Demons Eyes

Chapter 40

Noros head pounded, and as she slowing regained consciousness, she felt something cool race down her cheek. She groaned, and her eyes slowly flickered open.

"Sesshomaru," she asked slowly, her stiff tongue laying a slow enunciation on the syllables of his name.

The dai yokai blinked, and leaned back onto his haunches before standing up.

Noro lifted a hand up to her face, struggling to sit up amongst the rubble of the collapsed bridge. A quick river ran past them a few yards away, its gurgling the only noise around them.

"What happened? The last thing that I remember was... Rin!"

She leapt up, and a wave of nausea had her falling forward. Sesshomaru grabbed her arm to steady her, and Noro brought up her other hand to fist in the cloth of his empty sleeve.

"Where's Rin and Jaken," she demanded, her face inches from his. Sesshomaru stared at her.

"Go ugh, uh... Milord," came a shaky voice from the rubble. The two turned their heads towards the sound. It was Jaken.

Relieved that the imp had survived the sheer plummet, Noro turned back to Sesshomaru. She blinked. What was that light in his eyes?

Then she realized that she was still holding onto his sleeve, Noro let go of the fabric and backed up, bringing her hand up to her face again. It seemed that she had gotten wounded in the fall, and some debris had cut open her forehead. Blood trickled down the side of her face. Then it dawned on her.

"Jaken you miserable slut!"

Noro whirled around and grabbed the imps staff, whacking him over the head with it. "That was fucking brilliant, setting fire to wooden bridge!" She whacked him again.

"I ought to kill you! Because of you, Rin might be-!"

The stick dropped from her hands, as tears welled from her crimson eyes. "Rin," she cried.

After a few sobs, she wiped her tears and looked around, then turned to Sesshomaru, who had been standing silently by. "Is she ok," she asked, "where is she?"

The demon lord glanced at the river. "The water is carrying her scent away," he said softly. Then he turned and began to follow the river. Noro grabbed Jaken by the collar and walked after him.