Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 36: Uncertainty

"Say, Yuki, Master Jaken." Rin began excitedly as the group made their way through a foggy path through the mountains. "Let's play a game of tongue twisters!"

Yuki smiled as she glanced back at the child from where she was walking between Sesshomaru and Rin, A-Un trudging behind the child, while Jaken repeated incredulously from his place beside Yuki: "Tongue-twisters?"

"Me first!" Rin chirped quickly. "Red Jaken, blue Jaken, gold Jaken."

"Red Jaken, blue Jaken, gold Jaken." Yuki rattled off as well, and Jaken huffed indignantly: "Yuki!"

"Your turn." She sing-songed back, grinning in amusement and Jaken gave up.

He sighed, but repeated monotonously to please the two females: "Red Jaken, blue Jaken, gold Jaken."

"Hey, you're pretty good!" Rin noted, and Jaken replied a little haughtily: "Of course."

"One more time!" Rin challenged, before repeating once more: "Red Jaken, blue Jaken, gold Jaken."

"Red Jaken, blue-gold." Yuki pretended to slip up, smiling to herself when Rin clapped and said delightedly: "All right, Yuki, you're out!"

"That's not fair – I was tired from training myself with my new swords earlier. One more chance." Yuki pretended to protest, and Rin shook her head, beaming as she said firmly: "No! Master Jaken, your turn!"

"Ah, Rin, you're too cruel." Yuki playfully joked, while Jaken groaned: "Forget it."

"Why not?!" Rin cried, and Yuki added as she nudged Jaken with her knee: "Don't be a party-pooper, Jaken!"

"Say it!" Rin whined, and Jaken groaned.

'Oh, when will this end?' He thought with a sigh, before glancing forwards at the dog demon leading their small procession. 'Lord Sesshomaru still searches for Naraku, but we have yet to find him. Oh, how long must we continue this futile journey?'

Suddenly, Sesshomaru stopped walking.

Yuki stopped dead with him, her posture straightening and tensing just slightly as she turned her head to stare forwards in the same direction Sesshomaru was looking. Jaken, unfortunately, didn't notice in time and walked right into the back of Sesshomaru's calf, bouncing off and landing on his back with an oomph.

Rin had stopped when she saw her two foster-parent-like figures stop, and she asked curiously as she looked between Yuki and Sesshomaru: "Is something the matter, Yuki, Lord Sesshomaru?"

A flute began to play in the distance in answer, the eerie tune echoing slightly towards them in the mist. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed just slightly while Jaken gasped, flinching slightly, and Yuki's hand landed almost casually on Kiba's hilt.

"Rin, stay close to me." Yuki said quietly, and the child nodded as she pressed herself close to Yuki's side.

Sesshomaru's eyes slid back to look at them very briefly before he refocused before him, just as a shadow began to appear through the misty night.

Yuki's brows furrowed as she saw the figure more clearly as it came ever closer, revealing a young, human-looking woman with long dark hair, her eyes currently closed, and skin as delicate as a princess. The woman was dressed finely too, in a rich pink kimono, covered by a thick, green over-layer that trailed slightly behind her. And all the while, she continued to play her strange melody on her simple, wooden flute.

"Oh..."

Jaken stared with wide eyes at the beautiful woman, while Rin gasped at the pretty melody the woman was playing, but neither Sesshomaru nor Yuki showed any reaction as the woman came steadily closer.