The Fox and The Hound (Completed)

Chapter 8: Found

I had spent the entire day trying to convince myself to not run away, that what I was doing was the right thing, that Sesshomaru would accept Rin as well. Then I had to figure out how to tell Rin that we will be leaving. It wasn't easy leaving the place you have known and lived in since birth. I had to make sure she was okay with coming with me. By the time I was done with my thoughts, it was already morning and I was glad that I put up a barrier around our hut for good measure. 

I ran to our hut and quickly went inside to tell Rin the news but when I saw that she wasn't there anymore, I panicked. I ran to the river in the hopes that she would be there, playing in the water or catching fish but she wasn't there either. I ran to the village and asked around if they had seen her but none of them had seen her. I was beginning to lose my mind and all sorts of thoughts were clouding my judgement. 

As I walked back to the hut, I tried to comfort myself. Maybe she was back, maybe she had just gone out to play. Maybe...just maybe...

But then, I smelled something in the wind. A smell that nearly broke me. Blood. I ran towards it, hoping, praying that it wasn't my Rin's blood. As it got stronger, I smelled wolves then it hit me. Right before my eyes were a pack of wolves and in the middle was...Rin.

I snapped and growled as I charged towards them and pushed them away to get to Rin. She had no pulse and she had bite marks all over her. These wolves...they had killed her. My eyes exploded in tears and I screamed as loud as I could. My heart was twisting in knots as I held Rin closer to my chest. My Rin...she was gone just like that. The pain was back but it was worse. I had lost something more precious than my sword. I had lost my daughter. I cried louder as my body bursted with blue flames. I felt my eyes roll back into their sockets as my whole body ached. Then everything went black.

Sesshomaru P.O.V

"Sesshomaru..." 

My eyes snapped open at the sound of her voice. I searched my surroundings but no one was there. Not a single sign of life. I was beyond irritated and I let out a deep sigh. I didn't like the fact that my own mind was aiding in making a fool out of me. 

It was already morning, around the time the little white fox would come to visit me but she was running a little late. I had had enough of waiting. I'm sure the fox wouldn't mind if I left, she had taken good care of me and had kept me company during my recovery. The only creature who wasn't afraid of me even though she was so small. She would have made a great pet for Asami. No matter, I couldn't keep her for long. I owed my life to her and she would probably dislike it if I forcefully took her with me and made her into Asami's pet. 

I had to find Asami. I would not be satisfied until she is safely in my arms. The longer I wait, the more anxious I feel that she had already been stolen away from me by another man. 

As I tried to stand up, I spotted something to my right. A message written in the dirt. "Sesshomaru...come to the hut not too far from here. I know where the fox woman you spoke of is..." it read and I felt my body regain its energy. The little white fox was probably one of her subordinate's sent to test me. Had I passed her test? Was she not afraid of me anymore?

Maybe...just maybe...

Then, I heard a loud growl in the distance. I felt my heart skip a beat at that familiar sound. I could understand it. It was a cry filled with grief and anger and I recognised that voice. It was Asami's. I felt extremely anxious. She was in trouble. 

I followed the sound of her cries and ran as fast as I could, hoping that she was alright. I felt worry and anger bubble up from within me. Whoever dares to do harm to her will die a gruesome death by my hands. 

I jumped as high as I could, floating as I looked in all sorts of directions for any possible sign of her. Then, I saw her nine-tailed beast. Her eyes were glowing dangerously as she hissed and growled, her tails swinging carelessly and destroying everything in their path. Something had provoked her. I had to calm her down. This form was uncontrollable and because she was not used to it, it will only cause her pain. The last time this happened, she was asleep for three whole days and looked like she was close to death. Those three days were utter torment for me. I felt useless, I couldn't do anything to undo what I had done. I was not about to let that happen again.

I attempted to transform but my body was still too weak and it wouldn't allow me to do so. I didn't know what else I could do. I tried to catch her attention by flying towards her eyes but she wasn't looking at me. Her eyes were moving in all sorts of directions as if she were looking for someone. "Riiiiin!" she howled a name before her tails swatted me away. I managed to stop myself before I hit anything but I was forced to land back onto the ground. She was looking for someone, a person named Rin.

Although her tails were moving around wildly, she wasn't moving from her spot at all. I decided to come closer to her, she was guarding something and I hoped that it would be the key to calming her down. 

When I arrived, the sight before me was enough to tell me what had happened to her. Beneath her were the scorching corpses of wolves and the corpse of a child covered in bite marks. This child was most likely Rin. I felt a sting in my heart. I was gone too long, she had found someone else. 

Then I realised, the child couldn't have been hers, the timing didn't make sense. The child looked to be a few years old already and only a few months had passed since I last saw Asami but then, what is this child's significance to her? Why had her death caused Asami so much pain?

"Riiiiin!" Asami howled once again and I realized that I had no time to think about it. No matter for what reason, this child was important to her and Tenseiga acknowledged this too. It pulsed and I immediately saw the little vermin that were tasked to take the child's soul away. I killed them in an instant and the child suddenly breathed in and sat up. Her skin was free of dirt or grime and no longer had the scars from her previous life. She was completely revived.

"W-who are you, mister?" she asked as she stared at me. "Irrelevant. Child, you must make as much noise as you can to attract the attention of that giant fox, otherwise, your mother will die" I told her. She immediately ran to the nine-tailed beast and screamed as loud as she could. Asami noticed her and her tails stopped. Giant tears left her eyes as she began to shrink.

There was no longer any doubt in my mind. This child had taken Asami's heart. I had finally found her but I was too late.