The tall man stared at me with his golden eyes. I felt almost like I was looking into a mirror. Was I perhaps related to him? I doubted it, because why would a brother, uncle, or father treat their blood the way he was treated me. Yes, he looked at me like I was a stranger. He looked at the young girl, Rin, as if she was his responsibility. He didn’t care what happened to me. “Sesshomaru, can she come with us?” Rin asked, and he looked at her with the same face. It seemed as though it never changed.
He looked away from both of us, in the direction he had come from. “I don’t care what she does. We are going.” He started walking, his arms hanging by his side.
“Of course, lord Sesshomaru! Come on Rin, don’t get left behind!” He started pulling the dragon and following him. Rin looked over to me, her heart sad that I was not moving. She was…nice. It was unlike the feeling I had gotten from her human smell—the feeling of hate. I wondered what the feeling was for, and hoped it was from a memory. Her black hair and her small red tie that kept a portion of her hair in a ponytail jumped as she walked toward me.
“See, he says you can come with us…so come on! He will take care of you.” She grinned with a bright face and full of spirit. I had to admit to myself, she was not easy to hate.
“I didn’t hear him say that. Besides…” I looked to the green grass, watching as the small wind blew the blades to the side. “It doesn’t really sound like he wants me to come.” I looked up and watched as they started to get farther and farther away. She needed to hurry, because I didn’t want him to come back and blame me for her stubborn behavior. “You should go,”
“Please, there has never been a girl around. I’m not going until you agree to follow!” She looked at me, and her face was still turned up in a smile. It made my heart feel warm, yet her smell still made me feel uneasy. I took in a gulp of air through my nose and walked in front of her toward the direction…Sesshomaru was it, was heading. I heard Rin scream in delight behind me as she rushed ahead, her feet slamming against the soft grass as she tried to catch up. I noticed she looked back several times to make sure I was still there.
I could feel the breeze swish my hair as we walked, the ears on top of my head, small but noticeable, sensitive as it rushed by them. We caught up to the group in less than a minute, and the dog demon didn’t look back to see if I had followed. Though, I was sure he could smell me close by as I could smell his intoxicating aroma. What did I smell like to him? To me, his demon blood and the similarities we shared were strong. It was the smell that really told me just how alike we were, though still a different breed, we were born of the same demon blood—of dog demons.
Sesshomaru
The air was cool today, and I could tell Rin was not going to let up. The woman was bound to end up following us. That was just perfect, because protecting Rin was turning out to be more challenging that I would have hoped. Though, I would never allow anything to happen to her. The woman…she was like me though. Hopefully she would provide to me more useful, especially when it comes to protecting Rin. Jaken was of hardly any use, but he did keep her company and did as I asked. This woman though, I cannot remember her name. She merely mumbled it the night I brought her back to life.
She was cut up terribly, and I can’t help but wonder what must’ve happened to a dog demon that has a lot of the same blood as I. Her smell…it gives it away. She smells so sweet…so inebriating. She smells of my kind, though she has ears and a tail like a half demon, it is very clear she is full-fledged. Why is this? Something is certainly different about her. Yet…I cannot lie to myself. It pleases me she is here. My demon side calls to her, and tells me of her beauty though it is clear in my eyes. This will be troublesome.
Yuzuki
We walk, and walk, and walk, and walk, and walk some more. The scenery has not changed: green grass, green trees with perfect trunks, flowers I cannot name, and the backsides of: the little demon, the dragon, Rin, and Sesshomaru. Jaken voice, high pitched and annoying, has spoken many times to reply to Rin’s questions, though when he continues and does not stop, Sesshomaru thankfully quiets him. It is the only thing he ever says. Rin however, seems to love to learn. She asks about certain flowers and plants and what they do, birds that fly over us, animals that run away from our approach, and noises. The small demon seems to know many of the answers.
“What about that one Jaken?” She is sitting on top of the dragon, it’s two heads keeping forward. I see her pointing to a flower with a large root, pink and flowery like an open rose. I felt a surge run through my spine up to my brain as I suddenly see something else before me. I was having a flashback. I saw as I was running through the forest and picked the flower and its root. I cut the root off with my claws and ran back through the trees. I came upon a man, I couldn’t quite see his face because it was blurred but he was around a fire with a pot over it. He was small, like a child. I was no longer looking at him as I put the root into the pot. I heard his voice. “Good, the root will help my cut, let it soften and then take it out and put it on my gash. It will protect from infection.” The voice echoed inside my head as I zoned back into my reality.
“Why…I don’t know Rin. I have never seen it before.” He said as he looked at the flower in all possible directions. I looked at Rin as she looked at Jaken surprisingly, and then at Sesshomaru who seemed as if he couldn’t care less.
“It can protect from infection. The root can be boiled and placed on a cut.” I said quietly, but apparently loud enough for them to hear me. Rin turned toward me and clapped her hands and Jaken stared at me with an open mouth.
“Wow! Way to go!” Rin said happily and then looked forward again. I noticed, though it was only slight, that Sesshomaru had turned his head toward me. Was he interested in my knowledge? Though, it was only by pure chance that I knew what that one plant was. I had known none of the others that Rin had pointed to. “Jaken you got outsmarted by a girl!” Rin teased, and Jaken seemed to take it to the heart. He started whining as we continued though we never really stopped walking.
“I did not get outsmarted; she knew one, just one that I didn’t know. Oh Rin how could you say that!” tears started to fall from his closed eyes.
“Oh Jaken, you take things to seriously.” She giggled.
“Rin you are so cruel.” He sniffled but at least his stupid crying stopped. My ears were so sensitive, how could Sesshomaru stand it? I was about ready to stuff something into the little, green demon’s mouth. I looked up, trying to ignore their talking as I followed behind. The sun was setting, and because we were surrounded by forest, it was getting very dark. Surly the man stopped some time? How could Rin, a small, human girl, stand it? I had been following them for hours, and they hadn’t stopped since I had started.
We walked about an hour longer; Jaken used his staff as a light, fire bursting through the mouth of one of the heads. Finally Sesshomaru stopped, though he didn’t say anything at first. He turned his head back toward us, and looked at Rin. She looked back at him, her eyes tired and even from here I could hear her stomach growling. “We will rest here. Jaken start a fire and watch Rin.” He said before he started walking ahead. What was his deal?
“Yes me’lord.” Jaken replied as Rin hopped of the dragon and started looking around the small area for firewood. She was so small yet she was grabbing large pieces of wood that had fallen from the trees. There was one large one that she couldn’t quite add to the ones she had in her arms. I walked toward her and picked it up easily. She beamed up at me again, and bounded off toward the center of the area we stopped at as she dropped the wood and gathered more. I dropped the piece on top of her pile and Jaken used his staff to light the sticks until they lit and burned a bright red.
The fire was a lot brighter than the fire that came from his staff and lit up the area very well, though I could see even without it. “Rin, don’t go off to far!” Jaken yelled after Rin who froze when a howl rose through the hair. She stopped dead in her tracks and backed up with the wood that was in her hands. She turned around, her face terrified as she ran toward us and dropped what she had by the burning mass. I looked at her with close eyebrows, curious what she was so afraid of. The how was simply a hunting call.
“Rin…” I said softly and looked down at her as she stayed close to the fire. It was obvious she was too afraid to go near it. She looked up at me, the fire glinting and moving in the reflection of her eyes. “Stay here. I’ll get the rest…” I said, trying to soothe her, but she only nodded. I walked over to the area the howl had came from and started picking up larger logs that would last a lot longer than what she was grabbing. I walked back moments later with more than enough wood for the night as I dropped it out of the way and moved the pieces that were close to the fire.
Rin looked over to the fire, a smile on her face. “Thank you,” She said with her gleam back in the smile she was holding. I nodded my head, giving her a half smile. I couldn’t help but want to ask, but seeing as though how much the howl had frightened her, I didn’t. Jaken walked over to the dragon and pulled two blankets out of the sack that was hooked to the saddle. He put it around the fire and Rin sat on it, getting comfy. They weren’t ready to sleep yet, and I heard the rustling leaves as Sesshomaru’s footsteps came back into earshot. Moments later he returned, five dead fish in his clawed hands.
I was leaning against the dragon that was lying down now, his heads pointed away from the fire. My arms were crossed as Sesshomaru looked at the pile of wood and then at me. He handed the fish to Jaken who took them as Rin stood and took the rest. They said “Thank you lord Sesshomaru.” At the same time and started spearing them through the sticks that Rin had collected and cooked them over the fire. Sesshomaru stood there and stared at the fire, his eyes flashed to mine, and I looked away quickly. I could only hope he didn’t think I was staring at him.
The food was cooked, and I found it odd that he didn’t want to eat with them. Jaken ate the fish and so did Rin, who offered one of the fish to me. I took it kindly and took a bite out of. I suddenly felt revolted by the taste. My ears stood erect and my tail poked up as I turned and spit the food onto the ground. It tasted awful. No wonder the smell wasn’t appealing either! Perhaps demons couldn’t eat cooked food? I couldn’t remember what I could eat. I looked up and dropped the fish to the ground as Sesshomaru was looking at me. I felt my cheeks turn red in embarrassment. How must that have looked to him?
He looked back toward the fire as he stood there, the fire flickering in the reflection of his eyes. He definitely didn’t say much, and I was thankful Rin and Jaken hadn’t noticed it when I spit it out. I leaned back against the dragon and looked into the black of the forest. Rin talked finished with her food and Jaken cleaned up the mess. Sesshomaru watched as Rin got out a nap sack and rolled it onto the ground, he moved toward her when she lyed down, her eyes blinking like they were very heavy.
Jaken had already fallen asleep against a nearby tree as Sesshomaru put the blanket over Rin and then walked back to where he was standing and sat down on the ground, his legs crossed, and one arm draped over his leg. He was watching Rin as she settle into the sack, and I could hear as her heart slowed to her falling asleep. I looked from her to Sesshomaru and opened my mouth, but then closed it again. “You look as if you wish to say something. If you do just say it. You look like an idiot with your mouth open.” His eyes were staring at the fire.
“I was just going to ask…is Rin afraid of wolves?” I decided that I had nothing to lose right?
He was quiet for a moment, but then spoke as if remembering something. “Rin was attacked and killed by wolves.” He said simply, yet I did not understand. How was she killed? I looked at her with my eyebrows close together. “You seem confused.” He stated.
“How was she killed…if she here?” I looked at him, and he lifted his head, looking at me with the same face, yet there was something different about his eyes. It was possibly surprise though I couldn’t tell.
“You don’t remember?” his voice was deep, soft like an angel, yet fierce like the demon he was. I shook my head and he looked away from me. “Very well. I see you have lost your memories.” He said suddenly, and I looked at him with surprise. “First, it was clear you did not recognize us. Second, you ate that human food as if you were expecting something more than the taste of vile shit. Your memories will come back, though I do not know why they left you in the first place. My sword brings the dead back to life, that is all I am willing to say for now.” He glanced at me, seeing if his response was enough.
I nodded as my chest rose and fell. It was clear. “I…was brought back to life.” I said staring at the dancing flames, and took Sesshomaru’s silence as a yes.