Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 10: Sesshomaru

"Lord Sesshomaru, welcome back - Yuki!" Rin squealed, launching herself to latch onto the half-demoness's legs. "I've missed you!"

"I missed you too, Rin." Yuki laughed as she hugged the child warmly.

'So, I was right when I said Rin was looking for me the whole time.' Yuki thought wryly as Sesshomaru brushed passed them. 'Poor kid, she so rarely has someone to play with... though Sesshomaru surprisingly seems to spoil her a lot.'

She glanced at the dog demon with a grin, which he studiously ignored as he asked: "Rin, have you been good?"

'He even sounds like a father.' Yuki thought with a chuckle, and Sesshomaru sent her a warning glare, clearly knowing exactly what she was thinking.

Yuki just shrugged as Rin chirped happily: "Yes! A-Un and I were on our very best behaviour."

She nodded to the dragon beside her before she glanced back as she added: "Master Jaken has been most melancholy though."

Yuki looked over to see Jaken siting dejectedly on the ground quite a bit behind A-Un, and she stifled another laugh as Jaken looked up and brightened considerably.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" He cried as he came running over. "You have returned- what is she doing here?"

Jaken screeched to a halt as he stared at Yuki incredulously, and Yuki waved.

"Hello, again, imp." She teased, and Jaken yelled: "I am not an imp, you dim-witted half-breed!"

"Jaken."

Yuki glanced at Sesshomaru, somewhat surprised though she was starting to feel less so around the dog demon, while Jaken flinched.

"Yes, mi lord?" Jaken asked quickly, and Sesshomaru ordered: "She will be travelling with us from now on, to look after Rin."

"Eh?" Jaken gaped while Rin cheered: "Yay!"

"But, but, mi lord, why?" Jaken wailed, and Yuki did laugh a little while Sesshomaru just looked down at the small demon.

Jaken gulped and he quickly backed down again as he said: "I apologize, that was out of line."

Suddenly both Yuki and Sesshomaru turned their heads, staring to the East.

Rin and Jaken blinked, the former asking cautiously: "Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Yuki, what is it?" Rin asked, tugging on Yuki's sleeve, and Yuki looked back at the child with a small, sad smile.

"It's nothing." She replied. "Come on, Rin. I bet you haven't eaten yet."

Rin brightened and she followed Yuki as the half-demoness took her into the forest to look for food. Rin chattered away while Yuki glanced back once, briefly meeting Sesshomaru's eyes before she turned away again.

They had both smelt it – Inuyasha was awake and his blood had returned to normal.

'But when will he be affected again?' Yuki thought with a sad sigh, missing her friend already. Sesshomaru meanwhile turned to face the East once more, staring pensively in the direction that he'd left his younger half-brother.

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"Rin!"

Rin laughed as Yuki shook her head, a smile forming on her face as she brushed the water out of her eyes. Rin had splashed her cheekily as they'd prepared to fish in a stream the group had stumbled upon, and now the child was giggling hysterically.