lord continued down the path before resuming his instructions. "At the edge of the bastard half-breeds' forest there is a priestess who has been seeing to the care of This Ones ward. Your orders are to see to their protection until told otherwise." With a sharp sideways look back he said, "Failure to remain at your post and let harm befall them will result in a dishonorable death and smear to your family name."

When the demon lord turned to face ahead once again Masaru let his shoulders fall. A babysitter… that was to be his sole responsibility while his comrades went to battle and revel in glory. The last thing he could have predicted was to be catering to some old holy woman and human child. Once again, he struggled to keep in his sigh and looked down to watch his boot clad feet slowly drag him to his doom.

"Understood My Lord. I will see to the care of your ward and the elder she resides with."
The young demon's assumptions regarding the priestess were not unreasonable, but still slightly amusing to the demon lord.

"Food supplies and firewood were expected to be brought upon This Ones return. A list will be requested from the priestess, and we will see to Ah-Un and Jaken to take responsibility of procuring these items." Sesshoumaru could now see the outline of the small hut through the foliage. "From then on you will see to sending the dragon back to the stronghold when supplies are needed, or correspondents sent."

Great, the old woman and child must be incapable of even feeding themselves. Why live so far from any village if they cannot even do simple tasks? The lieutenant had seen the young ward running around the shiro during the cold seasons and could not figure out why his lordship cared for her. Human children were loud and greedy creatures in his opinion.

As the demons broke through the tree line and came into sunlight, sounds of laughter drifted through the small clearing. To the left and behind the hut sat two females tending to what appeared to be a garden. The taller of the two began to stand and turn towards the approaching demons while brushing dirt onto her pale pink apron.

The bright smile the stunning priestess greeted them with nearly caused Masaru to trip over his own feet.