"You seem troubled."
I fiddled my fingers around the mint leaves that I plucked to chew on. Bathing had become a luxury and sweat from all the spars Sesshomaru made me go through was inevitable. The last thing I needed was a case of bad breath.
"That would be an understatement."
"Another nightmare?" He asked. I hesitated momentarily, unsure how much to reveal to Sesshomaru. He knew the dreams that bothered me, but never in detail. "No, it wasn't," I answered him. A new man had entered the realm and though I couldn't remember it in detail, the power I felt from him was unimaginable.
Amid the grim battlefield, he emerged as a paragon of elegance and fearlessness. Each demon that crossed his path met a swift and graceful end as he wielded his blade with the fluidity of a maestro conducting a symphony, every strike a deadly note in a melody of eradication. His finesse made the impossible seem effortless, a dance of death performed with unwavering grace. Did such a warrior really exist in this period?
"Do folks around here also hunt demons?" I recalled what Sesshomaru told me the day we climbed Mount Hebi - how humans had a contrasting aura to the demons'. The Mikos in temples were trained to perform sacred rituals to ward off evil spirits; Granny used to perform diligently for our shrine, too.
"They do." The answer didn't really come as a surprise. We resumed training shortly after. My arms and legs burned with tenacity and adrenaline coursing through my veins. Every hit was a cataclysmic rhythm, screaming through my ears like howling wolves. The crescendo of our blades hitting was a familiar tune I couldn't quite grasp; the movements he taught me, though it had only been weeks since we began, was an inherent choreography. I had to admit, I was rather impressed with myself. Sesshomaru never would, but I knew he was too. Of course, that never stopped him from commenting on something that needed work.
"Your movements are still too predictable; you must think less of your next attack and observe your opponent's movement more." Our blades clashed again. "You're not exactly giving me an opening chance." He scoffed at my response. "You honestly believe your enemy would allow such foolishness to happen?" He parried my sword out of Tenseiga's range. "Also," I continued, "you didn't let me have breakfast before we sparred." I could only hope Rin and Jaken hadn't devoured all the fish we caught.
"You think soldiers in battle do not eat their fill before entering battle?" Sesshomaru's voice plunged into a deep alto. "Many could not even bid their final farewell to their loved ones before their departure to war." I sighed. "Yes, but I am still new to this, and we're not in a war now, are we?" The prince remained unamused as I sheathed my sword. "Just give me some time to fuel up and we'll go back to training, okay?" It was his turn to sigh. "Thirty minutes."
Relief lessened the tension knotting my limbs and the anticipation of roasted, crispy fish was all that filled my head...until I saw the basket completely empty.
"YOU ATE THEM ALL?!?!" The disbelief on my face, alongside such an unexpected level of outburst coming out of me, scared the two criminals to hide behind A-Un.
"Y-Y-You took too long!" Jaken argued, pointing his staff at me - the nerve of him.
"Rin swears she did her best not to eat your portion! But...you did take too long. Rin couldn't help it!"
I felt a migraine coming from the side of my head and I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with the smug on the silverlock's face. "We can catch more for you!" Rin quickly suggested. She then dragged Jaken back into the river, much to his disapproval. But it was the waiting game that I hated - there was also the cooking time I had to consider. "I'm going for a stroll." I left before any of them could say a word. By no means, was I angry at Jaken and Rin (well, maybe a little) but I was never one to sit still; I might as well view the beautiful river and follow its course. If there was one thing I had to appreciate in this era, it was nature's beauty.
The sound of the gentle stream was like a calm melody. As exhausted as I was, I hadn't felt this much peace since falling into the feudal era. How long had it been, exactly? I could only hope time in the feudal era didn't work slower than the present. I'd hate to see a full-grown Sota and Kagome, Mom looking old and frail, and Gramps...I slapped my cheeks. I refused to stay pessimistic. I will find a way back home, I told myself. As I traveled deeper into a secluded waterfall, the temperature grew to a sudden frigid degree. The waters turned into ice and a thick fog slowly covered the river. My hands immediately found their way to my sword. This eerie aura chilling my bones could only mean one thing.
"If it isn't Toran."
I jumped hearing Sesshomaru's voice. "Warn a girl, would ya?!" I hissed. Amidst the fog, a feminine silhouette drew closer to us. A woman, not much older-looking than me, appeared with skin pale as snow, and jagged, blue hair that reached her waist.
"It's been a long time, Sesshomaru." Judging by the shape of her ears and the sharpness of her fangs and nails, she was a demon. A demon who seemed to possess the powers of winter.
"I thought you were dead," Seshhomaru said. The woman chuckled. "That's a fine way to greet someone."
"Get behind me, Yuna," Sesshomaru ordered. I gladly complied.
"Oh? What's this?" She had the same amused look as the late serpent, "Last time I checked, you despised humans. Has the vicious son of the Great Alpha turned into a lap dog?"
"Care to find out?" He placed his hand on Tokijin when Toran interjected, "Come now, don't be so hasty. I admit, things didn't turn out as well as they did fifty years ago, but none of that matters anymore."
"State your purpose here."
She looked back at Sesshomaru, "Our master awaits you."
"Last time I checked, your master burned in agony by my father's claws and left his pathetic carcass to rot."
Toran frowned at the offense the prince made. "Not for long." She growled, "For unlike your foolish father, our master will be resurrected."
"Resurrected?" It was Sesshomaru's turn to frown.
"We will reclaim our rights to the Eastern province and our revenge against your people." The frozen river burst open, leaving shards of ice coming their way. Sesshomaru blocked them all swiftly with his claws. But the attack was a mere diversion. A sharp rope made of ice wrapped itself around my waist, yanking me away from Sesshomaru.
"Let go of me you freak!"
"Ooo, you're a feisty human," Toran taunted before grabbing my face with her clawed hand. "You'd make a fine meal for our master." She turned back to Sesshomaru, a new glint in her eyes. "Did you hear that, Sesshomaru? If you wish to save your maiden you will come to our castle!" Her voice then deepened. "We shall settle things there once and for all."
A whirl of ice and snow encapsulated us, changing the scenery into a dark and cold room. She threw me to the ground, locking me in a cell. "What do you want from me?!" I demanded, digging my nails into the wooden cage. She bent down to meet my eyes. "Nothing at all. I just needed a pawn to lure Sesshomaru into our lair."
"You underestimate him," I growled. "Sesshomaru isn't a fool to fall for your dumb trap." Another chuckle escaped her lips before her hand gripped me by the throat, slamming one side of my face into the rigid pen. "Be careful of how you speak to me, wench. You'd be surprised what attachments can do to a demon like him." Her eyes glazed over the sword wrapped around my waist. With her other hand, she reached out to steal the sword from me. But the moment her fingers grazed the sheath, a white flash burst out of the sword, burning her entire hand and arm. Touran released me from her grasp with a scream howling through the dense dungeon.
I, too, was caught off guard by the sword's reaction, but the look on Touran's face enlightened me to beam at her burnt wound. "What sort of weapon is that?" She hissed.
"The kind that'll roast you like a turkey platter if you don't get me out of this cell."
Ice formed through Touran's injury. " A cloaking spell of massive spiritual energy, huh? You may not be who you seem you are, child. All the more you would be a pleasant meal for our master's resurrection." She approached the cell once more, though carefully, should my sword react a second time. "But don't worry, I'll make sure you get to watch your precious prince die like the mut he is."
Touran left me to my thoughts; silence fell within the darkness and all I could think about was Sesshomaru. A part of me knew - a strong and intelligent creature like him would never go above and beyond to save me. Not when he knew it was a trap. If anything, he might be relieved that the burden to watch over me was lifted from his shoulders. And yet - I pulled my knees closer to my chest - a part of me hoped he would be dumb enough to rescue me. I tredded to the furthest end of the cage, sinking back to the floor, and succumbing to the weight anchoring my eyes to shut.
At some point, a cry jolted me awake. Blurred figures, formed by what little light there was, appeared before me. "You're not gonna get away with this!" My heart stammered hearing her voice. I knew that voice.
"Just stay in there and behave," Touran commanded the girl before she and the rest of her goons exited. I stood up and slowly approached my new cellmate. I didn't want to get my hopes up, but the conditions proved that it was her: the uniform she wore, her thick long hair, and the feistiness of her voice that resembled Gramps.
"Kagome?"
The girl stiffened hearing my stumbling voice. She slowly turned her head at me. The second she did so, I rushed in to hug her. I allowed the tremors to unfold, the tears to crash her face, hair, and shoulder. Her arms wrapped themselves around me too as she cried my name out. "You're here! I can't believe it, you really have been here this whole time!" Reality began to settle in and I realized the possible indication of my sister's words. I pulled myself away from Kagome.
"You were here this whole time?!"
Kagome sniffled a cry as she nodded. "Oh Yuna, I've missed you so much! I'm so sorry I wasn't there to see you when you came back. None of this would've happened if I had been there in the first place! I was so worried about you! Mom, Gamps, and Sota are all so worried too! I thought..."
"Breathe Kagome," I told her, tears still streaming down my face, "Never mind what happened." I tucked one of her hair strands behind her ear. "I'm just so glad you're safe."
"Me too."
"And you've got a lot of explaining to do," I told her.
"So do you."