Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 23: Wolf Demon Tribe

"It's been a whole month." Yuki sighed.

They were traveling through the forest as per usual, Sesshomaru striding on ahead while Jaken and Yuki followed and A-Un and Rin brought up the rear.

"Silence!" Jaken snapped. "Don't you dare complain when it was the information you brought us that has led to nothing so far!"

"Oh, please." Yuki snorted. "We're still weeks away from the Ox-Tiger, and it's the best lead we've got because it's the only lead we have. What would you suggest we do?"

"What was that?" Jaken asked sharply, but Yuki went on over him: "I'm just saying, it's been a whole month since we've seen any sign of Naraku. I was kinda hoping we'd have at least found something by now."

"Silly girl!" Jaken scolded. "It's naïve to think things would be easy in a quest of this magnitude. Why, even with Lord Sesshomaru's superior powers-"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you." Yuki advised.

Jaken realized what he'd been about to say and gulped, quickly slapping his hand over his mouth and glancing furtively at Sesshomaru while Yuki skipped on ahead to match pace with the dog demon.

"Hey, Sesshomaru." Yuki called, and he glanced at her.

Jaken would have scolded her for her familiar way of calling the demon lord, but he'd long since given up. And besides, Sesshomaru himself didn't seem to care; in fact, Jaken seemed to get reprimanded more often for criticizing Yuki.

"I smell a river." Yuki went on, and Sesshomaru stopped.

She grinned happily, while Rin, having heard Yuki's words, asked hopefully: "May we go and try catch some fish, mi lord?"

"Do as you wish." He replied, and Rin cheered as she dashed off.

"Come on, Yuki, Master Jaken!" Rin called as she dashed off to where Yuki had turned her head, hinting at the direction of the stream.

"Wah- slow down, Rin!" Jaken shouted as he ran after the child. "Don't be so hasty!"

Somehow, since the incident when he'd been poisoned by the Saimyosho, Jaken found himself being turned guardian of the human girl once again while Yuki aided Lord Sesshomaru, despite her being the newest addition to their group.

'Wait, why is there something wrong with this picture?' Jaken wondered as he hurried after Rin.

Yuki smiled after them, before glancing at Sesshomaru.

"You really aren't going to join?" She asked, and he just looked at her.

"Fine, be that way." Yuki shrugged as she started loping after Jaken and Rin. "Though you're really missing out on a lot of fun."

"... I don't have time for games." Sesshomaru stated and Yuki chuckled.

She was no longer surprised when he actually responded to her, and Yuki explained as she walked: "Sure you do. You just don't play."

"It is unnecessary." Sesshomaru commented in his flat manner, and Yuki pointed out: "See?"

He glared slightly, but she laughed, waving it off as she added: "I'm not criticizing it – I guess you could say it's just who you are. You're a serious type of guy, well, demon." She corrected. "And that's okay. I was just pointing out, you could still come and watch."

She glanced back over her shoulder as she added cheekily: "I know you like to, when you think Rin, Jaken and I aren't looking."

He frowned at that, debating whether to reprimand her, deny her claim, or simply acknowledge it, when Yuki disappeared into the trees, heading to Jaken and Rin. With a huff, he went after her, A-Un trailing behind him.