Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 12: Panther Demons

A month passed after the incident with the Tree of Ages, relatively calm compared to the whirlwind that had been Yuki's meeting Sesshomaru and her reunion with Inuyasha. In that time, she had settled down properly in travelling around with Sesshomaru and Rin, and even Jaken had warmed up to her as they taunted and made fun of each other.

But on this day, a month or so into their journey as a group, her companions noted with some confusion that Yuki appeared to be in an uncharacteristically foul mood.

It started rather suddenly, when she apparently woke up on the wrong side of the bed so to speak, withdrawing into herself slightly and biting off Jaken's head when he commented on it. Rin followed her worriedly, and while Yuki wasn't outright sharp with the human child she was certainly moodier and curt in her responses to Rin's questions.

It reminded them of her strange mood the prior month with the Tree of Ages, and it was starting to get on Sesshomaru's nerves, though he wouldn't admit to it. If she persisted in annoying him though, he'd have a word with her.

The sky was cloudy as they arrived at the place Sesshomaru had been searching for, and A-Un grunted as he stepped up to the edge of the cliff. The others walked up behind A-Un, Yuki trailing along at the back, while Rin peered over A-Un to look down into the gloomy valley below.

"Where are we now?" She wondered, and Jaken explained: "A place where a giant demon named Ryuukotsusei was sealed into a dormant state."

They stared at the broken cliff side opposite where they stood, Rin's eyes widening while Yuki's expression turned thoughtful. Sesshomaru simply observed the mangled corpse that lay half-buried in the cliff-side as Jaken noted: "Strange though, that it was completely destroyed like this."

Jaken turned to his master as he wondered: "Lord Sesshomaru, do you honestly think that this is Inuyasha's doing?"

Yuki had to shake her head in exasperation at the question: there was no doubt this was Inuyasha. If the large fang buried in Ryuukotsusei's body was not proof enough, she could smell Inuyasha's scent all over the place from a mile away, though the scent was old by now.

"It's anyone's guess how he might have accomplished this." Sesshomaru answered, still staring thoughtfully at the corpse below.

"Indeed." Jaken gulped. "Imagine Inuyasha defeating such a formidable foe! It took everything in your father's power to seal Ryuukotsusei into dormancy!"

He glanced around before yelping as he realized he was alone. Sesshomaru had started off once more, Rin and A-Un right behind him while Yuki wandered off a little to the side.

"Don't leave me behind, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken cried, and Yuki sighed as she heard him tripping over himself once more.

Jaken really needed to learn to keep his trap shut – for a demon who feared Sesshomaru as much as he admired him, Jaken sure knew how to tick the dog demon off. Yuki glanced up at the sky once more, and heaved another sigh.

She needed to leave soon: it was starting to get a little too close for comfort.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sesshomaru's eye twitched as Yuki scowled into the trees. She'd been staring into the distance for a while now and her mood was starting to affect Rin, who sat slumped on A-Un as they travelled.

"Yuki?" Rin asked timidly, and the half-demoness replied absently: "Yes?'

"What are you looking at?" Rin asked curiously, but Yuki replied shortly: "Nothing."