Authors note: I am so grateful that everyone has been so patient with me. I know the break from Barefoot must seem long.
This last week just utterly took everything out of me. At work we had a (sub) manager quit before a major public event, plus issues with some of our other workers schedules. I had to work to get everything covered and fixed. Plus a very close friend arrived Friday for a visit. It's just been crazy.
I have one chapter ready for you guys. The next one will hopefully come tomorrow (Monday) — if all goes well. They're forecasting a major winter storm with snow (I currently live in Florida) this week, so people are just losing their minds here. I may have to take a couple additional days off of writing, if we do get a storm and I have to rework schedules… again.
Thank you again for being patient. Love you.
Chapter 77 - Troublemaker
The sun was shining and rising steadily in the sky, casting long warm rays across the cool mountainous valleys, as Sesshomaru finally pinpointed Jaken and Rin. They had wandered from the place he had left them near the woods, down to an area that was closer to the water. Rin's lilac scent teased his nose, along with the unmistakable earthy oily scent of Jaken's skin. As he drew nearer, he could hear them calling out for him. Did they think I was lost?
"Lord Sesshomaru?" The voice was clear and sweet, every inch of it Rin.
"Hellooooo!" Jaken's squawky voice called in conjunction with hers. "He's not here…"
Eager to get the hunt underway, Sesshomaru stepped free of the forest's shadows and into the small clearing where Jaken and Rin stood.
"Look!" Rin cried, the smile on her face irrepressible, eyes shining when she spotted him. "Here comes Lord Sesshomaru now!" Their eyes met, as he approached with deliberate steps. Hers were shining with that adoration and wonder, a sight he found himself becoming dependent on.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken cried in his irritating and grating sort of way. "Where have you been?" He demanded, in a way that would have usually drawn a swift smack on the imp's head.
Instead, Sesshomaru's eyes remained on Rin. "I found him." The wonder in her eyes shifted slightly, to curiosity, along with a tiny tilt of her head to the left.
"Huh?" Jaken said, clearly not understanding.
"I found him." Sesshomaru repeated, this time with a bolder tone.
"Found who?" Jaken asked, still not following what his master was trying to convey.
"That little troublemaker."
Jaken put his clawed hand to his chin in thought. "Little troublemaker?" He tilted his head, obviously trying to figure out which troublemaker it could be. "Little troublemaker… oh you mean the boy that was with Naraku!"
Rin's eyes widened slightly, there was a tone of concern deep in their brown depths. "You mean Kohaku?" Sesshomaru's eyes were still on Rin, studying the micro-expressions that shifted across her face.
She's concerned for him. The thought irritated Sesshomaru deep inside somewhere. I thought she would be pleased… Kohaku almost killed her. His lips pressed into a firm line, as he thought back to the moment that Rin had awoken. Only seconds after Sesshomaru had dropped Kohaku to the ground, deciding not to choke the life from his body. What happened Kohaku? The words she had spoken rang through his mind again. She was concerned for the boy. Hm. He turned away without speaking. Why does that bother me? I should be relieved that she's found a human to attach to… that is the future goal, isn't it? Sesshomaru walked toward the woods, his mokomoko gliding on the air behind him.
"Oh… wait!" Jaken cried, leaping and running after his master. "Please wait Lord Sesshomaru!"
There was a heavy silence that fell over the traveling group. Rin didn't speak, which was unusual, she seemed abnormally somber. Sesshomaru deliberately did not turn to look at her again, knowing that his irritation of her concern for the human boy, would show. Rin is overly perceptive of my mood. She would certainly know if our eyes met. Jaken, oblivious to the reason, still understood that there was some tension in the air. He remained wisely, silent, as they moved through the woods.
It was some time later before they arrived to the smoldering ruins of the temple. InuYasha and all trace of his group was gone, other than a lingering scent on the breeze. Sesshomaru aimed for the tree he had seen the boy in, then flew up to examine the branches. The scent is strong here. This is exactly where he stood. Confident now that he was on the right track, Sesshomaru followed the boy's scent where he had leapt down to the ground on the far side of the tree. Quietly, Rin and Jaken waited, watching. Rin remained, concerned and slightly anxious, her hands clasped before her. Sesshomaru focused on the scent, blocking out everything else, he couldn't be distracted or concerned by Rin's human feelings. Naraku is all that matters.
Sesshomaru followed the scent, moving in elegant silence through the thick forest. The boy was making no effort to hide himself or subdue his scent, he had walked straight down the path through the woods. Kohaku's shoulders had brushed almost every single branch that he passed. For a time, the yokai wondered if the boy had been lost, the trail was so aimless. For hours, they traveled in a wide circle.
Mount Hakurei is near. He thought, casting a glance over the treetops, where the mountain looked high above shrouded in mist. He paused for a moment, considering the mountain. Mount Hakurei is sacred, why would someone so evil as Naraku linger around a sacred place? Something is strange. Eventually the trail veered away from the mountain, out in the direction of some of the local villages. It was a very direct route. Odd.
Sesshomaru paused, once they turned to follow the path that Kohaku had turned to, they would leave the cover of the woods and be traveling out in the open.
"We will camp here tonight." He turned and walked back deeper into the woods, until he found a suitable sheltered area. Behind him, Rin and Jaken filed in silently and began settling in for the night. Above, the sun cast orange rays across the sky. Sesshomaru took a breath and moved to lean against a broad old tree. He wouldn't rest tonight, not when they were so close to Naraku... so close he could taste it. If Naraku became aware, he would certainly send mercenaires to prevent Sesshomaru's forward motion.
The yokai's eyes lifted to Rin. The worried look in her eyes still lingered. She believes I will kill the boy. The thought was intriguing... but if he'd wanted to kill Kohaku, he would have done it immediately after he'd kidnapped Rin at Naraku's behest. The boy is clearly controlled by the demon, it makes no sense to kill him. He's only a tool. One that Naraku uses, and one that I also can use.