InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Temptress and the Ice Lord ❯ A Strange Encounter ( Chapter 2 )

Sesshoumaru sat on a large stone, staring into the fire. Rin's even breathing assured him that there were no nightmares of wolves plaguing her tonight. Jaken kept muttering in his sleep, irritatingly. One of Ah-Un's heads was sleeping; the other was staring up into the sky. It was peaceful, a pleasant change from the chaotic events of late.

 

He considered sleeping; which was something he occasionally did by choice, not by necessity. He did not need sleep, but he tended to feel more alert and content after a night of rest. Still, he did not like the lack of alertness that sleep brought, so he preferred to remain awake. And seeing as how the night was calm and peaceful, he got nearly as much rest simply from sitting and thinking as he would from sleep.

 

He became aware of Naraku's scent, coming closer, and momentarily tensed, laying his hand on Tokijin's hilt; but he had learned to read the subtle differences in scent between Naraku and his “daughter”, so he realized quickly who it was. He rose and met the eyes of Ah-Un's alert head, silently signaling for the dragon to guard the camp, before he walked towards the scent.

 

Kagura was sitting in a tree some fifty yards from the camp, chin rested in her palm, staring into the darkness, apparently lost in thought. Her thin brows were drawn down over her eyes, and she seemed to be internally debating with herself. He wondered if perhaps she had been sent to attack him and was weighing her chances of victory and considering asking him for help again rather than obeying her orders.

 

“Kagura.”

 

She started slightly, but then gracefully leapt down from her perch to stand before him. For some inexplicable reason he noticed her feet. He couldn't quite comprehend why anyone would choose to go barefoot constantly, like Rin and Kagura did. Surely they often scraped or bruised their feet? Yet Rin had promptly lost any footwear he provided for her, and Kagura seemed completely content barefoot as well.

 

She normally seemed at no loss for words, but now she was silent, and she kept looking up at him almost…shyly? Shyness was hardly a normal trait for Kagura. It seemed to Sesshoumaru that Naraku was most definitely up to something.

 

“What brings you here, Kagura?”

 

“Naraku sent me.”

 

He set his hand on Tokijin's hilt again, preparing for the possibility that she had been sent to fight him and might actually obey, if Naraku had threatened her enough.

 

Her scent was strange. She seemed nervous, uncertain, and…mildly aroused? He wondered what exactly was going on in her head. Somehow, her nervousness was appealing…the way she bit her lip drew attention to her mouth, and the way she kept twirling her closed fan made him notice her long, pale fingers. Still, noticing her attractive features was nothing new, he had been well aware of her beauty and allure from their first meeting. It did not make any difference; she was still Naraku's offspring.

 

He was startled when she suddenly pulled out her feather and took to the skies. He watched her go, puzzled, before returning to the camp, wondering what her purpose had been in coming. It was certainly his strangest encounter with her yet.