Chapter 73 - Smoke

The sun was bright, especially bright, spilling its joy and heat across the mountains and valleys far below. Despite the warmth of the sun, there was a cool breeze and a mountainous chill to the air. Sesshomaru kept their travel mostly concealed, just within the confines of the forest and trees. There was no reason to reveal themselves publicly, and announce their hunt to Naraku. Though in all likelihood, Naraku probably already knew of Sesshomaru's presence in the area, if indeed the demon was still hiding somewhere close by.

It was early morning when they heard the noise from a group of human men, who were working in their fields near the woods. Sesshomaru paused, eyeing the men working in the distance. He could hear their mumbled conversation, but not specifically the subject matter.

"Jaken." The imp jumped, and hurried to his master's side.

"Yes my Lord?"

"Go ask those men, if they've seen anything strange in the area."

Jaken eyed the workers, and heaved a great sigh, then hurried out through the brush and across the field. Only the imp's staff was visible above the green field grasses, that were growing tall and healthy.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin spoke from her perch atop A-un's back. Without speaking, Sesshomaru turned to meet her gaze. A smile tilted her lips as their eyes met. "I've been meaning to ask you… what exactly are we doing?"

Sesshomaru, considered her question, and failed to understand it. Had he been a dog, he would have tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

She shifted, sliding both her feet onto the same side of the saddle, so that she was fully facing the yokai. "I mean… you're looking for something. I'm wondering what it is."

Does she not know? Sesshomaru, who had been looking at her over his shoulder, turned his attention back to where Jaken's staff bobbed above the top of the tall grasses. "I'm seeking Naraku."

"Ohh." Rin fell silent, clearly contemplating what he had said. "I see."

The silence remained thick between them, until Jaken came running back several minutes later, completely out of breath. Sesshomaru looked down at the imp expectantly, as he heaved trying to catch his breath.

"Well?" Sesshomaru prompted.

"They… said… they saw… smoke…" Jaken wheezed between words.

"Smoke?" Sesshomaru looked up at the clear blue sky. There is no visible smoke today, and it was not cool enough for fog to have risen from the ground.

"It's on the… other side of the ridge…" Jaken pointed a claw over past them in the woods. "You can't see it from here because the forest is so thick."

"Hm." Sesshomaru lifted his nose in the air. There was no scent of smoke on the wind. Strange. "Let's go." The yokai turned and moved deeper into the forest, with Jaken and Rin close on his heels. Any lead was worth following at this point, since there had been a complete lack of them for so long. They walked through the woods, which eventually thinned into a raised ridge of boulders. His eyes constantly searching for a place where the smoke would be visible. Jaken and Rin lagged a bit behind, with Sesshomaru significantly in the lead, his hunters urge spurring his speed.

"That Naraku!" Jaken said suddenly, breaking the silence, as if he had been in the middle of a conversation. If he had, it was a conversation within his own mind. "Just wait! I'll show him a thing or two, I can assure you!" He broke off into menacing sounding giggling. Which, in itself, was disturbing.

Sesshomaru wasn't paying especially close attention to the imp and his conversation with himself. His eyes and nose were entire trained on the environment around them. Suddenly, he stopped, gold eyes narrowed in focus. I smell him. Memories flashed before his eyes, the first time he had smelled this scent. Rin lying on the ground amidst the grass, a boy leaning over her with a scythe poised above her neck — the rage Sesshomaru had felt within his own heart. Naraku's servant, the boy. Kohaku. Sesshomaru's hand clenched, envisioning the moment he had considered choking the life from the boy, for daring to touch Rin. His Rin. But… Rin lived. So he had spared the boy. However that did not change that the boy still willingly served Naraku. His eyes swept the trees that lines the small path along the rocky outcropping. He's here… somewhere.

A short distance behind, Jaken with Rin in tow on A-un, were catching up to where Sesshomaru had stopped.

"So I was wondering Lord Sesshomaru, why do you seek Naraku?"Sesshomaru could hear the question in her normal sweet tone, it was a clear extension of their conversation from earlier in the morning. Not knowing about their conversation, Jaken was the one who responded to her.

"Don't you know anything?!" Jaken squealed, from the ground where he led A-un by the reins. "It's because Naraku abducted you that Lord Sesshomaru is bent on vengeance."

Finally focusing on the conversation, Sesshomaru felt a frown pull at the corners of his lips. That is not something Rin needs to know. Irritation bloomed in his chest toward the pesky nosey imp.

Rin gasped in excited astonishment. "Oh?! It's all because of me?!" A glance from the corner of his eyes, informed the yokai that Rin's eyes were gleaming with that excited wonder, that she embodied so well. Sesshomaru found he couldn't look away. He was entranced by the glow in her eyes. Her thoughts were all but audible -- things he refused to listen to.

"Don't be so conceited you silly child! It's not about you!" Jaken continued, ignorant of both Sesshomaru and Rin's reactions. "Lord Sesshomaru's honor has been insulted. Don't let his calm demeanor fool you. Underneath he is a boiling, angry, seething, mass of--" Jaken, running his mouth without looking where he was going, had face planted directly into Sesshomaru's leg. The yokai lord, was indeed seething at the particular moment. Jaken needs to temper his mouth. The imp stared up at his master with evident horror. "Eugh... uh oh..." The tiny green demon whimpered. The movement was so fast, that it would have been missed if he blinked. Sesshomaru's fist connected with Jaken's head, leaving the imp collapsed and dazed with a growing welt under his cap.

Anger festering, Sesshomaru turned back to the path and continued walking. Irritating, self deluded... He huffed, releasing his anger and refocusing on the task ahead.