Authors note: Thank you for being patient! Hopefully I'll be back to daily posting now.

Chapter 78 - Uneasy

The night felt very long to Sesshomaru. Usually he enjoyed the darkness, the stars and the moon. But tonight was different. He had no idea if it was the proximity to Mount Hakurei, the nearness of Naraku, or the heaviness he felt from Rin. None of it settled well in his chest, making him critically uneasy. It seemed that Rin too, was having a troubling night. She tossed and turned in her sleep, clearly dreaming. Sesshomaru didn't remember her having nightmares for many months. It tugged at something inside of him. Despite his resolve to limit his contact with her, seeing her in angst tore at his chest. Against his better judgement, late into the night when her whimpers became unbearable, Sesshomaru moved over to where Rin lay beneath her blanket. For a moment he watched her, then sighed and sank to the ground to sit beside her curled up form. As if of its own mind, his mokomoko curled around her shoulders.

For a moment Rin seemed to hold her breath in her dreams, then a soft smile melted the worries from her face. The girl's fingers curled into the fur as she snuggled into its warmth. The sensation sent a peculiar thrill down Sesshomaru's spine, which he duly ignored. Closing his eyes, he appeared to be resting, though every sense he had was wildly alive, constantly assessing the environment all around. By the time the sun finally rose, Sesshomaru was feeling weary. Too many different thoughts and emotions were pulling him in every direction, he was ready to be done with it.

Before Rin woke, he carefully disentangled his fur from her grasp, while being mindful not to permit their skin to touch. Once freed, he withdrew back to his post on the other side of the small treed area. Rin began rousing only moments after Sesshomaru left her side, eyes still closed, she searched with her hands for what was not there — that thing being Sesshomaru. Then, slowly her eyes opened, confusion swirled visibly in the dark depths. Turning, she spied the yokai standing, for all intents and purposes, in the same place he had been the night before. Her face pinched with disappointment, sending a sick feeling to the pit of Sesshomaru's stomach. I did not lie. I have nothing to feel badly for. Sesshomaru looked away.

"Good morning Lord Sesshomaru." Rin said, breaking the silence, though perhaps not quite as brightly as usual.

"Did you sleep well, Rin?"

Standing, she brushed some leaves from her yukata and folded her blanket carefully. "I was dreaming…" she began, then bit her lower lip. "Well… yes, I slept well, I suppose."

"Good." Sesshomaru kept his gaze neutral, and his face turned away. "Wake Jaken. We need to keep moving."

Shortly later they were on their way again. Sesshomaru returned to the place where Kohaku's human scent veered sharply away from the mountain and down toward the local human villages. The lack of trees and shelter from potential prying eyes was not ideal, but there was little other option. They began heading down the slope of the foothills, following the trail step by step.

I wonder where Naraku is sending him? Sesshomaru wondered silently. What could possibly draw Naraku's interest in a human village? It seemed clear that InuYasha and his group had not yet come upon Naraku either, otherwise there would be clear indications of battle. Unless he sent the boy to lure InuYasha and his friends into a trap. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. That seems most likely.

They traveled for several miles, until the edges of the village became clear, the scent of frequent human travel on the road now apparent. But it wasn't that scent, which drew Sesshomaru's attention. In the middle of the path, Kohaku's scent mingled with the almost overpowering stench of rotting corpse and graveyard soil. The yokai stopped, considering. Kohaku met them here, and took them further toward the humans. But why? Turning, Sesshomaru looked toward Mount Hakurei again, eyes narrowing. He's luring me away from the mountain. Turning abruptly back toward the sacred mountain, Sesshomaru's eyes gleamed dangerously.

"My Lord?" Jaken piped up from where he had been following. "We're going back…? I don't understand." Both Rin and Jaken watched as Sesshomaru walked past them in silence.

"I think you'd better turn A-un around Jaken." Rin said in a low tone. "We don't want to be left behind."

So. Naraku thinks he's clever enough to trick me. I won't fall for his ridiculous games. Sesshomaru marched straight down the path leading up the mountain. It wasn't long until his hunch was proved correct, Kohaku's scent emerged from the woods and meandered up the path toward the mountain. This scent was much newer, than the one leading down the mountain. You will not evade me again Naraku.

It took an hour or more to reach the mountain. Up close, it was one of the largest mountains that Sesshomaru had ever encountered, except for perhaps Mount Fuji. The mountain felt… strange. Though he could not yet put words as to why. Cautiously, they followed the rocky path up into the lower levels of the rocky crags. The uneasiness that Sesshomaru felt, grew stronger with every step. They reached a small plateaued area, that was relatively flat and open, no visible areas to hide except for the mountain peaks that soared overhead.

The yokai lord paused, then turned back to his companions. Jaken was looking decidedly greener than normal, and A-un was sluggish, walking with both heads nearly dragging on the ground. There is something very strange about this mountain. Sesshomaru thought to himself. It appears to be imparing both Jaken and A-un greatly. His golden gaze shifted to Rin, who had stopped to look at a small lizard that was running along the rocks. Yet Rin seems unaffected. Even I... Sesshomaru... feel something ill on the air.

"Jaken. Stay here with Rin, I'll return shortly."