Chapter 15 - Wonder

Using the last stores of his energy to teleport back to Rin and Jaken on Yakushima, Sesshomaru arrived weary. Weary but satisfied with the outcome with InuYasha. Now he could put it from his mind for the time being. He had little doubt that the foolish but determined Kagome, would manage to keep his willfull brother to heel.

Sesshomaru followed the scent of lilacs to Rin. They had moved from where he'd left them by the stream, lilel because Jaken had been in search of his master. Walking toward her now, the lord felt a sense of relief, once he could lay eyes on her again. Rin was feeding A-un some fresh greens she had collected.

Upon seeing him, Rin gasped. "Lord Sesshomaru! You're finally back!"

Gold eyes swept her quickly, assessing she was unharmed. The girl stood patient, as he moved closer, smiling up at him brightly.

"Rin. I hope you have fared well."

Nodding she offered him an unnecessary but genuine, slight bow. "Mhm! A-un and I were on our very best behavior." He had little doubt of that. "Jaken has become most melancholy though." She turned and pointed toward where the imp sat in a sad puddle by A-un's rear. Of course, Jaken would be pouting about being left behind. Sesshomaru had not expected any less.

Finally spying his master, the imp leapt to his feet laughing. "Lord Sesshomaru! What gives my Lord? Why did you go alone after InuYasha?!"

Sesshomaru gave no response, other than an assessing stare at the small green figure. Why were so many beings surrounding him so dull witted?

Suddenly, as if remembering himself, and afraid of Sesshomaru's rather common wrath, Jaken bowed low. "Oh... Master that was most uncalled for. I hope you can forgive me."

Already Sesshomaru's thoughts had drifted from the scene, and his gaze wandered to the clouds. InuYasha. He had won their father's love, and the Tetsusaiga. Sesshomaru would never again try to tempt InuYasha's fate and take it from him. The sting of knowing his father's preference, however, lingered. But he did understand.

"Lord Sesshomaru?"

Coming back to himself, Sesshomaru glanced down at Jaken and Rin who were gazing up at him in silent question. He took a breath, remembering his exhaustion.

"We will rest on Yakushima tonight."

A smile broke across Rin's face, she spun in a circle, exuberant. "Oh! I am so happy! It's so beautiful here!"

"Did you find a place you'd like to camp, Rin?" Sesshomaru offered, wanting nothing more than to sit and recuperate from the last day — no… how many days had it been since he'd rested? A week? He didn't tire as humans did, or even most other demons. But when his energy was depleted, he had to take time to allow his demonic energy to recharge by absorbing power from living things around him. Usually trees, or other plant life. If desperate, he could absorb from living beings too, though he'd never been that desperate.

"Yes my Lord!" Rin smiled at him, with her customary joy. Then, as if seeming to notice that Sesshomaru wasn't his usual self, she walked over and reached out a hand to him. "I can show you."

For a moment, he eyed her hand, hesitant to place his hand in hers. Caught between the insistence of her extended fingers, and the pleading in her eyes, he succumbed. Slowly, he offered his right hand, careful that his claws came nowhere near her delicate skin.

"It's this way my Lord." Smiling, Rin led him back into the thick and heavily green woods. Somewhere behind, Jaken rushed to grab A-un's lead and hurried to follow them through the trees.

Rin was taller, Sesshomaru noted. Her yukata seemed shorter on her legs, and she more easily grasped his hand without having to stretch to reach. The shadow loomed in his mind again. How much time had passed? Was she growing too quickly? Or was he simply noticing the passage of time now? How old had she been when he first found her? He'd never thought to ask Rin her age… it seemed far more important now, than it had before. He tucked the thought away, for further consideration.

A moment later, they emerged from the trees into the place where the pool was that Bokuseno had directed them to. Darkness gathered in the shadows of the hidden cove, as the sun began to dip down behind the trees.

"The cave on the other side is actually the inside of a huge tree." Rin spoke from his side. "It's warm and wide inside. We could make a fire... If you like it?"

Looking at the cave he'd observed before, now from a different perspective, he could see that Rin was right. It was a massive tree. The entwined roots dug deep into the rocks around, parting in the middle as a cave, the trunk soaring far above the tree top canopy.

Shifting his focus to Rin, she waited for his response, eyes bright and expectant. He offered a slight incline in his head.

Smiling even wider now, she tugged his hand gently. Acquiescing, he followed her willingly as she picked her way over the stream on rocks. Her foot slipped on one particularly slippery algae covered rock, instantly his grip on her hand tightened. Instead of falling, Rin floated, his touch transferring his power to her. Her eyes were wide, then she giggled — amusement of all things. How could she find humor in almost injuring herself?

"Careful, Rin." He cautioned, using his hand, he guided her to once more stand on the rocks. This time, he held her hand more tightly until her bare feet touched the more solid mossy rocks on the other bank.

Excitement thrummed from Rin as she led him to the tree cave. Although it had appeared quite dark inside, once she pulled him within the gaping tree, he was surprised to find that the inner walls were glowing.

Rin stopped with a sharp gasp of surprise. "Oh! Lord Sesshomaru — it's glowing!"

In the darkness, the ghost of a smile tilted his lips. "It's moss." He said quietly.

"Is it… dangerous?"

The smile widened a fraction, invisible to Rin amidst the darkness. "No." Shifting to kneel on one knee beside her, Sesshomaru guided her hand to the nearest moss covered wall. Where her fingers touched the moss, it glowed more brightly, a pale green. A delighted gasp escaped her.

"Oh!"

"It's called Dragon's Gold. It reacts to energy." He said, responding to her unspoken question.

Entranced, she let go of his hand and brushed her fingers across the tiny plants.

"They're so wonderful." She breathed in a whisper.

Sesshomaru realized, he enjoyed Rin's wonder with the world. It was so… pure. Untainted. Unlike his own jaded view of everything. She, like the moss, glowed with untouched purity.

With his hand, Sesshomaru reached out and touched the wall, beside Rin's. His hand was more than twice the size of hers. When his flesh brushed the plants they glowed a soft crimson purple.

"Ooo." She murmured, leaning forward, she watched the soft purple glow around his fingers. "Does it glow differently for you, because you're a demon?"

"Yes. It's reacting to my demon energy. The glow will be brighter, when I've fully regained my energy."

Rin's eyes shifted to his face, their height nearly the same from his crouched kneeling position. Her eyebrows pulled together with concern. Pulling his hand away from the wall, he stood, uncomfortable with how clearly she seemed to be able to discern his thoughts.

In silence he moved to the farthest wall, where he found a suitable moss covered rock and sat down. Putting all thought to rest, he leaned back against the strong living inner bark of the tree. Sesshomaru closed his eyes against confusion that he felt, when he was close to Rin — something that he now knew was the result of the kizuna, he took a deep breath. Time to recoup his lost energy.